What would I take?

Here's a fun little survey to take. It's courtesy of author Kaye Dacus.

If I were stuck on a deserted island (not one with smoke monsters and Others and time travel), I would want:

Book (other than the Bible): The Complete Works of Shakespeare -- poetry! comedy! tragedy! history!
Person: Matt Duvall (yeah, yeah, yeah)
Food item: Blueberry crumb pie (I figure this has all the four food groups in it)
Beverage (other than water—there’s plenty): Ocean Spray Diet Blueberry Juice
Celebrity Chef: Hubert Keller
Three CDs*: Vivaldi's Four Seasons, Bruce Springsteen's Born in the USA, The Little Mermaid Soundtrack
Three Movies*: While You Were Sleeping, Sense and Sensibility (Emma Thompson's) and Return of the Jedi
Personal Care Product: Tweezers
Three Articles of Clothing (other than underwear): A sports bra (or is that underwear?), a swimsuit and a long sleeve t-shirt (for those cold beach nights)
Piece of Technology*: My laptop!
Wild Card: Sunscreen
*Because, of course, you’d have a CD/DVD player and a mysterious source of unlimited electricity and/or batteries!

Seton Hill Writing Retreat

9th Annual Seton Hill WPF Writer's Retreat and Conference

WHEN: June 24 - 27, 2010

GUEST SPEAKERS: Jim McCarthy, Agent, Dystel & Goderich Literary Management
Janet Reid, Agent, FinePrint Literary Management
Annette Rogers, Acquisitions Editor, Poisoned Pen Press
Tina Trevaskis, Director of Marketing & Sales, Samhain Publishing Co.

This event is open to the public. Registration opens on March 1, 2010.

Am I a Writer?

Gary's last post made me think. Then it made me realize I need to make a confession.

I'm not like other writers. I'm not. I never tell them that, though. Because if I tell them how I'm different, they'll look at me and shake their heads and whisper, "She's not a writer."

Part of me thinks they're right. Part of me thinks I'm just a wolf dressed up in writer's clothing. A writing impostor.

Why am I not like other writers?

I don't dream about my characters.
I don't go in writing withdrawal. I'm perfectly content if I don't write for a day, a week or a month.
I don't think that my characters speak to me. Or find me. Or control themselves. Or any of that other stuff people say their characters do.
I don't get writer's block (I just get writer's crap).

Does this all mean that I'm a bad writer? Or am I not a writer at all?

--Natalie