Category Archives: Writing

Ignoring the Spark

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Middle Grade Mondays

Ignoring the Spark

By Natalie Bright

How does a spark of a story begin for you? Does it start with a place, an overheard conversation, or a strong plot idea?

Probably the most asked questions to all authors, is where do ideas come from? And the answer is everywhere, anytime, and at the most inconvenient places. For me, it’s usually begins with a larger than life character.

Consider the Story

I’ve been researching the Texas Fort period of 1860’s for several years. The years 1860 has been identified as the “bloodiest year in Texas history.” The western frontier of Texas was a clashing of cultures with the fiercely independent Texans, cattle ranchers, Mexican traders and sheepherders, railroaders, plantation owners and the fiercely proud Comanche.

The two main characters are clear in my mind, their mission and obstacles are in there somewhere, and I even know the ending. Time to lay down the first draft during November for NANO, however there are still so many historical details unanswered. I decided to forge ahead and save fact checking for later.

Brain Overload

And then the most horrible thing ever happened. A new character popped into my brain. A young lady from colonial times sashayed through my head and now, refuses to shut up. To appease her, I went to Amazon and ordered a few books on the time period. Scenes from her story started interrupting the flow during the time I was writing the above mentioned story. Fine. I stopped writing about forts and started a notebook for plot ideas and research notes.

Now What?

My family thinks I’m a total basket case, so I’ve learned to not say much about what’s going on in my head. It’s an absolute mess in there. So now what? Do you power through the work in progress and ignore the new spark? I’m afraid if I do, the colonial girl will be lost from me forever. And consequently, the fort story seems to have faded as well.

In the words of a Native American saying: Certain things catch your eye, But pursue only those that capture your heart.

Page 1, Chapter 1…

 

Dreaming the Impossible Dream

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POST CARDS FROM THE MUSE

Dreaming the Impossible Dream

by Nandy Ekle

 

This is not a political rave or rant, but I will be talking about the night of the election. We sat in our living room watching the news reports on the television and the computer at the same time. When “the fat lady sang,” we migrated to bed since we had to get up early for work. I lay there for a while with my eyes open, then they closed and I fell asleep. That’s when the adventure began.

Behind my closed eyes a dangerous new character made his presence known. It started with a knock on my front door. When my dream self answered the knock, he pushed the door open, entered my house and began to ransack my living room. As my night wore on, this character continued to wreak havoc.

The next morning I woke up feeling like I had visited another planet. I went to work and tried to do my job efficiently, but the new character stayed in my head all day. He had messed up my night and was now effecting my day.

When I got home I grabbed my computer and began to write. I had the beginning of a story that I started, but then it went nowhere. My new character fit perfectly in this story.

Congratulatioins. You have just received a post card from the use.

LABELS

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LABELS

by Sharon Stevens

 

“The greatest good you can do for another is not just share your riches, but to reveal to him his own.”  Benjamin Disraeli

This evening I was just going to DASH into the grocery store to pick up three items.

But make no mistake; dashing had nothing to do with it. Living in a small town I knew I would encounter someone along the aisles that would invariably lengthen my stay. That’s just the way it is.

I know this, they know this, and my husband sure knows this if he happens to be along for the ride.

Today though, my distractions started early when I walked by a table set up outside United Supermarket. The kids manning the booth were from the Phi Delta Theta WTAMU campus fraternity asking for donations of canned goods to benefit the local Ronald McDonald house in Amarillo. Now, just this afternoon I had been researching in the Canyon News and had come across a news article about the Shaw family and their Make- A-Wish excursion to Disney World in 1997. They had stayed at the McDonald House in Fort Worth prior to their child’s Bone Marrow Transplant.

And not only that, a wonderful family from our area had been posting on facebook while staying in the Ronald McDonald House with their newborn after heart surgery. And yet another family lived there this last month after their child’s heart transplant.

I told the kids volunteering at the table I would be right back out with some canned goods after I bought the THREE things I had come to get. Amazingly I didn’t connect with a single soul while in the store. I was able to find what I needed within five minutes or less which left me more time to make my selections of those goods for the young college kids awaiting outside the front of the store.

I entered that section from the top down instead of the other way around and came across the canned fruit first. Glory be, they were having a sale! But the marked down price isn’t what caught my eye. It was the labels calling me from four feet away that pulled me in. The fruit looked luscious from all angles. I could imagine cold pears, fresh peaches, rings of pineapples, and of course, the ever popular, fruit cocktail. Who doesn’t remember this colorful delicacy at the dinner table for desert on a hot summer’s day? Over ice cream is just fine, (thank you very much) or pie, or chocolate. It doesn’t matter. Even then, visions of school lunches clouded my judgment although my thoughts from this memory turned more to the hot rolls served by the silver haired grannies with nets covering their hair. Funny what you remember.

Back to the fruit cocktail…what is there not to love? You have your grapes, and your pears and your peaches, and what about those miniscule cherries. How they could look so inviting from just the label on the can? And that’s when it hit, didn’t the families or the kids at the Ronald McDonald House deserve a little “sweetness” along with their mixed vegetables, cans of corn, and/or your garden variety of green beans? Of course they did!

That did it! I made my purchase, several cans of each, dropped them off at the table outside, and dashed my way home.

The marketing industry pays a quadrillion, billion, million dollars on marketing strategy for the average shopper. They study trends, they look at temperature control, and music selections. Brightness affects buying power as well as too bright, and not bright enough. Impulse is consulted and grocery lists combined. Grocery carts are evaluated and welcome signs are hung. All to lure the customer to make that little extra purchase that makes CEO’s and stockholders smile.

As writers we never know what will catch the reader’s eye. We have no clue what they are feeling or witnessing, but we always need to be prepared to settle somewhere in their heart and mind, from their standpoint, not ours. With whatever genre we write, we have to keep it simple, but make it colorful and inviting from every angle. We shouldn’t depend on the publishers, or editors to drive our story. Forget about the obvious label that “labels” your thoughts. Right up front, give your readers that little extra something, that visible tug, that piques a memory within, so that they will choose you, your work, your very soul, to carry home.

After all, everyone needs a can of fruit cocktail every once in a while, if only for the memories.

ARE YOU AFRAID TO FLY?

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ARE YOU AFRAID TO FLY?

by Rory C. keel 

It’s amazing that so many people have a fear of flying. Several years ago, while on a plane from Saint Louis Missouri to Portland Oregon, I remember boarding and seeing a man who looked as pale as death. He took his seat across the aisle and immediately buckled the seat belt, grabbed the armrests and shook so violently I wondered if it was the engines or him shaking the plane. After sedating himself with a couple of adult beverages, he slept soundly to our destination.

While I have never been afraid to travel in an airplane, I have experienced a fear of flying. Realizing I would never pilot an F-16 fighter jet, I turned to the hobby of remote control airplanes.

After what my wife called “investing heavily” in a kit, I began to build my first R/C airplane. For days I trimmed every piece of wood with the skill of a surgeon to the exact specs. For weeks, I placed every drop of glue precisely in the correct spot, as to not change the balance of the plane. And after months of careful tune-ups on the engine and electronics, along with a few instructions from others to assure that my plane would soar with the eagles, fear took over.

What if it crashes? All that hard work and time will have been in vain.

On my first solo flight, I rolled the plane down the tarmac and lifted off. A feeling of accomplishment flooded over me as I made one pass, then another over the stands. Not wanting to run out of fuel and lose the plane, I made the approach to land. That day I witnessed the most horrific sight—in front of me laid splinters of wood, pieces of plastic and shards of metal. I crash-landed my plane.

In writing, there are moments when we are afraid to submit a piece of work, fearful of rejection. We work on a piece until it is perfect then, “WHAT IF” takes over. What if it’s rejected? What if it was a waste of time because no one likes it?

The good news is that my first plane did finally soar. I learned that my time wasn’t wasted at all. In all the hours of building I had learned how to repair the broken plane, and after adjusting the mistakes I made in the landing approach, confidence took control.

Yes, I have letters of rejection for my writing, however with repairs and a few adjustments, those same pieces have been published.

Don’t be afraid to fly!

And So It Begins

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POST CARDS FROM THE MUSE

And So It Begins

By Nandy Ekle

November first. The madness launched twenty-one hours ago (from where I sit on the globe). The crazy, hilarious, maddening self-punishing NaNoWriMo began. For the next 29 days, I will perform all my daily tasks while breathing, eating, living in the dream world of my newest work in progress. I have 29 days to write the 50,000 words it will take to put the story down on the paper of my word processor.

I have not finished a NaNoWriMo yet, and this year I am actually starting a little behind the eight ball. The story I am writing began as a tiny seed in my brain about twenty years ago, so you’d think I’d have the whole thing worked out by now. Since deciding the time has come to commit to my young character, I have discovered several things I didn’t notice about her before.

So this morning, as I wrote the first words of her tale, an entirely new element of my character popped up. This new discovery is something that will take some research because I know nothing about cheerleading. I wrote a status on facebook asking for help from some of my friends with cheerleading children. I googled cheerleading stunts and found tons of information. However, since I have such a limited amount of time, I will simply write the highlights of my character’s activities.

Another thing I realized as I started this story is my limited knowledge about colleges around the country. So when the place came to name a famous college, I simply put in brackets {large college far away}.

The point is, in a mad dash to get words that make any kind of sense at all down on paper, the research does not have to be immediate. Simply put a note in your manuscript and you’ll remember to look it up later when speed is not the issue.

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

 

CAKIES

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CAKIES

by Sharon Stevens

Our daughter called looking for the recipe for Cakies.

She needed to take something to work for Halloween, and thought this treasured family favorite would be the perfect addition for the office celebration. She knew the basic ingredients were devil’s food cake mix, oats, brown sugar and oil, but couldn’t remember the exact ingredients and neither could I.

The recipe for Cakies was given to me years ago by Maggie Henry, a Girl Scout leader.  Once I had perfected it with trial and error, I took it to every PTA, Girl Scout, choir and fundraiser event from the get go. I also made it for Easter, Christmas, and especially Halloween. We would buy cake mixes on sale and freeze them until the next event. And we always kept everything else on hand.  If the girls came home saying they needed to take something to share I knew I couldn’t go wrong with something simple I could fix at a moment’s notice.

That evening I pulled out everything I had collected over the years trying to find what I was looking for. What a trip down memory lane! This brought up the most precious thoughts of our children, and every function we had attended together as a family. I had so much fun going through the collected memories right at my fingertips. Most of the favored ones were spattered, and stained with various and sundry long forgotten splatters.

When I finally found it, I e-mailed the recipe to my daughter, and thought I had added every piece. That evening she called and told me I had neglected to include the amount of oats which could alter the final result. After the discussion, I admitted I had made it wrong all these years or at the very least, hadn’t followed it to the letter.

Isn’t that just like writers? We take a simple basic recipe and change the story to fit our needs. No matter what genre we enjoy, we can adjust, knowing that it won’t ruin the final product, but only enhance our tale.

Our daughter called today and told me that the Cakies went over big, and several had asked for the recipe.  I had forgotten over the years how much fun I had in making this, but also in trying new things. I was never very adventuresome, and knew no matter how hard I tried it would never look like the perfect photo shoot in the magazine. No matter, I always enjoyed a good recipe.

So on the way home I stopped at the United Grocery store and picked up a copy of the November “Accent West”. I knew I would find something I could cook. And there I found it in Becky McKinley’s article about heirloom and family recipes “Cookies, Candies and Pies!” With just a quick glance I realized I had all the ingredients at home to make the Buffalo Chip Cookies.

I wonder what simple changes I can try to make it my own.

CAKIES

Cream 1 egg, ¼- ½ cup water, 1 stick of butter or margarine, ½ cup oil, ½ cup brown sugar

Stir together one box of devil’s food cake mix and 2 cups of oats

NOTE-for years I thought it was old-fashioned oats, but the recipe I founds says quick cooking

Spread into sheet cake pan

Mixture will be very thick.

May add nuts, chocolate chips, or fruit

Can use any kind of cake mix and any frosting.

Spice cake with cream cheese frosting is yummy.

Preheat oven to 375

Bake for 20-25 minutes, cool and cut into bars

In the Silence

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Outtakes 66

In the Silence

by Cait Collins

The West Texas A & M University Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Mark Bartley, presented its seventh annual silent movie presentation Sunday evening. The movie was the 1920 release of the MARK OF ZORRO starring Douglas Fairbanks. The music was an original composition by B. J. Brooks, West Texas A & M Assistant Professor of Music Theory and Composition. He is an award-winning composer of music for ensembles, solo performers, and the electro-acoustic medium. My nephew plays violin in the orchestra, so I looked forward to the event.

I have watched bits and pieces of silent movies. Some did not have the background music; therefore, they lacked impact. Silent films were designed for musical accompaniment. Large cities hired orchestras to provide the music. Small communities relied on a piano or an organ. Still, the silent movies provided entertainment until the first “talkies” were released in the late 1920’s.

I dabble with screenplays. The plotting and characterizations are similar to novels, but the dialogue drives the story. Imagine no voice from the screen to give insight into the characters’ motives and feelings. Imagine having to explain this in writing, on the screen. Imagine the lengths the actors went to in order to provide characterization. The gestures were exaggerated, facial expressions intensified. As I watched the movie, I began to appreciate the talent and contributions of the early movie makers. The silent film screenwriter faced an awesome task.  I am amazed with the results of their efforts.

While I enjoyed the movie and the music, I recognized the differences in a modern screenplay and the silent screenplay.

  • The silent movie screenplay contained more detail than modern screenplays. I could not access the script for the MARK OF ZORRO, so I reviewed the screenplay for the 1920’s release of PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. Back story, character traits, and scene details that I would include in a treatment were part of the script. Without the actor’s voice to convey the character, the information had to be noted in the screenplay. The writer had to provide every clue so that the director and editors could complete the film. They had to choose which pieces of dialogue would appear on the screen, how much motivation and time frame information to provide the audience.
  • The titles or dialogue pages included in the film were works of art. I won’t pretend to understand the process, but each page of dialogue was hand-lettered and perfectly level. I’m from the old school of broadcasting. Before the invention of CGI’s, product information, credits, and such were produced on art cards, photographed, processed and mounted as slides. We used press-on lettering purchased in art supply stores. Such conveniences were not available to the silent film art directors.
  • Costumes and sets were not as elaborate as what we find in modern films.
  • I did not see a single edit. Strange that with all our technology, I still see matt lines from green-screen shots.
  • Even in modern films, music enhances the mood and action. In the silent film, the music is the mood. Every note must portray romance, the chase, tension. I congratulate Dr. Brooks on his score, Dr. Bartley and the WTAMU Symphony Orchestra on their artistry. I truly believed the music was embedded in the film.

It takes a village of artists to produce a good movie. The screenwriter writes the dialogue and the guides. The art directors, costume designers, lighting designers, cinematographers, directors and editors construct the film. The composer and the orchestra add the drama. Working together and appreciating individual talents creates innovations and opportunities. I am thankful to be a part of the village.

Please STOP IT!

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Please STOP IT!

by Rory C. Keel

 Sentences

To end sentences use a full stop to end affirmative sentence.

Example: I go to work every day.

Orders

Use a full stop to end orders.

Example: Stop pestering the dog.

After Abbreviations

The full stop after abbreviations is optional in American English, but not usually used in British English.

Acronyms

Don’t use a full stop after acronyms.

Example: VA, USO 

For the Love of Horses

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Middle Grade Mondays

For the Love of Horses

by Natalie Bright

I love horses, and they rarely even tolerate me.

Horses are hyper-sensitive to everything and everyone around them. They are super-smart, skittish, mystical, magical, and they like things calm. If they have a job to do, they want to do it. They are not fond of dallying around on something that doesn’t make sense to them.

Eating Dirt

Every summer as a kid, I’d visit my cousins and the first thing my dad would say before he left, “do not get on a horse.” Of course we did on occasion. Just so you know, if you’re riding along and you laugh really loud at something your cousin said, you’re eating dirt quicker than you can spit. It happens that fast.

So I learned early on that I’m loud and hyper and spastic and horses do not roll with that kind of person. I also discovered that horses have personalities.

Personality Plus

Many years ago, a friend gave me a tour of his stable and introduced me to all of his horses. He explained how their names are unique to their personalities and physical traits. I feel in love with those beautiful animals, never imagining that I’d write middle grade books where these animals would need to play an important role in the plot.

As a ranch owner, I’ve discovered that ranch horses are highly trained, cowboys are very passionate about what they do, and they have the ability to talk horse all day long. And although I wished to have a horse more than anything when I was younger, I’ve never really had a special connection with these majestic creatures.

Writing the West

As a western writer, there’s no doubt that horses have to be a part of my stories. The challenge is in giving them a personality. I want them to be more than just livestock or  a part of the setting. I want them to be larger than life characters with humorous traits and behavior habits.  I rely on all of you horse people to tell me why you love these amazing animals so much.

Cheers to horses, and thanks to those of you have shared your experiences.

Keep them coming!

www.nataliebright.com

Spaces

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POST CARDS FROM THE MUSE

Spaces

by Nandy Ekle

What is your writing space like? Do you like dark or bright? Do you like quiet or mild chaos or even outright bedlam? My space used to be child’s bedroom. The child grew up, moved out, and I got the room.

I painted the walls a green-blue-gray, what I call Right Before the Storm. There’s still a bed in there (have to have it for grandkids), but I’ve also put a good desk, a bookshelf and a file cabinet in there. Because I love trees and forests, my husband gave me a piece of redwood tree bark and a picture of the Redwood Forest. I have a haunted house calendar and a wooden plaque shaped and painted to look like an old manual typewriter. I also have a plastic clock that’s supposed to look like it’s melted.

There’s another object I have that I am very proud of. For my birthday this past year, my friend gave a black enamel candelabra that holds three candles. I told her I had always wanted to walk through a dark house holding a lit candelabra just like in an old gothic horror movie. She didn’t laugh at me or make me feel silly at all. In fact, she knew exactly what I meant.

I love to write dark themed stories and these things help get my mood set for a lot of horror fun. If you have trouble getting in the mood for your story, you might try rearranging your writing space. Sometimes the muse hides somewhere that’s been the same for a long time.

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