Reese Reed's Blog

Many thanks to my friend Dave Conifer for including me on this blog tour.  I met Dave many years ago when I first considering giving this writing thing a whirl, and I'm forever grateful for his support and encouragement.  Here's a bit of information about him for you.

 

Dave Conifer is a fitness fanatic living in South Jersey with his wife and three kids. When he's not coaching wrestling or soccer or working as a boy scout leader or girl scout leader, Dave likes to read non-fiction history. He also blogs about the 48 solar panels on his roof and how they generate nearly all the power needed by his family of five.

Dave loves to hear from his readers. He can be found at daveconiferfanpage on Facebook. Send an email to daveconifer@rocketmail.com to be added to the mailing list and find out when something new is coming, or just to say hi.

Or visit Dave's official web site to sign up for emailed updates about new releases.

Book three of the Cold Cases series is currently in the works!

If you're looking for a fun summer read, you can't beat Dave's book Snodgrass Vacation.  It's a hilarious look at one family's trip to Disney World, and I thoroughly enjoyed it reading it years ago.

 

An irreverent but hilarious spoof on Disney World and the people who love it.

Dave Jevik wasn’t too happy to hear that his wife had scheduled a family vacation to Snodgrass World Resort with the Zandanels. Loudmouth Vinnie is hard to put up with for an hour, let alone a week. But when Vinnie spots wheelchair-bound George Van Morrison in first class on the flight to Florida, the dreaded trip takes on a sense of purpose. Van Morrison claims he was injured at a restaurant owned by a friend back home and the lawsuit has already been filed.

Dave and Vinnie just know he’s faking it and they have a week at Snodgrass World to save the restaurant by proving it. They’ll have to dodge fleets of wheel chairs and scooters long enough to expose him.

Vinnie’s sharp-elbowed wife is indispensable as she leads the way past line-cutters, other people’s obnoxious children and the maniac driving the scooter with the on-board colostomy bag. When they befriend a crotchety bartender back at the hotel, Dave and Vinnie unexpectedly tap an inside source that just might help them get their man.

Anybody who’s ever taken a trip to Disney World will recognize the people and places in Snodgrass Vacation, a hilarious and irreverent satire of theme park life.

"This book was hilarious! I could relate to it on so many levels I felt the author was writing about me! From actually investigating worker's comp claims, to being stuck on vacations with obnoxious friends, to experiencing scouts and worms, I'm experienced it all first hand! It's hard to categorize this book as fiction! It was an absolute joy to read, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who has ever had the opportunity of being subjected to the antics of a theme park!" -- Smashwords review

And now, on to my portion of blog tour. Thanks for reading!

1. What am I working on?

At the moment (and for the immediate future) all of my fiction writing has been put on hold. For the past couple of months I've been working on constructing a curriculum for a game developer to be used alongside his game in classrooms around both the country and the globe.  It's a potentially huge project, so my plot outlines just have to wait.  When the time returns, I have two plot outlines waiting for me.  One is the story of a girl who helps the ghost of her deceased family member finish her work on earth so that she can move to the other side, and the other is the tale of one girl's struggle between the light and dark angles that surround her.

2. How does my work differ from others of its genre?

I really enjoy hearing all sides of the story.  I often wonder if maybe I was a judge or a lawyer in a past life! (Kidding -- I don't really believe in past lives, that's just my way of justifying my NOT being a judge or lawyer now!)  I feel like everyone has a right to be heard, to tell his or her side. Often things seem cut and dried until you take the time to see things from another point of view.  I'm a "put yourself in his shoes" kind of girl, and I always try to understand the thoughts, feelings, and motivations that drive people -- even imaginary ones.  That comes through in my writing -- it's one of the main inspirational points in Red -- that need to give another side to the story.

3. Why do I write what I do?

My freelance writing and my day job pay the bills, so I'm able to write what my heart desires when it comes to fiction.  That, to me, is a blessing, because it's very freeing.  I don't have to watch pop culture trends and churn out the next vampire or zombie or (insert upcoming trend here) love story. I can take inspiration from wherever I find it and let it influence my work naturally.  I write what speaks to me.

4. How does my writing process work?

I was so interested to hear Dave's process, because he's the first person I've met who writes like I do. Just as Dave mentioned, I first let the idea bounce around in my head for weeks, months, sometimes years.  I never pick up a pen until I have the complete plot line laid out in my head. Once that's there, I start drafting my outline.  I know, I know, outlines are loved by some and hated by many.  For a control freak like me, they're essential. I spend hours (sometimes days) constructing my plot lines, and then I put down the pen and think about the minor events surrounding my plot lines. Again, this can take days or it can take years - it varies wildly. Only after I feel like things have taken shape in my head do I finally sit down and start drafting.  Since I've spent so much time with these characters and events in my head, the drafting process ususally goes very quickly - I think two months has been my longest drafting period thus far (and please remember that I also have a full time job and three small children). Once I finally carve out the time to draft, it all just pretty much falls out onto the page.  Something else that people are always surprised to learn is that I draft with pencil and paper.  I usually start by drafting one or two chapters by hand, and then I immediately type them into my manuscript document, revising as I go. Once I have the full manuscript in, I've already completed at least one revision.  Of course, this is only the first of many.  I do another full readthrough on my own immediately after finishing. Then I let it sit for at least a week and do another full readthrough before passing it on to beta readers.  It's a long process, but it's a labor of love.  The end product is always, without a doubt, 100% worth all the time, effort, and attention to detail.

 

Today I held my very first ever book signing at The Book Exchange in Frisco City. We were set to begin at 9:00 this morning, so the hubs and I arrived at 8:45 to bring in the boxes of books and get things set up.  We were pleasantly surprised when we arrived to find that there was nothing, really, for us to do - other than pull the books out of the boxes and put them on the table.  The wonderful ladies at The Book Exchange had handled everything - right down to the tiniest detail.  Sometimes I forget how good Southern women are with the little details. It only takes one event such as this, though, to remind me.

I snapped a few photos inside the building itself (you can see them in my photo gallery), but honestly, photos just don't do this space the justice it deserves. It is absolutely beautiful.  I visited The Book Exchange a few weeks ago to discuss the details for today, and I fell in love with this building when I first laid eyes on it.  True to its definition of treasure, it's tucked away between the crumbling remains of so many of the downtown buildings. The view from the outside looking in is very, very deceiving (fitting, given the content of RED, I thought).

After only a few minutes inside, it's evident that the people who make up the Revive Frisco City Project are truly devoted to their work. Their love, pride, and respect of history simply breathes from within the walls of the structure. Everything about it is perfect. Absolutely perfect. I couldn't have dreamed of a more beautiful space to hold my first signing.

The only thing I enjoyed more than the space around me today were the people who took time from their busy Saturday mornings to come by and purchase a book (or books). Everyone was so kind, so excited, and so quick to dote on their "hometown girl".

It was a very special day, a day more than worthy of it's space in my ever shrinking memory bank. 

Thank you to everyone who helped make this event possible, and to everyone who purchased a book at today's signing. I hope you enjoy my work as much as I enjoyed your company!

~Reese

It is, isn't it?  That's one thing I can definitely say - whenever I think I have things all figured out...BAM!  Here comes another opportunity, a new idea, sometimes a new setback.  I guess that's what keeps life interesting -- never truly knowing what's ahead.

A little over a week ago, my first "big" writing dream came true - my first traditionally published book, Red, rolled off the presses.  Amazing. Today I experienced another incredible first as I held those freshly printed books in my hands. There's just nothing like it. My thoughts, my words -- right there on the page, out there for the world to see. I've seen my words countless times over -- in magazines or online articles -- but a book?  That's different.  That's special.

While it's absolutely breaktakingly beautiful to see my soul bared, lying there open in the squiggly form of letters, words, sentences, and paragraphs, it's also incredibly frightening. Terrifying, even.  It's almost as though I've stripped naked and am taking my first step out into the sunlight. What will they say?  What will they think?  Do I care?  Should I care?

I've dealt with the impending anxiety doing what I do best -- throwing myself deeper into my work. Amazingly, just a few weeks before Red's scheduled debut, I was presented with an incredible opportunity. While it still involves writing, it's related to a more technical field -- curriculum writing to be precise.  What a blessing it's been to have this work to devote my idle mind moments to.  Instead of obsessing about things related to the book release, I've been up to my elbows in standards, objectives, and lesson plans.  Say what you will about avoidance -- it's certainly been working out well for me.

The time is nearly here, though, when I must put my trusty notebook away, lift my chin, and walk out into the world. In just three days I'll hold my very first book signing. Four more will follow.  Next month I'll complete the first part of my curriculum contract. A few months later I'll take off my writing hat and put on my marketing hat as I travel out of state for promotions.

I remember the overwhelming feeling I had at the moment my husband and I left home to travel to the hospital the day our first son was born.  As I reached for the handle of the car door, it struck me -- the incredible awareness that my life was about to change in ways I couldn't yet fathom.  I hadn't felt that feeling since that day -- until last week.  As I talked with my husband about everything that is happening in my writing career, it happened again -- the breathtaking realization that big things are happening, that the snowball has begun to roll, that weeks, months, and years of work are beginning to fall into place.  It's an incredible experience.

Times like now are when I most like to think back to my first writing days -- those early days when it seemed that everything I wrote was crap and when I wondered why I even tried.  When I spent hours and hours pouring over resource books about showing vs. telling, about the importance of a strong hook, and most importantly, about trusting in your passion.

I read recently that to discover your innermost passion, you should consider the things you do in life that make you feel most alive.  I laughed to mysefl as I read this, because it seems so simple, but it's so very true.  Writing, whether for a paycheck or for pleasure, is absolutely soul-nourishing for me. Sometimes I'm amazed that I survived the years without it -- although I suppose I was still getting it, albeit through documenting in baby books and mommy journals. 

And now it's time for me to share my passion with you, the reader.  My only hope is that you receive a fraction of the enjoyment through reading that I experienced through creating.

~Reese

As I mentioned earlier in the blog, I'm participating in the Red Clay Readers' Book Club, a 5 week book discussion held over at www.al.com. This was the first discussion point posted by Jessica Rigby, a staff writer and host of the Red Clay Readers:

The n-word appears early on in "To Kill a Mockingbird." Should TKaM be banned or edited to make it more politically correct for today’s audience?

Specifically, should references to the n-word be taken out so that the text more closely fits where we are as a society today - or is editing a classic book going too far?

What a firestorm that erupted with the posing of this question! Here is my response:

If we censor our history, we put our future generations in danger of repeating the mistakes made by those in the past. While we as adults know what life was like during this time in the South, future generations depend on us to help them learn. If all we show them is a muted version, we are treading dangerous ground. They must see the struggles, feel the fear, hear the jeers...and literature is one of the ways these things come to life. By removing that word, we are essentially slapping the face of those who fought, some giving their lives, to spur change in our nation, in our communities, in our homes, and in our hearts.

So, what are your thoughts? Head on over to al.com and join the discussion!

http://www.al.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2014/03/should_a_classic_book_be_edite.html

Enjoy!

~Reese

Next week, www.al.com will begin it's 5 week Red Clay Readers Club, and I am so excited! We will be re-reading our way through Harper Lee's classic novel, To Kill A Mockingbird and discussing the iconic tale in a modern light. Being an Alabama native, I'm especially excited to be a part of this event, and after giving it some thought today I've decided on my own spin on the event. Since neither my children nor my husband are familiar with the novel, I'm planning to make it a read-aloud book study for my family as well. I'm really looking forward to sharing this time with my family and having our own discussions.

Want to join in?  Visit http://www.al.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2014/03/red_clay_readers_to_offer_fres.html and sign up for the Red Clay Newsletter to keep up to date on current discussion postings. You'll need to create a profile on al.com to post comments in the discussion, so go ahead and set one up while you're there. It's quick and easy, and you'll be ready to jump right in!

~Reese

Happy New Year to everyone!  It's the time of year when resolutions are fresh on the minds of people all over world, and it's also my favorite time to remind people to WRITE IT DOWN!

No, not the shopping list or to-do list (although those are helpful, too) - I mean the good stuff!  Well, good, bad, or indifferent...it really doesn't matter as long as you just write it down.

What you write in doesn't really matter.  I've kept some type of journal or note-taking method going on ever since my oldest son was born, and let me tell you what -- those little notes and scraps are absloutely priceless!  When it was just my oldest son, I kept a detailed journal which I updated every week with all the new things that he was learning, trying, and doing.  When my next two came around, keeping up with the details became much more difficult due to the simple crunch of time.  But instead of abandoning it altogether, I switched to a calendar instead.  I'd jot down things as they happened on the dates in the calendar.  Some weeks I filled in a lot, some busier weeks were left untouched.  The point is, I was writing it down, even if my time limited me to write sporadically at times. 

A few years ago I went back to more formal journaling, with this great little journal I found on amazon:

 

Mom's five year one line a day journal.  It has a teeny space to fill in each day, and at the end of the year you start all over again at the beginning. Today I begin my fourth time through it, and I can't even begin to describe the joy in looking back at what was going on in my family's life one, two, or three years ago on that exact date. 

If you're not a mom, there's another version of the same journal, the five year one line a day journal.

 

I also really like scripted journals, and I have one like this that I'm also planning on starting this year:

 

I really like scripted journals.  The hardest part of writing is often just getting started, so starting with a prompt is a really great concept. There's also plenty of blank space once you get rolling, but I always appreciate that little kick-start.

And while we're on the subject, let me tell you a little secret about journaling...sometimes it's boring.  Yep, that's right. ESPECIALLY with the one line a day ones like the ones above... you know, some days are just blah days.  Nothing bad happens, but nothing particularly good happens either.  Please don't think your journal has to be earth-shattering reading.  It doesn't.  Some days my lines are filled with deep thoughts about life, love, children, etc...and some days they're just plain blah.  As in, "Well, today it rained again. This makes four straight days of rain. We're all pretty much tired of rain."  See?  Blah.  But the magical power of the journal is that when you re-read that again, years from now, you'll remember those rainy days. You'll begin to piece together the memories of the day-to-day-ness of your life back then, and you'll smile.  That's the beauty of the journal.  It makes even the mundane and boring magical and meaningful.

So, from me to you - Happy New Year!  Make this year the one that you WRITE IT DOWN!

 

~Reese

Don't forget to enter my giveaway at Goodreads!  You can win a FREE autographed copy of my Christmas novella, Claustrophobic!

Jessica's day couldn't have been more perfect. She was about to marry the man of her dreams, and she couldn't wait to spend eternity with him. But when she catches a glimpse of the pointed ears on the "Elder" her beloved is obligated to, she wonders if maybe she should have spent a bit more time studying the contract she and Kris had agreed to sign. Something had to be done about the world around them. It was plain to see there was little joy to be had in the lives of the children at the time. But Jessica had no idea how her vows would change the world. Catapulted from her life in a tropical paradise to the barren North Pole, Jessica's reality comes crashing in on her. Even the ever-cheerful Elders begin to weigh on her nerves as she begins to question her choice. When offered a return to the life she'd abandoned, Jessica must choose between the life she left behind and the love she's always wanted. A modern twist on a classic tale, "Claustrophobic" gives Mrs. Claus's perspective on the beginning of the Santa Claus story.

 

Enter here for your chance to win!

www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/67109-claustrophobic

 

Good luck!

 

~Reese

Well, my web health, anyway!  It seems like everytime I almost have my "stuff" together, I get thrown another curveball!  Tonight when I went to update my blog...poof!  It was gone!  What the what?!  Luckily, I'd already decided to scrap it and go in a different direction, but I would have preferred having the chance to cross post some of the old stuff here.  Oh well, out with the old and in with the new, I suppose!  On the bright side, I'll get to flood this new blog with all my publishing news, so that won't be lost!  :)  There's always a silver lining, as long as you keep looking long enough, right?

~Reese

Tomorrow is Mother's Day.  It is also my 10th wedding anniversary.  To celebrate the two events, our family purchased our first minivan.  While driving back from Dairy Queen with an ice cream cake for our "Family Birthday Party" (we celebrate every wedding anniversary with a party celebrating the day we became a family) it occurred to me how much my vehicles have come to embody my stage of life.  I imagine the same is true for many.  So, for your enjoyment, here's a pictoral account of my...

ONE

Freedom.

I stepped into the shower and inhaled deeply, allowing the heat to penetrate my aching muscles and soothe my nerves.  Being a stay at home mom to two kids was a lot harder than I'd expected.  Thankfully they'd both gone down fairly easily tonight, and I reveled in the knowledge that for the next few hours I was free.

I heard Mark as he entered the bathroom, and I could tell he was trying really hard not to disturb me.  He knew how sacred my nightly shower ritual was – the only time ...