Monthly Archives: April 2013

Scavenger Hunt

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POST CARDS FROM THE MUSE

 Scavenger Hunt

 By Nandy Ekle

1.         Horrible divorce

2.         A new apartment

3.         A short round woman

4.         i-phone with Siri

5.         A mom with tons of tough love

This is your list of things to find for our scavenger hunt. These are a few fairly common nouns that you need to find for your new story.

1.         Very shy

2.         Colorless

3.         Depressed

4.         Unbalanced

5.         Lonely

This are the adjectives you need to find. Again, fairly common, not too hard to find.

1.         Hides

2.         Questions

3.         Sneaks

4.         Screams

5.         Moves

And these are your verbs.

Now. Go write your story.

Congratulations. You have just received a post card from the muse.

NAILS

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NAILS

By Sharon Stevens

You’ll never guess what I was doing on Good Friday this year.

For starters, I dropped by Stevens Flowers to pick up a special gift to celebrate a family birthday, a wedding, and a new birth, all in the same family. Stepping out the door I noticed a feather on the sidewalk and knew I was on the right path. Next I stopped by Haley’s Printing, then to Johnston’s Hardware for nails, and then I continued on my journey on past the Palace Coffee House. Another stop was a purchase of the 100-year issue of the Canyon News. Before entering I read the Historical marker about the Warwick family, such a legacy for our town. Round and round I went traveling the entire courthouse square taking pictures of every business and each memory. My final stop was at the statue of the World War I Doughboy to pay my respects, and to read the names on the plaque for remembrance. This is the very least I can do.  Even with the shadowing trees gone that shaded the warrior from the sun, he still stands ever at the ready for whatever battle calls him to arms.

After returning to my place of origin, and before stepping back into my car, I stopped once again at Stevens Flowers and photographed the feather still resting in front of the store on the sidewalk, my heart coming full circle once again.

And the nails…at the beginning of my journey I walked in to Johnston’s Hardware and was greeted by Curt Johnston as always. Even though my husband had been by several times this was the first time I had been in the store since it was remodeled. This was beautiful! Bringing back the tin ceilings showcased all those items found at any local hardware store, but the silver reflecting from above brightened even the dreariest tool.

But my mission was all about the nails.

Curt asked me which kind I needed and what size or for what project. How could I explain to him that I had no clue?

As a writer I wanted the nails to represent so many memories to segue into a story. Since it was Good Friday of course this would connect to the Crucifixion of Christ, but this wasn’t my main focus. I had a thought in my mind that reminded me of a sweet memory shared with me about nails at the family Grove Hill Methodist Church in Leonard Texas. There was another story in my mind about an American Flag I found nailed to the wall in an abandoned house, the sole purpose of this beautiful symbol used only to hide illegal activity. On another vein I also wanted to honor my husband, patiently waiting on me at our own hometown business, the Buffalo Bookstore. He deserved a precious story about his life as a craftsman, and all the things he had built with his own hands over the years. And I could never forget Joseph as a carpenter, and his Son, Jesus, learning the trade of his Father.

There was no way I could give a description or reasoning OR explanation for this piece of hardware so Curt could direct me further. “For want of a nail…” Any piece of steel would do as long as the word, “nail” was listed on the box. I needed something so tangible and physical that it would inspire every sentence, every thought. I knew how Nandy Ekle felt with her Wordsmithsix blog, “The Grail” about her Stephen King cup. If I just had the perfect nail I knew I could create any masterpiece of my choosing. Pain or joy would be at my fingertips, straight through to my soul, exuding my thoughts from pen to paper.

Quickly I chose from the display loaded with every length and penny. Under Curt’s guiding but watchful eye I didn’t want to close my eyes and pick. He probably thought, no, he knew I was already looney, just kind enough not to say so. I chose quickly and took my purchase up to the front, and paid the price worth every cent. I asked after Curt’s family and told him to tell them hello. Precious people in a hometown business, you can’t get any better than this. When I left the store I continued around the circle back to my car and found the feather again.

How could I ever explain to anyone of the significance of the nail?

This coming Monday is Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom Hashoah). In researching this blog I read so many quotes and memories. Some I found even related to nails. One was a negative connotation referring to being crooked, another was explaining the beauty of nails, (fingernails) with the lighting of the Sabbath candles. Still another describes the reasoning behind Jewish law only allowing natural materials like plain wood for a coffin so the body can return naturally to earth. Nails could be an item that would impede the process of decomposition.

But I think what hit the nail on the head was the note I came across with the founding of this holiday on April 12, 1951 that signified “Devastation and Heroism Day”.

Since Yom Hashaoh is a relatively new holiday there are no set rules or rituals. What kind of rituals could represent the Holocaust?

Dad’s Papers

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Outtakes 88

Dad’s Papers

By Cait Collins

 

I’m really excited about my current work entitled TABLES. The book is a collection of stories about growing up as a Baby Boomer. I have tons of memories, but I have found I can’t recall some of the small details. Since so much of my life involved the Air Force, I decided to go through my Dad’s military papers. Mom kept everything from the time my father entered the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1939 until he retired from the Air Force in 1969. What a research treasure I have.

The section I’m writing now tells about our transfer from San Antonio, Texas to St. John’s, Newfoundland. I found the documents detailing our departure from the United States into Canada. I had no idea my first visit to Maine was in the fall of 1955. We crossed into New Brunswick at Calais, Maine. Another little revelation was the fact Newfoundland Island is part of the larger Province of Newfoundland. The bulk of the territory is on the mainland of Canada.

I found the orders allowing Mother to arrange the shipping of our possessions. Dad was on temporary duty (TDY) in St. Johns to secure housing, so Mom was in charge of planning the move. The military paid our moving expenses, but I did not know the limitations. Adults were allowed 350 pounds of personal possessions and children received 175 pounds each.

I recall every address we had during Dad’s years in the service except the address in San Antonio and the St. John’s address. Well, now I know. My Mother had no idea the favor she did me by keeping all those documents. I had so much fun reading them. The information I found will add more color to the stories of my childhood.

Check out the attic, basement, trunks, and cedar chests in your family home. These nooks and crannies might provide valuable information regarding your history. Old documents require special handling and storage. Check with archivist at your local library or do an on-line search for document preservation. You don’t want to lose your past.

ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES

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Reasons to Write

     Why do I write? Is it because throngs of fans demand it, anticipating every word of my next masterpiece? Is it because I honestly expect to make millions of dollars on a bestseller, or desire to be famous? No.

This week I will share with you the 5th reason of why I write                                                                                                                                                                                   

Reason #5 – Endless Possibilities                                                    

On a recent business trip to the west coast, I noticed something amazing. Traveling along the highway, I read the billboards. Some of them knew I was reading them and said things like, “Caught you looking!” or “You’re so good. You read me like a book!” As spots on a connect-the-dots drawing, these towering advertisements had information about the grandest hotels, motels and the cleanest restrooms. They pointed the way to the best buffets and restaurants. Some revealed the places to go for the nightlife, and what it will cost if you drink too much of the highlife and turn into a lowlife while driving.

Occasionally we pulled into roadside rest-stops for short breaks and “free coffee,” and then we would load up on all the local vacation magazines, free maps and tourist information to read along the way. One visitor’s guide said that Arizona has more boats per capita than any other state in the nation—and they’re a land locked desert!

My point is that the possibilities for writers are endless because writing is everywhere. From billboards along the American road to epic novels, behind everything you read is a writer.

Rory C. Keel

State of Mind: Motivation Part 1

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State of Mind:  Motivation Part 1

By N. Bright

 

Rejection is inevitable

— if you’re writing and submitting on a regular basis. No doubt, being a writer requires self-discipline and a whole lot of confidence in your purpose.

After a while you have to learn how to let opinions roll off, and if you haven’t been able to take the critiques that go along with the publishing business, the time is now for a new mindset. Stop wasting creative energy fretting over things you can’t control. As long as you keep writing, polishing, learning story craft and submitting, at some point you will have success.

Sometimes though, I have to admit, there’s always that one comment that gets to me and makes me question the whole process. Was it really necessary for that critic to add one more jab after the ‘no’? These types of rejection makes me loose sleep wondering what I could have done differently. Maybe the ending doesn’t fit, maybe the middle sags, or maybe the beginning needs a prologue. Perhpas I need a complete redesign of the website, to work harder on my blogs or make an effort to be more active with my tweets. And then I become obsessed about working even harder and pushing myself to submit more. Good grief! Writing is the hardest work I’ve ever done.

Motivation to Keep Going

The few months of rejections and a few successes as well, got me to thinking about motivation.

As writers, how can we keep a positive attitude?  How can we maintain our creative energy and be productive despite the ongoing criticism?

How-To by A Favorite Author

If you’ve lost your motivation to write and need some inspiration, find a how-to book about story craft written by one of your favorite authors.

TAKE JOY by Jane Yolen (published in 2003 by Kalmbach Publishing Company) is one of my favorite books on writing by one of the most prolific children’s authors of today, whose career span decades and includes hundreds of books. Right at the beginning of the book she states, “We are talking here about the difference between desire and obsession; between hobby and life. But in either case, I suggest you learn to write not with blood and fear, but with joy.”

Many best-selling authors have penned how-to books, and most are available as eBooks. For a small investment in your career, you can be reading one right after you finish reading this blog. There’s something inspiring and motivating about someone who has worked hard and found success.

Where do You Find Inspiration?

Over the next few posts, I’ll be sharing insight on motivation, and we’d love to hear from you, too.

Thanks for joining us at WordsmithSix!

www.nataliebright.com