Book review: All Fall Down by Jennifer Weiner

In our fast-paced, stressed filled lives, have you had a conversation like this...

Dr. McCarthy:  ' "So tell me. What are you doing to take care of yourself" '
Allison Weiss (protagonist of All Fall Down):  ' "Nothing, really. There just isn't time." ' (p. 31)

What will happen to you if you ignore your own needs and only live to serve others and/or build your business? What will happen...?

Author Jennifer Weiner knows. All Fall Down is a cautionary tale.

Buy All Fall Down by Jennifer Weiner

When you read the words 'drug addict' do you see a vagrant with stringy hair, wearing a parka in July? 

Meet Allison Weiss--she's a wife, a mother, and a businesswoman. 

Overcome by 'the accumulated stress of a mostly successful, extremely busy life' (p. 9) Allison turns to something that will help her cope.

'The pills calmed me down... When I swallowed them, I felt like I could accomplish anything.' (p. 22)

I witnessed Allison's swift descent into drug dependency--as she takes first two, then four, then six pills to help her cope, to keep her afloat.

Author Jennifer Weiner applies all the senses and I truly felt what Allison goes through--I'm overwhelmed, I'm in need, I'm dependent, I'm ill. It isn't pretty. I see dependency plainly. I'm there.

'My skin felt like it was host to hundreds of thousands of fiery ants wearing boots made of poison-tipped needles.' (p. 216)

The message is clear:  Never get so busy that you forget your own needs. You need to listen to yourself, care for yourself--the same way you care for others. Because you can never tell if you are 'one of the earthlings, who could take or leave a glass of wine, or a joint, or a...; or one of the Martians, for whom...one was too many and a thousand was never enough. You can never tell.' (p. 358 - 359) 

Visit author Jennifer Weiner's website.

Living your successful author dream by Leanne Dyck

(photo by ldyck)

Martin Luther King Junior had a dream. Do you? Have you made a vision (dream) board?

Do you imagine a brighter tomorrow? What does it look, smell, feel, taste like? What foods will you eat? What clothes will you wear? Where will you live? Where will you travel? Who will be your partner, your friend? How will you help others? When asked for the secret of your success, what will you credit?

Find images or objects that will make your dream tangible. Visualize your success and write about it in your journal.

Keep your dream close. Affirmations are keywords assist in visualizing your dream. For example, "I am a best-selling author."

Using "I will..." creates distance between you and your dream. "I am..." gives strength to your dream and helps you visualize it.

Write your affirmations on index cards. Keep these cards by your bed, in your car, in your pocket-- anywhere that they may be easily accessed.

What steps will you take today to bring you closer to success?

-Visit a bookstore or library. Imagine your book on the shelves. 

or

-Read books on the craft of writing.

or

-Write a short story

or

-Work on a novel

or

-Network with others in the publishing industry (connect with them on LinkedIn; email your favourite author)

or

-Visit a publisher's website and buy one of their books

or

-Write an article for your blog

or

-Participate in a blog tour for a new release

or 

-Join a writing group

or

-Enter a writing contest

or

-Attend a literary event

or

-Send a manuscript to a publisher

or...

Realize that you are the only one who can make your dream reality.

Stay positive.

'I just wish people would realize that anything's possible if you try; dreams are made possible if you try.' -Terry Fox

More 

Plan to Achieve Your Creative Goals in 2017 by Joanna Penn 

Why Success is Hard

Basket Weaving (short story) by Leanne Dyck

I love to play with genre--romances that don't have a happy ending and... In this short story a mystery with a twist. I love twists (you may have noticed)

(photo ldyck)

Basket Weaving

"You're listening to My Island Neighbour, I'm your host Andrea Whistle." She tries to whistle but fails. "And we're speaking to... Hmm... Er..." Papers rustled. "Please introduce yourself to our listening audience.”

Name, city of residence that was what was expected, but instead...

“I'll soon be a widow.”

Dead air. Andrea cut it as quickly as possible. “Oh, your husband's off for the weekend. Is he into golf, hockey..." More papers rustled.

“No, it's worse than that.”

“Basket weaving. Ah, baskets. Why don't you tell us about the baskets you make for ch —.”

“My husband wants to get rid of me — you know, like kill. He's tried more than once. Why just the other day I was standing too close to the pool and he tried to push me in. He may have drowned me had I not kept my ground. But it's not going to be me who d —.”

More dead air. This time cut by a man's voice. “Mindy can't talk.” Click. The interview was over.



Hey, know what? You just read a micro text. Now why don't you write one.

Why?

Here's a reason...

Emerging authors (and CRD residents) 
enter for a chance to win $500
Deadline:  January 22, 2017

The Malahat Review (literary journal) Poetry and Micro Text contest

or if that's too short why not try this...

Prism International Jacob Zilber Prize for Short Fiction

Deadline:  January 15

(once on the site, scroll down)

Picture Books in Canada

Red Deer Press is a Canadian multi-genre book publisher.
Canadian authors may submit manuscripts by email or mail.
Submission guidelines

Sharing my Author Journey...

Life, the universe is encouraging me to be more focused. I have

2017: a year of possibilities

("Hello 2017" photo by ldyck)

I know exactly what I want to accomplish this year--I want to continue to build a successful author career. 

But what is my next move?

 Should I write this story? Submit to this publisher? Should I include this information in my query?

"A" doesn't always lead to "B". It may lead to "C" and loop back to "B". "B" may not resemble what I envisioned. It may look like a waste of time or worse something to be avoided. 

The only thing I can control is my mind.

'Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful,
we must carry it with us or we find it not.' -Ralph Waldo Emerson

'We do not see things as they are. We see them as we are.' -Talmud

'A man is but the product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes.' -Mahatma Gandhi

( I found the last two quotes while reading Laurie Buchanan's new book--Note to Self. It's a must-read. I'll explain why in the coming months.)

To open the door to possibility, remain positive.

How do you remain positive? 

Periodically, over the coming weeks (or months), I will share my answer to this question. I invite you to share yours in the comments.

("Good-bye 2016" photo by ldyck)

Next post:  

Published on Sunday, January 8th at approximately 5 PM (ish) PST.

Short story:  Basket Weaving by Leanne Dyck

Have you heard the literary term Micro Text?

I'll explain by way of example.

Picture Books in Canada

Based in Ontario, Pajama Press is an independent children's literature publishing house.

Pajama Press' submission guidelines

Sharing my author journey...

This holiday has been very productive. I've re-written...or...um... finished writing (who is to say what is more accurate) two