Yesterday, I’d attended the OCC meeting for the first time since May and it was wonderful to see my friends–Live! In Person!–again. Although, I did attend the conference in San Francisco and had such a great time spending the week with them.
It’s so easy to stay isolated from friends and family when you’re going through some kind of crisis–health, financial, or family. And some times, like in my case, it would just be easier not to respond to the concerned e-mails right away. But I know everyone genuinely cares, just as I care about them, so I certainly do my best to respond. 🙂
Isn’t it wonderful to know that no matter what family health crisis your family is going through, no matter what the state of the world and the global economy… your friends will be there to support and encourage you, as well as give you a swift kick in the “writing arse” when you need it? Thank goodness.
When I joined OCC, I had NO idea I’d discover these incredible friendships.
Thank you for being there for me, you guys!
Do you belong to a writing organization? What do you enjoy most about belonging to it? The support? The friendships? The business advice?
Take Care,
Michele
Michele Cwiertny writes dark paranormal romance. To find out more about her, please visit her website, michelecwiertny.com, or her personal blog, Michele’s Writing Corner.
Books on sale or free
Of Inspiration
Have you ever strolled into a room and just been struck by the intricate details found in every corner, by the colors, by the traditions, by the history? Did the room ever become inspiration for part of your story?
This particular room inspired a couple of famous authors, Lewis Carroll and J.K. Rowling: The dining hall at Christ Church in Oxford, England.
Charles Dodgson, a.k.a. Lewis Carroll, taught mathematics at Christ Church, but entertained Dean Liddell’s daughter, Alice, and her siblings with stories about Wonderland and often drew his inspiration from his surroundings around the college. At the far end of the photo, you can see the High Table where the faculty members eat. From what we were told on our tour, the senior members of the faculty would exit the dining hall through an extremely narrow staircase behind the table, which eventually led to a senior common room then outside to the Tom Quad. It’s believed this may be the inspiration for the Rabbit Hole.
And, of course, Harry Potter fans recognize this hall as the inspiration for Hogwarts’ dining hall, too. However, the portraits here didn’t move, although I did hear a tale that one of them does… I wish I knew the full story behind that! 😉
I know lately I’ve been inspired by historic homes, abbeys, villages, and small towns…At least enough to incorporate a piece of what I remember about those places into my stories, those special details to make the tale my own, to make it pop off the page.
So what about you? What places have struck you with inspiration lately? Was it a room? A town? A college? A dining hall?
Take Care,
Michele
Michele Cwiertny writes dark paranormal romance. To find out more about her, please visit her website, michelecwiertny.com, or her personal blog, Michele’s Writing Corner.
Books on sale or free
OF A MESSAGE
If you were locked in a tower, a prisoner, what would your message to the world be? Would it be a few short sentences? An ? Graffiti on the wall?
Back in June, I had the opportunity to explore the Tower of London. And in the Beauchamp Tower where many of the prisoners were held, intricately hand-carved inscriptions decorate the walls. They truly became works of art. The poetic words, the intellectual defense, and the design all combined into one message, shows us high-ranking political prisoners stayed there. And judging by the amazing details in the graffiti, some obviously stayed in that tower much longer than others while some prisoners didn’t have a chance to finish their message…because the person was freed, escaped, or put to death.
Did they know back during King Henry VIII’s reign (and earlier) that centuries later people would tour those towers and read those messages?
One entire room inside the tower is etched with inscriptions, but I’m only posting a few pictures so you’ll get an idea of what I’m writing about. I believe you can click the photo to enlarge; it might make it easier to view, if you wish. 🙂
Inscribed by Thomas Peverel
This one floors me, and it doesn’t look like it was finished…
Just in case you can’t read this well…It’s a list of all the inscriptions on the walls and who carved them. That’s quite a few!
It makes me wonder what these prisoners would do in this day and age to get their message out. They’d have the media at their disposal now. What do you think?
Michele
Michele Cwiertny writes dark paranormal romance and romantic suspense. To find out more about her, please visit her website, michelecwiertny.com, or her personal blog, Michele’s Writing Corner.