I've been interviewed over at the Writing Nut blog today about my writing habits and workspace! Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words, especially when talking about yourself (ha) so here is a preview....
“What’s Up Wednesday” is a fun weekly meme started by Jaime Morrow and Erin Funk. From Jaime: It’s similar in some respects to the Currently… post, but it’s been whittled down to only four headings to make it quicker and more manageable on a weekly basis. You’re invited to join us and visit other bloggers participating.
What I’m Reading: Parallel by Lauren Miller and The Time Fetch by Amy Herrick. Parallel is about Abby trying to keep up with her life as it changes everyday due to choices made by the "parallel" version of herself in parallel universe - taking on big questions like fate and destiny - fascinating! The Time Fetch I've just started, but it has two odd and vibrant characters - Edward and Feenix, and I'm already hooked by their great voices, and so intrigued by this concept of a time fetch.
What I’m Writing: I am writing, but I choose to be utterly mysterious about what I'm working on. It's a new idea (okay, a fairytale retelling) that I just started playing with.
What Else I’ve Been Up To: recently came back from a camping trip in the Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming with my whole family plus a dog, five horses, and a nest of baby birds under our trailer hitch that we didn't realize we'd abducted until it was too late. My girls (ages six to eleven) did an awesome job collecting bugs to keep the baby birds alive. And amazingly, everything went smoothly with our horses, and no one (horses or kids) got hurt. We had some trail rides in breathtaking mountains and valleys I will never forget. Here's a picture I took during one of our rides:
What’s Inspiring Me Now: this is an odd little thing to find inspiration in, but on the Zen Habits blog last week there was a post on Why Fear of Discomfort Might be Ruining Your Life. Here's how it starts:
Think about the major problems in your life — from anxiety to lack of regular exercise to a bad diet to procrastination and more.Pretty much every one of these problems is caused by a fear of discomfort. Discomfort isn’t intense pain, but just the feeling you get when you’re out of your comfort zone.I have a big issue with procrastination because there's some tasks I just don't want to start. But by recognizing my discomfort with starting (for instance, procrastinating writing a new chapter), it kind of neutralizes it, if that makes any sense. The post has some simple but effective advice for pushing yourself out of your comfort zone. Plus, as a bonus, this week on the blog there's a post on The Art of Tasting Chocolate Mindfully. Yum!
Has there been any inspiration, summer vacations, or chocolate in your life recently? Do tell.
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So, I love the picture of you in your workspace with all the captions! That sounds like me. :)
ReplyDeleteAlso, glad you had a safe and wonderful time horseback riding! I would love to ride in the mountains but my fear of heights gets in my way. One day. Maybe.
Have a great week! I love fairytale retellings - can't wait to hear more about it!
I struggle with fear of heights too so we definitely stayed away from any scary trails! Thanks for visiting my first What's Up.
DeleteThanks for sharing your workspace with us! Very informative! I love seeing how other writers work :D
ReplyDeleteLooks like an awesome camping trip too. What beautiful scenery.
Have fun with your new WiP too!
It's fascinating how there's always similarities with writers but so many differences too. Thanks for visiting my What's Up.
DeleteYour writing space looks so cozy and comfortable! And I love that picture you took from your trip - how FUN. Wish I could convince my family to go on horseback with me!
ReplyDeleteMy kids don't get any say in the matter :) fortunately they enjoy it!
DeleteOoh, a fairytale retelling... Sounds like fun. Best of luck with it!
ReplyDeleteLove that picture of your family and all the beautiful horses. What a fantastic trip. I'm dying to go horseback riding on the beach near where we live, but my husband keeps putting it off. I think he might be secretly afraid of horses. ;-)
Best of luck with your writing this week, Margo!
We have the mountains, but we don't have a beach - I'd love to ride on a beach someday too!
DeleteIt's been years since I've been to Wyoming, but I think I need to make that happen again sometime in the near future. Such beautiful country! I'm in Alberta so it's not too far away. :)
ReplyDeleteI love maps too. I saw a neat idea on Pinterest or something where you take a favourite photo from one of your trips and use a map of that particular location as matting and then frame the whole thing. Such a great idea. I thought it would be neat to do that with pics of me and my hubby on our travels.
Loved seeing your writing space. It's neat that we all have such different habits and cozy little nooks to curl up and write. :)
I love that idea of framing a map w/photos! I want to visit Alberta someday, need to remember to get my passport.
DeleteI love the picture. That sounds like such a fun trip. Also your secret project sounds intreging. Good luck with it, even if you don't want to share.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my first What's Up post!
DeleteCool pictures, Margo--both your workspace, and the family on horseback. Thanks for sharing! :)
ReplyDeleteThe idea of a parallel world that affects things in this world is interesting. I've not read that particular book (and I think I'll have to now), but the concept makes me think of the intriguing possibilities of two worlds where two things cannot happen the same way. So, a boy born in this world would be a girl in the other. And that wonderful first date would be a disaster in the other. And then you get to a climactic scene where the main character in the other world has a near-death experience... and in this world... *gasp*!!
If this isn't what Lauren Miller has done in PARALLEL, then I'll have to add this to my list of story ideas. :)
It's somewhat similar to what you describe, but your ideas sound intriguing too. Parallel has a very time-twisty feel to it.
DeleteThat picture of your work space is fantastic. I'm also a lover of maps! I make them for my fantasy worlds all the time.
ReplyDeleteYay for maps! I make my own fantasy world maps too. I love to map interiors, too... like my own version of Hogwarts :)
Deletelovely to have you on my blog today, Margo!!
ReplyDeleteNutschell
www.thewritingnut.com
Thank you again Nutschell!
DeleteIt's been ages since I've ridden. What a fun trip!
ReplyDeleteThe "discomfort" book sounds like something I need to read. I also tend to put off certain tasks that would stretch me. The delay often causes MORE discomfort though.
Oh, I did the Harry Potter meme you'd posted earlier. Could't resist, since I had photos from the UK studio tour, which is AMAZING.
Loved your studio pictures!
DeleteI just ate an entire bar of Godiva chocolate and I'm only a little bit sorry. But it was part of a going-away gift for me from two of my co-workers (I'm starting a new job next week) and I figured, what the heck, I'll just eat the whole thing NOW.
ReplyDeleteMy kitties are my writing companions, too. They are my "mewses." Ha, ha, ha!
Your vacation sounds wonderful!
Mewses - love it! Now that's a classy going away gift, Godiva chocolate. I love Harry David's chocolates too but soooo expensive!
DeleteSounds like you had a lovely trip! And I'm very intrigued by your secretive writing--I do love fairy tale retellings, so I hope you let some details slip soon :)
ReplyDeleteI'm just not sure if this particular retelling will work, just need to play with the idea some more. Thanks!
DeleteLove the pics of your work space and the horses! Your trip and your mysterious new story sound awesome! I also appreciated what you had to say about discomfort. Very true. I need to keep that in mind. Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteI need to remember, in the few days since I wrote this, I'd already forgotten these tips about pushing ourselves out of our comfort zone.
DeleteEnjoyed seeing you over at Nutshell's and that picture makes me miss riding!
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting from Nutschell's!
DeleteI love seeing your workspace! Fantastic. Your trip looks amazing, too-- all that open space! Happy writing week.
ReplyDeleteI do love big sky country with all the open space!
DeleteGosh ... your writing place is neat and tidy, even with cat.
ReplyDeleteThat's because tidying up is my default procrastination from writing (well, unless I have a good book on hand. Then things get really messy!)
Deletethank you ! i like this
ReplyDeleteCool picture of your workspace. What an awesome camping trip. Looks like/sounds like everyone had a great time. Yay to your girls for taking such good care of the baby birds.
ReplyDelete: )
I was so proud of them! They took the responsibility very seriously.
DeleteI love that workspace photo. :)
ReplyDeleteYour trip sounds like it was really fun. I haven't been horseback riding in years but I used to love it as a kid.
Good luck with your new WIP!
Thanks for stopping by! need to pop in and see what you've been up too :)
DeleteLove seeing this breakdown of your work space!
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting :)
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