NaNo Badges

As I've done the last couple years of NaNoWriMo, I've uploaded their participant web badges to my Photobucket account for those who don't have any place to park images. If you'd like to use one for your blog or site, just hover your cursor over the badge below to get the URL.

       

       

       

       

Breathtaking

I love time-lapse landscape videos like this. Something about seeing the captured movements and interplay of the light and sky and land is thrilling and comforting at the same time. This one looks particularly cool when you full-screen it, too.


Landscapes: Volume Two from Dustin Farrell on Vimeo.

Mini-Project #2: Journal Cover

I've been keeping a daily handwritten journal since 1974, and each year I fill up at least a dozen, sometimes more. I also love to give beautiful blank journals as gifts (and as a nudge to do more non-electronic writing.) I often purchase the journals I use from some very talented journal makers over on Etsy.com, but I also like to make or makeover my own.

My favorite journals to makeover are the ones no one wants; the premade blank books that you see in the scratch-n-dent discount bins at the bookstore. I always feel like I'm rescuing them. The biggest problem with discounted premades is that they generally have dinged, soiled or unsightly covers, but that's easy to fix with a new cover.

The journal covers I make are simply larger versions of a mug mat that are sized, wrapped around and sewn onto a premade blank book. To make one, you'll need a journal to cover, two pieces of fabric, batting if desired, binding if desired, pins, needle, measuring tape and thread.

Before you begin, you will need to do some measuring and some math. To cover a journal, you want to cut your fabric according to these calculations:

Width of fabric = width of front cover + width of back cover + width of spine + width of 2 inner flaps + 1/2" for seam allowances.

Length of fabric = length of front cover + 1/2" for seam allowances.

The inner flaps can be any width you desire up to the total width of the front or back cover. I don't like wide flaps so I size mine around two or three inches. Also, if you plan to use batting and quilt the piece, I suggest adding 1/8" to 1/4" to the width as well as the length of your fabric to allow for the pull of the loft.



If the journal you're covering is in the pocket-size range and you don't want to mess with binding, you can sew it the same way I made the mug mat, by placing your top and bottom fabrics right sides together and sewing around the edges, leaving a gap for turning.

If your journal is paperback book size or bigger and needs a larger piece to cover it, it's probably best to make your cover like a mini-quilt: with the right sides facing out, sandwich your fabrics together (batting goes in the middle), pin or baste-stitch together, quilt as desired and bind with bias binding.



Fabric and thread choices are where you can get really creative and have fun with this project. Because I was working with the vral image test swatch I ordered from Spoonflower, for the outer cover I pieced it with some fabric hand-dyed by an old friend of mine, then quilted the vral patch with matching variegated thread and my friend's fabric with metallic Sulky. For the inside/backing fabric I used a solid color piece to match the binding because it won't be seen.



Once you've completed your cover, fit it to the journal and whip or blind-stitch the top and bottom edges of both inner flaps to the edge of the front and back cover edges to hold it in place (you can also use tacky or hot glue but I find that tends to be messy and leaves glue spots showing on the fabric.) Another bonus of sewing the flaps is that it creates an inner pocket where you can stow a pen or bits and pieces or use it as a page tuck.

Journals with handmade covers are great for kids, loved ones, writer friends or any notebook junkie. Personalize the fabric you use for your cover to suit your recipient, then pair it with a pretty pen, a box of photo corners or a CD of music to write by, and you've got a terrific gift for any occasion.

Very Superstitious

Colossal Art & Design has a neat pictoral post here about money trees, and notes:

Apparently in several wooded areas around the UK, passersby have been stopping for decades (if not centuries), meticulously hammering small denomination coins intro trees . . . the practice might date back to the early 1700s in Scotland where ill people stuck florins into trees with the idea that the tree would take away their sickness.

I don't think spiking a tree with coins will ward off illness, but I am heavily invested in my own belief that drinking a glass of orange juice every day prevents colds (and since I've only had two in the last five years, there may be something to that.) I have no problem with the number thirteen; it's eight that always makes me a little nervous. Black cats can cross my path any time, but I won't voluntarily walk under a ladder -- and that's just common sense; I've treated too many people who did and got head injuries. Wearing something green seems to help me write better or otherwise brings me a little luck.

Probably my worst superstition is that I flatly refuse to look at anyone when for any reason we physically part ways; three times in the past I've watched someone leaving until they were out of sight and all three died before I could see them again. Do I think me watching them go made them die? Not at all. So why don't I put aside my silly superstition and watch and wave goodbye? I guess it's because I could be wrong.

Bestowing on your characters such habits is one more way of breathing life into them. Traditional superstitions are not your only choices; you can invent a ritual or avoidance behavior tailored to your character's personality, setting and/or backstory. The superstition doesn't have to be logical to anyone but the character, either. A protagonist who grew up desperately poor might keep money in strange places, or compulsively collect piggy banks, or can't pass a homeless shelter without going in to make a donation. A character who nearly died in a bad car crash might hang a good-luck object from their rearview mirror (maybe even something from the car that crashed.)

It's a good idea to research your character's cultural background and learn about their superstitions, as these are often passed down through the generations. Foe example, the numbers four and nine are considered bad luck by the Japanese for these reasons:

The number four is pronounced as “shi” in Japanese, and is the word for death. The number nine is pronounced “ku” and rhymes with “kutsuu” which means pain in Japanese. The number four and two together are pronounced “shi-ni” which means to die and as a result the number forty-two is considered unlucky as is number twenty-four or “ni-shi” meaning double death.*

Now I'm off to finish basting a quilt piece I was working on this morning. If you leave a seam undone for too long your thread will become mysteriously/hopelessly snarled and you'll have to pick it out and sew it over; ask any quilter. This is because you gave the devil ample time to mess with it . . .

Related links:

Corsinet.com has collected lengthy A-L and M-Z alphabetized lists of superstitions.

The Origins of 7 Common Superstitions by Jill Harness

Urban Legends Online is an excellent resource for all manner of superstitions

*from The Unusual Superstitions of the Japanese by Shane Sakata

Money Trees article link swiped from Gerard over at The Presurfer.

This and That

I've received several invitations (or possibly some weird kind of SPAM) from Goodreads asking me to "claim" my author page. Here's the problem: a while back I discovered that Goodreads was bootlegging my blog content and posting it on their site without my permission. I contacted them and politely told them to stop it. They didn't feel copying my content was wrong, but agreed to remove it. Only what they really did was move it elsewhere on their site by posting it under another of my pseudonyms. I guess they thought I wouldn't noticed. So anyway, in the event this isn't weird SPAM, no, I won't be claiming anything that has to do with Goodreads.

I have adjusted down my total published stats over there on the sidebar; the explanation as to why can be read on the Backlist/Bibliography page.

Finally, my agent kindly sent me a few extra ARCs for Nightshine, my fourth and final Kyndred novel, which will be released next month. As I already did a general giveaway for the ARCs my publisher sent me, I thought I'd do something different with these. Any suggestions? Let me know in comments.

Color Reference Notebook

Over the years I've collected or put together so many color-related swatches, charts, pamphlets, palettes and word lists that I decided to consolidate them in one reference notebook. That way the next time I need to describe a particular shade of white I can have all the whites I've saved in one place.

Color referencing in fiction can be tricky, as I think the writer's first tendency is to grab a cliche or relate something to food. Who hasn't read at least one story in which a frightened character went white as a sheet, or possessed flawless creamy-white skin? But we know this is really lazy writing, and we owe the reader a bit more originality and effort.

I started my notebook with white, which happens to be my color reference nemesis. I discovered how difficult it is to describe white when I made the eyes of my Jorenian characters in the StarDoc series that color -- and subsequently cursed myself for doing so for the next thirteen years. All my color references to white were contemporary, and here I was writing in a far future where 99% of them didn't exist. Anyway, most of the time I fell back on a blind-person analogy or the white-within-white thing. It was lame, and it's probably the reason I started collecting color references in the first place, to broaden my understanding of color as well as beef up my descriptive powers.



We all see and respond to color differently, so this kind of notebook is a great exercise in originality. You can put anything that inspires you in a color reference notebook; what you want is something that naturally stimulates your powers of description. I find combining paint charts and photos with word lists related to the color usually primes the well for me, but I also plan to use cover art, scanned images from my favorite magazines (Artful Blogging has tons of ladies who do the all-white decorating thing) as well as poems I associate with particular colors or palettes. Here's a page with Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost, definitely my #1 white poem:



A color reference notebook is also a good storage encyclopedia for references you've already used in stories past. This can help prevent you from becoming that a descriptive repeater who in every book has a character with chocolate brown eyes or flaming red hair. Doesn't seem like it would be a problem, but wait until you've written twenty or thirty novels and suddenly you notice that every other guy character you write has laser-beam blue eyes.

What would you put in a color reference notebook to help jog your descriptive powers? Let us know in comments.

Related posts: Palettes with Color Names ~ Story Palettes ~ Character Palettes

Sub Ops Ten

Ten Things About Submission Opportunities

The Jim Baen Memorial Contest is now open for entries: "Write a short story of no more than 8,000 words, that shows the near future (no more than about 50-60 years out) of manned space exploration." What they'd like to see: "Moon bases, Mars colonies, orbital habitats, space elevators, asteroid mining, artificial intelligence, nano-technology, realistic spacecraft, heroics, sacrifice, adventure." What they don't want to see: "Stories that show technology or space travel as evil or bad, Star Wars type galactic empires, paranormal elements, UFO abductions." Prizes: "The GRAND PRIZE winner will be published as the featured story on the Baen Books main website and paid at the normal paying rates for professional story submittals. The author will also receive an engraved award, free entry into the 2012 International Space Development Conference, a year's membership in the National Space Society and a prize package containing various Baen Books and National Space Society merchandise. - SECOND and THIRD place winners will receive a year's membership in the National Space Society and a prize package containing various Baen Books and National Space Society merchandise." No entry fee, no reprints, electronic submission only, see contest page for more details. Deadline: February 1, 2012.

Bull Spec is open to fiction submissions: "What I'm looking for: amazing speculative fiction (science fiction, fantasy, slipstream, etc.) of any subgenre. What I'd like to see more of: (1) near or further future science fiction with a more optimistic voice and picture of our shared future; (2) well-written non-contemporary fantasy. Note: I'm unlikely to like your story if it has significant amounts of graphic violence or sex, trebly so if it's gratuitous." On length, the editor notes: "I'll read from about 1000 words (soft edges) to 8000 words (soft edges) but my sweet spot is in the 2000-4000 word range." On payment, Ralan notes: "Pay: 5¢/word advance (reprints: 1¢/word), 50% donation royalty" Reprints less than 10K okay but query on 10K or over, electronic submissions only, see guidelines for more details.

Cafe Doom is holding their seventh annual horror short story contest: "We're looking for the best in original horror fiction in 3000 words or less: classically-styled tales in the tradition of writers like Richard Mattheson, Stephen King and Robert Bloch, yet wholly original and modern. We're open to all themes and subgenres, as long as it's effectively written and, above all, scary." On prizes, the editor notes: "1st place - Pro rate of pay, plus publication by One Buck Horror. 2nd place - $100 Amazon voucher. 3rd place - $50 Amazon voucher. In addition to this I will give One Buck Horror anthologies to the authors of my three favourite stories." No reprints, electronic submissions only, see announcement for more details. Deadline: October 30, 2011

Carina Press has an open call for Holiday-themed SF novellas: "Carina is looking for science fiction novellas with a winter holiday theme, to be published digitally both individually and as a collection in December 2012. The novellas should be from 18,000 to 35,000 words and feature science fiction elements as integral to the novella. The stories do not need to be romance, or even have romance elements, but can be straight science fiction, or science fiction with romantic elements, and can also feature elements of mystery, thriller, horror or other sub-genres. Additionally, there is no set heat level for these stories, so they can have no sex, or be ultra-sexy, or anything in between." Payment, reprints: not specified. Electronic submission only, see blog announcement for more details. Deadline: March 15, 2012.

Daily Science Fiction is looking for submissions: "We need short short fiction, especially flash fiction. Among our featured stories, a shorter tale will get an extra nudge on the scale when weighed against a longer one. This is both for financial reasons and because it matches the preferences of a plurality of our readership. Not fair? Perhaps. Consider yourself forewarned. Of course, we want your stories to ooze originality, but a well-written story is a must. We are fond of character-driven fiction, and quite prosaic in our expectation that most stories we publish will in fact have a discernible plot. Wow us, make us care, create a conflict and resolve it. Note that this does not mean we will only publish character-driven masterworks with a plot that would make Tim Powers blush with envy. Our goal is to publish the best stories we can that will be interesting, worthwhile reads. Some stories, especially the shortest of the short short fiction, will succeed despite lack of plot, character, punctuation, what-have-you. We may purchase dark fantasy, but will not publish pure horror. We don't mind feeling the flush of arousal, but will not publish erotica. Guns a-blazing might make our day, but we don't suspect most military SF will win us over. Humor? We take it, It often works especially for short short fiction, but do keep in mind that one alien's funny bone is located near another species' sac of indifference. We're likely not your best market for longer funny tales. Don't be witless, but don't rely on a pun or a punchline to sell to DSF." Length: accepts 100 words to 10K with an emphasis on shorter stories, pays "...8 cents per word for first worldwide rights and for nonexclusive reprint rights. Additionally, we reserve the right to pay you more money for additional reprinting in themed Daily Science Fiction anthologies." No reprints, electronic submission by online form only, see guidelines for more details.

While they've been closed to submissions for a while, I thought it was worthy to note that Paula Guran will no longer be editing Pocket's Juno Books; some details here.

Megazanthus Press has an open call for their classical-music themed horror antho: "DF Lewis is intending to publish a Horror anthology book with the above title in 2012. (Horror stories, Weird Literature or Ghost Fiction.) Each story must feature in some way Classical Music, i.e. from Bach to Britten." Length: 2K-10K, Payment: "1p (£0.01) per word", no reprints, electronic submission only, see guidelines for more details. Deadline: May 30, 2012.

Stone Telling webzine has opened a reading period from September 23 - November 27 for science fiction poetry, and they're looking for: ". . . literary speculative poems with a strong emotional core. We focus on fantasy, science fiction, surrealism, and slipstream, but would consider outstanding science poetry and non-speculative poetry that fits the flavor of the magazine. Please note that we are not a mainstream literary poetry market, and non-speculative poetry will be an extremely hard sell. While we are open to all speculative poetry, we are especially interested in seeing work that is multi-cultural and boundary-crossing, work that deals with othering and Others, work that considers race, gender, sexuality, identity, and disability issues in nontrivial and evocative ways. We’d love to see multilingual poetry, though that can sometimes be tricky. Try us! There are no style limitations, but rhymed poetry will be a hard sell. Please try us with visual poetry, prose poetry, and other genre-bending forms. We will consider experimental poetry, but please remember that not all experimental poems are easy to represent in an e-zine format." Payment" $5, query on reprints, electronic submission only, see guidelines for more details.

Strange Horizons is once again open to submissions; in fiction they're looking for: ". . . good speculative fiction. If your story doesn't have a clear fantasy or science fiction element, or at least strong speculative-fiction sensibilities, it's probably not for us. We'd like to help make the field of speculative fiction more inclusive, more welcoming to both authors and readers from traditionally underrepresented groups, so we're interested in seeing stories from diverse perspectives and backgrounds. We want stories that have some literary depth but aren't boring; styles that are unusual yet readable; structures that balance inventiveness with traditional narrative. We like characters we can care about. We like settings and cultures that we don't see all the time in speculative fiction, as long as they're well-researched and not exoticized. We like stories that address political issues in complex and nuanced ways. However, we don't like heavy-handed or preachy or simplistic approaches." Length: 5-9K; prefers 5K or less, Payment: 7¢(US)/word, with a minimum payment of $50, no reprints, electronic submission via online form only, see guidelines for more details.

Withersin Press has opened a special reading period for fiction novella submissions from December 2011-April 2012: "Please send innovative ideas. We love razor wire fiction. We enjoy experimental fiction. We get gooey eyed over a well crafted, blood curdling plot line. Science fiction that pushes our buttons and considers new paradigms (and aliens!) will be well received. Don’t send stories about unicorns and fairy princes. Or bimbos who fall for vampires. In fact, unless we specifically call for vampire stories, we don’t want ‘em. Challenge yourself. Stay away from clichéd plot lines. And don’t send stories belittling our military. We are proud of our servicemen and women. Write well, write often, and write for the love of it!" Length: 15K-35K, payment: 10% of retail, no reprints, electronic submissions only, see guidelines for more details.

Most of the above sub ops came from the always marvelous market listings at Ralan.com.

Starring Words

This is a very cool, creative BYU student film using words to illustrate and demonstrate the importance of the five senses. I love how they used words as the actors.

Typophile Film Festival 5 Opening Titles from Brent Barson on Vimeo.

Winner

I got a kick out of reading all the entries for the Prompted giveaway; you guys mentioned so many great resources, and many were completely unexpected.

We revved up the magic hat tonight, and the giveaway winner is:

traveler, who uses photo albums as creative prompts.

Traveler, when you have a chance please send your full name and ship-to address to LynnViehl@aol.com so I can get your book out to you. Thanks to everyone for joining in and sharing.

Mini-Projects

An update on the Spoonflower fabric: I've washed it according to the site's directions, and both the yardage and the test swatches came out fine; no color transfer or fading of the images, and only minimal fraying on the edges. Once washed the fabric has a nice, dense, cottony hand to it; almost like a lightweight linen. You will probably need to steam iron it to get out wrinkles.

For the yardage I designed I'm waiting on some companion fabrics, which should arrive next week, before I begin that project. That gives me the test swatches to work with, and I decided to make them into three mini-projects: a mug mat, a journal cover and a book bag.

Since these work well as gifts for writers or readers I thought I'd show you how to do each mini-project. Anyone with basic hand sewing skills or who can run a straight stitch on a sewing machine should be able to handle them with no problem.

Mini-Project #1: Mug Mat




A quilted mug mat, or fabric coaster, is made of two small pieces of fabric sewn together. You can put low-loft (thin) batting or a piece of soft flannel between them, but I like to use recycled dryer sheets.




Cut two pieces of fabric and one piece of batting or lining material in the size you want plus 1/4" on all sides to create the seam allowance you'll need for sewing. Press and place the fabric with the right sides together (the wrong or undersides of the fabric should be facing out on both sides) and pin together around the edges. If you can't eyeball 1/4" or sew a straight line freehand, take a ruler and a pencil and lightly mark your sewing lines 1/4" from each edge.

Starting one inch from any corner, sew all the way around the fabrics but stop two inches from where you began (this creates a gap, which you'll use to turn your project inside out.) Baste or whip stitch a piece of batting, flannel or other lining to either side of fabric, sewing it in the same fashion to match the gap. Clip the corners and turn inside out, press and sew the gap closed with a blind stitch.




You can hand or machine quilt the mug mat however you like; because there's no binding I always run a stitch around the edges to secure the seams. For my mug mat I used a metallic Sulky and quilted random lines to give it a little sparkle. If you don't care for the edges you can sew a frame of lace or beads around the edges -- here's one I beaded along the edges -- but don't use anything dimensional to embellish the center of the mat as it needs to remain flat.

Writers, if you're handy with a sewing machine you should be able to make up a couple dozen of these over a weekend to give out at your next booksigning or appearance. I'd suggest either designing the mug mat on Spoonflower or using fabric that coordinates with your cover art or somehow relates to your story. You can ink jet on printable fabric panels your book and web site info for the bottom side (or you can write this on the bottom fabric with a fine-tipped Sharpie, too. Just tape down the fabric first; it tends to move when you try to write on it.)

For the winter holidays, a set of four or six mug mats stacked in a small, pretty box or rolled up and placed in a neat mug do make a nice friend or hostess gift, especially if you coordinate the fabric to match your recipient's decor.

Prompted

Lately I've been using my first edition copy of Judy Reeves' A Writer's Book of Days as jumper cables for the muse, mostly reading bits of writerly trivia but occasionally using the daily prompts to do some practice writing. In the process I've discovered I dislike the term free writing; to me it implies that writing by schedule, planning what you write or otherwise organizing your writing time is imprisoning. I for one never felt more smothered or uninspired than the time I tried to write a story organically; even then I kept trying to outline it in my head.

Anyway. I was looking over the writing prompts for this week, and these four started to tell me a story:

October 5 Write about a fragment.
October 6 Write about small mistakes.
October 7 You're in a cafe.
October 8 Losing control.

For me writers don't make especially interesting characters, but I immediately envisioned a would-be novelist parked with his laptop in a book store cafe, indulging in some free writing while he hopes to impress the counter chicks with his stoic suffering. Only he writes something 1) that triggers a repressed, horrible memory, or 2) that another patron reads over his shoulder and then uses as a reason to physically attack him, or 3) finally makes him realize that whatever he writes alters his reality because he's an alien. Or a psychic projector. Or a ghost.

Once I had jotted down these thoughts, I promptly outlined and deposited them in the future stories idea file. The prompts also made me think of an interesting setting for a troublesome scene I've got to write for my current WIP.

I've always thought that writing prompts and practice writing can be great workouts for the imagination. They exercise your vision, warm up your problem-solving skills, and get your head in the right place for the serious stuff. I think the trick is to use them to get you started, but not allow them to distract you with the new/bright/shiny allure of new story. I'd love to spend the rest of the day writing the cafe story, and if my day were completely free I might, but my writing schedule is packed. I feel like the prompts did loosen me up, so now I'll see if I can keep the energy flowing as I transition over to the contracted work.

One more thing the prompts did for me: they sparked the idea for this post and a couple of others. When you haven't been blogging regularly, getting back into a daily routine can be a bit tough. Prompts may be the nudge you need to change that.

What's your favorite online or offline resource for creative prompts? Doesn't have to be for writing, either. Tell us in comments to this post (or if you can't think of one, just toss your name in the hat) by midnight EST on Friday, October 7, 2011. I'll draw one name at random from everyone who participates and send the winner an unsigned paperback copy of the newly revised edition of A Writer's Book of Days by Judy Reeves. This giveaway is open to everyone on the planet, even if you've won something here at PBW in the past.

Free for All

Some offers I noticed while I was over checking out the NaNoWriMo website:

You can use Pangurad "free during NaNoWriMo 2011. PangurPad is a new kind of online writing tool and publishing system with many features and a fantastic community. As an official NaNoWriMo 2011 participant you can use PangurPad entirely free of charge to write your novel, then format and embed it directly on your website or publish it as an eBook. Any participant signing up for a full membership before December 31st will be supporting NaNoWriMo with 5% donated back to the Office of Letters and Light." Nice that they give back a bit to the NaNo folks.

Yarny promises always to have a free version online (which is why I already love them) that allows you to "Write the way you want to write, using any approach you like in a simple, distraction-free environment. It's novel writing in the cloud. In today's world, we just don't think you should have to learn to use software anymore. With automatic saving, versioning and simple ways to track the people, places and things in your novel, it's easy to get organized and stay focused. We will always have a free version. A few things won't be free, but not many. Paid plans, beginning in December, will be dirt cheap. And, all NaNoWriMo winners get 50% off of an annual subscription."

WriteWay has a demo version you can use for free until 12/15/11, and is also offering a 50% discount on their Pro version; see more details at their NaNoWriMo page here.

Finally, to do my part to contribute a freebie for NaNoWriMo, from now until December 1st you can get a copy of my out of print writing how-to, Way of the Cheetah in .pdf format. Read online, download and/or print out the e-book here.

You Are My Fire

We celebrated the arrival of fall and cooler weather with our first fire of the season last night. Had to make s'mores for the kids, of course, but I womanfully resisted the diet-demolishing treat. Watching the flames was very relaxing, and gave me a chance to meditate and think about the week ahead and work out a couple of scenes from the WIP in my head. I also told some stories because unless you have a very big roll of duct tape, you can't park a storyteller in front of a fire and keep them quiet.

It got me thinking about what it must have been like for the very first storyteller. That very first story had to be born by a fire. Think about what life was like for our distant ancestors: taking shelter in caves, fearful of the dark, huddled together against hunger, enemies, the cold, the inexplicable -- nights must have been pretty tense times for the tribe. Under those circumstances, silence wants be filled.

So what do you talk about by the fire? Gossip tends to alienate and infuriate; truth is painful and even more worrisome. When as a group people want to be distracted and soothed, you have to give them something else that they want to think about, something funny or exciting or impossible; something better than the here and now. Something less painful than yesterday, and more hopeful than tomorrow.

I have this book I'm working on at the moment that consumes me. They all do, but each in their own way a little differently. This story is all about hidden fires, those things we most want and what we're prepared to do in order to earn them, fight for them, or even steal them. Respect, wealth, love, power, possession, revenge, dominion -- wanting them and going after them is a big chunk of the human experience.

The characters in this novel are an interesting mix. I really love the cast, although they do require constant balancing checks to keep any of them from taking over the story, kicking me out and running it on their own. You know your characterizations are strong when you start fantasizing about killing off someone who isn't supposed to die in the story. I imagine if they were real they'd think the same thing about me.

The challenges of making this story work are considerable, and there's always the doubt looming in the back of my mind that I can't do it, that I'll fail, that it will end up being a great big heap of lukewarm manure (and I've battled this doubt every single time I've written a book, and no matter how many times I win, it never goes away.) At the same time, I like the doubt. For one thing, we're old pals. Doubt also keeps me sharp and motivated because I despise it and I refuse to give it what it wants. There is no greater pleasure in writing for me than finishing the last page of a manuscript. Every time I do I stomp doubt and grind its pointed little head in the dirt. And while doubt can never be completely terminated, as long as you're willing to work hard and keep getting up after a fall it can made to suffer extensively.

With NaNoWriMo just around the corner, I hope those of you who are thinking about writing a novel in November will give it a try. Since I can't join you in the writing this year, I'm planning some posts each week this month that I think might help with the details and the process. I'll also be cheering you on in November. But unless the demands of life and work and family are overwhelming, don't talk yourself out of this. Try it. Don't worry about finishing or selling or publishing; just write. You may find that you surprise yourself.

As for the fire, for the storyteller it's always inside, contained by the tales we want to tell. Whether it warms us or burns us, it wants to be shared. That's why we're here. That's why we tell our stories. So we can be your fire.

To-Do Ten

Ten Things I'm Planning to Do This Week

Arrange: I've moved the contents of my office downstairs into a smaller space, which requires some creative arrangement of my equipment and work stuff. This is a good time to evaluate what I'm using and get rid of anything that is just taking up space. How to Organize Your Work Space by Rhonda Day had some good suggestions.

Clean: The fall housecleaning is done and the house is almost immaculate, thanks to me working out a lot of frustrations. I'd like to keep it that way, so each day I plan to tidy two rooms to maintain the sparkle. I also like the idea of creating a household notebook so I can use my tidying time better.

Donate: We're making a Goodwill run this week, so I need to go through the closets and bag up the clothes we're no longer wearing (and if you're thinking of doing the same, eHow.com has 5 ideas on where to donate old clothing here.)

Organize: my work schedule has been erratic, so shuffling and reorganizing my time for the rest of the year is a priority. I'll write up a new daily plan through the end of 2011, at which point I hope to catch up with everything. I'd like to use this opportunity to switch my work plan over to RedNotebook and see how that works as a time manager for me.

Paint: Anything. I just need time with the brush. Something small would probably be best; maybe some holiday cards. I might try using a rubber stamp as demonstrated in this card-making video.

Photograph: The sunsets are slowly transitioning to the spectacular variety we have here during the winter months, and one clear night I'd like to go down by the water with the camera. I'd also like to document my progress with the Spoonflower fabric I designed.

Read: Sofie Kelly's Sleight of Paw is in my purse, Linda Howard's Prey is on the nightstand, and for research I need to reread portions of Dungeon, Fire and Sword by John J. Robinson, The Templars and the Grail by Karen Ralls, and Templars in America by Tim Wallace Murphy and Marilyn Hopkins.

Sew: I'm always working on a couple of quilts in progress, but I'd like to sew my Spoonflower project this week, too.

Study: various weapons, equipment and other devices as well as how they were used on 17th century sailing vessels like Sweden's amazing Vasa.

Write: 20K in new material; finish polishing two candidate scenes for the end pages of Nightborn to send to the editor; catch up on e-mail and snail mail, update my personal journals. I'd like to get back to writing my daily posts here at PBW. One new thing I'm trying is Ami Mattison's suggestion in this article of warming up first by free writing for a few minutes.

So what are your plans for this week? Let us know in comments.

Old Rides, New Roads

In four weeks National Novel Writing Month begins, and I'm sure at least a few of you are thinking about spending your November NaNo'ing. It's hard work, lots of fun and a great opportunity to spend four weeks getting acquainted with what it is to be a working writer. It's also a time when you can give yourself permission to write whatever you want; from my POV always a good thing.

Many NaNo'ers take the path of pure spontaneity, but others raid their files for story ideas they've already jotted down, outlined or otherwise saved in some form. Most writers have stories waiting to be written somewhere in their minds, their hearts or their notebooks (I keep mine outlined and locked in the filing cabinet where they can't cause much mischief.) But given the chance to write a novel for NaNoWriMo (or any time, for that matter), should you always go with something shiny and new, or return to that old ghost of an idea that still haunts you?

Whatever you choose to write, I think the number one priority is that you feel passionate about it. Enthusiasm is the fuel for your writing vehicle, and if your idea bores you, worries you or otherwise makes you feel negative toward it, that comes out in the writing -- assuming you get any done. There is no better writer's block than the one we build ourselves with our apathy, doubts and fears. Remember too that no matter what their vintage, some story ideas need time to ferment and mature.

Here are some of the litmus tests I use on old story ideas:

Is the model still timely? I think the novella I wrote in the seventh grade based on the cold war between the US and USSR was very inventive. Not especially relevant anymore, though.

Does it have training wheels? Sometimes we get ideas that are subconscious attempts to work out something in the storytelling process. My first Darkyn short story was like that; I wrote it like most traditional vampire fic. It was literary and sad and I absolutely hated it; no way would I make it into novel-length (actually I destroyed it before anyone could read it.) But once I got that idea out of my head, I started reworking the world building and the characterizations, and a partial chunk of that original story idea that I didn't hate stayed with me to influence other choices.

Is it real life in disguise? We all go through tough times, and certainly they influence our work. Often they give us ideas of things we need to write, and there's nothing wrong with that. I think it's extremely healthy to work out your woes on the page. That's what diaries and personal journals are for. Also, there's always the memoir. But if you're going through a bad breakup or divorce, a fictional story idea about an evil clone of your ex who does terrible stuff before s/he dies a prolonged and horrible death while everyone else in the novel is having sex or wants to have sex with the protag is probably more a coping mechanism than something you want other people to read.

Can I write the last chapter right now? When I first started writing books I just sat down and wrote until I ran out of steam, got tired of the idea and moved on to something else; usually about halfway or two-thirds through the novel. This is also why I have about forty unfinished manuscripts packed away in boxes. Via trial and error I eventually discovered this was directly related to my lack of plotting and planning; I hadn't thought out the story completely so I didn't know how to end it. Of course there are organic writers out there who don't need to know where they're going to write great stories, but if you never finish anything you might be in the same boat I was.

Whatever type of story idea you choose to go with for your NaNo novel, I hope it's one that will allow you to have some fun with it. The pressure of putting together all those words and having them make sense in such a short amount of time is enough to shoulder; don't add to your burdens by forcing yourself to arm-wrestle a stubborn idea onto the page. In my experience, the story usually loses.

Symbols & Words

One way to exercise your imagination and come up with some new story ideas is to use online generators that provide you with random prompts. The latest I've found, The Creative Idea Generator, is very simple and quite fun to use. You click on a word, image or surprise button to produce words and symbols, then move and rearrange them to create different pairings, idea clouds, plot circles, etc. It's almost like making your own story road signs, which is great for sparking ideas.

Here's a screenshot of my first test drive:



I paired the symbols with the words at random and then rearranged a few as ideas started forming. The downstairs symbol + "contract" made me at once think of someone who sells their soul to Satan (this is probably because I just reread The Grimrose Path by Rob Thurman) but I also got a very strong image of a nice cleaning lady character who doesn't just clean up corporate offices.

Other random story ideas I had: Where do you keep an important hostage? On a boat. A plague that turns 99% of the population into sleepwalkers who act out their dreams. When the ski lift fails, all that saves you is your scarf. A bug that either contaminates the world's petroleum supply, or renders it obsolete. An alien blade so beautiful that to look at it blinds you (the blade made of light has already been done.) A murder mystery where a writer kills everyone who violates his copyright -- or maybe an editor or someone tries to kill him over an inconvenient copyright. Fish and chips, I need to eat dinner (and I did have fish and chips last night, so it even inspired a meal.)

This generator is especially useful because we all interpret images and words differently, thus no two people are going to get the exact same ideas from it. I like the simplicity, too; it prods your imagination without overwhelming you with a lot of data.

Link nicked from Gerard at The Generator Blog.

Spoonflower Delivers

The fabric I custom designed and ordered from Spoonflower arrived while I was out of town, and I have photos and intel to share.

First, the yardage:



This came folded neatly with only a few/minimal wrinkles that will likely disappear after I wash it. My design was vividly printed on very crisp, lightweight white cotton foundation material (I think I read that they use Moda fabric but don't quote me on that.) There is no raised or plastic feel to the material, which makes it nicer than the fabric sold for inkjet printers. The packing slip included laundering directions for all the types of fabric the site sells, which is an excellent idea.

I also ordered some test swatches of my photo banner and two paintings to get a look at how they handle complicated colors and palettes as well as image details:



I'm quite happy with these. Swatches are a good idea if you're not sure about your design as they don't cost as much as yardage but still give you a realistic preview of what a bigger piece will look like. Here's a closeup of the banner photo:



The final test was to compare the finished fabric to the original photos I used for the designs. There were some slight color variations, and a little of the tiny details didn't translate onto the fabric, but I'm quite satisfied with how well they matched my image:



Here's another comparison:



Production and shipping were actually faster than promised, so no complaints at all there.

Bottom line: this was fun, easy to do and I really like the results. If you want your colors matched perfectly, I recommend ordering a test swatch of your design first (and I'm not sure if you can tweak the colors after you get your swatch or you have to upload a tweaked image, so you may want to check on that at their site.)

Custom Ten

Ten Things You Can Design Online

Design your own bedding or pillows over at Inmod.com.

UK clock maker DesignOClock.com allows you to customize the face of an analog clock with your own images and text.

Custom Clothing Designer has over 100 garments and accessories you can customize.

MyDeco.com's 3D room planner helps you design a room online and view it in 3D.

Can't find a bumper sticker that fits you and your ride? Design your own here.

Make your own custom flower bouquet, centerpiece, or even a wedding cake online over at DesignedBytheBride.com.

For you hoof fashionistas out there, you can design your own shoes here (rather pricey to buy them, though.)

Make your dream garden with Better Homes and Gardens' online Plan-A-Garden designer (one hoop: to use it, you have to register for their newsletter.)

LogoEase.com has a free online designer to help you build the perfect logo.

Need to work out a custom wedding dress for your character? Design it online here.

Winners

I am hitting the road again today, so unfortunately I must make this quick. The winners of the Linda Howard giveaway are:

Shiloh Walker, who depends on Mercedes Lackey's Winds of Fate books and others to get by during tough times..

Petite, who got help from Frenchman's Creek while coping with a loss.

DeeCee, who counted on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows to help get through losing a loved one.

Winners, when you have a chance please send your full name and ship-to address to LynnViehl@aol.com so I can get your books and surprises out to you. My thanks to everyone for joining in.

Winners

So I'm not the only one who self-medicates with books? Good to know. I also see a lot of titles and writers in your comments that I'll have to check out next time I'm at the bookstore.

We dusted off the magic hat (who has been sulking over being left in the closet so long), and the winners of the Rob Thurman giveaway are:

SandyH, who escapes with the Darkyn series and Jayne Anne Krentz.

Sari from Michigan, who depends on Mercedes Lackey and Anne McCaffrey's earlier novels.

Emily of Tom, Emily & Brenna, who mentioned Cherijo from StarDoc and Sylvia Thorpe as particularly helpful

AthenaW, who recommends anything by Lilith Saintcrow as a tough times go-to read.

Winners, when you have a chance please send your full name and ship-to address to LynnViehl@aol.com so I can send your books and surprises out to you. My thanks to everyone for joining in.

Soul Medicine Week: Linda Howard

While I was putting together my posts for this week, I realized something: I discovered many of the writers in my soul medicine chest by picking up books at random while browsing through book stores, flea markets and even some rummage sales. I think I acquired that habit from when I was a kid and had to borrow books from the public library; I didn't know what to read so I'd take five or six books from one shelf. Occasionally I'd end up with some real clunkers, but most of the time the universe stepped in and guided my hand to someone I needed to read.

Like this one time about fifteen years ago, when I was on my way home from a doctor's appointment. I stopped at a Jewish temple that was having a big garage sale in their parking lot. There were tables upon tables of books, and at that particular moment I needed something to read in the worst way. While sorting through the stacks, I found this old Silhouette romance with rather awful cover art. Never heard of the author, either, but I liked the title: Loving Evangeline. Plus it only cost a quarter.

A few authors sometimes complain about not profiting from used book sales, but I don't. I know better. Because two days after I bought that old book for a quarter, I went out to all three new book stores in town and bought every single title by Linda Howard that I could find on the shelves. And have kept buying them ever since.

Linda Howard brings so much to the reader it's hard to choose what to highlight. There's the powerful writing, the heroic protagonists, the emotional impact of her stories, the shock and awe moments -- I've never been able to put aside one of her books once I start reading it. All of these things are just a few of the reasons why she gets much better cover art these days.

But for me I think what her novels do best is remind me why we shouldn't give up. That no matter how bad things are, we can survive them and get past them and move on with our lives and find a better place. That's what her characters do; there are never any quitters in her stories. If you're open to it, that kind of courage is very contagious.

In the great Pandora's box of romantic fiction, Linda Howard's work is always about hope.

Today I have to give away three brand new copies of Linda's latest hardcover release. If you'd like a chance to win one of them, in comments to this post name a writer or a book that helped you get through a particularly tough time by midnight EST on Friday, September 23, 2011. I will draw three names at random from everyone who participates and send the winners an unsigned hardcover copy of Prey by Linda Howard, along with a surprise. This giveaway is open to everyone on the planet, even if you've won something here at PBW in the past.

Soul Medicine Week: Rob Thurman

Inscribed above the doorway to an ancient library in Thebes are words that translate to The medicine chest for the soul. I've always thought of books in a lot of ways -- as great companions, instant portals to other realms, the voices of friends who never abandon you -- but they also work wonders for a bruised and battered spirit.

This week I'd like to explore this theme and talk about the writers who so frequently rescue me from the blues. In my soul medicine chest of books are a few who by the power and originality of their work provide instant healing, and one of them is Rob Thurman.

When I first read Rob's debut novel Nightlife back in 2006, I was completely blown away (and made the very public mistake of tagging her as a guy writer. In my defense, she does not write like a chick.) Since that first amazing read, Rob's dark fantasy has saved me time and again from various doldrums; it is utterly impossible to be depressed or sulk while immersed in one of her worlds. Rob never bores me. I often purposely save her new books to read during times when I'll need a boost, although everything she writes is just as good on a reread.

Wherever she takes me on the page, Rob Thurman delivers great characters, incredibly detailed story with pacing that should be measured in machs. She still holds the #1 spot on my list for writing the best novel twist I've read, and I don't think anyone will ever take that title from her.

As it happens a few weeks ago we almost lost Rob, and while she was fighting her way back from her injuries I prayed and made a lot of promises to the Almighty in hopes that would add some weight to the survive side of the scale. So I can't have potato chips or donuts for the rest of the year, which is fine (okay, sacrificing chips will be tough, but God doesn't listen if you offer to give up something like spinach or squash. To be a legit sacrifice, it has to really hurt.)

I also promised myself that I would give away some of her books, a vow I intend to fulfill today. So in comments to this post, name an author or a book you read when you need a little medicine for your soul (or if you can't think of one, toss your name in the hat) by midnight EST on Thursday, September 22, 2011. I will draw four names at random from everyone who participates and send the winners unsigned copies of Chimera and Basilisk by Rob Thurman, along with a surprise. This giveaway is open to everyone on the planet, even if you've won something here at PBW in the past.

Sub Ops Ten

Ten Things About Submission Opportunities

Apex Publications has an open call for a follow-up to their Dark Faith antho: "We’re looking for the story only you could write, something deeply personal and at the same time universal. Everyone believes in something and we want you to put those beliefs to the test. We’re looking for smart, literate stories that don’t proselytize or stereotype. Stories that make you think, that comment on the human condition and the social order. Stories that are rich in their use of language. However, as much as we love social commentary, don’t forget to entertain us. The best way to get a feel for what we’re looking for is to read Dark Faith." Length: up to 4K, Payment: five cents a word. Note on Rights: "We buy First World anthology print rights and digital rights (for three years)." Submissions open 1/1/2012, and "Unsolicited stories received outside this timeframe will be deleted, unread." No reprints, electronic submissions only, see guidelines for more details. Deadline: January 31, 2012.

Black Chicken Studios is looking for writers to provide text for an upcoming supernatural crime-romance game called Devil's Advocate: "Writers must be able to write efficient, colorful prose based in a supernatural romance scenario (think the situations of Angel, the wit and verve of Ocean's 11 and the quirky law of Ally McBeal). The game is set in modern day Las Vegas, so consider the time and place when you phrase your writing. The target audience for the game is teens and adults, so the writing must be accessible. However, writers are encouraged to write in their own voice, as long as their style remains reasonably acceptable considering the era the game-world is set in (edgy, experimental text would be out of character, for example). Writing assignments will involve Scenes to be featured in the game. Each Scene will consist of 10-20 paragraphs of text, with each paragraph being no more than three lines (NB: Lines, not sentences. We're hoping to keep things tight!) The goal is to keep the prose snappy and engaging." Payment: "The pay is $10 per assignment, with each assignment consisting of the creation of 20 events (NB: Not $10 per item written, $10 per assignment of 20 total items)." Submission info: "Submissions should include two Scenes, of 10-20 Parts each. Each Part should be 1-3 lines long at maximum. Grammatical errors and simple typos may mean instant disqualification, so be sure to double-check your work prior to submission." E-mail bc.subs@gmail.com to receive a prompt and sample Scene or ask any questions you may have. To review Black Chicken Studio's earlier work, please visit http://www.academagia.com."

Dark Eye Glances, the journal of dark poetry and lyrics, is accepting submissions for its new print antho, to be published in January 2012. "Dark Eye Glances is a literary magazine of dark poetry and lyrics. We publish poetry that incorporates overtly dark, dramatic, metaphysical and psychological themes and language. Please keep in mind that we may not accept even the finest poetry if it doesn’t suit the tone of the publication.We publish ALL FORMS of quality poetry and lyrics, although we may show some preference for poetry that is rhyming and metrical. Although we favor high quality metrical and rhyming poetry or lyrics, we will consider ALL FORMS OF QUALITY POETRY. For rhyming poetry or lyrics, the rhyme scheme need not be present in all lines or stanzas." Length: not specified, Payment: mag offers exposure; print antho not specified. Reprints okay, electronic submissions only, see guidelines for more details. No deadline specified.

IFWG Publishing has a short story contest: "Story must be written with an emphasis on the speculative fiction genres (horror, science fiction and fantasy). Note that the judges will be looking for fresh, character-centric stories with depth of skill in theme and plot construction. Zombies, vampires, elves, hobbits, orcs, are unlikely to get past round one." Length: Strictly 1-3K, no entry fee. Prizes: "The Winner receives $100US cash prize and will be published in SQ Magazine; Second place receives $50US cash prize and will be published in SQ Magazine; Third place receives $25US cash prize and will be published in SQ Magazine." No reprints, electronic submissions only, see contest page for more details. Deadline: October 31, 2011.

Northwind Magazine is looking for submissions of fiction, nonfiction and poetry: "We publish any genre, any subject, any style. What's most important to us is the quality of the writing, the depth of the characterizations, and the originality of the voice." Length: fic/nonfic - up to 7.5K; no length specified on poetry, submit up to 5 poems at once. Payment: the author of the issue's featured story receives $150.00; everyone else gets exposure only. No reprints, electronic submissions only, see guidelines for more details.

Musa Publishings's Penumbra e-zine has two open calls for stories with specific themes: "Shakespeare: we have a particular and undying interest in the Bard--and any speculative fiction versions of his work OR spec fic stories that feature him as a character. CALL ENDS OCT 31" and "Steampunk: Create your best gizmos and gear up for the goggle-gouging fun that is steampunk. (We'll accept gaslight fantasy too) All steampunk for this winter issue, which means anything goes. CALL ENDS NOV 15." Length: 500 words to 3.5K, Payment: 5 cents a word. Query on reprints, electronic submissions only, see guidelines for more details.

Samhain Publishing is looking for horror submissions: "Samhain is now accepting submissions for our line of horror novels. We are actively seeking talented writers who can tell an exciting, dramatic and frightening story, and who are eager to promote their work and build their community of readers. We are looking for novels—either supernatural or non-supernatural, contemporary or historical—that are original and compelling. Authors can be previously unpublished or established, agented or un-agented. Content can range from subtle and unsettling to gory and shocking. The writing is what counts." Length: 12-100K; for print eligibility minimum 50K. Payment: not specified but their general terms are "40% of the cover price on single-author ebooks sold directly through Samhain, 30% of the cover price on single-author ebooks sold through third-party vendors such as Mobipocket, Fictionwise and All Romance eBooks, and 8% of the cover price on single-author print books, with a 3% reserve against returns. Multiple-author books will split the above royalty percentages equally."

Singular Source has a short story contest: "We are looking for hard science fiction short stories on the theme of future computer programming and technology, with particular attention programmers working with vast archives of source code." Length: 1-6K, no fee, Prizes: not specified on the contest page, but Ralan lists it at $800.00. Might want to get a confirmation on prize amounts before entering. No reprints, electronic submission only, see contest page for more details. Deadline: November 30, 2011.

Spore Press is looking for submissions of BioSciFi novels: "BioSciFi, or biology-based science fiction, which takes as its starting point the actual and potential transformations within the fundamental materials of life that are made possible by recent scientific advances. The resulting bio-reality is the shifting ground on which we build our future, and it is imagined in BioSciFi." Not a lot of specific info on this one (no mention of length, terms of payment, rights, etc.) so you might want to query this one before you submit anything.

The Western Online accepts submissions of the following: "The type of story most likely to be published here is the traditional post-Civil War Western. However, we will consider any story that is connected with the early settling of America that takes place during the 1700s and early 1800s, from swashbuckling pirates to mountain men and the early pioneers. All stories must be set in the 17th, 18th, or 19th centuries and deal with the opening and exploration of the American West." Length: 5K or less, prefers 3K or less. Payment: $5.00. Reprints okay, electronic submissions only, see guidelines for more details.

Most of the above submission opportunities were found over among the marvelous market listings at Ralan's place.

Design Your Own

As much as I love shopping for fabric, I've always wanted to design my own. In the past I've produced some original swatches by printing via laserjet onto photofabric, and by hand dyeing or painting white cotton and muslin, but I've never had a chance to design and produce actual yardage.

I have some promo projects in mind for next year that would be better if I could design the fabric involved, so I checked my quilting-related bookmarks, and found a site called Spoonflower that I had never really investigated. I think when I first visited it my old computer wouldn't let me access or use the design generator pages.

Fortunately this time around I got into them, and in about five minutes had a finished design based on this photograph I took of two of my roses back in 2009:



I liked how the design came out so much that I ordered a yard of it, which I think will also give me a decent firsthand look at the quality of fabric Spoonflower produces from uploaded designs (and once it arrives I'll report more on that.) If this works out well I will definitely be doing more of this for future personal and promo projects.

While cruising around the Spoonflower site I also noted they have regular themed contests for fabric designs (winners are awarded a nice-sized credit toward Spoonflower purchases) and they also sell your designed fabric in their marketplace (designers get 10% of the sale price, paid to them in site purchase credits or as straight payments via Paypal.) Since there is no cost involved in putting your design up for sale -- the site does everything for you but design it -- this could be a neat way for you creative souls out there to earn some extra income.

First Look

I promised you all back in July that once we had a finalized version I'd share the amazing cover art for Nightborn, the first novel in my new Darkyn trilogy, and here it is:



That fountain and I are old friends, so naturally I'm delighted with it.

Nightborn will be landing on the shelves on March 6, 2012, and can be preordered online at BooksAMillion.com, B&N.com, and Amazon.com.

Pic Ten

Thanks to everyone for the kind words in comments and the e-mails and cards. Right now I'm trying to cope by staying busy, focusing on family and looking for a little beauty in every day, but posting here on the blog will likely be sporadic until I've worked my way through this.

The camera has really helped me stay out of the dark and look for the light, literally and spiritually. For some reason I keep running into interesting birds, and a few were courteous enough to hold still long enough for me to take a shot. So was a huge orb-weaver I discovered one night.

I wrote a little new fiction or a personal journal entry almost every day I was on hiatus, and while I can't claim that any of it is readable or of great quantity, simply the act of writing helped. I also put together one holiday assemblage project made from recycled materials (which actually came out almost as nice as the example in the magazine.)

So that your visit here today was not wasted, I put together ten of my most interesting hiatus photographs, which can be viewed in my online Jalbum here.

Remembrance

Peace

My dad passed away last night in his sleep. He was 77 years old.

Mom asked me to write his obituary for the newspaper, and I don't think it will be difficult to find the words to describe the man he was. He was born in New York City, and grew up in a tenement in a very poor neighborhood. He escaped poverty, first to become a Merchant Mariner, and then a chef.

He never had children of his own until he married my mom, at which point he bravely became stepfather to five sons and daughters, most of whom were teenagers. Despite the innumerable challenges of gaining an instant family, he was a devoted and loving husband to my mother, and a wonderful father to us.

He had so many friends. Too many to count, much less name. Everyone who got to know my dad loved him. Everyone. He was that kind of guy.

I don't have that many photos of me with my father, probably because I was either taking the pictures, or dodging them. But this morning I unearthed one of us together on a very fine day thirty-one years ago. It's one of those moments when he was just being my dad:




I was so blessed to have you in my life, Anthony. Thank you for choosing to be my father, and for all the love and kindness you gave me. May your journey be safe, your next place be filled with birds and dogs and a huge kitchen, and once you're there all that you know is joy and peace. I will see you again someday.