Beauty Out Of "Natural Disaster

While visiting relatives in Biloxi,Ms, my sister-in-law, Evelyn Dawson, showed me and my family around the sites. One of them is this eagle that was carved from one of the trees that was destroyed in Hurricane Katrina.

This was taken at the park in Pass Christian, MS. She said it was done by wood sculptor Marlin Miller. He and another sculptor, Dayton Scoggins, donated time and effort to these. It is so nice to something beautiful along the Beach Road or Highway 90. Other things that are shaping up is some artwork in Ocean View, MS. I'm sorry to say that I don't know the artists name but if you get a chance to visit, it is a very nice town with lots of little shops to pique your interest and pocketbook.

It really gave me encouragement and made me think about my writing in a different way. Sure I may butcher my idea at first, like when they first started carving on the trees or putting the mosaic tiles together, but with time and fine tuning, cutting away what is not needed you end up with a beautiful work of art.

Spring has sprung

Spring is officially here and while I was looking for something inspiring for my desktop, I came across this picture of Pat and me. This was taken on our "girls trip" to Williamsburg in 2008.

The location is the Edgewood Bed and Breakfast.It was once part of the Berkeley Plantation. Pat and I are standing in front of the 1725 Benjamin Harrison Grist Mill. There is a beautiful garden in the backyard and we timed it just right. This was taken towards the end of April. The Berkley Plantation was home to two presidents: William Henry Harrison and Benjamin Harrison.

This plantation house is located right on the main road for more information, check out this website: www.edgewoodplantation.com

Book Review: The Writer's Little Helper by James V. Smith, Jr.

Just bought this book yesterday written by James V. Smith, Jr. and it is awesome. Are you a writer who thrives on organization but can't seem to pull it all together? I have bits and pieces of my work scattered all over the house. I have learned from writing buddies; Jana and Irene, to get a notebook and dividers for my current work in progress. Still I am lost. I was in the bookstore looking for another book when I ran across this jewel.

Character cards for quick references. Scene cards. When editing, what is your goal? to write the tightest possible and have the words flow effortlessly, but how? It's in this book!

Pacing: are you having trouble pacing your manuscript? I was. I wrote everything in the first chapter and there was nothing left for the rest of book except the end.

This is not a book that you need to read from cover to cover but rather a reference book to help you focus on the area you need help with.

Plotting, dialogue, characters, scenes, passive verbs, POV, I could go on and on but you just need to pick up the book for yourself. It even has writing exercises for you.

Origins of Words and Used Bookstores

I love history and I could spend all my time researching. Today I went to the used book store to find a book on the origins of words. Just my luck there was a and Used Book S retired English major working in the book store and we looked through a lot of dictionaries before she found two that were what I was looking for. And all for the low price of two bucks! I have some newer dictionaries but they did not give where the word originated from.

For example the word inanimate comes from Late Latin- inanimatus.
meaning:
in=not
animate=endowed, alive, spiritless.

The two dictionaries I found are:
Webster's New World Dictionary of the American Language College Edition 1957
Webster's 7th New Collegiate Dictionary 1970
So if you have some old dictionaries, don't throw them out! They may come in handy.
Once you learn what prefixes, suffixes and root words mean you can pretty well figure out the meaning of other words.
Another thing I like to get at the Used Bookstore at our library is used magazines. these are really good if you are looking for a certain era. right now I am building a Southern Plantation in my head and am trying to equip it with the furniture they would have in that time period. I have old Southern Accent magazines that have what I need and all for twenty-five cents. I also help by donating my old books and magazines.

Now that's what I'm talking about

This day was like trying to cram a whole week into one day.

First I woke up at 6am and then got a load of clothes into wash and left for the grocery store by 7am.

I bought a notebook to get my WIP organized and visited my mother-in-law, (I haven't seen her in over a week and I miss her!)

Back home to speed clean house for 1 hour and 15 minutes then it's off to a basketball game and work on assignment 5 of my ICL ( observing a youth).

Then back home to fold load of clothes then off with my sister for a massage (absolutely wonderful) I even got some ideas going for a poem about writing.

Then we had a nice relaxing lunch at Cracker Barrel. then it was off to my horseback riding lesson and then we topped it off with a movie: Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief.

I had some great ideas while watching that movie. I could see how the problem was presented then the scenes, conflict and resolution of each scene. Seems like I just read that somewhere.

Now I'm pumped to get to writing myself.

Grooming Lesson

This is not Dixie but she looks similar to her. My first lesson with horses was yesterday and my good friend Pat was my trainer.

I was amazed Dixie didn't eat me up. She was gentle even when we were not. Pat showed me how to brush the mud out of her coat and then let me do it. When she tackled the tail , though I have to admit I was nervous. I know how I hate to have someone brush the tangles out of my hair but Dixie didn't seem to mind. Pat was behind her and just pulling that comb through her tail and pulling hair and all out. I learned where the withers are (is that spelled right?). I leaned how to clean the hoofs and to put a bridle on and to lead the horse, not the horse leading me. I didn't get on Dixie this time, maybe next time. I don't even know if I could get my leg up that high. My husband seems excited that I'm learning about horses, too. He helped out on his Grandpa's farm on the summers so he knows all about horses and wouldn't mind going on some horse trails.

Happy Valentine's Day!

What a wonderful day! My husband got me just what I wanted for Valentine's Day. I wanted him to go to church with me this morning and he did. We were like all the other old married couples there and I loved it. Everyone was so glad to see him. I wish he would come more often. Maybe one day.

I had a good weekend with mother too. I read up on my writing craft and started plotting my middle grade novel (again). I guess I will continue until I finally get it right. Then yesterday I got my Institute for Children's Writer's assignment four back and got some really good feedback. My instructor, Michael Cooper helped me to distill my subject down even further until it is finely polished manuscript, or will be after the revisions.
I'm glad too because I am really passionate about this subject and would like for it to be a magazine article. I felt like I was trying to put everything I learned about my subject in it and it showed. Now I have a more focused article.