Gather 'round…
That retreat, that last post about the seedlings needing tending, they both ushered in something I've never previously managed. Something I've never really even tried. Not for fear. Well, maybe a little for fear. But mostly because I have some very specific priorities, and while writing ranks pretty high on the list, it does not... Continue Reading →
And the starvation was effective. Somehow, by some miracle of January, I was able to break hard, frozen ground at my retreat, and push forward into a new project. There was a seed before, but the thing just would not develop. Compost is faithful, however, in heating things up. The manure of starvation and the fertile... Continue Reading →
I'm cold. I've been cold all day. Give me one day of decent temperatures out there and the return me to single digits and I have completely softened. It's been snowing for a few days and once again the lines are soft and clean. The bird seed and rabbit leavings have another fresh slate on... Continue Reading →
Book Review: The Canon I wrote a quick review of my latest read, but I wanted to expand a little more about the actual writing of the book for this week's Postbox. Here is the original review, from Goodreads: The Canon: A Whirligig Tour of the Beautiful Basics of Science by Natalie Angier My rating:... Continue Reading →
It's NaNoWriMo? Are you writing yet? For the uninitiated, NaNoWriMo is National Novel Writing Month, or NOVEMBER. Millions of people join together in the common goal of completing a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. Sounds impossible? Not so, my friend. Some years ago, friends talked me into giving NaNo a whack. I mostly did... Continue Reading →
Darlings I was looking for something in my journal and came across this flash of an entry. It was inspiring, even though I only wrote it two months ago. July 2016 I wrote today. It was draining. I have been plugging along, giving the thing a once over with an ear for all my notes,... Continue Reading →
Writers' Block So writers' block is a thing. It can be a lot like wanting to gnaw your own arm off. I spent some words on the topic back in January, but a few more might be in order. Like how to get over it. I'm sure everyone has their tricks, but in my estimation, we... Continue Reading →
Writing Prompts I'm not big on them. I've encouraged my children to use them. I've read a good number of them. I've even thought, 'Hey, that one looks okay.' But actually taking up the challenge? Not so much. It may have been the recent freelance work - where I'm given exactly three things to turn... Continue Reading →
It has been said that tough things, painful things, are grist for the writing mill. Recently, friend of mine threw that one out there second-hand—the roll of her eyes and snort of derision reaching through the email screen. She offered it up to a mutual writing buddy, in case they might draw any more comfort... Continue Reading →
Language. It is intrinsically valuable and, used correctly, purely beautiful. Words have the power to break and the power to heal. My tongue, as James says, ... is a fire... [it] sets on fire the course of history. ~ James 3:6-10 How much more powerful is the written word? Easier to tame, yes, but just... Continue Reading →
Butt in chair, fingers tickling keyboard. That's the prescription, right? It is fairly imperative, if you desire to be a writer, to write, but I read an article recently that made me question the mantra and its power in my life. Since my own writing has been hovering somewhere between squeamish and nonexistent, I though... Continue Reading →
Wordsmithy: Hot Tips for the Writing Life by Douglas Wilson My rating: 5 of 5 stars You know it's a good one when you abstain from reading just to make it last longer. I'm not saying that Wordsmithy was one of those intense keep-you-up-at-night page-turners, or that I had to exercise any superhuman feats of... Continue Reading →
Tales From the Nexus 