Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Mindfulness Meditation

I'm trying to get a hang of meditation and I finally found one that might just work. It's called mindfulness meditation, which means to be mindful of the present moment and pay attention to it fully/appreciate it. I find I can do this much easier than the "try to think of nothing" version of meditation. Anyone else meditates?

I'm in the final stretch of my current book, tentatively titled NO ORDINARY SHEIK. The book is due on June 1st. Yikes! I have the whole manuscript printed so I can reread it one more time. My opinion changes with every read. On one read, "oh, it's the worst I've ever written, the editor will send it back," then I read it again, and I think, "oh, it's fabulous. I'm sooo gooood." :-) I lose all perspective by this stage of the writing process.

Thank you to everyone who wrote about IRONCLAD COVER book 2 of my MISSION REDEMPTION series that started with SECRET CONTRACT last month. (These are my Charlie's Angels meet The Dirty Dozen books.) For a great trailer made by a husband that I appreciate more than words can say and excerpts, please visit www.danamarton.com.

What is everyone reading these days? I'm rereading some old Sidney Sheldon favorites.

Dana

5 comments:

  1. I don't have a lot of reading time, so I listen to as many books as possible. Right now I'm "reading" THE SPEED OF DARK, by Elizabeth Moon and liking it a lot. The protagonist is a high-functioning autistic, and she does a fantastic job of letting us see his view of the world.

    We are driving to NY for BEA tomorrow. So I am looking forward to four hours of listening each way. Having a book in the tape deck or the cd player means I don't get upset when we're stuck in a traffic jam.
    Rebecca

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  2. Love your book trailer, Dana. It's very good! I'm not reading anything right now. Just trying to finish the book I'm working on, do a proposal for a continuity, and wait to hear back on a proposal for a mini-series, all while chewing my nails about a new series I'm proposing.

    So how in the world do y'all have time to read?

    I've tried books on tape, Rebecca, but since I'm almost always the one driving, I worry about my attention to the road--I can get very caught up in books!

    Mallory

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  3. I meant to respond about meditation. I go to a yoga class 3 days a week. In between I try to do some at home. I've found that meditating for about 5 minutes before beginning writing first thing in the morning really puts me in an open frame of mind for creativity. And I like the mindfulness meditation. One method I like is to concentrate on the tips of your fingers, feeling the blood flow from your fingers up your arms and through your body and back out your fingers. Concentrate on one finger at a time until you feel it tingle with awareness. It focuses the mind because you're right -- there's no way my mind can just focus on nothing. My mind is a jumble of random trivia and mundane thoughts. :)
    ooooohhhhhhmmmmmm...........

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  4. I'm reading SKIN TIGHT by Carl Hiaasen for my monthly reading group. It started off with a bang when the hero Mick Stranahan defended himself with a marlin--stabbed the attacker with the sword/nose.

    I've also been reading Delores Fossen's UNDERCOVER DADDY (one of my favorite Intrigue covers of the year!) and Dana Marton's IRONCLAD COVER (I'm enjoying your Mission: Redemption series, Dana!)--I'm gearing up to write my next Intrigue, so I like to read some books in the line to get me in that "Intrigue"-ing mindset.

    Julie Miller

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  5. LOL on the marlin action scene. Can that be done?? Very funny. Well, I imagine not for the victim :-(

    Rebecca--Hope you are having a great time at BEA. Wish I could be there.

    Mallory--Fingers crossed on your new series being picked up. I love your books so I'm eagerly awaiting what you cooked up this time. Can you give us a hint?

    Julie--Thank you for your kind words on the Mission: Redemption series. I'll be sad to see it end. I was just talking to a friend earlier about your book, Beast in the Tower. We are both in love with the hero. :-)

    Dana Marton
    www.danamarton.com

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