Bannister's Way

When writing, secondary characters sometimes interest the author enough to find themselves in their own book. This happened to me when I wrote Desert Inferno. David Bannister was an agent sent to Arizona to find evidence and arrest a dangerous man. He was slick, handsome, and dangerous. He and the hero of Inferno, Jake Donovan, became friends. I began to wonder about David's background. When I figured it out, Bannister's Way was on its way. 

The heroine was a sculptress, teacher, and David's ex-wife. To catch a murderer, David was going undercover but didn't have in mind what his partner set up for him.

Having been in a lot of art classes, some with nude models, having painted and sculpted nudes, Raven was a fun heroine for me

 

David only half listened as he heard her tell them about the value there was to be had from taking seriously a study of fine art, how throughout the ages great artists have seen the study of the body--the musculature, the bone structure, in short the anatomy--was important to make their work come alive. They must take seriously the study of the nude--

Whoa! What had she just said? Nude! Who said anything about... nude? And then he knew and wished nothing so much as that Vance was nearby where he could get his hands around his throat. A good dodge, a natural way in, his friend had said. Friend, hah! He'd kill him!

He barely heard the rest of Raven's instructions. It was impossible. No way under this earth or above it could he take off his clothes in front of all these people! He looked at the students, at their interested gazes in a new way. They must know he was the model, the guinea pig, the sacrificial lamb, the... No!  He would not strip. It was out of the question. No way could he do it.

Raven's voice broke through his thoughts. "At one time, I wouldn't have had to say what I am going to next, but times have changed and so have people. There will be no commenting about the model, nor any jokes." One of the girls giggled in what to David seemed a nasty way. He stared at her, wondering how such an innocent looking young woman could have such a perverted giggle. He looked back at Raven, who was looking over the students. "You will at no time treat the model with less than respect. You will not touch him. This is a serious class. If you behave as though your time here is a joke or an opportunity for voyeurism, you will be kicked out of the class. If it happens soon enough, you might be able to just drop it. If it’s too late, you will get a failing grade.”

He felt angry at her for the position in which he found himself, then he remembered her uncertainty, the many opportunities she had extended, trying to give him a graceful way out of it. Except he hadn't known what it was. He remembered her question--are you sure you know what you're doing? His own confident answer--of course.

  He stared down at his scarred boot and thought again of Vance--the man who called himself friend, who had to be somewhere snickering, laughing at the ultimate stunt. This was the worst of the tricks to which Rich had ever subjected him. David's breathing wasn't coming easily as he considered how it would feel to be nude in a room where everyone else was clothed, of being stared at--intimately.

 It is for art, he reminded himself. Everyone knew about the old masters, their works. Michelangelo’s David. Rodin’s Age of Bronze. He'd seen nude paintings on museum walls but never thought about the flesh and blood models who had posed for those works. The thought of being one of those models had never entered his head.

He’d almost turned down the assignment just on it being as a model--a fully clothed model. Only his interest, in what had appeared to be an unsolvable case and the knowledge that his ex-wife taught the class, had persuaded him. Now what was he going to do?

What we watch...

As a writer, I think about what readers want. It can't impact what I write totally as we can only write the stories that come to us. As I've said many times, romances come to me. But I do like to figure out what readers like, what makes them feel good or even cry. This week has been kind of a weird juxtaposition of ideas on that subject.

a November Tucson sunset from our home here

For a long time, the most respected offerings in entertainment have been in the movie theaters. There the films range from the arty to the big box office version of what it is assumed we want (or should) as a people. What we 'want' is determined by ratings based on ticket sales-- can't get away from ratings.

Today there are many films being made with no intention of ever going to the movie theater. HBO, Netflix, and assorted other outlets make films which may be streamed, seen on cable, or go straight to DVD. These vary in the view they depict of the world. 

There was an era for movies where the stories were about the upbeat and trying to make people feel better about life. Even Casablanca where the hero and heroine didn't end up together, had a set of values and an ending for which one could cheer. Back then there was no mandatory happy ending but what did well in the theaters usually was uplifting.

I don't see much of that in today's films. Although I rarely go to a theater, I often buy films on DVD. I only buy what I believe will be uplifting. I can get the bad news by reading newspapers online-- which I regularly do. I am not suggesting we should ignore the dark side of human life but more be sure when we are learning about it, it's in non-fiction not what we choose for entertainment.

Most recently I purchased two DVDs, Maleficent and How to Train Your Dragon 2. I know they are kid films and maybe it's why I love them so much. I am not looking to spend time watching the films that win Oscars (most years when that time rolls around, I won't have seen any of the supposed best ten films of the year). I want movies that make me feel better by the time I take them out of the Blu-Ray. Both of these did that.

Recently, someone mentioned a good film they had seen on Hallmark Channel. I had nearly forgotten about those little movies but went looking for what was there. 

Schmaltzy some might accuse as opposed to the important films in the movie theater this month, you know like Gone Girl (mismatched couple, who are neither admirable, involving murder and fraud); Foxcatcher (nutty rich guy murders pro wrestler); Dumb and Dumber To (nuff said); Nightcrawler (exploring underbelly of city); Hunger Games (society crashes and only girl with bow and arrow can save it-- that one I often buy on DVD but wonder later why I did...); Wolves (werewolves, horror); and on it goes. Nothing in the majority of the films to make anyone feel better about life-- their own or our culture. 

I have heard Intersteller is fine art except about a culture that has destroyed its environment and must find a wormhole to go elsewhere. Aren't we living that one? Also a father must miss his daughter growing up to try and save some of earth's people (no, I haven't seen it probably won't, as space films, even if uplifting, don't really interest me). 

Since the suggestion regarding Hallmark, we've seen three of their new films for Christmas and enjoyed them all. If you have cable and the Hallmark channel, the films are free-- except for the ads, which has been educational to me since I have watched very little TV with ads. These are also going to be out on DVD after they play on the channel.  I don't know if eventually they will wear on me but for now it's been a nice discovery (list of new Hallmark films for 2014 Christmas).

The following is an example of the kind of stories, Christmas Under Wraps, scheduled for November 29th.

Dr. Lauren Brunell (Bure) has her whole life planned out. As a third year surgery resident, she is counting on being accepted into a prestigious hospital fellowship to follow in the footsteps of her supportive father, Henry (Pine). But when those plans quickly fall apart, and Lauren is put on the wait list, she must take the only other opening available: a head doctor position in the small, remote town of Garland, Alaska. Convincing herself it is only temporary, Lauren moves to Garland where she is immediately charmed by Andy (O’Donnell), a handsome local who soon starts to show her the importance of living in the moment and enjoying her unexpected adventure. As Lauren excels as Garland's trusted doctor, she warms up to the friendly town. But Andy's father, Frank (Doyle-Murray), is hiding something from her in his top-secret shipping warehouse. Just as Lauren decides to get to the bottom of her suspicions, she receives news that will force her to make a life-changing decision, while knowing for certain that the Christmas season will never be the same.

This year, the first Hallmark film hooked me on keeping an eye out for what was coming. The Nine Lives of Christmas has cats in it. How can a movie with cats in it not be great? Hero and heroine were cute. They are all cute in these films, but they also look like ordinary people-- not movie stars. That one had Gregory Harrison playing a supporting role. Remember when he was the hunk? This time he supported the hunk; and as an older guy, he's still pretty hunky :).

From what I can tell, these all have some romance in them.  The romance though has (so far) not been the most important part of the story. Even when it's someone looking for the love of their life, what they find goes beyond it to values that are about quality living. There is nothing partisan or pushy about the agenda. Treat others well. Work for real values. Look around you. Be open. Remember when the world seemed more innocent!

Some have a supernatural element, like Northpole and Angels and Ornaments, but it's in line with A Christmas Carol by Dickens-- an element that makes the characters think more deeply about what they want in their lives. Angels and Ornaments made me teary because it dealt with love lost and the possibility of love missed. It was sweet, Christmasy and nothing pretentious or negative about any of it.

Northpole was likable enough for us to consider buying it as a Christmas gift for our grandkids. No, it's not likely to be a huge classic, like A Christmas Story, but it was about the meaning of the season-- something I tried to get across in my Christmas novella, A Montana Christmas. 

Northpole followed what seems a Hallmark theme-- showing people struggling with loss or disappointment. This one added how we can misjudge based on our pre-prejudice. I liked a line from it, paraphrased-- why is it easier to believe one person is a crook than to believe another is an elf? 
 
I am thinking this does relate to novels to write/read. We can choose to spend our time reading/writing upsetting stories about people who moan about their lives or are destructive-- or instead stories where it's about finding the nobility in human nature. That part is a choice but what it does to our view of life, that one is a consequence.

revamping yet another cover

Yes, I've read of the agony of the struggling writer-- how each book is wrung from them with blood and sweat. I confess. I have love and have fun writing. I enjoy creating covers. What I hate is accepting they won't be liked-- yes, it's a conundrum to do something you love and know others won't love it also. 

When my books aren't selling, it's enough to sometimes make me want to cry. I stop and remind myself this is creative work. It is the reward just to be able to do it. Don't ask for it to be appreciated by others, but in reality we all want our work to be liked. It's unrealistic not to admit that. 

Creating covers is a lovely break from thinking about the harder aspects of marketing. They are also, however, part of marketing. So with recently purchased new images, I took a hard look at my existing covers. Could any be made better?

Better means more adequately tell, in one image, the story within the book. That is the object of covers. They are meant to attract as flowers do bees. They must though depict what is within, or they are cheating the potential reader. Putting up a cover that looks wonderful, the type that has sold many books, when it has nothing to do with the book, is unfair and as a writer-- unsatisfying.

From Here to There was one of the books to which I looked. That poor book. It has had so many covers-- the most of any of mine-- a few of its rejected covers. 

I love its story, plot, characters. It is about human relationships, several kinds, and the world of cattle raising. But one cover after another didn't get that across. Well, there is no use crying over spilt milk--onward and upward is my motto-- both likely cliches. (One I took from a friend who used it often). 

So when I re-edited that book, I decided to once again look at its cover. What could I use instead of what I have tried? The most recent one represented the western cowboy-- a major theme of the book. I liked it but can't say it was helping sell the book.

Part of the problem possibly was-- what does this cover say in regards the romance? The guy on the cover looks like the hero in the book. That was a plus. He also illustrates the underlying theme of ranch life. But was that really enough?

Looking at the book itself and its deeper themes, what did that cover do for illustrating them? It's about the modern west, cowboys, ranch living, illusions and how sometimes what we think is not real turns out it is. It's about families, relationships, love, sexuality, animals, and how we can do what we must-- with enough motivation. Obviously I can't get all that onto a cover.

I went looking through my images, found one I had bought just because I loved it with no idea how I could use it. Next I looked for images that could represent the hero and heroine. I found one that had the right look and only took a little adjusting to look like them. 

The next step was playing around to see how I could put the two images together in a way that depicted the energy and love of the West.

Will it help attract readers? I have no idea, but it definitely does the book more justice in terms of beauty and vitality. For readers who hate the very idea of romances, it will ward them off. For someone who would enjoy a romance that offers two stories of how love can come together, one told through an old journal, well that part I could not get onto the cover or it'd be cluttered. You just cannot get it all one one cover... I don't think anyway. 

That wasn't the end of rethinking covers. At this point, I was taking an art break before my next editing job (three books I have not decided to  ePublish) before getting back to finishing writing fourth in that series (Oregon historicals). 

Titling a work

Finding a title for a work is something writers, painters, sculptors, and photographers run into. The work is finished. It's what you wanted it to be. If you intend to present it to the world, it needs a title. It can be as simple as Canyon I or a lot more creative. It might be named for the place you painted or the energy you felt and what you hope someone else will also find when reading your work.

Through the years I have titled paintings, sculptures, books, and blogs. Sometimes I know the title before I even start. Sometimes it comes to me as I am in the midst of it. Once in awhile I have to dig for it after the work is finished. Once I had a book out and was forced to retitle it due to the original title, which I had seen as relating to the story, which used the legend of Prometheus and dealt with love. Golden chains seemed apropos. Readers thought it was erotic. Since it was not (it had nudity in the artistic sense not sexual, I both lost it readers and had some not happy who bought it. I changed it to Bannister's Way which was also fine given the characters. He was a secondary character in Desert Inferno and not known for being reluctant to do things his way.

For paintings, sculptures and photography, titles might not matter so much-- other than to keep track of the work. For books, titles are key to getting someone to even look at the pages. The writer has an image and a couple of words to convince a reader they would like to know more.

Before I began the recent Arizona historical, it had a title. It came before the first word was written. The title still worked when it was finished.

But it was a little more complicated with the paranormal trilogy. When I wrote the first one, it had its title as soon as I finished the book. The second title came during the writing. I began writing the third with a title in mind-- finished it thinking it would be its title. Except...

A trilogy, like in paintings, is linked together in a unique way. It's not just about common characters but has to have stories which are tied together. Mine are separate, each comes to a conclusion, but they are tied to a problem that is not resolved until the last one. 

That meant, I needed a title for the whole, which would be different than either of the three eBooks. I am going to offer all three only as a paper book-- partly because of Amazon letting readers take a Kindle, return it within a week for no reason. It has also led me to hold off on my Oregon historical series which I may bring out in paper but not electronic. In the case of this book, I had another reason to bring it out as a paperback with the possibility it might appeal to metaphysical type bookstores. Anyway that meant four titles, with the book being the name of the trilogy. (confused yet?)

Late one afternoon, my writing done, nothing I could start editing (too soon), I sat in our garden yard. I was enjoying the sunshine, looking up through the oak trees at an intensely blue sky, sipping some red wine, wondering how long before Farm Boss would be in from the barns, and mentally trying out different combinations for the paper book's title. After awhile, it came to me that it'd be easier to retitle the third then taking its title for the paper book.

So they will be When Fates Conspire, The Dark of the Moon (due out end of April), Storm in the Canyon (probably early June), and late in June a paper book-- Diablo Canyon.

If you don't write, you might not think titles are such a big deal. Well you probably know based on which ones draw you to try a book. As a writer, you want that title to interest a reader but also depict something important in the story. It doesn't have to be an actual event but can instead be the feeling behind the story. It has to have the right energy and not be deceptive. Add to that, ideally you'd prefer it not have been used by another writer. Since there are millions of books out there, the last part can be impossible which is where series names as part of a title can help.

Diablo Canyon is kind of a mystical place. It doesn't actually exist, but its image needed to appear both powerful and beautiful. The photo above, a joining of two of my own photos, will be on the paperback cover. The eBooks will each have an image that depicts the couples their stories center around. 

Doing a trilogy as a novella series is a little more complex than I had expected. A friend asked if I ever thought I'd be doing one when I began writing. I didn't think I'd be doing one before that dream in November! I've written series books where they take the same family or secondary characters and go forward, but trilogies have a different set of expectations in that there needs to be an ongoing problem that is threaded throughout them-- while each one, at least in mine, provides a satisfying conclusion.The final paper book will be almost 99,000 words which is a good length for a novel.

promo material-- or not

Of all the things I spend time doing where it comes to the books, the one I like the least, the one that wears me out the fastest, the one I tend to feel I've accomplished nothing at the end of day doing it-- is producing promotional material. It's not hard to see why successful authors pay someone to do it.

When I am writing on a new work, I feel stimulated and excited by how the story is going, what happens next. When I am doing research for a book, I get into what I am learning-- even if I don't end up using it. Even editing has its rewarding side as I find better ways to say something.

But promotional material is like pulling teeth. I do it because I know I should but I do a lot less of it than many writers; and when I read an article by someone who blasted past all the barriers and sold a ton of books, it's generally helped along by how good they were at promoting that work-- or having someone who did.

So this last week I've been editing on my novella as I begin to work up an idea for a second to follow in its wake. Both will be paranormal, fantasies, but based roughly on what I have read from many religions as well as metaphysics (which might also be a religion). That is stimulating, exciting as I think on what I want it to depict. I though have also been trying to put together a site to promote the group anthology which will go out in mid-March. That required figuring out how to create one place that will take someone to all my books at various sites besides Amazon-- because soon we want them also available on other locations.

Usually I enjoy image work but something about this one was getting to me. If I use a western landscape, it doesn't work for my books that are set in the city. Even my contemporaries in downtown Portland do have the spirit of a western, but how to get that across in one image was the problem.

The real goal for that one image had to be the energy of a romance. Water and rock depicted that best. Romances are about two, often very different, people coming together and working past the obstacles to a relationship that can last. The only question left was-- moving or still water. Reflections depict the depth of relationships, but I think I am actually going for moving water as it's the volatility of the romance book.

That had me looking through my photos until I found two I particularly liked. Although both are in Arizona, I didn't see that as a problem as they are both beautiful. But what they also turned out to be difficult to put readable words over the top while not losing the beauty. After half a day I came up with two possible versions which I'll give a day or two to think about before using-- but I think I prefer the running water.

After my back said give this a break, I went outside to take more photos of the new metal deer dancer sculpture. It's going back to Oregon with us, but I thought photos against the vegetation here would be good. It might end up the cover of the second novella-- or not. If it does, I need a more threatening environment than this photo-- maybe a little wind ;).

Update: After thinking about the promotional photo that would be above my links, and Tabor's comment, I gave it another shot by this time darkening the photo to make it more dramatic and giving up on red (even though it is very western feeling) as it's never going to be possible to define it from the rocks and the varying shades of light and dark. I think this be the one whenever we get the links set up. Being in Arizona, with work needed on house/yard, consulting work following hubby, my writing, there has to be some time for fun too...

soul collages

When I got to our Tucson house and settled at my computer to scan over one of my eBooks for improving the editing, redo a cover on another because of complaints that it just didn't do the book justice, and keep up on the MOA forums (two I follow with interest), I looked up at the collage above my desk and saw something I hadn't put together before.

It goes back to 2001, when I was 58 and going through a LOT of changes in terms of who I was and what I wanted. I was entering the gateway to old age. Changes were ahead whichever way I was going to take them. It was then that I read about a tool to center yourself toward your deepest goals-- creating soul collages.

There were classes and books on how to do this, even making soul cards this way [soul collage book]. I ordered the book but never took the time to read it as I already had a feel for how I wanted to do it. I didn't want to make the cards as I used Tarot by that time which worked fine for my off and on needs. What I wanted was to create a soul collage for the wall that I could look at.

So, I went through my western and art magazines, cutting out images that spoke to me.  It turned out to be a mix of art, people and scenery. The instructions are then to glue them to a board, which can be foam board, poster board, anything heavy enough to hold them, in a pleasing pattern to you.


The one above my desk here in Tucson was my second and created in 2002 during a four month period where I was staying here, often alone, as my husband would fly in and out for his consulting business while keeping up the cattle and sheep operation in Oregon. I had time to hike by myself, create a lot of clay sculptures (many still in this house) and think.

I did my last collage in 2003 back in Oregon. By 2004, it just didn't seem something that I needed to do; but I also hadn't seen how they had changed much to do the three I had. But you know often what we think is not speaking to us is doing more than we know.

Last week, when I looked up at the Tucson one I had to laugh. I saw my romance novels. What I had no idea back then was that I was pointing myself in the direction I would go. Although I was always writing I hadn't seen the connection between the collages I had done and the books. I see it now. The energy of all my romance novels is in those collages. I can't say the collages pointed me toward them but they sure do reveal them.

These images represent my innermost soul, but also the women I write about, the men they love and the energy of what I hope for in everyone of my stories. As I think about it, the two I have in Oregon do the same thing. All that was in me, wanting to come out, was in those collages. I didn't need to make more of them because they were there; and when I looked up at this one, I thought, yeah, it was a better tool than I knew.

So if you haven't found your own energy, this is a tool I much recommend. If you don't have the right magazines, head for a used store and pick up some that most interest you for the images. You might be like me and not understand how much it has revealed, but I think it helps even if is subliminally. Thinking about it now, I know they can serve as reminders each time I start a new book of what I hope will be in it for me to reveal and readers someday to discover.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas and hope all who come here are enjoying this special time of the year. Google+ did something to one of my photos (image of wolf from CanStock and snowy photo from our farm) which I really liked and wanted to share. I gotta learn how to add snow as I totally love it-- in a snow globe or photo

Stories in Stone

Petroglyphs and pictographs have always fascinated me. Why would they not, as like writers, they are telling a story. It is up to us to determine what that story is even as the Native American people usually have ideas but they aren't always the same.

The following are all in the Columbia River Gorge at Columbia Hills State Park. Some have always been where they are today. Some were saved from Petroglyph Canyon when it was flooded by the Dalles Dam.

And for me, of all the many petroglyphs I have seen, the ultimate one that had been on my list was Tsagagalal, She Who Watches. She has set above the Columbia River many years and today can only be seen on an arranged tour. Her story would have to be an interesting one as to why she was created to be where she is and all that she's seen since that time.
 

secondary characters

Once in awhile there is a secondary character who is so appealing that they get their own book. David Bannister was that in Desert Inferno. When that happens, I begin to think about that character's back story. It turned out David had an ex-wife and that led to Bannister's Way in the art world of a small liberal arts college (all fiction) and the investigation of a murder.

When I was looking for a snippet, I liked a lot of the dialogue between David and his ex-wife but this book also has a bromance. I always like to write about men and their interactions hence this snippet-- from the two investigative partners who had frequently played tricks on each other.

When he heard the light tapping at the door of his hotel room, he lay quietly, pretending to be asleep. Soon the door pushed open, light fell through the crack as a body moved in and slid the door closed almost silently.

David waited, his eyes closed, every muscle ready. As the figure approached his bed, he lunged forward, grabbed a wrist. Yanking hard, he threw the large body onto his bed, landing on top of it with his muscular forearm pressed tightly against a windpipe, cutting off the man's ability to talk and nearly to breathe.

"Visiting?" he hissed in his victim's ear, not letting up on the pressure even as he heard the little coughing sound. "Have a good time today, Rich? Lot of fun?"

There was a sound of choked laughter.

"If you can still laugh, I must not be pushing hard enough," David growled, increasing the pressure before he sat up, allowing his victim to slide to the floor, coughing and gulping in wheezing breaths.

"I take it," a rasping voice gasped when it could, "that you didn't appreciate your new job." More broken laughter followed.

David smiled coldly, waiting as Richard Vance managed to pull himself onto the bed to sit beside him. "What do you think, Rich? Did you think I'd enjoy posing in the buff for a bunch of over-sexed teen-agers? Huh? Is that what you really thought?"

Rich coughed again, rubbing his throat cautiously. "You could’ve killed me, Dave."

"I think the key word there is could have," David said through his teeth. "I swore today, when I found out what you'd set me up for--that I would kill you."

"It was the perfect dodge, the ideal way to get you in with a position to… attract interest," Vance said, a laugh still in his voice, "and besides that, it was the only opening."

"Why didn't you do it then?"

"I told you. I don't have the body for it," Vance said with a grin, patting his wide girth with appreciation. "Can you see them wanting to draw or make a clay sculpture of this middle-aged guy? The students would have been abandoning ship left and right." He stopped and chuckled again. "I'd have sure given a lot though to see your face when you found out you had to take off your clothes." After the abuse of his vocal cords, his laugh was a wheezing sort of sound.

David gritted his teeth. "I'm surprised you didn't sign up for the class."

"I might have tried--except I've already been around the school, asking questions as an investigator. They'd have never believed me. I'd have sure loved to see your face though. I'll bet that was a sight."

"I still might kill you," David grated with a tight smile.

"Come on, the experience was good for you. Loosen you up a little, Bannister. You could use it."

"Thanks, but I think I'll choose my own loosening up next time--if you don't mind."

"How about seeing your ex-wife again? That must have been good. She's a looker, your ex. I don't know why you left her."

"Correction-- I would not exactly say I left her, and it was a real thrill to see her," David said with a curl of his lip, “when she saw me as a man who is so broke he has to pose for money--as a man who has a hotel room instead of a home--a motorcycle instead of an automobile. Yeah, Rich, it was a real thrill all around."

"Well, it couldn't be helped. If you looked like you weren't broke, nobody'd believe somebody like you would've taken the job."

"I look broke all right. I am broke. In that wallet you gave me, besides my agency ID hidden in a secret flap, all it had was a Colorado driver’s license. Not even a buck. What am I supposed to live on?"

        "Soup kitchen next door,” Vance chuckled.

What have I learned?

For one thing--

you never stop learning. You'd think at some point you'd get it all but you never do. It's the one thing about life. Unless you purpose to shut yourself off from new information, refuse to assimilate anything you didn't learn at 13, you will never learn it all-- and that not even for those people who go out of their way to be perpetual school students.

never try to outguess a fox. I swear the fox family has literally driven me nuts not to mention at times depressed as I try to do what will be good for them but us also. Never works. Where that story is heading is beyond me and this is why I never liked Disney animal movies. An animal always died to work up the teary audience. Caring for wild animals is asking for a Disney movie in your own backyard.

trying to outguess readers is about the same. I had some time between starting the new book, research, and having a kind of health issue, so I tried reading other people's romances. This is something I don't do very often for obvious reasons-- not wanting to be influenced. What I read was top of the line. Why do readers want the same plots regurgitated with new settings and characters over and over? They want 'surprises' but predictable and often manipulated surprises? I've decided the secret to this knowing is beyond me like with the foxes and I should just understand people read what they need. I write what I need and maybe that isn't going to be the same but it is what it is. So maybe I've learned something there... maybe not.

doing videos has a big drawback if information can change. Back up to the fox story. For my other blog I did a two several videos intended to tell the story of the foxes as it was to date. Before I could ever use the videos, the story changed and (see above) in a not good way. When you write something, you just change the words before the due date. when you video tape it, there is only one thing to do-- delete. A major drawback to videos. Maybe I should stick to making them for the books.

Finally I thought this was interesting as this lady (who has quite a few videos on YouTube) took viewers through her home and studio to show her work. Neat-- a studio tour

Yaquina Head June 14th

The Oregon Coast June 14th-- always an inspiration especially the lighthouse at Yaquina Head because of the life those old light keepers had. Even though this one is quite close to Newport, it was resupplied by boat. They led an isolated life as well as a very important one for early shipping. With ships often not far offshore, it was all too easy to crash into rocks without these steady beacons at night or in a fog. There were no nights off.

Years before them, the Native Americans lived on the headland where they had sheltered coves in the rock as well as plentiful food supplies from the sea, hunting, and roots to dig. Their archaeological evidence was left behind.

Friday the harbor seals were basking on the rocks below but photographing them was tough with their whiteness against the dark rocks. The murres were all over the rocks with no interest in fishing for themselves or performing acrobatics. I did see a few swimming and one eating something but without a better telephoto, it's guesswork what-- orange colored; so maybe a starfish?
 

Some years back it was as though I saw two imaginary people. They were the light keepers; and whether it was from a dream or the energy they left behind, I cannot say. I did a quick digital sketch. This would be looking south toward the lighthouse from the beach.