#IWSG Cliffhangers: Thumbs Up or Down?

 

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG

The awesome co-hosts for the December 4 posting of the IWSG are Ronel, Deniz, Pat Garcia, Olga Godim, and Cathrina Constantine!

The IWSG question for Dec. 4, 2024 is:

Do you write cliffhangers at the end of your stories?

Are they a turn-off to you as a writer and/or a reader?

I have never ended a story with a cliffhanger and am not a fan of cliffhangers as a reader. Even Kathy Reichs’ endless “cliffhanger” chapter endings were irritating to me because they felt so contrived. 

Recently I read a C.J. Box “Joe Pickett” novel that ended with a main character’s plotline ending in a cliffhanger. The continuing plotline obviously required a novel of its own to tell the story and I had the next book already on the shelf so was not faced with a long wait. (And, after all, it was C.J. Box!) However, several reviewers were not so forgiving.

These days my writing is confined to researching and composing short stories - with no cliffhangers. And soon after the start of the Covid era, I began binge-reading series novels that have a beginning, middle, and satisfying ending in each book – again, no cliffhangers. But authors who choose to use the cliffhanger technique to keep their fans interested and returning for more are aware of the success of cliffhanger endings in serial stories of olden-day newspaper weeklies and radio presentations. And their willing fans are aware of each cliffhanger, a win-win relationship of their choosing.

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Z is for ZESTY LEMON WATER #AtoZ FOOD FOR THOUGHT

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

My daily #AtoZ posts combine two concepts in under-300-words per day:

an appealing food choice along with thoughts that spring to mind.

*** *** ***

 

Dehydration is a cause of many ailments in human beings. A percentage of people drink no water each day other than what is in their coffee or other liquid refreshments. Because so often the advice doled out is for people to drink six 8-ounce glasses of water each day, I decided to experiment with this number to see if I felt any different after a period of time.

 

Day one brought no discernable results as I couldn't remember to drink the allotted amount of water. I vowed to do better on subsequent days. After all, I needed the added energy to continue my quest to complete the #AtoZChallenge!

But it proved increasingly difficult to continue writing articles when I had to keep getting up after drinking so much water. I got plenty of exercise leaving and returning to my computer. Whether my ailments were from all that up and down action or mere age creeping up, the experiment revealed little useful information about offering relief.

 

 

 

Have you found that drinking six 8-ounce glasses of water each day is beneficial to your health?

 

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Thank you to everyone who has visited my blogsite one or more times over the month of April. Congratulations for reaching another milestone by completing all the letters of the alphabet,

or as many as your busy lifestyle would allow.

 

 



U is for UDON NOODLES AND UGLI FRUIT #AtoZChallenge

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

My daily #AtoZ posts combine two concepts in under-300-words per day:

an appealing food choice along with thoughts that spring to mind.

*** *** ***  

Udon Noodles Stir-fry



"What's the difference between Udon, Soba, and Rice noodles?" I wanted to know. After trying all three, it didn't take long to decide I didn't like long-rice noodles. To me, it was like eating rubbery cellophane and probably the reason I never order chicken long-rice.

Soba noodles are made of wheat flour and have square surfaces, odd for someone who grew up in the Great Lakes area eating plain ol' white-flour spaghetti. 

This brings me to Udon noodles, much closer in shape to spaghetti. But I prefer angel hair spaghetti,  and Udon noodles are "fat" in comparison. They're fine in a good stir-fry, though, using plenty of vegetables, soy sauce, and adding onion and ginger to taste.

Noodles come with their own personalities. Shell noodles, for instance, blend well in a cold tuna salad. Bohemian goulash needs fat egg noodles; chicken soup requires finely cut, homemade egg noodles. My mother, and her mother, always made chili with elbow macaroni noodles. I thought it an odd tradition to serve rice with chili. Now I often eat it with rice, or even polenta.

What is your favorite noodle dish?

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Ugli Fruit

It is no wonder people refer to the Ugli as an ugly fruit. Not nice, just understandable.

Grapefruit, Orange, Tangerine Fruit

The Ugli is a Jamaican form of the tangelo, which in turn is a cross between a grapefruit, an orange, and a tangerine. Why anyone felt a need to create a hybrid of these three fruits is beyond me. Especially when the result was, well, an Ugli fruit. I would much prefer to experience each of these fruits separately.

 

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S is for SWORDFISH AND SHRIMP #AtoZ

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

My daily #AtoZ posts combine two concepts in under-300-words per day:

an appealing food choice along with thoughts that spring to mind.

*** *** ***  

 

Relaxing and enjoying a
view of Diamond Head before sunset

Dinner at House Without A Key in the Halekulani Hotel in Waikiki is a treat for several reasons. The atmosphere is quiet and amazingly peaceful. The service is rated above-par because the wait staff is unconditionally Aloha Friendly. And Hawaiian music and hula dancing is offered for relaxing entertainment on the lanai, with the Pacific Ocean and Diamond Head as a backdrop. Few thoughts, other than general goodwill, stick at a time like this.

Lovely Hula Hands
Elegant Hula Dancer accompanied by talented Hawaiian Musicians

Special Mai Tai cocktails relaxed us even further before the salads arrived. Several of us in our group chose the meal of Swordfish and Shrimp. Normally, I would be sure to take home half of the meal from such a nice establishment. But this fish was so tender and flavorful, I couldn't stop eating and the plate was suddenly clean! No left-overs for me.

 

Celebrating the evening with us were Left Coast Crime Lifetime Achievement Honorees and Authors Faye and Jonathan Kellerman. Those folks who worked hardest to make the entire conference possible were: Gay Coburn Gale, Honolulu Havoc Chair; Treasurer Stan Ulrich and Publisher Liaison Lucinda Surber (who were also Awards Co-Chairs) and Panel Co-Chairs and Authors Rosemary and Larry Mild.



Pleasant conversation over Swordfish and Shrimp,
and a backdrop of hula dancers and Pacific Ocean,
with Diamond Head off to the left.

As I mentioned above, few thoughts other than goodwill stick at such a time. But I wouldn't want you to take my word for it. Come on down to Hawai'i and check out the food and music for yourselves!

B is for BANANA TREE, VERY PRETTY: Food For Thought #AtoZ

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

My daily #AtoZ posts combine two concepts in under-300-words per day:

an appealing food choice along with thoughts that spring to mind.

*** *** *** 

Though not so exotic as some Hawaiian fruits, the banana, or more specifically the apple banana is a favorite of mine. It makes a sweet treat on its own any time. Sliced and eaten with creamy peanut butter, either in a sandwich or straight, is a nourishing meal and a quick source of energy.

 

While researching my third Pepper Bibeau mystery on the Big Island of Hawai'i, I stayed at a spa outside of Hawi in North Kohala. The property was rampant with fruit trees, and the bananas were ripe for the picking. Imagine strolling outside on a crisp tropical morning and gathering your breakfast fresh from a swaying banana tree. With no one around to monitor your take, you might even help yourself to more than one!

 

The sight of the rising sun seeping through the dark green banana tree leaves will jumpstart the imagination of even the most writer-blocked author.

 

For years, I enjoyed baking banana bread on weekends. To this day, the memory of butter melting on a warm, fresh-from-the-oven slice makes my mouth water. The only thing better is a favorite dessert, Bananas Foster, which is halved bananas sautéed in a combination of several ingredients including butter, brown sugar, and dark rum. Spoon the mix over vanilla ice cream and serve immediately.  

 

Have you ever had the "real deal" of

Bananas Foster at Brennen's in N'awlins or

apple bananas ripe from the tree in Hawai'i? 

 

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A is for AND SO IT BEGINS #AtoZChallenge 2017: FOOD FOR THOUGHT

 

This year for #AtoZChallenge, 

I decided to combine two concepts in my under-300-words daily posts:

FOOD For THOUGHT

 

Each day's post contains an appealing food choice

combined with the emerging thoughts of an incurable writer. 

 

*** *** ***

 

AND SO IT BEGINS.

 

Eating an artichoke, petal by petal, brings a multitude of thoughts to mind. After peeling the layered petal from the boiled artichoke, I dip the tender end into my concoction of mayo and lemon juice gently place the petal between my front teeth, and slowly strip away the flesh. The soft pulp blends with the acidic flavor of the dip, sending my taste buds soaring, along with my imagination. 

 

Of course, the exotic or erotic could easily come into play here. But my mind gravitates toward mystery. As the petals peel away from the artichoke's center, I peel back the layers of a character's personality. Dip my protagonist's fingers into someone else's business. Strip away the barriers that conceal a killer's motives. And once all the petals are removed, I've laid bare the artichoke's heart. Just as, while fleshing out the details of a plot, I also discover the heart of the mystery.

 

After all the boiling and peeling and stripping away of unnecessary parts, not unlike eating an artichoke, the meat of the project reveals itself on the page, and on your tongue.

 

Nirvana.

 

Are you energized when your story's plot is laid bare and all the pieces fall into place?

 

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#AtoZChallenge Theme Reveal for 2017 FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Compiling 30 blog posts for the 30 #AtoZChallenge days of April, 2017 takes stamina and a desire for serious goal-setting. Thanks to Arlee Bird and Alex J. Cavanaugh, I've been able to sustain my interest in maintaining a blog site over the years. The April boost gives me energy for the 12 months to follow.

The theme I chose for this year is "Food For Thought." This way I can mention food (a main pastime for me, not to eat but to think about!) and to work in a thought about writing when appropriate. As I eat very little meat, and never the red kind, my thoughts usually focus on fresh fruits, bean-based meals, and quick snacks. So posting in April will have the added challenge for me of choosing foods that generate interesting and thought-provoking topics. Whether I succeed or not, April will be fun-filled as I travel from blog to blog, enjoying the entertainment of every other blogger's theme choice.

 

I'll be relaxing in a corner of my lanai, with a refreshing drink,
as I compile my #AtoZ posts for April, 2017

Look forward to visiting your blog very soon, and often!

 

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#IWSG The Tribulations of a Neurotic Writer! #WriterWednesday

The Insecure Writer’s Support Group

 

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.

Be sure to link to this page and display the badge in your post.
http://www.alexjcavanaugh.com/p/the-insecure-writers-support-group.html

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world! Our Twitter is @TheIWSG and hashtag #IWSG

Ninja Alex J. Cavanaugh's awesome co-hosts for the March 1 posting of the IWSG are Tamara Narayan, Patsy Collins, M.J. Fifield, and Nicohle Christopherson!

For the first two months of 2017, my life felt a bit out of whack. After writing the first draft of my next mystery novel during NaNoWriMo 2016, I turned to a project of publishing an anthology of mystery short stories set in Hawai'i by 17 authors. This isn't my first go-around. I knew upfront the tribulations of such a project, but part of the appeal is overcoming obstacles to reach the ultimate goal. December also marked the end of my four years as president of our local Sisters in Crime chapter. Adjusting to the change didn't come easy for me. While passing the torch of responsibility was a relief, I wasn't yet ready to let go of the reins. My plan for March is to begin moving forward and focusing more on personal projects.

#IWSG March 1 Question: 

Have you ever pulled out a really old story and reworked it? Did it work out?

I wrote a short story several years ago based on family information about the disappearance of a relative. No one ever discovered what happened to the person, so I had carte blanche on the plotline. While I was fairly satisfied with the results, my critics found too many faults.

Over the years, I've attempted to rewrite the story several times but to no avail. The only problem is, I really, really want this story to work. One day, I expect to dig it out, rewrite it, and have everything fall into place.

Is this wishful thinking on my part?

Should I give it up as a lost cause?

 

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Happy New Year #IWSG Measuring Success in 2017

 

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!
http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html

 

The awesome co-hosts for the January 4 posting of the IWSG will be

Eva @ Lillicasplace, Crystal Collier, Sheena-kay Graham,

Chemist Ken, LG Keltner, and Heather Gardner!

 

January 4 Question: What writing rule do you wish you’d never heard?

My answer to this question is backwards: I love the advise to learn the rules so you know which ones you want to break and then do so with professionalism.

 

 

Happy New Year, 2017, everyone.

 

Each year, it is tradition for me to compile a list of goals to take me through the upcoming twelve months. Goals concerning my writing projects lead the way, with reading goals close behind. Some goals appear year after year, not because they failed to make the grade the previous year but because they are so important that they bear repeating. Healthy lifestyle goals top this chart. Whether I reach or exceed a goal, my satisfaction is the same. Only when I totally miss a target, do I feel any measure of disappointment.

For 2017, I've set the bar rather high as I aim at more successfully marketing my published novels. I fear neither success nor failure. My concern is about setting a goal to accomplish something that is a questionable measure of success or failure: the sale of a specific number of books.

How do you measure your success as a writer?

 

 

 

#IWSG Question: Where Do You See Yourself 5 Years From Now?

 

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!

Alex J. Cavanaugh's awesome co-hosts for the December 7 posting of the IWSG are Jennifer Hawes, Jen Chandler, Nick Wilford, Juneta Key, JH Moncrieff, Diane Burton, and MJ Fifield!

 

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The December 7 Question: In terms of your writing career, where do you see yourself five years from now, and what’s your plan to get there?

My insecurities do not lie in my beliefs about my abilities or the appeal of my novels but in an inability to attract the attention of readers who share those beliefs. Just writing the words makes me feel egotistical. Is it any wonder my marketing isn't top notch?

Nothing keeps me from continuing to write my novels, however. For NaNoWriMo2016, I typed all but the final climactic scene of my next Pepper Bibeau mystery. The reason I skipped over the climax was because I had a different solution in mind before I started writing. Near the end of the month, a much better solution presented itself to me. I was so excited about this new ending, I refused to write it. Sometimes, it's good to savor such pleasures for as long as possible.

This novel will also be the last one in the series. In the next five years, I will compile and publish a mystery short story anthology featuring sixteen Honolulu authors, concentrate on a new protagonist in a new mystery series, and edit my genealogical novel which is informed by my 20+ years of genealogy research.

But what about the marketing?

Ay, there's the rub.

 

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Mele Kalikimaka

&

Hau'oli Makahiki Hou

 

 

 

 

Mr & Mrs Claus greeting visitors to
Honolulu Hale on O'ahu Island, Hawai'i

 

 

#IWSG What is Your Favorite Aspect of Being a Writer?

 

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!

November 2 Question: What is your favorite aspect of being a writer?

Alex J. Cavanaugh's awesome co-hosts for the November 2 posting of the IWSG will be Joylene Nowell Butler, Jen Chandler, Mary Aalgaard, Lisa Buie Collard, Tamara Narayan, Tyrean Martinson, and Christine Rains!

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If you've ever participated in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) you know the importance of setting goals. With NaNoWriMo, the objective is to write 50,000 in 30 days. Basic math suggests that writing 1,666 words per day will get you smoothly to that goal. Simple, right?

The title of my previous post suggests there is: No Wrong - Just Write-Write-Write!

 

Each year that I've participated in the November event I've learned a bit more about how to become a 'Winner' (completing the goal of writing 50k words.) This year, I made an outline of the basic story, decided on the general progression of the plotline, and laid out the order of scenes. This doesn't mean I confined myself to a narrow framework or a boring ritual, though.

 

On day one, my characters surprised and fascinated me. After layering my basic knowledge of a topic with imagination, I created scenes that never existed until I started typing. Kinda gives new meaning to "let your fingers do the walking." In this case, it's letting them do the "talking."

 

Where else can you be so totally in control of your work? Let your imagination run wild, create extreme characters, build psychedelic scenes or develop an outrageous plotline.

 

This is my favorite aspect of being a writer!

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Applying this freedom to another area of my life, I've decided to change my menu to non-cooked meals, at least during NaNoWriMo. Here is a picture of what lunch consists of for the next 30 days:

 

 





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Are you participating in NaNoWriMo 2016?

    



#IWSG How Do You Find Time To Write?

The Insecure Writer’s Support Group 
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!

 

Founder Alex J. Cavanaugh's awesome co-hosts for the September 7 posting of the IWSG are C. Lee McKenzie, Rachel Pattison, Elizabeth Seckman, Stephanie Faris, Lori L MacLaughlin, and Elsie Amata!

 

 

http://bit.ly/2bPS6rQ

 

September 7 Question: How do you find the time to write in your busy day?

 

My daily schedule revolves around writing. My writers' group meets at a local library, The Makiki Community Library, which is celebrating its 40th Anniversary this month. For the two days of celebration, I am arranging for our group to hold hourly discussions on topics of writing, plus hold two fundraising events. I recently critiqued a mystery novel manuscript and am in the process of reading a memoir for the same purpose. I am also spearheading plans for our next anthology.

 

In answer to the September 7 Question, I take a lot of short breaks during the day for meals, laundry, grocery shopping, and other necessities. But the majority of my hours from 6am to midnight are spent on reading and writing projects. Right now my focus is the anthology short story and two flash-fiction length stories for another anthology. When I am not actually writing the stories, I am researching or thinking about the next step, editing, and rewriting.   

I am not always sitting in front of the computer typing out words. Sometimes my writing is done longhand in a notebook. Other days, the words swim around my subconscious until a thought forms. At one time, I sold real estate for five years. The main thing as a realtor was to "always be selling." As an author, the main thing is to "always be writing."

Do you only think about writing while sitting with your hands on the keyboard, or is your mind on writing 24/7?

A JOURNEY OF FIFTEEN YEARS #IWSG

It's time for another Insecure Writer's Support Group blog posting. IWSG was created by the awesome ninja captain Alex J. Cavanaugh, and you can find a list of all the other members of the group here ( Insecure Writer’s Support Group! )

 His awesome co-hosts today are Tamara Narayan, Tonja Drecker, Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor, Lauren @ Pensuasion, Stephen Tremp, and Julie Flanders!

 

Question(s) for today's #IWSG posting: What was your very first piece of writing as an aspiring writer? Where is it now? Collecting dust or has it been published?

 

After I retired from my "real job" at the end of 2009, I followed through on my 1998 goal to write and publish a mystery series. Back in the 20th century, I had little idea how to write a full novel. But, considering the countless number of mystery novels I had read over the years, my goal didn't feel daunting.

 

The first chapter of the first draft of my first Pepper Bibeau mystery saw the light of day in 1998. Over the next decade and a half, I delved into the mechanics of researching and writing a full novel, finding an editor, composing query letters, and most importantly, accepting rejection of my work. I did fairly well with the first three. The rejection thing was and is a bit harder to master.

 

This first novel went through a large number of drafts. The cover experienced several title changes, also, from SHADOW of A WOMAN: 

 

 

to SOMETHING ABOUT URSULA and QUESTIONABLE CLAIMS, and then to

 

 

 

and finally, FOR EVERY ACTION There Are Consequences:

 

 

 

Along the way, my insecurities waxed and waned. But they never fully morphed into confidence. Had I held the courage of my convictions, I may not have followed the advice of so many "experts" in the field, changing, altering, and editing the story along the way.

My original idea survived, however. After multiple (to the nth power) query submissions with varying degrees of "thank you, ma'am" rejections, I self-published my novel through CreateSpace. For me, for my goals, this was the perfect avenue of publication.

 

Now my insecurities are more in the form of marketing!!!

 

 

 

REFLECTIONS ON THE 2016 #AtoZChallenge

The April 2016 AtoZ Challenge was fun for me right from the start because my theme was:

The Fun in Writing.

Most of my articles were written ahead of time, with photographs attached. That done, I posted my theme on A to Z Theme Day and met some wonderful people who were also using specific themes for the 26 posting days of April.

Once my "A is for" post went live on April 1st, I visited other sites. I discovered blog posts that were interesting and informative, along with colorful and fascinating photographs. An avid "Pinterest-er", I immediately began pinning my favorite sites and pictures. You can check the board here:

 https://www.pinterest.com/gailmbaugniet/2016-april-a-to-z-challenge-blog-visits/

At about the N-O-P mark, I found it impossible to keep visiting the amount of sites I had set as a goal, but I look forward to reading many more of the posts over the next few months.

Never one to let a lack of time keep me from planning a new project, I decided to choose one blog post per day as my blue ribbon choice. It wasn't meant as a popularity contest for "favorite" or "ultimate" or "best dressed" but a choice made on content that stuck with me or struck like a lightning bolt in the moment, for whatever reason.

Following are my 26 Red Ribbon picks from A to Z  

 

A is for Attack! First We Take Manhattan

http://tossingitout.blogspot.com/2016/04/attack-first-we-take-manhattan.html

One of the first sites I visited on April 1 was TOSSING IT OUT (no surprise, huh?) by Arlee Bird, the illustrious brainchild of the A to Z Challenge. Call "foul" if you must, but the featured songwriter, the song, and the videos in Arlee's first post gave the feeling that the rest of us were left to catch up (for the day.) Arlee's theme, MANHATTAN, drew me back to his site day after day.

 

B is for Blues http://theoldshelter.com/blues-atoz-challenge-2016-jazz-age-jazz/

Sarah Zuma at THE OLD SHELTER chose Jazz Age Jazz for her theme. I enjoyed many of her posts during April. Blues was the most succinct title for B-Day and my favorite post of the day. 

 

C is for (Songs that begin with) C

https://thesoundofonehandtyping.wordpress.com/2016/04/04/mondays-music-moves-me-songs-that-start-with-c-atozchallenge/

John Holton's THE SOUND OF ONE HAND TYPING hooked me with his post for Day 3.

Along with his post, I chose Can't Buy Me Love by the Beatles as my favorite song for the day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTsx7qBjd2E

 

D is for Didi, Cat Didi http://www.damyantiwrites.com/2016/04/04/atozchallenge-projectwhy-cat/

Damyanti Biswas's theme for AtoZChallenge was the non-profit Project Why. She described Cat Didi as a super Ambassador for Project Why. (Didi is the term younger siblings in India use to address their elder sister.)

 

E is for Elation http://shilpaagarg.com/2016/04/elation-atozchallenge-aprila2z.html

What drew my attention in Shilpa Garg's A ROSE IS A ROSE IS A ROSE! was her word to the wise meme. I even had to tweet it! For her theme, Shilpa chose Cultivating Happiness.

F is for Friends  http://thetintrunk.com/  This post by Sarah Vanshi at THE TIN TRUNK gave me goosebumps (chills) as I read through the article. She was so subtle when revealing the punchline of her story that I had to read it twice before believing what she'd said.

G is for Girl Teams  http://multicoloreddiary.blogspot.com/  Okay, I suppose you won't believe I didn't choose by the blog title. But Zalka Csenge Virág, Storyteller from Hungary, offered excellent reading choices today and one in particular caught my attention. (Check it out!)

H is for Helicopter Ride Over Kauai
http://playoffthepage.com/2016/04/h-is-for-helicopter-ride-over-kauai/  I've always been afraid to take a helicopter ride over any of the Hawaiian Islands, so I am deriving my enjoyment from Mary Aalgaard's photographs on PLAY OFF THE PAGE.

I is for Ice Cream https://thewhitescape.wordpress.com/2016/04/11/i-ice-cream/ (My Writing Workshop) and https://olduvaireads.wordpress.com/2016/04/11/atozchallenge-i-is-for-ice-cream-sandwich/#comment-9103 (Olduvai Reads). Ding-ling-ling! Ding-ling-ling!
Two people chose Ice Cream as their topic for I-Day (at least, two that I came across.) My love for ice cream is double that of most any other "sweet" that isn't made of chocolate, so it seems fair to choose two blue ribbon winners for today.

J is for Jurassic Park http://ptdilloway.blogspot.com/2016/04/a-to-z-challenge-jurassic-park.html For entertainment value, Michael Crichton never let me down. And the movies spun off from the novel are my idea of eye candy! I could watch those dinosaurs all day!

K is for Krli-Q and Knightsbridge https://kincavelkorner.wordpress.com/2016/04/13/a-z-challenge-k-is-for-krli-q-and-knightsbridge/ KINCAVEL KORNER writes of Lady Kell of Kincavel. I felt "kompelled" to choose this for K-Day!

L is for Love http://truestorieshonestlies.blogspot.com/2016/04/l-is-for-love.html
This post on the blogsite TRUE STORIES, HONEST LIES contains an excellent article for speakers about loving your audience and connecting with the people through love and understanding. As a never-ending struggling member-speaker of Toastmasters, I found this advice warmed my heart.

M is for Mango http://unrulednote.blogspot.in/2016/04/i-dont-know-if-this-one-counts-for-poem.html  Ah, memories of mangoes from the unruled notebook in prose poem style. It has everything rolled into one short entry. Perfect.

N is for Nose Jobs http://theartofnotgettingpublished.blogspot.com/2016/04/n-is-for-nose-jobs.html
Some of the details in this article actually made me cringe. That definitely deserves a blue ribbon! Thank you to Susan Brody at THE ART OF NOT GETTING PUBLISHED for an article well researched and written.

O is for Observe http://ellasedge.blogspot.com/2016/04/o-is-for-observe.html  As the stress of working on all my projects for April started to take its toll, I stopped to read the post on ELLA'S EDGE and felt myself relax. At that point, I decided to enjoy each hour and let everything fall into place naturally. Blue ribbon posts deserve blue ribbon awards!

P is for People https://thebookwranglerreviews.wordpress.com/2016/04/19/p-is-for-people/
THE BOOK WRANGLER intrigued me because the actions in this post are so not me. If I were sitting next to a family on a train, I would have my nose buried in a book, not discussing the book. I know, I need to change!

Q is for Quebec National Historic Site Fortifications  http://www.yellowmellowlife.com/fortifications-of-quebec-national-historic-site/ 
I love all history of old Quebec and Bhawna from YELLOW MELLOW LIFE has posted some fascinating history and photographs of the area. But what captured my attention was the comment that after Britain invaders took over Quebec they finished building the wall to protect the city from the Americans. Sound familiar?

R is for Reviews
http://www.melissasugarwrites.com/2016/04/the-truth-about-amazon-reviews-how-to.html
Melissa Sugar over at HAVE YOU HEARD posted an enlightening guideline for book reviewers that is not only a tutorial for those who have questions about how to submit a review, but is also a great benefit for authors who are unable to express these same thoughts themselves. (Not saying I'm in that latter category, or anything.)

S is for School Days http://smidgensbitsandsnippets.blogspot.com/2016/04/school-days-school-days.html?showComment=1461322201771#c5511099367219362156
This is my favorite post today because it brought back pleasant memories of my much younger years in grade school. Thank you to Paula and her SMIDGENS, SNIPPETS, AND BITS.

T is for Truth https://architar.wordpress.com/2016/04/23/truths/ Apparently, this prose poem by Archita on A JOURNEY CALLED LIFE was just what I needed to read at that moment. It captured my attention with the first line.

U is for Under the Surface https://amywilloughbyburle.com/2016/04/25/u-is-for-under-the-surface/ This topic from Amy Willoughby-Burle struck a strong chord with me. My genealogy research sometimes crosses over into my novel writing. Getting into the hearts and souls of the people who populate the plot is one of the most entertaining parts of writing. (That was an accidental alliteration; so was that!)

V is for Vinyl Records http://justmeandrandomstuff.blogspot.com/2016/04/v-vinyl-records.html JUST ME AND RANDOM STUFF Yikes, the memories! I had a stack of vinyls as tall as me! Country Outlaws: every Waylon album; R&R, Elvis since Blue Hawaii and G.I. Blues; The Beatles, Ricky Nelson, Brenda Lee . . .

W is for Writing Groups https://writerszenblog.wordpress.com/2016/04/27/w-writing-groups/ I agree with Trisha Faye at WRITER'S ZEN BLOG that a writer's group enhances an author's life. My regret for the day was that I didn't think to write about my writer's group: Waikiki Word Wranglers!

X is for Xenophilia http://bev-thebevelededge.blogspot.com/2016/04/x-is-for-xenophilia.html My attraction to this post in THE BEVELED EDGE was that, while it was about yoga, it didn't require me to do yoga. Xenophilia is an attraction toward foreign countries, peoples and cultures.

Y is for Yes http://storydam.com/2016/04/29/writing-tips-y-is-for-yes/ The advice at STORM DAM (Everyone has a story . . . what's holding yours back?) is to say YES rather than cowering behind an immediate "no". Sometimes you do want to leap before you look. Y is also for Young Adult Books at GIRL WHO READS. http://www.girl-who-reads.com/2016/04/y-is-for-young-adult-books-atozchallenge.html I admit my choice is based on the photo of the girl wearing "tennie-runners" (yes, that's what we called them) in black and white. It also contains a great listing of YA novels.

Z is for Zebra Birthday Cakes http://www.moonrisemusing.blogspot.com/2016/04/zebra-birthday-cakes.html Several people chose Zebra as their Z-Day topic and it is always a joy to see zebras. But the set of pictures on MIDWEEK MUSINGS tickled me pink.

I'll be tweeting the above links in June . . . just for the fun of it.
If you add your link to the Post a Comment section below, I will visit and tweet your site also!

 

Z is for ZEALOUS THOUGHTS ABOUT DESTINY #AtoZChallenge

For this year's challenge, my theme is The Fun in Writing. Each of my 26 posts for April is aimed at
illustrating fun parts of an author's day. A writer doesn't only write.
Creating a story or an essay requires research, revision, editing, and lots and lots of coffee and chocolate.



Z is for ZEALOUS THOUGHTS ABOUT DESTINY

Thank you to all my fellow A to Z'ers for sharing this month of April, offering your thoughts for me to read and reading the thoughts I put forth. A special thank you to the people who planned and executed this year's April A to Z Challenge. The amount of work involved is immeasurable.

 

Although posting 26 times in one month has its drawbacks, the fun of feeling so productive is another reason I find such joy in writing on a daily basis. I have chosen my path, one filled with simple pleasures. In this, I have made my own destiny.

 

May you always have control of your destiny.

 

 

 

Keep looking up, and reach for the sky!

 

 

Following are two prose poems from my Renshi-style poetry collection.

Both reflect my thoughts about destiny and how a person must take control of their own life.

 

 

36

Strength to Live 

Desire, Strength, Commitment

three separate paths

toward achieving success* 

Each path demands dedication

a lifetime of living

no distractions along the way 

Time is so short, even

dreaming must have purpose

when each day brings new challenges 

Hurdles appear insurmountable

as age takes its toll, leaving

destiny to mold and shape itself.

 

*The true meaning of success is in the minds’ eye of the beholder.

 

37

Molding Destiny

 

A fallacy,
both the molding

and the destiny
 

The master plan

includes free will,

without restriction
 

No ending

is pre-arranged

by calendar month:
 

Play here

Marry over there

Die on schedule
 

Rather: follow

what your heart

beats in time.

 

*****  *****

 

May your zest for life never diminish in power or enthusiasm.