Category Archives: Painting

New Project

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Everyday I research agents. It feels like full-time work. I look to see if they are open to queries and interested in memoirs. Based on books they have already gotten published I am looking for a good fit. Very few publishers are open to direct submissions, everything goes through agents. Even getting an agent to accept you doesn’t guarantee publication but I’m pretty determined so I keep plugging away and writing my query letters.

In the meantime I started another project very near and dear to my heart. It’s a children’s book about Tigger. The original idea was to call it Travels with Tigger (thanks Sue). That plan got foiled when a member of our group said, Disney will never let you get away with that. Oh dear, I never thought of that.

I’ve completed my first draft and I’m still on the fence as to what new name to give Tigger. The name fit him so well. It’s meant to be a picture book to be read to young children. A picture book is from 500-1000 words. I have 1000 in mine. There isn’t a lot of ground you can cover with that and so I’m thinking it could be a series.

As for illustrations, I’m a landscape painter, not an illustrator. I know publishers supply artists but I have all kinds of ideas for what I’d like it to look like. Of course I’m getting way ahead of myself but that’s what I do best – dream.

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The weather is in the eighties now and very nice. I hope it’s warming for you up there in New England. The end of this month I will be in New Jersey for my nephew’s wedding. I’ve forgotten what April weather is like there. Regardless of the weather, I’m really looking forward to seeing family.

Anyhow, any suggestions for Tigger’s new name are welcome.

Happy Easter!

Happy New Year!

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Just like that, I attached Uncharted to an email and sent it flying through the ether to an editor. My editing is done. Tim’s editing is done. Beta readers comments have been incorporated and an editor friend has made suggestions which have also been included. I am so grateful to everyone who took the time to help me on this journey.

I might add that I have already begun work on “Part B,” of my plan to get published, with some success. While my manuscript is in the hands of my editor, I planned on working on getting a few things published to help get Uncharted published. To that end, I submitted a piece to the Florida Writers Association’s online magazine. To my surprise and delight, it was accepted. 

If you are interested, my piece can be found on page 21.

TFW_DEC_2022_-low_resDownload

Of course, once my editor is finished there will be more work but the end of the beginning is near. The next step is to find an agent to represent me to publishing companies. That entails writing query letters, or filling out query forms and giving a brief summary of my book. How I’m going to do that continues to stew in my head.

My primary goal for 2023 is to find an agent and a publisher. My other goal is to research life for women in France in the late 1800s for my next book. That is stewing in my brain as well. Perhaps in 2023, I’ll even finish a painting or two!

Thank you to everyone who offered an opinion on my cover. I’ll have to work on that some more too.

As 2022 winds down, with just a few more hours left, I wish everyone a happy and prosperous new year. In these crazy times, who knows what will be coming at us next, but with love and good humor, we’ll weather it together.

Love, peace, and joy to all in the coming year.

Reboot, Undo or Maybe Find and Replace

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The year that was had its share of challenges for everyone. For some it was just impossible and heartbreaking. New Year’s makes it feel like we get a do-over, that we get to Reboot and start again without causing the system to crash. Life isn’t that easy or simple. Some things you can’t fix but there is always hope if you look for it. Right now, we need to look hard and long at the future and what is ahead with a greater understanding of the fragility of those things we’ve always held dear.

I’m an optimist but I know things can fall apart. I also know that when they do, all you can do is put one foot in front of the other and keep moving forward. I’m hoping for a better 2021, though I know it won’t be all better once the ball drops in Times Square. I’m targeting 2021 as the year I have my first book published. I’m not sure how, but I’m going to give it my all to make sure it has every chance at success. Like painting, working at making my book the best it can possibly be is my first goal. When I’m satisfied with it, which will probably be never, the editing ends and the publishing begins.

Creating paintings of our boat trip from Maine has been a fun respite from my writing endeavors. Sometimes you have to step away and take a breather before returning with fresh eyes. Painting has allowed me to do that.

From Chapter 16:

“It was 8:30 a.m. when we left Barefoot Marina, and another pretty day on the water. The weather was finally cooperating, four sunny days in a row and more sunshine to come. Once the ICW fed into the Waccamaw River, the water was deeper and wider and beautiful. We made our way up to the fly bridge to enjoy the sunshine and the mild temperatures. Ahead of us was a row of sailboats. The sunlight pushed past a row of sumptuous clouds, creating a glistening spotlight for the middle sailboat with its sails unfurled. That was a picture that would definitely make a fine painting someday. Up ahead was the Ocean Highway Bridge which connects Pawleys Island to Georgetown, South Carolina’s third oldest city after Beaufort and Charleston. When we reached mile marker 400 where the Waccamaw River meets the Great Pee Dee River, Georgetown Landing Marina, awaited us, a perfect place to stay.”

Happy New Year, and let’s all resolve to be kinder to one another. If we try to understand someone else’s point of view instead of insisting on our own infallibility that which divided us only grows wider. Look for common ground and understanding and you’ll find it.