Questions

Over the past few months I've been reconnecting with friends from different seasons of my life via Facebook. I've found (and been found by) people from high school, college, the pre-children married years, and even my fourth grade boyfriend. Inevitably people want to know what I "do." How do I sum it up in a few words? Do I talk about our street ministry? Focus on my task of being a Homeschooler? Should I say I'm a SAHM, or a fabulous wife? :) I've only recently begun answering that I'm a writer. Isn't that a little vague? It leads to more questions. How long have I been writing? Have I been published? And my least favorite, what do I write? What if that answer is as varying and difficult to define as what I do? I feel a certain resistance to be labeled according to what I do or what I write. I am more than a street minister, Homeschooler, or SAHM. Maybe I'm going to be a writer whose work crosses genre lines. Maybe I'm going to blog and never write a single book. What do I do? What do I write? I don't have any easy answers. I'm still figuring that out. For now I'm making myself at home in the questions.

"The power to question is the basis of all human progress." ~Indira Ghandi

"He who asks questions cannot avoid the answers." ~African Proverb

"The word question is derived from the Latin word quarrier (to seek) which is the same root as the word for quest. A creative life is a continued quest, and good questions can be very useful guides." ~Unknown

"Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple. " ~Dr. Seuss

2009 Peak Writing Conference

I know that a couple of people have already posted about this recently but I’m excited about our chapter hosting this event and I don’t want anyone to miss it. It’s this Saturday, February 28th, doors open at 9 am to begin check-in. If the weather is bad, we’ll make a determination and let you know if we have to move the conference to our snow date of March 7th.

We have three awesome speakers who will teach and inspire us in our writing, author Donita K. Paul, author Lisa Tawn Bergren, and agent Beth Jusino. We are planning to record the session, but I’m in charge of that and I’m about as untechie as you get. I could give you a list of a dozen people or so who will verify this but I won’t bore you with that. You’ll just have to trust me.

Anyway, I’m going to get together with a tech person at my church this week to learn how to do all that. When I have succeeded (I have to have confidence), then we will make a CD of the sessions we get permission to record and offer that CD for sale. So whether you attend the conference or not, we are hoping to have the CD available for purchase.

Besides our authors and the CDs, we will have paid critiques you can sign up for to be completed via e-mail at a later date. You can pay for the critique at the conference and send in the selection to be critiqued later. We will not be doing any critiques at the conference.

We have autographed books to give away and other freebies. Anyone attending the conference who would like to sell books at our book table is welcome to do so. Download the form and bring it with you. Let Tiff know if you will be bringing books so she can have a space for you.

We will also be announcing our speaker line-up for next year.

Then to end the whole event we will have a book signing. This will include the speakers as well as any attendees who want to sign their books for people.

We do have limited space and limited food, so if you are planning to come and plan to pay at the door, let us know so we can hold a spot for you.

I look forward to seeing you there! :-)

Just Do It!

I have recently been struggling with a physical ailment many writers have endured. As a result, I was wearing a wrist brace, and using hot and cold packs on my right hand (I am right handed). For anyone who has ever hurt their hand, even the simplest tasks become monumental. Cooking, cleaning, even getting dressed or going potty become nightmares.

And still I stood on faith in God's healing ability and desire, and instead of naming this infirmity, I called it Healed. When ever someone tried to give it a different name, I refused to accept it, and said, "You call it what you want, I'm calling it Healed."

This went on for several weeks. And then just this past week, the Lord said to me, "If you are calling it Healed, act like it's healed."

Off came the brace, no more packs, and -- why should I have expected anything different? -- it has been getting better. I am using my hand, there is minimal pain, and God took me down a completely different path of faith.

So, what does this have to do with writing?

Last night, the Lord spoke to me again, this time about my writing. He told me to act like I'm a writer.

Maybe that sounds like a no-brainer, but really, admit it, we have all fallen into the trap of calling ourselves something we aren't doing. The thing is, a writer writes.

And I haven't been doing much writing lately.

I have thought about writing.
I have written about writing.
I have critiqued others' work.
I have submitted my work for critique.
I have printed off returned critiques.
I have made some revisions based on those critiques.
I have brainstormed with others on their projects.
I have researched conferences -- oh, I love conferences and I love research!
I have read books on writing -- I love to read.
I even sent out a query to an agent.

But I have not written ten new words on my latest project in about two weeks.

So today I committed to another writing friend to have at least 2000 words written by Monday on my project. And I will report on my progress on Monday to that friend.

I encourage you to think about your calling as a writer. I know God has called me to write. I know He has plans for my books. I know He has put me in a group of like-minded writers for support and encouragement. And that encouragement sometimes includes a kick in the butt to get going again.

Today, let's commit to do what we are, to act out the part of what we are, to respond to God's calling in our lives -- TODAY I WRITE!

How about you????

Peak Writing Conference -- A Treasurer's Perspective

You know, I'm excited about the prospect of being a part of launching our very first writing conference here in Colorado. I am confident it's going to be the first of many for years to come and set a precedent for a late Fall conference as well. We've got a fantastic line-up of speakers, delicious food, a book table and a book signing to boot! You can read all about it on the EVENTS page.

But, as the treasurer for the Colorado Springs chapter, I must say I'm learning a whole new set of rules and regulations, restrictions and requirements, as we move closer and closer toward crossing those T's and dotting those I's. All in the name of making sure we have our bases covered and are operating above board on everything connected to the conference.

First, I learned from a helpful CPA who has advised us in business procedures, that we need to file for a tax license in order to sell books at the conference. One must be filed with the state. The other with the county. Thanks to Norm, I located the forms we needed, but it was all Greek to me! :) So, a phone call was made and the forms were filled out for us. I only had to drop them off, pay for the license and we're all set. Phew! One thing down.

Second, I had to have legal forms for the authors who would be consigning books at our book table. Thanks to the years I spent co-running the national bookstore at the annual conference, I had these forms on hand. They only needed some minor tweaking, and we were good to go! Just have to make sure all authors complete the forms beforehand so we have their consent.

Third, and this doesn't directly affect me, but we are planning to record the 3 sessions and make a CD avaialable. Enter another set of rules and regulations to make certain the production is done correctly and all copyright information is visible on the front of the CD. I know I won't be handling this part, but I will be handling the orders and collecting the funds.

Finally, all of this is happening when I'm just 5 weeks away from delivering a baby. I'll be 3 weeks away when the day of the conference comes. They say that your brain gets sapped when you're pregnant, and this is so true! It's great to have a supportive board who is faithful to remind me when I forget something or write it down and send the notes so that I can reference and remember what it was I was supposed to do. If I had to rely on my memory? Yeah...I'm sure there'd be things not done. :)

I can only imagine what I'll be like after they baby's born. Might have to bone up even more on my vitamins and brain power supplements.

So, to wrap up, if you have been considering the conference and wondering if it's worth it to attend, don't delay. We'd love to have a head count in advance as much as possible to prepare the food. Me personally? I'd love to know about authors attending who will be selling books to make sure we have the space for everyone's products.

Just click on the EVENTS page and download/print the registration form. The 2 book forms are there as well.

Hope to see you there!

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Tiffany Amber Stockton is an author and freelance web site designer who lives with her husband and fellow author in beautiful Colorado Springs. They celebrated the birth of their first child in March and have a vivacious puppy named Roxie, a Border Collie/Flat-Haired Retriever mix. She has sold six books so far to Barbour Publishing. Other credits include writing articles for various publications, five short stories with Romancing the Christian Heart, and contributions to the books: 101 Ways to Romance Your Marriage and Grit for the Oyster.

Read more about her at her web site: http://www.ambermiller.com/.

Valentine's Day Mushiness

Love is in the air. (Or is that the alluring aroma of the pecan pie I made for my husband?)

Since Saturday is Valentine's Day, I'd like this to be an interactive-let's-write-something-ooey-gooey kind of post.

I think everyone should share something mushy. A mushy story of you and your spouse. Or, it could be an almost-coulda-been-mushy-turned-hilarious kind of story. Or even an I-wish-this-would-happen-to-me kind of story.

Who's game?
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And just to get everyone started, here's mine:
For Valentine's Day eighteen years ago, the man who is now my husband presented me with a teddy bear holding a little box. In that little box was the yummiest piece of chocolate ever. (And I am a chocolate snob! So my man knew his stuff.)

As the morsel melted in my mouth, I hugged my sweet guy. We were in Bible College, and neither of us had much money, so his gift meant even more.

Taking my hand he walked me down the hill toward my dorm. Suddenly, he stopped and proclaimed, "Hold on! I forgot something!"

He reached into his pocket and pulled out another little box. This time, the box contained an engagement ring. And I've worn it ever since.
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Now, if you'd like to post a little story, just click on the comments button. And if we don't get very many, I'll know that you are all out there creating new romantic moments to share!

Love is in the air...

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Kimberley Woodhouse is a wife, mother, author, and musician with a quick wit and positive outlook despite difficult circumstances. A popular speaker, she’s shared at more than 600 venues across the country. Kimberley and her family's story have garnered national media attention for many years, but most recently her family was chosen for ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, The Montel Williams Show, and Discovery Health channel’s Mystery ER which premiered in 2008. Her story, Welcome Home: Our Family’s Journey to Extreme Joy, releases in September 2009 from Focus on the Family. Kimberley lives, writes, and homeschools in Colorado with her husband and two children in their truly “extreme” home.
kimberleywoodhouse.com