Monday, May 15, 2006

Writing RULES!

This past Mother's Day weekend was a busy one for me. On Saturaday I attended a writer's workshop in Canton, GA with 4 of my writing buds. Our speaker was producer, actor, screenwriter, Sean Gaffney, who came from CA to oversee the production of a school muscial that he and Jennifer Schuchmann had written for American Heritage Academy. Lucky for us! He packed in as much info as he possibly could into one Saturday. He was an excellent speaker besides being a talented writer. The two do not always go hand in hand. He had our rapt attention as he walked us through the basics of Structure in Screenwriting and Writing Dialogue that Sounds Right. He used clips from movies to illustrate structure & dialogue. So effective was his excitement at teaching that the day flew by and we hated the class to end. We left better equipped and encouraged that writers write. Published or not. To find our more about Sean Jaffney, visit his website, www.Gaffneyinkwell.com.

My Mother's Day was blessed as well. My sweet daughter, Sheri was over the weekend before and had given me a beautiful card and a very beautiful amethyst ring, knowing my love of purple. No, it's not my birthstone. I felt very special and very loved. My 3 yr. old grandson could hardly wait for me to open the cards and gift. Such fun! On Sunday, my son, Jared, took me and his dad out to lunch with the zillion other people who pressed in line for their place at the table. His gift to me was a collection of CD's that he'd personally recorded of my favorite music selections. He is the music guru in the family, but we all love music. He knew exactly which songs to record, and which would make me cry! I think he and his sister are in competition ever since she made a scrapbook of me when I was pregnant with her, until she became a mom herself. That's when he said there was no way he could compete with that! So it's like a joke between them now, I think. I really do feel honored by them and honored to be their mother.

I really missed my mom this week. She died 7 yrs. ago, but the memory of her is still sweet on my mind and heart. I gave my mother a journal when she was 70 to keep for me. I believe she inspired me and my brother to write, with her own storytelling through the years. I like to think she was looking through the porthole of heaven wishing me a Happy Mother's Day, too!
Brenda

Monday, May 08, 2006

How Time Flies

Does time seem to get away from you? I haven't blogged in a while because much has changed for me in a short time. I started working full-time at a realtor's office last week. Partly for the extra money, but also to be around other adults and to have interaction with people. I love meeting new and interesting people. I needed somthing new and fresh. A writer's mind can go to mush, locked away from the world at a desk with imaginary people for company. I have been known to talk to them...hence, you can see my problem.

I know this will probably create utter chaos at home and to my husband, who up till now didn't know what a toilet brush was for! Well, maybe he did, but choose not to. I was working part-time, but this will be a challege for both of us, mainly because I'm a neat freak and don't like things out of order. There's a whole lot to running a home. All of you, especially the women, will know what I'm talking about. Then add to the pile, hosting a writer's group, sanctuary choir rehearsal, writer's workshops, and keeping up with my two grown children and 3 grandchildren, who are the delight of my life.

I think this will get me out of my rut and pour fresh ideas into this dull brain of mine. Carving out time for exercise will have to move to the top of my list. No more long morning walks at my leisure with devotional ideas popping through. Life is so brief, and I want to live it to the fullest, so I'll see what this new venture brings into my life. How are you using every day to it's potential? Hope you are not one of the individuls that spend hours in front of the TV. Get out there and pursue whatever you have been dreaming about or venture out into something new and fresh, if you are stuck in a rut...
Tomorrow, I'll tell you about a few of my reviews.
Brenda