ramblings from an arkansas farm girl
I’ve been decorating my porch for fall, y’all. I waited until the most recent heat wave dissipated. After living in Texas for so many years, I have lots of experience with putting pumpkins on the porch early, only to have them melt and turn grody by Halloween. Especially the carved ones.
I want my pumpkins to last through Thanksgiving.
Especially the non-carved ones.Continue Reading
I realized something this week. Decorating for Halloween is rather easy when I typically surround myself with antique, tattered, old things. Our house at Halloween is, well, not a far stretch from normal.
I’m not sure what that says about John and me.
Yes, we’re having a party on Saturday. I thought I’d give you a sneak peek inside our house at Halloween. I like to mix specific decorations I’ve picked up through the years with my usual decor. This plays right along into the spooky theme when “usual decor” includes vintage curiosities and antique furniture.
I already had Nancy Drew books under this glass cloche in the entryway. I substituted a few to add Poe and Faulkner to the mix. A vintage postcard and a raven perched on a rusty bedspring adds to the overall moody vignette.Continue Reading
I thought I should let y’all know I haven’t died. It’s been a week since I blogged which is a long time for me. Here’s the thing. I’ve been working on Book Two. And doing other things. Other things in the life of a writer are also known as writing distractions.
Distractions come is all sorts of packaging with a variety of labels. Like wasting time on Facebook. Watching The Voice. Enjoying a long lunch at a restaurant instead of eating a quick sandwich at home. I’m not knocking distractions. I think giving the mind a break can be a productive and inspirational thing. But, recognizing distractions is important, too, especially if you ever plan to finish that book.
You know?
Regarding Book Two, I have a completed draft, so yay! Some say finishing a draft is the hardest part. I agree. But once the draft is finished, editing becomes the hardest part. It’s easy to make excuses, put it off, find a million things to do other than see a manuscript to the end.
Editing is hard work and fun. This is the part that takes the story to the next level. The writer fills in gaps and holes, develops character, makes the narrative flow with ease. To all you authors, I highly recommend hiring a professional editor before submitting to a publisher. Editing is much more than grammar and spelling.
