Oddly Compelling

Lately, I'm finding a number of things oddly compelling. I can't seem to stop focusing on them, and I'm not exactly sure why. 

 

For instance, I'm drawn to the phrase oddly compelling. 😁

 

Here are some more examples: 

 

* September. This month always makes me think of school supplies and cooler weather, fresh notebooks and sweaters, even though I've been out of school for many – many! – years, and I won't feel a cool breeze here in Florida until October. 

 

* My flash fiction story, "Oh, Brother." I have no idea where this one came from, but the main character's voice spoke up loud and clear. It's also a time-travel type story, something I don't believe I've ever written before, and the whole thing is structured as a letter to someone. I totally enjoyed writing it, and since it made the cut as a finalist for a contest, I guess it didn't turn out too badly. 

 

* A longer writing project. An idea has been ducking and hiding at the edges of my creative playground for some time now. The problem is, I can't quite see or hear it. I know it's there and I know it's something, but I don't know what – a novel, a novella, a story collection? I'm trying to give it space for it to show me, to see if it wants to slip down the slide or hang from the monkey bars. I'm trying to be patient, but I want to play already!

 

* Samantha Downing's novel, For Your Own Good. It is so much fun in a totally bizarre, insane way. I can't stop thinking about it! 

 

* Walking. If I did the math correctly - and that's a huge if - I don't think I'm going to complete the 500 miles for the walking challenge. It's possible, but I'm not sure I have it in me to put that much pressure on myself. I am going to keep at it though, and whatever miles I end up walking will still be more miles than I walked last year. I don't know if this is pure determination or pure stubbornness on my part, but either way, I have to finish, no matter what it looks like. 

*****

 

Have you found anything oddly compelling lately? What is your September/Fall looking like? 

Frog Moments

As I write this post, it's raining outside and two baby frogs are hanging out on my office window. They startled me at first because, as you all know by now, when I see something moving at the window, my first thought is monster/psycho/zombie. But now I'm enjoying watching them, enjoying their company. (And as long as they stay outside, they're adorable.) 

 

I mention this moment because it made me smile. I've been kind of "meh" about stuff lately, everything from reading to writing. There are some reasons and there are no reasons, if that makes sense. I've struggled with this before, but this time around, I'm having trouble shaking it. So I'm trying to focus on positivity, on things that make me happy, laugh, bring me joy, and I thought I'd share a few recent examples in case you all also need a "frog moment" or two.

 

WRITING 

Here are three posts that should - hopefully! - shake off any writing blues:

Advice for the Demoralized Writer by James Scott Bell 

Stay in the Fight by John Gilstrap

The Most Significant Choice of Your Writing Career by Jessica Conoley

 

 

*****

 

READING

How about a feel good read that includes books, libraries and a cast of quirky characters you'll love to root for? Then make a note to pick up The Last Chance Library by Freya Sampson! (I got my hands on an ARC – it's out 8/31/21.)

 

 

*****

 

WATCHING

We went old school and thoroughly enjoyed re-watching "Jaws" and "Jurassic Park." We're also re-watching "Seinfeld" from Season 1 – still hilarious! 

 

I have fallen hard for "Firefly Lane" (Netflix.) It's not my usual thing, and I'm not exactly sure why I enjoy it so much, but hey, not everything needs to be analyzed to death, right? Unfortunately for me, I thought it was a self-contained show, so when the last episode ended on a cliffhanger you can probably imagine the angst and drama in my house when I realized what was happening. And yet, I am so in if there's a Season 2!

 

 

*****

 

WALKING

I'm really struggling with the walking challenge, but I'm determined to keep going, to make at least some progress this summer. 

 

Miles walked as of 7/30/2021 = 187/500 (Click here for what this craziness is all about.)

 

Seen on a walk . . . around the house to the patio - 

Hibiscus  

Photo by Madeline Mora-Summonte 7/2021

Hibiscus -

Photo by Madeline Mora-Summonte 7/2021

 

*****

 

If/When you feel "meh" what do you do? Do you have any recent "frog moments" you'd like to share? Any suggestions for feel good books/movies/TV?

 

Hello, July!

Whooosh! That's the sound of summer flying by. (And believe me, that's the fastest moving thing around here. If the tortoises and I had a race, I would not put money on me to win.) Still feeling behind and overwhelmed, but I'm working on having a more positive and grateful mindset overall and that's definitely helping. 

 

WRITING

My story, "Twisted," is out now in INFECTION: DRABBLES 1 (LEGENDS OF THE NIGHT). If you like your apocalyptic zombie fiction bite-sized (ha! get it?!), give it a try! 

 

** AVAILABLE ON AMAZON **

*****

 

READING

The First Day of Spring by Nancy Tucker is chilling, compelling and heartbreaking. The author does an amazing job of humanizing a horrifying character. With a few simple lines, she makes you re-examine everything you thought you knew, making you not necessarily forgive the character but feel for them. 

 

*****

 

WATCHING

Movies – We really liked "Awake" on Netflix. 

 

*****

 

WALKING

We participated in a virtual 5K that raised money for sea turtle conservation and research. During this sweat-soaked stroll, we saw so many turtles - crossing roads, sunning on banks, sticking their little heads out of lakes. They were totally cheering us on! 

 

Miles walked as of 6/30/2021 = 166.5/500 (Click here for what this craziness is all about.) 

 

*****

How's your summer going so far? Made progress on any projects? Have you read or watched anything you'd recommend?  

Hunkering Down

The plan for this summer is to pretty much hunker down and Get. Things. Done. Somehow, life – and that includes everything from health to writing to cleaning - has gotten away from me. Keeping things on track is like herding tortoises back inside the house from the patio (believe me, it's harder than you think.) Time to start moving in a positive direction again!

 

WRITING

In publication news, my flash fiction story, "The Perfect Match", is in Shallow Waters Vol. 7: A Flash Fiction Anthology, and I have two drabbles coming out this summer in anthologies from Black Ink Fiction. 

 

I actually "attended" my first StokerCon – the big conference for horror writers - from the comfort of my own home. I watched panel after panel and learned so much. I took pages and pages of handwritten notes, all of which I'm hoping I will be able to decipher. 

*****

 

READING

We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker is a little more of a slower paced book than I usually read but the writing! The characters! The revelations toward the end! The ending! The book just blew me away. 

***** 

 

WATCHING

Movies – "Rent-A-Pal" was creepy, sad, and unsettling.

 

TV – We finally finished watching "Justified" and overall absolutely LOVED it! The last episode was excellent and the very last scene was just perfect. 

***** 

 

TORTOISES

Larry and Mrs. Larry are now 12 years old! They celebrated by having one of their favorite treats – banana!  The rest of us had cake.

***** 

 

WALKING

Seriously, what was I thinking? Why did I let my husband convince me to do this 500 miles walk? Why didn't we just do the 100 miles? We'd be done already! Why did I think I could do this? (Okay, whiny rant over. For now.)

 

Miles walked as of 5/31/2021 = 137.2/500 (Click here for what this craziness is all about.)

 

***** 

 

Any projects – creative or otherwise – you plan to tackle this summer? Have you read or watched anything great lately? How about a pep talk, a butt kick, or a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup . . . or two? I need all the help I can get!

Spring . . . Back

Even though we were supposed to spring ahead last month, I pretty much fell waaaaaay back. In time, that is.

 

WRITING

I'm pretty sure the last time I wrote poetry was when I was in college  - over 20 years ago, people - so imagine my surprise when I managed to create some horror poetry for a contest. 

 

***

 

READING

I am so looking forward to upcoming releases by some of my long-time favorite, auto-buy authors: Mother May I by Joshilyn Jackson, The Drowning Kind by Jennifer McMahon and Hour of the Witch by Chris Bohjalian. 

 

***

 

WATCHING

Movies - The nostalgia volume was turned to high around here as Pretty in Pink and Footloose had me tapping my feet. I somehow managed to feel both young AND old at the same time. 

 

TV - When my husband and I heard about the death of Larry McMurtry, we looked at each other and said, "We're watching Lonesome Dove this weekend." I read the novel before the mini-series came out, and it's safe to say it's easily one of my all-time favorite books. I fell in love with the mini-series when I first watched it back in 1989. Did it hold up for me in 2021? You better believe it! How could it not with Larry McMurtry's writing and starring actors like Robert Duvall, Tommy Lee Jones, and Danny Glover, to name just a few. 

 

***

 

WALKING

Hooray for progress! When I first started, I averaged about 1-1.5 miles each outing. Now, I average about 2-2.5 miles, and I’m inching up to 3. 

 

Miles walked as of 3/31/21 = 83.6/500. (Click here for what this craziness is all about.)

 

*****

Traveled down memory lane lately? Seen either of those movies or the mini-series? Made progress – no matter how little! - on any projects?  

March-ing On

My "one word" for 2021 is FOCUS. To be honest, it's not working all that well. My thoughts are like Yahtzee dice - spilling out from my mind, scattering everywhere. But hey, we're only in the third month of the year. That's still plenty of time to work my word! 

 

WRITING

I recently redid my Writer's Manifesto. I love that it reminds me HOW I want to write, HOW I want my writing life to feel, to look. This time around, I emphasized having more fun and trusting the creative process. 

 

***

READING

Two books I ended up liking more than I thought I would – Shiver by Allie Reynolds and The Woman Outside My Door by Rachel Ryan. I was pleasantly surprised to get so caught up in them! 

 

***

WATCHING

Movies – "Come Play" was my kind of creepy and "Freaky" was the kind of campy horror movie that reminded me of "Scream." 

 

***

WALKING

Seen on a walk: 

Photo by Madeline Mora-Summonte, 2021

Okay, I actually see this every day . . . because it's in front of our house! We had this bougainvillea planted soon after we moved in because we wanted a spot of color, one I'll hopefully be able to see from my office window soon. But we never realized how many people would enjoy our little tree, too. One lady even told my husband that she looks forward to riding her bike by it every day. (Fingers crossed my husband and I won't ruin it with our not-so-green thumbs . . . .) 

 

Miles walked as of 2/25/21 = 51/500. We passed the first official milestone! (Click here if you're wondering what this craziness is all about.)

 

*****

Do you have "one word" for 2021? If so, how's it working for you? Do you have a Writer's Manifesto or going to give one a try? Have you read or watched something that surprised you with how much you liked it? Is there anything on your route that brightens your walks or drives? 

Forward into February

For some reason – and no reason – January had me stymied at almost every turn. Even so, I'm choosing to focus on the positives! Here are some highlights: 

 

WRITING 

Since one of my stories tied for first place in a Crystal Lake flash fiction contest in 2020, I was invited to participate in their Best of the Best challenge, only open to contest winners. Let me just say this: Whew! That was some tough competition! My story didn't win or place, but I'm honored to have been included in that bunch.

 

***

READING

2021 started with the suspenseful The Nothing Man by Catherine Ryan Howard. It not only gave me the creeps, but also offered a creative twist to the alternative POV structure. So well done! Loved it!

***

 

WATCHING

TV-wise, we're trying some old-but-new-to-us shows, like "Justified." I can't even begin to tell you how much we're enjoying it! [Please no spoilers in the comments! We're only up to season 3 or so.]

 

Movie-wise, we watched "Don't Tell a Soul," starring Rainn Wilson. So well acted and full of great twists! 

 

***

TORTOISES

We had some cold-for-Florida weather, which meant the tortoises had to stay inside. But it finally warmed up enough for them to wander the patio, taking the occasional break to sit under the grill.

 

***

WALKING

Seen on a walk: A man, dogs on the seat next to him, pulls his golf cart up to the stop sign. Music drifts over from the cart. The song? "Sweet Child o' Mine" by Guns N' Roses. 

 

Miles walked as of 1/29/21 = 28/500. Hmm, this might actually be more miles than I walked all of last year. (Click here if you're wondering what this craziness is all about.) 

*****

How's your year going so far? Have you read or watched anything good? (Again, please no "Justified" spoilers!) Are you making progress on any challenges or goals?

One Small Step

Other than a few specific goals (see below for one of them), my overall plan for 2021 is to move in a positive direction, to choose projects or tasks that will move me in a "creative" direction or in a "healthy" direction, etc. I have no idea if this will work, but even though 2020 sucked the oomph out of me, I still want to enter 2021 with a bounce in my step. 

 

"The good life is a process, not a state of being. 

It is a direction not a destination."

Carl Rogers

Speaking of direction and moving, did I mention I plan to walk 500 miles this year?

 

Yes, for some of you that's a piece of cake, but since my steps consist mostly of me going from my desk to the kitchen to get a piece of cake, this is huge. 

 

My husband and I signed up for this virtual challenge to encourage a healthy lifestyle, but it will be more than just a physical challenge for me. As someone who has perfectionist tendencies, the thought of falling behind and/or failing altogether makes me incredibly anxious. But one of the things I told myself - other than that I've lost my mind - is that any miles I walk because of this challenge are miles I might not have walked otherwise. Any accumulation will be an accomplishment. 

 

I'll do the occasional update here on the blog. It will be much like tracking the progress of a tortoise. If I'm lucky.  

 

Miles Walked as of 1/4/2021 = 5.6/500

 

*****

Did you make any resolutions, set goals? Or are you keeping it a little looser like I am? Anything you'd recommend for my walks – music/podcasts/audio books to listen to, sneakers, socks, workout clothes, etc? 

September in Stories

My creativity is – finally! - creeping back into the light, showing itself cautiously, slowly, much like Larry did after his very first visit to the vet. 

 

Unfortunately, the results are less than stellar. Unlike a tortoise, my creativity cannot be coaxed out of its shell with basil. None of the stories I worked on are submission-worthy so I have to let various contests and open submission windows pass on by. Sure, I'm disappointed, but I'm also reminded of something incredibly important – 

 

"When you're writing, no matter how hard it is, 

you are more truly yourself than at any other time." 

(Julie Duffy)

 

YES! That's exactly how it felt. 

 

So, to keep up that momentum, I signed up for Story A Day September. (I participated in Story A Day May years ago and enjoyed the challenge.) All the information is at the Story A Day site, but the gist is to write a story every day in September. Now "every day" is open to interpretation, so I'm aiming for a story every day Monday through Friday for a total of 22 stories. The only strict rule is you have to FINISH the story. It doesn't have to be pretty, but it has to be done.  (Much like every art project I've ever undertaken.)

 

So, here's hoping for a September full of stories. Wish me luck!

 

*****

 

Any plans for September, writing or otherwise? What are you looking forward to this fall?

 

Progress Report: Breathing Again

The Goal = 23 stories written - and finished! - for Story A Day in May

Stories Completed So Far = 10

Stories Still To Go = 13

Well, I'm about halfway through the Story A Day Challenge, and honestly? I'm loving it.

Don't get me wrong, it's not easy. Some of my stories stink. Two - so far - might actually be scenes for a bigger project, like a novella or novel (what?! no, no, no! focus, woman, focus!) And some days I stare at the blank notebook page - yes, I'm going old school - and wish I hadn't gotten out of bed. Ever.

But then there's the story I revised and submitted already. And the handful I can definitely see myself returning to, revising. And the biggest benefit so far?

Finding my way back to creativity, to reviving a part of myself that was struggling to breathe, that was drowning beneath layers upon layers of anxiety and doubt, fear and normalcy. Now, when I finish a story, a sense of peace, of completeness, of rightness fills me, and I believe it's because - to paraphrase something Julie Duffy said in one of her Story A Day podcasts - I've done the thing that makes me, me. Writing.

May the (Creative) Force Be With You!

Believe me, I can use all the help I can get since this May, I will be participating in Story A Day! 

Story A Day is all about promoting creativity. The goal: write - and finish! - a story every day in May.

Now, as founder Julie Duffy says, there is some flexibility:

"Since the StoryADay May challenge began in 2010 I have always said: make your own rules. For some people, the challenge of writing a story every day is the thing that excites them the most and helps them to embrace the challenge. For other people it’s unrealistic. Those writers simply decide how many days this month they’re going to write. The key is to make your own rules and then stick to them. Some years, for example, I take Sundays off."

But she is a stickler for one thing: FINISHING.

"This is the only place where I am quite strict. There is a power in finishing a story and so I encourage you to push through to the end of your story every day. This does not mean writing a brilliant draft. Sometimes you have to cheat. You can write “[something clever happens here]” and then sketch out a resolution and final paragraph if that’s what it takes to get used to the end of the story. Doing this at least teaches you to keep the mood to keep the story moving towards a place of resolution."

So, my plan for May: write and finish a story Monday through Friday with weekends off OR five stories a week, just in case I need a little wiggle room. I hope to reconnect with the core of my writing, the joy and the passion I used to feel. I'm going to have fun with my writing again, people. 

Wish me luck!

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Have you heard of Story A Day? Plan on giving it a try? There's still time to sign up! Are you participating in any other challenges, creative or otherwise? 

Year of Yes - October to January

Back in October, I decided I was going to start saying "yes" more - to new things, to different opportunities, etc. I call it my Year of Yes - check out the original post here - and the goal is to do 40 different things. Different for me, anyway. I know a lot of people might see these things and think "big whoop" but for me, any step outside of my comfort zone - no matter how small! - is progress.

So, here are a few of my Yes moments:

* I decided not to do National Novel Writing Month - the first time I haven't done it in many years - and instead said "yes" to continuing writing and revising a previous manuscript.

* I stopped the Off The Shelf Challenge 2012. This was not easy because once I say I'm going to do something I try very hard to, you know, actually do it. But this challenge started to feel too much like homework.

* I took an art class called "Discover the World of Collage Art." This was something I wanted to do for awhile now and I finally just did it - and I'm so glad I did!

* I tried some new Thai food - fried tofu. I've had tofu before and never cared much for it, but I figured how bad could it be fried and dipped in sweet and sour sauce and topped with chopped peanuts? Yeah, well, I figured WRONG. 

* I usually stay up past midnight on New Year's Eve, even if it's only until 12:05 am, and watch the ball drop in Times Square. This year, I stayed up - my husband and I were finishing up a Harry Potter movie marathon - but I did not watch the ball drop. Did. Not. I have watched that thing drop every year since I was first allowed to stay up. I felt like a rebel. I felt sort of like Hermione Granger when she starts breaking the rules in one of the earlier HP movies.

* I watched ice cream being made right in front of me using the power of liquid nitrogen. It was very cool - ha ha! Get it? - and something I'm definitely going to remember when the temps reach the upper 90s this summer. 

And there you have it. Nothing too exciting or extreme - no jumping out of planes or shaving my head. And, although I'm happy with my progress overall so far, I'm also a little disappointed. I've been very focused on writing these past four-five months and keeping my head down and plowing through some other things. But I think I need to look up once in awhile and get out there a bit more. Hopefully my next update will be more exciting.

How about you all? Have you done anything different so far this year? Are you planning on it? Taking a class you've always wanted to try? Going somewhere different? Saying "no" to something when you usually say "yes"?

2011 - The Year of the Challenge

Is anyone up for a writing challenge in 2011?  I am, and so I was very excited to come across Write 1 Sub 1 - A Year-Long Writing Experiment in Ray Bradbury's Shadow. 

You can choose one of two challenges - write and submit one story a week OR write and submit one story a month.  You can find all the information here and here.  As you can see from the neat web badge on my sidebar, I chose to do the Write 1 Sub 1 Monthly.  As much I liked the idea of doing the story a week, I knew I wouldn't be able to pull it off with my novel rewrite/revision.  If I emerge victorious at the end of the year, I will be rewarded with the coveted LIGHT RAY AWARD.  Not to mention a number of well written (hopefully!) stories and a few publications. 

So join in and challenge yourself to Write 1 Sub 1 in 2011.  And if you don't want to do that, pick something else - write in a new genre, read a certain number of books, learn to cha cha, whatever.  We can cheer each other on.  Remember, I'm rooting for you!  Now, go!