I have not experienced a publishing scam in almost twenty years. Back in the early aughts, while figuring out the new prospect of self-publishing my first book, I did receive a few letters and emails from individuals and companies with questionable ethics and motives. It took some due diligence on my part to discover the scammers’ intentions. But that was before the creation of AI. The other day, I received my subscription email from attorney Matt Knight from his blog Sidebar Saturdays, where he detailed a recent scam attempt. I have to admit that he dealt with this particular scam with more tact than I would have. Read the full article here.
“I’ve learned that the best opportunities-and the worst scams-often begin the same way: with a compelling story.”
Matt Knight, Sidebar Saturdays, Publishing Scams Are Getting Smarter, July 25, 2026
What scares me the most is how AI can readily access all the necessary information for a good scam: your work/career; background; SM accounts; previous publications; even unpublished works stored in cloud software, for a successful scam. They compliment you, play on your ego, betting you’ll be so flattered that you won’t think twice about falling for their sycophantic scam.
The addition of AI certainly makes it harder and harder to differentiate which offer is a scam and which is legitimate. Best to keep your head about you; think it through before reacting to the stroking of your ego by the scammers. Praising you is how they get you-every time. It’s the sticky sweet and tricky nature of false praise. Unless you arm yourself with the understanding that this is how they work.
“In the age of AI, publicly available details can be collected, summarized, and woven into a polished message in minutes. A highly customized message is no longer proof of legitimacy.”
Matt Knight, Sidebar Saturdays, Publishing Scams Are Getting Smarter, July 25, 2026
Publishing scams continue to rise and it behooves every writer out there to be smart and learn how to recognize potential scammers. Protection of IP (intellectual property) as well as your personal information is paramount these days. One of my previous blogs details what writers need to know and how to preserve their IP. Clean up your online life: SM, pictures, blog posts, personal information (especially via data mining sites, where anyone can access public records on you), etc. Make it harder for scammers to find out so much about you, to find your weak spot. Because they’ll look – actually their AI tools will look – and they will find you.
Here’s some good advice from Matt’s blog post on publishing scams – I recommend printing it out and taping it near your computer, so you won’t forget…
What Every Writer Should Do
Whenever you are contacted about your writing:
Verify the sender independently.
Ask to correspond through an official company email address whenever practical.
Research editors and agents through independent sources—not links contained in the email.
Confirm that the person’s public professional role matches what you are being told.
Verify the specific email address, not merely the existence of a real person with the same name.
Do not send unpublished work until you are satisfied with the recipient’s identity.
Never feel rushed.
Never treat flattering or highly personalized language as evidence of legitimacy.
Professional publishers understand due diligence. Scammers count on excitement outrunning judgment.
(I reread his post, including the emails he got from the purported scammer. I did notice the email, bloomsbury@paulbaggaley.com, seemed backwards. Normally, one’s name comes before the @ sign and the company name follows it. That would set off alarms for me.)
Quote by author Elizabeth Gilbert from the book/movie, Eat Pray Love
Lesson Learned…Again and Again
I watched Eat Pray Love again last weekend, for the umpteenth time…and each time I watch it I glean some lesson, either newly learned or temporarily forgotten, from the wise and wonderful words written by author Elizabeth Gilbert. I found the book much funnier than the movie because her voice was more present in the writing but not in the overall script. I keep returning to the movie for bits of badly needed wisdom, as if it were a roadmap of my own life.
Like Humpty Dumpty, Only Better
What always hits home for me is the quote above about transformation. About getting knocked down repeatedly and rearranging yourself or your life because it’s necessary in order to move forward, out of a stuck place. The message is: You have to be willing to fall apart to put yourself back together again.
It’s also a bit like my Badly Designed Parking Lot post…because it’s about recognizing what isn’t working for you in your life (job, home, relationships, writing gigs, etc.) and making a conscious decision to change what needs to be changed. Change is always chaotic until the cycle is complete. Only then can we see in hindsight that those changes were right and necessary, however uncomfortable. Getting out of our comfort zones is what activates us; staying in those comfort zones (fear of change), whether you realize it or not, is not all that comfortable. It’s just familiar (read: less scary).
Ouch, That Hurts…
As of late, I have been banging my head against the proverbial brick wall with – surprise – the same (undesirable) result each time. And when I made a decision to finally and completely let go, I went quiet inside because, as I now realize, it was the right decision, no matter how risky I deemed it to be. The proverbial leap of faith. And it paid off.
Long story short: Two years of temp jobs weren’t working out (for a variety of reasons) and the last one, due to run about eight months, was cut short after only four days, by the client. I wasn’t all that upset – which surprised me – but my approach to this ongoing issue (that brick wall I’d been banging my head against for two years) was simple and logical. I sent an email saying I no longer wanted to work for the agency or their client. I was done being chewed up and spit out.
We are often forced down that road to transformation because we reach a boiling point, a point where no amount of contrition from the trespassers will keep us from making the right and necessary decision.
The Relief, the Freedom
My (new) passive income kicked in this month and allows me time for art projects I’ve been putting together. Hundreds of ideas zip around in my head and my imagination has free reign in my brain. Now I have both options and time (but not too much $$ but that too can be changed with a little effort). What a feeling. A family member responded to my news with this: “So you have joined the ranks of the “senior, experienced, wise, freed up, interested, etc. Enjoy while you can.”
I plan to. Because all the ruination/transformation that has defined so much of my life seems to finally be winding down. And I can breathe. Truly and deeply. And it feels oh, so good.
And so can you. If only you let go. So what are you waiting for?
I knew it would come to me sooner or later. I’ve been spending this afternoon re-reading old blog posts to correct grammar, remove now-defunct website links, update format styles and break up long paragraphs into smaller, more easily digestible bits. I knew going over older posts would inspire me and I’d come up with a topic for my next post. I just clicked on my sixth-year workiversary post and realized I now had another two years under my blogging belt.
*raised eyebrow*
Next month will be my EIGHTH year as a blogger. Honestly, I can’t remember ever sticking with anything for this long. As I wrote in that previous blog (Feb 2022):
“It’s a form of adult-ing in which I rarely engage.”
True dat.
Running Out of Good Ideas? Not Likely!
While I occasionally struggle with ideas for this post, I have to say I’m proud of the posts I’ve written here. I’ve had some very good ideas, well-written posts and good suggestions to improve both your writing and your storytelling, as well as a few personal revelations. All in all, I’d say I’m happy with what I’ve shared the past eight years.
To again quote from the six-year anniversary post, “I don’t know how much longer Mestengo Books will be around but I do know this: both your presence and your absence has bettered my writing and clarified my creative process.” It’s the honest truth and I hope to continue this for at least a little while longer. I also hope many of you will continue to take the ride with me. Let’s hang out until it’s time for me to walk away, until it’s time to find another creative outlet I’m willing to commit myself to for a similar period of time.
That’s growth, maturation, shifting perspectives and priorities.
Credit: Google Images/https://www.youngwriters.co.uk
You’ve finished your query for an article you’d like to write and you’re looking for a magazine (or several magazines) to buy it. What next? Here are several tips for turning out a great article that stands a good chance of getting published in a magazine — if you do your homework.
Get All Your Ducks in a Row
Creating an outline for your article idea is an effective writing tool. It helps you organize your thoughts on the topic and break it down into workable pieces (e.g., the introduction, the body, the conclusion). I assume you’ve done some research or made some notes on your article idea. Take that information and use whatever is most relevant to the article. These can become your guides, or main headings, to the layout of the article. If necessary, create subheadings to ensure you have enough content for each section of the article.
Make It Strong, Make It Flow
I’ve touched on this in several previous blog posts – it’s vital that you use strong verbs (not passive tense), tight writing (say what you mean with as few words as possible) and use specific language (in other words, no fillers and crutch words).
Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences. – Strunk and White, from The Elements of Style
An article that flows well will allow the reader to move seamlessly through the information. Pay attention to your paragraphs. Does the beginning of each new paragraph herald new information, a new and related topic? With reader attention spans even shorter, keep each paragraph to an easily digestible length.
Editors appreciate writers who turn in succinct articles. If you write 1000 words, cut it down to 500. Then cut it down to 250, maintaining the heart of the article. Your article may contain lots of great information but whittling it down to its salient points will grab the editor’s attention (as well as readers). Choose words carefully. Write only what is relevant.
Vague words dilute your writing and weaken the points and information you are conveying. William Zinsser in his book On Writing Well states, “Don’t say you were a bit confused and sort of tired and a little depressed and somewhat annoyed. Be confused. Be tired. Be depressed. Be annoyed. Don’t hedge your prose with timidities. Good writing is lean and confident.” – Kerrie Flanagan in Writer’s Digest Guide to Magazine Article Writing (2018)
Remember, be specific and use strong verbs:
Credit: strong verbs from Writer’s Digest Guide to Magazine Article Writing (2018)
Fact-Checking Isn’t Always Fun But It’s Necessary
Nowadays, almost everyone relies on Google and Bing search engines to find information. Problem is, too many people assume that what is found online is true and fact-based. This is a fallacy and can doom your article. Be thorough in your research, especially in fact-checking any nonfiction information in your article.
One great source is public libraries; librarians can help you find and verify the information or steer you in the proper direction. There are a multitude of online clearing houses that provide factual information, such as the Library of Congress/National Archives. It’s probably one of the most complete library systems in the world, where you can find millions of bits of information based in fact.
In Conclusion
Now that you have a good idea of where to start, there’s nothing stopping you from getting that article published. There are thousands of magazines out there and I’m sure somebody wants to print your work (I think I’m saying this more to myself than to you, dear readers).
A new year is headed our way — a tabula rosa, if you will (look, I used a Latin phrase, wink wink). A clean slate. A fresh start. Get writing and you have a better chance of getting published than if you don’t write. Right? 🙂
I’m not a religious person but who can watch “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and not be touched by Linus’ speech? It is my gift to you this year, dear readers. May you find light and peace within and time with family a blessing…
From “A Charlie Brown Christmas” (1966):
Charlie Brown: Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?
Linus Van Pelt: Sure, Charlie Brown, I can tell you what Christmas is all about. [moves toward the center of the stage]
Linus Van Pelt: Lights, please. [a spotlight shines on Linus]
Linus Van Pelt: “And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, ‘Fear not:” [Linus drops his security blanket on purpose]
Linus Van Pelt: “for behold, I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.'”
Linus Van Pelt:That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.
In trying to come up with a new post, I did what I often do – I re-read my previous posts for inspiration. I noticed some patterns in my blog posts and some, well, obsessions, actually. Like my obsession with good grammar. Did you note that in this post’s title I used plural (Dos) and not possessive (Do’s) form?
I have noted more than once my loathing for poor grammar, as it makes for poor communication and lowers a writer’s credibility. Turns out, when I looked through my blog, I have written a number of posts on this very subject. To keep the list manageable, I created a ‘top ten’ list of grammar-related posts that I personally like. Think of this as an opportunity to refresh your memory:
Then I noticed other patterns. For example, I have written many blog posts related to the concept of home and for writers in general. These ‘top ten’ posts are where I feel my narrative writing style stands out and they provide some good information:
Then I saw another distinct pattern – of writing miscellaneous, fill-in-the-space-between-bad-grammar-rants blog posts. These ‘top ten’ ranged from personal stories to personal opinions and everywhere in between:
This very question came to me as I perused the media jobsite Mediabistro, just to see what they had to offer. I read job ads and descriptions, including a sidebar on each page as to what a Proofreader does, what’s expected from a Copywriter, etc.:
What does a Proofreader do?
A Proofreader is in charge of making sure work is reviewed before it goes to print. Proofreaders check documents for grammatical errors, along with looking at the body of work stylistically and making sure the margins and spacing is correct. While the job can overlap with an Editorial job, a proofreader mainly ensures that an article is free of grammatical errors. Ultimately, a proofreader works to make sure content is free of typographical, grammatical, spelling, punctuation, syntax, formatting and other such errors.
From Mediabistro.com
The job description of Proofreader fit me (and my inner Grammar Nazi) to a tee but the degrees required make me hesitate, make me question my abilities – can I provide what they need?
Each sidebar noted that a degree in English, Journalism or Communications was necessary. Is that true? Plenty of degrees require writing skills but I do wonder if I would receive consideration even though none of my degrees are in the requisite fields listed.
What are the requirements to become a Proofreader?
Similar to the requirements for most Editorial roles, this person typically has a bachelor’s degree in English, Journalism, or Communications. This person must have a high threshold for tedious work as well because most of their work will be very specific last-minute edits that sometimes they only have the eye to see. Ultimately, this role requires impeccable attention to detail and grammar.
From Mediabistro.com
Sound the Death Knell
And there it is. The anxiety-producing, I-doubt-they’ll-even-consider-me-for-the-position willies. The sheer weight of fear of that level of responsibility crushes me, keeps me from moving in the direction of ever getting a paying writing gig. How does one get past this hurdle? If I’ve been writing articles for newsletters and journals for thirty years, how is it I still think of myself as not talented enough or good enough? I’ve written books, for crissakes. Certainly experience equals or trumps any degree, right?
Just Gimme a Chance!
Maybe all I need is that first gig, that first shot at proving to myself and the contractor that I can do it. I can write. I can proofread. I can meet your deadline. I can write a paragraph or 1000 words on a topic close to your heart.
There are thousands of magazines out there. If I could drum up the courage and send out some queries, I’m sure I’d find a few takers. I get so close – I start writing an article or informational piece. Next step is the query – this is where I get stuck. So many magazines and publications – where to begin? What are their submission guidelines? The impending confusion and overwhelm pulls me back into my shell. And there I sit, a writer unpaid and afraid to reach for something more.
I can’t be alone in this – this desire to prove that I’m good enough to be paid for the work product I know (on some level, anyway) I can create. Being insecure and a writer – they do tend to go together often, don’t they? Amazing that some writers accomplish anything at all.
I’m a word-y person. I love a play on words, words that rhyme (especially in funny poems or jokes), words with unusual spelling or pronunciation (I like a good challenge), even words that make me giggle (like ‘kerfuffle’). All part of being a writer, I suppose. Writers must love words of all kinds to build their stories, don’t you think?
The words that got me thinking about this post are those with accent marks still used in our modern English. Many have been dropped as we modernize even more in this Digital Age and I wonder what will happen to our language as we know it. Will it, too, adapt to a point of unrecognizability? I hope not. I enjoy it too much.
Are Diacritical Marks All That Critical Anymore? I Say YES!
Accent marks are called diacritical marks. And in our modern English they are being used less and less. The accent mark, or diaeresis (omg, I had to add this word to my computer dictionary) indicates, according to Wikipedia, “the modification of a vowel’s sound when spoken.” In modern English the only two that are used consistently are the grave accent (è) and acute accent (é). Even these tend to disappear in certain types of publications, such as an online blog (but not mine, ok?).
Take Your Pick
The list of diacritical marks is longer than I expected (you can view it here) so I’ll cover the accents most relevant to the English language and currently in use.
as in née, frappé, soufflé, résumé (e.g., I shall resume writing my work resume – just doesn’t look right to me without the accents; neither does drinking a glass of rose… or rosé?)
the cedilla (soupçon), in French, Portuguese and in Catalan it is a softening c, indicating ‘s-‘ not ‘k-‘ pronunciation
So garçon (waiter) doesn’t sound like ‘garkōn’ (something from a Lord of the Rings movie, maybe?)
thetilde(Señor, João), in Spanish indicating palatalized n, and Portuguese indicating nasal a and o (although in Spanish and most source languages, the tilde is not considered a diacritic over the letter n but rather as an integral part of the distinct letter ñ; in Portuguese the sound is represented by “nh”)
as in piñon (mmm…my favorite when they’re fresh picked) instead of pinyon/pine nut
There are several others, “representing European personal names, anthroponyms, and place names, toponyms” (remember these from my -Nym post?) and you can search them out yourself, if so inclined.
There are also digraphs…but I digress…
There are a few English words that actually don’t borrow diacritics from another language, we made them up just for us! It’s called a hiatus – two separate vowel sounds in adjacent syllables – and you thought it was just a break from school… As in words like coöperative, daïs and reëlect – now they’re replaced by use of a hyphen (re-elect) or made into a whole word (cooperative, dais). (Note: certain publications still use the hiatus, it’s not just for breaks anymore!)
When one breaks down a language, it’s amazing what can be found. Sure, we learn English language in schools – nouns, verbs, adjectives and such – but no one teaches the history of our language unless you major in it in college.
If the history of language or words were taught in grade schools, perhaps there would be more word nerds like you and me, then. Get your word on!
It’s been one of those weeks. Actually, it’s been one of those months. Health issues have taken up a large portion of my time and I’ve missed some work as a result. Now that I’m back in full swing, I’m too exhausted to even think about a new topic for my next post. So apologies all around for not writing a mind-blowing post this time around (wink wink nudge nudge)…
Stepping Back in Time…
So I did what I have an occasional habit of doing – I randomly revisit previous posts. I start with the most recent ones and at the bottom of the page I click on a post from the Related section. Sort of a ‘free association’ attempt at getting ideas for this post – and clicking on a related post after that, and so on. It has also provided an opportunity to make some updates to outdated information and add a new hyperlink here and there.
This one didn’t go so well. I haven’t used talk-to-text since this eye-opening (and almost vomit-inducing at the sound of my own voice) attempt at a shortcut to the writing process. It seemed like a good idea at the time. C’est la vie, eh?
Too bad this one didn’t come to fruition…I got quite far into developing the chapters then gave up because I stopped practicing some years ago. But I did end the post with some good advice:
“Pay attention to the hidden messages all around you. Let them be your muse, let them inspire you to answer your ‘call of the word.”
“In summary, the lesson ofHexagram 47from the I-Chingis about oppression and hope – that even during difficult or bad times we must dig down deep, not fear failure (the inevitable downswing of the life/writing-cycle), quietly embrace it, and carry on with the understanding (hope) that all will be better again (the inevitable upswing of the life/writing-cycle).”
Yikes. I’ve been in the oppression phase (yet again) but seeing this post is a reminder that what does DOWN must go UP. Here’s to mini successes! I hope they arrive soon, I’m tired of the other side of this cycle…
“Failure happens to everyone. It’s how you handle the failure. Ride it out, like a big bump in the road and you’ll come out the other side wiser, and perhaps, more successful. In whatever way that means for you.”
I sense a running theme here… (If only you could see my facial expression right now…)
The first paragraph of this post is more than prophetic – all you have to do is read your feeds on Twitter, IG, TikTok, etc. Chaos is everywhere, especially in the American political arena, where a major war of the words (read: lies, slanders and unfounded conspiracies) has been ongoing for far too long. The danger of violence against fellow citizens (regardless of where on this globe you live) lurks around every corner and now in every grammar school. We have to take responsibility for our words and the power they can have over others. Now more than ever writers are needed to provide light and laughter, adventure, facts, TRUTH.
Yes, these wise words were mine (amazing, I know). This is why I go back and re-read – who knows what goldmine of tidbits I’ll find.
And maybe learn from, like the advice of old friend.
Indian summer has finally arrived in northern California – it was a long, extraordinarily HOT wait for the crispy air, crunch of leaves underfoot; colors at the beginning of their descent into eventual death and decay. On our morning break, I walked to a stand of trees in a green space nearby (see pic). I listened to the wind and the leaves as they whispered secrets and stories unknown to humans. Experience nature and it will speak to you in all of its languages; nature has inspired writers to put into words what is felt, seen; you only have to listen, look, and learn.
I haven’t had the desire to write or work on a novel in a long time; poetry, however, has been calling to me. Poetry, for me, is a highly internal/emotional form of writing and expression, perfect for the coming changing of season.
Going In
Autumn is the time of year referred to as Yintang in Chinese medicine – part Yin, part Yang, where the world and everything in it begins the ‘going inward’ process toward TaiYang, or Terminal Yin (winter). It’s the time to feed your mind/body/spirit with quieter activities.
Writing poetry is perfect for mind and spirit; nourishing foods will help “feed” your writing:
“…Autumn …it is a time of harvesting and gathering. Weather turns cooler and we crave warm foods. Nature begins moving inward and downward; leaves fall off trees and plants wither. Nuts and fruits fall to the ground as energies collect in the roots and rhizomes of plants, which are ready to harvest for our fall menu. More root vegetables become available, as well as mushrooms/fungi, which strengthen and nourish digestive fire, allowing us to better “digest” food, thoughts and ideas.
To assist the inward movement of energy, add sour foods to your diet in small amounts, like fermented foods. Put warming, moistening foods on your table: mushrooms, barley, leek, radish, cauliflower, tofu, nut butters, hemp and olive oils, and use warm, invigorating herbs like garlic, sage, savory, thyme, and rosemary.” The Five-Element Guide to Healing with Whole Foods (2016)
Did the great writers of the early to mid-20th century, like Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald or Jack London, share their works with each other? If available, would they have joined social media (SM) like FB or writers groups?
Sure, they drank (all three), sometimes together (Hemingway and Fitzgerald); caroused together (the same two); even shared a few women (Hemingway) with other men. But would they have wanted or needed SM? In their day, and for centuries prior, writing was a solo activity relegated to dark offices or the corner table at a local café. Maybe that’s why so many were heavy drinkers or alcoholics… maybe some contact with other writers outside of bars to discuss their works would have made it less lonely – or more sober.
Maybe.
No Time Except for Writing
Jack London was too busy living his stories to have sat around and kibitzed online. Fitzgerald and Hemingway knew each other and were friends in Paris in the 1920s. They drank together and partied till the wee hours. It’s what many of the great writers did back then. When they weren’t partying or off on an adventure, they were hunkered down in front of their typewriters or pencils/pads, scratching away at novels now considered some of the greatest literary works. Would/could a FB group have improved on that? Or are writers in the 21st century more insecure or more reliant on others’ opinions? Is that insecurity a result or side effect of SM? Or is the thought of toiling away, all alone, too frightening? Do we really NEED someone else’s input (outside of an editor) to craft a great story?
Social, To a Degree
Yes, we are social creatures by nature but writers have survived for eons working on their own… or have they? Perhaps there were many discussions among writers about plot, characters and settings. In the end, though, each writer must go it alone to write the story. It’s the last bastion of solitude enjoyed by fickle artists.
I often wonder, if any of them were alive today, what they would think of SM and its effect on writing. Hemingway might have enjoyed the celebrity SM offers (he did have more than a bit of an ego); perhaps Fitzgerald as well. But Jack, in my opinion, would have poo-pooed the notion that he needed to join a group for ‘support.’ After all, he wrote a thousand words a day on his own and often while out living one of his stories – tinker, tailor, oyster pirate, WRITER.
A life of WORDS from a life LIVED. All without social media. Amazing.
First draft of book cover for Rescue on White Thunder
Today I read an interesting post from a fellow writer/author about using weather in our stories (thanks for the inspiration, Damyanti). That got me to thinking… about how every story needs atmosphere (figuratively and literally) and how weather can define a plot or reveal something about a character. And oddly enough, after reading Damyanti’s post and a couple articles on this subject, I realize that I don’t pay all that much attention to weather in some novels and I’m not sure why. (But now I will thanks to that post!)
“The setting of a story informs the mood, the attitude of the characters, and the presentation of the themes. One of the most important elements of the setting is the weather. In literature, weather plays many roles such as a plot device, a way to set the atmosphere, a symbol for cleansing or misery, and much more.”
My personal favorite is fire. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been transfixed by fire. It has a hypnotic quality about it whether it’s coming from your fireplace or blazing through a forest. I’m not a pyromaniac; I simply enjoy and respect fire for its beauty, danger and power as one of nature’s indomitable forces. Which is why I made it a running theme throughout both of my fiction novels (1 unpublished, 1 unfinished):
“Braddock and his team reached a grove of pine interspersed with hemlock and western red cedar above the trees burning to the southeast and dug as if their lives depended on it (because it did). The ground was still a bit hard from a cold winter and the digging was arduous. Fires spread quickly over a fresh, loose layer of humus covering the solid ground. Tree trunks caught fire one after the other as flames overran the surrounding brush and now-dead timbers toppled from last year’s big storm. The crackling roar of the fire amplified and they had to shout to hear each other. Braddock knew they would soon be forced to move to higher ground. Some of the firebreaks held but winds were increasing in strength and velocity, propelling fresh embers to other areas. More trees and small brush ignited, creating walls of flames that nearly licked the upper branches of the tall pines.”
Fire in a story is a powerful motivator as it can often connote a life or death scenario:
“Unaware of the situation below, Braddock scanned the perimeter. Flames were everywhere, from the pine needles and grass on the ground, to the upper branches of the trees. He hadn’t fought fires in a long time; but it’s something one never forgets, he reminded himself as he struggled to figure a way out. He had to find Annie – it was the one thing that drove him to do what he did next. He choked on the smoke so he grabbed a bandana from his pocket, poured water on it, and held it over his nose and mouth. Pockets of blackened earth began to appear as the fires burned the forest floor clear and Braddock saw their opportunity: a narrow stretch of burned over ground leading upwards between two patches still ablaze.
He looked down at Smoke, “Think we can do this, boy?”
Smoke looked at the tight space between the towers of flames; he winced and tried to wag his tail in support.”
Just following this last quote from my first novel, another character (the second protagonist) used the smoke from the fire to hide in as he snuck up on antagonists. Like two birds with one stone, eh? Using a force like fire in a story ratchets up the action. It can make heroes out of likely or unlikely characters. Fire speaks to one’s primal fear of being trapped in a blaze (in a house, in the woods, etc.) and brings readers to the edges of their seats.
Weather, in short, can be the tie that binds a story together and bring it to an exciting or unexpected conclusion.
I’m sure many of you watched the news about the devastating tornadoes, including the leveling of an Amazon warehouse in Illinois. Upon seeing the destroyed warehouse, one of my first thoughts, after concern for survivors, was “Oh man, lots of people will be angry about their Xmas packages not arriving on time.” Gifts and gotta-have-it-now items purchased online from other parts of the country, other parts of the world. It’s a “Xmas fever” that spreads around much of the world for a short season and repeats itself year to year.
Then it got me thinking…
For many years I’ve enjoyed shopping locally (I find more unique items this way) and these disastrous events have certainly emphasized my choice. I love supporting local businesses, especially those hit hard by the pandemic. You can go to a local bookstore or business and pick out the gifts yourself. I like the personal touch; I feel it gives the gift a greater meaning if I took the time to pick it out, take it home and wrap it.
Less Really Is More
Mass material consumerism has reached an all-time ‘low’, in my opinion. We have football stadium-sized warehouses where people toil under the digital gun (their movements are tracked and timed every minute of every day) to get your purchases to you ASAP. This harkens back to the factory laborers of the early twentieth century (with not much more labor protections, it seems). Complaints about late deliveries even though there’s a huge labor shortage (which some folks refuse to recognize), issues with availability of raw materials, etc., persist with no end in sight. Keeping your shopping local may decrease your purchase options but increases the opportunity to meet your neighbors and find unusual treasures.
Local Support Strengthens a Community
One way to resolve this global issue is to help our own community members thrive and supporting local authors is a good way to start. Many towns and cities often have yearly events that introduce local authors to the community. I was one such fortunate author when I lived in New Mexico, where I published my first book (it even won an award!). What a wonderful way to meet readers and other writers and discover new stories.
While much of writers’ works have gone digital (eBooks, Audible, etc.), I feel it vital to support as many members of our local writing communities as possible. Small or local bookstores, libraries and cafes are often great places to meet local writers and authors via book readings or writing groups (professional, Meetup. etc.). Grab a cuppa and have a listen.
Show Your Local Library Some Love
Another wonderful way to support authors (both local and worldwide) is through your public library. I find them an amazing source of discovery and entertainment. This week I discovered a new Asian author, Gail Tsukiyama; I took home two of her books: The Language of Threads and The Street of a Thousand Blossoms. Libraries offer a wide variety of books from local authors to best-selling authors and everyone in between. And it’s a great place to review a book before going to the bookstore to make a purchase.
Post Script:
(Yes, large companies like Amazon provide jobs and help boost the U.S. economy (GDP); they may be, in some places, the only option for employment. That’s not the focus of this post and I continue to support buying locally so we can boost our local economies, which in turn will have a positive effect on the national GDP.)
That’s it, I’m done. This morning I read an interesting post by a writer I follow who took a 6-week break from SM (which explains why I didn’t get any new posts from her in my inbox). Many of the comments I read for that post agreed and offered some useful words on how to handle SM if you choose to stay in the game. I’ve posted before on the pros and cons of SM and how much we actually ‘need’ to be on it. I was inspired by her desire to cut the proverbial ties that bound her to her followers and the global writing community, the ties that took her away from her writing time. I constantly struggle with a similar issue. But her honesty encouraged me to take a small step today and I deleted my Goodreads account (for the second, and hopefully, last time) while reorganizing and thinning out my online bookmark manager.
Honestly, why should I give a damn which books complete strangers are reading? And why would they give a damn what I’m reading or have read? FYI – just finished Saving Fish From Drowning by Amy Tan; I hope knowing this changes your life in some way. 🙂
I’ve also wrestled (many times, actually) with closing my Mestengo Books FB page; it contains the same information as my website and I’d rather you visited that over a lackluster FB page. All my FB followers (a whopping 35 people) can visit my website, if so inclined. Well, that’s gone now, too. Whew. A moment of trepidation but I quickly recovered. (And I have fourteen days to make it live again, in case I change my mind and realize I simply can’t live without an ineffective FB page.)
I’ll keep the FB page for my nutrition book (author’s note: skanky Meta shut it down in May of 2020 for no apparent reason). I’m trying out Instagram and Twitter (with Elon taking over, I switched to Tribel in 2022); I don’t spend more than about thirty minutes a day on each (first thing in the morning is best for me) so I don’t yet feel they’re sucking the soul out of me. Give ‘em time.
Does this mean I’m focusing more on productive writing? Not necessarily. I am currently in a predicament that is engulfing almost every moment of almost every day and invading my thoughts almost round the clock . Exhausting. But that’s life: the ups and downs, hills and valleys, ebbs and flows. Due to unforeseen circumstances, my life is currently in that ebb/down/valley so I’m not focused on writing other than this post. Maybe I should be, it would bring a welcome relief from the stress and insomnia.
As I’ve posted before: all we can do, in my opinion, is what’s best for each of us, no matter what the ‘experts’ tout. If you like SM, are good at it, and are finding success with it, then stay the course. Too many people are in burnout mode from the addictive lure of instant success, instant money, instant something. As always with a fad that rapidly becomes popular, (almost) everyone wants on board, wants their ‘piece of the pie.’ What was once shiny and new quickly fades into oblivion, replaced more quickly by the newest, baddest, greatest, freshest, cheapest, etc. And many of us (writers) are exhausted from trying to keep up. In that realization, a host of writers are backing off, reverting back to doing things ‘the old-fashioned way.’ They’re taking a step back to view the bigger picture. Exhaustion is then replaced with serenity, clarity, and wisdom gained only by the experience.
I will continue to post to my blog because I need it, even if you don’t. And I will make a concerted effort to keep only a small space in my life for SM. The bloom is definitely off that rose for me.
What has been your experience with SM? Positive or negative? Care to share? What are some good arguments for keeping up with it? What are some good arguments for letting it go?
As the saying goes, “variety is the spice of life.” This applies to our reading choices, too. As a writer, I love to read – that goes without saying for most writers. But the hardest part can be finding something new and unusual; finding stories written from a different perspective, as long as it’s not considered “mainstream”. If you’re looking to support writers who share stories different from yours, I recommend you try Native American authors.
I’ve been reading fiction and nonfiction from several prolific Native authors for over twenty years. I discovered them on treasure hunts through the fiction aisles of libraries (and from there I found their nonfiction works as well). You don’t have to be an Indian to enjoy a culturally specific story; the details are rich and paint a story not unlike your own, just with a different brush. We’re far more alike than we sometimes care to admit and it’s good to learn from others’ experiences and unfamiliar settings.
The following is a short list of some of my personal favorites. Some of them, like Kent Nerburn, Joseph Marshall, and Priscilla Cogan, I go back and read at least once a year because they teach me life lessons that remind me of what’s important.
Must Read! Then Watch!
Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann (nonfiction), now a major motion picture (2023).
This is a true story of how Osage Indians, after discovering oil on their lands and becoming rich, were systematically murdered. It was the first major homicide case for the FBI. Together with the Osage, the FBI managed to expose one of the most chilling conspiracies of murder in America. From the book: “It is a searing indictment of the callousness and prejudice toward American Indians that allowed the murderers to operate with impunity for so long.” A can’t-put-it-down kind of book.
Kent Nerburn – A different kind of storyteller
These books tell the story of a white man’s physical and spiritual adventures with a Lakota elder. A humorous, touching and spirit-opening adventure that spans three books. Once you start, you won’t be able to stop.
Neither Wolf Nor Dog: On Forgotten Roads with an Indian Elder
The Wolf at Twilight: An Indian Elder’s Journey through a Land of Ghosts and Shadows
The Girl Who Sang to the Buffalo: A Child, an Elder, and the Light from an Ancient Sky
Priscilla Cogan
These are a fictional trilogy of spiritual adventure. Maggie, a white woman, meets Winona Pathfinder and her spiritual journey begins; a mix of Lakota and Christian beliefs. I loved all three books; I read them again and again.
Winona’s Web
Compass of the Heart
Crack at Dusk Crook of Dawn
Lakota Westerns by Joseph M. Marshall III (Sicangu Lakota)
I love westerns and these are my favorite fiction works by Joseph Marshall. He is a prolific writer and the scenes he paints with his pen have you right there with Cloud and his people, in their struggles to survive as whites encroach on their lands.
Hundred in the Hand – a fictional account of the Battle of the Hundred in the Hand (the Fetterman Massacre) as seen through the eyes of Cloud, a warrior fighting alongside Crazy Horse (whose younger brother, Little Wolf, was actually killed in this battle at the ripe old age of 19, ten years prior to the death of Crazy Horse).
The Long Knives are Crying – the second in the series, picks up around 1875 as the Lakota face the inevitable arrival of whites, still through the eyes of Cloud, now much older and the last generation of “free” Indians.
Here is one of his fabulous can’t-put-it-down nonfiction books:
The Journey of Crazy Horse – drawn from oral stories of local elders, Joseph paints a picture of Crazy Horse the man, not the legend. A beautiful read. You’ll learn what you never knew about Crazy Horse (like how he got his name).
James Welch (Blackfeet)
Fools Crow – first published in 1986, it’s a fictional account of Blackfeet life in 1870, through the eyes of Fools Crow, a young warrior and medicine man. A gorgeous story.
The Heartsong of Charging Elk – this is a true story. Charging Elk, Oglala Sioux, joins Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show but is left behind in a hospital in Marseille, France after a serious injury. He is forced to remake his life alone in a strange land. Sadly, the book ends when Charging Elk is only thirty-three. James died in 2000 while working on the second half of Charging Elk’s story (marriage and descendants).
The Last Algonquian by Ted Kazimiroff
This is the true story of (Joe) Two Trees, the last of his people, living alone in Pelham Bay, New York (up to 1924). He befriends a young boy scout (the author’s father) and recounts his sad story in great detail. (Graves of his parents and dog are located in Long Island City, NY.)
The Heart of Everything That Is by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin
An unusual and factual account of Red Cloud, Lakota chief; rich in historically accurate information, thanks to the discovery of Red Cloud’s lost autobiography. Good if you like historical works.
And last, but certainly not least:
Black Elk Speaks as told through John G. Neihardt
The meeting of a white man in 1932 with the great medicine man Black Elk (Lakota), who told John his life story (through a translator). A beautiful, sad telling of the tragedies that befell the Lakota in the latter part of the 19th century. Black Elk takes you back in time to his life and his people, including his first cousin, Crazy Horse.
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