Thursday, December 16, 2010




Remember silver trees and Jetson cartoons?
They were so modern.
Now?--not so much.
I love old science fiction. While the stories are set in the future, they are written with the sensibilities of the writer's time. Golly Gee.
It's like straddling two time lines. How cool is that?

Monday, December 13, 2010


The Pink Tree
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Not every tree is green,
some are pink with a
mermaid!!
Not every book is great literature, some are for the beach. There's a place for both on my book shelve.
All books are divisible into two classes: the books of the hour and the books of all Time.
John Ruskin

Saturday, December 11, 2010




Butterfly Christmas Tree
Butterflies capture our imagination because of their fleeting beauty, easy grace and easy freedom. Good writing should release us from the reality that grounds our lives.
One writes to make a home for oneself, on paper, in time, in others' minds.
Alfred Kazin











Tuesday, December 7, 2010


Lime tree with purple ornaments.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Sometimes simple is best as in this tree. The same is true for writers. Consider these editing reminders. Long, convoluted sentences lose the readers (and the writer). The 'said' conversation tag does the job without startling the reader. Don't string prepositional phrases, they bore the reader. Cut out unnecessary words -- lazy adverbs, empty adjectives and overused favorites.
Editing cuts away fuzzy writing laying bare the story.

Monday, December 6, 2010




Four trees of red.







These trees are red--red poinsettia, green with red berry lights and red wooden toys, red and white tinsel with red lights and decorated with cookie and sweets ornaments, red tinsel with red lights decorated with walnut shell babies and candy ornaments. The color and the theme of childish delights tie the decorated trees together and yet each tree is unique.


A writer uses what experiences he or she has. It's the translating, though that makes the difference.

John Irving

Sunday, December 5, 2010


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It's that time again:
Christmas trees all over my house!
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This tree is decorated with my favorite things--books. No surprise there. I read, write, collect and even craft with books--notice the paper chain and book ornaments.
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A writer is, after all, only half of his book the other half is the reader and from the reader the writer learns.
P. L. Travers
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