Pandemic Writing

Thank you for visiting my blog. My sanity is being tested today. How are you doing ?

Readers, do you want to read stories or poems with the pandemic setting? Or are you reading to escape daily COVID updates?

Fellow writers, are you torn between writing about your COVID experiences and escaping from them through your pen?

According to my wonderful agent, Joyce Sweeney, editors don’t want manuscripts with COVID themes. But how do we escape the pandemic in our writing, when we worry about getting a vaccine, family members getting the virus, and being quarantined?

Mental health and suicide are themes in my work in progress ✍️ The pandemic has increased awareness of mental health issues, but it has also increased the number of people attempting suicide. How can I avoid the COVID?

Thank you for visiting my blog. I’d love to hear whether you want to read about the scourge plaguing most of our houses.

Poetry at the Inauguration

Good Morning. Thank you for visiting My News.

As a poet, I’m pleased that our president-elect has invited a poet to speak today. As a former teacher, I’m thrilled the poet will be our National Youth Poet Laureate, Amanda Gorman.

Please listen to Amanda today and consider trying to write a spoken-word poem. Spoken word poems play an important component in my book, Survivalist’s Daughter, presently in the hands of my agent, Joyce Sweeney.

As the president of the Florida Writers Foundation, I shall organize a poetry slam. Hope you’ll be inspired by Amanda to write your own poem and join us for the FWA Poetry Slam in October ✍️

My Poem “Running on Air “Included in the Poetic Visions Anthology 

Thank you for visiting My News, followers. Kevin Campbell, thank you for inviting me to enter the Poetic Visions Competition and for all your work to promote poetry and poetry slams.  

I’m sorry for my huge hiatus. Since my last blog, Barry and I have moved. At times, we’ve felt as if the ground has been pulled out from under our feet. Our downsizing has been difficult, but we’re both looking forward to being inspired by our new backyard full of squirrels scurrying around our huge tree.

If you’ve read my Silent Series, you may have gathered I identify with squirrels. Like the little rodents, I gather and store things for later and played in trees when I was young. Owning a tree house writing space or a houseboat topped my bucket list for years. 

In her book, You’ve Got a Book in You, Elizabeth Sims, one of my mentors, suggests writers find their garret, a place to be alone to think and write. Ideally, my special writing spot would be a tree house or houseboat because reading and writing are my forms of escapism. To write I must fantasize, daydream, and leave troubles behind me.

As a tree hugger and Pisces, I look to nature in the form of a houseboat or a tree house to restore my normal Pollyanna attitude. I’m optimistic, but not foolhardy. Our less lofty lanai will suffice in lieu of an expensive tree house or boat. For now, I’m being a realist. The pandemic and the attack on our nation’s Capitol forced my transformation.

But my feet aren’t planted on the ground yet. Like Jack Mitchell’s Bill Cratty, the gelatin silver print that inspired my ekphrastic poem I responded to in the Museum of  Art’s Poetic Vision Poetry Competition, I plan to spend some time running on air. I’m still racing toward better days. 

Beach Reads in December

The beauty of living in Florida is the beaches are open year round 🎄 The pandemic caused a few beaches to close for a short time, but most are open now 😷

If you are ready to head to the beach with your family, my publisher, Taylor and Seale, of Daytona Beach Shores, has a collection of short stories for the whole family. You can find Beach Reads on Amazon. The author is listed as Daytona Writers Guild, and proceeds go to promoting literacy.

Did I mention my husband, Barry Dimick, and I both contributed a short story to the collection?

A Colorful Success

Thank you for visiting my blog. Holiday greetings. 

In the words of treasurer Chrissy Jackson of the Florida Writers Foundation, “It was a spur-of-the-moment idea, born of the need for some joy in this horrible year that is 2020, a desire to share cheer with friends, and perhaps raise some funds to continue the fight against illiteracy.” 

We did it. We raised over 800 dollars. We listened to our two phenomenal workshop speakers agent, poet, and YA writer and Magic Bean Creator, Joyce Sweeney; and writer and teacher, Rob Sanders. Then thanks to Joyce and Bill Opperman our judges, we heard the winners read their entries. 

In the poetry category, our 2nd runner-up Sue Gerheim read her “Ode to Colors of the Holidays.” Through what has become the miracle of 2020, Zoom, her sister and nephew from Norway were able to listen to her read her sensory poem. First runner up,  Phyllis Brace McKinley, read her poignant “Caregiver’s Christmas,” and winner, Thornton Blease, read his powerful “Hearts Waiting in the Snow.”

Prose category 2nd runner-up, Marie Brack, shared her touching “Holiday Hues.” Then 1st runner-up Myrna Ossin’s “Gladys’ Cookies” provided us with a memory of special people now missing from our lives. Prose winner, Elizabeth Vollstadt’s short story “A Glimpse of Christmas Joy” brought many to cathartic tears.  

I add my sincere thanks to Chrissy’s. Vice-president Linda Kraus and I wish all of you a colorful holiday full of cheer. In Linda’s case, a cuppa. A sincere thank you is owed to Zame Khan who sent confirmation emails to entrants, Tami Lowe Whiting for sending thank you emails to everyone who donated, JC Gatlin for handling our website materials, Bill Opperman for volunteering to judge, and to Arielle Haughee Florida Writers Association’s marketing chair for spreading the word.  

I’m looking forward to ordering a signed copy of Rob Sander’s Bling Blaine: Throw Glitter, Not Shade to read this Christmas. It seems to be the perfect picture book choice for me. I also hope to share a poem from Joyce Sweeney’s Wake Up with you soon. I’m optimistic she’ll find the perfect publisher for my novel in verse What Lies Beneath in 2021. A special thank you to Rob, Joyce, Chrissy, Linda, and my followers. Wishing you all a Colorful Holiday and a Magic Bean.

FYI, Joyce gives those she works with magic beans when they get published by a traditional publisher. Thanks, Joyce, for making me Magic Bean #59.

Happy Thanksgiving

Thank you for visiting My News. May you be reminded of what you are thankful for today. Today and always I am grateful for my copy editor, Beth Mansbridge, my literary agent, Joyce Sweeney, and my small, but loving family. 

Unfortunately, Covid-19 keeps us apart at Thanksgiving. But I’m blessed with reminders of them such as this work of art my son painted to illustrate the serenity of the Adirondack Mountain Range and my favorite Chateaugay Lake in New York State, the settings of my Silent Series (above).

A little later, I’ll have a cup of the coffee my husband, Barry, lovingly prepared last night so that when I got up in the morning, all I had to do was plug in the pot, and enjoy a cup of his special blend. My creative juices are often jump started by a cup of his coffee. The photography and other works of art Barry, our friends, and other relatives created also inspire me. I appreciate these gifts.

This year I acquired the elusive literary agent. She’s a treasure. I’m praying Joyce will help me sell my novel in verse, What Lies Beneath.

At my request, my son painted a representation of my main character, Riley. Like the younger me, Riley likes to sit on a swing, look up at the sky, interpret the clouds, and daydream. Currently, I’m dreaming of a panacea to sweep us off our feet and end the coronavirus. Yes, I’m a romantic. I love romantic fantasy, dreams coming true, the American Dream, and checking items off my bucket list.

I’m thankful Barry’s memoir, Second Son: Growing Up in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom was published this year and is doing well on Amazon and in Vermont bookstores, and relieved and appreciative we have a new-to-us house to renovate and make our own. My current conundrum is deciding where and how to hang the swing I purchased on a trip to St. Augustine a couple years ago. In the meantime, I’ll enjoy looking as this one my son created to illustrate Riley.

Finally, I thank God for the special people in my life–my readers, Facebook friends, college roommate, Marie Ginter and her husband, Addie, and the followers of My News. Have a peaceful day.

December 5, Meet Mary Flynn

Join the Florida Writers Foundation Zoom Mini-Conference on Saturday, December 5, 2020 at 7 PM for a celebration of poets and authors. You will hear Mary Flynn, Joyce Sweeney, and the six winning authors of our Colors of the Holidays short works contests as they read their poems and prose.

We want short upbeat pieces to chase away the blues. Mary Flynn is no newcomer to happily-ever after stories. Mary worked for both Hallmark and Disney. To quote her website, “Mary’s hilarious “Confessions of a Hallmark Greeting Card Writer” continues to enjoy rave reviews with audiences everywhere, as she shares the ins-and-outs along with the mishaps behind the scenes at Hallmark. She also presents a fun and quirky “Peek Behind the Magic,” based on her years with Disney.”

Joyce Sweeney is a prolific writer and literary agent with The Seymour Agency. She is also my mentor. More about Joyce in my previous blogs.

The Florida Writers Foundation invites you to submit 1) a short piece of prose [1,000 words max]    OR    2) a poem [maximum 40 lines]

Help from a Facebook Friend

Good Morning,

I’m sociable–a talker. I love to talk to friends and acquaintances. Afterall, an acquaintance could become a friend, but the pandemic has made talking to friends in person difficult. I’ve had to turn to Facebook.

Lucky, for me, one of my acquaintances, Stephanie, has become a wonderful Facebook friend. A few days ago she posted a picture of her daughter, Roxy, at a skateboard park. Roxy appeared to be totally engaged in her chosen sport–perfect–inspiring.

I’d been trying to choose an inexpensive sport for my main character in my work in progress. The picture of Roxy inspired me to contact her mom and request permission to interview her via email to see if she wanted to be the inspiration for a character in my book.

Roxy answered all my questions. She was a great source of first-hand skateboarding knowledge. The answers she provided will guide me as I write. Right now it is too dangerous for me to go to a skate park. (Many young people don’t wear face masks, and I’m a diabetic.)

It appears skateboarders do wear other protective equipment, including certified pads, wrist gear, and helmets. Roxy told me skateboarders choose many colors and designs to reflect their personalities. Hopefully, I’ll be able to capture Roxy’s spirit through the answers to the questions she provided.

Like seatbelts and helmets, face masks help us stay healthy. Unlike donning seatbelts and helmets, your wearing a mask protects others as well as you. Please wear a mask to help us all stay safe.

As we approach Thanksgiving, I’m thankful for my Facebook friend, Stephanie, and her daughter, Roxy. Without them my young adult novel would be stalled. What are you thankful for today?

Colors of the Holidays

Florida Writers Foundation is hosting a mini-writing competition and mini- Zoom conference to celebrate the holidays and raise funds to promote literacy. Entrants and donors will then receive a Zoom link to join us on Saturday, December 5, at 7 PM.

Our first speaker, Mary Flynn, a former full-time writer for Hallmark Cards, and retiree from Disney Institute, is an award-winning author of fiction and poetry [eight books] as well as an acclaimed international conference speaker and leadership program facilitator. She will share some tips and stories with us. Learn more at www.maryflynnwrites.com

Our second speaker, Joyce Sweeney, who is our 2021 Florida Writer of the Year, and an agent with the Seymour Agency, will make a guest appearance to share writing opportunities for poets. Before becoming an agent, she was a mentor to me and to many other writers, and is a published author of fourteen books. Her free publishing podcast helps writers understand the publishing industry. Learn more at www.sweeneywritingcoach.com

Your donation to Florida Writers Foundation helps us to raise funds to promote literacy. While a donation is not required for entry, it would be appreciated.

1) a short piece of prose [1,000 words maximum] OR    2) a poem [maximum 40 lines]

Submit your short prose or poem in the body of an email – no attachments. I challenge you to lift the spirits of those attending the virtual conference!

Help others celebrate the colors of whatever holiday you observe—Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or the secular Festivus. We all need upbeat moments.

Send to ColorsoftheHolidays@gmail.com beginning on November 1, 2020. Deadline for entries is November 30, 2020. Only entries with an email submission date prior to midnight on that date will be considered for the competition.

With your written consent, your picture and winning entry will appear on the FWF website. Consent forms will be sent out after winners are announced at the Colors of the Holidays fundraiser program.

Join the Florida Writers Foundation on Saturday, December 5, 2020 at 7 PM for a celebration of poets and authors. Hear Mary Flynn and Joyce Sweeney…and…listen to the winning authors read the top three poems and the top three prose works.

We would appreciate a minimum donation of $10 to help us provide grants to support literacy.

Florida Writer of the Year 2021

Please let me introduce the Florida Writer Association’s Florida Writer of the Year for 2021, Joyce Sweeney. Notice the clock in the background? Ask her about her plot clock when you see her at our Florida Writers Foundation Celebrity Workshop on Thursday, October 14, 2021.

Joyce writes fiction, poetry, and instructional books. She is an agent with the Seymour Agency. To learn about the Seymour Agency and Joyce, follow this link: https://theseymouragency.com/about-us