Names, Characters & Eternity

In the LDS church, we believe that families can be together forever. These 'ordinances' are performed in our temples. Worthy members of the church can enter the temples to be married and hopefully, reunited after death.

We also believe that many of our ancestors who have died before they were married in the temple still have the opportunity through us, the living.

Today, many members of church went to the temple with over 140 names of my ancestors. I was unable to go but many stopped me and told me how much they enjoyed helping my ancestors.

And how much they enjoyed the names:

Margaret Coke
Dorcas Benedict
Phebe Earll
Fawn Price
Matilda Gleed
Elizabeth Cotton
Thomas Howard (Duke of Norfolk)
Sir Knight Tomas Howard (1st Earl of Suffolk)
Lady Mary FitzAlan
Capt. John Benedict
George II Count of Hesse-Darmstadt
And my favorite! Christmas Poll (male)

I have found the mother lode of names for any books or stories within my own family!

What about you? Any interesting names in your family?

Writing Prompt

Thanks for stopping by today.
I took a writing prompt via LDS Publisher.

Renn (person's name), Seattle, divorce, tire iron, 3 inches

"Renn! I need you!" her shrill voice shattered the peace that had prevailed for all of 5 minutes.
"Just a minute, Ma," he shouted back.
"I need you now!"
"I'm in the bathroom, Ma!"
"Fine. I could die here on the couch and no one would know. Die here watching that fat guy on 'Price is Right'. Why did they get him anyway? Where is Bob. I liked Bob so much better. He was nicer and..."
"What do you need?"
"Would you be a dear and get your mother a drink of root beer?" She handed the glass to him, ice clinking.
He held in the breath that wanted to escape as a groan. She had him over a rock and they both knew it.
Renn took the glass into the dirty kitchen, opened the door to the fridge and stifled another groan. The fridge stunk of rotten food. He looked at the butter, a bottle of root beer and a plate with water bologna on it.
"We need to go shopping," he said as he handed the glass back to her. He started to sit down.
"No, don't sit there. It blocks the sun."
Renn looked outside. It was a normal Seattle day: rainy, no sun. Shaking his head he lowered himself into the rocker.
"No there either. That thing will break under your weight. Grab a chair from the kitchen."
Instead, he stood. "We need to go food shopping."
She waved her hand at him. "After my shows."
"But your shows last all day."
"Right before dinner, we'll go." She sipped the root beer. She never took her eyes off the T.V. "I know I would win this show. I know every trick. But I don't want to go clear to their studio."
"Ma, I have a date tonight."
She looked at him. "So soon after your divorce? Are you crazy?"
"It's been two years."
"Where will you ever find another girl who will take care of you like I do?" She turned her eyes back to the T.V. "You can't go out tonight, we have to go food shopping."
"I haven't been on a date for two years!"
"Another day won't hurt."
"I have to get out."
She set her glass down on the floor and clutched her chest. "My poor heart can't take all of this abuse. Please, for me. I need you tonight. I can't be alone. Your dear father would never leave me alone on a rainy night like this." She watched out a shaky hand towards him. "Please."
Renn moved slowly toward the outstretched hand. "For you."
She tightened her gripped then released his hand. "Now, will you hang up that picture." She picked up her glass and took a long sip.
Lowering his head, he walked out to the garage.
A few minutes later Renn walked back in with a tire iron.
"What are you doing with that?" His mother asked, her eyes big.
"I've made a decision. I'm tired of you telling me what to do." He took a step closer. Her hand flew to her mouth. "You are a bully. I've had to learn to deal with bullies all my life." He took another step toward her, tire iron held high. She dropped her glass and it spilled its contents on the rug. "It stops now."
He abruptly turned, pulled a nail out of his pants pocket, drove it into the wall with the tire iron, leaving a 3" gash. He shoved the picture onto the nail and turned to his mother.
"Clean up your mess."

To Be Or Not To Be...In A Critique Group

I attended Josi Kilpack's class @ UVU on Critique Groups. It was enlightening and pushed me over the edge of wanting to be in one. Especially when she guarantees I will be published if I don't quit! Can't beat that!

Here are a few ideas/questions for creating a critique group:

• Do want the group to be genre specific or general? Fiction vs. nonfiction?
• 4-5 people are a good start on a group. The group needs to have rules for adding members or bringing people to the group.
• Pick a day, time, how often and how long to meet.
• Does everyone need to bring a chapter each meeting? Do you want to focus on one piece or give everyone a turn? You might need to set a time limit for each piece as well. Do you want everyone to email their work to the group ahead of time or bring a hard copy and read aloud?
• What is the commitment level of the group? Be there every meeting? Is everyone okay if someone doesn't show up for months?
• Pick a location that works for everyone. At a home or restaurant or library, what your group decides.
• Have phone list including cell. Also, Facebook, Yahoo or Google list is a great way to stay connected. Work can also be sent through a couple of these groups to the critique group.
• Don't talk about others work outside of the group.
• Critique the writing, not the writer.

More later on how to give and take critiques.

Ouch!

If any of you have noticed my WIP count in the side bar, the numbers are down.

Yup. I cut a bunch of scenes.

But! I have finished editing!

AND found I have not written an ending.

How did that happen?? (Will this nightmare called 'book' ever end?)

So in the next few weeks my #s should go up. Right?

This weekend I also wrote 3/4 of a short sci-fi story.

And yes. I do have an ending; they all live happily ever after :)

Rejection Humor

I tried to post a comic strip today but it was too big to fit.

Here is the link instead:

Rejection

BOOK REVIEW Alma by H.B. Moore

King Noah is thundering with rage. On Amulon’s watch, the former high priest Alma disappeared from the city of Nephi, and every night more believers manage to escape. The king threatens certain punishment unless Amulon recaptures Alma—a seemingly impossible task.

But Amulon has a plan. An equally valuable prisoner is at his fingertips: Noah’s wife, Maia, whose newfound faith means bitter humiliation for the king and an opportunity for Amulon to seize power.

Amulon’s disavowed daughter Raquel is making plans of her own. Alma and his followers are building a colony by the waters of Mormon, and she’s determined to begin a new life there despite the deep grief she suffers daily as Abinadi’s widow.

Abinadi’s watchful brother Helam deems the journey to Mormon too risky, but when Lamanites plunder and burn the settlement, Raquel has no choice but to flee with her young son.

Drama and danger escalate as Alma the Elder organizes the Lord’s church and baptizes its members, bringing an outpouring of divine grace and power. But even as they rejoice, the believers have profound and perilous trials to face, from the outward threat of Amulon’s treachery to the inward threat of pride and disobedience.

With poignant emotion, gripping suspense, and rich inspiration, this new epic story from H.B. Moore vividly brings the Book of Mormon to life.

I am not one that usually reads novels based on scripture for two reasons: first, many times the stories are not accurate and second, I tend to internalize the story and it mixes up in my daily scripture reading.

But Heather's books are different. Heather's writing is descriptive and accurate which keeps me IN the story. I can almost see, touch and smell the areas where the story takes place. She brings the scriptures alive in very readable way.

Heather is good at making her readers root for the good guys and boo the bad guys. A few story lines made me angry and wonder how things could get better. Other story lines gave me hope.

I see Alma different in my studies now and feel I have internalized him possibly in the way he really was 'way back then'. I've hopefully come to see Book of Mormon heroes as real, third dimensional people, thanks to Heathers writing!

Check Heather's website and blog!

Want to buy her book? Try Barnes & Noble, Deseret Book, Seagull Book or Amazon

Writing Poem

Here a little

There a little

Until I am done writing

Editing is dumb

And I talk in run on sentences

Here a little

There a little

Until my story is bold

To unsuspecting readers

And it reaches gold

Here a little

There a little

Until I see you

And fit you in my story

Or you find the story for me

Here a little

There a little

Until my brain is full

And I can’t think

My story is incomplete

Here a little

There a little

Until my story is complete

I work on my story

No- My story works on me