* DARE I SAY IT? I'M WRITING AGAIN! *

Well, the craziest thing happened. My cousin Johnny called yesterday morning to tell me how much he enjoyed reading my memoir, how well written he thought it was, etc! We had a 40 minute conversation of laughter and reminiscing. And because of that, my writing muse has returned!

I actually wrote 225 words yesterday evening, which doesn't sound like a lot, but when someone hasn't written anything more than a sentence or two in MANY MONTHS, it is a very big deal. And since it was November 1st, I just may try my own version of NaNoWriMo which is National Novel Writing Month. (If you're not familiar with it and would like to learn more, just click on the link.) Although I'm not writing a novel, I will be working on my memoir's sequel. Please send me good vibes, karma, luck....whatever you think might help me!

I promise to post updates from time to time

through November 30th.

I felt a lot like this at times when writing my memoir.
I hope to get that feeling back!

I love this Steve Martin quote!

This is definitely me.
My problem has been that I haven't followed through
 with any actual writing or typing the stories. J

 

HAPPY NEW BEGINNINGS!

Happy New Year! And thank you to everyone who reads my blog, whether you comment or not, and whether you're a follower or not. I would like to say Thank-You to my newest followers, though.....but I'm not sure who I welcomed last! I'll just include the last six, and that should cover everyone....I hope!  Welcome Anila, loveablehomebody, Karen Pledger, Joyful, Garnet and Pink Apple!

To continue with yesterday's theme of regaining my passion for writing, I'd like to share some other information.

** While Googling for information the other night about "finding my muse", I stumbled across a very interesting blog Image & Verse. Rob Kistner and his wife Kathleen are a multi-talented couple. They write poetry, essays, and short stories. They are also artists of furniture design, collages, various artwork, etc. There are quite a few blogs listed for writing prompts and one for photography. Please visit their blog and find inspiration, as I did!

I contacted Rob to ask permission to post the following poem, which he graciously agreed upon. It can also be found in his archives here: Image & Verse (archives)  (Please do not reprint this anywhere without receiving Rob's written permission.)

Fickle Muse

•
Wee hours,
with the sane asleep,
this poet’s steeped
in conflicted inspiration.


Promptings vague,
I am filled with doubt,
words tossed about
the unyielding empty page.


I start, then stop,
to write, then not,
now clear, then caught
in merciless hesitation.


Fickle muse,
let’s be off with you!
I’ll start anew
when free of quandary’s cage.

…

rob kistner © 2007

Ah....oh, so true! Thank you again, Rob, for allowing me to share your poetry with others.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

** My second piece of information is this: A New York friend, who is involved in the publishing industry, knows of my writer's block angst. We spoke on the phone recently about it and in her desire to help me, she offered a gift that is so unbelievably generous and from her heart, that I'm pretty sure I squealed when she said it. When I complete my book, she is going to take me to lunch..... in New York City!! Woo-Hoo!! I think I was speechless for one of the few times in my life! Can you say "in shock"?? (and don't even think about commenting or e-mailing, asking me who this person is, because I would never divulge her name!...Plus you probably wouldn't know her, anyway, but she is special to me!)

I ended yesterday's post with "Look Out World, Here I Come."

How about...Look Out New York, Here I Come!!

"A friend is what the heart needs all the time." -- Henry van Dyke

Finding My Muse, Once Again

My writing brain finally kicked back into gear yesterday. It's been stuck for so long. I'm consciously aware of some of the reasons.....the hustle and bustle of Christmas preparations, losing Tiger Girl, trying to force a couple of stories for contests and calls for submissions, promoting three anthologies, etc. And then there are those often times lurking thoughts of Who am I kidding? I don't have enough talent to be doing this! etc.

But while cleaning up the kitchen and listening to the radio, the old gears unclenched and I felt my muse returning. It began when I heard Darius Rucker singing. I love that man's voice. He first became hugely successful with the group Hootie and The Blowfish back in the early 1990s. I don't know the story, but somehow he wound up being a country music star now. I say Congratulations! I greatly admire people who reinvent themselves. That's a big part of what I believe about my life.

Encarta Dictionary says this about reinvent: to invent something again, or bring something back into existence, use, or popularity after a period of neglect or obscurity. to change radically the appearance, form, or presentation of something or somebody.

I didn't discover my passion for writing until I was...uh....kind of old! Sometimes I wish I would've discovered it when I was a lot younger.....but things wouldn't have been the same. I wouldn't have the wisdom I have now....what I know about life.....what my life is and has been about. And it took the near death of my estranged father (in May 2001) to trigger those deep, hidden emotions, which flew from my fingertips to my keyboard...and voile'.....a writer was born.

So, I'm getting back to being organized about my writing deadlines and what I want to write about. I've found my muse...again. And I'm reinventing myself, somewhat....again.

And a HUGE Thank-You to Julia Christie for leaving a sweet comment on Tuesday's post which included these words: "...looking forward to a wonderful new year and hearing that your book is finally available!"

How can I not be excited and eager to finish my book, when I read something like that?!

Look Out World -- Here I Come!

"I believe that dreams—daydreams, you know, with your eyes wide open and your brain machinery whizzing—are likely to lead to the betterment of the world."-- L. Frank Baum