Book Review: Winter Hearts

 

Sme stories stay with you past your closing the final page. Christina Hamlett's latest book, Winter Hearts, is that kind of a read. I've continued  thinking about the characters, the choices made long ago, and a rekindling of same. 

Ellie Lipton's first love was a student from Russia,despite it being in the Cold War when most Americans feared and disliked Russians.  They met in a university classroom, and love bloomed quickly. After  Ellie's parents refused to allow her to marry Dimitri, Ellie moved on, marrying a wealthy, influential man but she never forgot her first love. Decades later, Dimitri, now a well known playwright, comes to America to present his newest play. He contacts Ellie, now a widow of three years. 

Their relationship is rekindled. Finding that she still loves Dimitri, but knowing they come from different worlds leaves Ellie confused but still in love. She has a choice to make, despite a recent new relationship. 

Winter Hearts gives a glimpse into mature love and the problems it can bring. For these two people, memories and the long ago choices made are countered with the choices of today's world for mature love. 

You might classify the book as Women's Fiction or Romance, or perhaps both. Whichever, it is a page turner for sure. I read it in two days because each new chapter beckoned to keep reading to find out what happens next to these two people who have never stopped loving one another but have obstacles to overcome. 

Purchase Winter Hearts from any major bookseller. 

Writers--Listen to Your Heart

This is a repeat from several years ago. It still has merit and is perfect for this Valentine week

A good many years ago, I submitted to a Chicken Soup for the Soul book for the first time. The story was a simple one, a childhood memory, that I thought might work for the Fathers and Daughters book. Maybe.

I hesitated to send it. Why? My pride told me it was impossible because rejection hurts a lot. Experience added that I hadn't been writing very long, and the Chicken Soup editors received hundreds, maybe even a thousand or more, submissions for each book. My chances were pretty slim. Reason stepped in and sneered at me as it said it was pointless to submit this story. What would it matter to the rest of the world? Then they laughed and I whimpered.

All three had ganged up on me, and then a funny thing happened. My heart whispered softly in my ear. Your story is something others can relate to. Go ahead and give it a try. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. I pushed pride, experience and reason out the door. I liked what my heart told me.

I sent the story. Many months later, I received a notice that the story had made it to the finals. My heart did a happy dance. I waited a few weeks longer before learning that the story had made it into the book. What a thrill to hold the published book in my hand a few months later.

That story was "Love In A Box"  which is about a Valentine box my dad made for me when I was in the second grade. At age seven, I suddenly realized that my hardworking father truly loved me. That fact came as a startling discovery, one that left a life-long impression on me. Apparently, readers related to it and responded positively, so much so that the story has been published multiple times in English and some foreign languages.

What if I hadn't listened to my heart? What if I'd let those three bullies push me into a corner? Have you ever had a project that you wanted to submit somewhere but held back for one or more of the reasons above? What kept you from sending it? Were those three bullies---pride, experience and reason--invading your space, too?

Don't let them push you around. Remind yourself that you wrote a good story or poem or essay and that it deserves a chance. Get the submission ready, hit the Submit button and laugh at the three bullies. Listen to your heart. Your heart knows you better than those three twerps who try to place blocks in your way.

Remember this:  If you don't submit, you cannot be published.

My story Love in a Box is below.       

When I was a little girl, I found love in a box all because of a class assignment. On a Friday night I made an announcement at the dinner table. The words bubbled out in a torrent of excitement I could no longer contain. “My teacher said we have to bring a box for our Valentines on Monday. But it has to be a special box all decorated.”

Mother said, “We’ll see,” and she continued eating.

I wilted faster than a flower with no water. What did “We’ll see” mean? I had to have that box, or there would be no Valentines for me. My second grade Valentine’s Day would be a disaster. Maybe they didn’t love me enough to help me with my project.

All day Saturday I waited, and I worried, but there was no mention of a Valentine box. Sunday arrived, and my concern increased, but I knew an inquiry about the box might trigger anger and loud voices. I kept an anxious eye on both my parents all day. In 1947, children only asked once. More than that invited punitive measures; at least in my house it 

Late Sunday afternoon, my father called me into the tiny kitchen of our apartment. The table was covered with an assortment of white crepe paper, red construction paper, and bits and pieces of lace and ribbon from my mother’s sewing basket. An empty shoebox rested on top of the paper. Relief flooded through me when Daddy said, “Let’s get started on your project.”

In the next hour, my father transformed the empty shoebox into a valentine box I would never forget. Crepe paper covered the ugly cardboard. My father fashioned a ruffled piece of the pliable paper and glued it around the middle. He cut a slot in the lid and covered it with more of the white paper. Next came red hearts attached in what I considered all the right places. He hummed a tune while he worked, and I kneeled on my chair witnessing the magical conversion of the shoebox and handing him the glue when he needed it. When he finished, my father’s eyes sparkled, and a smile stretched across his thin face. “What do you think of that?”

My answer was a hug and a “Thank you, Daddy.”

Inside, joy danced all the way to my heart. It was the first time that my father devoted so much time to me. His world consisted of working hard to support his family, adoring my mother, disciplining my brother and me, and listening to every sports event broadcast on the radio. Suddenly, a new door opened in my life. My father loved me.

Monday morning, my mother found a brown grocery sack to protect the beautiful box while I carried it to school. I barely felt the bitter cold of the February day as I held the precious treasure close to me. I would let no harm come to my special Valentine box.

My teacher cleared a space on a long, wide windowsill where the decorated boxes would stay until Valentine’s Day. I studied each one as it was placed on the sill, and none compared with mine. Every time I peeked at my Valentine box, I felt my father’s love. My pride knew no bounds. There were moments when the box actually glowed in a spotlight all its own. No doubt the only one who witnessed that glow was me.

Every day some of my classmates brought Valentine cards to school and slipped them into the slots of the special boxes. The holiday party arrived, and we brought our boxes to our desks to open the Valentines. Frosted heart cookies, red punch, Valentines and giggles filled our classroom. Chaos reigned until dismissal time arrived.

I carried my Valentine box home proudly. It wasn’t hidden in a grocery sack but held out for the world to admire. I showed it to the policeman who guided us across a busy city street. He patted me on the head and exclaimed over the box. I made sure everyone along the way took note of my Valentine box. My father had made it for me, and the love that filled the box meant more to me than all the valentines nestled inside.

From that time on, I never doubted my father’s feelings for me. The valentine box became a symbol of his love that lasted through decades of other Valentine Days. He gave me other gifts through the years, but none ever compared with the tender love I felt within the confines of the old, empty shoe box.

Originally published in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Dads and Daughters book

  

Book Review: A Little Revenge in Robin Hood's Bay

 

First, let me apologize for my long absence. I was very ill for the past five months, in and out of the hospital and Rehab. I hope to continue writing my blog two or three times a week. But, on to the review.

A Little Revenge in Robin Hood's Bay is Book 7 in the cozy mystery series by Christina Hamlett. The main characters, Rocky and Jon, are busy planning their upcoming wedding. Rocky's friend, Audrey has asked her to be Maid of Honor at her own wedding. No two weddings could be further apart in the planning. Rocky's future mother-in-law has taken on the task of planning an elegant wedding for her son, Jon, and Rocky which leaves Rocly free to help her friend plan her wedding. 

At the same time, her close friend, Cybbie, has fallen in love once again with a man she has only seen once. Cybbie tends to fall in love with every man she encounters. Just as she meets the newest man of her dreams, a policewoman asks him, Professor Vance, if the bookkeeper for the bands he manages is Sierra Clifford, then announces she is dead.  

Cybbie asks Rocky to accompany her to a village in England on the North Sea called Robin Hood's Bay. Professor Vance, Chad, has invited her to come for a weekend so they can get to know one another better. Rocky perks up at the thought of going where the murder of Sierra Clifford happened. Somehow, she cannot resist becoming part of a murder investigation. 

She moves back and forth between trying to figure out the murder and her duties as Audrey's Maid of Honor and being with Jon as much as possible, as well as placating Cybbie when Chad turns out to be a different person than she'd made up in her mind. The pace is fast and furious with Rocky attempting to handle several things at once. The murder in Robin Hood's Bay ranks at the top of her To-Do List. 

Ms Hamlett treats us to snappy language and another good story in this cozy mystery--a mystery where there is no violence, is set in a small town, with an amateur sleuth. A Little Revenge  in Robin Hood's Bay gives us all of this. Book 7 of the series doesn't disappoint. It can be purchased through Amazon for your Kindle or as a paperback as well as other online book retailers. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Writers Need This Trait

Our quote today is by Octavia Butler, who is a science-fiction writer. She didn't sugarcoat her thoughts in this one. The reason I like the quote is that she highlights one of my two keywords for writers--persistence. 

When we start writing, our work doesn't look professional yet. It isn't usually an example of strong writing, poetic prose, or scintillating sentences. We shouldn't expect it to be any of those things when we begin our writing journey. 

If we're persistent and keep writing week after week, day after day, we can become a better, stronger writer. If a newbie writer writes something every other month, or even once a month, it's not enough. Cliche that it may be, the saying "Practice makes perfect" can be applied here. 

A sculptor starts out making simple pieces of art, and he/she learns along the way. With each new sculpture, the artist improves and most likely learns something, too. A carpenter who is just starting out cannot be classified as a master carpenter, but after years as an apprentice and then on his own, he perfects his trade. If you've ever read any of Julia Child's books about the art of cooking, especially French cuisine, you'll know that she was not a born chef. She learned from her many mistakes, but the most important thing was that she persisted. She was a very determined woman. 

Determined is what writers should also be. Persistence is what helps you continue with determination. Most poets don't write prize-winning poems with their first or second try. They pen scores of poems before they reach success in winning a prize or achieving publication. 

Persistence in writing means writing something every day. You needn't write an entire story daily, but do write a few paragraphs, a journal entry, or a writing exercise. Write a letter to a friend! But write each and every day. 

Persistence means not giving up when a writing project doesn't go well, or when rejections arrive. Keep going, keep learning.

Persistence means reading about the craft of writing. It means attending workshops and conferences to continue learning.

By now, you may have remembered, or guessed, my other keyword for writers. Patience. That persistence which I recommend takes patience. They go hand in hand, and each one can benefit new writers, intermediate writers, or the highly successful ones. 

Octavia Butler knew what she was talking about!

 

A Tip on Writing Personal Essays

Personal essays relate some kind of experience you had, but they also show a lesson you learned, or exemplify a universal truth of some kind. Like 'Crime doesn't pay' or 'Money doesn't grow on trees'. 

Today's poster says: Forget what hurt you in the past. But never forget what it taught you.

That's pretty simple advice, and they are worthy words for personal essay writers. 

Not all personal essays portray something that hurt you. Many show other experiences, perhaps something exciting that occurred when you were traveling. Or, an experience you had at a new job, or something that took place in a classroom. There are so many types of situations about which you can write a personal essay.

What the experience was is secondary to what you may have learned. Your aim in writing the personal essay is to share that lesson or universal truth with others. Some readers will be shaking their head in agreement while others will be surprised at what you learned. But, most likely, they will remember it long after reading your essay. 

If all you do is write about an experience you had but add nothing about what you learned, you're less likely to get the piece published. An editor will read it and ask him/herself 'what is the lesson here?'. Without that, you're basically reporting something that happened to you. Even if it's entertaining, editors are looking for more. 

Before you ever start the first draft of a personal essay, know where you going as far as what you learned or some universal truth your experience illustrates. You don't necessarily have to spell it out in words, although that's fine and often done, but it must at least be inferred. The reader must have something to take away.

Pick up a book of personal essays at your library or a bookstore. Read through ane ask yourself what you learned from each one. Reading many personal essays will help you write your own. 

 

Determination and a Tough Hide for Writers

 

This is a repeat post, but one I think worth a second look.

Mr. Turtle in today's photo has some determination, something all writers should own, as well. They should also master developing a tough hide like his. Two good qualifications among others that would benefit writers. Let's look at each one.

Wishy-washy writer or one that is determined? Which one do you think will be more successful? Which one are you? Or are you a writer who bounces back and forth between the two? A lot of writers fall into this latter category.

If you try a new writing project and give up when it doesn't mesh together nicely, you're not going to move very far on your writing journey. You'll start myriad new writing projects and probably finish very few of them. 

I thought about my daughter when she was a toddler learning to dress herself. I'd let her try for just so long and then try to help. She'd immediately say "No!" Then, she'd try again (and again) until she was successful. Determination was an inborn trait with her. She ended up using that trait all through her growing up years and into her career. 

Not everyone is fortunate enough to be born with the trait of determination. Some have to work at it and develop the trait over many years. It's worth working to achieve that status if you want to be a successful writer. Giving up is easy. Pushing on and continuing isn't. A lot depends on how much you want your writing world to be fruitful. 

If your newest writing projects are filled with bumps and potholes, it's discouraging. We can all admit that. The important part is how you handle it. Do you dump the whole project with the first couple of bumps, or do you put it away for a short while, give it some thought, and then work on it again? I hope it is the latter choice for you. 

I've used an example many times about the story of The Little Engine That Could. We all know the story of that train engine who kept repeating "I think I can! I think I can!" until he was able to pull the big engine. I think I can might be a good mantra to use when things aren't going well. 

Like the turtle, writers also need to have a tough hide. They need to learn to let the rejections bounce off that hide, rather than pierce straight through to the heart. Learning to accept both criticism from other writers or readers or editors, along with full rejections from publishers, is not easy. The first thing we should do is to remember that the criticism is not a personal attack against YOU. Sadly, many writers take it that way. The criticism, or rejection, is about what you have written. Let's face it. Not every story, article, poem, or essay is going to be a masterpiece. Especially not with the first, or even second draft. There will be some fine parts and other areas that need work. 

When someone gives you the exact spots that bothered them, feel happy that you know where you have to do some revision. It's so much better than an overall criticism where you don't even know where to begin to revise. If you put your writing up for critique in a group, you'll benefit a great deal. When more than one person picks out the same area that needs work, believe it. Then do something about it. A simple rejection from an editor will not always be sent with a reason. I appreciate the ones that do give me an inkling of why the piece didn't work for them. 

Work on not taking criticism personally. Think of it as something to help you improve on your craft and become better at it. 

Make an attempt to develop Mr. Turtle's Try and Stop Me attitude. You'll accelerate your writing journey that way.

A Thought for Writers

Today's quote is one that writers might copy and refer to every now and then. "To write means more than putting pretty words on a page; the act of writing is to share a part of your soul with the world." That line is worth a second reading. 

Poets might be in full agreement with the quote, but it works for all kinds of writing. Whether you write fiction, creative nonfiction, essays, children's stories, or more, your aim should be that part about sharing a part of your soul with the world. 

The writer who does that will more than likely be the successful writer, one who has a long list of published works. We need to pull from within to share the real us with our readers. 

Writing without soul, or emotion, generally ends up being rather stiff, probably boring. I started a book on my Kindle Reader the other day. I read three pages before I deleted the entire book. I could tell there was no emotion, no soul in the writing and that the writer must have been new to the writing world. She broke several rules in those first three pages, which made me decide I would not read any farther. 

When we write for others to read, we're sharing a part of ourselves. We're offering a small piece of our soul in what we've written for others. If we do so with little to no emotion, the reader will drop the piece in a hurry. 

When you write for others, your aim is to share something of yourself with them. For the reader to feel something, the writer must feel something as she/he writes. 

Give some thought today to how you write. Do you give something of yourself to the reader? If not, why not? 
 

Writers at the Corner of Hope and Despair

 Have you ever found yourself at the crossroads of Hope and Despair? Maybe it's a corner in your hometown. Or perhaps it's farther down the road. It's possible that many writers find themself here. Which way should they travel? 

Robert Frost's famed poem, The Road Not Taken, ends with these lines: 

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

What if you, the writer, happened upon these two roads--Hope and Despair--and had to make a choice? What if you were depressed over the lack of success in your writing world? Which road would you take? 

If your writing world was filled with many rough spots in the road, it's very likely you'd choose Despair and continue on the same rugged path, the one that offered few rewards. It's probably the easiest one to take because you're quite familiar with it. 

But wait! Why not steer your weary feet to the road called Hope? You could just as easily choose it as that miserable one called Despair. The road called Hope is smooth, and it's well-lit. There's something good at the end of this one. The Hope you carry with you helps you traverse this road with a smile on your face.

Does this all sound too fanciful? Maybe, but the fact is that Hope brings us much more than Despair does. Hope means we're going to keep trying, to keep learning our craft, to keep submitting. Hope means we're going to write with confidence. Despair only pulls us down to the probability of failing. 

Once again, you're the one in charge. You make the decision which direction to point your feet. Others can try to encourage you, but you are the one to choose which road in your writing life to traverse. 

For me, Hope is the only road I will consider. I already know what Despair is like, but Hope calls me loud and clear. How about joining me on the road called Hope? 

Write With Emotion

 

Emotion is part of our make-up as a living human being. We experience different emotions throughout our daily lives. Writers must make use of emotions to bring their stories, poems, and essays to life. 

Robert Frost said, "No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprises in the writer, no surprises in the reader." 

If you're a writer who writes without emotion, it will show in your finished product. If there is little to no emotion in your writing, it ends up appearing like a speaker who speaks in a complete monotone. 

We once took a city tour on a bus in Prague. They advertised that the tour would be given in several languages. It turned out the guide could not actually speak those several languages. Instead, he had memorized the complete tour in English, Japanese and a couple other languages. Because he did not actually know the language, there was no inflection on words, no emotion in his voice. It came over as a total monotone. Yes, we learned something about Prague, but it became almost laughable. It was a perfect example for me about the importance of emotion in speaking and writing. 

Writers need emotion in what they write to connect with their readers. The writer must feel something in order to make the reader feel it, too. One of the best ways to do that is to show, not tell. If you write, 'Greta cried.' I know what she did, but I don't feel much for her. If you write, 'The lump in Greta's throat gave way to tears and great sobs. She wiped her cheeks but could not stem the flow.'  Maybe then I will think Oh, the poor girl.   

At certain times, we've been taught to keep our emotions in check, whether by parents or teachers. As a writer, you can let the emotions flow without worrying about what someone will think. If I write a scene about a pioneer woman encountering a rattlesnake in her garden as she is picking beans, I need to use emotion. Saying 'Ellen saw a rattlesnake at the end of the row of beans.' alerts the reader, but there is no emotion. Write something like 'When she spotted the rattlesnake at the end of the row of beans, Ellen stopped, started to shake. She could not pick up her feet, only stared and prayed the viper would not move closer. Finally, she turned and ran to the barn to find Jesse, a scream trapped in her throat.' 

Showing how the character felt and reacted reaches out to the reader with emotion, invoking emotion in them in return. 

Even when writing an essay, let your feelings come through. Do it when writing poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction. About the only thing I can think of where you might not use it is in a technical article. Even then, a few technical writers might conclude with their own feelings about the topic. Not always but a possibility. 

Don't keep those emotions trapped inside. Use them in your writing, and you'll be a better writer.                                       

From First Draft to Publication

 I like the direction given in today's poster. It's so appropriate for writers. We start a thought process, get an idea, then try to write that first draft. This first writing is nothing more than taking the idea and enlarging upon it. We get our main thoughts down, but it's far from finished.

Instead, we redo that first effort, then do it yet another time, and maybe even one more. Each time you rewrite your original draft, you'll bring it to life by adding sensory details, description, and emotion.

Sounds easy, doesn't it? Any good writer will know that there is no easy way to enlarge upon that first draft. In that one, we are merely creating the bones of our story or essay. It's in those 'do and do again, and again' moments that we create a piece of writing that might be publishable. 

When you want to continue working on a first draft, do you start revising and adding to it immediately? If you do, you're shortchanging yourself. Let that first draft sit for a few days or even longer. Then, read it and you'll see more places where you want to add or take away than if you attempted it immediately after writing that first draft. Good writing should not be rushed.

When you've written two or three drafts, let it sit for a few days, then read it, but read aloud. Sound silly? Maybe, but you will be amazed at the little things you'll catch when you hear the words you've written. 

Sensory details bring your writing to life as description does, too. Emotion? Yep, putting emotion into your writing will bring emotion to your reader.  

Writing is hard work. Rare is the writer who has an idea, writes the story or essay once and can call it ready to submit for publication. For most of us, it takes a lot of time and redoing before we can say our work is ready for submission. The more effort we put into our writing, the more likely we will have some success. 

If you have a story or essay published, only you can read it in the publication and know exactly what it took to write a publishable piece. From first draft to publication can be a long road, but worth every step you take.

Discipline and Determination for Writers

 The quote today is by Pearl Buck, a prolific writer of many years ago. The daughter of missionaries, she grew up in China, and the majority of her books are set in that country. She won many prizes and awards in the literary world. One of her best-known books was 'The Good Earth' which was made into a movie.

Her quote, "I don't wait for moods. You accomplish nothing if you do that. Your mind must know it has got to get down to work." is some no-nonsense advice to other writers. In the movies, writers are sometimes portrayed looking and waiting for inspiration to hit so they can write the Great American Novel. In real life, it is a bit different. We don't have days, months, and years to sit idly waiting for inspiration. Another famous writer, Jack London said, "You can't wait for inspiration. You must go after it with a club."

What the quote comes down to is that writers must be disciplined enough to work steadily on a regular basis. What if you're having trouble with a chapter or an essay? Put it away and start on something new. The advice given to us to write every day is right on. You don't need to work on the same project day in and day out. It's good to take a break now and then. Find something else to work on, either a new piece or work on revising an old one. 

If you can manage to carve out a certain time of the day that is writing time, discipline yourself to stay with it and make it a habit. I know that is not always easy to do. Those writers who make a full living writing can probably do it. Those who write only part-time or as a hobbyist writer have to fit it in around another job or household needs. Even then, it is wise to set aside a portion of your day for writing.

Determination goes hand-in-hand with discipline. The desire to write must be strong to be successful. If you have a namby-pamby attitude about writing, your results will show the same. It's beneficial to acquire the outlook that you are going to write and submit and get published. 

Discipline and determination are two qualities writers should have. How about you? Where do you fall in developing these two helps for writers?

Google Your Writing Name

 

A fellow writer mentioned googling his name on a Facebook post today, and it made me think of times I have done the same with some interesting results.

What about you? Have you ever googled your name? Your writing name? Many writers use a variation of their given name to use as the one they use on their writing. I added my maiden name because I discovered there was a mystery writer by the name of Nancy Kopp. I definitely do not write mysteries and would not want to be confused with her, nor would she like to be mixed-up with me, I'm sure.

Back to googling your writing name. This is a great exercise. It can do a few things for you.

A. It can boost your ego a bit when you see what of your published works pop up. Not everything will, of course, but a good many. Most likely, the things that pop up will be of recent times, not something you published ten years ago.

B. It will allow you to learn if any of your writing has been used by others without your permission. I've had that experience a few times. People like something you've written and want to put it on their website or blog, so they snatch it, along with your name as writer, but they neglect to contact you and ask permission. To me, that is akin to slipping in your bedroom window and whisking away something you've written in the dark of night. 

When I discovered my work on other websites or blogs, I've contacted the owner and expressed my dismay in a nice way, not threatening or mean. One man accused me of taking his earnings away and a great deal more. His thought was to turn the tables and make me the bad guy. 

If this happens to you, there are a couple ways to handle the situation. You can thank the person for using your work and attributing it to you but also suggest that the next time, they ask permission. Or, if they get nasty, ask them to take it down immediately. 

And certainly, if they use your work without giving your name as author, then you have every right to be angry and let them know. And ask to have it removed. Lawsuit? Probably not gonna be of much help in a single situation like this. 

 C. It's also very interesting to see where your work is being highlighted. I used Google in the title of this post, but try two or three different search engines to enter your writing name.

As your writing exercise for today, put your writing name in a few search engines and see what comes up. You might be surprised. 

The A to Z Memoir Exercise for Writers

Our quote today is from Dr. Seuss, that wise man who wrote wonderful books for children that contained advice for adults, as well. On our poster, he said:  Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory. 

That makes me think of memoir writing. In memoirs, whether short pieces or an entire book, we revisit our memories and often find the meaning or value in them, and something we may have learned. Memoir writing is a big topic in today's world from both professional writers and those who are in the early days of writing. 

We write memoir to see how an experience affected us, how it made us feel, and what we learned. What we learned about ourselves and others. A memoir is not an autobiography where we tell others about our entire lifetime. A memoir is about one part of our life, something that occurred that may have changed our lives in some way or changed the lives of friends or family. It might be an experience that taught us something about ourselves or about the world we live in.

Finding the right topic to write even a short memoir piece of maybe 1000 words is not always easy. I found an exercise recently that might help you discover your topic. 

The A to Z Memoir Exercise:

Make a list of all the letters in the alphabet, leaving a few lines between each one. Then, beginning with A write a word, then a line, or a sentence, or even two to represent that letter in your childhood, your teen years, or early adult years. 

Don't dwell on it. Look at A and go with the first thing that pops into your mind. For instance, when I did the exercise, the first word that came to me was 'alley' I wrote next to the word that the alley behind our big apartment building was where my friends and I played as children. Then, I moved on to B. 

As you move through the letters your mind will carry you back to those earlier days, and you might be surprised what pops up. 

When you have completed your list, read through it. You'll probably find several possible memoir topics among those 26 letters. 

Writing exercises can open the door to a new story, essay, poem, or memoir piece. 

 

How to Cut Words From Your Writing

 

Slash! Cut! Snip! Ax! Clip!  All those words relate to our poster quote today. Stephen King's advice is always right on. We should heed his words since he has written so many successful novels and a wonderful reference book for writers titled "On Writing." 

I am in agreement with him about cutting the excess fat. Recently, I wrote a first draft of a story to submit to Chicken Soup for the Soul whose guidelines state no more than 1200 words. And they mean 1200 words. My draft was 1244, but I've done the cutting exercise so many times that I felt confident I could cut those 44 extra words, and maybe more. Doing so would most likely make my story stronger and more concise. 

Most writers don't like to cut words they have written. Every word we write is precious, but if your story can be made better by cutting, then go for it. It's not as difficult a task as some think. And, as I said earlier, the more often you do the slashing words exercise, the better you become. A master slasher! (The phrase 'as I said earlier' could be cut without losing meaning in the sentence. See how easy it can be!)

How do you cut words? Read through the entire draft first, then go back and look at it paragraph by paragraph. You might be surprised by the number of times you repeat a word that isn't necessary. Let's look at several ways you can cut words.

A. Word Repetition:  You might find a section like this:  Alice drove to the beach with tears streaming. She'd go to the beach to forget him. She loved the beach.  20 words. Rewrite it like this:  Tears streaming, Alice drove to her beloved beach to forget him. 11 words. 

B.  Idea Repetition: Some writers fear that readers will not 'get' a point they are making, so they repeat the same idea in the next paragraph. You don't need to do this. Say it once and be done. Readers are capable of 'getting it' the first time. Another possibility is the writer is not sure what to write next, so the easy way out is to repeat the same idea using different words. All it does is add to the word count.

C.  Unnecessary words: When we talk or write, we tend to toss in many unnecessary words. They are words that have no bearing on the meaning, words that, when cut, do nothing harmful to the sentence. Words like 'just, very, really, usually, that, rather, quite, and probably' can be eliminated without losing meaning in the sentence. Google 'unnecessary words in writing' to read more.

D.  Dump the word 'the' in some places: We tend to use 'the' in many places where it is not necessary. The following sentence can be shortened. We use the recipe books and the hand-written ones from our mothers. Rewrite as: We use recipe books and hand-written ones from our mothers. You've cut two words and left the meaning. When you edit, look for places where 'the' can be dropped.

E. Eliminate 'that' when possible: In this sentence, 'We know that Paul will be late and that he will laugh about it.' The word 'that' can be cut without losing any meaning. It would read: 'We know Paul will be late and he will laugh about it.' 

F.  Cut adverbs and adjectives:  These are modifiers and are not always needed. Some writers think if one adjective is good, use two or three. That's overkill. One is fine, and most adverbs can be cut, too. Adverbs lead you into the trap of telling rather than showing.

G.  Conjunctions:  You can eliminate the 'and, but, or' words when you are writing a lengthy sentence. Instead, cut the conjunction and create two separate sentences. Do it in many places, and the number of words cut adds up.

H.  Lengthy sentences: Some writers love long sentences. Not only can they be divided into two sentences but also lose some words. Read a very long sentence and note ways it can be trimmed.

If you can cut words without losing meaning, go ahead and ax them. The more you work on cutting words, the easier it becomes. You train your editing eye to look for places to cut. 

 

Last Minute Writers

Last minute writers often come in last! Ouch! 

I've been thinking about those who wait until close to a deadline to send in a contest entry. They are to be commended for entering, as many writers think about entering a writing contest and think and think until they miss the deadline. However...

Those who enter on the deadline day or close to it run the risk of sending a piece of writing that was done in a hurry. When that happens, there is little time for editing and revising. It ends up either being skipped or done in such a hurry that it hardly makes a dent in good writing. The editing and revision process takes time. Write a first draft, then let it sit untouched for a few days, or even longer. Go back and edit and then at least once again. 

Send in your first draft, and you're quite likely to miss placing or winning a prize, especially if you're competing against others who have taken time to create a truly finished piece of writing. 

Out poster today says: 'Nothing makes me more productive than the last minute.' There is some truth in that saying. We definitely must move fast if we wait until close to the deadline. But will it be of benefit to us? Probably not. 

Some writers are also procrastinators. It's habitual with them. By doing so, they aren't giving themselves a fair shake. Plan ahead and work on a piece of writing a little at a time, and it is probably going to be a better result. Plan ahead to get ahead.

When a high school English teacher grades an essay assignment, he/she can tell who spent time on the writing and who dashed it off the night before. It's usually quite clear. So can contest judges.

So, what should you do? Plan ahead. If you enter your state writing contest annually, you'll know the time when the entry dates begin and end. Don't wait. Decide what you might like to enter. Perhaps it is something you've already written, or maybe you'd like to write a new piece for a certain category. Get that first draft written or start editing and revising a piece you've already written way ahead of the deadline. 

If you are the habitual procrastinator, you can change. It might be difficult, but you can do it. Do it once, twice, and more, and you might make it a habit. 

Yes, last minute writers often come in last! 

 

Persistence Should Be A Writer's Keyword

The fairy in today's poster has some good advice for writers, most especially newbie writers. Even intermediate level writers and beyond should give this poster quote some serious thought.

The poster indicates that the sweet little fairy has had failures and doubts in her writing life, but she kept on writing despite those two big boulders on her writing path. What about us?

I've had plenty of failures and doubts during my writing journey, and I'm quite certain you all have, too. It's part of the writing world. If a writer never had either one, I'd be a bit suspicious. 

We generally have more rejections than acceptances. One statistic I heard long ago was that the average writer receives twelve rejections for every acceptance. Wouldn't that put you in a funk? It would if you let it get you down. Instead of sinking like a rowboat with a hole in the bottom, take a good look at those rejections. (after you've gotten over the first disappointment for a few days) Consider yourself fortunate if you received a note from the editor telling you why they were not accepting your submission. If he/she points out a problem, address it. Rework the piece and submit it to another publication. If you received no reason why your piece was not accepted, you'll have to do some soul searching on your own. Look for weak spots, or missing pieces, or confusing places. Then rework them.

What about the doubts writers have? Nearly every writer has to deal with doubt at one time or another. For some, it's a regular ritual. For others, it comes only occasionally. But it's a part of our writing world. A bit of advice that qualifies as a cliche is the children's story The Little Engine That Could. The little engine kept repeating "I think I can" over and over until he reached his goal. We can do that, too. 

Instead of tearing yourself down, do all you can to build yourself up. Have you ever placed in a contest? Been published in a coveted publication? Self-published a book? Remind yourself of your accomplishments in the writing world. 

One keyword we need as writers is 'persistence'. If you give up easily, your writing world will soon turn to dust. Once again, it's your choice.

 

Remembering D-Day and My Visit to the Normandy Beaches

Today is the 80th anniversary of D-Day, commemorating the Allied invasion of France on June 6th, 1944. It was the breakthrough needed, the beginning of the ending of WWII. The following was written in 2013, published in 2014. I repost it as a reminder of the horrific price we pay for wars. My visit to Normandy left a deep impression on me. I hope young people today still learn of this part of history in their classes. 

Remembering D-Day on the Normandy Beaches

By Nancy Julien Kopp

Today marks the 81st Anniversary of D-Day when Allied troops landed in Normandy. It was the beginning of the end of WWII. I think it is worth commemorating each year. The essay below features my visit to Normandy in 2013. 

Visiting the Normandy Beaches

My husband and I were nearing the end of a river cruise in France which brought us from Paris to Normandy, famed for its Norman cows and fine dairy products as well as being the place where the Allied Invasion began during WWII. Our river ship docked at the final port--Honfleur, a picture postcard kind of town. Now, we were close to the highlight of the two-week cruise that had begun in Paris. We’d spend a full day at the D-Day beaches of Normandy, something Ken and I had looked forward to since booking months earlier.

At breakfast in the ship’s dining room that next morning, we sensed an air of anticipation that had not been evident in our other sightseeing tours on this trip. We were not the only ones looking forward to this day when we would view the beaches where the landing took place on June 6, 1944. The ensuing battle resulted in the Allied Forces turning the tide of the long-fought war that threatened so many, not only in France but other countries as well.

Being mostly senior citizens, the people in our tour group knew the history of the battle well. One man had even been there with the British navy shortly after the initial invasion. Only 16, he lied about his age to join the navy and was among the first who arrived after the beaches were taken. This now-elderly gentleman had spoken about his experience one evening on the river ship. That morning, as the bus took us from ship to the beaches, I watched this man who sat silently while we rode through the Normandy countryside. What thoughts were going through his mind, what memories were returning one by one? I wanted to ask but out of respect for what must have been an emotional time for him, I kept my silence.   

We filed quietly off the bus on that cold, wet March morning. There was none of the usual chatter and good-natured teasing on this day. We were a solemn, respectful group as we were introduced to our local tour guide. Her scarf whipped wildly in the strong wind, and like us, she wore hat, gloves and a warm coat. The skies were gray which somehow seemed fitting for this place where the remnants of battle and death remained even these 69 years after the fact.

The pillboxes where the German artillery faced the beaches remain today. I slipped and slid down a muddy incline to see inside one where parts of the big guns remained. Looking out to the beaches, I was immediately struck by the incongruity of those in the pillboxes versus the men on the open beaches on that summer morning so long ago. An old cliché seemed most fitting. They were “sitting ducks.” I shivered with both the thought and the sharp wind that found its way through my warm jacket.

The Allied Forces came to liberate France from German occupation, to push the German forces back to their own country. The Canadians landed at Juno Beach, the British at Sword and Gold Beach. Our American troops came ashore at both Omaha and Utah Beach. Paratroopers landed first followed by amphibious landing craft manned by Navy and Coast Guard personnel. Thousands of men with one goal—take the beaches and move on.

Gnawing fear must have been in the belly of each man but they surged forward with many falling on the beach. More than a thousand died on Omaha Beach alone. Others continued to dodge the constant gunfire and scaled precarious cliffs to reach the German strongholds. 

As the tour guide talked, I thought of the men I knew who had fought in this war of so long ago—my uncle who had been an Air Force pilot, my best friend’s uncle who had endured the hardships of a prison camp, and my dad’s cousin whose plane blew to pieces before he could escape. I thought of my father-in-law who served in Paris after the liberation and came home safely thanks to the courage of the men who fought on D-Day, those who carried General Eisenhower’s order with them. “Full victory. Nothing else.” 

Our tour guide told us of a U.S. Army veteran who had been on another of her tours. On the morning of the invasion, he was in a landing craft that held 32 men. 31 of them were violently seasick. By the time they landed, they were covered in vomit with no choice but to rush the beach and dodge the artillery fire. That was only one of nearly 7,000 boats that hit the five beaches early that morning. I shivered yet again but didn’t know if it was because of the cold misty rain or the stories she related.

Our next stop was the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, located not far from the beaches. In gratitude, the government of France granted use of the land, in perpetuity, as a permanent burial ground. We walked through the immaculate grounds, viewing the choppy waters of the English Channel just beyond. Nearly 10,000 American soldiers are buried here, a Latin cross or a Star of David marking each grave.

We gathered in the light rain at the Memorial area which features a 22-foot statue called “The Spirit of American Youth Rising From the Waves.” A representative from the cemetery addressed our group before leading a short ceremony to honor those who had sacrificed so much in this place. Everyone faced the wildly waving American flag, hand on hearts. Cold raindrops mixed with the warm tears that fell as I listened to a recording of our national anthem followed by a volley of gunshots and finally the playing of “Taps.” The lump in my throat would allow me no words, nor were any needed. 

As the group dispersed, Ken and I walked to the edge of the cemetery close to the sea. The rain had finally ceased. We gazed at the gray sky and the gray water, empty now save for the ghosts of 69 years earlier. We have heard about the Normandy Beaches and D-Day for most of our lives. We’ve seen pictures, watched movies depicting that day. But being there and hearing the personal stories brought reality like nothing else. What struck me as we walked silently back through the cemetery was that we humans didn’t learn from the horrors of WWII. We’ve continued to send our young men and women to fight in multiple wars since. 

At home, we fly our American flag with pride every June 6th to honor those who fought and those who didn’t come home. After visiting Normandy, that day will take on even greater significance. Veterans of the D-Day battle dwindle year by year. Before long, there will be none left, so it will be up to the next generation and the next to keep the memory alive. It is my great hope that this year’s 70th Anniversary will spark some interest among all ages for this commemorated day.

Book Review: A Shakespeare Sonnet Shakeup

 Are you looking for something new and different to read? I can recommend just the book for you. It's poetry. Now don't turn your nose up. Poetry can be enlightening, interesting, and educational. 

Poet and award-winning author, Tom Mach, set himself a real test. Mach used the first 77 sonnets Shakespeare wrote (of 154) to challenge himself to rewrite each of the Bard's sonnets as if he'd lived in the 21st century. The title, A Shakespeare Sonnet Shakeup should give you a glimmer of Mach's sense of humor.

What, you might ask, is a sonnet?  According to Google: Originating in the 13th century, the sonnet is a form of a poem that has 14 lines, written in iambic pentameter (10 syllables per line with specific stress pattern) and adhering to a specific rhyme scheme. Shakespeare's sonnets are written with three quatrains (or stanzas) and a concluding couplet (2-line stanza). The rhyming scheme is ABAB CDCD EFEF GG.

You don't need to know all that to enjoy reading Shakespeare's sonnets. Or those that Tom Mach has written as a 21st century version.

Shakespeare's sonnets follow a few themes--love, having more children, and leaving a piece of yourself behind in particular.

By rewriting each of the seventy-seven sonnets, Mach attempted to keep the premise of the sonnet the Bard wrote but offering it in the language of today's world. 

The book is set up so that Shakespeare's numbered sonnets are on the lefthand-side pages with a lovely, framed border, and a sketch of Will himself in the bottom right corner of each. Mach's borderless, rewritten sonnet is on the righthand-side page allowing for easy comparison. 

Mach offers an Introduction page to explain what he hoped to accomplish with this book, and also a final page about the sonnets of Will Shakespeare. Finally, Mach offers his own Sonnet #155 to add to the 154 that the Bard wrote. 

If you've ever felt a bit perplexed when reading Shakespeare's poetry, Mach offers the reader some fine explanations via his own interpretation of these first 77 sonnets. 

Purchase the paperback at Amazon for $9.95 and free for KindleUnlimited members. 

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Tips for Writing Family Stories

My regular readers know that one of my pet projects is encouraging people to write family stories. Writers and non-writers alike. You don't need to be a professional writer to record your family history through stories of incidents and events. Anyone can do it. 

There are websites to help. Use any search engine and enter 'how to write family stories', and you'll be amazed at the number of helpful articles that pop up. 

There is a difference between family stories and family history. The latter is made up of facts and figures...names and dates of marriages, births, deaths, places lived. Family stories are more personal letting future generations know more about the personalities of family members as well as significant things that happened within the family. Both good events and sad or bad. It's all part of your family history. You don't want to sugarcoat your family members in every story. Tell it like it is. Or was! You can do this without being nasty or cruel. 

My mother often mentioned an uncle of hers who she said was 'the meanest man on the earth'. When he died, he left money to all his nieces and nephews, so the man had a good side, as well. Many of our relatives have more than one side. Try to find the good side when you can.

A few tips when writing family stories: 

A. Use sensory details to make the individuals seem real--sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell.

B. Try to show the place where the story happens. City, farm, ranch, island, ocean? 

C. Do more than tell the story. Show us what happened. That's where the sense of place and sensory details come in.

D. Use active verbs instead of relying on passive ones like is, was, were, are. Active verbs help show while passive ones end up merely telling the story.

E. Use some adjectives to help with description, but keep it to one, two at the most. Otherwise, it sounds too saccharin.

F. Dialogue helps bring the story alive. You probably can't remember dialogue word for word, but you will remember the gist of what was said. It's alright to create dialogue as long as the meaning is the same as what was said.

G. Humor is always welcome in any story. There are many humorous things that happen in our families. They beg to be repeated.

H. Don't shy away from sad stories. They should be told. They are part of what makes people who they are. The same with tragic events in a family. Tell them with kindness.

I. It's not necessary to write the stories chronologically. Write them as they come to you. 

J. Describe the characters in your stories. What relation were they to you? Physical attributes. The kind of person he/she was. Weave all this into your individual story. 

Keep a file of the stories you write. Both on your computer and hard copies saved in a large 3-ring binder. Computers fail us at times, so those hard copies are important. 

Many people say they want to write their family stories. They think about it, they talk about it, but that's as far as it goes. Start with one story, save it, then go on to the next. You don't have to keep at it day by day. Write when the mood moves you but try to do it with some regularity. The longer you are away from the project, the easier it is to stay away. Maybe aim for one a week. 

If you write your family stories, you'll have a certain sense of satisfaction. Our family memories are treasures, so why not share them with other family members and leave them for future family members.  

Don't Put Off Writing What is Important Today

My apologies for the long time between posts. Life throws us a curve ball now and then. On the evening of May 1st, I had a heart attack, ending up with two stents put in the next day and a couple days in the hospital. Then home to spend a few weeks recovering. 

I've been thinking about writing an essay detailing this experience, but the thought process is as far as I've gotten. When we have something traumatic happen, and that could be any number of things, we need to get our thoughts down in some way. Maybe an essay, maybe a poem, maybe a fiction piece based on what happened. 

The problem is that we don't feel like making that effort while we are still going through whatever happened. With me, it's been on my mind, but I haven't been able to sit down and put the words on the paper or screen yet. 

When this happens, we need to do it before those thoughts trickle away, and we've lost the urge to write about it or have forgotten many of those important bits and pieces. We should do it while the emotion is still present.

Give yourself time, just not too much time. If nothing else, make some notes and keep them where you see them daily. When you're ready, get that first draft written. 

Write about your experience for yourself but also for others who might relate to what happened to you. Don't put it off too long, or you'll lose some of the emotion that can go into a piece like this. Be like Goldilocks and find what is 'just right'.