Tag: writer

Patience, Perseverance, and Number #1 Best Seller

Written by Cheryl on . Posted in Cheryl's View.

Patience and perseverance are two valuable principles I learned in my martial arts training. It means that our focus is on the journey, rather than the end result. And it explains why the students that come to our dojo with their primary goal of becoming a black belt are usually gone in just a few months. Because everything takes time and effort. The same applies to every aspect of life. Focus on the journey, put in the time, the effort, and see what unfolds. That’s exactly what happened when I published my first book. I just focused on the journey, even though it was incredibly labor intensive. When I heard that the “real work” in writing a book begins after it’s published, I found it hard to believe. After all, it took me two and a half years to write it. In reality,...

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Writer’s Block

Written by Cheryl on . Posted in Cheryl's View.

Writer’s block. Two words that can strike fear in the heart of every writer. And, like every writer, I have experienced it before, but nothing like I did over the past few months. It was so bad that I couldn’t write anything, not even my grocery list. I would sit at my kitchen table, pen and paper in hand (yes, I am that old-fashioned), and stare off into space. I even tried to get some inspiration by flipping through a few of my favorite cookbooks. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. The blank paper seemed to mock me as I tapped the pen to my head trying to get some creative synapses firing. And still, I had nothing. Great. My Red Booth Writer’s Group was getting ready to rally and come up with another four new articles to submit to The Pueblo Chieftain, and I couldn’t even come...

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Episode #48: A Texas Tragedy

Written by Cheryl on . Posted in Femininja Podcast.

When Dr. Elva Edwards was only nineteen months old, her entire world changed forever on a moonlight spring night when a car ran a stop sign and collided with her family car. Five adults were killed in the horrific accident, including both her parents and her beloved grandmother. By some miracle, Elva and her three year old sister survived. Elva shares her story with grace and dignity, explaining the pain and confusion that she experienced growing up without her mother and father. Although her paternal grandparents gave them a loving home and a good life, something was always missing. Download this episode to hear Elva’s story of living with loss, surviving trauma, and how she became a voice for the voiceless as she fought to discover the truth about what happened on that fateful n...

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Episode #37: Life Is Stranger Than Fiction

Written by Cheryl on . Posted in Femininja Podcast.

Life really can be stranger than fiction. It can also provide you with remarkable opportunities, if you know how to look for them. In this episode, award winning author Helen Starbuck describes how she has done exactly that to create her award winning mystery series, “The Annie Collins Mysteries.” Helen also shares her many “secret weapons” she uses in developing her characters and making them come to life, as well as how she decides when and how to kill them off, so to speak. After all, it IS a mystery series! She intertwines her professional experiences an operating room RN with her personal experiences to come up with unique story ideas, and reflects on how her career as a medical professional influences her stories. She talks about why it’s so important to step out of your comfort zone,...

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Seize The Day

Written by Cheryl on . Posted in Life's Lessons.

A few days ago I woke up feeling heavy and sluggish. Gingerly I rolled over in bed, got up, and staggered toward the enticing aroma of fresh coffee brewing. Ahhhh, coffee! I followed it into the kitchen where my husband and 3 dogs greeted me with wagging tails and a cheery “Good Morning!” Easy for them to say. Eventually the coffee worked its magic well enough for me to give everyone a pat on the head (including my husband) before going down to my girl cave to get some work done. I also had to clean the kitchen, get dinner in the crock pot, get dressed and head out the door for ballet class. I had a lot to get done, and I was in a crappy mood. I made sure I took my bad mood with me as I made my way downstairs. But something funny happened. All of a sudden my creative juices began...

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