Passing

A friend and one of my writing classmates passed away this week. It is always difficult to experience the loss of someone but my friend was someone who clearly helped improve my writing. He was always willing to provide constructive criticism and point me in the right direction. Fred, you are missed but in your wonderful novels about the theater your voice continues and it is as strong as ever.

The Lost Relics

Last month my MCC writing class and I took our teacher out for brunch at the Marlborough Tavern. One topic we discussed was for each student (there are ten of us) to submit a ten-page short story to be included in a self-published compilation. I have finished a draft of my short story and have sent it off to one of my classmates for critique. It's titled 'The Lost Relics' and is a story in the realm of a Dan Brown (Da Vinci Code, Angels & Demons) mystery. The plan is for all of us to have final edits of our short stories ready by January and then submit them to Booklocker.com. With this compilation and my three novels planned for publication, 2011 will prove to be an exciting year.

Amazon Kindle

Today I received my new Kindle 3G Wireless Reading Device. It works on the 3G network as well as WiFi. I downloaded Montana Harvest and using the speech to text function, I listened to the first eight chapters. Listening to my novel allows me not only to hear my writing out loud but it will also help me edit my work.

Tomorrow's Powwow

Tomorrow is the 17th annual Wolf Den Powwow in Pomfret, Connecticut. We are planning to attend early and enjoy our time there. I do plan to take pictures and will look for some Native American products (jewelery, prayer mix, sage, fry bread, buffalo burgers, etc.). Last year I purchased a prayer mix, some sage, and a beautiful, hand-made blanket. I am really looking forward to this.

I find that when I am at powwows, I feel most relaxed with the sounds and smells that embrace me there. I often look up at the sky and sense a smile from above guarding us all who are there. In Native American culture no symbol is more important than the circle.

From the shape of the bottom of a tipi, to the shape of a drum to the shape of a dream catcher, they all describe the endless boundary of existence. The meaning of the circle explains everything from the spheres of the sun, planets, and the moon to the circuits of the seasons, to even our own bodies' circulatory system. Everything must return from whence it came. It is the cycle of life and it is expressed most profoundly at a powwow where everything sacred can be found in the circle.

UPCOMING POWWOW

In the past, this is the best Powwow I have ever attended. There are over 25 vendors, plenty of buffalo burgers and fry bread, music, singing, and dancing for all.

Many of the products offered are authentic Native-made and are not cheap knock-offs that you may see passed off at other venues. Such things as smudge sticks, sage, prayer mixes, blankets, pipes, flutes, and jewelery, are of a very high quality and are hand-made.

If you wish to purchase Native-made products, this is the place to support the Native hands that made these wonderful items.

As Jim Buchanan's grandfather (Chief Soaring Eagle) once said, “Little Hawk, the beauty isn't in the beads on your neck, or the pipes we smoke, or the moccasins we wear; the beauty is in the hands that made them.”

October 16-17

Wolf Den 17th Annual Powwow, Wolf Den State Park, Jct Rte.44 & 101, Pomfret Ctr., CT 860-428-7271

Montana Harvest

Last night I completed Montana Harvest. Today I printed my manuscript for a final review before I send it off to my editor. It settled out at 59,745 words on 222 double spaced pages and these will likely change after my own once-over and then my editor's suggestions. If everything plans out as expected I should have it ready for publishing in January.