How I Wrote My Novel

An introspective look at

http://hubpages.com/hub/Moon-Dance-Author-on-How-I-Wrote-My-Novel

Excerpt from Moon Dance by Susan K. Earl

A half moon greeted us as we rode sedately into the yard. I held on to Joe as I slipped silently off the horse, and his whispered “I love you” filled me with joy. I wandered thoughtfully toward the house and just about tripped over Rueben and Frank
as they lazed under a big shady pecan tree.
“That you, Maggie?” Frank asked. He looked beat and didn’t bother opening his eyes or waiting for my reply before he posed another question. “Joe all right?”

“Mmhmm. He’s stabling Rueben’s horse. Then he’ll be back.”
“I believe I’m too tired to budge from this spot, even with that wonderful smell comin’ from Mrs. Gilley’s kitchen.”
Rueben sat up, rubbing his eyes. “Think I’ll head on into the house and get a bite to eat ‘fore I sack out for the night. Y’all come on. Mom’s made chicken ‘n’ dumplins tonight, and it don’t get better’n that.” He reached out and pulled Frank up. “Come on now; you’ll feel better after you eat.”
They shuffled into the house like two old men, but Frank turned back at the kitchen door and searched through the darkness for me. “You comin’, Maggie?”
I called back softly, “When Joe gets back, we’ll be right in.” I leaned back against the sturdy old tree and gazed at the rising moon. Its light softly shimmered through the shadows, illuminating bits and pieces of the yard while leaving the rest in darkness.
It had been a long day, and I felt weary to the bone, but as I gazed at the glorious moon, I prayed, thanking God for his generous goodness, for Joe, for our families, and for that very
day of existence. Tears dampened my cheeks, not just from sadness or joy, but a mixture of the two. I closed my eyes and let the peacefulness of the moment sink into my soul.
All at once, I felt his heartbeat against mine, I felt his breath in my hair, and I imagined I heard his sweet voice...

Moon Dance ~ a novel
Copyright © 2009 by Susan K. Earl. All rights reserved.

I'm really an author!

It is so nice to be recognized as an author by people you have never met before, yet they know you because of your book. Several great experiences just this week... First, someone on librarything.com listed me as their favorite author.... I was so surprised and delighted to stumble across this. Second, as I was leaving massage envy after a wonderful hot stone massage, my massage therapist said she'd like an autographed book instead of a tip. I thought that was a wonderful idea. Then as I was signing it, the girls at the counter were talking about my book and one of them said one of her friends was reading Moon Dance and loved it. They all wanted to get a copy of their own. A third friend said his niece had picked up the book and started reading it at her Grandmother's house and couldn't put it down. Now she has her circle of friends are reading it. I am very touched by my readers' enthusiasm. It makes me feel loved. :) Thank you for reading!!

To find out about upcoming events or more about Moon Dance, visit my website at http://susanearl.tatepublishing.net/

PLEASE NO MORE FLEAS!

What is happening here! Our animals are overrun by those despicable little creatures called fleas! We have bathed both dogs several times, used the drops provided by the vet, used home remedies, and still they are pestered by the little critters! IS it the rain? ARE they immune to what has worked in the past? I am frustrated because I'm supposed to be able to take care of my pets... and nothing is working! All the rain prevents us from treating the yard, and it prevents the dogs from wanting to go out in the yard. We've had to take them on walks just to get them out of the house to take care of what they need to take care of out of the house. The cat just stays out of it all. She, for some reason, is immune to all the flea business. Maybe because she never goes outside. Who knows, but my dogs are itching for a cure! Any new ideas would be greatly appreciated.

America

America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves. ~Abraham Lincoln

Country Roads

Just Me...Not Winnie the Pooh...

on finding your purpose in life...In which Alex strives for perfection, Susan stumbles as she builds her treehouse , and God offers direction and purpose for their lives.

It was a beautiful day in the hundred acre woods. Pooh was walking along aimlessly, making up a new hum. On the other side of the woods, I was walking along in search of him. Needless to say, he didn't come my way. As I walked through the woods I kept hearing a voice, softly at first, but persistent. I sat down on a fallen log to contemplate what the voice was saying to me. As I sat in silence, I suddenly felt eyes staring at me. I turned around and found a little piglet carrying a balloon in his hand.
"Hello Piglet. Where are you off to?"
He smiled shyly, "I'm looking for Pooh, and here I've found you! What are you doing here today?"
"Well, I came to find Pooh and see about building a treehouse... but as I was walking along I kept hearing a voice calling me, and I stumbled over this log. So I thought I would just sit here a while and listen."
Piglet's eyes widened, "What did the voice say? Was it a helfalump?"
I giggled, "No Piglet, it wasn't a helfalump! It was a very special voice of a dear friend. Alex and I have been seeking God's purpose for our lives. Today God revealed a secret message to me in an acronym."
Piglet looked up at his balloon and sighed, "Ah, one of those. What did God say in this a crow name?"
"What is success?"
"Success?"
I nodded, "Yes, success. You use each letter in the word to stand for a direction to follow, so you can find purpose and success in your life. Like this, Piglet...
S - Seek God first
U - Understand his desire for you by reading his word.
C - Consider his purpose and plan laid out before you
C - Carry out his plan
E - Express his love freely to all
S - Support each other as you carry out God's purpose and plan
S - Serve only him...Let there be no other God in your life"

"Hmmm, success." Piglet scratched his chin and gazed up in the sky. "And did you find it?"
"I did, I shared God's word with you. Now we have found our purpose in life."

Sharecropping in North Louisiana by Lillian Laird Duff and Linda Duff Niemeir


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Sharecropping in North Louisiana: A Family’s Struggle Through the Great Depression by Lillian Laird Duff & Linda Duff Niemeir is a well-written historical narrative that vividly depicts the love, life, and adversities shared by several generations within one family. Reading this narrative is like sitting down with a dear friend and discovering the very depth of her soul. It is reminiscent of a warm kitchen on a cold winter’s day when the smell of freshly made bread saturates the air. This narrative gives off that type of satisfying fragrance as you read about the many lives affected by the consistent love and faith that embraced this family through many struggling years. The historical value of a narrative such as this is priceless. As a teacher, an author, and a historian, I believe this is meant to be shared and to be learned from by our generation, our children, and our children’s children.

Susan Earl, author of moon dance ~ a novel

View all my reviews >>

The remnants of Hurricane Alex are far reaching, and tonight on and off showers are still spinning in from the coast. Rainy nights at home always seem nice and cozy to me. It gives me a good excuse not to run out to pick up something from the store or head out to a movie. I can just relax, write or read, and know that this night offers me a few sweet moments to slow down.
Tonight I've been going back and forth between games of spider solitare and working on my latest novel (that I've promised myself I will finish by September.. lol). Since my setting is historically based I have to do a lot of research into the time period my novel is set. As I was perusing the archives of an ancient local paper, I came across the following article. I felt it was worthy of sharing and I hope it brings at least a little smile to your lips.

Friday May 20 (1938) Flem’s Flam’s By J. H. Flemister

IT’S POLITICS
We are indebted to the Nolan County News at Sweetwater for the following expense account turned in by a candidate two years ago.
“Lost, 1,349 hours of sleep thinking about the election. Lost, two front teeth and a lot of hair in a personal encounter with an opponent. Donated, a beef, four shoats and five sheep to a community barbecue. Gave away two pairs of suspenders, four calico dresses, $5 in cash and 13 baby rattlers.
“Chopped 132 acres of cotton. Kissed 126 babies. Walked 4,076 miles. Shook hands with 9,508 persons. Told 10,101 lies, and talked enough to make in print 987 volumes. Attended 16 revival meetings and was baptized four different times by immersion and twice some other way.
“Contributed $50 to foreign missions and made love to nine grass widows. Spent $106 dollars at box suppers. Hugged 49 old maids. Got dog bit 39 times—and was defeated.”
Which brings to mind the story related by the Anson News of the East Texas judge who seemed to remain in office indefinitely. On being asked how he did it he answered:
“My opponents always carry a jug of liquor around the county when they are electioneering. Now, common sense will teach you a man will throw away his chewing tobacco when he takes a drink of liquor; so I just follow them up with a big supply of Brown Mule and replenish the drinkers’ supply.”
These stories seem fantastic and unreal, but they are no more fantastic than the reasons for which too many voters vote for far too many candidates—and the candidates, too often get elected.

Pockets are still lined today, but not so much to the common man. Isn't it interesting or fantastic as Flem says that candidates so often get elected for the all the wrong reasons.
Hope you have a wonderful evening.

Book Signings

July is an exciting month for us. We are expecting our third grandson around the 20th of the month. Our oldest grandson just turned fourteen! He lives in Michigan and we only get to see him a couple of times a year. He is a great kid. He loves anything and everything about Harry Potter. We were able to take him to see the Harry Potter exhibit at the museum in Chicago last summer. It was a lot of fun. Our second grandson is four and a half. He is a doll. He loves to play outside, he's into gymnastics and karate, and plays t-ball. We love spending as much time as possible with him. We can't wait to meet our newest little grandson, we know he will be as adorable and loved as our first two boys.

On August 14th, I will be in Marshall,TX at Prospero's Books from 10:00 to noonish. This is also the weekend of Marshall's market days. The bookstore is cozy and comfortable, and I felt right at home when I met the owner's son last weekend. It is located on Washington St. right in the center of downtown Marshall. The market days are a lot of fun and great bargains are to be found, so if you're in the area, or feel like a road trip, please join us. I'm really excited to return to my hometown for this event, and I hope I get to see a lot of my hometown friends that I went to school with from David Crockett Elementary through Marshall High School. (Don't be surprised though, I've gotten older... but then again, haven't we all!

On August 21st, I will be returning to Border's books in the Arlington Highlands from 2 to 4 p.m. I am really looking forward to this book signing event because I loved working with and getting to know the staff back in March when I did my first book signing with them. It was a wonderful experience and I know it will be wonderful in August also. If you are anywhere near the Arlington, TX area on August 21st, please come see me at Borders Books in the Arlington Highlands. I'd love to see you there!

Coloring

"Maybe we should develop a Crayola bomb as our next secret weapon. A happiness weapon. A beauty bomb. And every time a crisis developed, we would launch one. It would explode high in the air - explode softly - and send thousands, millions, of little parachutes into the air. Floating down to earth - boxes of Crayolas. And we wouldn't go cheap, either - not little boxes of eight. Boxes of sixty-four, with the sharpener built right in. With silver and gold and copper, magenta and peach and lime, amber and umber and all the rest. And people would smile and get a little funny look on their faces and cover the world with imagination." ~Robert Fulghum

Today the kids had to draw a food chain. I used my imagination and created an abstract forest with beavers and bears, rivers and forests, the sun high in the sky... then I delighted myself by coloring it. Unfortunately, I failed to follow directions, and didn't make the the grade because I didn't make a food chain the way it is "tested", but I don't care... it was good, relaxing therapy. I still love to color. It helps to take away the gray, dull days and brighten my world with all the wonderful color encased inside a magic box. SO, when I read the above quote... I had to include it in my blog! Have a blessed evening!

Is it you? Are you there?

Tonight as I sit and contemplate getting started on the next chapter of the sequel to Moon Dance, I find myself wondering, just who out there is actually reading this blog. I hope it's reaching a multitude of folks who like Christian romance/ historical romance and will give Moon Dance a chance.
Writing a book is like giving birth to a child. You feel protective of it. You just want everyone to love it and no one to ever hurt its feelings. But the reality is that everyone has their own passion, their own taste in books, and not everyone will want to be your "child's" best friend.
I've had many best friends "good books" that I've loved throughout my life. And every time one of my favorite authors releases a new book, I can hardly contain myself before rushing to the nearest bookstore and getting my own copy.
I know a lot of you really like the new kindle and e-readers, but for me, I just have to have the book and hold it in my hand. I love to lay back against a huge pile of pillows and snuggle down for a good read. Tonight, for example, with only the sound of a soft rain falling and everyone else in the house sleeping, is a perfect night for a good book, a glass of wine, and a little time to unwind. I have just the perfect book waiting for me, calling my name... so for now dear friends, whoever you may be, goodnight!

Interview excerpt

I would love to say that I tuck myself away in a cozy, little room where everyone leaves me alone to write, but life explodes around me as I write. I do have a home office where I keep all the accessories I need to be a productive writer, and fortunately I can block out noises around me, so my working environment doesn...’t have to be quiet. I have an active family life with televisions on, music playing, dogs barking, the cat needing to walk across my keyboard and lay right in front of my computer screen (Hmmm!). I guess working in education, you get used to a “noisy” environment and are able to function and carry out your work despite hallway noises, intercoms, or students coming in and out of the classroom. Read more of this interview at:

http://hubpages.com/hub/An-Interview-With-Author-Susan-Earl

Dogs

Almost $300. later, the dog and his allergies are at peace!