Fun Fridays: My Organic Garden and a short Q&A!

Thought you might like to get a look at how much my organic garden grew in the past few months.  Sometime in April or maybe it was May, I posted this first picture.

 

Now here is the picture I took last week!

We've already harvested several summer squash, zucchini, 1 green pepper, carrots, beans, lettuce, garlic, and tomatoes. I didn't have much success with the onions or broccoli.  Now, this is all organic.. no pesticides anywhere! I planted lots of fragrant herbs and also marigolds (as you can see) which they say deter bugs, and I haven't had any problems whatsoever.   They also say to not put the same vegetable in a row but group it with different veggies across the garden.  

Anyway, finally someone took me up on asking me some questions!  You may remember that I said part of my Fun Fridays would be used for you all to ask me ANYTHING. It could be something personal (not too personal!) or it could be something about writing or one of my books, my political or religious views, what shampoo I use..etc..  think of the possibilities!!  Not that you all want to know that stuff about me, but it could really open up some great discussions. :-)  

Anyway, here's the questions Joleen Graumann sent me.

What does a typical week look like for you when you're in the midst of writing a novel?

I get up early! Usually by 7 at the latest, grab some coffee and start going through emails. Answering emails and going through Facebook posts takes about 40 minutes. Then I grab more coffee and spend time with God. I am reading through the Bible (again) so I usually read a couple of chapters, maybe 3, pray and just hang with my Father for awhile. Then I get dressed and it's back to the computer!!  When I'm under a tight deadline I will put anywhere from 6 to 8 hours just pounding on the keyboard.   I have to force myself to get up and eat something and go for a walk. (usually around noon)  I try to walk for about 40 minutes and use that time to pray and think about what I've written. Then back to work until 5 when I need to start dinner for hubby. :-)   Unless I'm going to miss my deadline, my evenings are my own to spend with hubby and crash in front of the TV. Bubble baths really help to unwind after a day of writing!

 

How do most of your novels start? (a theme, a scene that develops into a story, a character, a verse?)

 Funny thing but my novels have all started differently. The Redemption started with a scene that played out in my head and refused to leave.  (Charlisse on a ship in the Caribbean in the middle of a storm!)  My Charles Towne Belles series definitely started with a Scripture, the parable about the seed and the sower in Matthew 13. My Destiny series started with a Theme -- God has a special purpose for each one of us!  Veil or Pearls started with a theme- the fear of man. So, I guess it depends on the book and how God reveals it to me. 

 

How many ideas for stories do you have going? (Is it often one idea at a time or do you have lots of ideas running through your head?)  

Normally I have 2 or 3 different story ideas roaming about my head at once. Rarely am I complete dry.  In fact right now, I've had a mermaid tale swimming through my brain that refuses to leave!

 

When writing historical fictions, at what point do you research? (before writing, in the midst, after the gist of the story is written?) 

I do a majority of the research before I start writing. I try to anticipate things I will need to know without spending weeks and weeks on it. It's easy to get lost in research and never come out in time to write the story!   However, once I start writing, there are always things that pop up that I need to go look up. When that happens, I either mark it and come back or I just stop the writing and go look it up. 

If you have questions for next week, please send them to me at marylu_tyndall@yahoo.com

Have a great weekend!!