My First Art Lesson

In ancient times, meaning BC, or, before computers, I went to art school. I had drawn since my childhood but had reached a point where I didn't know where I was going with 'my art'.

So I decided to go to an art school in Ottawa and take what my art needed from the lessons. The girls who signed me up for a course agreed with my plan and so I paid the sixty dollars and showed up on a Monday night.

The teacher was an old man, a very good artist who is still alive, so I won't mention his name. He told us all that he had studied with the second-best artist in the world. A lot of people wondered about this statement. How does one judge what is best in art?

He had some strange habits. One was to tell the same three jokes over and over again. Now, he was over sixty in the eighties and so we all thought he was senile. We were nice because we thought he would die soon.

He's still painting, still teaching, and if I'm correct, still telling the same three  jokes. In fact, those were old Groucho Marx jokes so he may well have been telling these jokes his whole life.

And he would tell us stories. One of which went ... I was in the army, there were lots of girls around, and it's none of your business what I was doing with them... I always wondered why he mentioned it at all. What part of the story did he want us to take in? I found this puzzling.

He would also stick his tongue out at his less favorite students. Some poor guy who had an attitude would look up to see his teacher's tongue directed at him in an obvious insult.

Sadly, although he was a colorful character, I didn't learn much from him. Later I met another artist and when I saw his work, I knew where I wanted to go.

So I didn't need to spend that sixty dollars but maybe it was worth it for the experience.

By the way, my new e-book, Beggar Charlie, will be released in June. Here's the cover.

and the buy link

https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore/index.php/our-authors/63-our-authors/authors-m/424-madeleine-mclaughlin

Mall Music

This might just be a terrible confession, the kind to turn all against me, but I have to say it. I hate songs. Not all the times. I realize there are many great songs and lyrics but I mean, I hate going into a mall or restaurant and hearing some pop song. It's like being tortured.

Anyone who worked during the eighties should remember when they pumped musack throughout the workspace and how everyone suffered, not being able to shut it off.

That's how I feel when I go to the mall and hear Joe Popstar being blared at me.

Now before you think I'm anti-music, I will say that I would love to hear any kind of music, no lyrics, when I'm sitting there or shopping. For some reason, taking away the lyrics decreases the songs power to annoy (for me).

But one place I do love music is on television. Especially background music. Scene: two male guppies pressing their mouths together, spinning around and around. Music: thumping, heart-beating war music.

It's great. Otherwise, it would just be two tiny fish and, so what that they fight. The music makes all the difference. Music is such a mood lifter that I'm happy to watch tv and feel whatever the music wants me to feel. It just adds so much to any program.

Now if malls and shops would only switch over to instrumentals I would be really happy at the mall.

Folk Remedies

On a day not so long ago, I was making stew. Some of it splashed out and burned my finger. Wow, did it hurt. I was watching carefully to see if I would need medical care for it and I couldn't help thinking of, first, my mother and second, my late landlady.

Before I was born, when my brother was just crawling, my mother was cooking something in her deep-fry pot. This was a large steel pot with a mesh steel strainer. You could put your potatoes in the mesh strainer and lower them into the spitting, hot oil. It had an electric cord attached because you had to plug it in.

I think you know where I'm going. My brother sat on the floor, and interested in the wire, pulled the whole bubbling, spitting oil down on himself.

My mother picked up a sack of flour and dumped the whole thing on his head. He only had a scar on his chin. He grew up with no disfigurement at all. That was my first lesson in 'folk' medicine.

Years later in Ottawa I lived on a street named James Street. A girl named Karen  lived there also. She had a cup of tea and spilled the whole thing in her lap. She let out a yell and went running to our landlady who hurriedly cut some raw potatoes and put them on the burns.

Later, Karen went to the hospital where they diagnosed third-degree burns. The end of this tale is, when she healed, there were no scars. Was it the potatoes? Another 'folk' remedy.

I don't really know if these remedies work, I only know that if I had had raw potatoes when my stew slopped over, I would have used them.

Cold Ottawa

It's cold in Ottawa. Well, not too cold. I wore a dress out today with no coat, but the wind was blowing and some people were chilled. I'm only saying this because we haven't had much luck with our weather this spring. Lots of rain (all this week) and lots of cold.

On this last weekend, I was in Smith's Falls visiting a friend of mine. We went out to Perth to take a look at the Maple Festival they have there. I enjoyed it, but it rained and was so cold. My sweater-coat was soaked. Thankfully, the skies quit spitting at us and the last part of the festival was nice.

There was lots of maple syrup there. In big $65.00 jugs and small pints. I didn't buy any. I bought a homemade whole wheat bread to support Perth's library and some cookies. All the booths were interesting and some farm brought two alpacas with them. So cute.

The best part was when I came home and looked up my stats (ranking) on amazon. I had gone up. This is due to a site named goodkindles, I'm including a link at the bottom for you to look at if you wish.

It only goes to show that when you stay home all the time, things don't happen, you have to get out and walk around and relax. At least, I'll treat that like it's true from  now on.

Goodkindles
http://www.goodkindles.net/p/author-website-list.html

Between Tweens - Middle-Grade Author Suzanne de Montigny

This is the last interview in the Between Tween mini blog hop. This week I've interviewed Suzanne de Montigny. I must apologize first because our internet is down, I'll put on bio at a later date. Thanks

1. Please give us an idea of what your story is about from your main character's perspective.

A loud, hissing sound filled the air. The unicorns looked up, their eyes filled with horror.

Azaria, a unicorn colt, is intrigued when the young, clairvoyant dinosaur, Darius, foresees a terrifying change to their world. When a giant fireball smashes into the earth, the unicorns struggle to survive the hurricanes and starvation that follow. But nothing compares to the danger when the creatures-that-walk-on-two-legs settle in the valley, and their leader discovers the healing power in the unicorns’ horns. Greedy and ruthless, Ishmael will stop at nothing in his pursuit of wealth – even the complete extinction of the herd. Azaria must find a way to outsmart Ishmael before it’s too late.

2. How long was the process for this book, like how long from idea to finish did it take?

In all honesty, about forty years if you take into account that the story is based on a novella I wrote when I was in grade six. But once I began writing it again, it took me about four years before it was published. That’s because I was learning to write properly. Now it doesn’t take me anywhere near as long to finish a book.

3. Do you write in the mornings or evenings or whenever you like?

I write in the morning when my mind is fresh as a daisy. If I write continuously until my boys come home, I’m usually pretty exhausted and can’t think anymore. That’s when I take a nap.

4. Do you have an ambition to write a paper novel some day?

Absolutely! It’s challenging selling ebooks to middle grade kids. They still like paperbacks.

5. What do you like about MuseItUp Publishing?

All the care and attention I get from other authors. They’ve been such a great help. It’s so nice to be part of such a large family of authors.







http://www.sandycarlson.com/

http://suzannesthoughtsfortheday.blogspot.ca

 http://drivingblindproductions.wordpress.com

Between Tweens - Middle Grade Author Sandy Carlson

This is the second week of Between Tweens. If you read the last week, you'll be familiar with the questions. These are Sandy's answers.


S.L. Carlson is a former elementary teacher, singer, and adventurer. She's been a member of SCBWI since 2009. Her first MG fantasy, Star Opening, came out last fall. Her tween fantasy, War Unicorn, is set to be released this summer with Muse It Young.

 1. Please give us an idea of what your story is about from your main character's perspective. I found a stupid ring buried in the ground and now this rude unicorn feels like she’s the boss of me. Take her to the king? Well, which king? There are many. (from Reginald in War Unicorn)

2. How long was the process for this book, like how long from idea to finish did it take? From writing the first sentence(which changed a few times) to sending back the editor’s revision notes, War Unicorn has taken about five years in the making.

3. Do you write in the mornings or evenings or whenever you like? I never get to write whenever I like. I write when our one and only computer is free and when I’m doing the gazillion things I’ve committed to.

4. Do you have an ambition to write a paper novel some day? I sure do. And I have done so. I've published 4 books with The Merry Viking Publishing House, and someday hope to have War Unicorn also in print.

5. What do you like about MuseItUp Publishing? Hands down, the answer to that question has to be the people. From the editors to the fellow authors. There is much encouragement and cheering on. I’m delighted to be part of the family.

 
http://www.sandycarlson.com/

http://suzannesthoughtsfortheday.blogspot.ca

 http://drivingblindproductions.wordpress.com

Between Tweens - Middle-Grade Author Heather Fraser Brainerd

Hi all. This week, and the next two weeks following, I will be posting interviews in a series called Between Tween. There are four of us, myself, Heather Brainerd, Sandy Carlson And Suzanne De Montigny. My upcoming ebook in a tween adventure and the other three are middle-grade authors. In this series we discuss our books and writing experiences.

The Between Tweens concept is that each of us come up with five interview questions, each week we post the answers of one of us until all have been interviewed by the others. The links to the other blog is posted at the bottom. 

Heather Fraser Brainerd has been writing since she was a child. After careers in both the insurance industry and early childhood education, she began writing again. Her published works include the YA paranormal romance Dream Shade and the first two books in the José Picada, PI series, Deception Al Dente and The Sound of Sirens. The José series, which is paranormal mystery for grown-ups, is co-written by Heather's brother, David Fraser. Heather and David's first MG novel, Shadows of New York, will be released in 2014.

Here's the interview

Please give us an idea of what your story is about from your main character's perspective.

In Shadows of New York, Josh Cooper is tired of getting new nannies all the time. His mom is pretty picky, though, so he doesn’t really have a choice. This time something is different: the new nanny is a dude. This surprise, however, pales in comparison to the supernatural secret that the male nanny – or “manny” – shares with Josh.

Sorry, you have to scroll down for the rest of the interview, for some reason, it can't be put higher

Press ? for keyboard shortcuts.

Heather Fraser Brainerd has been writing since she was a child. After careers in both the insurance industry and early childhood education, she began writing again. Her published works include the YA paranormal romance Dream Shade and the first two books in the José Picada, PI series, Deception Al Dente and The Sound of Sirens. The José series, which is paranormal mystery for grown-ups, is co-written by Heather's brother, David Fraser. Heather and David's first MG novel, Shadows of New York, will be released in 201Please give us an idea 

of what your story is about from your main character's perspective.

How long was the process for this book, like how long from idea to finish did it take?

Oh my gosh, that’s a good question! I think it took a couple of years. My brother David Fraser and I co-wrote Shadows of New York. During the process, we published two other books together, Dave published a short story, I published a novel, Dave started writing a novel that’s almost done, and we wrote another novel together. So it’s been a busy couple of years.

Do you write in the mornings or evenings or whenever you like?

I write whenever I can find time, which usually tends to be mid-day.

Do you have an ambition to write a paper novel some day?

Actually, I think that Shadows of New York would be great in print.

What do you like about MuseItUp Publishing?

 I love the people! It’s such a supportive, creative environment. When I signed on with MIU, I had no idea that it would lead to friendships all over the world. What a blessing that has been!

Here are some links you can find Heather's books at.

MuseItUp Publishing: http://museituppublishing.com/bookstore/index.php/our-authors/51-our-authors/authors-b/291-heather-fraser-brainerd

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Heather-Fraser-Brainerd/e/B00FNRQV0S/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1394243981&sr=8-1

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/heather-fraser-brainerd?store=allproducts&keyword=heather+fraser+brainerd

 http://www.sandycarlson.com/

http://suzannesthoughtsfortheday.blogspot.ca

 http://drivingblindproductions.wordpress.com