IWSG: . . . When I began writing . . .

When we were kids, didn't we all think, "Someday, I will . . . ?"

Maybe I wanted to be an astronaut, to travel the world, and, yes, to become a treasured suburban wife. It was the 1950's after all. But my dreams changed as I became a teenager. I still did want to travel the world, but in my heart, I wanted to be a poet, a dreamer, a writer.

Reality came next. As I worked my way through college, I gave up the idea of becoming an astronaut. Too much math. I became a banker and a teacher, and then I met Allen. I became a world traveler by his side -- and a treasured wife. When I retired from teaching, I became a writer. 

My stories were inspired by the travels we'd taken -- and the history I'd studied of the Industrial Revolution:  Scotland and England in the 1840s. Four books later, I turned to mysteries and now, I love writing every day as I work on my second novel of art crime fiction. 

IWSG's question for this month asks if there have been any surprises along the way. Yes. I have been thrilled to write my stories and find readers who seem to keep coming back! Thank you! Standing Stones, the first in my historical fiction series, now has over 1,200 reviews. And that was a BIG surprise! 

The first art crime fiction I wrote was about a missing tapestry. Perhaps you know about those six famous tapestries on display in Paris -- their theme, the lion and the unicorn, a gift for royalty to use to keep those stone walls warm in their imposing castles. But, asked that writer within, what if there were a seventh tapestry? And what if it went missing? 

November brings us to Thanksgiving, and if you've read this far, I think you deserve a gift! Here it is: if you haven't read it, you can pick up a free copy of The Seventh Tapestry, starting tomorrow, November 6, through Sunday, November 9.  

A note about the Insecure Writer's Support Group: Each month, IWSG posts a question for participating writers to consider. Here's the question for this month: When you began writing, what did you imagine your life as a writer would be like? Were you right, or has this experience presented you with some surprises along the way?

IWSG's purpose is to share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writers! 

The awesome co-hosts for the November 5 posting of the IWSG are Jennifer Lane, Jenni Enzor, Renee Scattergood, Rebecca Douglass, Lynn Bradshaw, and Melissa Maygrove!  Why not visit them to see what they imagined when they began writing?

Oct IWSG: My favorite book . . . and a gift for you!

IWSG October 1 question - What is the most favorite thing you have written, published or not? And why?

I still remember working my way through college, sitting in a class of 60 students, excited to begin. I was the only woman. The professor scanned the class and stopped, pointing at me. "Why are you here, taking the opportunity to learn away from a man who will be the head of a household?"

I was humiliated, but stubborn. The class? Economic History of Great Britain. And that's how I got hooked on the 1840s. A time of the Industrial Revolution and the Clearances, when working folks were evicted by landowners eager to make money by raising sheep for the new factories.

This history resonated with me. Yes, I grew up in a blue collar setting. One of my mother's husbands was a steel worker. Sometimes we didn't have enough to eat. I learned about grit and survival. I wanted to learn more about those families in the 1840s whose lives were changed by the Industrial Revolution. I wanted to tell their story. A decade or so later, Allen and I spent time in Scotland, researching places I'd only read about.

That led to my first book of historical fiction, Standing Stones, that introduces the McDonnell family and their journey that took them (through the next three books) from Scotland to Australia and Canada. Today, Standing Stones has over 1,200 reviews on Amazon.

My gift to you is out of gratitude for all those readers (and writers too) who have inspired me to keep writing. Click HERE to pick up your free ebook! (just through Saturday, October 4).

Standing Stones remains my favorite book because the story celebrates not only the perseverance of those who lived through that difficult time, but also my own tenacity -- in writing and in becoming an indie writer. We writers honor our creativity with every word we write, and so, in the words of a mentor found right here on IWSG: Write on!

IWSG's Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time - and return comments. This group is all about connecting! 

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.

The awesome co-hosts for the October 1 posting of the IWSG are:

 Beth Camp (that's me!), Crystal Collier, and Cathrina Constantine!

Sept IWSG: Celebrating Leonard Cohen

Leonard Cohen's songs
are poems distilled in music, 

meditations shaped by quiet
that simplifies meaning
down to the edge of understanding.
His dark, slow voice,
relentless, asks us to 

accept some unspoken truth 

that we already know and acknowledge
in the rasp at the back of our throats,
at the tears forming in our eyes:
Unrelenting, universal understanding
of all that makes us human,
vulnerable and yet, worthy.

This month's Insecure Writer's Support Group question asks us to consider: What are your thoughts on using AI, such as GPChat, Raptor, and others with your writing? Would you use it for research, storybible, or creating outlines\beats?

My answer comes from the poem I wrote above, about Leonard Cohen, a much revered singer, poet, and song writer, whose work (at least for me) is about human creativity.

Photo by Takahiro Kyono (2013)

AI may be a useful tool. It certainly is changing and will continue to transform our lives dramatically. Even as we applaud AI's ability to carry out complex tasks efficiently, some recognize the inherent danger in a technology that has the ability to self-teach itself new skills -- and that may outpace human control.

Yes, I have used AI indirectly. As a frugal indie writer, I like to use Pixel to create my book covers. And that's where I found my working cover for Honeymoon in Egypt, an art crimes mystery, currently slated to be finished this December. To my surprise, the image was generated by AI.

I have always been drawn to technology, fascinated by its potential and emerging applications. But I want to write my own words. Tell my own stories. No shortcuts here, in this, my own creative space. When I research, I discover surprising links, new ideas and understandings of what I'm writing. Would or could AI help this process? Well, I think I'm just too old to play around with my own writing process that begins each day. If I were 30 instead of 80, I might want to reconsider. 

So, let's go see what others think! The awesome co-hosts for the September 3 posting of the IWSG are Kim Lajevardi, Natalie Aguirre, Nancy Gideon, and Diedre Knight! Why not visit a few (or 10) of these wonderful writers to find out what they think? Here's the LINK.

What do YOU think about AI, writing, and the wonderful creative world we make for ourselves!

The purpose of the INSECURE WRITER'S SUPPORT GROUP (IWSG) 

is to share and encourage writers at every level. 

Any writer can participate by posting on their blog 

on the first Wednesday of each month. 

August IWSG: Unethical? How about a plot twist . . .

 

Sunday began like any other day of the week. Quiet. Uneventful. Until we ended up in the Emergency Room at midnight. We waited for two hours to learn another two hours would pass before seeing a doctor. So we went home, and in the morning, Allen was better. We just celebrated our 50th anniversary on Friday, but this ER visit seems like a harbinger of things to come, despite doctor reassurances and his advice to wait and see what happens next.

So, I've misssed a few days of writing, and I don't care. Missed a few days of exercise also. Still cooked his favorite meal tonight, and we're looking forward to the rest of the week with NO doctor visits! 

This month's IWSG question is simply: What is the most unethical practice in the publishing industry?

I don't have a clue. Maybe I'll learn from reading other IWSG writers' posts and those intrepid souls who've volunteered to host this month. Why not visit the August co-hosts and find out?  Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Natalie Aguirre, Sarah - The Faux Fountain Pen, and Olga Godim!  Or stop by to check out the nearly 100 participating writers on IWSG's home page.

Thank you for reading . . . I hope the rest of August brings us all some quiet days to cherish and enjoy!

IWSG: Something new???

 

Summer has truly begun with a blast of hot days up past 90F. We stay cool in our cozy apartment with a high of 70F, first floor, and haven't turned on the air conditioning (yet). This morning, I'll be visiting a dear friend, bringing her a collection of quilting projects to share. 

Over the years, I've enjoyed taking classes and learning new skills (sashiko, hand-turned applique).  The end result was a small pile of tabletoppers without backing, settling in the corner with no home. With a commitment to 'get 'er done,' I've begun adding batting, backs, and binding. My first pile of 5 finished tabletoppers went to a fundraiser for a local community center. Only 2 left. And maybe that scrappy blue quilt top will go next. 

There's something truly relaxing about putting random pieces together just to see what happens next -- something like writing. Although, I will admit both writing and quilting require discipline as well.

This month's challenge question from IWSG (Insecure Writers Support Group) asks us: Is there a genre you haven't tried writing in yet that you really want to try? If so, do you plan on trying it?

This month's question made me laugh. Nearly out loud. Mostly because I've written in nearly every genre I can think of, from historical fiction, to art crime mystery, to science fiction, to simple fantasy. One genre immediately popped in my head. I haven't written erotica. Blush! Some 'things' just belong behind closed doors. Private. I'm not being Victorian. Dark edges appeal to me. Just not erotica. 

I'd rather write about how we commit ourselves to a better world and how we find our way there. Especially these days.

And then someone asked me if I'd ever written time-slip stories. Hmm. Never have followed Alice down the rabbit hole to a different time and place. So, maybe that's my next challenge.

Update on the writing. I'm taking a break, even with 50K words calling out to me from that art crime mystery in progress, Honeymoon in Egypt. Family issues have been emotionally draining. Maybe next month, I'll have better news for you. 

For now, I wish you a summer filled with warm (not hot) days, and good times with family and friends. And maybe, some quiet mornings for writing!

About IWSG: The first Wednesday of the month, nearly 100 writers take to their blogs to post their thoughts on writing or in response to this month's questions. Consider visiting this month's generous hosts Rebecca Douglass, Natalie Aguirre, Cathrina Constantine, and Louise Barbour -- and participants HERE to read and perhaps leave a comment!  You just might be inspired . . . to write!

Sounds of the Past . . .

 You know how it is when an old photograph pops up, and suddenly, you're remembering something from decades ago. That happened this week when I spotted a picture of Fats Domino.

He played just the piano at a small high school dance back in 1961. I was a senior, thrilled to 'bop' to his energetic rock and roll, all of us motivated by his music and his enthusiastic smile. I knew he lived in New Orleans. What I didn't know is that Fats Domino was a little shy. Elvis called him the 'real king of rock and roll.' He passed away in 2017, but I can't listen to his music without smiling and reappreciating his gifts.

Read more about Fats Domino HERE and listen to his greatest hits HERE.

As long as I'm looking back, here's another favorite from Simon and Garfunkel to enjoy:  The Sounds of Silence (1964). Ah, another blast from the past! Enjoy.

IWSG: Books????

First Wednesday of the month means time to post a response to The Insecure Writer’s Support Group’s monthly Blog Hop. Here's the June 4 question: What were some books that impacted you as a child or young adult?

Books were an escape for me. I could fall into a book and ignore all else around me -- even meal time. Libraries were quiet. Each shelf beckoned. Once I could check books out, I started with "A" and kept going. Even today, when life becomes chaotic and I don't want to watch the news, a new story beckons. Maybe this is why I became a writer many decades later, entranced by words and the mystery behind an unfolding story.

I remember reading Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea in my school library and trying to hold back my tears. I was drawn to adventure and now can't remember the book that spawned my dream to travel by ship around the Horn. Other favorites included: Louisa May Alcott's Little Women (somehow I was Jo and Beth at the same time); George Orwell's Animal Farm, Robert Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land, Frank Herbert's Dune, and pretty much anything by Ray Bradbury. As a teenager, I used to babysit for one family who kept a box of science fiction in the basement. I read them all. 

Today, i-pads beckon. My grandchildren might start reading. The thirteen year old is carrying around two library books, one Japanese manga, and the other a non-fiction book about police work behind crime scenes. At least, she's reading.

Image by jenikmichal