by Angela Smith | Sep 24, 2013 | Introspective
Sometimes the only way I can “get away from it all” is through picture-taking.
I love photography, but I’m no professional. I still have lots to learn and don’t expect I’ll ever be that great with it. Doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy it.
I’ve always been interested in photography, but I never spent a lot of time with it because I was afraid I’d never be good enough. Then I realized something vitally important: what difference does it make how good I am if I’m enjoying it?
Creativity doesn’t require perfectionism. Maybe I will never make a lot of money selling pictures, but that was never my intention. I take pictures because I love it. It relaxes me in ways nothing else can.
Sometimes after work when I come home, my favorite transition from work to home is to grab my camera and take a walk outside. I might get silly pictures that professionals would scoff at, but I enjoy the process immensely. It has also helped me open my eyes to see things I wouldn’t normally notice before.
See the bugs on the cactus? Didn’t even notice them at first.
And this sunset. Taken with my camera as the sun is setting, with nothing more than my twilight camera setting. When I look it through my eyes, I see a beautiful setting sun, but when I look at it through the lens of the camera, I see depth as the parched trees frame a fiery sun. And so much more. Your imagination could go wild with this photo. What do you see?
Another of my favorites taken on my walk that day:
And this tree. The sun had practically gone down, so there was some blur on this picture, but I love how it looks like the trees are one. One tree is holding the other up even as it is about to collapse.
by Angela Smith | Sep 14, 2013 | Introspective
Copyright 2013, Angela Smith
Can you believe September is halfway over? I’d like to say the weather is cooler, but not here in Texas. Well, at least it isn’t 100 degrees in the shade anymore, but it’s darn close!
October is going to be an exciting month. October has always been a bit iffy for me. I love the change in weather, and just the feel of everything. Spring is supposed to feel like there’s newness in the air, but for me, it’s always been October. Crisp and cool October.
Ironically and on the downside, my mother died in October. So it’s also a time of deep contemplation and sadness, with the reminder that life-every moment of it-is to be appreciated. October is a thing for many things to die out, change, or go dormant, and it’s also a time for creepy, crawly, scary Halloween things!
October is also Texas Wine Trail month! So look for some posts about wine, one of my favorite food groups. I’ll also be discussing another of my favorite food groups next week: juicing. How to find the right juicer, why you should juice, and the cost of juicing.
And…drum roll please…My husband and I are taking a vacation! We are going to see my sister, who recently moved to Colorado. My sister and I used to be attached at the hip, so it hasn’t been an easy transformation for me. Especially because she’s the mother of my one and only niece. My niece is 11, going on 27. Since she’s been there, she’s gotten into bike racing and has won some (huge) trophies! I’m proud of her, but I also realize she’s still a child and doesn’t necessarily realize how important people in her life are just yet. I’m giving her space to live her life, but at the same time I wish she would contact me a bit more! I feel like I’ve lost a part of myself, but I’m very happy that she got to move to my favorite place in the world! And I’m very happy that I get to go visit her! She lives in Wine Country-Grand Junction-so I’ll be making some stops at some wine tours there, as well. Look for me to post some information about Colorado wines in the future!
On the way back from our trip, we’ll be stopping at my aunt’s, in Albuquerque, and visiting the Balloon Festival there. It’s a much, much needed vacation, seeing as how my husband and I have both been working hard, saving money, and not getting out much lately!
I’ll be participating in some blog tours very soon. Sizzling PR from October 14-25, and Masquerade Tours from November 4-11. Of course, you can always follow my Events Page for more information. I’m also signed up to post book blog tours here as well. If you’re interesting in doing a guest post, please contact me!
What about you? Do you have any exciting news to share?
by Angela Smith | Sep 11, 2013 | Books, Introspective
It’s been many years, but I don’t feel I can ignore this day. I wasn’t anywhere near New York or Washington when it happened. I was getting ready for work (the same job I’m at now, actually). I was twelve years younger, and my sister was pregnant with her first child. My first niece.
I had the news on as I often do in the morning, but I wasn’t watching it because I was getting ready for work. My husband, who had already left, called and had heard it on the radio and wanted me to check the news.
I walked in to my bedroom where the news was on, and the first thing I saw was a burning building, and them replaying the airplane hitting the twin towers.
I was devastated. I talked to my husband a bit, then hung up the phone with him and immediately called the one and only person in the world who I knew would give me comfort and explain to me what in the world was happening: my grandmother.
I, being twelve years younger and never ever having experienced this in my life, didn’t know what to think. Her three words put it in perspective for me: “We’re being attacked.”
Of course it changed my life. It changed everyone’s life that experienced it, I’m sure. I’m more aware, often more fearful, but more appreciative. A lot of things were lost that day. We have soldiers continuing to sacrifice their lives and livelihood to give us our freedom that we take for granted. Even if we don’t like how things are right now, we’re a lot better off than many countries.
Even if we don’t agree, I say when it comes to our Country, we all stand together. Than means not bashing our government. Whether we like them are now, they are our government, and I believe bashing them only makes our Country look weak.
I often wondered if I should continue to write. Shouldn’t I be focusing more on . . . something to change the world?
Well, I’m here to tell you, entertainment changes the world. Whether it’s a movie, a song, a painting, drawing or a book, it’s all art. And art is the best form of communication I know.
by Angela Smith | Sep 10, 2013 | Books
Sometimes, the writing life is overwhelming.
The writing, editing, marketing, on top of working all day and doing the day-to-day activities that must be done. So why would anyone in their right mind do it when they are barely getting noticed?
Because you love it. Because you have a story that has to be written, characters that wake you up in the middle of the night because they want to talk about their story or scenes going over and over in your head that you can’t ignore. If you don’t write it down, you’ll either forget it (a travesty) or the characters will keep bothering you.
Ah, a writer’s life is not all bon-bons and chardonnay. You’re judged, sometimes harshly. You work hard and intently, and you rarely make time to veg out on the couch and relax with the current hit show of the season. (Okay, I will occasionally for a good movie or for Dexter).
A lot of people in the everyday life, especially non-readers, don’t understand writers. They especially don’t understand romance writers. What makes us so different? Nothing, really. We just like to write about characters falling in love and the whole process of relationship-building.
I’m a pretty private person, so blogging has always been somewhat difficult for me. Writing, as much as I love it, has always been difficult for me to share. So difficult, in fact, that my first two books were written under a pen name. After a couple of years, the rights were reverted back to me, but they aren’t forever gone. I hope to one day republish them. They were a huge learning experience. I hid those books and the fact that I’m a writer from important people for so long and went through many, many emotions during those years. I stopped writing for a while and stopped pursuing publication but somewhere along the way, I found myself and realized this is me. I am a writer. It is in my heart and isn’t going to go away. I could tell you of all the experiences I’ve had that has led me back to this path and the reasons I felt I couldn’t be true to myself, but that isn’t necessary. I know it is meant to be, and I knew I couldn’t hide under a pen name any longer or I would make the same mistakes again. I would never truly be me and something would always stop me from succeeding.
I’m comfortable with myself and my writing now, and I know I can’t stop. I’m sorry I wasted a lot of years, but I believe things happen for a reason and maybe it just wasn’t time for me. Doesn’t mean I don’t still have a hard time talking about myself when people ask, but then I’ve always been a better listener than I am a talker.
I’m afraid many people never “step out” to live their dream in fear of failure or fear of change or fear of so many other things that might or might not happen (hey even Steven King doubted himself!) To walk along the path you are supposed to be walking on is a tremendous experience. I encourage everyone to follow their heart’s true passion, because I believe that is our purpose in life. It’s also important to find support, and be supportive of others and their dreams!
You will encounter obscure trails, forks in the road, and high and low routes. But if you’re on the right path, your heart is going to know it, even if nobody else does.
I know I am where I’m supposed to be now.
by Angela Smith | Sep 8, 2013 | Writing
I’m not what you call an athlete. The most extreme activity I would take on is exercise, Jeeping through the mountains, or riding my bike on flat, level ground.
But I love to write about extreme sports and many of my characters partake in some type of sport. Garret and his brother Chayton in Burn on the Western Slope love to ski, ice climb, and many other mountain adventures. Jake, in my current work-in-progress, is a triathlete. I’ve also written about an auto racer and a surfer (look for those soon!). Most of my characters participate in some type of sport, whether it’s a hobby or a career.
I also love to watch extreme sports, and learning more about those activities was one of my favorite parts of writing Burn on the Western Slope. The research was fun and I almost felt like I was involved in the ice climbing with Garret and his brother. (That particular scene had been deleted before publication of the book, but it still taught me a great many things useful for other scenes and character development).
In my research, I learned that airdog means a snowboarded most interested in aerial tricks and thus, Air Dog became the name of the bar that Garret’s brother owns in Burn on the Western Slope. (Watch for Chayton’s story coming soon!)
Without further ado, I wanted to introduce you to my new paper at paper.li. XtremiA about extreme sporting in the US and beyond. It’s a great way to learn about or keep updated on extreme sports, and I continue to use it for research on my books. If you have any suggestions for news sources, I’d love to hear about it!
http://paper.li/angelaswriter/1378648902
by Angela Smith | Sep 3, 2013 | Books
Burn on the Western Slope is in the middle of a cover war, and it needs your daily vote!
Masquerade Crew Cover Wars
I know it’s a lot to ask to go vote daily, but it’s actually very easy. Just click on the link, select the cover you want to win (mine of course, even though there are 15 other fabulous covers to choose from). It’s a huge opportunity for exposure, which every author needs! And an opportunity for you to win a gift card, if you take place in the Scavenger Hunt. How cool is that?
Don’t forget to participate in the Scavenger Hunt for a chance to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!
by Angela Smith | Sep 3, 2013 | Introspective
I don’t believe we can (or should) ever stop learning.
I’ll never forget a key personnel seminar (from work) that I attended almost fifteen years ago. The teacher’s words stuck with me, and I can’t say who quoted them. She said, “You can either be green and growing, or ripe and rotting.”
I since Googled this quote and found one attributed to Ray Kroc.
There are so many things I want to learn, and I’m not too scared to learn mostly anything (unless it involves jumping out of an airplane). As an author, I love learning new things and relearning old things. I feel that every time I finish a book, I have to relearn to write. A group of people once thought I was crazy for saying that, but I don’t care how good of an author you are, you should never stop learning the writing process.
Sadly, I have put off learning several things, like the guitar. I’ll stop and start several times, and yet the guitar is something I haven’t stuck with for the long haul, even when it is one of the biggest things I want to learn. Although I have every intention of picking it back up again, and when I do, I’ll remember some of the chords I’ve learned.
I’ve probably forgotten more things than I’ve learned.
That’s one thing I love about writing. There is always room to learn. I had to learn to snow ski. I learned about ammonites and ammolites and helicopters and different gems and procedures and oh so many things! I have never stuck by the belief that you should write what you know, because then we are limiting ourselves. We should write what we are able to learn. And we are all capable of learning just about anything we put our mind to!
So what do you want to learn to do? And what are you waiting for?
by Angela Smith | Sep 1, 2013 | Writing
The moose is my writer’s symbol, and here’s why.
A few years ago, with the advent of new eBook and print on demand publishers, I published 2 novels within months of each other, fulfilling my dream of publication. But fame did not prevail, and the stress of publicity along with self-promotion was more than I could bear. I overextended myself mentally, physically and financially as I worked full time, started a new business with my husband, and continued pursuit of my dream.
An emotionally draining job left little energy to continue writing when it seemed my writing career wasn’t going to take off. Plus, I felt I had to keep it secret from my boss and thus separate from my life. This made it hard to keep it a part of my life at all. I was discouraged with my publisher and the publishing world in general (especially eBooks—I wanted to break out commercially). I thought about giving up many times. I prayed and ranted to God, wondering why He would put this dream in my heart if I was never going to be successful. Mere publication wasn’t, IMO, success. I wanted more.
I finished my third novel, yet couldn’t get it published, even though I stopped trying as hard. I once envisioned this wonderful book signing event where I would feature a moose, which was a huge symbol in my book, and I told myself if I ever published this story, I would have to find me a stuffed moose. I already had the image of him in my head and how I would take him along with me on my book signings. This stuffed moose was almost like a character in my book. I imagined him many times.
After a year of having my third story written and about 40 rejections later, and many months of an on again, off again relationship with writing, I was ready to give up, or at least “give myself a break without beating myself up”. I cancelled my website (I was having problems with the webhost anyway) and I thought about doing away with everything related to my writing.
One day during my lunch break, I went to a gift shop with a (non-writing) friend of mine and there, sitting on the shelf, was the moose—almost exactly as I had pictured him in my story and in my dreams. Just one moose, for sale, amongst many other items. One moose in a gift shop in a Texas town that barely experiences winter, much less moose. Deer are prevalent, but not moose. I didn’t buy him, but kept looking and thinking about him. I told my husband about him because it was so close to Christmas I thought if my husband bought him, fine, but if not, then it wasn’t meant to be.
The next morning, I was reading my “writer’s devotional” (Julia Cameron’s Finding Water). It was the very last chapter and, I thought, my last hurrah with writing for a while. If I decided to take it up again, fine, but it wouldn’t be that important to me. I had way too many other things to worry about and I was just one person. Whether or not I published another book was obviously not going to make an impact on anyone else, so why should I let it impact me?
No matter what, it would always impact me. Writing is my passion, and nothing could change that. In this devotional, Julia spoke of a writer’s symbol. She explained why it was so important to have a symbol that means something to you and your writing (whether it’s a bracelet, necklace, etc). I knew then that I had to go back and get that moose. It was my symbol, calling out to me. I knew it when I saw it, yet I kept trying to ignore it and push it out of my mind. When I went back to the store, the owner’s little girl said, “Finally someone is buying that moose. He has been staring at me all this time.” This was affirmation that this moose was my sign.
If I hadn’t read that chapter the very next day, I might have ignored the moose (though I hadn’t been able to get it out of my mind since I saw it the day before). Reading that chapter was like I had been sucker-punched. If I ignored that message, then I had no one to blame but myself.
I’ve learned a lot of things along the way during my writer adventure. I write for myself now, even though sharing it with others makes a writer feel like they’ve accomplished something. I don’t want fame, and the publishing world is ever changing. Publication does equal success, because I am following my dream. I will never hide who I truly am or let anyone take that part of me away. My moose sits along beside me as I continue to write. He is my writer’s symbol, a reminder that I am heading down the right path no matter how difficult the journey.
The moose Reagan finds in Burn on the Western Slope is also a symbol, and she finds something else special about him, later. Here’s an excerpt of Reagan with her cousin, Naomi, when she first finds the the moose:
She stopped at the French doors and shifted the heavy drapes to look outside, but the darkness only revealed her reflection. Moving aside, she rubbed her nose against the moose’s furry forehead.
“What are you doing?” Naomi asked as she entered the room, startling Reagan.
Reagan kept her back to Naomi. “Meeting Dr. Till.”
“Doctor who?”
“Dr. Till,” Reagan replied as she held up the moose. The name had just come to her, and it sounded right. Naomi would think she was crazy, but he felt like a sign to her. He represented the physical metaphor of her insecurities. “He was sitting here atop the bed, all propped up as if waiting for me,” she explained. “He’s my doctor until I get my head back on straight.”
“Reagan darling, no stuffed animal will help you get your head on straight.”
“I beg to differ. He’s a sign.”
“A sign of what?”
“That I’m doing the right thing.”
“Of course you’re doing the right thing. Was there ever any doubt?”
by Angela Smith | Aug 29, 2013 | Books
What would you do if you found a necklace worth untold millions in a drawer full of old socks that obviously didn’t belong to you? (I mean the necklace doesn’t belong to you, not the drawer full of old socks, LOL).
Okay, this sock drawer isn’t yours, but you inherited a house with the old socks.
Would you stuff it back into the sock drawer?
Would you take it to a jeweler to see what it is worth?
Would you report it to the police?
Would you sell it?
Would you keep it?
Would you wear it?
Maybe you would hide it and look at it occasionally, but keep it a secret?
I’ll never forget my first visit to the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C. My first target was to see the Hope Diamond, because I was working on this book and wanted to see what a necklace worth untold millions looked like. It was the weekend, so the display case was crowded. But I managed to peek in and see what I had longed to see.
It’s funny, because I’m not really a jewelry person. I wear earrings 2-3 times out of 5. Many days, I prefer no jewelry.
Reagan McKinney, in Burn on the Western Slope finds such a necklace. Maybe it isn’t the Hope Diamond, but she’s never seen anything else like it. Here’s an excerpt of her discovery:
Restless, she skated across the floor in her socks. Maybe she should unpack. That’d give her something to do. It’d simplify her search for what clothes to wear. It might also convince her to finally splurge on new clothes.
And just because she was unpacking didn’t mean she was settling.
Before she unpacked, she needed to clear out a drawer and make room. That task would be easier. She wouldn’t be storing her clothes in a confined space, confining her. She’d be focusing on Ray’s clothes. Opening up space for her.
She wound the music box and settled on the floor. “Ave Maria,” a beautiful but haunting melody she wouldn’t recognize if it hadn’t been for elementary school ballet, filled the silence.
Opening the drawers, her mood slumped. She couldn’t get rid of his things. So she’d stuff his socks in a drawer with his t-shirts and leave one free drawer for her clothes. Plus, she’d have extra closet space if she ever made it that far.
Lifting one of his shirts, she sniffed it and wondered if all the men of this town smelled like musk and wood. No, this shirt was more musty than musky, but still held a romantic appeal.
She pulled out a sock. A basic white sock. Something shimmery caught her eye. More sparkly socks? The ones she’d received in the mail nested in their container inside the closet. Curious, she pulled the item loose.
A necklace clumped to the floor.
No. Not a necklace. More like a . . . museum artifact. Reagan stared, her heart filling the cavity between her ears.
The music box clicked. Stopped. Silence lingered, more haunting than the song.
by Angela Smith | Aug 24, 2013 | Introspective
I’ve always heard that creativity increases at night. Something about the circadian rhythm and the frontal cortex of your brain.
I believe it. I’ve experienced it. Some of my best writing has been at night or the early mornings. Come to think of it, maybe all of my good writing has.
I’ve taken days off where I had nothing better to do and planned on doing nothing but write. Unfortunately, I’d spend hours pacing the floors, trying to write, attempting to find something constructive to do because I had no plans that day but to stay home, maybe even in my PJs and write. (Today was one of those days). I wait for that special muse to hit me but only once the sun goes down do I find it there, in all its glory. And boy is it worth waiting for.
The best description I’ve found for this phenomenon is here:
http://www.creativesomething.net/post/54997033332/why-youre-more-creative-at-night-and-how-to-reproduce
It basically says once night rolls around, after your body has spent all its energy on new information and if there’s anything left that isn’t tired, your mind is free to think. That makes sense. Unfortunately, during the work day, the rest of my body is just as tired as my mind and I’m ready to get to bed. I’m more creative on the weekends or days (nights) I’ve taken off.
It also says the same effect can be had with alcohol, as long as it’s not too much. A little alcohol makes us relax, after all. So maybe it isn’t a bad thing I like a glass of wine or two while writing, huh?
What about you? When is your best writing? What do you think of our circadian rhythm?
by Angela Smith | Aug 22, 2013 | Books
An author appreciates (and loves) reviews, even if they don’t have the chance to tell you. Why? Many reasons, I suppose.
Reviews help a book get noticed. It’s not always because someone else might see the review and buy it though yes, that’s part of it. It’s also because the vendor (Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc.) notices and your book gets a higher ranking in searches. Some bookstores (like Amazon) will only consider your book for daily book deals if you have a certain number of reviews. This puts your book in front of more readers! Many, many marketing things go behind the scenes than most readers (and authors) realize.
It’s hard for a newbie author to get noticed, and it isn’t because their book is bad. There are many books out there, and most readers won’t find you unless they know a name or keyword or something they’re looking for. Reviews can help an author get noticed, and to help an author feel appreciated.
Writing is an art, and most people create art because they love it. They also do it because art is meant to be shared. Reviews help the artist feel like what they did matters, or is at least worth someone’s time, even if it’s only one person. And if you liked a book enough to want to read another by that author, reviews can help to get that author noticed, and even to motivate that author to write more. Authors write because they love it, but when you do something you love, you have an urge to share it with the world. Seeing reviews reminds that author that what they do matters, even if to one person.
An author also appreciates reviews because they want to know what you think. If you hated a book, for example, I bet you could find something constructive to say about it, especially if you liked it enough to read the entire thing. If you didn’t read the entire thing, it probably isn’t even worth your review.
There could also be the reader who is afraid to review because they’ve been taught if they can’t say something nice, not to say anything. But if you didn’t like it, you read it for a reason, right? Most authors will appreciate the constructive feedback. What worked? What didn’t work? What would you have done differently if you had written the book? It’s a great learning opportunity!
So why don’t readers write more reviews?
As a reader, I admit I haven’t always written a review, especially if there were already over a hundred and I didn’t think my opinion would matter. But that’s the problem, so many of us think our opinion doesn’t matter when, even after a hundred, to an author it does matter. Sometimes I just don’t have the time at the moment, and then I’ll either forget or can’t think of anything to write. But I shouldn’t make excuses. I had time to check my Facebook page or send a tweet or email. I could even jot down a few notes and do it later. How many times have I opened my Solitaire game today? Why not review a book I just read instead?
You don’t have to be a writer to offer a review, and most non-writers offer the best reviews because they aren’t trying to be eloquent. It doesn’t have to be fancy. Think of it like updating your twitter of Facebook page. It doesn’t have to be long and explanatory. “This book was awesome. I loved it because…” Whatever. Authors really appreciate that. Let’s face it, we all need support and encouragement for what we do, and writing is a solitary experience. Sometimes seeing a review from someone you don’t even know can touch an authors’ heart in a way nothing else can. Knowing you affected a reader enough for them to write a review makes you remember how much you love doing what you love.
Even though opinions are subjective, as I’ve learned in my quest for publication, the opinions of readers are always appreciated! So what are you waiting for? Go review the last book you read. And the one before that!
by Angela Smith | Aug 20, 2013 | Relationships
My husband and I speak candidly with each other. But is that the case in all relationships?
My husband has seen the very best part of me, and the very worst. He also loves me just as much as he did, and more than he did, when he said I do. I’m not saying this because I am foolishly in love and think the best of my husband all the while I have blinders on to the real person he is. I know the real person my husband is, and that makes me happy. I’m saying it because I’ve seen him at his worst, too, and I think he’d tell you the same.
After almost twenty years of marriage, we have grown a lot in our profession, our love, our maturity, and so much more. We’ve also discovered that communication is the key. We talk about everything. He now knows, after some learning experiences, not to bring a snake home and expect me to accept it as a pet. And I know that if I keep bugging him to take out the trash, it’ll pile up a bit more than I like. I also know that he will take out the trash without me having to tell him. After all, who likes to be told what to do?
One of the downfalls of speaking so candidly with my husband is that I tend to speak candidly with everyone I feel comfortable with. Want to know whether I am comfortable with (and whether I like) you? Well, that’s how to know.
I’m blessed to have a man who cares enough to pay attention and listen to my needs when I do speak them, but he also expects that I’ll respond to his, as well. Why does he expect this? Because I’ve shown him, and continue to show him, and we both respect each other and each other’s beliefs. My husband and I don’t agree on some of the most important beliefs known to man (religion, for one) but we respect each other, and that makes it fine.
A lot of people believe that if you don’t share the same religion, your relationship doesn’t have a chance. I wholeheartedly disagree. If you don’t respect each other’s beliefs and opinions, that’s when your relationship doesn’t have a chance. Neither one of us tries to change the other’s mind, but we do like to debate our points.
I believe communication is the key to making every relationship work. I’ve also seen in my profession that it rarely happens, and isn’t always accepted. Sometimes when you try to communicate with someone, they blow it out of the water. And sometimes, you have to be the mature one and know when to back down, as long as you aren’t always the one backing down. I’ve known people who won’t broach a subject at any cost. Or they wait until things build until they broach the subject. Usually when things build is the worst time to broach a subject.
Communication isn’t all about being the one to talk. It also means knowing how to listen. So many books and subjects are written on being a good listener. The best listener, in my opinion, is one who isn’t thinking about what they’re going to say as soon as you stop talking.
So what can you do today to be a better communicator?
