Delight

Hello fellow readers and writers! The last couple of days I have given a lot of thought to what I would post next. Finally, last night I remembered this story. I wrote Mother Nature's Tale two summers ago after a brush fire swallowed the hills near my home. Fun fact: this is the second short story I ever wrote. My goal has always been to write a novel, but this plot came to me in a cute, tiny package. I do want to mention as well that I consider this an allegory, which is my favorite genre. Somehow as a child I got a hold of a lot of allegories, beyond The Chronicles of Narnia, and they have held a special place in my heart since.  Exercise Time: Maybe you have been struggling to get a story going. You've had an idea stuck in your mind for years and no matter how many people you tell, no one seems interested in writing it for you. ;) I would encourage you to try scaling it down. Simply write a scene. Or try to fit it into a concise short story. While the length may not fit

Exercise Time: Write from memory. It's beautifully simple. Give it a try and let me know how it goes! The Cold Spring Tavern Despite the central fireplace’s warmth, a consistent draft drifted through the slits between the wood planks of the floor and walls, meaning I would be eating dinner in my coat. And although the space appeared clean, its age and décor gave the impression that cobwebs lingered in every corner and the dim gas lamp, which sat at the end of our table only lengthened the shadows. In theory, it was not romantic. And yet as I observed the history of The Cold Spring Tavern in the black and white photos on the walls and the hulking sturdiness of the stone fireplace, the romanticism began to swell within me. Nestled in the hills and hidden from Highway 154, the setting gives the impression that you are not riding within the luxury of modern technology nor are you driving along a smooth paved road (although you are) as you approach the restauran

Note Before the Story: Hey readers and writers, I apologize for being two days late on this post! However, in the hours when I wanted to add a story but could not, I decided I would experiment with putting the discussion topics before the stories. This will give you something to think about and look for as you read!  Today's Exercise: Write a dramatic scene, maybe one to two pages long. As you write dialogue consider how an individual who is in distress would talk. Does your character's speech speed up? Do they begin confusing words? Maybe they stop speaking all together? With each element of story ask yourself how you can heighten the suspense, drama and emotion. After you are satisfied with what you have written, read it again and ask yourself if there is a way to drop your audience right in the middle of the action. You might have to rework some of the writing if the beginning part, the part you will be cutting out, contains necessary information for the audience. Howev

   There’s a rhythm in Tanzania, Africa. It’s the morning rain which pounds on the dirt, the huts, the pavement. It’s the cluck of a chicken, the cries of a child down the way, the rumble of three wheeled Bajaj’s. It’s the strife, struggle, and celebration that takes place in a single day. Even the sun rises over the Indian Ocean with a soft, dependable beat that picks up pace and warmth and momentum until the heavens explode with a symphony of color and dusk falls over the lush landscape once again.        I almost missed that song.   “Mzungu!” was all I could hear. Out of place was all I could feel. I was one of fourteen wazungu , but our tiny tribe could not ward away the reality that I was in the minority for once in my life. Our group walked down the dusty road, the bizarre surrounding us on either side. Amused, gleaming gazes were fixated on us. I was irritated with our host for bringing her dog. The Tanzanians were skittish around dogs. As she pranced out in front of the g