Coffee Blog

Pillows of steam

Writing Sparkle

The pillows of steam rising from my mug are a flavour mix of sweet and bitter. I would class this as a mild sip of coffee that doesn’t suggest chocolate truffle. It isn’t too bitter. It’s a simple roasted coffee. I’m drink Bean Around the World, Belgium chocolate truffle flavoured coffee.

If we were having coffee, I would share that on June 13th I posted “Another learning curve in my writing life.” Since then, here is what has happened. We camped (first camp of the season). This bit of camping, no electronics, and enjoying a light fun read were just the things my writing brain needed. I could feel my creative tank filling up and sparking to life. Ideas and images started drifting lazily through my mind. What a great feeling. My muse returned and I finished the rough draft of my short story with just over seven thousand words. I even participated in one of Carrot Ranch’s 99-word story prompts: Creative Expression.

Now, what was I reading that was light and fun? I was reading Joanne Fluke for the first time, “Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder.” Cozy mystery isn’t my typical genre, but the cover and title intrigued me. I loved it. I have added book two in the series to my TBR list.

How have your reading tastes changed? Mine have gone through various stages over the years. In high school, I loved reading V.C. Andrews’ books. In University, I devoured any books by Margaret Attwood that I could get my hands on. I went through a true crime phase and a few other genre phases. I’m a fantasy fan now, but I don’t read it exclusively.

If we were having coffee, I would share with you that I am on my last round of edits for an Ember Files side story. I’m going to do a cover and title reveal in September. The projected publication date is December 2023.

If we were having coffee, I would pour myself a another cup of coffee before passing you the pot and settling back to hear about your week.

By Shari Marshall – 2023

Weekend Coffee Share is hosted by Natalie the Explorer. I hope you have a chance to join us for a virtual cup. Coffee share #25 in 2023.

21 thoughts on “Pillows of steam”

  1. This all sounds like great news!!
    I’m happy you were able to feel your writing creativity coming back!

    Camping sounds so lovely, I haven’t been since I was a kid unfortunately but those were some of my best memories. 🤗

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  2. Hi Shari,

    My wife is strongly hinting that she wants a camping trip.
    For us this means a tent and air mattress and now – it would be unlikely to get any of our adult kids to go with us.
    As an old backpacker who was at one time accustomed to a tube tent and mattress pad – I wonder how I managed to fall so far.

    I’m anxious to hear how your newer works pan out and enjoyed hearing how refreshing the camping trip was for your muse.

    As for what I’m reading – lord, I’m all over the map.
    My appetite wanders a lot. You know that I start each day with some time in the Bible and of late this has meant the articles at the back of my study bible for topics of theology, biblical archeology and history followed up by some economics or social policy books by well known writers, then science fiction for fun – which has been my go-to for fun reading or historical fiction or cosmology or a romance occasionally.

    You already know that fantasy doesn’t really appeal but every now and then you produce one that simply must be read and I do enjoy your work. I’m likely missing other great fantasy authors but . . .

    Hey, I have a question on this point. How much of your first book survived the rewrites. You know that I read a very early version. Should I give it another read? Would I see a huge difference or …?

    I really hope my review helped draw attention to it.
    Blessings.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I did tent camping and pop-up trailer camping as a kid. Both are so fun and I have so many great memories. It’s funny though because I never camped with my parents after I reached a certain age and I don’t recall them camping without me. It’s too bad, really, because sitting around a campfire and just chatting is so great.

      I confess that I still haven’t read “Dune”. I’ve picked up a few times and considered, but back out. I need to be ready to read it and I’m not there yet.

      The Revised Edition of The Ember Stone, hmm, what to say. It changed enough that a new ISBN was required. The plot is the same. It starts at a different spot but ends in the same place. The middle has some tweaks and new information. If a person wanted to re-read it, I would say that you’d recognize the original story but appreciate the changes. That said, “Chimera and Curses” and the book coming out before the end of the year can be read and enjoyed regardless of whether book 1 in original or revised form has been read.

      Have you considered moving forward with your anthology, Gary?

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      1. You ask a hard question Shari.
        I’m all but locked in an overthought argument with myself about doing an anthology, actually it would just be a collection of my stories.
        As you well know, it takes a lot of effort and I’d be hugely annoyed if a book did not do well after all that effort.
        I’m more hopeful than ever that I might have an audience as I’m seeing anonymous readers viewing my stories without my doing any promotion – but the numbers are not high enough to make a decision to go forward obvious. If I could retire now and focus on it – that might move me forward.
        I also would like to pursue some single story books, but my existing 3 longer stories are not really drawing much attention. Is it a lack of good promotion? Likely, but I don’t know. Blog readers in general don’t like long posts – I know I don’t so it may also be a mismatch of media preferences for serious readers.
        Blaa – it all makes my brain hurt.
        Thanks for encouraging me along. I take it as a very kind compliment and do hope to act on it someday.

        Liked by 1 person

        1. Yes, the work going into a big writing project is a lot and we have ideas about what we want that work to accomplish. I think one of the best pieces of advice I received early on, was to know what you want for a book. That whole question of, why are you writing? Keep blogging with us, Gary, we like your stories.

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  3. Camping does have a way of recharging & energizing our inner being. We’re anxious to go camping with our teardrop for the 1st time when the rain settles.

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  5. I love camping, though we haven’t been for a couple of years. We are in the depths of winter now, so any camping will have to wait a few months. Great to hear about your week and your news.

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    1. Jennifer, one of my favourite things about blogging is making virtual friends with people in different parts of the world. Winter in your part of the world, you must have some winter activities that you are enjoying.

      Thanks for stopping in.

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  6. Being out in nature and reading – I can see how that got the creative juices flowing! I don’t camp much any more (wish I did…) but I did spend a few hours at a friend’s rustic camp site on Tuesday evening and it was a lot of fun. We cooked over the open fire and everything….
    Hope you are enjoying the weekend and that you have a wonderful week ahead!

    Liked by 1 person

  7. How fun for you to camp and get your writing muse back. The location looks lovely. Were you published in Parents Magazine? I used to sell subscriptions to it door to door when I was in my early 20s. It was actually kind of fun. Hope you have more fun camping this summer!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Hi Marsha, yes I was published in Parents Canada. The original article was published in August/September 2016 and reprinted by them online in February 2021. If you are curious about the article it can be found here: https://www.parentscanada.com/family-life/one-mothers-struggle-over-the-right-words-for-male-and-female-parts/
      I love that you sold subscriptions door to door, that would be fun. Thanks for stopping in. Happy Sunday.

      Liked by 1 person

  8. Hello! I’m finally caught up to current with your blogs (I hope!). I keep the email alerts for the blog posts I haven’t read yet. My number was well over 100, but I’m chugging through the backlog today.

    I haven’t been writing much. I’m posting a story I wrote during November weekly on my blog, so at least there’s something going up, but I haven’t been moved to write at all recently. But, on today’s to do list is to set a goal for Camp NaNoWriMo, which starts on July 1st. I think I’m going to continue (and hopefully finish) the story I’m posting now. I only have five more chapters written.

    Grad school has sapped my creative energy, but I’m on a trip right now, and I think that will help rekindle. I love your camping set up! We “camp” a lot now, but it’s more “glamping.” No wifi in the RV, but there is in the main buildings at camp. We do karaoke, trivia, dance parties, and eat at a food truck… It’s really not camping, but we do it out of an RV. It’s a lot of fun, though, and we’ve made many new friends! I’m looking forward to going back next weekend!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. It sounds like you have a lot going on. Grad school would definitely require a lot of your time and creative energy. That’s a far trade though, I think. I’ve never done the July NaNoWriMo. Does it run the same as the November one?

      Thanks for stopping in. Happy camping.

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