Finally, a Story

Well, it finally happened!  One of my stories has embedded itself into my creative mind, and I am off and running.  I cannot type fast enough to keep up with the storyline as it runs through my head.  I always have my outline, and I stay within it to keep myself focused.  But it sure is fun to see what comes up chapter by chapter.  Every book I work on has a tentative title.  It's amazing how as I write the story, I begin to think of rewording the title in some way.

I'm having a lot of fun with this one.  I love watching my characters develop personalities and relate to each other.  This story takes place on a cruise ship.  It is again in the Womens Fiction Genre.  Funny how I write in this genre, because I prefer to read fantasy, action, scifi.  Of course, Womens Fiction incorporates a wide variety of subjects, and I have read quite a few Womens Fiction books.

I am thrilled to finally have a story off and running and occupying my thoughts!

LHR

Tribute to my grandmother

The poem I am posting for today is a tribute to my grandmother.  My grandmother was in her 70's when I was born.  I feel priviledged to have known this unusually strong woman.  It's funny what we remember from our youth.  When I think of my grandmother, I see her long yellow hair.  That's right.  Yellow.  I've never seen anyone else with hair color like hers.

LHR

William Blake

William Blake was an English poet during the 18th century.  He was not well-accepted as a poet during his lifetime, and few people read his poetry.  Yet, he is one of my favorite poets.  He was a radical, rebellious writer.  He talked about subjects the Church did not approve of.  He was reverent of God and his beliefs in the after-life and death, but he had no problem taking a writing stand against the Church of England.  He could see through the facade of pious religious members.

Here is one of my favorite poems he wrote:

THE ANGEL

I dreamt a dream! What can it mean?
And that I was a maiden Queen
Guarded by an Angel mild:
Witless woe was ne'er beguiled!


And I wept both night and day,
And he wiped my tears away;
And I wept both day and night,
And hid from him my heart's delight.


So he took his wings, and fled;
Then the morn blushed rosy red.
I dried my tears, and armed my fears
With ten thousand shields and spears.

Soon my Angel came again;
I was armed, he came in vain;
For the time of youth was fled,
And grey hairs were on my head.

Laughter Yoga

My spiritual poem today is on the Yoga Asana, Mountain Pose.  It is one of my favorite poses and so simple to do.

I love yoga and the sense of serenity it brings to me.  I was surprised to find a new type of yoga group that has gained popularity around the world - Laughter Yoga.  Laughter Yoga was the idea of Dr. Madara Kabria, a physician from Mumba India.

In a Laughter Yoga group, the laughter begins when exercises are done with eye contact and child playfulness.  Did you know children laugh up to 400 times a day?  Adults laugh an average of 150 times a day.  Laughter is good for the soul, therefore good for the heart and overall health.  Americans are a stressed society.  We all need more laughter in our lives.

LHR

Volunteer Work

If you are like me, you want to find ways to help on our planet.  There are so many organizations and groups that need help.  Who do you chose?

Best Friends Animal Sanctuary has a tab for volunteers now.  Just click on the best friends link to the right and then click on Volunteer.  I just did this.  It's simple, easy, and costs nothing.  There are a variety of ways people can help, from hands-on working with the pets to computer work.

I've talked before about my love of animals and talked against abuse of any kind.  Volunteering is one small thing I can do.  So often, I see on the news about another animal subjected to horrible abuse.  What is wrong with our society?  I've talked with people who are outraged by countries that eat dogs for food; yet we allow abuse of animals to continue in our country.  I'm not sure that some poor pet, subjected to abuse daily and living in a cage or a puppy mill should go on living.  If it were a human instead of a pet, that human would take his/her own life.

Best Friends Animal Sanctuary works with other animal groups around the world.  Go to their website and browse their stories.  This sanctuary works with animals and helps them adapt again to be able to be adoped out to a loving family.  It is my goal that any future animal I adopt will come from a shelter or sanctuary.

I hope you will consider volunteering or spreading the word to friends and family.  You may know just the person for this.

Love is the answer to life on our planet.  Hatred, jealousy, prejudices, ignoring won't save our world.  Helping will.

LHR

Our Constant Magical Act

We often think 'I can't do this.'  'This is too much for me.'  etc.  Well, today's Inspirational thought is another of Deepak Chopra's comments.  We are constantly taking molecules and changing them into the living embodiment of ourselves.  Picture that for a moment.  And when we do this, we don't think; we do.  We know we have this in us to do and we just do it.

Sometimes our mortal mind is our worst enemy.  As we work our projects and go through our day, if we remember all the things we do without thinking about how or it's too much work, we will realize that the answer to to let go and let God.  We have so much potential within ourselves and the ability to pull that rabbit out of the hat at any time.

I want to take a moment and thank Jennifer for her comment on my 'Decisions, Decisions.'  This is exactly what  she reminded me to do!  Let go and know you can achieve.  When our mortal mind spins all these thoughts, we waste a lot of our potential energy that can be used to accomplish other things.

Today, let's all push those negative thoughts and chattering from our mortal minds out of our paths and let's watch how much we all achieve!

LHR

Aberforth's Hero

In the stanza today, we begin to meet one of the heroes of Aberforth.

LHR

Decisions, Decisions

I am currently writing 5 different novels.  When I wrote 'Always', I felt it pull me.  I was absorbed in it and just could not stop writing.  Now that it is finished, I have started with some new and old works.  The problem I am facing is that so far, none of them grab me the way that 'Always' did.

So I continue to plod along, writing a new chapter here and there, taking turns with all 5 books.  I'm doing the same with editing.  Although I like the storyline that I'm developing in each book, I am disappointed that none of these new stories are consuming me.

I read a book by James Patterson once where he had said "This is the story I was born to tell."  I wonder if C.S. Lewis, J.R.R Tolkien, J.K Rowling and any other great author felt that way about their most favorite and popular books.  I fear that 'Always' may have been the book I was 'born to write.'  Maybe it is because 'Always' was the first novel I ever finished, so I have a special attachment to this one story.

All I can do is to continue to plod along with these other storylines in the hopes that something will grab me and I will take off in a frenzy with that desire to create the perfect story with the perfect ending.

I am grateful to be filled with the desire to write both stories and poetry.  What a wonderful gift that has been given to me.  I will strive to do my best and will also work to hone my writing skills.  My ultimate goal is to be published, just so I can share the magic of my stories with others.

LHR

A Tribute in Sadness

Normally I post one of my poems on Tuesdays, but today instead I am paying tribute to my father and his brothers.  My father passed 10 years ago.  His younger brother died many many years before that.  In sadness today, I write to say the middle brother passed this morning.  These were extraordinary men who lived through some horrific times.

All three served in World War II, two in the Pacific/my dad in Europe.  My dad lied about his age so he could join at 17yr old.  To me, they are all heroes.  So today, another WWII veteran passed over.  How those numbers are dwindling.

These men were raised in a log cabin in the wilds of Wisconsin.  It was a logging camp which had a beerjoint for entertainmnet.  My dad once told me, once anyone turned 12 they were allowed in.  They walked to a one-room schoolhouse for their schooling until high school.

Their mother died while giving birth, so at a young age all three lived in an orphanage for a while.

Later in life, all three married and raised a family.  They remained close to each other through their lives.

I am saddened today by the loss of my Uncle, but I know the reunion on the Other Side must be glorious this day as they are all re-united with each other and their parents. 

No parent is perfect.  That's why God gives his precious children to the parents' care.  There is no such thing as a perfect family.  Yes, some are worse - a lot worse - than most.  But parents and children learn many lessons from family life.  Today, I say I am grateful for my parents and their sacrifices for me.  I am saddened today by the passing of my favorite uncle, but I know he is in a better place where God abides and where he is surrounded by eternal love.

LHR

FableHaven

I just finished reading all 5 books of FableHaven.  I didn't read it for the longest time because it was called a young reader book.  When the 5th and final book came out, I could stand it no more.  I had to know what was so great about this series.

I discovered what made this series great.  It is the most interesting set of books that I've read in a long time.  Although slow at times, when it perks up you cannot set the books down!  I loved every one of them.

The books revolve around two young people, Kendra and Seth, who discover that their grandparents are caretakers of a magical land where both light and dark creatures reside.  They work with fairies, trolls, witches, satyrs, centaurs, and dragons to name just a few.  Both Kendra and Seth realize they have magical properties which help them in the fight to save FableHaven and light creatures.  What a fascinating series.  I would encourage anyone who hasn't read FableHaven to get Book One and give this series a chance. 

My favorite character is Raxtas because he finds his hidden potential.  Of course, the 2 satyrs, Newel and Doren add quite a lot of flavor to this series. 

Brian Mull did a fantastic job with FableHaven.  His ending was the best ending I have ever read in a book.  Kudos and even double kudos to Brian and his agent for getting this series published.

LHR

Happy Father's Day

I wish all fathers a Happy Fathers Day.  May your children give you a happy day filled with love.

Today, I post two poems.  The first is a religious poem.  I thank my Father in Heaven for all He has given me.  He is a Father filled with love for all His children.

The second poem is a short tribute to my mortal father who passed over 10 years ago.  I often feel him with me and certainly still feel his love.

There is no greater love than the love that binds families, for it is the most difficult love.  And thru this love we learn patience and forgiveness.  My dad certainly needed a lot of patience with me.

LHR

Mission Statement and Goal

I have now added my mission statement and goal for this blog.  Both may change in time.  They are posted to the right.

LHR

Deepak Chopra

For the inspirational quote, I chose another Deepak Chopra.  Meditation is a key in our healing process, whether it is a physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual issue.  This quote reminds me that I do have - deep down within me - the power and energy to achieve anything.

LHR

The Prose

I have just updated 'The Halls of Aberforth.'  I know this is slow-going, but it is a work in progress. 

LHR

Goals, Mission Statements, Schedules and Outlines

Goals
Several of my jobs in life required me to set goals.  One required a Mission Statement.  As a writer/poet, working alone by my desk throughout the day, I have found that goals and mission statements keep me on track.  I have also found that making a next day/weekly schedule helps.  It is also important to outline whatever I am working on.

Many people set goals.  Some follow through, some don't.  Goals should not be rigid or unattainable.  For instance, 'I will have 4 books published by the end of this year.'  Admirable, but is it really attainable?   The best term anyone can remember for goals is s.m.a.r.t.  S = specific.  Be specific when you write your goals.  M = Measurable.  Make sure the goal is something you can attain within a set time.  A = Attainable.  'I will sell more books than J.K.Rowling.'  Really?  Well, maybe, but don't count on it.  'Once I am an established writer, I will sell my books to loyal readers who will share my name with their acquaintences.'  This is better and certainly attainable if you are a good writer and serious about the profession.  R = Relevant.  Make sure your goals are relevant to what you are trying to achieve.  'I will write 4 poems and bake 3 cakes this week.'  Why are the cakes in the writing goals?  T = Time.  Be certain to put the amount of time it will take to make your goals.  Make sure this is an attainable goal.  Goals are not set in permanent markers.  If you set goals and
they don't seem to be working, rework the goals.  I set goals for why I write poetry and books.  I set goals on what I want done within these two subjects and by when.  It sure keeps me motivated.

Mission Statements
A mission statement means you are serious about what you are doing.  I have a general poetry and a general writing mission statement.  I write a mission statement for each book or prose.  This helps to keep me on track with my goals.  Keep the mission statements to one or 2 paragraghs in length and no more than 150 words.  Like a query, the shorter the better.  Then you can refer to it anytime you are working on the project.

Schedules
Every day, I start my schedule for the next day and I prioritize the items.  Some days, I don't get through every thing on my list.  Those items are moved over to the next day.  I have learned to keep this list reasonable, or I get very frustrated.  This scheduling helps me to remember that before I can work on a certain project I must research A, rewrite B, etc.

Outlines
I use outlines for my books, prose, characters, places, etc.  That way I have a grid to follow in my works.  When I outline for a book, I use a system I read in a how-to book.  A center circle for the topic, with circles going clockwise to describe the beginning, middle, end, or important parts of the book.  Other circles may be off these.  For instance, in one of the books I'm currently working on, the middle circle says 'Lila and Josiah', the first circle off it says 'Meet Lila & explain life after the Great War', a small circle off of this says 'Lila's family'.  I follow this ouline as I write my book and check it often.  If I get some great idea for the book, I'll add or change a circle.

I have found when you work on my own, these methods help me to continue with my writing.  I read once that many who could have been great authors never published anything because they gave up or quit working on the book.  I use this to keep me centered on my craft.

LHR

A Poem Dedicated to a Dear Friend

On this Tuesday, I have chosen to post a poem about a dear friend of mine.  She has been my friend for years.  One day, we had a lovely visit, drinking coffee, eating cookies and just talking.  I realized the world was still going on, but for that brief time we had escaped to a calmer place.  I call my close female friends 'Sister-friends', because that is what they are.  Sometimes friends understand better than family.

I call this poem 'Coffee, Cookies and Friendship.'  I hope you enjoy it.

LHR

Kay Ryan, America's Poet Laureate

I would be remiss if I did not mention this amazing poet.  I have often said that my heart belongs to writing, but my soul belongs to poetry.  And my soul loves her poetry.

You can get a glimpse of Ms. Ryan's poetic soul through her writings.  She writes simply, her words carefully chosen.  She uses wit and philosophy to get her story out to other souls.  And she uses short lines in easygoing stories.

I do believe that poetry comes from our souls.  That's why poetry is so expressive and beautiful.  How many people can say that they are 'America's Poet Laureate', chosen by the Library of Congress?  What an honor, and what an amazing woman.

Please take a look at her life and her poetry at these sites:  http://www.loc.gov./poetlaureate_current.html  and  www.poetryfoundation.org.  You can also watch her read some of her unique works at youtube.com

Accepting Personality Differences

My spiritual poem this time is called 'A Single Rose'.  It is about how we are like roses and learning to accept everyone's differences.  In this poem, I liken the different colored roses to our different personalities.  I talk about how we will all return back to the Other Side one day to live in eternity, making our many differences here on earth petty things to worry about.

LHR

No More Puppy Mills

I have a cause.  My cause is that we, as Spirit children of this great Universe, harm nothing.  One of my pet peeves is how in our mortal states we have no problem harming other living things.  I have a particular softness for animals, especially dogs.  Please check the links I've just added for Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah and Best Friends' link on Puppy Mills.

I have no problem with decent, loving breeders who care for their pets and treat them as family members.  But Puppies are definately NOT Products!  Read some of these articles.  They are heart-wrenching.

I want to tell a couple of stories.  My first one is about my Sheltie named Bandit who has passed over now.  We already had a Sheltie, Laddie.  I wanted another dog to keep Laddie occupied during the day while we were at work.  We had a list of homes offering puppies.  I bought Bandit at the first home without looking anywhere else.  This woman was not a breeder.  Her dad loaned her his male dog so she could make some money by selling the puppies.  Bandit was beautiful.  He was taller than most shelties and beautiful, thick black and white fur.  But that's not why I bought him.  This woman had a toddler who thought it was funny to pick these puppies up and throw them down - on their heads. These poor puppies would squeal and try to run from him.  Of course, I got into an argument with her about it.  In the end, I walked out with Bandit in my arms.  Bandit wasn't right in the head.  I took him to a vet who said he had a bump on his head, like he had fallen and hit his head.  I explained the situation.  Back in those years, not much was done about this.  My beautiful Bandit lived 12 years.  He depended on Laddie to lead him and guide him.  Laddie passed first.  With Laddie gone, Bandit refused to live.  Nothing we did could change his desire.  He passed within three months of Laddie.

Our next dog was a poodle, Shadow.  Smaller, so he could travel easily with us.  Of course, I wanted a friend for him.  Again, we made a list of poodle breeders.  As luck would have it, we found Patch at an ubelievable price, so of course we bought him.  Full of love and spunk, he inspired me to write the Children's poem I just posted:  Dennis the Dog.  Why was he so cheap?  He came from a breeder with a good reputation.  But Patch, you see, had a patch of white fur on his chin.  The rest of him was black.  And as the breeder said, 'he's useless for showing.'  Maybe.  But, boy, have we had fun with this loving dog!

I have made a vow that any future animals I adopt will come from shelters.  We call ourselves an humane society, yet we have no problem in general being cruel to animals.  Not all of us, thank heavens.  If you are one of those who love and respect animals, please become a member or a guardian angel to Best Friends or your local shelter.

LHR

Believing in Yourself

On this Friday, I continue with the topic Achievements.  Today I use a statement from Deepak Chopra.  If you have never heard of this man before, you really should look him up online.   www.chopra.com 

He is world-reknown and a best seller.  I have followed him for years.  Today's inpirational thought follows the concept that your spiritual self has more potential than you realize.  Basically, it is beyond belief.  It is knowing that you have this potential.

LHR

Aberforth

Today's post is the 2nd stanza to 'The Halls of Aberforth.'  I also made a correction to the 3rd line of the 4th stanza.  As I've said, it is an ongoing project.

LHR

Naming the Characters

I just read a short article on Writers Digest about the importance of naming characters in your writing.  I have to agree.  The name of the characters can make or break your story.  The character's personality and his/her name must agree.

When I wrote 'Always', all the characters' names were easy for me and fit naturally in the story.  That is, all but one.  And that one was the leading character.  My leading character is an older spirit with a strong will and high morals.  He is a classic thinker and makes great decisions.  Since he is English, I ended up going online and looking up English names and surnames.  I finally hit on Isaac Umbridge.  And for the longest time, that was his name.  But it still didn't carry the strength I needed to find in this character.  So it was back to work looking up names and listing names I heard.  I spent a lot of time getting this one character's name the way I liked it, the way I hoped readers would see and understand him.  His name ended up being Simon Isaac Umbridge and it was like magic to the story.

My favorite author in choosing names is J.K. Rowling.  She has done such an excellent job.  Take the character Remus Lupin, known as Moony - a werewolf.  In legends, Remus was one of the twins, raised by wolves, who founded Rome Italy.  Lupin is from French (Lupine) and means characteristics of a wolf.  Moony?  Well, when the full moon arrives, he turns into a werewolf.  I greatly admire J.K. Rowling and her creativity in picking the perfect names for her characters.

And let's not forget Edgar Allan Poe whom I admire greatly.  How would his poem sound if her name wasn't Annabel Lee.  Annabel - gracious, lovable, easy to love.  His works seem so simple and easy, but don't let Mr. Poe fool you.  He put a lot of thought and a lot of work into his writings and poetry.  His main goal was how he wanted the reader to perceive his work.

As I read books now, I pay particular attention to the names the author has given to the characters.  No wonder some authors are so successful.  They choose the perfect names for their characters.

LHR

Past Life Poem

One day years ago, as I was riding through Yellowstone National Park, I heard a name on the wind.  From that incident I wrote one of my favorite poems about past lives, called 'She Who Rides the Wind.'

Many people do not believe in past lives, but more and more others are beginning to exam this spiritual concept.  That moment in time, years ago, changed my belief.  I used to be a non-believer; that this is our one and only chance on our beautiful earth.  Since that moment, I've had other occurrances that have made me a believer in past lives.

If you have something you want to say about this comment, feel free to post it.

LHR

Rod McKuen

Today, I want to honor a very unique individual - Rod McKuen.  The year was 1970.  I had met a new friend and she introduced me to the works of Rod McKuen.  Nothing touched me more than his songs and poetry.  I still read 'Listen to the Warm' and love it as much as I always have.  One of my favorite lines from that work is 'clouds are not the cheeks of angels, you know.  They're only clouds.'  His song 'The Ever Constant Sea' has remained one of my very favorite songs.  He has so much emotion in his works as he writes about love and relationships.  Please take a moment and meet this genius/poet by going to his website:  www.mckuen.com and browsing some of his tender poems.

I would also like to suggest listening to 'Pushing the Clouds Away' on youtube.  You will hear the line 'clouds are not the cheeks of angels' in it.

Please share this with your friends and family.  And please comment on this one.  I would love to hear from so many people in this tribute to one of my favorite singer and poet, Rod McKuen.

Sunday's poem.

Today, I am posting one of my favorite spiritual poems I wrote.  It is about how we carry so much emotional weight that it is like wearing heavy chains.

It is not just about forgiving others, but also about forgiving ourselves.  We hang on to so much emotional garbage.  When we release it and dwell in the present, not the past or future, we release our emotional bonds and feel freer.

I hope you find meaning in this Sunday's poem:  Alone I Walk This Earth in Chains.

LHR

Kerfuffle, Perihelion, Sarkophagos, Zaftig

What are these words?  These are definately words in our language whose uses are rare.  Every day I receive the word of the day from the Alpha Dictionary.  I've mentioned this before.  I've also mentioned that I love words. 

Let's start with kerfuffle.  A scuffle, tussle, a fuss, a ruffling of feathers.  Interesting word.  I've never heard it before.  Now, I'm all kerfuffled!

perhelion - the point nearest the sun in the orbit of a planet or other celestial body.  When's the last time you used this word? 

sarkophagos - ahh, I bet you're saying that's not a new word.  Yep, it's not.  But one of the meanings of this word is 'flesh-eating.'  Did you know that?  Interesting.  It was orginally used in Ancient Greece for lime-stone, which they believed 'ate your flesh.'

zaftig - a full, rounded figure.  Now, if your best friend says 'do you think I'm fat?'  You can answer, 'absolutely not.  You're are just so zaftig!'

Take a look at the Alpha Dictionary if you like words.  It is just full of fun words!

Inspirational Words of Wisdom

Keeping with my schedule, I start today to post one of the inspirational gems I've collected over the years.  Being obsessed with organizing, I have (of course) categorized them.  Inspirational messages are like bread crumbs left along my trail of life.  If I pick them up when I see them, and use them to guide me, they give me inner strength and peace as I walk path back to my Home on the Other Side.

Today, I have picked one on Achievements.

An Ongoing Prose

Today I introduce a new page, The Halls of Aberforth.  As I said a week ago, this is an ongoing project for me.  It is still in the rough stages.  Each Thursday, I will post at least 4 stanzas.  Please be aware as the story develops, there will be editing and changes.  The first 4 stanzas have been posted.  I do accept honest critiquing of my work.  So feel free to leave your comments.

I am a multi-tasker.  I will write poetry, sections of novels, prose, and work on other projects all at the same time.  It is how I like to work.  I could never have just one project in front of me.  One look at my desk and you would see several projects. You'll also wonder how I keep them straight.  Hmm.  Please refer to yesterday's post for that answer.  Believe it or not, I am organized.  But alas, I am a perfectionist.  That's what takes so long with my projects.  I want to thank 4 different people here for their constant editing, patience, and advice as I write.  Their input has been invaluable to me, but especially their encouragement keeps me going.  They know who they are.  Should everyone be so lucky to have such caring people around them.

Tomorrow I start another new page.  In 1989, I was diagnosed with CFIDS.  I had the best career going for me in the U.S. Army.  I had to retire due to this obnoxiously stubborn virus.  Anyone with Fibromyalgia or CFIDS understands.  Frustrated and depressed, I started a journal of inspirtaional comments.  I continue to add to it.  I will start posting one of these comments every Friday.  I think you will like them.  Many have helped me over the years.

I have come up with a schedule for my blog.  I am hoping this will help me stay on course.  A very big thank you for those of you who are following my blog and a very big thank you to those who leave comments.

I hope you will enjoy The Halls of Aberforth.  We'll see how many of you figure it out.

LHR 

The Time Came for Organizing

I realize I haven't posted anything for a while.  One day I tried to find a note I had put either in a file on my computer or on a piece of paper.  That's when I knew my note taking was getting out of hand again.  It  became my priority to straighten all my files.  Took over a week to do that.  I am one of these people that write notes on any paper I can get a hold of, or I'll annotate the note in one of my many computer files.  Then the day comes when I have to search for one note in particular and can't find it.  That day arrived over a week ago.  That's when I decided I had to take a break from all my projects and just organize.

I am a researcher and I love interesting facts.  My files come in handy too.  I am working on a new book that involves Druids and Celts.  Amazingly, I had a file on those two subjects! 

As for my first novel, 'Always', as I went back through to get excerpts from it, I realized that when I switched fonts, it adjusted paragraghs and sentences.  So that was part of my last week's work too. 

I hope to start posting regularly again.  But it sure is nice not to have little bits of paper here, there, and everywhere!