Blogging A to Z - Reflection

 

Congratulations, Blogging A to Z survivors!

By mid-March, I had a complete alphabetical list of “Common (Communal) Places” you might find readers, all of which I planned to visit (virtually) for this 2021 Blogging A to Z Challenge. This was going to be easy – and so much fun, I thought. During the last week of March, I was already writing posts – well ahead of the game. Until the letter G. 

Upon returning to a website I’d checked out weeks earlier, I discovered that in this perfectly turbulent era, the bookshop was (now) “CLOSED INDEFINITELY” Uh oh. In order to recommend these places, they ought to be accessible, open to the public, or still in business at the very least. I had some further investigating to do. 

I made a ton of phone calls, many of them delightfully memorable. One such call was me saying, “Hi! You’re open!” to which came the sleepy reply, “Let me get my pants on, and we will be,” Aren’t those Mom and Pop shops the best?  I paid more attention to time zones after that ;-)

All in all, I had a blast! The Scavenger Hunt (a fabulous idea!) was also fun. I hope this is offered next year – no, how about from here on out! That way, I can concentrate on finding more than eight items ;-)  Less Beaten Paths, Crackerberries, The Other Side, Weekends in Maine, and What a Journey had the items I found. Often, the blogs I read were so good I forgot to notice if they contained a hidden treasure.  I can’t wait to read where all the rest were hidden.

Big hugs and many thanks to Arlee Bird, founder of this sensational challenge, and J Lenni, Captain of the challenge, for checking in on me!  This was by far the least expensive shopping spree I’ve ever been on, but I did pick up a t-shirt ;-)

Happy blogging, everyone!

 

IWSG May - Switching Gears for Flat Tires

 

Welcome readers, writers, authors, and bloggers!

For the fifth time this year, it's the First Wednesday of the month when we celebrate IWSG Day, 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 fabulous views and exciting news that occurs along our fascinating writing journeys. Pull up a chair and join us!

Our awesome co-hosts for this month's posting of the IWSG are: 

 Erika Beebe, PJ Colando, Tonja Drecker, Sadira Stone, and Cathrina Constantine! 

I know I say this every year, but that's because it bears repeating – It's National Get Caught Reading Month! I'm reading my 14^th book (so far) this year.  What are you reading?

Before long, I'll get back to writing again. Unlike my previous work, I'm writing as a Planner rather than a Panster. But here's the thing; I wrote the first seven or eight chapters as a panster. But that was before life (never to be outdone) lobbed tiny hardballs of hardships and sudden halleluiahs.  Oh yes, and COVID. It's relatively easy to get back to reading after a distraction or two. Distractions while writing had the effect of letting the air out of my tires.

Now that kids are, for the most part, back in school, distractions are fewer. Switching to planning as part of my Plan B was just what I needed to get rolling again ;-)  By the way, May is Homeschool awareness Month, though I'm fairly certain few are unaware.

Have you ever switched gears?

On this day in 1816, a poem by an as yet unknown writer was published in a local weekly paper. The sonnet and those that followed fueled deep admiration for the young romantic lyric poet whose reputation continued to grow long after his early demise. His first publication could easily be my favorite:

"To Solitude" by John Keats

This month's IWSG optional question is:  
Has any of your readers ever responded to your writing in a way that you didn't expect? If so, did it surprise you?

Since I write with no expectations, I'm pretty much always surprised ;-)

 

 

Happy Mother's Day!

"Usually, the triumph of my day is, you know, everyone making it to the potty." ~ Julia Roberts