Really I haven’t. Just been hibernating and considering subjects of posts. Oh and all the usual stuff I do…
I’ll be back soon to talk about why I don’t like Superman and Capt. America types. Until then enjoy a picture of Kenosha during nice weather unlike what we’ve been having lately.
I’ve been writing all my life. Okay maybe not the first four or so years but MOST of my life. Those first four years I told stories to my parents well okay maybe not the first year or so. One story I told about a world renowned mouse is still remembered by my father as being as good as any of that mouse’s short movies he’s seen. But I didn’t start trying to write fiction stories to sell until about 10 years ago.
I had an idea for a novel (that has since broke my heart and is shelved indefinitely). Being a novice I tried to start responsibly. I signed up for a local class at the university. I passed the class with an A+ and was on my way to being a published novelist. Still not there yet – achieved the first part but not the second but still working.
I had been introduced to the concept of outlining a novel before starting. Oh, I rebelled. I’d mastered those Roman numerals and letters back in junior high I wasn’t go back to them. So I did my first NaNoWriMo and finished it in two weeks. I had a novel, or so I thought. Except it wasn’t done and it took another 70,000 words to complete the story. It was too long and rambled (Gasp NO!).
I built a library of books on how to write. I read them all. I did exercise after exercise. I still refused this outlining idea. Who wanted to do all that proper spacing, deal with all those layers, take away the fun of following my muse where it leads you? NOT ME!
I again did NaNoWriMo. I again completed it in two weeks. I again had a large rambling mess of a story that at times was me at the keyboard desperate for words just going on and wondering how in the heck I was going to get the story from where it was to somewhere it needed to go.
Then I took another writing class in my new town. There I met the core of what would become my writer’s group today. There I started writing short stories. There I got short stories published. There I mastered the structure of a story with practice and constructive critique.
There I learned outlining a story didn’t have to be that highly structured form I’d learned all those decades ago. It was a road map, a plan on how the story was going to get from the start to the end. It helped break down a large story into small doable daily chunks. I saw other writer’s outlines. One had published over 20 novels, I paid particular attention to what she wanted from an outline not so much how she did it.
I was learning writers are individuals. How each created a finished novel was individual. Sure I could learn from them but the answer was to take what I learned and create an approach that suited me. It was obvious my long rambling works needed structure. I could see an outline was structured. So how to take outlining’s structure without letting it box in this former regulatory compliance auditor. I did more reading seeking out books that talked about story structure and planning. I did more listening at the writer’s group on how they did it or how their approach was changing. Then one day I started and came up with an approach that’s still evolving but works well for me.
First I sit down with pen and paper. I think better in the old classic mode – pen to paper. I started writing out the outline of a story as if I was telling a friend over coffee what my new novel was going to be. The whole story in synopsis, over coffee. There I had it a start progressing to a middle that makes it to the end. Then I looked over the story and saw it needed a time line so I started planning out on those notes how time was moving in the story. Then I went back through that and with each time I put a place that part of story occurred. Well by the time I’d done all that my notes were getting messy so I moved to a keyboard and started looking at what I had.
I typed it all up nice and neat moving things where my arrows said they should be, putting in the time and place things occurred.
Now was time for a bit of research into the genre that the story fell into best. How long are their chapters? How many are typical? How many words total? What makes a good chapter? After getting info on this I digested it and made some decisions for myself. By now I’d read tonnes of books, gone to many classes, sat in my writer’s group for years, published a few stories, attend some conference. I had an idea of the creative and business side to what I wanted to do.
I decided to go with 30 – 35 chapters. Chapters were to be about 3,000 words give or take 500. I’d break up my outline into chapters and at the chapter break I’d put the time, place, and characters that were needed. When I was done I had my outline. It was compromised of chapter groups of about three sentences saying something like “John discovers diamond hidden in wall. Hearing bad guys coming he pockets it and runs.” So I knew the heart of the chapter, who had to be there, where it was and when it happened.
Writing from that became easier than sitting down with no idea what I was going to write beyond a number of words. My word counting days diminished. I wrote scenes or chapters. Sometimes I’d just to another place because a scene had just played itself before my mind’s eye in the shower. I get lots of ideas in the shower.
Now the outline isn’t set in stone but like a map it helps me plan how I’m going to go to get to my destination. As I write I make changes. On the printed copy I make notes of those changes. In the word document I make a note change starts here. Then I keep on writing as if the changes had always been there. Also my printed outline gives me a road map to where my changes are in that final first draft.
Now I’m to the next step. The first draft sets on the shelf cooling. The outline with notes has cooled over the holidays. Today I’ll take it out and look at the changes. I’ll work them in, typing up a clean copy of the revised outline that will guide my proofing and rewrite. Any more changes will be noted in the manuscript’s word document and on the outline for the next pass.
In the end I can say I solidly come down on the side of outline. I wouldn’t hit the road from here to say Seattle without a map of some kind. I might not take the route I first noted to Seattle but after I venture off to say find the diamond in the wall I know my choices of how to get heading in the direction of Seattle again and how to get there by the deadline.
As always I’d love to hear from you. You can comment here (it’ll show up when I get it) or you can can catch me over on Google+ (+Mary Louise Eklund) or on Twitter (@marylouiseklund) or on Flickr (Mary Louise Eklund). If those don’t suit you can e-mail me marylouiseeklund at either yahoo.com or gmail.com.
Until next time!
A new year is on its way, giving us a reason to do year in review. I look back on the last year of this blog and see I didn’t make the most of what I had.
I want to change that in 2012. The first thing I did is read up on blogging advice. Let me tell you, there’s no shortage of it out there. There’s books, websites, and even blogs on how to blog. I jumped in reading here and there. Trying to glean commonalities from all them. Honestly there was very little.
Post regularly – whatever the interval I decide post regularly. That was the most often mentioned point in all the advice givers. Okay I got that, I fell down on it last year. I hate to set the goal of daily but it’s what I yearn to do. However I will set a goal of AT LEAST monthly. There that leaves room to strive for the daily goal but still set myself up for success.
Focus – Oh heck several say pick a topic and stick to it. If you want to chat about multiple topics make multiple blogs. I’m sorry that might be fantastic advice but it’s just not me. I get bored with single themed blogs. I get bored just talking about one thing. I don’t see it as focus but limitation. I like diversity and have worked hard in my life to embrace all aspects of myself. So this ain’t gonna happen. Consider me stuck in the variety show format. Tune in here to see what act comes next song, dance, stand up comedy, dramatic piece. My focus is to entertain us.
Simple layout – okay a few mentioned don’t over clutter your page. No problem there. I won’t. I don’t like clutter. Like I said in the real world I can’t think in clutter, in the virtual world I can’t take visual clutter.
Define why you blog – I blog to share, to entertain, to wave at the universe as we take a ride around the sun on this big ball. Good enough?
Self promote – Well I’m not one to be schlepping all the time. I hate people who just do that on social media. They only tweet to sell me something. Pfft I want that I can watch tv they do it every few minutes. Best I can do is post the link to my latest blog in my other social media. I’ll try to remind people they can subscribe by rss & e-mail. That’s about it. Since I don’t like people always selling to me I’m not comfortable doing it to others.
Be controversial – Oh lordy – that’s NOT me. Yes I have political opinions mostly leaning liberal if you want to know. Yes I have a religious view but that’s personal between me and what I consider divine – none of your business just as I consider yours none of mine.
I’m here to have fun and hope you are here for that too. I’m not here to debate, get snarky or any of that. Here it’s the we all get along, live and let live. Life is too short to not enjoy it and arguing isn’t enjoyable to me.
In the end what did I decide for my blog for 2012?
First off I need to become more proficient at using WordPress.
Second I need to post here regularly. I think I will post at least monthly. My plan is to come here more often with small thought posts instead of Google+.
Third this is a smorgasbord of topics, just like life. I’ll review comics that read regularly here. I’ll talk about writing and my struggle with it. I’ll chat about genealogy and family stories. There will be beading pictures and talk about how I plan to sell the backlog of what I make. Plus I’ll fill you in on what I’ve been doing with photos to illustrate. Heck I’ll try to include photos in everything just because I like pictures.
That’s about all I got. I’m going to here more often, chatting away about what interests me. If you like it share it with others. If you want to join in and chat feel free to comment here, on Google+ Mary Louise Eklund, on twitter @marylouiseeklund, flickr or email me marylouiseeklund at yahoo.com or gmail.com
Until next time… take care and do say hi.
Another GenCon is done. It had no problem filling the newly expanded convention center. I’d heard that attendance was up and honestly I believe it. I’ve already marked my calendar for 16-19 August 2012. Never too soon to start shopping for room deals in downtown. Okay, okay it is now as the hotels won’t make reservations but 11 months in advance.
One of the things I enjoy about GenCon isn’t really part of the Con at all but rather the setting. I like downtown Indy. I like running the human hamster tubes (skywalk they call it). I marvel at the architecture that’s a captivating blend of old and new. The train station is dear and lovely. The stadium makes my blood flow for NFL season to start. It all plays together to be part of GenCon for me.
This year it was evident Indy is sprucing up for the Super Bowl. It’s coming to town in January. Just like Tampa did when I lived there a few years ago, Indy is putting on her best face. It has one thing to overcome that Tampa didn’t – winter. Still they are doing their best. Bricks are going in roadways and walkways downtown. Ties in nicely with the brickyard at the Indy 500. Additions to the skywalk are going up to connect with the addition onto the convention center. Just think, the Omni will be closer via tube walking next year.
GenCon attendees took it in stride as pavement peelers roared under our hamster tubes and concrete dust made our eyes dry. Sidewalks closed signs migrated with the bricklayers adding a morning maze effect to my walk to the convention center. Over all it was just a sign of some growth, which in the tough times I was pleased to see. Sitting outside at some restaurants during the day wasn’t attractive unless you were really into big machinery, tar smells, and dust but next year we’ll reap the benefits of the beautification.
As for the Con itself. I attended many panels but found the one on screenplay writing the most interesting. It was something totally new to me. Now when I shout out a script page number in a theater you’ll know I’m in the audience. When learning about a new subject I’m always excited. The other seminars I attended helped me refine my writing even more. It’s all part of growing as a writer.
I was glad to share my experience with Mike this year. He enjoyed seeing what this GenCon thing was all about. He caught the costume parade. Tooled about the gaming areas, checked out the sales floor, and generally enjoying stopping for a beer and watching the crowd. It was a relaxing weekend for him. He slept in and did as he pleased.
I’d be remiss in not thanking Jean Rabe for her 17 years of service to the GenCon writer’s symposium. She’s made it the wonderful experience it is today. Many writers in attendance and on panels owe her much thanks. A wonderful lady who always has time to help another. She’s retiring from managing the symposium this year and she will be missed. The success of it is a tribute to her.
Sunday afternoon GenCon was over for another year. Mike and I had lunch at Weber Grill before hitting the road home to Wisconsin. Once we got going north on the highway I was out, asleep. This time in a fully reclined position and comfortable. Con wears me out but it’s a good kind of tired. Even better if I can leave the driving to Mike and sleep on the way home. Farewell until next year gamers and writers.
GenCon 2011 has been adventure for me so far and it’s not officially kicked off. First off, this year is exciting for two reasons: 1) I’ve got a story in the convention anthology Carnage & Consequences, 2) Mike is joining me for the weekend!
To keep from having two vehicles in Indy I decided to take Amtrak down from Wisconsin to Indy. This was an adventure because I dream of doing a long train trip with sleeper, dining car, and all. The trip to Indy was to include a lounge car and have a nice spacious seat in the quiet car.
Then when I get to the unattended train depot, scan my bar code on my ticket for the Chicago to Indy leg it says something about a Greyhound bus. What?! If I wanted a bus I’d booked a bus. I wanted a TRAIN ride. Once on the train I ask the conductor as he punches my ticket for Chicago. He said that they do that if there’s track construction. I asked how I get to the bus and where the bus went in Indy – train station (which is near my hotel) or the bus station (which I had not a clue where that was in Indy). He didn’t know how it worked or anything so told me where to go to the help desk at Amtrak.
I get to Chicago after a pleasant train ride I make my way to the info desk. Standing at the desk the worker there just goes about his business. I ask about the bus. Yeah there’s track issues and there’ll be a bus outside. Well I didn’t think they’d drive it up the tracks. “Uh where outside?” It’s a big building and lots of outside there to find a bus. He points up a set of stairs – up there. F Then he’s off to help another confused patron. I climbed to the top of the stairs hoping there’s like a sign that says something about Greyhound Buses or Bus For Train stop or some clue like that. Nope nothing like that just people coming and going as if they knew what they were doing unlike me.
I overhear a woman with an older gentleman ask an Amtrak worker “Is this where we go to catch the bus that replaces the Indianapolis train.” I stop in my tracks and turn to face the trio. The employee said “Yes m’am. Just wait outside next to the blue sign for thru-booked bus and it will pick him up there.”
While waiting outside for the half hour I met several more people in the same boat or bus as it were. Their train ticket became a bus ticket. The bus pulled up – turns out my luggage that was the right size for carry-on for the train is too big for carry-on for the bus. So there with the bus blocking Chicago downtown traffic we had to check our bags before boarding. We were pleased the air conditioning worked well on the bus.
From there we went to the bus terminal where we sat for some time. I still didn’t know where I was going in Indy. Texted Aaron who googled it on his phone today one was next to the train station and the other is just a few blocks away. Well, that’s good. A new bus driver gets on and we pull out. I’m thinking this isn’t too bad. We all have our own private row of seats. We circled the terminal and pulled into the same place. I dozed off then and woke to more people getting on. There goes the private row. Luckily I got a seat mate that was nice.
I dozed on and off. I was missing that lounge car. I was missing the big seats. I was thirsty. No snack cart with water like Amtrak. I shared my displeasure with my BFF Patricia who was there to hand hold via text messages. One good thing was since I was dehydrated from half an hour standing in 100F heat next to a blue sign I didn’t have to go pee for the whole ride. By the end of it I’d had a nap and decided arriving thirsty and cramped was better than not arriving at all. Once off the bus I quickly hailed a cab and in 15 minutes was in my nice cool hotel room with a cold bottle of water. AHHH…..
Today started late since I really didn’t have anything ahead of me other than standing in line and event registration. This is exactly what I did. But first I had to get sweaty, well not really but I did. I walked 12 blocks in 101F heat to discover what I was looking for (a pharmacy) was next door to my hotel. If I’d gone out the door at the other end of the lobby it would have been the first thing I’d walked past. Pfft such luck.
As for GenCon it officially gets started tomorrow. So far I’ve scored my swag – free Magic cards, free Rift for the PC, my 4 day pass, and tickets for all the events I want to attend. The crowds are gathering but not many costumes yet. I did see one Dr. Horrible that was good and some Anime characters I don’t know.
Stay tuned to hear how my first day attending seminars and workshops goes. Who knows I might get another curve ball from fate.
There are two things I’ve discovered people do when I tell them I’m a published author. They either tell me their great idea for a best-selling novel or they ask where I get my ideas. After encountering this over and over I asked more experienced authors about it. They assured me that’s common and I’d best get used to it. So for those who have ideas I urge them to write that novel! For those who wonder how published ideas form, here’s how I got inspiration for my latest short story.
Starting next Wednesday, 4 Aug 2011, GenCon 2011 opens. With that is the release of Carnage & Consequences an anthology of short stories by GenCon authors. I was thrilled to be invited to submit a story for consideration. I’ve been attending GenCon for three years to hone my writing skills in their writer’s symposium. It’s the best advice for the most affordable price around even if you don’t write sci-fi or fantasy. I was beyond thrilled when the story was accepted! The story is “The Rider” a ghost story set on the French Broad river in the Appalachian mountains of Upper East Tennessee.
Both sides of my family can trace roots back in those mountains to land grants for service in the Revolutionary War. I grew up in those hills hearing family stories handed down for generations. When casting around for inspiration for a ghost story, my mind fell upon the tale of my 4th great-grandfather James Rolen. His death seemed one that would leave a restless lost spirit behind. From the family lore I spun a tale that hopefully tingles your spine and pulls on your heartstrings at the same time.
What was family lore and what was story? First off, there have never been any reports I know of about a rider coming from the French Broad to take boys into the river to drown. There have been no tales of the ghost of James Rolen but there was the family lore of his death.
The story handed down through the family and recorded in the family Bible starts when James Rolen married Sallie Smith from South Carolina. He took her home to the family farm owned by “old man William.” They have a son born 07 Feb 1808 but Sallie wasn’t happy. She missed her family. James wanted to stay on the land because he was next in line to inherit. The marriage spilt. Sallie took little Joab to South Carolina with her.
Years pass, then by letter Sallie informs James she’s married a Mr. Gould. They intend to move out west. James agrees not to prosecute Sallie for bigamy if she’ll turn Joab over to him. Arrangements were to meet in Cosby, Tennessee during the early Spring of 1813. They met at the McMahan Inn, a familiar stop for those traveling west. There Joab was given to the father he didn’t remember. Sallie and Mr. Gould rode off for a new life in the west.
According to Elizabeth Anna McMahan the wife of Archibald McMahan the inn owner, James stayed a few days getting to know his son. During this time there were hard rains swelling the French Broad river. Time came that James felt he had to return to the east side of the mountain to assist in planting on the farm. Eliza Ann fretted with the two crossing the swollen river and pleaded for James to wait. He wouldn’t but a deal was made. He would leave Joab with the McMahans until his return after planting. Eliza Ann promised to take care of Joab as if he were one of her own.
Her fears proved true. James and his fancy black stallion were caught in the river currents and swept away forever, drowned. Men from the community tried to save them to no avail. The McMahans weren’t sure of just where James had come from over the mountain or where Sallie was going out west. They had an orphaned boy on their hands. Good to her word Eliza Ann raised Joab as she did her children. She wrote down what she knew of James and Sallie keeping alive the memory of the father who wanted his son.
Joab married one of the McMahan’s daughters Anna. He became best friends her brother David. The two often entered into land deals together and became the largest land holders in Sevier County, Tennessee at the time. From this they became rich men, check out the gold buttons and diamond ring David paid extra to have painted on his photo included in the slide show above.
Joab and Anna had 10 children. One was named James in memory of Joab’s lost father. I’m descended from their son George Washington Rolen through my mother. He was sheriff of Sevier County Tennessee for many years. All their children were successes in many ways State Senators, businessmen, teachers, Post Masters, and preachers. Their stories are fodder for more posts and short stories at another time.
As a hobby genealogist I crave documentation. I’ve documented Anna and Joab’s marriage. His close relationship with her parents from their wills. His close relationship with David from the land transactions where they bought and sold land as partners. In David’s will Joab is highly regarded. However, when it comes to documentation James remains a mystery.
Sallie and her Mr. V. Gould settled in Indiana which was the west then. They had 7 children. I’ve not researched that lineage beyond that point.
I have tried hard to find James, my 4th great-grandfather. On the other side of the mountain from Cosby is North Carolina. However, the route to the McMahan Inn fed people from Virginia and South Carolina through the mountains to the west. Searching so far has given me some tantalizing leads to William Roland, possibly the “old man William” that James talked about to Eliza Ann and Arch McMahan?
So many questions are left unanswered. Was William a Rolen or from James’s maternal line? Was William his father or grandfather or possibly an Uncle? Where was this farm over the mountain that produced such a successful man whose fine clothes, saddle, and horse were noted by the Cosby residents that saw him? I’m afraid we don’t know. I continue my search to link that William Roland a Revolutionary soldier with a North Carolina land grant to a James Rolen born in the 1780s and married a Sallie Smith from South Carolina.
The man of mystery and his sad death inspired the ghost of my story “The Rider.” The people in the story are from my Appalachian roots, a feisty crone who knows more than she appears to at first glance, a boy living in a mountain cabin as the world changes from World War I. The divide between the lives of the mountain folk and those of the city dwellers. All ideas rooted in reality but spun into a tale.
That’s where I got this idea. There’s no predicting from where the next idea will come.
I have found how to live more than one life in this life. Really. I’ve had many lives since I was born, even carrying into adulthood. I’ll admit I enjoyed some more than others. None do I want to do again. That’s going backwards and as I like to say “Been there, done that, got (or didn’t want) a tee-shirt.” Things that weren’t fun aren’t worth getting a tee-shirt to remember.
I guess my first change in life was when I was in pre-school. My parents moved from Chattanooga, Tennessee where I was born to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. I LOVED it. We lived in an apartment building which I thought it was constant vacation living like a hotel. We had a winking burger sign out our kitchen window that lit up not only did he wink at night but he waved too! Dad had a yellow car that belonged to his company it was neat looking but I didn’t get to ride in it. We lived near where Flipper was filmed. The beach was grand and there was lots of sun. Once we found a police phone receiver in a parking lot. We went trick or treating without leaving the apartment building. I mean really how can you beat living in a place like that? On a visit back to Granny’s (my paternal grandmother) I informed her “I am a FLORIDA girl now.” Yes I remember saying it and holding out my brown dress with big yellow sunflowers print to prove the veracity of my statement. Little did I know I was on the odyssey of my second life in this one.
Apparently a winking waving burger sign out the kitchen window at night wasn’t what Mom and Dad were looking for in a place to raise a their daughter. We didn’t live there long before we moved back to Tennessee. I didn’t know it but Florida would be home at least two more of my lives later down the road.
I was a city kid that moved to the country. Then I was the country kid that went to the big college. I was a photographer in there for a bit. Then I was and still am a military wife. I worked for a nonprofit organizations as an office manager. Then I was an administrative assistant for one of the first in-house HMOs in upstate New York. Then I was a fine jewelry salesperson. Then I was a submariner officer’s wife who was looking for work. Then I was an insurance agent, followed by marketing researcher, followed by Health Club manager, followed by: a Weight Watcher’s lecturer, grad student, receptionist, office manager, real estate agent, temp worker, administrative assistant, Mary Kay Salesperson, Regulatory Compliance Specialist for management of hazardous and radioactive waste, stay at home mom, and now a
Those were just the job lives so far. We all go through changes and honestly if the order was shifted a bit I’d be a different person today. Each experience dovetailed into the previous and the next one to weave me. I look back at myself at any of those stages and the me of today would have handled them differently. That’s why they seem more like different lives than chapters of a life.
I always remember when writing that characters that are well done grow over chapters and aren’t the same person at the end of the tale as they were in the beginning or middle. That’s what makes a good story. I like to think the same thing applies to life. At the end of each chapter I’m not the same. That means I’m living a good life. I’m a great character because I change over the arc of my life story. Okay I’m not a literary character in that my growth isn’t mostly internal like say my ancestor that lived in the same house all her life. I’ve changed physically and moved to various settings. So I’m a dynamic character formed not just by internal dialogue (though I do talk to myself ALL the time so much so that sometimes I wish I’d shut up in my head) but by external challenges too.
In the end the thing that makes life interesting for me is trying new things. I guess some would say I’m a jack of all trades master of none. Maybe I am but at least I’m entertained by my life. I’ve always got an interesting story to tell from all of it be it mine or a person I met along the way. I guess that’s why I ended up a writer for now at least.
Welcome to the first post in my blog. I’m not real sure where to start. Do I jump in babbling about the topic that entertains me for the day? Do I introduce myself? Do I set a statement of purpose for the blog? Do I need a bathysphere to enter the blogosphere? Maybe a blogysphere?
Since I can talk about anything, I know I have the first one covered. That’ll mostly be what I do, jump into a one-sided conversation on something that strikes my fancy. It’ll become two way if you comment because I will reply.
That brings me to introducing myself. As the blog says, I’m Mary Louise Eklund. I wear a lot of hats in life. I’ll write about all of them here. I’m a published writer of short stories. I’ve been published in Terribly Twisted Tales and most recently Steam Punk’d. I have more in the works. I’ll shout out when they are coming out. Given that I’ll write here about writing, words, language, reading, and all the stuff related to that. What I like, what I find frustrating, my process, inspiration, blocks, and all the stuff I go through trying to write.
I enjoy photography as a hobby. You can see my photos on flickr, again under my name. The most recent ones appear on my sidebar. I’ve sold a few in my time. I even worked as a photographer for a bit in my undergraduate days. I like going out and making photos of things, not so much into photographing people. It’s not that I don’t like people, I love to watch people. I just like to take pictures of things because they don’t fret over how they look. It’s also easier to find stuff that’s willing to pose and release for publication isn’t an issue.
On the people topic, I am into genealogy as a hobby. I love the stories I find, the interesting facts, and the thrill of the hunt. I like trying to solve the puzzle of family lore or where did so-and-so end up. Like Mark Hicks my 3rd great uncle that went to the Confederacy in the Civil War when all the others in the family were Union. His brother was a Union Calvary officer. The family never welcomed Mark home and blamed him for turning in his brother-in-law who died in Andersonville. Mark wound up in Arkansas destitute and living on the dole. I found him. Those stories and the questions raised as I work through the information I have will show up here. I’ve even got a story inspired by my genealogical research and expect more to come from it.
I make jewelry. I do beading and am trying out resin pouring designs. I will eventually sell the stuff. I’ll link to that here when it’s up and running. I’ll chat about my working on it and other crafting. I crochet and take various courses in other things that hit my fancy. So far I’ve enjoyed fused glass, pottery, and precious metal clay working. You’ll get all about those things too.
I’m a family person. I’m a mom of a 17 year old who is in his senior year in high school. I’m a wife of a busy business man who is also an officer in the reserves. I’m also the only child of aging parents. I’m a person with chronic illness that’s manageable but not curable. I’m a pet parent, 3 cats and a dog. Those things I’ll keep to a minimum. If it involves another person I don’t want to say more than they are comfortable with sharing. I don’t want to whine and complain about health, there’s enough blogs made up of kvetching. However, I’m sure some off it will come through at times.
That takes care of introducing myself and what I’ll write about. What do I intend to do here? I’ll post regularly. My goal is at least weekly but hopefully more often. I’m sure it’ll depend on the ebb and flow of the other areas of my life.
Mary Louise Eklund 