My daughter Emily Murphy - published.

What a proud and emotional moment to be handed a copy of PROJECT CLOVE - Centennial Regional High School Anthology, a book that is so much more than just a book. It's an emotional out-pouring of thoughts and ideas, memories and truths from teens aged 13 - 18 who are reaching out with their words in the hopes of changing lives.

Emily's "I Can't Put a Title to This" is a piece of Slam Poetry that describes a friendship from it's hopeful start to it's startling end and is part of the collection.

The Anthology is a testament that young people really do care about the world, about their families and about their place in this every-changing universe. The world may be evolving in a way that sometimes feels like we can't keep up, especially with technology and the demands of our fragile world, but this collection reminds us that our children, however intelligent and independant, still need guidance, understanding, positive role models and most importantly, love and acceptance.

The anthology was made possible by Youth Fusion Jeunesse in association with Centennial High School and Concordia University.

The book launch is tomorrow night and I most certainly will be there!

Congratulations Emily, I'm very proud of you.

Writing Challenges at the OWG

Last night I submitted a piece to the the online writing group's June Writing Challenge. We had to pick one of three photos and one of three themes and then write a short piece (up to 1000 words) based on whatever those two prompts...er...prompted.
It was the first time I'd written something for this event. I really enjoyed it.


I've only ever used a photo prompt once before, on author Ian O'Neill's site, both times, to my great surprise and delight, the story ideas hit me right away.

I find it fascinating how our minds can piece together something so quickly after just looking at a picture. I also find it very interesting how I knew immediately which of the three photos would best inspire. Now, I'm not saying what this method will always work but I'll always keep it in mind, especially when my ideas get blocked and I need a little inspiration. You never know what you'll end up writing about!

Unfortunately, I can't tell you which photo and theme I chose, nor can I give you the story's title, because our identities are hidden. However, I can say that the voting will take place at the end of June and I'll let you know how my story fares.

What I'd like to know is what sparks creative ideas for you?

Check out the Muse Blog Conference where this topic is being discussed. www.museituppublishing.com (click on blog)

The Latest News & MuseItUp Publishing Blog Conference

As I was logging on to take a peek at today's Blog Conference post being offered by my publisher (my publisher I get such a thrill typing that!), I went to the home page first to see what was new.

Lo and behold, I was!

Yep, right there under "Lastest News" was my name. When I clicked on "me", my author's page opened up.

Now, you'd think with all the years of being in the entertainment business that I'd be used to my picture and/or name displayed, but seeing "Lisa Forget - author of Deathly Quiet" on a publisher's page featuring me?? Oh no....it was thrilling!!

What a rush!!!

I'm looking forward to the cover art for the story (Cover Art!), which I will share with you the moment it's ready!

Now on to the MuseItUp Blog Conference.

If you are a writer, or someone who appreciates the written word, you have to visit the online conference. It's free and with so much information and sharing of ideas by authors from all over the world, you'll be happy you did!

Just go to www.museituppublishing.com and after you check out the LATEST NEWS (hint, hint) and the BOOKSTORE (wonderful reads by the Muse's authors) then click on BLOG, where you'll find:

Using Online Media to Build Your Author Brand
Learn how to tweet, facebook, blog, and build your website to sell your product-YOU!
Presented by Amy McCorkle

Developing Characters- How Do I Make My Characters Unique? Presented by Barbara Ehrentreu

Research, Research, Research. Presented by Nancy M. Bell

EDITORS and YOU. Presented by J. Rose Knight

And today's post "Write About What You Know" by Australian author Wendy Laharnar

Here are the official details from Muse:
Beginning June 1st until the 30th, Muse authors will be hosting a month long Muse Blog Conference. This is in affiliation with The Muse Online Writers Conference (details for the Oct conference coming this month)

PRICE: FREE
DETAILS: To register please send an email to: museitupeditor@yahoo.ca

Place MUSE BLOG CONFERENCE on the subject heading and your name and email address within the body of your post. Why? Because those that register and participate get a chance to win one of several ebooks we'll be offering throughout the month.

FOR READERS: Every day beginning on June 1st at noon, I'll post the Featured 99cent E-book of the day for purchase. An incredible discount just for our readers for participating and supporting our Blog Conference.

Each Muse Blog Conference workshop will run for one day, where attendees are invited to post their questions, and/or exercises the presenters will be posting during their daily workshops.

Hope you'll drop by the Muse...

I'm taking it easy today. After ONE NIGHT WITH YOU - a tribute to Elvis Presley aka my night singing doo-wop with Elvis, I'm going to rest my voice and read a good MuseItUp ebook!

Have a wonderful Sunday!

Website

I'm really happy about how my "Author" website turned out. I had no intention of creating one today, but when I went to check out my MuseItUp Yahoo groups I went to visit a site of a fellow MIU author and Bang! the inspiration hit me.

www.lisaforget.weebly.com

It's simple but I have time to get it looking a little slicker before my stories are published - which is the reason I needed a website - for self-promotion. All authors have one and I'm going to need one too, apparently! I've linked this blog to the site - another thing I was happy about.

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I belong to the online writing group on author Kelley Armstrong's website. One of the things I love about the OWG is how we all share ideas on a variety of writer's issues. Here are my thoughts on one topic and my own cry for advice as well:

What we do when we have Writer's Block
(no I don't mean my sick and twisted 50 word story...LOL!)

In my experience, the best thing is to keep writing. That doesn't necessarily mean keep working on the thing that's got me in a knot. Sometimes I just have to write what's on my mind at the time to help unblock the flow.

I usually take my thoughts, paragraphs, pages of seemingly unconnected material and file it under whatever the subject is, ie: Fight Scene or Meeting a Stranger. Those pieces have often helped spark just what I needed to get back to my main writing project. I've even used some of those random bits in my main work (I don't delete anything). For example: I've sourced the sexy scenes I wrote a year ago for my Dark Lover WIP (work in progress) which I realize has the same title as JR Ward's first of the Brotherhood of the Black Dagger series, so I'll have to change it! lol! (book titles - definitely a topic worthy of a blog posting of its own) Of course, I didn't use the whole thing word for word but it was a great launching pad for the scene. I figure, I write what inspires me at the moment and somewhere down the line I'll need a little kick-start - using my very own words.

Another thing I like to do when my thoughts hit a wall is to turn to my favourite books, especially the ones that inspired me to write, and I read, read, read. Then when I'm pumped with creative juices, I write, write, write.

When someone uses the same idea you had...

Okay....so, I was reading "City of Fallen Angels" the latest by Cassandra Clare (a Mother's day gift from my 14 year old Emily) when I landed at the bottom of page 322 and started getting a little dizzy. The reason was not because I was sick or hungry but because of the beginning of the "who I am" speech made by a new character.

It went like this:

"I knew Adam before Eve did. I was his first wife, but I would not be obedient to him, so God cast me out and made for Adam a new wife, one fashioned of his own body that she might ever be subservient...." "....you may call me Lilith, first of all demons."

No. Freaking. Way!!!! And here I thought I had an "original" idea using the Lilith of this myth/story in the little sexy piece I've been posting to the OWG. Argh!!! This was frustrating. I bursted out a couple of no-way-no-way's using a a very loud "outside voice" (LOL!)

Now, I realize that the story of Lilith is ANCIENT and is out there in a variety of ways - but to be honest, I only recently came across her story while I was researching demons (for a story, of course) and it gave me the idea to start writing the darned thing! I feel like if I continue people will think I stole the idea for my character from her when, in fact, that is so untrue!!!

Has this ever happened to you, where you're in the midst of writing something and then BAM! someone else has done it first?? What did you do? This was the question I put to the members of my group.

Responses were that I should continue with my character as is and write the story I intended. Authors all have a different vision and my Lilith is definitely not the same as the one that appears in Cassandra Clare's popular YA novel.

I'm going to take their advice!

Deathly Quiet will be e-published!!

My short story "Deathly Quiet" will be e-published by MuseItUp Publishing in November 2011!

I'm looking forward to working with Lea Schizas and the talented team at MuseItUp.

As soon as details are available, I will be sure to shout it from the highest mountain top!

Chicken Soup for the Soul!!

Well, the day started off as usual. After getting my husband off to work and the girls off to school, I poured myself a coffee, toasted up some raisin bread and headed down to my office/studio to start my day.

I opened up my emails, immediately noticing a message from my composer friend, Blair Thomson, who sent me the unmixed version of the song I recorded for him in the studio yesterday afternoon. It's from his and Frayne McCarthy's new musical - The Virgin Courtesan. I smiled when I heard the character voice I used for "Harlot 3" coming through the speakers because it reminded me of Mme Thenardier from Les Miz (which immediately brought back wonderful memories and distracted me for a few minutes). I closed the email and was just about to respond to it when I saw one from someone whose name I didn't recognize at first. It was at the bottom, under a slew from the band members of Slice of Vegas confirming our next rehearsal date.

I literally held my breath as I clicked on the email.

"Dear Lisa,

Your story “Hope” has made it to the final selection round for Chicken Soup for the Soul: O Canada. Only about five percent of the submitted stories have made it this far." .... "The publication date is scheduled for November 1 2011. You will receive...." (then all the monetary and legal details followed...)

Oh my God!!! My first paid piece!!

I jumped out of my chair and started doing a happy dance! I immediately dialed my husband's work and cell numbers and couldn't reach him (argh!!), so I quickly called my sister Christine, who began to do a virtual happy dance of her own at the other end of the line. Bless her - she is so supportive of everything I do!

I finally reached my husband Shawn and even though he was dealing with some stressful work issues, he took the time to tell me all the wonderfully encouraging things a wife wants to hear her husband say, including, "we'll celebrate when I get home."

After that sweet conversation, I contacted my daughters. They are my first readers. They read everything I write (er...well most of the things I write. I am experimenting with a few genres that wouldn't be appropriate for them! LOL!)and so they're always interested to get news about something I've submitted. They were thrilled!

I guess they must be talking about it because, since I told them earlier today, I've been receiving congratulations from their friends via email, texts and Facebook messages!

I've spent most of the morning in a happy tizzy, writing the bio that will appear along with the story, dealing with the agreement as well as preparing this blog entry. Goodness knows, I've got a load of work to do and my taxes to prepare but I'm floating on a cloud and can't concentrate on anything else!

The truth is, there's always the possibility that "Hope" may not make it into the very final cut that will have it published in the O Canada edition, but there's always the very strong possibility that it will!

(Chicken Soup has permission to publish the story elsewhere so, who knows, it could one day end up printed in a national newspaper or family magazine.)

The way I see it - today is a very good day!

Irish Week

a.k.a Green Week!

Too busy singing Irish ditties to do anything else...

Here in Montreal, the Irish festivities begin the night the Parade Queen and her court are chosen. This year, that was February 5th. The celebrations will continue right up until the United Irish Societies Banquet on April 2nd.

I have the honour to be a part of it and today I especially enjoyed doing a concert for the long-term patients at the Richardson Hospital. I loved their enthusiasm and was so impressed by their participation. The old Irish songs brought back many memories for them - even those who weren't of Irish descent. Some shared a story or two and one sweet lady walked up to the performance area to hand me a box of her treasured "Smarties"! Moments like these make it all worthwhile.

I love this time of year but by the end of the Irish season, I'll be ready for a vacation, lol! (anyone handing out a trip to Ireland??)

I do look forward to when I'll have a moment to think and hopefully, write!

May the luck of the Irish be with you this week!

Lisa

PS: Here's a link that might be of interest: www.historypin.com

PSS: My song "Across the Sea", inspired by my love of the Irish people and the Emeral Isle, has been very well received. I think I may step into the studio with a few musicans to record it....