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Carol S. Mann
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Bits and Pieces
“Think in blue, in green, in starlight, in song, in a blessing, in beauty, in gratitude.”
The World That We Knew by Alice Hoffman
Category Archives: Finding Ideas: The Creative Process
Welcome to Quilling
A recent birthday card introduced me to an old art form. It’s called quilling. When I first looked at the card, I thought its design was simply raised. On closer inspection, I found the design was three dimensional and composed … Continue reading
Posted in blogging, Creativity, Finding Ideas: The Creative Process, Inspiration, Looking for Inspiration, Reading, Writing
Tagged birthday cards with quilling, examples of quilling, filigree basket, filigree box, filigree work, Jane Austen, quilling, Renaissance, scrollwork, Sense and Sensibility, uses for quills
5 Comments
Valet Wisdom & Writing
The other day while waiting for my car to be retrieved by a valet, another valet who was waiting for new arrivals engaged me in conversation. It was one of those quick philosophical talks about life, its whimsies, its tricks, … Continue reading
Posted in blogging, fiction writing, Finding Ideas: The Creative Process, Inspiration, Looking for Inspiration, personal essay, Reading, short story, Writing
Tagged Atropos, Carl Sandburg, chance, Circumstance, Clotho, Destiny, fate, Greek Mythology, Lachesis, life philosophy, luck, philosophy, The Three Fates, Thread of Life, Valet parking, What controls our fate?, What if ...
7 Comments
Marketing … And the Book Goes On
My husband created a book of original recipes for making chocolates called Anthony’s Chocolates On-the-Go, Done My Way. He felt making chocolates didn’t have to be a big, scary mystery with fancy, expensive equipment so he developed fail-safe recipes for success. … Continue reading
Posted in Authors, Books, Creativity, Finding Ideas: The Creative Process, Inspiration, Reading, Writing
Tagged advertise your book, Anthony's Chocolates On-the-Go, Being a chocolatier, book demonstrations, book expos, book faires, Book marketing ideas, book talks, chocolate truffles, chocolate turtles, holiday marketing of books, marketing your book, posters to advertise books
3 Comments
Writers’ Workshops to the Rescue
I’m continually looking for writing tips, techniques, and approaches. I’m forever searching for ways to become a better writer and be inspired. Sound familiar? As a result, I attend conferences and workshops, read articles and books on writing, listen to speakers, … Continue reading
Posted in Authors, Creativity, fiction writing, Finding Ideas: The Creative Process, Inspiration, Looking for Inspiration, novel, Reading, short story, Writing
Tagged Author Elizabeth Sims, Developing a fictional character, Developing a fictional plot, editing your writing, perfectionism, Scene development in fiction, sequence in fiction writing, The short story, The Value of Writers' Workshops, Writer's Digest Magazine, You've Got A Book In You by Elizabeth Sims
4 Comments
Elegant Ladies of the Desert
I live in a valley in the California desert – home of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, R.C. Gorman sunsets, and palm trees. Areas of the valley’s desert may be unspoiled and unpopulated or highly groomed with burgeoning … Continue reading
Posted in Creativity, Finding Ideas: The Creative Process, Inspiration, Looking for Inspiration, poetry, Reading, Writing
Tagged artist Naomi Brown, artist R.C. Gorman, Coachella Valley, Coachella Valley Desert, Coachella Valley Music and Arts festival, desert palms, haiku, nature, nature as inspiration, palm trees, poetry, poetry in nature
2 Comments
When Your Story Setting Chooses You
You may have visited or lived in a place you knew would become a setting for a story you had yet to write. A place that spoke to you in not only a visceral, emotional way, but also in an … Continue reading
Posted in Authors, blogging, Books, Creativity, fiction writing, Finding Ideas: The Creative Process, Inspiration, Looking for Inspiration, Reading, short story, Writing
Tagged Choosing a story setting for your writing, Maid of the Mist, Niagara Falls, short story, story setting, story setting influencing a character, The American Falls, The Canadian Falls, The Horseshoe Falls, writing the short story
9 Comments
The Personal Essay
Basically, I’m a short story writer. I’m used to the conventions and practices of that genre. I’m still growing as a fiction writer and still learning. I keep working. As far as essay format is concerned, I’m used to the … Continue reading
Posted in Creativity, Finding Ideas: The Creative Process, Inspiration, personal essay, Reading, short story, Writing
Tagged Author Tod Goldberg, Author/Journalist/Essayist Maggie Downs, Exploring your feelings, personal essay, Reflecting on your life, Six Hens Literary Journal, Tips for writing the personal essay, writing the personal essay
8 Comments
Written Beneath the Palms 