Because my book, Angel Sister is fresh off the presses and onto bookstore shelves I’ve been doing some book launches, library speeches and internet interviews with bloggers. I’ve got one up right now with Favorite PASTimes, a blog that focuses on historical fiction and the writers behind the stories. They’ve got quite the line up of authors who make regular visits to the blog page to share their views and expertise. http://www.favoritepastimes.blogspot.com/
~~
It was a fun interview. I always enjoy talking about writing. Sometimes – maybe all the time – it’s easier to talk about writing than to write. I’m struggling with my work in progress right now. But I think I’m gaining on it. I hope I’m gaining on it.
~~
I enjoy doing blog interviews because you never know exactly what the blogger is going to ask you. One of the questions asked by Favorite PASTimes was about where I do my writing. They even told me I could send them a picture of my office or work area. My desk was a disaster then and unfortunately still is. There was no way I was going to snap a picture of that messy desk for everybody to see. Instead of a real picture, I made up a word picture. One that wasn’t completely realistic. You know I do write fiction. Parts of it were right. I do have double windows on two walls to look out over the farm. I do have an old oak desk in the center of the room. I do stare at my computer screen a lot of hours everyday and I do have a tendency to just dump everything on my desktop until I have time to sort and store or dispose. Some days simply aren’t picture-my-desk days. So I added a few touches that were completely imaginary. The polished desk top with no dust. The bouquet of beautiful roses on the corner of my desk. I even described the exact type of rose. Those beautiful yellow roses with the pink highlights. I haven’t had roses on my desk since I nearly fainted when I saw the flower shop bill the last time my husband had roses delivered to me for Valentine’s Day a few years back. I know. I know. I don’t deserve flowers if I’m going to complain about the price. But imaginary roses on my desk seemed perfect.
~~
Now comes the really odd part. The very night I finished answering the interview questions and after I hit the send button, my husband came home with two dozen roses that exactly matched the roses I’d imagined on my desk corner. The very exact ones. I took pictures of them for proof. One of the singers in his quartet drives a flower delivery truck and his boss told him to throw out all these roses that were past their prime and couldn’t be sold. Instead he gave his wife some and brought the others to their singing practice session to let the other guys have roses for their wives. There were other colors, but my husband ended up with the creamy yellow and pink ones. It seemed almost magical or even better a smile from above. I imagined these beautiful roses and then two hours later there they were sitting right on my desk.
~~
So I’m thinking maybe I should imagine flowers more often. But I imagine a lot of things that I wouldn’t want to ever come true. I certainly don’t want to go through the trials and troubles some of my characters have to go through. I’ll let those things stay in my imagination.
~~
Of course there is that quote of Norman Vincent Peale. At least I thought it was his. I went out to search for it but couldn’t find the exact quote. It’s says something about being careful to imagine right because we tend to become what we imagine. I did find the one that says we get what we expect. So imagine good things and expect blessings. And just maybe you’ll get roses.
~~
You’ve still got time to enter my gift card giveaway. Just go to my website, read how to enter and send me a message telling me about your special sister. I’ve got two wonderful sisters. I’m for sure blogging about sisters Sunday. Couldn’t pass up the neat flower story tonight. Thanks for reading. Oh, one last thing. I’ll be at the Grant County Library this Saturday giving a book talk. If you’re in the area, come on out and say hello. Or ask me what I’m imagining. What are you imagining that you’d like to see happen?