There seems to be some confusion about who wrote this poem, either Edgar A Guest or John Greenleaf Whittier. Whom ever it was, there's no doubt that this is a great pick-me-up. Learn it, love it, and never quit! When Things go wrong, as they sometimes will, When the road you're trudging seems all uphill, When the funds are low and debts are high, And you want to Smile but have to sigh. When care is pressing you down a bit, Rest, if you must, but don't you quit. Life is queer with its twists and turns, As everyone of us sometimes learns, And many a failure turns about, When he might have won if he'd stuck it out, Don't give up though the pace seems slow, You might succeed with another blow. Success is failure turned inside out, The silver tint of clouds of doubt, And you never can tell how close you are, It may be near when it seems afar, So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit, It's when things seem worst that you mustn't quit.
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You'll never know what you don't know about a period until you're writing a book or making a movie about that era. Seriously. It's odd what you find yourself typing into the Google search bar. For instance, when I was writing Necessary Evil, I needed to know everything worth knowing about engagement rings during the Civil War. Were engagement rings used? If they were, did they have stones? Were they gold? Could we tell what they were just by looking at them? Similarly, with The Dinner Party, I've found myself researching things that I never would have dreamed of looking into. Here are a few instances: - If you were a jerk, would you call an Irishman a 'potato-eater' (Answer: yes.) - Do the Felsons own a mill or a factory? (Answer: both. It is a factory, but its powered by water, which means it would have commonly been referred to as a mill) - Would a husband lead a wife into the dining room for an elegant dinner party? (Answer: no, indeed! The very gauche idea!) - How close would an owner's/overseer's house be to the mill/factory he ran? (Answer: it varied, probably dictated by wealth, wife, and how smelly the factory/mill was.) - What would young radicals be ranting to their elders about? (Answer: pretty much the same thing they are ranting about now, only with fewer selfies.) Fortunately, I really love this kind of thing. Research like this makes the past come alive in ways a text-book can't quite touch. Movie-making, too, allows us to remember that our ancestors were, at the end of the day, people just like you and me, trying to make a go of things and learning, working, laughing, fighting, and loving along the way. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to find out whether lemons would have been available in New Hampshire in May of 1906... 1. Hi and welcome to Wanderings! Our audience is dying to get to know you, so tell us a little bit about yourself! Thank you for having me. I am a happily married homeschooling mother of three kids. Writing is my passion and cover design my hobby. I love a good story. If I can’t find one, I endeavor to write one. 2.What inspires your writing? Life inspires me. I love people: how they make decisions, relate to those they love and hate, and what they pursue. Situations can spark ideas. Conversations, visual impressions, and people’s body language all have provoked me to mull over new ideas. 3. What inspired you to write this book? Seventh Born, and the whole Talented Trilogy, started with an idea over a decade ago now. My husband I were having difficulty having children and I was faced with the very real possibility that we would remain childless. As I realized that dream might be slipping away, I prayed a lot, trying to find a new long term dream or goal, a purpose. The answer was publishing. With that in mind, I struggled with the fact that all of the publishers I looked into were not looking for what I wrote: non-magical historical-like medieval-like romance with adventure. So, I decided to try to write straight fantasy. What if one of my main characters were a public official in a country that officially followed a different religion, sort of like the prophets of the Bible? What if I used the seventh son concept that I kept encountering in my reading at the time? What if I threw in some special abilities that could be possibly genetically engineered? But I didn’t want to do science fiction so I set it in a regressed society inspired by some Roman cultural aspects (in their dress, architecture, and vocabulary), but not in everything, which gave me room to world build in new directions. 4. Romance is the best! Which classic couple is your favorite: Elizabeth and Darcy? Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester? Romeo and Juliet? Or do you have another favorite and if so, what makes them the best? One of my long-time favorite books is Jane Eyre. However, Elizabeth and Darcy hold a close second. Darcy, especially, has inspired a character in some of my books. Lord Dentin of Honor and the Novels of Rhynan series is almost a medieval version of Darcy. However, all that said, I tend to be drawn to romantic couples and their relationships. Realistic romance tends to crop up in all of my books. 5. So, you’ve just written a book: what’s next? More writing and publishing is on the agenda. I currently have five novels (the next two in The Talented series, the first installment in a science fiction series, a contemporary inspirational romance, and then third novel in the Novels of Rhynan series) are in the pre-publishing process. I am currently writing the first draft of a novel in a new series, with at least five more installments planned. I still even more ideas simmering on the back-burner for more novels. I can’t wait to write them all!
I don't know about you, but when I think about film making and directing, the first thing that comes to mind is an image like this: You know, being all cool. wearing black shirts and jeans, making big decisions, and, best of all,dramatically pointing beyond a glamorous person, like so: And, in truth, there is a lot of that fun stuff going on during the actual film shots. But what I always, always, always, ALWAYS forget it is how much work it takes to actually get to the set. You have to find (or write) the script, convince other people that it's awesome, recruit your cast, cast your crew, scout your locations, find/buy/build your props, costume your characters, storyboard, schedule, rehearse, re-story board when your location changes or your rehearsal changes the pacing of the scenes, arrange for make-up artists, hair-stylists, stuntmen, camera people, sound equipment, music accompaniment, artists for the credits, etc, etc. When you're doing an historical piece, like The Dinner Party, every task takes on second and third dimensions: do the locations look like the period or can they be made to? Will that couch work for 1906 or do I need to figure out how to get it out of the living room we'll be filming in? Is the prop period appropriate? Will the costume rental place allow me to plaster one of my actresses with eggs? Can you call an Irishman a potato-eater or is that not a thing? What sort of dress would a wife wear when instructing her maid in the middle of the day? What sort of jewelry would she wear? Would a New England family start a dinner gathering with an aperitif? Should the make-up artist use eye-liner on the ladies? What sort of hairstyle would the maid wear? And where on earth can I lay my hands on a western saddle? In short, in order to get to this: ...you have to get through this, first: Which isn't to say that prep-work isn't fun, because it can be a blast! (Especially rehearsals - you never know what's going to come up in those.) And it's not like I'm doing this alone, thank goodness (and thank Terry Traynor, also producing and running crew), because there are many many hands at work in all of this. Prep-work is where the magic really begins. As fun and cool as it is to be on set, making dramatic motions with your hands, it's what you did leading up to the shoot that really matters in whether your films is a fun, artistically fulfilling project or not.
Now, if you'll excuse me, there's a Film-Project To-Do list as long as my house waiting for my attention... One of the best parts about film making is, as I may have mentioned before, all the cool people that you get to work with. Another fun part is all the place you get to go in search of locations, props, costumes, vehicles, etc. When you're working on a no-budget film, you can't afford to have things made for you, so you have to improvise, be creative, beg, and borrow. Yesterday, I got to go to Hackmatack Playhouse in Berwick, ME, to look at costumes for our upcoming movie The Dinner Party. Located on a beautiful farm, with rolling fields framed by pine trees, it looks like a set out of Anne of Green Gables - except for the bison, milling about in the far field. Yes, Hackmatack is also a bison farm - how awesome is that? The stage is located in an enormous barn and there's a refreshment stand that boasts of selling coffee along with the usual theater goodies. The costumes were stored in another wooden equipment shed. Autumn Allen, our leading lady for The Dinner Party, helped me sort through decades worth of dresses, suits, hoop-skirts, and outfits from every era, which Hackmatack generously allowed other theaters and filmmakers to use. The Edwardian period is pretty tricky to outfit (it's a very distinctive period), so every article of clothing helps. What didn't help was seeing the gorgeous Medieval outfits that they had on the rack: they just revived my long-dormant desire to write a an Ivanhoe movie... something I'm pretty sure the owner of Narrow Street Films would have fit over at the mere suggestion. (An Edwardian period piece on a no-budget film is one thing... but a movie involving castle sieges and jousting tournaments and knights in full armor? Yeah...) Back to the project at hand: thanks to Hackmatack's generosity, we have a good start towards costuming our cast and I've discovered a bison farm and a new place to go see some shows. While some people may see no-budget films as daunting and more work than they're worth, the challenge is its own reward - and the by-products of discovery, creativity, and new acquaintances are the diamonds in the rough. Check out the Hackmatack Playhouse website for this Summer's line-up!by Madeline Miller Released April 10, 2018 Born in the house of Helios, the sun god and leader of the Titans, Circe is an outsider. She isn't powerful like her father or seductive and manipulative like her mother. Instead, Circe has a mind of her own, the voice of a human... and the power of witchcraft. When one of her spells turns a cousin into the dreaded monster Scylla, Circe is banished by the Olympian Zeus to a deserted island and there begins an epic journey of self-discovery. Alone on the island, she hones her skills, tames the wild nature around her, and meets some legendary characters: the Argonaut Jason and his witch-wife Medea, the tragic Daedalus and his son Icarus, the Minotaur, and the wily, unforgettable Odysseus. When Circe becomes a mother and unwittingly draws the full wrath of the gods down on her once-ignored island, it will require every trick in her book to protect what she loves... and choose, once and for all, where she truly belongs. Ms. Miller weaves a tantalizing tale of love, power, and true strength, imbuing Circe with both terrible flaws and human-like weaknesses. Those familiar with the myths will enjoy encountering their heroes through Circe's eyes and with Ms. Miller's lucid and elegant prose, the reader will be hard pressed to put the book down. The story is at times brutal, grotesque, and bold, as all Greek and Roman myths are, but it's also beautiful, sad, and heartening, a true epic of a novel. It is surprisingly uplifting and refreshingly old-fashioned: through this wild tale of a rejected, marooned, and vengeful witch-goddess, the goodness and worth of simple humanity is beautifully celebrated. Highly recommended. Arthur Daigle is the author of the William Bradshaw series, as well as a biologist, avid gardener, and amateur artist. In this week's Five Questions For, he talks about his inspirations and why he isn't the tortured-writer-type. 1. When did you begin writing? I started writing back in high school. I had free time between classes and not much to do (I’m not much of a joiner), and I decided to spend some time writing. It’s addictive. My earlier works will never see the light of day, and that’s for the good of mankind, but it was a steppingstone to the work I do today. 2. What inspires your writing? Oh where to begin? I draw inspiration from places you’d expect and ones you’d never guess. Books, movies, TV, dreams, back of the box video game descriptions, and sometimes the ideas just kind of show up, no idea where they came from. 3. What do you hope people get from your work? I want them to laugh so long and so hard that the world looks a bit better when they’re done. 4. I know when I write a book, I always have a particular person in mind as an audience. Who do you write for? See, that’s not the way I write. I write the kind of books I wish I could find at bookstores and libraries, so I’m basically writing for myself. I’ve since learned that middle school students, adults and seniors enjoy my work. 5. Not only are you a writer, but you love the natural world: tell us more about that passion! I have a degree in biology and am a lifetime gardener. This helps me make fantasy worlds that better follow real world laws. You wouldn’t think that matters, but there comes a point where even lovers of fantasy ask why basic facts of nature are being ignored. 6. I use soundtracks to help keep me on track with books. Do you have any writing rituals to keep you motivated and in the mood? I take long walks. Besides being good exercise, I find it helps me think. I imagine scenes from my books like short movie clips running in my head. These clips ‘run’ anywhere from a few seconds to five minutes long. Once I have enough of these mental clips, I sew them into a complete book and then begin writing. 7. I love sci-fi and Star Trek, so I have to ask: who’s better, Kirk or Picard? And why? Kirk. There is an episode in Next generation where Worf’s adopted brother alerts the Enterprise that a world with intelligent aliens is about to suffer a worldwide catastrophe that will wipe out all life. Picard replied that the Prime Directive required him to let the world’s inhabitants die. It was a legalistic response without humanity, and it basically meant that a society not advanced enough to ask for help deserved to die rather than “contaminate” it by helping, as if extinction was a better alternative. The episode really bothered me. Kirk would have said, “Saving innocent people is more important than the rules.” 8. Okay, now the big question: Star Trek or Star Wars? That’s a hard one because Star Wars has literally decades of TV shows and Star Wars has only the movies. I like both for different reasons. Trek has a wider universe with many sides (Klingon, Romulans, Cardasians and so forth). Wars did a better job of showing what life was like for the average man and the worlds looked more lived in. 9. So, you’ve just written a book: what’s next? Write more books. Like I said, it’s addictive. I’ve heard of the tortured writer and I just can’t relate to that. When I write I get into a sort of flow where time flies by unnoticed. It’s a good feeling when I make work I’m proud of, and whether my books sell well or not, I’ll always keep writing. Be sure to check out all of Arthur's books on AMAZON.COM!The script is written. The cast is assembled. The schedule is set. The crew is standing by. Tomorrow, we begin rehearsals for Narrow Street Films new movie, The Dinner Party: a musical comedy without the music set in the first decade of the 1900s. It's sure to be a blast. I'm taking the director's chair on this one, which is always a fun challenge. Right now, the producer and I are knee-deep in location scouting, costume conjuring, and the endless search for coffee and crew (any hairstylists wanna come and join us? Pretty please?). This isn't the first time we've done a historical movie (see The Man Who Wasn't Tex Magru) nor is it the first time I've directed (see Michael Lawrence: the Season of Darkness, coming soon to Amazon Video), but every movie, every script, is unique and present both problems to solve and opportunities to explore. You get to really flex your creative muscles working on projects like these: from losing locations (a problem we're currently trying to solve) to last minute casting changes (Michael Lawrence had a number of these!) to technical issues like lighting and sound, film making is both overwhelming and a rush, like a triathlon, where you're doing all three parts - swimming, cycling, running - at the same time... while juggling kitchen knives. But the absolute best part about film making is the people that you get to meet and work with along the way. I've met some of the best people working in Indie films: tough, smart, hard-working, team-players who can still laugh after long days on a hot set, trying to remember lines. Want to know a person, really know a person? Make a zero-budget movie with them. It's an eye-opening experience for sure. We haven't been on set since the wrapping of Chance back in 2017. Now we return, with a new script, a new plan, and a great cast. As the director, I don't know how everything is going to get done - I just have to make sure it does. But I can guarantee one thing: the film is going to be a blast, both to make and to watch. Stick around, guys. You won't want to miss this! Beginning at Monday, May 21st at 8am PDT (or 11am EST), get Necessary Evil and Summer Shadows for just $0.99! But do it fast - this Kindle Countdown Deal goes up in a few days! 1. When did you begin writing? I first started when I was in the 5th grade. My teacher encouraged all of us to write and for me, I ran with it. For me, it was something to do for fun and to pass the time. I wasn't serious about getting publish until 2011. I was moved when I witnessed the final launch of the space shuttle Discovery. I made a promise with myself to get my work published so I could share it with fellow readers. 2. What is your new book about and when does it come out? I'm currently working on an anthology for the first three books in my Phoenix Element series. I learned from my past mistakes and I owe it to myself and to my readers this. I am fixing scenes, adding new dialogue, and new scenes to bring new life to my series. I have to keep telling myself to not to rush, which was one of my mistakes back then. Let it flow like water. The new book is called Phoenix Element Collection, and I am knee deep in edits right now. I have four new scenes that I came up with the other night that I need to flesh out. I'm super excited about this project and I hope to have it released before the end of 2018. Phoenix Element is about a teenager, Anya, who discovers she has magical powers. Anya thinks thinks this is amazing but a being from another level of existence is attached to her soul. This being is called Ashima, and she isn't nice. She wants freedom and for others to feel the same despair that she has felt. Kyle, who knows about these beings (called the Rayasha), has a mission to stop Ashima at all costs. Unfortunately, one of the measures to stop Ashima is to neutralize Anya. Book one is the origin story mixed in with inner conflict within the main character Anya on how she should handle her new life. The second book focuses on the magic school known as Vane. With the third book, everything is on line as the battle hits its apex. 3. Not only are you a writer, but you also cook: tell us more about that! Funny thing is, I was never really into cooking until I got a job doing it. I've been working as a cook for over ten years. It's fun to create something out of nothing, be it food or words. At least with writing, there isn't a risk of burning or cutting myself. Unless it is a paper cut. Not sure which is worse: a paper cut vs the serrated blades from a box of plastic wrap. 4. I use soundtracks to help keep me on track with books. Do you have any writing rituals to keep you motivated and in the mood? I've made a soundtrack list for all three of my books. I should create a new one for this analogy. Thanks for the idea! Anyway, I try to play music that fits the scene that I am writing. I've googled "saddest song ever" a few times. 5. Okay, now the big question: Star Trek or Star Wars? I still have my Star Wars poster from when I was a kid! I didn't discover Star Wars until I saw A New Hope on TV. I was then hooked. Since then, I've seen all the movies and played most of the video games, Knights of the Old Republic being my favorite. Especially with that twist! Just thinking about it makes me want to play it again. As far as Star Trek, I didn't get into it until a few years ago. I actually sat down and watched the entire series (including the cartoon). I like both, each has their own spark but deep down, Star Wars wins. Fingers crossed that the Solo movie will be decent, am I right?
Every other Monday, we ask indie authors Five Questions about themselves and their fabulous new books. Looking for your next great read? You'll find it here, with these folks! 1. Hi Lisa, and welcome to Wanderings! Our audience is dying to get to know you, so tell us a little bit about yourself! Greetings and Salutations, everyone! Writing has been my creative outlet since I could first hold a pen. My school bus rides were about an hour each way, and these were the days before smartphones. I spent the time inventing epic storylines with brave heroines and challenging obstacles. I now have over 300 works published on Amazon. I love all sorts of storylines. For fiction, I’ve written medieval romances, cozy mysteries, dystopian, science fiction, fantasy, time travel, historical fiction, and probably everything else in between. I’ve also written quite a number of non-fiction titles. 2. What do you do when you're not writing? When not writing I am vice president of the Blackstone Valley Art Association. I am fascinated with film photography, watercolors, cyanotypes, and a myriad of other styles of art. 3. I know when I write a book, I always have a particular person in mind as an audience. Who do you write for? I always write to allow the characters to come to life. It is in my nature to write as authentically as I can and to let the characters speak for themselves. I never try to plot them in a direction or force a certain ending. I don’t think about any third party person peering in on this world. I start with the characters. I think about what they would say. I consider how they would react. That then leads to new developments in their lives. It allows them to learn and grow in a way which comes naturally. I am often surprised about the directions the characters take and the way the story ends. I think that is a real joy of being a writer – to allow the creative process to blossom and unfold. I am thrilled that there are readers out there who enjoy my creations. 4. You have a background in medieval history: how does this contribute to your creative life? I have adored the medieval time period since I was very young. I have belonged to the Society for Creative Anachronisms (SCA) for many years – this allows me to take on the personae of a medieval woman. I sew and wear medieval dresses. I participate in medieval dance and play medieval instruments. I ride horses. I have learned to fight with a medieval long sword and dagger. I’ve been to quite a number of medieval locations and castles to get a sense of what it was like to live there. In my medieval stories, I always remember that there is a balance. A reader usually does not want a history lesson. They want to immerse themselves in another person’s life, if only for a short while. I use my knowledge of medieval food, drink, music, and other things in order to bring that world to life for my readers. 4. I know you love to travel. Do you set your stories in places you’ve been? I feel strongly that an author should write what they know. This is the best way to bring a story to rich life. A person who lives and breathes New York City every day will bring it to life in a way that a person living in Siberia just could not do, no matter how many books and websites the Siberian person read. But the Siberian person could create the most stunning portrayal of Siberia that existed, and the world would thrill in reading it. When I write my cozy zoo mystery series, I go to each zoo in order to capture the way the light falls across the statues and the feel of the petting zoo animals beneath my fingers. My Sutton Massachusetts mystery series is written a chapter-a- day as I explore my hometown. An environment comes to life due to its scents, textures, reflections, and other sensory attributes. These are things that shine when experienced in person. We all have stories to tell and we all have locations we know intimately. That is where a story truly comes to life – when an author shares that insight into what makes a place special.
I am super lucky and awfully blessed to be surrounded by awesome and talented people. One such group is Narrow Street Films, the company started by my brother. Thanks to all our projects - and my brother's knack for throwing together a reel - I now have an awesome new acting reel! Check it out and let me know what you think! In this new feature, we ask indie writers five very important questions about themselves and their work! Five Questions For... will appear on this blog every other Monday - be sure to sign up for the newsletter and never miss a great new author! Jenna Books is an award-winning novelist, editor, columnist, coach, and instructor. She writes psychological thrillers that focus on domestic violence and its shattering aftermath, with a special emphasis on family law and the court system. She talks to us here about her passion for writing. Be sure to check out her interview on the Late Night Live show on Narrow Street Films on April 25!! 1. I know when I write a book, I always have a particular person in mind as an audience. Who do you write for? I write to get my anger out. I write for me. I want people to open their eyes and look around before it’s too late, before they’re facing a situation and don’t know what to do about it. I have to admit, when you read my books, there’s a lot of high style venting. I think I just write so I don’t die of intestinal problems. 2. What made you angry? I worked as a divorce coach, with a specialization in domestic violence. One afternoon my client and I was threatened by her ex, threatening to run us down with his truck – revving his engines, screaming at us through his window. Not an active threat, but a visual. I got her into her car, sent her on her way, then turned to him and said, “Look, moron, I’m not your wife. If you kill me, you’re going to go to jail.” (I have no sense of self-preservation.) I was furious. I was driving home, shaking, and suddenly it occurred to me, “What if he had done it?” And that’s where October Snow was born. 3. Family is important! How does your family inspire and support your work? My son hasn’t even read my books! My daughter edits them, though. They are really supportive. When I told them I was quitting my job and getting a tiny apartment to write full time, they weren’t even surprised. They just said, “Hey, that’s great, Mom!” I think they’re used to my doing weird things. We are a really weird family. 4. Which author is you biggest influence? The apostle James. I’ve gotten more out of that little book than an entire library. He’s kind of like me, just bucking conventional wisdom. Paul’s pretty good, too. 5. Do you have any writing rituals to keep you motivation? I don’t even write from an outline – I just write when I’m in the mood. I always know what social message I want and I go from there. Though, as soon as I type ‘The End’, I sigh contentedly, I light a cigarette and pour myself a shot of amaretto. So that’s a ritual. Bonus Question! So you’ve written two books and two coaching guides. What’s next next? Next is book three, Meltdown. Jack’s back. That’s all I’m going to say. Anyone who’s read it will know what it means.
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