Friday, September 19, 2008

Run-by Blogging

This is a run-by blogging.

Since I don't have time - or maybe just the inclination right now, to do more.

Oh I had such good intentions when I started this thing --- okay so a lot of it had to do with peer pressure, my Writing Group all had neat blogs....

But somehow Life has a way of getting in the way. Not to mention all the Other writing I should be doing on the books I have in various stages of completion, or incompletion, or just incomprehension maybe.

As witnessed by last night's Writing Group session. Everybody's life has pretty much gotten in the way of their writing, well, except for Bill [the Wildcat] who is obviously a Lot more disciplined than the rest of us? Or a lot more excited about his writing? He's the only one that had 'real' pages to submit anyway. So smart savvy Katharine - with an 'a' of the Eat Cookies Be Quiet blog fame - suggested rather than lose what discipline we have ;-D ! of our meeting once a month, that we should bring first pages. Also to honor the very popular First Pages session of the annual James River Writers Conference [coming up October 10 and 11 for those that need to go check it out now - http://www.jamesriverwriters.com/ ].

So there was a mix of our own first pages and favorite published book first pages. My own were dredged up from abandoned writing of Years ago, which obviously need a lot more work and thought if they are ever rattled forth again.

But I brought one of my favorite books for a first page also, that I bought in hardcover long ago no less!, that reminds me of what a good first page is, and a good mystery book is, for me anyway. Fast Forward was from what I understand Judy Mercer's first book. And even though I read the rest of the series they just never had what this first book had. Evidently I wasn't the only one that thought so, since when I went looking to see if she'd changed and done something recently, I couldn't find her. Did find a recent review of someone else that re-discovered her book Fast Forward and liked it as much as I did. But no website or other info' listed.

But since I was searching I went searching again for one of my Favorite authors, Jeanne M. Dams and discovered her site - that would let me actually use it! All previous times her site seemed to be continually stuck on the first page! Even though I didn't take her book, The Body in the Transept, to read for first page, it is one of my all time favorite books! That I read over and over. And especially each year at holiday time.
And I was irritated that I could only get it in paperback when I finally went searching to buy it, and I had to even special order that!

And to explain that I guess I should mention that I am a writer. Which also means, for me anyway, that I am a voracious reader. I would rather read than write. Which might account for the fact I am as yet an unpublished writer.
And given I am a voracious reader and an unpublished writer, I usually hit the library for my reading. Or mostly buy paperbacks [see above notes about being an unpublished writer]. But I like Jeanne M. Dams' Dorothy Martin series so much that I have snatched up as many as I can in hardcover. And am still on the lookout for The Body in the Transept in hardcover. So if you are ever in my vicinity when I spy one, Especially for a good price [see above note about being an unpublished writer], do not get in my way please.

So this is my homage to good --- no, should be Great first pages..... to good books, good reading. And hopefully Published writing and books some day so I can get more books!

Happy Reading.

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Summer breath

Do you feel it? As you move through the summer heat and bright sun.
Moving slowly so not to overexert and bring on more heat than one can bear
Shielding eyes and hair and skin from too harsh rays bearing upon them
Even as they glory in the days,
the flowers, the trees, the rays
they grow tired and begin to droop
they have fought well all through the heat
to stay upright and strong and vital
but now they have begun to leak their color
little by little
the vibrant of spring green gave way to deep of summer warmth
but as if the struggle has grown too much
the green has begun to slowly fade its color
little by little
day by day
it seems to grow a little more tired
Do you feel it? As you move slowly through heat and sun.
Do you feel it hovering near?
Autumn’s breath misting upon the neck