I was in seventh or eighth grade and we had what were called Coke Dances at the time. They changed the name a few years later to Junior High Dances for reasons that should be obvious. We had a DJ playing and it was generally a good time. I was very shy and awkward back then and someone dedicated a song for me and the guy I had a crush on at the time. I have no idea why I remember this but the song we danced to was "Saving All My Love For You" by Whitney Houston. At the time Whitney Houston was fairly new on the scene and I didn't even know who she was but once she became popular every time I heard that song I would think of that dance. I'm married with step and grandkids now but music always brings out memories for me.
I am always saddened when stars pass away because of drugs. We all think that they have it all but they don't. They are people under an enormous amount of pressure and the fans and the paparazzi are part of the reason.They hunt for stories and even make up stories about these stars. If I heard correctly someone put the news about Whitney's death on Twitter before the press officially released it. There is always a celebrity on the verge of death even if they are perfectly healthy. I can't imagine how I would feel if I saw on Twitter or Facebook that someone close to me was on verge of death or even dead when they weren't.
I personally don't care what Lindsey Lohen is getting arrested for and Charlie Sheen is using his problems for publicity but I can see how the pressure of being in the spotlight can make a person turn to drugs or alcohol. I do consider myself a writer and a journalist does have to report the news but what I don't understand is why we need to know every intimate detail about who is sleeping with who and who is doing what when and we certainly don't need to hear about it ten time a day for a week straight.
Oh well, I had my rant for the day.
Good day and good writing!
Patti
February 22, 2012
February 19, 2012
Hello Again
Well this time it certainly has been a long time. Happy New Year!!! The winter here in Chicago is surprisingly unbrutal so far. We've seen more 40+ degree days then I remember in a long time but I know we still have a while to go. But still it is close to the end of February.
Last year was kind of a frustruating year writing wise. After all the work I put into Bar Time my usb hard drive bit the dust so I lost it all. However, I did start over and this time I did a lot of work in notebooks and I found that I enjoyed it. I would sit outside in the nice weather with a glass of wine and work where it was quiet. I just now started entering some of it in the computer and this time I'm going to figure out how to save it online. I just got a Google account so that will probably the route I take.That way if the computer or anything else crashes I will have it.
I didn't make it to the Midwest Writer's Workshop last year either. Money was tight and we decided that we just couldn't afford. I am going to make some budget changes this year though and am going to try to find another job. I haven't quite decided what I am looking for though yet. I would like to find something that will still allow me to work at my present job because I like who I work for and with if possible. I would love to find something that would allow me to work from home. That would just mean getting up earlier on the weekends. This year is really going to have to be the year for me to get my priorities straight.
I know the last time I posted I wrote that I wasn't going to say that I was going to post a lot more but this time I know I am going to post a lot more. I am going to promise myself that.
Good day and good writing!
Patti
Last year was kind of a frustruating year writing wise. After all the work I put into Bar Time my usb hard drive bit the dust so I lost it all. However, I did start over and this time I did a lot of work in notebooks and I found that I enjoyed it. I would sit outside in the nice weather with a glass of wine and work where it was quiet. I just now started entering some of it in the computer and this time I'm going to figure out how to save it online. I just got a Google account so that will probably the route I take.That way if the computer or anything else crashes I will have it.
I didn't make it to the Midwest Writer's Workshop last year either. Money was tight and we decided that we just couldn't afford. I am going to make some budget changes this year though and am going to try to find another job. I haven't quite decided what I am looking for though yet. I would like to find something that will still allow me to work at my present job because I like who I work for and with if possible. I would love to find something that would allow me to work from home. That would just mean getting up earlier on the weekends. This year is really going to have to be the year for me to get my priorities straight.
I know the last time I posted I wrote that I wasn't going to say that I was going to post a lot more but this time I know I am going to post a lot more. I am going to promise myself that.
Good day and good writing!
Patti
May 8, 2011
Mother's Day
Hello again! Long time no see.
Yes, I did it again. I let time get away from me. I know that blogging and "getting yourself out there" is important to a writer but I have been concentrating more on the getting the book done part of writing. It's mid-May already and I am starting to think about the conference again. I am once again editing Bar Time so I can pitch an agent again this year. It is a good story that is driving me nuts. I think I have the right hook this time though. I am combining my original idea with another idea so hopefully that will become a book worth reading. We shall see what we shall see.
It's Mother's Day. Happy Mother's to all of the moms, step-moms, grandmothers and adopted mothers. I know a lot of you are missing your mothers today (like me). Days like Mother's Day and Father's Day are hard. I still think of my parents all of the time but the special days can be the hardest. I'm not a birth mom but I am a step-mom and a grandmother. I don't call my grandkids step-grandkids because unfortunatly I am the only grandmother they know on the Kennedy side of the family. Some of them were able to meet their Nana Phyllis but they were very young when she passed away. My nephew Bradley was also very young when my mother passed away. I have to say that I am lucky to have a lot of happy memories of all of my grandparents. I never met my birth grandfather on my mother's side but I had a step-grandfather that was like a grandfather to me during my childhood.
During this past year I did (and won) National Novel Writing Month and Script Frenzy. I plan on participating again in November. Even if I never get published I consider myself a writer and my journey has been a good one. I have learned a lot and plan to never stop learning. That is my advice...never stop learning about what you care about. I know more about the publishing industry then a lot of people. I know a lot about the craft of writing and how hard and fun it can be.
Well, this time I am not going to promise to post a lot. That will probably motivate me to post more rather than less. I just remembered the joy of writing a blog. Have a great Mother's Day!!
Good bye and good writing. Patti
Yes, I did it again. I let time get away from me. I know that blogging and "getting yourself out there" is important to a writer but I have been concentrating more on the getting the book done part of writing. It's mid-May already and I am starting to think about the conference again. I am once again editing Bar Time so I can pitch an agent again this year. It is a good story that is driving me nuts. I think I have the right hook this time though. I am combining my original idea with another idea so hopefully that will become a book worth reading. We shall see what we shall see.
It's Mother's Day. Happy Mother's to all of the moms, step-moms, grandmothers and adopted mothers. I know a lot of you are missing your mothers today (like me). Days like Mother's Day and Father's Day are hard. I still think of my parents all of the time but the special days can be the hardest. I'm not a birth mom but I am a step-mom and a grandmother. I don't call my grandkids step-grandkids because unfortunatly I am the only grandmother they know on the Kennedy side of the family. Some of them were able to meet their Nana Phyllis but they were very young when she passed away. My nephew Bradley was also very young when my mother passed away. I have to say that I am lucky to have a lot of happy memories of all of my grandparents. I never met my birth grandfather on my mother's side but I had a step-grandfather that was like a grandfather to me during my childhood.
During this past year I did (and won) National Novel Writing Month and Script Frenzy. I plan on participating again in November. Even if I never get published I consider myself a writer and my journey has been a good one. I have learned a lot and plan to never stop learning. That is my advice...never stop learning about what you care about. I know more about the publishing industry then a lot of people. I know a lot about the craft of writing and how hard and fun it can be.
Well, this time I am not going to promise to post a lot. That will probably motivate me to post more rather than less. I just remembered the joy of writing a blog. Have a great Mother's Day!!
Good bye and good writing. Patti
July 30, 2010
Recap #1 from Midwest Writer's Workshop
Wow! What a weekend! I got here to Muncie IN on Wednesday afternoon. I went to call hubby and realized that there was a time change. The time in Chicago is an hour earlier than Muncie. This would not make a huge difference except that I am a night person and the workshop started at 8:00 every morning so, 7:00 my time. Not to mention that I couldn't sleep the first night. Needless to say, I drank a lot of coffee.
At the welcome they reminded us that, "Playing it safe is the most popular way to fail."
For my intensive session I took "The Art Of Characterization in Fiction and Non-Fiction" with Dinty W. Moore. I was a little disappointed that he fired me as his best-friend. I sat next to him during the workshop and in an example he put me in the story as his best-friend. Somehow I managed to get fired because I wasn't laughing enough or something. I was just concentrating on what he was saying. Oh well.
The session dealt more with non-fiction than with fiction but I think I can use some of the exercises while I am reworking my book. He was basically reverberating the show don't tell rule by having us describe someone from our past in detail. I suppose I could have just used one of my characters instead if I had wanted to bend it towards the fiction side. Too bad I didn't think about it at the time. It was a good session and I learned a lot even though it wasn't quite what I expected.
One the main things that most of the speakers that I saw at the conference was stressing was that you have to learn to use the social media to your advantage so I am going to make a point of posting a lot more. I probably have at least five posts just about the workshop. But, for now,
Goodnight and good writing....Patti
At the welcome they reminded us that, "Playing it safe is the most popular way to fail."
For my intensive session I took "The Art Of Characterization in Fiction and Non-Fiction" with Dinty W. Moore. I was a little disappointed that he fired me as his best-friend. I sat next to him during the workshop and in an example he put me in the story as his best-friend. Somehow I managed to get fired because I wasn't laughing enough or something. I was just concentrating on what he was saying. Oh well.
The session dealt more with non-fiction than with fiction but I think I can use some of the exercises while I am reworking my book. He was basically reverberating the show don't tell rule by having us describe someone from our past in detail. I suppose I could have just used one of my characters instead if I had wanted to bend it towards the fiction side. Too bad I didn't think about it at the time. It was a good session and I learned a lot even though it wasn't quite what I expected.
One the main things that most of the speakers that I saw at the conference was stressing was that you have to learn to use the social media to your advantage so I am going to make a point of posting a lot more. I probably have at least five posts just about the workshop. But, for now,
Goodnight and good writing....Patti
July 28, 2010
Time
Time runs away from me. In February I was looking forward to May. In May I was looking forward to July. Now it's July and I'm in Muncie Indiana not able to sleep because I'm excited and nervous about the Midwest Writer's Workshop. My birthday is next week and I want to know where the time went! I don't post often enough but before I know it I'm going to be posting about nano again. I try so hard to get everything done but sometimes the time is just...a runaway.
My book is ready. I am meeting with an agent on Friday or Saturday. Part of me hopes it's Friday so I can get the nervousness over with but part of me hopes for a little more time. I have to be up at 6:00 Chicago time but I know I'm not going to sleep yet even after the four and a half hour drive earlier. I didn't take a nap but I'm used to going to bed after midnight. This year I promise to post some good stuff from the conference. Hopefully it will be before the next one.
On a serious note. I love this conference. I love learning about the industry. If you want to be a writer you have to learn as much as you can. I hope, if there is anyone reading this, I will be able to bring you some kind of insight. Now I better attempt to go to sleep so my brain can absorb as much as possible tomorrow. Good night and good writing.....Patti
My book is ready. I am meeting with an agent on Friday or Saturday. Part of me hopes it's Friday so I can get the nervousness over with but part of me hopes for a little more time. I have to be up at 6:00 Chicago time but I know I'm not going to sleep yet even after the four and a half hour drive earlier. I didn't take a nap but I'm used to going to bed after midnight. This year I promise to post some good stuff from the conference. Hopefully it will be before the next one.
On a serious note. I love this conference. I love learning about the industry. If you want to be a writer you have to learn as much as you can. I hope, if there is anyone reading this, I will be able to bring you some kind of insight. Now I better attempt to go to sleep so my brain can absorb as much as possible tomorrow. Good night and good writing.....Patti
May 9, 2010
Happy Mother's Day
First of all I want to start by saying Happy Mother's Day to all of the mothers and grandmothers out there. Mother's Day doesn't really mean that much to me anymore because my mother and grandmothers are gone and I am not officially a mother. It means that I am missing my family that has passed on more than usual. R.I.P. Diana, Doris and Minnie. I miss you very much. We need to honor the people in our life everyday instead of just certain days of the year.
I know I haven't been writing as often as I keep saying I'm going to write. My only excuse is that life keeps getting in the way. I am still working on my revisions and I already registered for my conference. If things go well I should be ready to pitch for the agent at the conference. I am currently working on another outline with things that I want to add and delete. I'm working on a new subplot that will hopefully tie it all together.
I am looking forward to the summer and being able to sit outside and write. My good friend is also coming in town for at least a month so I also looking forward to seeing her. The nice weather always inspires me so I hope I will get back on the right track.
Good luck and good writing. Patti
February 28, 2010
Sunday Afternoon
Good afternoon.
The snow is still on the ground. There is a snowman on the side of the driveway that the grandkids made yesterday. The living room is a mess but what else is new. It's like life is limbo right now. Tomorrow is the first day of March. It is staying light out until six o'clock now and the Cubbies are practicing. Even though the weather doesn't act like it yet, spring is on the way. It is in the horizon. The sun will be setting on winter very soon and I can't wait!
Yes, the pictures are of the same dog. The top picture is of Dolly after her haircut, the second is Dolly before her haircut. The only thing I will miss this spring is Dolly. About a month ago we had to put her to sleep. She was almost thirteen years old and she got very sick, very fast and went blind even faster. She loved to be outside with me in the spring and summer. Even last summer she would run and chase the ball. I love to sit outside in the nice weather and read or write. A lot of evenings I will have a few glasses of wine (not me) and Dolly used to get excited whenever I would come in the kitchen and pour that first glass even if I wasn't planning on sitting outside. She was also my protector, letting me know anytime someone was even walking past the house. It's going to be so different this year without her.
I took a short vacation from writing because I was out of town, then my friends were in town, then I went out of town again. I am back again. I am working on editing again and I am finding a lot of things that I can cut and add to my manuscript. I am hoping to have it finished by the time I go to the writers conference at the end of July because I want to pitch to an agent again. This will be my third year going to this conference and I'm really looking forward to it.
Now that I am back in writer's mode again I will be posting more often. Talk to you soon! Good afternoon and good writing!!!
Patti
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