Skip to content

Author, Editor, Book Coach

Welcome!
About Me
Blog
Books
FAQs
Contact
Services

tito7web

I'd love to hear your thoughts! Cancel reply

Post navigation

Previous PostPrevious Rockin’ the Casbah Notes: Dust & Feathers

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Stay connected! Enter your email address to receive new posts delivered right to your inbox.

I respect your privacy and will never sell or share your information.

Email Address

Search this blog

Search for:

nitacollinswriter

Sam has an excellent nose, and today he sniffed a

Sam has an excellent nose, and today he sniffed a spot on the pavement for what felt like forever. I waited, bent in half on the other end of the leash trying to make out what could possibly be holding his interest in that particular dusty bit of gravel. He sniffed intently at the tips of the rose bushes growing alongside the road, the newly opened leaves as tiny as a baby’s fingernail. He spent considerable time examining the remains of last fall’s Oregon grape, some of the leaves still reddish-green, though faded now. When we got to the bottom of the hill, he greeted Gary, who was trimming the park hedges … and then he wanted to go home. He didn’t want to continue down to the beach for a walk along the lake, even though the sand is full of old fish bones dropped by the eagles. He didn’t want to “get the mail” even though several of the resident dogs that live along the way leave regular messages for him. He didn’t want to go into the woods, even though the deer have recently been by. When we got home I cooked him up some eggs, rice and spinach for a special supper-time treat. He gobbled it right up, his usual gluttonous self. After that, he clickey click clicked around the house for awhile before jumping up onto the bed to stare intently out the window and woof at a crow. My old man, Sam is almost 14. My heart hurts to think of what lies ahead, the closing of the inevitable circle.

�Day 5, #creative walking tour @mariannedekleer. #amwriting #writing #writingcommunity #writersofinstagram #writingcommunity

Look here, my darling, A bridge once trod by fairi

Look here, my darling,
A bridge once trod by fairies,
Sinking into moss.

Day 4 Creative Walking Tour - take a picture of something and write a haiku about it. :)

#creativewalkingtour #creativewalkingtourchallenge #mindfulwalking #575 #haiku @mariannedekleer #writing #amwriting #writersofinstagram #writerscommunity #midlifecreative #creativeinspiration

Day 3 Creative Walking Tour The theme for day thr

Day 3 Creative Walking Tour

The theme for day three is small delights, and Sam is mine. This photo shows the delight he takes in simply being alive. The joyful freedom to run and run and run. To be pulled up short, attention caught by a new scent to explore, another story to read, another thread to puzzle out. Sam pivots and dodges and changes direction without fear, always moving forward. He experiences joy as a given, not as a thing to strive for.

Delight is Sam's gift to me. What small things delight you?
#creativewalkingtour #creativewalkingtourchallenge #mindfulwalking #smalldelights #amwriting #writingcommunity #writersofinstagram #writerscommunity #writer #creativeinspiration #creativeliving #midlifecreative #midlifewomen @mariannedekleer

My husband and I take in the world very differentl

My husband and I take in the world very differently. Where he walks with his eyes on the horizon, my gaze is usually in the very near distance. He’s looking at cloud formations and the snow on the hills while I’m looking at leaf buds, moss, and pebbles. In a way, it’s a reflection of the way we live our lives…he, outward looking; me, inward. It’s a nice balance and has served us well for over 40 years. Because of this, he is always able to point out wonderous big-picture things to me - the haze of a distant rain shower suspended mid-air, a rainbow, a lone goose sitting incongruously atop a telephone pole. I, on the other hand, am delighted to point out the small, often unseen or overlooked things to him. The first pussywillows, the reddish-brown buds protecting the newly-born aspen leaves, still sticky and smelling of resin, a single pebble amongst the millions on the beach. When we return home, his mind is full of what to do next, and my pockets are full of rocks.

Day 2 #creativewalkingtour #creativewalkingtourchallenge #mindfulwalking #unseenbeauty #amwriting #writingcommunity #writersofinstagram #writerscommunity #writer #creativeinspiration #creativeliving #midlifecreative #midlifewomen @mariannedekleer

#Day1 of the Creative Walking Tour. Sam and I stro

#Day1 of the Creative Walking Tour. Sam and I stroll along the beach and enjoy the blustery wind. The rumble of the train with its echoing tritone horn blows a warning as it rounds the point across the lake. The rushing waves chase each other to shore as the sun darts in and out from behind the clouds. The long trilling call of a flicker. A crow sitting on the tippy top of a swaying cedar tree. A dozen tiny gnats swarm around my head, their shadows like tiny polkadots playing a game of chase over my notebook as I try to hold a page steady against the breeze. The air carries the scent of fresh lake water and rain on the way. #creativewalkingtour #creativewalkingtourchallenge #mindfulwalking #5senseswalking #fivesenses #amwriting #writingcommunity #writersofinstagram #writerscommunity #writer #creativeinspiration #creativeliving #midlifecreative #midlifewomen

The year I turned 40 a friend did a spread for me.

The year I turned 40 a friend did a spread for me. It was such a powerful experience, I’ve never forgotten it. What I took away from that session steered me into the next decade.

Now more than 20 years later, I’m in a place where I yearn to explore what it means to become an elder. A wise woman. A crone. Part of that is relearning how to listen to my intuition.

I’m curious to explore as I enter this next stage in my life. And so, remembering the powerful afternoon I spent with my friend Barbie all those years ago, I purchased my very first tarot deck to see if it will help me focus. I look forward to playing around with it.

Have you used tarot as a way to focus on a question or aspect of life you're trying to figure out? Got any tips for newby me?

* *
As a lifelong learner and Author Accelerator certified book coach, I work with women who are writing (or want to write) a novel, but who are paralyzed with uncertainty. There's such a plethora of confusing dos, don’ts, and writerly advice out there. Don't let the ‘rules’ be the brick wall between you and writing your story.

A book coach can help you get the story that's stuck in your head onto the page. Let's find clarity together!

#amwriting #amediting #bookcoach #bookcoaching #amwritingfiction #fictionwriting #positiveaging #wfwa #authoraccelerator #womenfictionwriters #novelwriting #novelwritingtips #writingadvice #writingtips #authorlife #writeyournovel #writingcommunity #writerssupportingwriters #writingcoaching #writingtipsandtricks #writerscorner
#writersofinstagram #authorsofinstagram

Good morning! In my world, Sundays are for goofing

Good morning! In my world, Sundays are for goofing around. And so, later today, Sam plans to take his time checking out the latest pee mail out on the doggy trail while we follow along behind, sipping a cappuccino from Timmies. Sam wonders…what plans do you have for this fine Sunday?

Do you ever need to take a break from your writing

Do you ever need to take a break from your writing? I’m here to tell you that it’s okay. It’s okay to take a break to let the creative well refill, to deal with whatever crap’s going on in your life, or to just rest. A day? A week? Hell, even a month. It’s okay. You’re still a writer.

#amwriting #amediting #bookcoach #bookcoaching #amwritingfiction #fictionwriting #positiveaging #wfwa #authoraccelerator #womenfictionwriters #novelwriting #novelwritingtips #writingadvice #writingtips #authorsofinstagram #writersofinstagram #authorlife #writeyournovel #writingcommunity #writerssupportingwriters #writingcoaching #writingtipsandtricks #writerscorner #wfwa

Sometimes when I'm not able to disappear with my l

Sometimes when I'm not able to disappear with my laptop, I get my writing time in by sitting with my ipad or phone and writing notes into an email, which I then send to myself. Today, for instance, when other responsibilities required my presence, I was able to write a couple of paragraphs in the voice of my protagonist. They'll be waiting for me when I'm able to devote time to them. Anyone else do this? 🙂✔️ #novelwriting #writingtipsandtricks #timemanagementtips #writingtips photo by NDumlao, unsplash

This is what my writing desk looks like today: res

This is what my writing desk looks like today: research and getting some thoughts down by hand. I find that I think just a little bit differently with pencil and paper than I do at the keyboard, and when I'm feeling stuck, sometimes all it takes is changing things up a bit. What works for you? #amwriting #amwritingfiction #amwritingsciencefiction #writingcommunity #writersover50 #writersover60 #writersofinstagram #writersofig #writingtips #writer #canadianwriter #thewriterswarmth #bookcoach #bookcoaching

It's noon! A little later in the day than usual, b

It's noon! A little later in the day than usual, but I'm finally at the laptop getting ready to do some writing on the new novel. Do you have a favourite time to write? #amwriting #amwritingfiction #amwritingsciencefiction #writingcommunity #writersover50 #writersover60 #writersofinstagram #writersofig #writingtips #writer #canadianwriter

As a life-long learner, there will never come a ti

As a life-long learner, there will never come a time where I will say I’ve learned all there is to learn. There will always be new things to discover and new ways to look at things.

As a writer, there will always be new concepts to explore and challenging craft elements to practice. I’ll never stop experimenting — how will writing in a different tense will affect my character? How will writing in a different POV affect the flavour of my storytelling? As a life-long learner I will always seek out feedback and differing reader opinions, ask the advice of editors and coaches.

In this world of so many burdens and responsibilities, sometimes the gift of keeping an open mind and actively seeking out new ways to understand and portray the world around me is the only true gift I can give myself.

What does being a life-long learner mean to you?

#amwriting #amediting #bookcoach #bookcoaching #amwritingfiction #fictionwriting #positiveaging #wfwa #authoraccelerator #novelwriting #novelwritingtips #writingadvice #writingtips #authorsofinstagram #writersofinstagram #authorlife #writeyournovel #writingcommunity #writerssupportingwriters #writingcoaching #writingtipsandtricks #writerscorner

Merry Christmas to all. Wishing you an abundance o

Merry Christmas to all. Wishing you an abundance of peace and joy in the coming year.
#writingcommunity #writersofinstagram #bookstagram #amwriting #bookcoaching

I wrote 800 brand new words on the novel today des

This is why I’m not getting any writing done thi

This is why I’m not getting any writing done this afternoon. What’s your excuse?
#amwriting #writingcommunity #writerscommunity #writersofinstagram #womensfictionwritersassociatio
n #wfwa #womenwritingfiction

I love being a book coach! My mood went from tears

I love being a book coach! My mood went from tears to smiles today, thanks to happy mail from #AuthorAccelerator.

Load More... Follow on Instagram

Welcome!
Blog
About Me

Proudly powered by WordPress