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Wednesday, September 2, 2020

IWSG - The Form of Stories

 


Welcome readers, writers, authors, and bloggers!

You’re just in time for IWSG Day, which occurs the first Wednesday of every month in the form of a blog hop featuring all of the members of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. Founded by Alex Cavanaugh and fostered by like-minded associates, IWSG is a place to share the awesome views and exciting news that occurs along our fascinating writing journeys. Pull up a chair and join us!

Our gracious co-hosts this month are:  PJ Colando, J Lenni Dorner, Deniz Bevan, Kim Lajevardi, Natalie Aguirre, and Louise - Fundy Blue!

Our Optional Question of the Month is:  If you could choose one author, living or dead, to be your beta partner, who would it be, and why?  Oh, this is easy. I would love to have Zilpha Keatley Snyder as my partner! From the very first sentence of her book The Velvet Room: “When the tire went flat for the third time that day, it went with a bang.” I was absolutely captivated by the familiar sincerity with which she crafted an atmospheric haven for an overcast life on a black and white page. To this day, I’m inspired by her work.

September is Be Kind to Editors and Writers Month, which is pretty much every day around here ;-) Happy September, everyone!

It’s also Shameless Promotion month! But I’ll save it for another day ;-)

At a time when we’re all looking for something to do besides screen time, movie binging and frequent trips to the fridge – by the way, this gospel singer delightfully nails it -

It’s good to see some of the “old” past times coming back. For instance, knitting, baking, jigsaw puzzles, and board games. And while many creative arts venues are temporarily shuttered, there are a surprising amount of ancient almost-lost arts finding their way back.


Such as Amezeiku – The Japanese art of candy sculpture for which a Takumi (craftsman) has barely five minutes to artfully form (with his fingers) a nearly 200-degree Fahrenheit dollop of candy into the realistic shape of say, a sea turtle, koi, or an octopus – on a stick before the confection hardens. Looks too pretty to eat, don’t you think?

Anyone out there helping out with homeschool?

“If history were told in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten,” ~ Rudyard Kipling

Happy Writing!

 

23 comments:

  1. I had no idea it was be kind to editors and writers month! I think that should be all year round :p

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  2. Hi, diedre!

    Happy September to you, dear friend!

    I smiled all the way through the delightful Quarantune "The Fridge Again!!" performed by KD French and her clones. Thanks for linking to it! Binging on Netflix might not burn any calories, but at least it doesn't pack them on like repeat trips to the fridge.

    I agree that it's nice to see life's simple pleasures and low tech/no tech games making a comeback during the pandemic. Today I am returning from a nine day blogging hiatus during which I completely unplugged from social media and stopped and smelled the roses. Lo and behold, they smell pretty good. Who knew?

    I am amazed by the example of Amezeiku, the Japanese art of candy sculpture. I'm afraid all I could produce in the span of five minutes would be burnt, sticky fingers.

    Thank you very much for the interesting tidbits, dear friend diedre. Have a safe, healthy and happy September!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Shady!

      Good to see you too ;-)

      KD French and her music video made this blistering summer a lot more bearable ;-)

      A nine day hiatus? Wonderful! What did you do?

      Thanks for coming, my friend.
      Happy September to you as well!

      Delete
  3. I like that it is be kind to editors and writers month.

    And yes, it is kind of cool that some of the simple pleasures we used to enjoy are becoming popular again.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Natalie!

      In this group can you think of more deserving people to be kind to? (grin)

      Home games are great. I enjoy Bingo and scrabble.

      Happy September!

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    2. dIEDRE ~

      I would NEVER, EVER challenge you in a game of Scrabble! I'd challenge Mike Tyson to a boxing match or Saint Paul to a theology match before I would challenge YOU to a Scrabble match!

      Fun Fact: I'm working as an assistant manager of a mobile home park, and the manager of the park recently told me that one reason she wanted to hire me was because she thought my everyday vocabulary would intimidate many of the tenants here. She shoulda hired YOU instead o' me! :-D

      ~ Stephen
      D-FensDogG of the
      Loyal American Underground

      Delete
    3. Hi,

      Aw, a Scrabble match would be fun!

      Smart woman, your boss ;-)

      What do you know, we're in the same industry!

      Delete
    4. >>... "same industry"??

      Are you also babysitting 300 two-year-olds in a mobile home park?

      ~ D-FensDogG
      'STEPHEN T. McCARTHY REVIEWS...'

      Delete
    5. Ha! Not exactly. We are noteholders. Therefore, we're not always as popular as friendly intellectual park managers ;-)

      Delete
  4. Actually it looks like it would be a little painful to eat. That is impressive though.
    We've always played games and done puzzles. We're just exciting like that.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Alex!

      Haha! I hadn't thought of the candy being difficult to eat ;-)

      "Exciting like that," I love it!

      Delete
  5. I had no idea September was Be Kind to Editors and Writers Month. Good to know, My blog post goes well with that. lol

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  6. Your author/beta partner is a new name to me, but I too like that opening sentence example. Sounds like an apt description of 2020.

    I didn't much like history in school because it seemed like it involved too much memorization of dates and names, but when I started seeing history as a long continuing and highly fascinating story I became very interested in history. Now I prefer history to fiction. My favorite movies are those "based on a true story". I'd hate to see history becoming erased as many would like to see. So much we can learn from history.

    Arlee Bird
    Tossing It Out

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  7. Hi Lee!

    Ha! I guess it does sound eerily like 2020.

    I agree with you about how compelling a story history itself is. That's partly why I think it's so important to preserve it.

    Good to see you, Lee!

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  8. Zilpha's first line definitely hit it out the park. Great choice!

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  9. Happy Writing, Diedre! Thanks for introducing me to Zilpha Keatley Snyder. She sounds like an author that I would enjoy reading. I'm making bread again and working through a lot of jigsaw puzzles. But then I've always loved jigsaw puzzles. All I can say is, "God love the parents who are dealing with homeschooling!" It is so hard to do that along with everything else. Take care! Happy writing!

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    Replies
    1. Is there anything as heavenly as the aroma of freshly baked bread? I'll bring butter!

      Happy baking, reading - and writing!

      Delete
  10. Howdy, dIEDRE ~

    >>... And while many creative arts venues are temporarily shuttered

    Well, I hate to be the messenger of bad news, but I wouldn't buy much stock in that word "temporarily" - at least not until a new vaccine is available and... mandatory. (And the word "mandatory" should tell you plenty about how much you should trust it and how quickly you should rush out to get it.)

    Amezeiku -- Hokey-Smoke! That's amazing! Never even heard of it before. But that candy fish is so lifelike that I, as a vegetarian, would be reluctant to lick it. (Wait! What's *this*!! Scales on my candy?!! Why, you faker candy-maker fisherman!!)

    >>... I would love to have Zilpha Keatley Snyder as my partner!

    Dang! I never even heard o' her! You just popped the balloon of my delusion about being a well-edjukated man.

    Back to the drawing board for moi.

    ~ D-FensDogG
    'FERRET-FACED FASCIST FRIENDS'

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    Replies
    1. Howdy, Stephen T!

      Nah, I won't be rushing out to purposely "get" anything that hasn't been tested on those who peddle it.

      I had a sculptured candy rooster for years before I traded it for a bell for my bicycle. I was shocked when the kid tore the wrapper off and popped it in his mouth! I never guessed it was edible ;-)

      Thanks for stopping by!

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    2. >>... I was shocked when the kid tore the wrapper off and popped it in his mouth! I never guessed it was edible

      That's *hilarious*!!
      I literally GOL'd (Guffawed-Out-Loud!) the moment I read that. I thought fer shure my Brother would axe me what made me laugh but... he didn't. (I guess he was napping for the 12th time today.)

      ~ D-FensDogG
      STMcC Presents BATTLE OF THE BANDS

      Delete

Any thoughts? Join the conversation, comments welcome here!