TRY SOLITUDE By Angela G. Slevin

As a teen, I spent many summers in the mountains at my grandmother’s home. It was just a village, not big enough to be a town. For generations, my mother’s family had farmed in these mountains, cutting out fields step-style from the soil.

Living there for the summer seemed like camping to me, roughing it. No TV, no hot water, a toilet/shower/sink in one room with a drain in the floor. No washer or drier – laundry had to do be done by hand. No movie theater, no library, very few shops and those weren’t meant for browsing. They only really carried the necessities.

It was more boring than watching grass grow.

I didn’t know then that it was the perfect writer’s retreat. I don’t mean a retreat where you and a dozen other writers converge at a nice hotel where work hours for writing are 8 – 5 and meals can be had with or without company. Where perhaps in the evenings, a little gathering is organized for networking or talking about books. And there’s a TV right in your room, with dozens of channels. I mean a retreat from TV, from people, from fancy food and distracting fun places to visit.

I went on such a retreat years later, as an adult. The place I stayed was in the country, on farmland, and remote enough that even the nearest fast-food restaurant was 30 minutes away by car. I know that’s not really far, but when I’m hungry and tired, and it’s pitch black out in the country night, I would rather not venture out where I don’t know the roads. For about $65 a night, I got a bedroom with a comfortable full-sized bed, simple desk and chair, a box air conditioner, no TV or phone, and a bathroom shared with other guests. If I wanted meals, I had to buy groceries and cook, and wash up, too. If I didn’t bring it with me, I wouldn’t have it, at least not conveniently. I was provided with free coffee, though (writer fuel!), and the water from the artesian well was delicious and ice cold, perfect for a hot summer.

Some people might wonder why anyone would want to be all alone for days. Being alone is often used as punishment for bad behavior: being sent to your room, being grounded, having to stay inside the classroom at recess, being made to stand in a corner by yourself. Or being alone meant that you had no friends. By deliberately choosing a no-frills destination with no TV meant I couldn’t so much as watch the news in the morning or evening, a routine I had kept up since my twenties, in addition to knowing I would still have the chores of cooking and cleaning. So why did I choose solitude?

I really, really just wanted the world to shut up. I really, really just wanted to see what I could write when I focused completely.

I was not disappointed. Even with interruptions like meals and showers, I still wrote for at least 8 hours a day, every day. Some days it was from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and some days it was more like 11 a.m. to midnight. I slept when I was tired, and when I awoke, I wrote or gazed out the skylight in meditation. I even had time to research and catch up on my reading for fun. I explored the flower garden and rocked on the front porch. I browsed the bookshelves that were in every common room, and was charmed by hummingbirds at the feeder. But without any responsibilities, errands or distractions, I could actually quiet my mind, and it was easier than I expected. I created my story arc, developed my characters, thought quietly or out loud, and spread out my index cards on the floor with no fear of their being eaten by the dog or otherwise disturbed. I outlined almost an entire novel in just three days.

After I returned home, life got in the way. Finding focused time to continue writing was almost impossible with young kids, a husband, dogs, and work.  But I’d visit my story, sometimes adding only a few sentences, I’d sit with my characters, dream up another conflict or a different plot twist, and now I am carving out time to continue writing “My Big Novel.” Maybe I need another retreat for a few days. Winter time hotel rates on the coast are pretty good. Maybe this time, I’ll forego cooking and go to a restaurant to people-watch for inspiration. Maybe I’ll do a day long retreat at a coffee shop or bistro. Maybe I’ll visit one of my favorite local libraries.

Or maybe I’ll sit in my car by the water and let the view inspire me. My spot is never very crowded, and I’d like it to stay that way, so I’m not sharing its name. Just a few preparations, like sandwiches, water and a caffeinated drink, and I’d be set, at least for a few hours.

Try solitude. It’s not loneliness; solitude is freedom. It gives you time to remember what you want from life, not what you’re supposed to want. The creativity that can spring from solitude is amazing, and you can start small. Write down a word that you like, or a few sentences for a scene, or a conversation between characters. Maybe it’s a conversation you would like to have with someone you know. And you don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars to enjoy a writer’s retreat. You don’t have to be away from home for a long time. You can take control of the hours in the day and the dollars in your pocket at any time and change direction. Add a new facet to your life. Have a little adventure. A change will do you good!

 

THROW ME SOMETHIN’ MISTER! IT’S MARDI GRAS! By Michael Rigg

2022 Mardi Gras: Krewe of King Arthur
Locked & Loaded & Ready to Roll!

If all goes according to plan, when this post publishes in the wee hours of Saturday, February 11, 2023, I’ll be in New Orleans winding down from participating in two Mardi Gras parades yesterday (Friday) and preparing for a third, tomorrow (Sunday). And getting psyched about watching several more, as they thunder down Canal Street all day Saturday.   

I write stories set, mostly, in either the Virginia Beach/Tidewater area or New Orleans. So, this is a research trip! (I’m still trying to convince my tax accountant that these junkets should be a business deduction, though. What a stick-in-the-mud, right?)

Using Tidewater seems self-explanatory. That’s where I live. “But why New Orleans?” you ask. “Why not?” I respond. What an interesting place—the Crescent City, the City That Care Forgot, the Big Easy. “NOLA,” has a lot of nicknames. My personal favorite (and one I think I invented) is “The Chameleon City.” New Orleans presents a different identity and soul to each person it touches. It’s like a “shape-shifter,” only not as foreboding, and with much better food. 

And what a more hands-on way for a writer to learn about New Orleans than participate in its world-renowned Mardi Gras festivities?  

“But I thought Mardi Gras, “Fat Tuesday,” was just one day,” you assert. And you’d be technically correct.  Carnival season starts each year on January 6^th, the “Twelfth Night” after Christmas.  But Fat Tuesday—the last day of the Carnival season—varies from year to year, because it depends on the start of Lent—Ash Wednesday—which is calculated based on when Easter occurs. 

Regardless of the exact date of Fat Tuesday, New Orleans and the surrounding area have been celebrating Mardi Gras since January 6^th.  By the time Fat Tuesday rolls around, there’s already been a “whole lot of partying going on.”

Mardi Gras is rich with history and tradition. For example, purple, green, and gold are the colors most associated with Mardi Gras in New Orleans. As the story goes, Rex, the King of Carnival, selected the colors and assigned a meaning to them in 1892.  Purple stands for justice, green for faith, and gold for power. If you want to learn more about Mardi Gras, its history, traditions, and, most importantly, the parade schedules, check out this website: Mardi Gras New Orleans.

Few would argue that parades are the beating heart of Mardi Gras. And people in New Orleans know how to parade! Parades usually center around a “Krewe,” such as the Krewe of ALLA (www.kreweofalla.net) or the Krewe of King Arthur (www.kreweofkingarthur.com). Some people belong to more that one Krewe. There are walking parades (like the Krewe of Cork, www.kreweofcork.com), “float” parades (the vast majority), and even parades where the members ride on streetcars (like the Phunny Phorty Phellows, www.phunnyphortyphellows).  All told, there are over ninety different parades in the New Orleans area from January 6^th until Fat Tuesday.

The majority of the parades occur during the last two weeks before Fat Tuesday. Parades are massive affairs, from Krewes with a few hundred members to “Super Krewes,” usually any Krewe with over one-thousand members. This year, for example, Krewe of ALLA has eighteen floats carrying 500 riders. Krewe of King Arthur has seventy-one floats with 2,400 riders.  (For more on Krewe size, and for comprehensive information about Mardi Gras in general, check out Arthur Hardy's Mardi Gras Guide.)

And that doesn’t count for the number of high school and college bands and marching units or the many “adult” walking/dancing groups, like the Muff-a-lottas (www.muffalottas.com), the 610 Stompers (www.610stompers.com), or the Pussyfooters (where you have to be at least thirty years of age to join, www.pussyfooters.com ), interspersed between the floats.   

Don’t worry that you can’t be here. You can still experience the thrill of Mardi Gras parades from the comfort of your La-Z-Boy.  Beginning Friday, Feb. 10 through Fat Tuesday, on Feb. 21, The Times-Picayune newspaper and its online affiliate, NOLA.com, will livestream every parade that rolls by its St. Charles Avenue newsroom (about thirty-two parades) via   nola.com, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.  There are even Mardi Gras trackers (using GPS) you can download. Check out Mardi Gras Parade Tracker and Download WDSU Parade Tracker for iPhone, Android.

Wish me luck! Two down, one to go. And “Send me a comment, Mister!” Let me know what kind of Mardi Gras experiences you’ve had.

STRENGTHEN YOUR SUBMISSIONS STRATEGY, PART 3 by Max Jason Peterson

In previous posts, I explained the “why” behind my statistical method. Now I’ll provide the “how.” The following is the nitty-gritty of what my submission spreadsheet looks like (I use Microsoft Excel). But for those who don’t like spreadsheets, take heart! I will also explain how to do this using a word processing document, and even using notecards. (Both are tools I’ve enjoyed.) Further, even if you don’t intend to use a spreadsheet, I’d recommend skimming the setup details but still reading the paragraphs in between, where I explain how various measurements help me in my submissions quest. Bear in mind, as long as you understand the reason for collecting the statistics, you can find a way to do it using almost any tool, provided you get in the habit of consistently noting when things went out and came back, and when things were accepted and written.

WHY I READ by Judy Fowler

Abraham Lincoln's mother,
Nancy Hanks

I kicked off January by spending way too many hours watching televised souls struggle for power in D.C. Eventually, I looked away and visited friends, and promptly picked up Covid. 

Post-quarantine, I squeaked through a medical clearance exam for cataract surgery. In the days before it, I've used my bad eyes to drive a senior friend to appointments after his family took his car and left me to sort out his cognitive challenges day by day. 

I was listening to too much news and building up revenge fantasies. Life in the new year felt like an airless room. 

I went on an empathy quest. The quickest way to find it? Read.      

Even as a child, I picked up a book to find out how others felt when they went through things. I could be with someone else in ways childhood had yet to afford me. I got relief from the pressure of self-consciousness.  

Whether the struggling character was Abe Lincoln's mother (that's her, Nancy Hanks, Kentucky Girl, in the portrait above), or the starch-capped Sue Barton, Student Nurse, their journeys and how they felt about them gave me access to another person's point of view. I could ponder how I'd handle their challenges. I appreciated their innate resources and thought about my own. 

I lived in a 'don't talk about your feelings' world. Stories allowed me to sort out my feelings. 

Empathic authors took time to draw characters for me. I felt loved and cared for the more I loved and cared for those characters. 

My father lived with us, but I admired how Pippi Longstocking, who survived alone with just a horse and a monkey, handled the arrival of a truant officer. What would I have done? The Five Little Peppers lived with their widowed mother. Teamwork allowed them to preserve the fun of childhood. 

When The Borrowers lost their home in the wall of a house and had to live in a field, it scared me. My heart went out to them. They were indoor people. So was I.

But they made it. 

I learned, one slow or fast page at a time, how others perceive Which resources they do or don't have.  Storytellers opened a window to different perspectives. 

Empathy was the air in the room. 

Now, whether I'm reading how Things Fall Apart for people drawn by Chinua Achebe, or Going Rogue with Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum, I connect with a character, experience their perspective, and feel what they feel. 

In just moments, we meet where it matters. I relax into compassion for us both. 

They see things through. They don't quit. It's all about the three acts for them, and not just the moment at hand. 

Thanks to the thoughtfulness of writers, I can see someone else's story arc and know my own. 

Why do you read?

WRITING CONFERENCES—NOT JUST FOR WRITERS ANY MORE! By MBTS Blog Admin (M. Rigg, Co-Admin)

 

Anonymous author learns about 

firearm safety during a recent

Writers' Police Academy.

Greetings! We’re working through some technical issues. So, we thought we might interrupt our regular blogger rotation this week to discuss a topic near and dear to many of us: writing conferences, seminars, and workshops. And, to let our readers know that many “writers” events welcome (and encourage) non-writers, i.e., readers a/k/a “kind, intelligent people who buy our books.” 

Writing, at its essence, is not a group activity, right? No doubt we’ve all seen the acronym: BICFOK—Butt in chair, fingers on keyboard. We’re pounded with the adjuration “That novel’s not going to write itself, is it?”   

Yet, just as no person “… is an island entire of itself,” a writer depends on many others—editors, beta readers, proofreaders, publishers, and, ultimately, readers. So maybe writing is, indeed, a group activity. After all, it takes a village, doesn’t it?

Writers, even the most introverted of us, must seek support from others. The group. The community. The village. And there are few better places to seek support than at a writer-oriented conference, seminar, or workshop. It must be the case. Just search the Internet for “Upcoming Writers Conferences.” You’ll get list after list after list of writers conferences, seminars, and workshops at all sorts of  locations around the country and world, of every shape, description, genre, and duration. 

Ask a dozen writers about their favorite conference, seminar, or workshop and you will likely receive two dozen answers. “I liked Conference A. But Workshop B was great, too. They’re both my favorites.” 

I’ve been to a number of writers conferences in my relative short time as an author. I’ve learned something at each. One of my favorites is the Writers’ Police Academy (WPA), the brainchild of Lee and Denene Lofland (Lee Lofland - The Graveyard Shift - Lee Lofland). Here's a brief description from the WPA website (Writers' Police Academy (writerspoliceacademy.com)):

Writers' Police Academy’s unique hands-on training takes place in Green Bay, WI., at the Public Safety Training Academy of Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC). Beyond basic certifications, the Academy offers specialized courses including SWAT, Boat Patrol, and Homicide Investigations, to name only a few. The Public Safety Academy/Writers’ Police Academy facilities include a 26-acre closed road course, defensive and arrest tactics rooms, tactical house, jail cells, indoor firing range, forced-entry structure, and a 4-story burn tower. 

What a blast! Driving fast, chasing “criminals” and making their vehicles spin out, battering down doors as part of a police “stack,” and shooting (targets, not people). And did I mention learning about crime scene investigations, fingerprinting, and blood spatter? Or the lecture from a retired FBI agent who was part of the team searching the Unabomber’s cabin? Need I go on? How about the authors invited as each academy’s “Guest of Honor.”? People like Craig Johnson, Heather Graham, Robert Dugoni, and Hank Philippi Ryan. Wow! Double Wow!!

Enough from me. What about other writers? What is your favorite conference, seminar, or workshop? Why is it your favorite? Leave a comment and tell us all about it (or them).   

Readers, don’t feel left out. Many “writing” conferences embrace your involvement, like Bouchercon (https://www.bouchercon.com/) or Malice Domestic (https://www.malicedomestic.org/). They even include a “Fan Guest of Honor.” Oh, for our local readers, don't forget the Suffolk, Virginia, Mystery Author's Festival on March 11, 2023 (suffolkmysteryauthorsfestival.com).  It's for writers AND readers. The "Sisters" will be there in force. We hope to see you! Stop by and say hello.

So, tell us. What is your favorite “reader” conference, seminar, or workshop? Inquiring minds want to know.

Setting SMART Goals by Teresa Inge

 

Setting SMART Goals

After the holidays are over and you find yourself in a brand new year, it's time to reflect on what you can do to change your life for the better. That's where New Year's resolutions and goals come into play. But how do you know where to start?

Goal setting is one of the most basic and essential skills you can develop. Whether it’s a career, finance, writing, or a weight loss goal, any of these can be accomplished by first setting the goal and second sticking to it. The rest is up to you to make it happen.

As an administrative professional for nearly forty years and mystery writer in twelve books, I’ve learned to set SMART goals to manage dual careers. Meaning, they’re specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-based. Below is a breakdown of how to set each goal.

Specific goals answer the who, what, when, where, and why of the goal. To make it specific, take “I want to learn Excel” to “I will register for an Excel class to build my skills to track and manage my budget.” Or “I need to improve my book research skills” to “I will use my library resources, the internet, and the historical society to improve my research skills for my book.” This way, you know exactly what you need to do and how you’re going to do it.

Measurable is the metric or progress of where you are now versus where you want to end up. This way, at any point throughout the goal-achieving timeline, you will know how far you’ve come and how far you have left to go to reach your goal.   

Attainable ensures you have the skills and resources to accomplish within the given time frame. If you set lofty and challenging goals that aren’t attainable, you’ll end up frustrated and possibly give up in the end. Keeping bigger goals in mind and breaking them into bite-sized pieces will achieve the ultimate win bit by bit.  

Relevant is the purpose of the goal to keep you motivated to achieve it. When goals are relevant, it means you’re spending your time wisely to make progress toward the bigger picture. There are probably a lot of things you want to get done in life with all types of goals but being passionate about something requires staying focused and picky about your time.

Time-based requires a deadline so you do not lose a sense of urgency. Having a completion date in mind will set your pace along the way and hold you accountable.  

Good luck with achieving your goals. Click here to access a SMART goals worksheet to help you begin your journey.    

PART 2: VOLTAIRE, THE CALAS MYSTERY FACTS, TRIAL: IS THE PEN STILL MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD? By Kimberly Thorn

 

Although we did learn some about Voltaire in the introduction, I do not feel that I paid the proper homage to this man.  We know he wrote many letters and plays during his career but more importantly was his involvement in the Calas Case.

Ian Davidson wrote that, “what became famous as the Calas affair, which was one of the most dramatic turning points in Voltaire’s life; it was also a key moment in the history of penal reform in Europe.”  As Davidson continued, “he set out to challenge the verdict in the Calas case and in the process found himself launched, at the age of sixty-eight, on a new vocation, as a campaigner for justice” (Davidson 317).  

Jean Calas was a 65-year-old cloth merchant who lived with his family above his shop in Toulouse.  His religious belief was not the same as was the national religion in France.  (Remember, in Voltaire’s time there was an absolute monarchy, so the king ruled supreme because it was believed that the king was king because he was appointed by God).  However according to gossip at the time, one of Jean’s sons, Marc-Antoine was thinking of converting to the national religion.  On the night of October 13, 1761, Jean, his wife, their two sons, Marc-Antonine, Pierre, their servant, Jeanne and a friend of Pierre’s Gaubert Lavaysse were at dinner at the Calas home, again above the shop.  After dinner, Marc-Antonine got up from the table and went downstairs to the shop.  It was thought that he was going for a walk, so when he didn’t return, no one thought it was odd.  No one else left the upstairs until Jean went with a light to show their visitor downstairs to the shop for him to leave.  It was when Jean and Lavaysse got to the shop that they found Marc-Antonine dead.  Realizing that he had been murdered, the Calas family called the authorities.  (Who remember, work solely for the King).  Magistrate David de Beadrigue arrested the entire Calas family that was there.  He listened to the gossip and thought that the Calas family killed Marc-Antonine to keep him from converting religions.  To complicate the matter further, the Calas family changed their story.  At first, they said that they found his body on the floor.  Then they said they found him lying by a rope that had been hanging between two double doors.  Finally, they came clean with the authorities to say that they were trying to hide the fact that it may have been a suicide, as Marc-Antonine would have a dishonorable burial.  Unfortunately for them, the change in story, along with the fact of the gossip or Marc-Antonine changing religions and the fact that in 1761 France, there was no presumed innocent until you are found guilty.  Instead, you were presumed guilty and the trial’s purpose was to find guilt.  The one accused had no way of knowing what their charge was, were not allowed to be present during questioning, or to even know what questions were to be asked to prepare any kind of defense.  While Calas had an attorney, the attorney was only allowed to make inquiries outside of the courtroom.

Even though, during the trial, there was no proof of the gossip of Marc-Antonine’s changing religions and there was no evidence that Calas had anything to do with his son’s death, he was executed, and his family lost everything.  “On 9 March 1762 the court decided, by a narrow majority, that Jean Calas should be broken on the wheel, exposed for two hours, then strangled and thrown on a burning pyre,” (Davidson 319).

Voltaire sprang into action just three weeks after Calas was executed.  Voltaire’s response to fight back was a three pronged one.  He planned to respond by: “delving into the facts of the trial, pulling strings with influential people at court and finally, mobilizing public opinion.” (Davidson 322).  

Next time we will delve more into what exactly Voltaire did with just his pen and words, to change the life of the Calas family and penal system.  But for now, I leave you with Voltaire’s feelings on the Calas injustice. 

Nothing more than that justice should not be as dumb as it is blind, that it should speak, and say why it condemned Calas.  What horror is this, a secret judgement, a condemnation with explanations!  Is there a more execrable tyranny that that of spilling blood on a whim, without giving the least reason?  It is not the customer, say the judges.  Hey, monsters!  It must become the custom!  You owe an accounting to men for the blood of men. As for me, I do not ask anything more than the publication of the trial procedure.  People say that this poor woman [Mme Calas] must first get the documents sent from Toulouse’ but where will she get them?  Who will open the clerk’s den? In any case, it is not just she who interest me, it is the public, it is humanity.  It is important or everybody that such decisions should be publicly justified. (Davidson 323). 

Reference:

Davidson, Ian.  Voltaire: A Life: Pegasus Books, LLC.  New York, NY.  2010.