This is a photo of the haunted house I visited the other day–an interview for Livin’ Out Loud magazine–the article should be out next month.
This was a very interesting interview–I keep meeting interesting people–I’m blessed.

Trip to Morehead and writer’s luncheon at Floyd’s Restaurant was very  nice–Never had a better shrimp sandwich in my life! Thank you, those who attended and thank you for the kind comments on my presentation. Hope to come back soon.

QUOTE: You don’t meet people by accident. There’s always a reason, a lesson or a blessing.
WRITING TIP: write the contours of what you feel, think and believe.

Always thought that if I was going to come back as something it would be a dolphin, but on second thought, perhaps a sandpiper would be better. Dolphins are hunted by several predators, among them the killer whale. Sand pipers, on the other hand don’t seem to have many predators..and they are such care-free critters. They always bring a smile to my face. Try as he may, Joey (my dog) hasn’t caught one yet. Ah…real life is so much better than television or anything on a screen.
Speaking of good things, I had a delightful interview with a very interesting woman yesterday–Barbara–she lives in a haunted house (so apropos for upcoming Halloween) Anyway, hopefully Livin’ Out Loud Magazine will be running that article in the October issue. More about her later.

QUOTE: The best way to find out if you can trust someone is to trust them–Ernest Hemingway.

WRITING TIP: Trust that part of you that feels right, even if it is wrong.

Will she or won’t she? That is the question. Looks like Irma is poised to strike our area and she looks like a real bitch. Mother Nature does what she wants. Mother Nature is angry-she wants her island back. Remember–1954 Hurricane Hazel, cat 4,  hit us head on during high tide and a full moon. Hazel wiped away what had been built in preparation for the swing bridge. It took another year before our little bridge came into use. Maybe our Mother is trying to tell us something. Or perhaps it’s just wishful thinking on my part.
Barrier islands are designed to protect the mainland–so why the @#*! have the dunes been destroyed?  JUST A THOUGHT.

Pretty flowers in the marsh.

September 13, I will be teaching a seminar in Morehead City at Floyd’s at 400 Bridges Street. Hope to see you there.

QUOTE: “just because something isn’t a lie does not mean that it isn’t deceptive. A liar knows that he is a liar, but one who speaks mere portions of truth in order to deceive is a craftsman of destruction-” Criss Jami

WRITING TIP: Is your antagonist a liar? Pull from your experiences to create him or her. We’ve all been lied to.

Coming up the Intracoastal, some places are quiet and serene. This is nearly untouched, and what has been touched has been done so with respect and desire to protect the integrity of the area.
QUOTE: Some see a thing and see only price, others see it and see its value. (I think this was Oscar Wilde-not sure. But he has a quote very similar. This quote epitomizes my sentiments toward Topsail. Someone (or several) looked at it and thought- Wow, nothing’s here. I’ll make lots of money developing it. Others looked at it and saw the simplicity of its beauty. (Greed sucks)
WRITING TIP: Sometimes bare bones says the most.

Of the thousands of people I see at the markets or other local places only a handful have said they are glad the swing bridge is going. Most people see the bridge as a landmark and express the sentiment that coming across it means it is time to relax, slowdown and enjoy our quaint little island.
BUT NO-DOT knows best !@#$!^^**.–is all I have to say about that.

QUOTE: Being in a hurry. Getting to the  next thing without fully entering the thing in front of me. I cannot think of a single advantage I’ve ever gained from being in a hurry. But a thousand broken and missed things, tens of thousands, lie in the wake of all the rushing…through all that haste I thought I was making up time. It turns out I was throwing it away–Ann Voskamp

WRITING TIP: You can no more rush your character’s development than you can rush learning who you are.

Lots of foot prints in the sand–must mean lots of people on the beach. It is almost September.
Did around 1500 words today on SOMETIMES (new book) and as I tend to do when I get into a character and start developing them, I look into all places to tell me who they are. Callie-one of the main characters, is in love. (well, the book is a love story) anyway-watched a movie, listened to some music, checked out the net–pondered her. She is taking shape and I like her. All the above help develop Callie. The movie led me to Oscar Wilde, the music to sexy Pink Floyd, the net-all kinds of stuff.
QUOTE: You don’t fall in love with someone for their looks, or their cloths, or their fancy car, but because they sing a song only you can hear-Oscar Wilde

WRITING TIP: Your characters are everywhere-in the past, the present, the future and in all your experiences.

Working on SOMETIMES A BOOK IS JUST A BOOK.  I know it is a long title, but believe me it is very appropriate. Also meeting with a few people (who know a whole lot more than I do about things)to discuss certain changes on the island–should be interesting. Getting your facts straight is very important and expressing a character’s point of view should be backed up with facts. I’m shooting for a January date to release my newest novel. FINGERS CROSSED.

QUOTE: Once you make it to your point of making it, you’ll appreciate the struggle.

QUOTE: I have sea foam in my veins, I understand the language of the waves.

WRITING TIP: even if it sounds stupid, write it down. Somebody is going to relate. Or–keep working on the thought until it no longer sounds that way.

                     
                                                                                            MONSTER

                         You lean in to me
                         So close that I
                         Can feel your
                         Warm breath on my                                neck

                         You stroke my arm
                         As if you have
                         To know the
                         Touch of my skin

                         You say the words
                         That tell me
                         So many lies
                         That sound like truth

                         Your stare
                         Wants me
                         Your movement
                         Disturbs me

                         Until I cede
                         All my strength
                        Then you turn
                        And walk away.

Sometimes, more often than not, characters get in my head and all kinds of things spring from them. This is a poem that my character Callie would write. Callie is from the new book- bouncing around titles in my head. geez, they all sound so good at the time–

QUOTE: Truth is everybody is going to hurt you: you just gotta find the ones worth suffering for-Bob Marley.

WRITING TIP: It’s okay to be confused-just write the ambivalence into one of your characters.