Category Archives: fiction writing

Writing Fictitious Scenes

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“Keep your face to the sunshine, and you can not see the shadow.” ~ Helen Keller 

Who likes to think of sad and unhappy times? Joyous moments, positive thoughts, fulfilling feelings are much better. Is there value in clinging to images that make us feel anything other than good and healthy? 

In my creative writing class yesterday, we were given an assignment to write an elegy. Do you know what that is? I didn’t. Think of the word eulogy. Composing an elegy is very similar in nature. The teacher said “write about significant loss or death. Nothing funny; make it serious.”  In her words, “no rhymes!” In my words,“Don’t use expressions in writing that makes a frown turn right side around.” 

Last night, I worked a little on my elegy. Wow- that is difficult for me. I am not used to that way of thinking. It is like having to transition my stream of consciousness into something backwards. An analogy would be trying to make water flow, in a river, in the wrong direction. 

I feel as if  I don’t have that much to draw from compared to a lot of people. I have been so very fortunate – the really bad times in my life have been few and far between.  

 I suspect I’ll have to dig deep within to come up with a good piece of writing. If I can’t find it inside, I suppose I can make something up –  creative writing is what you decide to make it, isn’t it? Can it all be fiction? I’ll ask my teacher.

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Literary Project in Baltimore

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“The reading of all good books is like conversation with the finest men of past centuries.” ~ Descartes 

Last week’s blog about author F. Scott Fitzgerald triggered one of my regular blog readers to e-mail me and ask whether “I was familiar with The Baltimore Literary Heritage Project?” I was not. It did stir my curiosity, however. 

There is a wealth of authors that have come from the Baltimore area, and an interesting project is being organized by the Baltimore Literacy Heritage Project. Imagine going on a self-guided tour to visit the homes and locations where some of the most significant novels in America’s history have been penned? 

The tour, guided by a CD, gives insight into the writer’s life, their genre of writing and their publications. Authors highlighted by this on-going literacy program may include: 

  • Upton Sinclair
  • F.Scott Fitzgerald
  • H.L. Mencken
  • Edgar Allen Poe
  • Frederick Douglass
  • Edith Hamilton
  • Emily Post
  • Leon Uris
  • John Waters
  • Billie Holiday 

The University of Baltimore, School of Communications Design, is sponsoring this endeavor. The school, a part of the Yale Gordon College of Liberal Arts, offers five unique interdisciplinary majors in writing.

To read more about this ambitious and educational project, and to learn about other writers who called Baltimore their home, please visit this link. http://bit.ly/SgsRid. 

Although many of these authors are long gone, they will never be forgotten, thanks to this very fulfilling literacy project.

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Lesser Known Facts about F. Scott Fitzgerald

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“All good writing is swimming under water and holding your breath.”  ~ F. Scott Fitzgerald

Yesterday was the birthday of author of F. Scott Fitzgerald.

We are all familiar with his notable books, which have become classics, but there are some lesser known facts about this author. Francis Scott Key, the composer of our National Anthem, was Fitzgerald’s 2nd cousin, three times removed.  Fitzgerald’s parents honored the memory of the composer Key by using “F.Scott ” to name their son.

He also spent time living and writing at the Paix Estate in the suburbs of Baltimore in Towson, Maryland, the town where I grew up.   He lived there while his wife, Zelda, was being treated for schizophrenia. At that time he worked on his story of Dick Diver, a bright young psychiatrist who falls in love with one of his patients. Some historians say that his writing of this book provided Fitzgerald with a fulfilling way to tell his story of his marriage to Zelda and her mental problems. For info on the 2013 publicationk about Fitzgerald’s wife, please click here  Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald.

His remains are in Maryland. Evidently because his parents were practicing Catholics, whereas he was not, there was controversy over his burial. To read more about his life and death, please visit this link. http://bit.ly/2IvUY8

F. Scott Fitzgerald also wrote for the Saturday Evening Post, Colliers and Esquire Magazine. His face graced the cover of the “Post” in a painting by Norman Rockwell that complimented his short story called “Bernice Bobs Her Hair.”

Happy Belated Birthday to F. Scott Fitzgerald, an author who helped to shape the literary world in this country.

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From a Different Perspective

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“Won’t you come into the garden? I would like my roses to see you.”~Richard Brinsley Sheridan

A few weeks ago, my September/October issue of Poets and Writers Magazine www.pw.org  arrived in my mailbox. As I leafed through it, I was stopped by a letter to the editor written by a woman who had disappointments in her life that she was airing. 

What led to her writing the magazine was a letter of rejection she had received for a piece of flash fiction she was hoping to have published. She articulated her frustration at having spent the last nine years writing a novel and fifteen years penning a collection of short stories, with little hope of ever having them published. In the end, she said despite her disappointment, she “will go on” and keep writing. 

First, I felt sympathy for the woman. Her love of writing is obviously heartfelt since she has stated she will keep on writing anyway. 

 Secondly, I would like her to know that she is not alone. Rejections are not unusual. In fact, these days, having an agent to represent you may be one of the few ways to get your foot in the door with a traditional publishing company; they’ve gotten so selective. 

After I read her letter to the editor, I thought, “Why does this woman not know there are other publishing choices and options out there?” I want to help her.

She stated it was very important that her daughter, in particular, be able to read her work thirty years from now and laugh and feel connected. I can understand that and I assume she meant when she was gone, since this woman said she was in her sixties. 

Is that not also a reason why many people decide to independently publish? To pass work along to future generations?Somehow, I think the daughter would still love to have her mothers written words, no matter how it is published. 

Do you think a book would be any less fulfilling to her adult child, knowing the book was independently published? I would like to hear your thoughts on this matter. Feel free to post your comment.

These are my independent thoughts, words and views for today from www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

I Remember the Bad Moment

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 “If you judge people, you have no time to love them.”  ~ Mother Teresa 

Well, I am cheating a little bit but, I have come up with my own version of Mother Teresa’s adage, as it relates to the literary world. “If you judge a poet, you have no time to produce prose.” How’s that? Needs improvement, you say? Alright, I’ll work on it. 

If you have been following this blog, you’ll know that I started a creative writing course a week or so ago and my biggest fear was writing poetry. Wouldn’t you know it – that is where we have started. On the first day of class when the teacher announced it, I thought “what am I going to do now? Withdraw from this course?” 

“Oh, well,” I thought, “I may as well conquer those fears from the offset.” 

Guess, what, my teacher is a Mother Teresa – kind, not too harshly judgemental and very helpful. She said my stuff was not bad, for a beginner. I have never seriously written poetry before but I’ve learned a lot about the art of writing poetry in just a few classes . I am thinking about words and how to put them together in all new ways. My teacher said “Each word to a poet, counts in the overall effect of the composition.”

The first piece I wrote is called I Remember. I will share it with you in due course. Briefly, it is about moving to a place, sight unseen. 

I am currently working on my 2nd poem, using the writing prompt The Bad Moment. I hope it won’t come when  the teach tells me “She was just kidding, that she didn’t mean what she said. She made a mistake. My writing is not as good as she initially thought.” 

If that happens,  that’s ok, I am a student. I’m taking the class to learn from it. I’ll fulfill my duty, do something about it and learn to write better. Won’t I? 

Before I end this blog writing, I just wanted to tell you, the September/October of Poets and Writers Magazine is the MFA issue. If you are interested in pursuing a writing program, check out P&W, it is filled information on fulltime programs, low-residency programs and writer’s conferences. Here is the link   www.pw.org 

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Common Community Through Art and Culture

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“In art, the hand can never execute anything higher than the heart can imagine.”  ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Have you ever noticed how artists flock together and build common community?

People find kinship in their writing, painting, poetry, music, filmmaking, knitting,the performing arts and so forth. You know how it goes. Everyone in the group speaks the same language. 

The Colorado Creative Industries has worked to identify communities where art contributes greatly to the overall culture,  enhancing the lives of local citizens and tourists.  

Telluride has been designated as a one of five prospective Creative Districts in Colorado. Forty-four towns and cities were under consideration. The goal of the Colorado Creative Industries is to bolster the artistic community by providing consulting and technical assistance and an $8,000 grant to help grow the community as an economic driver through art. 

During the winter, outstanding skiing is the impetus behind visiting this “box canyon” with stunning and dramatic scenery, but in summer it is all about art festivals. Each weekend from May to September people flock to the area for two film festivals, music concerts and gatherings of playwrite/screenwriters. There is also a Cajun weekend, chamber music, yoga and bike races,  and more. 

There is even a Compassion Festival held in Telluride, which I was not aware of until I picked up some tourist literature. This event brings in academia from different parts of the country who lecture on the benefits that compassion brings to overall health, well-being and stress reduction. Cultural differences in compassion is also part of the discussion. It is held in collaboration between the Telluride Institute http://bit.ly/U87yzg and Stanford University’s Center for Compassion & Altruism Research & Education (CCARE). Interesting! Please visit this link to read more about it.http://bit.ly/QVb8Kn

Congratulations, Telluride! When I was in the area recently I was impressed with your charming Victorian homes, art galleries, retail spaces, historic hotels, the amazing scenery and the emcompassing flavor of the artistic community. It was fun visiting. I’ll be back!

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Creating Legendary Filmmaking

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“At the center of every fairy tale lay a truth that gave the story its power.” ~ Susan Wiggs

There is a new Disney movie that is soon to be released called Brave. It is about family, protecting a kingdom and Celtic legends. The Highlands of Scotland is the setting for this production. A great Christmas present for the entire family. Click for info & ordering Brave

Besides an opportunity to tell a fulfilling fairy tale story, along the lines of Grimms Brothers or Hans Christian Andersen, the production of this film has some the most complex visuals in movie making possible. Pixar Animated Studios rewrote their animation system after twenty five years to bring these computer-animated effects to the viewer.

Don’t miss out on this fantasy adventure film written by Mark Andrews, Steve Purcell, Irene Mecchi and Brenda Chapman.  To read more about the film, to learn about the characters and to watch a video trailer, please visit this website. http://bit.ly/yzz6Ky.

Have a nice weekend, everyone! Return next week to All Things Fulfilling to learn more about creative industry.

This blog brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected  and www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Truly Committed to the Indies

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“The follow-your-gut mentality of the entrepreneur has the potential to take you anywhere you want to go.” ~ Bill Rancic 

Today, I’ll tell you about my ride to Telluride over the weekend. What gorgeous scenery and a charming town, also. 

 Did you know that Telluride is home to the American Academy of Bookbinding? http://bit.ly/s29fjg. Although the Academy was not one of the primary reasons I visited Telluride, I found out a lot about this village that made me understand why it was recently awarded a grant from the Creative Colorado Industries. http://bit.ly/fXkoNC. 

One of the reasons I visited was to take a look at  Between the Covers. It is a quaint, well-stocked bookstore, well arranged from floor to ceiling. As soon as I walked into the space,  I noticed the Indie Best selling books, front and center. Proudly displayed and identified as such. They were not hidden away, as in many bookstores, like the black sheep of the family. Instead of the NY Times list of best sellers that you usually see in bookstores across America, prominently displayed was the Indie List of top independently published, hard covers and paperbacks. IBPA (Independent Book Publishers Association) Award winning books were displayed with full cover out rather than with spine only. I was so glad to see it. This bookstore takes selling indie books seriously – it was so refreshing! 

I got a head start on my Christmas shopping for my favorite filmmaker in the family. Between the Covers Bookstore has a nice variety of books on cinema and movie production. I didn’t bypass the nice selection of books in the language arts section without noticing it was at the heart of the store, in the middle. 

Just as we were ready to leave the bookstore, I spied a sign that caught my eye. It read “We prefer being a community partner much more than a showroom.” 

“How apropos!” I thought. This bookstore obviously embraces and is proud of being a partner in the community of independent booksellers and publishers.” Take a peak into Between the Cover’s website. Follow this link http://bit.ly/QK8K5F.   

Next week, I plan to return to this fulfilling small town of  Telluride in my blogging writing. I want to tell you more about the grant it received from the Creative Industries of Colorado. Follow this continuing blog series on Telluride, next week!  

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Gem Stone Village Discovered

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“I’m also looking for gems that the average reader might have missed.” ~ Terry Windling

“My, oh, my, isn’t it gorgeous?” I said to my husband and son, as we drove into Ouray, Colorado on Saturday. “Didn’t I tell you, Mom?” my son said “that’s why I said you have to come see it.”

Ouray, nestled between high, high peaks in the San Juan Mountains is called “Switzerland of America©.” The “alpine-like” village is a gem. Outstanding ice climbing and summer rock climbing and the healing hot springs are just a few reasons that this little town is so busy with tourist activity.

On Saturday morning the center of town was the starting place for the Imogene Pass half marathon. Fifteen hundred runners faced a challenging course that climbed from altitudes of 7,700 elevation to 13,000, over an unpaved mountain pass from Ouray to Telluride.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the relief and pride I felt as my saw my son cross the finish line after running seventeen grueling miles. It takes guts and grit to tackle it. He did well for himself, finishing 14th in his age group. But, he said many of his competitors were “seniors who looked older than the mountains and really put him and the younger people to shame.” I noticed that as I watched.

Ouray has so much going for it! Well cared for Victorian buildings, art galleries and quaint little shops, the Ouray Hot Springs, and charming bed and breakfasts, historic hotels.

It was second Saturday Art Walk, and we made the rounds. We stopped into Buckskin Booksellers. They have a large and outstanding collection of books of regional interest on Colorado, Western history and of geological subjects such as mineralogy, mining, fossils, rock hounding and the like.

I also noticed some outstanding art books scattered in different retail establishments throughout town. You could not help but notice them because some were like tomes – oversized, beautifully crafted, filled with magnificent images. I spied John Fielder’s Ranches of Colorado http://www.johnfielder.com and books on the Art of Howard Terpning. 

Many notable movies were filmed in Ouray County. My son Marc’s interest in visiting Ouray was more than just to run in a footrace. As a filmmaker, he was interested in seeing the settings of these movies:

Our visit to Ouray was a perfect stop along the way of a fun and fulfilling weekend. I’d like to return some day to further explore this area. It is located near where four states – Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah come together. There is a lot more to see such as Twin Peak Falls, and more to do than I ever realized.  For more information, visit this website http://www.ouraycolorado.com/.

This blog brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected and www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Storymakers have Deadlines

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“A dream is a goal with a deadline” ~ Napoleon Hill  

Time is running out! Rocky Mountain Public Broadcast System’s (RMPBS) writing contest for sixth, seventh and eighth graders will be accepting submissions until October 12th. There is only one month left to wrap up those stories. Parents and teachers, encourage your students to  write and participate!

The winners will enjoy having lunch with local radio personality and Colorado authorDom Testa and finalists will also win prizes. Dom Testa is a pretty neat guy! I’ve had the pleasure of hearing him speak several times at the Colorado Independent Publishers Association (CIPA). His Big Brain Club supports creativity in students, making excelling as a student “cool.” For more information on this 50l(3) C foundation, please visit this link. http://bit.ly/OjxLoQ.

To obtain a copy of the rules of the Storymakers Contest and a submission application, please visit this link. http://bit.ly/OUGUXH.

Good luck to all students and remember your child can not win if they do not participate!

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