Novel Writing Journal 1

Notes to this page:

The "Book-Case Conundrum Dates," below may not make much sense to you. I am sticking them on here in case you might want to know the process I am going through in writing "The Book-Case Conundrum". (I was writing up the "Dates" document "anyway" for my own benefit. I just decided to stick a slightly edited version on here for fun.) This section in the box is here to explain some terms you may run across below. January 30, 2009 Eventually I do start to write things in a less "cryptic" style. In my opinion, this page eventually becomes more understandable to someone other than myself.

I'm using a notebook to take handwritten notes. I bought it November 10, 2007. It's a "Blank A5 Hard Wiro Book" from "Paperchase" found at "Border's". (8770923) It looks like the "book journal" on the Paperchase website, only it doesn't have "Book Journal" in gold on the cover. The book I have has plain lined paper inside it. The "Book Journal" is probably printed much differently. It took some doing to find this particular notebook. I wanted to find something with a generic urban scene on it. I used to see them all the time. When I wanted one could I find one? No! When I saw this notebook with shelves of old books on it, I had to have that one. The lines on the pages are too far apart. You can't put too much text on each page. I write large, so I guess it works out ok. It's just that you don't get much bang for the buck with this notebook. I prefer to use generic stenographer's notebooks. (I need something that lays flat so that you can type from it. I also need it to be "portable".) BUT I wanted one with a picture on it so I could have some "inspiration". I have now bought two books on bookbinding, I will have to learn how to make my own notebooks. I have some images of this notebook on here. (see below) You can tell that I take it everywhere I go.

As I think of things to write about I write them in the notebook. After a while things got very chaotic. I couldn't piece everything together from the scattered notes in the book. I needed to take the various subjects in the notebook and stick them together. That way I could find all that I wrote about each subject easier. As I got a bunch of notes in the notebook, I went and typed them into the computer. I typed up three documents and organized them according to subject. I made them a sort of map or list [kind of an outline] of the story. When I get enough "new" stuff scribbled into the notebook, I type that into the document.

"Schedule" = the general "outline" and the titles of the chapters and sections. This tells me what order to stick stuff. This is just a simple outline so I can see at a glance what goes where.

"Plan of Attack" = the chapter titles, section titles, along with the details of what goes in there (If I know it.) Things will be filled out more as I actually type it up. This is similar to the "Schedule" only that it has more details, paragraphs of the stuff from the notes in the notebook. I just take the notes in the notebook and add them to the proper section of the document.

"Notes" = all the ephemera, title names, and other things that get incorporated into the "Plan of Attack" as I figure out where to stick stuff. There's things I want to say, but don't always know where or when. I also stick on here stuff I don't want to forget. This is all the stuff that doesn't fit in the documents above. Some of the stuff in this document is duplicated, if I need to try and keep it in mind through out the journey.

"Plan of Attack name of chapter" = an outline for each chapter. I do up a detailed outline for each chapter now. I do them up as I go along rather than do them ahead. I never know what comes next until I get there. (If that makes sense.)

As I write the story, I will print out the the newly written stuff. Then I read it over with a red pen in my hand. I make all sorts of scribbles, cross outs, and changes. Then I make changes to the computer version. Eventually I have my husband read it over. If he sees any glaring mistakes he makes changes. I am having the lady who lives with my father in law read it. She doesn't normally notice anything that needs changing too much. She just wants to read more---she wants me to finish the story.

You can click on the images below and see larger versions.

If you want to know some of the music I listen to as I write this page and "The Book-Case Conundrum" click here.

January 30, 2009 I lately write a great deal to this present page. If I am not writing here, I am writing on the, "Writing About Books" page. If you do not see any new or recent posts to this page, AND you do not find any other evidence that I've been working on "The Book-Case Conundrum" then see the, "Writing About Books" page. Look for "recent" posts on there. You will notice as you read both pages, that I have links from posts on one page to another post on the other page. That is, in posts on this page, I reference posts on the, "Writing About Books" page. I put links to them. I also do basically the same thing on the, "Writing About Books" page only the links are to posts on this page.

Book-Case Conundrum Dates

Started: November 11, 2007

Story started, October 29, 2007 and October 30, 2007.

Story stuck on website October 29 and 30, 2007 as I started it. Last modifications made to page November 8, 2007. Last edits to story "so far" made November 3, 2007. Story "so far" prints out to five pages.

Sent out announcements to, "fan" E-mail list, sister and cousins, almost as soon as I had a good bit of story on there. (October 30, 2007)

Story "so far" given out to Walter and Tony November 4, 2007.

Feedback Form on website done up, November 04, 2007 (tweaked until November 8, 2007.)

"WhyFore?" written up possibly November 3, 2007. Stuck on website, November 04, 2007.

Received feedback form reply from Australia and England. November 6, 2007. It was the form as I had it done up at the time.

Replies were sent out November 7, 2007.

Copied story "so far" over to BBC novel writing template, November 11, 2007.

Amendments made out to "WhyFore?" page November 12, 2007.

Changed, "Jack Russell" to "little dog" in story, November 12, 2007.

Have been reading, "This Year You Write Your Novel" by Walter Mosley. In earnest since November 17, 2007. I bought it for Norman my father in law. I was reading it some before that. Didn't want to get too interested in it as I was going to give it away. I said that if he didn't want it, I wanted it back. I know it wasn't, but it seems as if this book were written to me specifically.

Changed some more text to story "so far" on website and template version. Hope to start next section about "Rumback" hotel now or during the day. Will write "new" stuff to template version for now, and leave the "so far" version on the website. November 22, 2007 AM.

I did get a start to the next section. November 22, 2007.

I got a reply from S. to my reply of her feedback form. I sent her a reply as well. November 26, 2007.

Have been working on Hotel Rumback "personality" section. Am stuck on rewriting the one paragraph on page 17. As usual found more changes here and there. Since S. wrote me, she is going to get a copy of all that I have so far from the template. I need to read it from head to toe and make changes as needed. I haven't read it all in days, so fresh eyes will be helpful. November 26, 2007.

Massive typing in of notes, started, ("plan of attack" etc.) December 12, 2007.

No real writing done since I finished working on template last. Put in all the edits to the website version. Will continue with the template version and leave website at it's 5 pages or so. (which is a different amount than what the template comes to at that point.) December 14, 2007.

December 27, 2007 Started work on the end of the Rumback Hotel "Suite Variants" section. Started the "next" section, "The Careful Reader". In process of sending a copy to S. as I write this.

December 28 and 29, 2007 worked on the end of chapter one. Finished off the sections "The Empire of Waste" and "The Careful Reader". Divided this into two sections, called the first section, "The Empire of Waste". Took the original title, "The Careful Reader" and used that for the second section. Did the last of the edits [so far] for "The Careful Reader"December 31, 2007. Printed a copy to photocopy and pass around.

January 27, 2008 Have had "final" chapter 1 on website since January 2, 2008. Sometime after that I made some minor edits to it. As it sits on the website is the final draft for now. Won't make any changes really to website version "unless". Will work on template version. Took text from website and stuck it onto template. Took out the sentences mentioning English title for book, "KEEPING THIS A SECRETE FOR NOW" when I did the minor editing. Should start on chapter two today or tomorrow. Need to save all this stuff to the portable hard drive one of these days.

January 27, 2008 Made updates and changes to "Plan of Attack"; "Notes"; and "Schedule" documents [print outs of notes that I work from]. Put this document onto the website. Preparing to type up chapter 2 on template version. Have to take out italics in template version and underline the text instead. I probably need to take out ( ) where the text picture would be on website. When I copy it over, it transfers the text, which includes the ( ) but does not transfer any pictures that would be inside the ( ). Don't need picture in template version anyway. Will go through print out and highlight all the italics. That way I can look for them easier in the template version. Will put this current entry onto website and then get going. Been waiting about a week to open the Dr. Pepper in the fridge. Been doing good at limiting my soda pop intake lately.

January 31, 2008 I started working on Chapter Two. Am just a few paragraphs into it. Will try to work on it again later. Drank the Dr. Pepper a few days ago.

March 25, 2008 It's been a long time, but got to working again. Started work, March 24. Read over the notes and started thinking of the plan of attack for Chapter Two. Wrote a brief-ish outline of Chapter Two, "Plan of Attack: The Ghost Edition". Hope to work more later on during the day (25th). Douglas needs the computer to do his tax work. It's tax season again. He likes helping people. Until April 14 or whatever it is, will have to work around his need to be on the computer. It means I have to work hard while I have a free computer. I also have to learn to use the frustration emotions constructively. I have to take notes on paper or whatever---INSTEAD of getting upset that he has to use the computer. Another difficulty will be getting off it right when he needs it. If I am in the middle of a train of thought, that might be difficult. He can't have any, "Wait a minute!s" which last an hour or more. It shouldn't be too difficult to get a great deal of work done when I have the computer available. I have so many notes and outlines, that all I have to do is flesh out the story. The difficulty will be in stopping once I get going. It is very difficult to stop in the middle of things. I will have to figure out a way of stopping in such a way that I can remember what I intended to say next. I guess this pad of "post it notes" next to me will come in handy. Ok, I'm off to upload this and get some sleep. You know, if you happen to read this journal, you can always let me know. I would like to hear from any readers of this.

March 25, 2008 Amendment---

The reason for the delay was "psychology" and "life". I was busy with a few things in life. Someone from my birth family struck up E-mail conversations with me. This is my first positive contact. But I allowed that and other things to take precedence. That was the "psychology". Chapter Two is like "house keeping". It is "have to stuff". It is what I need to write in order to advance the story. Some of it will be fun to write. Some of it won't be. I guess because I look at it as "have to" and not "fun", it isn't so easy to dive into it. It is the next chapters that I keep finding titles for; and finding stuff to write about. I do have some spots in Chapter Two that will be "fun" to write. I have thought of those a great deal. There were some things I wanted to do before I worked on the story again. I messed around and didn't get those done quickly. I can't look at these things as drudgery and they will go much easier. Anyway...

April 22, 2008 It's been a while I know. I was hoping to get some work done on chapter 2 today. Maybe I will do it in a bit. As far as I know Douglas is finished with his tax work. He tells me that for this year he is done. Here's an article from the BBC where they interview writers about their work habits. "'Writuals' - scribes reveal daily routines"http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7340217.stm Here are my answers--- which aren't always "daily":

I'm in my house; in Douglas' grandfather's old bedroom. I write with the PC (computer). Currently "addicted" to Windows. Wish I wasn't. I'd rather have "Doors" on my computer. The larger format might be easier to read and use? I take notes with an old-fashioned human powered pen. I would probably prefer to upgrade to an electric one as it might be easier to push around on the paper. But I haven't found a model that suits me. Ha! The one object before me that is the oddest--- all of them probably. Dusty teapots; beer bottles; beer cans; soda pop bottles; tobacciana etc. are pretty odd for an office. But the oddest would probably be the English poison bottle. It is a nice green color. (That should be colour I guess.) "NOT TO BE TAKEN," is embossed on the front. One of my favorites even though it is chipped. I'm listening toCBC Radio 2 as per usual. But I took a break and listened to some Elvis Costello with Douglas. I was letting him hear a couple of songs. If it is well after dark, I pick up 650 WSM out of Nashville, Tennessee on AM (Medium Wave). No one else is in the room here. Dubhghall (the cat and website name sake) will sleep in here. But if anyone else comes in here it is a horrible distraction. Right now as I write this sentence it is 5:39 PM local time. I write anywhere from the afternoon to 5:00 in the morning. Don't like being up that late (going to bed that early) though. As I put it, "it gets late before it gets early". It gets late for going to bed, before it gets early in the morning. I get inspiration from all over. Photographs and pictures of some sort can do it. Music can do it. In a way, I got inspiration for this story from characters in this radio drama I wrote. I imagined what would happen if I wrote a book with someone. Then I figured I would want to write an adventure story. And I went from there. Having people try to talk to me will remove my concentration. When the cat wants something it will do it as well. Plus having the phone ring with a telephone solicitor on the other end, is one of the worst things. It's too difficult to try and read the caller ID. So, I just pick the phone up, thinking it might be something important. Nope! It is usually a recorded message saying that the warranty on our car has expired. It hasn't but, they want us to get a new one. I didn't want to get on the "do not call list" because I didn't want to put someone out of a job. I never expect the phone to ring and sometimes I'm so deep in thought, it makes me jump.

Ok, I'm off to get some dinner. Douglas made a Tuna Helper. After I eat, I hope to start fresh work on chapter two. Will let you know what happens. It's all mapped out, I just have to fill in the rest.

I've been reading, "How To Write an uncommonly Good Novel" edited by Carol Hoover. It seems like a really great book as well. It seems to have really great information in it. So far it looks like it just gives advice on how to improve a novel. It doesn't seem to tell how to write it from scratch really. "Now get out some paper. Write down what you want to write about. Here's how to plot. Here's how to build characters...".

Didn't get much done even though Douglas wasn't on the computer all that much. I got a plan of attack done for chapter 2 and then got heavily distracted. eBay has been an awful distraction in the past few months. (year or two) The $300.00 credit card bills prove it. Of course then there's iTunes. If I listen to the CBC I end up putting a lot of things on the list. Some of the music is good inspiration for this present story. I wanted to put a CD together to listen to the music while I worked. That is one thing that really got me distracted. I started work on that around the time I put that last post on here. (the one before this one)

Just wrote up a _____ _____ train schedule. ________ takes a train to _____ eventually. Don't have a name for the place yet.

Ok I have to wrap it up for now, especially since I want to be up in time to get a lot of work done on this tomorrow. I start a Tai Chi class on Thursday morning. I need to have more "normal" hours for that. More tomorrow.

April 26, 2008 Got some new work done on chapter 2 yesterday. Had about two pages done on it already. Went and fixed all the "red marks" that I did on those. Then I wrote some new. I read it over and fixed the red marks in the new stuff. (I mark up the draft with red pencil or pen. It lets me know where I want to fix things.) I got past Osbert eating breakfast on his important Thursday.

I had Douglas read over two sections from Chapter two of "How To Write an uncommonly Good Novel". I was having him help me with the narrator thing. We figured that I am writing this in the "third person". But am I violating a rule of that? He didn't mind helping me. But he isn't a writer. There's a reason why they say not to have your spouse be your editor.

Am thinking about joining a Yahoo! list for Christian writers of fiction.

I did up an index to these "Book-Case Conundrum" pages the other day (April 22). I worked on the post above this one; the index; and some other minor things to this site. [January 30, 2009 I am not violating anything.]

June 22, 2008 Trying to get some stuff done for a trip to Texas. Maybe we will find more "how to write" books in Archer City? Ha! There's a "Synonym Finder" on eBay. I hope I win the auction. I really need a "critter" such as this!! Will have to try and bid while we are away. Did up some edits to what I have so far. (chapter 1 and the beginnings of chapter 2) Douglas is going to the photocopy place (Staples probably) in order to make copies of some writing to give to relatives who don't have access to computers; or they don't read this website if they do have access. Will hopefully write more to chapter two in a notebook, and put it down on the computer when we get back. Taking bookmark making supplies too. It is very difficult to do anything that uses much deep thinking while I am on the road. Bookmarks will probably get made, and the scribbling won't. But who knows. Hope to be inspired and scribble notes for the story with "Josephine" too. Won't do anything too detailed on that, as not much is mapped out. Am going to pass around my start of it. Tai Chi class went well. Can't remember how it goes though. Will upload this and then print out some of the stuff on here for the photocopying then I'm off for now. A storm might be coming. Listening to Spain vs. Italy in the UEFA soccer. It's on television in English, but I'm listening via Radio Exterior de España in Spanish via short-wave. I don't know much Spanish, but it sounds more interesting this way. I hope Spain wins. They haven't won against Italy since, the 1920 Olympics. Adios!

September 02, 2008 (Tuesday) Spain did win the tournament. It was incredible. Some day I hope to get onto this site, a Bible teaching I did about that. I used Spain's victory as an example of the "Law of Believing".

There's a lot of reasons why I haven't been working on chapter two... I know this is a long posting, but I feel like I have a lot of explaining to do.

Ok. We went to Texas for about 10 days or so. (June 23- July 3, 2008) When we got back we had to unpack and so on. Then we went to Ohio in early August. We went for the "Family Reunion in the Word".

I was reading, "The Forest for the Trees" (An Editor's Advice to Writers) by Betsy Lerner. It's an interesting book. I learned a lot about publishing which I had no clue of before. It is from 2000 so I don't know how much has changed in publishing since then. It was great to get some idea of how publishing works. I finally finished it in the night. I read a whole book! When I finished that book, I started reading, "The Complete Idiot's Guide To Writing Christian Fiction" by Ron Benrey. "Inside advice on crafting compelling, faith-based stories".

I would like to clear some space in this room, so I can think properly. I want to keep the living areas in some sort of decent shape so we can actually live in them. Then I need to clear out the bedroom across the hall. More than likely my father-in-law's cousin will come for Christmas again. It would be great to have the room clean long before December 24th arrives. It usually gets left 'till the last moment. Then my back hurts for a week or so. Not good! So, I have important duties besides working on Chapter 2. Then the Tai Chi class starts again on Thursday. If I don't stay limber or try to loose a little weight, it won't be good either. I need to start moving and hopefully less things will hurt chronically. I hope to get a bicycle in October. Schwinn sold out of the ones I wanted, and then they stopped making them. So I am waiting on the new Schwinn catalogue to come out. I won't have much time to ride it depending upon when I get it in October.

Another thing, I want to have someone who knows what they are doing, read chapter 1 so I can learn if it is ok. I don't want to get too far along if I have to some major rewriting. If I have to change the point of view, then I will feel overwhelmed in the extreme, if I have to change it for the whole book, or even a few chapters. I could do it I guess, but it would be very difficult, mentally. That is the main block on my working on chapter 2. I want to clear some things off my "to do" list so I am free mentally to deal with "sending chapter 1 off" to see what is what with it.

Right now, my back is not what it should be. To sit here and type this is difficult. I went and hurt it walking across the room to grab something. Don't know if I hurt it in the process of grabbing the object, or what. It was probably, "or what". Ha! I have been horribly distracted from my goal of Chapter two. I have gotten lost on LibraryThing the last week or so. It is really great. I bought one of their "cuecat" bar code scanners. It is a place where you can catalogue your library. You can see my profile here, http://www.librarything.com/profile/Writerwithbottles. If you want to view mylibrary, you can do it here, http://www.librarything.com/catalog.php?view=Writerwithbottles&shelf=list. I don't have every book on there yet. I only have 257 books on there now. My back was doing ok, on Thursday or Friday last week. Then I went to get a stack of books to catalogue. I picked up a nice heavy stack. I reasoned wrongly, that it would be better to lift the whole stack rather than bend up and down to get the books a few at a time. Wrong!

It is interesting to see how many people have the same books I do. One person has 18 books I do. Most of the books I have in common with others are the writing books. (Mostly the Writer's Digest Writing Murder Mystery books).

Anyway, I want to curl up on the sofa with the hot water bottle at my back; a late lunch; and read "The Complete Idiot's Guide To Writing Christian Fiction". It looks like a great book. I found out last night that I didn't violate a "core tenet" by having Osbert Pickle drink a "snort of Harding's". I want to get my back healed enough before Thursday. I am trying to get to bed at a decent hour to. That way I can get the Tai Chi will stick in the brain this time. I am trying not to take too many "headache powders". (aspirin) I know it isn't good to take tons of that stuff. Mail arrived! I got a copy of "Fever Pitch The Screenplay" by Nick Hornby. I bought it because I thought it would have some photos of my favorite actor in it. It only had ONE and I already had that one from another source naturally. It is supposed to be signed by the author. I have no reason to doubt that, there is a signature on the inside. It came from England of course. The packaging seemed unique a little bit. It was a great way to package a book. I have to go and leave feedback on eBay now.

October 27, 2008 Sorry this is such a long post. My goal is to write less to this and write more to the novel. It isn't working out that way today. Just had a lot I needed to say...

"It always seems to happen this time of year"... Probably won't get much more done until after Christmas. Got lost on Library Thing. My suspected biological cousin, aunt and then sister responded to my adoption stuff on this site. That has been "rather emotional". I have some important correspondence I need to reply to either by postal mail or E-mail. I have been putting some things off. I also have to get the house/room ready for Douglas father's cousin who comes every Christmas. We assume he is coming this year. Don't forget the "Christmas shopping". We'll have a little bit to do again this year.

I know it seems like I am making every excuse. I'm really not doing that this time. I will admit there has been some d---ing around lately. I really, really, need to do a few things around here. They are necessary for domestic harmony and also my mental well being. If I have a cluttered work space/house then I have a cluttered mind. If I have a cluttered mind, it is very difficult to work on novels.

*It's not like I am 100% not working. As always, I have been taking lots of notes. I am still reading, "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Writing Christian Fiction". I'm getting near the end. I got to the chapter, "The Well-Crafted Christian Fiction Proposal" and the section, "Those All-Important Sample Chapters". I am not ready to apply this chapter obviously. Yet, I was struck by the fact that my Chapter 1 is awfully "quiet". I don't want to "overwrite" what I have. I have suspected from the beginning that I need to fix a few things. For example, Osbert finds the book he is hunting, much too early, and way too easily. Reading this section of "The Idiot's Guide," solidified that in my mind for some reason. I am going to have to add a bunch of stuff to Chapter 1. Hopefully I can just splice in the new stuff and rearrange the order of some of the old stuff to "fit" the new stuff. Hopefully I won't have to re-write too much of the old stuff--- other than just changing a word here or there. When I get Chapter 1 fixed I will re-stick it on here.

I took some notes early this morning dealing with a point in Chapter 2. I end up thinking about, "things" and come up with some interesting notes to scribble in the notebook. Before I get going on "fixing" Chapter 1 in January, I will have to re-work all the notes I have. I will have quite a bit of stuff to add to the outlines. I thought I had done up a "final" draft and could just scribble new notes onto what I had printed. I have made so many new notes, it won't work that way now. It is a case of, "if ____ happens, then ____ would surely happen, then _____. So that means I have to change ______." etc.

Another point from "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Writing Christian Fiction"... I am not sure I agree with all the points on the "No, no list". Douglas and I were discussing the list in the book.

I can agree with most of the language rules. No, "Blimey!" which as I understand things, comes from "Gor blimey" which is a contraction of "God blind me". I can see that prohibition. I can see a prohibition on words like "gosh", "geez" (euphemisms for God and Jesus) and the strong ones, "F__" etc.. But I don't get the prohibition on using words like, "shucks", "priest", words for undergarments, butt, crap, and breasts. I wouldn't use some of those words often, but there is a time and a place for them. And "priest" that is ridiculous!

I can sort of see a reason for prohibiting some of those. The big ones Douglas and I disagree with are the prohibitions on drinking, dancing, and playing cards. Which aren't sins Biblically. Playing cards isn't necessarily gambling. Gambling is only a game until a person relies on that instead of God for their sustenance. The Bible prohibits drunkenness not drinking. Ecclesiastes says there is a time to dance. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-4 1To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: 2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; 3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;... Psalm 150:4 Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.)

I would never write a story where adultery (sex outside of marriage) is shown in a positive light. I would never want to write a story where it is heroic when a person leaves a "loveless" marriage for their new found "true love". I believe the heroic thing is to work it out before it gets to the point it is "loveless". Yet I can't say I will never write a story where adultery happens. My characters if they are at all human will know someone, or know someone who knows someone, that is touched by this. Adultery probably won't be the story line, but it might be in the story some how. I can't rule it out. The same goes for divorce, homosexuality and other such things. I really don't want to write stories about these things. But we all know someone who has been touched by them in some way. We live in "the world" but we are not to be of"the world". I don't see how I can write about Christians living in "the world" without having them at least be witness to such things. One of my goals is to contrast the Christian life with the "ways of the world"!

As far as plot lines with other "moral" issues such as homosexuality... If you wonder why I leave this bit of "reality" out of my stories... I've been thinking of this one lately. I don't want to write a story about this. Suppose, I write the story with a character who takes drugs to stay awake, takes drugs to sleep, and engages in risky behavior. I would "stereotypically" have to show how God delivered them from this life. I might have to show the character getting married and having children. Maybe they would go on speaking tours telling people how God healed them. In the end, every "rights" group in the country would criticize my story. Even though the outcome of the character would be called, "good" by most Christians, this kind of story sounds very depressing in a way. I don't want to write anything too depressing*. If I write the characters in any sort of a positive light, I would be seen as, "promoting" the lifestyle. BUT... I don't see how a person living in this world can exist for long without running across someone living this kind of life. I do not want to write a homosexual story. Most, if not all, my characters would know someone, a relative, a person in their community, living this way. I'm not saying I have to put these people in my stories. I'm just saying that in life they are there. If I did write about such characters I would probably have to portray them in a "neutral" light, if that is possible. The characters could be written as two people living together yet living asexually. I probably wouldn't be able to bring up any hint that they might be a "couple" living under the same roof. Personally, I just don't want to get into it. (*DISCLAIMER: I have been thinking about and taking notes for a story to write later on. It has some very sad almost gruesome things in it. I am not positive I want to write it. To put it mildly, it's a story where this man goes through a really rough time and how God gets him out of the "soup" he is in.)

I want to write about Christian characters or characters that become Christians (for the most part). But not everyone a Christian meets and has dealings with is a Christian. These non Christian people do not always adhere to Christian principles. I do not see how it is available to completely populate my stories with Christian people. I am human and I won't be able to write characters who are perfect Christians anyway. That is not available!

If you happen to be reading this journal let me know.

I bought a copy of, "A Writer's Time, Making the Time to Write" by Kenneth Atchity. I also bought a copy of, "Writer Wellness" by Joy E. Held. "A Writer's Path to Health and Creativity". (I think that one might be a bit "new agey".) I thought those would help with some of the blocks that are in my path to finishing this novel. Douglas thought that, buying "A Writer's Time" would be the book buying equivalent of an "oxymoron". It isn't like giving a drowning man a glass of water--- it is giving someone with too many books AND a problem managing time, another book which could possibly cause the person to waste more time. There is also this "opportunity to believe God" that I have, of clocks not always making sense; of my not having a "sense of time"; and generally being, "time challenged". My buying a book on time management, is like buying a book on how to dance, for a person to whom music makes no sense, that has two left feet and no rhythm.

If you can't tell, I will never run out of the desire to write and things to write about. I bought a book about that too, "The Midnight Disease" by Alice W. Flaherty. "The Drive to Write, Writer's Block and the Creative Brain".

Ok, Douglas is back from his friend's. King George V's admirals (Douglas) were planning their next turn with the French admirals. They are at war with Italy, Japan and Prussia. This is turn 26. It's quite a game. I need to get, a snack (rest of dinner); a shower and to bed at a decent hour hopefully. It's not good to go to bed as Douglas heads off to work!

By the way, I didn't win the synonym finder auction above. I did find a Synonym dictionary at Booked Up in Archer City.

November 26, 2008

Been re-reading what I read of "How To Write an uncommonly Good Novel" edited by Carol Hoover. I had stopped at pages 32 and 33.

Because of the reading I have done lately I have been inspired to re-do the notes. I did up couple documents with notes for changing chapter 1. It needs to be re-written. [Jan. 30, 2009 -- That is, Chapter 1 needs to be re-done a bit.] It needs some heavy revising--improving. It won't change the basics of the story really, just improve it a great deal. I am sure I will have more notes scribbled down as I keep reading this book.

It has been fun coming up with some things to make the Rumback Hotel and the city in Mosdubia more eccentric. It is good to be able to take notes so I can work on things when the time comes. I still have some correspondence to work on and things to mail off. My stepfather is getting married in early January. That is a "responsibility" that needs to be dealt with as well. Don't know when I will get back to the actual writing again. At least I am accomplishing something on the story.

Will write more as warranted.

December 18, 2008

Just been writing about my re-reading of "How To Write an uncommonly Good Novel". You can read it on the, "Writing About Old Books" page. I am past the re-reading and I am stuck on the chapter, "Shadow the Reader".

January 30, 2009 The 10,000th hiccough... (Just so you know why I'm not "working" this time.)

By the way, I have determined that I am writing this story in I think it is, "second person"? I am not "violating" anything. I forget what I determined exactly. I figured it out during my re-reading of "How To Write an uncommonly Good Novel". I need to re-look at the section I was reading in order to refresh my memory. I never did figure out that one chapter I was having such difficulty with. Perhaps I will re-read it some day. I'm pretty far along in that book now. I'm on page 151 of 186.

On January 7, 2009 I bought a MacBook at Best Buy. (On January 17, 2009 I bought a B.L.U.E. "Snowball" microphone. It is for use with GarageBand. The MacBook was instantly a distraction because --- setting it up and playing with it etc. is more fun than the work I "have" to do in order to be able to work on Osbert Pickle's story.) It is a fun and sometimes difficult machine to learn. Mac calls some things by different names. Then there is no "right click" on a Mac. And because the MacBook is portable, it doesn't have the keys, "Home," and "End," which I use more often than one would think. There is a way to set it up to have other keys do the same thing, but it is a pain to use it that way. (I tried it out.) At least, I think that is what I set it up to do. It was very difficult to get it to work the way I understood it should work after reading the "Help" menu.

I bought the MacBook so I could make the writing portable. I was told by the sales person at Best Buy that the template I use for writing "The Book-Case Conundrum" should work with Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac. He said he had a MacBook. He also assured me (paraphrasing) that the "legendary" compatibility problems with a Mac were not as great as the legends would have you believe. I felt "buoyed" when I saw a documentary on our local PBS station. As I said on the "Testing Sound Files" page, "...I was recently watching a documentary about the Helvetica font. In the shots where they were interviewing eminent graphic designers, I kept seeing the Apple logo on all the computers seen in the background. Before I saw this, I was thinking that to be "compatible" with the wider world, I had to do things in Windows. When I saw those Apple computers, I was very happy to think, 'Wow! I have one too.'. " The reasons I was thinking of the "compatibility" of computers was because of my own long yet limited experience with computers, and because of what I read in, "The Forest for the Trees" by Betsy Lerner.

I bought the MS Office 2008 when I bought the computer. I got the MacBook home and installed the MS Office. I went to this PC and pulled off the Word templates I downloaded. I tried to install them onto the MacBook and all I got was computer language. I eventually hit on the idea of opening the templates on here and saving them as a document or template. This time the MacBook recognized them as Word files. But it gave me an error message that this version of Word didn't support something called, "macros". I went and looked that up online. Sure enough there is a problem with Word and the template I use. Urgh! Now I have... (I am listening to a CD with headphones as I write this. I heard this odd voice in one of the songs. It was a speaking voice of one word which I didn't remember ever hearing on that song before. I was very startled, my body jumped. I nearly screamed. I thought Douglas was still up asleep for a few minutes. I could have "sworn" that I heard him rolling over in bed. I rewound the CD to hear if that voice was on the CD or what. I eventually realized that the odd voice was indeed Douglas. He was saying "hello". The CD I was listening to was, "'Romantic' Sounding" listed here.)

Now I have to get with a friend to set up the MacBook the way I want it. He knows of a computer program called an "emulator" which will allow Windows to "run in a window of the MacBook". Don't ask me to explain how it works. My friend does things that way on his Mac at home. I can't fathom (get a mind picture of) how it works. I have seen his machine before. It has been a while. I know it works well for him.

Ok, so this means I need (WANT!) to find some computer disks that I have here in this room somewhere. I found one of them. I need to find the other one. I should have the other one. I think that if I find the booklet that came with this computer--- the one I remember coming with this computer--- I should find the disk. Of course both items might be a figment of my mis-remembered memory. The process of finding the disk I think I have, entails my cleaning this room some. It needs cleaning anyway. I can't work well with such a cluttered room. Maybe I can consolidate some of the boxes behind me.

Anyway, anyway, I still have the correspondence to do that I wanted to get done before Christmas. (see above) Then there's some boxes I want to get mailed off. There's other things I need to work on. Hopefully I get back to Osbert Pickle in the Spring. I hope to work outside when it gets warm.

Warm weather... It would be great to experience that for a while!! There is a bunch of snow out now. It has been on the ground for many weeks now. (It seems like many weeks.) The lights were flickering a few minutes ago. I should get off this computer soon in case the electricity fails. Don't want to loose anything. I want this uploaded. And yes, I do back things up.

Oh! I am continuing to take notes as I think of things. I have taken lots of notes over these weeks since I started writing here again before Christmas. As I read things in the books I am inspired to scribble things in the notes. Some of it is new story to add; some of it is how to arrange the "story" that's there already.

More soon...

February 04, 2008 Actual "work" this time (sort of)... [more notes] [November 30, 2011-- I wasn't used to the year yet, this post is really from February 04, 2009.]

Question... Can you start a novel from one person's perspective, and then in the next chapter change to another character's perspective? I guess you can. I have to re-look in the book, "How To Write an uncommonly Good Novel".

I skipped finishing the one chapter about legal (court) proceedings for lay people. It is for people writing "police procedural" type murder mysteries. It would have been interesting if I had any intentions of writing that type of book. But since the book is from 1990 and was more than likely, written before "Law and Order" and most definitely before "CSI" and the "CSI effect", some of the early facts of that chapter seem strange. I lost interest part way through it. And then there's the fact that I have no desire to write a "police procedural".

I don't know if you ever saw them, there were these television ads for "Visa Check Card". They were heavily choreographed. All the people in the ads were moving like a "well oiled machine". In one ad they were in a cafeteria, one was a toy store. The "machine" ground to a halt when someone went to pay for their items with cash. There is a story running in the background to Osbert's story. On January 31, I was beginning to read, "Fiction: What Is It?" the next to last chapter of, "How To Write an uncommonly Good Novel". There is a sentence, "This kind of reflection may even jump-start our unconscious into a whole new approach toward saying what we want to say.". For some reason my mind was "reminded" of the background characters in Osbert's story.

I have long "instinctively known" that Osbert's story needs more suspense. I keep thinking I need to add story along the lines of, a thing a character needs to accomplish by a certain time so that they prevent some dreadful event from happening. I didn't know how to insert something like that into the story. Then on the 31st, I got to thinking about the background characters. The actions of these characters are seemingly "choreographed" similar to the ads for "Visa Check Card". I wondered if I couldn't write the whole story from their point of view. They are sort of orchestrating certain events which cause Osbert to do what he does. (I'm trying to write about this without giving any plot away.) They aren't like puppet masters really, where they are like "gods" or "goddesses" with "super powers". These characters don't do the super human. It's similar to American football. (which I know very little about.) When someone from a team throws the ball there should be another team member down the field who will catch it. After they catch the ball, they generally run with it. (I would assume.) What I envision is a sort of someone who is "in the know" (the choreographer I guess) who says things to his team like, "If Osbert does X, you go and do Y". Or maybe, "You make sure Y gets accomplished". The actions of these characters remind me of the preparations for the big sting operation in the movie, "The Sting".

So my question is, "Would this work: Chapter 1 from Osbert's point of view; and then in chapter 2 switch and show the same story from the point of view of the "choreographed characters"? I guess I'll have to try it out and see how it works. These characters would be the "sub plot". They could be written as the main plot. But I have Osbert's story all mapped out, and there are so many things I wanted to "say" during the telling of that story.

Ok, it is much later than I wanted it to be. (Naturally!) I already woke Douglas up briefly. I accidentally left the stove gas on. (without a flame) I was making sure he was alive. I turned on the kitchen fan. It isn't a modern exhaust fan-- the ones that are above the stove. It seems better than that. I hope it works better than that.

I will write more later. I'll let you know what happens.

February 14, 2009 Written on a Mac (for the most part)... [This is one long post starting February 14 and ending February 17.]

I am typing this posting on the MacBook. “We” basically have it set up so that I can use it for the writing. There are some glitches. I don’t know how to resolve them. (see below)

I will save this to a USB drive. We shall see how well it works to stick it on the PC. I’ll then just cut and past this text onto the website.

I have had a cold this week. Douglas gave it to me. I haven’t read in the writing book at all. Couldn’t read anything I wanted to retain. The brain seemed to be coated with a thicker non stick coating this week. I am finally starting to feel like I am getting over the cold. Prayer works!! It is a real blessing to feel better!! [I wish Douglas had given me a "warm" instead of a cold. Ha!]

I was thinking that I would write this up. It gives me a chance to get used to the keyboard on the MacBook. It also gives me a chance to think about what I want to do as far as telling the story form a different perspective.

February 15, 2009

As far as getting the templates to work on this MacBook. My friend helped me put some software on here. Oh! I bought a wireless mouse for it too. I have to remember to use it instead of the “touch pad”. I have to stop now and go get the taller chair, hang on…

It is such a blessing to feel better!!!! Another blessing is that it is after the “Super Bowl”. I don’t even pay attention to who is playing in it. I just know that after this mega game, the television program “60 Minutes” won’t be delayed because of a stupid “football” (“American” football) game. It starts on time now until the fall (autumn). Yea!!

“How To Write an uncommonly Good Novel”… I stopped reading at page 174 and picked up again at page 181 the first page of the last chapter, “How to Get Your Novel Rejected”. Ok, enough for now. Will have to finish this tomorrow. Off to play a game for a few minutes.

February 17, 2009 Part A...

Here is the deal on the templates…

This is from an E-mail that I sent to Douglas and my computer friend.

I was having difficulty getting the templates to work at all. I was thinking that they wouldn’t work period. [rather, I was thinking that no part of the templates were working.] Evidently they were working, but not completely. Text in [ ] = additions made today. (Text in ( ) made at the time I wrote the E-mail.)

“I got it to work (to a point). I was inspired to make a print screen of what the template looked like up and running on the PC. It is basically the same on the MacBook. It was working after all. It isn't perfect though.

[After I type some text using the template,] It wants to save the document as a template. If I'm not careful to ‘save as’, it will save it as the template. It won't let you save what you are working on as a Word Document. [On the PC it saves the document as a Word Document.]

I don't always get the help for it either. [The button with the help menu for the template doesn’t always show up.] (There is a way to access that if I need it.) I don't think all the functions will be automatic. It needs to go from titles to text by itself, that sort of thing. I will experiment with it and see how frustrating it is. So far it isn't too frustrating. I just have to do some things manually rather than they happening automatically.

[I think I might get it to work passably by starting the document on the PC and working on a copy via the MacBook. I tried that once already. It was a version of chapter 1 that I saved to the MacBook earlier. I had to hit the "shift" and the "enter" button, in order to put blank spaces between lines of text. (which is how you start a new paragraph) If I just clicked on the "enter" button, nothing happened.]

I did do up a short document as a test of how it works… [I just did a couple pages of a test story.]

…There is also this error message on the document. [an error message on the test story] ‘Error! Reference source not found.’ That is put on there as a "header". [instead of the header that one would normally find on there] That [header] will print out eventually. I can't have that on the final document.

There are three files to each template. One of the files is the ‘help’ menu. I can't get it to treat the files as one unit for some reason. I get it to work fairly perfectly on this machine. [the PC] I have no problems really when I use it on the PC. It isn't a perfect template. [I think] It has issues because it was just put together as a free thing.”

Ok, I should, stick this onto the drive, put it on the PC and then upload it onto the website. I can edit it much better on there if needed. I’m still not used to typing on the MacBook. I keep hitting the wrong keys. And then I need to find a proper fitting table to stick it on. I either have ones too high or too short. I should have something in the house that will work.

End… (for now) Nope! (see below)

February 17, 2009 Part B...

I finished the book, “How To Write an uncommonly Good Novel”. I must have finished it on the 15th. I am going to keep the book by the computer. There's a couple of spots I have marked with "Post-it" notes. They are things I will probably be referring to over time.

I should be going. This is taking longer than I wanted it to. (got distracted with television for a bit)

Done with this posting.

March 4, 2009 Computer Updates... [Right now I'm a PC and I am refusing to tell you my age. Ha! Hopefully soon I will be a Mac!]

My friend got the templates to work properly this past Sunday. (March 1, 2009) That was extremely wonderful!! I even monkeyed [Is that how it is spelled?] around with the first chapter and got it to work properly in the appropriate template. That was great as well. Thanks God!!!! I discovered that I don't have the templates working properly on the PC. That's why things don't work right when I try editing Chapter 1 on the MacBook, via a document which I originally typed on the PC. The templates were in the correct folder but they needed to be in the one for "Administrator" and not the one they automatically went to. I need to figure out how to get them in the correct folder on the PC and they will work properly.

As I kept doing things over the weekend I wondered why my left wrist was hurting. I can understand my right one hurting. It does that. The left wrist was feeling like it was sprained or had some injury. It hurt to lift anything, it hurt to grasp my drinking water bottle. It really hurt to wrest my chin in the palm of my left hand, which is a natural thing to do. Then I remembered the typing I did on Saturday. Wresting my head in my hand puts pressure on the hand in the direction it was being held while I was typing. I was finishing a letter to my brother in law on Saturday. I was typing as fast as I could on the Mac as it sat on the dining room table. That's probably the source of the pain. 1. the table is too high when I sit in the chair that came with the table. 2. the MacBook really needs a way for me to stick a wrist wrest (not a tongue twister) onto it. I looked up wrist wrests for MacBook online. All I found were these thin sleeve like things that attach to the places where the palms of the hands would wrest. They are to keep jewelry from scratching the MacBook. They are to keep the MacBook from getting discolored by hands. I need an actual thing to prop up my wrists so my hands are flatter as they type. I need to elevate the palms of my hands. The combination of the lack of wrist (hand) support and the fact that the table is too high for typing = very painful wrist. Oh! Then there was the post (above) which I did on the MacBook. I may have typed the above post on another table which is a little bit better for typing, but not much.

Right now I am trying to wrest my wrist as best as I can. I have a wrist brace which I got for my right hand. I was very grateful to find out that the wrist brace is for either hand. Douglas is working on some stiff foam that will work great as wrist wrests. I am still working on that famous "To Do" list (correspondence) that I keep writing about. I got some stuff mailed off on Saturday when I mailed off the letter to my brother in law.

When I get a table set up that is appropriate for the chair I want to sit in; and when I get the wrist healed up; when I get proper wrist wrests fixed so I am comfortable; and the "To Do" list is further along; I hope begin re-writing Chapter 1. I want to write it in present tense and add some elements to make it less quiet. My goal is to be able to work on it when the weather gets warm. I want to work outside under the garage door. I have really been craving warm weather lately. I'm really thinking of getting a wireless keyboard. I think that will work out best. That way I don't have to strain my neck to view the screen of the MacBook as I am typing. It's good to keep the head up.

I really need to finish this posting. The wrist is not going to heal at this rate. Even with the wrist brace, the wrist feels like it is getting a workout. I can't type with this wrist brace on as it interferes with the keys. It also gets in the way of the "trackpad" on the MacBook. Hopefully the wrist wrests foam that Douglas is working on, will keep my hands from hitting the "trackpad" as well.

Need to leave feedback for a Radio Drama book I got on eBay.

Round two... As usual I stick this on the website and re-read a sentence only to find I left a word out, so the whole thing needs re-reading etc...

More later....

March 5, 2009 This one is being typed on a Mac. (Part A) (March 5-14 posts are from one doc. done on the MacBook.)

My wrist is quite a bit better. I bought a wireless keyboard. I am trying it out. It seems to be working fairly well. I bought a foam wrist pad too. "Memory foam wrist rest". I still didn't get the "home" and other keys with this keyboard. To get those keys I would have had to get a wired keyboard. I just hope the wireless doesn't impact on the health of the user. Right now I have the keyboard on a lapboard sitting on my lap.

We did our telephone hookup tonight. Our Bible fellowship is doing a telephone conference call on every other Thursday. An hour will go by really quickly. We picked a New Testament Greek word. We all studied it during the week. We contributed what we studied to a Google document and also to the conversation.

As I type this I feel very little discomfort. I will have to wait and see what it feels like later on to be sure. I think my wrist is pretty much healed from its earlier injury. I don't want to re-injure it.

Ok, I want to go get a snack so I don't get a headache. The news is talking about the Detroit city council… "Elect a crazy council…". Ha! We knew that.

This setup should really do the trick. I'm glad Douglas brought me some corrugated plastic. I used it for waterproof pads to set the teapot on. (to protect furniture) I had some left over from when Douglas cut those. What I had was this one strip. It is great folded in half and stuck under this keyboard. I originally used it under the MacBook itself. I have this fold up "laundry table" that I bought at a thrift store back in the 1980's. It is a portable slanted table that is for folding laundry on. It is early-ish 20th century vintage. It was made of cheap wood. Because of the angle of the table top, the MacBook screen was at an odd angle for looking at. It put a strain on the neck. So, if I put the folded strip of corrugated plastic under the MacBook, it leveled it out so you could see it easier.

March 7, 2009 Part B

The little typing I did on Part A didn't seem to hurt my wrist too much. I shouldn't sit on the sofa with my back twisted like this. I'll have to move in a second. Be right back.

I have really been itching to get back to writing on Osbert Pickle's story. I am also having to teach this computer all the words that aren't in its spelling dictionary. I keep wondering why it says words like Osbert aren't spelled correctly. Then I remember I had to teach the PC those words too.

This set up is so good, I guess I don't need Douglas to make up those wrist wrests.

It's funny how the human body works sometimes. I have an index finger with a "hang nail" sore on it. I the next finger I burned on the oven shelf last night as I went to retrieve some pizza. (I didn't have the pot holder gripped well enough and my finger gripped the shelf directly instead of through the pot holder.) The finger next to that has a nice paper cut from the plastic package with the wrist wrest in it. The paper cut is some what sore when it gets touched. The burned finger doesn't hurt really. I feel a sort of phantom pain in that finger. When it is not being touched I feel a sting in it. If I feel of the burned part of the finger, it doesn't hurt at all. Yet the end of the forefinger stings as if it was the finger which was burned. It's very weird.

March 8, 2009 Part C

I meant to have this done and posted already. I "didn't did it" yet.

The wireless keyboard setup seems to be a great way to do the writing. I just don't know what having a wireless device in my lap will do. I have it on a lapboard my sister gave me quite some years ago. I know they can't seem to prove any health problems related to cell (mobile) phones. Experts warn people to limit a child's use of them. They thought that police radar guns were safe until the policemen who kept them in their laps or had them pointed at their heads developed cancers. I took an amateur radio course. The FCC has set Radio Frequency exposure limits. If someone is transmitting via an amateur radio, there are limits to the amount of time they can be on the air. There are rules about allowing children to play near the antenna while someone is transmitting. It is well known that someone should never transmit while someone is working on the antenna. A person will suffer burns from the inside out if they are working on a transmitting antenna while someone is using it for transmitting. A cell phone, and a wireless whatever it may be these things are radio transmitters. It is not good to take things lightly. I venture to guess (although I do NOT know for sure) that the RF radiation from the wireless keyboard and mouse is very low. Should I set the keyboard on a lead wrapped lapboard? Or should I believe God to keep me well and safe? I will believe God to keep the radiation from bothering me as I learn the safety of such devices.

It is very late again. I will write more during the day Sunday. I want to knock out some more correspondence from the "To Do" list while I am at it.

More soon… (hopefully with news of actual work)… I really do like typing on this little keyboard. It is a really great thing. I don't like to turn it off. Ok. I'm gone.

March 8, 2009 Part D

Here I am again. I had Douglas get the wooden box I put my feet on when I sit at the PC. Now I don't have to sit here on my "tip toes". It is much kinder on my knees this way. I am doing this document in order to work out the kinks in my system. I think we got it all sorted.

I can't wait for warm weather. I want to work outside. Not much has been happening lately. We are watching Law and Order on Bravo. It's quite a story. Cat wants out but she has to meow before I'll let her out. Douglas changed it to the news on Ch. 2 our Fox affiliate. We are trying to encourage the cat to meow. She sits and stares at us when she wants something. She won't let us know what she wants. (not that we understand meow any better than stares) The old cat (Coal) w --- she meowed so I had to let her out. Yea! Coal was very vocal. She would meow too much at times. But she really let you know what she wanted.

March 14, 2009

I thought of something the other day. I need to have the "multi language support" set up for this software on the MacBook. I forgot I had some Latvian words in my story. That takes a special alphabet. I need my friend to supply the disk for it. I set up the Mac software and Office 2008 for Mac to have the languages. But I need the software I use with the templates to have the languages. When I get that done I will be all set. Yea!

I got some of the stuff done on my "to do" list. I just have a few other things to do on it. Still waiting for warm weather. It is like waiting on very cold molasses to pour out of a jar.

I am using the new typing set up with the wrist brace. I have been sitting on my hands lately, so my wrist was bothering me. I'm watching an old episode of the Canadian Antiques Roadshow.

Ok, I am off to get to bed. I want to take a quick look and remember where to set up the languages. Now they are airing a Steven and Chris. I'm watching the CBC if you hadn't noticed.

See you later.

Part B

Here I am again. I managed to be able to put the languages on here without the software disk. I couldn't do Chinese, but I don't normally need that. I have that elsewhere on the computer. I now have Latvian, German, English---British English, Canadian English etc. The British English allows me to type the £ symbol. I use that most of all. I'll have to go onto the PC tomorrow and write down which language I set up on there.

This should be it for now! Yea! I don't need any help from my friend. Well I need help with the games. I can't get all the games to work on here.

March 23, 2009 playing ketch-up-- (catch up) (Typed on the PC.)

I added to the 2009 "Fan Calendar". For that matter, I added to the "2008 Fan Calendar". While I was at it, I decided to put the post above on here. And then I decided to add this post. Might as well upload everything at once. Right? I just hope the hours of work on the 2009 Fan Calendar is still there. This program was closed down by the computer a while ago. I saved things, but didn't back up the page yet.

Don't have all the games working yet. I really miss playing "Pipe Dream". I don't know why. I can play it on this PC. For some reason it is "funner" to play them on the MacBook. And no, I didn't sleep with the MacBook the first night we bought it. (As if I were a kid with a new toy. "Can I sleep with it?")

The wireless keyboard set up is very good. Don't know how it will work outside. The black-ish chairs from the basement will be too tall to sit in. I've tried one of those. I need the box I set my feet on to work at he PC. My legs are too short. I either have to sit "on my tip toes" as it were, which kills my knees and isn't good for the ankle muscles and tendons. (does what high heals do [November 30, 2011, "what high heels do"!]) If I don't do that, my lap goes at an angle and the items on the lap board slide off. This isn't good. I've already dropped the Mighty Mouse a few times that way. It fell on carpet thank God! I can't afford to do that on concrete. Douglas will be working four day weeks for the "duration". Or at least for "the foreseeable".

Anyway, for now in the living room it works great. I will try using the chair we got last? summer when someone threw it away. It has a wood seat. Might be a little hard on the rear. If the chair works, I'll find a pillow for it. I have the one I made for Kitty (Coal) some years ago. It should work fine, as it never got "smushed" enough for her to lay on. (I over-stuffed it heavily.) I know I'll figure something out. I am very resourceful. Who knows, I might use that metal typewriter stand in the basement. Wish I could find another little wooden and metal one like I used to "construct" this PC desk. If only I could reconstruct this room outside under the garage door... I know, I'll just "copy and paste" one outside. Ha!

(By the way... "the box I set my feet on" = this wooden box that jars of hot sauce came in. My stepmother gave us the hot sauce and I use the box to set my feet on. I stuck some wall paper onto the bottom of the box so I wouldn't get splinters in my feet.)

Nearly done with the "to do" list. At least that is my memory now. I got some of it done this week. I'm working now on a letter to my nephew. Have been promising myself that I'd write him since he moved to Fla. He's been there two or three years maybe more.

By the way, I am not, "not working" exactly. I did scribble a note on the "plan of attack" I think it was, only last night. I thought of a title to use as a chapter or section heading. I didn't want to forget it. I would have forgotten it.

As "new" happens, I'll write about it obviously.

June 13, 2009

[July 31, 2009 I know it's been a horribly long time. I'm sticking on here a post I started writing on the MacBook June 13, 2009. I'm editing this page via the MacBook. If there's any changes or updates to the June 13 posting, I'll edit it as I go along. It has been so long since I wrote the posting, there's bound to be things that need updating. Got a wireless router July 19, 2009. Have been using the MacBook almost exclusively. I forgot the earlier problem with left wrist. Been using dining room table and keyboard without the wrist supports and the "shims" under the keyboard. Now wrist is bothering me. Go figure! I was well and thought I was all healed up from the earlier injury. I guess I can re-do it if I don't watch out! Since it is working out to add to the website via the MacBook--- I can set up a journal page and add to it if we are on a trip somewhere. Text below in [ ] = updates written today.]

June 13, 2009...

I haven't written to this in a while. No writing on the story either. Haven't felt like doing much of anything actually. Had a kind of tiredness lately.

I hope that some day I will feel like my "old" self again... but wait, [if I am supposed to be young yet,] wouldn't my "old" self be a future self rather than a past one? Ha! If it is a past self I would like to feel like, then which past self shall it be? The 1985 one perhaps? That's before I met Douglas. Not sure I want to be that person again.

I was watching the end of a movie. I find it a very interesting movie. I don't identify with any of the characters at all. I don't feel like I "know" these people. I like watching it because it makes me thankful that I have the life I have. I wouldn't want a life like that.

Listening to the SW radio now. Picking up a famous "conspiracy theory" program at the moment, via WWCR. (It's the repeat of the programme.) Earlier in the evening I was picking up CFRX (CFRB 1010) from Toronto on 6070. It is the first time in years that I have picked that up. The Redwings lost the game. They didn't win the Stanley Cup. It was kind of sad. I think they were just worn out.

To bring it back to the main topic... I do think about the story. I do imagine myself writing about Osbert Pickle. Bought a book "How to Write", by Baldwin. It uses the King James Bible to teach writing. I bought another Christian "how to write" book. I found it at Shiloh Christian Books on Fort Street. The first book I found via eBay.

June 13, 2009 b

Have the MacBook set up complete. Tried using it outside. Will have to figure out how to plug the MacBook into the one outlet in the garage. Don't know how to do that AND have the radio plugged in [to it] without there being radio interference.

Was writing a letter to my brother in law as I was beginning this post. Couldn't figure out why the computer wanted me to spell, "behavior" as "behaviour". It would say that "behavior" was mis-spelled. It was because the default language was set at Canadian English. I had problems with that before. I couldn't get the keyboard to stay at "American" English. I went and figured out how to fix the default. Am not in Canada so I don't need a Canadian English default. [It is good to be able to type in Canadian English. I have UK English on here too. That way I can type the £ symbol. Can't leave it at UK English, because there are a few more differences in the keyboard. I don't have a map or picture of the British keyboard. I learned to type on an, "American" keyboard.]

July 31, 2009

Short posting to update on the "goings on". Can't do much writing on this as it isn't good for the left wrist. Can't have it permanently screwed up or it will be "curtains" for the writing. Need to wear the wrist brace so that it will remind me to keep the wrist "quiet". Been making a tote for the bin we bought at Ikea. The wireless mouse, keyboard and other accessories fit nicely in the bin. Bin needed a carrying handle, to make it more portable. Are trying to plan a trip to Texas. Got over the tiredness. Been eating lots of fruit this summer. Mostly cherries. Not doing enough bike riding. I blame Douglas' working hours. It has been a cool summer as I have had tea a lot. Normally I drink "hot tea" during the winter months. The wireless router has made for a big distraction! I was downloading things to make the MacBook record streaming audio. Was downloading "widgets" for "Dashboard". That's part of the reason why I resisted getting the Internet on here. It's good for looking up how to spell things, and to see if my "titles" or character names are in use already. Anyway, I'm off to get ready. Douglas said that going to dinner sounded like a good idea. Don't know that it will happen. It might. He has been working very late. The customer needs visor mirrors. They get worked on by the customer who sends them on to the Japanese auto manufacturer. The Japanese company is putting these visor mirrors onto all their new cars even the new line of environmentally friendlier cars. For Douglas, the economy isn't as big a deal as the news media would make out. Oops.... Speaking of things that keep me from writing..... automated telephone sales calls are one of the worst things. They sound like a scam of some sort. Then there's people coming to the door. Lately, I have gotten two "sales calls" at the door from lawn companies. They want to come with their trucks to spray stuff on the yard. We need to take care of the weeds in the grass. The weed to grass ratio is too high. They used to call us on the phone. It was very easy to say no. We got rid of these people for a while. Because of the "do not call list" and such like, they come door to door now. I had a "cue" [a line of people] at the door the other day. While the man was telling me about their lawn chemicals etc. this guy was waiting to hand me a flyer about a political candidate. We are having local elections soon. The guy is running for city counsel. He lives a street or two from our house.

Ok, enough for now. More later. I hope to earnestly write on the novel in the autumn coming up. I know, "We'll see it when it happens".

August 3, 2009

Was holding the July 13 on the MacBook for the longest time. It was a hassle to transfer it to the PC.

Am in the process of scanning in all the notes and outlines I have. They are the final notes. I have a lot of hand written stuff on them too. It is too difficult to try and type all that in now. We are thinking of going on a trip. I want to scan the notes in case I loose them. If I loose them I don't know what I would do. Wouldn't be able to remember all the handwritten stuff. Have the original typed in stuff. Have it on the MacBook as well. Always trying to make the writing portable.

More scanning to do. Was just reconciling this page on the PC with the updated version I did online via the MacBook. I decided to do this quick posting as well.

August 13, 2009

Won't be writing to this page for a short while I think. The writing to this site that I will do (if any) will be on this page....

The guy near us, who was running for city counsel lost in the primary election. He's out of the running. I wanted to vote for him, but did not get to do it. Douglas voted for him in my place. I don't know if I told you, but I got the Windows on the MacBook to type in Chinese. Not that I can read what I type. But being able to type a word or two in Chinese is helpful because I have a Chinese pen pal. Still trying to rest my wrist. I keep typing on it which isn't helpful. As I type I keep the hand at an angle which isn't good.

[removed what went here and stuck it on the "Outside Office" page.]

If you don't see a new posting on here for a while and you want to read something I'm writing, check out this page. If anything gets written to this site in the next few weeks it will be to that page. No guarantees though.

September 13, 2009

Got home from Texas about two weeks ago? Or was it three weeks ago?

I'm in the process of clearing some stuff off the PC so I can renew the anti-virus on there. It is wanting to have it's yearly renewal. When that's done, I can start clearing out the room. I want to re-arrange the room. That involves removing a bunch of stuff from the room. I have to take some books off a book case that is leaning. There's some "maintenance" to the room that needs doing. (making sure the book case is stable; vacuuming the carpet; dusting; de-spider-ing corners and behind things; etc.)

I'm still on the search for an ergonomic spot to stick this MacBook. I need to get the dining room table cleared off. I am trying to re-arrange the room in there so I can stick this onto the desk I bought for $8.00. (I'm writing this as I watch Lewis on PBS Mystery. I just downloaded a thing that's supposed to make the keyboard sound like a typewriter as you type. I've been wanting one of those for the writing. I will turn it on, I will use it until it drives me crazy. I had one before and it did something screwy to the computer. I can't remember what it was. I think it was something the program did to make it so I would register the program or some such. You know, after a while it would cause something annoying to happen so I would register or pay them money. I hope this one does not do that. I had a program that allowed Windows 3.1 to type in different languages. It started doing this countdown thing. It would do the countdown before it would allow you to access anything on the computer. It started off as a short annoyance. I could live with that. Then it got longer with time. Eventually it was around half an hour or so. Douglas made me get rid of it at that point.)

The sound works. It sounds like I am typing on a typewriter. You get Morse code with it as well. That's "way cool" too.

I like typing with it. I still make the usual mistakes. I type with the correct finger of the wrong hand or I reverse the order of letters at times. Sometimes my fingers are faster than the brain. Or is it the brain faster than the fingers? I still miss the "home" and "end" keys which are missing on the built in, as well as the wireless keyboard.

I've been reading, "The Art & Craft of Writing Christian Fiction" by Jeff Gerke. http://marcherlordpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=22 I'll have to write about what I'm reading some other time.

Ok, I need to get a snack and get back to work on the PC. I will write more to this as "news" develops.

September 19, 2009

Quick note. Went to the "big book sale" again yesterday. I bought a bunch of books as usual. I was in the "collectable" books looking for "old" books on "interesting subjects". I picked up one, "On the Art of Writing", by Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch. Then eventually I saw a fairly new paperback copy of, "84 Charing Cross Road" by Helene Hanff. I looked up "Arthur Quiller-Couch" in Wikipedia. There was a link to her [Hanff's] book, "Q's Legacy" which is about, Arthur Quiller-Couch. http://books.google.com.au/books?id=8aUJAAAACAAJ&dq=q%27s+legacy I learned that Helene Hanff's "life long love of books" started, with "On the Art of Writing".

"On the Art of Writing"...

I should have known that I would find this book a difficult read. In the preface, the author uses words like, "bewraying", and "vivacities". "Lecture I, Inaugural", uses the word, "prolixities", in about the second sentence.

I need to go and find some lunch. Will write again soon. AMC is in the middle of "Lonesome Dove" at the moment. I was watching them making and eating biscuits on the screen. I started getting very hungry. [November 7, 2009 That's "American" biscuits and not "British" ones.]

Part B

I should have said above, that I am looking forward to the challenge of attempting to read "On the Art of Writing". Even though it might be "difficult", with the computer on and Google or an online dictionary available, it shouldn't be as difficult. Perhaps I've written about it before, but some day I will write a special posting explaining why dictionaries in book form are very time consuming for me. Such a posting will end up on the "Writing About Books" page.

This part should "by rights" be included on the Writing About Books page. I don't feel like pulling it up and sticking it on there. I'm doing this via the MacBook. I don't have the whole site on here. I'm adding to it a page at a time. Then I have to remember what I added and where, so I can make the copy on the PC match what I stuck on the web, SO that the program won't eat what I've written.

The prices for books at the book sale this year, were $1.00 for paperbacks; $2.00 for hard backs. That is, if they DIDN'T have a colored sticker with a price on the cover. As usual I got some deals.

I'm looking up the book, "On the Art of Writing" in "Bookfinder". (the 1925 edition I have.) The ones that came up started at $28.81 with shipping. That was for an ex-library copy. On the high end, there was one for, $71.35 with shipping. Mine has some condition issues with the spine. I think I paid $1.00 for it. I think it had a colored sticker on it.

I'm looking up my copy of "Shadows of the Stage" by William Winter. I got that yesterday too. I'm not finding the 1896 which I have. I do find the 1895 edition. I see it go for around $9.74 with shipping.

One last book I looked up, "Book on the Physician Himself" by D.W. Cathell. I looked up the 1922 edition which I have. The seller says that this is the last and better edition. They want $35.00 without shipping and $39.00 with shipping.

Ok, I'm going to bed soon. I should get off this. The Travel Channel is showing, "City Slickers" I think. It isn't what I want to view. I was watching the guy eating strange things.

More later.

November 7, 2009

It's "later"---

I'm listening to WGN. The original website needs rebuilding. I hope to get a better program to make it with. I want to try out a free trial version for Mac and see how it will work taking those pages and transferring them to them over. I have put the "writing of conundrum" or "novel writing" pages, onto this site. I got this free Google website to stick them on. If you want current updates to this page, check out the version on this site rather than the one on the original site. I'll try and stick the postings on the original page as they are written here. But it may take time to get them on there.

I've been busy lately. I finished the Tai Chi class this week. Then on October 17, a neighbor gave us a silver gray kitten we have named Sterling. I'll have to get photos on the original site via the picture pages some day.

I really need to go now. I am very sleepy.

Remember, if you want current updates to this page, check out the version on this site rather than the one on the original site.

February 10, 2010

Even "later" yet... These are NOT excuses!! "Life" happens....

It has been a roller coaster these last two or three months. Around Christmas 2009, Douglas' father Norman had two heart attacks. He died Feb. 2, 2010. Hopefully we do a memorial in the spring.

It has been difficult thinking of any novel writing really. It didn't seem the time or place. I have been thinking of the re-do of page 1 of chapter 1. I have been taking general notes as I think of things. I did up two experimental page 1s on September 26, 2009 and January 17, 2009. (I hope to do another revision today.) I also typed up some more of the hand written notes around January 17, 2009. It took a while to complete that, so not sure the exact dates each page was done.

I want to do up my "opening salvo", (page 1 chapter 1) today. I want to eventually finish the outline of Chapter One "as it is now".

I don't know when I'll be able to sit down and work on the book in ernest for long periods of time.

For a long long time, I have had some things I have wanted to do for the fan list pen pals. I want to clear out the back computer room so I can rearrange things and have it as a useful room again. I want to move this computer setup back there. It is in the living room at the moment and it is something of an eyesore. I have a virtual garage sale on a Google site like this one. I want to get stuff on there and have it up and running soon. I want to make some money--- book selling business. I also want to get rid of some stuff around the house here.

I bought and am buying some software disks so I can rebuild the Macbook for the writing if anything ever happens to it. I got a Time Capsule some months ago. I haven't set it up yet as I want to get space in the room first. I want to get a small "regular" printer so I can save the expensive large wide carriage printer.

I'm still reading the book "The Art & Craft of Writing Christian Fiction" by Jeff Gerke. I might have to re-read some of what I've read recently. It has been very difficult to grasp what was being read. I want to re-read/read "Write His Answer" by Marlene Bagnull. (I want to start over at the beginning and read what I read already, and read what I haven't read yet.)

I read a bit of an old book I bought recently, "Men and Books and Cities" by Robert Cortes Holliday. He writes about Booth Tarkington (who was still living) amongst others which gives you some idea of how "old" the book is. I guess you know why I bought this and was reading it. I found it funny in spots, which was a welcome comic relief to recent events. I have become "fixated" with buying books about books, since I started writing this story. I also bought three books, "The Literary Life" with biographical sketches (sort of) about authors of the past, by Phelps & Deane. I got the "Encyclopedia of Mystery & Detection" which is about murder mystery authors, books and characters. The third book is "Bookmen's Trio". (Walter Hart Blumenthal) It has three sections about different kinds of books. (collecting) There's one section on cookbooks.

Douglas will be home soon. He's bringing Sterling home from the vet's office. Sterling got his "snip" (no kittens and no spraying). He also got a micro chip. The computer place called, some of my software came in today. (I have to get the last bit on eBay.) Douglas needs to take the ink we just got back there when he gets the software. The wrong ink came in. (They ship the ink to the house.)

Sterling is home. He is very well considering. Can't let him out for a couple of weeks. Have to be careful and not allow any excessive running or any jumping. He has to take it easy for about a week. Oh! He can't lick his wound too much.

Will write more when it is available and as something new happens.

March 22, 2010

"Further yet to the end?"..... Don't expect me to be writing to this journal or to Osbert Pickle's story for a while. I want to enter a short story into the annual Writers Digest competition. (79th Annual Writing Competition) http://www.writersdigest.com/competitions You can learn more about my efforts by clicking on the link to "Lums Chapel Whoop-de-doo" which is now on this website.

It shouldn't take me long (famous last words) to do this story, as it involves characters and settings which I have already been working with for a long time. (20 years or so)

To learn more click on, "Lums Chapel Whoop-de-doo" there's a journal on there as well.

April 30, 2010 (April 30, thoughts which are written on May 1, 2010.) progress update...

Lately, I have mostly worked on the other story on this website. (See, Lums Chapel Whoop-De-Doo.) This is a version of the posting I just stuck on that journal. I won't get the first chapter as short story written in time for the competition which ends in May. I've also been working at going to bed earlier. That's a priority right now. On Thursday (April 29) I started the Tai Chi class again.

Check out the journal for the other story on this site, "To Them That's Left". I still take notes for this story as I've worked on that one. I'm reading through the latest "Writer's Digest" which came in the mail this week. (or was that last week?) As I read through it I think of things that need doing to the "Osbert Pickle" story. I got a bug to write to it lately. (not that I have written to it) I figured out how to do chapter two. I just don't know how to start chapter one exactly. I think I have it done some what. As far as chapter two goes, I have known for a long time that I need to make the villain more prominent rather than vague. I figured out how to introduce him.

Now that I have this site set up the way it is, I will probably trade off working on both stories to a point. I'm thinking one story will eventually win out and get finished. As I get a bug to write to one I'll do it. It gets stale a little and I will probably gravitate to the other story. I figure that if they get done what difference does it make. So long as I make progress.

Ok, enough for now, I am going to finish sticking this version of this posting on here then I have to go to bed. Check back to the journals from time to time in order to keep up with my writing progress.

July 10, 2010

I have been working on the Osbert, Pickle lately. I've been reading, two books. I first read, "Making a Literary Life" by Carolyn See. I ended up marking it up with my famous red pen. I found it a bit "new agey". Now I am reading, "Reading Like a Writer" by Francine Prose. I am reminded of lots of things, especially while reading "Reading Like a Writer". When I finish with "Reading Like a Writer" I want to start in earnest, reading, "Word Painting" by Rebecca McClanahan. I've read a little of, "Word Painting". Since I know I can finish a book I start, I wanted to finish, "Reading Like a Writer" before I started the next one. It seems like such an interesting book.

As I read the first two books, I would think of both stories on this site. I would scribble notes. I had also started writing some, "experimental starts" or "alternative starts" to the Osbert Pickle story. Presently, I am working on the one dated, "July 6, 2010". I've just about, "nailed" this one, "start". When I get it finished, I want to start in earnest on the next part of chapter 1. I need to think about what would happen next. I have a pretty good idea. Then I need to outline it so I know where I'm going. I don't want to paint myself into a corner. Douglas says that it doesn't matter how good this, "start" is. What matters is what comes next. That's not exactly how he words it. I think what he means is, he won't know how good or bad this, "start" is, until I get more written to it. He keeps saying, "It depends upon what comes next". He really doesn't know if this is good or not in the grand scheme of things. He likes it so far. He isn't a writer or editor. I do value his opinion though. He reads a lot. I know the beginning of the story is very important. I think this one will work, unless [until] someone more knowledgeable tells me otherwise.

I wish I could find a good grammarian to talk to. I need help with punctuation and points of grammar. I wonder if they would know... do I really need to write my story in past tense? I think the heat is getting to this computer. I have tried to have it on at a minimum. It has been over 100F or 38C this week. It is much cooler now. I heard two explosions today. Don't think they were fireworks. Not sure exactly. This is the week of July 4. Lots of fireworks of the unofficial kind have been going off.

Oh! This week I watched David Suchet in a documentary about the "Orient Express". It's kind of inspiration for the goings on in the, "Rumback Hotel" in my story. Then I learned today, about a "rehearsed reading", "my favorite actor" was in. It was a "rehearsed reading" of a new play. They said, "We hope to open the play in the West End in the Autumn.". I don't know if this was a, "one off" thing. Does this mean "my actor" will be in the play if it comes to the West End in the autumn? I need to keep my eye out for a date. Douglas said I could look into what tickets to London would cost. But we would have to book flights early to get a deal. It is very exciting.

I have here a list of the various, "starts" listed by date.

August 31, 2009

Two-- September 26, 2009

January 17, 2010

February 1, 2010

June 29, 2010

July 6, 2010

More as it happens.

July 20, 2010 a (There's, a, b, and c, postings to this post. Parts "b" and "c" of this posting were done in one sitting.)

Been working on, "Alternative Start of July 14, 2010" lately. Have to go soon storm outside. Working with battery. Need to turn off computer. I went to "I Write Like" and put in what I have of this "start". It said I wrote like James Joyce. "The world" considers this man to be one of the greatest writers. I'm not sure I would like his subject matter.

Hopefully the code below will come out like a "badge" or thing on here. Ok, I got that to work. Storm here, must go.

More later. (see amendments to this posting below)

July 20, 2010 b (parts "b" and "c" of this posting were done in one sitting.)

As I said above, I have been working on, "Alternative Start of July 14, 2010" lately. I think I have it nailed. (except for grammar, punctuation and having it written in past tense) Started an outline to the rest of the chapter. Should go pretty fast when I finish the outline. ["famous last words"]

What I was thinking, is that I should do up a "good enough for now" version of the first chapter. I should fix the punctuation as I learn how. Then I should find a writer's critique group. I need to find someone who is more knowledgeable than I am. Then I can be mentored maybe. At the very minimum I want to find someone to tell me if I am doing this correctly. I don't want to get too far into it and then have to go and re-write it in past tense. I am wondering if there's too much telling and not enough showing. I have a few puzzles that need solving before I get too far into it. If I get it all written and have to solve puzzles like too much telling or have to stick it in past tense, then I will get overwhelmed. If I get overwhelmed like that, the story might not get finished. (probably won't)

Another thing.... I don't want to write like these, "devilish," "worldly" writers. I want to write as godly as I can. As it says in the Bible, "Iron sharpeneth Iron". This is meaning that believers help keep each other "stay sharp". (remember, the "doctrine, reproof and correction" --- see scripture references below) I need to keep looking for a Christian writer's group. If I have to settle for a "plain old" writer's group that will have to do until I find a Christian group. Who knows, I might have to start one. I have tried to Google for what I'm looking for. I can't seem to find one. Either I don't know what to type into Google to find it, or there isn't one in Dearborn. I probably need to broaden the search to "South East Michigan".

Proverbs 27:17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

I originally started this section of the posting with:

I went and put in a great deal of the "original chapter 1" into, "I Write Like". It now says I write like H.P. Lovecraft.

More July 20, 2010 Posting... part "c" (parts "b" and "c" of this posting were done in one sitting.)

I don't think I want to write like, James Joyce OR H. P. Lovecraft! You can click on their names and read why. I don't know whether to be offended, or what. As usual it is probably, "or what". Ha!

I want to take and stick in there, the previous posting on this page, July 10, 2010. Let's see what that does. Yuck! Yucky!! Yuckiest!!!! It says I write like H. P. Lovecraft again! How in the world????

Ok the writing books came in the mail today. "They 'magically' fell from the sky" as I try and "convince" Douglas. He knows the truth, and that the truth is usually, "it came via eBay". You say now, "What writing books?". They are the ones I bought the other day off eBay. (7-16-10) There's seven of them. They were $9.39 with shipping. (all paperbacks) Some (ONE) I have already. They'll go in the "virtual garage sale pile". They came in a box that originally held, "stackable jewelry trays". Here's a list of the books and what will get done with them. (not enough are going into the "sale" pile)

The Elements of Style, Stuk and White --- sale (HAVE)

The Persuasive Person, James Watkins 1981 --- sale (do not want it)

Effective Magazine Writing, Roger C. Palms 2000 --- sale (don't see myself writing magazine articles)

New Guidebook to Successful Christian Writing, Christian Writer's Institute 1990 --- keep (for the history and because it looks, "interesting"-- it is horribly out of date though)

Publisher's Notebook, E. Ralph Hostetter 1999 --- keep (it is various newspaper columns from what looks like a "small town" newspaper by a "crusading newspaper editor... ...he continually warns of the erosion of our constitutional rights" --- my father owned and edited a small town newspaper)

A Christian Writer's Manual of Style, Bob Hudson & Shelley Townsend 1988 --- keep (this might come in handy although I suspect it is out of date--- "we'll see")

Woe is I, Patricia T. O'Conner 1998 --- keep (I have been wanting one of these for a while. With a subtitle of, "The Grammarphobe's Guide to Better English in Plain English" it had better be a good book and help me where I am sorely lacking --- grammar. "Where's your grammar?!" "Upstairs making cookies".) [p.s. I looked this up in Amazon. I read all the one and two star reviews. I guess I have to eat this. I wouldn't want to give it or sell it to someone hoping to learn grammar with it.]

--End-- (of list)

I'm going to catalogue the one set of books onto LibraryThing. I want to look up, "Woe is I" and learn more about it. I have a Coronation Street on video to watch. That way I don't have to record today's, I can watch it live. Might accidently boil some potatoes. Discovered "new" or "baby" potatoes. Used to eat them all the time. One of my favorite things. Boiled with butter and salt on them. Yum!!!! I need to leave feedback for the books too. Almost forgot. They came from Florida. They came very fast. I thought they came via, "media mail" not sure though. Yea. That's what's stamped on the box wrapper, "media mail". They arrived awfully fast for "media mail".

Off to get some "work" done. Will write again obviously.

September 12, 2010

Obviously it is later, and I'm writing again... in other words, "What is it now?".........

Went to a picnic on Sept. 11. It was the annual Michigan picnic we have with the various fellowships in Michigan. My friend Tony asked when I was going to finish my "Osbert Pickle" story. He read what little I have done to it. He is really itching to read more. That's a good thing. He also wants to see more of "Napoleon" Osbert's little dog. (He wants to see more of Napoleon in the story. I don't want Napoleon to be a talking dog. I don't want to have him thinking out loud either. I don't know how to have him in the story more exactly. He will be in there a lot though. He is one of the main characters.)

I've hit a snag on August 15, 2010. This means I have been in terrible pain lately. The pain has gotten better with time. I am going in for outpatient surgery on the 27th of Sept. You can read about the situation here.

When the pain was raging at its height, I was able to sort through the many "old" newspapers I collected over the years. (mid 1990's to 200?) I put into the recycling more than I have saved. I still have a ways to go. As the pain is much better, I feel like doing more pressing work. At least the "collection" is diminished quite a bit. Douglas thinks I did about half --- I think that's what he said. I don't look at it as not working though. If I get some clutter cleared out, then I can have a more free (less cluttered) mind, which will allow me to work on the writing easier.

I have lots going on lately.

Douglas was off work that week the pain started. We were having a new roof put on. We are having lots of plumbing work. Replacing the 71 year old pipes in the house. Got a new "set tub" the other day. The old one was vintage 1939. It was a double concrete sink. It was removed with hard work and a sledge hammer by our friend Brian the plumber. He said the old one was a harbor of bacteria.

Then there's the various doctor's appointments, including a physical and a dental checkup. There's a wedding we are going to on the 25th. I wanted to get some clothes for that. (We might need to buy stockings yet.) We had the picnic yesterday. The "big book sale" is Thursday. I'm trying to get some wanted books onto a list to stick in the "Moleskine Passions Book Journal" that I bought. (There's templates on the Moleskine website. You can type in text and print it out and it will be the correct size for the notebook. I'm printing these on 9 pound bond [air mail paper]. There's a way to print on that thin of paper. Ask me if you want to know how.) And Tai Chi starts up again on Friday. The "Osbert Pickle" story isn't too far from my mind. But there are other things on the front burner.

Oh yes, I almost forgot. It will soon be time to get the room ready for Royden again. I wanted to get the computer room cleared out so we could re-arrange the furniture in there. I want to be able to use the Time Machine we bought for this MacBook. I want to use the MacBook in the computer room. I want to stick it on my desk. We need to make room to do these things. So, I was hauling boxes into the bedroom across the hall. The room didn't get re-arranged in time. I may have to put all the boxes back in the computer room. Urgh! I hope to empty some of the boxes and put stuff "away" in some fashion. Don't know that it will happen. It's getting late in the year, and I need to remember to work on the room for Royden's visit. I want to plan for his visit, never know he's actually coming until later on though. He will know closer in.

Ok, gotta go. I will keep you updated as to the eye situation on this other page.

As usual will write again as things come up.

September 12, 2009 b (amendments)

You know, through every step of all these doctor visits and having to get referrals etc. God has been there. God makes things go so much smoother than when I try to do it by my own efforts. Be careful what you pray for, prayer works! I feel as if I have dingbat-ism a lot lately. I know it is because I have been trying to get up early a lot lately. I haven't gotten enough sleep at times. But more importantly I have not always been sleeping WHEN my body clock says it is time to sleep. Even if I get enough sleep, I will feel like I am awake in the middle of the night if I get up at a "reasonable time" in the morning. When I go in for the physical I want to hand the doctor a paper with all the things I would like to address at some point. The sleep disorder is going to be one thing on the list. Don't know if we will get them all addressed that day. There won't be enough time in the day for that.

My poor clock.... I have this cheap clock from the BBC. If you ordered their radio schedule magazine, you got a clock. I think the "destructions" (directions) say not to run it with a dead battery. I did that. Now the display will not show all the numbers properly. Sometimes I think it has righted itself. But some parts of some numbers won't display. For a while it showed these other numbers or symbols in the background. That meant that I saw times on there like 39:00. It was just the shadows showing through.

Ok, enough for now. "As per", etc.

September 12, 2010 ( July 26, 2011 This can't be the correct date for this posting. The blog was set up on September 29, 2010 and the first posting was posted on October 2, 2010.)

I have a blog now. It's a free one. It is much nicer than the one I had some years ago. You can view the new blog by clicking, here. ("Our Christian Home"-- "The Admiral and Writer at Home" http://TheAdmiralandWriteratHome.blogspot.com/) If you don't see new posts on here, I might be posting stuff onto the blog.

You can make note of the address to the blog. You can check back there in order to see if I have written anything new. You can sign up and subscribe to the posts--that way when I write new stuff on there, you will automatically get the updates. Don't ask me how that works or what it does. I think you have to have a "news reader" (rss feed). If I don't write anything new to the blog, I'll be writing here.

Am recovering from the outpatient surgery. (Dacryocystorhinostomy which is a, "big word" saying that they put a new hole in my head.) I haven't felt like doing much real writing. I have been itching to write to the story though. I shouldn't have my head bent over so much. (But here I am writing to this, and I set up a blog!) They see me again on Tuesday, for a "look see". I get the plastic tube out after it has been in 3 weeks. I don't have that appointment yet. I've had something like a cold too. Some kind of sinus thing or nasal congestion. It means lots of phlegm. It's really getting autumn, so the house is getting cold. I think the plumbing is done maybe. I write about that on the blog. Another reason for not writing... I have to sleep with my head elevated. I don't know if we have too many pillows or not. All I know is I don't sleep as well as I should. And since I sleep with the mouth open so I can breath, I wake up with headaches from being dehydrated and hungry. I seem to walk around lately feeling like I need to be in bed sleeping. Yet, the thought of being in bed trying to sleep, seems like work. Can't wait until I can sleep, "normally".

Ok, I'm off to let the friends (followers?) on FaceBook know I have the blog. I don't really "do" FaceBook. I am on there, but I don't do much on there. I am one of those rare people on there who, "doesn't get FaceBook" I guess.

Had Spain on via short-wave radio. It's time to turn it off. The football is over and they are doing the chatting at the end of the game. Since I don't know Spanish this part is always horribly interesting. Ha!

See ya!

August 10, 2010

Have not been writing to story as such. Have been making lots of notes. Been re-reading the Writer's Digest and looking at that with, "Osbert Pickle," in mind. Anyway am making a PDF of this document so I can put it on the iPad. I got that on June 26, 2011 to make the writing even more portable. Been busy, busy, busy, but getting nothing done.

November 30, 2011 Howdy ya'll! [With amendments and corrections added, December 1, 2011.]

Haven't done much writing to the, "Osbert Pickle". I bought an iPad2, June 26, 2011 in order to make the writing even more portable. This MacBook has become my main computer. Still have the PC but don't turn it on much. (I can't write to this website via the iPad2.)

If you can't tell, I am easily distracted. Bought and or just downloaded apps on the iPad2 that are writing apps or have to do with writing. (Dropbox, Evernote, Celtx Script, iA Writer, My Writing Spot, A Novel Idea, WikiPad) I downloaded a couple of typewriter apps. They are mostly for fun. I tried out iA Writer, and that seems to work great. I use Dropbox a lot. [I call it, "Droopdox" (droopdocs) which gets garbled as, "Droopd*x" (i.e. something naughty) if I am tired and not careful.] I am trying out WikiPad to stick the notes in, but think A Novel Idea might work better for note taking. I really like having the notes on paper. I like working from the notes directly. I need to have them on a stand and be able to view them as I am typing. (I have a folding music stand that I stick beside the computer table.) It is too mentally taxing to close one program or shrink it and flip to another program or page to view notes. I have different categories of notes. That would mean having three or more word documents open at once. It is too difficult to flip between them. Some of the note documents are long. It is too slow to search them.

I like to be able to scratch the text off with a red pen or pencil. That way I can see what was there under the scratching. If I delete it from a program, it is gone. Until I got the iPad2 I didn't have a way to look at a computer document while typing. With the iPad2 things will be different. I was just re-looking at, "A Novel Idea". It looks like it will be better than the WikiPad app. I don't know how to import things into it though. I need a way to take all the desperate? disparate? -- yes, disparate! -- I need a way to take all the disparate notes and lump them together in appropriate clumps. "A Novel Idea," looks like it will work for that.

Ok, what I've been doing.....

When I write about what I am reading... It is not constant reading all day long. It is reading as or if I get a spare moment. It is a page here or there.

This summer and autumn I was reading through the Writer's Digests (and a few other writer's magazines I got samples of on eBay). As I find something relevant, I make note of it. I was reading and re-reading and making note of which articles apply to this story. As I read, ideas come to mind that I want to add to the story. It is an ongoing process. There's more Writer's Digests than I can read without being distracted and they keep coming. One can read them around the actual writing. I have thought of un-subscribing to them but can't bring myself to do it. My goal is to read what I have; get myself caught up; and then keep caught up by reading each one and taking notes when they come. I am not re-reading many of them. If I have read and article before, I make note of its relevance as I read the headline.

I got distracted and have been reading, "London at Home" by M.V. Hughes. It is a wonderful book by a favorite author. I wonder how much of her 1930's London is still there now after the blitz. I've been recently reading her account of life and work around the Docklands area. I know things have really changed in that part of London since she wrote her book. She wrote of seeing the stacks of the luxury cruise ships between the roofs of houses. I don't think that can happen any more.

I have still yet to finish, "The Art & Craft of Writing Christian Fiction" by Jeff Gerke and "Reading Like a Writer" by Francine Prose. I have recently started reading, "Poem Crazy" by Susan Goldsmith Wooldridge. I thought it would be good to read as I want this story to have good descriptions. I want a poetic quality to the writing. I want the reading of it to be like experiencing a vivid dream. This is a great book because it is small-ish and can fit in the purse (handbag) I take with me places. I like to take a book with me as I never know where I will get stuck with nothing to do.

[There appears to be a light dusting of snow on the ground outside the house. This is the first snow of the year--- I mean this season. It isn't officially winter yet, yet I guess this means that winter weather has arrived. Douglas says it is a bit early for snow, but it is not unexpected this time of year. (Which is contradictory I know. He doesn't know when the date is for the first snow of the season. Meaning, he doesn't know when it is too early for snow--- when the first snow usually falls.) ]

More distractions...

Of course there is always the British Country Living magazine. I get those too. I went to the book sale again this year. I got a book of poetry, "The New Poetry" by Harriet Monroe and Alice Corbin Henderson [1921]. Probably none of these poems are Biblically correct. Some of them have a some what Biblical theme to them, but are they Biblically accurate? Are they written to be a blessing or is their aim to trash God's Word? I will judge each one individually.

Almost forgot these...

Last autumn or winter I bought another of Mr. Gerke's books, "Plot Versus Character". Earlier in the year, I was reading a copy of, "The Book Lover's Diary" it was filled out by this married couple. I got as far as March 16. They filled this book out in the late 1930's and into the 1940's. They had different tastes in books. He seemed to read more than she did---at least he wrote more than she did. He eventually writes about his wife having a baby girl. I guess she became too busy to read much. I read all of, "A Pound of Paper" by John Baxter. That was good research for the, "Osbert Pickle". It really gave me some good ideas about how Osbert would conduct his work. These were things I never thought of before. I bought an Australian book, "Fossicking for Old Books," by Anthony Marshall. [Fossicking is like prospecting or hunting.] I started it, and it seems like a neat book. I just need to read other stuff before I finish that one.

Amendment... I downloaded, Jeff Gerke's E-book, "How To Find Your Story". I have yet to fill it out. It seems very interesting though. I also downloaded lots of writing podcasts and such from either the podcasts on iTunes and from iTunesU. Some of them are from Universities in England. The cool thing is they are free and I can listen to them as I do work around the house. Because they are audio only ---- some have text--- they are not so distracting like television.

I have been trying to find a leather portfolio briefcase (slide? I need to learn the name for what I want to find) that has pockets in it. I have one but it is falling apart due to dry rot. I would try to find a new made one, but they don't seem to make items like this anymore. It is good to put the note taking and magazines in it. It is great because it has an, "everything its place quality" to it. This search means that I have been hitting up charity thrift stores. We went to one thrift store in a better neighborhood. Their books were new in some cases. I found a wonderful copy of, "The Paris Wife" by Paula McLain [2011]. I know it is fiction but I like reading about Hemingway sometimes. Fiction should be easier to read, [than a dry history book]. I will just have to remember that this is fiction as I read it. I am tempted to start reading it. I read the beginning of it some. The author is also a poet. I like some aspect of how she writes. Not sure I will like the subject 100%. These people weren't living the most Biblical of lives. It will be like watching a Woody Allen movie [rather, "film"]. I watch them and feel very thankful I don't live like the characters in the stories. I usually know no one who lives like that.

[Actually I prefer going to thrift stores in, "lesser" neighborhoods, they tend to have older stuff.]

It is that season again, that we are going to clean house for Royden's visit. (Douglas dad's cousin) I have a project I need to do in January. Then I want to work on the novel in ernest. I have it all mapped out for the most part. I just need to sit and write it. (I've said this before haven't I.)

I have a list made of, "new" [brand new on the market, or new to me] books dealing with Christian writing. Mostly, "how to" type books. Some are anthologies of writing advice from Christian writers. Some of the books are from a conservative, "Evangelical" perspective, and some are from a liberal, "Mainline" perspective. I want to get one or two or three or four... of these on the list. I bought a copy of the, "Oxford Dictionary of First Names". I really need that for naming characters, as I am exhausting the author's names on the books that sit around my computer. I have downloaded a couple of baby naming apps on the iPad too.

Another distraction lately--- I got an actual Moleskine notebook to keep a hand written journal in. I have been decorating some of the pages with collage illustrations. I enjoy collecting collage material. I like cutting and gluing too. Oh! This week I re-purposed a notebook that I had saved back. It is a notebook, like one my mother gave me. I had it saved for when the book my mother gave me became full. I decided that I needed a, "poetry / commonplace" book. (A book to write poems, take notes for poems, collect interesting words, quotes and other such things.) I came to know I needed such a book while reading, "Poemcrazy". I wanted one that was portable. I would have used the book my mother gave me, but there is stuff in there I don't want to loose. This, "new" book, I can take with me where ever I go. I hated buying a new book for this purpose. It is difficult to find notebooks for the exact purpose I need them f

Oh, oh, oh! My, my, my! I almost forgot to write this...

I went and spent a good amount of time getting some how to write, and info. about writing, that I printed off the Internet, into a book. (three ring binders) That took a while to do as I got so far with it and procrastinated about the rest of it. It was a relief to get it done. I had it all in one large notebook custom made by me (with help from Douglas). I was tired of not being able to find anything in it. So I went and sorted each document into categories. It was a sorting the sorting and then sorting it again kind of thing. I split it into three notebooks. The large book, I made with help; and two store bought notebooks. One of the store bought ones was probably one of Douglas' H & R Block binders re-purposed (up cycled) with decorative shelf paper applied to the outside cover.

More...

I keep getting ideas for more stories too. I began a notebook for notes about a story called, "Pioneers of the Space, 'out West'". It's a sci-fi story that takes place on a moon far away. I thought about writing it up and entering it as a radio drama in the next BBC WS competition. I hit a glitch and need to research a point in the story before I write any more to it. Just this past week or so I made up a notebook for a story called, "Bloom". I hope it isn't too much like the French movie, "Amélie". I don't think it will be. It is about this young woman as she blooms or grows in her life. I don't figure it will hurt to take notes for stories I will write, "some day". Not everything I think of will fit in the, "Osbert Pickle" story. I was also thinking of things and scribbling notes for my Lums Chapel stories. I got out a small notebook, to put notes in for, "Eleanor's Story," a Lums Chapel story. I don't know if I will actually write her story, but I need a space to scribble notes.

We tested this journal out on the iPad2. Douglas was reading it as I typed on it. If I saved it, and he hit, "refresh," the changes were fairly instant on the iPad2. Way cool!

Speaking of the iPad2, since I just looked at it in earnest, I am really looking forward to using the, "A Novel Idea," app. While I have been writing this post I have been imagining myself using it.

Ok, it is much later (earlier!) than I want it to be. Douglas wants to try and go out tonight for dinner. The kettle is boiling with hot water bottle water in it. (my, "boiling is watered"--- that's how it comes out when I am tired. Like, I say to Douglas, "you have a porch under the newspaper," when the newspaper needs to be retrieved and I don't feel like getting my feet wet or it is cold out.)

Douglas has Friday off. He is taking the car in for its check up. I don't know if it is due for any injections or not. Maybe they will give it a, flu shot being it is that time of year again. Ha! (What would the automotive equivalent of a flu shot be? Winter-izing the fluids?) Douglas also wants to get new glasses. I want to get a jug appraised at the local antiques shop. I also want to look in there for my leather briefcase thingy. It all depends upon if Douglas can drive. If they dilate his eyes he won't be able to drive for a while. I want to call this place out of state and see if they still do electronic repairs. I want a radio (Grundig) and a tape recorder (Sony Professional Walkman) fixed. Yes! I still use cassette tapes (analogue no less) on occasion. They both work, but not completely as they should.

I am gone for now.

More, as per relevancy... (if that is how it should be put)

February 5, 2012

At some point in my story, "Osbert Pickle" will be taking a train journey. You can read about the inspiration for this journey on our main website in the, "Writing About Old Books," page.

You can read about them here...

http://www.whatdubhghalldoes.org/writing_about_old_books.htm#February%204-5%202012

If that link doesn't work, see the February 4-5 2012 at the bottom of the page at,

http://www.whatdubhghalldoes.org/writing_about_old_books.htm

As I wrote in the posting on the "Old Books" page, "Perhaps I will write again to this sooner and more often than I have been. I am in the process of starting a reading journal of sorts. I am making a reading list. I tend to read haphazardly. I want to read the, "how to write" books I have bought lately in some sort of order. I'll have to stick on here my views of the books as I read them."

Wait!

I have been not writing to this story lately because.... I was trying to take January and get some organizing done. I am writing up a grand, "to do" list and putting that in a notebook. (short term, to do now, and long term goals) I am doing up a daily book of things I need to do either every day or weekly. I am also working on the reading list mentioned above. I was hoping to get that stuff done so I could finish a thing or two and then get to the writing. One of the main, "notebooks," I am working on is a, "Writing Schedule". This all should help me stay organized. So long as I remember to consult the books of course.

I always look forward to spring coming. I want to work hard getting the room ready so I can work on my story. I started using the, "A Novel Idea," app on the iPad. I will take all the "Osbert Pickle" notes and type them in there. I need to delete some apps I don't use on there. I nearly have it clogged up with apps and podcasts about writing. I want to make it exclusively for writing-- or mostly for writing. The, "A Novel Idea" app will be good to look at and have available as I physically write the story on this MacBook.

Sterling is starting to shed. He starts to look almost like a stray cat and not the polished cat he, "normally" looks like. Today was not as cold as you would think it should be. As usual I can't wait for spring. (even though we have had an unseasonably warm mild winter) Not looking forward to the heat wave we can get around July or August. Even though it isn't as hot as it gets in Texas, it does make us miserable. It is probably because we don't have air conditioning in this house.

As per relevancy there should be more soon...

May 1, 2012

I am writing this via the iPad. Will write again sometime. Am testing this. Just learned I can do it.

August 14, 2012 More Distractions... [I'm writing this on the iPad and it isn't correcting my spelling automatically or otherwise. Also it isn't 100% easy to edit this text.]

Distractions, distractions, distractions...

All I seem to do is write about distractions. I'm supposed to be cleaning the living room and dining (dinning?) room; as in the "fall" (autumn) I'm supposed to travel to Texas to help my sister help my stepmother downsize to a different house. Don't know when that will happen exactly.

I have all these, "to do list," books I am working on. (writing; general household; long term, short term, medium term etc.; book reading; and so on) To finish those is to be working on the living room.

I started working on a notebook (Leuchtturm 1917) version of a writing journal. I got it put together while the Olympics were going on. I want that notebook to be stuff I wouldn't stick online. It is NOT an, "everyday life and living," journal like the red Moleskine that I have. I want to write my thoughts and opinions as I read the writing books. (not take notes---I already have a book for that) The main focus of this notebook will be my writing. If something happens, like if I buy a writing book, learn something, do something new, with regards my writing, I can write about it in this book.

I want to stick all my Osbert Pickle notes into the iPad app, "A Novel Idea". I am wanting to get them all stuck on there. Then I want to print out each section. That way all the various notes for each subject are all together in one place. Right now they are spread out over three notebooks essentially. That includes the printouts and handwritten notes. This app seems like a better (easier) thing than trying to organize them via Word documents.

I am also working on the re-writing to the start of the beginning of Chapter 1. I have re-written the beginning and it needs some re-writing / re-arranging.

In the paper journal I did up a page (page 3) where I pasted around the outer edges of the page some Yorkshire scenes from a box of Yorkshire Gold tea. I call this page the, "Yorkshire Tea Page". Here is the text I wrote to that page... [It is as exactly as I wrote it on paper (to a point)-- minus the handwriting, minus the overwriting of mistakes. I even include the whole word corrections as I made them in the book, (in parenthesis).]

August 11, 2012

I wanted to write a series of, tea cozy mysteries-- not necessarily with a murder in them. That (those) ideas became my Lums Chapel Stories.

August 12, 2012

The Osbert Pickle may (should) have elements of tea cozy mystery to it. There's a policeman who is after Osbert (eventually). Mystery sorts of things happen to Osbert / around Osbert in the story. He's on a mission to find someone. The only thing is, there are no "moors" to find a body on. No hound terrorizes any victims unless you count the priv. detective Baskerville who has a dog phobia.

August 14, 2012

I got this far with this page and ran out of ideas for it. Now I am running out of room. Yea!

[I stuck a sticker of a small dog towards the end of the entry near the section about the dog phobia.]

September 17-18, 2012 Shag Carpety--- (from beginning in paper journal pages 7-8)

How do I convey the concept of, "shag carpety," in my writing? "Shag carpety," is the name I give a specific emotion or emotions that I feel. It is a title that stems from childhood. A place we once lived had shag carpet. The apartment wasn't the most pleasant place we lived. Yet I associate certain comfort foods with that place. (chili cheese fries for example) It isn't because we ate them there. I felt the emotion there that I feel when I eat certain foods.

The story I am working on has my main character, "Osbert Pickle", start out on a train. The emotions he feels is, "shag carpety". I don't know how to convey this to my readers.

Ok. To give you some idea, this is what I mean by, "shag carpety"...

Imagine a snowy day. It is recommended that people stay indoors unless they really need to be out. There is enough food in the larder to last weeks. There are batteries in case the power goes out. You have everything you need. You are warm, snug and comfortable. There is a sense of being safe against the elements.

Or you are on a trip in the car. There is a sense of excitement. The suitcases are in the back. The front of the car is full of snacks. (healthy ones) The glove box has extra money in it maybe. A bag up front has notepaper for writing down funny bumper stickers and website addresses off billboards. A book is kept with good radio stations we find, and which exit to take for next time. There is a sense of, "a place for everything and everything in its place". There is also a sense of safety-- for the most part.

This is the emotion that I want to convey in my story. This is the emotion that Osbert Pickle is feeling while he rides the train.

Any help will be appreciated!

January 24, 2015 from a note of, January 23, 2015

I am thinking about writing another radio drama for the, "BBC World Service -- BBC World Drama -- International Radio Playwriting Competition". According to their website, "The competition will open again in October 2015." It is usually a few months after the opening that the competition closes. This means that I have enough time to write and revise something. There is a journal of my radio writing efforts. You can check that page in order to read about my progress. The reason I stuck the, "Radio Writing Journal," with the, "Lums Chapel," stories, is because I am thinking of writing something with those characters for the competition.

January 29, 2016 Hiatus...

I will not be writing to the story, "Historical Fiction," aka., "We Find Ourselves Returning to Find Home," for the time being. The opening of the radio drama contest has come and gone. The deadline is nearly upon us. Sometime in early November 2015 I decided to use the, "Writing Map," I bought. ("Write Around the Bookshop") The first entry in the notebook was from November 7, 2015. I thought that since the opening of the radio drama competition came and went, I would put my radio drama on hold in order to concentrate on the work I needed to do around the house. We always have lots to do getting the house ready for a Christmas guest. I was tempted and distracted by the Writing Map. I figured that it would be something simple to keep me from getting involved in a major project that would detract from the house work. The writing map was indeed simple. There was more room left in the notebook when I was finished. So I downloaded more writing prompts. Around the time I did that, I had started a notebook for notes to a fully fledged story. My goal now is to spend the whole of April 2016 writing a novel. Please look at the index page for, "How I Learned to Read a Book," in order to learn more. There is also a Journal for that story as well. I will write more to this journal when and if it becomes relevant.