For NaPoWriMo Day 14, the prompt is “to think about your own inspirations and forebears (whether literary or otherwise). Specifically, I challenge you today to write a poem that deals with the poems, poets, and other people who inspired you to write poems. These could be poems/poets/poepl that you strive to be like, or even poems, poets, and people that you strivenotto be like. There are as many ways to go with this prompt as there are ways to be inspired.”
Welcome to Notable Quotes May 2018 Part One. Hope you all had a wonderful day with your mothers or honoring and remembering them and their influence in your life.
My family took my Grandma for an early lunch at a restaurant. Her seniors residence was close to it, and it was a beautiful day to wheel her out in the warm weather and to have us all to visit.
Even both my brothers made it. Grandma had a small pizza, salad, and a Diet Pepsi. To you and I this seems like a normal take-our or eat-in meal, but menus in seniors homes don’t vary, so regular fare such as this, is a treat for Grandma. We picked her out a new outfit too. She misses shopping, and such as the food, the same clothes each week, all the time, can become boring.
We try to buy and find her things that make her place more homey and comfortable. So, she can still be her and feel herself, even though she has lost a great deal of control in life.
After, we brought grandma back to for her nap, we all went home for cake. It was my Dad’s 61st bday yesterday, as well. My brother purchased the gift and presented it all balled-up to my Dad. He’s not much for wrapping but, he did buy the gift this round. So, it evens out.
Dad is a runner and N bought him some socks for that and other athletic pursuits, and a new run shirt. I did tell him to pick-up a gift bag, but I think he ignored that part of the conversation.
Enjoy the quotes! They’re Alice and Wonderland themed! I think last month I had a post of the same theme, but these quotes are different ones. Some with neat illustrations.
Good Morning. For this month I will be finishing off OctPoWrMo and taking part in November Notes held by Sarah Doughty of Heart String Eulogies. For November 1st, the song is “The Night We Met” by Lord Huron. Also, I’m combining this prompt with Scribbler’s Dip Sunday Writing Prompt using the titles of 10 books (choosing 3) to describe.
Credit: Raphael Fabricio via Unsplash
“The Night We Met” – Lord Huron
—
Book Titles:
Milk and Honey
The Sun and Her Flowers
We’ll All Be Burnt in Our Beds Some Nights
My Husband’s Wife
—-
Life in the land of Milk And Honey is sweet,
Sweeter yet we’re the night’s we were complete.
Lacing are hands and arms, dreams replete,
So take me back to the night that we met.
Sometimes I had most of you maybe not all,
Sometimes bits and pieces holding their thrall.
I wanted more of you — not your regret,
So take me back to the night that we met.
We’re [Both] Burnt in Our Beds Some Nights grieving,
Being your Husband’s Wife, you’ll never leave.
But The Sun and Her Flowers call, daylight sets, So take me back to the night that we met.
Good Morning, and welcome to another writer and or blogger interview. I’m excited to share with you an interview with a newly published author, JoAnne Macco. I think you’ll love her blog and her book as much as I do.
As per usual, this interview will also be featured on the Go Dog Go Cafe, a blog for writers and lovers of writing, of all kinds. It’s a blogger and writer’s community so make sure you stop by there after reading this interview on my site. You can also submit writing of your own on the site such as poetry and short fiction through the Contact Page.
On WordPress, I’m best known as JoAnna of the Forest and I live in North Carolina on the east coast of the U.S.
In January, I took a leap of faith and retired from a 30-year career as a substance abuse counselor to spend more time writing and painting angels. My goal is to provide hope through my blog, and my book, Trust the Timing, A Memoir of Finding Love Again.
My long-term goals are to continue to develop my storytelling skills, to write a novel based on my parents, and to travel more. As a military kid, my family moved around a great deal.
I longed to settle in one place, so I’ve stayed near the Carolina coast for most of my adult life. It’s comfortable here, most of the year, although summers can become hot and humid. It helps that my little urban cottage is 15 minutes from the ocean and surrounded by trees that provide a lot of shade.
2. When Did you Begin Writing and Blogging? For What Reason and What Does Writing Mean To You?
I wrote poems and songs in high school and I’ve journaled, off and on, for most of my life. Writing has always been therapeutic for me, which is probably why I wrote more when I approached menopause as a single mom with a 13-year-old daughter.
Writing helped me find perspective and meaning during those rollercoaster years. When I wrote my book in 2012, someone told me I needed to blog as well. Blogging has broadened my world tremendously, and I’m thankful to be part of this supportive community on WordPress. I believe that when we all share our experience, thoughts, and feelings, we discover that we have more in common than we might have realized.
“In January, I took a leap of faith and retired from a 30-year career as a substance abuse counselor to spend more time writing and painting angels. My goal is to provide hope through my blog, “Anything is Possible,” and my book, Trust the Timing, A Memoir of Finding Love Again.” – JoAnne Macco
3. Where Do You Find Your Inspiration and Motivation to Write and Blog? Why Is Writing Significant to You?
I’ve learned a lot in my 60 years of life and I’m still learning a ton. I hope to share my experience and give people hope that even when your world seems to be falling apart, things are going to work out if you hang in there and work on you. Plus, writing helps me organize my thoughts and process my feelings. It helps me explore what I want to understand better about myself and the world.
4. Do You Have Particular Writing and/or Blogging Habits? What Do You Enjoy Most About Writing?
Since I’m a night owl, my natural tendency is to write more in the afternoon and evening. But when I was working on my book, I found I had to write in the morning to keep from being distracted and staying up too late.
I’d force myself write in the morning for at least two hours before looking at any social media or email. Then, after checking those, I’d return to writing a couple of more hours in the afternoon.
I loved those long stretches of working on my book and becoming absorbed in the process. I look forward to doing that again with my next book. For now, I’m writing most of my blog posts at night.
“I hope to share my experience and give people hope that even when your world seems to be falling apart, things are going to work out if you hang in there and work on you. Plus, writing helps me organize my thoughts and process my feelings.” – JoAnne Macco
5. What Are Your Most Current Writing Projects with Your Blog and Outside of Your Blog?
On my blog, I’m searching for positive and inspiring experiences to share with others, whether these experiences are global, local, or personal stories about overcoming challenges and also about meaningful coincidences.
I want to engage readers about relationship issues and personal growth topics that come up a lot in Trust the Timing, my book on Amazon.com. Outside of blogging, I’m beginning to research and collect material for future books I want to write.
6. Have You Published Your First Book? Do You Plan To Publish More in the Future?
I’ve just published my first book, Trust the Timing, A Memoir of Finding Love Againwhich is told from the alternating perspectives of two high school sweethearts. It became available on Amazon.com in July 2017.
As well, I’m planning to write and publish at least two more books, one about Doodle, the problem step-dog (who makes an appearance in my first book). Also, I’m writing a novel based on the lives of my extraordinary parents. At some time, I would also like to publish a book of poetry.
“On my blog, I’m searching for positive and inspiring experiences to share with others, whether these experiences are global, local, or personal, stories about overcoming challenges and about meaningful coincidences.’ – JoAnne Macco
7. Can You Briefly Describe Your Writing Process? Did You Self-Publish or Go Through and Agent or Publishing Company?
When I first started writing, I edited too much as I went along. Now, I think about a story or blog post in my head for a while first. When it comes to the writing, I’ve learned that a stream-ofaconsciousness style, without editing, makes my writing more interesting and fun.
I try to draft a chapter or a blog post without editing as if I’m talking to a friend. Then I’ll go back and edit the chapter or post later. Although, I don’t know if I’d want to write an another entire book like that. As I mentioned earlier, it’s better if I write before I peruse social media. I have to keep reminding myself of that!
Moreover, after considerable research and weighing the pros and cons, I decided to self-publish with Create Space for my memoir. I enjoyed the control this provided me. I think my next book maybe done with a small publishing company.
“When I first started writing, I edited too much as I went along. Now, I think about a story or blog post in my head for a while first. When it comes to the writing, I’ve learned that a stream of consciousness style, without editing, makes my writing more interesting and fun.” – JoAnne Macco
8. Do You Prefer Certain Areas of Writing or Reading Genres?
In college, I took journalism and technical writing and my previous career required a lot of factual reporting and clinical notes. As a result when I began writing my book I had a strong nonfiction framework. Also, I’ve enjoyed learning more about creative nonfiction over the past five years, working on my memoir.
Moreover, I’ve always been talented at making up stories in my head and I look forward to writing more fiction. However, my reading habits lean toward inspirational nonfiction, by authors like Anne Lamott and Elizabeth Gilbert, with an occasional sci-fi novel thrown in for fun.
9. Do You Have Any Helpful Advice for Other Bloggers and Writers Starting Out?
I think I started writing and blogging, being too serious. Maybe it was my journalism and technical writing background? I thought I knew how to write, but creative writing is a whole different process than what I had been used to writing. To begin, I took online classes and engaged with supportive critique groups.
Moreover, I learned that it’s vital to be conscientious and caring, when you’re writing, but not to forget to have fun. Also, it’s a good idea not to make your blog posts too long. About ‘five hundred’ words are plenty for a post (unless of course, you’re doing an interview). As well, I’ve learned to use photograps in every blog post I publish.
My creative writing experience outside of blogging is primarily with my memoir. What I’ve learned from it is to write from your heart and not to be afraid to delve into those feelings if you’re in an emotionally stable place. It can be difficult and you’ll need to take breaks. Also, I’m sure writing fiction can bring up emotional baggage too. If you’re not ready for that, write for fun. Write poetry to yourself or write in a journal.
You can also keep a notebook handy for ideas that pop-up in your head so you can jot them down and allow these ideas to flow and transform into some kind writing later on.
“I’m sure writing fiction can bring up baggage, too. If you’re not ready for that yet, just write for fun. Write poetry to yourself. Keep a journal. Keep a notebook handy for ideas that” – JoAnne Macco
Credit: Thought Catalogue via UnSplash
10. Is There Anything Else You Would Like to Share About Yourself or Your Writing?
In my short biography, I describe myself as an open-minded, tree-hugging Christian. Like Madeleine L’Engle, I don’t consider myself a “Christian writer” but a writer who happens to be a Christian. I like to explore spirituality and connections between things that don’t seem to be connected.
11. Just for Fun. What Are Your Top Three Favorite Blogs? What Do You Enjoy About Them?
It’s so difficult to name only three! I could easily name 10 favorites or more! But here it goes:
Sacred Touches – Natalie Scarberry always has something to comfort or inspire me with vibrant colors and natural delights.
SmileCalm Home – David’s gentle, loving wisdom comes through in each post and makes me smile deep down in my heart.
Behind the White Coat – Behind the White Coat is written by a smart doctor with a big heart. Her posts can be informative, entertaining, hilarious or heartbreaking. Her honesty makes me feel like I am not alone.
“In my short biography, I describe myself as an open-minded, tree-hugging Christian. Like Madeleine L’Engle, I don’t consider myself a “Christian writer” but a writer who happens to be a Christian. I like to explore spirituality and connections between things that don’t seem to be connected.” – JoAnne Macco
Credit: Provided by JoAnne Macco
12. Please Share With Us Some Of Your Blog Writing.
When we say we’ve lost power, it minimizes the power we still have. If we lose electricity, let’s say we lost electricity. We still have power, at least over our thoughts, words, and actions.
I send prayers for safety and comfort to all those in the path of the storm.
*****
13. Here are Some More Blog Links to JoAnne’s Writing:
Thank you so much to JoAnne for her patience with this interview. I loved learning about her writing and her background as a writer. I also think it’s neat how she is, particularly, a nonfiction writer. I also loved her quote about being a Christian writer who doesn’t, necessarily, do Christian writing.
If you’re a blogger or writer, or someone who blogs about a cause, please feel to contact me if you would like to be interviewed. My contact page is HERE. See you when I see you :).
Mandibelle16 
You must be logged in to post a comment.