What's Up Wednesday- Aug 14th



Seven-year Orchids, Cricket Click Tracks & the Miraculous Emergence of Beauty

What's Up Wednesday is a weekly meme geared toward readers and writers, allowing us to touch base with blog friends and let them know what's up.  Should you wish to join, check out Jaime's or Erin's lovely blogs and sign up with the link widget at the bottom of the post.


WHAT I'M READING

I haven't had a lot of time for reading this week. This week has absolutely flown by. I started re-reading CAT'S CRADLE by Kurt Vonnegut because I had forgotten a couple of things about the book that I wanted to remember.


WHAT I'M WRITING

I wrote a very fun scene in my new MS. I am still loving this one, which is encouraging. I can't wait to share it with someone and see if I'm totally crazy or if it really is better than my last four books. (I'm so embroiled in the mire that I don't entirely trust my own judgement anymore.) I also made tiny, little baby steps on my edits for ISIS. I think all the scenes are now in the right order, I've made most of the changes on my checklist. Now I just have to reread the whole thing and make sure it works. Can I have a few extra hours in the day, because I would really like to make this happen? 

WHAT ELSE I'VE BEEN UP TO

I've been spending a little time trying to catch up on the awesomeness that is WriteOnCon. The Band and I have been recording a couple of songs which has been very fun. I'm unable to resist including samples of sounds I've taken from nature into everything. So if you ever hear one of my creations, yes those are birds and frogs and crickets and thunder in the background. (Did you know you can accurately tell the temperature with the speed of cricket chirps? Plus they make excellent click tracks. *grin*)

WHAT INSPIRES ME RIGHT NOW

Seven years ago, we noticed a tiny, nondescript vine on our orange tree. It looked like some type of orchid, but we weren't sure what kind. We meant to key it out, but then somehow forgot all about it. Then out of the blue this week (seven years later), the tiny forgotten vine bloomed into the picture you see above. I was heading out to the deck to have breakfast, coffee cup in hand, and was stopped dead in my tracks. The bloom was floating in the air like a giant, pink ghost. It's about the size of my palm.

It made me think about how small miracles of beauty sometimes find their way into the world. Sometimes they sit latent and forgotten for years. And then when the time is right, and just enough moisture has fallen, they spring forth into something truly miraculous. There is a time for everything. Maybe there's a time for you too. For your ideas, your words. Perhaps after nothing happening for years, something wonderful will spring forth. And the world will stop in its spinning for a moment to go, "Wow, look what you had inside you all this time."




18 comments:

  1. If you're able to find those extra hours, puhlease let me know so I can get some, too? And thanks for the follow! :)

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  2. Sure Dannie, if I find them you'll be the first to know! :)

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  3. Ooh, your a writer and musician too? Yay! I think that puts a totally new slant on the creative angle. Do you have to listen to music while you write, or do you find it distracting?

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    1. Hi Crystal! I listen to music for inspiration, but while I'm actually writing I'm usually outside in my hammock, so the only music is the sound of birds and frogs and such.

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  4. That orchid is absolutely gorgeous, Kris. What a great surprise! And everything you said about it--too true. I'm happy you're enjoying your new MS so much, and I totally hear you on not being able to trust your own judgement anymore. I feel the same way. I also feel like the story I'm working on now is the best yet. Keep at it! :-)

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    1. Thanks Jaime! It was a very cool surprise.

      And I think everything on your current projects list sounds amazing, so your latest must be fantastic! Can't wait to see it on the shelves. :)

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  5. That orchid is absolutely gorgeous, Kris -- what a lovely surprise to come out and find, especially after so much time.

    So happy to hear you're making progress on your new WiP...I can't wait to read this one, when it's ready. And I'm also happy you're making some headway with ISIS, too - doesn't it feel great when you realize things have fallen into the space they're meant to be?

    And WOC - oh, WOC. Do you have anything up for review? I'll have to go take a look! I posted my first 250 and query just a little bit ago...we'll see what the sharks have to say. :)

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    1. With my revisions, I'll just be happy when they are done. Arrgggh...they are the bane of my existence.

      And I just posted comments on your WOC posts. OMG, so awesome. Anyone who sees this should go read your first 250 words RIGHT NOW! (do not pass go, do not collect 200)

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  6. Loved that last line....And the world will stop in its spinning for a moment to go, "Wow, look what you had inside you all this time."

    Perfect. Gorgeous flower, but just perfect, perfect words.

    That was really a nice moment of my day. Thank you for that. :-)

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    1. Thanks Heidi! That is really sweet of you to say. And since I happen to have a sneaking (but very well-founded) suspicion that you have wonderful things waiting in that brain of yours to be shared with the world, I can't wait for the world to stop, sit up and take notice of how marvelous you are.

      If for no other reason than I can shout "I told you so!" :)

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  7. Oh, I loved your orchard story. Seriously, that's such a great way to look at the creative process--and gorgeously written. Have a great week!

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    1. Thanks Valerie! My creative process looks a little less than gorgeous right now, but I'm hoping I'll get there someday. :)

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  8. I love how nature is full of surprises :) It's sorta like when the leaves change in the fall - it's so subtle at first and then BAM, suddenly everything is crazy beautiful overnight.

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    1. I love that too! And the crazy thing is, those oranges, reds and yellows were there the whole time. They were just eclipsed by the green. Once the green fades, the other colors shine. I'm sure there's another great metaphor for writing in there, but I'm not going to force it. Instead, I'm just going to go find a big pile of leaves to jump in, because PRIORITIES.

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  9. I love your orchid picture, but I love the message you found in it even more. Thanks for sharing.

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  10. That orchid is gorgeous! I love the inspiration you found in it, too. :)

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    1. Thanks Ghenet! And just goes to show, you can find inspiration anywhere. :)

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