Tag Archives: Writing

Joy Comes in the Morning

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“Here, on the river’s verge, I could be busy for months without changing my place, simply leaning a little more to right or left.” ~Paul Cezanne

I need to enjoy these last days of summer. With Labor Day comes the inevitable – darker , cooler days ahead. This morning it is 40 degrees. I don’t look forward to the departure from my favorite season. 

We have had a dusty, dry summer leaving the Yampa River just a trickle in some parts that flow through Steamboat. On my daily walks I have watched the ducks play all season with lackluster spirits. 

The past few evenings we have had hard downpours that have raised the water level.

This morning, I sat at on a bench at my favorite place overlooking the Yampa watching the ducks play with renewed vigor. The water was higher, sparkling rather than murky, and clearly looking more refreshing. The ducks were playing like they haven’t all season- dabbling, chasing each other, diving and shaking their tail feathers with newfound energy. Fresh cold water!

As I sat and watched, I was reminded why early mornings are so fulfilling. It is an invigorating time of day – a chance for a new beginning. No matter how bad yesterday was, we can start out anew with different attitudes and readjust our thinking. 

Today, after I post this blog, I am going to some take time to do what is essential to nurture my own soul and find inspiration. I’ve been pretty busy over the summer. I need a little time to feather my nest and be domestic. So, I’ll straighten my desk and start a new “to do” list that will keep me busy in the coming months.

Oh, yes, and then there is that creative writing course I am starting next week….. chicken soup for the soul. That will keep my creative energy flowing throughout the fall and winter. Let’s see if I can spice up my writing and make a rich concoctions! 

Joy comes in the morning, when creativity is at a high, and my spirit has been replenished by a good night’s sleep. At each day break I awake, turn on the computer, and get busy.

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Artistic Community Brings Commerce

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“If you have only two pennies, spend the first on bread and the other on hyacinths for your soul.”–Arab Proverb 

“Hello, Minturn! I’m back!” I thought to myself on Saturday morning, as I entered the little village just off I-70. The first time I frequented this town, nestled near the glitz and glamour of Vail, and the not yet built Beaver Creek Resort, was in the mid 1970s. That evening, I visited the Minturn Saloon, infamous for its Mexican cuisine. I had traveled there with my entire family, and another from Maryland, to Eagle County for a ski vacation.

Minturn is still small. If you blink, you can miss it. But now, it is doesn’t look like a ghost town of total wrack and ruin. Many of the bungalows and cottages have been artfully painted. There were eye-catching large buckets, planters and window boxes of brightly colored flowers everywhere – attractive. Now there is some commerce going on – I was shocked at the transition and you can see the modern day influences in this town.

Author Bill Burnett writes about the historical background of this old mining town in his independently published book  Minturn, A Memoir. https://www.bookwormofedwards.com/aff/SueLeonard/book/v/9780977113620

Saturday morning I had come to see the Minturn Market; I had read about it. Arriving a little early, at 8:30am,the vendors were still setting up, so I took myself on a walking tour of the village. By 9 am people began arriving in large numbers. This popular, weekly, summertime open-air market even requires a crossing guard on Main Street. The morning was delightful; I visited with artisans of all kinds selling their wares. I came home with a large loaf of “oh so fragrant” lemon, white chocolate bread that I had sampled and loved, and a unique, hand knit scarf  by Venda, that fit my fancy. I knew it was a scarf I couldn’t create myself.

Just a few of the notable business establishments that have opened in this eclectic little village are:

  • Scarab – An oriental rug and tribal arts store  http://www.thescarab.com/
  • The Yarn Studio – a wide and interesting selection of yarns for fiber arts crafting
  • Holy Toledo – a fashionable, boutique consignment shop located in  an old church http://holytoledo.co/
  • Mountain Pedaler, a bike shop
  • Gemini Gardens – a floral shop with gifts and home decorating accessories
  • Four or five coffee shops and restaurants

It was such a fulfilling weekend; I explored and enjoyed my own company. So tomorrow, I will blog about some of the ideas that I and my cohorts talked about on Friday evening, because they spilled over into my visit to Minturn. 

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Bookstores Join Writers and Readers

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“In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.” ~ Bill Cosby

I am still feeling rather bouyed, bubbly and bright (as in radiant) after a fulfilling weekend.

Last Friday night, I was one of three panelists/presenters at a Writers Workshop in Edwards, Colorado held at the Bookworm, a superb Indie Bound bookstore. The subject of the night was marketing independently published  books. We had a much larger turn-out than expected; the space was filled to capacity! A special thank you to events coordinator Kelli Kostroski for all she did to promote and organize the evening.

Nicole Magistro, Co-owner of the bookstore, advised how to best approach retail environments about selling your book, along with the importance of doing research for a “good fit.”

Lindsay Eland, young adult fiction novelist, and author of Scones and Sensibility spoke about selling books at public speaking engagements and finding common interests with the book buying public. Click here for Lindsay Eland’s books.

Bookselling through on-line marketing was my contribution to the discussion. Many in the crowd had thoughtful questions that allowed us to mention the various publishing platforms that are used in today’s digital world, and the valuable role that active local bookstores play in bringing together communities of writers and readers.

I’d like to say thank you to Nicole Magistro for hosting and participating in the event. It was a pleasure to share “the stage” with both women. It is always a good time when I get to discuss my passion of the independent publishing industry with others.

The morning after the event, I made a decision to revisit a small town that used to be legendary for one thing – its Saloon and their Mexican food. It had been about 37 years since I last frequented it. What an awakening! The village is now an example of what art can do to revive a small community. Come on back tomorrow, and I will tell you all about it.

Photos courtesy of Kelly Kostroski, Event Mgr. of the Book Worm

Lindsay Eland (left), Nicole Magistro (middle), Sue Leonard (right)

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

Story Woven with Nostalgic Images

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Where were you during the Vietnam Era?

I just read the newly-released book Cottonwood; a satisfying read on many levels. Author Tom Dawson effectively crafts a story of two men who served together during one of our country’s most painful periods, the Vietnam era. The ties that bind them are their war experiences; they become life long buddies.

The author intertwines the culture of the ‘Nam era” into the storyline, which filled me with nostalgic images of my own, as a person whose adolescence came during the late nineteen sixties and seventies.  I could also relate, on a certain level, to some of the frustrations and attitudes that the main characters, Tom and Sam, carry about today’s technological era.

As a woman, I appreciated how through good dialogue, the author showed that the two comrades, Tom and Sam, communicate differently. The  truthfulness with which Dawson writes about the issue of men and aging was refreshing and honest. It is a story I didn’t anticipate liking but I really look forward to reading more from this author.

Dawson’s book is available through Amazon in soft cover and also as an e-book edition. To order this publication, please follow this link.Cottonwood

To read more about Tom Dawson, the author and war correspondent, follow this link. http://bit.ly/Ng0Srt. Don’t miss out on his blog and comic art, he calls “Pieces” on his website.

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.

Local Authors in the Limelight

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“If you could say it in words, there would be no reason to paint.” ~ Edward Hopper

Saturday was a day of great fun for me as a person who works in the independent publishing industry. The literary community of Steamboat Springs, Colorado came  out from behind their computers and into the limelight at the Written Arts Festival. I am aware of the fact that we do, indeed, have a growing population of independent publishers in this community. Nearly thirty were gathered; some having just published their debut novels, while others have more than one book published.

Panel discussions added interest to the event. “How should history be portrayed in writing?” was a subject that drew differing opinions from the authors. In the opinions of some, there is an obligation to write stories true to history; while others contend that history can be written from different perspectives.

Other authors specialize in fiction writing. The panelists in this genre seemed to agree that authors draw, to a certain extent, from personal experience and background which often gives them the basis of the story. Then the storyline “is pushed in different directions,” sometimes ending in a total surprise, even for the author. One panelist mentioned how her deeply felt spiritual beliefs influences her writing and a prolific romance writer admitted that individuals she encounters inspires her characters.

Sites, smells and visual landscapes also influence writing. A third group of panelists discussed how stories are crafted from experience in travel as well as from their rootedness in community. Place plays great significance in our identity as people and as writers. Local issues are often brought into books of regional interest.

The event culminated with an interview of a very talented poet and the Home Ranch owner, Ann Anderson Stranahan. Words, when used with the right cadence and meter makes music, she said. When Stranahan was asked  if “her poetic images come to her in black and white or in color?”

“Vividly and suddenly, perhaps as in a photographic image, rather than an oil or watercolor,” was her answer.

The Bud Werner Memorial Library http://www.steamboatlibrary.org/ and the efforts of their staff made this inspiring event possible. Also, the support of the Steamboat Arts Council http://steamboatspringsarts.com/and Off the Beaten Path Bookstore’s  http://www.steamboatbooks.com/ handling of the bookselling allowed the authors to visit with potential book buyers and answer questions.

I would have liked to have mentioned each of the authors individually, in this blog writing, but there were too many. I did get around the room to talk to each of them briefly. Thanks to all who participated and coordinated the Written Arts Festival. It was encouraging for anyone who is contemplating writing and publishing a story.

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

Marketplace Competition: Mind the Gap

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“One thing I know about change is we are not going to close the achievement gap without educators.” ~ Margaret Spellings
Watching the Olympics last week made me consider how blogging is like an athletic competition. Social media accomplishes many of the same goals as training for a sport does. Blogging provides a platform for: 

  • Improving skills (in writing)
  • Drawing the attention of competitors.
  • Providing entertainment value for an audience
  • Strengthening position in a field of expertise. 

As with sports workouts, blogging with discipline and regular practice brings positive results.If you mind the gap between well-frequented blog sites and sites with few visitors, my advice is to get in the game wholeheartedly and become serious about your social media useage. Step up your goals and set the bar higher by becoming more rigorous in your blog posting efforts. 

Fulfilling feelings will follow when you work toward the challenge you have set for yourself and take pride in your achievements. Blogging becomes a fun  way to market  products and services.

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Community of Writers in Steamboat

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“Writers will happen in the best of families.”  ~ Rita Mae Brown

This week is the All Arts Festival in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Art, in all kinds of mediums, will be represented. Performance artists, visual artists and culinary artists will be involved in this five day event that runs from August 14 to August 19th. For more information, please visit this link http://bit.ly/QsiJPR.

In 2012, the literary arts have been added to the annual event with A Festival of Local Authors. Stop by the Bud Werner Memorial Library on Saturday, August 18th from 10am to 2pm in Library Hall. Book signings along with panel discussions on writing history, writing the outdoors, telling stories in novel form, poetry reading and conversation is on the agenda. Book selections from the local writers will be on sale ranging from poetry, to publications of regional interest, to non-fiction to fictional stories – something for everyone.

The Steamboat Springs Art Council, Steamboat Writers Group, Off the Beaten Path Bookstore & the Bud Werner Memorial Library have teamed up to bring together 27 Yampa Valley authors and  publishers.

Indeed, there is a growing population of writers in Steamboat and the surrounding county. Some have been traditionally published while others have jumped on the Fast Track with Independent Publishing.

To learn more about how you can turn your dreams of becoming a published author into reality, there is a 18 minute webinar available through the Colorado Independent Publishers Association that will give you insight and perhaps pique your interest in going forward with your aspirations. http://bit.ly/oIkV2g.

Keep your eye on this website, All Things Fulfilling. We will continue to feature a growing number of authors who come to the Steamboat area seeking inspiration for their writing. Click here if you want to know more about Steamboat and the surrounding area.

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.

Do the Thing that you Fear the Most

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You’ve heard them all – time and time again….”Do the thing that makes you most uncomfortable, do the thing that bothers you the most, step out of the box for self-growth, do the thing that you most don’t want to do.” 

Well, I just did it. I signed up for a course in creative writing . It is something I’ve kind of, sort of, wanted to do but kept backing away from it. No more procrastination or excuses, this time I am going to tackle it! 

Over the past few years, I have stepped out of the box a lot, only to find self-satisfaction in my accomplishments. I’ve learned to read out loud to a writers group in voice that is not my own (or is it?), I started blogging and have written 900+ postings (only to find out that I have lots of readers and I love writing it), I am getting comfortable with public speaking (which I used to shy away from). With each one of these things, opportunities have come my way that I would not have otherwise had if I hadn’t done the thing I feared the most.

  So, rather than think “How much worse can it get?” I am approaching this writing course with the attitude of how much better can it get?” 

All set now, I have talked myself into seeking personal fulfillment in  the creative writing process. It is the next right thing to do.

You know what scares me the most? It’s not the teacher; it’s being asked to write poetry. On second thought, I’ll bet that requirement is in Creative Writing 2. I will escape it. Dear God, please have my back on that one….. I am shaking.

Note: This pillow can be ordered through www.casaandco.etsy.com.

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Ripening Thoughts of Creative Writing

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“There are no new ideas. There are only new ways of making them felt.” ~ Andre Lord

Today, I am thinking about growth as a writer. I am betwixt and between about whether or not to sign up for a creative writing course. One minute I am resolute in my decision; the next  I am waivering.

“What’s the hesitation?” you might ask. It’s scary. What if my left brain attributes override my creative side?  Except for a lot of independent publishing education, I haven’t stepped into a classroom for many years. But, then I think of all the benefits that a creative writing course could bring me. Perhaps I’d find ways of putting together  new bouquets of words that have meaning, and I’d grow as a writer.

For now I will let thoughts of  signing-up deepen on the vine.  Just like after a long cold winter, the warmth of sunshine on my skin brings fufilling and enriched feelings. If I decide to harvest the idea of becoming a more creative writer and jump into action, I will commit and register.

I don’t know what to do. I am thinking.  “Do I really have time to fit it into my already busy schedule?”  You are thinking ” She’s procrastinating and not making a decision.”

It is the reason for this blog posting. It has been said that if you write down your intentions, thoughts are more likely to become a reality. Now that my blog readers know of my dilemma, I feel the pressure. Why, oh, why did I ever mention it?

In a few days, I will let you know what I’ve decided, in the meantime, perhaps a book on creative writing might
motivate me. Lets see what’s on the list.Creative Writing Books.

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

Tribute to the Indies

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Expectancy is the atmosphere for miracles. ~ Edwin Louis Cole

 “I just learned that Publishers Weekly reviewed my upcoming novel Tributary. That’s a near-miracle, as my publisher is both small and independent!” Barbara K. Richardson wrote on an on-line communication from www.SheWrites.com, a web-based group about publishing that I belong to.  

I am so excited for Barbara! But, I am not sure it is a near miracle; I have come to expect there will be more stories like hers. More and more book reviewers are finding there are good reads to be had by the independents. Thus, non-traditionally published books are having increasing success in the marketplace.  That translates into authors having wonderful, fulfilling feelings about their efforts in writing. 

For more information on Barbara K Richardson’s book, Tributary, we have tracked it down for you. http://bit.ly/99BjmH. 

Just last week, an article appeared about four authors who digitally  published through www.Smashwords.com that reached New York Times Best Selling author status all in one week. To read the article, follow this link. http://bit.ly/OzYdOo. 

These days, stories of independent publishing success arrive weekly. It’s hard to keep up but, this blog site, All Things Fulfilling, strives to share stories like this with you, our readers. Please return again tomorrow!

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.