Thought
To think and to imagine are inseparable twin cities of the mind. There is quite a varied list of meanings for these two words. Merriam-Webster defines the transitive and intransitive verb for think’ to include definitions like ponder, consider, anticipate, remember, meditate, reason, and suspect. Roget’s Super Thesaurus, 4th edition adds these synonyms: contemplate, concentrate, analyze, reflect, conceive, evaluate and more. This is the first definition of imagination’ from Merriam-Webster: ”The act or power of forming a mental image of something not present to the senses or never-before wholly perceived in reality.” Roget’s synonyms include: the mind’s-eye, mental imagery, fabrication, visualization illusion, reverie, dream world,Read More →
I Killed the Chocolate Chips
I killed the chocolate chips. Again. That makes me a repeat offender. The first time was bad enough. Doing it again was plain stupid. Which brings me to a horrible insight. Am I unable to learn from my mistakes? How to Avoid Mistake Number 1: Don’t be in a hurry. It all started last night. I had no sweets in the house. My chocoholic self needed chocolate chip cookies. Immediately. I’ve fooled around with the traditional Nestle Toll House recipe so I use rice flour, honey and melted butter instead of the traditional ingredients of white flour, white and brown sugar and shortening. But theRead More →
Editing
The toughest thing about being a writer is accepting the fact that you have to revise. A LOT. It’s the only way to write well. It’s all fine and dandy to get that great inspirational idea and put it down on paper as fast as possible. That’s just the first step. Revising is what writing is all about–choosing the perfect word or words to express that exact emotion, idea, phrase, visual. Writers have a lot more in their heads than they put down on paper. That’s why we need critique groups, friends and family who will read our stuff. Once the first draft is finished,Read More →
This Little Piggy Went To The Market
”This Little Piggy Went To The Market” — A London nursery rhyme I would amend it to add – ”And Squealed All The Way”. For me, there is a big difference between going shopping and going to the market. Shopping means I’m going to buy something I want. There is excitement and anticipation involved. Going to the market means I have to buy food or some other necessity. One is fun; the other is work. This equates to writing in a big way. I love writing, even when I spend months shopping for the perfect words and ideas. My imagination takes me to worlds of unseenRead More →
For October
“There’s A Spider in My Shower” by Denice Hughes Lewis There’s a spider in my shower A hangin’ in the air. I wonder just exactly what it thinks it’s doing there. I sent no invitation, And surely didn’t call. It has a lot of nerve to crawl into my shower stall. I am not that child called Muffet. This isn’t really rain. I understand its plight for down below there is a drain. Do you think it needs a cleanin’ For all those little feet? Or maybe some shampoo to make it smell all spicy sweet? Perhaps a tiny song or two, Is forming inRead More →
A Tribute to Elizabeth Wolfarth, a writer
I didn’t know Liz well. We met twice at dinner parties given by a mutual writing friend. I was immediately struck by the distinguished lady with the gorgeous white hair. Her eyes were full of intelligence and wisdom. We corresponded online as we lived in different towns. If I needed advice on what I was writing, I would ask Liz. We traded children’s picture book manuscripts and juvenile and young adult projects we were working on. Her insight was invaluable to me. She enriched my life. Elizabeth epitomized what is means to be a writer . She never gave up on her dreams. She wasRead More →