The Writer in Me – A Journal of Survival

A few weeks ago I had a conversation with Oris George,  the back roads of yesterday guy who writes about mules and such stuff as comes about on those back roads where real folks rarely wonder. He mentioned something I’d written and said, “It’s really good. You ought to sell that.”

I went off half-cocked and wrote a query letter to a popular editor/publisher and ended up with a contract to… uh… sell that. What I’d actually written was little more than a title and a few paragraphs of plot, which could go many directions, but I chose to send it down the road of mystery/suspense where I rarely ever go. Not that there’s anything wrong with sitting on the edge of your chair turning pages one after another to get to the end of the book and find out if your hero survives, I just never wrote that stuff before.

So, sitting on my desk, in front of my face on any given morning is an acceptance of a story genre I’ve never written before. Thus far, I’ve gotten about 4500 words and it’s due in a few months, along with several other projects, jobs, and items of work type nature… In fact, the book is due on or about the same date as my third grandchild.

But that reference has nothing what-so-ever to do with the book, just a general concept of I’d better hurry, because I don’t want a looming deadline arriving with a baby due any minute. Babies don’t wait, and looming deadlines must be met.

And yet, here I sit stumbling over the words of the suspenseful novel, waiting inspiration beyond – it was a dark and gloomy night. It’s rather over used, droll, and… Sorry Ava, but… Rather Ava Betz-ish. It has been, often, one of her favorite comments when we start writing those suspenseful pieces in writer’s group, because she knows I’m going to dream up a thunderstorm. “The thunder rolls…” is one of my favorite starting lines for just about anything, because once I get the thunder rolling out of my way, I can get down to writing something of value.

It’s my white page, black-out. You know, those words that settle onto the page first, to remove the fear of white page addiction, which has been known to cause writer’s block in the fairest of writers. Once we’re addicted to the white page, we lack the sensibility to add words and get beyond our addiction. It’s a disease that has stumped many writer’s next books and prevented many Wurlitzer Prize winners from accomplishing their goals.

The psychosis of writing is much the same as the psychotic mania that spurs my hero into action in the thriller I’m currently writing. The desire to accomplish that which is irregular or unusual, while making a statement for humanity drives a strong pulse to continue. Where does the need to stop insanity come from in a sane world? Isn’t it normal to have moments of ridiculous tumultuous experience and a sense of crisis in each day of living?

So, what is so different from putting those thoughts and feelings into a book and calling it suspense and mystery? The doom and gloom of daily living is surely enough suspense to carry us through a thriller crime story filled to the brim with mayhem and chaos, right?

And yet… In a very literary sense, the book must go on.

After an intense conversation with my daughter (who has an incredible sense of knowledge about profiling) I found my weakness in writing to be at least half as great as the profile required to create a psychotic killer in my book. With that knowledge and at least five Sydney Sheldon’s sitting on the shelf, I’ve determined that I can do this. I will write this book, fulfill this contract and beat down the demons that keep saying that I can’t write this book. I can, I will and they can’t stop me!

The Branding Iron

As winter comes on, I’m reminded of the years I spent branding cattle. There weren’t many, but there were a few and those years stand out in my mind as treasures where we gathered to brand, cut cattle, and have a celebration of the end of winter. I loved the gathering and the identification of time, people, and purpose.

Today, the branding iron has a different meaning, but still just as fulfilling and driven by purpose. Article Marketing is not my life, but it fulfills my livelihood and my directives. It gives me resources and drives my business while allowing me to move my own values forward. Often, article marketing gives me an ability to reinforce the message I believe should be presented.

Your Brand identifies you like a branding iron. Using article marketing to make your brand popular often means you can make your brand identifiable and still promote information other than the primary topic of your site.

Brute Force – Taxation Beyond Rights

Are you ready for a government that can tax you beyond your earning power?

Sometimes we look at the taxes we pay IRS and think there should be a regulation, but have you considered the other ways you’re taxed?

Road Tax -

Comes not only when you purchase gas at the gas station, or your license plates. But what about those tickets you receive for not wearing a seatbelt, for having a license plate light burn out, or for not using your blinker to signal a turn? Are all of those revenues used for the roads? Or do those revenues end up somewhere else?

How often do you pay ADDITIONAL TAXES?

Transportation Tax -

It’s that road tax again, from a different source. Have you seen the price of groceries? Not much of that gets back to the farmer. He’s in the same boat you’re in, still scrubbing to get by on the minimal amount of income he’s making, because the extra goes to transportation and hauling of your groceries. Consider the average trucking company pays out at least a 2% fine each year in road costs, at the port, over the ticket counter, or to the courts. Those fines increase the cost of your groceries.

Community Power -

In a small mid-west town where water, wind, and oil are plentiful in local fields, you’d think the cost of power would decrease. Not so fast, it seems local powers-that-be changed the source. Coal fired power plants where the wind never stops? How can that be a productive choice of fuel? Increased costs of transportation via rail have increased the cost of power in the mid-west. Can you imagine the luxury of having your own power plant?

Government Requirements are costing you money.

New laws are digging in your pocket and adding more and more taxation to already unbelievably HIGH levels of taxation. Have you noticed? Or is this just another one of those iconic slaughterings of the current administration that taxes your brain too much to understand the actual cost of what you’re giving up? Are you going to stop it? Are you just going to sit there and watch it happen?

Single Mom – The Theme of This Month

I’ve decided it’s only because this is the month I turn 49. It’s that hazy day-breaking revelation that life continues no matter what the source.

As a single mom, my life is pretty busy and most of the time, dating isn’t an option. There’s just too much going on. But, then there are times when I have an opportunity to date – and take it. I’ve had some really incredibly good dates. A few of them repeatable and something I’d like to repeat. Others, I rarely talk about and try not to remember.

This past week had three specific dates. One very memorable and delightful evening with a friend. I thoroughly enjoyed myself, although I don’t consider “him” as a date. He’s a nice guy, a gentleman, and probably eventually a good friend. But a date, nah – not a serious contender.

The second event was supposed to be a date. My date arrived late – no big deal, he drove a ways to get here. I didn’t get too excited. We went casual, jeans and sweaters and had a nice time. I actually gave him a hug at the end of the night and sent him on his way peacefully. Nice guy – but no dice. He just didn’t keep me interested, not even a little.

Date number three offered something to write home about. In fact, I seriously considered calling my daughter and telling her what a great time I had. Until he dropped me off at the front door. Let’s just say a pleasant evening went south from the exit.

None of these were exactly planned dates. The first one was a last minute invitation to go with a friend before a meeting. The second was a blind ‘get together’ prelude to the supposed first date, scheduled for next week. (I’ve already made other plans.) The third was an event and we were simply going together.

There are a few ’standbys’ who are good friends with a plan… I’ve never been certain what their plan was, but whenever I need a date for an event, or my friends need a date for an event, we end up on each other’s phone. But nothing serious.

After getting together with ‘friends’ and the few dates I’ve experienced this month, I’ve about decided it’s time for a Mom and Kids only Month. No competition, no drama, just mom and the kids for fun and a good healthy dose of laughter.

Personal Columnist – Write Your Own

Write a Column – 5 Steps to Your Own Personal Columnist
By Jan Verhoeff

Small town papers the world over are looking for personal columnists to add content to their papers. Ideas run rampant, but as a writer, how can you take advantage of the need for personal columnists? Here are some suggestions you can take to heart.

Burning Bridges & Midnight Oil

Time passes slowly in the summer when the heat beats down on your head and you’re working the hot afternoon. Living in the Arkansas Valley means hot dry summers through most years, and too many afternoons of heat beating down. Dirt blows and the days grow hot and long.

I remember as a child, my grandfather saying, “It’s two in the afternoon and that sun ain’t gonna budge until well after four, I might as well go in and take a nap.” And he did.

Writer Outreach – The Helping Pen Award

Occasionally, I feel the helping hand of another writer, and I realize that I’ve been given a gift. Writers often sense the need from others to receive, and we give a lot. But when that gift comes back to you, without asking for it, the gift feels different.

Today, out of generosity, a man gave me a gift, and I accepted. I’ve known this man for years. He lives in my hometown, and I know him as a generous and caring man who gives of himself to others. Today, he gave more of himself to me.

He gave me a compliment from the heart, one I’ve never expected. In a conversation with a group of people, he told the group that I was one very talented and giving person. I smiled and said, “Thank you” but the compliment came home. I’ve said the same thing about him, many times, always thinking about how much I appreciate his input on various projects, his encouragement, and his talents.

My point here is that when we live in a community and take part in the lives around us, the interaction becomes a part of who we are. I appreciate this man’s comments, but I realize he could have been any one of any men who live in my community and know me well. This man didn’t have to give me the compliment. But he did. And for that I’m grateful, because I feel the appreciation for what I do.

We can give others the same kind of feeling, inside themselves simply by acknowledging what they do.

Who can you acknowledge this week?

I shall be issuing the Helping Pen Award at an event in late September. If you’d like to nominate someone, contact me at verhoeff.jan@gmail.com

Jan

Writing Moments – Do Your Neighbors Know What You Do?

OVer the past several years, I’ve written several books, edited books for several published authors, and been rather visible among publishers and authors in various locations, but locally, I’m known as the kid down the block. I’m no longer a kid, but they haven’t figured that out.

After one particularly lucrative job of editing a book for a well known writer, I received payment in the form of a personal check. That isn’t highly unusual, but it was a rather large sum of money, and I deposited it early one Monday morning. I understood the bank policy not to put cash directly in the account when a personal check is deposited, so I wasn’t surprised when the teller reminded me there’d be a three day delay on the deposit.

Imagine my surprise, however, about six hours later when a local law enforcement official came knocking on my door. He alerted me that he was here investigating check fraud, and although he didn’t have a warrant, he wanted to ask me a few questions. We laughed (I knew him well, and trusted him as a friend and law enforcement officer). I was curious about his questions, and his reason for visiting me, but was floored when he gave me more information.

He was investigating the deposit of a rather large sum of money into my bank account earlier, and wondered if I could explain the name on the check. I told him I’d edited a book for the writer, who sent me the check. He said, “Really, you edit his books?”

I invited the officer in and pulled the contract and manuscript from my files.

“Well, I’ll be daw-goned. You really do edit his books?” His eyes showed complete surprise, and I knew I was going to have to produce more proof.

I picked up the phone and dialed the number on the contract. “Hey-hey, got a minute?” I asked the man who answered on the other end of the line.

“Sure, what’s up Jani?” He asked.

“There’s an officer here, questioning the deposit I made earlier. Can you reinforce the contract, the manuscript, and your identity for him?” I asked, knowing the writer was going to have a hay-day with this incident.

“Sure, I can…” he paused.

I handed the officer the phone.

Each identified the other and they talked about the literary services I provided. Then the officer handed me back the receiver.

“Jani, how many times have I told you that you must MARKET what you do in your home town. If they don’t know what you do, who will buy your books?”

We hung up the phone and I chatted with the officer for a few moments. I’ve learned to plan “writing moments” in public places, where people recognize what I do, ask me about writing, and remember that I’m a writer. Now, they buy my books!