Write From The Heart

Photo courtesy of Magpie Tales

Janet threw down her pen in disgust. “Whatever made me think I could be a writer in the first place?” Her cat, curled up on the sofa, barely acknowledged her outburst.

“Just because I wrote a few short stories and dabbled a bit in poetry over the years, I suddenly thought I could write the next great novel?” Never mind that her friends had been reading her stories for years and encouraging her to write more and longer pieces. You’ve got the knack. You’ve got talent. You can do this!"

“Ha! What do they know? No, that’s not fair. They were probably just being nice, and who knows maybe they really enjoyed my scribblings but that doesn’t mean I’ve got any real talent."

While she was ranting to herself about her inability to put any coherent words down on paper, she glanced at a magazine lying on the table and saw a quote by someone whose name she didn’t recognize. It said “Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self” by Cyril Connolly.

That struck a chord with Janet. "Maybe that’s what’s wrong with me. I have been so worked up about trying to find the right plot, and the right storyline. What do people want to read?"

"Yeah, that counts for something, but it’s not everything. For a story to be good, you need to put yourself into it."

Finally! She put her pen and paper aside, and turned to her keyboard and began to write. This time from the heart.

Written for Magpie Tales.

Quote of the Week

Image Source: Wikipedia

There are nights when the wolves are silent and only the moon howls.  

- George Carlin

Strange things happen on All Hallow's Eve.  Let's listen in!  

Have a safe and happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween

Image source: Joelk75

All kids, big and little, like Halloween, right?  All the candy, and parties and candy, and now the latest craze - Trunk or Treat, which I just heard about last year.  This is a relatively new Halloween activity where children go from trunk to trunk in a parking lot collecting candy, and is a safer alternative to traditional door-to-door trick or treating.  All you need is a parking lot, cars with decorated trunks and loads of candy.  Add ghosts, goblins, pirates and super heroes, and throw in Cinderella and a witch or two and you have the ideal Halloween recipe.

When I was growing up, we walked around our little neighborhood which had all of four streets.  There weren't even any street lights back then. As the sun was setting, the neighborhood kids, decked out in dime store costumes, took to the streets toting their bags or plastic jack-o-lanterns hoping for the "good" candy.  Yeah, baby, I'm talking CHOCOLATE!

The pictures below shows the bag (front and back) that my Mom painted for me one Halloween.  Did I mention that she was creative and talented?  This bag is one of my treasures.

Who wouldn't want a custom made, hand painted Halloween treat bag?

Fast forward to adulthood, and living on a busy road that isn't suitable for trick or treaters.  Upside?  I get to eat ALL the candy.

Now we come to my artistic talents.  I painted some treat bags a few years ago when Ashley's kids were here.  Below we have a witch with some bats and a ghost.  Scary, huh?

Boo!

And here we have a very spooky tree, a full moon and a black cat - all essentials for Halloween.

Mrrrooowww!

I'd love to hear about your Halloween memories.

Faces of the Sea

Once upon a midnight blue

I sailed a sea of green

A more gorgeous sunrise

My eyes have never seen

Once upon a night so dark

The sea now ebony

And that perfect sunrise

Is just a memory

Written for dVerse poetry

Quote of the Week

Image Source:  Wikipedia

I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.
- Confucious

We are distracted and things heard are easily forgotten.  Things seen are filed away like snapshots.  Things done are learned, understood and remembered.