IWSG: May 2024

 It's difficult to believe it's 2024 and soon to be summer. I do love the hot weather nearly as much as I love IWSG. Please share all you insecurities with the participants on this list and my usual thanks and appreciation to the IWSG admins and our founder, Alex J. Cavanaugh.

This month's optional question: How do you deal with distractions when you are writing? Do they derail you?

I tend to write late at night after most distractions are already in bed. This is a holdover from my years teaching when the only time I had to myself was usually between 9PM and midnight. It's still my most productive time.

In the meantime, I'm about 40K into the new novel. The ideas are coming too fast and I can't keep up. It's fun to be there again.

"You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have." Maya Angelou

Only two weeks until the Pennwriters Annual Conference. Can't wait. I'll share any writing tidbits I pick up with you next month. For the first time in years, the bookseller will be selling some of my books at the conference book sale. Hoping to gain some new fans.

We're lucky to have Hank Phillippi Ryan as our keynote. Her books are great and she's a tremendous speaker.  Our other keynote, Timons Esaias, has been an instructor in a MFA for creative writing program for years. He's published many poems and short stories in speculative fiction magazines. I've attended his workshops numerous times in the past. He's a winner and very entertaining.

I'm looking forward to watching Shardlake on Hulu starting today. I've been a fan of those books for years and I do love historical thrillers and mysteries. In the meantime, I've been watching Beacon 23 on Amazon. I read that book a long time ago, and I don't remember at all how the story spools out.

Keeping busy with the warmer weather with walking, jogging, and riding bike. I feel strong but I haven't really lost any weight. Sigh...

"Nothing is impossible, the word itself says, 'I'm possible!'" Audrey Hepburn

Are you easily distracted when writing? Do you usually write at a certain time of day? Have you a favorite writer you'd like to hear as an inspirational speaker?

IWSG: June 18 Version

June? How can it be? It's the first Wednesday so that means IWSG blog hop time. Please visit the IWSG site to hear about the 2018 anthology they're putting together. Also, check out the list of all the participants in this awesome group.

This month's optional question: What's harder for you to come up with, book titles or character names?

I used to have no trouble coming up with titles for my books and series. Lately, I've had more difficulty. My publisher has even helped me with suggestions and we've worked together to find the best one. Character names have always been a challenge so no change there. Sigh...

I attended a hilarious but information workshop session at Pennwriters led my Timons Esaias. Timons teaches in a MFA program at Seton Hill University so he has lots of experience reading and grading his students writing samples. The title of his workshop was More Stuff Tim Is Tired Of and he had an hour's worth of cliches, common mistakes, and damnable habits. One of the things he talked about that writers should stop doing is using character names with weird spellings like substituting a 'y' for an 'i' or an 'e' so the name looks exotic. Or making up a name that is impossible to pronounce. He claims fantasy writers are especially guilty of this.

Some wisdom from the Old Farmer's Almanac.
Astronauts can become up to 2 inches taller in space because there is less gravity. 
The Atlantic Hurricane Season runs from June 1st through November 30th.

I do like summer heat but another great part of summer is fresh salads. I love fresh fruits and veggies. I'm not growing my own this summer but there are two produce stands close by. Our local snapping turtle resident has been making daily appearances around the homestead. And the new fawns are sneaking out into the back acres. Their barely the size of a tall cat. Adorable.

Is coming up with names or titles in your writing difficult for you? Do you agree with Timon's naming irritants? Is gravity on Earth making you shorter? Will hurricane season impact your neck of the woods? Are you having more wildlife sightings recently?