I am struggling to come up with something to write tonight. I have my 20 minutes to fill and nothing of any note is springing to mind. Hmmm. What to write about? My eyes are crossing. I am so sleepy. It is 7:36 pm. The sun went down around 4:45 and, like a little bird,…
Category: Timed Writing
Writing Frustrations or How Not to Write a Novel…
I have been struggling today with my new novel, working out the structure using John Truby’s The Anatomy of Story. It’s difficult because I started with an image and have written probably sixty or seventy pages of this novel, but realize that I have a big problem. My main character, a 17-year-old girl, is not…
The Power of Our Democracy
This is my husband Ray and two of our three daughters, Liz and Rachael, at 8 am on our way to the polls. Before leaving home, we pulled out our Voter Guides and went over all the propositions and measures so we could make informed decisions. Our voting location is in a garage of a…
Leonard Cohen Does Not Disappoint
Tonight we went to see Leonard Cohen at the Nokia Theater. The show was sold out. This was a Father’s Day gift from our daughter Liz. This was the 2nd time I’ve seen Leonard Cohen in the past 3 years. He is one of my favorite singer/ songwriters, and the fact that he is still…
On the Road Again & Thoughts on Political Differences
Here are Cordelia and Sammie in their bed on our return journey to California. We left north central Texas at 6 pm and are just arriving in Amarillo at midnight. Tomorrow we hope to have a long day on the road, stopping in either Kingman, AZ or Barstow, CA. This time we plan on 2…
Texas and Our “Little” House Renovation
I am here in Texas where the weather has been beautiful. We’ve had cool breezes – but not too cool – and clear skies. We have been doing a lot of work on our guesthouse here, getting it ready to rent, so we’ve been outside a lot. The wind has been blowing from the south,…
Hurricane Sandy’s Aftermath
I watched a news show with Brian Williams tonight showing the devastation in New York, Statin Island, and New Jersey in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. It was disturbing to see such loss; upsetting to see such human suffering. Hopefully, the Red Cross and FEMA are on their way to Statin Island, in particular. People…
Halloween at the Dallas Opera
We are in Dallas at the Dallas Opera Center for a performance of Aida. We are with our friends Darrah Dunn and Shann Schubert from Sherman, Texas. This is our Halloween treat to ourselves, a night out with close friends enjoying the new Winspear Center. The lights are about to go down. The orchestra is…
Hurray! Two Publications.
I am happy to report that two of my memoir pieces have been accepted for publication: one in the 2012 Story Circle Network hard copy anthology and the other in the SCN online anthology. The best part is that both of these pieces came from right here: my blog. I wrote them in my 20…
One Nation
I am standing in front of the space heater which is glowing orange while I write this post on my phone. It is cold here – in the 30’s – and I look forward to warm covers and a soft bed. My thoughts and prayers go out to all those on the east coast who…
20 Minutes a Day 