Month: September 2021

Why I Live in Catalina AZ

It’s beginning to cool off, just a bit here in southern Arizona. Nights are in the 60’s, last night it was the high 50’s. I am refreshed and excited for the cool temps. Although I would prefer it to be truly fall, this preview is giving me all the feels. Soon long sleeves won’t be relegated to storage in a closet.

I love my cold weather gear. Living for a while in Tioga, ND was stellar for this cold weather lover. I adore coats and jackets, boots and scarves, pulling on a knit cap and gloves for a

Catalina Bonfire

walk outside, and having bonfires.

I love that my grandson and nieces and nephews know when they come to my house we will have a fire!

This was part of my motivation to find property out here. We are rather rural (though the city is creeping closer,) Catalina is 12 miles

Santa Catalina Mountains

north of Tucson, behind the Santa Catalina Mountains.

We are also 1000 feet higher than Tucson which provides slightly cooler temps (still get 100 in the summer) and

Snow the next day on our road

often have snow every winter.

We’ve have snow stick to the ground for several days which gives me massive joy. My friend called one morning to ask if the snow was still on the ground and when I confirmed it was she came out with her daughter to play. You can tell by the pic the snow was still falling. It was fabulous.

Kristen and Taylor in the snow

So this winter weather fan is happy the temps are cooler and the days are shorter.

So my friends what is your favorite season?

Cheers!

-N

Looking to Whimsy

I try to settle in, and do the things to help make a cool living environment. I don’t like the place I live so I do everything to lift up my space so it has magic, green, and is filled with whimsy.

I love the Miss Marples on BBC,  people walking in the rain 🌧 not thinking twice. Everyone carries an umbrella. Everything is green, creeks running and trees with big leaves. I like a misty emerald landscape made for walking.

So different from where I live. Here its dry, brown, dusty, and trees with skinny leaves and cactus. I find so much I don’t like.

So I keep dreaming of a place, a place filled with my hearts desires and wishes, a place in the mist.

Cheers!

-N

TikTok and the Pro-Life Argument — Black Conservative Independent: The White Sheep of the Black Community (reblog)

This is my daughter from another mother. She is beautiful, intelligent, snarky, won’t back down and has a lot to say. Click on the link, be fair and listen.

 

Kuuleme T Stephens: This is the most IGNORANT argument I’ve heard in a while, so I thought I’d write about it! The arguments for what is viewed as racist is out of control! The Left loves calling everything out as racist, and in my opinion the Right appeases them with a reactionary response that does […]

TikTok and the Pro-Life Argument — Black Conservative Independent: The White Sheep of the Black Community

Challenge Ends Tomorrow

The writing challenge I started the first of September ends tomorrow.

It’s been a really good experience for me. I’ve been driven to write at least 1000 words a day and I’ll be honest with you sometimes it was hard to get going every day. But I did it and I’m proud of me.

My story is at least 2/3 of the way to completion of the first draft. This challenge helped me fall in love with my book again. The people became even more real. When fictional characters are so real in your mind you speak of them as actual humans the prose has weight and existence.

I posted a synopsis and the first chapter at this link https://steviawithcream.com/anchor-bay-stormy-love/

Let’s hope I can keep this going and I plan to keep my connection with Chapter Buzz for accountability.

Cheers!

-N

Book Progress

I have got a lot of work happening on my new book and I’m having a great time writing. Here is the synopsis of the story:

                Anchor Bay – Stormy Love

               Lily Brighton was widowed the same day her husband delivered the divorce papers. T

om Chambers ex-wife is an alcoholic who doesn’t understand that the concept of divorce means she is on her own.

Plus something suspicious is happening out in the bay that may be related to the theft and graffiti happening up and down the Maine coast.

I’m at the point where I am trying to come up with a cover idea so I can do some early marketing of the book. When I get a bit closer to finishing the first draft I am going to start Instagram and Facebook author pages. These will connect me with readers and followers so I get the word out about new books, promotions and special contests. I am curious if any of you lovely blog followers are authors who have done things like this and what was the best tool you found?

One thing I am blessed with is an incredibly supportive husband who understands when I say “wait, I’ve got to work” while I’m sitting at my computer. He is cool when I have music or YouTube playing in the background, or when I am talking out loud to myself.

So this little blog is an update, a request for information and sharing a little more about me.

Cheers!

-N

 

Charlie’s Hands

My six year old grandson spent the night with us this past Sunday night and we took him home Monday afternoon. He and his Poppa had a great time in the pool that night

GLOW SWIMMING

doing a glow swim which is swimming wearing glow stick necklaces.

Besides just hanging out with him and having fun laughing and talking I noticed something about his hands. They captivated me. Watching him do things using those precious hands was fascinating. The way he holds out his pinky when he drinks from his water bottle and the way his fingers move so quickly when he is playing Minecraft on my phone kept my attention.

MY COOL CHARLIE

He is very dexterous with holding things, carrying several things at a time and using his camera. His fingers are long and his palms are wide. His little fingernails are perfect.

It made me think of how amazing our hands really are. We can pick up a handful of items and balance them in our hands then reach over and open a drawer while not losing a thing. Just fascinating how our bodies are made. We can communicate with our hands by doing what I am doing right now – typing on my computer, or with American Sign Language we can have conversations.

Not sure there’s a cooler kid than him. Agree?

Cheers!

-N

My Challenge Discovery

As I told you lovely readers in a previous blog, I accepted the Great Big Indie Author Launchpad Challenge to write 1000 words a day from September 1st to the 21st.

My work space

This challenge has made me discover something amazing about my writing. When I start each day, I write a few sentences to start, maybe 100 words come pretty quickly. Then I get up, get more coffee, look at e-mails all while the page is open on the screen (I have two screens) and I jump back and forth. When I reach about 300 words the narrative begins to flow, it just comes out, and my mind is in the writing space.

The muse has shown up and I am rocking.

That’s the trigger word count for me to go off – 300 words. It seems my brain engages the muse, the engine starts and the story is up and running. Man that is a blast!

Since September 1st I’ve managed to write over 8000 words and if I keep this progress up I will finish this book by the end of the challenge.

Cheers!

-N

Writer Query

All you writer types out there, I have a question:

Do you use a program for editing, like Scrivener, SmartEdit Writer, or Ulysses? If so what is your preference and why?

My writing is interesting and fun, but there are things I’ve heard of with these types of programs that I am curious about and wonder if they do give your documents-novels-short stories-blog posts the finished professional editing touch?

So gentle readers any comments?

Cheers!

-N

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nuancevoiceing-nancy-vaughn/

Facing my challenge

Today I begin the “Great Big Indie Author Launchpad Challenge” through Chapter Buzz to write 1000 words a day for 21 days.

I just realized this challenge ends a few days before my birthday. Let’s hope I can give myself the gift of a finished first draft of my manuscript. The contemporary fiction book I am writing is one I have already started but this challenge will really push me to finish the last two thirds. I am also part of a support group through this and hope to make some great and helpful contacts in the writing world.

So wish me luck and I will keep you posted on my progress.

Cheers!

-N