Author’s Note: Diana at Myths of the Mirror has a new prompt: Meet the Muse. The rules are: Post a Muse conversation on your blog and leave a link to your post in the comment section of Diana’s post: http://mythsofthemirror.com/2020/11/20/meet-the-muse-prompt Many thanks, Diana. This was fun.
Lydia feeling the vibes Lilly
Lydia looked up over her glasses at Lilly. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m allowed.” She peered at the computer screen. “How far did she get?”
“5th grade level.” Lydia waved a hand in the air. “She used the writing app for readability.”
“Down to grade 5? That’s insulting an agent’s intelligence. It’ll hit the trash bin.”
“Oh, really? What would you do?” Lydia poked loose strands of brown hair into a back bun.
Lilly’s long brunette curls framed her face. “Well, obviously, there’s something missing.”
“What do you mean? The book description is concise and grammatically correct.”
“It is and it’s boring. Where’s the rhythm, the voice?” Lilly crossed her arms.
“Humph. There you go throwing music around, because you two play the guitar.”
“Lydia, don’t get huffy. She needs a grammar guru like you. But, I got the rhythm and style.”
Lilly strummed an imaginary guitar. “Let your hair down, Lydia. Feel the vibes.”
Lydia rolled her eyes. She hid a grin and fiddled with her hair bun.
Elizabeth stopped typing and said, “Okay, good you two settled down. While you were bickering back and forth about some important things, I worked on a new version. I looked up Amazon book descriptions and the average length is 130 words. The first 120 pack the most punch. The agent specifically requested a book description, not a synopsis. At 150 words, it fits on one page with the added greeting and bio.”
Elizabeth stared at the word document and said, “It’s concise Lydia. And Lilly, my voice is back. So, if you two can agree on any changes, hopefully with less bickering … I’ll listen.”
Ha. While they bicker, you work. I like their different personalities, and a great topic since I’m always bickering with myself on that one. I’ve got you queued up, Christine. Thanks so much for playing and good luck with your book!!!!
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Yay! You liked it! 🥳🎶 The muse bickering makes my head spin sometimes. Thanks for the much needed good luck with the first book. 📚🎶Christine
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I’m happy to see this from you, Christine. It’s delightful.
I’m clicking over to check out Diana’s post now. Hugs on the wing!
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Thanks, Teagan. Her web address on your email has a typo, but corrected on my blog site. It’s a fun challenge and some of the responses are very clever. Hugs right back, my friend. 🤗🎶💛
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I found the right post. I gave up on WordPress notifications years ago. So no worries.
I didn’t think I had it in me, but I did my own a moment ago. It will go live tomorrow. LOL, although I don’t think it’s anything anyone will want to see! 😀
Happy Thanksgiving, Christine. Hugs on turkey wings!
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Awesome you joined the challenge, Teagan. I’ll want to see it for sure. You have a Happy Thanksgiving too, 🦃 however you celebrate. It’s chicken soup for us!😉 SoCal is getting colder. 📚🎶 Hugs! Christine
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This made me smile and I thank you for that!
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Maggie, that’s what I’d hoped. We all need a smile, a chuckle these days. 🍁🧡🍂
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Hey, your bickering spinster muses are certainly more helpful than my ex-muse. All mine wanted to do was complain about her ex’s….. Kind of like I am doing here. Ooops.
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Greg, I just read your post and my humor pales in my muse challenge. But, if you ever need a steadfast, playful muse, you can borrow my Lilly. Bet she’d love chocolate chip ice cream, and she can match your humor energy. Here, she only gets peach ginger green tea, and GF whatever. But send her back home though, no fair keeping her. You really need to write a book, you know? Happy Thanksgiving. 🍁🍂🎶 Christine
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Very very very nice 🍁☘🌾🌻
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Thank you so much, Sharukh. 🍁🧡🍂
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I’m so sorry. Ahmed. Got my messages crossed. Thank you for your nice comment. 🍂🧡🍁
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😊🍁
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5th grade level is great for a novel. You want it to be easy to read or else it won’t be fun!
Your muses seem fun. Gemini muses!
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I wonder about agents reading a query letter written at a 5th grade level. Seems boring. But, then, it’s the story that sells, not so much the format. 📚🎶 Christine
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Reblogged this on Myths of the Mirror and commented:
Another unique and fun conversation. Elizabeth’s two muses discuss her letter to an agent. Enjoy.
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Diana, thank you so much for the reblog. I’ve loved the comments on my Meet the Muse post. Everyone seems to have a muse that fits their inner personality & character. Getting to know fellow bloggers better is always a good thing. Happy writing. 📚🎶 Christine
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That’s what I notice too – the wide variety of muses and how they’re such good fits for their writers. I’m so glad you took part, Christine, and I was delighted to share. Good luck with your book!
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Diana, thanks so much for creating the Meet the Muse challenge. It brought fellow writers & their muses together. Lydia & Lilly are happy to write historical fiction. They are real characters in the book. Their voices & looks are very distinct. And of course I personally connect with them. I’m Elizabeth, the main character. Thanks for the good luck with the book. The editing and scene additions are coming along nicely. 📚🎶Christine
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Maybe the secret is having more than one muse and letting them argue while you get some work done. I like that idea.
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Dan, thanks so much for your comment. The two muses in writing works for me. I even put the manuscript on the computer screen to the left for Lydia and editing, and to the right for Lilly and emotional style. In the center to read the latest version. Then, I hear both bickering over my shoulder. It takes a while to get it right before they do high fives! 🤣📚🎶 Christine
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I could see any muses that graced my subconscious as bickering as well. 🙂
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Thanks for your comment. Glad you get it. I’d listen to the muses, they’re your creative mind working. Happy writing. 📚🎶 Christine
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Clever musings C.E. Your muses sound like my daily inner voices with the bickering. I’m glad you and so many others played along with Diana’s wonderful prompt. Long live the muse mayhem!
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Muse Mayhem! Loved it! And all the comments. We as writers have creative ways—our muses—to get the a story just right. Lydia is really on target when she tells me something is not clear, and what do you mean by that? Lilly pipes up, how about what she’s thinking inside her head. Readers want to know her secret thoughts. Muses get to be family like our book characters. 📚🎶 Christine
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Exactly Christine! I’m glad you and your muses had fun, as did mine.
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We do need fun in a writing career. 😊🎶📚
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So one does the ‘head’ stuff (grammar) and the other the ‘heart’ stuff (music and rhythm). That sounds the perfect combinations. (Left and right sides of the brain.)
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Absolutely! You got it V.M. But, really from research I’ve read, the middle of the brain is the creative part. Both sides meet in the middle, and that’s when Lydia & Lilly high five! 🤣🎶📚
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Bickering muses help in producing an excellent book. I like Lydia and Lilly.
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Thank you very much. Lydia & Lilly will be recognized in the book’s acknowledgment. 🤣 What would we writers do without our muses? 📚🎶 Christine
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It’s good to see a writer who knows how to get the better of her muses!
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Thanks for your comment, Liz. Not sure if I get the better of Lydia & Lilly. I just keep writing & wait. One will tap a shoulder, right or left, and I’ll listen. They really are respectful, most of the time. Except when there’s a definite grammar & emotion part that’s not quite right. Then they bicker. 🙄🎶📚 Christine
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You’re welcome. Hopefully the bickering doesn’t become too much of a distraction. 🙂
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🙄 If it does, I take a break and leave the room! 🤣🎶📚
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😀
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Oh my, two muses. They sound a lot like my two sons, they bicker all the time too, but they are great lads at the end of the day. A great post.
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Thanks, Robert. Sounds as if there’s a story there about your 2 sons bickering about something. Could be fun to write. 📚🎶 Christine
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Sorry, that was Roberta! Oops. 🙄😞
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Nothing quite like having such spirited conversations around you all the time 🙂 This brought a smile to my face today, Christine. Wishing you a great start to the holiday season ~
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Randall, thanks so much for you visit and comment. Have I missed any posts? I am following you along with more than 5,000 other bloggers. Impressive, Checked on your website and looked at gorgeous photos though. I’ll check more often to see what’s new. The spirited talks with the muses keep me writing. The book is coming along. Editing once more before trying to get published. Hope to see some winter/holiday photos this month.You have an awesome holiday season too. 🎄🎼
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Thank you, Christine, and wishing you a great season and to a wonderful completion/edit of your book ~ congratulations on something so special to create. 🙂
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Thanks, Randall. A happy holiday season to you. 📚🎶Christine
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Pingback: Meet the Muse Wrap Up | Myths of the Mirror
Thanks Diana. Now we have a list of writers and their creative muses. This was such a fun muse challenge, much needed in these disruptive times. 📚 Christine
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Reblogged this on Have We Had Help? and commented:
Christines muses 😉
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Jack, thank you so much for the reblog. I appreciate your support. I read your post about your muse. Quite a beauty she is. She’s a keeper. I was a fun muse challenge. And Diana connected us to many creative muses in cyberspace. 📚 Christine
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Made me smile, Christine.
Sorry, for the late answer, I don’t know where my WordPress notifications go. Often I find them by mistake.
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It was a fun Muse challenge.Thank you for your comment, Valentina. I enjoyed putting my two muses together for the dialogue. 📚🎶 Christine
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Very nice!!! You have 2 fab muses.
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Thanks, Resa. I certainly do. It’s fun to hear those two bickering when I’m writing a scene. 📚🎶 Christine
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😀
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Having a strong support team makes all the difference, doesn’t it?
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Absolutely! The only way to stay positive and keep writing. 📚🎶 Christine
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hi dear Christine. 🌻
where does your interesting book project happen?
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Thanks so much for asking, Ahmed. The manuscript is being proofread now. I have the self-publishing team working on the different elements. The new title, Three Years of Her Life, needed a different book cover than the old title Sunset Inn. Your book cover design just didn’t fit. Thank you again for your creative cover portraying Sunset Inn. I have it to admire in my photo gallery. The book launch is planned for summer or fall. 📚🎶 Christine
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Sounds fun! My muse with my YA fantasy was a beautiful black cat who I named Shadow. He’s got a habit of appearing and disappearing!
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Marje, what fun for you. A black cat muse. What was his personality like? Tough, kind, etc. 📚🎶 Christine
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Loved the bickering. And thanks for the allowed wordcounts info 😉
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You are very welcome. Thanks so much for reading & commenting on the post. It was fun to write. 📚🎶
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Christine, you’ve been gone so long, I hope all is well.
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Thanks so much for noticing, GP. I’ve taken in self-publishing my book, Three Years of Her Life. It’s in the proofreaders hands now. Should be another month before it’s available in Amazon. Add to the mix, two 5 month old Border Aussie puppies, now 8 months old and already more than 30 lbs each. Training them everyday!
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Busy, busy, busy! That’s great. With Covid and all, I am hesitant sometimes to ask.
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Thank God I’m healthy. I’m in my 80s and a germ conscious nurse practitioner (retired.) Purell hand sanitizer and washing. Staying out of crowds! Glued to the computer! Loving my puppies. And all is well. 🤣
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I thought maybe I should post a few book excerpts as marketing is my responsibility. You’ve reinforced that I should be more present in blogging. Thank you. 📚🎶 Christine
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