Marriage is Good

I think one of the reasons I started writing is because I had so much trouble finding books and movies that statisfied me. More and more they are from a place of dissolutionment. I'm one of the few people of my generation who comes from an in-tact home. Now I won't pretend it was always a good marriage, but my parents were together until my dad passed about 3 years ago. My brothers are much older than me and got married in their twenties while I was still in elementary school, and both are still happily married.

I married my high school sweetheart. I never really loved anyone else. Only had one other short 1 month relationship in high school, so my own heart has been spared heartache, so it's easy for me to believe love still exists and can last. If my background was different, I'm sure that belief would be harder to have faith in.

Back to movies and books. I don't want to spend hours reading a book or series to end with, "We'll try this thing out and see how it goes." or "I want to be free to go if I ever want out." That is NOT satisfying.

I know they want fiction to mimic real life, but that ending leaves you empty and I don't know.. hopeless? But in Real life Real love exists and to try to convince people that because it's HARD to make it last, that it's IMPOSSIBLE to make it last makes us all feel defeated and ready to settle for whatever.

I've been married for almost 16 years, but have been with my husband for 18 years (dated 2 years). It is HARD to stay in love. What works for us is to try to put each other before ourselves. You'd think that would just get you trampled on but it doesn't when you are both looking out for the other. Do we mess up and get selfish? Yep and we appologize, forgive and move on.

God is a big factor in this too. My husband and I are Christians so we believe what the Bible says. One thing it says is that Christ and His relationship with the church (the church is the believers, not a denomination) is the example for husbands and wives. In that mysterious relationship between husband and wife, we get a glimmer of the mystery of Christ and His love for His people.

God has an enemy and that enemy is out to destroy our belief in love and marriage. Because if we catch a glimmer of that mystery, we might seek out the One it is an example of.

Anyway, this is the place I write from. A place where love lasts forever. An enemy is out to destroy it all and there are supernatural forces at work that most people have no clue about.

Gotta go cuddle my baby boy now. Hope you enjoyed my ramble. Let me know what you think.

Marketing and Writing

As I make my path down the trail of the self-published, I'm finding that I spend 3 to 4 times as many hours on marketing as I do the writing. And you know what I LOVE IT. I do. In college I majored in Communication with my Concentration in Journalism and my Cognate in Marketing. (Weird words that kinda mean Major and Minor). I did an internship at a marketing firm rather than a newspaper or the local news station. At the time I was most interested in broadcasting.( I wanted the be the white Oprah. Hahahaha).

But for fun, my electives were ALL writing classes. Biography Writing, Creative Writing, Fiction Writing and Writing for Broadcast.

And then I went home to be a mom and NEVER used any of it...until now. I honestly believe it all had to go in the crockpot and stew a while. God knew what He was doing when He led me to that course of study. although for long time now I had wished I'd studied something more practical.

I write while the kids are all at school but look up book blogs and such while they are here. So I'm always working and I LOVE IT.

So there's my post for today. An ode to my love for God, Writing, and Marketing,

New Review and Great Blog to Follow

Here is a link to a really great blog to follow if you have kids. There is also a review of my book, The Earth Painter there. Go check it out and follow that blog. :-D

http://kidsfunreviewed.com/the-earth-painter-book-review/

New Review

They are trickling in. I'm glad people like it. Here's the lates review on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/review/R332TQVM2AZKYS/ref=cm_cr_pr_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B005JU5FPQ&nodeID=&tag=&linkCode=

Music That Inspires Me

My writing process usually starts with prayer and Bible study. I believe my creative nature is one way I am made in the image of God, So I dedicate my writing to Him even when the story is not Christian fiction. I'm still a Christian writing the fiction. He is in me and I have to be in agreement with Him in all that I do, and not try to go my own way and drag Him with me.

Then I listen to music to set the tone. I often pace and think about my characters and what they are feeling and feed off the emotion of the music. Sometimes it is Christian music and sometimes it is clean alternative rock. I know many Christians have the conviction to only listen to Christian music and if God has led you to that, then who am I to argue. But too often Christian music only allows the artist to sing about their love for God and God's love for them. That is the purpose of our existence so I am in total agreement to make that a huge part of what I set my mind on. But He didn't set us down in a church with a Bible and cut us off from all other aspects of life. He gave us pretty trees and flowers, people to love, funny experiences, disappointments and I think it is godly to express those things and the feelings of those things artistically to music too. But for the most part songs like that are not played on Christian radio much. I do guard my heart and seek to be discerning.

So I have two songs I've been listening to before I write. One is Christian and one is not but it is still a very good song. I don't listen to music while I write. Just during the pacing and thinking to get into my character's emotional place...into my writing zone if you will. When the story is about to spill out of me and I feel like I'm in a cloud my character's emotions I sit down and write.

Above is Jesus Culture's, Sing My Love .
To the left is The Goo Goo Dolls', All That You Are

Happy Listening!!!

Here is a link to a book review. A great blog to follow

Well my new book, The Earth Painter is up on Amazon for kindle and B&N for Nook. It's the first The Painter Series. I remember the day the story came to me. I was in my two oldest boys' room putting away laundry and it began to unfold in my head

I really hope you will give it a try, but don't take my word for it. Here is a review on a great blog to follow

http://www.reviewbymoms.com/2011/08/earth-painter-by-m-t-lee.html