Yesterday may have been National Signing Day for college football, but today was signing day for me. I could not be more thrilled to partner with HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen Books!
Signing Day!
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Category Archives: Uncategorized
for Jackie
My muse– the first person to see each of my scenes– wrote this for me tonight, and of course it made me weep like a baby. Isn’t she just brilliant? I feel so honored and so humbled that she would write a poem– and not just a poem, but THIS poem– about me.
Celebrating the Introvert: Part I
This post was written by my dear friend Elyse … though it feels like I could have written the same thing!!!
Theory of Inspiration
Melissa was my roomie at the Big Sur Writing Workshop last year. I loved her post here about inspiration and influences. A lot.
Lately, I’ve happened upon several instances of writers being asked, “What inspired you to write your book?” or “Where do you get all your ideas?” There seems to be this consensus that if you write a novel, you have to be inspired directly by something. However, the glamorous answers of dreams and train rides don’t apply to every writer. Often, it’s hard to pinpoint one exact thing or time when inspiration struck, which makes for an underwhelming origin story. Many a writer must bemoan recounting the inspiration of a book because, invariable, this question of inspiration comes up every single time I’ve seen a writer asked questions by his or her fans.
For me, being asked, “what inspired you?” is an absolutely terrifying prospect. My answer, right now anyway, is, “what doesn’t?” Okay, so rhetorical questions are rude, but it seems unfair to claim one specific thing inspired me to write one other…
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The Journey From Leaving Christianity To Attending Seminary
Loved the honesty of this.
A reader of my blog recently asked a good question that I want to answer with a post. They wrote:
Reading through your blog, we seem to have some of the same struggles and attitudes about what is generally passed off as Christianity. I see you have just started seminary, and so I have to ask whether your about page is due for an update. You have probably answered this in your past posts, but am I curious how you went from falling away to starting seminary.
First, the easy question. Yes, I should update the about me page. It’s been a long time and could definitely use an update. Thanks for pointing that out.
Now for the big question: How did I go from falling away to starting seminary? I decided to leave the church and faith back around 2007 or 2008 (I don’t remember specifically), though the frustration…
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Well, looky there!
Truest is on Goodreads: here.
(Okay, so maybe that’s not that exciting to you, but I want to savor every moment of this dream coming true!)
If you’re on Goodreads, go ahead and add it to your to-read shelf. I dare you.
🙂
Tumblr & Asks & Anonymity
It was a quiet roll-out, but back in October 2013, I joined Tumblr and linked my blog up. If Tumblr is more your style, you can find me at http://jackieleasommers.tumblr.com.
Lots of you are probably thinking, “Huh? What’s Tumblr? Why should I care? What’s in it for me?”
Here’s why I think you might be interested:
* It has an “ASK” feature where you can ask me anything. More importantly, you can ask me anything anonymously, if you want. I hear from a lot of blog readers via email who bravely share their stories with me (and I’m so grateful and humbled by your trust), but I imagine there are others who are too afraid to attach their names to their stories. Feel free to use this feature all you want, friends. The second reason this feature is so important is this: if you share your story or ask your question on a public forum (instead of privately through email), others can benefit. Just as you’ve learned since kindergarten: if you are wondering, someone else surely is wondering the same thing.
* My Tumblr page will have additional content– not from me, but content from around the internet that I find fascinating. You might too. Or not. 🙂
So, there you have it!
Give Yourself a New Year’s Present by A.M. Jenkins
This. This is what I need to tell myself every day.
Quit being so hard on yourself! Beating yourself up doesn’t help your writing, and negative self-talk creates its own downward spiral. Turn away from that spiral. Just be about what’s on the page.
Cuddle Therapy
Friends, you’ll be happy to know that I ended up rather enjoying my New Year’s Eve. My best friend Erica came over, we snagged dinner at Cafe Latte, then watched season one of Downton Abbey from my trusty ol’ couch. We also ate cake. Best friend therapy? Cake therapy? Lovely. Both at once? Dynamite.
This morning, when I opened up my eyes, the clouds were gone from my head. I lay in bed, assessing my thoughts: do I feel sad? No. Do I feel excited about life? Yeah, actually. Do I feel ready to write? Interestingly, yes.
Praise the Lord.
I ate lunch with Desiree, which was lovely since we haven’t had many opportunities to really catch up since she got married and moved out. I love that lady so much. So wise, beautiful, loving, funny. And did I mention that she gave me the newly redesigned/repackaged Harry Potter series? Safe to say I freaked out. Roommate therapy? Yes please.
Then I headed over to Tracy’s house. Tracy, as you may recall, is my college roomie who is mother to the three most special girls on planet earth. I told her to warn the girls that I would need hugs and cuddles. Let me tell you, I don’t think there was a better way to start 2014 than to have Emma (6) snuggled into my left side and Ava (3) snuggled into my right and Elsie (almost 2) with us on the couch while we watched Home Alone. Cuddle therapy? These girls have have my heart. Just what I needed.
I’m so, so glad that the numbness and sadness of yesterday feel as if they’ve been flung from me. It was a lie. I’m recognizing the truth again today.
Happy new year, everyone.
Welcome, welcome, 2014!
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JACKIE LEA SOMMERS 