Grandma Hits the Slush Pile

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creative, grandma, Guideposts magazine, inspirational writing, publishing, short story, stories, writing

Early last year, I sent a short story to Guideposts magazine. It was a pared-down, cleaned-up version of a story about my grandma that I submitted sometime back in 2012 or so that they rejected. It was such a nice rejection letter that I couldn’t get too mopey about it – at least for long, anyhow.

Not me. Really.

But that letter made me rethink the story. Ever pick up an earlier version of something you wrote and think Good grief! What was I thinking?? It’s kind of like that shudder you get when you find an old picture of yourself from the Age of Big Hair. Yeah, you know what I mean.

That first story didn’t have the oomph it needed.

So early last year, I dug grandma out of the slush pile, dusted her off and started rewriting. I tightened everything up and tweaked until the cows came home. Then I sent the story in again.

And didn’t hear anything. For weeks…and months…

Hello? Hello?

I just about shrugged it off for good when I got a call from a story editor at Guideposts. They liked the story and wanted to work with me to make it fit the magazine’s style.

It took a few days of back-and-forth emails and phone calls, but we ironed things out, and throughout, the Guideposts team was upbeat, professional and helpful. It made me recall a few stories I’ve submitted to other publications that have been hacked up and changed so completely that I hardly recognized them as my own work. Guideposts modifications stayed true to my story while it loosened the feel to fit their magazine. It was a good experience, one I hope to repeat soon.

Here’s a link to the story on their website. As an added bonus, you even get a huge view of my head right at the top of the page! Thankfully with no big hair…

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Getting the Fizz Back

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blog posts, courage, creative writing, humor, Shannon Ables, The Simply Luxurious Life, writing

This morning I read the latest blog post on The Simply Luxurious Life. In “How to Live a Courageous Life,” blogger Shannon Ables shares 11 points on how to live courageously vs. living with a security mindset.

For the past few months, I’ve been reassessing my blog. It lacks fizz, so it’s time for a change. I originally started my blog with the hope that it would serve as a business platform for my writing.

While that was a secure goal, it didn’t allow enough of my personal writing style to emerge. It kept me playing safe, sharing things like writing tips and grammar rules. Can you say yawn? And you, my trusty and loyal readers, suffered.

So I’m switching things up. Just the idea feels fresh and interesting. It’ll still be original writing, but you’ll be reading more of “me” – thoughts, ideas and opinions. I know that last one worries my husband – he’s convinced I have way too many opinions already, so maybe sharing them with you will spare him the agony of listening to them. Ha! Just kidding, babe!

Not your best side, Sheldon…

Heck, if I’m bored, you might even hear about our geriatric Golden Retriever whose incessant paw licking drives me up a tree, or read a witty post about Sheldon, a stray cat who somehow got a key to the house and pops up in unexpected places.

What’d I tell you? Things will get interesting…

The Schoolhouse is Burning

Tags

fire, fire trucks, neighbor, schoolhouse, winter, writing

After 20 years of living in our house, I’ve gotten used to life in the country. Milk trucks lumber by on their way to the next farm; cows cross the road at predictable intervals, and metal-hauling trucks from a nearby plant barrel past the house on their way to the highway.

One night last week I was sitting on the couch reading, when my husband thought he heard a car door slam. He went to the window to check. Seconds later he yelled,

“The neighbor’s house is on fire!”

Man, that shock got me up in a hurry! After we watched for a few seconds, we realized it wasn’t our neighbor’s house burning, but an old brick one-room schoolhouse nearby that a man was renovating into a workshop. Flames towered over the burning structure, and trees were illuminated like skeletal fingers in the deep dark.

It was frightening.

We dialed 911. The dispatcher said that others had called, and rescue teams were on the way. Within a few minutes, our local fire department headed up the hill toward the schoolhouse, which by then was fully engulfed by raging flames.

Together, ten mostly volunteer fire departments clogged the road, with water-supply trucks slowly making their way toward the blaze to unload.

it was a bitterly cold night, with a steady blast of wind that blew licks of fire into the air. A sheriff stood at the bottom of the hill, waving orange glow sticks as he directed traffic.

In the middle of all that organized chaos, I realized how many people came together to fight a fire for someone they probably didn’t even know. They labored in the freezing cold for hours, unable to save the schoolhouse.

I don’t know how much longer the local newspaper will have photos up, but here are a few.

It’s not the first time we’ve had a fire in our neighborhood, either. A few years ago, another neighbors’ house really did burn. It was an old structure, formerly a dance hall and bar, converted to a private home. It went up like straw before our eyes.

The schoolhouse fire was the end of a different era, though. Another neighbor was born in and grew up in a large white farmhouse across the road from the schoolhouse. Before he died, he told me that he used to walk across the road to school, then back home again where his mother had lunch waiting. I imagined children, running around the school yard in the noonday sun before being summoned by a clanging bell, back to their desks.

It was the only schoolhouse for a few miles around, and children walked down our road to get there. Here’s what things looked like the next day.

Why You Will Fail to Have a Great Career

Tags

Carly Watters, dreams, finding your passion, Larry Smith, TEDx Talk, writing

Blogger and literary agent Carly Watters recently shared a TEDx Talk by Larry Smith, Professor of Economics at University of Waterloo. In it, he discusses why people will fail to have a great career, and how passion plays a role in it. The video has gotten over five million views, and here’s the link:

 

I’ve talked about finding your passion before – I still think the phrase itself is overused, simply because it sprinkles fairy dust on an ideal instead of giving practical facts for pursuing a concrete goal. And how often do you hear about how much hard work is involved in pursuing your passion, assuming you’ve first identified it?

Larry Smith comes across as curmudgeonly in the video, but if you can put that aside, he has a few really good points. He puts a new spin on the whole “finding your passion” idea. Smith even says that people who’ve found their passion still won’t have a great career, because they’re living a life of excuses that build a wall of blocks between themselves and their true career. They’re hiding behind lofty ideals that mask fear.

Check it out and let me know what you think, both of the video and about the idea of “finding your passion.” Have you found yours? Are you actively pursuing it? If so, share how you got there!

Verrrry interesting…

 

 

Weird Word Wednesday!

Tags

eating, food, grandma, humor, marshmallows, Thanksgiving, weird word, writing

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, so I thought it would be fun to share a holiday-related word. Get ready, because it’s a doozy! Today’s Weird Word is:

Don’t choke on your turkey – it’s just the botanical term for marshmallow. Before I get off track, Althea officinalis comes from the Greek word althein, “to heal.”

Way back when, juice from the roots of the actual Marsh Mallow plant were cooked with egg whites and sugar. The resulting gelatinous mixture was then whipped and set to harden, making a candy that eased the pain of sore throats.

The marshmallows we eat now don’t contain any Marsh Mallow at all. They’re basically sugar, syrup and chemicals. But don’t tell my grandma that!

Sweet Potato Casserole

When Thanksgiving rolled around, she went all out – turkey, stuffing, cranberries, brown-and-serve buns with butter, apple pie, pumpkin pie, mincemeat pie, and my all-time unfavorite, canned yams with browned marshmallows on top.

Can you say ack? Ack, ack, ack! 

Every time that dish rolled around, I fought the gag reflex. Something about the squishiness of the yams combined with the fake puffy sweetness of the toasted marshmallows just set me off.

And sure enough, one of my uncles would “conveniently” pass the dish around one last time and make sure he set it right in front of my plate, where it would torment me the entire meal. Was that a marshmallow winking maliciously at me??

Even now, I’m not a fan of Althea officinalis. When summertime rolls around and we make s’mores, I omit the marshmallows, virtuously calling them “Diet S’mores” and eating myself silly on chocolate. And when people toast their marshmallows long enough for them to turn black, it’s the Thanksgiving Gag Reflex all over again for me.

I wish all of you a Happy Thanksgiving – may your day be filled with family and food, and an abundance of health and good cheer. Just skip the marshmallows, please.

For those of you who thrive on Althea officinalis’s squishy softness, here’s the recipe for Sweet Potato Casserole.

 

 

Quit When You’re Ahead???

Tags

cashmere, clothing, fashion, grammar, humor, Lands' End, quitting, shirts, style, sweaters, vests, words, writing, writing tips

I like Lands’ End clothes. There. I said it.

My LE vest collection

I’m not obsessed; that sounds stalker-y and decidedly creepy. Rather, I prefer the benign-sounding “appreciate” to describe how I feel about the quality of their clothes, the color selections, and the fact that their customer service people are downright friendly.

Why, just yesterday I placed a reorder and the customer service lady and I ended up chatting about the little village where I live and its proximity to the lake. What’s not to like about that?

Almost made me want to order another pair of pants as long as I was at it!

I also read the humorous and informative View from the Lighthouse, Lands’ End’s blog. I’d love to write for them someday, given my interest in clothes and my enjoyment of words; for now, I’m content to hear what their writers have to say.

Imagine my surprise when “Bob, an actual writer here at Lands’ End” wrote about his experiences with knowing when to quit in his blog post “Seams Plausible: How Many…How Long…How Many…”

My LE gingham shirt collection…

Seems (or is that “seams?”) Bob and I share a problem. No, not when to stop buying Lands’ End gingham shirts (see photo at right…) but when to quit it with the words.

It’s so hard – sometimes the words just flow, a veritable Vesuvius of vocabulary, and I end my writing day in a semi-comatose state, fairly drooling over my keyboard. Words march, like a picnic under attack by an ant hill, across my screen.

Then the new day dawns, and I revisit the scene of my crime. I’m shocked, shocked I tell you, by what I’ve spewed on the page. Why did I get so windy? Who wants to read all this garbage?

Thankfully, help is available. The Daily Muse has five great suggestions, one of which is to be ruthless. “Chop some of those words, sentences and paragraphs,” they say. It “will help make sure that the true meat of your piece is what shines.”

My LE cashmere sweaters

They also advise eliminating all the adjectives and adverbs, but jeez, isn’t that going a bit far? I think I’ll save that exercise for my next piece, and order a few more cashmere sweaters instead…

Bob, a writer at Lands’ End

In the meantime, I’m glad someone else out there can identify with me. Thanks a lot, Bob, and here’s to happy writing!

 

10 Reasons Why Every Writer Should Attend this Conference…There’s Still Time!

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conference, editors, HeSo Project, information, Tracy Sayre, writing

Tracy Sayre at last year’s conference

This is your chance – pitch your story idea to an agent; hear about writers’ residency programs, and enjoy a free lunch! Tracy Sayre over at the HeSo Project is hosting her second Writers’ Workshop on Saturday, September 20th from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. It’s held at 1450 Broadway, 14th Floor, in New York, NY. Tracy has created a wonderful opportunity for established and aspiring writers, providing a relaxed atmosphere in which you can socialize with other writers, agents, and publishers.

“Our conferences are all about helping you develop as a writer,” Tracy said. “This conference helps writers develop their careers, creativity and community. Not only will guests meet other writers who are in similar positions, they will also meet agents, editors and publishers who are eager to encourage and develop emerging authors.”

Before you start pondering the price tag, Tracy has offered all my readers a terrific bargain – tickets are $90 each, which is a darn good deal. And to make it even more enticing, use code DMS (my initials, all caps) to get 10% off!

This price includes a light breakfast and lunch with an agent. To buy tickets, visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/writers-work-a-conference-for-emerging-authors-tickets-12433227117

To get the scoop on the event, here’s the official website: http://www.writerswork.org/

And if you still need a little nudge to push you over the edge, visit Tracy’s blog. She’s all about supporting writers and creating a community where we can learn, grow and thrive. Sounds like a deal too good to pass up!

Thumbs Up Tuesdays Four

Tags

alphabet series, Anne Perry, Brunetti, Donna Leon, Kinsey Millhone, mysteries, mystery, Nancy Drew, reading, Sue Grafton, Trixie Belden, Victorian, writing

“Two dead men changed the course of my life that fall. One of them I knew and the other I’d never laid eyes on until I saw him in the morgue.”

Sue Grafton

Can you beat that for an opening line?? That pace and writing style is what makes Sue Grafton, author of the Kinsey Millhone “alphabet series” this week’s “Thumbs Up Tuesdays Four.”

I can’t remember when I first picked up one of Grafton’s books, but I do know this: I was bitten by a bug whose itch hasn’t stopped since the letter A!

A is for Alibi is Grafton’s first novel in the series, and the most recent is W is for Wasted. I agree with National Public Radio, who said “…makes me wish there were more than 26 letters” in the alphabet. I’m already bemoaning the fact that when Z comes, it just might be all over!

What makes these books so worthwhile are the characters. Kinsey Millhone is the private investigator featured in every book. She’s determined and smart, cuts her own hair with a nail scissors, and has a crush on her 80-something landlord, Henry Pitts. I do, too! Henry is her rock, keeping Kinsey in line when she strays too far into sketchy territory during the course of her investigations, feeds her his homemade soup and bread, and generally looks after her.

Henry provides needed stability, because Kinsey is not above taking grey-area shortcuts to catch the deviants, which adds to her appeal. Grafton’s writing spills out like a ball of yarn, bopping along and unrolling at a pace that makes each chapter flow into the next, all culminating in very unpredictable endings.

by Sue Grafton

My favorite book in the series is T is for Trespass, featuring a sociopathic caregiver, Solana Rojas, who arrives to care for Gus, Kinsey’s elderly neighbor. Rojas is not what she seems, and Kinsey is the only one who feels the unsettling presence of the woman who shuts off Gus from the outside world in her attempt to steal everything he has.

I flipped pages faster than I could read, skimming along in a frantic haste to see who would win – Kinsey or Solana. It wasn’t pretty, either.

And that’s what makes Grafton so good – she digs into the dark side of human nature, dragging us just far enough along the path. Along with Kinsey, we get a little dirty and banged up, but we’re not down for the count – the good guys always win, but not easily.

My love of mysteries started when I found The Clue of the Leaning Chimney, #26 in the Nancy Drew mystery series. I collected Trixie Belden books in grade school (my favorite is #3, The Gatehouse Mystery) and my enjoyment for mysteries continues with Donna Leon’s “Brunetti” series and Anne Perry’s Victorian mysteries.

I just wish there were more letters after Z…

In case you missed previous installments of Thumbs Up Tuesdays, here they are:

Week One

Week Two

Week Three

Thumbs Up Tuesdays Three

Tags

books, Donna Leon, favorite books, Guido Brunetti, Italy, mystery, series, Venice, writing

Since we went to Italy in 2011, I’ve continued studying and learning more about this wonderful country. Each of its 20 different regions boast its own heritage and culinary traditions, but my favorite by far was Veneto, home to Venice.

Canals wind through 118 small islands, connected by bridges, creating a sense of intrigue and possibility. Mystery writer Donna Leon lives here, and her “Commissario Guido Brunetti” series is a well-written doorway into Venetian life and habits. This series is my recommendation for Thumbs Up Tuesdays Three.

Our trip to Venice, Italy

Starting in 1992 with Death at La Fenice, Leon has written a total of 24 Brunetti mysteries, with the most recent, Falling in Love, due to be released in 2015.

I’ve been asked which Leon title is my favorite, and the answer is easy: all of them.

Don’t expect extreme action scenes or anything racy; rather, Leon gives a low-key series, written well, with a main character who progresses thoughtfully. Rarely does Brunetti treat anyone rudely; unless their behavior is beneath contempt, he displays remarkable self-control, especially in dealing with his arrogant boss, Vice-Questore Giuseppe Patta.

Beneath that exterior, he’s wily, willful, intelligent, and entirely likable – there are times when I want Brunetti to act obstinately, and Leon has him do this in a way that leaves me feeling vindicated for his sake.

Brunetti’s wife, Paola, provides another foil – outspoken, intelligent, and opinionated, she regularly voices her thoughts to Brunetti on politics, Patta, and her parents. Brunetti manages to listen, placate when necessary, and ignore her if he must.

Interestingly, not every story provides the cut-and-dried sense of justice that we Americans have come to expect in our mysteries. Sometimes “justice” simply withers away, and Brunetti is left with a sense that this particular mystery isn’t going to be solved the way he thought it would.

When Leon was asked about this, she said people in Italy have “no illusions” about justice. “They know all politicians are corrupt, they know that all institutions are corrupt, and they never pretend that they are anything but that. I find that very refreshing.”

And you don’t have to read the series in order – pick up Death at La Fenice and watch Leon excavate revenge with Venetian subtlety; turn the pages of Dressed for Death and see Brunetti’s humanity come through in the face of senseless violence.

If you’ve already read any of Leon’s books, share your opinion below – I’d love to hear what you think!

 

 

Thumbs Up Tuesdays Two

Tags

Bill Watterson, book recommendation, Calvin and Hobbes, comic strips, favorite books, humor, writing

Welcome to the second installment of Thumbs Up Tuesdays. Last week, I shared Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton, a classic masterpiece. I’m switching gears a bit this week with another favorite.

Created by Bill Watterson

It’s the Calvin and Hobbes series by Bill Watterson. And it doesn’t matter which book you pick up, either – The Essential Calvin and Hobbes; Homicidal Psycho Jungle Cat; Revenge of the Baby-Sat, and my favorite, Something Under the Bed is Drooling.

They’re all great – every single one.

We first met Calvin and Hobbes in November, 1985; they were the brainchild of cartoonist Bill Watterson, who kept us entertained, informed (via Calvin’s way of thinking) and absolutely drawn into Calvin’s world, inhabited by those around him, but only understood – mostly – by Hobbes.

Calvin’s musings are witty, insightful, snarky, and downright amusing. Watterson created supporting characters – his parents, Susie Derkins, Mr. Spittle, Miss Wormwood – who really don’t understand Calvin. They try, to varying degrees, to delve into the weirdness of his six-year-old world, but no one is entirely successful.

Not even Hobbes, Calvin’s stuffed tiger, who appears animated and very real to him, but stuffed to everyone else.

Their repartee carries the comic strip, propelling it forward through Calvin’s experiences navigating the necessary evil of school with his weary teacher; encounters with Moe, his schoolmate; as Dictator for Life of G.R.O.S.S (Get Rid of Slimy Girls) the club he founded with Hobbes, and his intergalactic travels as Spaceman Spiff.

Calvin’s father is one of the few characters who weasels around Calvin’s weirdness, sending him off with messages of character building and often, confusion.

By Bill Watterson

My all-time favorite strip is the haircut Hobbes gives Calvin. Of course, the results are disastrous:

by Bill Watterson

Watterson refused offers to merchandise the characters and undertake tours, as he felt this compromised the integrity of the strip. The final strip ran on December 31, 1995.

I have many of the books in the series and find relevance in the subject matter and humor in every one of them. Watterson writes with terrific insight and every drawing complements the story line – we’re given a fresh way to look at the world through the eyes of a small boy and his forever companion, Hobbes.