Getting the Story Straight

By Keith N Fisher

I’m sixty-five thousand words into one of my stories and I just found out my protagonist collects crystal bells. No big deal except in one scene, she drops her purse on the floor and breaks a bell her daughter in law gave to her. I had to rewrite the first parts and establish the fact that she is a collector, hence the reason for the gift.

Don’t you just love it when you have to go back and get the story straight? In fiction, adding facts in the middle of the story can be confusing. In Non-fiction, being wrong can cost your credibility.

Lately, I’ve been reading a non-fiction book that deals with Utah history and I’m a little put out by some of the author’s interpretations. I’ve read many of the first hand accounts and I’m finding discrepancies.

It makes me wonder how many inaccurate facts have been written into the record. I’m sure you’ve heard that history is often written by the victorious. If that’s true, then can we trust it?

Thinking forward makes me wonder about fifty years from now. How will today’s news be reported in the history books? I sometimes doubt it will be accurate since I often hear reporters twist facts to make the evening news entertaining. Because of that guidepost I have to ask, is it okay to sacrifice correctness to make a book interesting?

Have you ever been in a room full of family members and listened to a story that is different from the way you remember it? Just because someone was there doesn’t mean they haven’t embellished the facts. The standard who, what, when, and where gets cut from the narrative.

My mother loves to talk about when her kids were young. I cringe when she talks about me because she often gets the story wrong. When I try to correct the facts my brother asks, what does it matter? Just let her tell her story. Would it matter to you?

In the book I’m reading, the author writes about the supposed Hiram Beebe connection to the Sundance Kid. He tells the story as if it were fact. Now, many of us believe Sundance was living in Fountain Green, Utah and went to Mount Pleasant for a drink in the bar. He killed a deputy who was trying to prevent him from driving drunk and died in the Utah State Prison.

The problem with telling that story is that it was never proven. If I forget to go back and establish my character as a collector, it will confuse my readers. If an author includes the Hiram Beebe speculation in non-fiction, a footnote is imperative. Getting the story straight is essential. Also, if there are several versions of a story the author needs to say that.

Often, non-fiction becomes a source of reference that textbooks are derived from. If the source is flawed, then so are the facts. People tend to believe everything in print.

I used to shake my head during church meetings when people stood at the pulpit and quoted from The Work and The Glory, by Gerald N Lund. Some of those people believed it was all historical fact, even though the author took great pains to separate the fact from the fiction. Some people actually believed the Steeds were a real family who lived during those times.

That’s a great testament to the author’s character building ability, but it also emphasizes the need to be accurate in non-fiction.

Whether we write fiction or non-fiction, because readers want to believe, authors often become an authority on a subject simply because they wrote about it in their fiction. The News commentator, Paul Harvey used to talk about the time he was called upon to report about something that happened in England simply because he’d just returned from there. Later, he claimed his information was gleaned from an AP Teletype, but he was the authority. Can you imagine what would’ve happened if the AP reporter had given the wrong information?

Good luck with your writing—see you next week.

Off the Cuff

by G.Parker

Many times we end up doing things spur of the moment.  Whether it's having to stand in for someone teaching a lesson at the last minute, hurrying to feed hungry kids when working a long day or procrastinating a deadline, I'm sure you've all experienced it.

Well, that's me today.  I neglected my blog this week in favor, or rather, as a result of going back to work.  Schools back in, that means so am I.  Sigh.  I've given it some thought, but I never came up with anything solid.  So, you get my thoughts as they come, regardless as to the writing world, or rather, because of it.

At my critique group Wednesday, a comment was made about one of the writer's work.  It was said that the writing had improved, the story was great, but it seemed too professional, too...worked.  I thought that was an interesting thought, and apparently it has come up in my brain as a thought for today.  Isn't that handy?

When rewriting or reworking our stories, that's usually not something that you'd think about.  Going over something too much is not generally a problem.  (At least not mine, since I rarely have that amount of time!)  When you are doing the editing and revising of your work, think about the tone, the voice and the plot.  Is what you're doing going to strengthen?  Is it going to benefit the general plot?  Or is it something that is fine on it's own or just needs to be removed?  Honestly, sometimes things just need to be taken out and dumped, even though we love them and they are perhaps our favorite scene.

So, my short thought for this Friday is to consider your writing and the editing/rewriting process.  You don't want to over do, and yet you do want to get it into tip-top shape for that perfect agent that's going to want to sell it to the world.  Just sayin'.  

Bad Hair Lessons

by Cheri Chesley

(this is not a recent picture--her hair is much longer now)
A few weeks ago, I spent over $30 on hair repair items for my daughter. She spent an extra couple of weeks in OK with her Papa, and swam almost every day--and ran out of conditioner and didn't tell him she needed more. So she spent most of that time without conditioning her hair.

It came back the texture of straw. Seriously.

Because she's been working so hard to grow her hair out, I opted for helping her fix her hair rather than going and getting it cut short. Although, you have to admit, she looks pretty darn good in an A-line. See?

As I spend day after day obsessing over when to give her the next conditioning treatment, having her wash and condition her hair with products I don't usually buy for myself, I'm reminded of the editing process. I know--I'm such a WRITER! lol

See, many of us--and I'm one of them--want to go through our manuscript 2 or 3 times before pronouncing it perfect! Done! As good as we can make it! But, like these conditioning treatments my daughter and I are doing, it can take a dozen or more work-throughs before we're really done with a project.

I'm slowly learning this. I submitted my sequel to Cedar Fort, happy that it was as good as I can make it, until I heard back from them with suggestions that I make some changes and resubmit before they'll consider offering me a contract. See, they knew it wasn't up to par. And, looking back, I know it too--now. :) After letting the project sit for a month, I realized many holes I'd missed and lots of ways to make the story deeper, more compelling and overall more interesting. I'd gotten the bare bones of the story down, but I needed to embellish.

That has to wait until the summer is over. And, now, after we move.

I want to be a better writer than I am. This will take patience. Like my daughter's hair will also take patience, time and effort to get it back to a semblance of normal. I'm still learning; I'll probably always be learning. But that isn't really a bad thing.

Fame!

By Keith N Fisher

I'm late! I had to write this in a hurry. Please excuse my writng mistakes.

Last week, I was at the August Authorama and what a good day it was. I think they sold dozens of books. Of course, I made dump cobblers in Dutch ovens. We got a few compliments, but I was more gratified to see my cousin drive up with my aunt in tow. They’d seen the flyer and came to purchase my book. I had to tell them told them I was just the cook at that event, then I steered them to the books of my friends.

Understandably, the experience made me wish I was launching my own book and I reflected on my journey. I started writing several years ago, without much success. I got serious about it in 2005 and I’ve been learning the craft ever since.

Early on, without really knowing why, I supported others in their quest, while following my own. I’ve been pleased to see many of my friends, find publishing success.

The other day, while attending a church meeting, one of our friends handed us a flyer announcing a book signing for her daughter’s book. It was a children’s book telling the story her grandfather told for many years.

Of course, I admit a little jealousy. I want to see my own work in print. But then I remembered the lyrics to the theme song for both a movie and TV show:

I'm gonna live forever. I'm gonna learn how to fly.
High!
I feel it coming together. People will see me and cry.
Fame!
I'm gonna make it to heaven—Light up the sky like a flame
Fame!
I'm gonna live forever. Baby remember my name.

I realized that everyone deserves the attention of their peers. In one way, or another, people crave it. Poets have written about it. Even mass murderers seek it. Mass murderers you ask?

Have you noticed that almost every time there is an incident like the Columbine High School massacre, the perpetrators leave notes talking about their feelings of anonymity? In their mind they’ve worked out a scenario that will make them famous. People will remember their name forever.

In large part they are right. Who can forget the name, Ted Bundy? It’s tragic to see any of God’s children come to that point.

Do you remember show and tell? Once a week while in grammar school we were encouraged to bring an item of interest and tell the class why it was cool. The activity taught many valuable lessons about public speaking and participation, but it gave us far greater rewards. You see, each of us were given or moment to be famous.

I mentioned above, that I didn’t really know why seeing my friends succeed was gratifying for me. I’ve written about it before, but I realized a few years ago, that one of the reasons I was given a desire to write was for others. Not just the people who will read my books, but those I network with. Perhaps my calling in life is to help others get their moment.

Back in 2000, I had my moment. My wife and I were competing in the Worlds Championship Dutch oven cook off. A local TV personality wanted to interview a few of us, and I was one of them. I was on television showing my cooking talents and I was famous for fifteen minutes. It was show and tell all over again.

In 2005, we finally took first place in that cook off. We were world champions, and were interviewed again. I talked about how lucky we had been. In fact, it came at a very hard time in my life. I needed the uplift in my self- esteem, so perhaps it was a blessing.

I can’t begin to explain how much I want that for others. Unfortunately, in our society, most people have to do something special, like write a book in order to be recognized. We can’t show up for show and tell, and not bring something to show.

Wouldn’t it be better if we all tried to help others feel special? Who cares if they never do anything noteworthy? Who cares if they’re too shy for show and tell? The news stories indicate mankind is feeling lost and alone. Perhaps she can do something about it.

I’m not going to sit here and tell you I’m perfect. Like everyone else, I get caught up in my own troubles, but I have noticed a difference if I put them aside and help another.

Keep up the good work. Don’t quit—keep writing and be best you can be. I promise I will cheer for you. Good luck with your writing—see you next week.

The World is Shrinking

by G.Parker

I've decided that the world is getting smaller and smaller every day.  My reasoning?  We are able to reach more and more people, hear about incidents that happen totally on the other side of us and my fellow blogger's son just got called to be in my son's mission.  How's that for shrinkage?

I think writing has taken a whole different turn as well.  No longer are writers delegated to the back rooms of some musty old newspaper office, or dark cubicle with no surety that anyone is reading their words.  Most often, the world see's what is written and it usually has far reaching consequences. 

It's amazing how the world has changed from when I was a teenager.  I look at it now, and just shake my head.  It's mind boggling.

Fortunately, there is always the written word.  Whether it is in the form of electronics, or on the paper page, it still has the capacity to garner interest and give information and knowledge to the masses.  Have you ever pondered the beginning of the written word?  How it came through the efforts of many brave souls to get the written word onto a form that many could read and not just the privileged few.

I feel that today's world of readers are a far different breed than when we were young.  Classics in my day were the Mark Twain books, the Anne of Greene Gables, Gone with the Wind, etc.  Now they are naming books that were coming into print when I was a teenager.  Movies that came out when I got married are being remade!  It's enough to drive me crazy.  I mean sure, they say the classics are still the classics...but there are new ones now.  

Since what we read affects how we write, it's a good thing to keep up on the latest books and to keep the classics on the bedside table.  There was a contest in the blogworld about what the authors had on their nightstands to read.  I'm afraid I don't have books on my nightstand.  I have a pile that I try to get through during the summer when I have some spare time, but when I'm working, reading is a pure luxury that I rarely get to enjoy.  The only real reading I get done is scripture reading.  Another part of my world that's shrinking...the books I get to read.

Well, I hope you have a large world to choose from.  I would hope that your imagination is growing by leaps and bounds and the worlds flowing from your pen or fingers is boundless.  Perhaps that is the real undiscovered country...the human imagination.

Have a good weekend and see you next week!

The Definition of Insanity

by Cheri Chesley

We've all heard it: Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

Welcome to my world.

Every week, I think to myself I will be better. I'm going to put all my blog posts for the week together Sunday afternoon, send them out to the necessary people, and schedule them to post on time for each of my blogs. I've succeeded in this maybe twice.

Sundays are great for this. We have early church, I'm not a napper, I feel much closer to the spirit after Sunday meetings, and I don't pack boxes or write stories on Sunday. Yet, home alone with the kids, this is harder than it sounds.

This week has been particularly hectic, given that we are MOVING in, oh, 11 days. Ugh. And MONDAY my 10 yr old got hit in the forehead with a golf club and needed 4 stitches. Tuesday we went to the dentist and got--less than stellar news. Wednesday, I went back to the dentist and, after 2 appts this coming Monday, should be in the clear. For the record, it still hurts to chew, and I don't even want to think about how I'm going to feel this time next week. Having my wisdom teeth out. Yay, me.

You might wonder why we scheduled all of this right before a cross country move. Well, the head injury was decidedly unscheduled. The dental appts should have been done last June or July, but I forgot to schedule them. And, until my husband's transfer goes through, the kids and I will be on emergency treatment only insurance coverage in OK. So, we might as well get these things over and done with now.

In all of this craziness, no, I have not been writing. I have been plotting furiously and looking forward to settling in our new home and writing again, but--at the moment--I can't see writing in my immediate future. Except for blog posts, of course.

This Sunday, because of how miserable I will be next week, I WILL write up all my posts early. I have to, or you aren't going to hear from me next week. :)

Happy reading/writing!

Research

By Keith N Fisher

I didn’t get any comments on last week’s blog. Therefore, I get to keep the chocolate bar.

Did you ever notice how much writing fiction teaches you? I’m not talking about the craft of writing, but facts and information about many different things. For example, I wrote a story about a girl who gets shot in New York’s, Washington Square. I spent hours on the Internet and reading books, just to get a feel for the setting.

Shortly after I wrote my story, I watched the movie, August Rush. As you probably know, much of that movie was set in Washington Square. With out knowing that, I watched with a sense of familiarity. When they showed the arch, I knew I had been there before. Writing about it is as good as being there.

I suppose my character could’ve gotten shot in Temple Square in Salt Lake, but she demanded the New York setting.

In another story, I researched a Subdural Hematoma because my character had bone shards in her brain after getting beat up and almost killed. The doctors missed it in the initial x-rays, and it eventually put her in convulsions.

In another story, a character was traveling with a wagon train full of freight. He is part of an altercation set in City of Rocks, Idaho. To write the scene, I needed a sense of place. Also, since the story is set in nineteenth century, I needed a historical background. I can’t count the times I have gone to Google Earth to make sure about a location.

Recently, a character couldn’t find anything to wear to dinner. She wanted to make a special impression so she went shopping. Of course she dragged me along with her. I went to the catalogues and sale circulars to find the perfect outfit, and laughed that writing had taught me how to shop for women’s clothes.

Once, I sat in a class taught by Robison Wells. Among other books, he wrote The Counterfeit and took us on a journey through the catacombs of Paris. As part of the class, he showed us his research. Between Google maps and many Internet sites, he learned enough to write the book.

As writers, we are all students of one thing or another. The threat of our readers finding a flaw looms over our heads and forces us to be accurate. Yes it is fiction, but if you write about a certain place, like Washington Square, readers will stop reading if you get something wrong.

This summer, I had the pleasure of attending a picnic with some fellow writers from AI. Afterward, Lt. Gary Giles from the Orem City, Utah police department, taught us about weapons. He gave us hands on training in shooting, and talked about some of the things every writer should know. For example, Gary pointed out that if your character is firing an automatic pistol, the scene will be littered with shell casings. As opposed to a revolver, which doesn’t eject the shells.

Having grown up around guns, I enjoyed the training from a police officer’s point of view, but many of my peers had never been around a weapons fire. They were able to feel and shoot many different guns and learned a lot. Thanks Gary, for taking the time, and Thanks Nichole, for setting it up.

As a writer, I owe it to my readers to be accurate in my descriptions. Some things just can’t be described without a working knowledge of the place or the experience. Take the time task to a professional. Use the Internet, and learn all you can.

Good luck with your writing—see you next week.

Rejection Contests

by G.Parker

I was reading articles online the other day and spotted one about the author of the book that was recently made into a movie called The Help.  It was an article that stated how she'd gone through 60 rejections before finally getting someone who wanted her book.  60 rejections and 5 years.  That's a LOT.

I've also heard stories about John Gresham and how he was rejected several times before he was accepted.  I decided to look it up.  You see, in Authors Incognito, we kind of have a rejection club.  Whoever gets the most rejections for the year wins.  It's kind of a way to encourage getting your work out there and also help not get depressed.  I thought I'd see who else would be in that club.  The list is amazing.  

According to a site I found, several known authors had issues getting published.  Did you know Zane Gray self published his first book?  I'm thinking that's crazy!  He was one of my dad's favorite writers, and has several of his books on his shelves.  And that was at a time when self publishing was just not done...getting it into the stores must have been an adventure. 

Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen had over 130 rejections for their first Chicken Soup for the Soul book.  I think they win the contest, don't you?

James Patterson was rejected more than a dozen times before he was finally published.  John Gresham's number was 16, and then the agent who decided to represent him also dumped him later.  Judy Bloom was rejected for two years before finally finding someone to publish her.  Apparently she can't look at the Highlights Magazine without wincing.

One of my favorite writers, Madeline L'Engle was rejected 26 times for a Wrinkle in Time before it was published and won the Newberry Medal.  That should be encouraging!  Frank Herbert's Dune was rejected 20 times, and even Margaret Mitchel had Gone With the Wind rejected 38 times.  Of course we've all heard about J.K.Rowling and the Harry Potter series...it was rejected 12 times before someone picked it up.

So, my fellow writers, where do you stand with this crowd?  Have you send in your manuscripts and received your rejection letters?  Are you collecting them and keeping track?  I remember one writer told us at the LDStorymaker's conference that she'd taped her letters together and made a large scroll out of them.  I admit, I haven't received enough to do that, I just have a small file so far.  Of course, I don't recommend mentioning this to your husband if he thinks you haven't been submitting (like mine...) because he'll just look at you with a raised eyebrow and repeat your statement with a tone of voice that indicates you could be published before that number...sigh.

Anyway, I'd be interested to know where you are in the rejection contest, let us know. 

The Smurfs and Writing

By Cheri Chesley

Don't worry, by the time I'm done this will make sense. I hope.

There has been a lot of talk about Smurfs in my house lately, what with the release of the new movie. Turns out my husband hated the Smurfs; I watched them as a kid. My kids want to see the movie, and it looks like I'm the one to take them.

Yesterday, on our way to a launch party for an author friend, we stopped and got the girls Happy Meals. They both got Jokey Smurf in the meal. I pointed out to them that Jokey only had one joke--the exploding present. As a writer, I got to thinking about that. And here's what I got from it.

Jokey's presents, like certain plot points, need to be used sparingly. I know, from my memories watching the show, that they often used the exploding present as a running gag, but they didn't often use it as the means of escaping the evil wizard--because that would be trite and overdone. I think of those TV show writers who worked tirelessly to write shows about little blue creatures, and wonder how many discussions they had about over-using some of the well known elements of the story. Papa Smurf's wisdom. Jokey's exploding presents. Hefty's strength. Etc.

Writing for TV and writing fiction has its obvious similarities. We don't want to over-use certain story elements or our writing will become trite and ineffective. Recently, on one of my author groups, someone worried that he was over-using the word "sleep" and wondered if there were other options. Several people weighed in, most with sound arguments one way or the other. Sometimes you have to call a tree a tree. Creating other ways to say the same thing can come across as forced, and we don't want that. On the other hand, some words become invisible in a book, like the word "said" (at least to most readers. I have a couple of less glowing reviews of my book where the reader says I used "said" rather than mixing it up with other terms).

No matter how you look at it, writing is a balance. The trick is finding that balance that feels best, and works best, for you.

Help, I’m Stuck! And the Promise of Goodies

By Keith N Fisher

I wrote this blog without reading G Parker’s first. It seems I have a partial answer for her, at the same time I’m asking for help with a scene. I have dozens of ideas for my scene but I thought I’d make a contest out of it.

One night, many years ago, I went hunting rabbits with some of my friends. In those days, the rabbit population had exploded and we didn’t need permits to use spotlights, so we went hunting a lot.

Our method involved driving a truck cross country, around sagebrush and through ravines, but that particular night we were in a two-wheel drive, with very low ground clearance.

We stayed on the roads and didn’t see many rabbits, then we came to a place where the road went down to a low spot and back up the other side. A benign mud puddle at the bottom didn’t seem that threatening. Especially since the area around it was bone dry. I remember someone saying, “Just gun it, you’ll make it.”

Moments later, we came to an abrupt stop in the bottom of the wash and I hit the dashboard. (We didn’t have seatbelts in those days). My friend’s truck was buried to the floorboards in the mud bog from Hades.

Through the night, we tried everything to release the hold on that truck. Finally, the sun came up, and we sent two guys to look for a telephone. (No cell phones either). We looked around and discovered we had found the only mud within miles.

I don’t remember who came with a four-wheel drive to drag us out, but that truck had turned brown from a covering of mud. It was Sunday and I missed church. My parents never quite believed my story, and I learned a few valuable lessons that night.

I’m currently working on a story that has a great beginning and end. Most of the middle is written, too, but I need a plot twist. I’m stuck in the proverbial bog hole and I’m calling my friends for help.

My character is self-centered but she’s had more than her share problems in her life. I need her to cause the postponement, possibly the cancellation of a wedding between her son and the daughter of her former boyfriend.

Put on your thinking caps and tell me a few ways this could happen. If I use your suggestion, I’ll mention it in the credits of the book. Okay, maybe I’ll send you a large candy bar, too. I call that, chocolate incentive. As for my colleague, have someone else read it and make suggestions. Like my friends who came with the four-wheel drive truck, sometimes it takes a fresh approach.

By the way, stop by Pioneer Books in Orem, Utah next week. I’ll be making Dutch oven cobbler during the August Authorama. Tristi Pinkston is launching her new book in the Secret Sisters series. Cobbler is on first come, first served basis. See the flyer I attached.

Meanwhile, good luck with your writing—see you next week.

Stalling Out

by G.Parker

I've been working on a story that I wrote for NaNoWriMo last year.  I thought I had it all figured out, but this past month, it's totally stalled out.  I don't know where to go with it.  I mean, I could just finish it, but I want it to have a little more depth than it has.  My critique group have told me it needs something.  They are hoping there's more to what they've read so far.

I'm afraid there isn't.  It's like the characters have gone on vacation and forgot to tell me they'd be gone for a while.  Don't you hate it when your muse takes off and doesn't tell you?  I've heard it said that such things are writers block.  I read somewhere once that an author said there is no such thing.  If you can write, you dont' have writers block.  You write until things start coming.

Unfortunately, if the plot has stalled, there's not much you can do with it, right?  I'm not sure.  I am working on a couple of things, so perhaps I'm just too distracted by the other characters or items to focus on the one I'm trying to finish.  Sigh.

Keith's blog on Saturday was on filling the holes.  I thought that was a very apt subject for what's happening in my story right now.  There are holes in my plot, and that's what I'm struggling with.  I thought perhaps if I reworked or reviewed the main idea I'd had, I could rework it, bring out the plot that I'm looking for.  Unfortunately, I can't find the original idea for the story line.  Figures.

Well, I guess I'll just have to continue plugging away at it until something clicks.  I might have to do a mad write and see if inspiration comes.

What do you do when it seems like your story has stalled?  I'd like to know.

Families Together

by Cheri Chesley

My daughter is home now after an extended trip visiting her grandparents. Cool. She can help us pack.

Have you ever noticed how many nationally and internationally bestselling authors live in towns you can hardly pronounce, and have certainly never heard of? How does Waurika, Oklahoma grab you?

Yep, we're relocating. Every reason and justification I have for moving my kids 1200 miles (it's okay because they want to) away, save one, is family-related.

Bryan's parents are in need of help, and his sister has done her part. It's our turn.
The kids all want to move back to OK (my sons were born there but we moved away when they were toddlers).
I won't have to work, and can therefore focus more on the needs of my kids. This is a two-fold reason, though, because:

if I don't have to babysit anymore, I can WRITE while my kids are in school.

While I'm under no illusions that moving to a small town will automatically make me a bestselling author, I am excited to relieve some of the stresses and pressures in my life. I'm also excited to have built-in writing time in my days. There's a lot to be said for being a more prolific writer.

Heavenly Father has been in constant communication through this decision-making process. Two months ago, while I knew this was an eventual possibility, I did not consider that I would want to move back. Everything changed during our recent visit. At one point, I was so overcome by the feeling of the Spirit, I couldn't speak for several minutes. I know this is the right thing for my family, and not just because it's the first time all 7 of us have agreed on a move.

Knowing you're doing what's right for your family is an empowering feeling. I know I'm not escaping stress and problems, but rather exchanging one set of issues for another. But I do believe it is a better situation, at least for us.

Today I'm packing my books. Got to prioritize, right? :)

Roller Coaster

by C. LaRene Hall
We are already into the eight month of the year and my entire life during this year seems like a roller coaster ride. One day I’m very high and the next I find myself plunging to the bottom. Sometimes I ride slow and other times it’s very fast. There are days when there are many curves and other times when I just coast along smoothly.

I think my writing has suffered the most. Some days I can’t even write a word while other days my fingers fly across the keyboard. I never used to have a problem finding something to write about, but now I really do sit sometimes with no thoughts in my head. Now I can sympathize with those people who say they have writers block. Since I had never experienced it, I didn’t understand. I never paid attention during the workshops I attended that centered around writers block because it wasn’t a problem with me. Now what do I do? I guess I ask you for your suggestions.

I know I will once again find my fingers flying as the words come to my mind, but I’m tired of waiting.