Well friends, it's that time of year again and everyone is about to start their frenzied Christmas shopping. To tell you the truth, if I had to go to the mall between Thanksgiving and New Years Day, I think it would throw me into psychotic episodes. I haven't been to the mall since Don passed away over eight years ago except to run into a certain store for one item and then I felt as though I'd stepped into the Twilight Zone on crack!
Oh, I remember the days when I lived for going to the mall! Alas, as I have matured my priorities have matured too. I miss those younger, fun filled days.
I envy those who have the ability to clad themselves in the armor of persistence, aggressive attitude and the battle knowledge of how to surveille the stores for the ultimate gifts for those special someones on their lists. And to find that perfect gift at the absolute best price would be like winning the holiday lottery . . . only the winnings would be wrapped in brightly colored paper, bound with festive ribbon and placed lovingly under the artificial, pre-lit tree that had been sitting in the prime spot in the living room for weeks, until Christmas morning.
When I was a kid, the tree was a real honest to goodness tree fresh from the Christmas tree lot and filled the house with fresh pine scent, not something plastic and pre-lit with fancy white flashing lights and shiny glass ornaments purchased from specialty stores with no real meaning to them other than they were "pretty". No sirree, when I was a kid those trees were real, the lights were strung in multi colored strands by my grandfather while the rest of us waited with baited breath to hang that first home made ornament on the first bough we could reach. Many of the ornaments we had back then were homemade but some were also memories of happy times in far off places like . . . New York City maybe, or some other place my grandparents had visited in their own younger days.
Christmas meant something back then; it meant that it was a time for families to come together and help one another, to love one another and yes to fuss at one another too. But isn't that what families do? We all have our own memories of this holiest of holidays; some good memories, some fabulous memories and some bad memories. I have had a lot of holidays to remember in my . . . we won't go into how many Christmases I've had, suffice it to say there were many . . . lifetime and the majority of them I am happy to say have brought me a great deal of pleasure and I thank God for those memories.
But--and here it comes--there are so many who have nothing this holiday season and those of us who can will do what we can to help them. If you don't have the money to give maybe you have some canned goods in your cupboard that you could donate to a food pantry so someone less fortunate can have something good to eat over the holidays. Or maybe you have a few extra blankets that the homeless shelter could use; maybe a coat or jacket that has been hanging in the back of your closet that you never wear could be donated to a shelter for abused women and children. There are so many ways to help others if you just put forth a little effort.
And what of those who have family over seas in the military that will not be able to make it home for the holidays? What of the men and women on the real battle lines where live bullets and road side bombs are more of a threat than not finding that perfect gift at the mall? Maybe you can pick up a few things like magazines, toothbrushes, books and other little things that the soldiers over there miss, and put them into a box and ship a nice Christmas package from home. Even if you don't know them personally there are ways to brighten another person's day just by saying "I'm thinking of you and you are appriciated". If you want to give a special gift to a soldier, contact your local VFW, I'm sure they would be more than willing to help you find the right way to send a Christmas package to a soldier overseas.
Sharing your blessings is the real reason we should celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. After all, didn't he share the ultimate gift with us?
May you all have a blessed holiday season.
Kate
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Welcome Home!
Dear Friends,
It’s been a decade awash in blood and tears.
Since time immemorial the strong have stood for the weak and bled for them. They have been our champions and guardians. They battled back those who would stand for evil over good, wrong over right, greed over altruism.
In our history we haven’t always been so gracious to our warriors returning home. The heroes returning from the Second World War were met with parades and revelry and praise for a job well done. But those who returned from the jungles ofSoutheast Asia were greeted with scorn and ridicule and protests. How could we have been so cruel to those who gave so much? They fought and bled and died as soldiers had done for centuries and yet we treated them not as the heroic warriors they were but were shunned and persecuted for doing what they were sent to do. They fought in our stead so that we could sleep in peace.
Though it is years past time to say thank you to the veterans ofVietnam
The men and women returning home fromIraq
There will be those dissenting few who will look down their noses and sniff in disdain at them for what they might perceive as unnecessary cruelty and violence toward a country that we had no business sticking our political noses in. I say to them, “THEY DREW FIRST BLOOD!” 9/11 wasn’t the first attack againstAmerica
We could no longer turn the other cheek when terrorist groups bent on destruction of democracy in favor of their religious tenets that dictated nothing but subjugation of women and death to any who do not believe as they do.
Our men and women in uniform have upheld the democracy and freedom this country was founded on and still stands for. They’ve done their patriotic duty not because they were paid a wage for their loyalty but because they believe in what they are fighting for.
They are strong, they are proud, they are Americans with honor.
Please join me in saying to all of those returning home fromIraq
It’s been a decade awash in blood and tears.
The men and women who have so selflessly sacrificed more than they should have ever been asked deserve our unending, heartfelt gratitude.
It is because of those courageous, valiant souls that I have the freedom to write this without fear of persecution for voicing my thoughts in a public forum.Since time immemorial the strong have stood for the weak and bled for them. They have been our champions and guardians. They battled back those who would stand for evil over good, wrong over right, greed over altruism.
In our history we haven’t always been so gracious to our warriors returning home. The heroes returning from the Second World War were met with parades and revelry and praise for a job well done. But those who returned from the jungles of
Though it is years past time to say thank you to the veterans of
The men and women returning home from
There will be those dissenting few who will look down their noses and sniff in disdain at them for what they might perceive as unnecessary cruelty and violence toward a country that we had no business sticking our political noses in. I say to them, “THEY DREW FIRST BLOOD!” 9/11 wasn’t the first attack against
We could no longer turn the other cheek when terrorist groups bent on destruction of democracy in favor of their religious tenets that dictated nothing but subjugation of women and death to any who do not believe as they do.
Our men and women in uniform have upheld the democracy and freedom this country was founded on and still stands for. They’ve done their patriotic duty not because they were paid a wage for their loyalty but because they believe in what they are fighting for.
They are strong, they are proud, they are Americans with honor.
Please join me in saying to all of those returning home from
WELCOME HOME
The war isn’t over and many more are destined to die until terrorism is defeated. For now, we can rejoice in the fact that there are those with the strength of heart and soul to stand and say, “Not on my watch will your evil enter here!”
May God bless all of our military and keep them safe.
Until next time,
Kate
Saturday, October 22, 2011
A Timeless Battle
Hey y'all,
It's coming up on Halloween and I thought I would share a poem that Anna and I worked on a few months ago. It seems fitting for this time of year and hopefully it will bring the chill bumps cheerfully raising on your skin. Just remember that all myths have a grain of truth at their inception. It really makes me wonder about the legends of vampires, werewolves and other creatures of the night.
I have recently been re-reading my collection of Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark-Hunter series and believe me it has given me a lot of pause for thought. The woman is a master when it comes to mixing Greek Gods and vampires to make it all sound so . . . reasonably plausible? Who knew? If you haven't read anything by her this would be a great time to check it out. I really enjoy her work and if you get a thrill out of Gothic vampires in modern day situations mixed with thousands of years of torturous memories that haunt her characters, and how they deal with the humans they inevitably come into contact with, you will love it
Now, here is the little ditty that I promised you:
It's coming up on Halloween and I thought I would share a poem that Anna and I worked on a few months ago. It seems fitting for this time of year and hopefully it will bring the chill bumps cheerfully raising on your skin. Just remember that all myths have a grain of truth at their inception. It really makes me wonder about the legends of vampires, werewolves and other creatures of the night.
I have recently been re-reading my collection of Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark-Hunter series and believe me it has given me a lot of pause for thought. The woman is a master when it comes to mixing Greek Gods and vampires to make it all sound so . . . reasonably plausible? Who knew? If you haven't read anything by her this would be a great time to check it out. I really enjoy her work and if you get a thrill out of Gothic vampires in modern day situations mixed with thousands of years of torturous memories that haunt her characters, and how they deal with the humans they inevitably come into contact with, you will love it
Now, here is the little ditty that I promised you:
The Timeless Battle
On wings of silence the wind swept, in evil defiance the mist crept as the new moon ruled the night
Lurking among shadows underneath heaven's gallows, the malevolent bastards started the fight
The gossamer veil grew too thin between spirits and ghosts and men as the battle for souls raged on
The Furies took their stand claiming souls of the recently damned as they greeted the blood red dawn
Magic dark and magic light ravaged each other through the night but only one will claim the power
It can be said the inception of this nightly obsession began at the dawn of the Golden Hour
Voices were raised in futility as darkness died in humility and they all screamed in pain
The dawn lay bleeding from the celestial feeding when the Gods were dark and insane
And the demons of fear demanded entry here as they beat bloodied fists upon the door
As the new moon set and the God's collected their debt, the evil ones retreated once more
To the depths of hell where Hades hailed, and the shades of Tartarus wailed in constant pain and woe
The evil ones will try to flee from there, the lost souls will do what they dare to end what they know
Forever in hunger and pain and thirst, to this existence they were cursed for the sins in their life
So know it now when offered this deal, some of the myths and legends are real, in your time there is goodness inside the strife.
Heed this warning for your immortal soul, evil has but only one goal: to return to life in the sun
As the world endlessly turns, their thirst for your blood burns if you fall the end has begun.
Oooo! give you the chills yet? Think about it on all hallows eve!
Have a great Halloween.
Kate
Monday, September 26, 2011
Tomorrow will be a better day!
Hello,
Now that summer is almost over and the heat and humidity have decreased, I have found myself looking back over the past year. The beginning of the new year was difficult with joint replacement surgery and the financial burden that placed on my already screaming wallet. But as I look back over the past nine months, and the years behind me as well, I realize that recovering from anything, be it surgery, loss through death of a loved one, divorce or financial problems, it is all in how you feel about yourself whether you come out of it with painful scars that cause perpetual remorse or lessons learned and move on with your life.
Many of you who know me know that I lost my husband to lung cancer nearly nine years ago; this was the most painful time of my life and I didn't think I would ever get over it. With the memories that Don and I made to sustain me and the unconditional love he had shown me for the thirteen years we were together I made it through those years. This past weekend I found some pictures of some of those memories and it reminded me of where I had been and where I am now; the people that have passed through my life and those who still remain. I will always be grateful to everyone who has touched my life for I have gained something from each and every one of them; the good and the bad made me what I am today: a strong and independent woman of middle age perfectly capable of taking care of herself come what may.
In my youth I lacked self esteem and feared being rejected, feeling that I was unworthy of being loved and thinking that I had to do what ever I was told to make sure I was loved. This drove me to marry the first man that said he loved me at the age of twenty. What a disaster that was! We were separated within a year and divorced by the second year. As I mentioned earlier the good and the bad helped shape the person I am and how you feel about yourself will determine how you handle a given situation. Over the years I have learned this one truth: "TOMORROW WILL BE A BETTER DAY SO DON'T LOSE HOPE!" If tomorrow isn't what you want it to be, then do something about it and the next day will be better.
There is no reason a person must settle for less than what they truly want. Not even the lack of financial support should stop you. If you need money and you can't find a job, use your own imagination to create your own income whether it is as simple as baby sitting your neighbors kids, taking in outside laundry or offering to cut your neighbor's grass on Saturday evenings or as complicated as starting your own home based business, there are ways to improve your situation.
If money isn't your problem and human companionship is what you crave, try keeping a smile on your face even when you don't feel as though you have anything to smile about. A simple smile and a cheerful "Good Morning" will be more readily accepted and appreciated by friends and strangers alike than a constant frown and foul language. The old saw "Misery loves company" is so true, but the opposite side of that coin is "A smile is more contagious than the flu"
A friend once told me something that literally changed the way I felt about myself and I am going to share that bit of advice with you in hopes that it will help you feel better about yourself:
"People will treat you the way you teach them to treat you."
Huh! Imagine that! If you treat yourself badly others will pick up on that. If you treat yourself with love and respect, they will pick up on that as well.
I hope my little ramble has helped you have a better day.
Lots of love
Kate
Now that summer is almost over and the heat and humidity have decreased, I have found myself looking back over the past year. The beginning of the new year was difficult with joint replacement surgery and the financial burden that placed on my already screaming wallet. But as I look back over the past nine months, and the years behind me as well, I realize that recovering from anything, be it surgery, loss through death of a loved one, divorce or financial problems, it is all in how you feel about yourself whether you come out of it with painful scars that cause perpetual remorse or lessons learned and move on with your life.
Many of you who know me know that I lost my husband to lung cancer nearly nine years ago; this was the most painful time of my life and I didn't think I would ever get over it. With the memories that Don and I made to sustain me and the unconditional love he had shown me for the thirteen years we were together I made it through those years. This past weekend I found some pictures of some of those memories and it reminded me of where I had been and where I am now; the people that have passed through my life and those who still remain. I will always be grateful to everyone who has touched my life for I have gained something from each and every one of them; the good and the bad made me what I am today: a strong and independent woman of middle age perfectly capable of taking care of herself come what may.
In my youth I lacked self esteem and feared being rejected, feeling that I was unworthy of being loved and thinking that I had to do what ever I was told to make sure I was loved. This drove me to marry the first man that said he loved me at the age of twenty. What a disaster that was! We were separated within a year and divorced by the second year. As I mentioned earlier the good and the bad helped shape the person I am and how you feel about yourself will determine how you handle a given situation. Over the years I have learned this one truth: "TOMORROW WILL BE A BETTER DAY SO DON'T LOSE HOPE!" If tomorrow isn't what you want it to be, then do something about it and the next day will be better.
There is no reason a person must settle for less than what they truly want. Not even the lack of financial support should stop you. If you need money and you can't find a job, use your own imagination to create your own income whether it is as simple as baby sitting your neighbors kids, taking in outside laundry or offering to cut your neighbor's grass on Saturday evenings or as complicated as starting your own home based business, there are ways to improve your situation.
If money isn't your problem and human companionship is what you crave, try keeping a smile on your face even when you don't feel as though you have anything to smile about. A simple smile and a cheerful "Good Morning" will be more readily accepted and appreciated by friends and strangers alike than a constant frown and foul language. The old saw "Misery loves company" is so true, but the opposite side of that coin is "A smile is more contagious than the flu"
A friend once told me something that literally changed the way I felt about myself and I am going to share that bit of advice with you in hopes that it will help you feel better about yourself:
"People will treat you the way you teach them to treat you."
Huh! Imagine that! If you treat yourself badly others will pick up on that. If you treat yourself with love and respect, they will pick up on that as well.
I hope my little ramble has helped you have a better day.
Lots of love
Kate
Monday, September 12, 2011
A taste of "Secrets"
I had a brainstorm this morning, or perhaps it was a brain fart but I guess we'll just have to wait and see what the results are from this "idea" that popped into my head. I've been mulling it over all morning and I have come to the conclusion that I have to stop limiting myself and just put it out there for any and all to catch a glimpse of; to see if there might be a spark of interest that could be fanned into a hungry flame with the potential of a raging inferno. I'm talking about posting a very small passage of my completed manuscript titled Secrets in Bethlehem on this blog.
As this is my baby, and I its mother, I am very proud of my finished work. Seeing as how it is the first of my creative endeavors I realize that a published author with years of successes under their belt would beg to differ. I am a novice; I admit it. I have no resume to speak of and this is my first foray into this arena but I have been told that I am very tenacious. I will accept any and all creative, and constructive suggestions from those who have been in the business and have learned what is needed to become a successful published author. I have taken fiction writing classes, creative writing workshops, correspondence writing courses and read insatiably. I know that writing a best seller right out of the gate is not an every day occurrence and I have no delusions of this happening. I do, however, intend to see one of my fiction creations in print.
A word to those who suggest a "Vanity Press" or self publication: NOT IN THIS LIFETIME!!! My ego is healthy and I may be a little obsessive when it comes to my writing, but not to that point and my wallet doesn't allow for that type of self-indulgence. I have more respect for my gift as a writer even if no one else does at this point. Perhaps I am being naive about it in this economy but there you are.
Anyway, here is a little snippet of one of the several high impact scenes:
Secrets in Bethlehem
Written By:
Kate Donns
. . . Travis broke through the closed door at the end of the hall like a human battering ram. Leading with his shoulder the wooden door, weakened by age and neglect, splintered and gave under the brutal force. He stopped dead as though he had hit an invisible wall. A tall, powerfully built man with a scar slashing his left cheek from eyebrow to chin stood behind Janey, one arm around her neck, holding her close to his chest the other holding a gun to her temple. An ugly purple bruise was starting to form on her cheekbone. The sight of that evidence of abuse had Travis ’s blood seething, hissing an oath between clinched teeth.
Hope you enjoyed it. Let me know what you think. I'll be looking for your comments and suggestions.
Thanks again,
Kathy
As this is my baby, and I its mother, I am very proud of my finished work. Seeing as how it is the first of my creative endeavors I realize that a published author with years of successes under their belt would beg to differ. I am a novice; I admit it. I have no resume to speak of and this is my first foray into this arena but I have been told that I am very tenacious. I will accept any and all creative, and constructive suggestions from those who have been in the business and have learned what is needed to become a successful published author. I have taken fiction writing classes, creative writing workshops, correspondence writing courses and read insatiably. I know that writing a best seller right out of the gate is not an every day occurrence and I have no delusions of this happening. I do, however, intend to see one of my fiction creations in print.
A word to those who suggest a "Vanity Press" or self publication: NOT IN THIS LIFETIME!!! My ego is healthy and I may be a little obsessive when it comes to my writing, but not to that point and my wallet doesn't allow for that type of self-indulgence. I have more respect for my gift as a writer even if no one else does at this point. Perhaps I am being naive about it in this economy but there you are.
Anyway, here is a little snippet of one of the several high impact scenes:
Secrets in Bethlehem
Written By:
Kate Donns
Her head was tilted slightly to the side at an unnatural angle and Travis could hear the breath as it heaved out of her lungs fast and harsh. In the dim light he could see the courage in Janey's eyes where he had thought he would see fear; not in his Janey, he decided and it filled him with wonder. It filled him with the need to put his hands around the throat of the man who held her and squeeze the life out of him for putting that gun to her head. For putting his hands on her.
“Drop the guns on the floor and kick them to me. All we want is the kid.” Bogarde said. “Give him to me and you can all go free. No harm done.” Bogarde knew that Jasper had to be dead. The two gunshots he’d heard and the two men standing in front of him were proof of that and realized his chances of getting out alive had drastically decreased.
“Don't hurt her.” Travis begged as he lowered and carefully set Jasper's gun on the floor in front of him. “Look. I'm putting down the gun. Now let her go.” Do what he says, Travis thought, and keep him distracted. There had to be a way out of this; he couldn’t lose Janey. Not after all they had been through.
“Just tell me where the kid is.” Bogarde demanded as he pushed the gun hard against Janey's temple. “All I want is the kid.” Sweat beaded across the man’s forehead, dripped down his face. Travis could almost smell the fear emanating from the man holding Janey and that wasn’t good. Desperate men tended to take desperate measures.
The soft, sweet voice saying, “Travis ?” came from behind him. It broke through Travis 's concentration. He whirled around to see Jesse standing in the door way and sick dread lodged in Travis 's throat, terror and fury such as he had never known before, gripped him stopping time, all but stopping his heart. . .
Thanks again,
Kathy
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Thank You! In remembrance
Hey, y'all,
Just a quick update to let you know what is happening here in the great state of South Carolina; Greenville, to be specific.
The weather has cooled a great deal and is now very pleasant in the mid to high 70's and lower humidity with sunshine and an all in all perfect Sunday afternoon.
The memories of 9/11/2001 are all around us today and I have seen a lot of respectful salutes to those who have lost their lives in the war against terrorism.
For instance: I went to Waffle House for breakfast this morning and I was very pleased and comforted to see that the Waffle House employees had replaced their usual uniform of blue with the patriotic choice of red, white and blue as a salute to the hero's of this day in history. I, myself, donned a tee shirt with a flag emblazoned across the front, and flag earrings as well, to show my support also. We all remember that black day ten years ago and we all remember the horror as we watched the towers fall in a cloud of black smoke knowing that there were so many who did not make it out alive. The World Trade Center, The Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania are all sites to be remembered as well as the battle fields of the Middle East. The anger that fueled just about every American still has not calmed in many of us and even though Osama Bin Ladin is dead, his fanatical zealots still are reeking havoc all around the world.
It is a sad thing that in the twenty first century we still have this type of thing going on because we don't believe as others do and therefore should not be allowed to live in peace and worship our own God or follow our own beliefs. When does it end?
This is a day of remembrance and to say "Thank You" to not only our soldiers fighting now, but those who fought for our freedom since this country was founded.
Thank You!
P.S. Just a little personal footnote; I have started a new book,the first in a series to be exact, and I have decided to write under the pen name: Kate Donns. The new book is about a team of vampire slayers based in the historic city of Charleston S.C. I can't wait to get it finished. I am still working on getting the other one, "Secrets in Bethlehem" published so wish me luck on that front too.
Just a quick update to let you know what is happening here in the great state of South Carolina; Greenville, to be specific.
The weather has cooled a great deal and is now very pleasant in the mid to high 70's and lower humidity with sunshine and an all in all perfect Sunday afternoon.
The memories of 9/11/2001 are all around us today and I have seen a lot of respectful salutes to those who have lost their lives in the war against terrorism.
For instance: I went to Waffle House for breakfast this morning and I was very pleased and comforted to see that the Waffle House employees had replaced their usual uniform of blue with the patriotic choice of red, white and blue as a salute to the hero's of this day in history. I, myself, donned a tee shirt with a flag emblazoned across the front, and flag earrings as well, to show my support also. We all remember that black day ten years ago and we all remember the horror as we watched the towers fall in a cloud of black smoke knowing that there were so many who did not make it out alive. The World Trade Center, The Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania are all sites to be remembered as well as the battle fields of the Middle East. The anger that fueled just about every American still has not calmed in many of us and even though Osama Bin Ladin is dead, his fanatical zealots still are reeking havoc all around the world.
It is a sad thing that in the twenty first century we still have this type of thing going on because we don't believe as others do and therefore should not be allowed to live in peace and worship our own God or follow our own beliefs. When does it end?
This is a day of remembrance and to say "Thank You" to not only our soldiers fighting now, but those who fought for our freedom since this country was founded.
Thank You!
P.S. Just a little personal footnote; I have started a new book,the first in a series to be exact, and I have decided to write under the pen name: Kate Donns. The new book is about a team of vampire slayers based in the historic city of Charleston S.C. I can't wait to get it finished. I am still working on getting the other one, "Secrets in Bethlehem" published so wish me luck on that front too.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Writer's workshop
Hey Ya'll,
I have to let you know what happened at the Writer's Workshop that Anna and I went to in Macon, Georgia last Saturday. I have to tell you I had the most fantastic time and in that one hour I learned so much. Sarah Domet led the workshop and I am sure by what I learned about her that she must be a wonderful and enlightening teacher. She made learning sound like a fascinating adventure into Alice's Wonderland.
The people that made up the group were fun and constructive with their own information and writing foibles and, I have to tell you, I have never in my life met a group of strangers that I had that instant connection with. I suppose it's because this was my first workshop of this nature and I have never been with more than one or two people that had the same creative interests that I have. I guess you could say we were all of a like mind even though our writing interests were varied from Romance to Mystery to Science Fiction and more but we all had one thing in common: we wanted, no, needed to write. It is a part of us that we have to give free reign or lose a part of ourselves.
I've always wanted to write. Even as a child I would write odd bits of poetry that, as I grew older, became songs and developed into short stories and themes. I wrote to please myself and for the joy of seeing something of myself on paper. When my husband died over eight years ago my muse took a sabbatical. About three or four years ago she returned with a vengeance. Several times since then she has tried to escape but I grabbed her by the hair and yanked her back; she is now bound to me with the unbreakable chains of creativity. Since that time I have completed two manuscripts and have the workings of at least six or seven more. However, I've never quite gotten the hang of the process of how to get the novel I am writing to flow as it should. Until Sarah Domet explained it to our group in simple terms that just finally settled in the corner of my brain and gave me that "ah ha!" moment. The one thing that always gave me the shudders . . . outlines! If you don't know what is happening how can you write about it? And character bios; if you don't know your character how can you tell others about them?
Needless to say, I bought her book 90 Days to Your Novel and I am studying it from cover to cover.
I have also started the character bios and an outline for a new novel that I am writing. I haven't gotten the other two published yet but I am still working on it. This new novel is a going to be better because I am going to follow the guidelines that have been working for years.
My advice to all of you is "Trust the process, it works for a reason".
Bye now and have a great day.
Kate Porter
I have to let you know what happened at the Writer's Workshop that Anna and I went to in Macon, Georgia last Saturday. I have to tell you I had the most fantastic time and in that one hour I learned so much. Sarah Domet led the workshop and I am sure by what I learned about her that she must be a wonderful and enlightening teacher. She made learning sound like a fascinating adventure into Alice's Wonderland.
The people that made up the group were fun and constructive with their own information and writing foibles and, I have to tell you, I have never in my life met a group of strangers that I had that instant connection with. I suppose it's because this was my first workshop of this nature and I have never been with more than one or two people that had the same creative interests that I have. I guess you could say we were all of a like mind even though our writing interests were varied from Romance to Mystery to Science Fiction and more but we all had one thing in common: we wanted, no, needed to write. It is a part of us that we have to give free reign or lose a part of ourselves.
I've always wanted to write. Even as a child I would write odd bits of poetry that, as I grew older, became songs and developed into short stories and themes. I wrote to please myself and for the joy of seeing something of myself on paper. When my husband died over eight years ago my muse took a sabbatical. About three or four years ago she returned with a vengeance. Several times since then she has tried to escape but I grabbed her by the hair and yanked her back; she is now bound to me with the unbreakable chains of creativity. Since that time I have completed two manuscripts and have the workings of at least six or seven more. However, I've never quite gotten the hang of the process of how to get the novel I am writing to flow as it should. Until Sarah Domet explained it to our group in simple terms that just finally settled in the corner of my brain and gave me that "ah ha!" moment. The one thing that always gave me the shudders . . . outlines! If you don't know what is happening how can you write about it? And character bios; if you don't know your character how can you tell others about them?
Needless to say, I bought her book 90 Days to Your Novel and I am studying it from cover to cover.
I have also started the character bios and an outline for a new novel that I am writing. I haven't gotten the other two published yet but I am still working on it. This new novel is a going to be better because I am going to follow the guidelines that have been working for years.
My advice to all of you is "Trust the process, it works for a reason".
Bye now and have a great day.
Kate Porter
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