The Red Thread

Sugar with that coffee?

2011-02-10T17:07:00Z

    When I was little, my mother used to tell me that you could catch more flies with honey. I had no idea what she was talking about. Why wanted flies anyway?
    Over time I have learned exactly what that old saying means. In more than one situation with sour or disagreeable people, there is an opportunity. Sometimes you have to REALLY look for it, but it's there. In any conflict there is a chance to add honey. By no means is this kissing up. Kissing up is a fake, pretend and plastic way to try to impress someone. Most people with intelligence see right through the veneer.
    Honey is simply put...kindness. When the opportunity arises (a disagreement or conflicting situation) do something sincere and nice. Be kind. Get that person that irritates you so much a cup of coffee....and then go back again and get sugar for it.
    It is suprising how many times you can eliminate ill will with a kind deed.......

How about that Mack Truck?

2011-01-26T17:01:00Z

Each day keeps coming at us at what feels like "mack truck" speed. Sometimes I just want to hop off the ride and stand on the side of the road to watch the others speed by. We all know that no one gets off this ride and just watches. We have choices each day and we can choose to keep going and conquer the obsticles in our path, or to do nothing. Doing nothing and not tackling the obsticles is a result of fear and "what if's".
If we sit back and "what if" ourselves, we will accomplish nothing. We will go nowhere. We can lead no one. We can achieve nothing.
As I look ahead at the obsticles in my path I make the choice to not fear them, but to learn from them, to overcome them, to embrace them and to appreciate them. Without these difficulities, how could I possibly appreciate the ease that comes with a quiet day?

"You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, "I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along." . . . You must do the thing you think you cannot do." - Elenor Roosevelt

I hope for you reader to have obsticles today, so that peace may abide in the quiet days.

Anhinga 2010

2010-08-02T18:59:00Z

The Anhinga Writer's workshop http://www.anhingawriters.org/ in Gainesville, Florida was a blast this year! The low key atmosphere and the personal touches that the wonderful goddesses of the Anhingae put together were just blissful! Mary Anna Evans (http://www.maryannaevans.com/), Beverly Browning (http://www.beverlybrowning.com/) and Diana Tonnessen ( http://dianatonnessen.com/ ) just did a fantastic job!
    Three tracks were offered for each session: non-fiction, poetry, and fiction. The special guest George Hirsch, editor of La Cucina Italiana and Runner's world gave the keynote address and as a pillar in the magazine publishing industry he was gracious and willing to share much of the knowledge that he has cultivated over the years. It was an enlightening experience.
    Peter Bowerman ( http://www.wellfedwriter.com/author.shtml) also attended and helped us understand how self-publishing can turn one book into a full-time living. He guided us through the confusion of freelance and commercial writing and how it can make since in today's downsized business world.
    Many writers have no idea how to get started with an agent. Anne Hawkins of John Hawkins and associates (http://www.jhalit.com/ ) was once again kind enough to leave New York and travel to our little corner of the state to teach us how to "speak Agent". Her workshops were informative and I am sure will protect us from many of the pittfalls that we could encounter.
    I particularly enjoyed the sessions given by Jeanne Leiby, Editor of "The Southern Review". She is a delightful personality and has a treasure trove of knowledge to share with aspiring and accomplished writers. For those of you that are not familiar with "The Southern Review", it is published by LSU press and is a wonderful literary journal. I encourage you to get a copy and see for yourselves. (http://www.lsu.edu/thesouthernreview/ ).
    Another highlight of the session were Bob Morris ( http://www.bobmorris.net/ ) classes. He creatively taught us how to kill people in exotic places and about Heroes and Villains. I am disappointed that we didn't get any of his famous conch fritters, and am so tempted to stalk him on his book tour to get some!  Bob has written wonderful mysteries that take place in the caribbean and are delightful and well thought out!
    Again this year I will recommend to anyone interested in writing to attend this conference! It is a well-spring of knowledge and information that gives a much greater value than the cost of the workshop. Thank you Bev, Diana and Mary Anna...it was wonderful!

A year of loss and learning

2010-08-02T18:39:00Z

We must embrace pain and burn it as fuel for our journey. ~Kenji Miyazawa

    Blogs are good reading and interesting if they are updated on a regular basis. It has been a year since my last blog. Yes, this is a confession.
    The last year has brought for me many challenges. Exactly one year ago tomorrow my godson was killed in a car accident. He was twenty years old. This is as personal as it gets. We were all so blind slided by his loss that the earth stood still for about three months.
    I am sitting here upon that grim anniversary trying to answer the same questions, which of course is a futile effort.
    The one thing I do know is that during my year of pain and healing, I have learned that every experience, weather understood or not, is fuel for the fire. Our lives are short unpredictable things and we must grasp at each flame of opportunity as it passes because tomorrow is not guaranteed.
    I do not hurt less today than I did a year ago, but I am able to function. I can push forward to the successes that life will allow me and to bring my godson with me in those.
    So my year of quiet has ended and I am back to inspire, aggravate and motivate you once again.

Unable are the loved to die. For love is immortality. ~Emily Dickinson

Thank you L.J. for all you have given me, your life has been an inspiration of joy and you lived it to it's fullest.

Post Anhinga High!

2009-08-02T01:39:00Z

    Well Ladies and Gentlemen, I am still riding high after 24 class hours in four days! Anhinga Writing Conference 2009 in Gainesville, Fl. was an amazing experience!   First off I need to thank Beverly Browning, Mary Anna Evans http://www.maryannaevans.com/ and Diana Tonnessen for a very well thought out and planned event. I am extremely grateful for the time and effort these amazing ladies put forth to create a successful conference for everyone. Not a question went unanswered and the hostesses were gracious and helpful at every turn. That in itself created an environment where everyone felt comfortable and open to the experience. KUDOS ladies!
    The classes I attended were just stuffed with useful information. Lauren Groff http://www.laurengroff.com/ taught a four part general fiction series that was the nuts and bolts of writing. Very helpful to everyone.
    The Historical Fiction class taught by M.C. Finotti, author of "The Treasure of Amelia Island" (A Florida Accelerated Reader book for 8-12 year olds) was informative and the exercises we did were presented in a fun and unique manner.
    Anne Hawkins from the John Hawkins and Associates, Inc firm in New York was generous enough with her time to attend and lead classes on the agent/client relationship with Mary Anna Evans. This class contained information that every budding writer should know.
    Roxanne St. Claire http://www.roxannestclaire.com/ was also present at the conference and taught several classes including; Plotting and pacing and Breathing life into a dying scene (which is of course a great title for a writing class!) I heard nothing but praise for her classes and her dynamic personality was just a joy to be around.
    There were classes with Rhys Bowen http://www.rhysbowen.com/, Peter Meinke, Gayle Wilson http://www.rhysbowen.com/ Bob Morris, Rick Campbell and Victor Bockris(who has written the biography of Keith Richards and Patty Smith as well as being a well known poet.). What a list, right?
    The star performance was definitely the presence of Charlaine Harris http://www.charlaineharris.com/ of the Southern Vampire Series (yes, Sookie) , Lily Bard "Shakespeare" series, Harper Connelly, and the Aurora Teagarden Series. Charlaine has to be one of the most genuine and simply amazing people I have ever met. Even with all of the fame and success that has come her way in the whirlwind popularity of "True Blood", the HBO series, she has remained grounded and real.  Charlaine has gained much respect from the writing community for this and personally think she is one awesome lady!   Thank you Charlaine for your time and investment in others both writers and fans. You are a sweetheart!
    If you are an aspiring writer, or have been in the business for years, this conference is the place to learn from step one, or rejuvenate your enthusiasm for the craft! It was a wonderful experience and I highley recommend everyone save place in your summer of 2010 for Anhinga!

Charlaine Harris and Myself
Anhinga Writers Workshop 2009

Anhinga Writers Studio

2009-07-27T13:37:41Z

This week is an exciting opportunity! The Anhinga Writer's Studio is taking place in Gainesville, Fla. http://www.anhingawriters.org/
This writer's workshop has been in existence since 1996 and in that short time has become a place where popular authors and talents share their knowledge. The 2009 conference includes: Charlaine Harris (Author of The Southern Vampire Series: AKA Sookie Stackhouse Books; The Lily Bard Mystery Series, and the Aurora Teagarden Mysteries) http://www.charlaineharris.com/) , Bob Morris http://www.bobmorris.net/ and and Rhys Bowan http://www.rhysbowen.com/ .
They also provide opportunities to network by including literary agents like Anne Hawkins from John Hawkins and Associates, Inc. located in New York.
There are too many talented speakers to list every one of them here. I encourage you to go to the Anhinga Writer's website : http://www.anhingawriters.org/ to see the full list.
Beverly Browning, www.beverlyBrowning.com , Mary Anna Evans, www.maryannaevans.com and Diana L. Tonnessen are the force behind this event. Each of them brings their writing experience to the table enlisting great talent to encourage and teach the rest of us!
For those of you considering attendance next year, I say "GO!" When I sent in my registration to Beverly Browning, she replied promptly and was so helpful! She connected me with interesting activities for my teenage daughter to attend as well as giving me a contact phone number to schedule a tour of The University of Florida. That is definitely going over and above!
I sit in my chair this morning anxiously awaiting this experience with baited breath!

How far is too far? (Aka..our minds might explode!)

2009-05-04T16:20:00Z

    Although I am a month late, I just finished reading an article in the April 2009 Discover Magazine (http://discovermagazine.com/) that I absolutely have to respond to.
    "Building a better brain" by Sherry Baker ( http://sherrywritepro.newsvine.com/) touches on some scary territory. I read the article last Thursday and have been swirling around all of the ideas in my head over the weekend. First let me explain what the article discusses.
    There are currently pharmaceutical companies that are developing drugs or neuropharmaceuticals that enhance the productivity and attention span of the brain. Some of the medicines even open the pathways that encourage not just memory, but creativity.
    Sherry Baker does an excellent job at presenting both sides of the argument of this idea.  She brings up such points as, Albert Einstein, Winston Churchill and Salvador Dali were all suggested to have ADHD. If we had given them medications to help them control their ADHD; would they have met their full potential? Are we suppressing the future Einstein with Ritilin?
    Another point Sherry Baker touches on is the ability to take an attention enhancer. If those able to afford these medications partake and use them to give them a competitive edge, are the less able to afford thus put in a position of disadvantage at their job or work?

    Like I said earlier, my mind was swirling with this all weekend and several questions occurred to me.
    The first is the environment. If the current level of anti-depressants and medications that the world consumes is polluting our waters and poisoning the sea life that is forced to digest these things after we release them, then what effect would the sudden increase of mind enhancers have on the waterways and our food supply?
    The second is moral. We are born with certain gifts and abilities. We can encourage these by learning and exposing ourselves to situations that help strengthen these character traits. If we become dependant on medications to give us an edge or give us a false mental ability, then will we lose our true identity? Who would we be? Would we become the result of the drug? Because we certainly would not be ourselves anymore, and thus with the identity crisis in tow, another bought of anti-depressants might be necessary.  Who would the winner of that situation be? The pharmaceutical companies.
    I think that the use of memory enhancers for those suffering with Alzheimers or dementia, possibly even mental Illness would be a productive thing, but to allow the healthy mind to be distorted by medications, even in a positive direction is questionable at best.

We all want to be at our peak performance. We take vitamins, exercise, eat healthy and even have vanity procedures done to lift our aging bodies. With all of the previously stated being abused by someone or another, we know that any mind enhancing medications would have the potential to be abused as well. What would the effects of that be?

Just a thought: The Swine Flu Pandemic that has been forced upon us by the media has created a run on medications that help prevent the flu. Over 36,000 people die each year from the standard flu. More people died in car accidents since we have learned about Swine Flu, than have actually died from Swine Flu. This media fear mongering has been very helpful..... to the pharmaceutical companies.

Any responses to this blog that are thought out and cognitive will happily be posted.

The Small Things

2009-04-21T19:28:00Z

    Today I was inspired by something I saw on television. I don't usually have time for television during the day, but today was an exception. Sitting on the couch eating my chicken wrap, I watched Martha Stewart interview Linda Kaplan Thaler and Robin Koval. Together these women have written a book that I HAVE to read.
    I have a philosophy that if you take a step each day in the direction of your dreams, that one day you will look back and admire how far you have come and see your goal accomplished. I believe that the small efforts make the biggest differences!
     "The Power of Small," believe that little things can make a big difference in your life.- is the book that Linda Kaplan Thaler and Robin Koval have written together. It is the same concept. The book talks about all those little things in our lives that we overlook and my sometimes have profound results.
    We all have problems. Sometimes they are larger than we can handle. This approach of the "small" helps us to take one bite at a time. I can honestly say I did not eat that my chicken wrap in one giant gulp, but one little bite at a time......
    Life can be overwhelming...break it into bite size pieces before chewing!

    Remember: All difficult things have their origin in that which is easy, and great things in that which is small   -Lao Tzu

http://www.thepowerofsmallbook.com/ - Power of Small Book Website

What do you do in a Crisis?

2009-03-19T17:32:00Z

We are all dealing with some kind of crunch at the moment. The economy is in a freefall and spinning out of control. The Job market is crashing hard and people are losing their homes. How do you recover?

Success is sweet and sweeter if long delayed and gotten through many struggles and defeats.” Amos Bronson Alcott

You focus. You continue and you take foward steps.

Our failures and our defeats become our greatest strength..and turn into our experiences that build our character.

This is not really a blog on writing today, I just wanted to reach out there and encourage all of you that are going through something difficult in your life today.

Hang strong!
Leslie

Inspiration?

2009-03-12T13:48:00Z

Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work.

-- Aristotle

Do you lean on music for writing inspiration? What about art? Photos? Travel? Leo Babatua has a wonderful article on this exact thing. http://writetodone.com/2008/03/03/31-ways-to-find-inspiration-for-your-writing/
Many days I have typed my status on Facebook or Twitter..."Waiting for inspiration, or Looking for Inspiration...or even Found Inspiration" It is the search for that illusive intangible item that motivates us to get from point "A" to point "B" in our story telling.
I personally use photos quite a bit to bring back the emotion of a trip or a place and that helps the creative ideas flow. Music has also been a muse.
If you look at Stephanie Meyer's website for her Twilight series; http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/twilight_playlist.html, she has created a playlist for her books. Each book has songs that inspired her to write. She even credits the band Muse for being her literal muse. This is a great way to share the source of your ideas with the reader and I have found that it helps them to relate to your work on a more intimate level. Bringing in the reader to your world so they can see your story and characters from your point of view.
I remember the first time I read "Interview with the Vampire" by Anne Rice. I only had time to read it when my husband had band practice in the evening. The band was writing this dark sounding song that fit the theme of the book perfectly. Everytime I hear that song today I think if the book, and visa versa. Writers can use that memory etching to their advantage.
I do believe that if we use the tool of music we can bring books to another level. Who is to say in the next few years that some novels might actually come with a compact disc inside the book cover? What about creating cooperatives with bands to write music for your characters like movie soundtracks but for the book story? There is an unlimited pool of ideas here to work with and I am looking foward to finding out what the next step will be.

What is a platform?

2009-03-09T12:37:00Z

I have just completed reading a book on self promotion and growing a platform. Websters dictionary defines a platform as: 3 a (1): a usually raised horizontal flat surface ; especially : a raised flooring. Applying this definition to a writer's purposes creates a niche where the author can place themselves. It is a place to make yourself and your book known. It is your base that you stand on as a writer. It is your foundation. It is your reputation. It is your blog. It is your website. It is your presence in the community. Get the picture?
Christina Katz says it best in her book "Get Known before the Book Deal" - 'A platform is what you currently do, in addition to writing, to connect with your readership. You platform is how you cultivate readership.' http://www.christinakatz.com/ . As a writer, I can appreciate Christina's openness in reaching out to those of us that are learning how to present ourselves and our "children" aka books.
It is interesting that authors and writers need to self promote even before they get any book deals. Just getting attention from agents and publishers is work. More time ends up getting invested in that pursuit than the actual book writing in most cases.
To all my fellow authors, I highly recommend the Christina Katz book if you have not signed the perfect book deal yet. It will push you to the next level. It is a reference that you will refer back to again and again.
Thanks Christina for the motivation and wisdom.

Successful Day!

2009-03-08T04:50:50Z

    I consider it a successful day when I not only accomplish something tangible, but I feel like I learned something. Today was that kind of day!
Much thanks to Yvonne Mason, author of "Silent Scream, A True Crime" about Gerard Schaefer becoming Florida's first serial killer in the late 1960s and early 1970s. http://crimespace.ning.com/profiles/blogs/this-review-for-silent-scream The talk Yvonne gave at the Central Brevard Library's Author's Book Fair was a tribute to the Victims of this crazed killer.
    Yvonne's book goes back and looks at the crimes committed by Gerard Schaefer so that his victims would not be forgotten.   It is a powerful thing to give someone that is silent a voice.
    Dan Anderson, author of "Bad Vibrations" http://www.murdermayhemmalice.com/ was also in attendance, as was Andy J. Byers. Andy has written "The Imperfect Spy" which accounts the history of George Torfimoff as a spy for the Soviet Union. This book has been picked up for production into a motion picture. http://www.vandamere.com/spy.htm
    It was wonderful today to see all of these local authors support each other! Hopefully the Central Brevard Library will host another Author's Book Fair next year! If you live in the local area; consider letting the library know what a valuable event this was.

Well, Humbug

2009-02-26T19:58:00Z

Today was one of those days that I feel like I accomplished absolutely NOTHING! Although I did start researching for a vacation. That is always time consuming. I also made a meatloaf! (Those of you that know me, please don't faint. I actually cooked!)

The twitter application is up and running on the main page of the website. If you have never twitter(ed), start up an account and join me there! It is a simplified version of my space or face book that allows you to share your life one sentence at a time. It was absolutely brilliant last night when I was getting constant updates on the Liverpool/Madrid game in Spain in life time!

I had looked forward to some serious editing time today, but it does not look like that is going to happen.
Maybe tonight.

Welcome

2009-02-25T02:24:00Z

Welcome to my new website. I will be adding a Twitter application and a Myspace application very shortly. I am hoping to link all of my techonology into one place and simplify things a bit.
If you have linked here because of my Twitter page, yes I live in Florida, but long to be in Scotland. I absolutely love the UK as does all my family. (Call me crazy, but cold weather rocks!)
Thanks for stopping by!
Leslie