DOOTSY DOODLES

DOOTSY DOODLES

First the bad news. My Facebook page is frozen and the hacker wants me to make things right by having pictures taken of my face from all angles. My suspicious mind directed me to a policing office where it was indicated that the issue is a known fraud. If any of you are trying to reach my Facebook page, rest assured that we are working on this. As well we will have the new computer trade-over soon. Poor old RAMbunctious is already over a year past retirement.

 

My website at https://lindagigliottiwriter.com/  remains intact.

If there is a part of my newsletters that suddenly issues HUGE FONT that is because someone does not know how to use the form and hits that bump.

 

The good news is that our favourite thrift store gets better all the time. No matter how much has to come home with us the more they stock. Only two more sleeps until the next trip.

 

BOOKS

WHEN AGAIN THIS WAY I WALK
 lindagigliottiwriter.com – Linda M. Gigliotti’s writings:

The lives of 1870’s Julia and modern Andie touch as each in her own time faces relational issues common across the ages as times change and people do not.

Reviews

Linda Gigliotti’s novel, When Again This Way I Walk, invites readers into the lives of two families, living in the same location but a century apart. The dual-timeline story begins when Andie gazes into the forest and experiences a life-like vision of a woman and girl of previous time. Throughout the story, we follow Andie, her family, and the choices and decisions each must make and the parallel issues that Julia and her family cope with. With touches of mystery and illusion, Gigliotti deftly alternates between eras to reveal how the lives and issues of these two women, and perhaps all of us time unto time, face similar challenges, experience the same joys, and struggle to discover our deepest truths (Judy Reeves).

 

-Judy Reeves is the author of Wild Women, Wild Voices: writing from your authentic wildness and A Writer’s Book of Days.

 

I had the privilege to be one of the first readers of Linda’s novel and from the first page I was drawn into the story and felt as if I was part of it, thanks to Linda’s extraordinary way of describing the scenery and the characters. A beautiful story about life, love, family, traditions and friendship with a twist of mystery and suspense. Linda sends you on a journey between the past and the present, reminding you that life is about being curious and courageous.

 

• Tina Mundelsee is author of Yoga Coaching: use your practice to resolve emotional baggage, master your mind & create harmony in your life & relationship and Think Happy, Be Happy – A Yoga Coaching Pocket Guide. As well Tina is life coach at http://www.tinastools.com

 

 

HOWMASTER: THE WRITER’S GUIDE TO BEAUTIFUL WORD CRAFTING – Revised Edition  lindagigliottiwriter.com – Linda M. Gigliotti’s writings

OTHER GREAT READS

Check out Judy Reeves’ new memoir WHEN YOUR HEART SAYS GO (She Writes Press 2024) and others at

https://www.judyreeveswriter.com/ . Judy also wrote Wild Women, Wild Voices (NWL 2015), a book for those of us who must write and do it well.

 

NOTEBOOK SAYS

A peek into my HowMaster book:

 

“Randy the teenaged protagonist of my short ‘The Red

Speckled Tie’ finds a rotted bit of cloth while he runs through

an abandoned lot his mother forbids him to be in. Not a big deal

finding a dirt encrusted bit of rag that looked like it once was

red with the remains of once white polka dots all over it but

watch how Mom reacts when she sees it:

 

‘Remember Grampa’s red speckled tie from the

catalog? Funny,” she says as she frowns into a memory,

‘I don’t remember seeing it after Gran left. Maybe she

accidentally packed it with her things.’ Poor Daddy lost

his wife and his tie too. Her daddy when their lives were

still safe and sane before Mama got restless and ran off

to find herself.

 

Vacant yards and slant of sun are not something the reader

cares about until someone finds something they shouldn’t be

there to see. Something bad. Draw the reader in to your story by

providing a backdrop of settings and activities people

experience every day. Then turn the screw.

 

Life and writing are closely related. When you show what

you mean instead of telling it your listener relates that

information to experience and reacts accordingly. When you

write thoughts and facts without naming the emotions behind

those the reader has to process their own definitions through

memory or personal knowledge of similar experiences” (HowMaster, 33).

 

Prompt:

Write a short story about something seemingly mundane.

 

ART CORNER

Karen Abend is at it again this time with a free and wonderful Sketching Revival Binge Fest and over 100 workshops at Sketchbook Revival 2025 Binge Fest | KarenAbend.com May 27 – June 9. Choose which you want to see or watch them all. Sign up for her newsletters to be notified of that and other events.

 

OTHER GREAT SITES TO CHECK OUT

Thank goodness for speed control on watercolourist Jean Haines’ tutorials as I am able to see exactly where the brush goes as she adds water to pigment on the paper in her atmospheric works. Stunning designs form as colour runs in to other colour. I love it so much that I would love for you to check out her tutorials at https://jeanhaines.com/

 

“Ana Sumner is a mixed media fiber artist who loves to create 3D art inspired by nature.  She is intrigued by diverse landscapes which portraits the simple beauty that can be found in our everyday lives,” as she writes on her website and adds:

 

“Nature is a wonderful place to look and experience joy and beauty.  When things feel chaotic, I look at nature to help me find a sense of balance.  As I explore its beauty, I am in awe at the harmony and coexistence going on with all living things.  Creating art helps me to express the connection we all have to each other and the planet we call earth” (Ana Sumner).

 

Find Ana’s work at www.sewuniqueart.com

 

Make sure to see artist Anne Butera’s In an Artist’s Garden | Anne Butera | Substack .

 

Check out Karen Abend’s art community at https://www.facebook.com/groups/SketchbookRevival and sign up for her great newsletters.

 

Don’t miss https://doodlewash.com/ with Charlie O’Shields, of Creator Doodlewash®, founder of World Watercolor Month™ (July), World Watercolor Group on Facebook, and author of the Sketching Stuff™ books.

 

Keep on learning at Art2Life Artists | Facebook with Nicholas Wilton who shows the way to amazing colours and the way in which life and art inform each other.

 

Until next month,

Linda Gigliotti

https://lindagigliottiwriter.com/