Four years ago I was an aspiring writer of Fantasy fiction who was, quite frankly, getting nowhere on her own. I’d decided to look for an online critique group and discovered the Romance Writers of America. Though I did not write in the romance genre at that time, I was advised that it was a fantastic organization for “women authors who write about women.” Though I was skeptical about this description at first, I am so glad I pushed past my initial misgivings and attended my first meeting.
Sitting in one room were bestselling New York Times authors sitting beside multi-published series novelists and aspiring PROS (finished manuscripts, may or not be agented but actively querying) and complete novices (just starting out). Historical romance authors sat beside women’s fiction authors who sat beside western authors. It was an amazing, supportive place. I signed up for membership right away.
There was mentoring happening, regular workshops about the craft and about the business. I was making new friends who were as geeky (and sometimes more so!) about their writing as I was. I was finding encouragement and hope and discovering that this goal of becoming a published author was attainable. And I had so many wonderful models to look up to. Women of all ages (and men too, actually!) who were so supportive. The motto of our local chapter is “One hand reaching forward, the other reaching back.” And it is so true, this human chain of compassion, mutual support and understanding. Of teamwork.
If you are a writer and are not familiar with RWA, I strongly urge you to look into it. It might not end up being your cup of tea but it might be just the thing you need to give you that extra push towards your goals.
The English language amuses me. Playing with words has always been a hobby. I guess it’s no mystery that I turned out to be a writer, eh? One thing that has always fascinated me is the Palindrome.
Palindromes are words and phrases that are spelled exactly the same going backwards and forwards. Here are some of the more clever and famous in the English language:
Able was I ere I saw Elba. (supposedly some of the last public words spoken by Napoleon Bonaparte–a myth, surely!)
A man, a plan, a canal: Panama. (attributed as a sort of slogan for Theodore Roosevelt and the great project of his presidency).
Some other more generic but also clever ones:
Never odd or even.
Cigar? Toss it in a can. It is so tragic!
Won’t lovers revolt now?
Can you write your own palindrome? I know I can’t!
If you are more of a numbers person than a word person, there are palindrome dates, as well. Dates that can be written the same backwards and forewards. Here’s a list of the palindrome dates for the next decade. Apparently in 2018, my birthday will be a palindrome date!
This story, about a Paris apartment in Place Pigalle locked and untouched for over 70 years, a “time capsule” to life in the pre-World War II city.
Apartment Time Capsule
The team that had the honor of opening what must have been a very stiff old lock for the first time in 70 years, likened the experience to ‘stumbling into the castle of sleeping beauty’. The smell of dust, the cobwebs, the silence, was overwhelming; a once in a lifetime experience.
And then there’s this, from Youtube… Abandoned Places of the World
As a self-proclaimed nature addict, I take no shame in my love for the pretty places on the earth. I have extolled the virtues of the National Parks Service in previous posts (here, here and here, for example). The national parks figure prominently in my “Happy Places” posts and are the last bastion of primal America as it once existed for millenia. They are capsules of another time, ambassadors (both human, animal and vegetable alike) to the environment and, in general, a prescient gift to us from important forbears such as Theodore Roosevelt and John Muir.
If you haven’t been to a National Park recently, find one that is nearest to you. Many countries have National Parks now–which is fantastic, in my opinion! There should be more. On top of that, there are UNESCO World Heritage Sites as well.
If you enjoy visiting the U.S. National Parks, be sure to pick up a National Parks Passport and fill it with stamps and pictures from the places you visit. I promise you that you will come back from your “world tour” a changed person.
If you have children between the ages of 3 and 15, there is also the amazing Junior Ranger Program at nearly every National Park, World Heritage site and (in some states) at State Parks as well.
This spring, we visited Joshua Tree and will visit three more parks this coming summer: Sequoia, Kings Canyon and, one of our favorites, Yosemite (all in California).
We are truly lucky to live in such a beautiful world!
Pick up the Chimani apps for your mobile devices. They feature some stunning photography, a trip planner and many facts and bits of history about all the parks.
ETA: Also, don’t forget the “National Parks: America’s Best Idea PBS documentary. You can see clips here.
