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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: Writing
Skywatchers
Right now in the Sonoran Desert, rain won’t be our guest any time soon. We are in the midst of high summer temperatures. The temperature in my hometown of La Quinta is currently 113 degrees at 4:58 pm. Recent days … Continue reading
Posted in Inspiration, Looking for Inspiration, poetry, Writing
Tagged clouds, comet, free verse, high temperatures, Hope, Navajo mythology, Neowise, poetry, rain, rainbow, skywatcher, skywatching, Sonoran Desert, summer heat, thunder, Tsohanoai, writing
4 Comments
Desert Writers Expo 2020
February 15, 2020, was the Desert Writers Expo hosted by the Palm Springs Writers Guild and the Rancho Mirage Library and Observatory located in Rancho Mirage, California. Forty writers came together to offer their current books for sale to the … Continue reading
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
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
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
The Garden of Ethos
It’s always a time for congratulations when creative associates receive recognition for their work. A fellow member of the Palm Springs Branch of the National League of American Pen Women was recently recognized by NLAPW on its national website. I send my … Continue reading
Posted in blogging, Creativity, Inspiration, Looking for Inspiration, poetry, Reading, Writing
Tagged artist Dianne Benanti, artist Lynn Centeno, Book - All Ways A Woman, community of women, definition of ethos, Ekphrasis, ethos, National League of American Pen Women, NLAPW Palm Springs Branch, Painting - The Garden of Ethos, poetry, women supporting women, writer Carol Mann, writing about art
2 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
Painted Sounds – Writing About Art
Once a year the Palm Springs Branch of the National League of American Pen Women holds its annual program called Painted Sounds. The popular event actually begins several weeks prior when predetermined artists share their paintings online with the Branch membership. Pen … Continue reading
Posted in Books, Inspiration, Looking for Inspiration, poetry, Reading, Writing
Tagged A Quiet Mind, creativity, Desert Hot Springs, ekphrastic poetry, inspiration, NLAPW Palm Springs Branch, Painted Sounds, Poetry Foundation, poetry inspired by art, Renewal of Spirit, Sense of Wonder, Solace, Spa City Paletteers, Watercolor Art, Writing to Art
4 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
Written Beneath the Palms 