Take Time to Eat the Flowers

Baxter enjoying the lilies--by eating them!

Have you ever had a time in your life when you're so busy there's no space to breathe? If not, why not?! How do you live? I'm asking because I need to know--this whole summer has been swamped--I'm mired in projects and behind on all of them. Next week is even busier as I'm camera person and editor for a film project.

How to find time to eat the lilies?

Big bits

This post is about a little of this and a tweak of that.

First up, a couple of good blog sites to visit today. Simon over at Constant Revision is having a great, fun and quirky contest. Elizabeth at Mystery Writing is Murder has some great links. And Michelle at Author Michelle McLean has a fun interview and contest with Shaun David Hutchinson.

Just three big bits that show how much there is on this great blogosphere of ours.

And a note about my infrequent posting recently and a thanks to all my readers who check back. Puck is growing every day, so I have less puppy-take-care-of time involved...and as soon as that happened, I became involved in a lovely little film project. I'm going to be camera and editing! Fun...but taking that precious time.

Meanwhile, there's a deadline looming for my w.i.p. and I need to decide if I need sleep for the next few months or what else I can do to give myself the time/energy/focus to get it all done?

Any suggestions? Please?

Jester's Folly, A review

I've just read a delightful short story by my friend, Aubrie Dionne over at Flutey Words: Jester's Folly, published by Gypsy Shadow Publishing. It's a 6300 word story in her CARNIVAL OF ILLUSIONS series. This is the first one I've read and now I want to read more of her stories.

It's always useful to see what another writer does right. Aubrie draws you into the world of the Carnival and her main character, immediately (can be difficult to do). Her main character is sympathetic while being unusual and her problems are great (good writing here). There's plenty of excellent action, an unexpected event and a satisfying ending rounds it all off. With a touch of a twist to boot!

What might be missing? Not to give it away, but one relationship seemed a little...too easily resolved. It's hard to have too much complexity and conflict in 6300 words, but I wanted a bit more struggle between two characters.

Overall, a fun engaging read.

Aubrie also writes novels--so my novelists out there, what do you think about writing both novels and short stories? I find doing so to be useful. But I have friends who find it only confusing, switching from one format to another.

FREEDOMS!

Puck is amazed at his first July Fourth!

And I'm grateful for the freedom to write, live and love!

If you're one of my readers in the States, how do you celebrate the Fourth?

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY EVERYONE!