Imagine...

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!

December 4 question - Let's play a game. Imagine. Role-play. How would you describe your future writer self, your life and what it looks and feels like if you were living the dream? Or if you are already there, what does it look and feel like? Tell the rest of us. What would you change or improve?


If I was living the dream, I would have my own place again, and I wouldn't have to work at a regular job if I didn't want to. To be clear, I don't need to live the big giant dream like Stephen King or James Patterson. Honestly all that traveling to events and signing books and speaking in front of big crowds...I mean I'd do it, of course! But I'd be perfectly happy with the small size writer's dream if it allowed me one little house with a big library (for me), a big back yard (for Bruno), and no real  financial worries. If I had that, my life would pretty much be stress free (I think...).

My perfect writer's life dream day would go something like this: Coffee on the porch, walks with Bruno, reading and lunch, and the afternoon for writing. I imagine never having to walk away from my writing unless I want to or it's planned. I imagine delving into research and getting lost down rabbit holes where I retrieve intriguing and fantastical ideas. I imagine my muse will always be with me because she'll be as happy as I am.

Of course, with a life as perfect as that, I would have no excuse not to get a lot more written...

What does your perfect dream life look like?

ps I will be traveling today so may not get to comments til later or possibly Thursday. Heading somewhere warm for a week :)

  

The Pawn Shop

I've been remiss in updating what's new at the pawn shop. Some things have come and gone very quickly, like an awesome mid-century modern bar set in orange and chrome we had for only a few days. On the same pick my boss got this amazing atomic sputnik light

I know. Unbelievable, right?! I think it takes like 40 light bulbs. Then there's this shelf of toys (I do love toys...and tins...)

and we have neon signs, which are always fun

tin paintings ( I like this one, probably because it has my favorite colors together)

the weird and tacky (I mean, hello? There are no pink flamingos in Maine!)

These are fun, too. They had flavored syrup in them and doubled as banks once the syrup was gone

And finally, some art, an abstract I happen to like

In other news revisions are going well and I finished Winter by Marissa Meyer. What a great series. I adored Winter. She might be my favorite.

As for the weather report, I heard this November might go down as the coldest on record here in Maine. The good news is I'm visiting my mum in Florida in two weeks and it's guaranteed to be warmer there than here.

Birthdays, Books, and Bruno

A few days ago it was Bruno's 1st birthday...

I took him over to the Animal House in Damariscotta and bought him a rope toy and a pig ear. He was very happy. It's hard to believe that he used to look like this:

Oh, and here's Kitten (yes, that's his name, don't judge), waiting for second breakfast

Meanwhile, I've read two more books

Per Wikipedia: "The Lunar Chronicles is a series of young adult science fiction novels written by American author Marissa Meyer. Each book entails a new take on an old fairy tale, including Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, and Snow White." Cress is the third book and I highly recommend this series. Great characters, lots of action, romance, and edge of your seat escapes and entanglements. I just started the last book, Winter...

All Systems Red is a completely different book. Per Amazon: "On a distant planet, a team of scientists are conducting surface tests, shadowed by their Company-supplied ‘droid — a self-aware SecUnit that has hacked its own governor module, and refers to itself (though never out loud) as “Murderbot.” Scornful of humans, all it really wants is to be left alone long enough to figure out who it is.
But when a neighboring mission goes dark, it's up to the scientists and their Murderbot to get to the truth." This book (novella, really) was a lot of fun, and if you like scifi and interesting bots I would definitely recommend it. There are more stories, including a full length novel, and I'll be putting the whole series on my list.

In writing news I've been diligently working on revisions for BELL, BLACK, & BRIAR, and have winnowed the list of fixes down to four, some easy, some harder:
* Tabitha needs to mention to Beck that she spoke to her father - this is the easiest, just insert a line somewhere
*Dig deeper into Tabitha and Alice - harder because they're both secondary characters but still important
*Beck needs to worry more over his failing aptitude - more time consuming than anything else as it involves going over every scene with Beck
*Explain how Grainne gained control of Marybeth - I think I know how, I just need to figure out how to insert the information properly

Finally, the weather, which is cold and getting colder. We had flurries last week, and I'm back to layering myself (I should just wear a damn snowsuit), which I despise. The good news is I'll get a break next month when I go visit my mom in Florida :)

So. What are you reading? How's the weather your way? What's the last birthday you celebrated? Yours? Someone else's? Was there cake?

The Moon

We had a full moon the other night and I took some pics but only one came out well enough I care to share it, and even so I did add a filter to it. The view is from our yard looking across the street toward our neighbors (yes, the barking dogs neighbors).

In other news, the days are getting shorter and colder, there are no flowers except for a few stray asters here and there, and I miss summer. I have also put aside THE TRAIN TO SOMEWHERE (to rest so when I come back it will be with different eyes...I hope) and am diligently working on revisions to a previously completed tale set in an alternative timeline. I'm still enjoying Lucifer on Netflix, as well The Americans and The Good Place (highly highly recommended). Currently reading Cress by Marissa Meyer. Oh, and I finally saw Captain Marvel. Loved it. And Good Omens. Wicked fun. But then, I love almost anything Terry Pratchett.

What's new where you are? Seen any good movies lately? Watched any good shows? Read any good books?

Sunday pics

I haven't done one of these in a while but my mom in Florida sent me some photos a friend sent to her. All flowers that supposedly only grow in the Himalayas, some of which (maybe all...I wasn't entirely clear on that part) only bloom once in 400 years.

Some of these look like birds, or tiny dancers, or little people. Sadly, I have no idea what the names of any of these flowers are, but boy, they sure are pretty.

In other news, you may congratulate me. I have successfully completed draft #1 of The Train to Somewhere (working title), and after letting it rest for a bit, I'll come back and tackle revisions. I have LOTS of notes.

Have a lovely week :)

Thought for the day

It's been a while. And it might be a little while before I post again, though probably not as long since I'm only about five chapters away from being able to say, "Finished!"

Of course, that's draft one. I was almost going to say that's the hardest part, but who am I kidding? Editing and revising can be just as hard and time consuming. But I'm not thinking about that yet. Much.

Anyway. On to the thought of the day which occurred to me this morning because it was the first quite chilly morning in a while, and when I got into the shower I thought, thank God for whoever came up with hot and cold plumbing. I mean, what is nicer than stepping into a steaming shower on a cold morning? Okay, the beach on Sanibel, but I can't have that whenever I want. I can, however, have a shower at any temperature I want and that is a very good thing.

I will leave you with some pics...

Round Pond, Maine, where I recently went to eat with my mom, most of my sisters, niece, and sister-in-law.

Two American Oystercatchers my son saw on a birding trip.

 And a Clapper Rail

 And a wicked pretty moth (butterfly?). 

Finally, there's this one, also taken by my son. I love the mist rising from the water. This will probably be my next header pic.

Stay well and be nice. There's a lot of hate out in the world these days which has been weighing me down so I'm really trying (not always successfully) to be nicer in thought and deed. Especially thought.

Books, vacation pics, and an addendum

Since the last time I posted about books, I've read five more, bringing my total to 13, which isn't horrible, but not very impressive either. At any rate, here they are along with my thoughts...

1. Cut and Run by Mary Burton - 

Twin sisters separated at birth are reunited thanks to a murder that leads to a whole more

 

I enjoyed this book and if you like crime stories that aren't about serial killers this might be for you. 

2. Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neall Hurston –

"Hurston's use of dialect enraged other African American writers such as Wright, who accused her of pandering to white readers by giving them the black stereotypes they expected. Decades later, however, outrage has been replaced by admiration for her depictions of black life, and especially the lives of black women. In Their Eyes Were Watching God Zora Neale Hurston breathes humanity into both her men and women, and allows them to speak in their own voices." --Alix Wilber*

 

I enjoyed this story as well, and especially loved Janie, the main character, and her search for good love. It was also interesting to read about the town of Eatonville, the first incorporated all-black city in the nation as well as the home of the author.

3. Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs - book 3 in the series

 

I very much enjoyed this book, having read the first two, and loved the horrible town, Sharon the ferryman, and Addison the talking dog (he's awesome).

4. Ancillary Justice by Anne Lecke - 

 

This is my favorite of the five I read. The best kind of scifi, ie, the kind that makes you think. Lecke reminds me a bit of Ursula LeGuin and that is high compliment indeed. Even better? It's a trilogy, so I still have two more books to enjoy.

5. Cold Waters by Debbie Herbert - 

This was another 'crime' story, focusing on two sisters, one who has been away in psychiatric facility since her best friend disappeared, and two, the sister left behind to deal with the aftermath. When sister number one comes home all the skeletons come out. I enjoyed it as much as Cut and Run. 

Now to vacation pics, of which there are few. It was very warm in Florida, in the 80s, and humid, but also very rainy so we never got to the gardens. However, there were some nice things growing on my mum's porch...

In order: Bromancia getting ready to bloom, Mandavilla likewise, Red Salvia (allegedly), unknown, a rose after the rain, and wandering chickens!

Last but not least, an addendum: To be clear, the neighbors across the street fall into the good neighbors category. Yes, the dogs barking are annoying, and yes the dad's swearing doesn't help but oh my, it could be so much worse don't you think? And who knows about the sawdust garden. Whatever. If he wants a sawdust garden who am I to question his taste? I have a pink metal flamingo in my geranium on the porch. So. 

Hope everyone has a lovely Sunday and a great week!

The People Across the Street – A Vignette and Sunday Pics

The people across the street are…loud. They have a few cats (I’ve counted three) and at least five dogs that bark a lot. They bark any time someone walks or rides by. They bark if we go sit on our front porch. They bark when their people come home, and when anyone comes to visit. Suffice it to say there’s a lot of barking going on.

Worse than the barking, however, is the dad, who thinks that yelling, “Shut the fuck up!” is going to make the dogs be quiet. It never does. Not once. But he keeps trying.

The mom I’ve seen a few times, and the kid--about to graduate and off to art school (yay for him!)—is the only one who has apologized to us about the dogs and their noise. I’m guessing it annoys him, too.

I have no idea what the parents do for work. The dad did once bring us mackerel, which was nice. My sister has brought them eggs.

They live in a trailer that has probably been there a while. They’ve begun to add on, as people do here in Maine, and there’s a fair amount of junk in the yard, thankfully most of it towards the back of the place. The front yard has a stone formation and what looks like sawdust surrounding it in some attempt at landscape design. I think. There is also a large camper that a couple lived in and maybe still do but I don’t hear them fighting and swearing at each other any more so I think they’re gone.

The dad keeps the place mowed, and there are lights in the ground along the walkway leading up to the front porch. The porch is fenced so the dogs can come out and see what’s going on. When we come back from our walks with our dogs the barking commences, soon to be followed by “Shut the fuck up!” Then the dogs are corralled and brought inside. As if they were the problem.

I wonder why the dad hasn’t figured out that yelling that way does nothing. Or that maybe building a fenced in area in the back would be a good idea. Good for the dogs, good for the neighbors across the street (us) and no doubt good for his own sanity.

I wonder what the mom thinks when she hears him.

And I wonder if maybe the kid was really apologizing for his dad, rather than for the dogs.

#

Went for a walk with Bruno who is now 7 months old and weighing in at around 55lbs. I'm kinda hoping he doesn't grow anymore. He's a good size, ie, I can pick him up if need be.  If he gets to be 70lb...well, that's gonna be tough.

We took the path behind the house to the sandpit and found these lovelies on our way

I don't know what they are but they're everywhere in the woods. 

This is the view from the ridge above

Walking further, there is the lupine field, which is just coming into full bloom. I love them.

 A rare white.

Amazingly, the lupines have even spread into the sandpit


Bruno loves going over to the sandpit. He can run free as fast as he can, race through the water, and sniff everything he likes.

I tried to catch him running but I only got his wake... 

And this is the way out 

There is a chain to prevent vehicles from coming in but people still come via 4-wheeler or with dirt bikes. Sometimes they shoot, which I wouldn't mind so much if they would just pick up all the crap they leave behind. But they don't.

Anyway. It was a good walk that would've been perfect if not for the black flies, which are quick and bite and leave big itchy red blotches. Little fuckers.

We hates them.

But we love our walks with Bruno!

ps 61K complete on my WIP The Train to Somewhere. Getting closer to the end...