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Lazy Days of Summer

This title couldn't be more apropos of the way many of the days are passed in the

summer months. But if you were outdoors, you would understand that here in the Northeast it was because it was too hot to do much of anything else this year. I can't even begin to imagine what it is like in the southern part of the country. But I will be forever grateful to the previous home owners who installed central air conditioning the year before we bought our home.

I certainly am not once again making excuses for not working diligently on my latest novel. But this time of year is when we get together with family and friends, meeting for dinner out or cookouts. This is regular life and it does often take a priority over everything else. I would like to think I'm the kind of writer who cancels appointments or dinner dates because I'm working on my latest novel and I can't focus on anything else until it is completed. But I guess I'm not. Or at least I'm not during the summer
months. I enjoy spending time with friends and family when they are visiting and know how fast life passes us by with everyone growing older each year.

Fall has always been my favorite time of year - as I've gotten older and less tolerant of hot, muggy summer days, I've looked forward to cooler days and nights. But I always saw Fall as a time to begin anew. Most people see January 1 as the time to begin a new workout or diet. I guess it goes back to school days when September was a time to start over. Even after college I would take classes and start new projects in September.

With that said, I'm excited about not only starting new projects but getting back to completing projects already in the pipeline.

(photo is of Sabbaday Falls in NH)

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Writings & Musings

Bonding with Your Readers

While searching Writer's Digest website and other sites for writers, I found an interesting podcast that interviewed a few memoir authors. A couple of them talked about memoir in a way that I hadn't really thought about much but feel it is a very important aspect of memoir that should not be ignored. Actually, it is the entire premise on which your memoir should be based.

We often think that memoir is just all about us and what happened to us in a particular time and situation. I know that is where I was going with my memoir. But what I heard from one author in particular was how we often don't take responsibility for our part in 'what went wrong'. We often write about what happened to us, what others did to us. We need to write about how we were mean or jealous or petty in a situation. These are the things that your potential readers can relate to, can identify with, and how they can feel your pain, the same pain they feel.

No one who reads your memoir is interested in your writing abilities. They want to know about the people in the book. One author mentioned how people come up to him and ask about a certain character, what happened to them. You are laying yourself out there and although they may feel like they know you now, they do know a part of you and that part, which is like them, makes them feel ok about themselves. See, they say, it happened to me and also happened to this author, too. It makes you human, a normal person like them.

This is how we bond. This is how you find readers for your memoir.

Link to DJ Geribo's Blog

During the summer months I often spend time painting with my good friend, Shirley. We have a lot of fun together and I actually get a lot of painting done. Since fall is around the corner along with holiday shows close behind, I am beefing up my stock of mini paintings. Fall scenes are always one of my favorites to paint.

To see more of my paintings, go to my gallery on my website.

Since I have taken so many photos of animals, they are always among the mini paintings that I have available for sale. These two buddies were quite adorable, snuggled together.

There is an interesting story about these two - I thought I was communicating with the momma cow when I was actually annoying her and she charged at me. Luckily, there was a fence between us. But I learned my lesson. And I had to paint the twosome.

Upcoming Shows

Oct. 11 - "Words and Wine" -
Winnipesaukee Winery
4:30 - 7pm, 458 Center St., Wolfeboro, NH
$20 charge includes glass of wine, hors d'oeuvres, and the author event
********************
Nov. 03 - Granite State Choral Society -
Holiday Show
9 - 3pm - Rochester Community Center, 150 Wakefield St., Rochester, NH

November 23, 24, 25 - Castle in the Clouds Holiday Show
10 - 4:30pm - 455 Old Mountain Rd., Moultonborough, NH

December 1 - Prospect Mountain High School - Holiday Show
9 - 2pm - 242 Suncook Valley Rd (Rte 28), Alton, NH

These events are free to the public! (excluding Wine & Words)
Stop by to say 'hi!' and check out my books and mini art pieces! Or commission an animal portrait!

My Books

Fortunately, when one book is finished I have others in the works. I'm always surprised when I hear about an author who either had one novel in them or after writing a successful novel, their creative energy just seems to dry up.

Currently I am working on a novel and a collection of short stories. The two are related in that some of the characters from the novel will end up with their own story in the short story collection.

To come up with this idea I went back into my past and found there were stories in my life that would make for good reading. They are real life stories about real people and the life struggles they must overcome.

All of my books can be ordered from BBD Publishing:

The House at the top of the Trees
Mouse Bound
The Miracle Dog
Eddie Easel and the Case of the Missing Green
Seven Storied Houses

To order your copy of "Seven Storied Houses" go to www.BBDPublishing.com.

My books are also now on Amazon!

" Great works are performed not by strength but by perseverance."

-Samuel Johnson

Story in 6

"Control"

A plane flies over a house at the top of a hill, leaving a long white stream behind it. The young man standing on his deck watches the stream spread out, turn gray, and fill in the sky. He documents the event with his camera. Line after long line marks the sky until there is no more blue. He checks the weather report on the TV. Cloudy skies over the next several days.

Authistpreneur

author/artist/entrepreneur

Someone who is an author, an artist, and an entrepreneur. Any person who writes or has a published novel, who paints fine art/illustrations, and also has established businesses using the combination of artistic talents.
- DJ Geribo

What I'm Reading

Unfortunately, my reading time hasn't much improved. It was summertime so... too many plans with people to see, things to do. And yes, it was all fun but I missed reading and writing, two activities that have become such a large part of my life.

And then when I did sit down to read, focus was also an issue for me. I jumped around a lot (starting one book and then another without finishing much). And then of course there are the magazines, too numerous to name. But I guess I need to be thankful for finishing anything at all.


    Bad Feminist - A collection of essays by Roxane Gay on feminism through her personal experiences filled with anger and great sadness.

     Gossamer - A fun and enchanting story from Lois Lowry about our dreams and how they are manipulated by invisible spirits who try to protect us from nightmares.

     Messenger - Another world, again from Lois Lowry, that is a parable taken right out of today's news with people coming from a hateful world to one where people are protected and loved. The main character, Matty, travels through a relentless Forest that tests his strengths where he comes out finding his true name.

Go to My Blog to See What I'm Reading

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