Ten Random Thoughts

It's 11 pm on Sunday and I've not prepared a blog as I've been working all weekend on the first-round (which really is first 2 rounds) of edits to Neeta Lyffe, Zombie Exterminator. So tonight, I present 10 random thoughts that keep me up tonight:

1. What's with the latest Dr. Who? Is he defective? I'm getting rather irritated at how he's so reactive and slow to come up with solutions. The "Tenant" Doctor would have solved half his dilemmas by mid-show and gotten into some really juicy trouble. Is it because he's not ginger like he wanted?

2. Why is geekiness cool now, and not when I was a self-conscious teen? (Glad it is, since we're raising geeks.)

3. What is it about me that ruins computers? This is the fourth time in six months a computer's died on me. Rob wants to build me a desktop. At least then, I know my tech support.

4. Why did God create wasps and mosquitoes?

5. If I get royalties from Damnations Books, are those the wages of sin?

6. WHAT is the lure of Facebook games? They're about as interesting as slot machines without tangible payoff.

7. Why is it so hard to come up with ten things when you want to--but when you don't want to, questions and thoughts don't go away?

8. Who really reads my blog? I supposedly have 130 or more followers--do they really follow or are they just being polite?

9. What IS the approximate air velocity of the unladen sparrow? (African or European.)

10. Now that I've finished this, will how many questions will I come up with?

Good night!

My Novel's Journey: Fueling the Full Speed Ahead

Oops! It’s Thrusday, and I haven’t blogged!

All I can say is that I’ve been on a wonderful, awe-inspiring writing spree the past few days. I wrote 8300 words yesterday—good words, not stuff I’m going to cut or totally rewrite—and an hour after waking up this morning, I had another 600 to added.

This despite the fact that my laptop is down—yes, AGAIN!

So, yeah, I’m bragging a bit, but before you go hide in a corner (like one writer friend suggested she would do last night), let me share what got me here:

I’ve been working on Neeta Lyffe off and on since January. For the past 6 weeks, it’s been mostly off because of the move. In June, I gave myself permission to forget about writing obligations and just concentrate on the house. As a result of that and some major help from Rob, the kids and especially my parents who drove up to help, it is done. That took a major stress off my mind—and stress does stall creativity. (when we let it, but that’s another blog) I wrote when I had a chance and felt the need, but didn’t start my schedule. By the time I was done with the house, I was hungry for my routine. So, kill off stresses when you can.

However, just because I wasn’t putting a lot of words on paper, didn’t mean I wasn’t writing the book. The characters and scenes were still going on in my mind. Some people call this pre-writing. So daydream your stories when you can’t write.

My laptop dying probably helped. I didn't have as much incentive to be trolling the internet (which is hard on the netbook's tiny screen) or reading all my e-mailed newsletters (even harder on webmail and a tiny screen.) So cut distrations!

One thing I do have on the netbook is Yahoo IM. When I got stuck, I'd IM a writer friend (usually Rebecca Butcher, but also Ann Lewis and Susan Kirkland) and bounce ideas off them. Sometimes explaining helped gel a concept. So, talk through ideas with a friend or writer friend.

Two days before my writing spree, I had a day that was mostly spent staring at the same image on Google Earth for hours. (a concrete slab near West Burbank between I-5 and South Front Street in Burbank, CA. Twisting it, figuring out angles. Getting directions to the nearest hospitals and studios. Trying to figure out what it’d originally been used for. Drawing out the logistics of a zombie invasion spilling out of the imaginary factory I placed there. I am not a visualizer in the literal sense, so this was painful work for me, and wow—did it pay off in the end! So, do the research. Don’t be afraid to take time to think.

However, there came a point where I had to stop staring at the picture, get over my insecurities and self-doubt and just write. I chanted my mantra (“Sh**y First Draft”) until I had the nerve to start typing. Once I got into it, things flew! So, get over the self-doubt and just write!

Finally, I let the characters dictate the story. I had intended on a pretty grand battle, lots of strategy and good tactics, but these are a bunch of TV show contestants learning to be exterminators. Like reality TV contestants, they each wanted their moment. So that’s what I wrote—everybody got a scene, everybody did something cool. Then they surprised me: Katie finds courage, LaCenta meets a hot guy, Spud decides to propose. Neeta steals a HumVee and saves the very lawyer who sued her. As I wove these together, following their leads, I remembered a line Motzart said in the movie Amadeus about seven voices singing individually is music. They made music. So, don’t be afraid to let the characters take control.

Okay, enough for today. I want to get back. Everyone’s going to a big victory reception some political candidate is throwing for them Then I have to announce the winner of Zombie Death Extreme. Who will get the million?

Think you’ll have to buy the book to find out.

(BTW, yes, the house is a bit messy, but I did make a good breakfast for the kids, did 2 loads of laundry and cleaned the kids' bathroom. I also discussed some conference issues with Ann. You can do it and more!)

Advertise the Catholic Writers Conference and Win a Book

The Catholic Writers Conference Live is being held Aug 4-6 in King of Prussia, PA. It's an awesome writers conference, but we're not getting a lot of registrants. We're trying to make one final publicity push and you can help--and win one of my books.

I'm asking folks to post about the conference. Here're the rules:

* You can post anything below on your blog, website, facebook, twitter, Yahoo groups, Linked In, Ning groups, etc.
At minimum, you need to post the conference name, date, location and website to register
* E-mail me with the link to where you posted. karina(at)fabianspace.com
* For each post, I will enter you in a drawing. Aug 1, I will pick a winner. That winner will get their choice of any of my books. Check out my books at Fabianspace.com

You'll be doing a service not only for me and the CWG, but for any writer who happens to be Catholic and is looking for a place that not only will help them hone thier skills but will support their beliefs. If you might have someone like that in your readership, please help us out.

Minimum Post (140 characters): Catholic Writers! The Catholic Writers Conference Live is Aug 4-6 at King of Prussia, PA. Info/Register http://catholicwritersconference.com/

Video link: http://animoto.com/play/QsIiivcmRlI7XsXnDDTDvQ

Conference graphic link: http://www.catholicwritersconference.com/ref/web-ad.png



Most Current Press Release

M E D I A R E L E A S E

CONTACT: Ann Margaret Lewis
e-mail: annlewis(at)joesystems.com
Karina Fabian
E-mail: karina(at)fabianspace.com

For Immediate Release

Catholic Writers to Hold Conference in Valley Forge, PA

World Wide Web--The second annual Catholic Writers’ Conference LIVE will be held August 4-6, 2010, at the Scanticon Hotel Valley Forge in King of Prussia, PA. Sponsored by the Catholic Writer’s Guild and the Catholic Marketing Network (CMN), and held in conjunction with CMN’s annual retailer trade show, the Catholic Writers Conference LIVE provides Catholic authors with a prime opportunity to meet and share their faith with editors, publishers, fellow writers, and bookstore owners from across the globe.

This year's conference will feature presentations on such topics as market tips and time management for busy writers, poetry, creating evil characters, working with an editor, creating winning proposals, journaling and much more. Speakers include Catholic publishing representatives Claudia Volkman - General Manager of Circle Press, Regina Doman - acquisitions editor for Sophia Institute Press, and Tom Wehner - Managing Editor of the National Catholic Register, all of whom will also hear pitches from writers.

Among the other speakers are Mark Shea (Mother of the Son), Michelle Buckman (My Beautiful Disaster), Donna-Marie Cooper-O’Boyle (Mother Teresa and Me), Susie Lloyd (Please Don’t Drink the Holy Water), and Publicist Lisa Wheeler from the Maximus Group.

“Attending this conference has been the best thing I have done for myself professionally,” Carol Bannon, author of the children’s book Handshake from Heaven, said of the 2009 conference. Her fellow writer Melanie Cameron agreed, saying she left the last conference re-energized. “I recommend [this] conference as a resource for any author (or wannabe) at any stage. You will walk away empowered!”

The Catholic Writers Guild, a religious non-profit organization, sponsors both this live conference in August and an online conference in February to further its mission of promoting Catholic literature. “Our conferences are totally focused on encouraging faithful Catholics to share genuine Catholic culture and faith in their writing no matter what genre,” says CWG President Ann Margaret Lewis. “These events are integral to our mission of ‘creating a rebirth of Catholic arts and letters.”

Registration costs $85 for CWG members, $95 for non-members and $42 for students. There's also a discounted combined membership. To register or for more information, go to http://www.catholicwritersconference.com.

# # #
Graphics, interviews and further information available upon request.


Thanks for your help!

Holly Lisle, an Example to Writers

I'm pausing in my adventures writing Neeta Lyffe to share this inspiring story.

Holly Lisle is a fantasy writer, who has been both prolific and successful. She's also a strong believer in helping other writers learn the trade. As such, she teaches classes and puts out a newsletter that talks about her writing life and lessons she's learned and wants to teach others. Regardless of you genre, you can learn a lot from her. www.hollylisle.com

Recently, she started having medical problems. Severe medical problems, the kind that, to paraphrase her newsletter, leave her lying on the couch with the room spinning, her head throbbing, not able to even read, and wondering if this is the new state of normal for the rest of her life. Nonetheless, she's managed to work on some bonuses for a course she teaches, write job descriptions for a magazine she wants to start (one of her life's goals), outline another class she wants to teach, and is figuring out how to write despite the dizziness and pain.

I can't help but think, "What happened to being sick?"

The answer, of course, is simple. She wants to write. She wants to create. And if she wants to continue doing what she loves, she has to learn to work through or around her health. So she is. Simple...

...but by no means easy.

What do you love? What's stopping you from pursuing it? More importantly, WHY are you letting it stop you?

The next time I get discouraged or feel too tired or busy or whatever, I'm going to think of Holly, lying on her couch, hardly able to get up, yet still making the effort to write her newsletter to inspire other writers. God bless you, Holly.

On the Care and Feeding of Hydras

You all know the story of Hercules and the hydra. He'd cut off one head, only to have it grow two in its place. He finally crushed the thing with a rock to kill it.
Sometimes, hydras are not evil monsters that need to be killed. Some have very useful places in society, but unless properly managed, they will overwhelm their owner.

I raise hydras. I never intended to, but they come into my life, and they're beautiful and important and needy and it seems I care for them or they'll either wither from neglect or someone (the Fates, maybe) will throw a rock on them and crush them.

The Catholic Writers' Guild is one such hydra. When I first met it, it was small and cute and so many people were interested in helping with it. In the past five years, though, it's become huge and frankly, the handful of people who are willing to help sometimes isn't enough. When I stepped down as president, I thought I'd rid myself of a head, but instead, circumstances have brought three more in its place--the secretary position, the membership coordinator position, and the changing of our bylaws--which I need to care for. I have help, but it's still three important heads. Frankly, we need more help, but I think people are intimidated by how big (and magnificent) our hydra has become. It's a lot of responsibility, but worth every effort.

Sometimes, heads come off by themselves, and more take their place. Writing is such a hydra. Each book is a head lopped off, but in its place are the marketing responsibilities--from book tours to fan reaction. Smaller, but important heads that need attention if they (and thus the book) is to stay alive. Even more, each book seems to breed other books, so it's not just new heads, but new necks that are developing.

Sometimes, you prune one head successfully, but a different one takes its place. The education hydra is like that. I stopped homeschooling because it wasn't working for us--the head was too big and too demanding. Instead, public (sometimes private) schooling took its place, and there are just as many obligations there, although smaller in scope. Sadly, it's also a little easier to depend on others to care for those heads, and when they fail, I really have to step in. I feel I'm in that situation now with at least two of my kids. Those problems will become separate heads themselves before the year it through. My fault for not keeping better watch.

Then there are the hydras that stay dormant awhile, only to reappear fully formed and fully demanding and often with several hungry heads. Moving is like that. I expect these, of course, but I'm really hoping that we can go a couple of years without seeing another.

Of course, family is a hydra of its own, but we all deal with that one. I'm just thankful I have a great partner there in my husband Rob.

Will I give up any of my hydras? I'm tempted sometimes. My arms get tired, my blade dulls, and I can only feed so many snapping heads at once. Just when I think I have them all under control, one sprouts a new head (or someone gives a head a nudge) and I'm scrambling to control the situation again. However, they are all too important and too dear to me. So I keep at it, swinging away at one head, tossing food to another, soothing a third. I call for help and take it when it comes.

Because there's one thing that Hercules didn't learn about hydras. When properly cared for, they reward your attention. With friends, with blessings, with the satisfaction of a job well done, with treasure, and sometimes with gifts you hadn't even imagined.

I raise hydras. It's tough, but I wouldn't give it up for the world.

On Doors and Relationships, Part 2

I'm still plugging away at Neeta Lyffe. I'd hoped to be in the editing stage, but life (not Lyffe) had other plans for my time and attention. However, we got our furniture on Saturday, which means we have the kids' stuff, and that might help some.

At any rate, I did get the second half of the Door subplot done. As you may recall from a couple of weeks ago, Neeta's boyfriend, Brian, offered to buy her a new door because her old one sticks and he thought it was annoying her. She compromised by getting it repaired so that it opens smoothly, but it didn't feel as secure to her. Her friend, Ted, then gave her a door limiter that he got at a wild party.

A couple of days later, Brian comes over and discovers that not only didn't she take him up on his offer of a new door, but she put on Ted's door limiter.

She shut the door and took his hand, but he didn't budge, still staring at the door as if it offended him.

"So I offer to replace your door, let you have the fanciest one you could ever want even, and all you asked for is some paint and a door stop?"

"It's called a door limiter, and actually Ted gave it to me. It's got kind of a funny story--"

"Ted? You asked Ted to fix your door?"

"What? No! See he got the door limiter at this wild party--Seventh Day Inventists, surely you know about them--and I own a door and he doesn't so--"

He pulled his hand away from her and gestured at the door. "I could have bought you a door limiter if you'd wanted one."

"I didn't! At least, it never occurred to me--"

"Yet there it is!"

Neeta looked at Brian's face, flushed from heat that had nothing to do with the day. Her jaw dropped. "Are you jealous?"

He opened his mouth, closed it, opened it again, then burst out, "Yes! Yes, I guess I am!"

"Of a door limiter?"

Again, he opened and shut his mouth, looking something like a giant carp, but this time nothing came out.

Part of Neeta seethed, but mostly she just thought he looked silly and pitiful.

"Wow. Maybe next time, I'll get Roscoe to get me a doorknob."

A pause, and then his anger turned from real to mocking. "Forget it, babe," he said. "If anyone provides the doorknobs in this relationship, it'll be me."

So what's this really all about? Is Brian jealous of a piece of metal? Is Neeta stubborn to have not accepted his offer of a great, new door?

Yes and no. The underlying issue is one of control and understanding. Brian has a romantic notion of Neeta as the strong but lonely heroine who needs a man to understand and protect her. Neeta, however, does not want to be coddled and cared for. She does just fine on her own. She really wants someone she can buddy with, who understands that she's not psychologically fragile because she whacks off the heads of the living dead. Someone who's going to give her a door limiter because he's thoughtful, not because he wants to rescue her.

Guess you know that means she prefers Ted, but will she get him in the end? If you want a spoiler, go buy The Zombie Cookbook and read "Wokking Dead."

It pays to read the contract

This is totally off my usual topic of writing, but it does have to do with things dear to my heart: using your mind, doing research and making wise choices.

We just moved into our new home, and wouldn't you know, the Kirby salesman came by five days later, offering to shampoo a carpet for free. I said, "why not?" and let him in to demonstrate the Kirby Sentria.

There's no doubt this is an amazing machine. It does a decent job of vacuuming, does the dry foam shampoo which I like, and even buffs floors. The salesman, Josh, went on about its durability and fabulous extras. (He lost me with "designed by NASA," but that's another story. Let's just say we're believers in commercial manned space in this house.) Josh showed me dusty black "bags" that he picked up, but I know from experience, I could get one of those same bags, run my vacuum over the same area and pick up the same amount again. That doesn't sell me.

One thing he kept bringing up is the lifetime warranty, however. Josh enthusiastically insisted that as long as I own it, they'll replace anything but bags and belts, and even pay for shipping if necessary. That tempted me. I seem to break a vacuum about once every couple of years. Just normal use, seriously! It's worse than computers for me. To have a vacuum that I could get fixed would be well worth the price ($2650 for the full package). But I was skeptical. I'd been bit by this "lifetime warranty" line before. So I asked questions.

"There are licensed Kirby dealers everywhere--and in 48 countries! We send you the shipping box. Everything is covered. You probably won't need it--this was designed by NASA."

Rob came home and he looked up Kirby dealers in some of the bases we're more likely to visit. There's even a dealer in Minot, ND. I'm a little more tempted. Our son Alex is waxing poetic about how clean the carpet feels. Josh showed us how it works on floors. The manager came by and offered a military discount.

So we left Josh to shampoo the carpet, and got online and Googled "Kirby complaints."

--"I was told my Kirby had a lifetime warranty, but it's only 3 years!"
--"I just paid $$$ to get it fixed!"
--"I was told I'd have to purchase and install my own power cord."

(Point One: Research. Don't just take the salesman's word for anything.)

We went back to Josh. Rob told him it's really more than we want to pay right now. We refused to discuss payment plans because that's not the point--we didn't want to spend $2600 (with taxes) on a vacuum. They in turn offered a "crazy discount" to make it $1800.

I brought up the research on the warranty. Josh replied:

--Maybe these people probably weren't first-time owners. (The warranty is a name-only deal.)
--Maybe they didn't go to licensed Kirby service centers--there are dozens throughout the country. (Notice how the number went down?)
--Well, it's 3 years for everything and after that, it's only $175 to get it totally refurbished, top to bottom. So ten years from now, if it breaks you send it in... (Where was that lifetime, covers everything but bags?)

(Point Two: Keep Asking Questions.)

Finally, the manager came by and showed the warranty to us. I asked to keep it. Let me tell you what it says, nice and clear:

--Three Year Limited, from date of purchase
--Transportation expense paid by owner
--Service calls ... at the expense of owner
--Warranty does not apply to charges for labor
--"THERE IS NO EXPRESS REPRESENTATION, WARRANTY, OR CONDITION RELATING TO KIRBY PRODUCTS OTHER THAN THIS LIMITED WARRANTY." (All Caps are theirs.)

And the Factory "refurbish" (actually called "Rebuild") Plan?

--During the year of original purchase, the rebuild will cost $175. Each year thereafter, the rebuild cost will be increased... (What happened to "ten years from now..."?)
--transportation charges... shall by paid by original owner
--Warranty for the rebuild--ONE YEAR

(Point Three: Read the actual writing.)

Now, I didn't argue with the salesmen--maybe their office has a lifetime warranty (for as long as the office exists--we saw complaints of companies disappearing after a couple of years.) I also still think the Kirby is an amazing machine--but not $1800 of amazing. And not given my history with vacuums and the fact that we move so much.

If Rob and I hadn't done some research, we might have given into temptation and bought the vacuum. It pays to think before you act.

In this case, it paid $1800-$2650.

Wrap up of Tour and Reviews for Why God Matters

Wow, what a great book tour! Steve Lumbert (aka Dad) and I not only had a lot of terrific opportunities to talk about our book, but we also had some great reviews and a few surprises.

First, the best surprise. One of the interviews got read by my cousin, Shelly, whom we'd lost track of decades ago! She found me on Facebook and contacted me last week. How cool is that?

We also had a few folks who said we answered some questions of faith or gave them inspiration to renewing their relationship with God. Talk about "mission accomplished!" I'm praying for all of you!

Finally, we got several awesome reviews. One thing I really enjoyed seeing was that readers of other faiths still found something of value in our book, even though it is geared toward a Catholic audience. I've always felt that God will reach to people of any belief (or even no belief). After all, we are His children, every one. I'm glad no one felt threatened by our stories of faith.

Here are some snippets of the reviews.

"...an easy to digest look into how God touches us daily... in many ways able to express what that type of faith can mean to an individual better than straight theology or dogma." Cheryl at The Book Connection http://thebookconnectionccm.blogspot.com/2010/06/why-god-matters-by-karina-lumbert.html

"This is a short book which casts a long shadow in the literature of modern Catholic apologetics." Walt Staples, former president, Catholic Writers' Guild

"... a perfect dose of encouragement for those seeking a deeper relationship with God." SpiritualWoman.com

" Although Why God Matters has been written from the Catholic viewpoint, I think that everyone of Christian faith who has experienced God in their lives can learn something from reading this book." Susanne Drazic, http://susannedrazic.blogspot.com/2010/06/review-of-why-god-matters.html

"... very approachable and does its job well. You are reading about the authors, you are learning how to apply faith in your life and in the end you feel as if you have gained three friends." The NY Book Journal, http://thenybookjournal.com/2010/06/why-god-matters-how-to-recognize-him-in-daily-life/

"... the book explained the passion behind the faith. ... This is a very interesting read and will probably open up your eyes to something you didn't know about this interesting and historic faith." Marta Hoelscher, http://martasmeanderings.blogspot.com/2010/06/blog-tour-and-review-why-god-matters.html

"Throughout this book, they also made no attempt to sway the reader toward sharing their beliefs. They are just very straight forward—'I love God and this is why.' ... What I did come away with was a better understanding of God and a deep desire to appreciate Him more every day. I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to enrich their relationship with God." Lynn McMonigal, http://lynnmcmo.com/2010/06/17/review-of-why-god-matters/

"... if you are looking to get the most this book has to offer I think it would be best to only read a chapter at a time and fully reflect on the wisdom contained in each chapter, particularly the life lesson section. Approaching the book in this manner would only take a few minutes per chapter to read making it a book that even the busiest person would be able to squeeze into their schedule." Karen (for the Catholic Book Company), http://kareninmommyland.blogspot.com/2010/06/book-review-why-god-matters.html

"A short book, but it covers much.... not a book that should be read by only those of the Catholic faith, but instead by all who have experienced the touch of God in the everyday moments of life... Several times while reading, I stopped as a memory entered my mind of one of those everyday life lessons that have taken place in my life. I can say with all honesty that you will too. Six colors on the rainbow scale." Joyce Anthony, http://joyce-anthony.blogspot.com/2010/06/why-god-matters-review.html

"fun, engaging, quick, easy reading...but with a powerful message.... This inspirational little book is indeed a gem – it is a power-packed treasury of heartwarming stories, helpful spiritual lessons, and useful, practical suggestions to guide us in our daily lives." Jean Heinmann, http://catholicfire.blogspot.com/2010/06/book-review-why-god-matters.html

"The vignettes are what really bring this book to life.... This book is written from a Catholic viewpoint with a Catholic audience in mind. I think, though, that any Christian reader would enjoy and benefit from the insights it offers, which transcend sectarian borders." Fred Warren, http://frederation.wordpress.com/2010/06/05/book-review-why-god-matters-how-to-recognize-him-in-daily-life-by-karina-lumbert-fabian-and-deacon-steven-lumbert/

"Some (stories) will make you cry and others will make you laugh, still others will make you wonder if you own relationship with God is all that you want, but more importantly, if it's all that He would like it to be." Reading at the Beach, http://www.readingatthebeach.com/2010/06/why-god-matters.html

Thanks again to Dorothy Thompson at Pump Up Your Book Promotions and my publisher, Nicole Langan at Tribute Books for setting this up. You guys are tops!

My Novel's Journey: Neeta Lyffe, Zombie Exterminator: Make the Beginning Match the End

One thing about being a seat-of-the pants writer instead of a plotter is that you have to go back and make sure that the end matches the beginning and middle.

When I started Neeta Lyffe, Zombie Exterminator, I didn't know a lot about my characters. They really told me their lives as we progressed in the plot. LaCresha's little brother flirted with the idea of joining a gang. Roscoe has a condo in Malibu. Neeta's front door sticks.

There are world events I didn't know about either. Woody Harrelson is running for President. Iran has decided it's their turn to take over Afghanistan. Wow--where did this stuff come from?

From the fertile imagination of my twisted mind, of course, but I had to follow the twists to discover them. If I plotted, I would never have discovered them.

However, now I need to go back over the manuscript and make sure I laid enough clues and hints that events flow seemlessly. Just because I got blindsided does not mean my readers should be, after all.

How will I do this? I'll read it over once, taking notes, maybe even as I do my usual backward read for typos. Then I can insert stuff into the text as needed. Then, I'll read it aloud to the kids to see how well it flows. They are good at stopping me when I miss an important fact or hit them with something out of the blue. Finally, if I have any doubts, I'll ask my crit groups to keep an eye out for certain things.

Resources for Learning about the Catholic Faith

Purchase from Tribute Books

Why God Matters is a book about the working of the Catholic faith in my father's and my life--its legacies, its hopes, its influences. I know a lot of my readers are not Catholic. I'm not here to convert you--only God can do that--but if any of you are curious to learn more about the Catholic faith, I wanted to share some resources with you. These came from our appendix in Why God Matters, and are good for Catholics as well. Thanks to Tribute for letting us reprint it here.

For Further Reading

There are so many wonderful books and websites we could recommend, but here are just a few that we or people we trust recommend for learning more about our wonderful Faith.

Websites

Catholic Answers. http://www.catholic.com/. Answers common questions about the
faith and provides help in defending the faith. Active message board.

Catholic Community Forum. www.catholic-forum.com. A large website with over 4800 members, containing discussion forums, Catholic news, frequently asked questions on the faith, and more. Paying membership also allows you to chat and blog on their site.

Catholic Exchange. http://catholicexchange.com/. Has lots of information, timely articles relating to current issues, and many 'channels' for readers: arts and entertainment, faith and morals, media, etc. All are rock-solid, informative and up-to-date.

Defender of the Catholic Faith. http://www.catholic-convert.com/. Offers help on faith questions but also has a very helpful message board for anyone with questions.

Eternal World Television Network, Global Catholic Network. http://www.ewtn.com/. The must-go website for Catholic news and entertainment. Also a nice library of prayers and devotions and other information about our faith.

The Integrated Catholic Life. http://www.integratedcatholiclife.org/. An e-magazine about integrating faith, family and work.


Books

Amy Welborn. Prove It! Church. Huntington, IN: Our Sunday Visitor, 2001. ISBN: 0879739819. Although written for teens, this wonderful work of Catholic apologetics explains some of the most fundamental traditions and practices of our faith.

Father Robert Spitzer. Five Pillars of the Spiritual Life. San Francisco: Ignatius, 2008. ISBN: 9781586172015. A practical, yet rich guide for helping busy people develop a regular and deeper prayer life.

Gerard P. Weber, James J. Killgallon, Mary Michael O'Shaughnessy. Becoming Catholic even if you happen to be one. Skokie, IL: ACTA Foundation, 1997. ISBN: 0914070134. This book is for those who are “looking into” the Church, to life-long Catholics who want to go deeper into their faith, to “retired” Catholics, and to those who have become inactive or opted out and now may be willing to take another, more adult look at the Church.

Gregory F. Augustine Pierce. The Mass is Never Ended. Notre Dame, IN: Ave Maria Press, 2007. ISBN: 1594710694. This book helps us to rediscover our mission to transform the world in bringing about an understanding of the relationship[p of the Mass and the mission of Christians in the world.

Hans Urs von Balthasar. Love Alone is Credible. San Francisco: Ignatius, 2005. ISBN: 0898708818. Von Balthasar delves deeper into this exploration of what love means, what makes the divine love of God, and how we must become lovers of God in the footsteps of saints like Francis de Sales, John of the Cross and Therese of Lisieux.

Joseph Martos. Doors to the Sacred. Chicago: Triumph Books. ISBN: 9780764807183. A historical and cultural evolution of the Sacraments and rituals and the practices associated with them, this book is written in easy to understand language to increase the knowledge of the reader concerned with religious topics.

Karl Keating. What Catholics Really Believe. San Francisco: Ignatius, 1995. ISBN: 0898705533. Addresses the 53 most common misconceptions of the faith held by Catholics and Protestants. Spells out the teachings and explains the rationale behind Catholic practices.

Thomas, Williams. Greater Than You think. Nashville, Tennessee: FaithWords, 2008. ISBN: 97804465149340. Written in response to atheists, this book answers inconsistencies and logical fallacies and shows that God is not only remarkably plausible, He is greater than you think!

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. The United States Catholic Catechism for Adults. Washington, D.C: Unites States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2006. ISBN: 1574554506. Written and published by the Unites States Conference of Catholic Bishops, this book does not change the Catechism of the Catholic Church. It is an adaptation of it in easy to read language which goes beyond the question and answer format.

My Novel's Journey: The Ending Song

Why is it that the ending to this book is so hard to write? It's not that I don't want to, but so much is getting in the way! I was thinking about it in the shower, and came up with this song.


ENDING (To the Tune of "Tomorrow" from Annie.)

I'm thinking about the ending
'cause you know I'm almost to the ending
And it's such fun
All the plot twists and bendings
I'm resolving now to reach the ending
What a great run!
The ending, the ending
I love you, the ending
You're only 10K away

I'm working on the ending
Through the long path that I've been wending
There's the sun!
I'm dreaming about the ending
Will it be funny or heart-rending
Or both in one?
The ending, the ending
I love you, the ending
You're only 5 K away

I'm almost to the ending
The characters their good-byes now are sending
To everyone
And when I've reached the ending
A victory I'll feel here with the ending
Oh, yes, I've won!
The ending, the ending
I love you, the ending
You're only 1 K away

I've written those words, "THE END"ing
Can't believe I've come now to the ending!
At last it's done.
Except for critiques
And editing
And rounds of submissions
And rejecting
And new books to come!
The ending, the ending
I love you, the ending
You're only 80K away!

(big finish)
The ending, the ending
I love you, the ending
You're always a book away!

Five Random Memories of My Dad and Me

In honor of the Why God Matters: How to Recognize Him in Daily Life book tour, I thought I'd share five memories I have of my dad and me. These are totally off the top of my head.

1. Dad saved me. I was about 11, I think. We were always building something at my house and that year, Dad was finishing the car port. I was climbing up the ladder to go help when the thing slipped right out from under me. I had no purchase, but faster than thought, my dad grabbed my wrist and pulled me up.
2. Dad's retirement party. My sister Gina and I wanted to do something special for him to commemorate his 30 years in the state patrol. Since we knew Dad's favorite stories of his years there, we satirized them into the Really Real Stories of the State Patrol. Gina's husband, Chuck, played Dad. Poor Dad was totally roasted and loved every minute.

3. "Shall I keep her?" My dad loved to say this about my mom: "Isn't she wonderful? Shall I keep her?" "I love your mom--shall I keep her?" We used to get annoyed about it, especially when that really demeaning commercial came out with the tag line, "My wife--think I'll keep her." (Was it for shampoo?) You could not deny how much they loved each other.

4. Their 40th wedding anniversary. My mom is from Puerto Rico, and when they married, she moved "to the mainland" and made her home in Colorado for most of their marriage. On their 40th wedding anniversary, she went ahead to Puerto Rico for a couple of months to plan the renewal of vows and reception and be with her sisters. She loved it. At the reception, Dad got on one knee, gave her a new ring, and said, "You gave me 40 years of living where I want to live. It's your turn." They're debating about moving back to Puerto Rico.

5. "Coo-Coo!" When I was about seven, my best friend Vicki Gross and I were getting very silly and making up really bad jokes that we'd run and tell my dad. We told him the following while he was shaving, "What time is it, old witch? Coo-coo time! Coo-coo time!" then we ran off to tell my mom. As we headed back to my room, My dad leaned out of the bathroom doorway, like a cuckoo bird, saying "Coo-coo! Coo-coo!" We about fell over laughing.

Learn more about my dad and me--specifically our journeys in faith--in Why God Matters: How to Recognize Him in Daily Life


Purchase from Tribute Books

OR

On Doors and Relationships

We all know that reality does not match fiction. But sometimes, fiction can mimic reality.

I had one of those moments this week with Neeta Lyffe. You ever had a relationship that fell apart over the stupid things that were clues to the underlying problem? That's what happens with Neeta. Her relationship with her hot, sweet boyfriend is going sour. Brian is cute and thoughtful and girls sigh over him, but Neeta finds him clingy and is annoyed at how he wants to rescue her. She really wants a guy like Ted--funny, oblivious, who is neither in awe of her warrior-exterminator ways nor feels like she secretly needs emotional support to cope with the supposed angst of ridding the world of undead scum.

She's not recognizing that on a conscious level, however. So, the relationship falls apart over little things, like a door.

Neeta's front door sticks. Brian wants to surprise her by replacing it. She compromises by letting him have the old door painted and planed so that it closes more smoothly. But it upsets her that it doesn't stick. She mentions the door to Ted, who immediately says he liked how it stuck. Later, he gives her a door limiter, which he "acquired" at a wild party.

"You stole a door limiter."

"What a hoot, huh? I mean, everyone was grabbing souvenirs. Had to act fast, or I'd have gotten a splinter or something lame. Roscoe said this happens every time they hold a hotel party. Their manager pays for the damage ahead of time."

She glanced from him to the door lock--door limiter, she told herself. Then she grabbed her latte from him and took a large swallow. Caffeine. She needed caffeine to keep up with this conversation. When she thought she felt a kick, she started again.

"And why are you giving this to me?"

They walked up the two steps to the building and Ted pulled open the door. A blast of air conditioning caressed his hair as he went in, Neeta following.

"I'm not the knick-knack type."

"So?"

"Well, I sobered up, and I realized I can't use this thing. I'm in an apartment where I can't even put a nail in the wall. I should have gone for the safety procedures sign--I could have had them autograph it and stuck it up with poster tape. Live and learn."

"But why are you giving this to me?"

He shrugged. "You own a door."

Five Questions No One Asked About Why God Matters

Purchase from Tribute Books

Preparing for the Why God Matters virtual book tour took about a month of answering questions. I'd guess about two hundred in all. Yet some questions didn't get asked, so I thought I'd share them with you today.

1. You didn't feel intimidated about offering "life lessons" on faith?

Yes and no. I've been a catechist (though not a good one, IMHO) and I've done a lot of advice-type stuff so I know what and how, but I'm always a little edgy about offering lessons on faith. That's one reason I wanted my dad to join me on this--as a deacon, he has the education and training I lack. It's also why I applied for the Catholic Writers' Guild Seal of Approval. My book was evaluated by writers who understand the Catholic faith, and they could point out troubles.

2. How'd the breakdown of tasks work with the actual writing of the book?

Tribute gave us the format and approximate word count. Dad and I each wrote seven stories and life lessons. Together we found Scripture and paragraphs from the Catechism of the Catholic Church to fit. Then I put the whole thing together to send to the editor at Tribute.

When it came to promotion, I've also been doing the bulk of that--this is my job, after all. Dad has provided a lot of photos and done some of the interviews.

3. What's a deacon really do?

If you ask my mom, too much! While we were writing Why God Matters, Dad was assisting at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel parish and running the deacon formation program for the diocese--both full-time jobs of themselves, really. He also does a lot of weddings and funerals and quinceneaneras. Since he speaks Spanish well, he gets asked to do a lot of bilingual ministry as well. He and my mom also do marriage preparation with couples.

This month, he's taking a new position--parish administrator for St Anne's Parish. He will basically do all the leadership work a parish priest would do and will assist in Masses when a priest is present and hold Communion services when a priest is not. He's done this before, and really enjoys it, but it's a lot of work.

4. Have your kids read this book?

Actually, not yet. This was one manuscript I did not read aloud, in part because we were so rushed with it and our lives were so busy at the time. Each one will get a copy once I get them. (At the time of this signing, they are being shipped.)

5. You wrote about your atheist son. Do you think this book will sway him?

I hope it will influence him, but I don't think it will change his mind. Right now, I can only keep him aware of the beauty and truth and love found in faith. I honestly think he has a long journey back to our Church. It grieves me, but I also know I can't force his choice. The story I wrote, however, reminds me that I have proof that it is possible, and that I should never give up hope.

Why God Matters Virtual Book Tour: Give Me Your Opinion!

Purchase from Tribute Books

The NY Book Review's review of Why God Matters: How to Recognize Him in Daily Life didn't come through as planned today. So, instead, how about you give my dad and me your opinions? (Good or bad, but be kind to my daddy--it's his first book!) Here's an excerpt; read it, post a review comment, and I'll do a drawing Monday for a copy of the e-book.

blessings,
Karina

Love in a Pot of Rice
Karina

You know well enough that our Lord does not look so much at the greatness of our actions, nor even at their difficulty, but at the love with which we do them.
–St. Therese of Lisieux

One meal that always connects me to my heritage is arroz con pollo—chicken and rice. For me, this meal doesn’t so much represent an ethnic identity, it symbolizes the love and generosity of my family.

My mother is the seventh child of ten, born to a very poor family in Puerto Rico. They bought shoes only for the winter, shared two toys at Christmas (a game and a ball), and meat for dinner was a rare treat. Yet my grandfather, a schoolteacher, regularly brought home the students who lived too far away to walk home from school during the week, and they shared the family meal. My grandmother would say, “If I can feed ten, I can feed twelve.” When I cook arroz con pollo, I imagine her adding a cup of rice to stretch their meal, giving of their need rather than their wealth.

Many of my grandparents’ children escaped poverty, becoming doctors and social workers, businesspeople and spouses. However, they never lost their legacy of charity. When one is in need, the others are there. I remember when a hurricane took the roof off my grandparent’s house, where several grown children still lived. In Colorado, my mother combed the garage sales for linens and clothes to replace those ruined by the storm, and all contributed what funds they could to repair the roof. Years later, my grandmother died in that home, cared for by her children and grandchildren.

My own parents carried on that legacy, which, like my grandparents’, spread beyond family. Our friends were welcome in our homes, sometimes more than in their own homes. My parents called them their “love daughters” and supported them in their extra-curriculars, and on occasion, took them into our home. Several still call them “Mom and Dad.” When we did not have treasure, my parents gave of their time and talent. My dad made costumes for the school play; my mother was always crafting for someone. Mostly, though, they gave of their love.

When I’d given birth to my daughter, my mom came to visit for several weeks, and she met a pregnant friend who said she had only one craving: arroz con pollo. The next time we saw her, Mom had it ready.

As a mother myself, I must now carry on this legacy by setting an example for my children. Far wealthier than my parents or grandparents ever were, we do our best to give to the Church and to charities—and we involve our children in that. We also do our best to be available to their friends as well as to them. This year, I pack an extra lunch each day for Amber’s best friend. It’s a little thing, yet it connects me to my grandmother somehow.

Last night, I made arroz con pollo. It’s a different recipe, because I’m not the cook my mother is, yet it brought me back to my past, and my mother’s past, and to roots deeply embedded in charitable love.

Life Lesson

God calls us to be the first teachers to our children in living a life of faith, hope, and charity.

How did your parents teach you this? How are you teaching your own children? Spend some time in reflection and prayer today, then find something that ties you to that heritage—or inspires you to build a new heritage for your children.

**************************

So Help Me, God, I Didn’t Do It
Deacon Steve

Each of us is free to choose. Our decisions are important because they shape our life. Good choices take us in one direction, while bad choices can have devastating results. Morality is another word for living a good, full, decent life according to right choices. –Bishop Donald Wuerl

I can still hear the clang of the jail cell door as it closed behind me and my brothers in 1960. We were just teenagers, and I was terrified that it would never open again and that I would never get free. No matter how many times we told the sheriff we were innocent, he wouldn’t believe us.

The night before, someone had destroyed $4,000 of feed and seed by slashing the bags and pouring them down the elevator shaft. The real culprits had implicated us—and our reputations had sealed our guilt.

In the small town of Berthoud, population 1,200, everyone knew the Lumbert boys were trouble. We left burning sacks of doggie doo on random doorsteps. We moved the outhouse to the middle of Main Street. The night of the crime, we’d skipped Bible study to run around town. In fact, later that evening, we were hanging out with the real culprits, throwing water balloons at a state patrol car. We couldn’t resist temptation when it looked like it would be fun.

All day long, the deputies would grill me or one of my brothers, trying to get us to admit we were involved. We even tried demanding a lie detector test to prove our innocence! That was the longest day of my life. I spent a lot of time sitting on the jail cell bed—the only furniture in the room—thinking about what had gotten me into this mess.

That evening Mom came to get us. The real culprits had finally admitted they had lied about our involvement.

It was terrifying to think that we could have been convicted of something we did not do. I learned a valuable lesson that day, one that has remained with me all my life. A lesson that I taught my children about honesty, integrity, truth, and resisting temptation.

Years later I became a state trooper. Each time that jail cell door clanged shut on someone I had arrested, I remembered my own jail time and my narrow escape from the fruits of a bad reputation.

Life Lesson

Sin does not always look dark and evil—sometime sin looks like a lot of fun. It’s easy, then, to give in to that seemingly harmless fun, but it can lead us down the wrong path. The next time you’re tempted by something you know is wrong but seems innocuous, consider not just the impact of the moment, but the overall effect on your reputation. How will others see you? How will God see you?

Seek out the way of Christ, and with each new decision for him, you will be stronger to resist the evil one.



Amazon:

My Novel's Journey: Neeta Lyffe, Zombie Exterminator: Social Comentary

When I wrote a press release for Magic, Mensa and Mayhem winning the INDIE Award, I asked my publisher for a quote. She wrote "Karina has successfully blended fantasy, humor and cultural references into a fun-filled book that people of all ages can enjoy."

It's kind of funny, because I didn't plan on writing social commentary, but when it comes to humor, there is so much in society to comment on. We are a people full of contradictions. Housing divisions pride themselves on their how their houses are "green," yet their covenants forbid you to put up a clothesline. Environmentalists are now protesting windfarms because birds don't always avoid them. I don't want to be a comedienne, because I'm not as funny in real life, but when I write my DragonEye stories, it does seem to come naturally.

Neeta Lyffe is another case where I can have fun playing with society--exaggerating common contradictions, extrapolating to ridiculous extremes, taking trends to ludicrous ends. Am I trying to make political statements? Eh, maybe--but really, I'm making jokes. Any statement runs more along the lines of, "Can we insert some common sense here?"

Scene:

I'm not to the end of the novel yet, but I had a great idea for the last scene. I live in California, where touts stand outside the kush clinics on Venice Beach invite you to go into their tents to get "evaluated" and "prescribed" medicinal marijuana. Last week, I drove the kids to school, and the radio was playing "Can't Get No Satisfaction." The verse about "he can't be a man because he doesn't smoke the same cigarettes as me," got me thinking about the tobacco companies and the real irony of demonizing nicotine while working to legalize marijuana. If they succeed, I can easily see Neeta going to a local pharmacy...

Neeta paused to look at the medicinal marijuana aisle. Not that she planned on purchasing anything, but the stocker had such a great imagination when it came to labels: Cannabis for Cramps. Reefers for Relaxation. Pot for Pains. Perched on the top shelf was a long ad with several individuals from the suntanned surfer to the well-dressed businesswoman. "Medicinal Marijuana--It's for Us!" the banner declared.

Meanwhile, when she pays, she'll see the cigarettes in the locked cage behind the cashier, with a sign form the Surgeon General warning that nicotine is addictive and dangerous.

It's not the only reason I write, but it is one of the perks.

Announcing the Why God Matters Virtual Book Tour!

Purchase from Tribute Books

Deacon Steve Lumbert (aka my dad) and I are pleased to announce that we are touring the Internet to promote our book, Why God Matters: How to Recognize Him in Daily Life.



SUMMARY

Do you feel distant from God? Do you want a closer relationship with him? God is with us always, sometimes in ways we don't even realize. Deacon Steve Lumbert and his daughter Karina Fabian share their stories of how God led them from casual belief to deep devotion, and offer tips and exercises to help you see God's hand--and take it.

Far too often, we expect God to show Himself in grand ways yet ignore when He makes His presence known in the day to day. Neither Deacon Steve nor Karina had dramatic conversions. Rather, God led them into deeper faith through the seemingly minor details of life: pot of rice, a habit of prayer, a frustrating flight home, or a barefooted stranger. This father-daughter team have written a delightful, quick book about finding God in the day-to-day. With thought-provoking quotes, heartwarming stories, Bible verses, passages from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and simple exercises the reader can fit into his or her daily routine, they help others recognize God's presence. Great for the casual or converting Catholic longing for something more in their relationship with God, or the "advanced" Catholic wanting light spiritual exercise.

SHORT BIOS

Deacon Steve Lumbert officially converted to Catholicism in 1988, but had been a "practicing" Catholic long before that. He met his lovely and loving wife, Socorro, while sercing in Roosevelt Roads Naval Base in Puerto Rico in 1966. They raised their daughters, Karina and Regina, in the faith. Steve spent 30 years as a Colorado State Trooper, but retired when God called him to the diaconate. Currently, he serves the Diocese of Pueblo as Associate Director of Deacon Formation.

Karina Lumbert Fabian was born into the Catholic faith, but truly grew to love it as an adult. A busy mother of four, she finds her strongest encounters with God's love happen in the ordinary events of the day-to-day. Karina started her writing career with diocesan newspapers but has settled into writing fun-filled fantasy and science fiction that nonetheless incorporates the principles of faith-filled living.

Please visit these sites to learn more about the book. Many of them are offering contests, too.

Tuesday, June 1
Interviewed at Book Marketing Buzz
Review at Joyce Anthony
Review at Spiritual Woman
Guest Blog at Pretty, Powerful, Prosperous

Wednesday, June 2

Interview Joyce Anthony
Guest blogging at As the Pages Turn

Thursday, June 3
Book spotlighted at Examiner

Friday, June 4
Book reviewed at The NY Book Journal

Saturday, June 5
Review on Frederation

Monday, June 7
Interviewed at Personovelty
Blog post on Fabianspace

Tuesday, June 8
Interviewed at Pump Up Your Book
Interviewed at Divine Caroline


Wednesday, June 9
Guest blogging & book giveaway at Catholic Chicks

Thursday, June 10
Book reviewed at Margay Leah Justice
Interviewed at Gloria's Corner

Friday, June 11
Book reviewed at Putting Words on Paper
Guest blogging at Writing Daze

Monday, June 14
Interviewed at Putting Words on Paper
Guest blogging at Cafe of Dreams
Blog on Fabianspace
Guest post at Write It! Publish It! Market It!

Tuesday, June 15
Guest blogging at Literarily Speaking

Wednesday, June 16
Interviewed at Beyond the Books
Interviewed at Blogcritics
Guest post at You Can Write a Novel

Thursday, June 17
Book reviewed at Lynn’s Corner
Interview at Greta Writes
Blog post on Fabianspace

Friday, June 18
Guest blogging at Lynn’s Corner

Monday, June 21
Interviewed at The Hot Author Report
Book reviewed at Marta’s Meanderings
Blog post on Fabianspace

Tuesday, June 22
Book reviewed at Reading at the Beach

Wednesday, June 23
Guest blogging at The Book Boost

Thursday, June 24
Book reviewed at The Book Connection
Interviewed on Introducing Writers Radio Show

Friday, June 25
Interviewed at The Writer’s Life

Saturday, June 26
Wrap-up of reviews at Fabianspace

It's Coming! The Catholic Writers' Conference Live!

I'll be there--will you?

To Register, Go to www.catholicwritersconference.com

For Immediate Release

Catholic Writers to Hold Online Conference

World Wide Web--The second annual Catholic Writers’ Conference LIVE will be held August 4-6, 2010, at King of Prussia, PA. Sponsored by the Catholic Writer’s Guild and the Catholic Marketing Network (CMN), and held in conjunction with CMN’s annual retailer trade show, the Catholic Writers Conference LIVE provides Catholic authors with a prime opportunity to meet and share their faith with editors, publishers, fellow writers, and bookstore owners from across the globe.

This year's conference will feature presentations on such topics as market tips and time management for busy writers, poetry, creating evil characters, working with an editor, creating winning proposals, journaling and much more.

Michelle Buckman, author of the young adult novels Maggie Come Lately and My Beautiful Disaster will present the keynote address on “The Wonder of Expressing Catholicism in Fiction” and the Catholic Writers Guild will present its first-ever achievement award for excellence in Catholic Arts and Letters. In addition, writers will have a chance to pitch their books to Catholic publishers, including Ignatius Press, Circle Media Press and Sophia Institute Press.

“Attending this conference has been the best thing I have done for myself professionally,” Carol Bannon, author of the children’s book Handshake from Heaven, said of the 2009 conference. Her fellow writer Melanie Cameron agreed, saying she left the last conference re-energized. “I recommend [this] conference as a resource for any author (or wannabe) at any stage. You will walk away empowered!”

The Catholic Writers Guild sponsors both this live conference in August and an online conference in February to further its mission of promoting Catholic literature. “Our conferences are totally focused on encouraging faithful Catholics to share genuine Catholic culture and faith in their writing no matter what genre,” says CWG President Ann Margaret Lewis. “These events are integral to our mission of ‘creating a rebirth of Catholic arts and letters.”

Registration costs $85 for CWG members, and $95 for non-members. There's also a discounted combined membership-registration. To register or for more information, go to http://www.catholicwritersconference.com.

My Novel's Journey: Neeta Lyffe, Zombie Exterminator: Real Life Makes Good Fiction

We all have moments that happen in real life that would make great fiction. I love when mine come together in unexpected ways, like the scenes I wrote this week for Neeta Lyffe, Zombie Exterminator. Before I share that, though, I'm going to give a couple of rules for making your real-life events read believable in fiction.

I know that seems contradictory--real life not seem believable? But how many times have you read something that seemed out of character, wrong or self-indulgent--or worse yet, Mary Sue-ish? I'd say it's because one or more of these rules is broken:

1. You gave your character your reactions, not his.
2. You didn't change the details enough to fit the story you are writing.
3. The event itself doesn't fit the scene you're writing. (i.e., just because it's a cool or touching event or is a personal catharsis to write does not mean it belongs in the story.)
4. You failed to give the event significance in the story (perhaps because you are still giving its significance to your life)

in other words

5. You failed to take yourself out of the event and put your character in.

This week, I got to put in two events from my past into my story. The first was a frustrating time my Freshman year of college wheen I'd been studying (or trying to). I'd read over the same page of statistics about five times, trying to memorize and feeling rather martyrlike about it, when a guy from my brother floor yanked the book out of my hand and challenged me to tell him what I'd just read. I couldn't. Not even the subject of the section. I was so mad I wanted to cry. He suggested I take a break.

The plebes from Zombie Death Extreme are boning up for their certification test. Gordon is the ex-Marine who is not the sharpest tool in the shed. So I thought he could use a moment like this.

Of course, I had to change the setting to fit a mid-twenties male adult hoping to pass a career test and maybe win a million dollars while he was at it. The people around him are the competition. So: no dorm, no statistics book, no martyrlike feelings. He would not get upset like I did--slug or slow burn is more Gordon's style.

Here's how it played out: Gordon is about to take a study break when Roscoe and Nasir show up at his apartment.

Roscoe was looking at the beer in his hand. "Please tell me you aren't intending to get drunk alone. On that."

"I'm studying," he growled. "Been studying all day. This is my first, if you must know."

"No, it's not." Roscoe brushed past him, snatching the beer from his hands and putting it back into the refrigerator. Only when Nasir followed did Gordon realize he'd been hanging out in the hallway. Have to work on that situational awareness.

"I refuse to let you waste your evening on swill," Roscoe said. "Go put on something presentable. Something that says, 'chick magnet.'" Pawing through his refrigerator with one hand, Roscoe waved in Gordon's general direction with the other.

"What? I'm studying."

"Yeah? Tell me the last three things you read."

Gordon paused, his mind blank. "I hate you."

Did I think about the rules as I wrote? No, I was too busy thinking about Gordon--but then again, that's the key, isn't it?

Via Dolorosa is for us, too

Last week, a friend asked us to pray for him. John Desjarlias is a talented writer of mysteries with strong Catholic themes. Bleeder came out last year from Sophia Press, and he's under contract for the next one, Viper. However, Viper has been giving him a lot of trouble writing--so much trouble that it's affecting his concentration and outlook. He feels under spiritual attack.

I can certainly identify with that feeling. While my writing probably doesn't warrant much notice by the Forces of Evil (or the Forces of Good, for that matter), I often feel like my work as a mother is foiled by devil. I don't want to get into the specific issues, but sometimes it seems like one step forward and two back.

I was musing about John's trouble writing and my kid conundrums during Mass. It struck me that one of the lessons of the Crucifixion is that worthwhile things aren't always easy to obtain. I think the people of the past understood that better than we do. Let's face it--the cure for pain is a pill away in most cases, communication is nearly instantaneous, entertainment and distraction not just available but pushed on us. We balk when things get tough, or wonder what's wrong or what we're doing wrong, or think we're under attack.

We take it into our faith, too. A great proportion of Christians think that salvation is as simple and instant (and casual) as saying, "Sure, I believe." In fact, they don't think it's fair that God "made" Jesus suffer for us--and that Jesus chose to obey. A girl at a protestant church group my daughter visited with a friend announced that she was mad at Jesus for dying on the cross, to which Amber replied, "You'd better be grateful, or we would not be saved today!"

Life was perfect in the Garden of Eden--but was it easy? I'm not sure. One thing I do know: once we left Eden, "easy" was not to be taken for granted, but too often we do. Too often, I do. I work hard, but I wonder how often I really rise to a challenge that pushes me past my limits. Or do I see the challenge and just complain that it should be easier, and take a different path?

I need to get off the easy path. I need to accept my own Via Dolorosa. God help me on my journey.

My Novel's Journey: Neeta Lyffe, Zombie Exterminator: Grab those ideas!

I've blogged before about how I get ideas. Really, they just come at you if you're ready to receive. Today, I want to talk about making those ideas useful. It's actually quite simple in theory, but more difficult in practice.

1. Write the idea down
2. Put it where you can find it again
3. Use it

How you do #1 is up to you. I can tell you one thing--for all the cliche about writing on scraps of napkins or old receipts, that's probably the worst way. Why? It's harder on step 2. Trust me, I've done the scraps thing. The best way for me to keep ideas I actually want to find later is to write them in a spiral notebook, put them as a doc in my computer or phone (and back them up!) or put them in my anthemion storylines program. I love the storylines program best, because it's easy to retreive.

2. However you get your ideas down, finding them again is the key between a brilliant idea that you put in your novel and the brilliant idea that ends up forgotten under the car seat. Some people have a file. Me, I search notebooks. (You may have seen my joyous tweet about finding some old noted I'd forgotten I had on Discovery.) I should file. The best way, for me, however, is with Anthemion Storylines. This is a simple program. It looks like a bulletin board, and you can post items as an index card, then move them around, etc. When I get an idea for a specific story, I start a new file and toss the ideas there as different cards. Later, I can go back and play with the order until I can write.

When I have an idea for the story I'm working on, I usually put it at the bottom of the story itself, or make a separate doc file and put it in the same folder as the story.

3. Ideas are not much good unless they get used or they spark another idea. Sometimes, an idea can sit for ages; sometimes, it screams to be written right away. I find that it's best to listen to the screams. I get the best stories or scenes from those kinds of ideas, and when I try to ignore them, they just scream louder.

So, how does this apply to Neeta Lyffe? I was in the car, with Rob driving. We were listening to the radio and some haz-bin celebrity was endorsing some embarrassing product. Usually Rob and I remark, in unison, "They must be desperate for money." Well, as you know, Neeta has been sued and is desperate for money. What if someone wanted her to endorse their product? Would she do it? I had my notebook with me, and ended up writing 1000 words before I was done.

Snippet from the representative of "Bottums Up Diet Drinks" trying to convince Neeta to be the next BUDDy:

Once they'd settled on opposite sides of her desk, he opened up his suitcase and pulled out a portfolio. The cover held a collage of different celebrities--most of whom Neeta remembered only from childhood or sort-of recognized from her infrequent television watching. All held a bottle of "Bottums-Up" in one hand and pointed to their perfect waists with the other.

"Larry" jumped into his business pitch. "We at BUDD have always dedicated ourselves to creating high-quality, nutritious drinks that not only help you cut calories but burn fat--"

"I'm not on a diet."

"--We have several lines: Minimize. Stabilize--"

"I'm not getting fat."

"No! Not at all! Like Mr. Bottums said, you're quite fit. Stunning, even. That's what he said. Exact words."

Can you tell this will be a hard sell?

Everything is Material

Between moving, Rob's surgery (outpatient) and the Catholic planners are due, I don't anticipate much time this week, so I've prepped this ahead of time.

People sometimes ask how authors come up with ideas, so here's a sneak peek at my idea generation in April:

Dentists broke a piece of the drill off in my tooth during a root canal. I wrote a flash fiction about a woman in a similar situation who ends up communicating with aliens through her tooth. Yes, it's called "Bit by Bit."

Asked folks on facebook for a Bible story that expressed self control. Decided on David not killing Saul.

Listening to the song "Ocean Gypsy" by Blackmore's Night, came up with a mystery of a nymph who is brutally murdered and her death causes the entire area to be shrouded in darkness, for a thousand nights or until the killer is found and the area healed.

Friend of mine had to deliver some bad news to another of our friends, who happens to live near NYC. She caught her on a bad day, and got an earful! Telling me about it, she said, "She went New York on me." Writing a scene for Neeta Lyffe, I had some zombies attack a bunch of New Yorkers during a parade. Parade goers got mad and beat them with their own ripped off limbs.

Needed to write a column for Vern, my dragon. Weather's getting nice--car wash time. Decided that's a great way to bathe a dragon.

Rob, the boys and I were playing SuperMunchkin. The cards themselves are a riot--puns and jokes, and combinations designed to incite giggles. Plus, at least with my family, there are plenty of ways to mess with your opponent! I came up with a story of Vern, Sister Grace, Gapman, and Superspy Stan Rakness involved in a cut-throat game involving one of the card combinations we played to really wreck Steven's and Alex's chance at victory.

Review of The Father Brown Reader by Nancy Carpenter Brown

(Note: Sometimes, I write reviews for a book I've read. This is only because I happened to really like the book, or I was asked to write a review for the Catholic Writers' Guild. I do not take books for review. It's too much pressure on my time, sorry.)

The Father Brown Reader: Stories by Chesterton by Nancy Carpentier Brown



I read this delightful book for the Catholic Writers' Guild Seal of Approval. I must admit that I had ulterior motives in that I wanted to read it to my nine-year-old for bedtime stories. However, I couldn't wait and sped through it myself. I found the stories well-told with delightful twists and the adaptation sound. I've not read Chesterton yet, and although I've been told the verbage is flat by comparison to the master, I found it to be on par with the Three Investigators mysteries my youngest is into right now.

When my husband went TDY, I offered to read it to both my youngest boys (Alex, 11 and Liam, 9) for bedtime. Bedtime was pushed back as we had to see how the story ends. Once Rob came home (and resumed reading the fantasy series he and Alex are into), I put the book into the car to read aloud while we're waiting for their siblings to get out of school. Alex said he likes seeing things from the points of view of the different characters. Liam says he really enjoys the mysteries and that it's a fun book to listen to. Both agree the book is awesome.

All three of us recommend The Father Brown Reader for kids--and for adults who want to share some fun adventures with their kids.

NOTE: I was given a copy of this book as part of the CWG Seal of Approval process. I was under no obligation to review.

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
• Perfect Paperback: 147 pages
• Publisher: Hillside Education; 1st edition (October 26, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0976638673
• ISBN-13: 978-0976638674

My Novel's Journey: Interrupted again! Turn off the Flow!

Are you getting tired of my telling why I've lived yet another week without having written Neeta Lyffe, Zombie Exterminator?

Yeah, me, too.

However, there are only so many hours in a day, and right now I have an actual paying job writing school planners--10 stories geared for high school kids, the adapted to middle school, done for American and Canadian schools. Four calendars in all. This year, we're taking Bible stories as our theme, and I'm retelling some from side characters--one of David's soldiers, Rebeka's best friend, someone who helped the men lower the paralytic through the roof to Jesus. It's kind of fun and a stretch of my creativity as well as a great way to think more about the Bible.

Then, of course, Why God Matters comes out May 15. The publisher, Tribute Books, is spoiling my father and me--dedicated website (www.whygodmatters.com) and a publicist to plan our virtual book tour. So, I've been doing my share by spreading the word to get some blog spots for then June tour--e-mail me if you want to join in!--and making a video book trailer. This one was a no brainer, and I put it together on animoto.com. I'm posting it here May 15, but you can see it at www.whygodmatters.com/news.html.

Next, I got my book contract for Mind Over Mind. I'm resisting the temptation to look it over--I might start revising!

To top it off, I got an idea this morning for ANOTHER novel! This one is in the DragonEye universe. When a nymph is brutally murdered, her death affects all of Los Lagos: Magicals are haunted by nightmares; the water supply is poisoned, and a mysterious cloud covers the city in unending night.

I both love and hate getting ideas. I love my imagination, but I have no time! What do I do? I open up another file in Anthemion Storylines and put ideas and information as I come up with it. I promise--Neeta comes next!

I have to finish the calendars by May 11. I'm halfway done, but next week is will be insane: two signings, Rob's surgery, my cap for my tooth. Oh, and I'm not Catholic Writers' Guild Secretary.

My life is so full of blessings--of imagination, of opportunity, of service. I'm not complaining, but I wouldn't mind if we turned the spigot down just a bit. Just until I finish off the shambling undead hoards.

Progres on Neeta Lyffe: I did manage one scene this week: Zombies attack parade goers at the last New England Zombie Crawl. They made the mistake of attacking the New York contingent. The irate New Yorkers ripped them apart then beat them to redeath with their own limbs.

Perseverance Pays! Mind Over Mind accepted by Dragon Moon

Last week, I signed the contract for Mind Over Mind, a fantasy novel. At 13, Deryl manifested telepathic powers. Not only could he not control them, but it put him in contact with aliens. The effect drove him insane. Five years later, he's fought his way to an uneasy sanity, but has no hope of leaving the mental institution or uncovering the mysteries behind his power or the aliens that use it to manipulate him.

When 19-year-old Joshua Lawson takes an internship at the mental institution, he's asked to befriend the sullen Deryl. Joshua however, has no plans to be a "high paid buddy." He wants to cure Deryl--and he intends to start by taking him at his word.

As the two work to control Deryl's abilities and understand the creatures that contact him, WHAT

I wrote this book in college. Twice. The first time, I had an elaborate outline I'd spent all summer on--then promptly lost the first week at school. After some angry tears, I decided it was mostly junk anyway, and started again. That one I finished in a year and started sending off to publishers. (I cringe at those query letters now.) It got lots of rejections, so I finally put it away and got on with life. (This was about 1990.)

In 2000, I decided I wanted to try a novel again, so I found the manuscript, read it over and gagged. What a difference a decade made! In that manuscript, Deryl was a cool, happy-go-lucky college student getting a PhD in paranormal studies--and Joshua was a farmboy studding agriculture. Basically, I hated them on sight. I loved my alien woman, though, and the plot. So I decided to rewrite.

First, I gave Deryl some problems. That was easy once I realized what it would really mean to have telepathy with no off switch. ALWAYS knowing people's thoughts. ALWAYS feeling people's feelings. Not just one person--EVERY person in a given range. Can you imagine being in a classroom with 25 hormonal boys when the knockout substitute teacher walks in? I did-and it's not pretty. It's beyond embarrassing--it's scary.

Next, I gsve my alien a clearer agenda, especially in regards to Deryl, and let him go to work. I actually disturbed myself with how dark my imagination could get.

Finally, I took my lovely alien heroine, gave her some problems of her own as well as a far greater purpose in life. That's when she told me she was one of many of her kind--that Miscria was not her name but her position--and that several Miscria had contacted Deryl. Even better, they didn't know Deryl was a person--they thought he was an oracle!

Cool, well-adjusted college kid? I don't think so. I feel a little sorry for how I tortured him, but what a better story!

So, what to do with Joshua? "Corn-fed hick" didn't work anymore, so I made him the intern. As it turns out, he's the cool, charismatic one. He also told me he's Black, homeschooled, a gifted musician and dancer, and that he has a shady past he's running away from. Oh, yes--he would fall in love with an older woman, a nurse, in the story. Well, you know me: when a character tells me something, I write it!

The book became a trilogy. I love it. Of course, I shopped it around for several more years, tweaking it as I went. I first ended the first book on a cliffhanger, for example, but changed it to have closure while leaving room for the next book. The title also changed from The Miscria, to Asylum Psychic, and now to Mind Over Mind.

Finally, after 22 years from the first submission and 10 years of submitting the current version, Mind Over Mind is going to go into print. Perseverance does indeed pay. I hope it will "pay" you readers as well as me.

My Novel's Journey: Neeta Lyffe, Zombie Exterminator: Unexpected Heroes

Sometimes, characters just have to take center stage whether you planned it or not. The past couple of weeks, I had two characters do just that.

For those that have come to the blog late, I'm writing about a zombie exterminator, Neeta Lyffe, who is training other exterminators as part of a reality TV show. Two of Neeta's apprentices from the show, LaCenta and Spud, were on 9-1-1 patrol with other exterminators as part of the show. At the time I was writing this, they were going to hang out in the vans and not have much happen. The chapter was about Neeta and two other apprentices getting called away from a concert in order to chase a zombie in the park.

However, once I finished, the chapter felt very incomplete. I decided I needed to at least touch on what the other teams had done that night. At first, I was going to have LaCenta get invited to the rest of the concert, as one of the singers wanted to dedicate a song to the zombie exterminators of the world. However, she had other plans. She and her team ended up re-killing a zombie who was on the rampage after his murderer. I also discovered that LaCenta speaks GhettoWoW, which is interesting as I'd never heard of GhettoWow until she brought it up. I had to consult with my husband on that one.

So that took care of LaCenta, and to a lesser extent, Nasir, another apprentice. That left poor Spud. Spud has been kind of an underdog in the show--skilled, but quiet and methodical. Director Dave calls him "the potatoes" of the show and has been hard pressed to pair him up with something as the meat. Well, Spud ended up being quite the hero when his team takes him to zombie central to actually catch some live zombies for research. The plan goes wrong and he saves the girl. Director Dave is having paroxysms of joy.

I'm working on a segue scene, then Neeta gets approached by a diet drink company that wants her to advertise for them. Then we get to the finale! I figure 20,000 more words to go. It's slowed for now because I have a contract for school planners due late May, but I'm hoping to finish before we move in June.

Random Thoughts at 30,000 feet

I wrote this on the airplane a couple of weeks ago, but finally got it out of my smartphone. (Smart phone, dumb human). Anyway, with the Root Canal Epic, Part II, I'm not in the mood to blog, so I'm posting this instead.

We're on our househunting trip to Utah. My netbook ran out of juice, so I'm blogging using my smart phone because I'm feeling stuck on the story I'm working on here.

I resisted cell phones for a long time, but - must admit, I adore my Android. Ironically, the one thing I wish was that it was just a bit bigger. Not quite the size of the iPad, but close.

Does anyone else look at the iPad and think of Yoeman Rand?

We're hitting turbulence. I like turbulence. I feel like we're actually moving. I'm more connected to the plane, the flight, the sky...

Go ahead, give me a weird look.

A lot of folks think I'm weird for enjoying moving. I think part of it is perspective: they see precious things packed away; I see a chance to unpack and rediscover those precious things. They see a house loved and emptied; I see a new palate waiting for me to make my own. They see friends left behind; but since my best friends are online, anyway, I see a chance to meet interesting people.

The only hard part is schools. Amber and Steven are in high school. I'd like them to stay in one until they graduate--this is Steven's third. Alex and Liam did not like their school in CA, so this move should be good. They also have good friends moving to Utah. In fact, if we can, we're going to househunt for them, too. We'll live in different towns, alas. They need a county that allows 3 dogs.

So, how do you end a random blog? Why don't you hum the Seinfeld theme while you finish this sentence? Thanks.

Thoughts on Writer's Voice

Recently, a friend on one of my writer's groups asked about how to find one's voice in writing. I thought I'd share my opinions with you as well.

What is voice? Intuitively speaking, it's what makes your writing recognizable as yours. It's a combination of word choice, tone (friendly or educational), sentence length and structure, approach... It's not easily defined or pinned down, which can make it intimidating to the new writer.

Best advice is: don't worry about it. You don't "make" your voice. You and your voice find each other.

The most effective way of finding your voice is simply writing. I think Jane Lebak said it can take upwards of 100,000 words, though I may have heard that from another author elsewhere.

As for mimicking another author's voice, I know some writers who did that early in their career as an exercise or as play or to move past a weakness in their worn writing. (For instance, if you are bad at description, you copy out a few pages of an author who does wonderful description, get a feel for how they do it, then apply elements to your own work.) However, that doesn't mean you copy someone else's voice for work you submit. It's practice.

Voice can differ by what you write, IMHO. My voice for DragonEye, PI is very different from my voice for my latest book on Catholic living, Why God Matters. One is fiction told by a snarky dragon; the other stories of God's hand in the life of a middle-aged mom. Yet, if you look closely, I'm sure you'll see some similarities in voice.