Write Writing Written

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?

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 …

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…

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 :)

I tried to post a comic strip today but it was too big to fit. Here is the link instead:
Rejection

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 …

Here a little There a littleUntil I am done writingEditing is dumbAnd I talk in run on sentences
Here a little There a littleUntil my story is boldTo unsuspecting readersAnd it reaches gold
Here a little There a littleUntil I see youAnd fit you in my storyOr you find the story for me
Here a little There a littleUntil my brain is fullAnd I can’t thinkMy story is incomplete
Here a little There a littleUntil my story is completeI work on my storyNo- My story works on me