Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Inspiration for Writing Short Stories ... by Deb Noone

The month of March theme is all about inspiration. It just so happens I have a fun story to tell about inspiration.

First, some background. I love reading short romances that only take a few minutes to read. I also love to challenge myself by writing a romance in 600 to 1,000 words. This is a tricky task, for sure. So, devising a romantic story that is akin to a flash in time for the hero and heroine is a must.

One of my goals for 2024 was to write and submit ten short stories. I wrote one in late December and submitted it, after much editing, in January. I then wrote two more, both in response to calls for submissions. The first was a St. Patrick’s Day story, which I had a ton of fun writing. I also edited it at least twenty times. A tweak here and there, or a change of direction, are all part of the editing process. Truthfully, the inspiration part of coming up with an idea is the easy part. It’s always a kernel of a thought that blossoms into a full, but very short story. Then the hard part begins.

After sending in two stories, I went back to work on writing my next novel. Writing is hard work and I often need a break, both from the ache of typing non-stop for hours, but also to give my brain a rest. So, of course, I find things to do, like checking out the internet and I saw a call for an Easter story.

I mentally shook my head. Nope. I just wrote and sent in two. I got back to work on my current writing project. But the thought niggled at the back of my brain. Easter. Easter. Easter. What did I used to do as a kid? Hunt Easter eggs.

As an aside, I grew up in Washington, D.C. and I once went to the White House Easter Egg Roll—a tradition started by President Rutherford B. Hayes in 1878. This event was always held the Monday after Easter, when all schools were closed. I believe you had to have special tickets to get in. My sister and I would dress up in our Easter finest, including a bonnet and our little black shoes. Once we arrived at the White House, we had free run of the lawns, got to meet THE Easter Bunny, and gaze up to the White House balcony to see the President and First Lady waving at all of us. 

But back to hunting eggs…as an adult I accompanied my sister and niece to the neighborhood egg hunt. The night before, I helped my sister and other parents in the neighborhood hide colorful plastic eggs filled with candy in the “hidden” park surrounded by neighborhood homes that rimmed the hill in what I like to call a secret garden.

AHA! Remembering that one special Easter with my sister, brother-in-law, and niece… Well, you guessed it. Inspiration hit.

I began typing and realized that the heroine, the visiting aunt, would meet her sister’s new neighbor who was going to dress as the Easter Bunny. Sparks flew. They met for dinner at the sister’s home and again, just the two. And by the end of the story, on Easter Day when the kids are collecting eggs, the aunt realizes she is in love with the Easter Bunny.


I wrote the story, adding and subtracting words, moving around paragraphs, and after SEVENTEEN versions, I finally sent in the story at the beginning of January. With great excitement, I can announce that in late February the story was contracted and will be released in a magazine toward the end of March.

The theme for April is “Three Things I Do Well.” My second “inspiration” this morning was to write about the creativity of working with food. That is one thing I believe I do well, as I used to cook in restaurants and cater. So, I look forward to writing the April blog and putting it out into the ether for all to read next month. Stay tuned to find out what are the other two things I think I do well, that is, when I figure out what those are—HA!

                     What inspires you? 

      Or how do you jumpstart your inspiration?

 

The Prince’s Son
Amazon(also available in print) 
Books2Read

~ cottages to cabins ~ keep the home fires burning ~

Delsora Lowe writes small town sweet and spicy romances and contemporary westerns, from the mountains of Colorado to the shores of Maine.

Author of the Starlight Grille series, Serenity Harbor Maine novellas, and the Cowboys of Mineral Springs series, Lowe has also authored short romances for Woman’s World magazine. The Love Left Behind is a Hartford Estates, R.I. wedding novella. A Christmas novel (The Inn at Gooseneck Lane) and novella (Holiday Hitchhiker) were released in late fall 2022. Look for book 3 of the cowboy’s series, as well as book 2 of the Hartford Estates series, in 2024.

Social Media Links:

Author website: www.delsoralowe.com
Facebook Author page:
https://www.facebook.com/delsoraloweauthor/community/
Amazon Author page:
https://www.amazon.com/Delsora-Lowe/e/B01M61OM39/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
Books2Read Author page:
https://www.books2read.com/ap/8GWm98/Delsora-Lowe
BookBub Author Page: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/delsora-lowe-93c6987f-129d-483d-9f5a-abe603876518
Goodreads Author Page:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16045986.Delsora_Lowe
Instagram: #delsoralowe / https://www.instagram.com/delsoralowe/

  

Photo Credits:

Love in hand: Download | FreeImages walking-love-bond-5693695.svg 
Love Tree: love-tree-5690191
Love Arrow: Flat Love Arrow PNG Design Free Clipart Download | FreeImages
Free love arrow Clipart Images | FreeImages
Easter Bunny: Easter Bunny Painting an Easter Egg Clip Art - Easter Bunny Painting an Easter Egg Image (mycutegraphics.com)
Easter Eggs: Free Vector | Easter eggs collection (freepik.com) 1072593-OMUVFNO.JPG
Cherry Blossoms: Cherry Blossom Clipart Images - Free Download on Freepik
Free Vector | Free vector watercolor cherry blossom collection (freepik.com) 12982494_5114318_CherryBlosooms

 

Thursday, March 14, 2024

What I Always Look Out For by Lynn Lovegreen

 According to the Oxford Learners Dictionary, “to look out for” means to avoid something bad, or to take care of someone and make sure nothing bad happens to them. 

pair of binoculars

 

In the first meaning, I look out for:

 

Moose and other wildlife

Living in Alaska means looking out for critters. Hitting a moose with your car usually leads to the car being totaled. Aggravating bears while hiking is dangerous. While I love seeing them from a respectful distance, I need to look out for wildlife.

 

Bad weather or conditions

As they say, there’s no bad weather, just bad gear. Living in Alaska means nasty weather and rough water. It’s important to dress for the weather and be prepared for what Mother Nature throws at you. I look out for these things when I leave the house.

 

 

In the second meaning, I look out for:

 

Young people

As adults, it’s up to us to take care of kids. That can mean taking care of their welfare. Part of our responsibility in life is to help our next generations. I look out for young people as I work toward the future. 

 

 

Each other

In general, life is better when we take care of people. Whether that’s our neighbors, our community, or humans in general, we are at our best when we touch the “better angels of our nature,” as Lincoln said. We should make the world a better place for everyone. That means looking out for each other.

 

What do you look out for? Or what guidelines do you live by?




Lynn Lovegreen has lived in Alaska for most of her life. After twenty years in the classroom, she retired to make more time for writing. She enjoys her friends and family, reading, and volunteering for her local library. Her young adult historical romance is set in Alaska, a great place for drama, romance, and independent characters. See her website at www.lynnlovegreen.com

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

There Goes The Sun

  I’ve written to you about my issues with SAD (seasonal affective disorder) in earlier posts. For decades my mood has been controlled by the amount of sunlight during the day. By October, there is so little sunlight that my brain goes dark too as depression descends. Fortunately, by this time of year, my depression has fled. Good, because April 8, 2024 is coming.


The sun has such a powerful effect on me, its no wonder I see why ancient humans worshiped that

glowing yellow ball dominating the daytime sky. The Egyptians, Incas in Peru, people in Babylon, China, Africa, even Rome did the same. Some Native American tribes considered the sun part of the Great Spirit. Solar eclipses were frequently considered signs of the god’s displeasure. People were often terrified during the few minutes of totality, worried that the sun might have abandoned the Earth forever. In fact, the word eclipse comes from a Greek word meaning abandonment.

 
These days we know the cause of solar eclipses. We know its just the full moon’s shadow passing over the Earth’s surface and temporarily obscuring the sun. And we understand the math and physics enough to accurately calculate the dates, location, and duration when this shadow will touch down and hide the sun from view.

 
And yet …

Some of the old superstitions still nestle deep inside some human hearts. My heart, at least. I realized that in a frozen Canadian plain on February 26, 1979, when I experienced my first total solar eclipse. The sub-zero grew noticeably colder as the sun faded away. But I forgot that I was cold once this gigantic hole opened in the sky. The place where the sun had been was now a void empty of stars. A magical nothingness surrounded by a ring of fire. I stood, open-mouthed, just staring into the void. Animals were headed for their homes, leaving only a gaggle of foolish humans standing motionless on the ice, staring up at that emptiness.

 

I had paid big money (for those days) to travel from a warm apartment in Chicago, Ill to Manitoba, Canada just so I could stand on an icy field so I could witness the phenomenon that had terrified so many of our ancestors. I spent just over two minutes in the darkness known as totality that day. It was my first eclipse, but not my last. Over the years I became a veteran eclipse chaser. Instead of fearing the darkness, I raced to meet it across the globe wherever I had the opportunity.

  • June 11, 1983  for almost 5 minutes
  • July 23, 1990  for 2 minutes
  • July 11, 1991  for almost 7 minutes
  • August 11, 1999  for over 2 minutes
  • March 29, 2006 for over 4 minutes
  • August 21, 2017 (nicknamed “The Great American Eclipse”) for 2 ½ minutes

And now, April 8, 2024. This one is expected to last almost 4 minutes in southern Illinois where I will be observing with others at a special presentation at Southern Illinois University, only a five hour drive away from my home. I have traveled as far away as Russia, Lybia and Argentina in pursuit of an eclipse. 2017 found me close, in Missouri. This time I get to stay even closer to home, in Illinois. Fitting, because this will likely be my last eclipse. I will have spent almost a half hour in totality. April 8 will be a bookend to my expriences, and I am looking forward to relaxing, looking up, and staring into the void.


Monday, March 11, 2024

It's A Gut Thing!

By: Marcia King-Gamble

www.lovemarciaking.com 


I am told I read people well. It’s a gut thing, but I have met people who literally made the hair on my arms raise. On the other hand, I have met strangers that even after a brief encounter left me feeling good.

I’ve never thought of myself as a particularly psychic person, but I have found that my assessment is rarely wrong. On the occasion I second guess myself, and change my opinion, something happens that makes me realize I was spot on.

Over the years I have learned to trust my gut. I have also learned to keep my mouth shut about my assessment of that individual, because if the first impression is not a favorable one, sharing that information makes me the bad guy.

There is a mutual ‘friend,’ (note I use the word friend lightly) who is very popular in our circle. We’ll call her Mandy. No love lost between us though. Let’s just say we co-exist, and all because there are people in our group we are very fond of. Mandy is one of these women I label ‘a taker’ and takers I have little patience for. She is an attractive woman, and attaches herself to anyone she thinks can do something for her (especially men), and usually if they are offering a meal or event for free. She comes across as kind; a façade she has cultivated. She tends to seek out the weak and those with little self-esteem. She preys on their vulnerability.

Mandy knows better than to try to weave her magic on me. We are all smiles and air kisses though we will seldom sit together. You will find us on the opposite sides of any room, even during intimate occasions.

What I have noticed is that those who make my skin crawl are usually aware that I can see through them, and  do me  a favor by staying away. On the rare occasion we are forced to interact, the phony smiles are usually intact.

On the flip side, it is a pleasure to meet a joyous spirit; someone who regardless of their circumstances, has a quick smile and lights up the room with their presence. The air around these merry spirits is so positive that you enjoy any time spent, brief as that time might be. I gravitate toward those people and they to me. They are the light.



The moral of this blog- we all have choices. Choose joy over misery anytime and always  go with your gut. Seek out those that make you feel good. Like attracts Like. 

 

About Me:

Check out my Kindle Vella Books:

https://www.amazon.com/kindle-vella/story/B0CC8HWQ52

https://www.amazon.com/kindle-vella/story/B0CB1TWHCY






USA bestselling romance writer, Marcia King-Gamble originally hails from a sunny Caribbean island where the sky and ocean are the same mesmerizing shade of blue. This former travel industry executive has spent most of life in the United States. A National Bestselling author, Marcia has penned over 34 books and 8 novellas. She has contributed to Michael Fiore’s DigitalRomanceInc and served as a moderator on the now defunct eHarmony advice boards. Having witnessed the bad, the ugly, and the not so good in relationships, she still prefers to write about happily ever after. Caring for her animal family keeps her grounded and sane.

Visit Marcia at www.lovemarcia.com or “friend” her on Facebook: http://bit.ly/1MlnrIS

Be sure to join her newsletter mailing list.

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Friday, March 8, 2024

Fair, Fairs, I love Fairs!


I don't know about you, but I'm excited for spring and the Fair Season! I especially enjoy seeing what others make or grow.

Diana writes paranormal romance, always with a happily ever after. In her latest book "The Witch with the Trident Tattoo" you'll find a heroine and hero to root for as they fight against an evil force set on killing all life in the oceans. Along the way are colorful characters. A teenage mermaid with pink hair who can come on land for short periods of time,  an octopus familiar named James, and a host of others.




A great anytime of the year read, "The Witch with the Trident Tattoo".


Fairs have been around since before 500 B.C. Fairs were mentioned in the bible as places to socialize and sell goods.

Over time, the fair morphed away from religion and commerce and into periodic gatherings attended by crafters, food brokers, clothing stalls and livestock for show and sale. People bartered for, and exchanged goods, not that much money changed hands, but lots of goods did.

The actual first date of the original fair is unknown. 

The first fair in America was recorded in 1765, in Windsor, Nova Scotia. In 1792, the first fair of Niagara was held, by the Niagara Agricultural Society. Both of these fairs still occur each year right through the present day.

Today, there are around 2,000 fairs each year in North America.

Now days fairs include, but are not limited to: food, shows, rodeos, games to play for prizes, carnival rides, 4-H exhibits, horticulture, livestock, all kinds of new innovated things for sale!

Personally, I love the fair! Hubby and I try to go every year. Here in Deschutes County there is one day , usually opening day, when seniors get in free. We missed that day this year, hubby wasn’t feeling well, but did go the next day to walk through the exhibits. 

What I learned is there are so, so many talented people in this world. From paintings by 13-year-old kids to gorgeous photography to quilts that are definitely a work of art, it humbled me to see all the creations by everyday amateur individuals.
Most exciting, unusual thing we saw? A couple cowboys riding Long Horn Bulls through the streets of the fairgrounds!

Most beautiful craft was this quilt.

Most beautiful flower? This two toned gladiola. 

The most exotic thing? This Styrofoam head decorated with food and flowers.
Do you have a fair near you, and if you do, what do you like doing the best? For me it’s the inside exhibits, including the animal barns.

Enjoy your spring which starts in a couple weeks!

Wednesday, March 6, 2024

What I Look Out For...

By Robin Weaver



The things I look out for include:

  • The theme for my monthly blog. This month, my interpretation might be a bit off topic, but aren’t I always a little off? Don’t answer that!
  • Monsters under my bed. You probably call them spiders.
  • Monsters in the woods. You probably call those ‘skeeters.
  • Hairballs. Yep, have cats. And I frequently walk around in barefoot.  ‘Nuff said?
  • Where the dog does her thing. No, I don’t walk outside in bare feet, but I do like my shoes.
  • Band-Aid sales. With hobbies that include fused and stained glass, my poor hands have so many cuts I’m not sure I have fingerprints anymore… Which might be a good thing. 
  • Spell Check. It hates me!  Just this week, it changed “nichrome wire” to Nike come aware.  Also, corrected Kiln Gloves to “Okay, I love you.”  Not the best correction since it was going to my glass instructor.
  • Crazy Drivers. Wait, there are so many of them. I guess I look out for drivers.
  • French fries. Don’t touch mine.
  • Tenseness.  More specifically, I look for the wrong tense.  I have critique partners who switch from past to present tense in stories. They do this so often I think they’re time travelers.

  • Green cars. Have you noticed that most cars are now either black, white, or silver/gold. And occasionally blue.  You never see green cars anymore.  Is it a conspiracy?
  • Firecrackers. Okay, I just made that up. I don’t really look out for firecrackers. However, wouldn’t it be cool if someone wrote a story about a firecracker phobia. Wait, why don’t I do that?  GREAT. Now I have to worry about someone using my firecracker phobia idea.

All kidding aside, I’ll be looking out for you. And hope all the things you look for are good ones.

Happy St. Patty’s Day.

R