DOOTSY DOODLES

It’s that time of year again. You know, darker and colder which to me is anything below 0C. Our long sunrise stomps are in hibernation as walking happens during later daytime and only for short excursions. The only thing we don’t have to whine about is snow as that has yet to befall, pun intended.

The other day I stood before the wardrobe and noted the predominance of red shirts and sweaters. We shall have to fix that before the neighbours, you know, the ones who love to peer out their windows, report I am Tomato Woman.

The next newsletter will come after Christmas so in the meantime I wish you all a happy and blessed season.

BOOKS

WHEN AGAIN THIS WAY I WALKlindagigliottiwriter.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 www.tinastools.com

I just finished reading When Again This Way I Walk. I loved it. It’s so funny I have thought these very thoughts myself. You are so right, the sun will keep rising and settling long after we have danced our lives across the earth and it has risen and set long before we took our first breath. So many experiences, interactions, memories. What a wonderful story. Bravo to you.

– Jackie Wilkinson, avid reader

HOWMASTER: THE WRITER’S GUIDE TO BEAUTIFUL WORD CRAFTING – Revised Editionlindagigliottiwriter.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. Check out Judy’s A Writer’s Book of Days (NWL 1999) for some great daily writing prompts.

Julia Cameron’s latest, The Daily Artist’s Way: 366 Meditations for Creative Living, releases this year on November 25. Julia is the author of The Artist’s Way series which changed many writing lives. I can’t wait for my copy to arrive.

NOTEBOOK SAYS

Happy to say I am at work on my newest offering and this time I am not getting ahead of myself and confusing the issue with notes all over the place. I was in the laundry room where I found a thing of incredible value. On a slow day such as this in our laundry room the place is mine alone and the only sounds are from the washer. Water flows in as the machine’s drum beats in perfect rhythm to the movement of pen over page. Sounds such as these and those of the air conditioner or early morning traffic provide comforting back up almost like music. You have to pay attention to songs whereas mechanical audio makes its own music with no input from our notice.

Another place to write is the bus such as the Greyhound we rode across province. The sound of motion with the feel of comfort kept the words flowing. Are we there yet became that was a short trip.

Prompts:

• What NoteBook and Pen do while Writer sleeps.
• What the neighbour kid found when his dad told him to rake the leaves after which that parent told him to put it right back where he found it and don’t tell anyone.
• What you saw that night you got up and looked out the window.

ART CORNER

Colour choices really do reflect the artist’s soul as Nicholas Wilton indicates. Not everyone loves red (imagine such a thing!) and whatever you see coming out of your colour choices could reflect the spirit of your inner artist. Want to find it? Check out your choice of decorative colouration. What first attracts you to a garment in the store? Is it style or colour? What is your favourite in your painting palette?

OTHER GREAT SITES TO CHECK OUT

Nicholas Wilton is a master in his teachings about colour and the way your art reflects your soul. Look through his site and sign up for his Sunday Vlog. Art2Life Artists | Facebook and https://www.art2life.com

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.

Until next month,

Linda Gigliotti

Books