Vacation and Point of View

 

We're on vacation, visiting family. And I couldn't help but go to the beach (Which was allowed.) The sea calls to me. I think I'm a quarter mermaid.

The above photo is of me on a dune in very high winds. The light and thick air gave the photo a haunting, ethereal quality. It reminded me of the novel Dune. I took a few other photos (see below).  

The final photo below, taken at the same beach, reminds me how much perspective changes the look of things. When I'm writing, I spend a lot of time considering which character needs to be the point-of-view character. It can completely alter the story. 

Ice Storm

An evergreen encased.

 

     I woke up to an ice storm this morning. It has just begun, and since we've been told we'll lose power, I thought I'd post some photos while I could.

The trees are decorated in ornaments of crystal.

The view from my office.

Has the ice ruined the dogwood blooms?

Duke power predicts 1 million people
will be without power when the storm is over.
We've prepared the best we can.

Now back to typing the completed outline of a new novel into my computer.
Hopefully, before we lose power.

Winter Comes Back

 Despite what Punxsutawney Phil said and the signs of spring in the garden, winter has not given up. Like the White Witch in the Chronicles of Narnia, cold has settled into the Piedmont. This morning the lake behind our house iced over. And the patterns in the ice are beautiful.

Spring Showing Her Face

 My husband is recovering from covid. Today was his first day out of quarantine, so we no longer have to isolate ourselves from each other. And giving him a good morning kiss and holding his hand again--what a joy!

It reminded me winter will end soon, even though it’s in the 20s outside. So I went outside to our garden to see if spring is showing her face yet. She is!   

A crocus trying to bloom.

A hellebore soon to bloom.

A camellia hiding beneath the bush.

A tulip pushing through the soil.
 (The tent of sticks protect it from the deer.)

Book Review: The Emotional Craft of Fiction

This is the first time I’ve written a book review before finishing a book. In fact, I’m only a third of the way into it. But I decided to write a review already because the first third is worth the price of the book.

What is the book? Donald Maass’s The Emotional Craft of Fiction: How to Write the Story Beneath the Surface. (It was published in 2016—I wish I’d read it then.) The purpose of the book is to teach writers how to engage the emotions of the reader, which is very different than merely showing the emotions of a character. Because if we’re honest, we’ve all read novels whose characters experience a major crisis and our response is…a yawn.

So how can we turn a passage from a yawn into a gripping scene?

Unlike many how-to books, Maass does more than tell his readers what needs to be done. He includes examples from published novels whose authors range from Avi to Bradbury to Stephen King to Harper Lee. These examples contextualize the lessons and show writers how to use the techniques successfully. And at the end of each section, Maass provides bullet points of questions and exercises to help a novelist incorporate these techniques into their own work.

I could go on, but honestly, I want to get back to reading the book—and taking notes, which I probably haven’t done since college.

Bottom line, buy the book. Here’s a link.

Painting Vacation

On vacation, my husband and I painted--our staircase, our bedroom, and our living room. Then, he began painting "for real."

 

He's a gifted watercolorist. (I love being his model.) Recently, he finished the watercolor below. My only regret is I don't have a better camera on my phone--the photo falls far short of the original.

  

Here's a great opportunity to learn more about creative writing!

Introduction to Creative Writing:

Beginner to Intermediate

This interactive workshop explores the key creative concepts of poetry, personal narrative, creative nonfiction, short fiction and longer fiction to inspire writers to develop their individual voice, style, interests and focus. We also study the art of critique and revision, and each week writers can bring pages of their work to share. The workshop includes handouts, prompts and personalized critiques from the instructor. Participants can work on existing projects and/or create new pieces to cultivate and develop the writer within.

Join us on Zoom this fall for a lively, interactive study of creative writing and critique with Adele Annesi for the Westport Writers’ Workshop. For more, visit Westport Writers’ Workshop.

I know Adele Annesi personally. She's a great writer and teacher with lots of experience in helping writers take their work to the next level.