A Writer's Life Archives - Page 10 of 11 - View from the Front Porch

22 10, 2018

From Lizards to Headlights and Taillights

By judythemorgan|2018-10-16T13:26:41-05:00October 22nd, 2018|A Writer's Life, poetry, writing|1 Comment

Many years ago one of my grandsons lived next door. He was home-schooled and sometimes I helped with his homework.

Writing was his least favorite subject. Fast forward to his first year in college and he loves his creative writing class. He sends me links when the Southwest Baptist University newsletter publishes his work.

His most recent publication was a poem, which reminded me of another homework poem, one I’d helped him with years ago. That poem was about a lizard.

Lazy lizards leap from leaf to leaf

As green as a Sprite can

Lizards like to hide under the weather

Running, hiding, and sneaking around

Crazily, hastily, and hurriedly leaving their tails behind them

The miniature lizards are tiny compared to the big, blue sky

You can read about the do-your-homework challenge we had before he finally wrote the lizard poem here.

His newest poem is about seeing headlights and taillights as he journeys back and forth to college. I’ve copied it here, but you can also view it in the SBU Student Media Organization newsletter here.

As I drive down these roads

Each day, every night,

I look up, I look back, and

I see headlights and I see taillights

The taillights in front, the headlights behind

When they travel this life with me,

The headlights ahead and the taillights in back

When going to places I've already seen.

There might be a lesson here or there might be none,

But I do know behind each pair of lights is a someone.

He may be an old man with nothing but the past,

Or she may be a young girl nervous about class,

They could be a happy couple, but then again maybe not,

Or it might be somebody having the same thought.

Maybe they’re hurting, or maybe they're fine

Maybe they've given up or maybe they're still trying.

Will I ever know, and do I really even care?

Because what do I give them but the occasional stare?

Are they in need, and if so, why?

Could I help them, should I even try?

If they're as real and loved as I am, or maybe more,

Then why is it they're so easy to ignore?

Is it because I don't know them individually

But can only speak in generalities?

The answers to these questions I may never know

But I frequently ponder them as along these roads I go

And each day, and every night,

I look up, I look back, and I see headlights and I see taillights

Looks to me like we have a budding writer joining his multi-published father, Dr. J.B. Hixson, and his Nana.

15 10, 2018

The Tale of a Book Title

By judythemorgan|2018-10-14T20:32:47-05:00October 15th, 2018|A Writer's Life, Writer's Life, Writing Craft|2 Comments

Book titles and covers are important because the old adage — Readers do judge a book by its cover — is true. So, how can an author know beforehand what’s going to resonate?

Wiser people than me have come up with three criteria.

A great title needs to create an image that synthesizes the story and suggest the story’s meaning or theme.
The cover must also grab the attention of a casual book searcher.
A title must describe the contents while being so piercing and articulate that readers will take notice.

Recently, I rebranded three previously published individual titles into a series. I considered coming up with new titles for each book, but each book already had an ISBN and the content was not changing. It wasn’t necessary.

Instead, I used a branding tagline or blurb (below) and a graphic — the ribbon — to link the books.

PROMISES series 

Two men and one woman met at Eighth Army Headquarters, South Korea in the turbulent Vietnam War years and found their lives linked together forever. The PROMISES series tells their stories through the decades that follow.

In making my decision, I examined my titles based on the expert’s criteria.

Book 1 is Love in the Morning Calm, Prequel to the Pendant’s Promise.

With love in the title, a reader gets the story will be a love story. The picture of Headquarters, Eighth Army identifies the setting as a military. A knowledgeable reader may also recognize that another name for South Korea is Land of the Morning Calm.

Conclusion: I may have I tried too hard.

Book 2 The Pendant’s Promise

The cover design with the Pendant, the Vietnam Wall, and the word promise signal another love story. I love this cover because my very talented daughter designed it. With the rebranding, my current graphic designer, Jim Peto at Petoweb.com, enhanced the graphics.

Conclusion: The title and the cover artwork make a reader notice.

Book 3 Until He Returns

The old Army green color clues a reader of the setting and time frame. The title suggests whoever needs to return is in the military. (Those who have read the first two books will know the character has been MIA since book 1.) Close examination reveals the character’s name on the dog tags.

Conclusion: Unsure whether this title hits the mark the mark or not. While the dog tags are clearly visible on the paperback cover, the tags are not readable on the eBook thumbprint.

Book 4 Promises to Keep

This is the final book of the series, which will be out next month. The title ties back to the second book’s title and the series title. The couple clues the reader it’s another love story. The sunset background suggests the end of the day and the last of series.

Conclusion: It synthesizes the story and suggests the story’s theme.

Overall, I give myself a generally good grade for my titles. What say you?

Should you want to read any of the books, simply click on the buy links on the sidebar. The buy link for book 4 will be added next month.

8 10, 2018

Grandparenting Adventures

By judythemorgan|2018-10-02T14:10:11-05:00October 8th, 2018|A Writer's Life|1 Comment

Recently I supervised my daughter’s two dogs and three teenagers while she and her husband went on a business trip.

My two dogs came along with me. That brought the total to four dogs – Buster (on the couch), Daisy (behind the couch), Sully (on the hassock) and Finnegan (on the floor) plus three teenagers, who shall remain nameless.It was quite an adventure.

We were up and out the door between 6:30 and 7:00 a.m. each day. My two dogs were loaded in the car. Daisy secured in her kennel. We strategically blocked the fourth dog, Sully, from running out into the yard and refusing to come inside when we opened the door to exit.

That only happened once.

I simply herded all the teens back inside and Sully came to the kitchen door eager to be with us. We only lost a few minutes. Thank you to my excellent dog obedience trainer who shared that advice.

Mealtimes together were a different story with the kids’ varied schedules. I was determined we should sit down for one supper meal together the way we did back in the dark ages when their parent was a teenager. It was a challenge.

We did manage it once, but it was the faster meal on record. Two literally inhaled their homemade wraps and headed out for their evening activities-drama practice and workout at the fitness gym. The other dashed upstairs to do homework.

Cellphone and electronic turn-in happened at 10:30 pm. The hour was a bit later than my regular bedtime and when I attempted my usual reading in bed, I fell asleep after one page.

I told their parents not to worry it would be easy peasy. And it was. The teens had their routines and only needed an adult around in case something weird happened. Which it didn’t.

It was fun to be involved with their everyday routines even for a few days. I definitely have a new appreciation of the task of raising teenagers that my daughter and son-in-law face.

I’m ready to go again. Well, maybe after a day or two of rest.

30 07, 2018

It’s Time to PAUSE

By judythemorgan|2018-07-29T15:39:48-05:00July 30th, 2018|A Writer's Life|1 Comment

On a recent road trip together, Chicken Wrangler Sara and I were discussing an editorial titled “Head Space” by Stephen Orr in the August edition of Better Homes and Garden magazine.

Orr pointed out that everywhere you look people are on their smart phones. Not just in public places, it happens in our homes, at school, and at our places of worship.

He points out our “tiny glass pocket computers” are putting us on information overload and stealing head space we need to think and process.

Everything he said is sad, but true.

His solution is to put the phones down, pause, and give our head space some room to think. He says, “Real thoughts-your own thoughts-will start seeping back in” when you do.

Sara and I agreed our own head space is overloaded and not just from cell phone usage. We decided that Stephen Orr’s advice seemed like a good way to recharge.

So…

We’re taking a PAUSE for the month of August from cell phones and blogging.

We’ll return on September 10 with clearer head space and fresh adventures to share.

In the meantime, you can find six years’ worth of reading material in the archives. Simply scroll down the column on the right and use the site’s search option.

9 07, 2018

Do you talk to things that can’t talk back?

By judythemorgan|2018-07-08T17:40:49-05:00July 9th, 2018|A Writer's Life, Make Me Think Monday, Writer's Life|1 Comment

I talk to my dogs, my plants, my car, and lots of things that can’t talk back.

It’s anthropomorphizing—a big word that means attaching human traits, emotions, or intentions to non-human entities.

Nicholas Epley, a professor of behavioral science at the University of Chicago and anthropomorphism expert says:

“Historically, anthropomorphizing has been treated as a sign of childishness or stupidity, but it’s actually a natural byproduct of the tendency that makes humans uniquely smart on this planet. No other species has this tendency.”

Why and how humans have this ability can’t be fully explained because our brains are so very complicated. Finding human characteristics in inanimate objects signals the brain’s creativity at work.

Anthropomorphizing is also part of our nature. We are social animals. We want to befriend everyone we meet, give them a name, or have them give us their name, and talk to them.

If you saw the movie Castaway, Tom Hanks’ beloved best friend was Wilson, a volleyball with a face. If you haven’t seen it, you should. It’s a great film.

Around my house, my vacuum cleaner is Ugh-glow, my canning strainer Shirley, and the metal art dragon in my yard is Custard. My houseplants have names too and sometimes they even perk up with a pep talk.

My Old English sheepdog Finnegan MacCool and I communicate well. So does his older brother, our Maltese Buster.

I ask them if they’re hungry as I pour the food into their bowls or if they want to go play outside. I tell them to keep the giraffes away from the house when I leave and say “I’ll be back soon” as I walk out the door.

Fellow pet owners will relate. Others think I’ve gone cuckoo.

That’s okay. I take comfort in Epley’s words. Anthropomorphizing is superior intellect and creativity showing forth.

Do you have any inanimate friends you have anthropomorphized?

25 06, 2018

In My Garden – Resurrection Fern

By judythemorgan|2018-06-23T09:54:30-05:00June 25th, 2018|A Writer's Life, Writer's Life|0 Comments

Almost a year ago, we moved back to Texas. Our top priority was to find housing. We were very fortunate and quickly found a place that suited our needs.Not only was the interior exactly what we wanted, the giant oak tree in the front yard captured our hearts. It was love at first sight.

After we moved in, we noticed dried brown leaves curled on the branches of the big, beautiful tree and feared the giant oak estimated to be 200 years old was dying.

“Oh no,” said the neighbors. “That’s resurrection fern. Once we have some rain, all the leaves will turn green.”

Raising my eyebrows, I tilted my head and smiled. I’d never heard of such. Sure enough, the first rain those ugly brown knobs of dead leaves unfurled to life.

The name resurrection fern comes from the plant’s ability to live for 100 years without water. Common names include little gray polypoid, scaly polyploidy, and miracle fern.

The resurrection fern is an epiphyte — an organism that lives on another living organism without negative impact on the host. Air and rain nourish an epiphyte.

Even though it can lose up to 75 percent of the water in its cells during droughts, the fern can exist with only air. Rain revives the plant as it absorbs the water into its cells and it becomes a healthy green fern again.

The fascinating fern carpets the branches of large cypress and oak trees like ours. It can also be found growing on the surfaces of rocks and dead logs as well. Frequently Spanish moss, another epiphytic plant, is found nearby.

Here’s a YouTube video of a fern resurrecting. You can see the brown leaves stretch outward and turn green. I’ve never actually seen the process happening, but I can attest that it does.

18 06, 2018

Gnomes and Google Doodles

By judythemorgan|2018-06-15T16:14:00-05:00June 18th, 2018|A Writer's Life, Make Me Think Monday|1 Comment

Recently, Google’s search engine home page featured a gnome Google Doodle. (Try not to laugh when you say that fast.)

If you’re not familiar with the term Google Doodle, it’s the temporary alteration of the logo on Google’s homepage.

Google Doodles first appeared in 1998 and are now a regular feature on the search engine’s homepage to illustrate a range of interactive games and drop down articles to commemorate holidays, events, achievements, or people. Those who create the Google Doodles are called Doodlers.

I’ve only recently started paying attention to the Google Doodles. I’ve always been fascinated by gnomes. These gnomes live on my kitchen windowsill.

That’s why the Google Doodle gnome game caught my eye.

Gnomes are diminutive creatures that can live below the surface or inhabit gardens. All Gnomes have long, shaggy beards and pointed caps. History traces their roots from 13th century Anatolia to 16th century Italy to 19th century Germany.

Myths, legends, and fantasy fiction attribute good and/or bad qualities to the creatures depending upon the needs of the individual storytellers. You’ll find gnomes in the pages of such fantasy fiction as C. S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia, J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter, Terry Brooks’ Shannara series, and the novels of J. R. R. Tolkien.

The garden gnome – the one Google Doodle celebrated – originated in the Thuringia mining area of Germany. The local artisans hand carved the little statutes with shaggy beards and pointy hats.

Today, you find most garden gnomes are painted, wear red caps, and hold various garden tools. According to legend, a gnome protects your garden and brings good luck.

My concrete gnome has been watching over my flowers for years. He was always grey and he’s beginning to show wear. May be time to give him a coat of paint and a red hat.

If you want to give the interactive Garden Gnome Google Doodle game a try, click on this link.

11 06, 2018

People Watching and A Writer’s Eye

By judythemorgan|2020-07-21T08:42:18-05:00June 11th, 2018|A Writer's Life|0 Comments

I’m an observer.

I learned from an early age that the art of observation could be a lifesaver.

When I was young, my mother would drive my grandmother and me along with my two siblings downtown where we’d park in front of the department store and people watch.

Mother and her mother would discuss the walkers—what they wore and who they were. Sometimes, friends they knew would stop beside the car and visit for a while.

My younger sister always wanted to know when we could go home. My little brother would cry to get out of the car. Grandmother would bribe them with the promise of an ice cream cone on the way home.

Me, I’d sit in the backseat and imagine why the people were downtown, what they were doing, and where they were going. I gave them silly names and made up stories about their lives. It kept the younger kids entertained and me from dying of boredom.

Mother always said I was a good storyteller—especially if I was in trouble.

I’m still a people watcher. I’m not being nosy or specifically eavesdropping. It’s human nature to observe. We all do it at one time or another.

The difference between my adult people watching and what I did as a child is that I store images and make notes of my reactions to what I see happening. I call it book research and character study.

I rely upon my writer’s eye to bring the images and feelings to mind at the appropriate time.

I may never use any of my observations, but people watching does exercise my creativity and passes what could be boring wait time more quickly.

Even if you’re not a writer, people watching can be fun entertainment. Plus, you’ll find you have interesting conversation topics.

4 06, 2018

Southern-isms Explained

By judythemorgan|2018-05-15T15:48:19-05:00June 4th, 2018|A Writer's Life|1 Comment

We took a trip to Iowa for our granddaughter’s college graduation. Earlier in this spring, we attended another granddaughter’s master degree graduation. So proud of our grandchildren. All twelve of them.

We stopped on the way to visit with our former Tennessee neighbors. We purchased our house, built during the 1940s Manhattan Project, in 1970 and it still looks great.

Our friends, who lived across the street, now live in a lovely log cabin overlooking the Clinch River. We spent hours on their screened porch talking. One evening we cooked hot dogs over their fire pit. It’s become a tradition whenever we visit them.

We had such fun reliving early marriage adventures and visiting the old neighborhood.

With their permission, I’m using their home as a setting in the final book of the PROMISES series, Promises to Keep, which will come out later this year.

What warmed my heart the most on our visit was all the southern-talk that popped up in conversations. Southerners do have a language of their own. Here are a few southern-isms with my translations:

Full as a tick

This was a new phrase for me. Seems if a tick drinks too much blood, it actually bursts. Not a particularly appetizing comment for the dinner table, in my opinion. I much prefer “stuffed like a turkey at Thanksgiving” that we say around here.

It all comes out in the wash

My mother used this one a lot. Mostly referring to an enormous stain I’d gotten on a favorite dress. Translated it means “Everything will be alright in the end.”

Scarce as hen’s teeth

Loved this variation meaning something is rare. Clearly, chickens don’t have teeth. Personally, I am thankful chickens are toothless because those beaks can do enough damage on their own.

Thinking about all these isms, reminded me of this one. (I didn’t hear it on our trip.)

A whistling woman and a crowing hen never come to any good end

My grandmother said that every single time she caught me whistling. In her opinion, whistling was a male-only habit. We all know hens don’t crow. Roosters do. Her point was to behave in a ladylike manner. Daddy always added this part whenever he caught me whistling: “If you want to be treated like a lady, you need to act like one.”

30 05, 2018

Remember when Memorial Day was always May 30?

By judythemorgan|2018-05-24T14:27:08-05:00May 30th, 2018|A Writer's Life, Wednesday Words of Wisdom|2 Comments

From 1868 to 1970 that date was the official day for remembering the people who died while serving in the country’s armed forces.

Some of you may remember. I sure do.

As financially strapped students who couldn’t afford an extended time away from work, we chose May 30 for our wedding date.

That particular year Memorial Day was on a Thursday, which meant we only had to miss one day of work since the wedding was in the evening after our workday.

I even wore my mother’s twenty-five year old wedding dress to save more money. As they say, “Those were the days.”

Nowadays Memorial Day observances are on the fourth Monday of May.

We, of course, still use May 30 to observe our wedding anniversary.

Every year when I look at our wedding pictures, this quote comes to mind. It’s what I use as the theme in all my books.

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