Retreat to Paradise - A Short Story

Have you ever written something and then completely forgot about it? I'm guilty of this myself. I found a short story recently and had to chuckle a bit. I remember writing it for Writer's Digest as one of the "Your Story" entries, where you come up with flash fiction piece based on a one-sentence prompt. I can't remember exactly what the prompt was now, but it had something to do with "seven people go out on a chartered boat and only six return." From there, I came up with the story below. I never heard anything back from Writer's Digest, and I did submit it to another flash fiction contest where it made the first round and then languished. Since then, it's just been sitting on my computer. I thought I'd share it here for fun--clearly I was reading a lot of chick lit back then.

© Silviu Hisom | Dreamstime Stock Photos

Retreat to Paradise

Samantha leaned over the side of the boat and stared into the crystal blue water. She was thinking about him . . . again. At 32 years old, she hadn’t expected her life to turn out this way when she left him seven years ago. They met on a whim while she had been on vacation with a few friends trying to clear her head before figuring out what she wanted to do with her life. He struck up a conversation with her and three days later her friends had left without her.

At first, working side-by-side with him was a welcome distraction from the real world, and lying in his embrace at night under the midnight blue sky dotted with stars, she could lose herself in his tanned skin and warm brown eyes. But eventually, Samantha had tired of the isolation and began to long for the fast pace and endless possibilities of the city. He had tried to talk her out of leaving, but she had made up her mind and left before he could convince her she was making a mistake. She was certain moving back to the city, renting a loft apartment and taking on a “normal” job would all lead her down the yellow brick road to happiness, marriage, and children.

Now, she tried to ignore the sound of her colleagues talking about — what else? — executive presentations, the common ground that brought the seven of them to the resort in the first place. There was Richard, the undereducated and overpaid senior vice president and his twenty something assistant Phoebe, who didn’t even try to hide the fact that she had been sleeping with Richard since her first week on the job. Tom was a 55-year-old workaholic who had been stumbling around the conference in a fog since his wife had finally walked out on him the week before. Chantal, the stereotypical career woman who was more interested in climbing the corporate ladder than raising a family had brought her dowdy husband along on the retreat, but no one bothered to remember his name. And then there was Jay, whose silky voice and confident demeanor made him a no-brainer at leading sales conferences, but whose not-so-subtle gropes Samantha had grown tired of fending off. Today, they were taking the morning off to tour some of the local islands on a chartered boat, but that hadn’t stopped the conversation from turning back to brand management and corporate communications.

But she was still thinking about him. The memories often flashed through her mind as she worked overtime polishing the images of an impressive client list and eating Chinese take-out every other night with no Mr. Right on the horizon. She still lived in the cramped loft apartment. She did work for a great company with a competitive salary and benefits, and conferences to tropical destinations were definitely perks envied by many of her friends, but what else? She brushed away Jay’s hand as it ran up the side of her shorts again and looked at him sternly over the top of her sunglasses.

The boat docked and she stepped out on the sandy white beach, her eyes instantly drawn to the tiki hut at the water’s edge. A gaggle of bikini-clad women were crowded around the bar, sipping fruity frozen drinks. Seven years ago she had been one of them. His head was lowered, but she instantly recognized the hair she had run her fingers through so many times. He looked up, and his eyes met hers and he began to smile as the group walked toward the hut.

“What’s good here?” asked Richard, as Chantal gave a bored sigh and Tom attempted to wipe some of the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand.

“There’s a drink, the ‘Slammin’ Sam,’ that's pretty good,” her former love replied. “I'll make up a batch for your group. Miss, would you like to help me out?”

He held out his hand to Samantha over the bar. She hesitated for a split second, thought of her lonely apartment back home and catalogued file of take-out restaurants and gave him a slow smile in return.

“Why not?” she asked, as she helped her climb over the bar, and much to her delight, Jay’s jaw dropped to the ground.

Four hours later, after many rounds of ‘Slammin Sam’s’ and general sun-drenched relaxation, the group boarded the boat to head back to the hotel.

But this time, only six returned.

What You Can Find on Your Hard Drive When You Really Go Looking . . .

If you're active at all on social media, you've probably heard about the importance of "curating content" for your blog, Twitter and Facebook feed, Pinterest, etc. It's something I've thought about quite a bit as I struggle with my own platform. Should I focus more on writing about pop culture? Do I need more blog posts about writing for children? Am I not posting enough book reviews?

But at the end of the day, I'm a writer, and I write many things. There was a time in my life when poetry was a favorite form. I need to put out a disclaimer here and say I've never formally studied poetry writing, and I don't' really follow any specific rules when I write it, but I've always felt the free verse is therapeutic for me. I've decided to start sharing more of my writing on this blog that hasn't been published anywhere and probably won't be anytime soon, such as flash fiction and poetry. Sharing my creative writing is always very hard for me, so hopefully this will get easier over time.

Autumn Calls, Once Again . . .

Fall brings a chill into the air

my hands

my stare

glazes somehow

as I reminisce about

this lost soul

kindergarten beauty queen

runner-up

that is

homecoming in

my long plaid dress

unable to escape the flowers

in my arms

deep in the heart of Texas

night sky.


Autumn Days II

Blessed is the spirit

that wanders down this

dusty road and

memories of blond-haired

All-American boys sometimes

drift in and out of my

Zephyr state of mind

tornado drills

my swing under the oak tree

playing 45s all day long

with Billy and Blondie while

they’re all on the playground

white lies and yet

precious young minds

are so fragile

on the railroad tracks . . .

Quick! Name Your Favorite Book

I am honored to welcome author Sydney Avey to the blog today, as part of her WOW! Blog Tour for The Lyre and the Lambs. Sydney has written some fantastic guest posts throughout the tour so today I thought I'd go a little easier on her and ask her to name a few of her favorite genres to read. But for those of us who love books, that's not always an easy task!

About Sydney Avey:

Sydney Avey is an author of historical and women’s fiction set in California. The Lyre and the Lambs is the sequel to her first novel, The Sheep Walker’s Daughter, which won an honorable mention from the Center for Basque Studies (University of Nevada, Reno) in their Basque Literary Contest. Both novels were published by HopeSprings Books, a small publishing house that promotes realistic Christian fiction. 

Sydney and a lifetime of experience writing news for non profits and corporations. Her work is has appeared in Epiphany, Foliate Oak, Forge, American Athenaeum, and Unstrung (published by Blue Guitar Magazine). She has a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of California, Berkeley and has studied writing at the Iowa Summer Writing Festival. She lives with her husband Joel the Sierra Nevada foothills of Yosemite, California, and the Sonoran Desert in Arizona.

Visit Sydney at www.sydneyavey.com and sign up to receive her monthly News for Readers and Writers.

The Lyre and the Lambs:

It’s the Sixties. Modernity and tradition clash as two newlywed couples set up house together. Dee and her daughter Valerie move with their husbands into a modern glass house Valerie built in a proudly rural Los Altos, California neighborhood. When their young relatives start showing up and moving in, the neighbors get suspicious. Then a body is found in the backyard and the life they are trying to build comes undone.

Father Mike is back to guide Dee through a difficult time with humor and grace, even as his own life is unraveling. Now he’s going to have to take some of his own advice about love.

The Lyre and the Lambs explores the passions that draw people together and the faith it takes to overcome trauma.

Quick! Name Your Favorite Book

By Sydney Avey

The one question I am never prepared to answer is, “What is your favorite book?” Worse yet, being challenged to list my ten all time faves on Facebook and tag ten friends to tender their lists? Well, that makes me break out in hives.

When I was a child, choice was easy; Cheerios or Rice Krispies? Now that I have lived several lives, the information I am trying to access is not so easily retrieved. It is filed away somewhere in my brain, labeled with an obscure association. The conversation in my head goes like this:

Favorite book? My eyes dart to a corner of the room.

Hmmmmm. I like edgy characters. Olive Kitteridge! Who wrote Olive Kitteridge? My chin drops to my chest, feigning concentration, masking shame.

I know! I like beautiful words, spiritual insights, literary fiction; John Updike! Didn’t read the Rabbit series; what was the name of that obscure novel he wrote that I loved?

I am so impressed with my erudite friends who can pop out a list that demonstrates their impeccable literary taste, vast world awareness, and self-deprecating sense of humor. Their lists include books like War and Peace, Love in the Time of Cholera, and The Cat in the Hat. Bottom line, composing this list makes me feel like I’m overthinking SAT questions.

Along comes the lovely Renee Roberson who asks me simply to list a few genres I enjoy and give an example of a favorite book. I can do that!

I like books that make me think and feel. I love Edward Rutherford’s brand of Historical Fiction. Reading Rutherford is like taking a survey of world civilization class from a cast of characters who enfold you in their lives. My favorites are Sarum, Russka, and Paris.

Fiction like The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society with quotes that put my feelings into words: …if one cares deeply about someone or something new one throws a kind of energy out into the world, and “fruitfulness” is drawn in. Exactly!

I love engaging literary fiction. I was thoroughly drawn into the marital drama of John Updike’s Gertrude and Claudius and came away with a new understanding of Hamlet.

Sometimes a memoir captures my imagination. I am always curious to know how people survive threatening situations and thrive because of the experience. Best sellers like Jeannette Walls’ devastating The Glass Castle and more obscure books like the humorous The Motion of the Ocean: 1 Small Boat, 2 Average Lovers, and a Woman’s Search for the Meaning of Wife by Janna Cawrse Esarey give me faith in the resilience of the human spirit, a refreshing antidote to the evening news.

Thanks for asking, Renee! 

What are some of your favorite genres to read?

Own Your Accomplishments

© Freds | Dreamstime Stock Photos

I'm back from a full weekend at the Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators Conference, where I learned some great tips for enhancing and improving my writing and got some great feedback on the first 10 pages of my contemporary YA novel with paranormal elements from both a YA novelist and a literary agent. In fact, I was so pumped I already worked on revisions yesterday. My goal is to be ready to start submitting to agents in the next two months, just in time to dive into National Novel Writing Month in November with a new contemporary YA idea.

I came away from the conference after an awe-inspiring closing keynote speech by New York Times bestselling YA novelist, Carrie Ryan. The thing that hit me hardest was when she told the audience,
"Own the things you've accomplished, not the things you haven't."

That was so what I needed to hear after a pretty rough past week. I often belittle myself when talking to other people about what I do by saying things like "I'm a writer and editor but I don't make enough money to support my family. The money I make basically pays for our groceries, and that's only on a month where we don't eat a lot!"

Why do I say things like that? Why do I put myself down? Why don't I mention that I've published hundreds of articles in both print and online publications, including the Walt Disney Internet Group, and that I've won awards for both non-fiction and flash fiction?

Why do I say I'm an "aspiring" children's book writer and not that I have MG and YA manuscripts that are almost ready for submission?

I walked away from Ryan's speech telling myself that I'm done putting myself down. Every word I've written, every piece I've had published, every blog post that's been retweeted on Twitter or repinned on Pinterest and every messy rough draft I've waded through are all going to help me build the platform I need when I do publish a book.

When I do publish a book, not if I publish a book. There's a big difference.

What accomplishments are you going to "own" today? Share in the comments! 

New Business Cards!

I have a confession to make. I've been using the same business card since I started up my freelance writing business about seven or eight years ago. At the time, I used a simple design that featured the same color and font style as my website. It had earthy tones and included my name, e-mail, phone numbers and website. I still have almost a whole box of them because, let's face it, I just don't pass out business cards as much as I should. A lot of times I just use the signature in my e-mail in lieu of an actual card, and I don't follow up with clients by sending them an actual card. (Shame on me!)

Last year, when I attended the SCBWI Carolinas annual writing conference in Charlotte, I exchanged business cards with a few writers and illustrators I met there. When I pulled out my trusty old card, I was embarrassed. I hadn't even thought about ordering new cards before the conference. But when I saw the fun, fresh and colorful designs the other attendees were using, I felt a little silly. What did my card say about me? It said I was boring. It said I didn't have enough confidence in myself to add a little flair to my card.

So a few weeks ago, I contacted a local friend, Jeanette Charlet of Jeanette Charlet Photography, who's also a fabulous photographer. Even though I feel incredibly awkward having my photo taken, she took the time to get tons of fabulous shots I can now use for my website and a great new card, which I'll be proud to take to this year's SCBWI Conference on Sept. 19. These are just a few great shots she captured:

And who knows? Maybe I'll enjoy this card so much that I'll pass it out to more people, and bring in some new assignments!

Signature Business Cards by Vistaprint

Now about the card. I struggled with what title to put as my occupation. My old card read "freelance writer." I have another business card for my contract job as a magazine editor. My husband suggested "professional writer," and I scoffed. That's fine and everything, but I don't want to feel like I have to tell people that I am a professional. Part of me wanted to put "Contemporary Middle Grade and Young Adult Author," but since I have yet to publish any of my books, I didn't feel confident enough to do that. I finally settled on "Writer," and hope that will cover my freelance magazine writing, blogging and fiction writing, no matter what the future holds for me.

Do you have a business card? What does it have on it? Did you struggle with images and your title?

From Blog to Book: 100 Days of Real Food

It's not very often that I get excited about a cookbook. Sure, I enjoy cooking and learning new recipes, but I typically google recipes, print them out, and stick them in the cookbook I use the most, Fix-It and Forget-it-Lightly, which isn't very organized.

A few years ago I read about a local Charlotte family who took on the challenge of eating clean (no processed foods whatsoever) for 100 days. I thought it sounded interesting (and hard!) since my own family was struggling to eat better and more nutritiously. The 100 Days of Real Food pledge the Leake family took turned into a way of life, birthed a blog, then a brand, and now its very own cookbook. It's been exciting to see the progression.

I follow the blog on Facebook so I've gotten tons of great ideas for packing my kids' lunches (they don't have a cafeteria at their school) and learned some great real-food substitutes for things such as salad dressings, taco seasoning, onion dip, whipped cream, chocolate syrup, etc. When I told my husband I wanted the recently-released 100 Days of Real Food cookbook for my birthday, he looked at me a little skeptically at first. I had a friend ask me if it was just recipes from the blog, so I thought I'd give an overview of what's in 100 Days of Real Food: How We Did It, What We Learned, and 100 Easy Wholesome Recipes.

The first part of the book includes an introduction on the types of food Lisa Leake and her husband Jason grew up eating, and how she first became interested in overhauling their eating habits. She defines the concept of what "real food" is and guides readers through an easy plan to begin making changes. This section also features food budgeting tips and seasonal meal plans, complete with accompanying shopping lists, which I love.

The second part of the book is recipes, broken out into breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and appetizers, salads and sides, simple dinners, treats, and homemade staples. Are you hungry yet? I like the format of the book because everything is all put together in one place. Don't get me wrong--the blog is very organized, too, but unless I know exactly what recipe I'm searching for I can get overwhelmed scrolling the recipe index. I've noticed there are some recipes on the blog that aren't in the book, and vice versa.

I've already been shopping this week armed with a few different recipes from the book and can't wait to try them out with my family. I have dusted off the food processor I never use and bought a new set of sieves to aid me in my new cooking adventure. I'll keep you posted on how it goes!

P.S. Also, as a writer, I was fascinated by this real-life example of how someone turned a blog into a book. It's no easy task, and you can read all about Lisa's journey to getting a book deal in this post.

Book Review: Self and Soul: On Creating a Meaningful Life

I had the pleasure of reading Lorraine Ash's book Self and Soul: On Creating a Meaningful Life this summer, and it touched me in many ways. Read on for a more detailed review.

Anyone who follows the great writer and creativity teacher Julia Cameron knows how strongly her craft aligns with a deep sense of spirituality. Reading Lorraine Ash’s spiritual memoir, Self and Soul: On Creating a Meaningful Life, touched me deep within my core in much the same way The Artist’s Way did.

Whether I ever would have found spiritual freedom without the trauma of my outer life, I will never know. I am still astonished, though, at how the pain of loss and tragedy was able to so thoroughly re-baptize me. – Lorraine Ash

In 1999, Ash’s daughter, Victoria Helen, was stillborn at 42 weeks, the result of a Group B Strep infection, which also left Ash fighting for her own life. In the weeks and years following, Ash had to come to terms with the fact that she would never become a mother, and her search for spiritual meaning became heightened. It is obvious while reading this memoir that religion has always played a big part in the author’s life, having been raised in the Catholic faith, but she also never just accepted the “status quo” of her religion as pure fact. Ash has studied and taken part in a number of spiritual pilgrimages along the way, which she describes beautifully in the book. Her writing is eloquent and full of imagery and descriptions that drew me in as a reader.

Ash’s observations make you want to stop and take in every moment fully, even if it’s just sitting under a tree on a glorious spring day, watching a sunset. Following along her journey, I actually felt like I was in the cool and dark underground cave in New York, on the balcony of Frank Lloyd Wright’s famous Fallingwater historic landmark, and on a shamanic journey with a wise spirit teacher. Sprinkled among the chapters are anecdotes of people Ash has met along the way in her work as a journalist and writing coach, people who influenced her in her quest to live a meaningful life. This book moved me in more ways than one, and also made me see that writing about the painful scenes in my own life would be more therapeutic than keeping everything bottled inside. Self and Soul: On Creating a Meaningful Life, is a great source of inspiration for anyone struggling with happiness, faith and the inevitability (and joy!) of getting older.

About the Author:

Lorraine Ash, M.A., is a New Jersey author, award-winning journalist, essayist, book editor, and writing teacher. Self and Soul: On Creating a Meaningful Life, is her second book. Her first memoir, Life Touches Life: A Mother’s Story of Stillbirth and Healing, was published by NewSage Press Lorraine also is a veteran journalist whose feature articles and series have won seventeen national, state, and regional awards and have appeared in daily newspapers across the country. Lorraine belongs to the Association of Writers and Writing Programs and Investigative Reporters and Editors. She lives in New Jersey with her husband, Bill.