This photo shows some of my favorite things: tea, flowers, and really pretty porcelain or china. I’m always looking for a deal on all three of those things.
I’m especially happy to have found a teapot for the holidays—at a killer price. The only thing better than pretty porcelain is pretty porcelain on sale.
I’ve already written about my favorite tea vendor. I stand by that and am so happy to try new blends! Right now I’m trying out a black tea flavored with maple. It’s called New England Breakfast and smells divine! It’s nice to inhale a bit before taking a sip and really enjoy everything the tea has to offer.
I hope you take some time today to enjoy one or two of your favorite things.
With the temps growing cooler, I’ll be spending more time outdoors. That’s my fun zone! Maybe hiking, maybe gardening, maybe walking Guinness the Therapy Dog–I’m okay with anything!
Take time today to have some fun, either by yourself or with a friend. Anytime is fun time and Sunday is the day to really go out and have some fun.
I wanted to premier the artwork for my upcoming picture book about one of the first families in Cape Cod, Massachusetts and the early years of the patriarch, John Wing!
(c) 2019 Emma Crick This drawing is copyrighted and you must request permission to copy, share, print, or use in print or digital form.
This is a sample of the artwork that is being produced for my new picture book: The Wing Family: From England to the American Colonies.
Isn’t it beautiful? The remaining artwork is just as special.
The artist, Emma Crick, lives in England and is so talented. To see this and more artwork, my book will be available before Christmas. Check back on this site for the announcement that it is available for purchase!
The Fairies of Carlow: The Gilding has special pricing for the ebook for the next two days only! Get your copy of the ebook at the discounted price by going to amazon.com. You can click on the link in the left margin for easier navigation.
I hope you enjoy the story of Fern, a quiet fairy who becomes a very known fairy within not only her own kingdom but all the fairy kingdoms!
What’s a pantser, you ask? It’s the writer who can tell a good story without planning it out first. It’s not me. I tried to write a story ‘by the seat of my pants’ and it was horrible!
My stories are much better if I outline them first. I don’t outline them to death because I want the characters to be able to lead me and surprise me. But, I need to know where they are heading or else my stories tend to wander.
I like to outline on paper, usually outside, with some distractions around me. Then I go to my computer and start writing with the outline nearby. I still need some distractions while I write the first draft; I think it’s probably from my years as a news producer. I wrote for hours in the newsroom with scanners blaring and beeping, reporters coming and going; and lots of interruptions. During successive edits (and there are many) I like quiet, especially during the final edit. I like to focus all my attention on the story and try to find mistakes while around me it is quiet and still.
How many edits does a story go through? At least three. That’s why I like my computer. I save the story as a fresh draft and then start editing. I find that sometimes I like the previous draft and need to be able to go back to it. If I’m editing on that draft, oftentimes what I wrote previously is gone.
Don’t be afraid to write the first draft! It’s always unfit for reading. But it’s much easier to edit than create afresh. More on this in another post!
If you live in the UK, I’ve arranged for a special pricing event just for you. This will be for the ebook of The Fairies of Carlow: The Gilding and will start Friday, October 18. This pricing event ends on October 21, with the lowest prices available on the first day.
Take advantage of this opportunity!
You can access the pricing on Amazon.com or by using the link for the ebook on the left margin of this web page.
If you haven’t read The Gilding, I hope you enjoy it. If you have read the story of Fern, thank you!
Don’t forget that the series continues with The Outsider and The Commoner. Each book stands on its own, but there are glimpses into the futures of the fairies from the prior books. I hope you enjoy all the books!
Plus, stay tuned for a picture book that tells the story of a family who emigrated from England to Plymouth Colony in the 1600s. Tentatively titled, The Wing Family of America: From England to the American Colonies, this book is expected to be available before Christmas.
Also, I will have the first two (or more!) picture books from the series Guinness the Therapy Dog ready for purchase in the new year. This series will show how a big Bernese Mountain Dog becomes a therapy dog and all the adventures he has! I can’t wait to share his stories with you.
I think Mr. Napoleon Hill was onto something here. Not everyone can be great. Not everyone can make a huge splash. But you can affect the lives of those around you. It may feel like a small thing, whatever you decide, but it may mean the world for the person you are giving to. Whatever you do, do it well. Do it large. Do it your best.
If you do your best, then there is nothing to be ashamed of.
Is there someone who needs a smile?
Is there someone who needs to hear some music?
Is there someone who would love to receive a card from you?
Reach out to someone who needs a pick-me-up and you will have accomplished something small for yourself and something gigantic for them.
First Landing of Columbus on the Shores of the New World; painting by Dióscoro Puebla (1862)
I hope you have a chance to enjoy the origins of this federal holiday. Columbus Day is meant to commemorate the voyage of Christopher Columbus to America. This day was first celebrated on the 300th anniversary of his landing, on October 12, 1792, by New York’s Columbian Order, also known as the Society of St. Tammany. It became a federal holiday in 1937.
You may prefer to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day. This holiday is also called First Peoples’ Day, National Indigenous Peoples’ Day, or Native American Day. Celebrated on the second Monday in October, this day directly opposes Columbus Day to commemorate the histories and cultures of the Native American people.
Some Italian-Americans observe Columbus Day as a celebration of their heritage. Since Columbus hailed from Italy. He searched for a faster route to the Far East by crossing the Atlantic Ocean, and instead landed in the New World. His first trip comprised of three ships, the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria. When he and his crew arrived after a three-month voyage, they initiated the Columbian Exchange. This program introduced plants, animals, culture, settlers, and technology to the New World, but also brought invasive species and communicable diseases to the region.
It is because of these and other negative associations with Columbus’ arrival that eleven states celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day rather than Columbus Day. Wisconsin became the latest state to observe this day, formally recognizing the day on Tuesday of last week.
Whichever day you observe, I hope you enjoy the day and what it represents to you. Sonja
The Continental Navy was originated during the American Revolutionary War in 1775. The fleet comprised of two armed vessels which were tasked with the job of hunting down ships supplying weapons and ammunition to the British army. The Continental Congress wanted to decrease the power of the most powerful military force at the time, to allow for the Whigs and non-royalists in the colonies to fight their way to independence from the British crown.
When the American Revolutionary War ended in 1783, the Continental Navy was dismantled. However, the Naval Act of 1794 was enacted by President George Washington due to threats against American merchant ships by pirates. This created a permanent U.S. Navy.
Today, the fleet consists of more than 300,000 active duty personnel and 100,000 reservists in the submarine, aviation, and surface divisions. This year will also mark some historic milestones in the U.S. Navy’s history. 2019 is the 25th anniversary of women’s first assignment aboard a combat ship, the 50th anniversary of Top Gun, the Fighter Weapons School, and the 100th anniversary to mark the end of World War I.
2019 is the 243rd birthday for the U.S. Navy. The theme for the year is “Forged by the Sea,” which refers to the Navy’s fundamental relationship with the sea and its mission to retain U.S. maritime superiority.
One of the questions I am frequently asked is: “How do you come up with your ideas?”
The quick answer is that ideas are everywhere. I simply have to look around and see what interests me.
The long answer is that an idea comes to me and I mentally inspect all its edges and corners to see if it is truly interesting. If it doesn’t hold my attention, or if I can’t see a series of drawings in the text, then I file it away as a partial idea. No idea is sent away for good!
Every idea has value. If you think it up, or it comes to you as you take a walk or stare out the window, then you should pursue it. Sometimes these ideas aren’t sturdy enough to stand on their own. Sometimes they have too much to them and need to be pared down. But they mean something and can be a part of a lovely story. It may not be the story you intended, but give your story a little freedom and it can surprise you (more on this another day!).
I will write more about using ideas on a later date. For now, have the courage to take out one of your ideas and make it into a story. You never know where it will take you until you give it wings.
