Artemis at Sunset

As this year begins to come to a close, I thought about one of my favorite things to do: watching sunsets.  While I am often up early enough to watch a sunrise, I’m usually too busy to take the time to do so.  There is something, though, magical to me about about watching the setting sun.  I watched it last night.  The sky turned orange, red and blue and white all at once.  I didn’t feel the need to take a picture.  

The best places to take sunset pictures, in my opinion, are up in the mountains and/or at the beach.  Occasionally, though, there are other places where the sunset sneaks in and shines in all its glory such as over a lake or a forest.

I hope your holidays will be as magical as a sunset can be and that you get to spend time with your loved ones, too.  And I hope you get to take some time to consider what your writing life will bring to your future!  

I look forward to a night out with friends, a cup of hot tea, popcorn and a movie, spending time with my family, and writing and reading many many books!  Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas!

Experience to Write

If you’re a writer, do you sit home all the time and never go out and just write?  Or do you go out and try to experience things you write about or simply observe to assist with you’re writing?

When I went to acting school in Georgetown (yes really), I learned about the different types of acting including method.  I learned the other kind of acting and while I’m not really interested in acting or have done anything with it since then (except for play writing a long time ago), I did learn about having experiences.

Experiences are key.  They give you a chance to observe, feel, and so much more!

Lately, I’ve experience the RenFest, Autumn at Oz, Fall leaves turning, and a beautiful lake sunset.  I think it also expands what I can do with my writing to get out and do something out of my usual routine.  Here’s to your experiences, too!  Some of mine are below:

It doesn’t really feel like Christmas, does it?

I live where there are 4 seasons including winter and with the unseasonably warm and often rainy weather this year, it simply doesn’t feel like Christmastime.  We have several ski resorts nearby so there’s at least enough cold weather for snow making, but when you’re wearing short sleeves in December or only need a light jacket this time of year it’s odd. 

I’m not one that enjoys super cold weather, but it makes things seem off at least for me when we don’t have it.  It is nice, though, to see all the Christmas lights and decorations out and about this time of year.  It is not fun, though, with all the bombardment of sales emails and catalogs which seem to have quadrupled in volume this year at least for me.

There are a multitude of drive through Christmas light viewings to experience in my area.  I usually just stick to what’s closest.  I like to see the lights!

I often wonder, though, why don’t we put up something like these lights all year long?  Would they still be as enjoyable?

Do you write the same kinds of works or do you write a variety of works?  I’m in the variety category having written poetry, non-fiction, fiction, business articles, reviews, etc.  I simply enjoy the art of writing and I do not want to write the same thing all the time because to me then it becomes too much like a job you don’t like.  If I was a painter I doubt I’d paint in the same styles all the time.  I actually do paint but I don’t try to show or sell anything - it’s not all that good,lol.  I also like to play my guitar and I tend to practice the same songs,  but sometimes I write my own and they’re different from other people’s songs I play.  

Lights, variety, seasons, art can offer you peace of mind.  You have to choose what works for you!

New poems accepted in 2 Anthologies and the 100th issue of “Lone Stars Magazine”

 I have had new poems accepted in “US1 Worksheets” and “County Lines” anthologies and also the 100th issue of “Lone Stars Magazines.”  

The Poet Protection Plan

 From the Publisher and Editor of the long time free resource for Poets, "The Poetry Market Ezine," comes a book on being a poet!

The essays or articles in this new book are about writing, or marketing yourself as a writer. Navigating your life as a writer or poet, may be difficult. Do you have another job besides writing? Even if you have a writing related job, you are probably doing that to supplement your writer life income. There’s hope! At least, that’s what these essays are all about, how you can gel your regular work life with your work as a writer.

The Poet Protection Plan

Writer’s Homework

How did you decide you were a writer?  What’s your experience with it?  How did you start?

I started writing song lyrics when I was a kid.  I also wrote stories, poems, and later on I wrote plays.  My love of writing began with my love of reading as well as music.  They go hand in hand.  I was inspired to write poems after I wrote my first novella.  I learned to write stories and poems in high school.  I wrote essays and book reviews in college.  I wrote my first novella (unpublished - I never tried to submit it as it was more of an exercise in writing for me) and first poems, aside from school assignments, after college.  In Grad school, I took on plays.  From there, it was back to poetry and short stories.  

All along the way, I have taken writing classes in college, grad school and even high school.  I also took independent classes as well.  And, I self-studied.  Plus I read and I read!  (Read that sentence twice).  I subscribe to or read magazines for writers.  And I read articles, blogs, social media posts on how to write or how to be a better writer.

I’m always flummoxed when a new writer or poet wants my advice usually on how to get a book published without even doing the first bit of “homework.”  Recently, someone wanted to give me hundreds of poems to put together in a manuscript and then submit it and get it published.  There are paid services for such a thing that I have never used which I suggested they try.  I had someone else want me to point them in the right direction for getting their manuscript published without knowing one thing about it.    I wouldn’t begin to suggest a publisher for something I’ve never read.   

It boils down to basic research like for writing a paper in school.  Go online, go to the library and do some checking into the markets for your works.  Read sample issues.  Read books on how to write and publish or read articles if you don’t want to read a book.  The reason for this is you need to know where you want to go with your writing yourself because what works for one writer may not work for another.  

Writing is a skill.  And skills take practice!  So take some time and study how you want to write as well as the business of publishing.  And doing this basic writer’s homework will help you achieve more with your writing.  

Welcome to the Pumpkin Patch aka Literary Connections

It’s that time of year.  Pumpkins are everywhere!

While you can find them for sale at many stores, it’s more fun to search for your pumpkin in a pumpkin patch.  Especially one where the proceeds go to charity.

The particular pumpkin patch I visited yesterday offers pumpkins from Farmington, NM.  I’ve been to Farmington a few times on vacation.  (By the way New Mexico is actually a state!  Search for 1 of our 50 is missing if you want to read some funny stories, or maybe not so funny, of how some folks confuse it for the country!). And, if you read mystery novels by Tony Hillerman (now carried on by his daughter Anne), Farmington is sometimes mentioned.

Just like my love of New Mexico from the trips we’d taken there made me enjoy walking through the pumpkin path that much more, literary connections can also be real.  Have you ever identified with characters in a book?  I know when I write certain things, I feel in touch with my characters like they’re a real part of my writing life.

That realness gives a flavor to the texts that makes you want to read more.  That’s why they’re so many book series out there, too, - because people can love characters as if they are real.

What realness do you put into your writing?  Have you visited a pumpkin patch lately?

Here are my pictures of the pumpkin patch I visited:

The Mailbox of the Kindred Spirit - Ocean Isle Beach edition

 If you’d like to read my story about Ernie and Melody and the iconic mailbox (The Mailbox of the Kindred Spirit on Sunset Beach) you can pick up your copy locally (and even online) at the fabulous Tybrisa Books! My book is not only set at Sunset Beach and Ocean Isle Beach but also in Lenoir (called Rionel in the book). 

 Check it out at: The Mailbox of the Kindred Spirit Ocean Isle Beach edition

The Quiet Zone

These poems are written about the Quiet Zone and the surrounding and nearby area. There’s so much to see and do in West Virginia! The Quiet Zone is in Greenbank, West Virginia near the radio telescopes. They keep out any interference such as from a cell phone where the telescopes are so it doesn’t affect their research. It’s fun to walk amongst the telescopes! They sit among the pine trees. The area is beautiful and isolated.

The Quiet Zone

Poet

 Poet: A Poet’s Guide and Mini Workbook now available in E-book or Paperback.

This book is about what it’s like to live as a poet. It’s not just a profession! If you are a writer, a poet, then it affects your world, your head, your heart and those around you. No matter what you do to make a living, you are a poet through and through all day, all night.

Living your life as a poet is almost like writing a poem: you take words, thoughts and organize them to fit a certain structure. For me, poetry = life!

Poet: A Poet's Guide and Mini Workbook

The Impact of Books aka Along the Yellow Brick Road

What are the impact of books?  I bet, especially if you’re a reader, you can answer this question in many different ways.  

Let’s take “The Wizard of Oz” for example.  This past weekend, I visited the revived theme part “The Land of Oz” based on the movie and the book.  (The idea came from the man who started nearby Tweetsie Railroad.). The theme park originally (and still does) sit at the top of Beech Mountain and it was the most successful one of the time, with only one actual ride.  Even the place with the mouse, came to visit for inspiration.  The theme park itself closed in the 80’s and it is now reopened as a sort of revival of the park, with some of the original buildings and shows, but without the one ride, the balloon ride.

I wonder if Frank Baum ever envisioned his book(s) as a movie, much less a theme park!  And here we are years and years later and “The Wizard of Oz” is still inspiring so many new generations.  

It shows the impact words/books can really have as well as the longevity of stories.  I would put “The Chronicles of Narnia,” and “The Canterbury Tales” etc. in the same category.

When you write, your words do have meaning!  So be mindful of what you write, be inspired about what you write, and most of all don’t forget to write!

Just for fun here are a few of my pictures from “Autumn at Oz” at the original “Land of Oz” theme park from this weekend (Sept 2022):

The Jackalope Committee and Other Tales

 My new short story book is out now from Alien Buddha Press. It’s entitled “The Jackalope Committee and Other Tales.”

Order your copy of "The Jackalope Committee and Other Tales"

Graffiti Poems

Have you ever written a graffiti poem?  If not, have you seen graffiti somewhere?  

I have seen graffiti many places but generally not in the area where I live.  The town is small and there are simply not too many places for it.  

Yesterday, I saw lots of it in underground street tunnels.  These tunnels run underneath a busy road at a big university and they’re used to keep people from crossing the street in all the traffic.  There’s another tunnel decorated in graffiti near the university - this one runs under the highway and is part of the local Greenway aka walking paths.  

It’s interesting to see what people decide to paint or spray paint.  Words, drawings, some things quite unmentionable, quotes, movie lines, etc.  

I find graffiti interesting.  No, I don’t agree with defacing public property but it is what it is.  

I have written poems about graffiti I’ve seen - I wrote a couple about the walkway to the Morris Island Lighthouse off of Folly Beach (in Charleston SC) in my book “Chucktown” with poems all about that particular area.  You can’t access the lighthouse except by water, but there is a road that leads to the beach across from it.  The entire thing is covered in graffiti.  

If you’re a writer mostly likely you like to read and you have a love of words like me.  There are some interesting “words” used in graffiti.  You can easily write a poem from something you see or even write a found poem from it.  

Writing is simply what you make it.  Writing a poem can take you to all kinds of different places.  How will you write a poem today?

This is some of the graffiti in one of the pedestrian tunnels.

Authors Signing Books

Lately I’ve noticed that some of the authors I follow on social media, are signing their books if they come across them in stores.  One of my favorite bands lead singer did that too for their new music release.  What a neat idea!  I know I enjoy coming across signed books in my favorite bookstores - and when I say coming across I mean finding them in amongst other books for sale and not as a bookstore promotion.  I usually find these at used bookstores.  I’ve noticed that bookstores selling new books have been offering signed books for sale.  There’s even one that let’s you subscribe for a book a month including some signed books.  Plus there are constant signed book giveaways online to promote them and the authors.

My local bookstore, Tybrisa books, offers local author books as well as a huge selection of used books and other media.  I dropped by there this week to do some book shopping.  And because they kindly offer my books for sale (The Glass River, The Mailbox of the Kindred Spirit, Poetry in LA, Swim, A Sunless Sea, The Poet Next Door, The Blue Eyed Side, and more), I (yes) signed my books!   

I don’t know what it is about a signed book vs an unsigned one that makes it more attractive (to me).  Maybe it’s because I know the author has actually spent time with the book, at lease a few moments, signing it and that makes it special.  

A book is a work of art!  Works of art are usually signed, so why not books?!?

Back to the 4th!

 

It’s so good to be back to the 4th of July with a real fireworks display!  Last year there were fireworks but nothing like this year’s which seemed to be back to like it was in years past.  There’s something about watching fireworks with other people nearby, oohing over the magnificent display.  

Fireworks are a work of art, in my opinion!  Each burst of light, each noise tells a story and is connected.  The night sky is part of the act, too.  There are the different colors, how the firework displays, and if it makes any sounds as some do and some don’t.

It was like watching a brilliant light show you sit underneath.  It’s like an immersive art experience or theme ride except this is more real because there’s no video displays and no music no special effects except for the fireworks themselves.

How real is your art and creative world?  How do you like to experience art?

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!