A Novel Creation www.WatersWords.com

  One Man’s or Girl's Junk…   You may have heard the saying, “One man’s junk is another man’s treasure.” It may well be the slogan behind many a garage sale.   In preparation for a move, my daughter decided it was time to clear the house of unwanted “junk.” Though my granddaughters were at first reluctant to part with old toys, the promise of lining their pocketbooks with money from a yard sale proved to be strong motivation to purge the house of many a stuffed animal, game, or plastic toy.   If you read my post a couple of weeks ago about the toy box turned coffee table, (Click HERE) you know I did a toy purge of my own.    I decided to keep a few toys around for my grandchildren when they visit. So why am I “playing” with them?    It is all part of crafting my new suspense novel. Yes, I could use a storyboard, but I can move these figures around easily. The hero of my story (Snoopy here) is a real boy scout. He has two important women in his li...

Renewal.   That is my watchword for the week. Renewal.   Merriam-Webster describes  renewal  as “the state of being made new, fresh, or strong again.” New? Fresh? Strong again? We all need it.  We often search for it. We plan a two week vacation in the hope of finding that renewed strength. I know. I’ve been there.    But the best experience is when that sense of renewal comes unexpectedly.    Fungi and Flowers: So Beautiful A friend of mine and I took a walk in a local park this week. It was raining a bit. Not much. Just enough to make everything in the forest look fresh. The colors of the wildflowers appeared more vibrant than ever. There was a sense of energy. A sense of renewal.   The next day, we had the opportunity to visit with my cousin and his wife on their farm. Their beautiful home is the epitome of renewal. No, they did not buy an old farmhouse and breathe new life into it.  They designed and built the house themselves....

Writing to Publish...A Roadmap People with a story to tell come to me for advice. I am hired to speak with writing groups about writing and publishing.    Mind you, I am not an authority. I am not an expert.    I am a published author, a researcher, an educator, and a writing coach.    It turns out to be a good combination.      The very first story I had published was when my second grade teacher submitted my work to our school newspaper. I didn’t pursue a serious writing path, however until after I left the world of teaching and teacher education. Only then did I put my research skills to use to determine how to become a published author of books.   I am not prone to self-promote. Publishers want it from their authors, but it is the most difficult part of the process for me. If this post reads like self-promotion, I apologize.   The truth of it is, I have a recent release that is now available on Amazon. It is the easy to read and...

  The Box in the Basement   Almost twenty years ago, I found a wooden box at Goodwill. It was marked eight dollars. Furniture that day was half off. Apparently the box with its hinged lid counted as furniture because I got it for four bucks.   I took my find home to use as a toy box for my first grandchild. Soon it was filled with Thomas trains, wood puzzles, and a talking truck. As Joshua grew we added an assortment of toys. His younger brother and cousin enjoyed the dinosaurs and matchbox cars. As my family grew, more children were added to our clan. Two more boys and three girls.   That old wooden box has served my family well through the years. It has been home to an assortment of stuffed animals, coloring books and crayons, games, and Legos.  It also has housed an assortment of baby dolls, Barbie dolls, and plastic food that is particularly delicious on pretend picnics.    Even empty margarine tubs, sheets of half used stickers, and refrigerator m...