Unexpected

Recently, I’ve had some unexpected surprises in my life. 

While watching my super-star son Payson play in a basketball tournament, a voice behind me caught my attention.

  I turned around and looked into the eyes of someone surprisingly familiar. 

Do you see the man sitting directly behind the counselor?

“Were you the voice of Mr. Cobra Bubbles in Lilo and Stitch?” I asked.

I’m usually not this forward, but if you heard this man’s voice I promise you would’ve asked the same thing.

“Yes,” he said.

He said YES!

He introduced himself as Ving Rhames.  He also introduced the counselor and I to his wife and pointed out their son playing on the opposing team of our son.  During the game, Ving cheered for Payson and we cheered for his son.  Ving, a Golden Globe winner, also stared in Pulp Fiction, Mission Impossible and Con Air.  He was so cool and it was great to meet him.

Yeah! Unexpected for sure!

So, when the counselor decided to plant a garden, he discussed with me which vegetables I would most like to have.  We picked zucchini, egg plant, tomatoes, green beans and yellow crookneck squash.

But, something unexpected happened.

What are these?

You guessed it. 

We have a garden full of pumpkins.

Notice, pumpkins were never purchased as seeds, nor even planted in the garden, or so we thought. 

After some investigation, we realized egg plants didn’t make it up.  Could it be the egg plant seed were accidentally/unexpectedly pumpkin seed in disguise? 

Looks like I’m making lots of pumpkin bread in the middle of June.

I ran into the thrift store hoping to find some great trash to re-sell.  

I looked around and didn't see anything that catch my eye, until I unexpectedly saw this.

It's in perfect condition, real leather and has a modern European look to it.  

I hope to make some great money off this.

Out of all the trash I've brought home recently, this piece unexpectedly sold the fastest.

I posted it on craigslist and had about 10 people call on it.

I wish I had about 10 more of them to sell.

But, unexpectedly, this beautiful China Hutch hasn't sold.

I thought for sure it would be gone by the end of the day, but it hasn't found the right person yet.

When I saw this huge book shelf, I knew I wanted it, but I'd never sold a book shelf before.  It's always a bit tricky to purchase a piece of trash for the first time.  After my initial investment, would it be worth my time to resale?   This book shelf was so cool and worth the risk.

After I brought it home, I noticed the very small sticker on back.

Unexpectedly, I realized it was from Crate & Barrel and worth about $600.00.

What a great surprise and it's already sold.

The last week of school, Chandler worked on his end of year project; to be a character in the school Wax Museum.  All his classmates were to pick a famous American Hero to dress up as.  They had to prepare and memorize a one minute speech, highlighting the life of their hero.

Chandler picked to be Mark Twain.

For his part, he needed crazy hair, a sport coat and bow tie.

Thanks to $1.00 day clothes at Goodwill, he looked spiffy.

Unexpectedly, I ran into one of his classmates who picked to be Rachel Carson.  

Since Rachel Carson is my hero, I had to have a picture with her.

Isn't she beautiful.

What's happened to you unexpectedly lately?

Oh yeah, I’m a writer?

It’s been three years since I finished my first Young Adult novel.  

The idea for Colors of the Sea came to during my pregnancy with Reef, my 4^th son.  Because of veracious veins and other ailments of pregnancy, I had to take it easy, so 15 weeks into my pregnancy, I sat at the computer and started writing.  I am a lover of the sea and marine biologist Rachel Carson.  I took the key elements from Rachel’s life and research and wrote a postmodern YA romance with just enough fantasy to keep us mermaid lovers happy. I wrote every day, hours at a time, for six months.  I was living vicariously through my 17 year-old character, Winona and the counselor strangely took on the role of her love interest, Darren.    What fun that was!

I worked day and night to finish the manuscript before Reef was born, but the birth of a baby doesn’t wait.  I remember reading through the manuscript with my mom and the counselor while breathing through contractions at the hospital.  I think they had to pry my book out of my hands before giving me the baby.  Reef Carson, named after the sea and Rachel Carson, was born healthy and happy.  Thank heavens he was a good sleeper from the start, because I stayed up nights to finish the book.  Everybody thought I was exhausted because I had a new baby, but little did they know I couldn’t sleep until Colors of the Sea was finished.  I had to know the ending.

I remember when I wrote the last couple paragraphs:

He looks at my lips then back at my eyes; wanting to do something he should have done long ago.  His hands reach for my face and all I can do is stare into his sea green eyes.  His touch captivates me and I can barely breathe.  I’m not sure when I’ve ever stood so still.  Gently, he kisses my lips and it’s as if fleshy rose-petals run across my mouth.  Soft at first, a quiet surprise that starts my heart racing in a million different directions, and when his warm breath pulls me in even more, I’m certain we’re floating.  He could take me in the waves again, drown me with kisses and hold me while the water pulls us out to sea.  He could show me his world, pick me a bouquet of sea grass and coral buds and adorn me with fresh-water pearls.  I want him as much as he wants me; we both want this world together so why do I suddenly pull away?

I stand cold and feel the wind run through my hair.  It must be past midnight.  My face is flushed, my lips still moist and the desire to be back in his arms is more than I can bear.  My eyes widen and I want to say something, but it’s too late to collect thoughts. 

I take a step away from him while my eyes fill with tears.  Doesn’t he realize I can’t love him when he’s already in love with someone else?  Our kiss, magical as it was, has only made matters more complicated.  I reach for the door to my apartment and turn to open it.  I pause before looking back at him, but he has already slipped away in the darkness.  I know where he’s going; he’s looking for answers, he’s looking to be saved so he’s run to the sea.

Exhausted and exhilarated at the same time, I realized I was done.  I jumped up and down, ran and picked up each of my kids, twirling them in the air and smothering them with kisses.  I shouted and did what I’ll call the “touchdown dance,” perhaps you’ve seen your favorite NFL player do it when he makes a touchdown.

DONE!  With a 326-page manuscript.  Dance, dance, dance!

And I started submitting agents.  I just knew someone would snatch it up.  Sure, I’d heard it was a difficult time to publish, you know, with the whole economy thing, but my story was so great.

Yeah, right!

I had a few bites from agents, but no takers.

I’ve spent the last three years doing something I never thought I could love and hate so much – EDITING!

URGH!

I’ve been to New York, met with various authors, worked with a publicist and professional editors and have had so many miracles along the way.  I’ve been to conferences, networked and read all the YA I could get my hands on.  I’ve learned so much about writing, querying, submitting, publishing and marketing.  After two-years of working on it, loving it, hating it, cursing it, celebrating it, I’ve committed to start querying Colors of the Sea again on Earth Day. 

You know I love Earth Day, oh how I love it, so along with the My Dear Trash Earth Day Book Drive, along with the two $25.00 give-aways from Changing Hands Book Store and Bookmans, along with the linky party here at My Dear Trash on Earth Day where Kelly and I and you will feature our great finds (can’t wait to see your trash), I’m going to also start querying agents.

Here’s my challenge. 

I’ve finished editing 267 pages out of 326 pages.  From now to Earth Day on April 22, I’m going to work my “#@*^*” off to get the last 59 pages done (I apologize for my keyboard cursing, it just has a mind of its own).

Prepare for messy house, prepare for take-out dinners, prepare for little exercise, prepare for no sleep, prepare for housekeeper!

Prepare for takeoff!

Wish me luck; I’m going to need it.

Ten Things I've Learned From Rachel Carson

I have a dear friend whom I’ve never met. In fact, she was dead before I was even born. If I think about this fact for too long, I want to cry. I find myself thinking of her everyday. I call on her words when I need inspiration. I believe there is life after death. I want to have a nice long talk with her by the sea someday.

In one word I can describe Rachel Carson:

wonderful

She cared for the world before the words “environmental issues” were ever spoken. A visionary? She saw herself as a writer first, than a scientist. I see her as my hero.

Rachel Carson was born in 1907 and died in 1964. In her short life she wrote several pieces of literature. My world changed in 1996 when I read a book called The Edge of the Sea. Writing so passionate and poetic; it felt like reading scripture.

If I dared to introduce my own writing genre I would call her writings: nature romance. Her words take me dancing in the forest on a bed of damp ferns. I’ve heard we may forget facts, but we don’t forget feelings. When I’m out in nature, I feel Rachel Carson’s words speaking to me through my feelings.

Think of the most wonderful attributes about a child you love.

Rachel displayed those very attributes throughout her adult life. She loved being outside. She carried buckets and pails with dirty worn-out shovels. She got on her hands and knees to look under rocks. She drew pictures of the birds and un-hatched eggs in their nests. Crabs were always fascinating, as were starfish, sea urchins, snails and other creatures that were always changing. Water was something to be touched, not just looked at. It didn’t matter if it was cold, she wanted to be exploring outside. One particular outing, she was gazing at a tide pool of little creatures. After several hours, her knees buckled. The cold water left her legs numb. A friend lifted Rachel’s petite frame and carried her back to shore, but like a child, she couldn’t wait to get back into the water.

In honor of Rachel, I named my little son Reef Carson.

He already loves the sea.

And creatures of the sea.

Here are ten things I’ve learned from Rachel Carson:

1. Watch birds
2. Carry a journal when out in nature
3. Learn from a child’s natural curiosity
4. Real women wear gloves
5. Anything radical is not pure
6. It’s easy to protect the earth when remembering who created it
7. Write letters to friends
8. Study what you love
9. Visit the ocean regularly
10. Honest and passionate writing can change the world

Thank you, Rachel, for all you’ve taught me and my children.