IWSG February 2022 Heartlights and Sunrays

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 all of the members of the Insecure Writer's Support Group. Founded by author Alex Cavanaugh (Thank you, Captain!) 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. Check out the February newsletter here.  Perusing the many tips and resources offered here is definitely worthwhile and highly rewarding, so pull up a comfy chair, or better yet -  join us!

Our awesome co-hosts for this month's posting of the IWSG are: Joylene Nowell Butler, Jacqui Murray, Sandra Cox, and Lee Lowery!

This month’s optional question is:

Is there someone who supported or influenced you that perhaps isn’t around anymore? Anyone you miss?

Yes. My dad readily comes to mind today because he would have had a birthday yesterday. Facebook is good at reminding us when friends have special days, even long after they’ve passed away. So in honor of his life and his effect on mine (never mind the fact that his account remains open), I went ahead and posted a favorite music video to his page. Never one to shower another with praise, he instead said things like “I felt I was in that room,” or “I don’t know which was more pervasive; the tension, or the earthy scent of desert rain and sandalwood,” I enjoyed writing beneath the glow of his quiet Heartlight. Now, as I write, I find I still do.

For Library Lover’s Month, I decided to check out some of the secrets librarians know that we might not. For example, you don’t have to be 100% silent, but phone etiquette is necessary. While they’re aware of their status as “refuge” for homeless folks, sleeping is prohibited. Libraries across America have installed “makerspaces” offering 3-D machines, sewing machines, video-editing stations, and social workers for anyone with nowhere else to go yet who are too tired to read.  Librarians can, and often do waive the late fee – if you have a convincing reason for being late. They never know what they’re going to find in a book drop. In addition to books, they’ve discovered sweaters, letters, keys – and a dozen donuts! Overall, any librarian will say the best part of the job is being able to help, whether suggesting an octogenarian’s next read or figuring out what bird may have lost the feather a five-year-old child found in the parking lot.

When I learned today is designated as “The Record of a Sneeze” Day (according to brownielocks.com), I had to know more. Aside from the record number of sneezes in a row, placed at an unbelievable 976 days, held by a woman from the UK, the story is commonly known as Fred Ott’s Sneeze. It’s actually the oldest surviving motion picture with a copyright and was produced by Edison Manufacturing Company in 1894. The 5-second silent black and white film was shot by William K.L. Dickson and featured Fred Ott (Thomas Edison’s assistant) sneezing after sniffing a pinch of snuff.

Wishing everyone a month of gorgeous sunrays – Happy writing!

  

What's So Funny?

Welcome, all! You’re just in time for the monthly (1^st Wednesday) on-line gathering of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group, where you’ll find helpful tips, handy resources, the latest trends in publishing, and a comfortable place for hundreds of writers – just like you and I – to  share our writing journeys! 

Feel free to meander and mingle. Our gracious co-hosts this month are:

Erika Beebe, Natalie Aguirre, Jennifer Lane, MJ Fifield, Lisa Buie-Collard, and Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor!

Even if you’re not there yet, sooner or later, your writing journey will undoubtedly lead you to the marketing stage, and this month’s IWSG Newsletter happens to offer invaluable guidelines for effective promotions! 

For member news and often funny movie reviews, our founder, Alex Cavanaugh has it all!  

Speaking of funny…

One sweltering morning on the somewhat crowded beach of a seaside village, I sought shelter in the shade of a utility pole to crack open a new book while my camping comrades, each in varying stages of late-night aftermath, laid sprawled around the camp beneath dampened towels and rapidly melting icepacks. Not more than a few pages into the book, I laughed right out loud and chuckled for several seconds after. At that unmistakable, “somebody’s staring at me” feeling, I glanced up to find that, in fact, everyone in camp was staring at me. “What was so funny?” they wanted to know. “Was I reading a comedy?” 

Actually, it was a Stephen King novel. So, it wasn’t exactly a comedy. But the spontaneous burst of laughter made me feel I could handle whatever the King of horror had in store for me. After all, I’d already connected on a realistic level with the fictional main character. 

According to “Dessert First” author Dean Gloster there are at least seven good reasons to include a bit of humor in serious fiction. I tend to agree, though I’m not (usually) a comedian. 

But what, exactly, is funny to whom? I decided to do a little research by way of interviewing a couple of my younger friends whose responses had my eyebrows twitching: Adult humor – whether they ‘get’ it or not, metaphorical sarcasm, and Dad jokes. 

Dad jokes?  “The fattest knight at King Arthur’s round table was Sir Cumference. He acquired his size from too much pi.”  ~ boredpanda.com  

“Oh,” I said, “the jokes dads tell.” Like when I asked my dad (many, many moons ago) what he thought of my new (fake) perfume called “Evening in Paris” and he replied “Afternoon at the Garbage Dump.” Hmm, I think I’ll stick with the first two responses – at least for what I’m working on now.

Question of the Month: What personal traits have you written into your character(s)? 

While I’d much rather live vicariously through my characters, I’m sure there’s an inadvertent bit of me in many of them. For instance, in the acrophobic elevator mouse, a warrior with the sniffles, a ghostly bus stop dweller; befriending lonely riders. And then there’s the ghost who doesn’t know he is one – or does he?

Do you appreciate humor in literature? Do you use it in your writing? Do you know a funny ‘Dad Joke’?

I may be a bit slower with visiting this time around, but no worries, I’ll see you soon!

Watchful Eyes

Welcome Readers and fellow Writers, to the March 2019 online meeting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Founded by author Alex Cavanaugh and comprised of writing members just like you (and me), featuring writing tips, resources, articles, contests, and IWSG swag! See what we’re all talking about here and join us as we share our writing journeys.

*We meet on the first Wednesday of every month – join us and enjoy!

Visit our gracious Co-hosts, and let them know you’re here:  Fundy Blue, Beverly Stowe McClure, Erika Beebe, and Lisa Buie-Collard!

               Oh – and this month’s Newsletter is a must-read for everyone!

Happy 65^th day of 2019! Only 300 days left to finish writing those novels.

Have you ever had one of those months you just wanted to tear off the calendar and shred into confetti-sized pieces? Having done so, I feel better now ;-) But, I sure missed visiting my blogging friends, and have yet to get back to any semblance of a writing routine, though I have managed to do some reading. Next best thing, right? 

After finishing two books and starting another, I decided to check the inbox reserved exclusively for all things ‘writing’ and managed to rekindle at least a partial sense of belonging in a summer pool on opening day. By the way, the weather here is beautiful, now. I hope it is where you are too.

Anyway, Publishing Trends always provides insightful articles of interest such as:

Publishing as it currently relates to reaching the reluctant reader. While this may present a difficulty for traditional publishers, I think technology today provides a somewhat independent curatorship we as writers can certainly take advantage of. Kim Briggs suggests things we may have already figured out here.

“Substantially all ideas are secondhand” Mark Twain consoled, in a letter to his friend Helen Keller on the subject of her first book and subsequent fall from literary grace for (gasp!) plagiarism. To be fair, she was only 11 years old when she wrote “The Frost King” but it’s easy to honestly (cryptomnesia) do, nearly impossible to prove, and, as Helen Keller replied “I have ever since been tortured by the fear that what I write is not my own,” Gulp. Careful out there, folks. 

Now that I’ve seen how terribly realistic they look, I’ll not be employing the Fake Snake idea I talked about last month. I couldn’t bring myself to touch one ;-) Instead, I’m considering an Owl box as a more natural form of pest control. I think this guy pictured on the left had taken a wrong turn the day he stopped to watch me at my desk, but I wouldn’t mind if he returned. I accomplished a good amount of writing under his watchful eye ;-)

“I dream of painting and then I paint my dream” ~ Vincent Van Gogh

 If you were to send a message in a bottle what would you say?

IWSG - Oct 2018 - All in Good Time

Welcome Readers and fellow Writers, to the October 2018 virtual meeting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Founded by author Alex Cavanaugh and comprised of writing members just like you (and me), featuring writing tips, resources, articles, contests, and IWSG swag! See what we’re all talking about here and join us as we share our writing journeys.

*We meet on the first Wednesday of every month – join us and enjoy!

Happy Balloons Around the World Day!

This is my 41^st consecutive IWSG post, but many have been involved a lot longer. There’s always something going on in our group. For instance, just last week (9/24) there was this outstanding guest post by Lynda Dietz, and I’m sure more than a few of us are working on submissions for this year’s IWSG Anthology Contest. 

Can you believe it’s the 40^th week of 2018? That’s right, only 92 days left till National Fruitcake Toss Day (January 3^rd).  Remember, if you don’t toss it away, you’re supposed to keep it until Christmas and give it (anonymously?) to someone as a gift.

Though I don’t recall ever having too many, I miss those days when time seemed to stand still enough to hear a butterfly or at least imagine the sound of its delicate wings. 

I started a year-long writing project in January, and have been fairly good at keeping up with weekly requirements, in addition to ordinary obligations that sometimes resemble a game of Asteroids. I submitted two stories over the summer (one rejection, one as yet unknown) I’ve even jotted down a few ideas for the April 2019 A to Z Blogging Challenge as I look ever forward to finishing the aforementioned January project. Am I worried that I’m two weeks behind? Nah. All in good time ;-)

After all, on this day in 1945, a ten-year-old Elvis Presley made his first public appearance singing “Old Shep” He won 5th place.  I doubt he worried, but he certainly kept trying.

Then again, in the words of Sinclair Lewis, the first American winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature:  “NOW is a fact that cannot be dodged,” and with that in mind, I’d best get busy and leave you with a question: What is something you frequently lose or misplace?