Build-a-Book Report #4
Last week I spent three days dragging across the dry desert of writer's block until finally, on Friday morning, the Spirit returned and I began to dig in again and lay out the opening paragraph of my America's Struggling Soul book. Frankly, I think I was struggling worse than any American I know of, during this time. Dry times are very frustrating for me. But they have their purpose, in God's scheme of things, I am sure.
One of those dry days I ran essential errands, like for a color cartridge for my printer. A writer cannot live without her color cartridge. It puts the pizazz in my business cards, which I had run out of, and this being the Fox Cities Book Festival week, I was taking in this event and that, and many times ran into people who, once they learned I was a published writer, wanted my business card. ( That last is called a run-on sentence, but I like to do them once in awhile. It's just plain fun!) Correction (my conscience is calling): I wanted them to to have my business card, so that they will recognize my name when my next book comes out. But I do it the right way; I always wait until they say, "Oh, you're a published writer!" It never ceases to amaze me that the general public is so awed by writers who've had at least one book put into print. It's kind of a nice perk to being in this business. Moving on, they always ask the guaranteed next question, "What are your books about?" So then I pull out a few of my List of Books by Margaret Houk cards, which are conveniently (always) in my purse. I use a bit of color on them, too, but only for emphasis.
I've also, even on the dry days, been tinkering with title ideas for my book's chapters. (We're still on America Struggling here. ) One I particularly like is "Political Children," which as you might guess is a call to politicians, in Madison as well as D.C., to grow up, stop squabbling, and put some hard effort into the difficult job of deciding where and how to cut our chronic overspending habits without wrecking some of the vital infrastructure in our society. Like education, which has been struggling with inadequate budgets for several years now, and helping services for the poor, which are the favorite targets of people who don't know what it's like to be poor. I have a solution for the latter: No politician should ever, ever be allowed to cut services for the poor or lower middle classes until they have spent at least one week of observation working alongside a social worker.
That's all for now. This will be another short work week for me. My older brother passed away last Saturday and I will be in Michigan later this week for the family gatherings and funeral. One thing I have learned about funerals in recent years is that, if yours is or was a happy family, these gatherings are good times of sweet memories. It's that way for me, plus I think it's so important to let family-far-away know that you are supporting them through difficult times, despite the many miles between you. Even when you've not been emotionally close, as is the case here. Every time together has been sweet and loving. Plus we all share the promise of our Lord Jesus that we'll all be reunited in God's eternal world some day. So its' a time of mixed blessings.
With many joys and some tears this week,
Margaret
One of those dry days I ran essential errands, like for a color cartridge for my printer. A writer cannot live without her color cartridge. It puts the pizazz in my business cards, which I had run out of, and this being the Fox Cities Book Festival week, I was taking in this event and that, and many times ran into people who, once they learned I was a published writer, wanted my business card. ( That last is called a run-on sentence, but I like to do them once in awhile. It's just plain fun!) Correction (my conscience is calling): I wanted them to to have my business card, so that they will recognize my name when my next book comes out. But I do it the right way; I always wait until they say, "Oh, you're a published writer!" It never ceases to amaze me that the general public is so awed by writers who've had at least one book put into print. It's kind of a nice perk to being in this business. Moving on, they always ask the guaranteed next question, "What are your books about?" So then I pull out a few of my List of Books by Margaret Houk cards, which are conveniently (always) in my purse. I use a bit of color on them, too, but only for emphasis.
I've also, even on the dry days, been tinkering with title ideas for my book's chapters. (We're still on America Struggling here. ) One I particularly like is "Political Children," which as you might guess is a call to politicians, in Madison as well as D.C., to grow up, stop squabbling, and put some hard effort into the difficult job of deciding where and how to cut our chronic overspending habits without wrecking some of the vital infrastructure in our society. Like education, which has been struggling with inadequate budgets for several years now, and helping services for the poor, which are the favorite targets of people who don't know what it's like to be poor. I have a solution for the latter: No politician should ever, ever be allowed to cut services for the poor or lower middle classes until they have spent at least one week of observation working alongside a social worker.
That's all for now. This will be another short work week for me. My older brother passed away last Saturday and I will be in Michigan later this week for the family gatherings and funeral. One thing I have learned about funerals in recent years is that, if yours is or was a happy family, these gatherings are good times of sweet memories. It's that way for me, plus I think it's so important to let family-far-away know that you are supporting them through difficult times, despite the many miles between you. Even when you've not been emotionally close, as is the case here. Every time together has been sweet and loving. Plus we all share the promise of our Lord Jesus that we'll all be reunited in God's eternal world some day. So its' a time of mixed blessings.
With many joys and some tears this week,
Margaret
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