Writing Tip: Utilize Another Set of Eyes

"Better to light a candle than to curse the darkness." Chinese Proverb

There's nothing like a second set of eyes (or a third, fourth or fifth pair) to help you shape up your manuscript!

It's amazing how wonderful something sounds to our ears after we've written it.  And all the praise we receive from loved ones who've read it is pretty great, too!  But let's face it, writers need other writers to critique their work, otherwise, we're bumbling around in the dark, wondering why our manuscripts keep getting rejected.

If you're married to a writer, you have an advantage! But those of us who aren't so lucky need a writers group.  If you don't have any friends or acquaintances that write, there are lots of critique groups available online.

Some writers have one critique partner, while others have several.  I meet weekly in person with a group of five. I love having the benefit of all those different skill sets, and I know my finished product will be a lot stronger with all the fantastic input I receive!

In a group you'll see that someone might be great at line edits, while another person offers just the right dialogue.  Brainstorming ideas is always fun, and formulating a better scenario or plot twist can come directly from your critique group.

When other writers read your work, you'll also find out if what you've written makes sense to begin with.  And if it doesn't, your group can help you make it make sense!

Sometimes I think I've churned out a decent piece that can stand on its own.  But then Lisa, my writing teacher/group facilitator starts peeling away the layers (some that I didn't even know were there) to show me how to create an even better scene.

After Lisa reads my work, I feel like I've written it looking through a peephole.  It takes her to open the door and reveal everything else out there that's waiting to be said!  She's amazing at digging deeper in a scene to bring it greater depth, feeling and clarity!

So, if you're currently floundering alone, join a critique group!  The writing journey to publication is hard enough--don't go it alone!

Do you belong to a writers group or have a critique partner? Thanks for visiting and have a great week!

Merle Oberon's Secret

One of my favorite movies is the 1939 film version of Wuthering Heights, starring the extraordinarily beautiful Merle Oberon, a talented actress during the 1930s and '40s.

May 12, Mother's Day, is quickly approaching and I'm looking forward to spending time with my wonderful mother, as I'm sure most of us are, who are still fortunate to have our moms with us. That said, I find it sad the way Miss Oberon treated her own mother--her dark skinned mother--by passing her off as a servant. Throughout her lifetime, Merle Oberon kept her ethnic origin a secret.

 About.com says "Merle Oberon earned an Oscar nod for her acting in 1935’s “The Dark Angel” and more recognition for playing Cathy in 1939’s Wuthering Heights. But off screen, Oberon feared that her secrets would be exposed. She wasn’t solely white nor was she born in Tasmania like actor Errol Flynn, as she told people. Actually, she was born in India to an Indian mother and an Anglo father. Rather than disown her mother, though, Oberon passed her off as a servant. When the actress visited Tasmania later in life, the press hounded her for details about her upbringing, forcing her to admit that she wasn't born there. Still, Oberon did not confess to being Indian."

For a more in depth look into Merle Oberon's life and deceit regarding her origins, check out this article about the 2002 documentary "The Trouble with Merle".

Have you seen any of Merle Oberon's movies?

Thanks for visiting and have a great week!

Previously posted 5/13/13

Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin with Cranberry Sauce

I love pork loin and I found this recipe at Ashley Fehr's blog thereciperebel.com. It sounds mighty tasty and very easy! 

According to Ashley, "This Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin with Cranberry Sauce is an easy slow cooker meal or a fancy holiday dinner -- you decide! The BEST pork tenderloin recipe."  I'll take her word for it. I think I'll try it this week. Thank you, Ashley! 

Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin with Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 pork tenderloin (1-1.5lbs, trimmed -- see post above)
• 1 1/2 cups whole berry cranberry sauce(1 348ml can)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar (35g)
• 1/3 cup low sodium chicken broth (75g)
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (30g)
• 1 tablespoon corn starch (10g)
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 pinch black pepper

Instructions

• Place pork tenderloin in 2-4 quart crock pot, cutting in half lengthwise to fit flat if necessary.
• In a large bowl or glass measuring cup, whisk together cranberry sauce, sugar, broth, vinegar, corn starch, garlic, salt and pepper. Pour over tenderloin in crock pot, lifting the pork to let the sauce seep underneath.
• Cover and cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 150-165 degrees. Remove pork and place on a cutting board to rest for 3-5 minutes. 
• If desired, add an additional tablespoon of corn starch mixed with a tablespoon of water to thicken remaining juices. 
• Slice and serve with sauce.

Are you a fan of pork loin? Thanks for visiting and have a great week!

Writing Tips From 24

Writing Tips From 24

I just discovered that the television program 24 is available on Amazon Prime. I loved that show and just might be tempted to do a little binge watching since it's been off the air for a while and I can't remember all the story lines.

During its original eight seasons, I picked up quite a few tips on compelling story telling.

The cliffhanger hooks were always exciting, leaving unanswered questions, the foreshadowing of an attack, or a love dilemma.  If you've ever had trouble formulating a hook to close a chapter, 24 just might inspire you!

As writers, in any story we look for goal, motivation and conflict.  In 24, the main GMC was as follows:

Goal: To keep the country safe from terrorism

Motivation: The safety of the American people 

Conflict: The terrorists want to terrorize, the federal agents want to stop them

But look for the GMC in the characters, as well:  

• Who has to work with whom, and why is this a problem? 
• Who has something to prove and why?  
• Who has lost something significant and how does this affect his/her job performance?  
• What is the conflict within the terrorist organization that will keep it from performing effectively?  
• What conflict keeps the government in pursuit of the wrong lead? 
• How detrimental will a past love be to a high ranking government official?

You can't have a good story without conflict, and 24 delivers! Were you a fan of 24? Also, do you have a favorite television show that's inspired your writing technique?

Thanks for visiting and have a great week!     

Hidden History: The Other Internment Camps

I just read Lisa See's wonderful novel China Dolls, and part of the story takes place in a Japanese internment camp. It brought to mind this story that I posted back in 2013.

I think everyone is familiar with the disgraceful legacy of internment camps for Americans of Japanese descent during World War II.  However, if you're like me, you probably didn't know that internment camps existed for German and Italian Americans, as well.  

Family of Ludwig Eberhardt. Eberhardt was interred at Camp Kenedy in Texas

The Freedom of Information Times says:  

The World War II experience of thousands of German Americans, to most,  is an unknown.  During World War II, the U.S. government and many Americans viewed German Americans and others of "enemy ancestry" as potentially dangerous, particularly immigrants.  The government used many interrelated, constitutionally questionable methods to control persons of German ancestry, including internment, individual and group exclusion from military zones, internee exchanges, deportation, repatriation, "alien enemy" registration, travel restrictions and property confiscation.

 The human cost of these civil liberties violations was high.  Families were disrupted, if not destroyed, reputations ruined, homes and belongings lost.  By the end of the war, 11,000 persons of German ancestry, including many American-born children, were interned. 

 Pressured by the United States, Latin American governments collectively arrested at least 4,050 German Latin Americans.  Most were shipped in dark boat holds to the United States and interned.  At least 2,000 Germans, German Americans and Latin American internees were later exchanged for Americans and Latin Americans held by the Third Reich in Germany.

Apparently, this is one of those historical facts shrouded in secrecy.  To learn more, as well as read personal stories,  visit The Freedom of Information Times.

Is this a part of history you're familiar with?  If so, how did you learn about it?

Thanks for visiting and have a great week!

Originally posted 5/27/13