I’ve always wanted to pitch a home decorating show called “Like You’re Really Going To Do That.” The concept is to take all the fashionable ideas designers spit out and see how they stand up to real life. The idea came to me when my reaction to a bathroom makeover wasn’t “oh, how pretty” but …
I’m writing another mystery novel. Not because my first manuscript has been scooped up by a publisher, but because I listened to professionals and laid aside the first novel to work on something new. Advice from those same pros pound in my ears. “Grab the reader with the first lines, keep the plot moving, build …
Dissecting a stinking manuscript by Violet Carr Moore Read More »
With the publishing world in turmoil over the future of paper books – real books to many of us – I started thinking about the first great revolution in publishing. The printing press brought book ownership to the masses, which is good. Literacy spread; also good. There was a down side, however. While the Bible …
At least they aren’t shooting at us by Lani Longshore Read More »
For the last eight months I’ve been working on one project, the sequel to Death By Chenille. That book took fifteen years to write, but my co-author suggested we write the next book to coincide with her art quilt seminar – in April. We didn’t make our deadline. Since I shelved three other projects to …
My sister-in-law just passed her final test to obtain a concealed gun permit. This is the sister-in-law with an MFA, who does exquisite pastel sketches of wildlife, and whose favorite outdoor activity is hiking in quiet mountains. Knowing that she also wanted a concealed gun permit – although not the reason why – got …
There is never enough time in the day to accomplish all that needs to be done. Sometimes, that stops me cold. My plans to write get buried under the need to clean or go to the grocery. Then I see someone who manages to write every day, and clean and get to the grocery. The …
While wandering in an antique shop, I noticed a simple but elegant bookcase filled with beautiful linens. On top of the stack on the highest shelf was a very realistic toy cat. I had to stretch to reach it. I tugged on its foot to determine if it was stuffed with kapok or buckwheat. The …
Reality is in the foot of a cat by Lani Longshore Read More »
To be a leader, be a bridge. – Welsh proverb Tri-Valley Writers been a bridge since 2005, bringing writers together to share information and ideas. Club members span all generations and all genres. While we still boast of members who joined when the corner stones were set, we are growing month by month. We are …
I was assigned as historian for our Tri-Valley Branch of the California Writers Club. I wondered just how old one had to be to be named “historian” but figured they knew what they were doing. My uncertainty was mollified when I read the job description. The duties were described as “maintaining the archive of documents, …
My first name is not an especially difficult one to spell, or so I thought. It’s just one “A,” two “N”s, and two “E”s separated by two “T”s. Easy-peasy, right? But believe me, it’s been misspelled as Anita, Antoinette, Antonia, Annetta, and even Arlene. I found out when traveling to Egypt that the hieroglyphic equivalent …
Always Check Your Spelling, Especially Proper Names! by Annette Langer Read More »
