Sunday Salon Chit Chat

Waterdrop by Zen 

Another hot weekend with temps in the 100's however I can't complain since Dad is in Arizona with consistent 110 + temps everyday.  I lasted all of 10 minutes out on the patio this morning.  Such a wimp when it comes to heat.  Despite it all, we are celebrating this weekend as we received our red tag approval from the fire department and got our final green tag approval from the city.  Yes, ma'am. Which means we can finally move forward and begin construction and renovation on the new property.  Happy Dance!!!

In book news, it is week 28 in our 52 books quest and this week we are celebrating Octavia Butler.  I have Dawn in my stacks and plan on reading it sometime this year.   As for our readalong of War and Peace is going, I'm been a bit distracted and haven't gotten too far.  I've been reading Louise Penny's Armand Gamache inspector series and I've fallen in love with Penny's writing and can't get enough  I  read # 8 Beautiful Mysteryin ebook and immediately went to the store and bought the book because there is so much to it and it's one of those I know I'll read again and again, highlighting and underlining those parts that speak to me. I just downloaded it in audiobook to listen to in the car, plus I've added it to my copy work project.  Immediately started #9 How the Light Gets In.  I had to find out what happened with Jean Guy!     Now I'm reading #10 The Long Way Home.  There are three more books left to the series, then will probably read it all over again at some point.

I'm now working on the exercises from Fire Up Your Writing Brain and the very first exercise calls for you to list your resources and motivations:

"To solidify and validate the characteristics (affinities) you have in your writing arsenal, make a list - include even the seemingly unimportant qualities. List the attributes that contribute to your ability to write well.  Take time to ponder and be as generous and honest as possible -  noting strengths and areas that may need more work....   Keep doing this over time, reinforcing your ownership.... Once the list is complete, create another list that details your motivations for working on whatever you're currently working on.  Again be as specific and personal as possible, digging beneath the surface to get really clear on why you are choosing to write about whatever it is your currently working on. "

I'll be pondering what attributes I think I bring to the table as well as my motivations for writing my current stories. Why?  Yes, good question.

" What you are doing is feeding body, soul, mind, and brain the nourishment all will need to persist and do the best work possible.  Your brain is your greatest writing asset, so engage it from the beginning layering in complexity and encouraged focus and you will be fostering the kind of writing mindset that reinforces your efforts and leads to successful completion."

Wow. Never quite thought of my writing in such a way before so this will be interesting.  I also dove into What If by Bernays and Painter and working my way through the exercises and prompts in the Revision is rewriting section.  Having fun with it so far.

I also pulled You can Draw in 30 Days by Mark Kistler out of our shelves.  James and I had worked through another of his workbooks - I think the 3d one, can't remember for sure and had fun with it.  I found it while straightening out the shelves, prepping for 12th grade curriculum and decided I'd give it a go.  Which means really drawing and just not playing on inspire pro. With inspire, I have a tendency to do a lot of pastel, feathery, misty things.  I haven't had too much luck with really fine work on electronic medium,  so paper art pad, here I come.

~Cheers and stay cool~