Category: Uncategorized

Go Set a Watchman

I’m a little slow to add my voice to the national conversation about Harper Lee’s book, Go Set a Watchman, but I finished reading it last week and want to comment on the book.

Some people are afraid Atticus Finch will fall off his pedestal if they read Go Set a Watchman. They refuse to read it because they’ve heard that Atticus turned out to be a racist. Ironically, those people are a bit like Scout. In To Kill a Mockingbird, little Scout idolized her father. He was her world after her mother died when she was a toddler. Atticus was an astute trial lawyer and a wise father. In Scout’s eyes, he could do no wrong. When the young adult Scout came home from New York on the cusp of the Civil Rights Movement, she discovered that Atticus was human. I urge readers who loved the Atticus Finch of To Kill a Mockingbird to read Go Set a Watchman. It is another literary masterpiece by Harper Lee. You will struggle along with Scout as you and she discover that Atticus is human.

I’ve heard it said that Harper Lee’s editor read the Go Set a Watchman manuscript and advised Ms. Lee to write a book about Scout’s childhood because she wanted to know about that. That might be true, but I have a hunch that Ms. Lee’s editor sensed that America was not ready for Go Set a Watchman. Times were volatile, and Go Set A Watchman could have been an incendiary book at the time it was written. Perhaps it worked out for the best that we were made to wait until 2015 to read and savor it.

Now I hope someone finds another unpublished manuscript by Harper Lee. Wouldn’t that be a treat?

I have set up a Twitter account

I have set up a Twitter account since my last post; however, I have not tweeted yet and I have no tweeples. That’s all the Twitter jargon I know. I keep reading that every published writer must tweet. Being technologically-challenged is a drawback when you’re my age and attempting to launch a new career. Another drawback is that crazy rule that restricts a tweet to 140 characters. Whose idea was that? (Or maybe I have Twitter mixed up with texting.) I write novels and short stories, not Haiku! I might need some tweeting lessons from one of my great-nieces. I would tell you how to follow me on Twitter, but I don’t know how.

I was astonished today to realize that my last post was more than a month ago. Life is still interfering with my desire to write, read, and sew. It is my intention to get back into posting a blog at least once a week. In order to write a “writing blog,” I have to have something to write about. I cannot continue to report that I haven’t accomplished anything.

In preparation for today’s post, I stumbled upon a website with the URL http://www.urlm.co/janetmorrisonbooks.com and discovered that, according to that site, my website was ranked 7,272,262 in the US on January 29, 2014. I don’t know what to do with that information. As my Tennessee cousin would say, “I don’t have a bucket to put that in.” Why is the data so outdated for the World Wide Web? Since I cannot find out how many websites were in the US at that time, my ranking means little. The site also states that my website had an estimated value of $753.94 on that same date. I have no clue what that means. Could I sell it for $753.94? I don’t know how that value was established. Has my site appreciated in value in the last 19 months, or did it depreciate today when the stock market took a hit? Inquiring minds want to know!

Until I have buyers beating a path to my door, I think I’ll just keep it. I’ll also strive to make it worth your time to follow Janet’s Writing Blog.

Oh – and when I figure out how to tell you to follow me on Twitter, you’ll be the first to know.

Sometimes life interrupts

Sometimes life interrupts our plans. Some days (or weeks) there are so many distractions that I can’t write, edit, or revise. Sometimes several such weeks happen in consecutive order. Welcome to my world!

We’re getting ready to remodel our kitchen and bathroom. This project has been nothing more than a dream for many years. We’re taking the plunge! It’s going to happen! For what seems like weeks, we’ve been making decisions and packing up material possessions. Trips were made to Goodwill and other charities. Dishes were taken to Replacements Unlimited in Greensboro, North Carolina, and sold. It feels good to declutter once in a while. Our new mantra is, “If it doesn’t bring you joy, get rid of it!” That isn’t easy for a card-carrying pack rat, but I have made tremendous progress.

Over the last couple of weeks, we have prepared for the remodel, lost a first cousin to COPD and pneumonia, and had family come from out-of-state for a week. Last weekend was our chance to take a deep breath, relax a little, and reorganize ourselves for the coming construction.

Saturday night the clothes dryer broke, but Sunday went without a hitch. Late last night the washing machine sprung a leak, the freezer completely defrosted and we spent a couple of hours throwing away thawed food, and then we realized that the air-conditioner wasn’t cooling the house. It has been my experience that calamities often come in threes. I believe this sudden rash of four unexpected breakdowns within 48 hours is my new personal best. It is a record that I hope will stand forever.

Today I got up early after three hours of sleep to call two repair people and to wait for their return calls. It is now late morning. I have transitioned into waiting for them to arrive. It would be nice if they did not arrive at the same time as the kitchen planner, but that might be asking too much.

The day will come when I will look back on May of 2015 and laugh. Today is not that day.

Writing Contests

I continue to enter writing contests. They are an excellent opportunity to hone my writing skills and they force me to meet deadlines. Sooner or later, I will win or place in another contest; however, that has not been the case so far this year.

My entry, “Secrets of a Foster Child,” did not win the Doris Betts Literary Competition and my short story titled “Slip Sliding Away” did not win the Northern Colorado Writers Short Fiction Contest. There are other contests whose winners have not been announced. I’ll keep you posted as I hear from them.

Undaunted, I will keep at it. That’s what a writer does.

Scuppernong Books in Greensboro

I finally had the opportunity to visit Scuppernong Books in Greensboro, North Carolina. Scuppernong Books is an independent bookstore that has only been in business for a little more than 16 months. It is located in historic downtown Greensboro and includes a cafe.

Outdoor sign at Scuppernong Books in Greensboro
Outdoor sign at Scuppernong Books in Greensboro

Brian welcomed me to his establishment, and we sat down at a cafe table so he could leaf through my vintage postcard book, The Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. He was surprised that Arcadia Publishing had not made him aware the book and said he will order the book right away. Thank you, Brian!

For those of you not from The South, scuppernong is a variety of muscadines that are native to the southern region of the United States. In fact, the scuppernong is the state fruit of North Carolina, and my mother loved to eat them. Muscadines are a species of grapes; hence, the bunch of green grapes hanging over the fox’s head in the logo for Scuppernong Books. Early explorers wrote about the abundance of scuppernongs along coastal North Carolina as early as the 1500s.

I would be remiss if I failed to mention another marvelous independent bookstore in Shelby, North Carolina. I am distressed to report that Fireside Books in downtown Shelby is closing its doors on May 9 because it cannot compete with the internet and the “big box” stores.

Fireside Books and Gifts in Shelby, NC
Fireside Books and Gifts in Shelby, NC

Support every independent bookstore you find. They struggle to stay in business. Once a town loses its independent bookstore, it loses a bit of charm, warmth, and local flavor that no other type of store can replace.

The Book Thief

I had an extraordinary experience on Saturday afternoon at a showing of the movie, “The Book Thief.” The Concord (NC) Friends of the Library sponsored the first of what promises to be a long line of monthly movie/book discussions. Books that have been made into movies will be shown and then discussed by attendees.

Saturday’s discussion was led by Dr. Barbara Thiede, Judiac Studies professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. There were 35 to 40 people in attendance and everyone participated in the discussion of the book, the movie, and the power of words for good and for evil.

The fact that for many years the public libraries in Cabarrus County were closed on Saturday afternoons due to budget cuts made Saturday’s 2:00 to 5:30 p.m. program all the sweeter. This was just the fourth Saturday we’ve enjoyed Saturday hours past 1:00 p.m., thanks to the current County Commissioners restoring budget for additional staff members. Since the idea for the book, The Book Thief, came from the Nazis burning books in Germany and wanting to control the reading material citizens had access to, it was an appropriate choice for the inaugural “Movie and Discussion.” We took Saturday afternoon library hours for granted until we lost them. Perhaps someday we’ll get Friday hours back, too!

It was a wonderful way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Top of the Mountain Fiction Contest

My January 28, 2015 blog announced that I had entered the first 20 pages of my unpublished historical novel manuscript, The Spanish Coin, in the Top of the Mountain Fiction Contest. The contest was sponsored by Northern Colorada Writers.

This week I eagerly awaited news of how my writing fared in the contest. Word came today that my entry was not one of the four finalists. That was disappointing, but the critique I received from one of the three judges was well worth the $25 contest entry fee.

My work was graded on a 10-point scale on each of the following 10 categories: synopsis, beginning hook, plot, originality & voice, characterization, pacing, dialog, setting/description/narrative, mechanics, and appeal to intended audience.

I am pleased that my lowest score was 8 and I received two 10s. My total score was 88 out of a possible 100.

The judge’s comments give me some specific weaknesses and areas I need to work on. I look forward to doing that in the coming months as I work toward my ultimate goal of getting the novel published.

Charleston Station Book Signing!

Charleston Station in Bryson City, North Carolina has placed an order for my book, The Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Ms. Clampitt, the owner, wants be to have a book signing there. I’m thrilled! It will be my first book signing or author event in Swain County.

Charleston Station in Bryson City, NC.
Charleston Station in Bryson City, NC.

Free classes at public library

I have taken advantage of two free classes at the Harrisburg Branch of the Cabarrus County Public Library System recently. You can’t beat FREE!

I took a PowerPoint class because I think that skill will eventually come in handy with my writing. When I speak at a library or bookstore, it would be nice to be able to have a PowerPoint presentation to offer for the event.

The Skype class a couple of weeks ago was informative. It’s something I’d like to be able to do with far-flung friends and relatives, and it is a tool that might be advantageous in my writing. I can see that a literary agent might want to communicate via Skype. Many authors offer to “meet” with book clubs using Skype.

Last year I took a free Microsoft Excel class at the public library and almost immediately put that new skill to use by creating a tri-fold brochure about my books.

The public library is much more than a repository for books! If you haven’t visited your local public library lately, you need to “check it out!”

A local history talk

Yesterday my sister and I conducted our fourth (and last) Local and Rocky River Presbyterian Church History Talk and Tour. We had these monthly, September through November, skipped December, and then started again in January. Response has fluctuated. It was worth a try. I spent hours planning the topics. I had enough topics to last two or three years. No doubt, someone who has not attended any of the four talks so far will complain that we are discontinuing the programs. That’s human nature.

Yesterday’s topics were the Rev. Dr. John Makemie Wilson and the Rocky River Academy. Dr. Wilson was the pastor of Rocky River and Philadelphia Presbyterian Churches in Cabarrus and Mecklenburg Counties for 30 years in the early decades of the 19th century. He served as teacher at Rocky River Academy for much of that time. Completing their studies at Rocky River Academy prepared the students for entrance in the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Twenty-five of the academy’s students went on to become Presbyterian ministers. One of them, the Rev. Dr. Robert Hall Morrison, was a founder and the first president of Davidson College.

The three-part series of local history columns I wrote about the Rocky River Academy for Harrisburg Horizons newspaper came in handy as I prepared for yesterday’s program.

Last night I spent some time editing the manuscript of my historical novel, The Spanish Coin, in preparation to submit it in a writing competition. More on that later.