Monthly Archives: October 2023

I love Halloween! I can’t wait to see all the kids on my street in their cute costumes. I’ve seen fairies, princesses, and even an adorable walking dictionary! And speaking of Halloween, here’s a heart-warming story about the power of … Continue reading →

Thirty days and nights of literary abandon! No plot? No problem!”NaNoWriMo  A heads up for anyone who’s been noodling around a novel project: National Novel Writing Month (also known as NaNoWriMo) is fast approaching. November isn’t all voting, turkey, and … Continue reading →

Autumn Fires In the other gardens And all up the vale, From the autumn bonfires See the smoke trail!  Pleasant summer over And all the summer flowers, The red fire blazes, The grey smoke towers.  Sing a song of seasons! Something bright in all! Flowers in … Continue reading →

Here’s a roundup from the Authors Guild of awards and other events with deadlines that are looming. If you feel you have projects that are polished and ready to shine, why not take a look and submit? Ronald Sukenick Innovative … Continue reading →

Robert Louis Stevenson came up with the plot for the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde during a dream. Paul McCartney discovered the tune foe his hit song “Yesterday” in a dream.  Mary Shelley’s dream at Lord Byron’s villa inspired … Continue reading →

A story: The fabled concert violinist Niccolo Paganini was once performing before a full house surrounded by a full orchestra. His program featured a number of difficult pieces, one of which was a favorite of his: a violin concerto. Soon … Continue reading →

Just recently I heard a wise advisor talk about his approach to problem solving—a skill that we all grapple with. This led me to think about the different strategies we can apply when we face a problem in our writing. … Continue reading →

“If there is no struggle, there is no progress.” Frederick Douglass “Gordy and I Iaughed. “He was an extremely weird dud. But he was the smartest person I’d ever known. He would always be the smartest person I’d ever known. … Continue reading →

“Every moment there are a million miracles happening around you: a flower blossoming, a bird tweeting, a bee humming, a raindrop falling, a snowflake wafting along the clear evening air. There is magic everywhere. If you learn how to live … Continue reading →

A sobering story: An airline mechanic doing a check noticed a small leak. Having just finished repairing a sophisticated malfunction which might have delayed the on-time departure of the plane, the mechanic made a quick decision: the little drip could … Continue reading →