I am supposed to be here: at Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada.
(c)2025
Unfortunately, after cancelling our vacation, I am here:
Recovery
Standard(c)2025
Writing
(c)2025
Writing Prompt
Standard[I’m checking out a new book of writing prompts. To be honest, I usually find these unhelpful because, as a writer, I can usually write my own prompts, but in previewing this book, I like how it’s set up, and thought I’d share a few of them with you over the next few weeks.]
This prompt comes from the book, 5-Minute Daily Writing Prompts: 501 Prompts to Unleash Creativity and Spark Inspiration by Tarn Wilson, currently on sale in the Kindle Store for $1.99
Prompt 5
Mystery
Your character goes down to the basement to get something and notices the pale outline of a hidden door. They open it to find an elaborate labyrinth of tunnels.
Continue the Story What happened 100 years earlier?
Writing Prompt
Standard[I’m checking out a new book of writing prompts. To be honest, I usually find these unhelpful because, as a writer, I can usually write my own prompts, but in previewing this book, I like how it’s set up, and thought I’d share a few of them with you over the next few weeks.]
This prompt comes from the book, 5-Minute Daily Writing Prompts: 501 Prompts to Unleash Creativity and Spark Inspiration by Tarn Wilson, currently on sale in the Kindle Store for $1.99
Prompt 3
Memoir, Voice
Remember a place you have lived that has emotional significance. In the voice of a tour guide, introduce someone to this place.
Continue the Story The tour guide shares important “historical events” from your life.
World Book Lovers Day
StandardI’m having surgery next week. This is the list of books added to my Kindle for Recovery Reading:
- The Arsonist’s Guide to Writers’ Homes in New England by Brock Clark
- 100 Places to See After You Die by Ken Jennings
- War by Bob Woodward
- Lieutenant Nun: The True Story of a Cross-Dressing, Transatlantic Adventurer who Escaped from a Spanish Convent in 1599 and Lived as a Man – Gambling, Duels, and Leading Soldiers into Battle by Catalina De Erauso
- Black Elk: The Life of an American Visionary by Joe Jackson
- How We Learn to Be Brave by Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde
- The Jesuit Relations: Natives and Missionaries in Seventeenth-Century North America Edited by Allan Greer
As a bonus treat, I discovered this in my emails, and plan to visit the next time I am in Montreal:
Cafe Three Pines – Inspired by the bistro in Penny’s Three Pines novels, their cafe is a haven for book lovers, croissant seekers, and anyone in need of a quiet moment. They can be found at 51 Chemin Lakeside, Knowlton Quebec J0E 1V0 and on Instagram! They are open Tuesday to Sunday, 9am to 5pm.
National Biographer’s Day
StandardToday is one of those made up holidays (aren’t they all) that caught my eye as I was planning the subjects for this month’s writing. I have taken a memoir class for the last thirteen years, and now that I’m working again, I won’t be able to return. This has made me fall into my feels, so I thought that memoir is very similar to biographies, and as it turns out today is National Biographer’s Day, which isn’t as generic as I thought it would be.
It commemorates the anniversary of the first day that Samuel Johnson met his biographer, James Boswell in 1763 in London. Samuel Johnson was an English writer and the biography written about him is said to be one of the most celebrated English biographies. Dr. Johnson himself was a biographer in his own right in addition to his other writing talents.
He is also known to have said that the “best biographers were those who ate, drank, and ‘lived in social intercourse’ with those about whom they wrote.”
In honor of this momentous occasion, a few thoughts, suggestions, and writing prompts:
- 1. What is the best/most satisfying biography you’ve read?
- 2. Whose biography would you like to read but haven’t yet?
- 3. Begin writing a biography of someone you care about or want to discover more about.
- 4. It’s not biography as much as autobiography or memoir, but write a few paragraphs of your own biography. Start anywhere in your life.
Spend your weekend learning about others and yourself.
Inspired & Inspiring – Writing Retreat Reflection
This weekend I went on a much anticipated writing retreat with three writing colleagues. We have been meeting every two weeks for the past year, and the amount of feedback, suggestions, and camaraderie we’ve each received has been a glorious blessing.
We each had our own private bedroom as we shared other accommodations and a small conference room for meeting together and writing.
We interspersed our own writing with writing prompts and exercises to jump start our creativity and we enjoyed snacks, candy, and company and remarkably we each got quite a lot done on our individual projects.
As the “host” I had several goodies planned and I just loved both aspects of hosting and of participating.
The shared space worked out amazingly well, and we have tentatively scheduled another retreat in the fall.
Moving forward from this weekend, I have some goals set that need to be formally set down with specific timelines:
• Sample Book Cover
• Book Title Ideas
• Chapter Headers (each chapter needs):
– Titles
– Picture, sketch, or quotation
– Fictional narrative of this aspect of Kateri’s life, especially related to the shrines
• Timeline both of the formal governments & of Kateri’s life
• Questions to be answered
I’m looking forward to the rest of the week, planning, meeting again on Zoom, and focusing on the direction of my book.
Happy Writing to All of Us!
Caption for Photo Collage above:
- Our reserved dining table for the weekend
- A beautiful necklace one of my colleagues gave me
- Protest sign created for April 5th Hands Off protest that three of our group went to
- Chocolate chip scone & cup of hot, black tea with milk
- Our conference room where we met, laughed, read, and wrote
Writing Retreat Prep
I should have had this written & posted hours ago, but you know how it is:
- Slept in
- Needed breakfast
- Someone was wrong on the internet
- Took a shower
- Packed my retreat stuff
- Someone was wrong on the internet
- Ate a quick lunch
But I’ve finally arrived, rooms are setup. Anticipation is doing its thing!
A Prompt for You
What would make it a perfect writing retreat for you?
What are your goals?
What is your packing list?
What is your go-to motivational thing?
Have a great & productive weekend!❤
World Book Day
Standard5 Book Recs for World Book Day
- The Armand Gamache Series by Louise Penny
- How We Learn to Be Brave by Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde
- A Lily Among Thorns: A Mohawk Repatriation of St. Kateri Tekakwi:tha by Darren Bonaparte
- Lovely One by Ketanji Brown Jackson
- Patriot by Alexi Navalny
Plus a Bonus Book
Femina: A New History of the Middle Ages, Through the Women Written Out of It by Janina Ramirez
Elmira, NY
(c)2025
Intentions-Inspirations-Resolutions
For readers who have been here for awhile, I rarely if ever declare or think about New Year’s Resolutions. That changes this year. After the election, I’ve been inundated with lies and misinformation, not to mention the focus on stupidity rather than real news, and I am damn sick of it. That led me to think about my life and my writing.
I may have already written about my new job, but I started working in October, and it is the kind of place that feeds my soul. I have never had a job like this before, and every day is a joy to be there, and that allows that joy to follow me home. It’s been a good couple of months.
Obviously, I’m disappointed (understatement) about the election. I hope we can get through the next two years, and use the midterm elections to return to sanity. My first Election Connection of the new year will appear in this space next Tuesday.
As I mentioned yesterday, I am really proud of my series writing, and those will continue. In addition to Election Connection, there will be more Mental Health Monday, monthly Inspired and Friday Food posts, and I’m hoping for a return to Penny Prompts – the writing prompts based on Louise Penny’s writing and her Armand Gamache mystery series.
Those are both my intentions and my inspirations and I hope to find more throughout the year. You will find more of my new year’s thoughts below the cut.
Continue readingEnd of Year Wrap Up
StandardIn some ways, saying goodbye to 2024 is bittersweet. It is both a relief and a sadness. I’m still wearing my Harns/Walz bracelets and yearn for what might have been. Nothing was going to be perfect, but I have no doubt that it would have been better.
I spent yesterday looking back at this website, traveling from December all the way back to January to find which posts stood out to me. some were great; Some were not so great, but they all propelled my writing forward. A few of my favorites are linked below for you to also look back on. Tomorrow, I’ll begin with my intentions and actual resolutions for the New Year.
After 25 or so years home with my kids, I now have a job outside the house that I truly love. I never expected this to happen, and I’m so glad that the time was right, both for me and the place.
I have a good path forward for my book. I’m organizing the research and the photos, and I will also be presenting a program in the summer on St. Kateri’s Journey and her life.
Griffins and Ginger Snaps 