Category: musings

Looking Back, Looking Forward

inspiration / musings

Looking Back, Looking Forward

Across the years of being a child, a teen, a young adult, a parent of young children, an empty nester and now a senior adult, I never saw myself as getting old. Funny thing is, I don’t feel mentally old (but I am forgetful at times). True, I have a funny hair color and look like a granny, but, I don’t feel physically old except for a few aches and lessening flelxibility, but the calendar and the mirror remind me than I am indeed old. As I empty my office space so it can get a new coat of paint...

Tangle of Emotions

character development / musings

Tangle of Emotions

During a ramble around Pinterest two years ago, I spotted an interesting visual: Ball of Grief: A Tangled Ball of Emotions. I printed it out (sans author, sorry) and have kept it in my file to remind me of how truly tangled and interconnected our emotions can be. The skein-like ball of emotions shares over 40 emotions, ranging from sadness and inadequacy, to despair and denial, to rage. It provides a great resource for writers as potential characters enter problems and situations and must deal with their entanglements. And… Recently I read a novel about a woman who lost her...

Spring Quotation

musings / quotes

Spring Quotation

Spring is a time of renewal, so remember: “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”   I encourage you to… Make each step, each day your masterpiece.

Inspiration

inspiration / musings

Inspiration

What inspires you? When you are having a less-than-perfect day, where do you find your inspiration? My source of inspiration varies by the weather and where I happen to be situated. At home my inspiration comes from the views outside my windows and along my walks throughout my neighborhood. Watching the changing seasons, new neighbors replacing one ones, seasonal plants that brighten my path. I also am inspired by listening to classic KING-FM; it awakens my imagination for writing and gives me energy. I’ve always been a sucker for classical music, especially The Moldau, Finlandia, New World Symphony, and most...

My Self-Inflicted Reading Challenge

book reviewing / musings / recreational reading

My Self-Inflicted Reading Challenge

At Christmas time as I was scanning my bookshelves, I made a decision. James Clavelle was taking up about 12 inches with his epic series which includes Shogun, Tai Pai, Gai Jin, King Rat, Noble House and Whirlwind. It was time to try to make my way through his 6,000 pages OR pass the books on to someone who might be up to the challenge. I decided to go for it. I’ll read about 20 pages a day and see what happens. By January 19th, I’d reached the half way point in Shogun. So far it’s felt like everyone has...

Small Town Girl- My Secret Mission

musings / writing

Small Town Girl- My Secret Mission

After I completed Tasman, I promised my husband I’d take a break from writing, but that was a HUGE fib. In actuality, I had been writing a memoir for my family for the last few years and this past Christmas was my due date to have it finished and published for them. It all began strangely. I started thinking about all the changes to daily life across my decades and, when I had nothing from my novels to share with my writing group, I’d write about one of my remembrances so I could be an active contributor when we met....

Wintry Escape

musings / recreational reading

Wintry Escape

One of the best ways to spend a few wintry days is a trip to the Pacific Ocean. I especially love to visit Ocean Shores, WA to enjoy the wild waves the winter storms create. Walking into the wind, feeling the pounding surf in my bones, and then cozying up inside with a fluffy blanket, a good book and hot tea is a dream come true that happened the end of January. Looking out in the daylight to see horsetail waves rearing their manes as they slam onto the sandy beach followed by nighttime views of brave crabbing boat crews...

Book Lists and Reviews, Oh My!!

an activity / book reviewing / musings

Book Lists and Reviews, Oh My!!

By now you’ve probably spotted the plethora of 2018 published book lists: NYTimes, Great American Read and from the major book sellers. It’s an invigorating time for authors who place their books out with the millions of books printed each year in the US, when they receive support from readers in the form of reviews and/or forwarding of titles to friends and followers in social media. Writing a book is an act of devotion to characters and subjects dear to an author’s heart. It’s months and maybe years of time spent with ideas, critiques, rewrites, and marketing with the goal...

Wintry Reading

an activity / book lists / musings / reader suggestions

Wintry Reading

As cuddle and cocoa and lap blanket time arrives, take a trip to the picture book section in your public library to read a few wise-beyond-their-age- group books. We often get so deeply into adult fare that we don’t look back to appreciate the children’s books that line those lower shelves, probably near a fish tank and tiny bean bag chairs; maybe beside a puppet stage or a small, low table circled by tiny chairs. Wander the shelves and pick random books, ask the librarian for suggestions, or look up the ALA (American Library Association)  http://www/ala/alsc/awards-grants-nota/ncb for a list of...

Just for Fun

musings

Just for Fun

The longest word in the English language has 45 letters and is an artificial word. PNEUMONOULTRAMICROSCOPICSILICOVOLCANOCONIOSIS It’s a lung disease caused by inhaling ash and sand dust.   I always thought the longest word was: ANTIDISESTABLISHMENTARIANISM or maybe SMILES because it has a mile between the first and last letters.   Have a wonderful word-filled week!