Gone Fishing

Ooops--no, I'm not going fishing, but I need to be away for a few days. So there will be no post again until Monday, August 1st.

Journal A Medical Journey

We've discussed all kinds of writing here at Writer Granny's World, but one that I've not touched on is the kind of writing done during the course of a serious medical situation.

I have a friend who is going through chemo for a serious bout with cancer. She's a writer, and so she's been keeping a journal of her journey through this difficult time of her life. She's a very sick woman right now, but she's kept up with the journal and has shared it with friends. Maybe it gives her a reason to get up in the morning. It is certainly an emotional release for her and may aid in the healing process in ways we don't even know. And it's also a good record of names, dates, procedures and more about all that this journey which is fraught with detours and hazards along the way. I so admire her for pursuing this project while fighting for her life.

Her journal also serves to keep friends and family connected. We want to know what is happening but don't want to continually bother the family for updates. I know how much I appreciate each new update that arrives. The great technology we live with allows it to happen at the push of a button, or should I say a click of the mouse?

There are websites that allow posting by the family of a person who is critically ill. All  an interested person need do is sign up to receive each new posting, and they are kept abreast of all new crises or progress of the patient. There is a place for comments to the family, as well, which can be wonderful support for them. One that I am familiar with is Caring Bridge . I'm sure there are others, as well.

I've written essays that deal with health crises of friends. One that shows how one friend used an unexpected emotion in her one year fight through breast cancer treatment has been published three times. I wrote it in hopes it might be encouraging to others. Read it here.

Yes, it takes precious time to journal when ill or for family members to update others for you, but the day will come when all concerned will be appreciative of the writing that took place. And for those who triumph over a serious illness, it will be of great benefit to look back and see what actually happened.

Prime Your Writing Pump

In the days when people had to pump their household water, they learned a little trick to get it flowing well. Pour a little bit of water into the pump and it seemed to inspire the darned thing to spew forth quicker and with a good flow. One of my great aunts lived on a farm in the southwestern corner of Minnesota. As a small child, I delighted in the pump on her kitchen sink. At home, in the big city, we had a boring faucet we turned on and off. But this pump thing fascinated me. I stood on a kitchen chair and Aunt Jane showed me how pouring that bit of water in it made the pump work better, and then she let me work that pump handle up and down. Small things amuse small children. As true now as long ago.

Writers would benefit from priming the pump a little, too. My friend, Linda Carlson, introduced me to the perfect website to do exactly that. It's called One Word and takes only one minute of your time. Each day a new word is posted. You are given one minute to freewrite anything that pops into your head after looking at the word. When the minute is up, a bell rings, but you're allowed to finish the sentence you're writing at that time. Then you push the submit button and your minute-write is posted.

You may never do anything with what you've written, but it can serve to prime your pump. It gets the writer juices flowing, so take advantage of that and get right into a writing project. Or, you might want to use that one minute freewrite to start a new project.

You do have to register and set up an account at One Word, but it's free and fast so don't shy away because of it.

How about the rest of you? What writing exercise or advice do you have for priming our writer pumps?

In The Soup Again

I've been fortunate to have had stories in several of the Chicken Soup for the Soul anthology books. The first acceptance thrilled me from head to toes. The story in the Father and Daughters book was Love In A Box, which has become one of my most published stories. It's a very simple story about how the fact that my dad loved me came out of the blue when I was in the second grade.  The story has been published in other languages and also won Honorable Mention in a contest at a memoir website. Click on the story title above to read it.

Encouraged by the first acceptance, I continued to submit to the Chicken Soup publishers and I had more stories accepted. Following their guidelines helped get my work into ten more of their anthologies. At about number eight, I mused to myself that I'd kind of like to have an even dozen. I also had plenty of stories submitted to Chicken Soup that didn't make it.

Yesterday, I received notice that a story I had in the final cut stage has been accepted for a new Chicken Soup book on Happiness, due out in mid-fall. That makes my even dozen! And you know what? I was just as thrilled as for the first one. I remember my obstetrician saying that every baby he delivered was a thrilling experience. I think I can relate to that, although somehow delivering stories is a wee bit easier than giving birth.

Do you think I am going to be completely satisfied with my twelve? Not at all. I achieved my goal, but nothing says I can't add more. I have several submitted already and a few more in my head still to be written for current books Chicken Soup is seeking stories for.

Here's a list of books for which stories are needed. Go to the Chicken Soup website for full info. Deadline dates are all 2011

1. Boost Your Brainpower  8/7

2. Family Caregiver  7/30

3. Home Sweet Home  8/30

4. Say Goodbye to Back Pain  7/31

5. Say Goodbye To Stress  8/30

6. Say Hello To A Better Body 8/7

7. Think Positive for Great Health 8/15

8. Think Positive for Kids  12/31

9. Tough Times for Teens 7/31

Write About The Heat

With a heat wave extending across a major portion of the USA, we may feel like the ice cream truck pictured above. Record number of days over 100 degrees in Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas right now. It's one contest no one wants to win. And the triple digit temps are spreading to the northern states as well.

Maybe it's best to stay inside and write about the heat since we can't seem to turn it off. It would be a good writing exercise. First, make a list of words that make us think of something hot. I'll start it and you can add to it:

1. scorching

2. searing

3. boiling

4. broiling

5. steaming

Next, write a paragraph or two (or three) describing a place where the heat is stifling. Oops, there's another word for your list. Consider that this description will end up in a short story or novel. Make the readerfeel the heat through the words you choose. Make your characters sweat bigtime.

Then, treat yourself to an ice cream cone, preferably from the freezer, not the truck above.

Looking For A Good Book?

I picked up a few books at an outlet bookstore back in early May. Between reading books for my book club and catching up on magazines, a couple trips and more, I hadn't been able to read Beside A Burning Sea until this past week.

This is John Shors second novel. His widely acclaimed first novel, Under A Marble Sky  has been published in fifteen languages.

Beside A Burning Sea is set in the Pacific during the early days of WWII. A hospital ship is torpedoed and sunk. Nine survivors make it to an island. One is a truly evil man. Another is the captain of the ship whose guilt for surviving is unbearable. There are three nurses, two crewmen, a young boy from Fiji, and a Japanese prisoner of war. There are three love stories to follow, that of the nurse and captain who are man and wife, the love that develops between another nurse and the Japanese soldier, and the deep love the little boy and one of the crewmen develop for one another. A father-son relationship, which may be the greatest love story in the book.

We watch these nine people survive on an uninhabited island. We watch their lives intertwine. We see intense emotions and redemption. The love story of Akira and Annie is the primary focus. John Shors uses haiku poetry as a part of their story, and each chapter begins with a haiku. I looked forward to turning the page to each new chapter to read the short, beautiful piece of poetry.

The novel is beautifully written with sensory details that make you scratch the mosquito bites the islanders are plagued with, taste the fish they eat, and visualize the beauty around them.

Yes, in some ways it's predictable, but that didn't stop me from enjoying the book one bit.

I finished the book last night, having a good cry before it ended. Not just a tear or two, but so many that I had difficulty reading the words on the page. I get emotionally involved in some books. I credit that to good writing.

Read more about Beside A Burning Sea (pub 2008) and Beneath A Marble Sky (pub.2006) John Shors has a couple more recent books, as well. If you enjoy a good love story with foreign settings and lyrical prose, then give these books a try.

More Movies From Books

It seems there are more and more books being made into movies. Blockbuster novels like The Help can be adapted to the widescreen very well. Yesterday, I read that Sara's Key is also a new movie.

I loved both these books and think they will make good films if done right. My main problem with them becoming movies is that I've got the characters formulated in my mind. I know what they look like, how they speak, what their thoughts are. We all do that when we read. We create our own mental images. There have been times when I've thought a hero might be played by someone like Paul Newman or Sean Connery, and as I read, I 'see' them in the role.

So, if I go to the movie version, I might be greatly disappointed. On the other hand, I might think that a certain star is perfect for the role. So yes, I'd like to see both these movies. I only hope the screenwriter did not take it upon him/herself to completely change the story. I get pretty irritated when the end of the movie doesn't resemble the conclusion of the book in any way. And it happens more often than it should.

I imagine the author of the book must sign some type of agreement allowing the Hollywood people to alter the story any way they like. They're paid a princely sum when they sell film rights, so they probably should not complain. But it's surely got to bother them when they go to the premier and have to sit through many changes that they may not agree with.

Considering that I will most likely never know on a personal basis, I shouldn't even venture an opinion on what an author who sells the film rights to a popular book thinks. I've not written the great American novel yet, and probably never will. Instead, I'll go see the two movies mentioned here and try to enjoy them. If they give me cause to mumble and mutter, I'll try not to influence others who want to see them.

Does anyone know what the ratio of original screenplay films are to those made from novels?

How Do You Deal With Opportunity?

When a window of opportunity appears, don't pull down the shade!


A bank in our town puts memorable, witty sayings on their marquee. The one above reached out and grabbed me. What good advice that is, I thought as I drove by the sign.

Only weeks ago, I attended my 50 year college class reunion. The picture posted here today was taken there. Carol was my college roommate, and we've remained friends all these years. We live 8 hours apart and rarely see one another. When the letter arrived in early spring detailing the two day reunion, I could have pulled the shade on that little opportunity. It's  too far away. I have other things to do in mid-June. I'm not sure I want to see how classmates have aged. All those reasons for staying home. But I didn't pull the shade down. I made plans to attend and was ever so glad that I'd done so.

Carol and I spent a full day together catching up and recalling old times. After about thirty seconds together, it was as if we'd never been apart those fifty years. Taking advantage of the opportunity to go to the reunion turned out to be very satisfying. We both look like we are having a good time, don't we?

We often run across writing opportunities, too. They appear out of the blue. It might be a contest to enter, or a new anthology call for submissions. It could be an editor who contacts us to come up with an article on a particular subject. It may be a conference for writers that is only two hours from home. So, what do you do?

You can pull the shade because there are too many reasons that you don't want to pursue the opportunity. Or you can list the pros and cons of following or not following the chance to publish or grow as a writer. I have a feeling that, in most cases, answering the opportunity positively will be the choice you select when looking objectively at the pro and con list.

Writing opportunities appear, but it's up to us to pursue them. Sure, you might have a few doubts. You might be too busy and stressed-out, you could be afraid to tackle a major writing project. There will always be obstacles of one kind or another. Move on and meet the challenge instead of pulling down the shade.

Visit Your Library

Some people use libraries on a regular  basis while others never darken the doorway.  I'm a big fan of public libraries and always have been. My family didn't have extra money to purchase books, but my mother made sure I had a library card as soon as I could print my nmae on the application card. I've been grateful for that early introduction ever since.

As a young girl, I used the public library and the school library continuously because I was an avid reader. Still am! And I still use my public library frequently. I do purchase books, but I'm a fast reader and always have a book in process, so the library is still attractive to me.

It's one of the first places I visit when moving to a new community. When I married Ken, I'd only been in our new town two days when I ventured forth to the library. The unpacking could wait, but I needed to find my book-lending place. I did the same when we moved after our children came along. Before a week in the new place passed by, we were library visitors, scoping out all it had to offer both kids and  their parents.

I've served on the board of a Friends group at our library and also on the Library Board of Trustees. I promote library events to others in our community whenever possible.

For those who have not been regular library patrons--I know you have your reasons. But make a point of visiting your local library. Don't just walk through it. Talk to a librarian and ask what services are offered. You most likely will come away surprised that libraries today are not only about books.

Visit a library today. Use  it, promote it to others, and appreciate it. I shudder to thik what life would be like if city governments suddenly axed funding the public library. In poor econmic times like we have now, library usage goes up. You cead an essay I wrote last year about library services.

Flip A Coin

Writers hold a two-sided coin. One side is marked Frustration and the other is Satisfaction. Which side of the coin are you holding today? We tend to move from one to the other in our writing life.

I ran across an article I'd written for Long Ridge Writers newsletter the other day. It details my thoughts on that two-sided coin. Even though the article was published three years ago, it's still relevant today.

Read "A Two-Sided Coin" and see if you can apply some of it to your writing world. Flip the coin when frustration is up and hope for it to land on the satisfaction side. If it doesn't, flip that coin again until it does.

Take a look at some of the other articles in the Long Ridge archives. You might find some help and some inspiration.

Yet Another Contest!

It seems that every time I turn around, there is another writing contest to enter. Some appeal, while others don't. So, what's the criteria for selecting the ones I enter? The fee charged by some is so exorbitant that I pass right by. I'm not about to send my submission along with $25 in a contest where the odds are pretty slim. $2 or $5 I might consider, but there are plenty of contests that charge no entry fee. Even the $5 fee adds up if you enter a lot of contests. You have to determine if you're willing to risk it. Some of us are gamblers and others are not.

Another draw to a contest is the type of story they are looking for. One notice I received last week asked for family stories in which there had to be at least two generations included. It also could be no more than 750 words. There is no entry fee and the three prizes are quite nice-$500, $350 and $150. Family stories are my specialty, so I took a closer look at the guidelines and I began to work on a story about my mother and dad's wedding. They eloped and were married secretly for several weeks. I'd heard the story many times at our kitchen table, so many that I felt I could do it justice in the retelling.

Surely, you all have family stories that might qualify for this contest. Take a look at the Intergeneration website contest guidelines. Submission deadline is August 15, 2011. Nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Pollyanna or Gloomy Glenda?

Hayley Mills as Pollyanna

People in my generation know the meaning of being called a Pollyanna, but I'm not so sure younger people understand the reference. In 1913, Eleanor H. Porter's book by the same name was published and embraced by young girls. Pollyanna, the title character saw life in the most optimistic way possible. Nothing seemed to daunt her optimism. Little Miss Sunshine she was until a tragedy tested her outlook on life. Still popular in the middle of the twentieth century, Walt Disney made a film based on the book. Hayley Mills starred. An earlier version in 1920 starred Mary Pickford. 

I've always tried to put a positive spin on things and maybe have been guilty of being a Pollyanna at times. Being pessimistic only makes a bad situation worse. So what's all this got to do with writing?

Plenty! Writers need a good dose of Pollyanna-ism (new word!) to cope with the many disappointments they face. It's better to get a rejection and think about revising and sending it out again than letting it depress you to the point of casting it aside never wanting to see the darned thing again. 

Being a Gloomy Glenda--no, there is no book or movie about her, just a figment of my imaginantion--will get you nowhere in a hurry. 

I'm not advocating being gleeful when  you receive a rejection. I know how you feel, been there, doen that many a time. But putting a positive spin on it is going to get you a lot farther than the gloom and doom outlook. You don't have to be a Pollyanna, but at least look for the sunshine, even if it's only peeking through that gray cloud.

A Good Place To Submit Your Work

Several years ago, having your work published at an ezine online didn't gain much respect in the writing world. Anyone can do that, was the thinking. That wasn't necessarily true, but there were websites that were so hungry for content they accepted anything submitted to them. Quality was not important to the site owners. They wanted to make a name for themselves and were willing to print whatever came their way. Most of those ezines did not last. Readers weren't satisfied with what they offered and/or the owner of the site got tired of trying to make themselves known among thousands of others. They left a black cloud over the ezine world.

But there are some online ezines that have survived and have been selective in what they publish. That is part of the reason they've been successful. One that I especially like and respect is  Long Story Short listed as an ezine for writers. But I think it is also one for those who don't write but enjoy reading short stories, nonfiction and poetry. This writer's ezine has been on the Writers Digest list of 101 Best Websites for Writers 8 times. That in itself says something.

I discovered LSS quite a few years ago, and I submitted a few things to them, One rejection after another! But I kept reading the ezine each month, and I continued sending my work to them. Finally, they accepted a story, and then a poem, and then a nonfiction piece and more. Because they didn't take anything and everything sent to them, I was pleased to be accepted and proud to have my writing in their ezine.

Take a look at the home page, read some of the writing they publish and then study the guidelines. They do not pay, but in the writing world, they are highly regarded. Adding them to your clip file would be nice.

Travel Writing--Personal Essays and Articles

Ken and me in Germany

Summertime often means vacation time. We're ready to get away from our everyday routine, and for writers, that means a break from the keyboard. No matter what our jobs or daily routines involve, we all need a little time off to recharge our batteries. Half the fun of a vacation lies in the planning, and we probably spend a good many hours doing so. 

So, off you go to your vacation spot. Maybe it's the mountains or the seashore. Perhaps you're crossing an ocean to another continent. Wherever you go, keep your writer's mind active so that you can write some personal essays or travel articles when you return home. Keep a daily journal on any trip you take. It will be invaluable once you're home and want to write about the places you've been. Reading your travel journal will trigger other memories of your visit and help in recreating it for readers.

There are many different angles to use when writing about your travels. You can make it very personal when you visit the land of your ancestors, or maybe a place where you grew up but haven't seen in years. You might consider writing about only the food, or only the places where you lay your head each night--hotel, B&B, or resort. You could write about the transportation you used. Or the weather--was it the coldest the place has ever seen, or the hottest? Maybe the wettest. Somehow, weather allows for a lot of interesting writing. Maybe you experienced a horrendous storm while in the Caribbean. Tell the world what it was like. 

I started writing travel pieces when we first began overseas journeys. Family and friends at home all wanted to know about our trip, so rather than write a number of letters via e-mail, I chose to write one and send it to those interested. It wasn't long until I saw that I had the skeleton of a travel article in these missives. All I had to do was flesh them out and head to a market. Now, when Ken and I travel, I look with they eyes of both traveler and writer. 

Earlier this week, I recorded seven more stories for the internet radio station located here in my community. This is the third session they've asked me to do, so I decided to use travel essays and articles. One was about finding my roots in Ireland, another about a special place we stayed in South Africa. A contest winner about a Hungarian hotel in Germany was next, followed by an article about pub fare in the UK and Ireland. I read a personal essay about our visit to Lahr, Germany where Ken's grandfather Kopp grew up. Another personal essay detailed our visit to Blarney Castle in Ireland, where I had to decide whether to kiss the Blarney Stone or not. And the final one told about two of the Czech Exchange students at Kansas State University coming to the USA for the first time. You can see the great variety of things I found to write about on my travels. It needn't be overseas travel either. If you only go to a lake cottage an hour from home, you should be able to write about it. 

You can read the highlighted stories above which were published in other places but also posted at a website where writers post.

Notable Books in Kansas

The Kansas Center for the Book selects 15 books each year for its Notable Books list. It's an honor for the authors, and it sure can't hurt sales for their books either. I would think that this list might also act as an inspiration for other authors who meet the book specifications.

The books on the list must be written by a Kansas author or be about Kansas. Or it can be both. The books will be promoted by the Kansas Center for the Book throughout the year. The list includes both fiction and non-fiction.

Visit the site to see the entire list and learn more about The Kansas Center for the Book.

Check a search engine to see if your state has a similar list. Is there anyone on the list whom you know? Would you like to see your name on a future list?

Spread Your Writer Wings

You're a freelance writer, so you spend a lot of time alone because writing is a one-woman (or man) occupation. You don't have the social bits that occur when working for a large corporation or even in a small office. It's you and maybe your cat or dog.

It's a known fact that all humans need social stimulation from time to time, so you need to spread your wings and be around people now and then. One way is to promote your writing through book signings, if you've been fortunate enough to have a book published. If not a book, then perhaps public readings of your short stories or personal essays, or even poetry. My state authors organization has a speakers bureau and all a writer needs to do is sign up. Let people in your community know that you're available to do programs about your writing. Once you plant the seed, it will most likely bloom within time. Local radio stations are open to using local writers on talk shows, but it's up to you to let them know you're willing and available.

Join a critique group. You'll have a social outlet and also be with people who have a common interest. Attend a writers conference or seminar. Again, you socialize and you're with people who you can converse with about writing. Besides that, you stand to gain some knowledge or perhaps even a little confidence after listening to successful writers.

There's more to be a writer than sitting at your computer typing words on a keyboard. Spread your writer wings and see the benefits to your writing world.

New Contest For Family Stories

 Would you like $500, $350, or even $150? Now that I have your attention, here's how you can earn it. I learned today of a new contest looking for family stories. And since I am always one to encourage the writing of family stories, I wanted to pass it on. There will be ten Honorable Mentions as well as the three cash prizes.

The Intergenerational Foundation is sponsoring the contest. They're seeking family stories--the kind that a grandparent might tell a child or perhaps a story you've heard from a grandparent, aunt or uncle. Stories from family history and even other cultures would fit.

Word count is 750 which is sometimes difficult, so the writing needs to be tight. Deadline is August, 15, 2011. The story must never have been published and be your original work. Check the guidelines for the full list. And while there, you might like to spend some time on this interesting website.

You may send one photograph or illustration with your story. I found this interesting and would suggest doing so, if at all possible. Seeing a person or people highlighted in your story would help bring it alive.

When entering a contest, you have everything to gain and nothing to lose, so give it a whirl.

Fourth of July Memories

I wrote about my Fourth of July memories, of things we did as kids a few years ago. I'm the oldest of four and the only girl. Childhood years are few when we look at the overall scheme of our lives, but they leave us with tremendous impressions and memories, all of which make us the adults we are today. I've posted my thoughts of this holiday below. Hope everyone has a great holiday and remembers what it's all about. Maybe you can write about your own memories of this day.

Fourth Of July Memories Come back with me to the1940’s and early 50's era in Chicago. During the first few days of July, my younger brothers and I walked to the neighborhood Woolworth’s store to buy a very important item for our Fourth of July celebration. We had to make our purchase no later than July 3rd, for all businesses closed on Independence Day.  We walked on the creaky wooden floor, smelling the penny candy lined up in glass cases near the front door. Straight to the back of the long aisle, we found rolls and rolls of colored crepe paper--red, white, and blue, of course. We bought several rolls with money we’d saved. Once home, we stashed our purchase for the next day. The first thing after breakfast on the Fourth of July, we clambered down the three flights of stairs from our top floor apartment to the basement where our bikes were kept. Bump, bump, bump—up the steps from basement to courtyard we went with our two-wheeled bikes. Down went the kickstands, and out came the rolls of crepe paper to decorate. We wove the colored streamers in and out of the wheel spokes, and fastened more on the handle-bars, then stepped back to see which one looked best. Decorating our bikes for America’s holiday left an indelible impression of patriotism in us. Other kids in our building worked on bikes, too. We rode all over the neighborhood, up and down alleys and sidewalks showing off our handiwork, not caring how high the temperature might be.  We spent the rest of the day like any other hot, sultry summer day. We ate popsicles to cool off, walked to the park where families sat on the lawn with picnic lunches and waited impatiently for the sun to go down. Dad had gone out earlier to one of the only businesses open—the fireworks stand. Money was usually scarce in our family, but Dad always found some extra to buy firecrackers and sparklers for us. No doubt, he enjoyed them as much as we did. Darkness finally descended over our city, and once again, we hurried down the three flights of stairs. Not just kids this time, but our whole family. We gathered in the alley beyond the apartment courtyard along with several other families.  Only Dad lit our firecrackers, although I’m sure my brothers wanted to try it. One I loved was a pinwheel which Dad stuck into a telephone pole. When he lit the fuse, the entire thing whirled round and round, throwing sparks in every direction. Little firecrackers on the ground did nothing but make popping noises, but the Roman candles gave us the real show. Big noise and showers of colorful sparks which delighted us. And finally, Dad lit sparklers we held. I loved whirling them round and round, watching the designs the sparks made. All too soon, they burned down to the end and we rushed to get another until the boxes were emptied.  We knew why we decorated our bikes, why people went on picnics and why we had fireworks on the Fourth of July. Our parents talked to us every year about what it meant to have Independence and how a war years before was fought and won to ensure that we lived with freedoms like few other nations. We grew up knowing there was a serious side to the holiday. The Fourth of July was a special day we looked forward to every summer.

Leaving the Mountains

We left Vail this morning and headed down to Denver and then on across eastern Colorado and western Kansas. Yes, it's time to go home again. Happens after every vacation!

As Ken drove around curves and through tunnels, I was able to sit back and give my full attention to the mountains that surrounded us. I started thinking about adjectives to describe the Rockies. Ah, said I to myself--what a good writing exercise this might be.

I made a list of adjectives to describe the scenery. Mountains can be:
awesome
majestic
magnificent
spectacular
amazing
snow-striped (a bit far-fetched, but it's true as there were still stripes of snow)
verdant

Can you add some more? Let me know in your comments.


Now, you can make your own list for other types of places we visit on vacation.

Make a list of adjectives for the following spots:

ocean
island
forest
desert

Happy Fourth of July week-end!