Falling into Autumn

I love fall. I love the trees decked out in their party clothes, russet apples, orange pumpkins, colorful mums, color everywhere. I love the scents, sounds and tastes of fall, burning leaves, wind rustling the drying leaves, apple cider. I love the way the fallen yellow leaves line the sides of our road. I love frosts and caterpillars and geese flying south.

I love fall.

THIS is the life

Make no mistake about it, this is the life. This life right now, right here. There are many people who seem more interested in the next life, but if you don’t make the most of this life, this gift, then the next one isn’t going to be as great as it could be. What if you show up for that “next life” and you’re asked, so what did you do with the life we already gave you? What? And now you want another one? Sorry, we’ve got to send you back again, over again and over again until you get it right, until you do more than just wait it out.

That would be crap, right? So why take the chance?

Most people have a vision of what the next life is like and it’s usually something amazing and spectacular. Suppose that vision is actually of what this life should be. If you can make the vision true for this life, then amazing and spectacular can be right now.

People going through their dying days say “there wasn’t enough time.” They’re right, there isn’t enough time. So don’t wait, live. Live this life right now.

Start. Don’t stop. Be fearless.

THIS is the life.

The Silly Season Book Review

I love reading book catalogs from small companies where someone in the company has read the book and gives a review along with the description. I decided to make up some books and review them myself. I don’t know why. Maybe because we’re in a winter thaw. Maybe because I think it’s fun.


Unearthed - the second in the Unholy series. Vampires take over Wall Street causing a resurgence in the economy by creating hundreds of thousands of night shift jobs. I slept with the lights on after reading this. Chilling.

Bad Habits - A merry band of bank robbing, gun toting, gum chewing nuns looking to save their church and have a good time while doing it. Completely believable once you get used to how often they stop to pray.

The Earth Stands Still - starts out slow, but if you can stay with it until the protagonist pushes the villain off the roof of St. Paul’s Cathedral, you’ll probably want to hurl yourself off as well.

Hell Bent for the Gallows - a Collection of Back Woods Humor - If you think poking yourself in the eye is funny, you’ll love these.

Bumbershoots, Blunderbusses and Bawdy Bishops - I picked this book up thinking it would be a handy primer on English for my trip to Britain, but, instead, found it to be a thoughtful and emotional look at a rich man’s struggle to remain grounded while traveling the world first class.

So It Be - Intricately plotted mystery with a group of snowbound travelers marooned together at an abandoned inn. Easily the best book I’ve read all year and already optioned by Hollywood. I still remember gasping when I found out Reverend Tinsdale was the murderer!

What I've been reading while the snow falls

I’m not certain anyone will be interested in what I’ve been reading lately, but I find I’m frequently fascinated by the reading lists of others. So, whether anyone else cares or not, here it is.

Animal Dreams - Barbara Kingsolver
Cutting for Stone - Abraham Verghese
Let’s Bring Back - Lesley M. M. Blume
Two recent prize winning mysteries by different authors that were the worst I’ve ever read and thus proving, at least to me, that I’m a better writer. I assume the authors have had to go into hiding so I won’t name them or their books here.
The Finkler Question - Howard Jacobson
Her Royal Spyness - Rhys Bowen

I wonder what everyone else has been reading?

There's Something About January

I don’t know exactly what it is, but I find I’ve been tearing into things and, most importantly, completing them. Is it the excitement of a new year with anything possible? Is it all the snow and cold outside and the quilts, cat, books, laptop and fireside indoors? I don’t know and I don't think I shouldn’t examine the reason too closely, but go with whatever magic is working.

Maybe, just maybe, I’m becoming that which I most want to be. Maybe I’m becoming fearless.

I’ve noticed I laugh more at the little voice that tells me what I’m attempting to do in a writing a story is beyond me. When I hear that voice, I think, okay, then, I’ll just have to leap farther than I thought, throw myself in and see if I plummet or fly and if I plummet, it’s all right because next time I’ll have that experience on which to draw.

So January comes with a warning. If you hang around me, you’re with someone standing a lot closer to the edge than I ever used to stand. And I’m ready to jump.

Done

I haven’t blogged much this year, but I have been writing. I achieved a big goal, finishing the first draft of a mystery. I also attended a writers’ conference, talked to an agent and, at one time, had eight short stories out in the world at once.

I did it and because I did it, I can place a check mark in the DONE column.

DONE!!!!!

There is that nagging little voice, though, the one that says, okay, you did it, now what? The little voice that reminds me I need other goals if I want to keep moving forward. The little voice that says, 2011, a whole year in front of you! What are you going to do with it?

Dang you, little voice!

So, here goes. I’ve decided to do some of it again. Get more short stories out into the world, write the first draft of another mystery AND rewrite and polish the first draft I finished in 2010.

And that’s enough for a start.

Happy Thanksgiving Week