Category Archives: Blogging Community

A Writing Journey

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We are thrilled to have Deborah Drucker, the winner of the WEP June Challenge – BRIDGES – here to discuss her writing journey. Her winning piece is titledTHE FINAL TRANSITION.Congratulations, Deborah! Have I become a writer?I definitely did not always aspire to be or think of myself as a writer. I have spent most of my…

via #WEPFF WRITE…EDIT…PUBLISH… BRIDGES WINNER DEBORAH DRUCKER ON BECOMING A WRITER — Write…Edit…Publish — Monthly Blog Hop

 

Featured image ‘Jeune femme lisant dans un jardin’ by Henri Lebasque via Wikimedia

Ashes To Dust

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For this week’s Stream of Consciousness Saturday our dear host Linda G Hill asked us to pick a book title of a book we are currently reading or one that is sitting nearby and write something inspired by the title. Well that’s the rub, and one of my recent peeves. I have not been reading books lately because….too many distractions with reading the news, or other blogs, or working on my own writing. I fear I may have a permanently reduced attention span and I am only able to tolerate very short pieces of writing. I hope this is not true and I will be able to get back to reading whole physical books soon. I read Ashes to Dust a few years ago. What drew me to it initially is that it is written by an Icelandic author, Yrsa Sigurdardóttir. I had read Scandinavian authors, but not Icelandic, and I love mysteries. It turned out to be a good mystery story. Fun to learn about the Icelandic setting as well.

“Ashes to ashes, Dust to dust…”

Yes, this reminds me of funerals. At least funerals I have seen in movies or TV. A quick google reveals it is from the English Burial Service and the Book of Common Prayer, meaning we come from the Earth(dust) and will return to it. Probably heard it in one of those English mysteries I love. Thinking about my mortality is depressing but I do love mysteries, (books, films, TV shows). I have loved mystery books from many countries, Sweden, Iceland, England, Ireland, Scotland, Canada, and the US. Do you have a favorite mystery book? And can you recommend one from a different country?

Featured image is the ‘cover of the pulp magazine Mystery (January 1934)’ via Wikimedia

Terrifically Icky Hot

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Record breaking heat is predicted for Southern California this weekend. Heat which causes you to feel pretty icky and sticky, weather that can make you sick.

Until 11:00 PM PST, Sat Jul 8
Source: U.S. National Weather Service

…EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM PDT SATURDAY… * TEMPERATURES…Daytime high temperatures will range from 102 to 112 degrees. Overnight low temperatures will be in the mid 60s to mid 70s, except to the mid 80s in the foothills. * IMPACTS…This is a dangerous situation with an increased threat of life-threatening heat related illness. Power outages are more likely.

Good that we have AC but I hate to think what our electric bill is going to be this summer if this type of weather lasts. Hope it cools off tonight.

Stream of Consciousness Saturday is hosted by Linda G Hill. The prompt for today is ‘ick.’

 

Writing Lessons

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This is my first post with #IWSG the Insecure Writer’s Support Group.

From their blog:

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer – aim for a dozen new people each time – and return comments. This group is all about connecting! Be sure to link to this page and display the badge in your post.
Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

 

July 5 Question: What is one valuable lesson you’ve learned since you started writing?

I have been blogging for almost 3 years. I started my blog to see if I had the ability to write something that others would want to read. I was feeling pretty good about my writing then because I had two of my posts published on a couple of well know sites. Images of blog stardom danced in my head. Since that time I have continued to blog about topics that I was passionate about or was experimenting with creatively. For a while I did a lot of Flash Fiction 100 word challenges. I have attracted a moderate size following and made a group of blogging friends. I have come to a place in my blogging/writing where I want to develop more as a writer and attempt to write longer pieces with the goal of improved writing and maybe, maybe getting a short story or short book published. I have gotten positive feedback on several of my blogs/ flash fiction pieces, BUT…there is that insecurity there too. Am I really good enough that other people want to read my stuff and to actually get published?? So I am wanting to find a writing group that writes longer pieces, interacts with each other, and offers feedback. I am open to recommendations and suggestions. I have participated in an online group, Write..Edit..Publish (WEP) and just won their June 2017 Bridges Blogfest for my fictional piece of 1000 words. I will continue to write with their group but I am looking for others, too. So now for my answer to this month’s question:

What is one valuable lesson you’ve learned since you started writing?

Writing 100 word Flash Fiction stories was a challenge at first. I questioned if I could write fiction at all and then that I could actually write a complete story in 100 words. It turned out I could do both. What I learned from the limit of 100 words is that I could edit and hone my writing down and still write a complete story. The required editing helped me see how I can express myself more concisely.

The awesome co-hosts for the July 5 posting of the IWSG are Tamara Narayan, Pat Hatt, Patricia Lynne, Juneta Key, and Doreen McGettigan! Featured image ‘Writing’ via Wikemedia.

Chains

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Dan Antion of No Facilities is hosting Stream of Consciousness Saturday this week and his prompt words are, “oooh, aaah.” This made me think of the song “Chain Gang” by Sam Cooke. So here goes:

“Ooh, aah, ooh, aah! That’s the sound of the men working on the chain gang…”-song lyrics from Chain Gang by Sam Cooke

Really liked many of Sam Cooke‘s songs. He was popular in the 1950’s and 60’s. The story surrounding his death tarnished his reputation. I wanted focus on the title of the song. The song was inspired after a chance meeting with an actual chain-gang of prisoners on a highway, seen while Sam was on tour.  Chain Gangs refers to the practice of using prison work gangs that were chained together by their ankles, forced to work for local governments and businesses for long hours under brutal conditions. There have still been some chained prison work gangs used in current times.  Maricopa County’s “tent city” prison is slated to close now that there is a new sheriff in town. As you can read in the linked articles, it turns out it is not only men who worked on chain gangs or under terrible conditions as part of prison labor, women prisoners have done it too. Terrible history to be thinking of before our country celebrates our independence day next week.

 

Featured image of ‘Convicts singing in wood yard, Reed County South Carolina 1934’ by Alan Lomax via Wikimedia.

Creativity

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“But nothing important, or meaningful, or beautiful, or interesting, or great, ever came out of imitations. What is really hard, and really amazing, is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of becoming yourself.”-Anna Quindlin

Is expressing ourselves creatively essential to our well-being and lives even if we are never famous, never receive recognition? It is great to hear about an artist who continued to create because that was what she had to do. She did not have any formal training but did it anyway. Eventually she was able to receive recognition and some income from her art. This post is dedicated to all of us who want to express our creativity and may never be recognized.

Maud Lewis had rheumatoid arthritis and lived in a small house without indoor plumbing or electricity. “Her pleasure didn’t come from the pride of having done a painting, but the creative act itself and the enjoyment others seemed to get from her work.”-Art Gallery of Nova Scotia

I am sharing a post from Hyperallergic by Olivia Gauthier about the film Maudie.

Some more info about Maud Lewis and her paintings from the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia. And a story from NPR, Home is Where The Art Is: The Unlikely Story of Folk Artist Maud Lewis.

We Are The World Blogfest is hosted this month by: Belinda Witzenhausen,  Lynn Hallbrooks,  Michelle Wallace, Sylvia McGrath, Sylvia Stein.  If you would like to join in this blogfest you can link up here. Featured image of Maud Lewis in front of her home via the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia on Wikimedia.

We Are the World Blogfest

So Honored

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I am very excited to win the WEP (Write..Edit..Publish) Bridges 2017 Writing Challenge Blog Hop with my short fiction post The Final Transition!

There are so many talented writers who participate in the WEP challenges and everyone is welcome to join in. The next challenge will be in August so come over and check it out.