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Carol S. Mann
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Bits and Pieces
“He knew everyone had flaws. People fell from grace all the time. But some people fell further than others.” From “Ferrelli’s Fall” (Creek Songs).
Category Archives: personal essay
Promoting Your Book
The Friends of the College of the Desert Library hosted an Author Reception for me at the historic Shadow Mountain Golf Club in Palm Desert, California. For me, this meant talking about my short story collection Creek Songs. My time … Continue reading
Newspaper Article about Creek Songs
The local newspaper of the Palm Springs/Coachella Valley area is The Desert Sun. On Sunday, September 18, 2022, Creek Songs and I were honored to be the subject of an article in the Arts and Culture Section, written by reporter … Continue reading
Posted in Books, Books and E-Books, Creativity, e-books, fiction writing, Finding Ideas: The Creative Process, Inspiration, International Book Awards, Looking for Inspiration, National Indie Excellence Awards, personal essay, Reading, short story, Writing
Tagged author Carol Mann, books, Creek Songs, reading, short story, short story collection, writing
7 Comments
Caring for that Complicated Person
In a recent post called “Nurse Ratchet Goes to School,” I wrote about caregiving and going to caregivers’ school, all in an effort to give the best care possible to my husband Tony who will celebrate his 97th birthday on October … Continue reading
Nanook’s Journey
Do you remember the Beanie Baby craze of the early 1990s? These popular little toy animals had names like Chocolate the Moose, Squealer the Pig, and Patti the Platypus. They were stuffed loosely with plastic pellets (“beans”), making them small, … Continue reading
Posted in Inspiration, Looking for Inspiration, personal essay, Reading, Writing
Tagged a muse for writing, Beanie Babies, Comfort, dementia, good luck piece, inspiration, inspiration for writing, legacy, memorabilia, memories, Nanook the Husky, Northern Illinois University, talisman, writing inspiration
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
Kind is a four-letter word
I posted the image below on my facebook page because it spoke to me. I liked its whimsical feel, its innocence, its message. Kind is often used as an adjective to describe a person as in, She is a kind young … Continue reading
Posted in Inspiration, Looking for Inspiration, memoir, personal essay, Reading, Writing
Tagged Being kind, facebook postings about kindness, giving an act of kindness, inspiration, kindness, Northern Illinois University, random acts of kindness, receiving an act of kindness, spread kindness, World War II
7 Comments
Feet, do your stuff.
Do you ever have a day when everything seems to go smoothly, when life flows without any hangups? You feel good. Your husband feels good. No appliances have broken down. The car seems healthy. You haven’t screamed at a telemarketer … Continue reading
Posted in blogging, Creativity, memoir, personal essay, Reading, Writing
Tagged Chico's, Foot care, foot pain, Having a good day, nose bleed, Old Town La Quinta, Pain, Parking, podiatrist, pre-stress fracture, stopping nose bleed, Taking care of your feet, The book All Ways A Woman, Tranquility, Writing Critique Group
6 Comments
Layers of Loss
A loss leaves a feeling of sadness, of hollowness, like part of you is missing. Not all loss is equal. The deepest loss is of a loved one. My experience has been that this kind of loss hovers, emerging unannounced in … Continue reading
Posted in blogging, memoir, personal essay, Reading, Writing
Tagged earrings, grief, loss, loss of a gift, loss of a loved one, loss of a pet, loss of an inanimate object, memories, pierced earrings, sadness, Zia Jewelry
13 Comments
The Art of the “Acrylic Pour”
It’s sometimes fun to venture out of your comfort zone and try something completely foreign. It may make you uncomfortable. It may even feel risky. On occasion, I take that step away from writing and try a new creative experience. … Continue reading
Written Beneath the Palms 