Words

I've been thinking a lot about how to start connecting my generations in my second novel. It's turned out to be a more significant project than anticipated, but I often get a bit carried away. While some people deal with writer's block, I've never fully subscribed to that paradigm. It's more about finding the right key to unlock the door. A few years ago, I started using prompts, and they've really helped spark my creativity. There's this one class I love taking whenever it's available, and I just started another one where the prompts are just usually just a single word, which leads to a whole theme. Both these classes incorporate the aspect of a writing community in which you can share your work and read the creations of others, which is simply invaluable. I simply love seeing how a prompt can be interpreted differently. It's also such a great experience to have other writers comment on your work, offer suggestions on how to improve a piece, or even just be those second eyes that pick up on a typo or repetition of words.

So, after a slow Sunday of getting back into writing and trying out different styles, I'm thinking about giving NaNoWriMo another shot this year because that might be what I need to finally finish my novel. Right now, I have the bones of the story; I just need to figure out how to unite all the families. What's tricky with this second book is that it's entirely fictional. I usually write creative nonfiction. So even though we draw on our own experiences to some extent, this story is all made up and encompasses themes of the murder mystery genre. So here's looking ahead to another slow Sunday of bringing together characters and tying up loose ends. Happy Monday!

September Morn Magic

As I felt September step in with a quiet grace akin to the gentle whisper of love—so tender and enchanting—it stirred the very essence of my soul. The delicate fragrances of ripening fruit hanging in the air harmoniously fused with the sweet sprinkling of honey and vanilla notes emanating from the sunflower blooms. I take a moment to gaze up at the changing leaves. It won't be long before they begin their slow pirouettes towards the impending frosted earth. Once their rosy hues have reached the apex of their margins, I will gaze upon the beauty of their final blushing under the midday sun.

I pause, contemplate what truly matters, and appreciate how solace emerges in the quiet moments spent with those who truly see and understand our hearts. I linger in that moment to examine how that love emerges to be able to translate it onto the page. A handful of characters are already cast yet still auditioning for their final performance. In the hush of the early morning hours, they may share a kind word or imagine the softness of their hands brushing ever so lightly as they cross paths. Yet-to-be-made memories echo the truth that they are never truly alone. These dedicated anchors and memories offer refuge amidst the chaos of life, nurturing the delicate connections between hearts.

So, as September reveals its blank canvas before us, let it inspire us to reach out. Let it inspire us to become artists of our worlds and paint vibrant strokes across the doldrums of an ordinary grey autumn day with the sunkissed yellow of the sunshine carried within our smiles. Let us highlight our surroundings with the vermillion warmth of kindness and empathy. Let each conversation be a broad, richly charged brushstroke of crimson heat that warms all that cross our path, and let every moment of laughter be a burst of foliage-inspired colour.

In this month of nature's artistic transformation, may we embrace every heartbeat with gratitude and cherish the magic of kind souls who walk beside us on this journey through life.