What would you do for your art?

Everyone knows that writers and artists are flaky. What they don't know is that its a skill just like anything else. When they think we're not paying attention we're actually creating things in our mind. Whole worlds can begin and end as I day dream at work. When they see that small smile on my face they think I'm encouraging them to keep talking but really I just had a break through on my WIP and as soon as they go away I'm breaking out the note pad to get it down. Hell, half the time I don't wait for them to leave.

Emperor Sutoku (Japan-12th Century) was exiled for three years. He spent this time copying the Lankauarn Sutra (Buddist religious work) in red ink. This was a special red ink. He made it himself---his own blood! He wrote the 135 pages, 10,500 words in hopes that he would be rewarded by Buddha. (I wonder if he was a little dizzy when it was finished.)
It may have worked. Sutoku was returned to power and ruled for two decades!

So? What would you do? How far would you go for your work?
Thoughts?

Mr. Flip Flop

My Theory on World Peace

My theory:
I believe world peace will come to the earth when all races of the world are blended. When all the children can grow up and say they are part of every race then I believe all the fear and anger will subside and everyone will live in peace (at last).
Its like our little world has some growing to do. And with age comes knowledge and acceptance. When we are all truly blended- what's to fight about?
Forty years ago interracial marriage (meaning every race) was nearly unheard of or at least hidden.
Thirty years ago is was shocking.
Twenty years ago it was merely a curiosity.
Ten years ago? Nothing special. (Okay, I'm in the northeast and I know some of the more southern states haven't made it quiet so far yet.)
Today? No one cares as long as they are good neighbors.
So when we are all blended....Acceptance.

Query letter fear!

Query letters strike fear in my heart. So let's rip apart one of my query letters just for fun. My comments are in ( )'s and not part of the real letter. Please no laughing. Just join in and point out any useless crap you see or let us know your own Query mistakes.

Yes, this is a letter that has received a few rejections.

Dear Ms, Mr, or Mrs. (Gotta get this right but how do we find out if a woman agent prefers Miss, Ms. or Mrs.???)

I’m an avid reader of your blog. Thank you for all the great information and insight you post there. (Too much sucking up? Not enough?) I would like to submit my manuscript for your consideration.

Eyes of My Killer:

Thriller-Suspense, approximately 70,000 words.

Misty reads eyes. She needs only to glance deep within your eyes to see your soul, your world, and all your secrets. But her gift has gotten her into trouble before as it doesn’t always give a clear picture. Not everything she “sees” makes sense. Random thoughts, images, and emotions come through haphazardly. When she comes eye to eye with a serial killer Misty goes to the police for help. In shock, she can describe the brutality and horror she saw in his eyes, but not the man himself. She knows the police think she’s a kook, but she has to make them listen.

Max Jennings is a by the book cop and he’s on the trail of the nastiest serial killer in Angel Fall’s history. When Misty McAllister walks into his squad room and declares she knows who the Angel Fall’s Strangler is because she met him at the mall, Max labels her a whacko. When the strangler leaves a message on Misty’s doorstep in the form of a dead body Max labels her a suspect, but Misty insists it’s a warning. Now she’s in a race for her life and only man can help her, the one who doesn’t believe her.

Full manuscript is available upon request. Thank you for your consideration. (I know the bio goes here but I don't have one. Does blogging count?)

Ciao baby,

One Aimlesswriter

Thoughts? Issues? Your query?

I've been SLAUGHTERED!

This book was so good I stayed up nights reading it. First thing in the morning while the dogs whined for their morning walk I'd have to finish just one more chapter.
And then the ending.....OMG! I sprang up out of bed at 2 a.m. shouting "NOOooooOOoooo!"

Have you ever read a book and get to one line that stands out as amazing. Like you have the wow, I wish I wrote that feeling.
There were many great lines in this book but my favorite was:

It had rained all night, a hard, heavy rain that tapped on their window like a witch trying to get in.

Love Karen Slaughter! Find her here.

Eye of the Beholder

This painting won second place at the county fair. (No, I didn't paint it-I wish!) But only won second place? Look carefully as all of God's world is in this painting. Every stroke has a meaning. from the tree branches to the valleys and fields. Look carefully and see the clouds in the eye and within the pupil you see the earth. The more you look the more you see. Amazing. How much thought went into this painting? Why the heck didn't this get first place? I would have definitely given it a first place + plus.

Art; it's all in the eye of the beholder. Perspective is everything.

Isn't this also true about writing? Its why one editor will love you and the other blows you off. I think this perspective is what keeps me writing. Knowing that one rejection (or twenty) does not mean that there isn't someone out there who will love it. Someone who's day will be made that much happier by reading what we wrote.

I wonder where Stephen King would be now if he hadn't found Bill Thompson. Would someone else have seen the potential of Carrie? Made it such a great best seller?

So we write on, curse the dark and hope for the future. Wait for someone with the perspective that will match our story. And hope they out there. Somewhere.

P.S. I didn't get this artist name, but if you're out there let me know and I'd be glad to post your name. You are an amazing artist.

How much you want for this?

Thinking of murder

I have a scene in the beginning of one of my manuscripts where the wife is thinking of murdering her husband. Her husband had been acting crazy for months. Obsessed with building a bomb shelter, pouring all their money into it. It so consumes him the wife is living in fear of his mania. My critique group thought it was a bit extreme to have the wife thinking of murder instead of..say...therapy.
My thoughts are that just sending him to therapy would be a boring book. And she doesn't actually kill him in the book. (that's taken care of by forces beyond her control) But how weird would your significant other have to get before you'd think of divorce? If your "other" started obsessing over something strange, drained your saving account and spent every waking hour on this obsession. Got so bad you could see something in his eyes that scared you.... What would you do? How long would you put up with it?
I'm not saying murder is the answer (we'll save that for the book) but what about divorce? Or just leaving? Kicking him out?
Thoughts?