I was interviewed on a very cool blog recently called Nose in a Book. Shortly afterward, lisabea wrote to me and a few other authors and asked us if we’d name our “desert island keepers” or, in other words, the 5 men we’d choose to have with us if we were deserted on a desert island.

Not an easy list to come up with. Even harder now that I’ve read other people’s lists. It’s one of those things that after you read someone else’s list you think “oh man, I didn’t even think of him! I want him too!”

But I still stand by the list I came up with, which is: Luc from Purgatory, Radin from the Dark Elves series (yeah, I like my own guys), Batman/Bruce Wayne, and Jean-Claude and Nathaniel from LKH’s Anita Blake series. Galen from LKH’s Merry Gentry series was a serious contender too.

So, give it some thought. Who would you choose to have?

On this particular day, I wanted to recognize my fantastic friends: the Ladies of LAW. Our bond goes beyond friendship and I know no matter what comes my way, they’ll be there to support me. So while they may not be my mother….they are women who inspire me…fight for me…love me….just like a mother is supposed to do.

So….I raise my glass and thank the goddess, she sent such beautiful women into my life!

I’m in the middle of the 70 days of sweat.  It’s a writing motivator that’s kind of like nanowrimo (national novel writing month-write 50K words in 30 days).  With the 70 days of sweat, you have a personal goal to make.  For me it’s 1200 words a day.  I don’t make it most days.  Is it an unattainable goal?  No.  It’s just harder for me than it was before.

You see, I didn’t take into account my toddler suddenly decided every moment was B and Mommy time.  It’s an amazing thing to watch him become his own little man.  I also didn’t count on an increased workload at the day job OR my normally amazingly supportive husband missing me so much he’s asking me for a non-writing vacation.

It pulled me up short (which doesn’t take much, as I’m a little over 5 feet…it’s okay, I won’t continue until your done groaning at the bad joke…*drinks a bit of tea* Good?  Okay).  My husband misses me and my toddler is wanting Mommy and B time.  Even my dog is showing the strain of not enough pats on the head.

I’m currently in deadline (what else is new LOL) and working to get books to my editors by the middle of the month (one this weekend, the other next weekend).  After that I’m taking my 70 days of sweat goal and shifting it.

Write something every day.  My goal is to just write, when I can, but do it either later at night, at my lunch break, or with snatches of time during my hours home from work. If this works out and I’m more productive, it will be my ritual.  If it’s not more productive, come middle of May, I’ll ramp up my routine again.

Sometimes it’s good to take time off and relax.

What about you?  Do you ever take a vacation?  And what do you do to relax after the strain of a deadline?

Have a great week!

Dawn Montgomery, Angel of LAW

It’s arrived! It’s finally here!

Spring has finally arrived. For those of you who are still in the frozen wastelands of the North, you have my sincere condolences. Here in the lovely South, spring is here. And all the pollen that will stir up my allergies, but who cares? The windows are open, the wind is blowing, laundry is drying on the line and the birds and children are noisy. I have never been more excited to see spring’s arrival as I have this year. This winter was tough on me (and the other ladies of LAW), physically, mentally and emotionally. But the warm weather has calm and peaceful and in the mood to clean. That’s right… clean. Spring cleaning is in full force here. I’ve already packed my trunk and backseat with stuff to take to the thrift store and filled up one of the outside trashcans.

Being of neo-pagan persuasion, I love recognizing the turning of the seasons. Most pagans claim Samhain (Halloween) as their new year. For me, Eostre (Ostara or Vernal Equinox) is the beginning of the year. This time of the earth’s renewal and the return of the migratory birds fills me with joy and happiness. My ritual to welcome this wonderful time of year begins with spring cleaning. After which, I’ll smudge the house with sage, renew the protective wards and make my resolutions for the coming year. I’ll pull out eggs and let my kids decorate to their hearts’ delight. Finally, I’ll prepare a light spring feast for my family and friends, and the adults will hide eggs for the children to find.

Now you know how I celebrate this beautiful season. How do you celebrate?

Sometimes being a superhero is a tough gig. Seriously. Sometimes, just like everyone else– you get burned out, tired, and bored. People tell you how wonderful it must be to be you, yet you wonder what part of delusion they ride on. Yet, let’s be honest– the ideal of being a superhero appeals to us all. Why?

There’s the idea of righting wrong, taking care of the things that as regular mortals we can’t, and the idea of someone looking up to us in admiration. (I admit it– I write cuz I do and the fact that people like my stuff keeps me going!) Yet there’s more to that. Sometimes in life, we feel that we aren’t strong enough, aren’t good enough, just…aren’t enough period to make a difference in one person’s life much less many. So, we think that if we had super powers, we could use them to benefit so many people.

Growing up, I always knew I was different. Reading comics such as X-Men, Justice League, and others helped me to feel more accepted internally since externally I was an outsider. In my own way, I began emulating the superheroes I read about. Their ups and downs and mine followed a similar path as I grew up. But there was more–I realized they truly made a difference in the world and still–I felt helpless.

Then in 80s, Band-Aid and Live-Aid came about and in that moment, I had an epiphany that’s lasted every year since. Give to charities that can do the bigger things while I do the smaller things to make a difference. So began my 2 decade gifting to organizations that truly are superheroes. In fact, seeing famous people also giving of their time and effort reinforced the fact I was doing what was right for me.

Then as everyone knows, my first muse- my mom passed away in January of this year. But my mom was also a superhero. *smiles softly* She took care of those less fortunate. Volunteering at her local senior center and even while ill with lung cancer, Mom helped out others by taking them grocery shopping when they had no other way and by listening to those who just needed a shoulder to lean on. My mom, the superhero. Growing up I didn’t see her uber-human abilities, but I always knew she had strength beyond that which I comprehended. Through the years, I saw my mom both as human and more than human. The past seven months with her fight against the lung cancer that finally conquered her lungs, I saw the true power of my mom. She wasn’t afraid of dying, she wasn’t afraid of living, she just wanted us to be loved and taken care of. At her passing, she was still a superhero.

How do we live the superhero life when we’re limited by our lack of superhuman skills? We help those unable to help themselves, we fight for what’s right for mankind, we take the hard path because it’s the right one, and we remember that even superheroes enjoy themselves in those moments of peace and prosperity.

Be a superhero– stand up for what’s right. Help others. Read a book to others or read one for the pleasure it gives you. Stand up and be counted. Acknowledge the blessings and gifts you were born with. Sometimes what we consider a curse is truly a superhero power in disguise.

This week marks a tragic time in my life.  Gary Gygax, the co-father of Dungeons and Dragons passed away.  Before he passed, he asked that we all remember him as “…the guy who really enjoyed playing games and sharing his knowledge and his fun pastimes with everybody else.”  So this post is in honor of him.

I remember my first taste of D&D came in the form of a Saturday morning cartoon Gary had created.  I was fascinated with the possibility of being drawn into another universe (through a roller coaster, no less) and given powers you had no idea how to control.  My Mother still tells me about how I’d go around and put on little plays for them involving the acrobat and the thief (the only two female characters, plus Uni the Unicorn ROFL).

Fast forward to high school where I picked up my first Dragonlance novel: The Dragons of Autumn Twilight. In the 1st of the chronicles trilogy I was sucked in.  It had less intensity and obsessive seriousness than the Epic fantasies I’d been reading up until that time.  What can I say?  I’m a sucker for a good page turner.  My imagination started sparking.  The Epics I’d read until that time were so exhausting to read (BUT enjoyable!) my mind never considered writing one.  With the Chronicles trilogy, however, my imagination had been ignited.  I’d hoped to continue following that path of love with all the other books in the Dragonlance universe.  While a few were absolutely awesome, most were inconsistent and uninspiring.  My frustration increased with each book until one day my Mom yelled at me to write a book then, dammit, if I was going to keep throwing them against the wall.  *wall thumper: a book so bad you throw it against the wall in anger and/or frustration*

I went on to write really bad fiction…more like fan fic, really.  Really BAD fan fic.  LOL.  But I also started playing D&D.  When a Dungeon Master (the tale spinner) suddenly decided he didn’t want to play anymore, I was shoved to the DM spot. (I think I’d talked smack at the time…not a good move) Let me tell you, there is nothing more terrifying in the world than being the DM for six guys who could flay you for breakfast with their wit.  I thought I was out of my league.  So they gave me two days to prep. LOL.  No one offered suggestions and I, in my infinite teenage wisdom, refused to ask.

So I set it all up.  Man, it was tough.  Maps, scenerios, character cards for non-playable, yet key, characters, and a storyarc.  Who knew DM-ing was so tough!  My first night I still remember with embarrassment.  Mostly b/c I should have known they’d go on their own and do whatever they wanted.  Hadn’t I been playing with them for over a year?  I had one week to prep for the next round.  This time they wouldn’t get me.  I had a story dammit and no willful character was going to stomp all over me.

The next round was a little rougher but they were starting to relax and enjoy themselves.  Weeks followed.  Sometimes we had so much fun we’d meet on Sundays too. Finally a month and half long storyarc was done and I was exhausted.  We’d battled epic monsters and demons and the foundations of the world had been shaken.  I’d tracked every one of my NPS characters, some living and some sacrificed for the greater good of the story.  Man I remember how it tore me apart.

The guys were laughing and joking about how much fun they’d had.  I was packing up the DM stuff I’d been loaned by the previous one and my mind had blanked.  It was like I was closing off a chapter of my imagination.  Crazy stuff.  One I would become familiar with later in life.  I was exhausted, mentally just numb. This is the part that I most remember.  One of the guys said, “Damn that was an intense storyline! Awesome work for your first time. When does the next one start up?”  I’d laughed (hysterically, I think) and said I wasn’t sure.  Later that night I got a call from the former DM congratulating me on my storyarc.  I asked him how he’d kept it up for so long and he laughed and said something I’ll never forget and keep to my heart even now.  “It’s the story you’ve got to love.  You have to want it told bad enough that you’ll face anything, any obstacle to get it done.”  I wrote those words down.  He went on to tell me that he’d lost the love of the story and it killed him to try and play a game without one in his heart.

Fast forward to *cough* years later.  I still hold those words to my heart and I fear I’m addicted to storytelling.  Thank you Gary, for introducing me to a world where I first let my imagination soar.   You will be missed.  Thank you for letting me reminisce about how I got into writing.

Much love,

Dawn Montgomery aka Angel

Greetings and welcome to the League of Amazing Writers!

As superheros often do, we’ve updated our digs, making room for more to come. The Ladies of LAW will be dropping by to blog on at least a monthly basis and you can always keep up with what’s going on with each of us by visiting our heroine gallery.

We are official as of March 1, 2008!

Come back often and check us out as we strive to save the world from boredom - one book at a time.