QotM

Michael D'Agostino hosts the Question of the Month on his blog A Life Examined. He went for a deep one this month.

“What’s a decision you’ve made in the past that you know, logically, was the right decision to make, but which you still feel guilty or regretful about?”

I guess we all feel guilty about some things. And life if full of regrets. But I've been a forward looking person. I tend to 'move on' from things and hope I've taught my children the same things. Earlier in my teaching career, I sometime regretted that I switched my major from pre-med to education but not anymore. I would have been miserable spending all that time in classrooms. I would have missed all the joy working with young people brought me over the years. I made the right decision for having a happy life. It's not easy to decide what you want to do with the rest of your life when you're young.

This is what my kids say.

Visit Michael's blog for the list of others answering this interesting question.

Don't forget IWSG day is this Wednesday. The question for the month, should you care to use it:
When do you know your story is ready?

The George RR Martin Legacy: All men must die.

I read as much as I can. Usually in the hour before I go to bed and sometimes on my stationery bike. My daughter convinced to read some Sarah J. Maas books. She has two series going. I like one better than the other. Both series have one book left. As usual in a series, the penultimate book left the heroes in big trouble, separated and making desperate plans. I'm excited for the last books. But will the heroes die or survive? Will they win or win at a price they didn't want to pay? I've never finished a series by this author, so I don't know how much like 'Martin' she is.

You see the Martin effect in books in ways you didn't used to. In Tolkien's LotR, the heroes survive though they are changed. But read any fantasy today and there's no guarantee who will survive. TV shows have taken the same turn. Not even main characters are safe. Sometimes fans get very upset and vocal, claiming a death was only for to shock or draw a spike of viewers. But the reality, hopefully, is to advance the story.

Do readers and viewers now expect shocking deaths in their fiction? Do you write them into your stories? What TV show shocked you with the death of a character?

What regrets do you have about decisions you made?

IWSG: July 2016

I hope you're joining the IWSG bloghop today. Started and led my Alex J. Cavanaugh, IWSG members post on the first Wednesday of every month. We share out victories, woes, and help each other in every what possible and positive. Please join us here. Many members have been participating for years! Starting this month, IWSG is posing a question just in case after so many posts, you're run out of things to talk about. Sometimes, it seems like our difficulties are the same month after month and that's okay. You don't have to answer the question. But here it is.

What's the best thing anyone ever said about your writing?

When I'm feeling down on my writing, I reread some good reviews I've had. "Couldn't put it down." "I laughed. I cried." "Want to read more by this author."
Those good things help keep me going. Saying good things about pacing and characters helps too. Thanks to all those who take time to write reviews.

In other BIG news, IWSG members can vote for the genre of our next anthology. Please go to the link and cast your vote if you haven't already.

I didn't post the Question of the Month on Monday since it was July 4th. Michael G. D'Agostino runs the monthly bloghop. You can find him at A Live Examined and the rest of the group on this list. July's question:

What was the first book (or book series) that you really fell in love with?

I'm not sure. I read so much from about fourth grade on. I read all things animal at that time. Jack London books and The Black Stallion Series by Walter Farley. I also read A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle during that time. It could have been any of those that I fell in love with.

I read Michael J. Sullivan's newest book, Age of Myth over the weekend. It was terrific! I hope you visited him when he guested last week on IWSG. He's a great guy and one of my top five favorite fantasy writers.

My writing groups are keeping me busy as usual but I have been getting some writing done. My husband has been around the house a lot which is a distraction. He likes to talk whereas I like quiet. I saw a statistic that says the average woman utters 7,000 words per day and the average man speaks just over 2,000. It's opposite at our house.

Do you remember the first book you fell in love with? Do you have some 'feel good' writing comments to fall back on when you need it? Did you vote for the anthology yet? Who talks the most at your house?

Question of the Month

Today I'm joining the Question of the Month. This blog hop idea started with Michael G. D'Agostino, a blogging friend from Australia. He runs a very entertaining blog, A Life Examined. The blog is entertaining because Michael shares his interesting adventures with humor and insight. My life seems so bland compared to what he gets up to. For the hop, Michael posts a question and you share your answers and explain them a bit. You can join the hop by signing onto the list here. This month's question:

"What are three things you would do tomorrow if fear wasn't stopping you?"

This is a difficult question for me. Money keeps me from doing things more than fear. At this point in my life, nearly all my fears involve worrying about my loved ones.

1. I would skydive. I'm not terrified of heights but they make me very uncomfortable. But the views and peace of falling through a clear sky sounds like something wonderful.

2. I would really like to do some cave diving though I'm not a great swimmer. I would likely be terrified to be in the deep dark, but how cool would it be to see things that few people ever have.

3. I would put myself 'out there' more as a writer. I don't pursue enough opportunities that might improve my marketing. It's a kind of fear, perhaps lack of confidence.

"Courage is the price that life exacts for granting peace." Amelia Earhart

Thanks to all the well-wishes last weekend. My daughter did arrive safely though it took two hours from landing until she and her friends made it through customs. Not unexpected as they were flying in from the Middle East during the holiday weekend. Lots of family fun, food, games and a little bit of wine made the weekend speed by. Hope you all had a safe holiday.

Plans for the month are to finish the first draft of that WIP I've been working on a way too slow pace. I need to get it done because August is filled with lots of other things. More on that later this month. For this week on the home front, I would be happy if it would just not rain more than once.

Do you have some fears you wish you could overcome? Do you know Michael at A Life Examined? Did you do anything fun or exciting this past weekend? Do you have plans or goals for July?