I awoke early this morning, gifting me the time to read before officially starting my day. Lately, I’ve been tossing around the concept of time. It could be that I have a significant birthday nudging at my back. But the drive to create something new has become a morbid kind of motivation. The call to finish my writing projects is strong, before it’s too late. It may be that I […]
January has wrapped me up, and instead of snuggling down for my typical renewal time (see: https://stepsinbetween.com/2018/01/07/january-renewal-dont-resist/), it feels as if I’m spinning round and round in constant motion. This year’s cocoon isn’t for rest; it’s for growth. I happened upon a book from Priscilla Long, The Writer’s Portable Mentor, a while back (see: https://stepsinbetween.com/2018/11/11/creativity-and-age-inspiration-from-author-priscilla-long/) and recently began diving into her words of wisdom. At the same time, I signed […]
Inspiration rolls in waves at various times in a person’s life. But, is there a peak age inspiration strikes? Can you miss it? Author Priscilla Long doesn’t believe so. She gave a talk on aging and creativity at the Elliott Bay Bookstore in Seattle on Saturday, October 27, 2018. The event was in honor of the second edition release of her book, The Writer’s Portable Mentor (University of New Mexico […]
Halloween, early 1970’s, I was always a witch. My mask was made of plastic and attached with a long rubber string tied behind my head. Equally shiny with synthetic materials was my dress, not unlike the mask, tied behind my neck. The designs of the fabric simply printed on, to give the illusion of different fabrics and textures. Illusions. I’m wondering now if the illusions of fright during Halloween time […]
The day I dropped my first daughter off to college was the day I grew smaller. I used to be five feet-seven inches, quite an average height. Now in my forties, the doctors keep measuring me at just over five feet-six inches. Of course, they encouraged calcium supplements and I got serious about my Pilates classes (check out The Balanced Life, by Robin Long, contact below). But I know it’s […]
I’ve discovered my writing mind is never still. It’s either that or the characters and topics I write about live three dimensionally in my head. It gets crowded, so we get out and take a lot of walks. Or at least, this is how if feels. I believe writers are undeniably always thinking. Our minds are on the go even sitting still behind a desk. This makes perfect sense. It’s […]
The first Sunday of the month is where I highlight my poetry page: https://stepsinbetween.com/poetry/. Although the first Sunday in October fills me with family. I remember when my babies were little. The energy it took bundling them up with mittens and hats that always multiplied in those moments getting out the door. As each young one pulled off a fuzzy garment piece, one after another, I patiently (and sometimes impatiently) […]
Happy Anniversary! It’s been exactly one year since I began posting about my writing journey in this blog, Steps in Between. I have succeeded in some of my goals, reworked a few others, and still have a handful waiting for retrieval. But what I’m most excited about… YOU! Blessings are overflowing when I think of the writing community I’ve been fortunate enough to interact with. I’ve written before about the […]
I am proud to introduce my amazing writer-friend, Pamela Hobart Carter, as my guest-blogger today. She has written a witty and thoughtful article about “writing every day.” Please read, like, and share her work. Links to her websites and writing work are at the bottom. As always, I appreciate your follower-support. ~ Celaine 🙂 ***Thank you, Pamela, for your help while I take a much needed vacation. I will see […]
Happy First’s ~ August is Six Months of Wednesday Whims of Poetry! It’s my six-month anniversary of “Poetry-First’s,” meaning six months ago I began dedicating the first Sunday of every month to my poetry page at this same Steps in Between site. The page is entitled, Wednesday Whims of Poetry. Since I don’t post each poem as an official blog-post, then once a month I like to pull your attention […]
How do you wait for what you want in life? Are you a foot-tapper, restless and sleepless until your desires come to be? Do you stir your coffee into swirls in attempt to concoct Plan B? Or do you submit to the waiting, unmovable to pursue a pastime in the delay? How do you wait for something important to happen? I must be subconsciously thinking about this topic, because […]
I have learned to become a list-maker. If you find this news completely boring and overly organized… keep reading. As always, I have a fun piece of writing advice at the end. Writers (as well as non-writers) have many things to think about. These things might be about writing, and they might not… but they are there regardless, filling up our minds until we do something with them. Sometimes a […]
In honor of the coming Valentine’s Day and creativity, what do you love? Be that you write, or paint, or toil at a trade, whatever you do that defines who you are… what do you love about it? What keeps you coming back to it? What keeps you committed (even during the dark times)? I love my characters. From my novel, Seam Keepers, Ashton and Mason are friends I wish […]
It’s the Super Bowl. Many of the players are injured, exhausted, maybe even feeling desperation. They’ve come so far, worked so hard. They’ve dreamed about this day since tossing dust-covered junior Wilson’s on the playground. The list of sacrifices; extensive. The cost involved, both physical and mental, could support an army. And most players would do it again. Some call it crazy, others call it passion. Regardless, on this culminating […]
Time flies in a blink. This recurring message has been the alarm I’ve needed to stir from January’s slumber. A few usual occurrences unusually moved my focus from pause to start, and now I am awake, inspired. The sources were random, though I’m sure when you take notice of what inspires you, it may also feel just as unplanned. For starters, I binge-watched the current season of This Is Us on […]
You will find some “magnetic” writing advice at the end of this article, but for those who are striving to create in the world, this message will hopefully uplift. Do you want to be a writer? Do you want to create? Be a magnet. Be a magnet to everything you desire. I am sure you have heard the various sayings, you are a magnet to what you want to attract […]
Don’t resist the rest you need this time of year… use the time to think ahead. I have writing advice, as always, at the bottom. But let me start with a mental image about January… I am imagining a chrysalis wrapped in layers to protect a tiny caterpillar from aggravating weather; the wind, the rain, the cold. I imagine the hardships of her short past, good and bad, can be […]
The squirrel outside my window gobbles up birdseed with the same eagerness and contentment today as he did yesterday. I imagine he will feel the same tomorrow, New Year’s Day. Eagerness and contentment. I had to think about those adjectives. But, I’ve been watching Starlight (that’s what I’ve named our squirrel), and those are the words that best describe him. I wonder if they are words I could use to […]
Steps In Between 