Holiday Thoughts

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Outtakes 364

Holiday Thoughts

By Cait Collins

 

Thanksgiving is two days away and Christmas will be here before we are ready. With so much going on I find myself making excuses for not working on my writing projects.  This year I have set a challenge for myself.  I will work on my projects each evening.  Even if it’s only thirty minutes or an hour, it will dedicate time to editing or writing at least a paragraph each day.

Enjoy the holidays, but do not neglect those projects.  It saves backtracking after the festivities have ended.

It’s A Book Event

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It’s A Book Event

And You’re Invited!

Please help me celebrate the release of our new Anthology

OUR TIME ON ROUTE 66

Join me for a book signing event on historic Route 66

Saturday, December 1. — 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Lile Art Gallery

2719 SW 6th Avenue, Amarillo

Lile’s is home of the famous Cadilite jewelry, made from paint chips off the Cadillac ranch.

Scroll down for more about the book.

 

About the Book:

If you’re needing a unique gift or if you’re a fan of Route 66, this new anthology is for you!

OUR TIME ON ROUTE 66 tells of good times and bad, Love and heartache, from the past to beyond tomorrow, and all of them connected by one stop, the Tower Station and U-Drop Inn on Route 66.

It started as a dirt path connecting neighbors, communities, states and a nation. Route 66 was an overland route traveled by pioneers, migrant farmers and anyone going west looking for the American dream. From wagon ruts to an asphalt paved highway, it has connected generations of people.

Five unique short stories and novellas set on historic Route 66 in Texas.

A gripping story of family betrayal, deep despair, and a young girl’s courageous triumph. MAGGIE’S BETRAYAL by Natalie Bright

A young soldier leaves his new bride for war sharing their life through letters in this heartfelt story. WAITING by Rory C. Keel

A down-on-his-luck cowboy sees opportunity in a young widow’s neglected ranch in 1944 Texas. SUDDEN TURNS by Joe Nichols

A Cherokee Chief predicts Mora O’Hara’s future as she travels The Mother Road seeking closure after a career related tragedy. SHOWDOWN AT U-DROP INN by Cait Collins

Raylen Dickey learns the difference between her friends, lovers, and enemies. FEAR OF HEIGHTS by Nandy Ekle

The Writing Life Quotes

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“Who wants to become a writer? And why? Because it’s the answer to everything. … It’s the streaming reason for living. To note, to pin down, to build up, to create, to be astonished at nothing, to cherish the oddities, to let nothing go down the drain, to make something, to make a great flower out of life, even if it’s a cactus.”
—Enid Bagnold

Another Story

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Another Story

by Adam Huddleston

Several weeks ago, I began a blog series on the Snowflake Method.  I posted my progress on a story I was working on, and to tell you the truth, I just lost interest in the tale.  It’s still there, resting on the back burners with the motley crew of other stories that have seeped from my brain, but I wanted to try out some new content.  If you remember, step 1 is the tagline.

A baker must nurture his magical powers to close an extra-dimensional portal and save his kingdom.

What Did You See?

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Outtakes 363

What Did You See?

By Cait Collins

 

 

Test your powers of observation.

You are standing in line at the bank.  Every teller is busy.  Each teller has five or six people in his line.  It’s nearly 5:00 P.M on Friday.  The lobby is warmer than usual.  The teller for your line is moving slowly.  You’re getting impatient.  Just when you start complaining about the sloppy service, the patron at the counter leaves.  The teller’s face is pale and her hands are shaking.  You place your deposit on the counter and put your palms flat on the polished wood counter top.  She hesitates, and says “Excuse me.  I’ll be right back.”  A few minutes pass and the bank manager comes to the window.  “I apologize for the inconvenience, but I need you to move to the window on your right.”  Not so fast, I’ve been waiting for half an hour.”  “Please cooperate.  The bank’s just been robbed.”

The police arrive and begin questioning the customers.  Put yourself in the shoes of the witnesses.  Answer the following questions from the point of view of the following patrons:  yourself, a harried young mother with three small children, and the teller.

 

What did you see?

Was the person in front of you male or female?

Height, build, hair color?

What was the suspect wearing?

Did you notice any jewelry, glasses?

Did you touch anything at the counter?

 

This really happened.  I was the person standing in line and getting impatient because I was running late for my shift at the Disney Store.  Not only did I give a statement to the police, the FBI interviewed me.  I could give them the gender, height, hair color, clothing, glasses, yes, I had touched the counter top.  The FBI agent showed me a picture of the suspect leaving the building. My description was accurate.  It’s been nearly 15 years and I still remember the look on the teller’s face and remember her apology for walking away from me when I came up to her window.  I can describe the teller and the suspect.  And I remember that “I don’t believe this is happening feeling.

Writers must be observant.  We must look around and really see the scene.  Do you go to the mall and watch the people?  A couple of hours after leaving the mall could you describe at least one person?  What did you smell? What did you hear?  Observing not only the place but also the sounds, scents, colors, and people allows us to recreate a similar scene in our stories. Observation empowers our work. Test yourself next time you’re out and about.  Look around. What do you see?

A Few Quotes for Motivation

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A Few Quotes for Motivation

 

“I can shake off everything as I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn.”

— Anne Frank

 

“And by the way, everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.”

― Sylvia Plath

 

“When your story is ready for rewrite, cut it to the bone. Get rid of every ounce of excess fat. This is going to hurt; revising a story down to the bare essentials is always a little like murdering children, but it must be done.”

— Stephen King

 

“People say, ‘What advice do you have for people who want to be writers?’ I say, they don’t really need advice, they know they want to be writers, and they’re gonna do it. Those people who know that they really want to do this and are cut out for it, they know it.”

— R.L. Stine

 

Happy Writing!

Over the Hill

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Over the Hill

by Adam Huddleston

I stand at the top of the hill.  My forties stretch out before me.  In the distance, I can see where the land rises to another hill, somewhat shorter than this one.  I suppose its normal for a person to evaluate their life when they reach certain milestones.  Tim McGraw sang about his future after turning thirty, though I have no idea if that song was written then or not.

Some resolutions:

1.  Focus more on family. I feel that I do a pretty good job overall of spending time with my kids, but I could always do more.  A little less tv watching and a few more piggyback rides will go a long way toward a closer bond.

2.  Focus more on God.  That bible on my shelf gets opened, but not nearly enough.  I’m actually looking forward to starting a reading plan, more specifically, a comprehensive one that covers the entire scriptures.

3.  Focus more on my health.  A few years ago I had dropped about forty pounds and was feeling great.  My self-esteem was higher and I could tie my shoes without getting winded!  A visit to my doctor is in order, but even if that doesn’t happen soon, fewer late-night meals and soft drinks will surely help.

4.  Focus more on writing.  I recently moved all of my written works from my old laptop to my newer one.  It’s actually quite exciting to see all my old friends in their new place and I’m looking forward to finishing some of those drafts.

Memories

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Outtakes 361

 

Memories

By Cait Collins

I was looking for a Halloween sweater the other day and ran across an old autograph album.  It was a gift from the youth group from our congregation when Dad was transferred to Maine in 1962.  Autograph albums were the rage back in the 60’s.

The white cover with gold embossed images is worn with age, but the notes and signatures brought back so many memories. The ink and pencil words and drawings have not faded.  As I read the messages I began to put faces with names.  Sometimes the face escaped me, but I still found much that brought a smile, a raised eyebrow, and a few tears.  The memories were good.

It’s strange that this book was found shortly after I received a note from my older sister who lives in Wichita Falls.  She asked me what I thought about writing a memoir about growing up back in the 60’s.  I called her and asked, “What would you say if I told you I have about nine chapters written?”

I think I surprised her.

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The Creator of the Western Novel

Natalie Bright

 

Best known as the creator of western fiction, Own Wister was a “Pennsylvanian who sat down in South Carolina, and wrote a book about a Virginian who lived in Wyoming.” I happened upon a copy of his book, THE VIRGINIAN, in a used book store. The opening scene is fantastic, as we meet a rough, sometimes rude, man-of-few-words from Virginia. A “slim young giant” who earns a reputation as an accomplished horseman. The edgy descriptions and literary prose are different from what you might expect in a western, but an enjoyable read.

Born in Philedelphia, July 1860, Wister attended school in Europe, St. Paul’s School in Concord, and entered Harvard as a music student. He made many notable friends, the most famous being Theodore Roosevelt. They shared an enthusiasm for the West.

If was during the summer of 1885 that a doctor prescribed a trip out West for health reasons, both physically and psychologically. Between 1885-1900 Wister traveled 15 times to Wyoming. During that time he began his first of many journals, and also wrote hundreds of letters.

“I don’t wonder,” Wister wrote, “a man never comes back [East] after he has once been here for a few years.”

July 2, First Journal Entry.

In 1902 THE VIRGINIAN was published, dedicated to Theodore Roosevelt. Set in Wyoming between 1874 and 1890, Wister described it as “an expression of American faith” and stressed “rugged individualism”. By 1911 the First Edition had gone through thirty-four printings. In the era of paperbacks, sales reached millions. It has been adapted for the movie screen four times.

The Owen Wister papers are housed in the Library of Congress. The University of Wyoming has the Wister Journals, and Owen Wister letters can also be found in the Houghton Library at Harvard University.

 

Rainy Days and Mondays

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Outtakes 360

 

Rainy Days and Mondays

By Cait Collins

Rain in the Texas Panhandle has two basic characteristics; too much or not enough. My sisters and I were driving home to Amarillo from Norman, Oklahoma a couple of weeks ago.  Rain followed us the entire way.  But when we finally made it to the south end of Amarillo that we encountered flooded streets.  My sister’s new Jeep did okay with the high water, but the real problem was the drivers who refused to take precautions when driving through the flood. They seemed to speed up when they approached a flooded section and threw muddy water on to the cars beside them. I breathed a sigh of relief when we pulled up in front of my apartment.

The deluge continued Monday morning.  I knew the areas that were often shut down when it rained so I planned to take an alternate route to work on Monday morning. Having been through heavy down-pours before, I packed extra shoes, a pair of slacks, and a towel. Juggling my dry clothes, my purse, and my briefcase, I braved the elements.

Rain continued, alternating between sprinkles and blinding down pours. I made it to the turn-off and turned right into a river fueled by the heavy rain and runoff. I was about half way to the office when I finally reached a wet but clear city street. The luck followed me to the

Office. Meandering my way from the car to the office door I escaped into the warm building My feet were soaked, my purse soaked, the wheels on my rolling briefcase made wet tracks in the carpet. Didn’t need my dry slacks, but the shoes and socks made the shivers go away. I had a good day at work. At the end of the day, I could look at my reports and see accomplishments. Not a bad day for a rainy day and a Monday.

This little story really has nothing to do with writing. It wasn’t a writing day. It was a vacation from the gloomy day. But maybe the real point is that we can find inspiration in the quiet of a rainy day and a Monday.