New Challenge

I've been quiet of late.

I wish I could say I've been soaking up the rays on a tropical beach sipping Pina Coladas. Instead, I'm deep in study, taking Margie Lawson's Deep Editing class. And it's terrific but a lot of hard work. I'm using my present WIP for practice. I hope to take this manuscript to the next level - up the ante as they say (sorry, cliche!).

I'm having fun writing an urban fantasy. I'm also writing the story in First Person perspective - a stretch for me. I'm in the woman's character through out the story. Usually I rather write the male perspective - so this is a challenge. To make him compelling without the reader knowing his inner thoughts.

Challenges are what sparks a person's life. Challenges make a person aware of their hidden gifts, or what they need to work on. Challenges make a person face their fear. Ah, the F word. This pesky emotion can be useful when having to escape from a raging lunatic. Or, when you need to kick up your adrenalin. But usually, fear is self-imposed. A wasted emotion that hold us down and keeps us from our dreams.

This is why I challenge myself as a writer. To face my fear that I'm not good enough, clever enough, talented enough. To go beyond my comfort zone, to delve into a new genre, to write in a different perspective, to not rely on the way I usually do things.

My manuscript might work out, or it might flop.

Or, it might lead me on an exciting new path.

Now, that would be golden!

Good Luck and Good Writing,

Vicki
http://www.vickigaia.com/

New Challenge

http://vgaia.blogspot.com/2008/05/new-challenge.html

What does it take to become a writer?

What does it take to be a writer? I’ve been asked this question several times. Usually I answer - “You need to be slightly crazy!” - but seriously, while every writer will have a different answer, I believe there are certain character traits needed to succeed.

Persistence is the first one that comes to mind. There’s a difference between creating a story in your head and writing it down on blank piece of paper. Like all arts, writing is a craft to be perfected, and it takes a lifetime. It takes determination to write a first draft, but it takes persistence to edit. A great book comes out of the editing process.

As in any process or journey, the first step begins with a dream. A spark of an idea excites you, and you need to see it through. Once you grab onto this dream, you dare to do something about it. If you have a story idea, and the passion to write it, then you’ve taken your first step to becoming a writer.

I think of writing as an upward spiral - you’ll make wrong turns, go a few steps back but always, you’ll head upward towards your goal. There will be days you won’t be able to write one single word, or days you want to kill one your characters in a slow agonizing death. Then, you’ll have days when you write brilliant stuff and you’re certain to win the next Pulitzer Prize! Better yet, Oprah recommends your book - instant best seller!

Yes, persistence is the key…for writing never gets easier, it gets harder. With every new book I write, I worry that it’s not going to be better than my last one. It’s easy to become paralyzed by self-doubt, and this is when I remember writing is child’s play. I never want to loose my curiosity and sense of wonder. First and foremost, writers are entertainers, and I try never to lose sight of this. No one wants to read a boring book. Ken Follett wrote in the preface of his book “The Pillars of the Earth” - “I write to entertain, and I’m happy doing so.”

This is one of my favorite quotes by writer Neil Gaiman - “Write your story as it needs to be written. Write it honestly, and tell it as best you can. I’m not sure that there are any other rules. Not ones that matter.”

Happy Reading!
Vicki Gaia
www.vickigaia.com

What does it take to become a writer?

http://vgaia.blogspot.com/2008/04/what-does-it-take-to-become-writer.html

Take To The Sky

This weekend I braved the skies in a small plane. It's not like I have a 'fear of flying'. I fly all the time, in supermongus jumbo jets, but rarely do I have the opportunity to fly in a small plane. We had perfect weather and great tail wind. The skies were cloudless. I was able to take several awesome pics.

Viewing the earth's surface from the sky gives us a change of perspective. The river is the Colorado.
































The desert terrain takes on another beauty when seen from above. The hues are a myriad of colors from dark rich browns to russet orange-red mountain peaks. I appreciated the desert from this view.

















Happy Reading!
Vicki
http://www.vickigaia.com

Take To The Sky

http://vgaia.blogspot.com/2008/04/take-to-sky.html

Back from the conference...dream, dare, do

WOW! I'm back from the conference and still reeling from the good time I had. I'm a first time writer's convention virgin. I wasn't sure what to expect. There were informative workshops, agent/editor interviews, panel discussions, raffles, dinner and lunch with best selling author key note speakers. I was so wired when I got home Friday night that I stayed up past 1 AM.

I had such a great time talking with my friends, new writers, agents and editors. Can you imagine being able to talk 'writing shop talk' without someone nodding off from boredom? LOL Now that I'm home, I had to decompress. The conference gave me the shot of adrenalin I needed to get back into my seat and in front of my laptop to finish my WIP. I have several ideas brewing and new goals for 2008. That's what conference are for, besides meeting terrific new friends.

Dream, dare, do! This was the motto for this year's DR conference. Three words which should be added to every one's daily affirmations. I wish everyone to dream, to dare to risk for that dream and to 'just do it'.

Happy Reading!
Vicki
http://www.vickigaia.com

Back from the conference...dream, dare, do

http://vgaia.blogspot.com/2008/04/back-from-conferencedream-dare-do.html

Desert Rose RWA Conference

I'm very excited for today is the first day of the DR conference. It's hosted in Arizona, and the weather here is perfect! I've been writing since 2000, published my first book in 2006, but this is my first writer's conference - and I have no idea what to expect. I'm excited and nervous, but mostly, excited.

I'll keep you posted through-out the weekend. And, I'm giving my first pitch to an agent tomorrow. Should be a learning experience - and hopefully - my tongue won't be plastered to the roof of my mouth! I'm kind of anxious, eh.

Happy Reading!

Vicki

http://www.vickigaia.com/

Desert Rose RWA Conference

http://vgaia.blogspot.com/2008/04/desert-rose-rwa-conference.html

Musings on Altanta

When I was in Atlanta last month, I visited the Atlanta Botanical Gardens.

http://www.atlantabotanicalgarden.org/home.do
The orchids were sensational. I took a close-up with my small digital to share with you.



We had fun traveling around and exploring the city. We found a wonderful European style cafe and bar, Cafe Intermezzo, that has tiers of homemade desserts and pages of specialty coffees and drinks. I could have dined their every day. They stay open until 3AM - yes, that's in the morning. I'm way beyond staying up THAT late, but I would have loved to see who hangs out at that time of night. http://www.cafeintermezzo.com/ I'm sure there would be wonderful characters to draw from.



To round off our trip, we toured CNN and Coca Cola ~ both Atlanta landmarks. I don't think I went to one restaurant that served Pepsi! Coca Cola has a fun museum with all sorts of paraphernalia from the past.


Happy Reading!

Vicki
http://www.vickigaia.com/

Musings on Altanta

http://vgaia.blogspot.com/2008/04/musings-on-altanta.html

Sierra Vista Booksigning

I attended the Sierra Vista Book Signing last weekend with my sister. She flew in from California. We packed our bags into my Mini and took off for So. Arizona. On the way home we drove in the snow! Yes, it does snow in the desert.


I met Denise Patrick, a co-blogger with Writers Across Time. She writes wonderful inspirations and historical romances. Her latest historical book is published by Samhain Publishing. Check out her blog at: http://denisesden.blogspot.com/





Gwynn Morgan is a fellow Awe-struck author - and is also with Amber Quill. Many of her books are set in Southern Arizona.



Check out her books at: http://www.gwynnmorgan.com/

Happy Reading!
Vicki
http://www.vickigaia.com/

Sierra Vista Booksigning

http://vgaia.blogspot.com/2008/03/sierra-vista-booksigning.html