Saturday, June 5, 2010

David Beem and family

I finally figured out how to post this picture!  David, Cary, and son Max Beem met us at Borders a few weeks ago.  Nice, nice people...  Very talented cellists--both of them.  In fact, David was the principal cellist in the Evansville Philharmonic for a number of years.  You can read more about his background if you click on his picture under followers on this blog.

I came to know them because our daughter, Suzanne, has an interest in the cello and was fortunate to have David as an instructor.  The Beems have since moved to northern Indiana where Max was born and David bravely stepped into the wonderful world of writing.  He has written an adult Novel called The Abyss of Chaos and I can honestly tell you it's good because I read it myself.  I feel very fortunate to have David as a critique partner.  He critiqued half my Murder on Sprinkle Lake for me and his remarks were very helpful.  Sometimes I think people feel critiquing means criticizing.  David's not about telling me everything I do wrong. He was great about explaining what he found interesting or funny too.     After all, how can we repeat what we do right if we never hear what it is?  There is always something right...  His experience as a muscian and teacher gave him exposure to critiquing.  He feels, and I agree, that if critiquing is done poorly it can be hurtful and not very helpful.  I look up to him and am very confident he will succeed at anything he decides to tackle!

David is not the only one that critiques my work.  Of course I have my husband and other family members (when they have time) read stuff, but also the people in the SCBWI Evansville Critique Group led by Christie Atherton.  Talented writers (and one illustrator) in that group!  I love to use my imagination and express emotion through writing and am grateful to all of them for their help.  I find writing difficult, but that's part of the fun.  Nevertheless, we writers have to have thick skin.  Most people get plenty of rejections, spend a lot of time alone, and don't make very much money.  Gotta love the process to keep at it!

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