May Brings Rain and IWSG

IWSG

Hello Everyone. I hope you are enjoying spring weather! We are off and on. The last week has been mostly rain, which my garden is grateful for. 

From my garden, anemones

I have three new adventures in writing that I'd like to share, for the first time in a long time. And I apologize in advance for this post being so long.

The first is I'm judging again for a well known writer's contest. Not only am I happy for this, because it's helping me appreciate writing again, but I'm also happy because it's testing my boundaries. They've asked me to judge genres I don't usually judge, because they thought I was a good enough writer to do well with the task. I was floored. Totally unexpected compliment, which made me almost cry. The person who asked me to do it I hold in very high esteem, so for them to think I could handle this was a bit overwhelming. I feel very honored by them thinking of me. 

The second is I'm meeting on Friday with three people who voice for audio books! I don't as yet know if I can afford them or not, but I'm excited to even think of the prospect of having my books turned into audio books! It will be a steep learning curve for me, I'm sure, but I'm willing to learn. 

The third is a realization of what possibly might be the biggest obstacle (apart from writing for money only, as I've mentioned before) to my continuing to write. My father. In the beginning he was my biggest reason for writing, my biggest fan, my inspiration for wanting to become an author. It was his dream to be an author. He wrote five novels and tons of poetry, only to find no home but his for all his work. To this day it sits in my sister's attic in boxes. I have written five novels but not tons of poetry. When did my journey turn from his being my inspiration to me following in his footsteps? I don't know, but I do know I don't want to write "because" of his dream anymore. I want to allow my own dream to be what motivates me, spurs me on to be the best writer I can be. This is new for me and I'm grieving over realizing this revelation. Yet I am also happy to realize I need to follow my own path for my own reasons, not his.

To me, this is the beginning of falling in love with my stories again. To me, I'm nervous, yet it's a nervous excitement at the prospect of finishing my current work in progress. For once, I'm happy to feel this way and not down in the dumps for not writing. Thank you for reading this far. 

Please go and visit our wonderful IWSG co-hosts this month, 

Joylene Nowell Butler, Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Meka James, Victoria Marie Lees, 

and M Louise Barbour!

May 3 question: When you are working on a story, what inspires you?

Music. Quite simply finding a tune or song that gives shape to a scene I'm working on is amazing and feels like it cements the vision of the scene in my brain. Then I have to work to get that scene on paper, but the visual is always there helping. If I need to refresh, I listen to the tune again! Though I have had inspiration from other sources, music is a first one for me.

Happy May!

OMG It's June #2 IWSG

 

Okay, so I missed last month completely. First time I've done that in a long time. I guess I will forgive myself, especially since I remembered this month, a little late, yes, but as Alex said, I remembered!

I haven't been writing. It's harder to forgive myself for not writing. But I have been in my garden creating new stories there, with plants. I think of my WIP and know I will get back to it soon, but in the meantime I must play in the dirt. I must arrange my beds and make sure I do whatever I need to for my plants to thrive, and make their own stories. This is necessary for my sanity right now. I have gone back to work in a "day" job, and will work most of the summer, to make up for last year when I couldn't work (outside the home). Last year I wrote and hit my goal of getting my novel "Rain" out before Christmas. I am very happy about that. So, until I take up the proverbial pen, my spade will be my quill, and I will smile each time I look to my garden/yard and see what I have helped nature to create. I wish all of you a happy summer, one where we can get OUT and literally breathe again. See you in July!

Please visit our IWSG co-hosts this month and thank them for being there for us all, 

J Lenni Dorner, Sarah Foster, Natalie Aguirre, Lee Lowery, Rachna Chhabria!

Enjoy my flowers. They are the stories I am telling right now!

October and The Air is Sweet IWSG

 

Click on image for IWSG Site

Have you heard of the singer Jackson Browne? 

He sang a song when I was younger called "Running On Empty". 

That is how I feel today, as I send my thoughts out into this crazy sad changing world. I mean, I know the world is always in a state of flux. The world is not stagnate and that is a good thing. The changes happening right now however, feel more threatening than changes I've lived through before. I am concerned for my children, for whether they will even have their own children and that if they do, what will their lives be like? Not like mine, that is for sure. I understand people reminiscing for the "good ole days" now. For me, that is BC... Before Covid. I've been doing well I thought until now. I've been very busy finishing a novel, moving, creating a new garden/yard, building shelves, building a gardening shed, taking care of our son. Busy. And happy to feel blessed to be able to do all these things. Now I see autumn and the colors starting to appear outside and I know this part of my life is done. I put my lawn "to bed" yesterday, mowed and weeded for the last time till spring, and I felt like a chapter closed in the book of my life. What will winter bring with people having to stay indoors more than they had to during the summer? Will our country smarten up and make more of an effort to end this devastating virus in a united front? Will the ones who refuse to wear masks for others finally realize that we need to stick together on this? That we can beat it, or at least slow it down if we just do basic steps to help? I feel the only blessing is that the majority of the time when the virus hits, it does it gently, that the majority of people do not die or have horrible consequences. That is indeed a blessing I am thankful for. Still doesn't mean I want to get it!

Anyway, I'll stop now and think about the breeze carrying autumn that blew over my face yesterday while I worked outside. I'll think about the love of my family, and my friends. I will listen to a favorite song that seems to speak to my soul no matter where I am every time the seasons move from winter to spring or summer to fall, "The Southland In The Springtime". I wish you all peace, health and happiness...

The wonderful co-hosts of the IWSG this month of October are....

Jemima Pett, Beth Camp,Beverly Stowe McClure, and Gwen Gardner!

Please go visit their websites and thank them for being here for us all!