Acknowledgements

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

Racing in the rain. The scent of petrichor and wet autumn leaves. The freedom of “raindrops falling on my head,” as B. J. Thomas sang in 1969, while our grins widen as we face the sky. Surely the passing drivers think we’ve lost our senses. We care not as our pace speeds up. Ah, the blessings of a soggy fall day.

It was dry on a recent trip to my favourite thrift store that snagged me a witch’s hat that screamed out violet trim. I had to try it on of course but then they told me I have to supply my own broom. Oh well it likely will be too cold to fly anyway.

Have a happy autumn and cuddle in with creative endeavours.

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

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 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

My new work in progress (WIP) taught me a few things. I have a habit of making notes. Copious notes. Sometimes in different notebooks. That of course does not write anything into the manuscript. No, it only makes us find excuses to do it later. What to do instead:

• One page at a time. Not the entire work at once like putting your entire spaghetti dinner including salad on the plate and trying to eat it that way.

• The notes are only notes. Ignore most of them.

• When you see the same notation made on several little blurbs you know you are repeating yourself. Throw it out. Make a cup of tea and go back to the WIP.

• Stay in numerical sequence. No jumping from page 59 to check page 17. That happens in the second draft.

This month’s prompts:

• The red stuff that dried on the wallpaper that covered the door in the pantry was not berry juice like they said.

• He looked in the mirror and saw a mask that he had not put on his face. He screamed and the lights went out.

• The witch who dropped her broom high over the hills on a moonless night.

ART CORNER

Consider making and painting all your Christmas cards this year. Did I say something wrong?

Coming is the time of year I will really appreciate all those reds and oranges painted earlier. Out the window however ….

Paint a winter scene.

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

https://lindagigliottiwriter.com/

DOOTSY DOODLES

Autumn usually peeks in during the first or second week of August long enough to stick its tongue out and leave for a few weeks. This time it cackled at us in mid-July although summer continues with no colours turned and temperatures still around 30 Celsius. Let’s enjoy the hum-roar of early morning traffic and the whir of air conditioner into the hot afternoons while we hope fall won’t come back. Or maybe get lost. Or something.

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

The Power of Notebook Entries

My more arrogant days had me believe memory would serve

my writing as well as it does for what you said to me the

evening of October 14, 1956. Not. Right away two huge

observations cackled at me. The first is that as soon as you get busy your brain brings the task at hand to the fore and

everything else gets pushed to incidental. The second issue is that having an acute memory serves no one because others won’t believe us anyway. Just try and convince someone they really did say or do a thing on that day beyond their remembrance and see what happens. Write ideas down. Carry a pocket size notepad, the kind with no hard cover and curly wireto stick you in the eye every time you look down. Ideas happen all the time but there’s only so much the brain can hold so we have to take notes. Now all I have to do is explain to the income tax people what those squiggles are on the back of the form. Everything has story value. You might have to stand on your head to view life and then write exactly what you see. Record details the way they happen and that moment stays alive in the pages of your notebook or journal ( HowMaster, 15).

Prompts:

• 5 Write about lying on the beach. You fall asleep and wake with the sun in your face. Everyone is gone. You check your watch and see that it is only 1:45 PM.

• You leave early for your early morning walk. You get home and the door is open. Then you hear a loud crash from the kitchen.
• You’re asleep in the empty house when the sound wakes you. The shuffling comes towards you.

• Write a short story entitled The Day the Lilies Wept.

ART CORNER

A friend blessed me with oil pastels. She says she doesn’t want the kids writing with those on walls and floors and knew I probably would avoid that. She hasn’t known me that long.

Then I had to find the right kind of paper since the coarseness of watercolour pages left a lot of tiny squares all over the work. Next I tried a pad of paper with gesso. To be truthful I did not read the cover so I ended up with something I hope I can donate. In a bit of a snit I tried my sketchbook and was rewarded with beautiful intense colour. As well I found it comforting to move the pastel across the page and watch those gorgeous shades happen.

It blew me off my chair when I found I can replicate. First I take a picture and then go to my sketchbook and copy it with pencil while I look back and forth between that and the photo. Then I prop the sketchbook in front of me and get out the watercolour paper where I copy my drawing with brush and watercolour. That system works Every. Single. Time. Inasmuch as I prefer atmospheric works to realism the actions of brain and hand know where to place what I paint before it goes atmospheric.

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

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/