PAINTING AND WRITING AND WHERE DO YOU GET THOSE IDEAS ANYWAY?

Okay, so I'm updating the blog every six months whether it needs it or not...



In the past six months, I have been painting a lot and writing a little. I guess I can't really do both at the same time, although I am convinced that the urge or drive or - well, let's face it, compulsion - to do both comes from the same place in my head, that not-too-well-ordered spot where the cups all runneth over and the glasses are never half empty or even half full, but brimming like silent fountains. It's the constant jackpot in the slot machine of my life.



Oh, yeah, I discovered casinos - "Indian Gaming" is the really polite word for what goes on in these absolutely vast gambling palaces. Full of smoke, noise, mirrors, drinks, music, over-the-top waterfalls, costumes and glitz, they are fascinating, repellent, beautiful and crazy. There are no clocks, and very little sense of time. Step through the doors into a different world, and live a science fiction vignette.


It can get pricey, though - the video slot machines can cost you if you don't win at least part of the time. And for me, it's a long drive at high gas prices. But the people I see and the ideas I get in the two casinos I have frequented make the trips and the cost worth it. And I have won a couple of times, so I am breaking even on the money.

The other big gamble I took this year was giving in to the painting compulsion. I began painting in oils even though I didn't know anything about painting, oils, equipment, technique or, well, anything at all. Also, since I don't have the use of my left side & I was left-handed before the stroke, I didn't have anything to paint with. I took an online class in how to mix oil pigments, what turpentine is for and how to gesso a stretched canvas. Actually, I learned a lot more than that, but when I felt ready I bought paints, oil medium, brushes, canvas, - a ton of stuff is needed - and started my first paintings. I already knew what to paint as I had been having obsessive visions of these paintings for quite some time. I started off using the brush in my mouth, but finally got the hang of using my right hand for much of the actual application of color. I got a beautiful easel for my birthday and turned the office into an office-studio.

I am delighted to report that my first ever public showing was at the DA Center Art Gallery in the Childhood Dreams show where I had two paintings on display. I can't tell you how thrilling it was to see my stuff on the wall right next to established artists.

This new direction has led me to at least think about updating my website to include links to the painting side of things, so over the course of the next hundred years I'll be working on that, too.

THREE BEAUTIFUL THINGS


The clean smell of oil & turpentine making the house somehow seem more expansive.



The bits and pieces of green shrubs defiantly growing up through the blackened and charred remains of our beautiful hillside which burned this year.


The new babies this year - my niece Bekki had a boy and my niece Susie also had a boy. Two boys! Woohoo!

WRITING STUFF: Non-Fiction for the Fiction Writer

Every now and then I find myself researching details for a short story - you know, how tall the Empire State Building really is, what color the suit was that Jackie Kennedy wore in Dallas or if Hyperion and Sunset Boulevard ever meet - when I come across something I really want to write about.

Sometimes it's an opinion I have, a strong one, and I want to tell the world how I feel and exactly why my feelings on the subject are the right ones. Sometimes it's a discovery, either in the natural world or about human nature - and I want to share it as badly as any Nobel Prize winner or Times reporter.



What are these weird urges? What do I do with them?

Well, I can use them in fiction, but that's the easy answer as I can use anything and everything in fiction. It's one of the reasons I love writing fiction.



I can also write something entirely different. But it takes a tremendous push to get me to stick my toe in the icy waters of non-fiction. Non-fiction has so many forms, outlets, venues, and rules!


But Non Fiction PAYS A LOT OF MONEY! (When compared to Short Fiction, which is what I usually write.) Once, I wrote a 4,000 word story, one of my favorites, and it took me two months and a lot of rewrites, editing and work. I got paid about $100 for it. During that same time, I wrote an article on how to choose the right cookware for your kitchen, and included two photographs. I got about $1500 for that one.

So here are my methods for Painless Non Fiction:


(I'm not including journalism or news reportage here as that's way beyond my experience, and probably not anywhere near painless!)

Know What You Have and then Decide Where it Goes

1. Is it your opinion?

If it's your opinion, think about it for a while. Then try writing a coherent document based on what you think. Do you feel passionately about politics? Religion? Animals? Okay, tell us what you feel or think and why. Why is this idea - the central idea of your piece - so important? What can you do to make a difference? How can others help? Are there consequences to the reader if they do not see your point? Make it concise, with every word contributing to the persuasion of your position.



And if it's your opinion on a controversial subject, do you want to post it on your blog where a potential employer/your mom/a federal agent will see it? Know the line between bravery and foolishness. Bravery is good and you should have the courage of your convictions when you write for publication. Okay, do you want to publish it in the local paper? That's what the Op-Ed page is all about. Essays and opinion pieces can be the best form of writing and the most absorbing form of reading. They can inspire thought and action. Think Thomas Paine.



Or think Your Blog, if it is just musings and advice like what you get here - this type of opinion is primarily for entertainment, and there's no money coming in, let me assure you!

2. Is it an article?

If it's an article, make sure you have done all your homework. You may think you know everything there is to know about model railroads, beekeeping, how to create a quilt in a day, or how to appreciate modern art. But make sure you research more than just your experience - get a well-balanced article by exploring other experiences too. You may need photos or drawings to make your article more clear or approachable.

Articles are everywhere - increase your chance of publication success by carefully reading the guidelines for every magazine or journal to which you submit. Do they want clips of previously-published pieces? Do they take electronic submission? Do you need to submit a proposal for the article first? Check them out - read the periodical to which you submit. Is what you have what they publish? What are their rates? Do they pay by the line, word, inch or whole piece?

3. Is what you have an original or academic piece of research?

Okay, this is where university and professional journals get their articles. Take the time investigate the procedures involved in publishing original research. Do you have your research well-documented? Is it ready for public consumption? Do you need peer-review processes?

Chances are, if you have original academic research you already know how to get it published in the proper places.



This is just a quick overview of making the transitions between Fiction and Non Fiction - there's no rule that says you have to write one or the other - many successful writers support themselves with magazine articles while slogging away at their Great Novel.

So, if you haven't tried writing a non-fiction piece, why not part those waters with your big toe - or computer keyboard? Take a chance on a Letter to the Editor of your local paper, or a how-to for your local gardening club journal. Or go for the big time and see the vast markets for professionally-written articles and fillers in magazines, papers and journals of all types.



Good luck!



THREE BEAUTIFUL THINGS - All in Pomona!

Bruce Emerton, my neighbor who also has a beautiful Cliff May mid-century modern house. His tenants, Justin & Michele, are a lovely young couple busily doing the restoration on the house, and I was lucky enough to see them all yesterday. Bruce had to go to court over the landscaping in the front yard, but the judge dismissed the case when he saw the photos of the house - it really is a lovely xeriscape garden, like mine. The local Code Compliance person doesn't know squat about our type of garden, and cited him. She didn't know the difference between a banana tree and a bird of paradise flower, for example. Oh, and she thought the dormant red fountain grass was "weeds." That's Pomona for you - and our city is even named for the goddess of fruits and plants!

Bruce's house

Lunch at Tropical Mexico - it's my favorite local joint for excellent Mexican food. It's a hole in the wall in an industrial area, and it has been in business for years. They have the very best soups, which come with a tray of chopped onions, limes, cilantro and chilis. It's one of the great things about Pomona.

When Futures Collide and Bunny Gunner. When Futures Collide is my favorite furniture store in Pomona. It's a fabulous collection of mid-century stuff, from iconic to the just plain weird. The proprietor, Michael, can tell you stories about this city from the early days when he and his brothers were growing up and went to high school with my husband.

Photograph of Second Street Pomona by Sally Egan

Bunny Gunner is the framers next door, where proprietor Susie and artist Juan Thorpe both reside and work. Susie is a master framer who has done practically every piece of art in my house. Both places are on Second Street, where the Mall used to be. The fountains featuring Betty Davenport Ford, Peter Voulkos and Millards Sheets are still outside, working and looking beautiful. A truly Beautiful Thing.

Photographs of Peter Voulkos and Millard Sheets fountains by Sally Egan

WRITING STUFF: HEY - LOOK WHAT I FOUND!

I know, I know, I haven't been around for awhile – that's because when you're not working, you don't have any time. It's the writer's paradox – the less time you have available in a structured setting, the more writing you can squeeze in. But a completely unstructured setting, one filled with friends, family, volunteer ideas, shopping, chores, pets, online games and email correspondence leaves very little time to actually write.

Okay, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. I'm also looking forward to working again, albeit part time, in a couple of months. It will be good for me in so many ways.

But in the meantime, I discovered something pretty nifty – two somethings, actually. I discovered a couple of stories I put away to "cool" and which I had completely forgotten about. Re-reading them now is like a shot of excitement. They're not bad, not bad at all, pretty much ready to submit, in fact. Wow, it's like a cosmic reprieve for my deplorable lack of discipline.

Maybe that partially-written novel on the thumb drive can get a little attention, too. Don't waste those second chances.

SOUTHWEST ARIZONA STAND DOWN, March 14, 15, 16 – Yuma, AZ

I will be spending a few days with my brother in Yuma, AZ next month, volunteering at the SOUTHWEST ARIZONA STAND DOWN, an annual event aimed at assisting veterans, particularly those who are homeless and in need, but also all veterans. It will be three days of food, entertainment, medical assistance, legal assistance, job opportunities, supplies, counseling, shoes, clothing, haircuts, hot showers, a place to sleep, child & pet care, you name it – all free to veterans. This year there will be a new feature, the Women Veterans Resource Center, where I will be volunteering.

I am so proud of my brother, Bill Thornton, a disabled Viet Nam vet, who is a prime force behind this annual event. He has arranged an amazing array of sponsors and donors, as well as speakers, entertainment and organization. But I am devastated by the need. It hurts me to think of people who offered their all to our country going without basic needs. And now we are seeing women vets in dire need, too, many of them survivors of sexual trauma and with children. If you think the government provides for them, you are mistaken. The lack of government support for veterans is a national shame.

Here is a link to more information – please take a look. And support this worthwhile effort if you can. At least remember to thank a vet for their service. They did it for you.

THREE BEAUTIFUL THINGS

Sue Ann Jaffarian with her new Odelia Grey mystery novel. Catch her at the Yorba Linda Public Library in Orange County on Saturday, March 1st at 1pm. Also appearing will be award-winning mystery writers Naomi Hirahara and Aileen Baron. I'll be there to cheer them on!

Here's a pic of Sue Ann (right) and our mutual friend Susan (left) who is having a birthday the same day as the library program, so I think there will be a bit of a party afters!

Mischa Adams and her granddaughter, Maggie. Mischa is writing the hilarious Two Old Bats at the Will Reading while toddler Maggie is already adept at sign language and is starting to speak, too. Hooray for articulate women!

Steve Zurian and his scary first lines. Steve, who has been threatening to collaborate with me on a thriller for years, started without me and has sent me the opening for a slam-bang mystery set in scenic Santa Barbara. Well, as scenic as the body of an old archaeologist in a man-made cave can be. I'm not sure I can write up to his standard (I know I can't match his inimitable style!) but it's there on the burner for me, waiting for my discipline to kick in and remind me how much I love being immersed in the story, particularly when I'm writing it.
Be careful out there, folks. And keep writing.

AFTER A LONG HIATUS...

I'm back.

Well, sort of.

I had a wonderful time in December – a cruise (my first ever) with Sister in Crime Sue Ann Jaffarian and New Friend Susan G. It was a fabulous time – who'd a thought there was a place with non-stop entertainment, food, service, fun and a gentle roll to put you to sleep? But it wasn't all pleasant - who'd a thought there was a gaudy, noisy, commercial trough full of pigs and their ill-mannered piglets, all binge eating, binge drinking and being simultaneously obnoxious? If you didn't pay much attention to the other 2600+ guests, it was a wonderful time and place.

(At one point, the indomitable Susan told the people sitting behind her in the fancy dining room that their children – a pair of screaming nine-year olds – were disturbing our conversation. Three women at the offending table of twelve promptly broke into tears and the kids were stunned into silence. Susan is one tough lady – I like her!)

One of the highlights of the cruise was Sue Ann's talk on writing mystery books and book publishing. There was a nice turnout and lots of questions and interest from several incipient as well as a couple of experienced writers. Sue Ann generously donated books to the ship's library, too. (That's me, steering the ship...)

January hasn't been that great – I suffered a fall this week, the first fall I have had in a couple of years. Looks like I'm going to have to wear my leg brace with my nightie now for stability (Jeeze, there's a picture!) I wasn't seriously hurt, just a wrenched foot and a bruise the size of Nebraska on my left leg. Got a doctor's appointment today for the all clear – I know there were no broken bones. (Thank you, Fosamax.)

Sigh. Oh, well. Just gotta be more careful.

On a lighter note, I got a terrific present for Christmas from my DH – an Alphasmart NEO. Sue Ann had one with her on the cruise and I was much taken with it. It's an electronic notebook, weighs less than a magazine, fits in my capacious purse and holds a book or two or three. Perfect for writers on the go (I saw Sue Ann working up on deck without any visible means of connections or heavy laptops or anything but this nifty device.) It is also ideal for someone like me who has the use of only one hand, not the old writing hand, and cannot write with a pen but can tippy-tap a keyboard like crazy.

I am looking forward to writing more and more, but now it means off the computer, so I won't be cruising the Absolute Write board or my favorite word game sites as much. Well, that's the idea, anyway.

I hope 2008 brings us a world of delightful change – everything from weight loss (you go, Sue Ann, and I myself have dropped 20 lbs!) to publishing to finishing that project, novel or story. Good days ahead, fellow writers! Exciting days, interesting days, what more can you ask for?

THREE BEAUTIFUL THINGS

The rains stopped. Yes, we needed the water. No, we didn't need the flooding and mudslide danger.

My Uncle Jimmy's funeral. He was a great guy and I wish I had known him. But my Cousins Barb & Janet and their Mom, my Aunt Gerri (my Mother's sister) came out for the funeral and I got to see them along with my brother, who lives in Arizona. I also got to meet Uncle Jim's wife, Virgie. It was like getting a whole new wing of family I never knew existed. I guess a funeral can be a beautiful thing. I will detail the high-speed chase of the hearse on the 91 freeway in a future post…

Before the funeral with my brother Bill. Doesn't he look nice in a suit?

My brother's work with Homeless Vets in Arizona. I'll be devoting a whole post to the Arizona Stand Down in the future too.

Be careful out there.

Writing Stuff: Novel Ideas – The Heart Stopping Newbies

I have a friend who – for the past ten or so years – has been talking about the great epic novel we should write together. I always treated this as something that in theory sounded like a lot of fun, but in practice would be some kind of writer's hell in which I would be constantly either trying to make sense out of his ideas or cringing at the prose.

Funny how we practicing writers get these self-important ideas about how good we are in relation to people who just talk about writing.

Well, this week, Steve Zurian sent me his idea of opening lines for the epic. And it is maybe the best opening paragraph I have ever read.

So now I have a whole other dilemma, or rather several. Do I try to write a second paragraph that picks up? Do I try to plot based on this first line? OMG, do I even go there when he is so obviously full of the kind of talent I have only dreamed of?

Sigh. For a long time, I have waited for his first line. Be careful what you wish for. I know he's a genius of a particular type – witty, funny, interested in a lot of disparate things, exasperating, and well-read – and he listens to the Red Army Chorus and Mannheim Steamroller with equal enthusiasm.

But I never thought he would write the perfect opening lines. They are so good I wish mightily they were mine. I can't post them here, as they belong to him, but let me assure you that they combine snap, wit, and the California freeway system.

I heard another person deliver an excerpt from their first novel at the recent Los Angeles Sisters in Crime Holiday Bash and pre-published writers' party. Mischa Adams read from her novel, Two Old Bats at the Will Reading and I damn near split a gut. I had to stifle my laughing so I could hear each line.

Now I'm really in trouble – how do I slog on with my so-called novel when there's all this incredible talent out there? Will hard work be enough? Who's gonna read my stuff when there's Steve Zurian and Mischa Adams out there?

How do you handle the doubts that crop up – the legitimate ones and the ones that are your own worst enemies?

How do you get back to your writing when real genius puts it to shame?


THREE BEAUTIFUL THINGS

Good news on the weight loss front (and sides and back) – slower, but it's still coming off. I'm used to the meal plan now, but maybe my metabolism is used to it, too.

The Pomona Heritage Holiday Dinner – Several people in the historic Lincoln Park District opened their lovely craftsman homes to a progressive dinner. The food was excellent, the company diverse and the houses beautiful. Check out your own local Historical Society or Heritage group and see what beautiful surprises are lurking in your neighborhood.

The rains – it rained last week and this week. In spite of the mudslide and flash flood dangers - especially in the fire-torn areas - and the absolutely abominable traffic, the rains are so beautiful and we need the water.

Be careful out there.

WRITING STUFF: JUMP START YOUR WRITING

Chapter Two – Find Yourself a Place

Remember Jessica Fletcher? She wrote all those murder mysteries – presumably cozies – in the comfort of her turn-of-the-century, meticulously-restored virtual mansion in the mythic and friendly New England village of Cabot Cove. In reality, it was a California coastal exterior and a rather nice studio interior, and of course, she wrote nothing as she was a fictional character herself, although the fiction persists and there is a whole mystery series written by "Jessica Fletcher" and available today.

As a well-off widow with means, she had the time to be a busybody and the money to pursue not only the murderers, but also a life of ease when it came to tapping out her tomes on that gorgeous old typewriter.

Okay, that's fiction. What do we do in real life?

In real life, we work at other jobs, take care of the house and kids, and deplore the lack of space, time, money and machines. We write in the kitchen, the dining room, a corner of the bedroom or the garage. We write at Starbuck's or in the park, or on the bus or at work. We use a pen or pencil, a big work station, a laptop, or even a typewriter.

We write cozies, hard-boiled noir, police procedurals, character studies, science fiction, film scripts, short stories, memoirs, journals, magazine articles and blogs. We write for money, for fun, for everything in between, and for our readers and ourselves.

I have been absent from the blog for almost a month – and guess what I've been doing: what, writing, you say? How about procrastinating and looking for a place to write that feels as good as the one I had back when I was working and had little time and a lot more discipline.

I needed to find myself a place, the way the dog turns around countless times on that old blanket, or the cat scratches that worn out chair pad to ribbons before settling in with a sigh.

It's got to feel right and not get in the way of writing. Pleasant, but neutral, no big distractions to block out, no spectacular views or the sound of running water (a hundred trips to the bathroom taught me this one) or the distracting smells of bread baking, dirty diapers or an incipient electrical fire.

Gotta admit, I found it – it's not to so much just the place, but the combination of the right time and a good place. For me, it's mornings in my old corner of the guest room office, with the diffused light behind me and the comforting distant sounds of the dryer and the trash guys picking up the garbage.

So try to find yours – it's half the battle.

THREE BEAUTIFUL THINGS

CHAIR CUSHIONS Okay, here's the promised photo of the new cushions on the Danish chairs. In fact, here's a before and after shot, with just the edge of the old, worn out brown cushion visible – the new mid-mod pattern is beautiful, no?

WEIGHT LOSS And one more beautiful thing: my blood sugar seems to be in the normal ranges and I have lost 15 pounds.

The "before" picture is me 15 pounds ago, but the "after" picture – one of me last weekend taking pictures at an old Joseph Lautner-designed motel in Palm Desert – is a work in progress. I am determined to lose all the weight I gained a few years ago when I had the stroke. I know, it's a tiny image and I need to get a better one, but I want to lose another 10 pounds before I take a "real" picture of myself.

A Truly Beautiful Thing: Thanksgiving Dinner with my friend Nancy's family. We have had Thanksgiving with them many times over the years – and have lived through the loss of parents, in-laws and friends. But this Thanksgiving we celebrated the marriage of one of the nephews and the whole cycle of renewal and thanks.

Hope your Thanksgiving was memorable and happy.

WRITING STUFF: JUMP START YOUR WRITING
Chapter One – Find Yourself Some Ilk

Okay, I tell myself – enough slacking off! The dishes/housework/gardening/basket weaving/doctor's appointment/video game/TV show is done. Now write. Awww, do I hafta? I don't wanna!

Back when I was working the day job from dark dawn to darker dusk, I managed to cram in a minute here and a minute there, eagerly budgeting my limited time to do something I really felt compelled to do. But there's nothing like a block of free time to make you want to do something – anything – but write.

So I broke down and did something yesterday that I haven't done for nearly a year: I attended a Sisters in Crime L.A. Chapter meeting. "Hello, my name is Kate and I'm a writer."

Okay, it was more like "Whoa, look, it's Kate – I wondered whatever happened to her!" and "Hey! I remember you!" (peers at name tag) "Oh, uh, maybe not…"

The speakers were great (check out the website for the program – the slides were grisly, but Mr. Nicholson was the nicest guy in the world) and the camaraderie was even greater. Afters, Sue Ann Jaffarian and I went out to dinner and brainstormed about short stories, novels and ideas for stories. The latter ranged from the ridiculous to the truly sublime. I came away eager to write and back on track.

So maybe what we solitary time-wasters really need is the occasional personal interaction with others of our ilk. This is great if the ilk is local. But if all your ilk are too far away for you to get to, then perhaps email and internet contact can help too.

Sue Ann's witty banter was terrific – but what really helped me was to sit there and tell her my story. "Well, there's this woman who's on vacation…" By the time I got to the guy in the Toyota with the Glock, she had all kinds of questions and suggestions. And by the time she told me about a Young Adult book she was thinking of, I was excitedly interrupting with, "Yeah, and maybe she could have an interest, like Ancient Egypt or dinosaurs or statistics or something…"

So today's blog is a bit short because I am eager to get on with my story. After all, there's got to be a connection between the guy with the gun and the lost puppy…



THREE BEAUTIFUL THINGS

Gary Hamilton's party last Friday night. He's the best party host I have ever met and a genuinely nice guy.

The puppies and kitties all sleeping together in the kennel this morning. The weather has turned chilly with the loss of Daylight Savings time. The season has changed from Summer to Holiday.

I picked out the kookiest mid-century modern fabric for the new cushions on my Danish modern chairs – I'll photo them when they're done. The place is a real Jetson's house!