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Post by garyweston on Jun 7, 2018 10:01:53 GMT -8
So. A whole new bunch of characters, plots and subplots. That's how my morning went. Joking. But another book with the story down, although I've been told "Oi, Weston. Pull your sleeves up and do it properly!" Thanks, Julie. Spot on as usual. Time to take a deep breath and get the magic polishing cloth out. Putting aside the three chapters I've done for book 2, I'll take good advice and do a proper job. Before I can get on with that though, I've a commission painting of a local mayor Ben Bilboe, deceased grandfather to an old pal of mine. If the name sounds familiar, Tolkien was a friend of his and so Bilboe Baggins was created. I have a very poor photo to work from and two weeks to complete the task for an exhibition. No pressure then.
I have the luxury of time thanks to being a retired old fart so I have to do more than watch daytime TV. Most of you will have far busier lives and I admire anyone getting anything creative done so hats off to all of you. That said, what have you lot been up to???
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Post by ChrisLAdams on Jun 7, 2018 12:07:50 GMT -8
That said, what have you lot been up to??? Paintin' and writin' . . . and keeping the missus happy at home doing projects.
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Post by garyweston on Jun 7, 2018 12:38:54 GMT -8
Good on you, Chris. My missus gave up on me a long time ago. I must admit painting the inspiration for Bilboe Baggins is a fun challenge but I'll get there. Tolkien was a local lad so there must be something in the polluted air here that makes us write. Young'ns like you who manage to squeeze precious hours into writing are the true heroes. But I wouldn't write at all if not for Julie. There are times when I think, "Damn it, no more writing." Having her in my corner clears the path for more story telling. I wrote this new one with no idea of a series, but I have warmed to the characters and see more in the tank for this lot.
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Post by djmills on Jun 7, 2018 15:25:16 GMT -8
I am doing a course on writing short fiction. And finishing a watercolour painting, which I hope gets me excited about doing another oil painting as well, as well as firing up my muse to produce brilliant plots for future stories. And creating some digital art for my short stories which have not been written. :-)
In other words, procrastinating! :-)
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Post by garyweston on Jun 7, 2018 23:36:32 GMT -8
sounds good, DJ. I have never done watercolors myself but have seen some remarkable ones by a chap in the classes I go to. Watercolors are very unforgiving whereas oils are readily re-workable. Getting things done is always about focus.
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Post by ChrisLAdams on Jun 11, 2018 3:51:22 GMT -8
Good on you, Chris. My missus gave up on me a long time ago. I must admit painting the inspiration for Bilboe Baggins is a fun challenge but I'll get there. Tolkien was a local lad so there must be something in the polluted air here that makes us write. Young'ns like you who manage to squeeze precious hours into writing are the true heroes. But I wouldn't write at all if not for Julie. There are times when I think, "Damn it, no more writing." Having her in my corner clears the path for more story telling. I wrote this new one with no idea of a series, but I have warmed to the characters and see more in the tank for this lot. A happy wife is a happy life, as they say. They care more about kitchen lighting and new windows than stories and paintings, I've found, Gary. I, too, have fondled the idea of quitting this writing racket. So far it's been pretty useless except for the personal gratification of having conceived an idea and carried it through to completion. There's that, I suppose. The painting is getting better, bit by bit. Still much to learn. I have considered quitting the writing for awhile and just focus on that. My new one is coming along now, and already looking forward to starting the next, which is in planning - I need to sketch out my ideas; it's going to be very odd in some aspects, weird angles. I do have a story nearing completion - a sequel to my Blonde Goddess of Tikka-Tikka. I'll certainly finish it, Lord willing. I've too much work tied up in it not to, and it's a mere 4-5 chapters from being completed. After that, I may put together my poetry collection I've pondered for awhile. That'll probably wrap me up for the year as far as publishing goes. Still debating what to start writing next, if I do decide to write something. I've several possibilities to choose from - old ideas, new ideas. We'll see. I'm fickle, sometimes never knowing what I'll tinker on next until I make a moments' decision, so even I can't begin to guess what the future holds in that regard.
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Post by unclegarf on Jun 16, 2018 12:54:55 GMT -8
Seems like I am a new member now. Things like this happens when a laptop has a meltdown. Just trying to get a message to Julie but no can do. Julie. Lost all email addresses. Can't even get on facebook but no real loss there. new email is in messages
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Post by djmills on Jun 16, 2018 13:16:38 GMT -8
Gary, my laptop had a melt down, so I bought another one and put Ubuntu on it. Then rebuilt my windows laptop, and looking through all old address books to rebuild my email list. :-) So I feel for you.
I decided to take my MS laptop off the internet and remove the security that is killing the laptop, and just use the new Ubuntu laptop for all email, and internet use. Will see how that goes. The plan is to use all Windows programs on the MS Windows without them updating all the time and killing off the older programs. We will see.
Can you try to PM/Send Message to Julie via this forum?
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Post by unclegarf on Jun 16, 2018 23:06:14 GMT -8
Hi, yes, I have sent Julie a message so hope she picks it up soon. Tried to change things on facebook and ended up getting blocked. To hell with them. Now I'm trying to update my amazon account so good luck with that. Technology is great until it goes wrong and I have no twelve year old nephew to call on. Maybe I should stick to low tech stuff like painting.
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Post by unclegarf on Jun 17, 2018 10:27:06 GMT -8
Happy bunny!! Finally managed to find a file of email addresses. Sent Julie one so got there in the end. As for no longer being a god on here, I never held aspirations of becoming a super being anyway. As for facebook, I was getting bored with that anyway. Hope for this technical caveman yet?
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Post by Julie Harris on Jun 22, 2018 13:51:07 GMT -8
Julie has been busy fixing stuff for other writers.
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Post by unclegarf on Jun 23, 2018 11:27:43 GMT -8
And I wouldn't bother writing if not for Julie's input. That her mother is a fan is also encouraging. I think she loves my bad guy monsters! I'll be taking Julie's sound advice in turning my simple story telling into something worth reading. At the moment I am on a painting commission of a former local mayor (1947) who knew Tolkien and was the inspiration for Bilboe Baggins, this for a group exhibition next month. That Tolkien / Baggins connection sort of squares the circle with my writing / painting. Interesting are the similar paths both arts take in that the painting has had its own journey of research, artistic license and pushing my technical abilities to make a decent job of it. Each stroke of the brush is like a word in a book, the intention of creating an illusion of what I want the observer to see. The comparison is obvious as both start with a blank canvas / page towards the ultimate objective of conveying what we see into the mind of the observer. I just get messier fingers with painting.
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Ria Stone
SWF Writers
Posts: 1,055
Joined: Oct 30, 2013 14:12:26 GMT -8
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Post by Ria Stone on Jun 26, 2018 11:00:37 GMT -8
Gary, you inspire me to keep plugging away.
Hmmm, what have I been up to?
I am on a search for a writing voice and topics. This search has taken me down many paths, for example: started a local writers group which has so far proved interesting and jumped back into cooking/blogging (trying to cook) just keep writing something.
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Post by unclegarf on Jun 26, 2018 13:14:25 GMT -8
Y'know, it really doesn't matter what we do, writing, painting or cooking up a storm. Creativity is like a seasoning we sprinkle over the day. It turns an average day into something we can take a great deal of satisfaction out of. When we turn off the laptop after finishing a promising chapter or step back from the canvas and say, "yeah, I did that" or mop up the plate from the best dish ever with that last piece of crusty bread, belch and say, "Man. That hit the spot" A day I don't do something creative because life gets in the way is a none-day. Few and far between for me, thank goodness. Get busy, people. Sprinkle that creativity over your day.
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Post by djmills on Jun 26, 2018 15:19:56 GMT -8
Well said, Gary.
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