Recovering from surgery seems like a good time to blog again. But after I recover from this surgery, I'll start taking Tamoxifen and that should be it. Except for checkups every three months (until I graduate to every six months and then to once a year), all this cancer stuff should be behind me. I'm …
Category: The Blue Jar
Save the Audience
Fran Lebowitz said the audience is important to the culture. I hadn't thought of an audience this way. I mean, yes, I've read a thousand times, "Know your audience." That rule I've failed to follow. Who is my audience? My demographic? I know more who it isn't more than I know who it is. But …
Finish Something
One thing I want to do is make hand made books. I've got no market for handmade books and one book takes a ton of time, so they aren't practical. But they're fun, and I'll probably make more. Years ago, I started a story about two rabbits, Ink and Mirabelle. This weekend, I finished one …
Over at my friend’s place…
My friend and amazing author, Ami McKay, interviewed me and did a nice write-up of my novel, The Blue Jar. She included a favorite photo of mine--us with Santa Claus and I'm wearing my "Who Killed Laura Palmer?" tee-shirt. If you can, go over there, read, and comment. Maybe share. I've known Ami since we …
Halloween!
I don't like gore and I don't like to be scared. But I love Halloween anyway. Since I childhood, I've been drawn to witches, magic, and mystery. And dressing up is fun. Today I showed one of my classes, the documentary The American Scream. I love the guy in the film obsessed with creating the …
Moms, Dreams, and Stupid Questions
My mother drew the unicorn. I can't draw like her. I've always wanted to, but have yet to manage it. Do you compare yourself to your parents? Is there something either on of them did that you wish you could do? My mother started to write a novel. She had only a few chapters written …
Hide!
You have to wonder why anyone would spend so much time writing a book, pitching that book, and bringing that book to market if that same individual was going to hide when one someone actually mentioned reading the book. Kind of silly. But I admit to doing that. It is exciting and weird to have …
Music, Dance, and Storytelling
When I write, I sometimes listen to music. The music fits either the mood of the story or the personality of the characters. The other day, I had the chance to collaborate on a music show with London DJ Claudio Fiore and with my publisher, Plum Tree Books, that tells the story of the music …
Launching Dreams and Other Madcap Schemes
My novel launched today! (Here at Amazon.) Since the story is set in the summer of 1985, I've been thinking back to those high school days. What were you like in high school? I wasn't popular. I liked to be in the art room with a sketch pad or a book. The drawing posted here …
What are the ’80s anyway?
Every decade has its personality, right? Although it's tricky because it isn't as if everything changes on January 1st of that zero year. When exactly did the '80s become THE '80s? What historical events mark the period? The election of Reagan perhaps? The beginning of MTV? I graduated in 1986, the year Ferris Bueller skipped …
Marta Bacon 