Patience.....

It's been almost a week since my last blog and it's been a crazy one. If someone would have told me that writing a book and trying to get it published would be such a roller coaster ride I would probably re-think this whole thing....LOL! Actually I'm lying, I wouldn't, because I love writing and I consider all the torture I am going through to be an experience that I will never forget. It also will be a rewarding one for that matter.

So this week, I've been trying to get out more applications for a literary agent and the process is demanding because every agency has their own list of pre-requisites. In my way, I consider this to be my own little version of American Idol....yes...I know it sounds crazy but I am auditioning aren't I? LOL! It's a bit demanding but nothing good in life ever came easy, that I know for sure.

On another note, the Oscars were this Sunday and I have to tell you the truth, watching all those acceptance speeches made my journey to be a novelist more of a reality than just a dream. I hope that with the publication of my first novel, that I could venture out and do screenplays which would also allow me to branch out in different areas of writing. All these creative thoughts are flowing through me and I have all of them stashed for that day when I weave it all together. I want to be up there one day holding up Mr. Golden Boy and thanking my peers and everyone who helped me get to that point. It would be the ultimate acknowledgement of all my hard work.

Two speeches from that night touched my heart and I'd like to share them with you....the first being Mo'Nique's acceptance speech for her performance in Precious and then Sandra Bullock's for her performance in 'The Blind Side."





With that I leave you for tonight and I promise pretty soon for another peek into "Scars."

xoxo
Catherine

1st Preview of Scars....

Many people have personally asked me why I would title my first manuscript "Scars?" Just the name alone brings to mind a nasty sore, but in my case, "scars" mean more than that repulsive image. So many times in our lives, especially when we are young, do we fall or injure ourselves and what is left behind is the nasty sore from above. As we get older, we begin to form more "scars", deeper ones, but these "scars" are not visible nor can they be touched, these are the "scars" that are etched in our minds and heart. They are what I call, "emotional scars."

My "emotional scars" began almost 13 years ago....yep....that long ago. A major event occurred in my life that made me emotionally vulnerable. Since then I've tried bandaging up every single bad moment in my life but the second something entered my life or jolted it, those bandages were ripped off exposing that emotional scar and leaving me again vulnerable.

I would love to tell you more about those emotional scars and the journey that landed me here talking to you....but if I do, I'll give away the book. LOL! I will eventually give little bits here and there to get you excited but as of now, this is all I have to say....so enjoy and have a good night!

Little Women....

I sit here, late at night, writing down ideas for my second manuscript and behind me are the voices of Winona Ryder and Susan Saradon in the movie "Little Women." As a young girl, when I first read "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott at the age of 9, I was truly captivated by the lives of the March women, mainly Josephine "Jo" March's. Jo's character defines me to the core. She's very outspoken and she cares deeply for her family (my God, she cuts her long beautiful hair in order to get her mother rail money to visit her wounded father). She is also headstrong and believes she should win every argument. Then there is the writer in Jo, the one thing in the world that she loves the most as do I. Like I said before, I never once thought of myself as a writer or someone who could possibly write a manuscript, but life likes throwing you many curve balls. Tonight, while watching the 1994 version of Little Women, there was a scene that truly touched my heart. As everything in Jo's life seems to be crumbling down around her and she's lost all hope, an opportunity presents itself and inspires Jo to write about her family's journey of hope, love, happiness and the lessons learned. The reason that scene touched me so was because about 3 years ago I found myself in a similar position and for me, writing was a medium that allowed me to let go of frustration, reflect on the good and bad times along with learning something about those moments. The end product of my writing became my first manuscript.

Along the way, I will post more about other novels that have touched my heart and my life. Some have molded who I am today and others truly remind me of a certain period in my life. For now, please enjoy the short clip of Winona Ryder potraying Jo March in "Little Women." The scene that I spoke about above begins about 1:07 into the video.

Good night for now.....

Picture of the Snow....

Thought I'd post a picture of the snow falling.....Enjoy!

Snowy Day....

I used to laugh when I watched movies that had authors writing in snowy or rainy backgrounds. I always wondered what it was about the weather that made authors want to enclose themselves with a glass of wine and start scribbling away. The most memorable scene out of a movie for me was "Misery". No, it wasn't watching Kathy Bate's psychotic tirade against poor James Caan's feet. It was watching James Caan's character sitting at his typewriter, with his bottle of champagne and cigarette on a dish, writing away the final book in the "Misery Series" that finally answered that question for me about two years ago.



The snow creates this atmosphere that for me shuts the world down. The only time that you could finally hear all those creative thoughts roaming in your head. In those precious moments of of creativity you don't want to loose a single one of them so you sit at your computer and just start pouring your heart out.

Even though my first manuscript hasn't been printed or picked up, I'm sitting here today with the snow falling quietly behind me and adding more words to my second manuscript. I was inspired about two months ago to start over and begin writing again. I'm so taken away by how much of a passion writing is for me. The moment something hits me or I'm inspired, I scribble it down on a paper or a pad I carry with me. Then when I'm at the computer the words just seem to flow right out of me. I admire writers of the past who had a quill and a thin sheet of parchment and wrote novels after novels because as much as I love writing, my computer is my best friend when it comes to writing things down.

Anyway, on to more writing....till then

My First Post

It's funny but I really never thought of myself as the "modern day blogger." Honestly, I just graduated from the "University of Twitter." LOL! And so it is, that I sit here now writing you my first entry into the "bloggersphere." Weird but life is kind of like that too.

Never in a million years did I ever think or imagine that I would write a book. My passion was for reading and reading only. I dreaded in school when assignments were given out that required a writing assignment. I absolutely loathed research papers and then life threw me a curve ball.

As the result of a broken heart (3 times to be exact)...I decided to keep a journal in order to unleash my emotions and thoughts. What started out as a way to keep me entertained at work became a nightly ritual. Three years later it's the masterpiece (....yes I consider it to be up there along with Jane Austen and Virginia Woolf...LOL!) that sits in front of me, the picture above. 300 plus beautiful pages of the puzzle pieces I call my life.

I truly want to share my story with other people who have been in my shoes, or currently are. It's been quite a difficult task trying to get an agent as I am still looking for one. Then I've considered the self publishing venue but it's a bit too pricey for me. I seriously thought that writing and completing my manuscript would be the hardest thing but the search for representation has.

So here I am hoping that along the way I get to entertain you and take you with me on this journey to share my story.

Catherine