Snow Here!

It's exciting, because we hardly ever get snow. Here in the Willamette Valley snow is rarely seen. The climate is usually just too mild. But every once in a while, we wake up to discover snow on the ground! It's only a half inch, but it makes everything so beautifully white. While it is mostly raining now, off and on we get big fat snowflakes coming down. School openings are delayed. Drivers are being extra cautious, because many have little experience driving in these conditions, and the town does not have much equipment to deal with the snow. It's early, but soon I'm sure I'll see neighbors out and about walking in the snow, maybe a few of the younger children will build snowmen. It is so nice to have this reminder of the beauty in the world.

Top Ten Reasons Why I Write

 ...and why you should too, if you've ever "thought about writing some day."

10. I have stories to tell.
  9. My head is so full of ideas, characters, etc., that they'll leak out of my ears if I don't write them down.
  8. If I don't write, I'll kick myself in the morning.
  7. It's a wonderful escape from politics!
  6. Having written feels good.
  5. It's a simple and easy way to work out all kinds of issues.
  4. Writing is way more fun than housework.
  3. I know how to write!
  2. My books will (I hope) still be around even after I no longer am!

And the #1 reason is:
  1. People actually read what I write and sometimes even let me know they enjoyed it/learned something/laughed/cried/had fun.

Holiday Cookie Memories

Cookies are one of my favorite things about the holidays, and they bring back so many memories...

My grandmother used to bake several kinds of cookies for Christmas (along with several kinds of candy!), and I loved to help her make them, eagerly awaiting the first batch. Candy-cane cookies were my favorite, but I also liked Pinwheel cookies (vanilla and chocolate rolled together, sliced and baked). Dream bars were also delicious as were sugar cookies, lemon bars, etc. My grandmother made plenty for the family, and also made batches that she gave to the neighbors on plates that she made from old Christmas cards.

I have special memories of making cookies with my mother too, though the funny thing is the two that stand out were both "disasters."

One year we made cookies where we had to press the dough into the cookie cutters so that when we slammed them down on the board they came out with 3-demonsional shapes of Santas, sleighs, stockings filled with presents, etc. We decorated them carefully with all the sprinkles, chocolate bits, etc. They looked so pretty when we took them out of the oven--and they tasted so bad! I think now that it was probably a recipe for cookies made to hang on the tree, but we didn't know that at the time. :O

Another year we made some chocolate cookies. They were totally delicious! Crispy, yet melt-in-your mouth and just so, so tasty. The disaster part of these cookies? The next year when we decided to make them again we couldn't find the recipe! We looked everywhere, but never, ever found it!

I made cookies with my daughter when she was growing up, using some of the recipes my grandmother used. Now that my daughter is grown, I make only the Candy-cane cookies, my favorite. Every time I do, I think of the Christmases when I baked with my grandmother, my mother and my daughter. And then I sit down and have a nice, warm cookie.  :)

I am not a Robot

So why is it so difficult to prove it?

I post on various blogs and most of them have the word boxes where I have to prove I'm not a robot. Trouble is, it's getting more and more difficult. The letters are squeezed togther more than ever and are blurrier than they used to be. Thank goodness there doesn't seem to be a limit to the number of attempts, but there have been times when I have had to try 5 or 6 times to get the right words and numbers!

A newer feature is having a photo of a number that appears to be a house number. These are often the blurriest. (And, yes, I wear my reading glasses!) What is the purpose of making it SO hard at times? I've known people who have tried to post a comment and they've given up, because they just can't match the words and numbers.

All I and my friends want to do is post a nice/funny/insightful comment. It shouldn't be so difficult!

Reviewing the Reviewers

Reviewers review books, but who reviews the reviewers?

Lots of people, it turns out!

Authors often take issue with reviews (something I do not recommend, unless there is an out-an-out error, something major, such as the book review refers to the wrong book!). It is understandable, that an author would want to comment on reviews, be they glowing or totally snarky. But the book has been put "out there" and reviews are part of the game.

Readers often comment on reviews, whether to agree or disagree, to praise or to chastise. People have different tastes and readers can be fiercely loyal to a book they like, or strongly opposed to a book they don't like, and some readers don't hesitate to challenge a review.

Sometimes reviewers respond to what are essentially reviews of their reviews. Some responses are thoughtful and measured, some are, well, not. Is it fair to "review" a review? It is someone's writing, after all.

But a review is not a story. It's an opinion. It might be an opinion with which one strongly disagrees (or wholeheartedly agrees), but, still, it is just an opinion.

My feeling is that as long as reviews of books or of reviewers are thoughtful and polite, okay. While it's fair to comment negatively, I don't think snarky, mean, backstabbing and/or nasty comments are okay. But that's just me. Others may enjoy a rousing give and take!

What do you think about "reviewing reviews?"

Group Therapy (for writers)

Sometimes the best way to deal with writing issues is with a group of fellow writers.

I recently attended a local meeting with the regional advisors of our area SCBWI. The main purpose of the meeting was to meet the advisors, but one of the benefits was the camaraderie and encouragement one gets from being with other writers.

Writing is a solitary occupation, and it is all too easy to get discouraged. Interacting with others in the same profession can really provide a spark. If you are stuck in the middle of a story or have put aside writing altogether for more than a short time, other writers know what to say to generate ideas and nudge you into getting back to your story or book.

Group therapy for writers doesn't have to be in person. It can be online too. There are webites and message boards for all kinds of writing. It's a great way to meet and converse with people who know what it's like to work alone, to struggle over one sentence for hours, to blank out just when you're reaching what should be the major turning point in your story.

They are also there to share in the good news, be it major or minor. Just today I found a new four-star review for one of my books on Amazon and a four-star rating for another of my books on Goodreads. The fact that the rating on Goodreads was by a 14-year-old in Portugal made seeing the rating all that much more fun. And when those less than stellar reviews appear, who better to turn to than a group of writers who will know exactly how you feel and how to cheer you up?

So, find a group (or groups) that fit your needs and get (and give) all the therapy you need!

Find the Right Writing Class for You

It's important to make sure a class is a good match for you.

Whether you take a class in person or online, find out the style of the class. How often does it meet? You need a time frame of 6-12 sessions to really develop as a writer.

Make sure the class teaches the kind of writing you're interested in. Non-fiction? Children's novels? Short stories? Check out the class syllabus. If you can, talk to people who have already taken the class and find out what they got out of it.

What are the instructor's credentials? Look for someone with experience in writing (and selling that writing) in the area of your interest.

Size matters. In this case, the smaller the better. You'll get more individual attention and nuturing in a class of, say, 12 than in a class of 35.

And remember, as with any class, what you take away from it depends a lot on what you put into it.