tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61221027229529404962012-02-13T00:52:01.796-05:00A Writer's Point of ViewA peek inside the writing life of Stacy PostStacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.comBlogger3551100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-65107703614110786442012-02-08T08:00:00.001-05:002012-02-08T08:00:03.769-05:00Surprise in the MailWhen I arrived home Monday from work...
something was on my favorite chair. So I opened it...
and found the latest issue of Pearl, a literary magazine.
Guess who is on page 84?
Look closely, third name down!
YAY! Thank you, Pearl, for publishing my poem, The Garlic Necklace Concealed in My Scarf. I am so delighted! Cheers to the first publication of 2012!Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-933523137993997852012-02-06T09:57:00.000-05:002012-02-06T09:57:28.250-05:00The Faithful Beauty of Stars
Winter Stars
by Sara Teasdale
I went out at night alone; The young blood flowing beyond the seaSeemed to have drenched my spirit’s wings— I bore my sorrow heavily.
But when I lifted up my head From shadows shaken on the snow,I saw Orion in the east Burn steadily as long ago.
From windows in my father’s house, Dreaming my dreams on winter nights,I watched Orion as a girl Above Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-78227981410231900132012-01-30T09:37:00.000-05:002012-01-30T09:37:01.183-05:00Happiness Is...
a smile on a spoon. Sending happy thoughts your way today.Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-23630608637213783342012-01-24T09:18:00.000-05:002012-01-24T09:18:44.109-05:00Strike a Deal with a Persistent Character
from Google images
I've got a pesky character in my head that wants to intrude on my current work in progress. It seems this character wants my full attention now rather than later. The trouble is, this isn't a good time. I'm just about to write a huge scene with loads of other characters that I've grown to love over the course of writing the book.
It's not that she's not welcome, she just Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-86267604662463402202012-01-15T15:50:00.000-05:002012-01-15T15:50:06.052-05:00One Man's Trash...
is another man's treasure.
Seen Reading:
Inside the donation room of the local Goodwill store, a lanky young man, with a wiry black goatee and sporting the blue Goodwill t-shirt, was perched on a flat of book-filled boxes. He thumbed through a dog-eared copy of Elizabeth Hoyt's Notorious Pleasures. The donations were steadily coming in and yet, he was mesmerized.
Perhaps he's getting ideasStacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-76546745150807327272012-01-10T12:43:00.000-05:002012-01-10T12:43:40.912-05:00Decluttering
My idea of an oasis right now.
Hello, folks!
Did you survive the holidays? I always come away feeling overwhelmed by the sheer "stuffness" of all that the holidays bring. Decorations, gifts, baking, cards and even the daunting schedules. Add to that, keeping track of four other people in the house and all of their needs.
In general, I consider myself a fairly organized person. But I Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-10536637236916270582012-01-01T10:41:00.000-05:002012-01-01T10:41:43.122-05:00Short and Sweet
May 2012 bring you many new happy surprises!Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-5225197679555589902011-12-23T22:01:00.000-05:002011-12-23T22:01:03.941-05:00Replace Those Wrinkles with Crinkles
Happy Holidays my dear readers! I hope these days of celebration are pleasant and tolerable.
There's time left for one more rejection recipe for 2011. I think agents are clearing out their in-boxes because I received two very polite rejections this week for work submitted back in July and then one from a submission in early November.
Here's a new favorite cookie at Casa Post. How do I know?Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-74433976349621564952011-12-11T19:40:00.000-05:002011-12-11T19:40:09.879-05:00Working on Revisions
www.savagechickens.com
So far, December has been a month of distractions, whether that be a plate full of cookies, time with friends or shuttling family to and from the airport. My NaNoWriMo writing pace has slowed quite a bit, but I'm optimistic that the work in progress will finish up nicely by the end of January. (That is, if I can keep on task.)
I've been working on revising earlier Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-69299958171098301172011-12-04T19:08:00.000-05:002011-12-04T19:08:03.628-05:00Chess Update
The chess playing continues. If you recall, I'm testing Malcolm Gladwell's theory that 10,000 hours at a task creates mastery. I've reached 700 games and must say that I am pleased with the results.
Out of 700 games played, I've won 305 times. (44%) I've drawn 99 times. (14%) That means 58% of the time, I haven't outright lost. (Yay!) When I posted previously, I was at 54%. So there has Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-48850070125904350542011-11-30T19:18:00.000-05:002011-11-30T19:18:39.303-05:00We Made It!Whew! I made it through another year of NaNoWriMo. Yee-haw! The absolute fun part about this year's challenge was that the other girl at Casa Post (girl power!) participated too. Yup. I'm proud to report that she too, met the goal. Way to go, Blondie!
We're celebrating by ordering the winner t-shirts. And diving headlong into all those abandoned books that we stared at with forelorn eyesStacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-47012149292317000332011-11-29T01:26:00.000-05:002011-11-29T01:26:05.488-05:00Chin Up!
"Even if you fail, you will learn. You can't lose; you can only quit. And you, most certainly, are not a quitter!" -Michael HyattStacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-76779210919075537242011-11-23T21:02:00.000-05:002011-11-23T21:02:07.143-05:00In Case I Didn't See You
Happy Thanksgiving, dear bloggy friends!Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-77420823114478711542011-11-22T08:57:00.000-05:002011-11-22T08:57:11.005-05:00Establishing a Plan for NaNoWriMo Next Year
I came across a post yesterday that may help those of you planning to plunge into NaNoWriMo next year. I used some of these tactics to prepare myself for this year's challenge and so far, I've been staying on task much better.
In other words, I haven't given up the challenge yet. In fact, it is the reason why I haven't been posting much this month.
The link is from bestseller, Bob Mayer: Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-3370610919043587592011-11-10T20:33:00.000-05:002011-11-10T20:33:46.100-05:00Biting Into a Good Book
Seen Reading:
At the orthodontist's office, on a gray rainy afternoon, a mom, dressed in khaki pants, a red cardigan with a blue and white striped t-shirt underneath, was totally engrossed in Jeffrey Eugenides' book, The Marriage Plot. Her curly dark brown hair was windblown and wild. She had a stack of magazines in her lap, her daughter's backpack at her feet, two cell phones resting on the Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-70914808210141320892011-11-08T08:42:00.000-05:002011-11-08T08:42:17.357-05:00What Do You Need to Write?Nanowrimo is in full gear at Casa Post. I'm keeping up the pace. YAY!
However, it's slipper weather and I've lost mine somewhere. I'm not a fussy writer that needs a lot of external pleasures or routines to get into the writing groove. I've only recently discovered the wonders of a recliner. But popsicle toes do bother me.
Have you seen my slippers?Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-3318789469177891452011-11-01T13:09:00.001-04:002011-11-01T13:11:58.745-04:00Cozy Up!November in Indiana brings much cooler temperatures. The leaves are mostly gone and the trees are happy flashers with their exposed arms ready to catch the first snowfall. It's layering weather. Time to come in from the outside duties and hunker down.
Yes, I'm writing away at my NaNoWriMo novel. Got my pages in before I launched the internet today. Gold star for me. Let's see if I can Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-790873487489297222011-10-27T14:48:00.000-04:002011-10-27T14:48:31.199-04:00Just for Fun?
I'm still trying to figure out the appeal for Twitter. I created an account a while back, when One Forty Fiction picked up a second story from me. Since then, I've been mostly lurking. If you want another Twitter buddy, follow me! @WriterStacySue
If you have any tips or suggestions for using Twitter, just drop me a comment.
Thanks!Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-42970097984397883922011-10-24T10:09:00.000-04:002011-10-24T10:09:04.428-04:00November Nuttiness
NaNoWriMo is just around the corner. I'm pep-talking the characters in my head, seeking information on what directions they intend to take during the writing madness of November. I've got a wacky story this time that I think will be a lot of fun to write.
The characters are ready. Points of view are figured out. I'm fairly certain how all the mayhem will ensue. I'm feeling good about this Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-78114377590033552302011-10-18T08:16:00.000-04:002011-10-18T08:16:48.722-04:00Tuesday Tale
photo by Don Denton
More good news! My short story, Eye of the Beholder, is available online October 18th over at Fiction365. If you're reading this after the 18th, just click on their October calendar and the story will appear.
This story was an experiment writing in first person. I'd seen this character on a city bus in Chicago years ago and wondered what her life must be like. Make Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-6575793756395993502011-10-11T21:17:00.000-04:002011-10-11T21:17:51.442-04:00Three Writers Went to an Island...
and we all survived!
Good news! During the month of September, the Riley sisters and I retreated to Beaver Island, Michigan for a week-long writing fest. Articles written about our writing retreat have been published in the October 2011 edition of the Beaver Beacon. The Riley sisters, Catherine Riley and Christina Riley Kolderup, are featured in the monthly magazine along with me.
You Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-89068922872978149922011-10-08T19:40:00.000-04:002011-10-08T19:40:53.851-04:00Fabulous October
image courtesy of Google
"The leaves are turning and things are beginning to be very fine."-Phyllis WheelerStacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-47726252837474995892011-10-04T10:26:00.000-04:002011-10-04T10:26:36.607-04:00Should a Classic Have a Sequel?
It's official. Stephen King is writing a sequel to, The Shining. The sequel, titled, Dr. Sleep, is supposed to answer the question, What ever happened to Danny Torrence?
Which makes me wonder: when a book is successful, original and memorable, will a sequel ruin it? Something to ponder as the autumn air turns crisp and the plans for Halloween are underway.Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-8078262456021481212011-09-30T08:01:00.000-04:002011-09-30T08:01:26.519-04:00Literary CornSeen Reading:
The corn maze (or maize, as they like to say it) at Beasley's Orchard this year makes me particularly proud. Not sure if that's because I'm a writer or because I'm a librarian. In either case, you can bet I'll be wandering my way through it before the season ends.
Have a great weekend friends!Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-34487978290641002412011-09-27T09:22:00.000-04:002011-09-27T09:22:52.317-04:00A Note of Thanks
painting by Lisa Gloria
These past few weeks have reminded me that writers aren't alone. Yes, it is solitary work most of the time. Nothing can ever replace the time logged in with your hands on the keyboard and your bottom in a chair.
However, there are aspects of the process that require input, feedback, cheering and hugs. As I write this, I have a dedicated group of friends, colleagues Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-80188661522793964242011-09-23T08:42:00.000-04:002011-09-23T08:42:13.666-04:00An Apple a Day
courtesy of Google Images
Just a few more weeks and my family's favorite apples will be available at the local orchard. It's a seasonal treat, one that marks the passage of time.
Another treat for me is a blog that I'm following. When I receive the posts in my e-mail, I'm always happy to take a moment and savor it. My bloggy friend, Amy Sue Nathan, has been busy!
What I love most is that IStacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-3003037687171447192011-09-13T12:35:00.000-04:002011-09-13T12:35:56.585-04:00If You Tabulate Persistence...Does It Pay Off?
image courtesy of Google Images
Hello, folks! The writing is going well these past few weeks and I don't want the flow to end. I've been testing a little theory that you may not have heard about? In the book, Outliers, by Malcolm Gladwell, he states that greatness requires an enormous amount of time. 10,000 hours to be exact. (That translates into 20 hours a week for 10 years.)
To testStacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-67525816093544763432011-09-01T21:38:00.000-04:002011-09-01T21:38:49.962-04:00Writing Through It
I'm still here. Just busy. With life and all that comes with it. No excuses, I promise. Still writing. Lots and lots of writing. Which is a good thing, ya?
Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-56911838780327675372011-08-20T08:07:00.000-04:002011-08-20T08:07:58.237-04:00Looking at the Same Words Twice
Gotham Writers' Workshop is hosting another fun contest. In honor of Chris Johnson's book, Microstyle: the Art of Writing Little, they are looking for very short pieces that play with double meaning. Some examples straight from their website:
If I said you had a beautiful body would you hold it against me?
-Groucho Marx (later used by songwriter David Bellamy)
You can lead a horticulture,Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-7354708093982140572011-08-16T15:44:00.000-04:002011-08-16T15:44:32.469-04:00Starlight Poet to Shine for America
Poet Philip Levine is the new United States Poet Laureate. Congratulations!
When I was a young college student, I was first introduced to Mr. Levine's poems in a creative writing class. What a treasure. I never sold that textbook and the dog-eared pages are still full of discovery and sentiment. One poem always comes to mind when I hear his name. I'd like to share it with you:
Starlight
Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-81042388002372472011-08-12T10:25:00.000-04:002011-08-12T10:25:20.534-04:00Minimalist Book Covers
One of my jobs at the library is to weed the fiction collection. With the latest round, I was weeding paperback editions in regards to physical condition. If it was worn-out, stained and hadn't checked out in over five years, then the book was pulled for further review.
What surprised me most were the crazy book covers. Many of the titles I pulled were published from the late eighties and Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-55611393127017440872011-08-05T13:40:00.000-04:002011-08-05T13:40:26.831-04:00More Good News!Oh, happy day!
I'm up today at One Forty Fiction with my tweet story, End of Summer. Check it out. Leave me some love! Woo-hoo!
This is my second piece with One Forty Fiction. Here's a link for the first one published earlier this year, Spring Love.
Thanks, One Forty Fiction. Much appreciated!Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-30051002347828186392011-08-03T16:57:00.000-04:002011-08-03T16:57:02.140-04:00Interrupting the Break to Bring Good NewsHi, folks!
I just viewed the Kansas City Voices contest results and discovered my poem, "Surviving the Eclipse" has placed third in the Whispering Prairie Press 2011 Writing Awards. YAY!!Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-63197142640916955132011-07-19T15:40:00.000-04:002011-07-19T15:40:30.292-04:00Taking a Break
I think the summer heat has addled my brain. I'm going to take a break from the blog for a while. Not sure how long. I appreciate all of you who've dropped by, left comments and cheered for me on my writing journey. Thank you. It means a lot.Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-7322054160532268152011-07-15T09:20:00.000-04:002011-07-15T09:20:15.918-04:00Forces Unite
Good news for readers and librarians! I saw this while reading Library Journal and thought those of you who use either GoodReads or Novelist would like to know!
http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/home/891082-264/ebscos_novelist_and_goodreads_strike.html.cspStacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-55033140637511834052011-07-11T08:03:00.000-04:002011-07-11T08:03:33.709-04:00Even in the Heat....People Read
Seen Reading:
At the Canal Bistro Mediterranean Grill in Broadripple, lunchtime on Sunday, an older woman in a black baseball cap, wire-framed glasses, black t-shirt, khaki shorts and worn Birkenstocks sat in the outdoor cafe area. The table for two she chose was along the lefthand perimeter where the breeze wafted. She was hidden slightly behind the french doors of the main entrance. But Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-23051601836663825922011-07-06T15:12:00.000-04:002011-07-06T15:12:51.620-04:00Short Story Opportunity
Sharpen your pencils! This is a quick note to let you all know that the Zoetrope: All-Story Fiction contest is now open. Best of luck, writers!Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-27068676945608412062011-06-30T22:51:00.000-04:002011-06-30T22:51:23.340-04:00Maybe I'm Doing Something Write?
Thank you, Madeline Mora-Summonte, for this lovely award. I appreciate the bloggy love!Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-44104081062657973092011-06-28T19:30:00.001-04:002011-06-28T19:36:48.582-04:00Operation Oreo
With the kiddos home for the summer, many times I'm asked to whip up something yummy. The trouble is, when the heat outside exceeds eighty degrees, I don't want to turn the oven on for anything.
However, I had a few rejections come back the last few days just begging for a recipe. (Three poems turned down and one polite "no" from an agent.) And then, the sad news about Daniel Craig. He's Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-67147146330717348072011-06-24T09:04:00.000-04:002011-06-24T09:04:35.943-04:00If Writers Earned Merit Badges
My fellas are at Boy Scout camp this week. The house has been particularly quiet. I only had to run the sweeper once. The dishes are washed and put away. The television has only been on to check the weather or to watch a DVD.
Most exciting, I've had lots of quiet time to write, to plot and to dream out loud. No one has been bugging me for a snack or for help looking for errant socks/Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-1059171952164882032011-06-22T08:00:00.000-04:002011-06-22T08:00:53.164-04:00Check it Out!Hello, folks!
If you missed my post on cigar research a few weeks ago, then head on over to STET! the Backspace Blog. Thank you, Amy Sue Nathan, for thinking of me!Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-45386041174423567242011-06-20T07:30:00.001-04:002011-06-20T07:30:00.986-04:00Taking Time to Read
"Guard well your spare moments. They are like uncut diamonds. Discard them and their value will never be known. Improve them and they will become the brightest gems in a useful life."
-Ralph Waldo EmersonStacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-79396695388098046552011-06-16T16:46:00.001-04:002011-06-16T16:50:56.011-04:00Do Words Follow You?
Everywhere I gone in the last few days, a word keeps popping up. I'm not a lexicographer who plucks words in and out of dictionaries. But the word, latitude, has been following me. Here are just a few of the examples:
a patron at the library asked for a book with it named in the title
an overheard conversation at the pool, "Give me a little latitude, will you?"
a friend's Facebook post
a Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-82474507126591178802011-06-12T14:59:00.000-04:002011-06-12T14:59:59.539-04:00Do Readers Run in the Family?
image courtesy of Google
Seen Reading:
At the public pool, three ladies perched under giant umbrellas, read one author. The first deeply tanned woman, in her mid-fifties, wore a striking coral bikini and sported matching polish on her tanned toes. She read Emily Giffin's Something Borrowed.
The next lady, in her late twenties, with pale skin, wore a one piece purple suit with a striped Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-27932789260697572042011-06-08T17:39:00.000-04:002011-06-08T17:39:18.535-04:00Writing Style from a Reader's Point of View
I once had a dream that I was wearing a tutu at the county fair. I'm certain it was an anxiety dream. I felt terribly out of place with the crowd. People would point, snicker and say, "Which tent is yours?" I ran through the tents, rifling through old trunks, searching for my favorite t-shirt with the little doves, cutoff jean shorts and even my flip-flops. Anything that would help me escape Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-57194645264357262862011-06-05T20:05:00.000-04:002011-06-05T20:05:12.157-04:00Life Played Outside
Every once in a while, I come across a book that just syncs with the way that I'm feeling. Folks, if you have boys (or tomboys) who like the outdoors, then I highly recommend Guyku by Bob Raczka and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. Divided into the four seasons, each haiku is a snapshot of a nature-loving childhood in action.
My favorite spring haiku:
If this puddle could
talk I think it Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-3211073790506166672011-06-03T08:08:00.000-04:002011-06-03T08:08:41.543-04:00Emotion from a Reader's Point of View
Daydream by Donna Geissler
Let's get back to the reader's point of view. Today I want to discuss the emotional draw of a story, which is tone. Tone is sometimes hard to pin down. It can easily get muddled with writing style. But tone is one of the most important attributes for a reader, because many times, it's why they read.
Using Novelist again, here are some tone descriptors:
Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-8464423854372796162011-05-30T13:38:00.000-04:002011-05-30T13:38:27.193-04:00Is a Robin on Your Windowsill a Sign?Each spring, a robin gathers items to nest on the window ledge near my desk. The ledge is narrow and shady. High enough that the neighborhood cats can't reach it. In the mornings, I'd find worn out Stella D'Oro leaves, thin bendy twigs, a piece of a shredded plastic bag, a shoelace, etc.
This robin was determined to nest despite the foot traffic from the kids playing in the yard nearby. Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-56331095621685755512011-05-28T13:24:00.000-04:002011-05-28T13:24:35.682-04:00The Race for Pace
image courtesy of Google
In honor of the upcoming Indianapolis 500 race, I thought I'd discuss the next element from a reader's point of view...pacing. Pacing is the speed at which the story unfolds. Much like a pace car, the opening chapter of a book will set the story tempo.
When a reader picks up a book, sometimes the genre will already nod toward pacing. Suspense thrillers for example, Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-73840940521416930952011-05-25T15:45:00.000-04:002011-05-25T15:45:19.354-04:00Storyline from the Reader's Point of View
When readers approach the reference desk, they often times cannot articulate what it is they want to read next. It's not that they don't know what they've enjoyed in the past, but more than likely, what they will ask about is finding another book with the same kind of storyline.
In my opinion, the storyline is a quick focus on what drives the storytelling. I usually ask first, "What genre Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-60238769750836231462011-05-23T10:30:00.000-04:002011-05-23T10:30:05.452-04:00Put That Lonely Beer to Good Use
It's been quiet on the homefront. Last time I checked, I had thirty-one individual pieces of work out in the universe in the pending status. This past weekend, I decided to step away from all things internet.
Lo and behold, two rejections were waiting for me when I fired up the laptop. One from a literary agent regarding my latest novel. (She was in my top five, so I was a little bummedStacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-86434889610116607962011-05-20T09:13:00.000-04:002011-05-20T09:13:31.649-04:00From A Reader's Point of View
I'm switching hats today. Well, not literally. I'm not much of a hat-wearing girl. (Must. Change. That.) But I want to flip the writing coin over to the reader's side. Say you've written a book, found an agent, found a publisher and now your book has made its way to the library and bookstore shelves.
What a lovely dream, right?
How will your readers find your book? How do you want Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-73237935920574196452011-05-17T19:26:00.000-04:002011-05-17T19:26:34.526-04:00Little Stars in My Palms
It's too early for fireflies, yet I've been dreaming of them again. Brings to mind an old Blackfoot Indian saying that I enjoy:
What is life?
It is the flash of a firefly in the night.
It is the breath of a buffalo in the winter time.
It is the little shadow which runs across the grass
and loses itself in the Sunset.
-Crowfoot, 1890.Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-80085360317413991252011-05-14T17:12:00.000-04:002011-05-14T17:12:06.544-04:00Puffs of Inspiration
Yesterday, I did something out of the ordinary. I visited a cigar shop. Yup. Talk about feeling like a fish out of water. I had no idea what to expect.
You see, in one of my novels, I have a character who is frequently seen with a cigar in his mouth. In order to make his habit more detailed, I had to get down to the root issue: I knew very little about smoking a cigar. Sure, there have Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-29405782251071684002011-05-11T14:39:00.000-04:002011-05-11T14:39:20.260-04:00Breaking News!
I don't ever post twice in one day, but I just got home from work and discovered that I am the story of the day over at One Forty Fiction! Thanks, Agnes for the heads up!!Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-8504001796380449702011-05-11T07:00:00.003-04:002011-05-11T07:00:14.450-04:00It's Never to Late to Advocate for Your LibraryThis post is for all my librarian friends out there. Even though it's been nearly forty years since children's librarian, Marguerite Hart, set pen to paper, the results are still amazing. The Troy Public Library in Michigan is sharing these letters on their website for the world to view.
Libraries are the last true democracy. I see it in action nearly every day. Yet librarians are often Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-20286621219856997812011-05-09T10:06:00.000-04:002011-05-09T10:06:22.210-04:00Short and Possibly Sweet Opportunity
For those of you who like the shorter end of storytelling, here's a market that might just work for you. One Forty Fiction is a site where you can submit very short stories. Their limit? One hundred forty characters...the length of a tweet! You don't have to be on Twitter to submit either.
I discovered this site through a blog buddy who'd published there recently. (Congrats again, MadelineStacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-33214469465695333352011-05-06T08:25:00.000-04:002011-05-06T08:25:43.194-04:00Seeking Four Leaf Clovers
"Not knowing when the dawn will come I open every door."-Emily DickinsonStacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-14135877241450761212011-05-03T17:16:00.000-04:002011-05-03T17:16:20.079-04:00Don't Get Washed Away
I've been feeling a little restless. For a few weeks now. Unsettled. Maybe it's the perpetual onslaught of cold rain we've been having here in Indiana. Or spring fever? Maybe...Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-57195572186262637752011-04-30T19:18:00.000-04:002011-04-30T19:18:32.611-04:00Mining the Music Collection
Image courtesy of Google
We live in the Information Age. What that means for some folks is that they've witnessed music go from records, to eight-tracks, to cassettes, to CD's and then to the digital format. It's exhausting to think of all the changes that have transpired over the last thirty years.
When my old computer crashed over a month ago, I lost a significant amount of music. The Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-45870802465412899492011-04-27T21:08:00.000-04:002011-04-27T21:08:57.971-04:00Don't Forget to Enjoy the Peanut Butter and Jelly Days
picture by RozArt
Every writer is on a journey. Much of that time is spent in solitude, sitting in a chair, pecking out dreams on a keyboard. One word at a time. On occasion, a writer might venture out to meet up with other writerly folks.
This post is to say thank you to all my writing buddies out there. Each of you have helped me become the writer I am today. Even though we are each on Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-32150826911841159582011-04-23T13:47:00.000-04:002011-04-23T13:47:48.331-04:00Hot Off the Press!
Look what came in the mail! The Spring/Summer 2011 issue of Iodine Poetry Journal has finally arrived. Do you remember how excited I was when I found out back in December that not one, but two poems had been accepted at Iodine Poetry Journal?
It's such a kick to see my name in the list of poets. I'm honored to be included with these other fine writers. Thank you, Iodine Poetry Journal.
Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-43735537512708196372011-04-22T08:51:00.000-04:002011-04-22T08:51:11.451-04:00Hint Hint
image courtesy of Google images
Psst. Have you heard the word? Robert Swartwood has announced that the third Hint Fiction contest is open for submissions. Think you can tell a story in twenty-five words or less? There's no entry fee and this one will be judged by Joyce Carol Oates!
Here's the link for the Hint Fiction Contest the Third. Best of luck!Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-12419671330526842592011-04-18T22:00:00.000-04:002011-04-18T22:00:04.832-04:00Earning a Life Tile
Congratulations to the Pulitzer Prize winners for 2011. Jennifer Egan won the fiction prize for her book, A Visit from the Goon Squad. I can actually say I read the book before it became a winner! (Usually it's the other way around.) It's an interesting choice, one well worth discussing.
Cheers for earning a Life tile from the game of Life. May we all be so lucky!Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-55397978488944047532011-04-16T14:15:00.000-04:002011-04-16T14:15:44.627-04:00Even the Beatles Knew It
Today is the day to appreciate the writer you are at this very moment. Stop and look around. There's something to love about being right where you are.
For me, I feel blessed that I know I can complete a novel and have more stories and poems waiting to be written. I am free to write what I want. The words are merely waiting for my fingers to peck them on the keyboard.
I'm happy to have Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-88267944198402376622011-04-13T20:43:00.000-04:002011-04-13T20:43:50.698-04:00Who Would You Want to Read Your Story?
image courtesy of Google Images
The past few weeks, I've spent a lot of time in the car. Shuttling the kids from here to there. Meeting up with friends. Visiting Chicago for Spring Break. Traversing the Indiana/Illinois landscape in hopes of keeping up with that non-writing side of my life.
One of the few pleasures of so much car time is having someone else do the reading for me. On Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-20631929642999818372011-04-10T21:09:00.000-04:002011-04-10T21:09:16.149-04:00A Rusty Tin Can Smile
"The only way to run out of chances is to stop taking them." --Anonymous
I am putting together more submissions and sending them out into the universe. Call me crazy, but I can't end the dream. Not today.
What's new with you?Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-41968942563101523372011-04-08T10:50:00.000-04:002011-04-08T10:50:56.379-04:00Celebrate National Poetry Month!
The Writers' Center of Indiana is looking for volunteers to help distribute poetry downtown Indianapolis on Thursday, April 14th, from 11 to 1:30 pm. They will be distributing free poems by Indiana poets as part of the Academy of American Poets, "Poem in Your Pocket" initiative.
Meet the Writers' Center folks downtown at Monument Circle. They intend to catch the lunch crowd at the Circle, Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-45702770197018872352011-04-06T08:15:00.000-04:002011-04-06T08:15:52.319-04:00Seen Reading:
Sitting in a taxi, outside the Palmer House Hilton in downtown Chicago, a woman in a black pea coat with a purple paisley scarf was leaned back in her seat reading. Her head tilted upward; the back jacket of the book pressed against the taxi's window. Light glinted from the sunglasses perched on top of her head. She intently read Gravity's Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon, ignoring Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-45499704717233148352011-04-03T09:00:00.008-04:002011-04-03T09:00:00.612-04:00Alfredo Anyone?
image courtesy of Google Images
Yes, folks, it's time again for another rejection recipe. This one is in honor of two short stories that didn't final or win in March contests and a third rejection from a literary agent for one of my women's fiction novels.
It's been a rough week to say the least.
In honor of these latest no's, here's a classic from my recipe book. Instead of using Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-34025442081115105052011-03-31T09:38:00.000-04:002011-03-31T09:38:13.092-04:00Waiting Is the Hardest Part
photo by Jesse Dodd
When it's time to send your work out into the universe, waiting has to be the hardest part. Today is a magical deadline for a couple of contests I entered during the course of the last few months. For those publications that have online submissions managers, I've been checking for results like a stalker. I know. That's so not healthy. But I know I'm not alone.
The hope Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-35535028577842360932011-03-26T10:04:00.000-04:002011-03-26T10:04:36.529-04:00Hoping for Lilacs and Buttercups
I've been having one of those weeks where I feel like a hamster on a wheel. I've been writing in fits and spurts, squeezing in the time where I can. I've even learned to jot notes on my phone so that I don't lose vital ideas. Though I wonder, if anyone ever discovered the crazy notes, could they make sense of it?
I met myself at the door more than once this week. I looked a little...Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-3923488775057514092011-03-23T17:01:00.000-04:002011-03-23T17:01:14.964-04:00White House Ambition
I came across this little bit of news at the library today.
Indiana's Governor Mitch Daniels, has agreed to write a book. There have been rumors that he's going to run for President. Which makes me wonder...will all future presidental candidates pen their action plans prior to campaigning? Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-65350476670438815962011-03-21T10:18:00.000-04:002011-03-21T10:18:01.127-04:00Pure and Simple
image courtesy of Google Images
Do you remember the time when writing was something you did...just for fun?
This past weekend, I attended the local high school production of, "Back to Eighties". (One of my kiddos was a behind-the-scenes helper.) The play was hilarious. Big hair. Leg warmers. Lace and spikes. Poofy prom dresses and all those synthesized songs of love. (Remember Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-9864217354513588722011-03-18T07:47:00.000-04:002011-03-18T07:47:31.848-04:00And the Name Pulled Out of the Hat Is...
...Faith Pray, of the blog Sacred Dirt!
Congratulations! Faith, drop me a line with your mailing address and I'll send your fabulous package in the mail.
To everyone else who commented, there may be something special coming your way too. If I don't have your address, please drop me a line. (I think I do, though.) Thank you for participating!
Writer hugs all around!Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-8475645767906434882011-03-14T10:09:00.001-04:002011-03-14T10:15:01.025-04:00Don't Be Chicken to Enter My Contest!
http://www.savagechickens.com/
To tide you over while the magic behind the curtain changes (i.e. the old computer gets upgraded and/or replaced) I'd like to offer a little contest. Yep. You heard me. A little contest. My first ever here on the blog.
What are the rules?
1. Leave a comment about why you follow my blog. Is it for the Seen Reading feature? The Rejection Recipes? The Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-33303467136734594622011-03-12T08:33:00.000-05:002011-03-12T08:33:48.150-05:00Hiccups
image courtesy of Google Images
It started with the hiccups: strange screen flashes that felt like I was in a disco club. Then came the sniffles: programs that wouldn't close or would launch in the middle of the night with no prompting. Now the old 'puter is down with a cold.
This particular machine loved me when I was a nobody. It put up with my crazy hours, my poor spelling and my Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-81130078720720805452011-03-07T11:37:00.000-05:002011-03-07T11:37:39.911-05:00Photo Opportunity
Is it pansy planting time yet?
This is just a quick note to say that the friendly folks over at Referential Magazine are looking for photography and art for their online magazine. (C.R. this is your friendly reminder!) Here's the link:
http://referentialmagazine.com/2011/03/04/artists-wanted/
Best of luck!Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-78084852850835233792011-03-04T08:56:00.000-05:002011-03-04T08:56:43.299-05:00Searching for a Rainbow
image by Esther Miguez
It's another rainy day in Indiana. Flood watches and warnings are out. But I'm determined to not let the weather affect me today. It's time to roll up the sleeves and peck away at the novel-in-progress. So while I'm away from the internet, here are a few links that might interest you.
How do we know when it's time to call it quits with writing? Check out this Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-794587674929006762011-03-01T16:03:00.000-05:002011-03-01T16:03:12.304-05:00Are Your Papers in Order?Author John le Carre has donated a sizeable portion of his archives to the Bodleian library at Oxford University. To celebrate, the library will display drafts of one of his most famous novels, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy on World Book Day, which is March 3rd. Oh, to be in England!
What would your rough drafts reveal about you and your writing habits?Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-40972806528714717842011-02-27T12:07:00.000-05:002011-02-27T12:07:36.949-05:00Pull Out the Raincoats
courtesy of Google Images
Writing? Check.
Sending work out into the collective universe? Check.
Bracing myself for another possible storm of rejections? Check.
I know rejection is a part of the process and I embrace it. But as I sit here with the latest novel, ready to start the submission process all over again, I have to question why. Not why I write. I know the act of writing Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-33234094811356188342011-02-23T14:28:00.000-05:002011-02-23T14:28:38.701-05:00Read Without Fear
Chuck Liddell, Ultimate Fighter
Seen Reading:
At the dentist office, on a late chilly February afternoon, a middle-aged man, skinny with dark eyes and a San Francisco 49ers ball cap, was completely engrossed in a book while his three teenage sons, all dead-ringers for him, went in one by one to visit the dentist. What book was he completely absorbed in? Iceman: My Fighting Life by Chuck Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-9689627421756558782011-02-21T10:50:00.000-05:002011-02-21T10:50:59.179-05:00Using Free Time to Write
image courtesy of Google Images
"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work."-Thomas Edison
With another hectic week on the schedule, I'm taking what time I can get to work on the novel in progress. I hope that all of you are healthy, hard-working and content at your keyboards.
I must give a shout out to my bloggy friend, Madeline Mora-Summonte.Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-36692154240677742732011-02-19T08:30:00.000-05:002011-02-19T08:30:38.667-05:00What's Behind Your Bookshelf?
The kids were out of school on Friday. Since the weather was decent, no snow, lots of sunshine and temperatures high enough we didn't need heavy coats, we decided to trek to downtown Indianapolis to check out the Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library. It sits on the corner of Senate Avenue in the historic Emilie building. Admission is free.
Kurt Vonnegut was born in Indianapolis back in 1922. “Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-48850910041610366442011-02-15T20:03:00.000-05:002011-02-15T20:03:36.577-05:00What to Do?
No news on the homefront. I have poems, short stories and two novels out on submission. I haven't heard a peep yet from any of the lit. magazines, contests or agents. Fingers crossed that some good news will arrive soon. I'm writing my heart out on a work in progress. Finalizing some research for a future novel.
Why is waiting the hardest part?Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-87892237739377030902011-02-12T07:37:00.000-05:002011-02-12T07:37:51.441-05:00Engaging the Sense of Smell with E-Books?
http://smellofbooks.com
Just when I thought I'd seen everything for readers and writers, along comes this product from a place called DuroSport Electronics. I'm not convinced this is an actual product, as their site has no place to purchase said item, but it is interesting nonetheless. Suggested retail is: $28.99.
Would you buy an enhancement product like this to assist you with the Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-27740214547175919302011-02-09T17:57:00.000-05:002011-02-09T17:57:24.041-05:00Attention Indiana Authors
I received this bulletin in my e-mail today:
The Eugene & Marilyn Glick Indiana Authors Award is looking for the next generation of great Indiana authors. Public nominations are being accepted now through March 25. The Award is a program of the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library Foundation and is funded through the generosity of The Glick Fund, a fund of Central Indiana Community Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-1362943591037538562011-02-06T18:36:00.000-05:002011-02-06T18:36:30.727-05:00This Writer's Storm Preparedness
Okay, so I was finally able to break out of the house today, despite the six inches of fresh snow on the ground. I was beginning to feel caged. That's saying something for someone who is typically a homebody.
I've stocked up on Trader Joe's Powerberries. (YUM!) Bought a replacement ink cartridge for my printer. (Go revisions!) Got seasons one and two of Castle on DVD and I'm good to go if Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-9388834682644157232011-02-03T15:39:00.000-05:002011-02-03T15:39:04.400-05:00No Partridges in My Pear Tree
The nest is empty.
These pear tree buds are coated with ice.
The sun finally came out today.
This one looks cool, doesn't it?
We're busy digging, er, chipping out from all the ice. There's five inches in the shallow parts and ten to twelve in the drifted areas. I'm wishing we lived someplace warmer right now. I'm thinking Aruba sounds nice. Or even Bali. We'll probably end up Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-15865514479077337912011-02-01T07:40:00.000-05:002011-02-01T07:40:31.724-05:00Open to Opportunities
Ice sculpture by Andy Goldsworthy
Happy February!
Indiana has been blasted with snow and ice. (Mostly ice where I am.) It's breaking bones weather. School has been canceled today, which means I'm staying home with the kiddos. If all goes well, I may get in a few hours of extra writing. In the meantime, here are a few opportunities that I've come across recently that might interest you, Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-11868749417479557742011-01-30T08:46:00.001-05:002011-01-30T08:47:51.484-05:00Looking for Some Green
Lime zest!
This has to be one of the snowiest winters ever. Throw in a hectic work-week, feelings of being cooped up inside and three New York rejections, it's no wonder I looked to the liquor cabinet for recipe inspiration.
Two rejections were from literary agents for different manuscripts. The third rejection was for a short story in a prestigious literary magazine. (I keep trying. One Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-32626518870350091202011-01-26T19:46:00.000-05:002011-01-26T19:46:22.020-05:00Go the DistanceOne of the perks of being a Hoosier is encountering folks who sometimes follow grammar rules loosely. One grammar mistake that I catch myself stumbling over is when to use further and when to use farther.
Around these parts, many people use further for both instances.
Recently, as I was checking a manuscript for typos, I saw that I too, had used further when I should've used farther. So, Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-64533932961297005092011-01-23T18:35:00.000-05:002011-01-23T18:35:22.516-05:00A Clutch of Surprises
Despite recent heavy snows and Arctic temperatures, I went to a writer's workshop this weekend in Ohio that resulted in feeling a little like the Far Side cartoon below.
With all the new tips, suggestions and ideas rolling around in my brain, loose as marbles, I was excited to get home and peck at the keys. Post-workshop, it was a bit challenging to decipher my chicken-scratch notes. (Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-84435922947156271762011-01-21T09:29:00.000-05:002011-01-21T09:29:21.634-05:00The Audacity to Call Yourself a Writer
image courtesy of Google Images
It's easy to say you want to be a writer. Lots of people discuss writing that elusive poem, story or book as if, at the end of the rainbow, it will magically appear. Chances are, if you tell someone that you are a writer, people will share their writing dreams with you. (So prepare yourself, sometimes it's the person you least expect.)
On the flipside of Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-59288508646958035852011-01-19T08:02:00.000-05:002011-01-19T08:02:58.528-05:00What Ferries You into Your Writer's Skin?
I'm always interested in how other writers make do. In this little gem of a book, Don't Quit Your Day Job: Acclaimed Authors and the Day Jobs They Quit, edited by Sonny Brewer, I was particularly struck by a passage from Connie May Fowler.
"Writing is a tough vocation made all the more difficult by the changing delivery systems, archaic business models, and imploding economies. You write yourStacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-71287366486567593232011-01-16T17:37:00.000-05:002011-01-16T17:37:21.897-05:00There's No Better Time to Write
image courtesy of Google, illustrator noted as Alex Eben Meyer
Pull up the collar and blow on the fingertips. It's downright chilly in Indiana right now. We're having a cold streak that doesn't feel like it will ever end. I got new snow boots for Christmas and I was convinced I wouldn't get the chance to wear them. Was I wrong! The snow has remained on the ground for weeks.
Pile on the Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-30976026353883022432011-01-13T05:00:00.001-05:002011-01-13T05:00:07.568-05:00Writing Is Not for Sissies
Note: Turn off the music below to enjoy the video.
This Geico commercial makes me laugh every time. I think I need this drill sergeant to motivate me to get my fingers clacking on the keyboard. There are days when I could certainly wallow. Days when I could walk away and never write another word. But then I remember, writing makes me happy. In fact, it keeps me sane. (LKC, this one is Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-5171351052804088032011-01-11T21:00:00.000-05:002011-01-11T21:00:36.235-05:00Will the Owner of the Thunderbird Please Come to the Manager's Counter?Seen Reading:
At Kroger's grocery store, mid-afternoon, a wrinkle-faced woman in a long sable fur, with a hairnet over her robin's egg blue curlers, posed by an endcap of new releases. Her black high-heeled boots peeked out from under the fur as she quietly thumbed through Tom Clancy's Dead or Alive.
A spry gentleman wearing a herringbone cap and a Tartan scarf, waved his newly-filled Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-21834990046371840602011-01-09T17:52:00.000-05:002011-01-09T17:52:37.251-05:00Readers Bonding Over BooksHey, I don't know if any of you are interested, but I'm on Goodreads. It's still fairly new to me and I've barely scratched the surface, but if any of you are interested in books and reading, this might just be a place you'll want to check out.
If you sign up, or if you're already there, look me up. I'm under Stacy Sue.
Happy reading!Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6122102722952940496.post-70340385339634445842011-01-08T10:03:00.000-05:002011-01-08T10:03:36.513-05:00Who Doesn't Like Free Books?
One of my dear bloggy friends, Cathy C. Hall, is hosting a blog contest. Folks, if you haven't dropped by her blog, I invite you to do it now. She's a positive, humorous light on this journey we call authorship. I've enjoyed getting to know her and have discovered writing opportunities through her posts.
Her contest is super simple: follow her, leave a comment saying that I was your path Stacy Posthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06173884527586018375noreply@blogger.com8