Finding (or Losing) Your Muse.....

By Anna Jeffrey

In Greek mythology, there were 9 muses, the daughters of Zeus and Mnymosyne. Wikipedia defines them as "the inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the poetry, lyric songs, and myths that were related orally for centuries in ancient cultures. They were later adopted by the Romans as a part of their pantheon."

In modern usage, the word has several definitions. As a noun, it can be a spirit or source that inspires an artist, i.e., an influential teacher, a mentor. 

 As a verb, it can be defined as someone having deep thoughts about life. To ponder or consider, to think over or about, to chew on, etc., etc. Example: "He mused on the problems he faced." Or "I mused on Mary's problems." Or "I think I've seen her before," Mary mused.

Muse is often associated with writers. If you happen to be one, your muse can be a nightmare, the thing that deserts you when you need and want it most, the fickle goddess that can bring on writer's block. 

That's where I've been for the past few months--wading through the flypaper of writer's block. I didn't recognize it at first. In the 20 years I've been writing, I've never been stumped for a plot or dialogue  or character development. I've always known, basically, where I was headed. 

Often, writers are  solitary, sensitive creatures . The slings and arrows of life can knock their muse into the middle of next week and for it to come crawling back can sometimes take months. Sometimes that's personal; sometimes it's something else.

The slings and arrows of late are the writing and publishing business itself. I've had a hard time coming to terms with the new norm. I'm still having a hard time with it. Being the maverick that I am, I don't want to be owned by the company store. However, my desire to at least finish the two books I've started is strong. I've got too much invested in writing to abandon it. I've walked away from 2 careers to do it. Finally, and hopefully, after being bitch-slapped flat, my muse is picking herself up off the floor and slowly tip-toeing back. I don't have hardheaded Irishmen genes coursing through my blood for nothing.

Horses and a Free Book

One of my current WIPs, THE HORSEMAN, is a romance in which the hero is a horse trainer extraordinaire. Some even think he's a horse whisperer. This is the same book I wrote about a while back where the heroine has suffered a rattlesnake bite.

The rattlesnake bite caused me to have to do a lot of research, but horse whispering is causing me to have to do even more.

A few real live horse whisperers are around. One of them is Buck Brannaman on whose personality and occupation the character of Tom Booker in the book and movie, "The Horse Whisperer," was based.

In the book I wrote a few years ago, THE LOVE OF A LAWMAN, the heroine is a horse whisperer.  I did quite a bit of research about this phenomenon back then, but since then, I've done more. One of the things I've done is watch the movie about Buck Brannaman and I've read his book. I've also watched several documentaries about wild horses and why they behave as they do. Horse society and herd hierarchy is interesting information and you can't keep from being drawn to it.


Nor can you keep from being drawn to horses. It appears that the most important element is earning a horse's trust, which is no small feat. Since they are prey animals, they instinctively know that human beings are predators and and they have an innate fear of them. As a matter of survival, they want to get along with people. Basically, they already know how to do the things that people want them to do, but they have to be taught when to do it and that it's okay for them to do it. Those who are successful horse trainers and whisperers have the patience and interest in establishing the trust that is necessary for a good outcome. Some of them believe that problem horses are an extension of problem owners or owners with problems.

People who know horses claim they are just as smart as dogs and just as loyal, up to giving their lives for a human being they trust.

I've never had a horse of my own, but from the research I've done, I wish I did. I wish I had been involved with horses all of my life. I wish I were a person that a horse could trust. 

By the way, THE LOVE OF A LAWMAN is currently free at Amazon and will be for 4 more days.

CHECK OUT THIS VIDEO WITH JASON BACA

By Anna Jeffery

Check out this video! 

Behind the Scenes With Fabio 2.0: Jason Baca

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcBJ0Jgfoxs&feature=share

The model in the video, Jason Baca, is one of Kim Killion's models and he's on the cover of my book "Sweet Water." In the book, he's Terry Ledger, the hero. It's so cool to see one of my book covers in this video and to hear him say he actually reads all of the books he poses for. I rarely get this kind of publicity.  

Most people agree that a striking book cover is the number one factor that drives book sales. Blurbs are great, as are reviews, but a great cover is the best thing. When I was contracted by a New York publisher, I had no control of my book covers. They never asked for my input, although sometimes they would ask me if I liked what they came up with. But they didn't really care if I did or not. By the time it was presented to me, their people had already discussed and decided. 

Now that I'm self-publishing my books, I make these decisions myself and it feels good to do it. I do it, of course, through Kim Killion who is a wonderful graphic designer. If she ever quits this business, I'll be hardpressed to find someone equal to her. She has designed every one of my covers.  

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 On a different note, YOU CAN HAVE MY HEART, BUT DON'T TOUCH MY DOG by DIXIE CASH was released on April 5th. So far, it has gotten mostly 5-star reviews, which is good news.  The book is available at all of the major online sites as an e-book. Eventually, there will be print copies. The blurb is below.

After two divorces, Sandi Walker, entrepreneur extraordinaire, is on her own and loving it. As a devout animal lover, she has made a success of the only gourmet pet food bakery in Midland, Texas. She’s also a pet foster parent and has fifteen assorted abused and unwanted animals at home. When a golden-colored stray dog with an abundance of personality appears at her door, she can’t refuse him and she can’t keep from falling in love with him. She names him Waffle and gives him a permanent home.

General Manager of the Flying C Ranch, Nick Conway, has searched for months for his lost dog, Buster. Giving up on ever finding him, he looks for a new dog and finds a puppy at a pet grooming shop. While he went to the shop to see a puppy, he also encountered a beautiful redheaded woman he can’t put out of his mind. Little does he know that she found Buster in an alley and has now claimed him as her own. Sparks fly between Sandi and Nick when he steals Buster and sues her in court for custody. It will take a mouthy parrot, a sitting judge, the matchmaking skills of the Domestic Equalizers and Cupid himself to resolve this conflict.

DOABLE RESOLUTIONS.....

I can’t believe it. Seems like only yesterday I posted a similar heading, yet it was a year ago. I hope 2015 was a good year for you. As for me, I’ve had better. But on the other hand, I’ve had worse. All in all, I have a lot to be grateful for.

So do you make resolutions? And do you stick to them?

I don’t make resolutions so much as I make plans. And I’ve already got 2016 pretty much planned. Of course you know that old saying : Life is what happens while you’re making other plans. (That quote really did not originate with John Lennon. It originated with a guy named Allen Saunders.)

 

Number One on my list is to finish the Dixie Cash book I’ve got underway, YOU CAN HAVE MY HEART, BUT DON’T TOUCH MY DOG. It’s full of the usual madness and mayhem only Debbie Sue and Edwina and their friends can generate. I had planned on releasing it before the end of 2015; however, my day job took over my life for about six weeks and I didn’t get it done. If I’ve made a resolution at all, I have resolved to not let that happen again. 

Now I’m shooting for a release date in February or March.  This was quite an undertaking for me. My sister threw in the towel at around 50 or 60 pages, so I’ve written it on my own. People who have read it tell me it’s funny, but I’m nervous. I’m the first to acknowledge that she’s the funny one. 

Second on my list is to finish THE HORSEMAN, Book #3 in the Sons of Texas trilogy. It isn’t acomedy. This will be Troy Rattigan’s story, plus it will tie up all of the loose ends and reveal the villain who’s got it in for the whole Lockhart family.
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Along with these two projects, I’m going to attempt to narrate my own audio book. I know. Don’t laugh.  …..  I’ve already bought the equipment I need and am ready to roll. I don’t know how my Texas twang will sound trying to narrate an audio book. A person should have good elocution and be a half-assed actress for it to work. In fact, most of the audio book narrators *are* actresses or actors. My advantage, if I have one, is that I know how I mean for the dialogue I wrote to sound. We’ll see how it goes. Believe me, the money I’ve invested in the equipment is a drop in the bucket compared to paying for a professional narrator. They are very expensive.

Another project on the drawing board is to write Book #2 of Miranda’s Chronicles, a sequel to DESIRED,  the  40,000-word steamy  novella I released in 2015. Book #2 will not be a novella. Writing a novella is harder than it looks. I will never do it again. My home is in 100,000-word tomes. The title will be CLAIMED and I’ve already bought the image for the cover. That way, with money invested, I’ll be motivated to get it done.

I’m also still trying to get my copyright back from my former New York publisher on MAN OF THE WEST, a book I wrote under the pseudonym, Sadie Callahan. I so want to re-write that book and re-release it as an Anna Jeffrey book. It’s Book #2 of The Strayhorns series and a sequel to LONE STAR WOMAN. It's also a loose end I would like to get tied up. I had originally planned to write Book #3 in this series and that story is still sort of floating around in my head. I might go ahead and work on it whether I get my copyright back or not.

So those are my plans for 2016. I think my day job is definitely going to have to take a backseat. Still, don’t bet any money that I’ll get all of this done.

How about your resolutions? Are they doable?