GEMS

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GEMS

by Sharon Stevens

Mary Elizabeth Gordon-Cummings died forty years ago this month. She had fallen down the basement steps of her crumbling home and laid there several days in a heap on the floor, no one hearing her cries before a neighbor came to check on her. Old age and pneumonia then tore her down and she succumbed, her features clawed and withered with severe arthritis. She spent her last days in a clinical environment in a local hospital where everyone saw her as ancient.

We called her Aunt Molly and knew her as neighbor in my years growing up. How many times I wished I had visited with her. What could she have taught me with her stories and her memories. What could she have shared with her artist’s eye and her love of all that surrounded her. We will never know. She carried everything to her grave. She was old, her joints knarled and ugly, pain marring every feature. Nothing is left. She is dead and buried. All is gone.

But wait. I have her picture from a photograph that once hung on the walls of the Randall County Courthouse. There is no notation of when it was taken or where or why. It doesn’t tell the story of when she was born, or her passions, or her pain, but her beauty and the sweet face of youth is captured within.

Phebe Warner had urged her to come to the plains of Texas to apply as an art teacher at Goodnight College. Molly and Charles Goodnight welcomed her with open arms and gave her a glimpse of the empire they had established as the J.A. Ranch. Coming from Dallas and encountering dirt streets of Amarillo and the limited comforts of home must have been an eye opener. But the first meal at their home she remembered how the lemonade looked in the glass pitcher, the tour of the gardens, the bee hives, and of course the ranch itself.

She met Charles Lennox Gordon-Cummings at the Goodnights, and they married and moved to land west of Canyon on the Tierra Blanco Creek. Later they built a magnificent home and raised three daughters out here on the Texas plains. Mr. Gordon-Cummings died in the 1940’s and Molly lived out her life alone except for her brother that lived with her until his death in a train accident. You can read the story of her life in “The Randall County Story” by Grace Warwick.  We became her neighbors in 1952 when my dad bought land and moved us out to the country in the hottest year in recorded history.

I was reminded of Aunt Molly at this year’s annual “Night At The Museum” at the Panhandle Plains Historical Museum. I volunteered at the kit house in my role player costume. Armed with my picture of Molly in her youth, a glass picture filled with colored stones, and with my storytelling patchwork hat perched on my head I shared the story of Mary Elizabeth Gordon-Cummings and hoped I made her come alive.

I chose the bright gems in the pitcher because my mother had shared with me that Aunt Molly used to take broken pieces of glass and paint the images that flooded through from the sunlight. What rainbows she must have seen. What colors and prisms must have shown through. What beauty she must have witnessed among the shades of dirt and shadow.

And this brings me to this week’s blog on writing. On the season finale of “Castle” his daughter is agonizing over her valedictory speech after researching speeches by the famous such as Steve Jobs, and presidents, and historical figures and famous celebrities. Castle advises her (and I will never forget his words), “write whats true to you”.

In my writings I could pen about how Mary Elizabeth died a horrible death, abandoned, without neighbors to care whether she lived or died. I could write a horror story about how arthritis had turned her body into a mass of ugliness with her hands so gnarled she couldn’t even pick up a spoon to feed herself, much less a brush to paint. But I CHOOSE to write of her beauty, and imagine the sunrises and the sunsets she must have seen from the top floor of her great home. My heart CHOOSES to remember the smell of the lilacs that lined the walk, and the massive, shimmering cottonwoods that shaded her memories.

Don’t get me wrong. I love to read all kinds of stories from “Chicken Soup for the Soul” all the way to zombies, murder and mayhem. I have troubles with “Flowers in the Attic” but that doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate good writing. I don’t mind being led to an author I haven’t read before such as Harlan Coban and I absolutely fell in love with Stephen King’s, “Dorothy Claiborne”.  I will always treasure stories like “E.T.” and “The Goonies” (celebrating 25 years), “Toy Story” and any story that encompasses good versus evil. “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” is just one of my favorites with the connection to being filmed in Palo Duro Canyon on the Christian Ranch. And don’t get me started on the musical drama TEXAS. More importantly, I remember those who struggled and faced adversity, but found strength within because they were surrounded by friends. I treasure community and neighbors and family, those that touch our lives on the level of all that is good and honest. My passion is to share of heritage, legacy, the pioneer spirit, beauty, patriotism, and freedom. OH sweet freedom. I feel that there is always room for that

I will always treasure the spirit of Aunt Molly and the artistry she shared. And even though I read anything and everything in sight, I just want to write what is true to me, myself and I.  To me each word and every memory is a gem.

By the way this week celebrates the Queens Diamond Jubilee and since Charles Lennox-Gordon-Cummings was titled nobility from Scotland I am sure he would have received an invitation to the festivities. This week also marks the anniversary of D-Day during World War II and may we stop to remember not only June 6 but also each and every day past, present and future that we honor not only those in service, but those on the home front and the veterans and their families that share this common bond that ties us all to conflict and peace.

Last but not least…WTAMU is hosting the SUMMER STORYTELLING CONFERENCE on campus June 8-10, 2012 at the Sybil Harrington Fine Arts Complex. Friday and Saturday there will be concerts in the FAC Recital Hall at 7pm with a Sacred Story Concert Sunday from 9-10:30 a.m. at the Joseph Hill Chapel. Dr. Trudy Hanson has all the registration information and Eldrina Douma has been instrumental in sharing her stories. The guest speakers are from around the country and our own Jodi Thomas will be front and center speaking on creative storytelling.

And don’t forget the Frontiers in Writing Conference June 28 with the best guest speakers ever, Natalie Bright is the conference chair. And then also we celebrate the Writing Academy at WTAMU with Jodi Thomas and Tim Lewis. WHEW what a lineup!

Sharon Stevens

Jodi Thomas

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Outtakes 45

Jodi Thomas

I met author Jodi Thomas in 2001 when I enrolled in an Amarillo College continuing education creative writing course.  I had no idea what to expect from a multi-published, award winning novelist. As far as I knew, she would lecture on how great she was and how little chance we had of making it as writers. What I found was a warm, encouraging, and informative teacher.

Jodi has thirty-five novels to her credit; four Romance Writers of America RITA awards, is a New York Times and USA Today Best Selling author; and member of the Romance Writers Hall of Fame. Her early publications were historic western romances set in her home state of Texas. In 2003 she published her first main stream novel THE WIDOWS of WICHITA COUNTY.  She became an advocate for the homeless while researching FINDING MARY BLAINE (2004).  As Writer in Residence at West Texas A&M University, Jodi spends much of her time visiting with and encouraging young writers.

Jodi is a popular speaker at writers’ events. In order to promote writers’ education, she sponsored

a week-long writer’s academy on the campus of West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas every June. She continues to meet her avid fans at book signings and luncheons. One year, a group of ladies on a bus tour of Texas, dropped by the Frontiers in Writing bookstore in the Ambassador Hotel. The ladies politely asked if they could come in and look around. We were happy to have them come in to shop. One lady purchased a couple of Jodi’s books. I asked her if she would like to have Jodi autograph them. She sweetly thanked me but suggested the author had more important people to meet. “Nonsense,” I said. “Jodi would be happy to visit with you.” I walked her over to the signing and introduced her to Jodi. A few minutes later, the lady returned to the bookstore. “Thank you,” she gushed. “Ms. Thomas is so nice. She’s a real person!” I cannot imagine a better description of Jodi Thomas.

Jodi is the keynote speaker for the Frontiers in Writing banquet on Friday, June 29th. FiW attendees have a wonderful opportunity to benefit from her writing experiences and her road to success. We invite you to register for Frontiers in Writing Let’s Write Weekend June 28-30, 2012 on the Amarillo College Washington Street campus. We look forward to seeing you.

Cait Collins

Long Sentences

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Long Sentences

I write long sentences. I usually weave them through a story, bobbing in and out, up and down causing the reader to run out of breath. However, not all long sentences are bad. I have to remember that after long extended sentences, I need to sprinkle in a few that are short. I need to use some of medium length to fill in thoughts.

Keep changing the length and rhythm of your word combinations by adding varied length questions. Use one-word phrases or expressions when possible. This will keep the reader from becoming exhausted, or board with your writing. The End.

Rory C. Keel

Writing: Own It!

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Writing: Own It!

How many people have you told that you’re a writer? I’m not counting the people at the writers conference you just attended. What about your family or close friends?

OWFI ’12 keynote, Steven James, encouraged us to come to the realization writing is work and own the fact we’re writers.

With limited bio space on the various social media venues, how do you make your profile short and unique to cover all of the things you are?  So much of my time is taken up with life and I struggle to find writing time. Mother, office manager, volunteer, rancher’s wife, shuttle service for kids–the list goes on and on. Life for most of us is so full and complicated. How can we let everyone know how well-rounded, talented, disciplined and wonderful we are if we’re only limited to a 60 word bio?

Steven James said, “Forget the day time stuff you have to do to pay the bills. Write and own it. You’re a writer.”

Recently, I changed my facebook profile to “Writer”.

What about you?

Natalie Bright

http://www.nataliebright.com

Becoming Psychic

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POST CARDS FROM THE MUSE

Becoming Psychic

 

I have just spent the past week enjoying several trained animal shows. These have been very entertaining for the most part, but they have also given me a new thought as far as inspiration to write. What does an animal think during a performance?

A couple of the shows we’ve seen this week have had restarts and blank space because the animals decided not to perform. The trainers and other actors did a good job to cover up and fill in for the moody animal star, but the show lacked the main ingredient.

So my muse whispered to me, “Is there a story here?” What goes through the mind of the star attraction? Why did the orca whale not feel like splashing water when the cue was given? What made the beluga whale swim around in a melancholy circle instead of dance on the top of the water?

In the world of training wild animals, I would have to do some research to learn how to handle them and how they react to certain things. But beyond that my imagination would have to fill in the blanks. I would need to feel the animal’s mood and see through its eyes the events of the day leading up to the performance. In short, I would have to become psychic to the animal’s mind.

As an author, this is entirely possible, and even more important, very probable and very fun.

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

Nandy Ekle

 

TEXAS

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TEXAS

by Sharon Stevens

While going through used paperbacks at our bookstore I came across a copy of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” with a bookmark I had tucked between one of the pages long ago. My memories instantly took me back. I remembered watching this version, the production by Franco Zeffirelli’s, at the movies on my fifteen birthday. Something stirred in my tender soul that night and it wasn’t just the scene where a naked Leonard Whiting (Romeo) rises from Juliet’s bed and greets the morning sunlight. I was overwhelmed not only with the words of Shakespeare, but the poetry, the settings, the costumes, and the way the dawn filtered through the sheer curtains of the bedchamber. All of it connecting me from that day to this moment, celebrating cinema and live theatre through the centuries. The story is timeless of two families struggling, torn with their beliefs ripping each other apart while destroying the very heart of the youth until all come together in grief.

The notes in this Scholastic book mentioned that Shakespeare borrowed the plot and characters from a long poem by Arthur Brooke called, “The Tragical Historye of Romeus and Juliet, but the ancient story came from an Italian tale very much older than that.

Jennifer Yirak Ryen directed “Romeo and Juliet” this past year at Shakespeare in the Park at Palo Duro Canyon. I can’t tell you what this meant for me to hear “A curse on both your houses” echo against the canyon walls, and to see the lights glint off the swords as they battled each other to the death. I think this is truly what Shakespeare envisioned as he read the “historye” and set his images to resound through the centuries. He wrote this play to be performed on a bare stage with minimal distractions from the periphery of our vision. In Palo Duro Canyon Jennifer did just that as Paul Green did over fifty years ago with TEXAS and Dave Yirak continues to this day. The play is the thing and the world is our stage.

Shakespeare never wasted a tragedy and as writers neither do we. We collect every thought, every scent, every memory, every pain, and every joy in between. We don’t celebrate misfortune, but we do rejoice in the friends and families that stood beside us as we struggle…those who brought us to the brink as well as those who held us back.

We can never know what someone may glean from something we had written. An image may come to mind that we weren’t anticipating, tugging at our hearts or gnawing at our soul. So many times I burst with excitement over a phrase and burst into tears with the next one. Who are we to judge what stirs a soul or drains a heart?

We can only write and hope that someday our writings will touch either a passion or a nerve and ignite a flame.

The musical drama TEXAS begins their season on June 2, 2012. Much has changed from year to year, but the passions remain the same. Dave Yirak, the artistic director, will again be guiding the cast and crew to perform for millions from around the world. Paul Green’s message as a writer of man against man, man against nature and man against himself has never gotten lost amid the controversies trying to divide the very foundation of our heritage. Even though the names of the actors, hospitality, front of the house and those behind the scenes may be different, Shakespeare will be front and center with the best seats in the house.

Sometime in the past I had tucked a quote in between the pages of “Romeo and Juliet” to hold my place. Where ever that place was I have forgotten long ago.  I wondered why in the world I had marked that certain spot. What did I notice, what caught my eye, what was in my heart? The quote was from “The Lost Colony”, a symphonic drama and the accompanying article written in the July 1960 Reader’s Digest by Alan Rankin about Paul Green.  Margaret Harper was moved by the words and she and her husband Ples visited with Margaret and William Moore about asking Green to come to Palo Duro Canyon to see if he would write a play to be performed with the spirit of our heritage.

Green asked for a packet of material to be sent to him so he could get a feel of the legacy that surrounds us. The Panhandle Plains Historical Museum gathered material from all his sources and sent it on. The museum will be holding their, “Night At The Museum” on June 1 & 2nd from 9:00-10:30pm. All the lights are turned down and everyone brings a flashlight to explore the museum in all its glory.

I treasure TEXAS and all it stands for. I marvel at the majesty of Palo Duro Canyon. I rejoice in the men, women and children that encompass the cast and crew past and future. I know that each time I walk the grounds leading to the entrance to the amphitheater, as God and John Wayne are my witness I know without a doubt that there will be something that will touch my soul and bring back a memory.

Maybe I will use it in a story or maybe I will store it in my heart, and come across it sometime in the future when I open the page of a book and turn to the placed I marked so long ago.

I truly think Shakespeare will be proud.

Sharon Stevens

An Invitation

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Outtakes 44

An Invitation

I believe in writers’ conferences. A conference is one of the best ways to meet fellow writers, catch up on publishing trends, and network. I would like to extend an invitation to all of you to attend Panhandle Professional Writers annual Frontiers in Writing conference to be held June 28-30, 2012 in the College Union Building on the Amarillo College Washington Street Campus in Amarillo Texas.

The Let’s Write Weekend kicks off on Thursday evening, June 28, with a first-timers orientation from 7:30-8:30 PM at Barnes & Noble Booksellers I-40 West and Soncy Road.  Barnes and Noble will also host a book signing from 7:30-9:30 PM on Thursday.

Registration begins at 8:30 AM on Friday, June 29. The Friday “Get Down to Business” seminars focus on the business of writing.  Topics include Story; Self-editing; Publishing 101; Copyright and Publishing Law; Research for non-fiction writers; How to get noticed; Plotting; and Rejection.

Sessions on Saturday, June 30 center on the Craft of writing. Topics include fast draft;  Perfect crimes and Real police procedure; Person, tense and depth; Poetry; Social media; Characterization; Plotting from A to Z.

Arizona author, freelance editor, instructor, and poet , Harvey Stanbrough will keynote the Friday luncheon as well as conduct sessions on Friday and Saturday. Harvey will conduct a bonus session from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM on Sunday, July 1 at the Ambassador Hotel I-40 West and Paramount. Cost for the workshop is $45.00.

Jodi Thomas, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of 35 books keynotes the Friday night banquet. A popular speaker, Jodi is the winner of 4 RITA’s from the Romance Writers of America. She currently serves as the Writer in Residence at West Texas A& M University in Canyon Texas.

Keynote speaker for the Saturday luncheon is entertainment journalist, Candace Havens. Her columns appear in more than 600 newspapers. She is the author of six novels for Berkley, and currently writes for the Blaze line for Harlequin. She will present workshops on both Friday and Saturday.

John Erickson, Texas Panhandle rancher and author of HANK THE COWDOG series, will close Frontiers in Writing with a session at 3:30 in the Ordway Auditorium on the Amarillo College campus. The session will be open to the public. Conference registrants and children will be admitted free of charge. Cost for adults is $10.00. Erickson wrote short stories, novels, articles, plays, and essays before starting his own publishing company in his garage in Perryton TX. HANK THE COWDOG has sold well over 8 Million copies and is still going strong.

Other speakers for the Let’s Write Weekend include:

Former acquiring editor turned ghost writer, Hilary Sares

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Phyliss Miranda

Intellectual properties attorney, Christ Stewart

Former criminal investigator, now author, Jeff Campbell

Barnes and Noble Public Relations manager, Jim Gleason

Web designer and social media guru, Billy Goforth

Song writer and award-winning author Joe Douglas Trent

Teacher, nurse, and author Mary Lou Cheatham

Inspirational writer Craig Keel and horror author Nancy Keel

Additional information, schedules and registration forms may be found on the Panhandle Professional Writers website panhandleprowriters.org. Registration fee for the two days includes 2 lunches and the Friday banquet. Special pricing is available for single day attendees.

Our conference chair, Natalie Bright, and her committee have planned a great event. We hope you will make your plans to attend the Let’s Write weekend. We’d love to meet you.

Cait Collins

 

BATTLING THE BEAST

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BATTLING THE BEAST

I gaze into the eyes of the beast searching to find its soul. I am caught in the childhood game of “the first one who blinks looses,” yet he shows no emotion, no rising of brow, no blinking or shedding of tears, just a long menacing stare.

The creature’s leering eye grows brighter with every passing moment, seemingly intent on seeing the space of my existence. My vision is full of his sight, yet I see nothing.

I study his unrelenting look, my mind searching the far corners and deep recesses, constantly swirling, struggling to find some strategy, or weapon or even one simple word that might defeat my enemy and win this mind-numbing battle.

The desire to close my eyes tugs at the lids. The moisture surrounding my orbs in their sockets has become dry and I struggle against the urge to rub them. The creature shows no signs of weakening and continues to counter every glance.

Without my consent, sudden darkness is all I see. I blink. I am immediately torn between two emotions. First, relief. Moist droplets flood my eyes like waters of the sea crashing onto the shore. The fetters that once restrained the rubbing of my eyelids have now been unfastened.

And second, In the darkness of my blink, dread fills my mind as I wait for the wrath of my opponent to be unleashed. Or perhaps he has already struck with such a swift penalty that I didn’t feel the pain. In the deafening silence I dare to open my eyes. To my surprise I find that it was not I who blinked first, but the computer screen upon which I placed these words.

Rory C. Keel

The Ten Best from DFWcon 2012

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The Ten Best from DFWcon 2012

By Natalie Bright

Based on the sessions I attended, here’s a list on the best things about DFWcon 2012:

1) Over 400 creative people all in one conference center.

2) “Creativity is not a bucket, it’s a river. Jump in.” Jodi Thomas

3) “Fiction is a reality in me; a very real part of my life.” Jodi Thomas [www.jodithomas.com]

4) “Every author should have at least three pieces of social media, and it doesn’t really matter which. Start with a website and build from there.” Fred Campos [www.funcitysocialmedia.com]

5) “Don’t go anywhere without your book. You are the advertising agency for your book, and you must get comfortable with that process.” Cheryl Ammeter, author of  steampunk, Ivey and The Airship. [http://www.aethersedge.com/]

6) “Horses, most particularly stallions, are hyper aware of everything around them.” The 33 Worst Mistakes Writers Make about Horses, by Becky Burkheart.

7) “The key to success is take control and keep submitting.” James Rollins [www.jamesrollins.com]

8) “The only excuse you have to NOT write is death or a coma, and even if you’re in a coma you should still be thinking about your story.”  Candace Havens [www.candacehavens.com]

9) “People of the past felt differently about everyday issues. Life was dirtier, more physically demanding, and more dangerous.” Jennie Goloboy, agent and historian.

10) Over 400 crazed book people all in one conference center.

Great conference!

Natalie Bright

http://www.nataliebright.com

Back To Basics

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POST CARDS FROM THE MUSE

Back To Basics

Think back to the first thought you had of writing. I’m not talking about the assigned theme about how you spent your summer vacation. I’m not talking about the essay explaining photosynthesis. And I’m not talking about the lines you may have had to write declaring that you would not talk out in class.

What I am talking about is the little paragraph you put together about who said what during lunch. Think about the notes you wrote your friends telling them the latest gossip. Remember the stories you told each other during PE and recess.

 

Sometimes the best inspiration is where it’s always been, at the beginning. One of the things that used to really stir the story pot in my head was a blue ink pen and a brand new Big Chief Tablet. That was definitely one of the most thrilling things in the world. I could take that medium point pen and the paper with the newsprint texture and whole new worlds full of interesting people opened up. The beautiful blue ink nearly jumped from my pen onto the tablet forming words and sentences, paragraphs and pages. I never experienced a stuck moment as long as I had those tools.

What brought the writer out in you? Did you have a certain favorite paper and ink color? Was it a favorite song? favorite character? a fun assignment? Did you and your friends share stories back and forth? Whatever it was, find it again and feel the magic start all over again. I can almost guarantee that your words will make their way through that blockade that has caused them to huddle in a corner waiting to be pulled out and put down on that page.

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

Nandy Ekle