We left the $11. a night motel just outside of Winthrop, a sleepy little town in the eastern foothills of the Cascade Mountains. 
We had to be at the corral by 6AM sharp. The pavement became dirt four miles out of town and we drove the last few miles dodging pot holes and rocks. It was September 10, 1962. Nestled amongst quaking aspen trees just off the road was a large fenced corral. Pick up trucks were parked haphazardly about and men were off loading horse-pack gear and tack. As we parked, our guide walked over and introduced himself. He reiterated that we could take as much as we liked to insure our comfort at the camp site. We had taken him at his word. We had packed a camp stove that was made from a half 25 gallon barrel, stove pipe and all. Our large canvas tent slept four even though there was only the two of us. Camp chairs and a folding table. Sleeping bags, extra pillows, Army folding cots so we could sleep off the ground and gun cases. We were traveling in style. Continue reading “Nostalgia….Spanish Camp (Part 1)”
Tag: gratitude
A Word About Censorship and Trust!
I’m a wise, old lady writer. I’ve been knocked around a little by life, finally learned from my mistakes, but all in all had a good life. The biggest blessing in my years here has been my writing. I read another profound piece by my hero, Charles ‘Hank’ Bukowski and it got me to thinking about who we should trust with our precious scribblings. More about that later.
A tale of Censorship and Trust…..I recently have been trying to find just the right person to help me with my social networking, public relations and marketing my books. A young woman answered my ad and she seemed like the ideal fit; she knew everything about social media and was working toward a career in public relations. In the initial interview (via Skype) we were on a roll; she was ready to get to work and I offered her the job. In the conversation we touched on women’s issues and that led me to telling her a little about one of my novels, Women Outside the Walls. (She had not researched me or my writing before the interview). The story is of women going to visit their men in prison…sometimes for years. It’s a ‘gritty and truthful book’. This young woman’s face shut down. Her next question was, “is there anything socially redeeming about your books?” I almost swallowed my tongue to keep from saying a bad word. Who did she think she was? Continue reading “A Word About Censorship and Trust!”
How Do You Know When you’ve Lived Too Long?
I got to thinking….the world is passing me by …I can’t keep up ….my knees are too bad. So when do you start to think ‘maybe I’ve just been around too long?’ Here are some clues:
when you don’t know any of the songs on American Idol
When you don’t recognize anyone on the ‘red carpet’
When you put your cup of coffee/tea in the frig instead of the microwave to warm it up
When you’re very good at opening childproof caps…. with a hammer
When you take a nap at 4 in the afternoon against your will
Continue reading “How Do You Know When you’ve Lived Too Long?”
Suicide by Heroin…A Eulogy
![Philip_Seymour_Hoffman_2011[1]](https://i0.wp.com/www.writeratplay.com/wp-content/uploads/Philip_Seymour_Hoffman_20111.jpg?ssl=1)
Philip Seymour Hoffman died last week by his own hand. Shoving a needle into his arm, one last time and making our world a little more pale and less interesting. Why do the brilliant feel the need to destroy themselves? The heroin was just the ‘fix’ (aptly named) dulling the pain, banishing the demons…for a little while. ‘An accidental overdose’ you say? What was accidental about him sticking the bloody needle into his arm? I ask.
And what does that say about the rest of us; living and struggling on, sometimes in quiet, brave desperation. His actions were pure selfishness and I am royally pissed off at him!
And I earned the right to be angry with him….being a survivor of suicide and the horror and confusion that follows. This man was an inspiration to all artists, actors, directors, writers, painters, dancers….he made us want to be better at our chosen craft …to aspire to his brilliance. And now he’s gone.
Continue reading “Suicide by Heroin…A Eulogy”
Interviewing Best Selling Authors…looking back!
This is my one year anniversary of interviewing best selling authors and I’m amazed at the success of it!! Authors have been so generous with their writing process and their time. The interviews are on-going and currently we are booked through April, 2014. It’s always a thrill for me when busy, well-known authors are so generous with their answers that I must break it up into ‘parts’. Continue reading “Interviewing Best Selling Authors…looking back!”
New Year’s Resolution for Writers!
Okay…here’s some tough love! Get your butt in that chair and write something………..or finish something !!! You’ve read my interviews with famous, best selling authors for about a year now. And the recurring theme is DISCIPLINE!!
Forget what others might think of your scribbles…they’re yours and they’re PERFECT! And what if they aren’t perfect? So What!!?? If I thought I was going to get perfection when I first began writing, I would never have written a word. All I hoped for was to grow as a writer and keep growing with every new project. Still not perfect………….
Write a short story. Write a poem in prose. Write a play. Finish your novel. WRITE SOMETHING!!
Now, here’s the tough part. You have to be selfish to be a writer. You have to tell your spouse, or kids or friends that you aren’t going to be available for a couple of hours. And mean it!! Then go lock yourself in a room and WRITE!! Then tomorrow (or this weekend) do it again. Continue reading “New Year’s Resolution for Writers!”
An Idea..A New Mystery Series! “The World of Murder”
I can’t believe that it was just this past September that I wrote this blog about an idea becoming a one act play and NOW I’m writing my fifth book in the World of Murder mystery series. The first four novels are available here and on amazon.com and now are audio books at audible.com So I am thinking it is worth posting this again to let my fellow writers see how an idea can grow into something pretty damn amazing!!
If you missed the story here it is again:
Let’s see….I think it was 2005 and we were in rehearsals for “Cheatin'” in Port Aransas, Texas. I was the director and we had pulled together a terrific cast. The title pretty much tells you the story line but the fun part and what made it so funny was it was set in….where else?…… Texas and was filled with good ole’ boys and girls. It was the highest grossing play for that theatre in many a year and won Best Production and Best Set Design (thanks to Janis Johnson’s contribution). I was very proud of the cast and crew!
Continue reading “An Idea..A New Mystery Series! “The World of Murder””
Wishing you the Best Holiday Season and Happy New Year!
My two Golden Retrievers, Gus and Rocky and cat, Fiona (dog dressed in a cat suit) and I want to wish you the happiest of Holiday Seasons!!
These photos are from many family/dog albums of people who have discovered the special love and devotion that only a dog can give you….especially a Golden.
My three (to date) Goldens were rescued and I adopted them from “Grateful Goldens“, a tri-state rescue organization. They vet YOU thoroughly and they have vetted the dog you are going to bring to its ‘forever home’.
Continue reading “Wishing you the Best Holiday Season and Happy New Year!”
What this Blogger is Thankful For…
If you’re an American, this Thursday, you will sit down with family and friends to some rendition of a Thanksgiving dinner. Or you might decide to give Mom/Dad (whoever the cook is) a break and go out to eat this year. If you are carnivores you will consume great quantities of turkey, ham, giblet dressing, oyster dressing, stuffed deviled eggs, and football. If you are vegetarian you will consume delicate, beautiful, tasty dishes made with all the food groups except those that had faces. Football optional.
A bit of trivia: Historical records strongly suggest that shellfish, geese, ducks, swans, and venison were the meats of the first Thanksgivings....then referred to as the Fall Harvest Celebration which traditional lasted 3 days. Here’s how Edward Winslow described the first Thanksgiving feast in a letter to a friend:
Continue reading “What this Blogger is Thankful For…”
My momma always said, Life is Like a Box of Chocolates’….or words (part 6)
My Random House Dictionary weighs at least seven pounds and it takes both my arms to lug it around. Its copyright date is 1966 and I think I bought mine in about 1970. Forty three+ years ago. Its pages are ‘paper-thin’ (pun intended) and very fragile. It is my reference book when I write this series: Words being my box of chocolates.
Continue reading “My momma always said, Life is Like a Box of Chocolates’….or words (part 6)”