My son - my first child - lost his top front tooth a couple of days ago. He was so proud! This is the third tooth he's lost, but the first two had permanent teeth growing in right behind...so he never really had a gap. Now, he has a great big gap, and he looks super cute! I love it! It's also a bittersweet moment, as it's just another milestone reminder that he's growing, getting bigger, and one day will leave. But thankfully, that's a few years off.
As the mom, I got the job of creating the magic of the Tooth Fairy. We set the rules with the previous visits. The Tooth Fairy promised $1 per tooth. That's pretty good, considering that when I was a kid, I got a quarter! But this night, I felt generous. He has two sisters, so I gave him $3, with instructions in a note that said he had to share $1 with each of his sisters. My dad LOVED brand new money. The crisper, the better - but the printing had to be perfectly centered. And if you could find several in sequence, it tickled him even more! Well, I had a couple of $1 put away in his honor. Before he passed, I would have given them to him, but can't do that now! Anyway, I wanted my boy to get something a little "extra," so I gave him one of the crisp dollar bills. The Tooth Fairy tried to impress how important it was to keep that bill crisp, but I don't know that the little man understands completely. My son is a heavy sleeper. When I walked in to stuff the $4 wrapped in a note on printer paper, I had to laugh at myself. I love magic. I love how children are so quick to believe in the beauty of the unknown. So here am I - plain, old me - filling the sparkly shoes of the legendary Retriever of Teeth. There really should have been a tinkling of chimes or glitter...but it was just blue jeans and a Sharpie-written treatise discussing the doling-out of the rewards. But in my head, that Tooth Fairy was there in all her toole-skirted, ringlet-wigged, magic wand-toting glory. And in the morning, as far as my boy was concerned, she had been there. I want him to hold onto that innocence as long as possible. That belief in something more. That hope in magic. I just don't have the heart to tell him that the Tooth Fairy wears blue jeans.
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I watched an episode of Battlestar Galactica today, and it made me start thinking about why I love science fiction. Possibilities. Possibilities that provide hope - for our future, and for humanity. This particular episode had scenes in a medical bay on a ship. The president was dying of cancer, and the enemy unknowingly provided a cure by way of blood cells. It was a medical drama, political commentary, and awesome science fiction all rolled into one!
I've often wondered how I would do with space travel. Could I handle living on the Enterprise? I doubt it. I was once an employee of Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. I could feel the motion of the ocean in the dock. I only stayed on the ship for two weeks - seasick every moment. Now, I can only imagine what space travel is like, but if I equate it with that - don't think I could do it. Doesn't stop me from loving it, though. Can you imagine the most beautiful sunset you've ever seen...and multiply it by two or three...like the Binary Sunset in Star Wars: A New Hope? A ship that can zoom through our universe - or other universes - faster than light? How about a robot who seeks to protect the purity of a young woman, like Dot in Spaceballs? None of us know what the future holds. No one can predict it. But the beauty of science fiction gives me hope for that future. I know the promise of flying cars has been dashed. I remember when Disneyland's Tomorrowland looked forward to 1985. So our future has caught up with our past and left us emptyhanded. But the advances of the mind have continued to evolve and perhaps - one day - they will break into reality. Until then, I find my comfort in the arms of the dreamers, hope in the stars, life among the pages of the fictional. Recently, I dropped twenty pounds. It was necessary. I've always been a big girl, but now that I have three children, I am seeing the need to get healthy. I have more to go, but I am proud of what I've done. Through regular exercise and reducing my caloric intake, I am continuing down a weight loss path.
As I've been studying the writing industry, I hear the word "platform" being bandied about. So while walking today, I started thinking about what my platform would be were I a non-fiction writer. I have had all kinds of awesome experiences, but nothing that qualifies me as an expert. I could write about theatre, but it would be biased by my personal preferences. I could write about crochet, but I wing everything I do. I could write about being a mom or the wife of a pastor. What exactly would my platform be? Everything in my life is beyond my control. I am seeking an agent, but I can't make them read my manuscripts. I want dedicated writing time, but life, kids, and the world prevent that in this season. But I do have one thing within my power - my body. I can choose what I put into it. I can choose my level of activity. I can choose to remain heavy or shed the pounds. And what do you know? I discovered my platform! I'm not planning on becoming a weight loss guru - or even writing about it - but it was interesting to think about. Still a fiction writerm but hopefully - soon - a lesser one. I watched the Tony Awards tonight. It's something I've watched since 6th or 7th grade when I first got into theatre. There were a few years I skipped because I didn't care about the shows. But now, I enjoy watching because most of the musicals I grew up with are being revived. And one that I know forward and backward - Les Miserables - is being made into a movie this Christmas! I've waited for that for a very long time!
Whenever I watch the Awards, my heart always longs for that dream of standing backstage, wearing a headset, calling out the cues to the lighting and scenery folks. That was my career path during college. It's where I was headed. That's how I ended up at Disneyland. It's funny where life leads you. Now, I'm a mom and a wife. I still do theatre, but it's on a local level. And we don't even have a community theatre! I think that's why I write. I still get the escape. I still get to call the shots. It's just a different venue. So thank you, Theatre Career, for sending me on a path I never thought about. And you still hold a large part of my heart. So last night, I entered a pitch contest. We are allowed to pitch two manuscripts at a time. An agent will read them and determine which ones stand out to her. I'm all for that! These are my two pitches:
As with everything I put out there, I brace myself for rejection by not expecting anything to come of it. If something does, then hey! That's awesome!
I'm also playing the waiting game with a couple of agents. The thing that worries me most is that I've only received rejections from my queries. So even if someone is willing to go that next step with me and ask for a partial of full manuscript, there's a very good possibility that I will be rejected at that point, too. Man, this rejection business is no fun! I understand it, of course, but it's still hard. And I know other writers are in the same boat. So...fellow aspiring authors - hang in there! You're not alone! I had heard of this Weebly business, but I wanted to steer clear of it. I had (have) a website on Google, and I couldn't get past the name "Weebly." It reminded me of the Ned Schneebly character in School of Rock. But last night, I thought, "Well, I'll just check it out." And now, much to my chagrin and dismay, I have a brand new website! I only say that because of the work it takes to make a new website, although this Weebly thing makes it pretty easy.
I also have been using Twitter a lot lately. I never thought Twitter would take over Facebook - in my own person ranks - but it sure has. Twitter has proven a great way to network, particularly as a writer. I can follow all kinds of literary agents and learn quite a bit from them in each 140 character Tweet. Sometimes, it's hard to keep up with, but the contacts are invaluable! |
Duchess WriterAward-winning sci-fi author * Christ follower, wife, and mom * broadcast content producer. And yes, I am a real duchess. http://amzn.to/2eLTlH3 Archives
March 2023
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