Behind on the blog . . . again.

You all know the rules by now, right?

Random Line Friday?

Illustration by Catherine Gurri

Perhaps this is not the best place to showcase new illustrations.  It's not exactly a random line.  More like a random thought brought to life by my illustrator and collaborator Catherine.  But Friday's are for having fun, even if the resolution is wonky. 

Catherine visited last weekend and brought a sheaf of new drawings.  I'm so excited.  They look wonderful.  The Clone Trooper vs. Centurion will not make it into the final draft but I still had to share.  Forgive my impetuous nature and rinky dink scanner printer combo.  I vow to wait for a flat bed scanner and proper jpegs before sharing any other illustrations.

The kids and I are heading to Tryon, NC this weekend.  Grandma and the kids can play.  I will harvest this year's honey and work with Catherine on illustrations and rough drafts. Labor on labor day weekend but I am looking forward to it.

Titus 2 is almost done.  Progress stalled a bit on Chapter 10 so I spent yesterday mapping out themes and conflicts.  My neighbors must think I'm nuts because I spent the day outside reading out loud while making notes with colored pencils.  One more chapter to go this morning.  Fingers crossed that this, plus a pot of coffee, puts enough fire in my belly to finish the first draft. 

Have a great weekend.

Making Mud Pies

One of the greatest things about being an adult is being allowed to use portland cement.  I love cement.  It brings back all the joys of making mud pies.  Mixing up a batch is time consuming and methodical, just right for mulling over a troublesome transition or dialogue that just isn't flowing right. 

I hadn't mixed up a good batch of cement since we lived in Florida.  Then, this past Spring, I helped my daughter's Girl Scout troop make some paving stones for Mother's Day.  I've been making word bricks ever since.  My daughter helps out with the spacer bricks. 

Phase one of the Word Walk.

Once the kids went back to school I was able to place the first section of my Word Walk.  To keep the ants away and to stay environmental I prepped the ground with 20 Mule Team borox and diatomaceous earth topped with a thick layer of newspapers.  Before I put down the leveling sand I added one more layer of borox and DE.  I hate ants almost as much as I hate pesticides. 


The path curves so I will have to sink wooden spacers every few feet.  The spacers also let me work in small sections at a time.  This is a long process so I don't want a huge swath of red clay open to kids and dogs. 

The first quote is one of my favorites from A. A. Milne:  One of the advantages of being disorderly is that one is constantly making exciting discoveries.  This could be my personal motto if it wasn't too long and awkward to translate into Latin. 

Everyone needs a favorite A. A. Milne quote.

Then there is the ubiquitous Tolkein quote: 

All that is gold does not glitter,

Not all those who wander are lost;

The old that is strong does not wither,

Deep roots are not reached by the frost. 

 

 Waiting to be set in the next sections of bricks is the opening line and title of my favorite Gerard Manley Hopkins poems:  As kingfishers catch fire, dragonflies draw flame.  This stuck in my head the moment I read it in college.  It reminds me of growing up on the Indian River lagoon and all the time I have spent near water and marshes. 

Some of my "words" have made it into the word walk as well: Billington, Titus, Nessie, Annie, Lavender Scented Lake Monster,and Garden of Good Intentions. 

While serving as my editor and collaborator, Catherine has taken a few words away from me:  smug and really.  I have dutifully listened to her but out of stubborn sisterly spite I set them in the Word Walk. 

I am looking for a good quote about curiosity to put on the outside of the gate.  Any suggestions?  I would like something less menacing than "curiosity killed the cat."  

What would you put in your word walk?

Random Line Friday

2009 Christmas Swords, Poplar with beeswax finish.

As a rule, Titus's mother liked to get parental permission before arming children. 

Today's random line is from the second Titus and Annie book. 

That little magic charm or snit fit on Tuesday did the trick.  Titus and Annie Book 2 is sailing along.  Not only is the Befana letter finally written it is also funny.  There are only five chapters to go until the first rough draft is done.  Plenty of time to make my Friday deadline.

Catherine and I are getting together for Labor Day Weekend and working.  It's time for a sit down illustration and editing session on both books. 


Five chapters in seven days?  No problem. 

My french press and I can do it. 

In fact, I am rather looking forward to some nice quiet writing days right after I arm my daughter with a candy apple red electric guitar for her seventh birthday.

Sometimes a Mama has to do what a Mama has to do.

 Today's post is brought to you by my daughter's room.

Before.

After.

Routine Returns

The village thyme needs a mow.

Thanks for putting up with yesterday’s rant and cat picture. It always takes me a while to rebuild my routines.

Being stuck on a plot point doesn't help my patience any. I keep telling myself that this is only the first full week of school.

The grapevines have topped out the arbor.

The house almost completely recovered from this summers around the clock occupation. The backyard looks much less Sanford and Sons and much more Shabby Chic. Chapter six has a new stronger opening. Even though I still haven't written Annie's Befana letter, things are going in the right direction.

Another fun routine has returned. Art Web is up and running again.

Remember Art Web? My excuse for starting this blog? A potter, a painter and a writer.

We were all on creative hiatus over the summer while Catherine adjusted to her new work schedule and Lisa and I herded three children through summer vacation. So I'm not the only one rebuilding routines this week.

Catherine was the first of us to get back into gear. She finished a painting of a steeple chase scene. She has also been cranking out illustrations for Titus and Annie book one. I cannot wait to see them. I promise to post some as soon as we get them scanned in. Catherine assures me that Mr. Holt, Titus's teacher, is very cute in his horn rimmed glasses.

Lisa stopped by yesterday on a quest for materials to back a mold. She's finding her way back into the studio. The nice weather helps.

Wind chime with a hint of Miyazaki from Lisa.

She found me in a corner of the backyard working at a folding table barely big enough for my legal pad and my cat. We had lunch and a rambling talk about yard projects, plot lines and all that other random stuff. I made puppy eyes and bribed her with a few more lunches if she would help me design a business card. Lisa is a great sport and an excellent graphic designer. She said yes.

Lisa headed off to her studio and threw two pots. I went back to my little table to fill up a few more pages.

Not bad for a Tuesday that started with a ranting blog.

Domestic Magic

Yes. I believe there is magic. Subtle little steps we can take to invoke the deities of irony and mirth.

For instance, I lose things a lot. Keys. Wallet. Library card. Cell phone. I try to save face and find these things on my own so I don't have to admit to the family that I pulled a Kristen once again because I am still getting grief for misplacing my keys in the refrigerator butter dish. That was six years ago.

When I give up looking and decide to just take it on the chin, be a grown up and admit to losing something again, the item shows up. Magically.

Those drill bits weren't on the table before I e-mailed my husband. My wallet did not appear in the bathroom sink until I told my daughter I couldn't find it. Magic, right?

Now let me see if this works with writing. If I admit that I'm stuck, will I magically become unstuck? Here's hoping.

Chapter six of Titus and Annie 2 is an important one. This is the turning point when Titus gets on board with Annie's logic about the whole Santa Claus issue. He goes from empathy to interest and active engagement.

The chapter revolves around the Italian tradition of Nona Befanna. Children in Italy write letters to their parents promising to be good in the upcoming year. The letters are read outloud at the dinner table. Then the children go to the fireplace and burn the letters, saying a little rhyme to Befana as the ashes go up the chimney. They ask her to send them a treat.

For the life of me, I cannot write Annie's letter to her parents. This should be easy. But I'm stuck stuck stuck.

My husband is not sympathetic. He rather enjoys writer's block. The backyard looks awesome because of all the thinking and muttering I have been doing. The garden is almost ready for the fall planting. If this keeps up much longer, the shower in the master bathroom may end up regrouted.

Gratuitous Cat Picture:  Gravy and Smilodon "counting" baby turtles.

Ok. I have publicly admitted to being stuck and added one more gratuitous cat picture to the cosmos.  Hopefully this invokes whatever cosmic forces make my keys reappear. Let the magic and the writing begin . . .