My last post from almost two months ago mentioned I was going to try to write 750 words today.  Let's just cut straight to the chase and say that has not happened.   I have been writing* but not setting--or achieving--any daily goals for myself.  I have done lots of research into various story-related things; I have polished up my first four ( Read more... )

I have been thinking lately of how my handle here doesn't really reflect my life at the moment. I still have stories in me, I am sure. I just don't spend a lot of time with that part of myself these days.

Recently, after my health issues climaxed, leaving me pretty rundown,  J left for a week of training down by my mil's house. He took our three ( Read more... )

Valentine's Day, 1980, my older sister came home from school with a drawing for my mother. It was of a heart, a long heart, a bit pinched at the top and stretched out on the bottom, like a fought-over piece of taffy. My mother laughed. Not a nice laugh.  And when I heard her, my heart hurt for my sister. Even before I saw my sister's face, I knew ( Read more... )

Art is partly communication, but only partly. The rest is discovery. -William Golding, novelist, playwright, poet, Nobelist (1911-1993 ( Read more... )

So, an oil painting in order to feel accomplished, not like an utter hack...

Yeah, look under the cut to see how that worked out for me.

( Read more... )

After chatting with slmcgaw and then rabiagale, I've narrowed down my playing field to a comfortable dimension. I now have a tentative structure that will allow me to bring in all of the elements that excite me about the location, history, and characters; clearly defined character arcs; and an overarching motif to give the whole the coherency it needed ( Read more... )

“What are you trying to do to me?” is a thing I whiningly asked my mind on a regular basis these past few days as I fought to come to a decision. You see, my brain has taken an idea and literally gone wild with it. The idea is huge, too huge for this small brain, I tell you.  If brain thinks I can pull this off, then brain is going to have to be ( Read more... )

The first thing I remember wanting to be--I was seven--when I grew up was...a tattoo artist. Yes, really. And, naturally, my family fully supported me in this. I was allowed to draw on my sisters and brother to practice, even on my mom from time to time. My absolute favorite thing to "tattoo" was cherries, two cherries, connected at the top by ( Read more... )