A Light in the Writer's Block Darkness

It's funny sometimes how life works out.

Every year for many years now, fellow original WriteOn Joliet member Duanne Walton has presented me with a thoughtful gift of some kind during the holidays.

For the last few years, that gift's been a candle.

The first candle was a "werewolf candle." I now burn this one sparingly because it's out-of-stock.

The second candle was called "The Playwright," which I burned during the oom rehearsals for WriteOn Joliet's oom radio play. That's the candle with the dusty lid, which I set aside to burn again for the 2026 radio play rehearsals.

This year's candle is called "Wordsmith." So now I have rehearsal choices.

And it's funny how life works out.

Because I wrote this post to post today.

And tonight launches WriteOn Joliet's 2026 radio play with our first table reading.

And due to brutally cold temperatures that are predicted for tonight, it's likely that table reading will move to Zoom, where I can burn this candle while we read.

You should also know that I presented Duanne with a special gift this year, too.

My niece and goddaughter Rachel, who directed WriteOn Joliet's two radio play, owns White Stag Wares with her husband Michael.

And Michael created this one-of-a-kind leather journal cover for Duanne, who journals regularly and has a robust collection of journals.

We selected the colors, texture, and size based on Duanne's preferences.

So Duanne, like me, will be able to enjoy his gift long, long past Christmas - and enjoy the  happy glow of a longstanding writely friendship.

"It's Better to Light One Candle Than to Curse the Darkness"

When my oldest son Christopher was born in 1982, we found some inspirational pamphlets in the back of our chufch by an organization called The Christophers.

We thought it was a good idea to collect them for him to enjoy when he was older. So we wrote to the organization, and it began to send them to us in the mail whenever it released a new one.

The Christophers had a motto that has always stayed with me: "It's better to light one candle than to curse the darkness."

Isn't that a lovely thought? 

Lighting one candle doesn't dispel the darkness in the world.

But it can light up a room enough to see.

To view those pamphlets, visit christophers.org/news-notes.

Happy Tuesday!

The Young Woman's Part-Time Job

Many, many years ago, I wrote a story about a young, single woman in her 20s who, unlike many people today, worked two jobs.

However, her purpose was not the typical reason.

The full-time job was for her.

The part-time job was for everyone else.

With the funds from the part-time job, this woman ran a clothing closet and a food pantry out of her garage.

I don't remember her name or how long ago I wrote the story. But my office was the attic office in Channahon and likely before Ron and I started The Higher Ark Youth Group for our church.. 

So I'm guessing approximately twenty-five years ago.

Her story inspired me because it proved that one person through hard work can make a significant change. 

I don't recall why she chose to tackle this on her own. She may have run into obstacles that led her to simply fund it herself.

But that's how Ron and I got things done.

We rolled up our sleeves and made changes at our church.

Ron painted, using paint we bought.

Ron and the kids cleaned out, painted, and organized the pantry.

Ron stripped all the floor wax in the large and small halls and rewaxed everything.

I created an entire Sunday School program with our money, organized it, and paid for it.

We did the same thing for the youth group, remodeling three outbuildings (two garages and one attached wooden shed) on our property, hiring an out-of-work constractor to construct a fourth, and buying a shed for the "stuff."

The kids jumped in and stuffed Sunday inserts for newspaper carriers to help buy snacks and pop, etc. for the youth group.

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, a writer comrade contacted me and asked me to edit his second book. I'd always turned those opportunities down, mostly because my schedule was tight between family, my own writing work, WriteOn Joliet, my own fiction writing, and because editing is expensive, and I knew writers on the independent level would likely never make that money back, ever.

But he insisted he would not take "no" for an answer. So I took on this project and then a few more, charging far, far, far below industry standard rates, more of a stipend, really.

And that inspired the beginning of the book giveaways, including this book giveaway.

When my oldest son Christopher was born in 1982, we found few pamphlets by an organization called The Christophers that we began collecting for when he was older.

The Christophers had a motto that has always stayed with me: "It's better to light one candle than to curse the darkness."

Lighting one candle doesn't dispel the darkness in the world.

But it can light up a room enough to see.

Happy Monday!

 

Illustrated Results of the 2022 At-Home Writing Retreat

Good morning!

Story roundup will return next week when I actually have some stories to share.

I had vacation time to use by the end of the year, so I took an at-home writing retreat to start and complete a project that's evaded me all year.

With a light outline on my screen, my objective was to write a 20,000 to 25,000 page, 12-chapter book and then edit it on my next day off.

I had plenty of water, coffee (including the Dunkin' from Rebekah on Saturday), salt, incense (don't judge the scents, all gifts from Timothy), Blood Moon candle (a gift from Duanne), and a few timeouts to give Faith extra attention this week, especially when she wasn't feeling well (she's in for a surprise next week when the routine returneth) since Faith has small cell lymphoma.

Photos are below. As you'll see, there's nothing romantic about a writing retreat.

I'll share the specifics of the project on Monday as this week's work is actually the third part. No, I'm not being weirdly mysterious to create buzz, just sticking to the topic and leaving the "info dump" behind.

The retreat ends tomorrow evening. I have 1.5 days left (I need to spend half a day catching up on life things).

Here are my results:

Just under 17,000 words written and edited.

Eight chapters written with final edits very nearly done.

Four more to write.

So not quote the goal I set out to accomplish.

But since most of the editing is done, I feel comfortable from this point (Friday morning) that I can finish the project on my next day off (I work the following weekend, so I'll have a day off during the week).

Only regret: I did not build as much rest (for me) into this week as I had hoped.

But this retreat also wasn't the intense, singularly focused retreat I tend to take.

I also:

I spent some time with family.

I participated in a previously scheduled storytelling event on Wednesday night.

I co-led the regularly schedule WriteOn Joliet critique group on Thursday night.

I popped onto the 5 a.m. writer's club donut party this morning.

And I went grocery shopping with Rebekah this morning before she signed onto work.

Believer it or not, I still have a pile of work sitting next to me from last week that I never addressed or put away (It's under the books I used for worldbuilding reference).

But I am back to work on Sunday. And now I won't have to hunt to find it.

Just so you know, the blank screen doesn't mean I was slacking. That's the screen for my work computer.

The photo below holds the proof.

Werewolves and Bergamot

I received this "werewolf" candle for Christmas from writing comrade and original WriteOn Joliet member Duanne Walton.

I love its scent and, so, I burn it sparingly. Because, you know, when it's gone, it's gone.

What makes this candle especially fun, and what Duanne could not have possible known when he bought it, is the subtle Lycanthropic Summer connection it has.

Yes, I'm sure Duanne knew I wrote a werewolf novel.

But one of this candle's scents is bergamot.

And would you believe that scent is featured in that werewolf novel?

Aconite is understandable.

But - bergamot?

Nice coincidence, huh?