Ink Gleanings

My Muse is Back at Work

2010-04-13T14:53:00.004-04:00

The Read: The Golden Age of Steam by Dean Server
The Write: still working on that April exercise
The Gleaning:

I've been AWOL from the page for a while now. Nothing seemed to be working. I wasn't even in a creative state of mind, let alone putting words down. I think my Muse took an extended vacation and didn't take me with her.

But apparently even a muse can have one too many pina coladas. She's back. I can feel the words on the move again, and I have a fist full of new characters ready to come out and play.

See, little miss Muse? Work ain't so bad.

Should Characters be Sensible?

2010-04-08T11:48:00.003-04:00

The Read: Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
The Write: April exercise for Books and Writers (Thanks, Ron & Claire!)
The Gleaning:

A character that will really drive a story had better not be sensible. A sensible character will tend to avoid the dangerous, the risky and the just-plain-stupid decisions. A sensible character will sit at home, painting her toenails and watching When Harry Met Sally for the 17th time rather than meeting the flame from her past at the motel on the highway, and setting off on a cross-country trek that involves bank robbery and the occasional murder. Smart, sure. Interesting, keep-the-reader-up-too-late, fast-paced story, not so much.

So I'm off, to knock some sense out of my new MC.

Full Steampunk Ahead

2010-03-30T13:48:00.003-04:00

The Read: Boneshaker by Cherie Priest

The Write: Library Staff Newsletter Update

The Gleaning:

Thanks to the Boneshaker, I've fallen head over heels in love with steampunk. Steampunk just may be the bridge I have been seeking.

Ya see, when I read, I read a whack of historical fiction, peppered with contemporary fiction and some non-fic bits. When I write, out pops unexpected sci-fi elements. I don't tend to read sci-fi. Research, as a pre-requisite for writing, slows me down, either because I don't find what I'm looking for, or find too much of it.

That's where steampunk comes in.

Steampunk has a dollop of history, a dab of sci-fi and drop or two of fantasy. Just the thing to get my gears turning.

March Break Madness

2010-03-15T11:17:00.004-04:00

The Read: 1984 by George Orwell
The Write: Minor hockey article for local paper
WIP: Fireballz -- an upper middle grade novel about Fred O'Connor, who liked the game so much he really got into it. (Considering steampunking this. Seriously.)

I'm here in the trenches, battling for screen time versus two tech-savvy and game-hungry manipulators -- I mean children. It's bad enough trying to fight my own writing inertia without having other people around who try to convince me to just walk away from the keyboard. Oh well. There's always pen and paper, right?

Happy March Break to all!

Trying Something New

2010-02-26T09:03:00.002-05:00

What I'm Reading: Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
What I'm Writing: 20 minute practice session featuring Esther and Hammond, a married couple with varying degrees of wanderlust.
WIP: Fireballz -- an upper middle grade novel about Fred O'Connor, who liked the game so much he really got into it.

Today begins a new format for the old blog. Quick and dirty and then on to the important business of fiction.

Back to the page...

Writing Prompt Thursday

2009-06-11T09:29:00.002-04:00

Today, a little something different. I went to my handy-dandy Field Guide to Weeds by Lawrence J. Crockett. Weeds can have picturesque names. Here are three to get you started:

Creeping Jenny

Cheatgrass

Devil's Bootjack

Really, I'm not making any of these up.

Writing Prompt Thursday

2009-06-04T14:12:00.002-04:00

I feels the need to share some prompting joy. So here goes. Start with one of these. Give it at least 17 minutes. Why 17? 'cause I said so, that's why. (Yes, I am a mother.)

1. What's worse: public speaking or a chocolate shortage?
2. If you had to leave the country -- for good -- what would you pack in the one suitcase you're allowed to take with you? (You can do this one for a character.)
3. What if you (or your character) could save someone (stranger, friend or family member), but to do so would cause the saver to become disfigured in some way. Would you (or your character) choose the someone's life, or not?

Happy paper trails!

Writing Prompt Thursday

2009-04-16T10:14:00.004-04:00

I'm inspired!

Check out the latest innovation (tongue firmly in cheek) -- Flutter!

Now write down one verb and one noun for each letter of the alphabet and execute a mix 'n' match. Or, try writing a story in just 26 words. Then tweet it (because, sadly, we can't "flap"). Too much challenge? How 'bout a Twitter tale? You can have 140 whole characters!

3 Writing Prompts

2009-04-09T06:47:00.003-04:00

The Better Blog task for yesterday was to write a list post. (I signed up in the final hour, so I seem to be getting my tasks a day after the sell-by date. No matter.) I thought I'd start a little tradition and build on last Thursday's Writing Prompt post. So here are your Three for Thursday:

1. Write outside. Yes, go out into the great outdoors and do some scribbling. If it's cold where you are, how does that affect what you write?

2. Turquoise. Write about the colour turquoise. What do you remember that was turquoise? What smell do you associate with turquoise?

3. Tell the story of a painting. Check out that painting on your wall, get an art book from your shelf, coffee table, or library or look up artwork online. Choose a painting and write about what is happening in it.

Build a Better Blog

2009-04-07T14:33:00.002-04:00

I blog, but I know it could be better. I don't have wads of time to work on it though (I do have to get some writing done, sometime). So I've taken the plunge.

I signed up for 31 Days to Build a Better Blog.

Brought to you by ProBlogger, each day you get a bit of teaching and a task to help make your blog better. Today it's the Elevator Pitch.

kc dyer, James McCann and Lee Edward Fodi Signing on Sunday

2009-04-03T19:40:00.003-04:00

If you happen to be in or near Surrey, BC, Canada this Sunday, April 5, be sure to head over to the Strawberry Hills Chapters.

kc dyer, James McCann and Lee Edward Fodi will be signing their latest tomes. There will also be prizes, giveways and cupcakes.

I mean really. How could you miss any event that involves both books and cupcakes? Well, there are the trifling matters of airfare and family obligations for me. But if you don't have those issues, get thee to Strawberry Hill. Have a cupcake for me.

Writing Prompts

2009-04-02T14:40:00.002-04:00

It's Thursday, the sun is shining, and the phrase, "butt in chair" seems a bit menacing. Time for a few writing prompts to get those fingers tapping.

1. Try opening with this: "The last time I was here..."
2. Type with your eyes closed. Become one with your keyboard.
3. Write down the first line you wrote yesterday (or whenever you wrote last). Now continue, but turn a different corner. If your character turned down the job offer, let her accept it. If your character broke her arm, let her leg be broken instead. See where that line takes you today.

Keep writing for at least 15 minutes.

Darby Interviews Diana Gabaldon

2009-03-25T20:41:00.002-04:00

Don't miss Darby Christopher's interview with bestselling author Diana Gabaldon tomorrow.

I'll definitely be dropping by Darby's blog. Diana Gabaldon writes the Outlander series, featuring Jamie and Claire Fraser. She's a preeminent storyteller, a wizard of words and one really smart (and funny) woman.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Birthday

2009-03-20T22:52:00.002-04:00

Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar has turned a big, fat 40. Catch a video of Carle speaking about his classic picture here.

TV Interview Tips for Writers

2009-03-20T09:19:00.003-04:00

Writers take note: Amy Baskin has an excellent post up on the PWAC blog about doing TV interviews .

Amy Baskin is the co-author of More Than a Mom—Living a Full and Balanced Life When Your Child Has Special Needs.

Happy St. Pat's!

2009-03-17T08:44:00.002-04:00

Top o' the morning to ye!

The sun is shining, the mercury's rising and the likelihood of my butt staying in the chair today is dropping. Fast.

In the spirit of going green, here's what I do to write green:

Get my ink cartridges refilled, instead of replacing them.
Do the majority of my editing on-screen.
Meet with clients via phone or email, rather than face-to-face. (Though sometimes face-to-face is necessary.)
When I do print, single space on recycled paper.
Use online resources whenever possible.

How do you write green?

Deborah Kerbel on Blog Tour

2009-03-13T15:14:00.003-04:00

Head on over to The Story Siren. Deborah Kerbel riffs on the best things about being a YA author. There's a contest, too. Be sure to check out the guest post before Thursday, March 19. You could win a signed copy of Kerbel's novel, Mackenzie Lost and Found.

Well, if I don't win.

Getting Started

2009-03-12T14:19:00.004-04:00

The blank page.

Those have to be the most beautiful -- and scariest -- three words in the writer's lexicon. Depending upon my mood, the blank page can be anything from a delectable expanse ready for creation to a very smooth, slippery wall of hard plastic that will not take ink no matter how hard I try.

Luckily, there are ways around the latter. Here are a few of my favourites (in random order, because I'm a random kind of gal):
a. Pick a colour. Write from the colour.
b. Snatch up a book like Room to Write: Daily Invitations to a Writer's Life by Bonni Goldberg. Find it here. It's stuffed from cover to cover with writing starters. Another of my faves is Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within by Natalie Goldberg. Find it here. (Why are they both Goldbergs? Is there a genetic predisposition to inspiring writers?)
c. Take the words out of someone else's mouth. Open a book you haven't read to a random page. Write down the first line. Then continue. You can start with this one: "It was even more money than he had delivered the time before." (Daughter of War, Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch, p. 56. Get it here.)
d. Take the words out of someone else's mouth, part two. Sit down in a coffee shop and write down the first sentence you hear. (Be sly about this one.)

Now, go fill a page!

Character Enters Blogosphere

2009-03-03T12:07:00.005-05:00

kc dyer has a brand-new book out: A WALK THROUGH A WINDOW. She's started up a nifty-cool blog "written" by the main character, Darby Christopher. Check it out. (kc dyer blogs as herself here.)

I think this is just about the neatest way I've seen the blogosphere used by an author. kc has just set her character loose from the book's bindings.

In order to allow a character to have her own blog, I think she must have enough life that she can leap off the page. Now, is that literally, or virtually?

Salt Mining

2009-02-27T14:35:00.008-05:00

Over at the Compuserve Books and Writers forum the other day, Diana Gabaldon mentioned that she was "Back to the salt mines..."

As usual, she has the exact way of it. Writing fiction is an awful lot like mining. Salt, in particular.

First, there's the descent into the deep dark, tools at the ready. Everything from hand tools to heavy machinery is involved in getting the raw material loosed from the earth around it.

And what do you get? Those fine crystals that add spice and flavour to narrative. The gifts of an unseen primordial sea of the imagination.

It's hard work. Every day you must turn your back on daylight.There's the heft of tools, the muscle-popping business of digging. Creating your own space to work, chipping away until there is enough space to swing your pick. It's a daily grind to free the salt from the earth. Then there's the tough job of getting it up to the surface. To say nothing of the packaging.

Worth it, too.

Diana Gabaldon's An Echo in the Bone (7th in the Outlander series) is slated for release September 22, 2009.

Crit

2009-02-18T14:04:00.003-05:00

Crit. It's the quickest way to better writing and self-editing. Find a critique partner or group. Crit actively and often. It's a beautiful thing.

Baba Speaks

2009-02-13T14:59:00.002-05:00

Reisa Stone, creator of Baba, has put up a sound bite of the Ukrainian culinary tour de force. She sounds just like I imagined her. You can listen on Reisa's blog, here.

I heart Baba!

Story Trumps All

2009-02-13T07:16:00.002-05:00

Sure, setting is important. Character can be a driving force. Atmosphere is the blanket you use to wrap up the reader. But without story, they are all dead on the page.

A good story brings all its parts to life. A good story can be told. A good story is remembered.

New Site for Freelancers

2009-02-12T11:49:00.003-05:00

If you're a freelance writer (and even if you're not), head on over to The Freelance Survivor. Writing tips, tech tips and profiles. Ms. LeBlanc, you're now on my list of faves.

Tweeting about Library Books

2009-02-11T14:52:00.002-05:00

Today I'd like to direct your attention to the top right corner of the Ink Gleanings home.

Yep. I've started tweeting.

My Twitter life will be all about the library books I'm reading. Old books, new books, fic, non-fic, the good, the bad and the ugly. Check in often, or follow me!

Working Smarter from Home: Review

2009-01-22T09:20:00.003-05:00

If you telecommute, work from home or are considering doing either, Working Smarter from Home: Your Day -- Your Way by Nancy Struck is worth a look.

There isn't a great deal to read, but there are plenty of thought starters throughout the book. Struck guides the reader through a series of questionnaires and tables designed to turn the vague into the concrete. For example, instead of whining about wasted time, write down your own specific obstacles in a list.

This book gives you the opportunity to identify your strengths and weaknesses, your goals and your obstacles, as they relate to working from home. It also gives you the opportunity to say that perhaps, for you, working from home isn't all it's cracked up to be. And that that is OK.

Working Smarter from Home does not offer step by step solutions. That part is left in the reader's hands. That seemed a lack at first, but on further reflection, made perfect sense. If you are going to be successful working from home, you must be able to come up with workable solutions to your problems and challenges. What Struck's book does is help you identify those problems and challenges, and help you see how your style, peak work times -- and your limitations -- can be used to find effective solutions.

Bookshelf Worthiness: I'd keep it on the shelf for the project evaluation questionnaire alone.

Want it? Check it out at Amazon.

Nanowrimo Tips

2008-11-25T08:42:00.004-05:00

As National Novel Writing Month draws to a close, you may be basking in the warm glow of your wonderful word count, existing only to produce more words, any words, anyhow, or you may be wondering why you ever thought in your wildest dreams that you could come up with 50, 000 words in 30 days.

If you are basking, congratulations! It's an incomparable feeling, that moment when you validate that word count. It's glorious. Savour it.

If you are deep into your manuscript, only lifting your fingers from the keyboard long enough to take a swig of your caffeinated beverage of choice, keep going. You're almost there. You can do it.

And, if you're shaking your head at your temerity in thinking that 50K was at all possible, here are some tips for next year.

1. If dirt bothers you, clean your house in October. Get it into routine-maintenance-only shape. You won't have time for anything else in November.

2. If the thought of impending holidays scares the turtles out of you, do the holiday shopping in October (or earlier). Imagine the calm of a closet full of gifts. I know I am. Wish I had made this list in, say, September.

3. Decide on a project before November 1. If you're an outliner, outline -- before November 1. Then just write, from Day 1.

4. Focus on one project for Nano. It's just easier that way. Each day, you get up and work on that one world, with one set of characters who become more and more familiar with each passing page.

5. Sign up even if you don't have any intention of finishing. The Nanowrimo people send out PepTalks by published authors at least once a week throughout the month. Where else can you get pithy writing advice for free? (Well, lots of places, but that's another post.) The thing is, it comes to your inbox. So there you are, minding your own procrastinating business, when whammo, there's a boot up the arse in your email. It's the best.

Oh, and where am I at, in the word count wars? My village was attacked, and I'm stumbling down the road with my meagre possessions in a moth-eaten sack.

Nano-lite

2008-11-21T07:06:00.003-05:00

Can you call yourself a marathoner if you make like the hare and take a shortcut?

I'm seriously considering (meaning: I've pretty much decided) to adjust my Nano goal to a personal goal of 25K words. My current word count sits at 18,540. 25K seems doable.

On reducing my commitment to "Nano-lite", I feel a new sense of peace. The brow is unfurrowing, the brain is losing that vise-like tendency that was squeezing the life out of all my characters (and not in the good way), and I feel ready, willing and able to get back to story creation...which is a long way from word spewing.

Nanowrimo

2008-11-17T11:57:00.002-05:00

First, let me say that Nanowrimo (National Novel Writing Month) is an incredible motivator.

Second, let me say that a word count of some 12,000 words as of now, is more than a bit off pace.

My solution? I declare this Mini-Marathon Week. I'm going to put on the big push, forget that Christmas is coming, and just write until my hands are claws or my brain explodes or both. Then maybe, just maybe, I'll make it to 50K for the month.

Writing Time and Book Shopping

2008-10-29T10:18:00.002-04:00

OK. Here's my last word on scheduling: use a timer for the non-writing stuff. So, the cleaning, the laundry, the shopping list, the exercise, all that gets small blocks of time. The rest is for writing. That's it.

Now, on to fun stuff.

I came across a truly neat site yesterday. At Zoomii Books, you can shop for books online -- visually. Book covers are lined up on shelves, separated by category and alphabetically.

It takes a little work to get used to moving around, and the selection is a bit limited at the moment, but it is as close to real-world book shopping as you can get online (minus the new book smell, of course). You can actually scan the shelves in much the same way you would in a bricks-and-mortar store.

Very nifty, and just what I always thought was missing from Amazon. Interestingly enough, Zoomii orders are processed through Amazon.com. So, there's nothing new, once you make your choices.

Canadian bookworms can find Zoomii at www.zoomii.ca. Americans should head to www.zoomii.com.

Starting over...again

2008-10-23T09:25:00.002-04:00

15 minutes a day. That was the goal. Some days, yes. Other days, not so much.

I do have a few excuses up my sleeve: illness, housework, fitness, Halloween. Kids were home sick, housework is occasionally getting done, I've managed to get myself moving again, on a regular basis, I've been decorating and brainstorming for a Halloween party, sending the creative energy into ghoulish zones. But none of these excuses, when balanced with my simple request to myself to sit and write for 15 minutes each day, hold up under scrutiny.

So, I'll try again. Shift the mindset. Quote FlyLady a lot. I know that I can do anything for 15 minutes. Even write.

SMART Goal Setting

2008-10-09T11:28:00.002-04:00

OK. Step One: Clean the office. Check. If a clean desk is a sign of a sick mind, well, my mind has a major case of the sniffles. But I like it this way.

Step Two: Set goals.

Doing a bit of quick mental calculating, I figure I realistically have about three hours a day to spend writing. There are three major activities or groups of activities that go into writing: first draft writing; re-writing, editing and critiquing; and research and marketing (this is where blogging comes in). So, one hour each, every day.

Being in a realistic frame of mind, I don't see this happening immediately. My goal is to work 15 minutes for each "department" Monday to Friday by the end of next week. There is a holiday descending on Monday, but grabbing 15 minutes here and there should not be insurmountable.

Goal Check: Does my goal meet SMART goal setting guidelines?

S- Specific? 15 minutes. Check
M - Measurable? Check.
A - Attainable? Check. Some goal setters also use "Action-oriented" for the letter A. Work. Check
R - Realistic? Check.
T - Timed? By end of next week. Check.

After writing this post, I've exceeded the goal for research and marketing today. I'm on my way!

I Call a Do-over!

2008-10-08T09:31:00.002-04:00

In September, I got my wish: the whole day for writing. But, I have to admit, I wasn't all that productive. My resources were spread over myriad projects and the result was that I was getting very little accomplished.

First, the reality check: I do not have the whole day to write.

I am chief cook and bottle-washer for a household of four people and two cats. The tasks that go into that job take Time, and will not (as much as I wish they would) get done by themselves. If I do not do those tasks in a timely fashion, there is an associated cost, whether it be monetary or environmental. It's more than OK to take the time to do that job to the best of my ability.

It is also OK to take the time to do my job as a writer. Good writing requires committed, butt-in-the-chair time. Writing keeps my brain in peak function, which is good for me now and in the future. As an added benefit, it helps me to do my other job well.

Off to do Step One: Clean The Office.

Tips for Writers: The Reading

2008-09-29T09:11:00.003-04:00

I hit The Word on the Street in Kitchener this weekend. Raptures. Books and sunlight and folding chairs on the grass, autumn leaves rappling down the tent roof and the barking of small dogs. Writers and words and writing...and readings. It was a rare opportunity to sit in on one reading after another. As such, it was also a rare opportunity to see what works and what doesn't, in terms of engaging one's audience. So after sitting in on a few readings, here are my tips for a good reading:

1. Remember that the purpose of a reading is, ultimately, to sell books.

2. KYSS: Keep your snips short. Give 'em just enough to whet the appetite. Too much and they'll glaze over and start thinking about what to cook for dinner.

3. Choose your snip carefully. It should be able to stand on its own. It should show off at least one of your characters to good effect. It should be easy to introduce: "Amabel, the MC, has just fallen down a well", versus "Amabel, the MC, has just gone into a hotel for a drink, when in walks the captain of the ship she jumped off of to avoid paying the fare because her purse was stolen while she was asleep; she was pretending to be a man then, and is now dressed as a woman".

4. Practice.

5. Read with feeling.

6. Answer a question with a story. You're a storyteller. Prove it. This may be difficult for you, or it may come as easily as breathing, but when someone asks you a question, they're giving you a chance to sell yourself. Do it. It will help sell books. Remember, you want to sell books.

7. Learn how to deal with crickets. Have a contingency plan for the dreaded silence when the call goes out for questions...and there aren't any. Don't leave them wanting less.

8. Dress for success. You should wear the clothes, the clothes shouldn't wear you. Nothing fussy or distracting. Wear colours that flatter, fabrics that don't wrinkle, and avoid words on your person. Make sure you feel comfortable. And for those with breasts, I can't emphasize enough the importance of a good bra.

Acadian Star Contest

2008-09-23T14:48:00.006-04:00

There is only one thing I like better than reading a good book -- and that's WINNING a good book.

Helene Boudreau is launching her new book, Acadian Star, with a contest on her blog. So head on over, and leave a comment with "star" in it for a chance to win your very own copy of Acadian Star. Find all the details (including more ways to win) on Helene's blog here.

Acadian Star hits the bookstores October 1.

The Three Little Pigs Plotting Primer

2008-09-16T10:39:00.002-04:00

I checked out Helene Boudreau's blog today to see what she had to say about plotting. Plenty of Very Good Ideas, as it turns out. My favourite was her comment about the Three Little Pigs. The lightbulb went on with that one.

So, here's my take on how to plot, using the Three Little Pigs model.

Introduction: Meet the pigs (the protagonists -- you need at least one), who need a place to live, safe from the Big Bad Wolf (the antagonist -- you need one of these). There's conflict between the characters: they can't agree on building materials. (Ordinary stuff to help suspend disbelief) The pigs agree to disagree, and each build their own house, setting the scene for later drama.

Next, we meet the Big Bad Wolf. He's hungry (understandable motivation, which adds depth and subtlety to portrayal of antagonist) Bad Thing #1 happens: the Big Bad Wolf destroys straw house. Subplot: Pig A goes to live with Pig B.

Then, Bad Thing #2 happens: the Big Bad Wolf destroys the stick house . This is worse than Bad Thing #1 (builds tension). The subplot also progresses, as Pig A and Pig B must move in with Pig C.

Finally, the Climax: the Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf have their showdown. The Wolf gets what is coming to him, the brick house stands, and the Pigs resolve their domestic issues (thereby taking care of the subplot) and live happily ever.

Lessons:
1. Introduce conflict early.
2. Give your protagonist and your antagonist realistic motivations for their actions.
3. Make things go from bad to worse before you let them get better.
4. Tie your subplots to your main plot.
5. Make sure everyone gets what they deserve.

3 Question Personality Quiz

2008-09-13T10:11:00.002-04:00

Some weekend fun...

Take the three question personality quiz here. I'm Rational.

Fusion Friday

2008-09-12T10:45:00.003-04:00

Fusion Friday...where the copywriter meets the gardener meets the fiction writer...

Got Plot?

Without spreading some conflict, probably not.

In the compost pile I refer to as the first draft of my middle grade novel, my main character, Fred, comes home from school on his birthday. He finds his achingly cool mother vacuuming with uber cool tunes cranked on the stereo. He also finds The One Thing He Wanted Most for His Birthday waiting for him. Fred has no homework, despite turning twelve. Fred has one friend, so important to him that Nick (or Eric, we're not sure of his name) barely merits mention in the MS. He has a sister he likes who is not instrumental to the plot in any way, shape or form. He has a nemesis he grumbles about, but we do not meet her. He likes games. Or so we hear.

No conflict. No colour. No fertilizer. No reason to go on.

So I donned gardening gloves and dug a whole new border. I have the earth turned. I've anchored the planting with a querulous Fred and his competitive rival, Jinny. Jinny can be invasive, so I'll keep an eye on her. Nick provides comic height at the back of the border, and is topped with a showy toque. For a touch of the traditional, I think I'll put in a Fight Over Chores Mother Plant. Add in a few stepping stones to get Fred started on his Hero's Journey (learn more about the Hero's Journey here), and there might just be enough curb appeal to invite readers in.

Failing that, maybe someone knows where I can pick up some Magic Beans, cheap?

A Whole Whack of Tips in One Tome

2008-09-10T12:43:00.002-04:00

From ideas to query letters, The New Writer's Handbook 2007: A Practical Anthology of Best Advice for Your Craft & Career is chock full of helpful information for fiction and non-fiction writers alike. The anthology of essays and articles is edited by Philip Martin. There's a bio and web info for each contributor, making it a print portal to even more great tips. Best of all, Volume 2 was released in July of this year.

Blog Launch

2008-09-09T14:46:00.002-04:00

Welcome to Ink Gleanings!

[drumroll, smattering of applause]

Thanks for coming to my first official blog posting. Please enjoy a slice of cake and some punch (spiked). From here on in, I plan to share tidbits about writing, advertising and gardening.

What does gardening have to do with writing? Plenty. Both need a plot, seeds, time to germinate and grow, and a good set of pruning shears. Above all, both require the shoveling of manure. Often quite a lot of it.