Writing - the ups and downs

Today when I was doing yoga to Rodney Yee’s AM yoga tape, I was reminded of how much yoga is like writing. You have to keep focused on the yoga movements or the exercise doesn’t work. When writing you have to keep your focus on the words or it doesn’t make sense. Let your mind wander and you’ve lost the writing thread. You know how hard it is to pick up a thread from the carpet. Try picking up a story once you've "dropped" it for awhile. Yoga is an exercise of the body and mind. Writing is an exercise of the mind and soul. When I sit down to write if I don’t keep my focus on my characters and my plot I won’t be able to get the two going in the same direction. AND there’s trouble when plot and character do not work together. The story is out of balance. Your job is to create harmony. And when they DO work together it’s a miracle, a melodious symphony. When sitting in seated meditation it takes willpower to focus on my breath. I use that time to be thankful and grateful. T...

Here's the site where you can find my health care article. http://www.cleveland.com/opinion/index.ssf/2010/02/detailing_health_care_realitie.html I'm sure anyone who is dealing with medical bills and insurances can identify with it. My prayer is that we get decent health care soon. Blessings to you on this Lord's Day.

Writing this blog is fun. But even more fun after writing and posting a blog is to see who reads it and what dialog it creates. A piece of writing becomes a part of something bigger when it's read and digested. A magical connection is formed between the writer and the reader. The writing serves a larger purpose when the reader feels something - sadness, joy,an "aha" moment that he or she could have written those very words. A writer needs to have some of that back. It creates a bond between writer and reader. Have you ever finished a book and wanted to "know" the writer? You want to learn everything you can about the writer and you read everything they've written to gain insight into his or her psyche. I've felt that way dozens of times. How can a writer in London know how this middle aged woman is feeling here in this tiny town in Ohio? AND express it so eloquently? This feeling is often without words - there's so much about writing that will remain...

It's been a crazy few days having my eight year old grandson, Chase Andrew, here while trying to get the article finished for The Plain Dealer, and jotting notes and scenes for the novel I'm working on. Chase loves to read and write too so while I write he writes: letters to his mom, sister, and two brothers. Or he draws pictures. One day he drew a wonderful detailed picture of Batman and all the leading characters in the movie. It's on the refrigerator, though he tells me it's a gift for his mom when he goes home. Chase is one of a set of triplets. He's highly intelligent and just as inquisitive. If I've heard, "But why Nanny, why?" Once I've heard it a million times. Chase has all the attributes of a good writer. He's not satisfied with what satisfies everyone else. He wants to know more. He wants to dig deeper. He wants the whole picture. He wants to know the motive and he needs to know what's behind all the action. And that's what ...

I spent yesterday writing an article on the issues we've had the last three months trying to connect the dots between our health care insurances and our health care bills. The article was accepted today by The Cleveland Plain Dealer and will appear in this Sunday's newspaper - a great place to have something published. The Bad News is they do not pay for unsolicited pieces. WHO KNEW? Last year they paid me for an article I sent in. This is another reflection of today's economy. To see The Plain Dealer reduced to this is sad. BUT on a happier note I'll be thrilled to get the Sunday's paper and see the article. Plus I believe it's a well written article and will get the PD plenty of feedback in letters to the editors. If you can get a copy and read it. Let me know what you think. The article should also be online Sunday. That's it for now. Spent some time today on my new novel and I'm liking it more and more. Will share more on that later. Errands tomorro...

I ran across a book review I did online about the novel, Back when we were grown-ups, by Anne Tyler. Thought someone might be interested "Like all Tyler's novels I want to live in them. I'm right there on stage with her characters living their lives, rooting for them, grieving with them. I find I often feel like "Beck" in Back When We Were Grown-ups. I'm having the wrong life. Surely the life I'm living can't be the one I'm meant to have. As Beck when she chooses one life over another and the question looms in her mind --- "What if I've taken the wrong road?" Aren't we all at some point in our lives faced with that thought? I couldn't put this book down. One cannot own too many copies of Tyler's books. Under "great storyteller" in the dictionary is the name Anne Tyler. Anyone agree? Disagree? Which Tyler book is your favorite. If you haven't tried one of her novels this is the time.

Last fall we went to visit my girlhood friend Patti and her husband, Steve, who live in Greenbank, WV. When we get together it's like going back to the late fifties. We went all through school together so share many memories. Mostly what I remember about those grade school years was the teacher constantly saying, "Patti and Bobbie, move your seats away from each other. AND stop that talking." We shared Girl Scouts, learning to put on make-up, cutting our hair, and trying to smoke, among other things. Below is one of our many adventures. PATTIE AND I BETWEEN THE AGES OF 8-10 Patti and I sneak out of her bedroom in the early morning hours into the parking lot of her dad's car towing business. Several wreckers hold court on the lot as we creep along looking in car windows. Our goal is to find the car that was brought in after last nights wreck. We find the car and crawl around inside. Patti mostly wants to be the driver and steer the car. I'm intent on finding out ab...