I'm often asked. . .

Not all monsters are ugly.  Every murder has a victim—every victim has a story, this is my story.

         My apartment complex was two up two down.  I was in 2B. I never liked my neighbors, but the rent was affordable.

            Saturday, August 20^th. 2012, 1:30 p.m.  It was hot in the city, hot and so humid the air was not only sticky but almost dripping.  It rained every evening for a week, and everything is molding, including the clothes you’re wearing, typical for August in Cleveland.

 

What you read is the beginning of my upcoming novel, "Hunt Club Corpse."  I'm often asked, "Where do you get your idea's?" 

 

My answer is simple: If you are living and breathing, you have a story in you.  At my current age of fifty-four, my life has been filled with stories and story ideas, like you.

 

Remember that time? When I'm asked this question from a sibling, friend, parent, my children, granddaughter or co-worker, the memory in question can and many times will trigger a future story. You will see a pen or pencil in my hand jotting down bits and pieces to bring a distant memory alive in a new way.  It may be used or not in the future, but I do have these remembrance's in an index box labeled simply: Box of Memories.

 

On my nightstand is a tablet and pen for those thoughts and dreams which come in my sleep and I'll awake and write them down, or when I can't sleep and my mind is racing with ideas. 

Does this happen to you or am I the only one? 

 

Everywhere you go, an idea will present itself.  The farmers market, grocery store, library, children playing in the park, the quietness of a lake, the mountains in the distance, or in my case, in my back yard.  Stop reading and look around you right now?  What do you see? Choose one object you see and write a paragraph about it.

 

Looking out at the mid-August blue sky, a hummingbird stopped to quench it's thirst on the red strawberry shaped bird feeder hanging out my window.  Where are you coming from and where is your destination I ponder.  Did you lap sweet nectar on my vibrant pink fuchsia on the far side of the barn before visiting this feeder? 

 

What ever crosses your path today, ask yourself this: Is what I'm seeing or what I just heard from that lady yelling at the clerk in front of me in the grocery line, a future story?  Listen and observe.  Bring your head out of the sand,look, listen and write.

 

What ever you do or where ever you visit today, make it the best.  I guarantee when you begin to observe and hear your personal surroundings you will find an idea to base a story around or use in a story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Wonderful Monday

Monday Already?  I'm sure most of us were thinking that this morning when our alarm clocks buzzed.  I was all snuggly between my sheets this morning when my clock radio began humming between stations.  The cooler nights here in the desert make nights nice to sleep.  Open the windows in the bedroom, and allow the cool night air to filter in.

Actually work wise, today is actually my Tuesday, since I worked yesterday.  I lay in bed after shutting off the radio and enjoyed the cool satin sheets against my body.  Knowing I had to get my butt in gear, I arose, checked- e-mail and facebook, the sales of my books overnight and headed to the shower. 

It was a beautiful morning here on the Western Slope of Colorado and I decided to walk to work today.  Brett and I have been dropping our weight, eating healthy and exercising, what a better way to start the day than by walking the mile to work on a beautiful morning.  The birds were chirping, butterflies drifing to and fro, a big dog behind his fence decided I was too close to his territory and began barking as I walked by. 

Today I arrived at work too quickly, it's beautiful days like today I wish I lived further from work so I could continue enjoying my walk.  Arrived to work energized and ready for my "Tuesday". 

I hope everyone is enjoying their day. 
No matter where your day leads you, do your best to enjoy it, because today will be gone and hopefully we will all awake tomorrow to enjoy another day.

Summer has Arrived

Summer heat has arrived here in Palisade, Colorado. Although summer is my favorite season, the Multiple Sclerosis I have been afflicted with for twenty-seven years does not like summer heat.  How do I beat the heat and it's adverse effects to my body?
Swimming is not only helpful to keep me cool, but it's also great exercise.  I do my best to visit our local outside pool and keep cool.
I also am sure I work in my garden in the early mornings while it's still cool.
I wear my cooling vest which resembles a fisherman's vest. 
Hydration is very important, so I drink lots of cool water throughout the day. 
Sit in the shade, stay out of direct sun, and eat frozen fruit bars.

A couple months ago, my husband and I installed air conditioning in our home.  I find myself on my days off of work, cooling off in the house in between either working in the garden, enjoying the nice summertime sun, and writing on two new books I am currently working on.

In my upcoming book Reality, you will travel the past twenty-seven years in my life with Multiple Sclerosis and how I deal with this debilitating disease on a daily basis.  I am aiming at releasing the book in September, but if the heat remains too hot outside, I will be inside working diligently at finishing the book for an earlier release date.

I also have another book being released in December 2013.  This is a murder mystery and the working title is Hunt Club Corpse.

Where ever your Friday June 14th takes you, stay cool, be safe and smile!

 

Editing, editing, and more editing

I want to begin by apologizing for not updating my blog for weeks. I have been busy editing my new book which I hope to release by the end February. This new book is called:

Was My Mother A Bitch Because My Father Drank OR Did My Father Drink Because My Mother Bitched?
My Childhood Memoir

I have been working on this book for over two years, and I'm beginning to see the light. This book is my perception of my childhood and family. You will find humor, disgust, dysfunction, but most of all my view of my family as I grew up. You will meet my father, mother and my five siblings.

I did not explore the past to assign blame, but to recognize and accept reality. It is my belief family members truly want the best of each other and begins with honesty. I am not betraying my parents or siblings when I become honest about my reality. I think when we do not speak honestly  about our experiences we ultimately betray ourselves.

It will be available on Createspace.com and Amazon.com.

I will keep you updated on the release date of my new book.

Where ever your Saturday takes you make the very best of it.

Did you get fooled yesterday?

Happy Monday! How many of you had a trick played on them yesterday for April Fools Day? I did, but not until after 8:30 last evening. My granddaughter called me and shared a piece of information that had my heart all pumped up, and not in a good way! I couldn't believe what she told me, and she knew she shocked me, then she began laughing and yelled, April Fools!" We both had a good laugh.
I cannot reveal what she told me because it is personal, but I can tell you this, my granddaughter is wise beyond her years!

Wisdom. Did you know that if you search the word wisdom  in amazon.com in books, there are 38,375 books about wisdom?  Where would one begin?

Speaking of wisdom. My children's book, shown below is available through amazon.com as a kindle edition. If you have children between 8-12, they may be interested in reading it.

The Magical Mishaps of Fairy Miah Moo is about  Fairy Miah Moo, a nine year old fairy who awakens one morning and discovers she has grown to the size of a human child, and her parents have vanished. With the help of Wizard Tigeroni Macaroni, and three new furry friends, Fairy Miah begins her journey, to unravel  many mysteries, after she discovers that her new friends’ parents are also missing. Did their parents abandon them? This story has adventure; it teaches and explores the magical arena of magic spells. It shows that sometimes things are not what they seem to be.