To cheat or not to Cheat

Warning, this is a classic Prudence MacLeod rant.

To cheat or not to cheat, that is the question. My answer is a big fat not. Oh, I wanted to, still do, but I just can’t. What the heck am I talking about? National Novel Writing Month, or whatever it is called.

You see, like a fool, I signed up for this at one of the busiest times I’ve had in years. Ok, 50,000 words in thirty days is tough, but I’ve done 80k+ in less time than that, so I know it is doable. So, how could you cheat? Well, the thing is pretty much run on the honor system, so I could pull a half finished manuscript out of mothballs and finish it off.

Yes, that would be a cheat, but I’m not alone here. I’ve seen several writers on Twitter boasting of how they already have their outline finished, characters sketched out, plot mapped out, and worlds created ready to go. So, I know I’ll catch a lot of flack for this, but it is a cheat. They’ve already got a month’s work done and only have to flesh it out. How is that different from me?

Things I Love Old Dogs and Small Children

The line in the song goes, “Old dogs and children, and watermelon wine.” Now, I’ve never tasted watermelon wine, but I can vouch for the old dogs and children.

There’s nothing as sweet or comforting as an old dog, sleeping with its head in your lap, tail occasionally thumping. Old dogs will share space with you, filling it with gentle loving energy. Dogs channel a special energy anyway, but older dogs bring that contentment energy. An old dogs, sleeping in the sun, exudes that level of contentment we would all love to achieve.

Picture this, it’s a blustery night, the wind howling the house, I’m in my chair, knitting in my hands, and the Labrador lying on the mat by my feet. I lightly rub him with my toe and he rolls onto his back for a belly rub, his tail wagging as he does. There is a special bond between us that cannot be explained, only enjoyed.

Have you ever spent any time with an older dog? It is a true blessing.

Small children, on the other hand, are at the opposite end of the scale. Their energy is pure exuberance. Is there any sound more delightful to the ear than a child’s squeal of laughter? I think not. Just listen to the sound of a child being tickled by its mother or tossed into the air by its father.

That is the sound of pure joy. It is pure, primal, delight, unsullied by debt, relationships, job stress or peer pressure. It is the song of a young spirit, newly arrived on this plane, one ready and willing to explore all the wonders life has to offer. That sound is soul nourishing, and I draw deeply upon it each time I hear it. Don’t you?

Well, that’s enough of my ramblings for now. Until next time, smile, life is too short to frown.

Remember folks, you can ask me anything about anything. If I don’t know the answers, or have an opinion (unlikely), I’ll make something up.

Calan

It’s that time again, you know, the part where I blow my own horn. I’ve just had my 22^nd book published. I am especially pleased to bring you the tale of Calan MacLeod (no relation, honest). This the first story in a series of five that already exist in first draft. As the months, and the revisions, roll by I will bring out all five novels in sequence. Hopefully one each month.

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/99456

Calan MacLeod has not had an easy life, but she has risen to, and met every challenge that came her way, surmounted every obstacle, overcome every setback, and now has achieved all her goals.

So what’s next? Calan has arrived, sure, but she has issues that just might prevent her from taking the next big step. Can she face the demons of her past and take that next step into a greater life? Will young Angela be her savior or the catalyst that causes her carefully constructed world to implode?

Here’s what one reader had to say:

“This book has it all; you laugh, cry, love, and then love even more. You can't help loving these characters and feeling their fears, hopes, dreams, and above all, love. I was completely enraptured from the moment I started reading until I regretfully finished. It thrills me that this is just the first book in a series of five. You could make a whole quote book with all of the poignant quotes that are tastefully scattered within these pages. I found myself highlighting sentences and paragraphs regularly. This book is SO worth reading! Thank you very much for the wonderful stories!”

Again, thanks go to the very talented Justin for the cover art.

Things I Love #12 People Watching Revisited

I’ve had a number of requests for more people watching posts, so I thought I’d give it a go. A huge spider crawling around the front step reminded me of a people watching episode many years ago.

I had gone to the local mall to do a bit of shopping. Having finished my treasure hunt, I bought an ice cream cone and sat on a bench to people watch for a while. I was near a pet shop, and enjoyed watching the children drag reluctant parents inside. I also made note of different shoppers hurrying about on errands of their own.

I was nearly finished my treat when I first saw her. She was a big woman, not tall, but big. I’d guess her to be in her late forties or early fifties. I took her for a farm wife, as she was dressed for the barn, not the mall. Her plaid shirt and mud splattered jeans had seen better days, as had the turned down rubber boots she wore on her feet.

The woman looked tired, for her shoulders sagged and her step was slow and ponderous. A face that had been quite beautiful at one time looked out at the world through sad eyes. I smiled as she passed my bench, and she gave me a wan smile in return.

Now, as so often happens in life, things can change in an instant, and so they did for this girl. She was not far from my bench when a panicked young woman bolted from the pet shop. “Nobody move, the tarantula has escaped.” Everyone instantly froze, except our farm girl.

With a scream of mixed fear and rage, she took to the air like Hulk Hogan about to land on King Kong Bundy. She gained an impressive amount of air before descending with full fury to the tiles below, a small black object disappearing beneath her boot. Still roaring her battle challenge, she continued to pound that thing with a beat that would have sent Disney’s Thumper slinking away in shame.

By the time the young clerk reached her, the tarantula was dead on the floor, no longer a tall spider, but now thinner than a sheet of paper and bigger around than a dinner plate. The woman was gasping for air, her hand over her breast.

“You’re going to pay for that,” declared the clerk as she pointed angrily at the splattered spider on the floor.

With her hand still on her breast, and drawing in long ragged breaths, the woman laid her other hand on the girl’s shoulder. “I already did, Honey. I already did.”  With that she turned away, her back straighter now, and her stride firm and strong. Yep, adrenalin is a great thing, takes years off your shoulders.

Until next time folks, happy people watching.

Great Blogs

A while ago I received a blogging award, my first one, versatile blogger. Sue there was a catch, I have to pass it along to a group of bloggers I like. No problem there, that will be fun. First, let me say a great big “thank you” to Ginger Calem whose blog can be found here; http://gingercalem.wordpress.com/  Check it out, you’ll be glad you did.

Now I’m supposed to tell you seven random things about me. No problem, I’m a random kind of gal.

1.      I’m 5’11” tall. (scary huh?)

2.      I learned to play guitar fifty years ago.

3.      It’s been 20 years since I’ve been to Scotland

4.      I can’t touch type. (Thankful for spellcheck too)

5.      I’m an early bird by nature.

6.      I often re-paint the walls when I’m bored.

7.      I believe in magic

Now for the fun part. I get to pass this award to a number of other folks whose blogs interest me. This is so cool. Here goes. The award goes to…

http://jesswords10.wordpress.com/  Jess Witkins blog is all about spooky stuff right now.

http://cynthiarobertson.wordpress.com/  Cynthia knows writing. Read her blog and learn as you are entertained.

http://melindavan.com/ Melinda VanLone, another believer in magic.

http://rachelfunkheller.wordpress.com/ Rachel Funk Heller is always fun, check out her blog.

http://dianecapri.com/ Diane Capri is always thoughtful, well worth a read.

http://soniaquinones.com/ Sonia Quinones, this gal can write just about anything, and does.

http://kristykjames.wordpress.com/ Kristy K James’ blog is well worth a read.

http://genelempp.wordpress.com/  Every list of blogs should have Gene Lempp’s name on it. Seriously.

http://myndishafer.wordpress.com/ Myndi Shafer’s blog has a new home, check it out.

http://lynnkelleyrandomactsofwriting.blogspot.com/ Lynn Kelly’s blog is always fun.

http://www.samantha-warren.com/ Samantha Warren. Dragon tamer/farm ninja, what more can I say. Check her blog, it’s great.

http://spellcheckedbycgpowell.blogspot.com/ C.G.Powell’s blog, interesting, thought provoking, and visually delightful.

http://sjdriscoll.wordpress.com/ Check this out, S.J. will give you a completely different slant on things.

Ok, this list is a completely random sampling of the blogs I like. I now pass the mantle of the Versatile Blogger off to you folks. Here’s how it works, first you thank the person who presented the award to you, list seven random facts about yourself, then pass the award on to a dozen or so of your favorite blogs. Have fun with it.

If time constraints prevent you from participating, no worries, just enjoy the award and know that you’re getting it right.

Things I love #11 Playing Dress Up

Ever play dress up as a child? Of course you did, we all did. You tied a towel around your neck for a cape and gained super powers. You put on your mom’s shoes and became a princess or an elegant lady on her way to a ball. Dad’s hard hat changed you into a logger, mom’s apron helped you become a wife and mother; we all did it.

Some of us still do. True confession time; I’m one of them. Yes, I see you at the back of the room waving your hand, you too I see. Ok, so I’m not alone, good to know. A friend says I suffer from eternal childhood syndrome. Yep, there’s no cure and frankly, I don’t want one. I love dressing up.

It is different now, since I spend most of my days in sweats or jeans and have for most of my adult life. Often now dress up is just that. When the day’s work is done, the nails driven, the weeds pulled, floors cleaned, dishes washed, laundry… (you get the idea); I play dress up. I take my time and enjoy the process of girling-up, as I call it.

To see me then you might think I was on my way out for the evening, but no, I have a hot date with a computer. It is writing time, and I like to look like a successful author when I do it.

Actually, we all still do the dress up thing, we just don’t think of it the same way. We put on the power suit for that important meeting, the special make-up for that special date, etc. dressing up allows us to tap into another part of our personality, one best suited for whenever the occasion calls for. We all have a magic cape or two around the place.

Here I am in my carpenter's disguise

This time of year is especially magical, a time when it is Ok for everybody to play dress up and become someone or something else for a night. It is a time to let that childhood imagination run free once again. How soul nurturing is that? Right?

Once again this year I will don my dark robes, fishnets and heels, flip up my hood, grab my wand and let the delightfully wicked witch of the east out to play once more. With wand in hand I shall cast “smiling spells” on everyone who crosses my path so their up coming year will be filled with smiles. Hmm, maybe I’ll throw in a “buy my books” spell too. Couldn’t hurt…

Things I love #10, People Watching

People Watching.

Things are a bit rushed this morning; I’m on my way to the city once again. Since it pays to be early to ensure a spot on the ferry, I have a bit of time to sit and wait, for such is the nature of life on an island. It gives me an opportunity to indulge in another thing I love, people watching.

I love people watching. I love the sheer variety of shapes, sizes, and colors that we humans come in. I will now describe a few I can see from here so you can share the experience with me.

There are several small groups of men standing around, smoking or with hands in pockets, shoulders slouched, drinking coffee from Styrofoam cups and complaining about life in general. Grey cloudy mornings can do that to you.

There stands an older man, quite bald, absentmindedly smoothing his comb-over down in the breeze. His younger companion has a small goatee and shaven head. Go figure. That has to be a generational thing.

Here comes an interesting fellow. He’s a big man, heavy, wearing loose clothing. His clothes are worn, but clean, his boots run down and old. He wears his graying hair cut short, mostly hidden beneath a cap with some sort of logo. His face has seen many years in the sun, deep lines surround his eyes and line his face.

It would be easy to dismiss this man as an old fat guy who was down on his luck. Let’s take a second look, for I have an idea his appearance is deceptive. Yes he has some fat on him, but that could just be a side effect of good living. His back is too straight, his shoulders too wide, his hands look like the could crush stone, and there is an easy grace to his stride.

I smile as he walks past the car. With a wink and a nod he returns the smile and now I can see where all those lines in his face came from. That is a face that has smiled a lot over the years.

He’s gone past now, but there comes an old truck, a working man’s truck, but that’s not who is driving. The door opens and a young woman steps out. She is well dressed, in heels, tall, slim, blonde, and beautiful. All eyes are on her as she alights. She smiles and calls a greeting to one of the men, who waves and smiles back.

All the men are standing taller now, their backs straighter, tummies pulled in, cigarettes cast aside, and their scowls gone. She stops to chat with different groups as she makes her way to the coffee shop, and again on her way back. She has a smile and a good word for everybody she meets on her way back.

By the time she reaches the truck everyone is smiling. Conversations have gone from complaints to idle chat about more pleasant subjects. I’m not sure if she is aware of the effect she had on everybody, but I do hope she is. I’d like to think this woman used her youth and beauty to brighten the day for everyone she encountered.

For that is exactly what she has done. Through her a goddess came and lifted the gloom from the hearts of all the people scattered about this parking lot. Because of her a number of people, men and women alike, are facing the day with a much brighter outlook.

Whoops, there comes the ferry boat. Thanks for people watching with me folks, it is one of my most favorite things to do.

Things I Love #9 An Ocean View

I’ve always loved an ocean view. I know that most folks do, and I understand that. There is something quite magical about all that restless water. It is almost hypnotic. Just a few moments of watching the waves crashing against the rocks is so very refreshing, soul nourishing, if you will. I have always felt this way.

I grew up on the Bay of Fundy. I was lulled to sleep each night by the sounds of wind and waves. When a storm comes with lots of wind, most folks stay awake, ready to run at the first sign of danger. I fall asleep.

As a child I loved the savage winter storms. Our house was old, yet sturdy, and she had withstood the storms of winter for generations before I came along. I would sit by the window and watch as the huge waves crashed against the beach, knowing there would be treasure washed ashore. I would be one of the first on the beach after the storm passed. There was always treasure of some kind.

I also loved the still times. There would be times, especially during summer, when the tides were slack and the waters would be as smooth as glass. I would sit near the water’s edge, listening to the soft lapping of the tiny waves, waves that barely curled as they lightly kissed the gravelly shore.

As an adult, I have always lived close to an ocean, although, sadly, not often with a view. I lived for many years, and both my children were born, near the Pacific Ocean. For a time I lived on the Arctic Ocean. (with a great view) and now I am back to the North Atlantic Ocean again. Our cottage is in a sheltered area, (no view) but the view is ever near. I walk my dogs almost every day, and much of our ramblings provide us with a magnificent view of the restless waters.

I guess I have the best of both worlds now, a snug home, protected from the brunt of the weather, yet with an awesome ocean view just steps away. Life is good.

Reviving an old Tradition, the Nap

Now here’s something I’ve been wondering about for a while. How come I’m so dang busy all the time? Better yet, how did I manage before I retired? I mean, I’m retired, I’m supposed to have a lot of leisure time. So, where the heck is my front porch, rocking chair, and sleeping dog?

Well, I do have the sleeping dog; he’s right at my feet. Ok, that much I’ve got. My rocking chair is across the room, piled high with cushions, my shawl, and K’s drum. The porch? The house doesn’t have on right now, but the studio does because we just built it.

Hope

Hey folks, it is time for me to blow my own horn again. I recently published my twenty-first novel on Smashwords. I had been saving this one for a while, not sure if I should publish it, but eventually I came to believe these stories need to be told. Over the years I have been blessed to have been able to assist a few abused women to escape to a new and better life. Some of their stories are woven into the tale of Mary Hope MacLaren.

Sadly, not everybody reaches a happy ending, but I have known a few who did. Some of that is included here as well. It was my desire to expose a dark underbelly of our society, yet not to bury you in guilt or pity because of it, just to make you aware. I also wanted to point out that, no matter how hard the past, anyone can create a better and brighter future for themselves.

Here is what one reader had to say about Hope.

“I couldn't put this book down! This will definitely make it into my top 20 list, (top 10 is no longer sufficient). This story shows one of the most tragic circumstances in our world; the violence of an abusive spouse. With her natural affinity to positive energy, Prudence MacLeod turns a ruined life into a dream come true for Mary Hope. I was very sad when I reached the final page. I am definitely looking forward to more from this author! Thanks for the great story!"

Here is the link to the book; I do hope you will check it out and enjoy the story.

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/95902

I thank the very talented Justin for the cover art. As usual, great job.

Making things, the Studio, #4 Just like the Three Little Pigs

Hi folks, here we are again, still working on the studio. The construction continues to move along, slowly, painstakingly, yet inexorably toward completion. You know, if the second little pig had built his house of sticks as strong as this one, it would still be standing. This was the long weekend, and we spent all of it trying to get the siding on.

Sticking with the older style, we decided on clapboards. Yes, it is harder to install and needs to be painted, but then,  you can change the colors if you wish. Clapboards also add thickness and strength to your walls, something vinyl siding cannot do.

Things I Love #9 Reconnecting With Folks

One thing I have always loved to do, as I am sure everybody does, is reconnect with folks we haven’t seen for some time. Recently, I was granted just such an opportunity.

It was a cold and stormy day, the kind I love. The dogs and I spent the day together in out snug little cottage, them sleeping, and me working at the computer. As the winds shrieked around the house and increased their speed, the dogs came closer. We had a fine cuddle, just enjoying the pack bonding experience.

It was those fierce winds that blew a golden opportunity my way. The winds became so strong the ferry boats were unable to dock at the island.  A number of people were stranded for a while. K brought two people home with her.

Things I love #8 Stormy Autumn Days

A Stormy Autumn day

It is a stormy day on the island of stone.  I had another trip to the city planned, but that got cancelled by the weather. The wind is so strong the boats cannot run, too rough trying to dock. It is coming through in waves, sudden powerful gusts, driving a lashing rain before them. It is a perfect day to hide indoors.  The wind shakes the little cottage, but not much. At just the right angle of wind there is a shrieking whistle around the front door. Always gives me a shiver and a smile. Ok, I’m weird, I love storms.

Things I Love #7 Riding the Ferry Boats

Once again today I was riding the ferry boat to the city to help a friend. Yesterday there were high winds and it was an exciting ride home, I loved it. Today was very different, the waters were completely calm, like polished glass. The view from the rail was awesome.

I spent much of the trip writing in my notebook, and listening to the voices of the conversations around me. Perhaps I should say, half the conversations. Years ago, as I rode the ferry boats of the BC coast, I would hear the conversations, and often was invited to join in. Today things are different. People talk on cell phones instead of each other.

Things I love, Making Things, part 3

Hi folks, time for another studio update. The building has changed somewhat since I last brought you an update. First, we completed the roof, shingles and all. This was a lot harder than we first envisioned. It also took a lot longer than expected. The steep pitch of the roof was the issue. We couldn’t stand on it and work, we had to work from the ladder, shifting here, there, and back again.

The next step was the window and door installation, three windows and one door. As K was working long hours, I completed this task on my own, again, spread over several days, but I did manage it. The great thing is, when you buy new windows or doors, they come with instructions. Yea!