Some of you know I’ve plunged back into writing. It’s my granddaughter’s fault. She wanted me to compile some of my poetry, published & unpublished, into a book. Therefore I created FACETS REIGN.
Then decided to write a new Christmas story. Only it evolved into a cozy mystery novel. Which naturally spawns sequel ideas.
So this writer who, ah, paused her career writes again.
New novel, new mystery, new page in life.
Writing can become, ah, a bit of an obsession. Quiz yourself to see if you have a balance or if you’re socially impaired like me.
Where did the myth of lonely writers come from? Real life. Probably mine. The weird hours, concentration and total submersion into our craft take a heavy toll on our social lives.
Friends are very annoying when the interrupt a creative roll, so we tend to brush them aside. It’s hard for them to understand while we rarely or are slow to return calls, texts and messages. Or why we decide not attend that new movie, concert or event originally planned. Or why we forget a visit we promised.
“But I’m writing,” we protest.
“Write later,” they reply.
It’s especially a challenge to nonwriter friendships. Here’s quiz to test what kind of a friend a writer makes. Take it and see how you rate.
(1) Your friends ask you to go to a concert with them. Do you:
(a) Attend the concert
(b) Beg off to meet a deadline
(a) Buy print cartridge instead of concert ticket
(2) You invited a few friends over for the evening of the fifteenth. At eight P.M. you are:
(a) Putting the last minute touches on the appetizers
(b) Scooping papers and manuscripts off the furniture
© Still in your PJs fingers flying over the computer keyboard as you swear at the doorbell
(3) Your friend calls to cry on your shoulder. What do you do?
(a) Say come on over
(b) Make soothing sounds over the phone as you continue typing
© Interrupt to brag about your latest sale
(4) Your meeting your friends for lunch at a restaurant at the mall at noon. Noon finds you:
(a) Greeting your friends and waiting for a table
(b) In the bookstore setting up a signing
© Home eating yogurt and editing a final draft
(5) You’ve just emerged from a long writing binge and suddenly feel very lonely. You:
(a) Go to a movie with a friend
(b) Call a few friends and discover they’ve moved away
© Write an article on lonely writers
SCORE:
5 points for ever (a) answer
2 points for every (b) answer
0 points for every © answer
22-25 points – true friend (obviously not a writer)
15-21 points – okay pal (you must not have deadlines)
9-14 points – social caterpillar
0-8 points – lonely writer
Like a dragon in a mountain cave I disappeared awhile. Sadly neglecting my blog for way too long. Life got in the way. I stopped writing. Lots of excuses. Won’t promise I’m back though I do have good intentions.
Triple digit summer temperatures forced me to stop the gardening projects I’ve been doing. My daughter & family were off on vacation and suddenly my writing spirit resurfaced. So decided to dip back into writing. Began with possibly a Christmas story, though it morphed into a novel. Intrigue or mystery. Still unsure.
Then the promise I made to my granddaughter kept niggling me. Promised Lexi I would compile some of my poetry into a book. Most of my writing life I juggled multiple projects at once. So I began searching computer files and digging through boxes for my poems. Unearthed some. Never found others.
Determined to finally honor my promise, I collected about eighty and created FACETS REIGN.
Now back into the world of writing plan to do better with my blog, my manuscripts and life.
Remember you can’t capture a dream unless you reach for it and you can’t keep a promise unless you do.
Neglected my blog for way too long. Am I back? Hope so.
Chilly breeze sends the autumn leaves dancing outside my window as I wonder if anyone will notice that I finally post here again. Sure I have many excuses. Life gets in the way. Yet did I lose the magic of writing?
Elusive words escape me. As autumn torches the leaves and memories of summer escape, I struggle to reconnect with the world. It’s simpler to cocoon and shut out all else. Even writing.
I feel embarrassed, guilty & sad when others ask, “What are you writing now? A novel sequel? A new poem? More articles?”
My heart hurts as I reply, “Nothing. Not writing anymore.”
If you hear a rustle through the leaves, beware. Might be me reemerging.
Why do I write?
Because I fell in love with reading as a child. Spending hours escaping into different worlds full of amazing people and places far beyond my simple childhood. As I grew older and my reading expanded so did my enchantment. A spark kindled inside me to not only read but to create, to allow my own imagination to catch fire.
Characters whispered to me, at times they screamed for me to pay attention. Secret passages, distant galaxies, mysterious shadows and imaginary creatures battled with messages I felt compelled to voice. So many things to write. Yet, one link threaded through it always. I wanted to share my words with others. To allow them to see, feel, hear, taste and understand.
An old poem of mine from my poetry art collection expresses what I hoped to offer my readers.
TELL ME A STORY
Fly me away on the wings of dreams
Weave me sounds of laughter or screams
Scorch me with fire of dragon breath
Haunt me with tales of impending death
Introduce me to people I’ll never meet
Transport me to a distant or imaginary street
Thrill me with legends of brave young souls
Frighten me by evil spells, witches and ghouls
Entice me with magic of a lover’s kiss
Excite me with blaze from a laser gun miss
Enchant me with myths of lost jewels, genies and gold
Challenge me by ancient mysteries; puzzles of old
Tease me with shadows flickering in candleglow
Intoxicate me with joy, passion or woe
Whirl me toward heaven in a tornado high
Blow me like stardust across violet sky
Whisk me away to worlds, future or past
‘til my eyelids drift closed and I sleep at last.
I bought some Halloween candy two weeks ago. We ate some. Bought more candy last week. Ate a tiny bit more. Grocery shopping yesterday realized because I get so many Trick-or-Treaters I better buy more candy. Just dumped all of the bags into my big wicker pumpkin.
Mmm, do I have way too much candy?
I share.
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
Time zooms and life gets in the way and I’ve neglected my blog for far too long. I apologize to all of you who sent me comments without me responding. Your remarks really touched me. I appreciate each of you.
This morning when I finally logged back into my blog thanks to a very thoughtful reader who prodded me back I realized I missed you guys. Very much.
Thank you for your patience and encouragement. I’m back — so watch out!
Photo by Ella Olsson on Pexels.com
A top organization for mystery writers, SISTERS IN CRIME, tossed us an array of topics for their September SinC-Up blog hop. One captured me: “What’s the best part of writing for you?”
I’m tempted to reply, “Typing THE END.”
Or receiving the check. (Not frequent enough)
Yet, the most fun & exciting part is when the seed of an idea begins to blossom into a story. Characters & storytlines burst forth, sometimes in rapidfire.
It’s thrilling as characters pop out to demand their roles and the story spills in spurts, trickles or a flood. The questions entice me. Who? What happened? Where? Why?
It’s fun to weave threads in the tapestry of a mystery. Playing with action/reaction, suspects and motives, red herrings and foreshadowing, artful confusion with a touch of slight of hand. We are the masters– the creators, yet the story takes on a life of its own.
Midbook complications, hidden clues revealed, who gets knocked off next? Challenges just keep rolling.
Causing trouble, playing havoc with our characters and allowing good to triumph over evil at the end is satisfying. In our books we can do that — real life, not so much.
Yay, it’s done!
Cara Fazio & Maggie Ross of my Design Duo mystery series offer these interior decorating tips:
Whether you live in a tiny apartment, a sprawling house or a penthouse loft, surround yourself with things you enjoy. It doesn’t matter if it’s a flea market bargain, family heirloom or a designer chair, decorate with what inspires you, feels comfortable and makes you smile.
#1 Combine things you love and they will go together.
#2 Avoid going overboard with themes, matchy-matchy or collections.
#3 Dare to blend styles, as well as woods & metals.
#4 Color & texture add depth to a room.
#5 Furniture appears smaller in the showroom. Always check dimensions before buying.
#6 Bold colors, patterns or prints in fabrics, pillows and accent pieces are more easily switched out than an expensive sofa.
#7 Create vignettes. We call it spot decorating. Imagine each area as an artistic snapshot.
#8 Weave beauty with the W guide. Vary height and size whether you are hanging a wall grouping, arranging flowers in a vase or decorating a fireplace mantel.
#9 Capture the magic of three. Cluster a trio of candles. Three of something adds an artistic touch.
#10 Build your decor around an object that enchants you. It can be a painting, a fabric swatch, a Tuscan wall hanging or a flower pot from the garden. Maybe your favorite mug or toss pillow? Use the colors and design to guide your choices.
Make your home the place you belong, a place as unique and special as you.
Someone asked if I was dreading Christmas season this year. I think they were joking.
Maybe not. Last year I got the flu, was ill through much of the holiday season and the year before I fell & broke my ankle curtailing many holiday activities. Both still were very special Christmases full of blessings.
Many times over the years the holidays have been bittersweet missing lost love ones and facing life challenges. Yet the eternal spirit of Christmas always shimmers through– whether it’s a choir singing like an angel chorus, or wonder sparkling in the eyes of a child, or the joy deep within as we listen once again to the story of baby Jesus.
So I intend to celebrate the holiday season this year and will try to share a few moments with you, family & friends.
shimmerfall 