Category: Writing

Spring!

Published on by J. Kelland Perry9 Comments

Greetings, humans! Maisie here, covering for Jennifer this week while she is away. My sister Vivian was eager to take over again, but Shy Little Me thought I would venture a few steps out of my comfort zone and host the blog for a change.

m1

My sister and I had grown oh-so-bored with staying inside.

063
After the long, cold and snowy winter we endured in Canada this year, we are welcoming any signs of Spring with gratitude and huge sighs, or in our case,
purrs of relief.

When Vivian and I lived in the city four years ago, we had to content ourselves with the sighting of a robin or two in our backyard to let us know Spring had finally arrived.

Where we live now, there are many, many more signs to watch for and welcome. Not only fat robins with their red breasts, but birds of all kinds grace us with their presence, usually in pairs as they get ready for mating season.  And we eagerly await the arrival of the gannets in May, and arctic terns in June. There is something deeply comforting in seeing wildlife return, especially when you spy them huddled in twos, preening or foraging for food together here on Perry’s Point. The seagulls are here as always, dropping and breaking crabs and sea urchins open on the rocks. But now they are joined by a few saddleback gulls. Vivian even spotted a saucy mink the other day!

august 029

During the last few days, my sister and I have enthusiastically returned to the great outdoors.
So much to see, to smell, to hear and to taste.

august 061

 Vivian and I will stay outside almost all day when the summer gets here…

august 047
061

…just like last summer, and the summer before.

062

august 035

Life is good. 🙂

V1
“I coulda hosted. It was my gig. Pfft!”

Weekly Photo Challenge: Spring!
What does Spring mean to you?

A Virtual Writing Tour

Published on by J. Kelland Perry16 Comments

 

How and why a writer writes has always been of great interest to me. That is why I accepted an invitation to take part in the #mywritingprocess tour, an exercise in which writers share insight into their writing process. J-Bo over at J-Bo.net is the blogger that nominated me. She is a therapist with a fun writing personality, has been freshly pressed, and she hopes to publish a humorous memoir on her life up to the age of eighteen.

Okay, back to me!

What am I working on?

A number of things are currently keeping me busy. First and foremost, I am putting my focus on trying to get my novel, Calmer Girls published. This involves writing, rewriting, and sending query letters to literary agents, in hopes of snagging one that will shop my book around to publishers.

The thing about this process is that it takes patience waiting for replies, and guts to face the rejections. Most agents only want to know what your novel is about, and may or may not request manuscript pages, so you have to make that query letter pretty darn inviting. This, the business side of things, is my least favourite part of being a writer. I would much rather focus on the actual writing of my other projects. For those of you who haven’t reached this stage yet, enjoy your writing and revising while it lasts!

In addition, I am outlining a sequel to Calmer Girls. This, like the first one, will be able to stand on its own, so readers will not feel they’ve missed anything if they don’t read the other one. But I am hoping and counting on them liking the characters and story so much, they will want to read more. 😉

In between, I like writing poetry, musings, and playing with photography to update my blog. Getting feedback on WordPress and connecting with other bloggers and writers is consistently rewarding and a valuable supplement to my writerly life.

How does my work differ from others of its genre?

The setting of my novel(s) is here in Newfoundland, Canada, the first one taking place in 1993, so there are no cellphones and computers to get in the way of daily life and my characters’ interactions. The main character is dealing with several socio-economic problems of that period as well as conflicts and events of a personal nature, to which many sixteen-year-olds can relate.

Why do I write what I do?

I like writing about what I know and within genres I like to read. Young Adult and Coming-of-Age are of high interest to me, and I will continue in that vein for the time being. Realistic, relationship-based fiction has always been my favourite. I wrote my first novel about a teenager when I was fifteen, but never sought to publish it.

How does my writing process work?

In writing Calmer Girls, the first thing I did was settle on a beginning and an end. From this I created my characters and a rough outline. After that a lot of brainstorming goes in, and during the process of writing I allow the flow of new ideas and inspiration to come to me. So I suppose you could say I’m a “planner” and a “pantser” (For those who don’t know, a pantser is someone who likes to fly by the seat of their pants when writing a novel).

It took me about sixteen months to write it, including revisions and the final draft, but this included several interruptions that sometimes took me away from writing for weeks at a time. I found the tweaking at the end the most time-consuming, but I also loved that stage the most. In writing the first draft, I only wrote in the mornings, but the final draft was done all hours of the day.

Next up on the #mywritingprocess tour are Kath, Wendy, and lionaroundwriting, three bloggers who have graciously agreed to take part:

Kath Unsworth from Minuscule Moments of Inspiration lives on the south coast of Australia with her family. Her dream is “to create, illustrate and write happy hopeful stories for children”.

Wendy from greenlightlady lives in Canada like me, and is all “about inspiration for you, your life, and your relationships”. Nature, poetry and photography is highlighted in her blog.

Lionaroundwriting is a young man from Scotland who has written a number of short stories and is now trying to get published like the rest of us. He likes to write about all sorts of things, “drawing… inspiration from real life events, comedy, philosophy, psychology, futuristic musings and the dark recess of (his) mind”.

I hope you bookmark and/or follow these bloggers next week when they present their own personal takes on the #mywritingprocess tour.

Want to read more about my process? Check out these posts:

“…Then You Must Write It”

The Creation of a Novel – A Progress Report

Completing My First Draft: Three Things I’ve Learned

Letting my Baby Go – Tougher than I Thought

 

 

A Spanish Purr Sounds Just as Sweet

Published on by J. Kelland Perry33 Comments

gold-paw-th

“Whaaa? Is Jennifer blogging about cats, again?” 

Look, I will be the first to admit it. I love all animals, but my adoration for creatures of the feline variety is mega-size and always has been. So if you think I’m a hopeless ailurophile – for those who don’t know, that’s the fancy word for cat lover – I will readily own up to it. This blog has my name on it which means there has to be a cat post now and then.

I think often about kitties of all stripes (pun intended), particularly my own. On the days leading up to our trip to Cuba earlier this month, and actually, any time we travel, I begin worrying in earnest. What do our cats think when we disappear like that, for days on end? Do they open their eyes from each nap expecting to see us, and roam from window to window, wondering what the devil has become of us? Do they fill with anxiety, for fear we shall never return?

We're so blue without you.
We’re so blue without you.

When I voice these concerns to my husband, he gives me a patronizing smile and reassures me once again that they don’t think that way, especially as we make sure before we go that all their needs are met and we have someone checking on them. And of course they have each other. But how can he know that for certain, that they aren’t pining for us? I know he loves cats too, but does he think he can read their minds?

Wherever we go, Cuba included, little cats seem drawn to him. I’ll give him that. Like this little tomcat.

Well, hello!
“Hola” from el gato!

080

081

The Cat Whisperer (sounds much better than p#ssy magnet ;) )
The Cat Whisperer
This gorgeous boy belongs to the restaurant's next door neighbour.
This gorgeous tabby belongs to the restaurant’s next door neighbour.

098

Staring at my husband in quiet awe
He stares at my husband in quiet awe.
Pose pretty for the camera
Pose pretty for the camera, sweet boy. x

So even though I remain unapologetic and consider myself as devoted to cats as he is, and I worry more about the ones we leave behind, I wonder why they always give him the lion’s share of attention. Even the Spanish ones.

104

What do you think? Say anything, but please don’t call me a crazy cat lady!

gold-paw-th

Further Reading: 8 Purrfect Destinations For Any Cat Lover

For the Love of Reading

Published on by J. Kelland Perry27 Comments

“Reading was my escape and my comfort, my consolation, my stimulant of choice: reading for the pure pleasure of it, for the beautiful stillness that surrounds you when you hear an author’s words reverberating in your head.”

― Paul Auster, The Brooklyn Follies

 Ah… the written word. It has been my truest passion since my chubby little hands first held a book and my eager, unfledged mind tried to unlock the enchantment within its pages.

As I know it is with many of you, reading since childhood has taken me everywhere, through experiences and adventures in exotic lands beyond my horizon, and all the way back to the charm – or heartbreak – of a domestic story around the corner.

Books have allowed me to journey along with colourful, unforgettable characters, to get inside their minds, to live other, more fascinating lives. And between the lines, some books have given me truthful and enlightening glimpses of myself, that I may never have learned otherwise.

sweetness
Reading at Poolside

Our book club offering this month, The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley, found its way with me to sunny Cuba last week, a key item among my accoutrements, and a vital part of my prescription for R and R. To me, bringing along good reading material on a holiday is arguably more important than bringing along my husband my camera. Hmm. Of course, if I hadn’t had a camera, you wouldn’t be looking at my sun-starved knees right now. 😉

In our rapidly changing world of hurried living, instant technology, and short attention spans, has the enjoyment of full-length books fallen by the wayside? Certainly not for this blogger. Even if you are clutching an e-reader, as I witnessed with many fellow vacationers, you are my kind of people.

You are the kind of people who would probably love and identify with these other delicious author quotes I found on the love of reading.

“I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library.”
― Jorge Luis Borges

◊

“The world was hers for the reading.”
― Betty Smith, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

◊

“Never trust anyone who has not brought a book with them.”
― Lemony Snicket, Horseradish

◊

“Books are a uniquely portable magic.”
― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

◊

“If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”
― Cicero

Do you always pack a book or two when you travel? Or does a good read have the ability to take you away no matter where you are, even from your couch or in your own garden? Come, bookworms, share your thoughts!

The Bitter and the Sweet

Published on by J. Kelland Perry14 Comments

I thought that I was coming home
Heart skipped with childish glee
I longed to to see my pretty mom
We’d catch up with mugs of tea

  Heart skipped with childish glee
Yes, dad would be there too
We’d catch up with mugs of tea
Like we always used to do

Yes, dad would be there too
We would have so much to tell
Like we always used to do
When they were strong and well

We would have so much to tell
Of both the bitter and the sweet
Since they were strong and well
And our family was complete

Of both the bitter and the sweet
But the real world intervened
A stab in the heart under the sheet —
Just another errant dream.

This was my attempt at a Pantoum Poem, a poetic rhyme scheme style from Malaysia.

Letting my Baby Go – Tougher than I Thought

Published on by J. Kelland Perry27 Comments

Have you ever had a plan to do something you knew all along you had to do, but when the time came, you hesitated and were filled with doubt?

196_24125258568_4360_nDo you remember the day you had to let go and trust your baby to take her first wobbly steps? Or watch him toddle off without you, to catch the bus to kindergarten for the first time? Or do you recall filling with anxiety when you gave her the keys to the family car, and she drove off by herself with her brand-new drivers licence? When these events came up in my life, I visualized a miles-long, psychological umbilical cord stretching out between us, connecting us. I wanted to hold on to my baby, nervous she might stumble, afraid he wasn’t ready, terrified she would crash and burn.

310484_10150450998028569_939401183_n

I know, I know. I’m being dramatic. These things occur every day in people’s lives, and everything almost always turns out fine. My babies have grown up, and they both turned out great.

So I was surprised two days ago, when these emotions came back full force as I relinquished my newest baby, my completed novel, into a reader’s hands for its first critique. (You didn’t think I was referring to a real baby, did you? 😉 )

Conceived sixteen months earlier, then outlined, written, revised, and edited, my novel rested, finished at last. I knew a critique was the next necessary step. But was it truly ready? Was I letting go too soon? Had I edited, and re-edited, enough?

16231_206843723568_5764978_n
I can’t let you go!

I paced. I fidgeted. I waited to hear the first damning word of criticism, or a longed-for word of praise. Tough stuff to wait for when it’s about something that consumed your thoughts and attention for so many months. And my own objectivity flew out the window weeks ago.

Happily, it was praise. My reader is now a third of the way through, and suggestions of tweaks have been miniscule. I realize he has a way to go yet, but I’m encouraged already for three reasons:

    1.  In the first sitting, he planned to read the first three chapters, but read the fourth because he said it was hard to put down. (!)

   2.  By the second chapter, he said vehemently about one of the antagonists: “I hate her!”

   3.  Even though it isn’t his usual genre (my book is geared more toward a female readership), he admitted that his interest had been captured, and I should go ahead and start the sequel I’d been considering. Yay!

So far, so good. Maybe now I can stop worrying and relax a little.

Have you ever felt on edge when you allowed someone to evaluate a creative project of yours? Please share your experiences with me!

Staying Warm…and Inspired

Published on by J. Kelland Perry20 Comments

At long last and according to our milder forecast for the next few days, I don’t have to wear this when I go out for a walk.

046

There have even been sightings of robins, can you believe it? Could Spring be arriving extra early this year? Or are these poor, confused robins that forgot to fly south?

In any case, I’m happy it is warmer for how ever long it lasts, and thoughts of winter ending at some point (the days are getting longer!) fills me with anticipation. Husband and I are considering a tropical vacay in a couple of months, so that helps me keep warm too, with visions of hot sandy beaches and warm fun-filled nights, and the smell of fruity drinks and suntan lotion by a relaxing pool.

But you know what else helps to keep me warm? My peeps here at WordPress. And as promised, here is a shout-out to my most prolific commenters, a rather diverse group, who also happen to be bloggers too.

TALKTODIANA – Diana is a gal full of wit and wisdom, a friendly, community-minded breath of fresh air whose blog I adore. A fellow Canadian with a lovely sense of humour, Diana always comes up with interesting topics to blog about.

Miniscule Moments of Inspiration –  Kath Unsworth is a writer and illustrator from Australia. She pens and does the artwork for children’s books, loves animals, and she never fails to stimulate and encourage me with her creative talent. She is also a wife and mother, and lives and works on a dairy farm.

Almost Spring – Elizabeth is another blogger I follow from the Land Down Under. An introvert like myself, her blog is all about her journey from “we” to “me”, and how her divorce has propelled her into a fascinating study of self-examination and what an individual needs to define and sustain a sense of purpose and wellbeing.

GREENLIGHTLADY – Wendy is another fellow Canadian – from the opposite coast! – who is a  photographer extraordinaire and an inspiring poet. She blogs about the beauty of nature and all the things she is thankful for, and is always there with a supportive word.

Seasons Change, and so have I – Carla and I started blogging around the same time and was my first follower. As her blog name attests, she has gone through many changes, even since she started blogging, and I admire her for her honest and forthright views on everything from mental health to current events. She is from Kentucky, USA.

jmgoyder – Julie is a sweetheart of a lady from Australia (what is it with these wonderful Aussie women?) who is a retired Creative Writing and English lecturer. She keeps us inspired with her posts about her husband with advanced Parkinson’s disease, and her teenage son who has just turned twenty. She poignantly shares her life, the highlights and the low moments alike, with her readers. Always a worthwhile read.

For all bloggers out there, is there anyone you know who warms your heart and is deserving of a “bouquet” for being a loyal follower? Or is there a blog you follow you’d love to tell the world about?

Winter Woes and Looking on the Bright Side

Published on by J. Kelland Perry24 Comments

Well, what a week it has been around these parts! Old Man Winter in Newfoundland, as it has been for much of the continent caught in the “Polar Vortex,” is baring his teeth and delivering a wallop to most areas, a wallop stronger than any in recent memory. It has made some of us wish we could hibernate until spring, and others long to escape down south for an extended vacation or even retirement.

1459971_10153695512505010_193537982_n

But the weather has also made some people shine. Like the old expression about when the going gets tough, that is just what was needed when our version of a “perfect storm” arrived: record low frigid temperatures, record amounts of early snowfall, and lengthy bone-chilling blackouts, the like which has not been experienced since 1994. Add a blizzard and our inadequate power infrastructure for our needs today, and you’ve got real trouble.

photo credit: Newfoundland page, Facebook
photo credit: Newfoundland page, Facebook

Sometimes it takes a situation, (or a “crisis,” if I may, Premier Dunderdale) to see who the heroes are, to see who is willing to stop complaining, roll up their sleeves and help wherever help is needed. No matter where any blame lies that contributed to the power problem, I’m the sort of person who prefers to look at the positive side of things whenever possible. I have heard stories of gratitude for those who shovelled, plowed, or dug people out of their homes. I have seen good folks answer the call when warm food and shelter were needed, and still others with wood stoves and propane fireplaces open their homes and offer comfort. Of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the Newfoundland Power maintenance workers and crews, the snow plow operators, and everyone who worked and is still working tirelessly to return everything back to some semblance of normal.

photo credit: Newfoundland page, Facebook
photo credit: Newfoundland page, Facebook

But it is the personal stories that warm me more than any wood stove can. Like the couple who went ahead with their wedding Saturday night in spite of the blackout and the freezing temperatures (link below). No, perhaps it was far from ideal, but they have quite a story to tell their children and grandchildren one day.

Even my daughter and son-in-law were up to the challenge this weekend, when they decided not to postpone our granddaughter’s sleepover birthday party at home, but went ahead with the event in the dark. Son-in-law even barbecued hot dogs outside in the freezing cold for them. And the party was a success! These are the things lasting memories are made of.

1601486_10152121133680395_844659023_n

So whether this makes you think Newfoundlanders are hardy, or just plain foolhardy, that is entirely beside the point. All I know is the warmth of the human spirit is alive and well in our little corner of the continent.

994679_10152121134250395_1480809881_n

Do you have any storm or power outage stories to share? How about one with an unexpected positive spin?

 

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/couple-braves-blackout-marries-by-candlelight-1.2485547

Thank You, Readers and Followers ♥

Published on by J. Kelland Perry12 Comments

Jennifer’s Journal has revelled in an amazing second year in the blogosphere, and it is all because of you! and you! and you too!142

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all of you, from eighty different countries, who have followed my little blog, liked each post, and took the time to share your thoughts and comments with me. This goes for those of you who liked and commented via Facebook as well. A special nod to those who shared on Facebook, reblogged on WordPress, and to those who retweeted on Twitter. 🙂

the warmest visit I can ever remember on Signal Hill

These are my posts that got the most views in 2013.

These are my posts that got the most likes in 2013.

In my next post, I will highlight my most frequent commenters, because it was your kind words that kept me inspired and driven to post each week.

100_1881.jpg

Cheers to you all as we welcome 2014. Muahh!
Love, Jennifer
xoxo

Why Do I Blog?

Published on by J. Kelland Perry22 Comments

Why does an individual like me keep a blog? I have been asked this on a few occasions, and at times it makes me stop and think, and even reassess what my intention is.

As I’ve mentioned in earlier posts and on my About Me page, the origin of this journal came to me as a way to create consistently, in the form of a poem, a musing, or a small gallery of my personal photography. Usually the subject of these posts focused on something or someone I love, a topic I feel strongly about, or a place I have visited and wanted to share through pictures.

I also reported from time to time on my work in progress, a coming of age novel, Calmer Girls. (This is my working title and may or may not be the ultimate one.) My hope was by mentioning it in my blog and simply putting it out there, I would become more accountable and motivated to see it through to its completion.

I can say, without a doubt, my plan has been effective. This is not to say my blog is wonderful or the novel is going to be commercially successful. But what I can say, is that I took on a challenge, didn’t quit, and tried my best. Yes, due to the very nature of life and all it entails, there have been some weeks where I have found it difficult to produce anything, but thankfully those weeks have been in the minority. To a large extent I am pleased with my efforts, and the direction my blog and my new novel have taken.

I am expecting the novel will be ready for its first critique by the end of January. And I have no intentions of ending my blogging life any time soon! This is due in large part to the pleasure I derive from keeping it going each week, and connecting with so many other bloggers and readers all over the world. A number of my followers have been a Godsend, checking in and commenting regularly on my posts and encouraging me all along the way. You know who you are. 🙂 In the very near future I am planning to highlight my most faithful and prolific commenters and give their wonderful blogs the shout-outs they deserve. They are the ones that help make blogging for me so rewarding.

This joy of discovery is real, and it is one of our rewards. So too is the approval of our work by our peers. ~ Henry Taube

What’s money? A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and goes to bed at night and in between does what he wants to do. ~ Bob Dylan

Keep on being good to one another!

393762_10150603564028569_1208664665_n

Related articles