(sometimes)
I am turquoise
confident, creative
shining brilliant,
reflecting
sonoran sky
caribbean sea
(sometimes)
I am gray
silent, solitary
suspended in space
between
black and white
gathering thoughts
for turquoise days
What is Writer’s Block
Some call it “writers block,” for me it’s more of a lack of inspiration, low energy, self-doubts I call them my gray days. Whatever it is, these dry spells are concerning for me. Negative thoughts creep in and that internal nagging voice seizes the opportunity to taunt me: you are a bad speller, no one will think your writing is interesting, there are better uses for your time, it’s too much work…
Moving Through Writer’s Block
What do you do when you experience a block to your creativity? First of all, don’t panic. It happens to all writers and other artists. Here are 4 things I’ve found to be helpful during gray days.
A reader finds a quiet spot at the Tucson Festival of Books.
Imagine a Disneyworld for authors and book lovers! Every spring, thousands descend on the campus of the University of Arizona for a weekend of workshops, author meet and greets, books sales, food , music, and fun. The Tucson Festival of Books has been virtual for the past few years, but took place in person this year, though plexiglass dividers and facemasks (for the most part.) Here are my take-aways from this year’s event:
Sycamore trees across Lake Monroe photo by Debra VanDeventer
When I travel to the Midwest in the winter, I’m always inspired by the winter trees. Here are two poems from my recent trip.
Photo by Debra VanDeventer
Winter Trees
by Debra Van Deventer
ink-penned artist strokes
etched on watercolor skies
strong, still, beautiful
Photo by Debra VanDeventer
Bare Branches
by Debra VanDeventer
Ebony branches pirouette against ashen sky. Trees recently adorned in autumn’s glorious red, bronze and gold, now have nothing to hide. In winter’s wrath, they reveal their bones, their foundation. Stoic columns rooted deep, stand tall. Limbs, strong and limber, dance in bitter winds. This is the true beauty of trees–not delicate buds of spring, nor luxurious summer foliage and fruits, not astonishing autumn coats −but bare branches unveiling the tree’s secrets.
Morning over Eagle Bay photo by Debra VanDeventer
Threads of Thought
I used to dread winter, even moved to a warmer climate to avoid it, but on this trip I found beautiful images and words.
Look for somenting beautiful in this season where you live!
Seams Like a Story is celebrating its one-year anniversary! My very first post, Creating a Space to Sew and Write, debuted January 4, 2021. http://seamslikeastory.com/creating-a-space-to-sew-and-write/ . Since then, I’ve published 46 posts and have had 4,793 views.
For a blogging newbie, I’m happy with the numbers. More importantly, Seams Like a Story has given me a chance to see the world through the eyes of a storyteller/writer. I love finding little snippets to share with you through my words and photographs each week.
I’m happy to announce that I have just published Out of the Crayon Box: Thoughts on Teaching, Retirement, and Life. It was an interesting process, and I’ll admit, it amazed me to see three years of writing and editing, and rewriting.. and editing… and rewriting… finally come together in tangible form.http://amazon.com/author/debravandeventer
Why Did I Write This Book?
When I first retired from 37 years of teaching, I had a difficult time adjusting to “life on the outside.” I looked for resources, books, or articles written by someone who had experienced the same feelings. My search came up short. Surely, I wasn’t the only retired teacher who was going through this. I journaled. I wrote about feelings and happenings during my three-year transition from teaching to… well, non-teaching. Before I knew it, I discovered I had written a book!
It Takes a Village
I’ve always had a passion for writing, but my teaching profession left very little time or energy to pursue it. Once retired, I wrote in earnest. I found a local writers forum and worked with a critique group. It was a learning curve, to put it mildly, but bit by bit, with a lot of help from my friends, my manuscript took shape.
Could a self-professed Star-Bellied Sneetch make it on the outside?
What is the Book About?
Out of the Crayon Box is a memoir of the first three years of my retired life. It’s an often humorous, sometimes poignant journey to discover a life after teaching. Through these pages I explore:
How to know when it’s time to retire
What to do with unstructured time in retirement
Can I really go to Starbucks in the middle of the day?
Ways to honor my past as a teacher
Self-discovery through travel
Adjusting to life with a retired spouse
Finding renewed purpose and passion for life
1976 Stinesville Elementary. The journey begins.
2018 Manzanita Elementary, blowing bubbles on retirement day.
Check it out, and if you enjoy the book, be sure to leave a review on Amazon and help me spread the word! For updates on my retired-life journey subscribe to my blog http://seamslikeastory.com
