I have a new friend where I live who also writes a blog. But she writes everyday - something, I'm sorry to say, I won't commit to. Plus she adds great illustrations, news topics, trivia questions, and a daily puzzle. This I must say is one fun blog even when she asks pointed questions about the new mask directives and discusses why she doesn't watch the Olympics. And it's not all that serious. She even recommended buying a pair of shoes like her latest ones. Yes, I'm going to buy a pair. Here's her blog address: Joyce@joyceswhatsupblog.com I hope you'll check it out! *** As for me, well, I'm like a broken record. I keep writing and writing about the same old thing - my moving and how I'm feeling about it. Though I hope this latest piece is a little more optimistic. Writing Group Prompt: Write about your comfortable space and what draws you to it or the reverse: Supposedly when I moved to my new apartment in Playa Vista I was moving to a more comfortable space. Leaving my big … [Read more...]
How do you react to interview questions?
I welcome Rina Z. Neiman today, author of Born Under Fire - a historical novel - while she's on her WOW! Women on Writing virtual book tour. As I am the author of a recently published historical novel, Papa's Shoes, I can totally relate to Rina's book about a family's immigration struggles. Rina also struggled to get the information she needed for her book. Here she provides her thoughts about conducting interviews with people who are (and who are not) willing to talk with you. Here's Rina: Interviews are a great way to collect information, and when working on a biography, sometimes the only way to get information. When I started to write my mother’s story, I went to Israel to conduct interviews with my mother’s remaining friends and relatives. My first interview was a disaster. My phone ran out of battery. I couldn’t figure out my recording app. Why didn’t I buy that selfie stick/tripod? I did the interview, but took very poor notes. Yes, this could happen to … [Read more...]
Spotlight of Michelle Dim-St. Pierre’s Bloody Coffee
I'm so happy to spotlight Michelle Dim-St. Pierre's new book, Bloody Coffee, here at Choices today. It is a complex, suspenseful, and engrossing tale of doubts, trust, budding romance, and two bullets. Words of praise: “Michelle Dim-St.-Pierre is proving to be a major talent in epic romantic drama!” ~Grady Harp, Amazon Top 50 Hall of Fame Reviewer “A thrilling and emotional psychological mystery-thriller.” ~Detroit Free Press “This book grabbed me at page one and wouldn’t let me go!” ~Pamela Gossiaux, award-winning author and journalist. About the book: Eighteen-year-old Leigh arrives at a Tel Aviv hospital, seeking information about her probable father, Dr. Sloan, who had a cardiac arrest right after they met for the first time. As she stands next to her father's bed and watches him, her past, present and future collide. Despite the advice of those around her, Leigh decides to face the challenges of the legal system in Israel. She obtains a court order for a … [Read more...]
Please welcome Dorit Sasson
Dorit Sasson has just published her memoir about being a soldier in the Israel Defense Forces: Accidental Soldier: A Memoir of Service and Sacrifice in the Israel Defense Forces (She Writes Press). And, as if being in an army wasn't brave enough, Dorit has taken the next brave step - she fought off her inner critic nay sayers during the whole memoir writing process. Please welcome Dorit today and read how she chased her inner critic demons away. Working with the Inner Critic When Writing a Memoir by Dorit Sasson Somewhere along the writer's journey, the writer confronts the inner critic. It often likes to say: "Why the heck are you writing this? You know you aren't going to write like your favorite authors, so just quit now! Most people don't understand a writer's daily battles. They don't care. They just want the book. They see the author's life from the sidelines. The author cranks out a book, becomes published, gets on the New York Times or Amazon bestselling list, … [Read more...]
Revisiting the bucket list
When I first started this blog back in November 2007 its purpose was to write down a list of things to do and places to go before I die in homage to the movie The Bucket List. And even though this blog has become much more than that I post photos and poems here, I write about my writing life, I report on special happenings always in the back of my mind is the question: how am I doing in checking off the things on my list? So I went back to two of my earliest post and copied the lists below. And I've commented on each one so you and I will both know what I've accomplished. And then I've written down a few more things mainly about where in the world my husband and I want to travel before we're unable to travel anymore. That's the thing. I feel very strongly lately that my time is very finite, so I need to make every moment that I have left count. My Garden Buddha The List Climb down into the Grand Canyon not done yet, but still on the list. Go to the parts of the … [Read more...]
