SUNDAYS WITH SHARON: Writing Books is Like Quilting

SUNDAYS WITH SHARON:  STRINGING TOGETHER STORIES IS LIKE QUILTING.

My daughter just finished our giveaway for this month’s Newsletter. We incorporate some of my SEAL book covers in it, and use the same Alexander Henry Pursuit of Happiness background, showing off George Washington, Abe Lincoln and other’s abs like you’ve never seen before.

Writing stories, especially stories for different venues, is very much like piecing together a fine quilt.

Quilting and gardening are two things that bring me solace. Yes, I do enjoy reading while exercising and I’ve been doing a lot of that lately (trying to get caught up on some new projects I’ll be involved in this year). Just like reading, quilting puts me in a “zone” similar to meditation or listening to wonderful music. We spend so much of our day “doing” things, showing up for events, communicating with readers and other authors, and running our businesses, sometimes it’s just good to have “screw around time” planned into the schedule. When I used to coach Realtors, I always made my clients schedule “just daydreaming” time. I had a couple Realtors who were shopaholics and we had to plan their vices into their schedule, because it would creep in anyway – better to have planned it.

So when I’m quilting, I think up stories. In high school I made all my own clothes. I used to think about romances while I was sewing as a girl of 14-17, with hunky men who would sweep me off my feet. Little did I know how important “daydreaming” would be, nor how important those themes in the stories were.

Last night I was plotting a new story. I was supposed to be working on another one, but this new one just came in and took over. I know better than to try to push my muse to the side. It dresses up like a bright drag queen and sings drunken pirate songs of love until I have to pay attention to it. Still not sure whether my muse is male or female. One thing is for sure, it likes to sing and dress up in bright colors, including wigs. LOL. More than you ever wanted to know about me, right?

I started with a color: Navy Blue. And the symbols: The Trident. And some heroic traits, and voila, I was off and running. I’ve got 3 in the works already and I’m excited to say I’ll be starting to write the first one this afternoon.

After launching a book I dearly loved writing and nearly wrote itself, I can’t wait to get good and steeped in this one. The hero is already whispering in my ear. The heroine is a real randy spitfire, so I guess I’m getting to relive my 20’s again…lol…He wants to come out and play hard and love harder. {{{sigh}}} Duty Calls.

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