tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18629347996807917942012-02-15T23:04:31.993-08:00Never Settlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12164611812175830217noreply@blogger.comBlogger301100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1862934799680791794.post-63463544801240888872009-10-05T14:49:00.000-07:002009-10-05T15:52:26.015-07:00

The problem with using emotions to fuel your writing is that when you are emotionally exhausted you have no energy left to write. I apologize for my continued absence.

Never Settlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12164611812175830217noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1862934799680791794.post-75999723980596689412009-07-16T07:09:00.000-07:002009-07-16T07:11:30.566-07:00

This one time at Suthern Kids Camp while out fishin' on the beaver dam in the middle of winter, my sister slipped off into the water. I tried to help her as she flailed about in the nearly freezing water, scraping and digging her nails in the slippery mud, but I was having trouble getting up myself. I had fallen down laughing.

Never Settlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12164611812175830217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1862934799680791794.post-37210953396556223342009-07-13T12:23:00.000-07:002009-07-13T12:27:31.855-07:00

Never Settlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12164611812175830217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1862934799680791794.post-90350819555747590702009-02-18T11:14:00.000-08:002010-01-31T13:53:03.017-08:00

My mother and my aunt were very close growing up. I often compare their relationship to the relationship between my sister and me. Even though we fought as kids and teens, we remained best friends. She has been there to support me through thick and thin and has loved and forgiven me even when I hurt her. I have turned to her for advice and could always count on her for an honest opinion. I love

Never Settlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12164611812175830217noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1862934799680791794.post-13861263155969824602009-01-13T09:10:00.000-08:002009-01-18T21:21:43.221-08:00

Writing is an "emotional purge" for me (as I'm certain it is for many others), and so is cutting all of my hair off!I discovered this when I had my first child sixteen years ago. My hair was dark brown and wavy and incredibly healthy. It was down to my elbows and I absolutely loved it! But having a baby makes you do crazy things. To say goodbye to the old me and hello to the mommy me, I decided

Never Settlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12164611812175830217noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1862934799680791794.post-60939567274715606362009-01-13T06:37:00.000-08:002009-01-13T06:38:52.802-08:00

I would like to send a special shout out to the computer gods that made this moment possible!:o)I'm baaaaack!

Never Settlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12164611812175830217noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1862934799680791794.post-86424791235512704872008-10-12T21:39:00.000-07:002008-10-16T14:38:14.570-07:00

Black by Ted Dekker An incredible story of evil and rescue, betrayal and love, and a terrorist's threat unlike anything the human race has ever known. A virulent evil has been unleashed upon the people of earth. The only man who can stop it is Thomas Hunter, an unlikely hero whose life is stretched between two worlds. Every time he falls asleep in one reality, he awakens in the other. Soon Thomas

Never Settlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12164611812175830217noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1862934799680791794.post-9581025503033129252008-10-03T12:53:00.000-07:002008-10-03T12:55:41.021-07:00

I am sorry to say that my dear old computer has been (will likely be again) on the fritz. I will post as long as it runs, but if the geek gods have other plans for me, please forgive my absence.

Never Settlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12164611812175830217noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1862934799680791794.post-17892576478679796582008-10-01T11:39:00.000-07:002008-10-01T11:52:44.231-07:00

I am in general agreement with the views expressed here, especially the idea to give each of the 350 million Americans a million dollars to stimulate the economy rather than bailing out Wall Street. Who wants a million dollars?Sometimes businesses fail. The government's purpose is not to bail out a particular industry because of poor decision making and management. If all of the small business

Never Settlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12164611812175830217noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1862934799680791794.post-27555624926047188732008-09-25T13:20:00.000-07:002008-09-29T22:31:55.996-07:00

This is the picture that inspired the previously posted sketch. It is one of the treasures I found today during my ramblings in the garage.

Never Settlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12164611812175830217noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1862934799680791794.post-51577261512592893642008-09-25T09:08:00.001-07:002008-09-25T09:14:24.091-07:00

Today, the weather is nice and cool (and when I say cool, I mean cool for Arizona = 80°). It's also wonderfully windy. I believe it's nice enough that I can actually go dig through boxes in my garage and find my original "Duke" drawings. Who knows what other goodies I'll find!Happy digging!

Never Settlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12164611812175830217noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1862934799680791794.post-17512295919656702042008-09-23T10:20:00.000-07:002008-09-23T10:47:38.488-07:00

A while back, Natalie wrote a post in her own handwriting. This was a unique and clever idea and her writing was very neat and legible. Her post prompted a few others to do the same.Which brings me to this post. If I were writing a personal letter, a quick note on a card or even a journal entry, my penmanship would be quite different than what you see here. I call this frantic scribbling. (If you

Never Settlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12164611812175830217noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1862934799680791794.post-12157277737834010582008-09-22T10:51:00.001-07:002008-09-22T10:51:46.170-07:00

Never Settlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12164611812175830217noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1862934799680791794.post-55464711987267974562008-09-22T09:47:00.000-07:002008-09-22T10:42:17.678-07:00

In-flight magazines are hardly worth the energy expended just taking them out of the pocket only millimeters away from your knees, but I got lucky this time. There on the cover was Ben Affleck looking up at me. Out of the bag came the sketchbook and charcoal pencil (I love working with charcoal- pencil or block). I decided to keep my tacky magazine as a reminder that inspiration can be found in

Never Settlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12164611812175830217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1862934799680791794.post-8221271354872491472008-09-22T09:02:00.000-07:002008-09-22T10:52:27.096-07:00

Drawing was an emotional outlet for me when I was a child. Twenty two years ago, I had a sketchbook that I kept in the drawer of my grandmother's antique sewing table. I grew up and moved out- leaving the book behind. I served in the army, got married, had two children and moved on to other forms of artistic (and quite emotional) expression.Years later, my mother gave me a birthday gift. She

Never Settlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12164611812175830217noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1862934799680791794.post-85257774101827314952008-09-17T12:29:00.000-07:002008-09-17T23:59:27.822-07:00

Being the food, shelter and affection provider for five very... let's just say unique cats, I find absolute joy in the way this cat moves (seemingly without moving).

Never Settlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12164611812175830217noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1862934799680791794.post-65614783324086334632008-09-13T20:44:00.001-07:002008-09-17T12:55:22.859-07:00

I apologize to the one or two of you that actually read my blog for the delay between posts. As you can see, I have been giving it a major facelift. I am done for now, but as I learn more about editing HTML (which I am NOT fond of so far) I will add to, rearrange, and change the look of the blog during the times when I have nothing to say. (HA! I ALWAYS have something to say, but for now what

Never Settlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12164611812175830217noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1862934799680791794.post-66453279657129866702008-09-03T13:26:00.000-07:002008-09-03T13:33:40.518-07:00

A Different World by Bucky Covington

Never Settlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12164611812175830217noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1862934799680791794.post-51021409614584963152008-09-03T10:19:00.000-07:002008-09-03T10:30:02.917-07:00

In response to Fear Itself:My life growing up in rural Mississippi is something my children will never quite understand. My sister and I were always outside and never had fears of drive-by shootings, being kidnapped or anything of that sort.I am currently raising my family in a very busy suburb in Phoenix. While I want more than anything to keep my children safe, I also believe that some things

Never Settlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12164611812175830217noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1862934799680791794.post-80922414975687859492008-09-03T09:01:00.000-07:002008-09-03T09:20:19.247-07:00

So what do you do when you have a million ideas spinning around in your head but can't get them out?!?A few weeks ago, I uncovered an incredible inspiration that brought about a flood of ideas. Since then, I've started about five children's stories and six feature articles (with many more ideas listed in my little red notebook).I've dealt with what people refer to as writer's block before. This

Never Settlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12164611812175830217noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1862934799680791794.post-5194043732331569342008-08-23T02:55:00.000-07:002008-08-23T03:17:27.067-07:00

The rediscovery of my Lowly Worm Word Book led me down Memory Lane (this is referred to as if it were an actual road on a map). In reality, my "Memory Lane" is called 8th Street or simply 'the strip.'It began at the Sonic Drive-in and ended at College Park (a shopping center near the community college). It was THE place to cruise back in high school. All along this nearly one mile strip, kids

Never Settlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12164611812175830217noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1862934799680791794.post-66481960337846850902008-07-31T20:06:00.000-07:002008-08-02T21:16:01.105-07:00

Dear Richard Scarry,I owe you a very special THANK YOU! After being inspired by the one sneaker wearing worm last week, I have completed one short children's bedtime story and have another in the works. Even though I have only written two, Lowly has inspired so many ideas that my computer (err... notebook and pretty red pen) will hardly have time to rest in the coming weeks and months. Because of

Never Settlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12164611812175830217noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1862934799680791794.post-22510989390828419962008-07-28T11:03:00.000-07:002008-08-02T21:17:37.117-07:00

I love the way Prill Boyle describes doubt in her blog post Dealing With Doubt. Prill Boyle writes, I'm struggling with doubt. The trick, I suspect, is to turn away before it grabs you by the throat. My personal demon sits on my shoulder wearing a gray business suit and a fedora and whispers in my ear that I'd better keep my day job. 'You're not a writer,' it taunts me. When I shared this with my

Never Settlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12164611812175830217noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1862934799680791794.post-81711739554264515452008-07-25T22:14:00.000-07:002008-08-02T21:18:58.554-07:00

I was in my daughter's room two days ago and we came across a little book that was given to me as a high school graduation gift by my best friend. It's a cute little board book about two inches by two inches. It's called Lowly Worm Word Book by Richard Scarry. I know, I know. You're wondering, "Why did you get THAT for your graduation? Did you go to a special school?" I assure you I went to a

Never Settlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12164611812175830217noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1862934799680791794.post-12758591835687751982008-07-23T07:13:00.000-07:002008-08-10T22:08:55.357-07:00

As I search through the thousands of writing jobs (freelance and staff positions), I see again and again that a huge percentage of the jobs require desktop publishing, web site design, or photography experience in addition to being able to produce quality content. The benefits and job opportunities for a good writer with skills in any/all of these areas seems endless.But wouldn't studying all of

Never Settlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12164611812175830217noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1862934799680791794.post-15462905286086468092008-07-21T07:27:00.000-07:002008-08-03T20:49:54.134-07:00

While I created this blog to chronicle my journey to become a published writer, there are some thoughts and feelings that are incredibly personal and difficult to share. We all experience some fear and self doubt. Is my work really good enough to be published? Absolutely, but maybe a particular piece needs a major rewrite before it will be accepted. We all experience some frustrations with the

Never Settlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12164611812175830217noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1862934799680791794.post-57651550363544918772008-07-17T10:05:00.001-07:002008-08-03T20:51:05.633-07:00

Wow! There is quite a mountain of information about this topic on the web! Unfortunately, most of it is repetitive, generic and overall not useful. While I'm not looking to steal your business, I am looking to start one.A few questions for the published writers out there:Have you discovered specific tips through your experiences that make your query letters more effective? Have you found the

Never Settlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12164611812175830217noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1862934799680791794.post-33440753855066494212008-07-16T21:57:00.000-07:002008-08-03T20:51:36.749-07:00

As I prepared to submit my first article for publication, I realized that I was not at all nervous as I expected I would be. Nor was I giddy with excitement! This set in motion a series of thoughts that led to a series of questions. The first was "What's wrong with me?!?"How can I, finally deciding my skin is tough enough to handle rejection of work I've poured my heart and soul into, NOT feel

Never Settlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12164611812175830217noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1862934799680791794.post-84363049674416281022008-07-16T10:48:00.000-07:002008-08-03T20:52:12.782-07:00

When I was ten years old, I participated in a gifted program in Dallas, Texas. In this one day per week program, we (me and all the other nerdy types living within an hour of the host school) were given the opportunity to explore subjects outside the normal 'ABCs and 123s.'Basic computer animation was fun, but back in the early eighties (yes, I'm dating myself a bit here), it was more like

Never Settlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12164611812175830217noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1862934799680791794.post-60528721889033080142008-07-15T21:48:00.002-07:002008-07-15T21:50:53.337-07:00

And so it begins.

Never Settlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12164611812175830217noreply@blogger.com0