Barbara White Daille, Guest Chef

Getting into Flow
by Barbara White Daille

It’s great to be back here at Petit Fours and Hot Tamales, especially since I have the chance to chat with all you nice, real people.

Let me explain.

I juggle two jobs. Still, I don’t get out much because the main gig—being a writer—takes up most of my time. It keeps me home at the computer, working on one book-in-progress or another.

When I’m really immersed in my story, I get into that state called flow. You know—that can’t-come-up-for-air feeling when you’re caught up in whatever it is you’re doing. That intense concentration that makes the rest of the world disappear.

When I’m in flow, it’s often tough for me to come back to reality—which leads to some very interesting conversations around my house. I’ll share one with you.

My husband comes home from his own 9-to-5, and at supper, after the usual “how was your day?” intro, his questions become more specific:

“What did you have for lunch today?”

Lunch?

“Did you call about the electric bill?”

Oh-h-h…the electric bill…

“When are you going for your haircut?”

Haircut? I need a haircut?

And that’s pretty much how it goes, with my husband struggling to chat and me fighting my way through a fog. Even worse—from his perspective—is when he looks up to find me gazing into dead space without blinking an eye.

The thing is, I’ve spent all day at the computer, in the pages of my book and in the heads of my characters, and though I’ve left them in another room, they’re still talking to me.

And I’m still listening.

Sometimes I even talk back to them. Luckily, when my husband’s the only one around. (smile)

All in all, though, I have to say talking to imaginary people is just one of the perks of being a writer. As for the rest…

I blame it on being in flow. And that can happen to anyone, don’t you think?

What gets you into that state of flow?

While you’re pondering that, here’s something else I’d like to share with you.

Right now, I’m on an Internet blog tour to celebrate the release of my latest book, THE RODEO MAN’S DAUGHTER (February 2012), which has just made its debut. I’d like to introduce you to someone who is on the tour and who has recently spent a lot of time talking to me. (smile)

Here’s Caleb, the rodeo man from the book’s title:

In all the years he’d been gone from this town and with all the miles he’d logged, he should have shoved away everything that bothered him about this place.

He hadn’t forgotten a single one of them.

The gang of kids had moved out of sight behind one of the shacks. A lone boy, eight or nine years old, stayed behind and stood watching him. Dark hair, a dirty face. Torn T-shirt and skinned knees. Could have been Caleb, twenty years ago.

The kid made his way across the road. “Hey,” he said, “whatcha doing?”

“Just looking around.”

“What’s wrong with your leg?”

The boy must have noticed his awkward gait, the stiffness that always hit him after he sat in one position for a while. “I hurt my knee. Getting off a bull.”

“Thought you were supposed to stay on ‘em.”

He shrugged. “That one had other ideas.” Not too bad—in those three quick sentences, he’d managed to bypass two years’ worth of rehab and pain.

The kid looked away and then quickly back again, shuffled his feet and jerked his chin up high. Caleb recognized the mix of pride and false bravado.

“Hey, mister…got a dollar?”

“Sure.” How many times had he asked that question himself? How many times had he sworn he’d never ask it again? He reached into his pocket for his wallet, thumbed it open and plucked out a bill without looking at it. “Here you go.”

“Wow. Gee, thanks. Thanks a lot.”

Caleb grinned. The boy’s grubby fingers clutched a hundred-dollar bill. He turned and raced across the road as if fearing Caleb would change his mind. He wouldn’t. He had plenty of money now.

Folks in town would sure be surprised to see him again, especially when he started spending that cash. When he started showing them just how far he’d come. Maybe then they’d look at him differently than they had years ago.
His grin fading, he shoved the wallet into his pocket and nodded.

Yeah. He’d show them, all right.

About Barbara White Daille

Originally from the East Coast, award-winning author Barbara White Daille now lives with her husband in the warm, sunny Southwest, where they love the lizards in the front yard but could do without the scorpions in the bathroom.

From the time she was a toddler, Barbara found herself fascinated by those things her mom called “books.” Once she learned the words between the covers held the magic of storytelling, she wanted to see her words in print so she could weave that spell for others.

Barbara hopes you will enjoy reading her stories and will find your own storytelling magic in them!

Please stop by and visit Barbara at her website you can also find details about her Blog Tour for THE RODEO MAN’S DAUGHTER.

Look for her on Facebook and Twitter, too.

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Barbara is giving away an autographed copy of A RANCHER’S PRIDE, the first book set in Flagman’s Folly, to one lucky winner who leaves a comment or question here today, Wednesday, February 1st.