Writing and Podcasts and Workshops, Oh My!

It’s going to be a busy next few months here at Greenwood house.  I’m wrapping up Freak Frat, Book Two, and as slow going as that is, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.  In between writing, I’m pleased to announce I have a (tentative) book signing in May, as well as a workshop and a podcast appearance with the Raging Romantics in June!

Keep an eye on my website for all the lastest news, and where you can find me online or in person.  I’m looking forward to sharing my work with you and hearing all about what you like to read.  In the meantime, I’m going to head outside and soak up some of that spring warmth while I get my garden ready for the growing season.

Happy Reading, and Happy Spring!

The Drip

This year, my mission is to clean out our house of things we don’t or won’t use, then sell them in a summer garage sale or donate to goodwill. I’m a big believer that if you keep “clutter” that you’re not using and/or don’t love, it’s only going to weigh you down. I sometimes get militant about the need to bulldoze these unused items out of our family’s lives.

I’ve been through our kitchen and bedroom, collecting things that need a new home. Among them were some pieces of jewelry, not particularly valuable, that would get better use from someone other than me. That meant going through the vanity dresser handed down to me from my grandmother, a piece that’s sentimental to me, as it connects three generations of the women in my family.

There’s a value to antique furniture, but it isn’t always monetary. Over the course of a piece’s lifetime, it collects stories. Even a scuffed old table can tell tales of family dinners, game nights, and school projects.

Sometimes when I open a little-used drawer of this vanity, a whiff of my grandmother’s perfume still drifts up from the decades it sat there. The vanity’s been mine for many years now, and I hardly use that one drawer, so weeks may go by without me actively thinking of my grandmother.

Then there’s the drip. I had seen it before, but it spent a while hiding under collected clutter in the top drawer. Once I cleaned out unused items, it peeked out again.

I thought about cleaning it up, then I remembered what it was: Grandma’s nail polish, the exact color she used to wear, tipped over in some accident prior to going out for an evening. Mental images of my grandmother, neatly dressed, hair done, makeup on, and the scent of her perfume all came rushing back, now completed with that nail color. What a treat to add that to my stash of family memories.

Because, even while you’re cleaning out the clutter, there are some things you need to keep.

Buy It, It Likes You

 Get Up and Go

It’s been a long, looooong winter. By the time February rolls around, most of us in upstate New York are going a little stir crazy even if it’s been a pleasant holiday season. Between the worries of Covid and the contention with snow, cold, and gray skies, my family and I were feeling the need to get out, walk around, and maybe get in a little retail therapy. (It’s good for guys, too!)

Our location of choice today was Ithaca Commons in Ithaca, NY. This town has a special place in my heart, as my husband and I have made many fond memories there. I couldn’t have picked a weirder day. The weather, quiet but gray the entire drive down, turned whiteout in the time it took us to have breakfast at Collegetown Bagels (our favorite stop for a hearty breakfast sandwich. Take your time; there are a ton of delicious options!).

 

Individuality and Creativity

Ithaca is what a college town ought to be: diverse, active, and full of the creative energy that happens when class is in session. Even on a snowy day, the Commons was full of people walking, shopping, or enjoying a meal. Everywhere you look, you’ll find evidence of creative thinkers and people who make their mark, which is what I love best about this town. There’s art on the buildings (keep an eye out for the sunflowers!), and sometimes, you’ll find a humorous bit of personal artwork.

...But the Shops!

The best part of Ithaca Commons is the shops. Among those we checked out was Sunshine’s Creative Designs inside the Dewitt Mall. This shop had every gemstone and fossil you could possibly imagine, including a mammoth tooth, geodes, and several pieces of bismuth (yes, it really does crystallize that way naturally, and the rainbow color is the result of oxidation):

We visited Ithaca Guitar Works next, where my husband fell in love with a Gibson Les Paul Classic. (He played it the minute we got home.) The staff there are knowledgeable, helpful, and more than willing to let you test the merchandise. While Hubby tried out the guitar, I chatted with the guitar technician and learned a few things that may make it into a future book.

Next up, we stopped at Mockingbird Paperie, home of the most gorgeous stationery and wrapping papers ever. I consider it a mark of good parenting that when our 15-year-old son saw the calligraphy pens, he got all excited. The shop assistant was very helpful in explaining the care and feeding of these beautiful pens. My son and I walked out of Mockingbird Paperie with a pen and pewter stand each: a snake stand and clear pen for him, and a Buddha stand and iridescent pen for me. If we were indulging in such awesome pens, we needed stands that were equally awesome to show them off, after all, and the stands were perfectly suited to us. (He loves snakes, and I have a small collection of tiny Buddha figurines.)

While my son already has a leatherbound book in which to write, I needed one of my own, so the last stop of the day was the one where we started: 15 Steps. This store specializes in merch created by local and national artisans. The leatherbound journal in the tall white case had whispered at me when I first visited the shop, but at the time, I wanted to see what else the day’s travels had to show me. In kismet-like fashion, the pen and pen stand agreed that I needed to go back and get that journal.

It was still waiting for me by the time I got there, so I scooped it up, thanked the lovely staff for their help, and we came home to end the day with our prizes. Now, here I sit with the snow blowing outside, ready to write in the brand-new book that was totally meant for me.

Moral of the story? Every once in a while, it’s good for the soul to spend a little “mad money” on yourself. (Might want to wait until it’s not a blizzard out there, though.) Happy hunting!

Adventures in Computing (or, Apple vs. Windows)

It’s no secret that I have a contentious relationship with Windows. I’ve been a Windows user since the dawn of computers, so I know my way around better than the average user. In recent years, however, I’ve lost days of writing productivity to Windows’s whim to update just as soon as I get inspired to sit down and get words in. No writer likes being denied the ability to write, especially when the impulse is hot.

I finally decided that (thanks to my wonderful husband buying me an iPad Pro for Christmas) it’s time to give up the ghost (at least mostly) on Windows. I have long been wanting a slimmer, more streamlined writing device, but the price of an iPad had been a major sticking point. Since Hubby made the decision for me, I’ve been tinkering with the iPad and tailoring it to do those tasks I have always reserved for my laptop. So far, so good. I have cloud storage, an external hard drive to solve some pesky storage issues, a mouse, and a few other apps that help me do things I can’t otherwise accomplish without a laptop. Oh, yeah, and Apple’s Magic Keyboard and Pencil, which are two must-haves if you’re interested in an iPad of your own (and don’t forget Procreate if you’re artsy)!

In short, the iPad isn’t a perfect solution, but it definitely does those lightweight word processing and task functions I need in the course of a day. I may still dust off my laptop if I need certain things (and iPad has yet to allow us access to iTunes), but for now, I’m a fairly happy camper with my Apple experience.

Bonus? Even with the peripherals, I’m not lugging several pounds of equipment around on my shoulder each day. I can live with that!

Happy writing, and Happy New Year!

Book Signing 12/4/21: Barnes & Noble, Liverpool NY

 

It’s happening! I’m so excited to be holding a book signing at Barnes & Noble bookstore in Liverpool, NY on Saturday, December 4th from 12-2PM. This is a huge bucket list item for me, and if you live in the Central NY area, I hope you can join me to celebrate.

Last year threw us all for a loop. I had a signing lined up, but when Covid hit, I had to cancel it. You can imagine my disappointment!

Now that public events are a thing again—and the world is trying to get back to normal—my signing is back on! I’ll have copies of all my available print books, and I’m featuring THE SERPENT IN THE STONE and my new urban fantasy, FREAK FRAT! I’ll also be bringing lots of goodies to share with visitors, so come visit and score a holiday treat for yourself or a loved one. Happy Holidays, and happy reading!

Let ‘em Drive

One of these days, I’m gonna learn.

It’s been a fitful year of stop-and-start with That Damn Book (aka Book Two of the FREAK FRAT series). Not even a year, actually; I’ve been working on this book for several.  You’d think, since I have over ten years of professional writing and publishing experience under my belt, I’d get the hint that there’s a much easier way to write than—What is it they say? Staring at the page until your forehead bleeds?

But every time, I get stubborn and bossy. Every. Single. Time.

Here’s a hint: don’t do what I do.

The thing is, I am a very Type A personality, which is a nice way of saying I’m a control freak. I like to be the one making the decisions as to what I do in my book. That’s why I (loosely) outline. I like to know where things are going, and have an idea of how they’re going to get there. Not everything. I like surprises. But I also like steering.

My characters, unfortunately, hate when I drive. We argue All The Time over it, and every time, I think I’m right, and we spend several days not speaking to one another.

But when I get over myself, something amazing happens. If I give up the wheel and throw my hands in the air like that Carrie Underwood song, my characters magically start doing the awesome thing I had been wanting them to do for days.

If you have a modicum of writing experience and know how to tell a basic story—and you’ve spent enough time developing great characters—you need to trust them. Write that down. It’s important. Trust Your Characters. If they take you on a crazy tangent, let them. Chances are, they have something to tell you that will add an interesting layer to your story. Time and again, I’ve had to give up control after a frustrating stop, and my characters say or do something that startles and delights me. My job, as I should know by now, is to sit my butt in the chair at the same time every day and start writing so they have a chance to say their piece.

TL/DR: Give yourself a structure for your story, but don’t be afraid to let your characters take that dirt road that’s not on the map. That’s where the good scenery is. And that’s how you end up not like me, with note cards tagged with Unusable Scenes.