tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16407552723647921512024-03-16T04:24:01.513-04:00The Shellshank Redemption . . . online home of Madeline Mora-Summonte, writer of dark fiction and horrorMadeline Mora-Summontehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05529397293165046430noreply@blogger.comBlogger924125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640755272364792151.post-47527202747602969042024-03-04T07:00:00.023-05:002024-03-04T07:00:00.130-05:00Revisiting<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">When I was done drafting this post, I realized it had a theme of sorts, that of revisiting, of returning to what once worked for me, to what I once enjoyed – writing how/what I wanted, reading certain genres, watching TV shows that make me feel both old and young again. I’m not sure why this is happening or why now, but I think I’ll continue meandering down Memory Lane for a little longer.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b>WRITING</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I’ve got three stories in the works. One is definitely flash fiction. The other two will most likely be longer short stories, with one teetering on the edge of possibly becoming a novella. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This month, I’m going to work on figuring out my UWP = Unique Writer Proposition. (<a href="https://killzoneblog.com/2024/02/your-unique-writer-proposition.html" target="_blank">See James Scott Bell’s post over at The Kill Zone</a>.).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b>READING</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Some recent reads I’ve thoroughly enjoyed - <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><i style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 14pt;">The Frozen River</i><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 14pt;"> by Ariel Lawhon – historical fiction</span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Nightwatching</i> by Tracy Sierra – mystery/thriller<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>First Lie Wins</i> by Ashley Elston – mystery/thriller<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b>WATCHING</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">My husband and I are almost done – one and half seasons to go! - with our re-watch of “24”, the original series. We’ve also started re-watching “LA Law” and “The Stand”, the original miniseries. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>*****</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i>Have you returned to an old way of doing something? Revisited something you enjoyed in the past? How is your creative work going? Read or watched anything good lately? <o:p></o:p></i></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p>Madeline Mora-Summontehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05529397293165046430noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640755272364792151.post-66655127278133973662024-02-05T07:00:00.076-05:002024-02-05T07:00:00.299-05:00Twenty-Four<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This year, I'm loosely following <a href="https://gretchenrubin.com/getting-started-the-24-for-2024-trifecta/" target="_blank">Gretchen Rubin's The 24 in 2024 Trifecta </a> – "One Word" (<a href="https://madelinemora-summonte.blogspot.com/2024/01/unapologetic.html" target="_blank">which I mentioned last month</a>), "The 24 in 24 List" and "The Write 24 in 24 Challenge."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>*****</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i>The 24 in 24 List</i></span></b> – these are 24 things I hope to accomplish in 2024. It includes some fun things – art classes! - but it's mostly tasks that have been driving me crazy for the last few years, and I need to get done before I lose the little sanity I have left. I probably won't get them all done, but I'll be pleased with just a handful.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">*****</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b><i>The Write 24 in 24 Challenge</i></b></span> – I put this on my 24 in 24 list, and I don't care if it's kind of cheating – it's my list, I'll do what I want. (<i>My One Word = Unapologetic!</i>) This takes place over the whole year, writing 2-4 minutes OR 24 minutes every day. Now, some people might ask, don't I, as a writer, already do this? And the answer is yes . . . and no. I do pretty much write every day, but it's not as focused or as imaginative as I'd like. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Over the last few years, I've lost a lot of my creative joy. I don't know if this challenge will help, but we'll see. I'm also going to re-focus on shorter works – flash fiction, micro fiction, short stories, <i>maybe</i> a novella. So much of the novel work I've been doing has felt so heavy, like one of those weighted blankets. (<i>By the way, I tried one of those and felt so trapped, I almost had a panic attack.</i>) <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>*****</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Now, we did not do this on purpose to continue the theme, but my husband and I are re-watching <span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>the old TV series, "24"</b></span> starring Kiefer Sutherland. We're up to Season 7, and although it's gone off the rails a bit in these later seasons, it's still been a lot of fun. I only wish I had thought to create my own version of a "drinking game" so that every time Jack Bauer or another character said "dammit" I'd get to eat a Peanut M&M. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>*****</b><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i>Are you participating in any challenges this year? Do you find them helpful or too restricting? Are you feeling the joy in your creative endeavors or are you trying to get it back? If you're a fan of the weighted blanket, please tell me, what am I missing? Do you remember 24? Watching anything that's fun for you? </i></b></span><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Madeline Mora-Summontehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05529397293165046430noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640755272364792151.post-14896521774981838792024-01-03T07:00:00.077-05:002024-01-03T07:00:00.267-05:00Unapologetic<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">My "one word" theme for 2024 = <span style="color: #741b47;"><b><i>Unapologetic</i></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm not talking about times when an apology is necessary. I'm talking about times like this – <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLVkjc9cWm_iNlWBn3GuQ48p0l8GksL4v2muphyeIuov7k7F9Cu45AjHQYFmaqG4iYD8C_pjp1X3SCUEw7d6iYQQ0XnMGkYAHUSDJw70gL14psivVCLpUa-ALwqwACkxjaRvfo7En8ZxZA4KbWRKi_VyoZr4uKiDHJJitJodFZZ-MQ7V-6Cr6J2s_fUpLM/s940/Untitled_Artwork-3-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="940" data-original-width="940" height="411" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLVkjc9cWm_iNlWBn3GuQ48p0l8GksL4v2muphyeIuov7k7F9Cu45AjHQYFmaqG4iYD8C_pjp1X3SCUEw7d6iYQQ0XnMGkYAHUSDJw70gL14psivVCLpUa-ALwqwACkxjaRvfo7En8ZxZA4KbWRKi_VyoZr4uKiDHJJitJodFZZ-MQ7V-6Cr6J2s_fUpLM/w450-h411/Untitled_Artwork-3-3.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://introvertdoodles.com/comic/apologetic/" target="_blank">"Apologetic"</a> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Check out <a href="https://introvertdoodles.com" target="_blank">Introvert Doodles</a> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">for Marzi's books and more doodles</span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I am too old and cranky to wait around for approval, for permission, to be myself. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">In Matt Haig's <i>The Comfort Book</i>, there's a line that's become almost a mantra for me – <span style="color: #741b47;"><b><i>"Your self-worth is not found inside the minds of other people."</i></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">So, this year, I am going to do my best to stop apologizing for myself. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">I have things to do, and 2024 will be the year I get at least some of them done.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">No apologies.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>*****</b></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Do you have a one word theme? Are you gung-ho or ho-hum on goals/plans/resolutions this year? What are you hoping for, looking forward to, excited about in 2024?</b></span></p>Madeline Mora-Summontehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05529397293165046430noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640755272364792151.post-62464653736207382092023-12-04T07:00:00.082-05:002023-12-04T07:00:00.137-05:00Digging In This December<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'll be brief – good thing I write flash fiction! - because I'm still struggling with my novel/novella draft, and I am determined to be done by the end of the year. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This holiday post is short on words, but it is long on gratitude. As 2023 draws to a close, I am grateful for so much in my life, including all of you. <b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><i>Thank you</i></span></b> for reading my dark, weird little stories. <b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><i>Thank you</i></span></b> for stopping by this blog. <b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><i>Thank you</i></span></b> for all the comments. Your encouragement and support, humor and information are thoroughly appreciated. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i><span style="color: #cc0000;">***</span><span style="color: #38761d;"> All of us here at TSR wish you </span></i></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b><i><span style="font-family: verdana;">a wonderful holiday season </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">and a new year </span></i></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i><span style="color: #38761d;">that exceeds your dreams and expectations!!! </span><span style="color: #cc0000;">***</span><span style="color: #38761d;"> </span></i></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i><span style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span></i></b></span></p>Madeline Mora-Summontehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05529397293165046430noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640755272364792151.post-2935477348887564282023-11-01T07:00:00.030-04:002023-11-01T07:00:00.141-04:00Anew in November<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">We can finally open the windows in our house now and let the crisp, cooler air blow through, moving out and away some of the mental health issues that plagued the last couple of months. A combination of things became a slow slide I struggled to stop. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">But, once again, I've regrouped. My birthday was last month, and I'm grateful for another year, another chance to breathe fresh air, to walk with my husband beneath palm trees and blue skies, to pet the tortoises, and to pen the possibilities – the light and the dark - living in my imagination.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b>WRITING</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I was thrilled to be one of three winners in a recent flash fiction contest held by lit agent, Janet Reid! I so needed that creative boost. <a href="https://jetreidliterary.blogspot.com/2023/10/flash-fiction-contest-winner.html" target="_blank">Here's the link to the results post where you can read all three stories.</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It's been a few years since I participated in NaNo, and I considered it this time around, but I don't have the oomph for it. I'm doing my own looser version in order to get this novel/novella done or as close to done as I can before the month is over. Please wish me luck!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b>READING</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Both THE TRAP by Catherine Ryan Howard and THE LAST ONE by Will Dean were so suspenseful and twisty, I almost got paper cuts I turned those pages so fast and furious. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I thoroughly enjoyed the debut novel, THE VIOLIN CONSPIRACY by Brendan Slocumb. It's a tense mystery whose characters practically jump off the page. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><o:p><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: verdana;"><b>*****</b></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b>Are you enjoying the weather where you are? Read anything amazing lately? Any writing goals or goals in general for this month? If you're participating in NaNo, I wish you all the luck and all the words! </b></i></span></p>Madeline Mora-Summontehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05529397293165046430noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640755272364792151.post-84211412068680140682023-10-02T07:00:00.032-04:002023-10-02T07:00:00.220-04:00Shallow Waters - Special Paperback Edition<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm fortunate to have three stories published in several of Crystal Lake's Shallow Waters flash fiction anthologies. In honor of the Shallow Waters series coming to an end, Crystal Lake put together a special paperback edition containing about 100 stories from across the various volumes.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Two of my stories – <i>Rattled</i> (from Vol. 6) and <i>The Perfect Match</i> (from Vol. 7) – are included. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">An anthology like this, one you can thumb through, fold down corners, mark up, is an excellent way to find new-to-you authors, ones who will hopefully become favorites. It's also great if you prefer your creepy-crawly chills in small doses. When you've had your fill for that moment, just put the book back on the shelf, where it will sit . . . and wait . . . and watch . . . <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA-hWQjXnFtXnuXXP4WLs8SEAdKYhj_SvqhCPy9siBjxlME8xQ47tvWFxAu7kObAw9lFXFPHuCXAcKvcK8psRV4LnL_IgQUbUjziITza0DxleL_kfeumdqwNTbpW-4rKmSyzHNzeCNhITzQ-bHZwRI4JuaF6kNgEc0vfdVIrCunIlHsNi0znIpvA7KUHum/s1500/71Rc4Dhv8WL._SL1500_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="971" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA-hWQjXnFtXnuXXP4WLs8SEAdKYhj_SvqhCPy9siBjxlME8xQ47tvWFxAu7kObAw9lFXFPHuCXAcKvcK8psRV4LnL_IgQUbUjziITza0DxleL_kfeumdqwNTbpW-4rKmSyzHNzeCNhITzQ-bHZwRI4JuaF6kNgEc0vfdVIrCunIlHsNi0znIpvA7KUHum/w259-h400/71Rc4Dhv8WL._SL1500_.jpg" width="259" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CJXBLXP9?tag=crystallakepu-20&geniuslink=true" target="_blank">BUY ON AMAZON</a></b></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><b style="font-family: verdana;">From the back cover –</b><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><i><br /></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><i>"<span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 13.5pt;">What you hold in your hands are not just stories. They are the nightmarish visions and eerie dreams of the most talented finalists in Crystal Lake’s Shallow Waters writing contest, hosted on their Patreon page.</span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />Brace yourself to be unsettled, unnerved, and unequivocally captivated. Shallow Waters is not a book—it’s a portal to the twisted, terrifying, and tantalizing world of flash fiction horror."</span></i></b></span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Madeline Mora-Summontehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05529397293165046430noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640755272364792151.post-23233279671790333542023-09-04T07:00:00.077-04:002023-09-04T07:00:00.218-04:00Key Lime Pie Ice Cream . . . Forever<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Ah, fall in Florida! When the "excessive heat advisory" drops to the regular old "heat advisory", and I defiantly keep eating Key Lime Pie ice cream even as pumpkin flavored everything rolls in. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #04ff00;"><b>WRITING</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Novella/Novel – I didn't achieve my goal of finishing the first draft by the end of the summer. I did make a ton of progress, though – scene cards sketched out, scenes written, an ending that makes me both happy <i>and</i> sad. Maybe another month to go . . . <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Mailing List – Um…. Nope. I'd like to say I'll do this in September but by the end of the year is more realistic. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">A great post over on <a href="https://writershelpingwriters.net/2023/07/conflict-choices-character-agency/" target="_blank">Writers Helping Writers - "Do Your Characters Have Agency?"</a> - got me thinking hard about my characters in general. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #04ff00;"><b>PHYSICAL HEALTH</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Way back at the beginning of 2023, my goal had been to lose some pounds. That's not going very well (<i>see Key Lime Pie Ice Cream above</i>), but I am exercising more consistently, slowly amping up the duration and intensity. I hope to get outside soon – it's still too hot for me – to walk and ride bikes. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #04ff00;"><b>READING</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>None of This is True</i></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">by Lisa Jewell is a mystery/suspense/thriller that takes you on a wild, wild ride, one definitely <i>not</i> for the faint of heart.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">And for the first time in a long time, I'm ahead in my 2023 Reading Challenge.<o:p></o:p></span></p><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>*****</b><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i>How was your summer? Did you make progress on any projects? Read anything that blew you away? Are you a fan of pumpkin flavored everything?</i></b></span></p>Madeline Mora-Summontehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05529397293165046430noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640755272364792151.post-40698350598420405382023-07-03T07:00:00.039-04:002023-07-03T07:00:00.137-04:00Shuffling Along<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">So far, <a href="https://madelinemora-summonte.blogspot.com/2023/06/the-summer-of-making-strides.html" target="_blank">The Summer of Making Strides</a> looks more like The Summer of Shuffling Along. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">But I'll take it, because even though I'm moving slower than a tortoise, I'm moving in the right direction for me. And on the days when it feels like I'm actually going backwards, I tell myself it's necessary to get a running start in order to take that leap forward. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm not sure if it will help my momentum any, but I'm taking a bit of a blogging and social media break. I'll still pop in and out, and I'll be back with a new post in September.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: verdana;"><b><i>All of us here at TSR </i></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: verdana;"><b><i>wish you a wonderful summer, </i></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i><span style="color: #6aa84f;">whatever that looks like for you!!!</span></i></b></span></p>Madeline Mora-Summontehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05529397293165046430noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640755272364792151.post-26158837437849150082023-06-05T07:00:00.047-04:002023-06-05T08:07:13.380-04:00The Summer of Making Strides<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">For a lot of people, the summer is about relaxing and vacations. But since doing anything "normal" would be too easy – and easy stands no chance against my overthinking ogre of a brain – my husband and I mostly spend this sweat-storm of a season with our heads down, trying to get stuff done. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #e69138;"><b>WRITING</b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Novel/novella – a draft <b><i>WILL</i></b> be done by summer's end. I will write through a hurricane if I have to (<i>but, please, let's hope and pray I don't have to!</i>)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Mailing List – a mailing list will – hopefully! - be set up by summer's end. I know, I know, I should've done this so long ago. Part of the delay was laziness, some just procrastination, but most of it was that overthinking ogre brain again. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This post - <a href="https://austinkleon.com/2023/05/02/the-thing-that-sticks-out/" target="_blank">"The Thing That Sticks Out"</a> – by Austin Kleon reminded me how uniqueness in a story should often be cultivated, not squashed. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #e69138;"><b>WATCHING</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Movie</i> – "Knock at the Cabin" (2023, directed by M. Night Shyamalan) – I really enjoyed this. It was suspenseful, unnerving and unsettling, all things I love in a story. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #e69138;"><b>READING</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Two recent favorites for you:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>LONE WOMEN</i> by Victor LaValle (historical fiction/horror) <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>CROW MARY </i>by Kathleen Grissom (historical fiction) - I was lucky to get my greedy hands on an ARC of this one. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #e69138;"><b>TORTOISES</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The tortoises celebrated their 14<sup>th</sup>birthday! Banana was enjoyed by all! <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>*****</b><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i>What are your summer plans? Any suggestions or tips for setting up a mailing list? Read or watched anything you enjoyed? Celebrating anything?<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p>Madeline Mora-Summontehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05529397293165046430noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640755272364792151.post-50257079639782118762023-05-01T07:00:00.064-04:002023-05-01T07:00:00.160-04:00Is That Progress I See?<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Lately, progress is like some elusive legendary creature slinking around beneath the sea. I catch glimpses of it, only for it to then flick its tail at me before disappearing back into the deep. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: verdana;"><b>*****</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>WRITING</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Published</i> - My 400 word story, <a href="https://dreadstonepress.com/2023/04/07/dead-line/" target="_blank">DEAD LINE</a>, up at Dread Stone Press.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Novel/Novella</i> - I had to rethink and redo so much of it these past couple of months. I really hope it will be worth it and a better story will result.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Two fun and inspirational posts for you:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://writershelpingwriters.net/2023/03/10-things-lego-has-taught-me-about-story-building/" target="_blank">"10 Things Lego Has Taught Me About Story-Building"</a> by P.A. Cornell, over on the Writers Helping Writers blog <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://www.janefriedman.com/are-you-giving-yourself-writing-credit/" target="_blank">"Are You Giving Yourself Writing Credit?"</a> by Jessica Conoley, over at Jane Friedman's blog. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>*****</b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>WATCHING</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Movies</i> - We really liked "Jerry and Marge Go Large" (Bryan Cranston, Annette Bening, and Rainn Wilson.) Sometimes, the dark corners of my mind need some light shone into them. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>TV</i> – "The Night Agent" on Netflix was great! My husband said it reminded him of "24" (the original series), which is one of his all-time favorite shows. So enjoying "Not Dead Yet" with Gina Rodriguez – funny, quirky, heartwarming and heartbreaking, all in 30 minutes! <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>*****</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i>Have you seen progress – on anything! - lately? What keeps you going when the glimpses of it are few and far between? Have you watched anything you'd recommend?</i></b></span><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Madeline Mora-Summontehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05529397293165046430noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640755272364792151.post-77981708537389261772023-04-07T07:03:00.001-04:002023-04-07T09:19:41.218-04:00DEAD LINE - Dread Stone Press<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">My 400 word micro-fiction story, <a href="https://dreadstonepress.com/2023/04/07/dead-line/" target="_blank">DEAD LINE</a>, is now up at Dread Stone Press. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Here's a teaser:</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKyyY0Q4oCWM_oILzRc8kJ0bEdh9v36mrmLv_Fxf4r68L4jjeJWahApYWSWqRhaoEG3fGKK78SVVEa_Cfe-b4wpXll1OyH7koVftJTvksVml0h-40CZ_iUvizN3AhEZ4x1SsHq_zg8roAQsoficTGSAqiO1GO4X_2L2AHiTILqYvQ31p_ZoSU0zrz5mg/s4800/Mora-SummonteMicro.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="4800" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKyyY0Q4oCWM_oILzRc8kJ0bEdh9v36mrmLv_Fxf4r68L4jjeJWahApYWSWqRhaoEG3fGKK78SVVEa_Cfe-b4wpXll1OyH7koVftJTvksVml0h-40CZ_iUvizN3AhEZ4x1SsHq_zg8roAQsoficTGSAqiO1GO4X_2L2AHiTILqYvQ31p_ZoSU0zrz5mg/w473-h265/Mora-SummonteMicro.png" width="473" /></a></div><p></p>Madeline Mora-Summontehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05529397293165046430noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640755272364792151.post-70311185119430389332023-04-03T10:00:00.028-04:002023-04-03T10:00:00.221-04:00Coming this Friday . . . <div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmUBof8bxOuGmhcaab5LgQsbBrFJP6XvNgRYrBADQOHp-5LZybhisFYzMpS71I_bi20iYecR3BudUndynWF9kaXSYajNm76rp_z1wJZBoewEpEb9jIkNd97LpKKYNK715g09FpRp4tLQqQd1tSNFPaxjPQRpWiGLGelJVE_uFrsxumdt5occoDOVeo2A/s4800/Mora-SummonteMicro.png" imageanchor="1"><br /><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="4800" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmUBof8bxOuGmhcaab5LgQsbBrFJP6XvNgRYrBADQOHp-5LZybhisFYzMpS71I_bi20iYecR3BudUndynWF9kaXSYajNm76rp_z1wJZBoewEpEb9jIkNd97LpKKYNK715g09FpRp4tLQqQd1tSNFPaxjPQRpWiGLGelJVE_uFrsxumdt5occoDOVeo2A/w505-h299/Mora-SummonteMicro.png" width="505" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Madeline Mora-Summontehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05529397293165046430noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640755272364792151.post-2027799714126095302023-03-01T07:00:00.060-05:002023-03-01T07:00:00.260-05:00Decisions, Decisions<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Well, 2023 is marching on, isn't it?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="color: #0b5394;">WRITING -</span></b> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The POV in this first draft of the novel was killing me. I went with Main Character 1 then went with Main Character 2 then back and forth and back again. I thought their narratives were equally compelling, in different ways, but both had weaknesses. I finally just decided to listen to what the story wants because, as usual, the story really does know best. So as of now – realizing this will probably change with editing and revising - not only do I have two POVs but also a Prologue. Sigh.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="color: #0b5394;">WATCHING –</span></b> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Movies – I was disappointed in the last couple of movies I watched. And this was <i>after</i> watching the previews and checking out the ratings/reviews. One movie was so bad not even a well-known, excellent actor could save it. Another started off really good then morphed into something so weird I have no words for it. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>MENTAL HEALTH –</b></span> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://madelinemora-summonte.blogspot.com/2023/01/super-simple.html" target="_blank">Back in January</a>, I mentioned that one of my goals was to work on managing my anxiety. I decided to change that up a bit and focus instead on cultivating calm and finding the tools to calm myself - mentally, emotionally, physically - when I need to (<i>and believe me, I need to often!</i>) I'm trying to meditate and listen to/read/watch more positive things. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>TORTOISES –</b></span> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">My husband and I often take the tortoises when we sit on the patio. My husband is usually settled out there before me and, lately, Mrs. Larry has taken to sitting under the chair next him - my chair. We're not sure if she's keeping my husband company or if she's keeping an eye on him, but once I come outside, she walks off, as if saying he's my responsibility now. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>*****</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i>How do you decide a story's POV? Have you seen any good movies lately? Any suggestions for cultivating calm?</i></b></span><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Madeline Mora-Summontehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05529397293165046430noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640755272364792151.post-57527749800970840702023-02-01T07:00:00.050-05:002023-02-01T07:00:00.218-05:00The Push Broom in my Mind<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://madelinemora-summonte.blogspot.com/2023/01/super-simple.html" target="_blank">So far, my KISS – Keep It Super Simple - word/strategy for 2023</a> is working pretty well. When I catch clutter creeping in, especially mental clutter, I imagine my focus as a big push broom, shoving stuff out of the way. (<i>My husband always laughs when I use housecleaning examples because we both know the only time I might ever actually use a broom would be for Quidditch.</i>) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">WRITING –</span></b> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm pretty sure I've done more work on my novel/novella last month than I did last year. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>WATCHING </b></span>– <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b style="font-family: verdana;">Movie –</b><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><i style="font-family: verdana;">Summer of 84 </i><span style="font-family: verdana;">(2018) is nostalgic AND creepy. The monologue delivered by one of the characters toward the end is utterly chilling. I'm still thinking about it.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>TV –</b> Don't ask me how we missed <i>Friday Night Lights </i>the first time it was on because I don't know. I do know, though, that we're enjoying it now! We're in the second season so no spoilers, please! <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>PHYSICAL HEALTH –</b></span> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Well, we signed up for another miles challenge. And we're carrying over one from last year so here's where we are as of 1/29/2023:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #800180;"><b>19/300</b></span> miles<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #800180;"><b>0/100</b></span> miles.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I usually focus more on overall health, but this year, losing pounds - in a healthy way! – is my goal and will hopefully give me the most benefit all around. So far, I haven't lost any weight, but I also haven't gained any either, so I'll take it. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>*****</b><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12pt;"><b><i>How's your year going so far? Any movies or TV shows – old, new or new-to-you – that you're enjoying? How do you lose pounds or handle weight loss in general? Any suggestions?</i></b></span></p>Madeline Mora-Summontehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05529397293165046430noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640755272364792151.post-10906221754703658372023-01-02T07:00:00.079-05:002023-01-02T07:00:00.208-05:00Super Simple<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">My One Word for 2023 is actually an acronym:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>KISS – Keep It Super Simple</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I recently mentioned to a friend that my brain feels too full and too empty at the same time. (<i>Not sure if that makes sense to anyone else but it did to us!</i>) There's too much "clutter" around me and inside of me. It's time to purge and streamline. So, in keeping with that theme, even my goals for 2023 are pretty straightforward:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #800180;"><b>WRITING</b></span> – <i><b>focus on the novella/novel</b></i><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #800180;"><b>PHYSICAL HEALTH</b></span> – <i><b>focus on losing pounds</b></i><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #800180;"><b>MENTAL HEALTH</b></span> – <b><i>focus on managing anxiety</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">A lot of things will have to go by the wayside in order for me to put my energy, my focus where it absolutely, positively <b><i>needs</i></b> to go. I have no idea if this will work, but I'm going with it. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">(On a side note, you may recall, my husband and I had signed up for three different miles challenges last year. The results? 0/100 miles on one challenge, 30/100 miles on the other and . . . drum roll, please! . . . 202.2/202.2 miles! Not great, but not too shabby either.) <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: verdana;"><b>Wishing you all </b></span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: verdana;"><b>a creative, </b></span><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: verdana;"><b>healthy, </b></span><b style="color: #ffa400; font-family: verdana;">joyful 2023!</b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>*****</b><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i>Do you have any goals/plans for 2023? Any advice/suggestions for me?</i></b> </span></p>Madeline Mora-Summontehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05529397293165046430noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640755272364792151.post-68276140285038602722022-12-05T07:00:00.050-05:002022-12-05T07:00:00.220-05:00Empty Spaces<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://madelinemora-summonte.blogspot.com/2022/10/when-wind-blows.html" target="_blank">A few months back,</a> I mentioned how the little bougainvillea tree my husband and I planted at our new house survived Hurricane Ian. She bent and bowed and lost all her flowers and leaves, but still held on. Once the storm was over, we straightened and re-staked her. We looked for buds but didn't see any. We fertilized and watered her. We checked for new growth. We spoke to local experts. Ultimately, we had to face the fact our little bougainvillea tree was gone. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I know I'm being a giant, sappy, silly goose. The world has so much worse going on, and here I am, all emotional about a tree. It's just she felt symbolic – of our new home, a new chapter in our lives, hope, brightness, and strength during storms. And now, that space in the front yard just feels . . . empty.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">That's kind of how I feel as this year winds down. While I am incredibly grateful for so much, I've struggled a lot – with physical/mental/emotional health, with focus, with energy, with creativity and writing. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">But as an optimistic realist . . . or a realistic optimist . . . or just a plain stubborn fool, I keep going, keep trying. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Maybe I'll go ahead and let that space just be for awhile, let it fill itself with whatever it needs – breath, peace, sun, wind. Or maybe I'll put a container garden there, one full of fun purple flowers or funky prickly cacti. Or maybe a garden gnome . . . or two . . . or three. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i>All of us here at The Shellshank Redemption </i></b></span><b style="font-family: verdana;"><i>hope your new year provides the space and time to breathe when you need it, </i></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><i><span style="color: #38761d;">the stakes to support you when you bend, </span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><i>and positive growth full of beauty and brightness.</i></b><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #bf9000; font-family: verdana;"><b>*** Happy Holidays! ***</b> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #bf9000; font-family: verdana;"><b>*** See you in 2023! ***</b></span><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Madeline Mora-Summontehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05529397293165046430noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640755272364792151.post-18298410515527200982022-11-01T07:00:00.071-04:002022-11-01T07:00:00.223-04:00Focus and Looking Forward<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Last month was full of hoopla – big and small, positive and negative – so November needs to be about focus and about looking forward to next year. I'll still pop in, but I'll mostly be on a blogging/social media break until December.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12pt;">All of us here at TSR are </span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12pt;"><i>incredibly grateful</i></span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12pt;"> for so much, including our wonderful readers. Wishing you all an amazing November and a very h</span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12pt;">appy Thanksgiving</span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12pt;">!</span></p>Madeline Mora-Summontehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05529397293165046430noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640755272364792151.post-52073119745820105392022-10-05T07:00:00.092-04:002022-10-05T07:00:00.224-04:00When the Wind Blows<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b>I wrote the post below before Hurricane Ian blew in then sat over us for what felt like years. As someone who's been through hurricanes before and as someone who writes scary things, let me tell you, that was scary. Even now, I still kind of flinch when the wind picks up. But compared to what others went through, we were incredibly lucky. We only had minor damage to our home and were unable to move farther than our block for a few days. We had spotty communication, and no water or power for a while. But, like the little bougainvillea tree we planted when we moved into our home, we here at The Shellshank Redemption are bent but not broken, and we are so grateful to be pretty much upright again. Please join us in sending good thoughts, positive vibes and prayers for those who are struggling and suffering, and for all those who are helping and working to make things better.</b> </i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: verdana;"><b>*****</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">October is my birthday month, and I usually use this time to start thinking about goals for next year. I kind of look at it as MY new year. And, as this is one of those bigger birthdays, I have mixed feelings. What do I hope to accomplish going forward? What do I do differently? What do I keep the same? What do I try? What do I stop doing? <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">How do you celebrate your birthdays? Do any soul searching or is it all party?</span></i></b><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I think it's ironic that I was born in the spooky Halloween season, because, as I've mentioned before, I really am a big chicken. That being said, I do plan on reading and/or watching something creepy in keeping with the season. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">Do you have any Halloween plans? Any recommendations for scary reading or watching?</span></i></b><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">What I've been reading – <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Amen, Maxine</i> by Faith Gardner and <i>Look Closer</i> by David Ellis are both five star reads and made my favorite books of 2022 list. I don't want to say more about them because it's best to go in not knowing too much. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i><span style="color: #ffa400;">Have you read anything lately you'd recommend? Have any favorites so far in 2022?</span></i></b><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">What I've been watching – <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The movie "The Black Phone" was excellent! Creepy and heartbreaking and the child actors were amazing.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">My husband and I started watching "What We Do in the Shadows" on Hulu, and I will say that while I like it, my husband almost falls off the couch laughing at least once an episode. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b><span style="color: #ffa400;">Have you watched anything lately that creeped you out or made you really laugh?</span></b></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="color: #ffa400;">*****</span><i> </i></b><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b>At the moment, our Internet connection is still spotty, so it might take some time before your comments and my responses appear here on the blog.</b></i></span></p>Madeline Mora-Summontehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05529397293165046430noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640755272364792151.post-387050993996807912022-09-05T07:00:00.051-04:002022-09-05T07:00:00.254-04:00Progress! And a Story!<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I didn't accomplish everything I set out to do this summer, but I did make progress on a number of fronts so I'm counting the season as a win.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Back in June, I posted about wanting to get the following done – <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="color: #800180;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #800180;"><i><b>*</b><b> Do some cleaning up, de-cluttering and organizing inside and outside the house.</b></i></span><span style="color: #1a0e3a;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #1a0e3a;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #1a0e3a;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Eh. A little bit here and there. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #1a0e3a;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #1a0e3a;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #800180;"><i><b>*</b><b> Finish the 202.2 miles challenge. Maybe start one of the 100 miles challenges.</b></i></span><span style="color: #1a0e3a;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #1a0e3a;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #1a0e3a;">Nope. </span>I really wanted to get the 202.2 miles challenge done by the end of the summer, but for a number of reasons – not all of them my lazy butt's fault! - that didn't happen. I did keep slogging along so miles were made!<span style="color: #1a0e3a;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #1a0e3a;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #1a0e3a;"><b>Stats as of 8/31/2022 =</b></span><span style="color: #1a0e3a;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #1a0e3a;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">163.2/202.2 miles (walking only)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #1a0e3a;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">0/100 miles<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #1a0e3a;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">0/100 miles<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #1a0e3a;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #1a0e3a;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="color: #800180;"><i>* Get at least one draft of my novella done.</i></span></b><span style="color: #1a0e3a;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Nope. But I got organized, have a loose outline, wrote a chunk of chapters. I believe, think, hope, pray I've got a better handle on it than I did before.<span style="color: #1a0e3a;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="color: #800180;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="color: #800180;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #800180;"><i><b>*</b><b> Write and submit at least two stories to markets.</b></i></span><span style="color: #1a0e3a;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #1a0e3a;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Yes! I revised one for a contest where it made the finals but didn't rank in the top </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">three. And I wrote a story for <a href="https://jetreidliterary.blogspot.com/2022/08/wordle-flash-fiction-contest.html" target="_blank">a flash fiction contest on literary agent, Janet Reid's, blog</a>. It didn't make the finals, but it received a couple of nice comments from fellow readers. Some of the rules included a word count of 100 words or fewer, and it must contain five words: Depth, Froth, Phase, Showy, Atoll.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Maybe the story will give you a chill despite the summer heat . . . <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #202020;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #202020;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>*****</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #202020;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #202020;">Dearest Uncle,</span><span style="color: #202020;"><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">My terror has no depth.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">With the moon's every phase, this land's black soul takes root, spreads. I curse myself for bringing my family here!</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">You recall the elusive beasts, tearing nightly through the fields, strewing shredded entrails as if for show. You suggested I hunt. I found no tracks.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Until now.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">They led to the house. Inside, three beasts, blood frothing their mouths, fed on my wife's body.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">I pray these words find you, Uncle. Before accepting the legal responsibility that befalls you after my death, know the truth.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Be afraid of my children.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Yours,</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">A. Tolliver</span></span></i><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>*****</b><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>How was your summer? Accomplish any goals? Make progress on some projects? Have fun?</b><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><br /></p>Madeline Mora-Summontehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05529397293165046430noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640755272364792151.post-67670065298987060342022-08-01T07:00:00.060-04:002022-08-01T07:00:00.235-04:00The Sweat Sock of the Summer<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Well, July was one slimy, stinky sweat sock of a month around here. Any progress made - on the miles challenges, on writing, on you-name-it – is pretty much gone. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thankfully, it was – for us, anyway – mostly first world problems, everything from minor health issues to my beloved coffeemaker of 10 years brewing its last cup. It was more that the problems just happened to arrive all at once, like a gaggle of unexpected guests, flinging their luggage everywhere, taking up all the space, all the air. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">So, August <i>has</i> to be better, right? Right! At the very least, it will be caffeinated. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>WATCHING –</b></span> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b style="font-family: verdana;">TV</b><span style="font-family: verdana;"> – "The Old Man" on FX/Hulu – it's a little slow, but the acting is excellent!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>MOVIES</b> - We re-watch JAWS every July 4<sup>th</sup>and always love it. We also re-watched and enjoyed GOONIES and STAND BY ME. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>READING –</b></span> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>THE PATIENT'S SECRET</i> by Loreth Anne White – dark and twisty!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>LISTEN TO ME (Rizzoli and Isles, #13)</i> by Tess Gerritsen – I've missed this series!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>A RIP THROUGH TIME (A Rip Through Time, #1)</i> by Kelley Armstrong – the beginning of a time travel mystery series I look forward to continuing! <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>*****</b><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i>How was your July? What do you do for coffee? Do you have any recommendations for coffeemakers, that kind of thing? Read or watched anything good lately? </i></b></span></p>Madeline Mora-Summontehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05529397293165046430noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640755272364792151.post-63730445559440420372022-07-06T07:00:00.055-04:002022-07-06T07:00:00.215-04:00Melting<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">So far, <a href="https://madelinemora-summonte.blogspot.com/2022/06/the-summer-of-getting-stuff-done.html" target="_blank">my summer of getting stuff done</a> is going . . . okay. The biggest issue for me is lack of oomph. I'm not sure if it's my meandering mind, my foggy focus or the Florida summer heat. I am convinced, though, that I'm not sweating but melting, like a giant scoop of gelato. (<i>Hey, I'm half Italian!</i>)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b>WRITING –</b></span> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm struggling with the novel/novella. It's starting to sprawl, and I'm having trouble remembering everything. Apparently, my brain forgot how to hold more than one idea inside it. It's been a long time since I wrote anything longer than flash fiction so maybe that muscle is as flabby as the rest of me. I'm determined to keep at it though. I believe in it! <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I revised and subbed one story. Of course, it wasn't the story or the market I was aiming for, but I'll take it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b>READING -</b></span> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I recently enjoyed two YA mystery/thrillers: QUEEN OF THE TILES by Hanna Alkaf (Scrabble tournament! Set in Malaysia!) and THIS GOLDEN STATE by Marit Weisenberg (A family on the run! A home DNA test!)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">And I loved Chris Bohjalian's historical fiction/thriller, THE LIONESS (1960s Hollywood and an African safari!) <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b>WALKING –</b></span> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Even though we're behind on the miles challenges, we're keeping at it. I, apparently, need some sort of goal to even get up off the couch so quitting is not an option. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Stats as of 6/30/2022 =</b> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">124.2/202.2 miles (walking only)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">0/100 miles<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">0/100 miles<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I think I'm just going to apply – and repeat! – the tortoises' favorite mantra to everything this summer - s<i>low and steady</i>, <i>slow and steady</i>….<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>*****</b><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i>How's your summer going? If you were a frozen treat, what would you be? Have you read anything good lately? Do you have a mantra, for the summer or in general? </i></b></span><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Madeline Mora-Summontehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05529397293165046430noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640755272364792151.post-6805697519029393072022-06-01T07:00:00.048-04:002022-06-01T07:00:00.214-04:00The Summer of Getting Stuff Done<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">For a lot of people, summer is about having fun, relaxing and traveling. For me, this summer is about putting my head down and keeping it down. I really need to focus. Need to. Want to. Have to. My emotional, mental, physical health demands it. My writing demands it. My home and weird . . . uh, unique . . . little family demands it. (<i>Mrs. Larry does not care for the word "weird" in reference to her, thank you very much.</i>) </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Some of what I plan to accomplish:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="color: #800180;">*</span></b> Get at least one draft of my novella done.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #800180;"><b>*</b></span> Write and submit at least two stories to markets.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #800180;"><b>*</b></span> Finish the 202.2 miles challenge. Maybe start one of the 100 miles challenges.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #800180;"><b>*</b></span> Do some cleaning up, de-cluttering and organizing inside and outside the house.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I <i>will</i> have some fun, including lots of reading, TV show binge-watching and movie marathon-ing.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">In the recent free version of Austin Kleon's newsletter, he mentions some advice by poet Jane Kenyon that explains exactly what my hope is for the summer – <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b><i>"Be a good steward of your gifts. </i></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b><i>Protect your time. </i></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b><i>Feed your inner life. </i></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b><i>Avoid too much noise. </i></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b><i>Read good books, </i></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b><i>have good sentences in your ears. </i></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b><i>Be yourself as often as you can. </i></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b><i>Walk. </i></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b><i>Take the phone off the hook. </i></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b><i>Work regular hours."</i></b></span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>*****</b><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Do you have any fun summer plans? Any "productive" projects? Looking forward to any summer books, TV shows, movies?</b></span></p>Madeline Mora-Summontehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05529397293165046430noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640755272364792151.post-28830748537734242362022-05-02T07:00:00.080-04:002022-05-02T07:00:00.210-04:00What Silence Stirs<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://madelinemora-summonte.blogspot.com/2022/04/wait-what.html" target="_blank">Last month, I mentioned trying to be more aware of when I spoke and of what I said</a>, hoping to put less "noise" out into the world. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It stirred up a memory from childhood when I was told my quiet, shy personality could possibly come across to other kids as me being "stuck-up." As an adult, I worry that those same personality traits – in addition to my now trying to not blather on for no reason - are making me seem aloof or uninterested. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This whole experiment also reminded me of how much I crave quiet, both outside of myself in terms of sound and hoopla, and inside of myself in terms of drama and turmoil. It almost feels like within the quiet is the only way my brain, my body, my heart can breathe anymore. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">WRITING –</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">A novella/novel is slowly coming together. It's still in the notes stage but those notes are starting to form a big messy pile so, you know, progress. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b>WATCHING –</b></span> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">TV – We really enjoyed the first season of <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14218830/" target="_blank">Abbott Elementary</a> (cute and funny!). We just started <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10048342/" target="_blank">The Queen's Gambit </a>(intriguing!) and <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3032476/" target="_blank">Better Call Saul</a> (my husband laughed so hard at a line from the first episode he about fell off the couch.) <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b>READING -</b></span> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I've recently read a number of enjoyable mystery/suspense novels – my go-to genre! - but sometimes I like to switch it up. I just finished <a href="https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250811783/fourtreasuresofthesky" target="_blank"><i>Four Treasures of the Sky</i> by Jenny Tinghui Zhang</a>, an historical/literary fiction novel that begins in the 1880s, in China, and takes the reader on a journey that won't soon be forgotten. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b>TORTOISES –</b></span> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Whenever we take the tortoises out on the patio, Mrs. Larry enjoys sitting under the grill. There are other places to sit with better views, but Mrs. Larry is her own tortoise. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The other day, the tortoises discovered the grill actually moves. So, under Mrs. Larry's direction, Larry "the muscle" slid the grill a little this way, a little that way, until Mrs. Larry was satisfied with the new location. And, as we all know around our house, if Mrs. Larry is happy then we're all happy.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>*****</b><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><i><span style="font-family: verdana;">What's your impression when you meet someone who's quiet? What do you need to "breathe"? Watched any of those TV shows? Have a go-to genre for reading? Think we should let Mrs. Larry be in charge of all things decorating and design at our place? </span></i></b><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Madeline Mora-Summontehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05529397293165046430noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640755272364792151.post-76333697037305014172022-04-04T07:00:00.069-04:002022-04-04T07:00:00.197-04:00Wait, What?<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This month, I'm trying something new: I'm paying more attention when I speak. There's already so much "noise" in the world, I don't want to contribute to it if I can help it. So I am applying <a href="https://austinkleon.com/2022/03/17/why-am-i-talking/" target="_blank">an acronym I read about over on Austin Kleon's blog</a>: </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #800180;"><b>WAIT = Why Am I Talking?</b></span> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I hope it'll help me be more thoughtful, not only with my words but also in general. (<i>My husband and the tortoises hope it means it will be a lot quieter around our house.</i>) <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">WRITING –</span></b> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">My flash fiction story made the finals of a contest, tied for second place, but ultimately did not make the top three. I was happy to see, though, the positive comments, the chunk of "likes" and votes it received. I think I achieved my big, overarching goal of entertaining readers. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">WATCHING –</span></b> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Movies – I really enjoyed the creepy and unsettling <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13309978/" target="_blank">Superhost</a>. (<i>It just totally confirmed every travel-phobic issue I have, thank you very much.</i>) The actress, Gracie Gillam, playing Rebecca was amazing! <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">We also re-watched <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3470600/" target="_blank">Sing</a>, which was just as good the second time around. Then we watched <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6467266/" target="_blank">Sing 2</a> and that was fun, too. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">READING –</span></b> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">For the first time in a very long time, I'm ahead in my Goodreads challenge = 16/52 books. I'm enjoying the more relaxed pace I set for myself.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b>WALKING –</b></span> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">My husband and I were out walking when I totally surprised myself – and my husband! – by suggesting we do one of the virtual 5Ks we signed up for. (<i>This is so not like me, I'm surprised my husband didn't look around for his real wife.</i>) But it was early in the day, the weather was great, and I was feeling good, so we went with it. We walked, not ran, another 3.2 miles for our 202.2 Miles Challenge!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>*****</b><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i>What do you think of WAIT? Read or watched anything recently that you enjoyed? Have you surprised yourself and/or others lately?</i></b> </span></p>Madeline Mora-Summontehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05529397293165046430noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640755272364792151.post-5667643184573966062022-03-07T07:00:00.055-05:002022-03-07T07:00:00.234-05:00Pasta or Progress?<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I can't tell which has more holes in it – my attention span or the colander I use to drain pasta. Yum . . . pasta. Smothered in sauce, topped with cheese. Maybe some ravioli. No wait, baked ziti. And garlic bread. And . . . oh. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">See what I mean?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>WRITING -</b> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I rearranged my office furniture in an effort to minimize distractions. So now a blank wall stares back at me every time I look over the top of my computer. This might actually be working because I wrote and subbed a flash fiction story for a contest, and I started making notes on a novella. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>WALKING –</b></span> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I mentioned <a href="https://madelinemora-summonte.blogspot.com/2022/01/" target="_blank">back in January</a> that my husband and I signed up for two virtual challenges, 100 miles each. Well, we also signed up for a third one – 202.2 miles. (<i>Don't even ask me how this happened. I'm pretty sure my husband distracted me with cake.</i>)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Stats so far = <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>43/202.2 miles</b> (walking only)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">0/100 miles<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">0/100 miles<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>WATCHING –</b></span> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Movie – <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11245972/" target="_blank">SCREAM (2022]</a> aka SCREAM, "The Requel", was a fun romp down memory lane, and it made me want to re-watch the old SCREAM movies again, at least the first one.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>READING -</b></span> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm in the middle of <i><a href="https://www.charliedonlea.com/twenty-years-later" target="_blank">Twenty Years Later</a></i> by Charlie Donlea – enjoying it so far!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><o:p><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">*****</span></b></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><i><span style="font-family: verdana;">What creative project - writing or otherwise - are you working on? What do you do for exercise/fitness? Have you read or watched anything lately you enjoyed? </span></i></b></p>Madeline Mora-Summontehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05529397293165046430noreply@blogger.com17