J. H. Authors

One Woman. Three Names. Many Books.

Random Thoughts

Tick Tock Tick Tock

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Sunday was T – 6 months. 6 months before my birthday. A birthday that ends in a “0”.

6 months used to feel like a long time. Now it flies, FLIES by. So it is time to get the ducks lined up.

What do I want to be different in 6 months? And what am I going to do about it?

I want to get back in shape. Three years ago this fall I ran a half marathon. Two years ago this summer I did spring triathlons. Last year, nothing. I need goals–am thinking about signing up for a couple of 5Ks to get moving. Am not going to talk about losing x pounds or y inches. Just want to be in fierce shape.

Balance. Still trying, still losing. But reframing, realizing that I can’t have traditional 9-5 balance in my life. Need to figure it out, and steal time where I can.

Writing. I am revising my first novel again–getting rid of a character completely, shuffling a couple of scenes. Then back to #2 and continue shopping for an agent.

Reading. Less for work. More for pleasure. Much, much more.

Gratitude. I have a wonderful life. I am grateful for it, and want to keep being more conscious of how blessed I am. No matter what happens, I am blessed.

 

Resolutions

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I think I do this same blog post every few weeks. But here goes. I’ve either got to write this blog, or not. And New Years is a great time to take stock.

Been wavering, but then read a blog by a friend (who blogs every day, and has a book hidden in her posts). She posted this TED talk.

Brene Brown TED talk

And I realized this blog is that for me. Vulnerability. On my work blog, I am in work mode. On my writing blog with NHWN, I am part of a tribe. But this is me, hanging out there. So how about this–this blog is about my journey this year on accepting who I am (“I am enough”) but keeping it interesting. Challenging.

The last few days have been about cleaning, organizing. Regrouping. Last year, though fab, was incredibly challenging. And I feel like I was treading water a lot of the time. This year, got to get the systems back in place, and find new ones that work.

So, been going through piles, and getting rid of stuff. I have a lot of stuff. I could never buy a pen again and not run out. I have books upon books upon books. Half filled notebooks. Reams of paper from my thesis that I am saving for drafts. I have gotten off the exercise routine, even though I know it would help. A lot.  I have also gotten away from writing. I keep writing, talking about balance, and then I can’t find it. And then I beat myself up.

So in 2012, here are the goals:

  • Get a handle on the systems. Start today, and don’t look back.
  • Exercise.
  • Write. And the rest of that world choice (query, edit, submit and write).
  • Give up on the balance thing. Your life is nuts, but you like it. Hours blur. Work blurs. Stop trying to make your life 9 to 5 cause it isn’t possible, so make it what you need it to be. You’ve got 24 hours a day, sleep at least 7 of those hours and then figure out the rest.
  • Do the best you can, and don’t beat yourself up.
  • Sunday blogs to keep up.

Happy New Year folks.

 

In Praise of a Handsome Man

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This could be a multi-part blog series. And it has nothing to do with the People issue that just came out, though Bradley Cooper was a nice choice. Instead, it has to do with the theater weekend I just had in New York. I saw three shows, all of which featured handsome men. Paul Gross in Private Lives, Alan Rickman in Seminar and Hugh Jackman in Hugh Jackman Back on Broadway. My focus for this post is Hugh Jackman.

I have seen him in the movies. And I have watched him host the Tonys. But I had never seen him live. And while I was prepared to enjoy the show, I was not prepared for how enormously talented Hugh Jackman is. He is charming and charismatic and has a nice singing voice. But it is the dancing that got to me.

I love old movie musicals, with a very special place in my heart for Fred Astaire, with Gene Kelley coming in a close second. I love their easy way of telling a story through dance, and layering romance with athleticism. Hugh Jackman is that kind of dancer. Lovely, at ease and really, really good. Truly a talent that may have been better served in another era, when he could have made some movie musicals a la Gene Kelley (or Fred Astaire). Wolverine the Musical? I don’t think so. But maybe take his Wolverine cache and make a big old fashioned musical with production numbers? A girl can dream.

Hats off to Hugh Jackman. You surprised me.

Surfing over the Bucket

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I have professional goals for my role as ED of a non-profit, and as a teacher. And writing goals, both for content and publication. And I have blogging goals (like doing it regularly).

And I have my bucket list. Now the bucket list are both goals unto themselves, and they require many steps that are goals unto themselves. For example, there’s surfing.

My BFF from high school had this on her bucket list, and I’ve added it to mine. We both have August birthdays, and thought it would be a good time frame for crossing this goal off the list. But the steps leading up to it include:

  • Getting in really good shape. One is because core work is necessary. Two, because there will be photos of me in a wet suit.
  • Figure out the best way to do this. TLS had found Surf Diva camps, and that seems to work.
  • Practice the jumping up part. You know the look–from stomach paddling to jumping up and standing. Right now I would need help with that, as I am not very nimble. Yoga will help, right?

Nine months away. TLS and I–Surfing USA. Should make for some interesting posts…
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Grj7sjQ0_p4]

Crime Bake 2011

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Just back from Crime Bake, and feeling inspired. Exhasusted, but inspired. It was my 9th Crime Bake (out of 10 total). They had a slide show from previous Crime Bakes, and I could see myself aging, and changing, throughout. Here are some of my take aways from this weekend:

  • Even though I am still working on getting the same book published/agented, the book itself has transformed thanks to many critiques. A number of those critiques came as a result of Crime Bake.
  • Being part of a signing (for DEAD CALM, Level Best Books‘ new anthology) was as thrilling as it was last year. In some ways, it was even more thrilling. “Her Wish” had a long journey toward publication. And it remembers my friend Regina, who came to that first Crime Bake with me and would have been thrilled to see me signing this past weekend.
  • Community is all. Most of the joy of Crime Bake is being with other writers. We are inspired by panels, supported by networking and pushed by opportunities to connect with agents, editors and masters of the craft. Both Sisters in Crime New England and Mystery Writers of America are great organizations that help promote that community.
  • The business is changing. But no matter what, there are writers who dream of getting their book published (myself included). Going to conferences like Crime Bake help step up your game.
  • We had a great social media panel on Friday that lead to many conversations throughout the weekend. One of the panelists said that blogs were dead. I disagree, but can’t really contribute to the conversation while I let this blog be so quiet. So short essays here, and on NHWN on a regular basis.

Anon.

 

The Fall Reboot

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The only reason I don’t adore fall is that I hate winter with such a passion. If fall led to spring or summer, it would be my favorite season. I love the crisp air. I love the colors. I love the seasonal food. I love the holidays, especially Thanksgiving. But most of all, I love the reboot.

My life is on a semester cycle. I teach, which helps. And my theater world has seasons, many of which either start or end in September. My daytimer starts in September rather than January. And since my birthday is at the end of the summer, fall is a time for me to set goals for the coming year.

This year the reboot hasn’t been automatic. Time is flying by so quickly I feel the need to respect it more. Is that really how I want to spend my time? Can my knees take another running program? How can I carve out more time for writing? Should I try meditation, again? What will make this time different?

How to break down the goals into manageable tasks, and how to be accountable to myself, those are the struggles. But crisp air, delicious apples and great sleeping weather help reframe the struggles a bit. After all, it is a new year.