I have been a storyteller from the very moment I uttered my first word and engaged in my first ever eye roll. My words and my facial expressions have told many stories over the years. A few years ago I decided to put pen to paper (only an expression...I work on a laptop) and pushed myself and my first book to self publish as soon as possible. I have learned a lot since then. Mostly that one cannot push the story or oneself. You cannot possibly always have the emotion necessary or have the most effective words available for your story by just sitting down saying, 'today I'm going to write'. One needs to be in the mood and that usually comes after having had a parade of thoughts for a day or so about one of your stories that are 'under construction'. And then, the words and emotions just flow. I'm going to blog a Preview of each of these 'books in the works'. Stay turned, there are seven (7).
SO...I am currently working on seven (yes, 7) books at this time. My mind has always worked in overdrive...occasionally, I am thinking about what I'm actually doing, but most of the time, I am watching in my minds eye, scenarios for my books. Sometimes, an event, sometimes a character. Sometimes in the middle of the night, sometimes in the middle of a conversation with my husband. Thoughts, ideas and words just pop in there like a light bulb above my head, but it's actually in my head. Characters develop more slowly. I always have a general idea of who my main characters are going to be, but they take on more sides as I 'idea gather' from watching people on my outings to the farmers market, library or restaurants. I notice peoples expressions (some people don't seem to have any, but I must always remember that I am so animated, that anyone might appear that way to me), their carriage, their mannerisms, the tone of their voice. I listen to their choice of words (sometimes I actually do listen but, usually only for book character ideas). Sometimes my imagination creates an entire life for this poor person that I have within my radar. I wonder if my face looks really 'judgey' while I'm studying people, but it's really that I'm scanning them for ideas for one of my books. I've gotten pretty good at smiling and looking away quickly when they apparently feel 'the scan'.
HERE is what is currently rolling around in the old pumpkin...I add to each one of my stories as the mood moves...and I have a lot of moods believe me.....
THE VIEW FROM MY SWING - This was my first and only (so far) published book. Thought I should write it and publish it, like it was a race. I wanted to write "The End" hit publish and become a published writer. Apparently, it can work that way, there are a lot of books out there, but, that does not mean that they are really any good, just because they are published. I don't want to be that kind of a writer, a quantity vs quality writer. I did receive quite a few good reviews on my first published book, which made me feel like I had arrived, but I also got some constructive criticism which at first I had a hard time accepting. Thought I had written a Best Seller. A few years later as I reread this book, I realize that I needed to expand and more fully develop the descriptions of my scenes and events as they unfold. My characters also need to be much more thoroughly developed so that the readers could 'see' them. I knew what they looked like, it was about my family, but, I forgot about the reader in the retelling of my early life. I am rewriting this book because I love it, and I think it is worth a rework and a republish.
The View from My Swing is about growing up in Chicago during the 50's. It's about me, as a 5 year old, talking about my everyday life living with my parents and my grandparents. My parents were born in the United States, but my grandparents, as teenagers, traveled through Ellis Island from Naples, Italy, to come to this 'Land of Opportunity'.
We all lived in a two flat in a neighborhood in Oak Park, IL. Our neighborhood was the only home I had ever known. I was born there and lived there until I was 6 years old. It was all just very normal to me then, but looking back, it was an amazing place to start ones life. That humble beginning would impact the way I would feel about all the people that share this earth with me, for the rest of my life. As I relive, through the writing of this book, the best childhood anyone could have ever had, my heart is full, and I feel so grateful. Our life was a really warm and wonderful melting pot with families that were originally from everywhere in this world. The air was full of exotic foods cooking, lively music and languages spoken that I could only pretend to understand. When spoken to by a neighbor, I would always just nod and smile, and, it always seemed to work. We were all so similar in so many different ways. United in that we were all families just trying to make the best lives for our loved ones.
This main stage for this story is centered on a giant backyard swing that my dad and Papa erected for me (tall metal poles, chains and a grate for a seat). That swing was my very best friend. I would swing from sunrise to sunset, everyday, rain or snow. I could swing really high (much to my mothers dismay) and could see all of the goings on in the neighborhood (sometimes to the dismay of our neighbors).
The View from My Swing is a colorful journey back in time to when neighborhoods were interactive and so very important to everyones life that lived within them. Neighbors weren't strangers, they were extended family. Everyones lives were so much more enriched for being a part of it.....stay turned, hope to have the rewrite, republish out again sometime soon......
