Category: Uncategorized (Page 12 of 12)

When I first started writing, I wasn’t sure what genre I wanted to write in. It’s been a long experiment and I’ve learned a lot not only about writing, but about people, travel, myself and life in general.

I wrote and found a publisher for my first book–a self-help book for teenagers. Shortly after that, I began dabbling in writing fiction. I was confused at first about what kind of book I wanted to write. I’ve always read mysteries of all kinds, but soon found that I didn’t know there were so many sub-genres of mysteries. Cozies. Hard Boiled. Thrillers. Gothic. The list goes on. I knew I would be a lousy romance fiction novelist. I’m more cynical and I like to put things in order, and since I read mystery, that’s how I chose the genre. I admire popular women’s fiction writers and literary writers, and although I love reading those books, I don’t see myself writing one.

I’ve started (and not finished) about four novels. The one I’ve gone public with is Murder On Heartbreak Ranch, which is a series (so far two). In the process of sending my manuscript out for critique or publishing, I got feedback about what kind of book it is. It’s not romance. Not quite a cozy mystery. Not a thriller.

But, it, like many things, is a mystery to me.

As I write my first blog for this website, I am “self-isolating” (with my dear husband, DH) and resisting the urge to shop, eat in restaurants (which are closed anyway), get much-needed beauty treatments, etc.

I’m hoping and praying for a cure (or at least a widely available vaccine), but in the meantime, am trying to use the time wisely by working on writing, on reading and also catching up on streamed video (by far the easiest of all to do).

I’m also following an eagle cam (Big Bear Eagle Cam) and a Colorado Osprey Cam (Boulder Fairgrounds Osprey Cam), which is live-streaming straight from nature. Some of the lessons that these wild birds teach us are: resilience, perseverance and living day-to-day. I’ve watched as some of the bird couples suffer the loss of eggs due to freezing, predators or just bad luck. Still, they persevere and rebuild–stick together and do it all again. They work as bonded couples, taking turns building the nest, housecleaning, caring for the chicks and bringing in food.

True, these birds are guided by their very natures and by instincts imbued into their DNA by thousands of years of those that came before them, and true that they do not suffer some of the emotions and thought-processes that we humans do, but still–we can learn a lot by watching them.