Paying it Forward~The Irresistably Sweet Blog Award

“The miracle is this-the more we share , the more we have.” Leonard Nimoy     What a pleasant surprise to find that I had been awarded “The Irresistably Sweet Blog Award” by my fellow memoir writer friend, Ruth Zaryski Jackson. Ruth and I met at the Writer’s Digest Editor’s Intensive weekend in Cincinnati in 2009. We have stayed in touch through our blogs. Hop on over to her Family History Blog Memoir Writer’s World   to experience a fascinating step back in time through her past memories and family stories. The obligations of the award are to thank the person, tell 7 things about myself and pass on the award to other new bloggers. Thank you, Ruth, for nominating me for this award. I am so glad that our paths...

Posted by on Aug 19, 2011 in The Irresistably Sweet Blog Award | 21 comments

Lessons from the “Greatest Generation” ~ The Spice in a Story

“LIFE IS NOT A ‘BRIEF CANDLE.’ IT IS A SPLENDID TORCH THAT I WANT TO MAKE BURN AS BRIGHTLY AS POSSIBLE BEFORE HANDING IT ON TO FUTURE GENERATIONS.”  Bernard Shaw.      Before cell phones, twitter, the internet, video games, microwaves, garage door openers and even TV, there was a generation that survived the Great Depression of the 1930′s, fought an honorable war in the 1940′s as they were coming of age and went on to rebuild America in the 1950′s. Their patriotism was high, work ethic strong and priorities clear~God, family, country. They have earned their title of the “Greatest Generation.” They danced to Big Band sounds, pulled together to fight  World  War II,gathered around radios in parlors to...

Posted by on Feb 26, 2011 in elements of story, memoir-writing, Truth in Memoir | 10 comments

Winter Dreams

” HOLD FAST TO DREAMS,FOR IF DREAMS DIE,LIFE IS  A BROKEN-WINGED BIRD WHO CANNOT FLY.”-Langston Hughes, American Writer  When I woke up this morning , I looked out at  our first real  snowfall of the season. The fluffy white snow laced the trees giving them a shape, accentuating each branch while giving an overall picture of a winter wonderland. You might say, they told a story of winter in the Northeast and all that conjures up~ visions of happy children and fluffy dogs romping in the snow, grandsons bobbing on sleds pulled behind the Kubota, cherry-cheeks , giggles and cold noses. Then coming inside to warm up with a cup of cocoa and some homemade pasta fagiola.  The vision of those snow-laced trees provided a structure for the stories that...

Posted by on Jan 9, 2011 in elements of story, identifying themes, Lifewriting Craft, memoir-writing | 10 comments

The Times of Our Lives..Writing When Your Heart is in a Vise

“ THERE  IS A TIME TO LET THINGS HAPPEN AND A TIME TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN.” Hugh Prather, Notes on Love and Courage. “ ALL ART, LIKE ALL LOVE, IS ROOTED IN HEARTACHE.” Alfred Stieglitz Having just come off a three- week period where time stood still, the hustle- bustle of this holiday season has felt like an electric shock to my system. Some of that actually has been good as there is comfort in getting back to my usual routine: work, going to the fitness center, finishing Christmas shopping & cards, squeezing in a piano lesson plus I really want to get back to my writing.  The point is,no matter what life hands you, life truly does go on. I am experiencing the benefit of having some structure as I move on in my day to day life but...

Posted by on Dec 12, 2010 in memoir-writing, Writing to Heal | 8 comments