Quote for the week: Coretta Scott King

Women, if the soul of the nation is to be saved, I believe that you must become
its soul.
Coretta Scott King

Another heroine/peaceful warrior has left us, remember she has not fallen. She has simply moved on. The work and her example remain. Be inspired.
Rest in Peace, Coretta.

D.M.H.

E-Book Spotlight: The London Apothecary

Deborah Dolen's book, The London Apothecary reads as a memoir, a brief history of the art of apothecary, a social commentary and offers an empowering self-help message. The book concludes with a helpful, fun selection of recipes. She provides herbal and natural beauty information which readers can apply to take control of their beauty and health regimens for the better. She also explains how she attained her personal and business success, by establishing the Mabel White Home Living Corp., in spite of personal tragedy which left her a widowed young mother of three.

Experience and philosophy meet in The London Apothecary. As a reader progresses through the book's forward to its sensory engaging conclusion of recipes, like Shakespeare's Edible Love Lotion and Angel Kisses, lip shimmer stick, they discover:

• Dolen's approach to financial and personal success
• A thorough study of the historical relationship between the cosmetic and early pharmaceutical industries in the UK and America
• A wealth of natural herbal remedies and beauty formulas which can be tailored to the user's needs and more often than not at a great savings

Dolen's writing style is conversational without losing clarity or the authoritative voice with which she instructs her readers regarding the pursuit of financial and personal success, as well as the beauty that only good health can bring. She clearly dedicated a great deal of time and effort to acquiring accurate and helpful information. She literally goes to the source in her section about the history of natural beauty in the apothecary tradition, visiting London, to observe their over the counter apothecary products and consulting with two of the biggest names in that sector of business, Napiers and Culpeper's.

Whether you're preparing for a romantic evening with someone special or simply pampering yourself, because you're worth it, this book is for you. The London Apothecary's treasury of herbal lore and beauty recipes makes this readable and informative book a great resource that could be just the tool you need to look and feel your best. From Dolen's tasty cocoa recipe to her pointers on how to create the ultimate in body lotion, she illustrates what we all know, true beauty comes from true health.

Click here to read about the best Mabel White book ever written!http://www.mabelwhite.com/LondonAPothecaryBook.htm

Word for the week: dimension

Main Entry: 1di·men·sion
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin dimension-, dimensio, from dimetiri to measure out, from dis- + metiri to measure -- more at MEASURE
1 a (1) : measure in one direction; specifically : one of three coordinates determining a position in space or four coordinates determining a position in space and time (2) : one of a group of properties whose number is necessary and sufficient to determine uniquely each element of a system of usually mathematical entities (as an aggregate of points in real or abstract space) ; also : a parameter or coordinate variable assigned to such a property (3) : the number of elements in a basis of a vector space b : the quality of spatial extension : MAGNITUDE, SIZE c : a lifelike or realistic quality d : the range over which or the degree to which something extends : SCOPE -- usually used in plural e : one of the elements or factors making up a complete personality or entity : ASPECT2 obsolete : bodily form or proportions3 : any of the fundamental units (as of mass, length, or time) on which a derived unit is based; also : the power of such a unit4 : wood or stone cut to pieces of specified size5 : a level of existence or consciousness

Writing Prompt:When did you fall in love with writing?

Sometimes the difficulties of being a writer can be discouraging. When a writer remembers what brought them to choose writing as a way of life—as their art form—it can be a great source of inspiration. All of the good feelings from that moment fill their heart and mind as they remember that moment of success or rush of inspiration. Such an experience makes the rejections and episodes with writer’s block seem like such a small thing in comparison to the wave of knowing where you belong.

Write a piece about when you first fell in love with writing. You select the form, a poem, creative non-fiction, a memoir, etc. This exercise should be food for your creative spirit—feed it well with the recollection of how your muse called you to embark on the road of artistry.

Top Ten Plotting Problems by Alicia Rasley

For a full explanation of each potential plotting problem, click on the post title to view the full article.

10. Backstory Blunders: The past is prologue, for sure, but you can tell too much too soon, if everything about the characters' past is explained right upfront in Chapter One...

9. Boring Beginnings: If you have to rely on your readers' patience while you get the story set up, you're likely to lose most of them. Start where the protagonist's problem starts, or just before that, and feed in the backstory later...

8. Limping to a Conclusion: You don't want the reader to think you ended the book just because you ran out of paper...

7. Sagging Middle: The middle has to do more than just fill up the space between beginning and end...

6. Tumors and Parasites-- The cast of thousands: Secondary characters are distinguished from major characters-- the protagonist(s) and the antagonist usually-- by their lack of a story journey...

5. Plodding Pacing: Pacing is primarily a function of how many cause-effect related events happen in the book...

4. What a Coincidence!: Coincidence is fun in real life...

3. Conflicts about Conflict: Conflict is the fuel that powers the plot and forces the characters into action...

2. Structural Weaknesses: Many a good story is sunk by a weak structure: a hidden protagonist (the readers can't tell early whose story this is), meandering setups, mispresented conflict, rushed climaxes, incoherence between the protagonist and the plot (the main character doesn't have much to do with the main plot, or this person would never do what the plot requires him to do)...

1. Whose Story Is This, Anyway? The Plight of the Protagonist: The biggest single plot problem I see in my judging, editing, and critiquing is actually a character problem: the passive or undermotivated protagonist-- that is, a protagonist who is not truly involved in causing the plot to unfold...

copyright 1998 Alicia Rasley

Interesting Quote for the Week: Sloan Wilson

"Success in almost any field depends more on energy and drive than it does on intelligence. This explains why we have so many stupid leaders."
Sloan Wilson

C3 Effective Writing Method

Every written document is a product of the Writing Process: Pre-writing, Draft, Revise, Edit, Proofread and Publish. Many people find writing intimidating. It seems a long, involved and impossible task.

This document can help change that outlook. The C3 Effective Writing Method approach empowers any writer to take control of the writing process and produce clear, effective, well written pieces. Three simple concepts can change an uncertain writer’s outlook on writing and their written communication for the better.

Download your free copy at www.lulu.com/dmhendricks.

Word for the Week: discretion

dis·cre·tion
Function: noun
1 : the quality of being discreet : CIRCUMSPECTION; especially : cautious reserve in speech
2 : ability to make responsible decisions
3 a : individual choice or judgment b : power of free decision or latitude of choice within certain legal bounds
4 : the result of separating or distinguishing

Writing Prompt: Which Comes First the Plot or the Story?

Use the Plot Map that you made earlier this week to write a story. Write a new version based on the same plot or even an entirely different story using the plot as your springboard. Change the characters, but keep the events the same. Change the events, but keep the same characters and the same outcomes. The possibilities are endless.

For example, I chose to map Beauty and the Beast. This plot has been retooled and reshaped more times than any of us can know. Robin McKinely's rendering, Beauty, is one of my favorites. Then there's the Disney version, and before that it was a television series starring Linda Hamilton and Ron Perlman. Each of these versions tell the same story in a unique way. How would you tell the story? Use your chosen story's plot points as your guide and have fun.

Playing with Plot

This link, http://www.learner.org/exhibits/literature/read/plot1.html provides another and in my opinion simplified explanation of plot and its various components. I think that this week's post and last week's post will provide the tools necessary for the exercise I'm about to suggest. Choose a classic story: Romeo and Juliet, Beauty and the Beast, The Princess and the Pea, etc., one where you know the events of the story inside and out. Then list the plot components of the story.

Example: Beauty and the Beast

Explantion (also known as Exposition): Beauty's father, a merchant, goes out to make his fortune and ends up on the wrong side of a magical beast from whom he "steals" a rose after receiving said Beast's hospitality, thus insulting him and incurring his wrath.

Complication: The Beast demands that one of the merchant's daughters come live with him to repay the insult and injury. The merchant is conflicted and returns home to say goodbye to his daughters;he's prepared to return to the Beast to face a terrible, unnamed fate.

Turning Point (There can be several):
1. Beauty goes to stay with the Beast in her father's stead and comes to like him.
2. Her father falls ill and she goes home to nurse him to health promising the beast that she will return.

Climax: Beauty forgets to return to the Beast as promised, and the Beast is at death's door--She rushes to his side and declares her love.

Resolution: The curse is lifted. The Beast becomes a prince;he and Beauty live happily everafter.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday

I love the fact that Dr. King is recognized as a historically and socially influential figure. By perpetuating his image and his teachings, this holiday serves as one more cobblestone with which we can build the road to an inclusive as well as equitable national and global culture. Yet every year around this time, I find myself becoming a bit irritable.

I become irritable, because I also feel that the manner in which Dr. King is portrayed is misleading as well as misguided. By focusing almost entirely on his U. S. Civil Rights Movement work and negligibly on his organizing around poverty and speaking out against the Vietnam war, in my eyes, dilutes his message.

This desire to only embrace the currently non-controversial aspects of a great leader is rude. It disrespects the memory of the man and the leader. It also disrespects/underestimates the intelligence and resilience of the inheritors of his legacy, the global community.

If we in the U.S., truly wish to learn from Dr. King's example, we must embrace the whole of his message, that injustice anywhere endangers justice everywhere.

Happy Birthday Dr. King!

Word for the Week: legacy

legacy

SYLLABICATION:
leg·a·cy

NOUN:
pl. leg·a·cies
1. Money or property bequeathed to another by will. 2. Something handed down from an ancestor or a predecessor or from the past: a legacy of religious freedom. See synonyms at heritage

Quote: Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch

It amounts to this—Literature is not a mere Science, to be studied; but an Art, to be practised.
Sir ArthurQuiller-Couch

Seeking Books for Review and Book Review Submissions

I am seeking e-books for review as well as e-book reviews for submission. If you are submitting an e-book for review, reply to the e-mail in this post with a brief letter of introduction and attach a copy of your e-book. Please, submit as a PDF file.If you are a reviewer wishing to submit a review, send the text of the review in the body of an email and submit it to the email listed in this post. In both cases, include information about the publisher and where the book is available for purchase. I will contact you if I wish to review your e-book or post your review.

Please, submit to aconservatoryofone@yahoo.com.

Wrting Prompt--Muse Fun

Write a story using the muses of Greek mythology as your springboard. You can use all or one of the muses. Your story can be any genre fiction, fantasy, horror, etc. Try to do it in 2,000 words or less.

http://www.eliki.com/portals/fantasy/circle/define.html

More on Plot

This links to a graphic outline of plot structure which includes a definition for each part.
http://warren.dusd.net/~dstone/Resources/00_All-Eng/1PlotStructureNotes.htm

A detailed article on the finer points of plot writing and methods with a chart:

http://www.kitehrman.com/Writing-Plot.html

Quote: Abraham Lincoln

Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.
Abraham Lincoln (1809 - 1865)

Word for the Week: ingenuity

in·ge·nu·i·ty
noun
Definitions:
inventiveness: cleverness and originality

Writing Prompt: Journaling

In Greek mythology, the Arts are characterized as sisters. This depiction illustrates the intimate and familial relationship that Music, Verse, and the Visual and Performing Arts bear toward one another. Keeping this in mind, I suggest the following Journal activity.

Go to the museum and choose an exhibit that interests you. Describe it in your journal. Include as much detail as possible. I would also suggest sketching the piece if you like. Then write a series of stories using this exhibit as a jumping off point. It can be a series of theme related shorts, a poem with many stanzas (Write a stanza each day.), or the beginning of a novel. You decide. The idea with this exercise is to incrementally build the length of the pieces you write.

Learn more about the muses of Greek mythology.
http://www.eliki.com/portals/fantasy/circle/define.html

Writing Focus: Plot

There are many paths to the perfect plot. You can take the Zen road and write your story in a state of flow. Think of it as letting the story reveal itself, associative writing, etc. At the other end of the spectrum, the events of the story can be planned down to very last. In this vein, one can start with an outline on a piece of ruled paper.The sparseness or detail, and style of the outline is determined by the author. Each scene can be detailed on note cards, then written full length and strung together to form the story. Very often, the plot that begins a story can change with every revision. The key is selecting the course of events, steps to follow, which will end in creating your perfect plot.

http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/content/2230/

http://www.kitehrman.com/Writing-Plot.html

http://www.writing.org/html/a_char_vs_plot.htm

Interesting Quote: Eldridge Cleaver

Eldridge Cleaver, "Soul on Ice"
"The price of hating other human beings is loving oneself less."

Word for the Week: expediency

Our world has become the victim rather than the benefactor of expediency. In our haste for results, we accept the most apparently suitable means to acquire the end we seek. Inevitably, the greater value in this equation defines the variable of speed while neglecting the element of caution or analysis which expediency implies.

Pursuing expeditious means with minimum attention to their implications, more often than not, produces spurious results. Consider the following: The Patriot and No Child Left Behind Acts, the 2004 Election (Can you say Ohio?), and Stem Cell Research.

I'm sure that you have your own short list.

Main Entry: ex·pe·di·en·cy
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural -cies1 : the quality or state of being suited to the end in view : SUITABILITY, FITNESS
2 obsolete a : HASTE, DISPATCH b : an enterprise requiring haste or caution
3 : adherence to expedient means and methods;put more emphasis on expediency than on principle -- W. H. Jones
4 : a means of achieving a particular end : EXPEDIENT- ex·pe·di·en·tial--adjective