IWSG - WHOOPS!

 

Well, guys, the promised post about what exactly happened with Square and the launch of my new website will have to wait a month. I totally ran out of time to get my post ready for today, and didn't clock out of work until after 4 AM this morning, so it wasn't going to happen then. I'm posting this super late (3:00 PM), so will make it quick.

This week's question is about what writing software we use. I mostly work with Word, but I do have Scrivener for novel writing on my Mac (I use a non-Mac laptop for my daily work and for short stories). Then I use Vellum for formatting novels/non-fiction. For my short story collections, I use Word and format manually there, because I prefer to have the title of the short story at the top of the pages, and Vellum so far doesn't have the capability to switch that header. Basically, with Vellum you get your name and the book title automatically on the top of the pages. I'd love for them to get the capability to adjust that for collections, as it's generally thought that collections/anthologies should have the short title over it.

As for why I didn't have a chance to write my post in a timely fashion, I was on vacation with my family last week! We went to the Oregon coast, one of my favorite places in the world. I lived in Salem from about 10 months old to 7 1/2 years old, and a lot of my family and family friends are scattered around the state. We stayed at Devil's Lake in an Air BnB. It was so lovely and peaceful. We hit Newport, Depoe Bay, Cannon Beach, Lincoln City, and Astoria. Plus, we got to see the wreck of the Peter Iredale and visit the aquarium in Newport. It was a much needed break, and the first time I've taken a vacation since taking my current job where I didn't sign into work even once! I also made the executive decision to not crack open my laptop the entire time I was there. Not even for writing! I don't regret it. We got home around 4 AM Sunday morning and work has been me playing a week's worth of catch up in three days, because I'm not working this Thursday or Friday. So yeah, no time!

Here are some pics:

This has been an IWSG (Insecure Writer's Support Group) post. Anyone can join by clicking on Alex J. Cavanaugh's name and signing up. We do this the first Wednesday of every month. 

Our co-hosts this month are: JS Pailly, Rebecca Douglass, Pat Garcia, Louise Fundy Blue, and Natalie Aguirre. 

Have you ever been to the Oregon coast? What's your favorite city there?

May you find your Muse.

 

 

Conversational Prompts

I'm back from vacation! It was fun, my first time going on a trip with friends. We drove up to Moscow, Idaho to visit one friend's son at college there, then back down through Montana and Wyoming. I only snapped a couple photos of a sunset one night, as we weren't really sightseeing. I do wish I'd photographed the canola fields in north-western Idaho, though. They were flush with bright yellow flowers (the canola).

Trouble

Moon over Pocatello, Idaho

Pocatello Sunset

While on vacation, I didn't get any writing done. However, I got several ideas based on conversations we had. There are gems in everything we experience, buried there, waiting to be discovered. Now, only one of the ideas was directly based on something discussed. The rest were weird random jumps in thought that were triggered by an idea or even misunderstanding of an original topic. Point being, anything can be fodder for stories. Conversations and observances, reading writing by others, and just plain writing, which can spurn other ideas as you work. I'm excited to get started on some new story ideas. First, I have to resubmit something I got a rejection for yesterday.

Today is back to work. Or, as we sang while rolling into town: "Back to life, back to reality." Back to the grind. I'm hoping to have some Chihuly art photos to share on Wednesday with the links, and I'll likely do more links than usual to make up for not posting last week.

What was your last vacation? Ever taken a road trip with friends? Where'd you go?

May you find your Muse.

Gone Fishin'

Gone Fishin'!

Not literally (I'm not much of a fisherwoman).

No, I've got company coming this week. Normally, I'd post and just catch up on comments this weekend, but as I have not caught up on comments and blog visits from April, I figure I shouldn't dig myself a deeper hole. Dontcha' think?

I hope you have a wonderful week, and I'll be back with you next week, scurrying to catch up on those comments I'd just started making headway with.

Happy end of year to those of you whose kids finish up this week. I now officially have a 1st grader and a 3rd grader, and I'm on my way to my god daughter's senior graduation!

Bye! See ya'! Happy traaaaaaaaaails to you, until we meet again.

May you find your Muse.