The End

I recently published my first edited book,  Labor of Love: A Literary Mama Staff Anthology ,  with  Small Harbor Publishing . It's an anthology of writing from  Literary Mama  staff over the past 20 years. It's a beautiful collection and I am proud of the writers and proud to share the book.  It seems a fitting moment, as I pondered sharing about the book here on the blog, to reflect on my life as a blogger, and acknowledge that it is time to officially end this blog.   I started blogging in about 2007, when my baby was learning to toddle, when I was learning how to be a mother and stepmother, when I was just starting to see my way as a writer. I needed it back then. I craved it. I had a variety of blog iterations--family, art, creativity, writing things I delved into. There's a freedom in blogging, a casualness, an easy familiarity that's lacking (for me anyway) in other kinds of writing. I loved blogging and the words came pouring out.  Ove...
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Balance Wednesday- Try Something New

I am a writer. I have known this for a long long time, yet, it has only been a few years since I have begun to believe that writing can actually be a way of life for me. Fortunately, I found the Artist's Way program (and blogged about it here), and have constantly moved myself in steps towards my goal... to be a beautiful and prolific publishing writer.

 I started out with Picture Books, books of science and nature, distilled down to a few little words to bring a love of the outdoors to kids. I adore picture books. What I don't quite adore is the process of getting a picture book published. It just happens so rarely. But I am still plugging away at that, thanks to my strong and demanding critique partners.

 At some point I moved in to writing nature essays, literary essays for adults (with a few parenting essays thrown in). Lyrical, experience-based, and woven tightly around a central theme. I had a small success in receiving the honor of having my essay "Deserted Valley" published in Pilgrimage magazine. This was a huge leap for me. It rocked my world and allowed me to feel quite accomplished... for a while. I keep plugging away at the nature essays and am trying to hone that craft as well.

 But lately, I have had a strange urge to try something new... writing articles. Still, of course, on the nature theme, but short, to the point reportage on local nature happenings around Ithaca. It is a place to start. If I find I am any good at this kind of writing, bigger markets await. So I asked around, wrote a few things, read a book or two, interviewed a couple people, and voila... 

 I'm a journalist.

 My first article in the local paper, the Tompkins Weekly is out this week. Thanks to Camille Doucet for taking the time to talk. Check out her story on Page 9. 
http://www.tompkinsweekly.com/currentissue/Page9.html

TompkinsWeekly

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