Tearing something down to make it stronger

I am slowly, and I mean slowly learning that its a lot of work to get a book to the stages where someone else will want to look at it.  I've written x 2 manuscripts and in both cases I thought that I was ready to start searching for an agent. And I was. But...not because my manuscripts were ready. But that I needed to learn more about the craft of writing. I need to tear down something and hope it is better in the end.

It took me over 14 months to write my first manuscript. If you didn't know me back then, you'll be surprised to learn that I wrote over 240,000 words. It worked out a funny way that I was sending myself emails and didn't put all the pieces together until the end. I spent the next 12 months editing it down to 148,000.  I thought that I had done a good job. I started querying it. Of course I got rejected like crazy. I kept being told to cut it more.  Ouch.

While I was waiting for those rejections, I started writing my second manuscript. A medical mystery.  This time it took 5 months for around 85,000 words. I worked it, edited, and re-edited it. I am currently querying this masterpiece and am finding out that it isn't such a masterpiece after all. But, the feed back I am receiving is positive. I just need to get a good group of beta readers to trim some pieces.

I've restarted my first manuscript and really went to work on cutting and improving some of the less important things. In the end, I felt most was important, there was just a better way in telling the story. I ended up cutting another 20,000 words and am down to 125,000.  The crazy part is that I changed everything. The title of the book, the names of the character. I tried to get things moving quicker and moved some of the important finds to much sooner in the book. Some parts remained the same. I am completely excited about the changes in the book.

I am about to head off to a couple conference and really get hammered on some of my techniques and especially the first few pages. That is where I really need to get better. I need to get the audience involved much quicker and more efficient.

Writing is far from easy. Well writing well is far from easy. I am just hoping that I am on the right tract.

Besides March Madness...make sure you get a Colonscopy this Month

March is the month where we celebrate for the awareness for colorectal cancer or colon cancer. Colonoscopies are the manner that this cancer is found. Other intestinal problems can also be identified.

More than 55,000 deaths a year are attributed to colorectal cancer. And be sure to remember, this cancer affects women and men. 
Screening


The initial age of screening is 50. More than 85% of colon cancers are found in those above the age of 50. Usually there are no symptoms, at least, no initially. Blood in stool, weight loss, fatigue, and a few other symptoms can be seen.

Screening is the best preventative measure as well as the way to diagnosis cancer. This cancer affects the large bowel.

Cancer in the colon usually begins as a benign polyp. Over time, and were talking years, the polyp could potentially turn into cancer. But it is vitally important to remember that not all polyps will become cancer. That is why routine biopsies or even removal of the polyp is done during the colonoscopy, just to make sure.

The prep is often far worse than the actual procedure. Remember this. You need to avoid food for 24 hours. A medication, in liquid form, helps you get cleaned out.

A special camera is used for the procedure and it examines the colon, large and small intestines. If a polyp is found or there are some tissue that may be concerning, then a biopsy or complete removal of the polyp is easily done.

So, as for the celebration this year, try to schedule a colonoscopy if you over the age of 50 and have never had one before. Or…if it is time for a follow-up procedure.

For any other questions or concerns, contact your medical provider and get it scheduled.

You can also see an InterActive Health look at an actual colonoscopy procedure by clicking - here

Valentine's Day

This year my wife and I decided to do something different for Valentine's Day. And it made it a great day.  Of course we do the usual, cards and candy for the kids. They wake up and see them on the table and get so excited. My wife made pink pancakes and the kids loved those as well.  I was already at work, but there were leftovers and I had some pancakes this morning. They were still fantastic.

The difference this year was that she came up and met me for lunch. We went to GoodWood BBQ and had a fantastic lunch. But afterwards, we drove a block and bought each others gift. They turned out to be the same gift. This year, instead of flowers and too much chocolate, we got each other iphones.

Over the past year, our droids have been outdated and on the blitz. I would miss phone calls, texts, and messages. She was calling friends when her phone was across the room. We've been looking for the last 3 months and finally decided on the iphone.

Last night while she went to a church meeting, I spend almost 3 hours getting to know my iphone and downloading music. Today, I am much happier about our phone situation and valentine's day turned out fantastic for both of us.   Here's to hoping that your day was just as good!

It's Query Time

Well, I'm back from our vacation in Disneyland. More on that later. Two days prior to leaving, I finished another round of Editing for my WIP - Immaculate Conception. The title is growing on me more and more. I do realize, although hesitantly, that I really probably have no control over the title.

I was aiming at around 80,000 words and my final word count ended up being 87,000. The editing process was tricky, but that always seems to be the case with the editing process. Overall, the entire process has been streamlined from my first few experiences at writing and editing.

My work is now out at some beta readers and its growing close to the time to start querying. I've been researching query letters again.  Agent Query or AQ at the webaddress of http://www.agentquery.com/writer_hq.aspx is a really solid resource. I've also been reviewing Query Shark - another great resource.  http://www.queryshark.blogspot.com/.

Query letters appear to be an art form. Traditional letters are typical and safe, but atypical letters can be abstract, genius, or a complete disaster. I am going to go with Traditional.  I've worked and reworked the last 2-3 weeks on the query letter and I hope that I am getting close.

This is an exciting but nervous time.  I'll let you know more as things get going.

Any guesses on this Skin Disease?

Here is a picture of a very difficult skin condition that is often fatal in infants.

It is characterized by diamond shape scales. Infants are at highest risk for infections, dehydration, and breathing difficulties.

Improvements in management and treatment have extended the lives of those with this condition.

The Answer is: Harlequin-type ichthyosis

More about Harlequin-type Ichthyosis:

This is a condition is where the skin of an infant becomes thick and scaly.

The change occurs in the keratin layer of the skin. Large and thick, diamond shaped scales, red in color, can be seen. The scaly nature of the skin causes the infant to have difficulty with movement and respiration.

It is a very rare condition.

Symptoms:

- Severe cranial and facial deformities
- Ears and nose may be absent or poorly developed
- Ectropion [Everted or outward eyelids]
- Dryness of skin
- Thickening of skin
- Large scales
- Scales can be reddish in color
- Arms, feet, fingers can also be deformed
- Polydactyly - more than the usual number of toes or fingers

Cause:

- Mutation in the gene for protein - ABCA12
- This gene helps regulate healthy skin.
- This mutation can be inherited

Areas of skin affected:

1.) Face
2.) Eyes
3.) Ears
4.) Penis
5.) Extremities
6.) Other

Risk Factors

- Increase chance for infection due to cracks in skin
- Cracked Skin
- Dehydration
- Restricted or difficulty breathing
- Difficulty controlling water loss

Treatment

. Isotretinoin [Isotrex]

- Symptomatic treatment
- Treat Dryness
- Treat Infections

Fall in Michigan - wish we could have visited.

My Mom recently sent these photos from Michigan. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to visit them this year. I guess its time to start planning for next year. It would be great to get in some fishing.  Michigan is an interesting place, my parents have retired there. My Dad grew up an hour or more from where they are now living. I could never call it home, but it is a fun place to visit.

Potential New Requirement of Welfare...A Urine Sample

The welfare system may changing - but for better or worse still remains to be seen.


Proposals in almost twenty-five states have shed light on drug testing requirements in order to receive benefits like unemployment assistance, job training, public housing, welfare, food stamps and more.

The concerns by the proponents are that some of the governmental assistance are being misused while others decry this as an attempt at signaling out the poor. States that have already passed such requirements include: Arizona, India, Florida, and Missouri.

At the federal level, Senator David Vitter, a Louisiana Republican, has introduced the Drug Free Families Act of 2011, which would require all 50 states to drug-test welfare applicants.

In Florida, those people receiving cash assistance have had to pay for their own drug tests for the last few months. Enrollment in cash assistance has decreased dramatically. Many argue that the poor are being targeted unfairly has lead to such a decrease, while others praise the new tactics as just and fair. The cost of drug testing is around $40 dollars and the state of Florida has insisted that it will reimburse those who pass. If you fail - you're disqualified for a year. Payments already being sent to children can still continue through another person, like a grandparent.

“Working people today work very hard to make ends meet, and it just doesn't seem fair to them that their tax dollars go to support illegal things,” said Ellen Brandom, a Republican state representative in Missouri.

So far, most proposals for change have failed to win the support needed. This is believed to be the result of concerns about the legality of such proposals.

Kimberley Davis, the director of social services for Operation Breakthrough, said the legislation sent a bad message. “All this does is perpetuate the stereotype that low-income people are lazy, shiftless drug addicts and if all they did was pick themselves up from the bootstraps then the country wouldn't be in the mess it’s in,” Ms. Davis said. Operation Breakthrough provides day care services in Kansas City to low-income women.

Several studies that date back a decade or more indicate that drug use is not solely seen in the poor. In 1996, a report from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism found that there is no significant difference in the rate of illegal-drug use by welfare applicants and other people. Another study found that 70% of illegal-drug users between the age of 18 and 49 are employed full time.

The certainty is that many of these new policies will end up in court to see if indeed they are legal or a constitutional violation. For the time being, a few states will continue to require drug testing for welfare programs. One must ask if this is really a bad thing in the end?

Does this concern you or do you agree. Give us your feedback in the comment section.

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2090871,00.html#ixzz1aUKa2mMl