To Blog or Not to Blog -- Guest Post by Lynn Gardner
posted by Kerry Blair
Lynn Gardner is an icon in our market. (I would certainly worship at her shrine if she had one -- and if we could do that sort of thing without breaking several covenants and at least one commandment.) She had published the first two books in her "Jewel" series before it ever occurred to me to open a book of LDS fiction, let alone try to write one. Fortunately, I never read one of Lynn's books before I was published. If I had, I'd have surely given up the idea before I started. Not only does Lynn have a rare gift, she has the sometimes rarer ability to thoroughly research her plot and setting and thereby imbue her books with realism and romanticism. Lynn can make a reader experience a book -- and love every minute of it.
After eight books of emeralds (and espionage), jade (and jeopardy) and the like, Lynn created her first serial sleuth: Maggie McKenzie. I read Vanished in one sitting and -- like a leg
ion of others -- have waited a virtual lifetime for the next installment. It's finally here! Pursued hit the shelves this week. Since the nearest copy sits on a shelf more than a hundred miles from my front door, I am relying on my beloved Seagull on Redwood to ship me a copy post haste. In the meantime, I've been reading -- and loving -- Lynn's new website. She's added a gem I wish all my favorite authors would include: a "story behind the story" feature in which she discusses her research, muses, and how each of her many books came about. I found it nearly as fascinating as the novels themselves.
It's obviously too late to not gush, but I'll reign myself in now and let you read Lynn's blog on blogging. I borrowed it (with permission) from V-Formation where she is a regular contributor.
To Blog or Not to Blog
by Lynn Gardner
What makes a person open their hearts (feelings), minds (thoughts), and entire soul and lay them out to be examined and dissected to anyone who happens upon it? Why would anyone pour out their whole being onto a page in a rush of words that gushes like a waterfall cascading unimpeded down a chasm, sometimes making perfect sense and at other times not at all?
Is it the desire to have our say about something? Do we feel the need to explain ourselves and what we do and why we do it? Or are we just naturally anxious to participate in what is going on in the world (ours and the one at large) at the moment and this is our forum?
All this marvelous technology (which I believe has been a blessing given to us in order to more easily do our family history!) has presented opportunities we've never before had to make our voices heard, to get our opinions out there. We "little people" can now speak and be heard.
But do we stop and think about what we have to say before saying it? Do we realize the consequences of hitting that send button before we do it? I'm loving the opportunities that give us a voice, but I worry about the things that are flooding the airwaves because some don't think about the consequences of what they are sending or saying.
Political careers, jobs, families, personal friends - all can be tragically affected by a careless or thoughtless click of the send button. Who would have ever thought it would be so easy to destroy another person? Two minutes at the keyboard, send, and instantly the world can know things that were better left untold.
On the other hand, what an incredible tool for sharing good news, for teaching, for learning, for discovering new worlds and new friends. What an opportunity to open our minds to new thoughts and expand our knowledge on infinite subjects. What a marvelous way to bridge the communication gap and speak to people we would have never known in any other way.
I would never known about Clarence, the angel cat, or how often Kerry's Blessings book has helped people, or how to get someone to answer a door late at night, or the marked differences between the English and the Americans, or how a loving grandmother has influenced a life, and all the other fascinating things that I've learned just in the last week. So keep on blogging and sharing your lives to enrich mine!
It's like sitting down and having a conversation in my living room with a friend, or inviting a new friend into my home and becoming acquainted. Doors are opening faster than I can get to them all and I'm loving it! New babies, death in the family, frustrations of teenagers, triumphs and tragedies, sneezes and sniffles and debilitating illness - all can be shared in an instant. What an incredible tool we have been given!
To blog or not to blog? No longer a question! Of course we must! Thank you for inviting me into your world!
Lynn's blog is HERE, her website is HERE, and her newest book can be perused (and ordered!) HERE.
After eight books of emeralds (and espionage), jade (and jeopardy) and the like, Lynn created her first serial sleuth: Maggie McKenzie. I read Vanished in one sitting and -- like a leg
ion of others -- have waited a virtual lifetime for the next installment. It's finally here! Pursued hit the shelves this week. Since the nearest copy sits on a shelf more than a hundred miles from my front door, I am relying on my beloved Seagull on Redwood to ship me a copy post haste. In the meantime, I've been reading -- and loving -- Lynn's new website. She's added a gem I wish all my favorite authors would include: a "story behind the story" feature in which she discusses her research, muses, and how each of her many books came about. I found it nearly as fascinating as the novels themselves.It's obviously too late to not gush, but I'll reign myself in now and let you read Lynn's blog on blogging. I borrowed it (with permission) from V-Formation where she is a regular contributor.
To Blog or Not to Blog
by Lynn Gardner
What makes a person open their hearts (feelings), minds (thoughts), and entire soul and lay them out to be examined and dissected to anyone who happens upon it? Why would anyone pour out their whole being onto a page in a rush of words that gushes like a waterfall cascading unimpeded down a chasm, sometimes making perfect sense and at other times not at all?
Is it the desire to have our say about something? Do we feel the need to explain ourselves and what we do and why we do it? Or are we just naturally anxious to participate in what is going on in the world (ours and the one at large) at the moment and this is our forum?
All this marvelous technology (which I believe has been a blessing given to us in order to more easily do our family history!) has presented opportunities we've never before had to make our voices heard, to get our opinions out there. We "little people" can now speak and be heard.
But do we stop and think about what we have to say before saying it? Do we realize the consequences of hitting that send button before we do it? I'm loving the opportunities that give us a voice, but I worry about the things that are flooding the airwaves because some don't think about the consequences of what they are sending or saying.
Political careers, jobs, families, personal friends - all can be tragically affected by a careless or thoughtless click of the send button. Who would have ever thought it would be so easy to destroy another person? Two minutes at the keyboard, send, and instantly the world can know things that were better left untold.
On the other hand, what an incredible tool for sharing good news, for teaching, for learning, for discovering new worlds and new friends. What an opportunity to open our minds to new thoughts and expand our knowledge on infinite subjects. What a marvelous way to bridge the communication gap and speak to people we would have never known in any other way.
I would never known about Clarence, the angel cat, or how often Kerry's Blessings book has helped people, or how to get someone to answer a door late at night, or the marked differences between the English and the Americans, or how a loving grandmother has influenced a life, and all the other fascinating things that I've learned just in the last week. So keep on blogging and sharing your lives to enrich mine!
It's like sitting down and having a conversation in my living room with a friend, or inviting a new friend into my home and becoming acquainted. Doors are opening faster than I can get to them all and I'm loving it! New babies, death in the family, frustrations of teenagers, triumphs and tragedies, sneezes and sniffles and debilitating illness - all can be shared in an instant. What an incredible tool we have been given!
To blog or not to blog? No longer a question! Of course we must! Thank you for inviting me into your world!
Lynn's blog is HERE, her website is HERE, and her newest book can be perused (and ordered!) HERE.
Kerry Blair — 5/22/2009 12:02:00 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
Lynn, congratulations on Pursued! Legions of fans are celebrating this day!
The Internet is truly a miracle. Where I resisted its offerings at first, now I can't imagine going through the week without my computer. The inspired websites seem endless. What a wonderful way to get to know people and their talents. And learning a new craft, such as writing, has never been easier thanks to on-line associations.
My next stop, Lynn, is your new website.
Deb
Lynn, you said it well. And Kerry, I've already read pursued and loved it.
What a fun post, first to see that I'm not the only person in awe of Lynn's talent, but also to see Kerry's continued humility, a rare find in someone so talented. So thank you both for sharing your gifts. And Lynn, congrats again on Pursued. I'm so glad to see it in print...finally!
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