Starting Over Again ...

The past few months have been nothing short of life-changing for me. There were fantastic changes, like giving life to a beautiful baby boy. And there were not so good changes like losing my job and the recent death of my grandmother - a woman I now realize I thought I knew, even judged at times, but probably didn't know a damn thing about her really. All these changes - a thousand more little ones too - have combined to slow me down and I haven't had the time, energy or creativity to continue writing. Add to that the rejection of a manuscript I am really proud of and you could say I dropped out of what I love doing. But now I think I am ready to come back. But there are some hurdles with that. 

The first - I am a different person than I was six months ago. My world view has been altered over the course of a few short months (although let me tell you, those first three felt like a LIFETIME. I don't remember Christmas ... or New Years ... or January ...). So returning to an old manuscript, I see it with completely different eyes. I don't like what I see in most spots. 

Secondly - Time: I don't have it. I've been robbed. Well, been robbed of long stretches of time. For now I have perhaps 20-45 minutes at a time to sit down and just think, let alone write. This forces me to work quickly and I don't work well under pressure.

Third - I've been out of the romance writing loop for awhile and it seems like in the time I was gone, publishing took a completely different turn. Perhaps I am wrong but I feel as though (from just a few days of surfing my favorite sites) romance has turned from historicals and veered directly toward contemporaries. Bummer for me since I have several half finished historical novels going on. 

All this combined means I have to completely re-invent myself and my writing style. So welcome back to me, now start all over lady.

This Romance Writer on Her Journey

Today over at Romance Writers on the Journey, Keli has posted an interview with yours truly. So wander on over and check it out. If you comment, you'll be entered in a drawing for some pretty cool prizes. The drawing is on Wednesday. The question I posed to RWOTJ readers got me thinking about another interesting question ...

If you could be any fictional character, who would you be?

I have several answers (yeah, it's my question and I say you can have more than one answer) ...

1. Anne Shirley - she has such beautiful thoughts AND Green Gables AND Gilbert Blythe (although I wouldn't mind any of Montgomery's leading ladies ... Emily, Jane, Valancy)

2. Harry Potter ... or technically should it be Hermoine? I don't really want Harry's problems but I could definitely use the magic powers. Invisibility cloak anyone?

3. Charlotte Grey - a British gal who joined the French Resistance during WWII to find her fallen fighter-pilot boyfriend? Yeah, I could do that. 

So, who would you be?

Tomorrow look for a review on Catherine Anderson's new book. And a real blog post. I promise. Sorta.

New Website

Over the past month or so I have been working on creating a website. It's finally done and you can find it at:

http://www.emilybecher.com

For those of you who are interested, I have posted several excerpts from my works in progress. These are some of the WIPs I am considering as entrants into a couple of contests. 

Happy Reading!

Is It 2009 Already? ... Crap

I'm not one for New Year's resolutions. I tend to cave easily and forget exactly what I resolved to do anyway. Plus I don't do things like: "I'm going to lose 15 pounds" (although this year I might to get rid of this baby weight and all the fudge I ate over the holidays) or "I am going to quit smoking" (because I don't smoke). Those are your typical resolutions, right?

I could say that I am going to be a nicer person but honestly, I am perfectly nice unless provoked. And OK, some would say I am easily provoked but whatever, I know my limitations. Other people should too.

However 2009 is a special year for me. It's the first year of my baby's life and our family dynamic will never be the same. It's so new and odd to me to be a mother, but wonderful all the same. Some days I wonder if I were crazy to embark on this journey but then I look at his beautiful face (and he smiles, its not gas, I swear!) and I know I am holding onto a miracle. 

Also this year I have several new writing projects lined up. Oh and that little, itty bitty rejection letter to consider. I know I said it didn't bother me and really, it doesn't ... except at like, you know, three in the morning when I am feeding Michael and my mind wanders into the dangerous self-doubt territory. Those 3 am doubts are particularly strong when I am tired and so I've decided to do something about them. As in, not have them. Ever. And to do that, I must resolve. 

Crap. A resolution after all. 

Here it is:

I hereby resolve to take the good and leave the bad. To see the small things as they are - realize when they are actually big and when they are insignificant. And to appreciate each gift I am given. 

Happy New Year!

Why I've Been MIA or Baby Love

Born Sunday November 30 at 3:09 am. Weighed 7 lbs, 8 oz, 20.5 inches long.

Welcome to the world Michael Lee. 

He's quickly become the light of my life. The nights are long, my heart breaks when he cries, but when he sighs and turns his head toward my voice, I quickly forget every bit of exhaustion and just LOOK at him. 

The Husband and I are blessed beyond measure. 

Comfort Reads

It's the beginning of winter here in Central Illinois, complete with cold winds and snow. Which always brings to mind my "comfort reads". These are books that I turn to again and again each winter to get me through the chilly months when I absolutely despise going outside to the library or my favorite book store.

I messed around with Picasa today and found a way to collage images so the above is a random sorting of some of my favorite books. I thought about posting lightening quick reviews on each of them but I would only drool over each one of them and become boring, so look at the pretty pictures instead.

(if you click on the picture, you can get a better view of it)

You Can Now Find Me ...

As if my life isn't hectic enough, I recently joined Reading Romance Books as a reviewer. Look for my first review on Tuesday (hopefully!). I'll continue to post reviews here as well, or at least a link to the ones I do over there with the other lovely ladies. 

I'm really excited about this. I love group blogs and this is the first one I've had the chance to participate in. 

Also, Kohls is awesome. Yeah, Kohls. The Husband and I went there yesterday (and nearly died in the pre-holiday season rush, it was like Black Friday!) and I picked up my annual stash of Sugar Cookie and Pumpkin Spice candles. Currently the Sugar Cookie is on the candle warmer and my house smells like I am the best cook in the world. Which is complete rubbish, of course. The only downside is that the smell makes my mouth literally water for a really thick pastry or huge slice of cake. Neither of which is at my disposal. 

And NaNo? I don't wanna talk about it.

A Place Without Trouble

Auntie Em: Find yourself a place where there isn't any trouble!

Dorothy: Some place where there isn't any trouble. Do you suppose there is such a place, Toto?

When I was a little girl, The Wizard of Oz was my favorite movie (along with The Sound of Music). In my earliest TV memory, I was in front of our old turn-dial set, with a plate of pizza (a huge treat) watching the Wicked Witch of the West flying around her castle. To this day, that remains one of my most vivid memories. Dorothy's journey, from her home to the land of her dreams and back again, where she finds she really wants to be, is familiar theme in books and movies. The epic journey - the quest to find your heart - to find fulfilment, contentment, love - is in every story, whether it takes center stage or not. But what always got me was that one line: 

Some place where there isn't any trouble. Do you suppose there is such a place, Toto?

I wonder, is there a place? It's hard to believe so. Every day some new trouble seems to pop up - the pesky mortgage payment, an unexpected death, a hateful co-worker, losing a friend to a misunderstanding - all these things and more are represented by The Wicked Witch of the West. 

Is Dorothy's quest in vain? Perhaps. But she went forward, she walked down that yellow path because she had no choice but to move onward. Just like all of us, we have no alternative but to set our feet forward, dodge that evil witch and gather good friends and good lessons along the way. And sure, at some point (probably more than once) we'll end up facing the witch in her castle with only a bucket of water for defense, but just like Dorothy, we are always provided with the tools we need to beat down that obstacle. All you have to do is look around and trust yourself. 

At times, like the Scarecrow says: 

Of course I don't know but I think it will get darker before it gets lighter.

Remember though, whether it's green or not, everyone has an Emerald City. You just have to find it. Trouble found Dorothy in the Emerald City, but she also found the very thing she was looking for there. She took the good with the bad and was a better person for it. She found her Happily Ever After. 

On another note, every time I watch the movie, I always wish that somehow Dorothy would have taken the Red Brick Road ... what do you suppose was at the end of that one?

And Now For This Very Special Public Announcement

I tend to stay away from “hot topics” on this blog because:

1. This is a blog about writing and books
2. You didn’t come here to read about my political opinions
3. Mostly politics are boring anyway and if you want an opinion go to CNN or Fox or MSNBC where ever

HOWEVER - Today is a very important day and so I am going to make a little speech here. A tiny one, I promise.

Today is a historic day. And no matter which party you affiliate yourself with, it’s your right and privilege to make a statement who represents the U.S. to the world. So whether you are Democrat or Republican, Green or Independent, or if you simply don’t know which party you like but you know which candidate you like:

GET OUT THERE AND VOTE.

(Stepping off soap box now. Tune in later for more on books and writing)

(See? It was a little speech)

Why I Hate Vampires

My niece has been bugging me and bugging me (she's 14, so she's really good at bugging) to read the Twilight series. And I've been putting her off with various reasons. I have a stack of books to be read teetering on my night stand. I've been really busy at work and don't have time. There's too much on TV I need to catch up on ... she has accepted all those reasons but her patience (remember, she's 14) is running out. The problem is, I can't tell her the truth. The very pathetic truth. Are you ready for it? (because here is another moment of self-destructiveness in which I confess something I should probably just keep to myself) ... 

I'm terrified of vampires. 

Truly. Terrified. 

I'm 27 and people with pointy teeth make me uneasy. Which is why I can't read Twilight or any others by Stephanie Myer. I don't care how "romantic" Edward is or how lovely poor, poor Bella is. I don't care that their love has 14 year old girls, 18 year old girls, 62 year old girls around the world swooning. Because EDWARD IS A VAMPIRE AND HE SCARES ME. 

But there's a reason for this. I swear. I blame it on the guy in the video store when I was in first grade. 

See, one Halloween twenty years ago, my mother was at her wits end. We have just moved from North Carolina to Detroit and among the many differences we discovered between the rural south and the big city north was that it SNOWED on Halloween! Snow! On Halloween! Who would have guessed? Not us little southern girls, I can tell you that. So anyway, my little brother had gotten a really bad cold and my dad was out of town on business so instead of going trick or treating in the snow, Mom took us to the video store to get some "scary" movies for Halloween. I think she was thinking this:

I would have enjoyed Charlie Brown and his Great Pumpkin. 

Instead, the punk kid at the video store recommended something much, much worse. Punk Kid recommended one of the most popular movies of 1987. Cory. Cory. Keifer. And Vampires. 

Punk Kid recommended The Lost Boys to a mother with two small girls. Punk Kid ruined Keifer for me for a very long time. At the age of 7, I watched Lost Boys and now I am terrified of vampires. Stupid Punk Kid. What kind of IDIOT would think that a 7 year old and 5 year old would love it when the scary vampire dude was killed in a bath tub of holy water? (am I remembering that right? Because that was the first and last time I ever watched that movie). What kind of idiot thinks little girls would love the part when the head vampire's dogs try to rip people apart? What kind of idiot ... OK, that's enough. I persist in thinking that idiot still works at the video store. 

So tell me, how am I suppose to tell my niece, age 14, that I hate vampires because I'm scared of them? I asked her if she has ever seen The Lost Boys and she gave me the blank teenager stare. I decided to leave it at that. I mean, why ruin Edward for her as Keifer was ruined for me? Besides which, there's always this:

And I don't know about you but Charlie kicks a vampire's blood-sucking ass any day. 

Booking Through Thursday ~ Favorite Literary Couples

In the land of blogging I am learning all about memes. Today I ran across this one compliments of The Book Lady's Blog. So thanks, Book Lady. Anyway, on an occasional Thursday if I like the question (or have something halfway interesting to say about it), I'll post. 

Here is today's Booking Through Thursday meme:

Name a favorite literary couple and tell me why they are a favorite. If you cannot choose just one, that is okay too. Name as many as you like–sometimes narrowing down a list can be extremely difficult and painful. Or maybe that’s just me.

It wasn't hard for me to narrow this answer down. As soon as I read the question, I knew the answer. 

Emily Byrd Starr and Teddy Kent ~ Emily Series by LM Montgomery 

The second book, Emily Climbs features one of the turning points in my reading life. It's the first time I clearly remember where I was (on my white lace bedspread), eating (saltine crackers), doing (petting my cat), and what I read. I was fourteen and the scene hit me so hard because it revealed the thing I most wished would happen to me even though I didn't know it at the time. 

Emily attended prayer meeting on a Wednesday night. It was hot, the summer air thick with the tension of a coming storm. Emily passed the time by jotting down notes on a stray piece of paper found in the back of her bible. The paper slipped from her bible as she left the church and she returned to get it for her notes contained fancies about the people around her. If anyone found it, she would be disgraced. Unfortunately, Emily is locked inside the church and finds that she is not alone. In a panic she screams for Teddy who cannot possibly hear her. He comes though, from a mile distant, and saves her from the church. They sit on a grave stone in the cemetery while she recovers her wits and in time, they start to feel something more and their friendship is never the same. 

"Emily," Teddy whispered, "you're the sweetest girl in the world."

The words have been said so often by so many millions of lads to so many milllons of lasses, that they ought to be worn to tatters. But when you hear them for them for the first time, in some magic hour of your teens, they are as new and fresh and wondrous as if they had just drifted over the hedges of Eden. Madam, whoever you are, and however old you are, be honest, and admit the first time you heard those words on the lips of some shy sweetheart, was the great moment of your life.

My 14 year old heart longed for that moment. I didn't know until I read the words that it was what I wanted most in the world but I read those sentences and I was forever changed. I think in that moment, I started the transformation from childhood to young adulthood. And, as the author entreats, as a "madam" fourteen years later, I admit I still thrill when I read those words again. 

And that is why Emily and Teddy will always be my favorite literary couple. They opened a door for me. 

I think I am a complete sap. 

I have other favorite couples, but none like Emily and Teddy. The first is pretty obvious, but then, I'm an obvious sort of girl. 

Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy ~ Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Anne Shirley and Gilbert Blythe ~ Anne Series by LM Montgomery

Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton ~ Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn

Charlotte Gray and Peter Gregory ~ Charlotte Gray by Sebastian Faulks

Where To Begin Or The Introduction Part One

I've been dithering for days. 

(That's the first thing you should know. I'm a dither-er ... ditherer? Is that even a word? It is now. I'm a writer. I get to decide.). 

Some would call it procrastination. Some would call it fear of rejection. I prefer dithering. Or percolating. Because I've decided to start this blog and I really wonder ... why? And where do I begin?

So after days of arguing with myself and coming up with really some awesome blog post titles (for future blog posts. They're great, trust me.) I finally decided to just suck it up and write the terrible first one. Because you can't really just dive into a blog without any type of introduction, can you? 

So here it is. 

The Introduction Part One.

Arguments I have had with myself over the past few days which will hopefully give you an idea of who I am and why you should keep reading:

1. Should I be anonymous and therefore mysterious? Perhaps not. I read blogs by "anonymous" people - mainly authors who want to have their say and not offend their readers or potentials at the same time. But if I were completely honest with myself, this blog is sort of a way of marketing - getting my name out there. Because some day I am going to publish this really great book about really great people and I need to make really great money so my future publisher will want more really great books and let's face it ... people love blogs. I know. I'm one of them. So, I decided to put myself out there. 
2. But how far out there? Where should I draw the line? If I were completely honest, I think most readers (hello? Is there anyone out there?) might find themselves on the far side of the too much information line. I tend to ramble. But if you want to get an idea of what I could write about but won't let myself, check out the list on the left over there called Things I Would Blog About If I Knew You Better. Go on, check it out. I'll just be here waiting, twiddling my thumbs. Back so soon? It's a short list now. It'll get longer. This leads me to ... 
3. What should I blog about? Welllll ... the things that interest me the most. TV (its premiere week, is anyone else peeing in their pants about the return of The Office tonight?); books (romance baby, gotta have my happily ever after); writing (because, you know, you can never have too many opinions on how you should write your book! - sense the sarcasm my friends); my real job (God, wouldn't it be great if my job were like The Office? I mean sure, you get Michael, but you also get to stare at Jim. There are no Jims anywhere near my cube); and my friends/family (because lets face it, they do some crazy weird stuff sometimes. Oh and my cat, Jack, who is currently watching TV. I kid you not. He loves baseball.
4. So ... how often? I'm not really good with discipline. Really. Not. Good. Self-imposed deadlines are like a death sentence for whatever project I am currently working on. So to self-impose a schedule ... eeek, I think I see hives. But here's a promise. At least twice a week. I am a personal lover of people who blog everyday but those people are incredibly interesting whereas I like to think of myself as mildly amusing. 
5. Any rules? Rules, schumles. OK, so I'll try not to swear but sometimes my fingers just take over. And I'll keep the venting to a minimum - except on Very Bad Work Days. Other than that, who needs 'em?

So ... that's that. I hope lots of people come out to play. I'm nice. Really. Tell your friends about me. And then if they hate me, tell them I promised you all sorts of money and time share incentives to get the word out. 

My name is Emily, and I am blogging. 

P.S. Who the hell (oops, rule broken) came up with the word "blog"? It's not a very pretty word. If anyone out there wants to share the origin of this crazy word, go for it. I would appreciate it.