I'm blogging my way through the alphabet with many others participating in the 2014 A to Z Challenge. For me, it really is a challenge because of all that's going on in my life. I spent today trying to design wedding invitations while painters painted and workers cut granite. I took a short break to run to Lowe's to pick out bathroom faucets.
We've been busy ever since moving back to Louisiana from Oklahoma. I thought retirement meant a lot of free time on our hands. Not so.I miss Oklahoma. I especially miss my friend Janie who met me at the library for a writing day two or three times a month. She drove about 45 minutes one way for our writing day. We'd meet at 9:00 a.m. and at noon, we'd break for lunch. I'd usually take apple and cheese but Janie packed a real lunch of tuna or chicken salad. After lunch, we'd write for another hour or two. Here are a couple of pics I snapped of Janie while she focused on her manuscript. I guess you know if I'm snapping pics with my iPhone, I'm not focused on writing. I'm people-watching.
Janie used to live in Cameron, Louisiana but after her husband died, she moved to Oklahoma to be near sisters and was there to welcome me when hubby's work took us there. What a treat to have a writing pal, a brainstorming buddy ... someone who is fun, smart, loves to read and loves to laugh. That's Janie, fearless Janie, I-can-do-anything-I-put-my-mind-to Janie. What an encourager! I wrote my novella at the Mustang Library in Oklahoma with Janie sitting across from me ... just like in these pictures. If we were still there, I'd have another book finished. I have no doubt!
Janie and I keep in touch by email, but it's definitely not the same as sitting across the table from each other. I can't see her crazy expressions or hear her wild laughter. I miss that.
Do you have a special pal that cheers you on when you've been rejected way too many times? Someone who'll read over your work, and tell you honestly if it is good, if a scene works, if there are plot holes? Janie wrote a little mystery short story that I had the pleasure of critiquing for her. She targeted Women's World Magazine. We were so excited when they offered her a contract. A Safe Bet came out in March. I felt like Janie's success was my success too.
Tell me about your writer friends. Anyone special?
7 comments:
Good to have a friend like that!
Janie is indeed a perfect writing pal, critique partner and brainstorming buddy. Love the pictures you took of Janie.
My three crit partners who I met through my blog and FB page are my source of strength where my writing ups and downs are concerned.
Thanks for the comment and the follow. Am following you now.
Charles - Definitely!
Rachna - thanks for popping over and for the follow!
It's really nice to have a writing friend close by, and it's a shame you don't get to see Janie in person anymore.
Maybe you could arrange a Skype session together? Not quite as good as the real thing, but close! :D
I think it's great you have a writer pal close by. I wish I did. I see my writer friends once a month, and it's a long drive. But I do have online writer friends, and I get to visit with them as often as I'd like. Thank God for that.
Deb@ http://debioneille.blogspot.com
I also want to say congrats to your friend Janie on getting published in Woman's World. I subscribed to that magazine, and I save them all. Which issue was she published in?
I'm glad you two can at least continue to keep in touch via email. It helps.
Deb@ http://debioneille.blogspot.com
Debi, thanks for reading and following. Janie's WW mystery is in a March issue ... I think the one before March 17th. The title is A Safe Bet (I think) by Janie Turnbull. :) Those mysteries are tricky because they can only be 700 words, including the solution.
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