Randall’s Ramblings – 31 Jan 2016

Today marks the second posting of my ramblings. Topics will vary from week to week, but will be related in some way to writing.  I’m also open to any suggested topics.

Why I want to Write–What’s Led Me to This Stage in My Life

Last week I wrote about an English teacher I had in high school.  I clearly received a good grounding from her, which turned out to be very important. I had also learned to type, not fast, about seventy-five words a minute, but good enough.  My writing and typing skills landed me my first job–in an office. About six months of that and I was ready to move on.  What did I want to do?  I had no idea, so I joined the Army, and this time was exposed to technical writing.

My enlistment was completed after three years and I enrolled in the local community college.  With the mandatory assistance of a guidance counselor (since I was receiving GI Bill financial support to attend), I enrolled in my first classes: English, Geology, Biology, Political Science, and Algebra.  What did they all have in common? Expository writing.  Sure, there might have been some creative writing in the English class, but all I can remember today is term paper after term paper. 

Next week we’ll find out more.

My Work in Progress

I was pleased with my progress over the past week on ‘The Kurdish Connection’, posting chapters 42 and 43 for review on the two subscription writing sites I use.  There are a number of faithful readers who surface to review each new posting. Once again, they offered excellent suggestions to enhance the chapters and my overall writing skills.

I spent a bit of time this week working on the basic outline for ‘A Cartel’s Revenge’, which I hope to begin writing later this year.  To find out what this will be about, please check out last week’s post if you haven’t already done so.

Finally, I received some positive feedback on ‘The Adventures of Postal Man’, an idea I’ve been playing with since entering a short story contest with ‘Postal Man.’  This novel will  take young Henry, who loves superheroes, from childhood through his teens and into his working life.  Henry will be an average person who finds himself in situations where he can help others.  Later in life, it’s his birthday–he buys himself a cake to take home to his empty house–and has a wonderful surprise. 

Blog Posts I’d Like to Share

Each week I skim through dozens of blogs, seeking inspiration for my own work.  I find reading other works will stimulate my brain and generate whole passages that I jot down before I forget.  Today, I have two more blogs I’d like to share.  Both are inspirational, looking at everyday things that impact upon us all.  The creators share their thoughts with us, one through prose and the other via poetry. 

Insights From the Edge – about intangibles and our experiences.

Keith Garrett Poetry – daily poems to make you think about the world around us.

Books I’m Reading

I’ve started reading ‘Dead Charming’ by Ian Jackson, but I’m not reading to give my impressions just yet.  I prefer to do this when I finish a book, but other events slowed me down.  Hope to have Ian’s book finished over the next week.

Just before starting Ian’s book, I finished another one by Kerry Donovan, ‘On Lucky Shores.’

Here’s my thoughts regarding ‘On Lucky Shores’ – Kerry has done it again.  Chet Walker is looking for a music gig and heads to a small town in the mountains.  He’s nearly run over, attacked by two thugs in the hospital, and the local sheriff is very suspicious about Chet’s reasons for visiting his town. That’s just in the opening chapters! He meets the girl of his dreams, lands a gig at the local club, and manages to get involved in an intriguing mix of mystery and mayhem. What secrets lurk beneath the surface of this town? Twists and turns abound until at last the truth is revealed.  A steady pace through the “romantic” parts, jumping into high gear to match the action.  A great start to a new series for Kerry. 

Writing Resources

This week I’d like to mention two online resources I use to check over my work before posting for review.  While nothing can take the place of a human’s input, especially an English teacher, these resources can be helpful:

Autocrit.com – covers pacing & momentum, dialogue, strong writing, and other areas.

Grammarly.com – checks grammar, punctuation, style, and more.