Wish I did have unlimited time and energy to write. It snowed earlier this week, reminding me that seasons change and that all things have beginnings and endings.
Today, the first Wednesday of the month, is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. If you are a writer, today you can post your thoughts on your own blog (see question below). This IWSG online community is a very encouraging place to share our writing journey -- and encourage each other!
Some 90 writers participate each month. Why not go to the Insecure Writer's Support Group web site and read a few posts? And consider checking out the very generous co-hosts for today's posting: are Tara Tyler, Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Pat Garcia, Liza, and Natalie Aguirre!
TODAY'S IWSG QUESTION: As a writer, what was one of the coolest/best gifts you ever received?
The most wonderful gift I have received is encouragement all along my writing journey. There's something pretty amazing to hear from readers that they have fallen captive to my stories, even if sometimes the compliments come with a bit of a caveat: "I couldn't believe how much I enjoyed your story!" An honest review remains the very best gift any reader can give -- and I try to reciprocate for those stories I read.
Looking back, my aunt made it possible for me to begin college classes, opening up a world of new ideas and dreams. My husband has encouraged me over the last five decades by reading and critiquing nearly every draft. And, we have traveled everywhere to research my stories (Scotland, England, France, Italy, Turkey, Egypt, South America, and throughout the United States). And I have appreciated working with other writers to exchange crits as we revise and revise again our stories.
What's next? I'm not sure. On December 6, I'll be 82. I hope to finish my current draft, maybe in the first quarter of 2026. If you read The Seventh Tapestry: An Art Crimes Mystery, set in Scotland, please let me know. For my next book is Honeymoon in Cairo. Sandra and Neil got married and somehow wound up investigating thefts of priceless artifacts as the Grand Egyptian Museum near Giza prepared to open. Here's the working cover!
May 2025 end with good memories and new dreams for the coming year for us all. Happy New Year!
