DOOTSY DOODLES
Summerwent fast this year although temperatures are still in the 30s Celsius and no visible sign of autumnal advance. I hope everyone enjoyed their season. The newsletter is longer this time so I’ll cut this short. Happy reading!
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 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. Check out Judy’s A Writer’s Book of Days (NWL 1999) for some great daily writing prompts.
NOTEBOOK SAYS
- Just like we did in school write an article about what you did over the summer holidays.
- Write a winter memory. It’ll cool you off.
- Mrs. Santa is known for her love of shopping – did you know that? I ran into her in a store while she picked out some socks for Santa. She told me how impressed she was with all the kids and when she paid for the footwear we went for tea. Here is what we talked about.
- A wisdom figure can be anyone – a saint, your grandmother, someone you knew long ago or not at all. Write their story and what you learned from them
- Write about what you loved to do when you were a kid. What are the seeds within you that grew into who you are today?
ART CORNER
It is said that in order to create flow in decorating there should be a chosen colour from one room to another. And so it is that the magenta and pink of our bedroom sneaked onto the living room walls across from the wall with a group of red and orange. Across from that group I created a group of seven paintings including a large piece in the centre with two upper and lower on each side and one on the top and bottom. The size of the grouping balances the large oval mirror beside the red and orange grouping. Surprisingly the purple touches are friendly with the reds and oranges. After all they are all derivative of red.
Colour continues to splatter the summer end of the clothes closet too with the addition of violet, cerise, and purple. The winter end of the closet is drab by comparison and will be taken care of at my favourite thrift store which also will be happy to accept my drabs.
Art truly does opened the eyes to colour. Even the yellow I sort of shrugged off since it does not look good on me seems to show up in most of my paintings. Nicholas Wilton is right in saying that art reflects the artist.
“Rediscover what lights you up and make art that feels like YOU”: Upcoming in September is Nicholas’ ArtSpark Experience workshop (Sept 8–11, 2025) to be followed by the three-week Spark program beginning September 18. The workshop is a low-cost entry (Standard $10 US, VIP $25 US), while Spark is the larger program. Check out and sign up at:
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
lindagigliottiwriter.com 