Real Life Books and Media
This picture evokes a sweet memory of a mild Florida, winter day last year. Our town, Titusville, Fl had finally completed a small waterfront park and I had been anxious to try out the swings. I met two friends for a picnic and sweet fellowship.
If you are into Space exploration, the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center is the small building above the letter “O” in Proverbs.
Some of the trees on my commute are starting to show red leaves. I’m not sure if they are harbingers of fall, a symptom of the lack of rain or a by-product of the scorching sun this summer. I’d like to believe the first, because fall is my favorite season & maybe that would mean cooler weather is coming.
Of course fall means almost another year has passed and I still don’t have a first draft completed for my next novel, the sequel to Jessie. I’m not sure why I’m having trouble finishing this book. I could give you a list of excuses, but that’s all they are, nothing of substance. I find more research books to read, which opens up more questions, that need more research, and it can be an unending circle if I don’t pull back on the reigns.
I have learned some cool things, though. I wish I could intern with or shadow professionals in the fields I am writing about. Spending a day or two with an astronaut and a flight attendant would answer many of the questions I have in developing these characters.
Plus, the lure of baking is tempting me away from writing time. Maybe if indulge in some baking I will be inspired to write more. There’s usually a lot of food in my books, but this one is woefully bereft of scenes involving food. I think I have talked myself into baking a peach cobbler this week. I already have the peaches. Thanks for being my sounding board. I already feel the creative juices flowing again.
Exciting Update: I am going to have a chance to spend a few hours with an astronaut at Kennedy Space Center! The best part is that he flew during the timeframe that Jessie is set. I am hoping he can fill in some gaps, especially regarding Navy pilot training.
Yesterday’s explosion of the Space X rocket was a devastating loss. I heard the explosion, it sounded like the loudest sonic boom I had ever heard. I went down to the river and took at picture, It is posted on my Facebook Page.
Rebekah Lyn, Onisha, and Pam have been getting the word out about Rebekah’s new book, Jessie. Yesterday Rebekah Lyn and Onisha came to my house because they wanted to use a land-phone in order to give an interview for Will Wilson’s Indie Book Show.
The three of us sat in the living room each watching our various timepieces and counting down to eleven a. m. when the phone rang. That was when I remembered to get Rebekah Lyn a glass of water. I was very quiet with the ice, and when our cat came in meowing I grabbed her and put her on the porch, so the audience wouldn’t be distracted.
We knew the interview would last about an hour which made us a bit nervous about our cordless phone, not knowing how long it would stay empowered.
Onisha took the first picture when Rebekah Lyn was settling in to the couch with the phone to her ear. She did look a picture with her shining, shoulder length auburn hair and sparkling blue eyes
The experience was a revelation to me, as I am yet to do my first telephone interview. I do have one coming up with another interviewer so I was all eyes and ears. Will Wilson will be also interview Janet Perez Eckles sometime after she returns from her mission trip to Bolivia.
Here’s a one-two-three of what I learned about a successful telephone interview.
A few days before the interview I received a list of Rebekah’s stops for the blog tour she has been doing. She has written a dozen blogs for various sites. I looked them over with great interest and excitement. I’ve heard her speak several times and she never bogs down or seems to be at a loss for words. There’s always something new, something she hasn’t said before. I asked how she does that when there are so many blogs and interviews and she told me that she does each one as a fresh interview, getting her notes down as early as possible in the process. When she comes to a question she has answered too many times, she simply digs a bit deeper into her own heart and mind to get new insights to share. What a wonderful idea!
Rebekah Lyn listens as well as she speaks,she’s a master at telephone conversations. Even when she agrees wholeheartedly, she doesn’t break in and validate – you hear not a word from her, but in her presence you might see an energetic nod or when waiting for more information a small shrug of the shoulders.Her voice is well-modulated and even, and always gracious,interested and energetic.
When the hour was up, we learned that the power on our cordless phone will last at least that long, which is a good thing to know. Onisha and I only heard Rebekah’s side of the conversation, so we are definitely clicking on Will’s podcast to hear the other side.
Be sure to visit Will Wilson’s Indie Book Show or subscribe to his podcasts .
A few minutes after the interview was over, Rebekah turned on her cell phone and received an email. It was a message from NASA telling her she got a spot and a press card as one of the social-media reporters for the one of the events celebrating the 45th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission to the moon. She will be tweeting live from Kennedy Space Center Follow her tweets on Monday @rebekahlyn1 or #NASAsocial.
To celebrate the release of Jessie, Rebekah is offering an eBook copy at 60% off the regular price.
I’m sitting beneath the Space Shuttle Atlantis. My eyes burn and my heart aches with pride and sadness. Our country worked so hard and sacrificed so much to conquer space. There are not words to accurately express the wash of emotions I have felt today. Poignant sadness at the reminders of those we have lost. Soaring joy and excitement at the recreation of the moon landing. Awe at the majestic positioning of Atlantis in her final home. Sadness that a generation of children won’t have a chance to experince the impressive launches I grew up with. Pride that my dad was a part of this program. Hope that Jessie’s story will inspire others to further our space adventure. Humbled at the wonderous creation God gave us.
The courage and ingenuity of those who brought our space program so far makes me proud to be an American. From the last Apollo mission to the first Space Shuttle launch was almost ten years and I wonder how long it will not be before we return to space.
