On Swimming. And Writing. And Love Affairs With Story.

It’s consuming in a way. No, in all ways. Like a love affair. Or a roller coaster. Or a horror movie. It overshadows everything else in your world. It IS your world, Right Now In This Moment, permeating into every pore, every cell. This thing called creation. This growth of a story. This incubation period. Gestation. Evolution.

This immersion.

When you step away for a break or because other commitments make it necessary, it’s almost scary to return. You dip your toes in the water and think, am I ready for this? Am I ready to give myself over? To lose myself? To have this otherness responsible for whether I float or drown? To become dependent on it? To have it swallow me whole? To submerge? Am I ready to immerse?

Am I ready?

I will have to put everything else on the back burner, as they say. Bottom of the totem pole. Lowest priority. Things I’ve enjoyed being wholly present for while not consumed with Story. Things I love. Things I don’t necessarily want to have fade into the background. But it’s the price, isn’t it? The creative muse is selfish that way. “All or nothing,” it tells me. “I want you all for myself,” it purrs.

“You leave me,” my husband once said of my affairs with Story. Not literally, of course. I’m here. But I’m not. My body is here, but my mind is in bed with Story.

“MOM,” my son yells, because he’s had to say it four times before snapping me out of my reverie. “Mom, did you even hear me?”

No, I tell him. Because I’m not here. I’m not this mom you speak of. Not at this moment. I’m a character. In her skin. Or his. I’m seeing through other eyes. I’m reacting to other stimuli. “I’m sorry,” I tell him. “I was in my story.”

IN. As if I’m in another dimension. Inside. Part of.

Not merely treading water, or my senses would still be open to receive. Vulnerable to distraction. No. I’m under the water. Submerged. Baptized. Sound and light muted. Buffered. Protected. Shrouded from anything other than Story.

Like a siren, Story calls for me from its watery depths, luring me, pleading. My characters grow impatient. Pacing, checking their watches. “What’s taking you so long?” they say in unison, their features rippling just under the water’s surface. “Come back to us.”

“I’m coming,” I assure them, kicking the water with my toes, leaning ever so slightly over the edge of the dock, but even as the words come out of my mouth, butterflies swirl in my stomach. The thought of giving myself over so completely is both tantalizing and earth-shaking. Tempting and timorous. Irresistible and…..

Irresistible.

Irresistible.

To be incapable of resisting. How totally and tragically accurate.

With a quick glance back at my life, at my family, at my friends, at my house, at my pets…my eyes say it all: Forgive me. I’m sorry. Be patient with me.

And then I slide into the water. Down. Further. Into the waiting arms of Story.

Immersed.

An imperative bridge

I’m going to talk about abortion. I know, it’s a word weighted with emotion, but I am approaching the subject from a different angle that I know you will benefit from no matter where you stand on the matter. I implore you to hear me out.

Two enormous misconceptions exist on the subject of abortion, and they are the reason for the seemingly unbridgeable divide between pro-life and pro-choice. No one will ever “win” that argument because we’re focused on polar outcomes.

The misconceptions are as follows:

Making abortion illegal stops abortion
Pro-choice means pro-abortion. (No woman wants to have an abortion. Nor does any woman want another woman to go through one)

If we can’t get past these misconceptions, the fight will never cease. That is a sad notion to me because we are so much stronger together.

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Author Beth Teliho’s Savvy Advice for First Time Novelists

(Originally published on The Right Writer for You, This is an interview conducted by Anne Goetz, where I discuss All Things Writing & Publishing.)

In May, I featured a review of a multi award-winning book titled “Order of Seven” that was blowing the mismatched socks off young-adult, paranormal/fantasy readers. Since then, first-time author Beth Teliho has continued to sell copies and rack up glowing reviews of her captivating book.

I asked Beth if she would consider writing a post for The Right Writer for You about what it takes to write, self-publish and market a successful first novel, and she was kind enough to consent. Today, I have the honor of sharing that marvelous post with you. It’s packed full of need-to-know information for first-time novelists — or for anyone anywhere who is considering becoming a self-published author.

What follows is a post abundant with common sense, priceless links and sound advice — all offered up from Beth’s own first-hand experience and in her distinctive and humorous voice. Trust me, you’re going to want to bookmark this enjoyable foray into self-publishing.

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GIRL POWAH – The Every Woman Story Project

Ever had a struggle so big it consumed your life? You fight it, sometimes succeeding, other times succumbing? How about when you learn of others that are fighting the same fight…it helps, doesn’t it? Knowing you’re not alone takes power away from the hold the struggle has over you. It gives you a feeling of camaraderie. Solidarity.

My struggle with body image and self worth is something I’ve written about before. I found the strength to let myself be vulnerable and write about it by reading other women’s stories. Those stories helped me tremendously, so I knew writing my own could help someone else, as well as be a cathartic exercise for me. Writing my story was a gift to myself, and my badass friend, Katie Cross, wants you to have that gift too. Let me introduce you to The Every Woman Story Project, which you can learn more about by clicking the highlighted title in this sentence, which is a link.

Or, simply read on….

The Every Woman Story project is a place to bring women—and all the things we struggle with—together. It’s a place of empowerment. Of vulnerability. Of strength. Of solid steel willpower. The purpose of the project is to collect stories from the women in the trenches and empower each other by sharing them.

The stories will be there forever as a resource for women, but you also have the opportunity to contribute by writing your own story. Your story will be completely anonymous, even to the project’s creator, Katie.

There is no rule. No limit to what you say or what story you tell. It can be two sentences, or two pages. Two paragraphs, or two words. When all entries have been gathered up, Katie will compile them into an ebook and offer them for free on her website, Health and Happiness Society.

There will be no charge for the book. No fee. No monetary gain. No content editing. The stories will be presented as they are given.
Enter the Every Woman Story Project today.

Please share with your friends using the hashtag #EveryWomanStory

Author Interview – Beth Teliho – Order Of Seven

WRITERLY TALK. ENJOY.

toofulltowrite (I've started so I'll finish)

Howdy folks.

We have yet another fantastic guest for you in the Author Interview Series tonight and I couldn’t be happier to be talking to author Beth Teliho about her superb novel (which just recently won a Gold Award in the Readers’ Favorite 2016 Book Award Contest in the Supernatural Fiction category, so very well done Beth!)

So without further ado, it’s time to start this interview, so here we go and a very pleasant evening to you all.

Hi there Beth, a real pleasure to be chatting with you today.

Let’s start with your novel “Order of Seven”. I remember you mentioning before that it spanned multiple genres and was very intrigued by the name of the book, along with the setting and characters. Can you give us some insight into the nature of your beast and what sort of challenges the heroine Devi Bennett is going to face…

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The 5 W’s and a Pile-o-Poo

I thought this might be a timely post with the recent end of Nanowrimo and all its stress-induced writer’s doubt. I know quite a few talented writers who aspire to publish (you know who you are!) but they haven’t started yet because it’s scary as hell. Fear of not being perfect freezes them. They choke at their keyboards, unable to let the ideas sprinkle through their fingertips.

I know exactly what the voices in their heads are saying: What if I fail?

I know because I thought those same things. So I ask you, what is your definition of failure? And regardless of your definition, wouldn’t you automatically fail if you never tried? (more…)

This is what happens when 9 women can get their shit together and meet

Online friendships can be pretty intense, but nothing compares to finally hugging someone you’ve known only online for years. You get to learn how they sigh after they laugh, how their nose crinkles when they smile, how their voice sounds, and how they walk. It’s kind of magical, really.

The SisterWives are a force to be reckoned with over the wires, but when we actually got together In Real….HO. LEE. SHIT.

It was electric and thrilling and perfect.

I was very nervous meeting eight of them at once. I’m pretty sure I was quiet and wore a huge, creepy grin for a full 24 hours. But then I realized that I already knew these people. They are family. And I can fart if I want to.

Just kidding…I didn’t do that. (that anyone’s aware of)

A handful of our tribe couldn’t make it this time, but that’s okay….there will be another SisterWives gathering in the near future. And another….and another…..

To enjoy a hilarious recap and see photos of our meet up, go HERE.

Author Beth Teliho’s Savvy Advice for First-Time Novelists

In which I dump all my writing/pubbing/marketing knowledge in one place. Paying it forward. Use *THIS LINK* to read full post!

An Unedited Life

Beth Teliho, author of “Order of Seven”

In May, I featured a review of a book titled “Order of Seven” that was blowing the mismatched socks off young-adult, paranormal/fantasy readers. Since then, first-time author Beth Teliho has continued to sell copies and rack up glowing reviews of her captivating book.

I asked Beth if she would consider writing a post for An Unedited Life about what it takes to write, self-publish and market a successful first novel, and she was kind enough to consent. Today, I have the honor of sharing that marvelous post with you. It’s packed full of need-to-know information for first-time novelists — or for anyone anywhere who is considering becoming a self-published author.

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12 Signs You Live With a Competitive Cyclist

1. You’re repeatedly told, “Please don’t put anything in the dryer that has a padded crotch.”

2. You start to use a curiously large tube of toothpaste when you see it’s actually Chamois Butter, which is basically WD 40 for ass cheeks and inner thighs. (more…)

The Ghostess With The Mostess

I know I’m late getting this Post-Portland-Poltergeist update on the blog, but it took me this long to recoup from four days of acting like I was 23 again. Props to my scuzzin, Mikey, who is an amazing host, often making me and Vanessa dinner or late-night snacks, showing us all around his incredible city, and taking us to the coolest bars and restaurants. Isn’t he adorbs? (ahhh the pasty glow of our pigment-lacking genetics)