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Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Iron Deficiency and Anemia

Recently a good friend of mine told me that she was diagnosed with anemia. She has been vegan for as long as I have known her (at least five years) and is the first vegan I’ve met who actually had a mineral deficiency of any kind. While I can’t go into specifics, I do know she follows a mostly health promoting lifestyle. Besides generally eating well she is also an accomplished Ironman athlete. Some of the symptoms she felt included general fatigue and dizziness but other signs of anemia include: pale skin, rapid heart beat, shortness of breath during exercise, headaches, insomnia, and muscle cramps.

She reached out to me for a little advice and happy to oblige I started doing a little more in-depth research. This is what I found.

The main function of iron in our body is to create hemoglobin, which helps facilitate red blood cell health. An adequate iron level is of paramount importance as it ensures the cells are able to deliver oxygen-rich blood throughout the body. Iron also plays a role in building blood proteins needed for food metabolism, digestion, and proper circulation.

First, while my friend is anemic, meaning she does not have enough iron in her system, having too much iron is equally dangerous – watch for a fuller post on this subject in the future. While it is relativity rare to be diagnosed, iron toxicity typically occurs in those who eat meat. This is because of the type or “quality” of iron in animal vs. plant foods. People obtain iron from either eating plants or from eating animals that have been fed plants. It is then absorbed into their bodies through the upper gastrointestional tract. Plant foods contain what is known as non-heme iron. Animal foods contain non-heme iron but also has whats known as heme iron or “blood iron.”

Traditionally, we our told that heme iron is more easily absorbed by our bodies and therefore of a higher quality, but that view is starting to be questioned as excess iron has increasingly been linked to Alzheimer’s disease, a double digit increased risk in colorectal cancer, type II diabetes, and coronary heart disease. Heme iron intake has also been associated with increased risk of stroke, gestational diabetes, gallstones, and cancers of the prostate, lung, stomach and kidneys, among others.

Our bodies are remarkable. Because the human body doesn't have a mechanism to rid itself of excess iron, we evolved a way to regulate its absorption. When our bodies have sufficient storage levels of iron approximately 5% percent of the iron present in food is absorbed, when a person is iron deficient, then the amount absorbed from the foods eaten can increase by as much as 20%. However, studies have found that the body has a much more difficult time regulating the absorption of heme iron, making iron toxicity or iron overload much more possible.

Now, back to the original topic of anemia. I want to stress that it is very possible to become anemic on any type of diet. Vegetarian’s levels of Hemoglobin, which reflects the amount of iron in the blood, are comparable to those in people who eat flesh. In a review by Craig McPherson, M.D., he stated that while iron stores may be lower in vegetarians, there is no reported increase in incidence of iron deficiency anemia. In fact, iron reduction has been shown not only to decrease the risk of getting various types of cancer by 35%, but anemia has actually been found less frequently overall in those who eat a strict vegetable based diet than those on the Standard American Diet – this is potentially caused by the consumption of large amounts of dairy in the Standard diet, which can bind and inhibit the body from absorbing iron.

Back in July when I had my blood tested, my hemoglobin levels were found to be in the ideal range so I don’t overly concern myself with iron (Hemoglobin A1C: 5.1 which also puts me at a lower risk of diabetes). That said many plant foods that I regularly consume are high in iron. Dark leafy greens and dried beans are perhaps the best sources of non-heme iron. Not only is kale, collards, and spinach all high in iron but they also contain vitamin C, which helps the absorption of non-heme, and are overall, healthy for everyone to consume. In fact, per 100 calories, cooked spinach has more than 15x the amount of iron than a steak! Soybeans, lentils, tofu are also all excellent sources - and all higher in iron than steak per 100 calories-and are accessible and affordable.

However, sometimes just eating foods high in iron won’t be enough, as my friend recently found out. The good news is just because she was diagnosed as being anemic, doesn’t mean she needs to turn to meat. Nor does it necessarily mean she should start gulping iron supplements. Dr. Michael Greger of suggests that those who are diagnosed with anemia talk with their physician about first trying to get their blood hemogloblin levels up through diet alone, because a recent study found an increase in oxidative stress in the body when using suppliments.

Luckily, there are many things we can do to help encourage our bodies to absorb non-heme iron found in our food.

As I mentioned above, vitamin c rich foods helps our bodies absorb non-heme iron. While dark leafy greens have both iron and vitamin c, if you are eating a food that is lower in vitamin C such as chickpeas, it is best if you include a food higher in vitamin c with it such as bell pepper, citrus fruits, broccoli ect. It’s also not a bad idea to avoid taking in tea or coffee as both can block iron absorption.

Another slick trick to help improve the bioavailability of non-heme iron is to prepare your dish with foods such as garlic and onion. The allium family of vegetables foods have phytonutrients that help promote iron absorption. Also steaming your dark leafy greens before eating them can also help improve your bodies iron absorption.

While cooking with cast iron has also been shown to increase the amount of iron content in foods, our bodies are less able to manage the absorption of that type of iron - making it less than ideal for those already with healthy storages of iron.
Below is a chart of plant foods high in iron:
Food                       Amount            Iron (mg)
Soybeans, cooked         1 cup                  8.8
Lentils, cooked             1 cup                  6.6
Spinach, cooked           1 cup                  6.4
Tofu                             4 oz                     4.7
Chickpeas, cooked       1 cup                   4.7
Swiss Chard, cooked    1 cup                   4.0
White Potato                1 large                3.2
Quinoa, cooked            1 cup                  2.8
Pumpkin Seeds             1 cup                  2.1
Raisins                          ½ cup                 1.6
Kale, cooked                1 cup                  1.2
Broccoli, cooked          1 cup                  1.1

Source: USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference.

Further reading:
Brazier, Brendan, Thrive: The Vegan Nutrition Guide to Optimal Performance in Sports and Life. 2007.

Cook, J.D. “Adaption in Iron Metabolism.” Journal of American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. February, 1990

Stankiewicz, J. and S. D. Brass. “Role of iron in neurotoxicity: A cause for concern in the elderly?” Current Opinon of Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care, 2009.

McDougall, Craig, M.D. “Letter to the Editor: Plant Based Diets Are Not Nutritionally Deficient.” The Permanente Journal. Spring; 17.

 “The McDougall Newsletter.” Vol 12, Issue 8. The Asian Paradox: End of the Line for Low Carb Diets? Literature Review

Hunt, JR. “Bioavailablitliy of iron, zinc, and other trace minerals from vegetarian diets.” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Sept 2003; 78.

Pulde, Alona, M.D. and Matthew Lederman, M.D. Keep it Simple, Keep it Whole: Your Guide to Optimum Health. 2009.

As always the information presented in this blog is for educational purposes only. It should not be considered as specific medical, nutritional, lifestyle, or other health-related advice.

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Welcoming 2014 with Open Arms, Eyes, and Hearts.

While I’m not one to set New Year’s Resolutions, I do like to plan for some short term goals as well as set the intention for the upcoming year. I also like to reflect and think back on the previous year. While I typically keep my yearly intentions and goals to myself  – and they are often just race goals – this year I've decided I’m going public with my 2014 year plans to as many people as possible. I’m hoping this will help hold me more responsible to them.

2013 was a year with a ton of ups and downs – like every year. And to expect 2014 to be much different seems naive. However, I am very excited to announce that I am planning on starting the course work necessary to complete a post-bacc so that I can begin moving forward with my long-term goal of becoming a Registered Dietitian.

Since beginning this blog, many people - friends and strangers alike - have written to me asking for help with their diets. I can sincerely say that it is one of the most gratifying experiences of my life.

Since I was trained as a historian, before I can start a master’s program in nutrition science, I first have to go back to the undergraduate level to fulfill some basic science and anatomy requirements that I have not done. I suspect that many of these courses will be difficult for me, but I also believe that I have the dedication, work ethic, and passion to help me get through the process. I also know that I can count on my incredible support network of friends and family. I consider myself very fortunate that my boss just agreed to support my request for class reimbursement, so hopefully most of my class work will be paid for by my job.

As always, I am also recommitting myself to another year as a compassionate and healthy vegan. I encourage you all to join me, and try eating a healthy, plant-based vegan diet for the month of January. With the holidays over, now is a great time to commit yourself to healthy eating. Get a free 21-day vegan meal plan from Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

I’m also hoping to launch a redesigned and enhanced BYOL site sometime this year. I’ve already started talking with a web designer, but now I just need to commit. I’ll be honest, this is a lower priority for me right now, but I’m hopeful that by 2015 BYOL will finally look like a respectable site!

I also want to announce that I have an upcoming surgery - it's just 9 days away. After several repeated injuries in my lower right leg over the past 3 years, my sports doctor finally linked the muscle damage to a bone growth in the back of my knee. I will be having the bone growth removed on January 9th in the hopes that after I heal, I will be able to avoid these injuries. I already have two Half Ironman events scheduled -Eagleman in Maryland, and the inaugural Princeton 70.3 - so hopefully I will recovery quickly and will be able to get back to my current fitness level relatively quickly.

I hope you all had an enjoyable New Year and that the closing of 2013 was a pleasant one. And as always, I want to thank all of you for continuing to follow my musings about the power of plants, proper nutrition, and sport. I promise you all that BYOL will continue to offer the latest research on nutrition, as well as many new and delicious plant-based, low fat, high carb recipes(Yesterday I learned of a new report from the World Health Organization was released stating that meat is more dangerous than cigarette smoking! Exciting times, indeed!)

Wishing all of you a happy 2014!

As always the information presented in this blog is for educational purposes only. It should not be considered as specific medical, nutritional, lifestyle, or other health-related advice.


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Friday, June 09, 2017

Broadway Baby has one of the first negative reviews we have read of Sally Cookson's Jane Eyre:
Although the production is basically unsuccessful, it is worth saying that this is no fault of the excellent cast. Hannah Bristow is a shining light in this production. She’s an accomplished character actor, and her Helen Burns is as bluntly angelic as her Grace Poole is understatedly creepy. Paul Muddell is also a real hit. He spends most of the second act playing a dog, and is nonetheless everyone's favourite character. Nadia Clifford's Jane is steadfast and courageous, really justifying her presence in the centre of the action. Melanie Marshall's incredible singing is also worthy of note. She brings much-needed atmosphere to the piece. Also appreciated are the accurate regional accents—Helen is from Northumbria, Jane never loses her accent, and only Tim Delap's Mr Rochester uses the received pronunciation that most historical dramas are plagued with.
When the actors are left to deliver the scenes effectively, the show works brilliantly. Unfortunately, they are very rarely permitted to do so. The production seems determined to alienate the audience from the emotional experience of the story at every turn. Short scenes are interspersed with long and baffling periods of physical theatre in which we are obliged to watch the cast pretend to be passengers on a coach, or run energetically around the stage to convey a long and frantic journey. It’s all a bit Sixth Form Theatre Studies, and I was left sincerely unsure whether these long sections were designed to express the emotions of the story, or distance us from them.
Whatever the intention, the effect of all these long sequences is to make the play quite boring. The scene near the start, for example, in which both of Jane’s parents die, could be visceral and emotional, but instead they choose to render it using an abstract dramatic sequence that entirely detracts from the real heart of what is happening. Scenes that could have interesting character interaction are instead delivered with both actors facing the audience. All very artistic, but it robs the play of much needed drama. The distancing effect of all this is a real shame because the original novel is an expression of passion and love and energy, all of which the play seems determined not to let us feel.
Also worth bearing in mind is that this play is two hours and forty minutes long. To make a production so much longer than average is a real indulgence that must be diligently earned. In this most essential of tasks, the production fails. (Grace Knight)
The Outlier Scotland is a bit more positive:
The production brings the best of what theatre can offer. Director, Sally Cookson, and her creative team evoke the grim poverty of the time; the intrusive, all-encompassing fire and brimstone religious climate that once dominated everyday life is present throughout. The cast are at their most powerful during the set pieces, their physicality is strong and the choreography dynamic, reminding us sometimes of Complicite, sometimes Stomp. The music is loud and embraces world styles – here is English folk, Christian Latin, Spanish guitar, a hint of Weill. It’s rowdy, rigorous, vigorous. This is a stage where anything can happen: people become sheep, they pee on stage, they die then get up and walk off. The actors play and the audience laughs along at the lunacy of a man playing a dog… Yes! This is what theatre is about!
However, when the music stops and the dust settles, the text doesn’t always support the show’s high octane early promise. Jane’s slow enthrallment in the magnetic force of Rochester’s secretive personality is barely explored. The relationship between them arrives quickly and lacks emotional depth, though Nadia Clifford as Jane Eyre packs a devastating punch. When Jane meets St John Rivers and his do-good sister, Diana, the trials of adapting novels for stage really becomes clear. The section feels overly long and when we return to the ruins of Thornfield there is a distinct sense that all the drama has happened off-stage. The earlier sense of danger that is evoked so well through the use of candles and numerous flame-coloured lightbulbs goes for nothing. There are odd musical choices too. A rendition of Mad About The Boy and, later, Gnarls Barkley’s Crazy, throw us straight out of the world of the play, despite their terrific arrangements. Special mention should be made of the singer, Melanie Marshall, whose performance is classy and assured, but whose position as Bertha Mason does not become clear until too late in the proceedings. Paul Mundell impresses also, as does Hannah Bristow, whose portrayal of five distinct characters confirms her as one to watch out for in the future. (JL Green)
Old Mission Gazette has a joint review of Sarah Shoemaker's Mr Rochester and Charlotte Brontë's original Jane Eyre.
Mr. Rochester by Sarah Shoemaker is nothing less than captivating. In Shoemaker’s first novel, she tells the bildungsroman story of Mr. Rochester, the complex, sometimes cruel albeit romantic figure from Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre. If Charlotte Brontë was alive, I cannot help but think that she would be pleased by how well Sarah Shoemaker was able to imagine and write Mr. Rochester’s story to compliment her own. [...]
As a lover of Jane Austen, the Brontë sisters and many other old English authors, I approached Mr. Rochester with reservations since the voices and storytelling of those old English authors are vastly different from the modern American ones. Of course, the storytelling of Mr. Rochester is more modern, but not enough that I was constantly reminded of it. Shoemaker did a terrific job of staying true to the manner of storytelling of Brontë, who is credited with being the founder of private consciousness. Further, it’s clear that Shoemaker is well versed in the style of writing, the culture and the social norms of the time period. Through the research and experience, she wove a realistic and entertaining narrative that allows one to visualize every person and place, and emotionally connect to the main character.
It’s satisfying to have my questions regarding the mysterious Mr. Rochester answered, and understand just why Jane Eyre was so important to him. I was pleased that Shoemaker kept up with Brontë’s representation of Jane being of stronger mind than Mr. Rochester, despite them both having difficult lives, and that they both found the love and companionship that seemed out of reach.
I think readers will fall in love with Mr. Rochester, just as I have. Where many authors have failed to produce a prequel to classic literature, Sarah Shoemaker has succeeded. [...]
Charlotte Brontë published her famous novel, Jane Eyre, in 1837. Jane Eyre became a groundbreaking novel due to Brontë exploring Jane’s private consciousness, her strength, and her independence as a woman who was not interested in chasing or demanding the affection of a husband, as well as her exploration of classism, morality, sexuality and feminism. [...]
Indeed, Brontë wrote a masterpiece in Jane Eyre. The complexity of her characters and the relationships between characters will forever captivate readers and inspire writers and readers alike for decades to come. (Emily Glover)
Speaking of Jane Eyre, The Poke shares a tweet showing a school library copy of the book with a 'very puerile annotation'. It's simply an underlined word, though.

And another humorous (?) take on Jane Eyre as SparkLife recommends '10 Failproof Ways to Enhance Your Reading of Classic Literature' such as
Jane Eyre: You know that one friend who has a dog that doesn’t like you very much? Ask to borrow the dog, and put it in a cage in your room that is easily escapable. Then, read with your back to the cage, and wait to see what happens. Feel free to fall asleep as well. (Cassidy Graham)
The Guardian has a recipe for the broth in Jasper Fforde's The Eyre Affair:
“You’re at Ferndean, Miss Next,” replied Mary soothingly, “one of Mr Rochester’s other properties. You will be weak; I’ll bring some broth.”I grabbed her arm.“And Mr Rochester?”She paused and smiled at me, patted my hand and said she would fetch the broth.The Eyre Affair, Jasper Fforde
On a 10 hour bus journey to Edinburgh during my first summer in the UK, I discovered an alternative Swindon. I knew the city as a home to roundabouts, the outlet village, The Office... but this was a very different Swindon. One where Richard III had been performed nightly for decades, dodos were kept as pets, and Literary Detectives pursued criminal masterminds. A tourist trade existed that saw avid readers journey into their favourite books, hovering on the fringes of the action and longing for a glimpse of the protagonist.
This Swindon is the setting of the Thursday Next books, of which The Eyre Affair is the first. These books are so fun, clever and packed with literary winks. In them, Mr Rochester is both the flawed romantic hero we know from Jane Eyre, as well as a friend to detective Thursday Next, who travels between her world and his. The chapters Thursday spends at Thornfield Hall, hiding from Jane Eyre and meeting secretly with Rochester, are some of my favourite in the series.
Any other week, I might have made the roly-poly that features on the menu at Thursday Next’s hotel. But this week is different. I’ve been so anxious about the general election - so afraid of losing the NHS, basic human rights, funding for education – all I really want to do is hide under my duvet and succumb to the cold that’s been hovering over me for weeks. (Kate Young)
This reviewer from Financial Times is not a fan of Daphne Du Maurier' My Cousin Rachel:
Daphne du Maurier wrote Victorian novels after Queen Victoria was dead. They’re post-Victorian, pop-Victorian, pulp-Victorian. Her best books enthral — Rebecca — while her worst are like post-extinction Brontë novels. Brontë-sauri. My Cousin Rachel is one such. (Nigel Andrews)
The Telegraph reviews the film Mal de pierres:
There’s a disastrous flirtation with the (married) village schoolteacher after he lends her a copy of Wuthering Heights: big mistake. At night, she runs her tongue over the inscription of his name inside the cover, one of a handful of odd erotic details here that register nicely. And Cotillard, who’s now 40, gets the coltish, questioning physicality of a younger woman exactly right, and ages seamlessly over the course of the two-decade story. (Robbie Collin)
And so does El Mundo (Spain):
La protagonista lee Cumbres borrascosas y, aunque la acción se sitúe en 1950, la película quiere ser, en la línea de Brontë, un melodrama decimonónico. (Francisco Marinero) (Translation)
San Francisco Bay Times points to another film with a Wuthering Heights reference: Monja Art's Siebzehn.
Writer-director Monja Art’s debut takes a relaxed view of these goings on, her tranquil camera and beautifully composed images showing the scope of the rural environment and capturing quiet moments as well as drama: a solitary swim, domestic chores, and a late-night discussion of Wuthering Heights and marriage.
Derby Telegraph finds a Brontëite in writer Louise Doughty:
Her own favourite author list includes Margaret Attwood, Hilary Mantel, Kate Atkinson and the Brontë sisters.
"Wuthering Heights has to be one of my favourite classic novels – all that running across the moors and wailing," she smiles. (Lynne Brighouse)
Last night, BBC Radio 3's Free Thinking included a bit on Branwell Brontë:
New Generation Thinker Emma Butcher from the University of Hull marks 200 years since Branwell Brontë was born. [...]
You can find more information about events including talks and guided walks for the Branwell Brontë anniversary at the Bronte Parsonage Museum and as part of the Bradford Lit Fest where a statue is being unveiled.
Listen to it here.

Yesterday on AnneBrontë.org Nick Holland speculated on who the Brontës would have voted for in the UK's General Election.

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What’s Next??

Wow. Yesterday was an amazing experience. My first book signing! I want to start by thanking everyone that came out to support me. It meant the world to me! My very first customer was a little boy named Jacob from Zionsville. I had a blast talking to him and all the kids that came after – including my cousin’s kids Aidan, Kendal, and Parker. Other visitors included Eric, Matthew, Ben, Lydia, and Alex, who all belong to colleagues of mine. Of course, my little boy Noah and his cousin Colby also came to join in the festivities. Thank you all!! I hope this is the first of many signings for many different books that I write. Which leads me to my topic today…what’s next?

So when I first wrote BoilerMAKER, I didn’t think I would have any interest in doing another school–unless it was Seton Hill where I completed my MFA. But the idea has been thrown out there by several to do something similar for other campuses. With the overarching goal of getting kids excited about the idea of going to college, I am open to the option of creating something for other universities.

So the big question is…what school should be next??? I know what I am thinking, but I want to hear what you have to say. Let’s take a vote! Which institution of higher education will be the most popular and should be the next on the list for a children’s book??? Please post your answers in the comments section. I’ll be anxious to see what you all come up with! I’ll be back… 🙂

2013 National Book Award Judges

The judges have been announced! Check out this article to see who will be on the panel this year. I always like reading through the lists for various award panels to see what the qualifications are to be a judge. I hope that someday I will have some of these credentials! 🙂 What it would be like to be on the inside for these discussions…if nothing else, educational! And entertaining I’m sure. Have you or do you know someone that has sat on the panel to judge one of the many book awards that are given out each year? Any thoughts to share?

What’s New?

It’s time for an update today! I have so many things going on, I decided I want to get my thoughts in order. Where better to do that than on my website for the world to see? So first I want to talk about my goals for this year. There are several conferences I would love to attend (you can see several of them on my upcoming events page), but I can realistically only attend a few. Lucky for me, two of the big ones are in my neighborhood this year. The regional SCBWI conference is in Fort Wayne, and the ACFW national conference is in Indianapolis. Both of these are excellent opportunities for me. God willing I will be there!

Speaking of, the next thing on my list is updating my memberships. Both SCBWI and ACFW are up for renewal, so I need to get on that here in the next few days. I find these memberships to be very valuable; the organizations keep me up to date on what is happening in the publishing world as well as the good fortunes of those around me. I love hearing the success stories; they are such an inspiration! Do you have any other suggestions on professional affiliations to become active in? What organizations have you found valuable?

Finally, I need to prioritize. What should I take with me to the conferences? What books should I push? I know for sure I need to take Crystal Clear; it is the most polished piece I have. It made it through my thesis defense and was endorsed by two well published authors, so it’s gotta be worth something, right? 🙂 I think I would also like to promote my Hattie Henry series, at least at SCBWI. I’m not sure what else to take or to work on right now. I would love to have your feedback! Please go to my ‘work in progress’ page and read the descriptions of my books. What sounds interesting to you? What would you like to see in print?

As always, thanks for stopping by! I value your feedback more than you know. Have a blessed week!

To Win the Newbery…

What a great article on Publisher’s Weekly today! I love reading about the successes of other authors; it’s so motivating! I especially liked reading that 2011 winner Clare Vanderpool is a new author. Longevity in the publishing world isn’t required (although I’m sure it helps). What it takes is a good book!

I know it won’t be long before I recognize the names of the winners as my own acquaintances. Seton Hill prepared us too well for it not to happen! Who knows, maybe one day I will receive the honor. I know I’m a good writer (my mom said so! 🙂 ), and I know I will publish a book someday. That is my goal; I just have to make it happen! Winning an award would be the cherry on top. I’ll keep working on it!

Who is your favorite Newbery award winner? In your opinion, what are the best books that author has written?

Up for the Challenge?

I came across this YouTube video on my lunch hour today. It seems like as the months go by, I have less and less time to work on my books. I was looking for some tips to jumpstart myself into getting back into the habit–establishing a routine and sticking to it. I think Marie has some great ideas! I’m also going to try and commit to this 750 word challenge. Maybe ot every day, but as much as possible.

I would love to hear from you on this subject! How do you find time to write with all of the other commitments you juggle in your life? Another job or career? A spouse? A parent? I know time management is the key, but what strategies do you use?

Thanks for stopping by!

The Next Big Thing!

Thank you so much to Aileen O’Conor Latcham for tagging me in the Next Big Thing! This blog hop asks authors a series of questions about their current manuscript. Be sure to check out Aileen at www.aileenerin.blogspot.com.

I’ve been working on a few new stories, but I chose the sequel to my YA novel Crystal Clear to share with you here. Please enjoy!

What is the working title of your next book?

Far From Home

Where did the idea come from for the book?

This idea stemmed from the first novel I ever wrote, Crystal Clear. I didn’t write the first book with the intention of a sequel, but it happened that way because of how the story ended. One of the main characters left with no explanation, so I decided I would write a sequel to share her story and answer the questions I left hanging at the end of Crystal Clear.

What genre does your book fall under?

Far From Home is Christian Young Adult, but it has some edginess to it for this category. Lauren (the heroine) has spent her life about as far away from religion as one can get, but finds herself stepping closer and closer as she searches for answers.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

Yikes. This is tough because Lauren changes so much! I would want her portrayed perfectly, and the first actress that comes to mind is Kate Hudson. But I’m afraid she’s too sweet for that role. Maybe Lindsey Lohan? She fits Lauren in the beginning but I’m not sure she does in the end. Maybe it could be a transformation for both of them! 🙂 I have no clue on the other characters, so I believe I would leave that decision to the experts.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Well, considering I’m not done with the first draft, I’m not even close to a one liner! I’ll have to share this one with you later. 🙂

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

I hope it will be represented by an agency, but if that doesn’t happen in an acceptable amount of time, I will consider self-publishing.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

I am not done with the first draft. In fact, I’m not very far at all! Still have a long way to go for this one. 🙂

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

I’m not sure I know of a story that fits this one closely. I feel like it is someone unique because of the edginess, but the closest I can come up with is Robin Jones Gunn or Jenny B. Jones because of their characters’ personalities.

Who or What inspired you to write this book?

Well as I said earlier, the idea came from my first novel. However, the inspiration from that novel came from a situation a very dear friend of my lived through. She lost both of her parents in a car accident a few years ago. Even though the situation was nothing short of tragic, she never lost faith in the Lord. I could only hope of having the same kind of strength in a similar situation. I wanted to write a story to show just what strong faith can do to heal the broken-hearted. Once I got through the first book, I was inspired to continue with Lauren’s character to find out just what I could do with her.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

Lauren finds herself pregnant here, which is usually not an element in Christian Young Adult. Through heartache and confusion, she ends up in the wrong place at the wrong time and has to decide between herself and her baby. Hopefully that makes you want to read it in order to find out what happens! 🙂

Here are the amazing writers I’ve tagged to tell you about their Next Big Thing. Visit them on January 2nd to see what’s upcoming for them. And until then, I hope everyone relaxes and enjoys the holidays!

Shelly Adina: http://magnificentdevices.wordpress.com/

Beth Keyes: www.eakeyes.blogspot.com

Carle Museum Here I Come!

With as much as I love children’s books and writing for children, I’m sad to say that I had no idea this museum existed! After reading this article, I know I have to visit sometime soon! It sounds amazing, and the activities that are planned for the upcoming year motivate me even more. I want to be featured here someday!

Have you been to this museum? If so, please share your experience with me! I would love to hear about it.

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday tomorrow!

I think I know where to start my Christmas list…

It has been awhile since I browsed the Publisher’s Weekly site, so I decided to spend some time there this evening. I was pleased to find an updated list of the best books of 2012! Isn’t this a fabulous place to start my Christmas wish list? I think so. I love using these books for inspiration in my own writing. It always amazes me how many new ideas spark in my mind just by reading the words of another distinguished writer. Check out the selection!

Let’s start a discussion. What books have sparked writing ideas for you? Have you published any material off of these sparks? If so, please share!

Hey fellow bloggers! I hope the writing is going well. I have been extremely diligent this week, and as a result, I’ve made progress! I’ve actually started three different books, which I know isn’t the best strategy, but the ideas were coming and I just couldn’t dismiss them. Now it’s time to pull back and focus on one project at a time; I just have to prioritize what I want to work on when.

Which brings me to my question this week. What is your writing schedule? Do you have multiple projects or do you work on one book at a time? Does it vary depending on the day of the week? I find that all writers are different, but they find their own unique ways of being productive. For the most part, I work on one project at a time. (Obviously not this week!) If it is a lengthy project, sometimes I will set it aside just to have a break and work on something new. When I return, I usually have a fresher perspective and I can focus better.

I started the sequel to Crystal Clear this week. I’ve done some planning, but after writing a few pages I realized that I need to go back and plan more. It’s been awhile since I’ve written a novel, so this is a new challenge for me! I’m ready for it though. And even better, I am preparing for the upcoming Christian writing conference in Indy. If you haven’t heard about it, check out the details on my ‘upcoming events’ page. It’s going to be a great opportunity to get to know my fellow Hoosier writers!

Looking forward to reading about your writing habits. Now it’s back to work! 🙂