Posts Tagged With: #amwriting

Books to Write By

Posted on March 11, 2017 by Tess DeGroot

 

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Writers are always working to hone their craft. We never stop looking for ways to reach beyond our natural gift of storytelling. It can be taking formal course work to pursue an MFA (Master of Fine Arts) or attending conferences, but it can also be to listening comments of other writers as they critique our work, or working with a mentor.

I have also found books on the topic of writing to be helpful. There are a few old favorites that I return to when I have a question or need to review.

Earlier this week, someone asked me which “writing books” I have found helpful, so here are seven of my “go to” books:

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The Writer’s Journey by Christopher Vogler: Inspired by the work of Joseph Campbell,  Mr. Vogler take you through the fundamentals of the hero’s journey, character archetypes, and power of myth to tell a compelling story. I found that even romance stories have these elements which have been used by storytellers since we first gathered around the fire and spun tales to entertain and educate.

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No Plot, No Problem by Chris Baty: Written as a resource for National Novel Writing Month  Mr. Baty takes you through the process from the blank page to the first draft in thirty days. Written with humor and solid advice, I found it got me through the first draft of my first novel without going crazy.

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Firsts in Fiction: First line Hooks, Hints, and Help by Aaron Gansky:  This slim volume looks at that all important first line of your story. As a writer and teacher, Mr. Gansky uses this little book to make the process a little less scary. Beautiful examples of the worst and the best first lines are given in the text.

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The Irresistible Novel by Jeff Gerke:  We all want to write that “can’t put down” book. Mr. Gerke takes you through “the rules” of writing. He explains the reason for the rule, gives arguments for and against, and then lets you decide if you want to follow or break the rules. He also discusses how to emotionally engage your reading and psychology of storytelling from Jung to Campbell.

These last two are by the same author, James Scott Bell. It was hard to narrow down which of his excellent books in my library which to choose. As an author and instructor, all of his books are informative.  Here are my two favorites –

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Write Your Novel from the Middle  – This looks at the structure of the novel, finding that one point in the middle that defines what the story is all about. When I used this to do the last draft of my novel The Princess of Sweetwater, it took on a new, unanticipated direction when I defined the “mirror moment” in the story, and I fell in love with it all over again.

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How to Write Short Stories and Use Them to Further Your Writing Career – This is one of the newest additions to my library. After participating in a webinar about the book, I decided to purchase it. Writing short for me is a challenge, rarely are my stories shorter than seven thousand words. Since reading this, I have finished two short stories and am submitting them to anthologies.

So how do I chose which ones to plunk down my hard earned cash and take home to read? A quick search online reveals thousands of books on how to write anything. It’s hard to narrow it down. I look for books written by people I like and respect.  If a book is written by someone I’ve never heard of, I will do a little research into who they are and what their credentials are. Also, I have found that recommendations from my writer friends often prove to be good choices.

What are some of your favorite writing craft resources? List them in the comments below.

Until next time . . .

The door is always open, and the kettle is always on.

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Sunny Days & Backyard Friends

Posted on January 16, 2017 by Tess DeGroot

ny Sunshine, beautiful, glorious sunshine! This weekend we’re getting a break from the storms, and it’s wonderful outside. It’s nice to be able, even in winter, to sit on the back patio with a cup of tea (Earl Grey today.) and work on my final touches to my WIP progress. It feels so good to be warm.

For the past week, we’ve had cold, clouds, and rain. The rain came in mists, splatters, and downpours. In many ways, the rain is a blessing. We have been in a drought in California going on five years now. Here even in the desert in good years, rain is generally a rare thing.

The drought has left my home showing the effects of little rain. I have ten stressed mulberry trees dropping small branches and bark. We’ve watered them as much as we dare but the rain will help.

The rain though welcomed, has also brought its problems too. For the community, the saturated ground can’t hold any more water so streets are flooding and higher areas have mudslides. At home, we discovered a leak caused by wind damage to the roof. (Ah, the joys of home ownership, but that’s another topic.)

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As I sit on my patio and take in the warmth of the sun, I can see over my neighbor’s rooflines the snow-covered peaks of the San Antonio mountain range. At the birdbath, sparrows splash. House finches and lesser goldfinches are at the feeders happily chirping. Hummingbirds are buzzing around me asking for their feeder to be filled.

On days like today, backyard bird watching is full of surprises. All winter long there are the usual variety of sparrows, finches, and doves. I have had western tanagers, Bullock’s orioles, and robins passing through. Once a lazuli buntings passed through, rare here in the desert, the pair stopped in my yard to rest while migrating.

Yesterday, as I sat on the patio editing my novel it suddenly got quiet, too quiet. No splashing. No cooing. No chirping. I looked up, and ten feet from me at the birdbath was a sharp-shinned hawk. He looked at me and then went back to drinking.

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Sharp-Shinned Hawk

The peace was broken, when Rowdy Girl spotted the hawk. She thinks nothing of chasing down Rock Doves, Ravens, and Crows who dare to come into her domain. Off like a shot, she bounded toward the offending bird. The hawk gracefully went up on a tree branch, studied the barking dog for a moment and flew off.

When he had gone, the chorus of birdsong resumed and Rowdy Girl resumed her nap.

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Rowdy Girl

Wild birds bring joy with their beauty, grace, and song. They have even attracted the attention of my characters as they enjoy a lovely winter picnic.

From my WIP: The Princess of Sweetwater

 As they approached the sheltered mountain pond, Hiram said, “Close your eyes.”

Victoria squeezed them tight.

He brought the wagon to a stop and put his hand on her arm. “You can open them    now.”

She opened her eyes.  The sun glinting off the snow and ice made everything sparkle like diamonds. “It’s beautiful. It reminds me of the mountains near my home.”

They ate their lunch enjoying the antics of scrub jays and sparrows pecking at the frozen berries on the overhanging branches.

“Let’s go for a walk.” Hiram closed the picnic basket. He took Victoria by the hand and led her down the narrow trail.

Once in an open area, Victoria broke away from Hiram running ahead of him. She scooped up some snow and landed a snowball on his shoulder. In return, he sent one which knocked off her hat. On her next throw, she lost her balance and slid down the slope. Hiram ran after her catching her before a snowdrift engulfed her.

“Are you okay?” He laughed, gasping for air.

“Wet.” She took a handful of snow and tossed it in his direction.

“Let’s get you home, and you can put on something dry.”

On the ride back to town, Victoria sat nestled in Hiram’s arms. She had never felt so safe or so happy in her life.

We have nine weeks left of winter, time to enjoy the snow, the winter visitors in my backyard, but especially curling up on the couch in a blanket with a good book and a cup of tea.

Until next time remember –

The door is always open, and kettle is on.

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Pumpkins, Persimmons, and Pomegranates

Posted on October 23, 2016 by Tess DeGroot

        “I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.”                                                                                            — L.M. Montgomery (Anne of Green Gables)

I’ve been feeling a little down lately. It’s been a struggle to get any writing done. I am feeling a bit cheerier now as I sit here with a cup of Bavarian Vanilla Tea, taking a break from reading Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. It isn’t the tea or the book that are improving my mood, though both are wonderful, but the fact that autumn has arrived.  I know the calendar said it arrived a month ago. For me, though, it’s not official until certain events have occurred.

The first event is the return of the buzzards. Every October, like clockwork, the turkey vultures or buzzards returns to the High Desert for the winter. This return isn’t as celebrated as it is in Hinckley, Ohio when the buzzards return to the Midwest in March signaling the return of spring, but it still anticipated by desert residents. You can’t miss them, they fly in large groups, called kettles. Identified by their two-toned wings and red head, they circle high in the sky. Some kettles can exceed a hundred birds. Their graceful acrobatics are a joy to watch. Seeing them on the ground or in a tree, not so much. Their bulbous red head and awkward gait make them almost comical, but in the air, they are king.

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Turkey Vulture, AKA Buzzard, a winter resident of the High Desert

The second event is the arrival of fall produce. It is in October that some of my favorite foods return to the Farmers Market. This week I have enjoyed roasted pumpkin soup, hard sweet Fuyu persimmons, and tangy pomegranates. This marks the true beginning of autumn for me.

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Pumpkins are not just for Jack-o-lanterns and lattes. (Of course, your pumpkin spice latte doesn’t have any pumpkin in it, only the spices that are generally used in pumpkin pie.) The giant ones use for decoration are not the ones I’m referring to but the smaller sugar or pie pumpkin. These small gourds are amazingly versatile. They can be roasted and eaten, like any squash. Steamed and pureed to make pies that more flavorful than anything store bought. My favorite is soup, it’s my go-to autumn comfort food.

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Roasted Pumpkin Soup

Roasted Pumpkin Soup

5 pounds – sugar or pie pumpkin, seeded and quartered

½ cup – diced onion

1 spray – olive oil cooking spray

4 cups – vegetable broth

½ tsp – sea salt (optional)

2 tsp – fresh thyme leaves

2 tsp – fresh rosemary leaves, chopped

1 tbsps – fresh sage leaves, chopped

¼ tsp – course black pepper

Place pumpkin quarters in a shallow roasting pan, cut sides up, and place in 375-degree oven until tender and starting to brown. 30 – 45 minutes.

Scrape cooked pumpkin from shells and puree, using a portion of the vegetable broth as needed.

Spray a large pot with cooking spray and cook the onions until tender.

Stir in pureed pumpkin and remaining ingredients.

Simmer until hot and slightly thickened.

Adjust the herbs to your personal preference and if using dry herbs, reduce the amount by half. Canned pumpkin, pureed butternut squash or mashed sweet potato can be substituted. If you desire a creamier soup, add a cup of 2% or whole milk can be added.

Serves 8

Persimmons are a puzzle to most people. They look this odd-looking fruit and wonder what to do with it. There are two types of persimmons found in U.S. stores. My favorite is the Fuyu, native to Japan, it is orange and tomato-shaped. It is firm and sweet, like an apple and is good for eating or adding to salads. The second is American persimmon, native to Virginia. This larger orange-red, acorn-shaped fruit must be allowed to fully ripen before you eat it. The fruit will feel over-ripe when it is ready. If you eat it too soon it will chalky and a bit sour. It’s best to eat the pudding-like flesh with a spoon. I don’t care to eat these but will occasionally use them for baking. Substitute the skinned persimmons in recipes calling for other pureed fruit such as pumpkin bread.

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Pomegranates derive their name from the French word for “hand grenade” due to their resemblance to 18th-century grenades. They can be difficult to work with as the juice stains just about anything it touches. I have found if you split the skin and keep it submerged you can pull it open and work the arils (the pulp covered seeds) free without staining your hands. It’s great just to munch down on the crunchy red arils, but I also like to put them in salads.

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Pomegranate-Citrus Salad

Pomegranate-Citrus Salad

1 large – grapefruit, peeled and sectioned

1 medium – navel or blood orange, peeled and sectioned

½ cup – pomegranate arils

A dash of sea salt (optional)

2 cups – arugula (or other salad green)

Gently mix citrus sections and pomegranate in a bowl, sprinkle with salt.

Divide the greens onto two plates.

Add half of the citrus mix on the greens.

I like this especially with blood oranges, which are only available in the winter months.

Serves 2

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Harvesting cranberries

And here’s a bonus – cranberries! This tart fall staple is going to be a little pricey this year due to a drought in Maine affecting the cranberry bogs. But if you can get them I recommend making your own cranberry relish, so delicious and easy you’ll never go back to canned.

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Homemade Cranberry Relish

Cranberry Relish

½ cup – water

½ – 1 cup – sugar (depends on how sweet you like it.)

12 oz – fresh cranberries

Bring water and sugar to a boil in a saucepan.

Add cranberries and return to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer until the cranberries begin to pop (about 10 minutes), stirring occasionally.

Store in a covered container and refrigerate. It will thicken as it cools.

Makes approximately 2 ½ cups

Please share your favorite autumn recipes in the comments.

Until next time, remember the door is always open, and the kettle is always on.

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Writing In Public

Posted on July 15, 2016 by Tess DeGroot

 

Writing doesn’t have to be a solitary thing.

Most people think of writing as a solitary occupation, with romantic visions of a starving writer holed up in an ivory tower away from the world creating reams of prose and poetry. There are times when we writers do need to be alone with the written word. But that is not always the case.  Sometimes writing and be a very social event.

I write in public. Writing in public is not something non-writers would consider helpful to the writing process. To be honest, I’m not as fast putting word-to-paper in public as I am in my little room at home, but it does garner some interesting conversations.

Why do I write in public? The reasons are many but here’s a few:

It’s a NaNoWriMo thing.

November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), and participants will gather at coffee shops, libraries, and schools to write together for a “Write-In.” The goal is to complete a 50,000 word first draft of a novel in 30 days. Can it be done? Yes, it can. I’ve done it now nine times. Now some of those first drafts may never see the light of day, but I did write them. At a write-in, everyone is working on their own masterpiece in a public space. The gathering may vary from two to twenty people, each typing or hand writing their stories. Not talking to each other, just writing. Then every once in a while there will be a question; for example, in one story I had a character named with the very British name of St. John (pronounced Sinjin) and the question was how do I tell my readers how to correctly pronounce this name? One gentleman in the group suggested that I have someone mispronounce it so the character could then correct him. Problem solved. Back to work! Then there will be the challenges – someone, usually the Municipal Liaison (ML), will yell Word War! And everyone will write frantically for the next ten, fifteen, thirty minutes. The person with the most words during that time wins.

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I am the ML for my region, so it’s my job to schedule these write-ins. Plan the challenges – sometimes it’s use this weird obscure word in the next scene or your main character’s house just burned down, now what?  I also provide the prizes, usually small trinkets. I show up early and save the table. No one has any problem finding me, I’m the person in the Viking helmet. When someone comments on my headgear and asks why am I wearing it while I’m typing, it gives me a chance to explain NaNoWriMo and invite them to join in the fun.

As I write this blog, I’m at a write-in, but we’re calling it a “campfire” because July is Camp NaNoWriMo. Earlier while setting up and chatting with the barista, Cory joined in the conversation. He’s a NaNo from Northern California, who just moved into the area. So we pulled up a chair for him, and he joined in the writing, working on his own story.

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It’s a change of scenery thing.

Sometimes I get bored looking at the same four walls in my writing room. So I pick up my tablet and move outdoors. This being in a new location can be a distraction, and I may get less writing done, but I find inspiration in watching people and listening to the birds.

Some of my outside writing is being in the location of the scene I’m currently writing. For example, for a short story I’m currently working on, it takes place in small mountain town not far from where I live. I spent some time visiting that town. I sat at the local coffee shop, sipped coffee, and wrote the scene that takes place booth next to where I was sitting.

Sometimes I see things that give me ideas for stories. Sometimes I talk to those around me, mostly they’re curious to see someone typing in the park or on the beach. Now I’ve learned what the speech pattern of someone living in that community sounds like and can try to imitate it in print.

It’s things at home are too crazy thing.

Let’s face it working at home isn’t always easy. And even though I have a writing space, things still intrude. The dogs need attention. My husband is watching his beloved Giants trounce the Dodgers and being loud enough the team can hear his support all the way to San Francisco. The phone won’t stop ringing with unimportant calls.

Sometimes my writing room isn’t the fortress of solitude I need it to be. So off to the coffee house or the library I go. I find an unoccupied corner, settle in, and write.

Yes, sometimes I’m interrupted, but I don’t mind. It gives me a chance to talk about writing. To explain why I have pictures of cowboys and Victorian princesses on my notebook – my current novel in progress. To talk about NaNoWriMo and invite them to sign up. To encourage them to check out my friend’s newly published book.

Yes, I write in public. It inspires me. It lets me be social. I can share writing with others.

Until next time, remember the door is always open, and the kettle is always on.

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Two Ways Dogs Can Make You A Better Writer

Posted on July 7, 2016 by Tess DeGroot

 

Yes, dogs can improve your writing. Actually adding any animal to a story can improve it significantly, but I am a dog parent, I live with two dogs, so I’m going to use dogs.

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Argos and Rowdy Girl, my fur-babies.

We’ve all noticed there are people to whom dogs are naturally attracted or just the opposite, they avoid them as if they were the dog-catcher. Dogs are good judges of character. We can also judge a person’s character by how they treat dogs.

This is the first way adding a dog into your story can improve it. We want to let our readers know if this is a “good guy” or a “bad guy,” right? Having them interact with a dog is a way of showing, rather than telling, that the person is gentle or harsh. For example, your main protagonist is eating a hot dog, in walks stay dog (or his girlfriend’s dog), and he ignores the big brown eyes. In fact, he turns his back on the animal. What do we know now? He’s not such a softy after all. Or what if your main antagonist can’t resist taking home every stray dog she finds? Maybe there are some redeeming qualities there after all. What if a character is growled at every time the dog is present? That might be someone who is not trustworthy.

In the above example, the dog is primarily a prop, no different than a gun or umbrella. But a second way to include an animal is as a full-fledged character. There are lots of examples of this. Lassie and Big Red, of course, comes to mind. As does, Buck in Call of the Wild. These are main characters, but they can also be supporting characters. Think of Fang in the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer Stone, Nana in Peter Pan, and Pilot in Jane Eyre. These dogs are not primary characters, but without them, the story would be diminished.

Here are some examples from The Princess of Sweetwater using the dog to tell the reader something:

After dinner, Victoria sat on a stool in front of the big fireplace reading one of the textbooks, while Ox rested his massive head on her lap.

“I have never seen that dog take to someone the way he’s taken to you.” Hiram stretched out in his chair. “Did you have dogs at home?”

“Not as pets. My father keeps deerhounds and wolfhounds, but they’re hunting dogs.”

“Maybe he misses a woman’s attention. Marta spoiled him, and Maria won’t have anything to do with him.”

“You’re always welcome to join me by the fire, big boy.” She buried her face in his thick fur.

Ox is the ranch dog, and he likes Victoria, maybe he’s telling Hiram, she should stick around

And here’s Ox again:

At five o’clock, the boys washed up for supper. They ate in silence. Victoria saw a mix of worry and fatigue in the older boy’s eyes.

As Maria began to clear the table, a dog’s bark mixed with the clinking of the dishes.

“That’s Ox,” said Harvey, shoving away from the table.

He ran to let the dog in, the wind rushed through the open door blew out most of the lamps.

Ox continued to bark and ran back to the barn. Halfway there he stopped and looked back.

“I guess he wants us to follow him,” said Harvey running after the dog.

Victoria and the other boys followed.

On the barn floor, they found Hiram wet, muddy and bloody.

What happened to Hiram? You’re going to have to wait until the book release in March 2017.

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Ox, an English Mastiff, 150 lbs of slobbering love.

And here’s a cute little beagle named Dudley:

Kate came out of the kitchen when she heard voices in the inn’s main room. The dog bounded after her.  She found two men in suits going through the cabinets and drawers. “Can I help you, gentlemen?”

“We’re from the Pinkerton Agency,” said one of the men. Both pulled out their badges.

Dudley growled at the men. They took a step back.

Maybe Kate shouldn’t trust those Pinkerton agents.

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Dudley,  a Beagle pup

And here’s a bonus on how dogs can make you a better writer – owning a dog will get up and moving. You can’t sit at your desk and stare at the computer screen all day. You need a break. Take the dog for a walk, go play in the yard, or visit the pet supply store. While you’re taking that much need break, your brain will still be churning, and when you come back, there will be fresh ideas waiting for you.

Until next time, remember the door is always open, and the kettle is always on.

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Running Away, Sort Of

Posted on July 2, 2016 by Tess DeGroot

I ran away this week, sort of.

Sometimes you just have to move, get out of your space, and explore.

I’m working on a short story that takes place in the mountains. I enjoy doing the research for my stories, but there is only so much you can do can on the internet. So I ran away to then mountains.

The San Bernardino mountains are visible from my neighborhood. I’d say from my front porch, but there are too many trees and buildings in the way. To see them I have to walk to the corner and look southwest, and there they are in all their glory.

I though it’s a beautiful day, and maybe I should just trot on up the hill and see the lay of the land for myself.

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Paradise Mountain Coffee

My first stop was a Paradise Mountain Coffee in Crestline. I met my friend and co-municipal liaison for National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), Lyn. She lives in the area, and we seldom spend face-to-face time together. So over our cups of coffee, we chatted about NaNoWriMo, Camp NaNoWriMo, religion, politics, and life in general. What I thought would be an hour visit ended up being nearly three. It’s amazing how time flies by when you’re having a good conversation.

My second stop was the San Bernardino County Library, Crestline Branch. Now you’re thinking, isn’t there a closer library to my home, right? I needed to stop because I wanted to see how the library was set up and its proximity to Lake Gregory. My main character needs to go to the library to research something and his internet connection in his cabin is non-existent, so off to the nearest library, he treks.

My next stop was Running Springs, the central location of my story. After several wrong turns, I found the small mountain village, nestled between Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear. It’s where the CA 18 and CA 330 meet, so most travelers will fly by it and never notice the quaint little town.

Originally a sawmill called Hunsaker Flat, when the lumber companies moved out in 1896, development moved in. The area was advertised a country club, resort, mountain playground. It became Running Springs Park in 1925.

The small community of about five thousand people is worth your time. There are several antique shops and art galleries. They have a coffee shop and a pizza parlor. The folks are friendly, too. When I started asking questions about where this or that might be located, or how long does it take them to drive to San Bernardino or Crestline, they were more than happy to be helping get my story accurate.

Grocery and Real Estate Offcie
Antique/Arts Mall
Coffee Shop

So are you curious about the story? Here’s a little taste:

In 1927, Rachel Doolittle was found dead in her Running Springs home of apparent carbon monoxide poisoning.  The coroner reports that the accompanying head injury was due to a fall when she was overcome by the poisonous gas from a faulty furnace.

It’s 2017, and true crime writer Eric Cartwright is facing a deadline. He retreats to the mountains above San Bernardino to complete his current project. He is told by the realtor that the house is haunted, but he laughs it off. After a series of strange occurrences, he sees her in the mirror, standing behind him, while he shaves.

What would you do if a beautiful ghost asks you to solve a ninety-year-old murder?

Until next time, the door is always open, and the kettle is always on.

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