Finding my “flashlight”

Tags

author, books, inspiration, journalism, reporting, writing

At a recent dinner, the gentleman seated next to me asked a question that momentarily left me at a loss for words: “How do you start writing a story?”

A journalism major in college, I immediately went to work for a large metropolitan newspaper upon graduation. I’ve been “starting stories” for so long, it’s almost like breathing to me. It defies explanation.

Yet, after a bit of consideration, I discovered that I do have a process: I begin by wading around in my interview notes, searching for a structure to the piece that I’m trying to write. (It’s not always easy, especially if the subject was boring or I have too much information to whittle down, etc.) That’s when I stop everything and hunt through my mind for a good beginning. I write it down and get the “lead” on paper. Then, I can sit back and think about where the story is going and how I plan to get there.

What is a lead? It’s probably the hardest part of the story to write. I’ve often heard writers say that if you’ve written your lead, you have, in a sense, written half your story. Finding a good lead requires a fair amount of much time, along with a bit of trial and error. Several possibilities will occur to you, but a writer must choose one that is sound. It should never promise what does not follow. If you read an exciting action lead about kidnappings by drug traffickers but the actual story turns out to be about the cost of vitamin supplements, you’ve been had. The lead – like the title – should be a flashlight that shines down into the story.

Renee Garrison is the award-winning author of Anchored Together and Past President of the Florida Authors and Publishers Association.

Silence, please

Tags

author, Home, Houses, Humor, inspiration, kitchen, Life, writing

My old refrigerator died recently, so I shopped for a replacement. My needs were simple: Smudge-free stainless steel, check. Water dispenser in the door, check. Icemaker, check. A reasonable price, check. It was delivered shortly after and I was pleased, until I went to bed…

That’s when my kitchen sounded like the Gaza strip or perhaps the Iceland volcano when it erupts. The noise was so outrageous I first thought a blind burglar had stumbled into the house.

 I’ve never encountered such an issue before although, granted, I haven’t bought many refrigerators in my lifetime. Should I have added quiet to my search list? Does anyone else own an appliance that sounds like an avalanche?

The Abandoned Book Project

Tags

author, book-reviews, bookmark, bookmarks, bookpeople, books, bookworm, Gift, inspiration, read, reading, writing

Librarian Charlie Schwab always liked the idea of leaving books in random places for people to find and enjoy. That’s why he started The Abandoned Book Project.

“It’s a great way to encourage reading,” he says, adding that he’s dropped books in doctor’s offices, laundromats and bus benches (in good weather.)

Several years ago, Charlie built two little free libraries – one in Port Orange and one in Daytona Beach Shores.

“They do really well,” he says with a smile. “You can take a book or leave one. The free library in Daytona Beach Shores is next to a children’s play are in McElroy Park, so I keep it stocked with children’s books. I built those before I thought of the Abandoned Book Project.”

Of course, a book without a bookmark is like a walk in the woods without a compass – you’ll lose your way before you know it. Leaving a book with an Abandoned Book Project bookmark helps keep the traveler on course, and spreads the word of the project. You can use the link on www.theabondonedbookproject.com to download bookmarks at home. (Charlie recommends using card stock instead of regular paper because it’s sturdier.)

“I created the bookmark to be left in the books I was abandoning so people knew the book was intentionally left to be found,” he explains. “I started a Facebook page to cultivate a community around the project and get people to join the conversation. I get posts from the U.K., China and lots of other places. We’re across the pond! I love to see where the books get to.”

According to Charlie, when you abandon a book, you’re leaving a world waiting to be discovered; a sojourn yet to be taken; ideas left uncovered. In a world that’s consumed with living through a screen, it’s nice to unplug from the internet and settle in with a good book.

Renee Garrison is an award-winning author and past president of the Florida Authors and Publishers Association.

“I Always Dreamed Of Owning A Small Place In Key West”

Tags

author, books, cemetery, death, epitaph, epitaphs, Family, inspiration, Life, Memories, writing

 

(I enjoyed this short story by Nancy Klingener so much that I had to share it!)

In recent years, on one of the newer mausoleums in the Key West Cemetery, a collection of newer epitaphs has quietly gone up, many of them offering their own wry commentary.

There’s one that says, “If You’re Reading This, You Desperately Need A Hobby.”

Another says, “I Always Dreamed Of Owning A Small Place In Key West.”

A couple of them are literary references. Like “So Long And Thanks For All The Fish,” which is from “The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy” series by Douglas Adams. Another says “GROK — Look It Up.” That’s from “Stranger In A Strange Land” by Robert Heinlein.

All of these epitaphs are on one wall. Cemetery sexton Russell Brittain said there was no intentional effort to group them together. But he has noticed that they’re all on the end of the mausoleum, which is reserved for cremation burials.

“I’m not sure why” the new, unusual epitaphs started appearing, Brittain said, “but maybe it’s because they’ve been cremated and they thought they want to leave their mark on history.”

Brittain said he hasn’t received any complaints about the epitaphs — although he did get a question about one of them.

“When I submitted the order to the bronze foundry,” Brittain said, “they called me back and they said, ‘Are you sure this is what you want on this headstone?'”

Amy Culver-Aversa says she chose an unusual epitaph for her late husband, Giorgi, because when she visited his grave, she wanted to laugh.

That was the marker for Giorgio Aversa, who died eight years ago.

This is the epitaph: “Jesus Christ, These People Are Horrible.”

His wife Amy Culver-Aversa chose those words.

“The reason why the epitaph reads like this is because we would go out socially sometimes or we would meet people and he’d go, ‘Jesus Christ, these people are horrible!'” Culver-Aversa said. She said Giorgio would say that “20 times a day.”

And there was another reason she chose such an unusual epitaph for her husband, who died by suicide.

“Because of the tragedy of his death, I didn’t want that to be the last marker,” she said. “So to go and visit him, I wanted to laugh.”

Brittain said his concerns about the epitaph were alleviated when he realized where it would be in the mausoleum.

“It just happens that it’s on the very top. It’s about 10 feet in the air,” he said. “And if you don’t know it’s there, you won’t see it.”

Culver-Aversa said a couple of people questioned her about the headstone. But when she explained it, they understood.

“I think it has more of a tether to the heart than some one-liner that, you know, you picked out of a cemetery book,” she said.

And, Culver-Aversa said, it has the intended effect. When she visits Giorgio’s grave, she laughs. And that makes her want to visit more often.

Renee Garrison is an award-winning author and past president of the Florida Authors and Publishers Association.

A testy subject

Tags

author, Family, inspiration, Life, students, testing, writing

I never enjoyed taking standardized tests.

Still, I was surprised when, during the pandemic, dozens of colleges dropped the requirement that applicants take the SAT or ACT. Although administrators generally described the move as temporary, most colleges have since stuck to a test-optional policy.

But the loss of SAT and ACT scores has become a problem according to administrators. Without test scores, admissions officers sometimes struggle to distinguish between applicants who are likely to thrive at selective colleges and those likely to struggle. Why? Because high school grades do not always provide enough information, especially because of grade inflation in recent years.

As Brown University President Christina Paxson recently wrote, “Standardized test scores are a much better predictor of academic success than high school grades.”

I guess we’ll wait and see.

Renee Garrison is an award-winning author and past president of the Florida Authors and Publishers Association.

Advertisements

The Power of Christmas Music

Tags

Christmas songs, Holiday, inspiration, Life, Memories, music, peace, writing

The magic of the Christmas season starts with music: School programs are filled with songs that celebrate kindness, gift-giving, and holiday cheer. But holiday music also plays a powerful role in uniting us. (Okay, maybe not “Grandma Got Runover By A Reindeer.”) But the next time that the constant barrage of seasonal songs start to annoy you, consider:

Many of your favorite Christmas songs were written by Jewish songwriters.

Irving Berlin

“Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree,” and “Holly Jolly Christmas” were written by Jewish songwriter Johnny Marks, while “White Christmas” was written by Jewish songwriter Irving Berlin. “Winter Wonderland” was also written by Jewish songwriters. Felix Bernard and Richard B. Smith wrote the song in 1934.

“Do You Hear What I Hear?” was written in response to the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962.

As Americans nationwide anxiously listened to the radio in fear of an impending nuclear attack, Noël Regney and his then-wife Gloria Shayne Baker wrote the classic Christmas song “Do You Hear What I Hear?” It evokes a message of peace for “people everywhere,” which makes perfect sense considering the political climate in which it was written.

“Silent Night” inspired a temporary truce during World War I between British and German troops.

British and German soldiers meet in “No Man’s Land” during unofficial truce Christmas 1914.

The Christmas Truce of 1914 occurred when troops on enemy lines temporarily set aside their differences during World War I on Christmas Eve. According to the Imperial War Museum, after British soldiers heard German troops singing “Stille Nacht,” the German version of “Silent Night,” and other Christmas carols, the troops on both sides began singing in unison.

The next day, the soldiers played football together, exchanged gifts, and took photographs in the no man’s land. However, the truce was not widely recognized and meetings between the troops soon came to a halt after the holiday.

This year we might rely on the power of music to unite us again.

Renee Garrison is an award-winning author and past president of the Florida Authors and Publishers Association.

Time for Spilling Tea

Tags

author, books, Family, inspiration, language, Life, social media, speaking, teens, writing

Admittedly, I’m not a regular TikTok user, but I remember when it took the world by storm with its addictive short videos. Today, it’s not just the videos that get attention – it’s also the unique and constantly evolving TikTok lingo that is having an influence on teen slang. (Groovy seems so simple now, doesn’t it?) It’s kind of like learning Mandarin Chinese, so I’m sharing a few words to help you (and me) keep up with the new vocabulary.

Ate that – When someone does a remarkably good job at something.

Bet – Used as a term of affirmation or agreement.

Bussin – A word used to describe food that is remarkably delicious.

Caught in 4k – Indicates that someone was caught with irrefutable evidence, such as video or picture.

Cheugy – Someone or something that is uncool or off-trend. Can also be used to describe something that is trying too hard and missing the mark.

Delulu – Someone who is delusional and has unrealistic expectations.

Granola girl – The type of girl that is outdoorsy and environmentally conscious.  Someone who is aware of their carbon footprint and also enjoys hikes.

Gyat – A short form of saying “goddamn” usually in reference to someone’s physical attractiveness

Main character – Someone who is actively trying to have the spotlight on themselves, as if they were the focus on whatever environment they’re in.

Mid – Something that is mediocre, or nothing special.  Can be used to describe music, movies, or anything else that did not surpass expectations.

Ratio – When someone’s comment or reaction receives more likes or support than the original post.

Rizz – A term used to describe someone’s ability to flirt, or attract other people.

Simp – Someone who is overly desperate for the attention of someone else. (Maybe it’s short for simpleton?)

Spilling Tea – When someone has gossip that they want to share.

Renee Garrison is an award-winning author and the past president of the Florida Authors and Publishers Association.

Support your local librarian

Tags

author, authorcommunity, bookworm, librarians, library, Life, read, reading

Libraries are the new front line in America’s mental-health crisis. One of the few public spaces open to all, some people come to the library to sleep, get warm or use the bathroom. Others are looking for jobs, housing or just somewhere safe to read. According to the Wall Street Journal, “about two-thirds of nearly 600 librarians surveyed by Urban Librarians Unite in 2022 said they had experienced violent or aggressive behavior from patrons.” Staff members must be trained to reverse overdoses in bathrooms, confront patrons watching pornography and fend off people brandishing weapons.

Six years ago, fewer than two dozen libraries in North America employed full-time social workers. Today, more than one hundred do, and even more have social-work interns.

Renee Garrison is an award-winning author and past president of the Florida Authors and Publishers Association.

A real eye-opener

Tags

author, inspiration, Life, Memories, writing

When I received my first pair of glasses at 10 years old, I remember seeing the blades of grass (rather than a blurry green groundcover beneath my feet.) October is Blindness Awareness Month and there’s no shortage of ways to celebrate.

• Donate money

In the name of a relative, friend, or even yourself —donate to an organization helping the visually impaired. Organizations like the National Federation of the Blind or the Foundation Fighting Blindness work year-round to fund research that will prevent and cure conditions causing blindness. Your donations support their research in areas such as genetics, transplantation, retinal implants, and nutritional and pharmaceutical therapies.

• Read to someone

Do you know a legally impaired or blind student? Does your elderly neighbor struggle to read books, newspapers, or magazines? Volunteer to read to them. This is a meaningful way to spend time with someone who is visually challenged and may not have tools to read on their own.

• Volunteer to Be My Eyes

Be My Eyes is a free app connecting visually-impaired people with sighted volunteers who lend their eyes to help them lead more independent lives. Join over 3 million volunteers worldwide who assist with everyday activities such as navigating new surroundings, distinguishing colors, and reading instructions.

Renee Garrison is the award-winning author of two Young Adult books, “The Anchor Clankers,” and “Anchored Together.” She is Past President of the Florida Authors and Publishers Association.

Skip the litter box

Tags

author, Home, inspiration, Life

During one of many visits to the neurologist, my mother-in-law spotted a lounging tabby cat on the reception desk. The cat purred when she stroked it and stopped to lick its paw. She was entranced.

The lifelike companion was actually a robot, sold under the brand name “Joy for All” for around $140. Imagine – no litter box to clean, cat food to buy or vet bills to pay!

 A number of studies have shown that these mess-free pets can reduce their owners’ feelings of loneliness, anxiety and depression. For elderly patients with dementia (like my mother-in-law,) spending 20 minutes with a robotic pet three times a week has been shown to improve their mood and curb the need for behavioral medication.

We put Mom’s tuxedo cat back in the box after she died, but I might bring him out again. In this time of pandemics and presidential campaigns, I need to elevate my mood.

Renee Garrison is the award-winning author of two Young Adult books, “The Anchor Clankers,” and “Anchored Together.” She is Past President of the Florida Authors and Publishers Association.