Monthly Archives: November 2017

“Easy Reading”

“Easy reading is damned hard writing.”   Nathaniel Hawthorne “You know, I’ve read your last story, and I ought to have returned it weeks ago. It isn’t right. It’s almost right. It almost works. But not quite. You are too … Continue reading

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Novel Ideas

When we create novels or even short stories, we create fictional worlds with their own unique ways of being and demands. Just recently, I came across a range of views about the imaginary worlds that we create and thought I’d … Continue reading

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Silent Springs

“Silence is more musical than any song.”   Christina Rossetti Silence. What a gift it is to us as writers — and how hard it is to come by. I write this as a small army of leaf blowers buzz and … Continue reading

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Work Itself

“The work itself will teach you.”   Old Estonian proverb “Satisfaction — that comes from work.”   Paul Cezanne Sometimes what falls away frees us. Have you found that to be true? I know I have. Just this holiday weekend, buoyed and … Continue reading

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Happy Thanksgiving!

May your life be filled with joy and gratitude, now and always: God’s World Edna St. Vincent Millay “O world, I cannot hold thee close enough! Thy winds, thy wide gray skies! Thy mists, that roll and rise! Thy woods, … Continue reading

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Indies First!

“For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth.”  Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird Indies First, held on Small Business Saturday, brings together authors, readers, and publishers in support of independent bookstores. Authors and local … Continue reading

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Platform Building

“There is a time when you have your artist’s hat on and a time when you have your seller hat, your professional hat on…Platforming and branding amplify your reach. Both make it easier to sell your writing.”   Hillary DePiano “Author … Continue reading

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Keep Walking

“Keep adding, keep walking, keep advancing: do not stop, do not turn back, do not turn from the straight road.”   Saint Augustine Saint Augustine knew more than his share of the perils of meandering and of the crooked path, so … Continue reading

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Something Wonderful

Inspiring words from an inspiring bookmark created by Watchung Booksellers: put your phone away take out your headphones visit the bookstore smell the ink say hello to a neighbor laugh with a stranger read to your child start a conversation … Continue reading

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Our Mirror

Serendipity — a happy, unexpected surprise — what a lovely word! I felt quite happily surprised when, sitting on a shelf full of writing books to encourage NaNoWri-mers, I saw a copy of Still Writing by Dani Shapiro, a novelist … Continue reading

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