tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2037419790609319671.post7686348592563022741..comments2024-03-27T03:16:57.365-04:00Comments on Girlfriends Book Club: The Zen of WritingWriter Wenchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16730769794553260336noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2037419790609319671.post-74833716657546118072010-09-14T11:47:52.635-04:002010-09-14T11:47:52.635-04:00Brenda, pleased I could make you feel zen, girl! I...Brenda, pleased I could make you feel zen, girl! I can't wait to tell you all about the YA that I had dreamed about. Hopefully soon.<br /><br />Beth, thank you. I'm smiling right back atcha! <br /><br />Ernessa, I love that reading challenge! I'm sure you can get back on track. Good luck to you.Malenahttp://www.malenalott.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2037419790609319671.post-69056338621283609922010-09-11T14:00:52.410-04:002010-09-11T14:00:52.410-04:00At the beginning of the year, I challenged myself ...At the beginning of the year, I challenged myself to read 52 books by December 31 and it's one of the best things I've ever done for myself. I'm way behind, but I have faith I'll get there. I loved what you said about practice awareness by reading someone else's story.Ernessa T. Carterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17765310225042942524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2037419790609319671.post-41021319902096302032010-09-10T22:20:28.441-04:002010-09-10T22:20:28.441-04:00Malena, you always make me smile ... and think! I ...Malena, you always make me smile ... and think! I love how you are so awake and aware. Terrific post!Beth Hoffmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16770840174293503835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2037419790609319671.post-53607857553260191212010-09-10T20:39:37.284-04:002010-09-10T20:39:37.284-04:00Malena, that post totally made ME feel zen! Which...Malena, that post totally made ME feel zen! Which is not an easy task, I assure you!!<br /><br />I love how you say your book came to you in a dream/nightmare!!! Stephenie Meyer says that the idea for the Twilight books came to her in a dream, so here's hoping you have that kind of success with YOUR dream book!Brenda Janowitzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02341902606434073240noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2037419790609319671.post-48713273361365422222010-09-10T16:28:13.331-04:002010-09-10T16:28:13.331-04:00Hank, very true! It was so vivid, like all good wr...Hank, very true! It was so vivid, like all good writing should be.Malenahttp://www.malenalott.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2037419790609319671.post-78946121461081377022010-09-10T15:13:22.404-04:002010-09-10T15:13:22.404-04:00A story that comes to you in a dream...means it ca...A story that comes to you in a dream...means it came to you when you were awake, you just didn't know it.<br /><br />Wonderful post!Hank Phillippi Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17420701704169428286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2037419790609319671.post-20287052904708074772010-09-10T14:30:29.328-04:002010-09-10T14:30:29.328-04:00Greg, thanks for the offer. Readers, take him up o...Greg, thanks for the offer. Readers, take him up on it! <br /><br />Susan, I used to be Type A+ but wishfully thinking I'm a B+ now. My daughter said the other day, "Mom, you're so much more organized this year. You used to throw our papers in a drawer and now you have a three ring binder separated by child." I'm a complete paper clutter bug so I took that as a good sign that I am slowing down and focusing on the task at hand, even if everyone is yelling at me at once. :) Good luck to you. <br /><br />Also, readers, it's not technically a summer read since I read it after the new year, but I wanted to say how much I loved our girlfriend Beth Hoffman's debut, Saving CeeCee Honeycutt. One of my fave reads of the year, for sure. She's a huge talent and you'll thank me once you've read it.Malenahttp://www.malenalott.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2037419790609319671.post-33880174989332040882010-09-10T14:21:45.841-04:002010-09-10T14:21:45.841-04:00Hi, Malena! One of my resolutions for the past few...Hi, Malena! One of my resolutions for the past few years is to be more Zen, only it's hard for a Type A (I'm trying to be more of a Type A-minus). Thanks for reminding us how important it is to live--and write--in the moment. Sometimes that's too easy to forget!Susan McBridehttp://susanmcbride.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2037419790609319671.post-77679577019948286022010-09-10T14:12:44.163-04:002010-09-10T14:12:44.163-04:00A Zen post, well done.
If any of your readers wou...A Zen post, well done.<br /><br />If any of your readers would like a copy of my book, Zen and the Art of Surfing, I would be happy to send them a gratis one. Just shoot me an address at greg@greggutierrez.com<br /><br />Aloha nui loa,<br />live in the moment,<br /><br />Greg GutierrezGreg Gutierrezhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01855863421285825296noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2037419790609319671.post-80050292024352258282010-09-10T11:35:50.558-04:002010-09-10T11:35:50.558-04:00Sarah, I have heard that about the third one. My s...Sarah, I have heard that about the third one. My son is reading HG for school so it's fun to be able to discuss something other than football with him. I might just scan the third one. <br /><br />Melissa, you're welcome. I'm really looking forward to the love goddess cooking book. My fall reading is going to rock. Glad you like my cover, too. Xoxo<br /><br />Marilyn, wishing you much zen this weekend. I'm looking forward to tailgating followed by movie club discussing A Single Man.Malenahttp://www.malenalott.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2037419790609319671.post-88203738970498264672010-09-10T11:34:01.625-04:002010-09-10T11:34:01.625-04:00Lovely post, Malena, and thanks for the reminder t...Lovely post, Malena, and thanks for the reminder to stay "in touch with the inner workings of life"... I could use a little Zen this weekend ;). Great book recommendations, too!!Marilyn Branthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05303846770348840645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2037419790609319671.post-19978121691504816962010-09-10T11:05:36.655-04:002010-09-10T11:05:36.655-04:00Thanks for the shout-out, Malena! I've read a ...Thanks for the shout-out, Malena! I've read a few of the books you mentioned and have put the others on my must-buy list. Can't wait for your new one, too. Love that cover.Melissa Senatehttp://www.melissasenate.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2037419790609319671.post-58618482214422789282010-09-10T10:58:51.034-04:002010-09-10T10:58:51.034-04:00I love the Hunger Games! But not the final one as ...I love the Hunger Games! But not the final one as much as the first two....sarah pekkanenhttp://www.sarahpekkanen.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2037419790609319671.post-62520239971328995642010-09-10T09:27:58.521-04:002010-09-10T09:27:58.521-04:00Submitting completely to the characters and the st...Submitting completely to the characters and the story... I couldn't have put it better myself. Great post, Malena!Maria Geracihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02296473703226019932noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2037419790609319671.post-50566105197236654042010-09-10T09:08:32.858-04:002010-09-10T09:08:32.858-04:00Hi Malena,
What a great piece. I read a lot of b...Hi Malena,<br /><br />What a great piece. I read a lot of books on Zen, favoring those by Charlotte joko Beck in particular. Also Natalie Goldberg is always talking about writing as a practice. It seems if you go deep enough it will inform you on so many aspects of life.Karin Gillespiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13526466399023966816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2037419790609319671.post-44058089580833829002010-09-10T08:59:59.671-04:002010-09-10T08:59:59.671-04:00Judy,
It does feel like we have more "childre...Judy,<br />It does feel like we have more "children" out there that we need to take care of by telling their story. If that makes writers a strange breed, I'm fine with that. :)Malenahttp://www.malenalott.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2037419790609319671.post-53158264410209501962010-09-10T08:52:20.665-04:002010-09-10T08:52:20.665-04:00Thanks, Man of la Books. I do use non-fiction book...Thanks, Man of la Books. I do use non-fiction books as research. For Dating da Vinci, I read about eight books on Leonardo da Vinci, but honestly it was before I realized I would create a modern day character based on him. I just loved him, period. For my first novel, The Stork Reality, I referenced a lot of the pregnancy books I'd already read when I was actually pregnant. And for Fixer Upper, the idea for the book actually stemmed from a copy of the Better Homes and Gardens Handyman's Book from the 1960s my father in law gave me. I got their permission to use several quotes in the book. In fact, that will probably by my post next time! Thanks for visiting.Malenahttp://www.malenalott.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2037419790609319671.post-69385832957867852382010-09-10T08:49:12.338-04:002010-09-10T08:49:12.338-04:00Great post, Malena! I love your line about storie...Great post, Malena! I love your line about stories being "needy"--that's when it gets really fun for me . . . . when the characters I haven't met yet keep nagging at me that they have something to say and I need to start listening.Judy Merrill Larsenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06675069484490433295noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2037419790609319671.post-33203592358974207132010-09-10T08:32:01.477-04:002010-09-10T08:32:01.477-04:00Wonderful post. Do you read books which are relat...Wonderful post. Do you read books which are related to the subject your write about?<br /><br />http://www.ManOfLaBook.comAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com