Standing Into Danger: IWSG Day

Showing posts with label IWSG Day. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 1, 2026

IWSG Day: Wednesday, July 1, 2026 ~ Wishing for a Magic Wand

It's the first Wednesday of the month,
the day that members of the
Insecure Writer's Support Group
share their writing struggles
and writing successes
and offer their encouragement
and support to fellow writers.

To visit the IWSG website, click here.

To become a member of the IWSG, click here.

Our wonderful co-hosts who are volunteering today,
along with IWSG Founder Alex J. Cavanaugh are

Rebecca Douglass, Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Cathrina Constantine, and Jacqui Murray!

Stop by their posts and thank them for hosting.

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Every month the IWSG announces a question that members can answer
with advice, insight, a personal experience, or a story in their IWSG posts.

Or, the question can inspire members
if they aren't sure what to write about on IWSG Day.

Remember the question is optional.

This month's optional question is:

Is there anything you'd like to see changed, added, and/or rearranged about the book publishing industry?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Happy July, Everyone!

I hope that you have had a happy, healthy, and fulfilling June!

I've been home since last IWSG Day, and that has been wonderful.

I've had time to sit out on our deck with Terry and enjoy the long summer evenings.

Almost Mid-Summer's Eve

Looking West Toward the Rockies

Aurora, Colorado, USA

June 16, 2026

Being home has also forced me to confront all that remains

to be done after our major home renovation last year.

"You're still unpacking?" gasped my bought-and-sold-many houses,

moved-way-too-many-times best friend over dinner late Sunday afternoon.

"I'm not you, Cheri." I deadpanned.

Our Amazing Friends, Cheri and Gary

Maggiano's Little Italy

Englewood, Colorado, USA

November 28, 2019

They had recently arrived from their winter home in Arizona

to spend the summer in their Colorado condo on the far side of town.

We get together as often as we can.

Cheri can pack up or unpack a house or condo in two or three days,

and she doesn't have to resort to Swedish Death Cleaning like I must now.

She does not get distracted like I do.

Guaranteed she wouldn't have come across the receipts for her wedding night

like I did while sorting through a stack of papers this week.

She'd have pitched those receipts after her wedding month.

And she wouldn't have been sidetracked like I was

by preserving them in my journal while enjoying a margarita. 😂

My distractibility, okay ADHD, also explains why I'm always racing to finish my IWSG post.

Despite all good my intentions, here I am again madly typing at the last minute.

Really, did our posting day have to land on the first day of the month?

So this month's question asks what I'd like to see changed,

added, and/or rearranged about the book publishing industry.

What I really want is a magic wand that I can wave over my manuscript mess

and transform it to a published best seller on the New York Times Best Seller List.

I'd be doing a book tour with the planning and financing handled by my publishing company

~ nice hotels and meals please, also a makeup artist and a hairstylist to accompany me.

My publishing company would arrange for me to appear

on CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip, where the panel and I would discuss

my brilliant expose of Canada's treatment of Indigenous people in my memoir.

And ... well, that ain't going to happen.

So, since I, as a writer hoping to get my memoir published, have to do all the heavy lifting

of marketing ~ like defining my target audience, building an author's platform,

promoting my book online and in live venues, finding reviews, and selling my book,

so I, as a writer who frequently feels like Sisyphus,

want to own the rights to my book and higher royalties.

My Writing Mess

My Father's Students and Classroom

Photo by Donald Blair MacBeath

Lansdowne House, Northern Ontario, Canada

January 1961

But I'll worry more about these things when the time gets closer.

Meanwhile I'll keep plodding along on my manuscript and our house.

Happy Canada Day to all the Canadians celebrating today! 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 🇨🇦

Happy Independence Day to all the Americans celebrating on the 4th! 🇱🇷 🇱🇷 🇱🇷

May the US beat Bosnia and Herzegovina in the World Cup today! ⚽ ⚽ ⚽

I'll be celebrating everything!

Canadian by Birth, American by Naturalization

Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, Canada

If you are also a member of our Facebook Group,

I invite you to visit and to provide a link to your IWSG post.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/IWSG13

Facebook members are invited to answer our July question too.

Happy creating in July!

Take care!

Till next time ~

Fundy Blue

Standing Into Danger https://selkiegrey4.blogspot.com

My next post will be Friday, July 10th 🤞

Just so you know, I monitor my comments before publishing them. This means your comment won't appear immediately. I will not publish mean spirited or commercial comments.

Wednesday, June 5, 2024

IWSG: Wednesday, June 5, 2024 ~ What Should the IWSG Offer to Members?

Our wonderful co-hosts who are volunteering today,
along with IWSG Founder Alex J. Cavanaugh are Liza at Middle Passages, Shannon Lawrence, Melissa Maygrove, and Olga Godim!

I hope you have a chance to visit today's hosts and thank them for co-hosting.

I'm sure they would appreciate a visit and an encouraging comment.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Every month the IWSG announces a question that members can answer
with advice, insight, a personal experience, or a story in their IWSG posts.

Or, the question can inspire members
if they aren't sure what to write about on IWSG Day.

Remember the question is optional.

This month's featured question is:

In this constantly evolving industry, what kind of offering/service do you think the IWSG should consider offering to members?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Happy June, Everyone!

Where is this year going? We're almost half through it!

I'm writing my post on Monday in my room at the Plaza in Downtown Las Vegas.

I fly home tomorrow on Tuesday, and 🤞, I'll be making the rounds on IWSG Day!

Cloudland, One of My Favorite Places!

Passing Over Floyd Hill

Eastern Rockies Corridor, Colorado, ⁨USA

May 29, 2024

It's been a good month for writing for me,

although I was deluding myself when I brought my manuscript to Las Vegas.

I did not work on it during my visit.

Watching a Favorite Band, Alter Ego!

Fremont Street

Downtown Las Vegas, Nevada, ⁨USA

June 2, 2024

The thing I have valued most in the IWSG

has been the relationships I have build over the years.

Close behind was the opportunity to have

a short story of mine included in an IWSG anthology.

Voyagers: The Third Ghost

I wish we could publish more anthologies,

but I think the economics and work of doing so cratered during the pandemic.

I will own the fact that I did not do enough on my part to promote

the anthology my story was in: Voyagers: The Third Ghost

Diane Wolfe of Dancing Lemur Press, L.L.C. has done and continues to do

an amazing job of producing and promoting the seven IWSG anthologies.

If there was a feasible way to do more anthologies, I would really appreciate that.

Never a Dull Minute on Fremont Street!

Downtown Las Vegas, Nevada, ⁨USA

June 2, 2024

I think each of us as members should consider how

we can contribute more to support our group.

I think a lot has fallen on the shoulders of a few.

I'm very interested in seeing what other members suggest.

Each Moment Is a Gift ~ Enjoy!

Downtown Las Vegas, Nevada, ⁨USA

June 2, 2024

Wishing each of you an enjoyable IWSG Day.

It will likely take me more than Wednesday to complete my visits to your blogs.

I enjoy these visits every month!

A big thank you to our great hosts today.

Have a healthy, happy, and creative June!

Just a heads-up ~ In an effort to visit more of you tomorrow,

I'm going to visit around first and then reply to comments.

And I will reply!!!

Till next time ~

Fundy Blue

Standing Into Danger https://selkiegrey4.blogspot.com

My next post will be soon!🤞

Wednesday, June 7, 2023

IWSG: Wednesday, June 7, 2023 ~ If I Stopped Writing ...

Our wonderful co-hosts who are volunteering today,
along with IWSG Founder Alex J. Cavanaugh are Patricia Josephine, Diedre Knight, Olga Godim, J. Lenni Dorner, and, Cathrina Constantine !

I hope you have a chance to visit today's hosts and thank them for co-hosting.

I'm sure they would appreciate a visit and an encouraging comment.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Every month the IWSG announces a question that members can answer
with advice, insight, a personal experience, or a story in their IWSG posts.

Or, the question can inspire members
if they aren't sure what to write about on IWSG Day.

Remember the question is optional.
This month's featured question is:

If you ever did stop writing, what would you replace it with?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Happy June, Everyone!

I hope you had a happy and creative May.

I'm late posting today.

We returned yesterday from six packed days and nights in Las Vegas.

I managed to eat a few tortillas with some hummus and half a bar of dark chocolate

before collapsing into bed and sleeping until this morning.

Walk the Moon Concert on Fremont Street

Eli Maiman (Guitar) Sean Waugaman (Drums) Nicholas Petricca (Synthesizer),

and Unknown (Perhaps Adam Reifsnyder, Base Guitar)

Of course they played my favorite song of theirs "Shut Up and Dance with Me."

June 3, 2023

So my immediate answer to this month's question is sleep,

since I chose sleeping over writing my IWSG post last night.

I can no longer burn the candle at both ends night after night without cratering.

It's so frustrating!

Illya Strakhov from Odessa, Ukraine Performs on Fremont Street

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

June 4, 2023

Illya Strakhov

June 3, 2023

Seriously, my life is currently crammed with the things I love most,

and I've been consistent throughout my retirement

when I've had more time to do what I choose: writing,

photography, traveling, working out, and spending time with Terry and our families.

If I ever stopped writing, I'd like to devote more time

to art, in particular to drawing and painting.

I'm finally recognizing that I'm not likely to learn to play a musical instrument

or become fluent speaking in any foreign language,

but I still have hope for art.

Fish and Coral

by Louise MacBeath Barbour

1986

Squirrel in a Hole in a Cottonwood Tree

by Louise MacBeath Barbour

(Those bluish grayish blobs are bark ~

I have a long way to go, lol.)

August 2, 2021

Wow

by Louise MacBeath Barbour

September 17, 2021

I made a good start in the summer of 2021,

but that ended when my thyroid ran amok at that time.

But I'm not going to stop writing.

It's what I love to do most.

Majesty: The Grandeur of Nature

Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

June 2, 2023

What I'm going to stop is spending so much time obsessing

over my "household" responsibilities

and start spending more time doing what I love, including art.

A A Fremont Street Worker with a Great Attitude!

His job is sweeping up trash on the street,

but he delights visitors by providing fun and provoking happy smiles.

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

June 4, 2023

I flew to Vegas with good intentions of working on my IWSG post,

but poor internet connections and too many fun things to do tanked that plan.

Watching My Favorite Fremont Street Band Stays in Vegas

(Sundays 5-8pm and Mondays 8-11pm)

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

June 5, 2023

Talented Jeff St. German

Lead Singer and Frontman for Stays in Vegas

June 5, 2023

I'm home for about six weeks this time,

and I'm determined to do less"musts" and more "wants."

And writing is my top "Want!"

Wish me luck!

It's hard to overcome a lifetime as an ardent Type A personality.

Terry and I Enjoying Majesty: The Grandeur of Nature

Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

June 2, 2023

Enjoy IWSG Day. Stay happy, healthy, and safe.

Till next time ~
Fundy Blue

https://selkiegrey4.blogspot.com

Wednesday, April 5, 2023

IWSG: Wednesday, April 5, 2023 ~ One Writer's Continuing Journey

Our wonderful co-hosts who are volunteering today,
along with IWSG Founder Alex J. Cavanaugh are Jemima Pett, Nancy Gideon, and, Natalie Aguirre!

I hope you have a chance to visit today's hosts and thank them for co-hosting.

I'm sure they would appreciate a visit and an encouraging comment.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Every month the IWSG announces a question that members can answer
with advice, insight, a personal experience, or a story in their IWSG posts.

Or, the question can inspire members
if they aren't sure what to write about on IWSG Day.

Remember the question is optional.
This month's featured question is:

Do you remember writing your first book? What were your thoughts about a career path on writing? Where are you now and how is it working out for you? If you're at the start of the journey, what are your goals?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Happy April, Everyone!

I hope you had a happy and creative March.

We're home in Colorado, and the snow is falling as I write.

I'm missing the tropical air and sunshine of Waikiki.

The Fort DeRussy Area

Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

March 4, 2023

🌺 🌺 🌺 🌺 🌺 🌺 🌺

This month's question begins by asking if you remember writing your first book.

I do. I was ten years old and in Grade 5.

It was a murder mystery starting with a diver discovering a skeleton in a lake.

Then out of nowhere we were moving to the mysterious North,

and my book fell by the wayside.

Story of my life!

Real life continued to disrupt my book writing throughout my life.

I'm still working on my first book, because life is still disrupting.

I never considered writing as a career.

From a very young age my parents made it clear that I was going to university.

To their credit, they insisted that all four of their girls get a university degree

as well as their son ~ This was an unusual goal for parents at the time.

Each of us was expected to have a career and to be independent.

My parents did not see writing, art, or music as careers leading to independence.

They were hobbies.

My mother was especially determined that her girls

would never have to depend on a man for support.

Her grandmother and mother's husbands died young,

and they had to find a way to support themselves and their children.

My mother never forgot what they went through as widows.

My Mother Sara (2nd from left) with her brother John, sister Louise, and Parents Ella and Jack MacDonald

This was shortly before my grandfather died.

My Aunt Louise still lived at home.

Smith's Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada

Summer 1943

I dutifully attended Acadia University in Nova Scotia

from which both of my parents graduated.

I earned a B.A. with a double major in Geology and English

and double minor in Mathematics and Theatre.

This dichotomy resolved itself when oil went bust in the early 1980s,

and Terry talked me into leaving Petroleum Geology

and earning a B.Ed. in Elementary Education.

I became the first in the eighth generation of teachers on my father's side of the family.

My careers were demanding and rewarding, and writing remained a hobby.

Source

Throughout my careers I wrote a lot in a variety of genres:

reports, theses, papers, plays, newspaper articles, poetry,

letters, journals, speeches, and short stories.

I would periodically tackle my memoir.

I always considered myself a writer, just not a writer of books.

Now that I am retired, I've added blogging as another genre.

I continue to work on my memoir, but life continues to sidetrack it.

I think when life gets challenging, I can focus on shorter pieces of writing,

but a book-length project overwhelms me.

And, yay! 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉

My short story "Dare Double Dare" was published

in the IWSG Anthology Voyagers The Third Ghost.

Have I given up the goal of publishing my memoir?

No way! I'll get there.

I've overcome a lot of challenges in the past several years,

and I think they have made me stronger.

The toll is written in my face and body and hair, but my spirit is undiminished.

Having a Mai Tai at The Original Mai Tai Bar

at The Royal Hawaiian

Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

March 8, 2023

🌺 🌺 🌺 🌺 🌺 🌺 🌺

If you are celebrating Passover, I wish you a kosher and joyous Passover.

Enjoy IWSG Day. Stay happy and safe.

Till next time ~
Fundy Blue

https://selkiegrey4.blogspot.com

My next post will be on Friday, April 28th

Books Read in 2026

"18 Days in Heaven" by Gale Poirot
"A Serial Killer's Daughter: My Story of Hope, Love, and Overcoming" by Kerrie Rawson
"Eat Your Ice Cream: Six Simple Rules for a Long and Healthy Life" by Ezekiel J. Emanuel, MD.
"Is Math Real? How Simple Questions Lead Us to Mathematics Deepest Truths" by Eugenia Cheng
"Project Hail Mary" by Andy Weir
"Tell Me Everything" by Elizabeth Strout
"The Covenant of Water" by Abraham Verghese
"The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity" by David Graeber and David Wengrow
"The Life Impossible" by Matthew Haig
"The Lord go the Rings" by JRR Tolkien
"The Match" by Harlan Corben
"The Night the Path Disappeared" by Terri Bergen
"The Notebook: A History of Thinking on Paper" by Roland Allen
"Theo of Golden" by Allen Levi
"Think Twice" by Harlan Corben
"Why Christianity Must Change Or Die" by John Shelby Spong

Standing Into Danger

Pages

Wednesday, July 1, 2026

IWSG Day: Wednesday, July 1, 2026 ~ Wishing for a Magic Wand

Wednesday, June 5, 2024

IWSG: Wednesday, June 5, 2024 ~ What Should the IWSG Offer to Members?

Wednesday, June 7, 2023

IWSG: Wednesday, June 7, 2023 ~ If I Stopped Writing ...

Wednesday, April 5, 2023

IWSG: Wednesday, April 5, 2023 ~ One Writer's Continuing Journey

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