Welcome readers, writers, authors, and bloggers!
We’re glad you’re here!
It's the First Wednesday of the month; when we celebrate IWSG Day in the form of a blog hop featuring members and guests of
the Insecure Writer's Support Group. Founded by author Alex Cavanaugh (Thank
you, Captain!) and fostered by like-minded associates, IWSG is a comfortable
place to share views and literary news from our perspective writing desks as we
record our journeys. Check out the May newsletter here
Our awesome co-hosts
this month are: Joylene Nowell Butler, Ronel Janse van
Vuuren, Meka James, Victoria Marie Lees, and M Louise Barbour! Feel free to hop around and say hello to everyone!
The optional question for this
month is: When you’re working
on a story, what inspires you?
Depending on the setting of a particular story, I
like to have a reminder handy. A walk in the forest, a view of the ocean.
Sometimes I sit in the dark on the patio and listen to the sounds of the night.
There’s always a dog or two (usually mine) barking in the distance. Crickets
are terrific watch-bugs; going silent when an intruder nears. With the
exception of javelina herds that stink to high heaven (you don’t have to see
them to know they’re near), aroma therapy is always nice. Lavender is my
peaceful favorite. Sandalwood goes well with a lot of the stories I write.
I can’t wait to hear what inspires you!
It’s Get Caught Reading month once again.
How many have you read so far this year?
In honor of Lumpy Rug Day I’ve
started a quick little mystery about how a rug might get lumpy ;-) Care to join
me?
Have a wonderful month – call your Mom or send her a
smile from your heart.
Nighttime noises are always peaceful.
ReplyDeleteIndeed they are ;-)
DeleteI like lavender, too. And my dogs are also usually the ones barking :-)
ReplyDeleteRonel visiting for IWSG day Joining the Creator Economy
Hi Ronel!
DeleteMaybe our dogs are conversing ;-)
Thanks for co-hosting!
I love lavender and sandlewood too. I'll have to try just sitting outside listening to nature at night as soon as it warms up here.
ReplyDeleteHi Natalie!
DeleteI think winter has, at last, released its bony-fingered grasp around here. I hope it does for you real soon ;-)
Happy writing!
The music of nature is a perfect way to regenerate the enthusiasm for writing.
ReplyDeleteHi Lee!
DeleteOh, it so is! Are you still enjoying the patio deck you put in a while back? I bet it's perfect for reflecting.
Have an inspiring month!
I'm waiting for the rain to go away, and then it's me and the deck all the way!
DeleteExcellent! ;-)
DeleteWhen I lived in the mountains in TN years ago, I started writing so much. For one thing I wasn't employed at the time so I had plenty of time. But my surroundings were so beautiful that I stayed inspired. My hikes in the woods were an extra bonus of relaxation. Wonderful times.
ReplyDeleteLeee
You are so right about the power of the woods - of nature itself - in terms of inspiration, Lee.
DeleteMuch as I love the desert, it isn't quite the same as a walk in the woods.
Wishing you a month of pleasant surprises!
Almost anything can inspire me. Dreams. Books. Movies. A question popping in my brain. It's interesting to see what sparks it.
ReplyDeleteKeep your writing supplies handy ! ;-) You may be on a roll.
DeleteI have to find out about lumpy rug day! I love that.
ReplyDeleteOops! I should have put this under my inital comment. Oh well.
DeleteJavelina herds? That's one I had to look up. ☺ Communing with nature is always inspirational and I love the night, especially when lounging on the back deck in summer. There's something magical about crickets chirping! How does one celebrate Lumpy Rug Day? Another one to ask Google about. Your posts are always fascinating, diedre.
ReplyDeleteHi Debbie!
DeleteIt's a shame the little Reds (as baby javelina are called) are so cute. Folks have a hard
time resisting them ;-)
Aren't crickets interesting? They are often featured in children's stories because kids think so too.
Depending on the cause of a given "lumpy rug" there are a number of remedies - before celebrations, of course ;-) Question: When confronted with a lump, do you peek under the rug to see what it is, or simply straighten it out with your toe?
We're definitely insync. Thanks for visiting my blog, Deidre.
ReplyDeleteGood to see you, Joylene. Thanks for co-hosting. Happy May!
DeleteHi, Diedre! I think you are the first person who I've seen mention smells as inspiration. Definitely I'm smelling hot, creamy coffee when I'm writing. I think of it as a necessity though, not an inspiration. I'm glad that I don't have javelina herds nearby. I'd be much more hesitant about romping around in the bushes in our nearby park. Our crickets haven't arrived yet. But when they do, we definitely know it because they chirp loudly all night long. In Nova Scotia, where I come from, crickets are a sign of good luck, especially if they get inside your house. My Grandmother MacDonald had a little cricket cage to hold a cricket in (only for a little while, and she always gave them a sprinkle of sugar to snack on). Enjoy May!
ReplyDeleteI think it started with the smell of fresh-cut grass. Memories of carefree days that led to stories of childhood adventures.
DeleteI hadn't heard of crickets being a sign of good luck, but I could get on board with that ;-)
dIEDRE ~
ReplyDeleteIt's been a long time since I've written anything. But back when that was a "thing" for me, I would sometimes listen to certain types of music / songs to get me into the correct frame of mind. (Consuming Kahlua was also a favorite warm-up for my writing disasters.)
However, I love your idea of aromatherapy for additional inspiration. If I ever go back to writing again (not likely), I will definitely try that.
Believe it or not, I actually DO have diffusers in my house - two of them! One of my favorite aromas is 'Evening In Pasadena', which always reminds me of my Grandma Gertrude's double-wide at the trailer park.
OK, OK... seriously now--- One of my favorite aromatherapy oils is Patchouli. It seems that back when I spent a lot of time in New Age bookstores, they were always filled with the scent of Patchouli. So, to me, it just seems kind of Spiritual smelling. (I'm pretty sure that's what the caterpillar was smokin' in 'Alice In Wonderland'. ;^)
~ D-FensDogG
Hi there, Steven T.!
DeletePatchouli. Oh, you take me back in time. I didn’t know there were still people (like me) who experienced not only the heady scent, but associated a certain spiritual repose with it as well. I’d arrived at the brightly painted hole-in-the-wall fully expecting to see the quaint little space reserved for what had been the ballet studio where I’d spent three days out of every week for the better part of ten years of my (young) life. It was jaw-dropping, yet irresistible. I had to go in. It was a total infusion of sight, sound (Cat Stevens was singing about longer boats), and smell, and I was enthralled. I didn’t even mind the beads that hung from the ceiling (for no apparent reason) getting caught in my hair! I wrote two poems on the bus ride home as the scent of patchouli lingered in my nose and on my clothes. Burberry has the same effect ;-)
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteI never thought about crickets being "watch bugs," Diedre. I guess they do quiet when someone or something comes near. Ahh, sitting in the patio at night. Peaceful. I like lavender, too. And Lily of the Valley and lilacs.
ReplyDeleteAll best to you!
Thank you, Victoria ;-)
DeleteBeautiful blog
ReplyDeletePlease read my post
ReplyDelete