A Novel Creation www.WatersWords.com

Of Beauty and Light This past week my mother and I drove to Dunnellon, Florida. It could have been a somber event. You may remember in 2025, I posted a photo of a painting my mother’s oldest living friend painted for us.  Mary was a gifted artist. She is now walking the streets of heaven with all its beauty and saying, “I could paint that!” You see, Mary died later in July of 2025.  It has taken a bit for her children and grandchildren to take care of everything.  This week, though, after working their way through all of Mary’s collections, paintings, jewelry, and household items, her children decided who would keep what and what they might need to gift or sell to others.  A private sale was arranged before inviting the public. My mother and I attended the private event. Mom claimed a pair of Mary’s earrings. A remembrance of Mary’s beauty. (The woman loved her bling!) Mary was a true artist. There were a few canvases her brush had yet to touch. I love to paint, so I...

  “It’s a Small World After All” There’s a song in there. And a major attraction at Disney World in Orlando to boot! It is indeed a small world. But this post isn’t about a song or Disney. It’s about life.  It’s about a busy and wonderful week of connections. Last Wednesday Mike, my mom, and I headed to our hometown of Lutz, Florida. It was time to celebrate the release of my third novel,  Corners and Straight Edges. Since  Corners and Straight Edges  is about a first-grade teacher, the historic Old Lutz School was the perfect setting. The school is a large brick building located on US 41 a few miles north of Tampa. Though the Lutz school is indeed old, the school in my book is not. Still… a school is a school. A place of learning and growing. A place filled with energetic children and caring adults. I was a teacher for thirty-four years of my life. Twenty of that was in the elementary school setting. Most of those twenty years I taught first grade. I have a lot...

  “Ever True to Thee” This past week, Mike and I returned to our roots. Our high school roots: George D. Chamberlain High School in Tampa, Florida. Chamberlain (CHS) celebrated its seventieth anniversary. And did it right. We were a bit wary before the event. A few years ago, in the pressure to be “politically correct,” our school changed its mascot. What had been the Chamberlain Chiefs with a Native American Indian Chief as the mascot, became The Storm.  Now I ask you, how do you dress as a storm? That was our question from the start. What could ever serve as your mascot? Still… celebrating seventy years of being a positive part of the educational landscape in this Florida city is pretty cool. We bought our tickets and made our plans.  Parking was where it always was when we were kids. The stadium, though updated, was in the right place. We headed to the gym for our dinner and gathering. Wow. First, let me say the gym, though likely the same size, appeared to be a bit sm...

  The Launch I grew up in the “Space Age”… but this post is about a different kind of launch.  One week from today, on October 21, 2026, I will officially launch my latest novel,  Corners and Straight Edges . It feels like Christmas.  The book is already available on Amazon and through my publisher, Mt. Ziion Ridge Press. So why launch? A book launch is a celebration.  Crafting a novel requires intense labor. Some may be able to crank out eighty thousand words or more in short order. I’m not one of them.  I spend months researching, crafting the story, revising some, more, or most of it until I get it to a place I like. Then I spend intense amounts of time editing, rewriting, and editing some more. I DO NOT USE AI .  This is my story. My craft. My words.  So, when a publisher reads it, likes it, and offers me a contract, it is a pretty big deal. You can ask Mike. I squeal and dance around and giggle like a schoolgirl. Then I wait. The publisher ha...

  Vette Fest Year 2 My second Vette Fest was great. (If you missed the first one, I’ll put a link at the bottom.) Mike and I enjoy our little red corvette. Mike is a “car guy” and I guess I’m becoming a “car girl.” Of sorts.  I know how to drive a stick shift. Of course I’ve been doing that a long time. My dad had a rule. I couldn’t start dating until I knew how to drive a standard transmission.  Of course that doesn’t matter with our Vette. It’s an automatic. I know a few cars by their appearance…you know, body style, lights, special features. Of course, Mike knows much more than I do. So, although I have a smattering of knowledge, I also know I have a lot to learn.  Not a Vette, But Fun! And although it was “Vette Fest” featuring Corvettes, there were other cars there, too. Some of the “oldies” celebrated their glory days. The picture here is of 1955 Chevy with a tray of food on the side. Drive-in restaurants were great places to eat and meet up with friends “...

  Doing a RE-Think Re-imagine When I received the email showing me the cover for my latest novel,  Corners and Straight Edges , I was happy. It captured a caring teacher working with a group of first graders.  Perfect.  Teaching is not for the faint of heart. It goes well beyond reading, writing, and arithmetic. In the story, first grade teacher, Katharine Gilmore balances teaching with the needs of her husband and teenaged son as well as caring for her aging mother, Mimi. It is her mother’s advice that guides her through tough situations. “Life is like a puzzle,” Mimi tells her. “Find the corners and straight edges first and everything else will fall into place.” Hence the title of the book. And the next project. I took the picture of the book cover and ordered a jigsaw puzzle made of it. Five hundred…yes… 5-0-0 pieces…later, I had the book cover taking up a third of our dining room table. Now I had to figure out what to do with it.  I decided to use a puz...