Katie Ganshert Archives - Page 83 of 93

Wishes

Posted on July 9, 2009November 6, 2011 by Katie Ganshert

Before I get all deep and serious into the nuts and bolts of writing (my Dwight Swain’s posts), I thought I’d post something a little fun today. My top ten selfish, semi-silly wishes. These have nothing to do with world peace, or ending world hunger, although I assure you, if given the choice between these wishes and a cure for AIDS, the latter would win out.

My Top Ten Selfish, Semi-Silly Wishes

1. I wish I could eat anything I wanted and never gain weight. Cinnabon, anyone?

2. I wish I could take away Bubba’s elbow displasia. He’s only 5 the poor fella is already limping around. It honestly tears my heart out.

3. I wish I could apparate like the wizards in Harry Potter. You know how much gas money I could save?

4. I wish I didn’t need sleep. Do you know how much I could accomplish with seven more hours in my day?

5. I wish I could have my own personal hair-player…I don’t think these exist. But instead of a person masseuse, I’d like a person to play with my hair every night before I go to bed.

6. I wish I could sing like Aretha.

7. I wish someone would invent a microchip that I could put into my brain and transfer information. Sort of like how you can click and drag files from your desktop to a folder. Only I could click and drag any information I wanted in the entire universe into my brain. Research would be easy-smeasy!

8. I wish I could win an all-expense paid, one month vacation backpacking through Europe with my hubby.

9. I wish I had unlimited funding to pour into my writing career. I could hire an editor. I could take classes and workshops. I could apparate (see wish # 3) to various writing conferences. Etc. etc.

10. I wish I could hire a technology expert and make my website the coolest website ever.

Question to Ponder: What is one of your selfish, semi-silly wishes?removetweetmeme

The Ultimate Concert

Posted on July 8, 2009November 6, 2011 by Katie Ganshert

I once went to a Dave Matthews concert. I went with this guy. I wasn’t even that into Dave Matthews, or the guy. But anyway, that is all beside the point. While I was at the concert, I noticed the crowd more than Dave. You could tell who the real fans were. They were the crazy ones. The ones who knew the words to every song. The ones who held their hands up in the air and danced to the music, uncaring who might be watching (me, I was watching). The ones who held up lighters. The ones who had these dreamy, euphoric looks on their faces because: Oh. My. Gosh. Dave Matthews is playing on STAGE!

I once watched a Michael Jackson concert on television when I was younger. My brother and I watched it and I remember thinking, “These people are NUTS!” I can’t tell you how many women I saw screaming and fainting and getting carried away on gurneys because they were beside themselves in uncontained, furious excitement.

What does this have to do with writing? Nothing.

What does this have to do with God? Everything.

One day, every believer will be in heaven. Every tribe, every tongue, every nation will gather around God’s thrown and we will SCREAM and SHOUT and SING and DANCE for our Lord. Can you imagine the sound of millions and millions of souls praising God? I have no idea how I’ll react. If I’ll faint, or cry, or bow down. All I know is….it’s going to blow away every other concert any of us has gone to – by a billion. The ultimate concert with the ultimate artist on stage.

Question to Ponder: Will I see you at the concert? Admission has already been paid. How cool is that?

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An Unfortunate Case of Book Snobbery

Posted on July 6, 2009November 7, 2011 by Katie Ganshert

One of the unfortunate side effects about reading all these craft books is what a snob I’ve turned into. I’ve checked out piles of books from the library. I’ve read the first few chapters of each one, but can’t seem to settle into a single one. I can’t tell you how many books I have half-read this summer before putting them aside in frustration.

When I examine the reason why, it all comes down to one very simple reason: the story doesn’t pull me in, my disbelief is not suspended. Instead of being taken to another world and living through the characters, I’ve been very aware that I’m lying in bed, or sitting on my sofa, reading off a page. And what fun is that? Very rare is the book that will allow me to turn off my internal editor. A Moment Between, by Nicole Baart, did that for me. It swept me away. I got lost in the story. And after searching and searching, I finally found another.

The book is called Home Another Way, by Christa Parrish. It’s her debut novel and was released in 2008. I’m only on chapter six, and already I love the main character – this incredibly flawed, incredibly bitter young woman named Sarah Graham. Christa’s voice is wonderful and poignant. The story is so real. And Sarah’s motivations for being flawed and bitter are so well established without giving any sort of back story dump. So if you’re looking for a story to sweep you away, to make you smile, to make you wonder, and to make you turn pages, I highly recommend Home Another Way. I’ll let you know more when I’m finished.

Question to Ponder: Are you a book snob? What are your favorite books?

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