INSPIRATION

Lake Kakagi, Nestor Falls, Ontario, Canada

"Let us be silent that we may hear the whispers of the gods." Ralph Waldo Emerson

Have you ever wondered where inspiration comes from? I'm sure it's different for each of us...as for me, my sources are water and solitude.

As a writer, I sometimes struggle to tap into my creative process. For example, my readers have long requested a sequel to my debut novel, WATERS OF THE DANCING SKY. While some of them even offered excellent suggestions to integrate into this sequel, I was still stumped. It simply was not coming together in my head. Pieces were missing.

Until last week. I was on a Canadian fishing trip with my good friend, Len. As we trolled the waters of this scenic wilderness lake, I couldn't resist snapping photo after photo of the islands, the sunlight dancing across the waves, the clouds lazily drifting overhead.

Lulled by the lapping of the waves and the warmth of the sun, I became still. Totally still. I was one with the lake. It wasn't long before I began to tap into that universal creative process that is out there somewhere. Bits and pieces of my long-awaited story began to float into my mind. The plot and its many twists were finally coming together - sometimes in surprising ways that I had not anticipated.

Who would have thought that the notorious Chicago gangster, Bugs Moran, would insert himself into the middle of this novel? Yes, he was once there at Kettle Falls where this series is set. I can't tell you what his role will be...that will evolve as I write, but he will be there.

Sometimes we need to calm our busy minds and escape into the heart of nature, I think, to find inspiration in life. It doesn't matter if you're a writer, artist, truck driver, waitress, or CEO.

How do you find inspiration in your life?

Stay tuned and please stay in touch.

Janet Kay
Author of WATERS OF THE DANCING SKY and AMELIA 1868
http://www.novelsbyjanetkay.com

PLACES AND FACES - PART II

Kettle Falls Hotel, Voyageur National Park

Place and settings are very important to me in my novels. Before I even begin to write, I simply must find a unique place that fits my story, characters and plot. Before I began WATERS OF THE DANCING SKY, I did an extensive Internet search to find a wilderness setting with a huge lake, lots of islands, and a colorful local history that included an American Indian component.

I stumbled upon the Kettle Falls Hotel nestled in the woods on Rainy Lake in Voyageur's National Park along the Minnesota/Ontario international border. I fell in love with the place before I even made my first visit! This historic hotel was constructed in 1913 by timber cruiser Ed Rose and allegedly financed by Madame Nellie Bly.

In 1918, Robert Williams bought the hotel for $1,000 and four barrels of whiskey! It was operated by the Williams family for a number of generations until it was purchased and renovated by the National Park Service in 1987. I was fortunate enough to locate an historical boat tour guide by the name of Mike Williams who happened to be Robert's grandson! Mike told me many fascinating stories about Kettle Falls and Rainy Lake as we boated around the area. He made local history come alive for me and became a valuable resource as well as a good friend. Thank you, Mike!!

Arriving at Kettle Falls is like stepping into another world, back into the days when voyageurs paddled and portaged through the region with their canoes loaded with furs; when local natives speared huge sturgeon at the foot of the roaring falls that separates the United States from Canada; when lumberjacks,gold prospectors, commercial fishermen and ladies of the night frequented the old hotel.

Today, Kettle Falls is a tourist destination for families and fishermen. It's a hidden jewel in the midst of the forest surrounded by the lake. A place to enjoy the serenity, peace and beauty. To restore one's soul. It is a place that I simply must return to at least once every summer. The hospitality and food is also excellent!

Stay tuned for more information on places and faces embedded in the novels I write...and as always, please stay in touch and let me know what you think.

Janet Kay
http://www.novelsbyjanetkay.com

PLACES AND FACES - Part I

MALLARD ISLAND, RAINY LAKE, MINNESOTA

"Let us be silent that we may hear the whispers of the gods." Ralph Waldo Emerson

I consider myself to be a place writer of destination novels. Place is very important to me...in fact, if often becomes a character in itself. Before I write a novel, I must find a special place to set that novel...a place that speaks to my heart, a perfect place for my characters to live.

Once I find that place, I spend time there absorbing its essence. Visiting with and learning from the locals. Researching the history and culture of the area. Exploring and taking pictures. I need to experience and to feel what my characters' lives are like in this location.

It's very rewarding to me when my readers also fall in love with these places, when they decide to take a trip to see the places where my novels are set.

So...I've decided to do a series of posts about some of the intriguing places I write about.

Today I'm thinking of Rainy Lake along the Minnesota/Ontario international border. This is where my novel, WATERS OF THE DANCING SKY, is set. It's a huge wilderness lake filled with islands. One of these special islands is Mallard Island, owned and operated by the Ernest Oberholtzer Foundation.

I've had the opportunity to spend many hours on The Mallard - sitting on the rock in this picture. Taking sunrise photos. Thinking and plotting my next novel. This is a place to reflect, to dream, to renew oneself. To connect with the spirit of the lake and of the Native Americans who once paddled their birchbark canoes through these waters. To hike along the path picking blueberries and marveling at the wild flowers and lichens sprouting through crevices in this rocky island.

At night the loons call out as moonlight dances across rippling waters. Sometimes the storms roll in across the narrows. The wind howls and rattles the old windowpanes as the rustic old houses seem to sway in the night. Spirits of the past slip into my dreams - infusing ideas that will surface in my future novels.

I spend time rocking in Ober's favorite chair on the wrap-around deck overlooking the great lake. Thinking about his life on this island so many years ago. Immersing myself in his old books,photographs, and documentation of his canoe trips into the heart of the wilderness. If it hadn't been for Ernest Oberholtzer and his environmentalist friends, there would be no Mallard Island, no Voyageurs National Park.

For more information about this man and his island, check out http://www.eober.org.

And stay tuned for more highlights on Rainy Lake and other exciting places in my novels.

Best Always,

Janet Kay
http://www.novelsbyjanetkay.com

Living the Dream...

Are you living the dream, your own personal dream? Or has life gotten so busy that you've forgotten how to dream? Do you even remember those special dreams you once had for your life?

I recently read an article in the Galveston, Texas daily newspaper by Dr. Victor S. Sierpina, Professor of Integrative Medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch. The title - "Living the dream - the secret to true health, vitality."

According to Dr. Sierpina, "Finding and living our unique dream is what brings true health, energy, vitality and creativity to our lives no matter our age." He goes on to note that he is astounded by the many creative artists he's met over the years who live to ripe old ages. They are productive, creative, expressing their soul nature.

"To thrive, not just survive," Sierpina writes, "requires having purpose and meaning in life as Viktor Frankl taught in his classic book, Man's Search for Meaning."

His words were both a wake-up call and confirmation that perhaps I was finally doing something right! I was following my lifelong dream, one that I'd put on hold for far too long. My dream is and always has been, to become an author. Now I am one! My debut novel, "Waters of the Dancing Sky," is doing well, and I'm hard at work on "Amelia 1868" with several other novels coming to life in the recesses of my creative mind.

We don't live forever. Maybe it's time for us all to rediscover or create new dreams. Dreams allow us to express our creativity in unique ways. And creativity, I think, seems to hold the key to happiness and perhaps - longevity.

With your dreams firmly implanted in your mind, it's time to start living those dreams. You may need to take one baby step at a time, due to other commitments. But you can do it! And your life will be richer in many ways.

As for me, I'm "living the dream" and plan to do so for many years to come!

Please stay tuned and stay in touch.

Janet Kay
http://www.watersofthedancingsky.com

"Beauty Lies in the Eye of the Beholder"

Was it Plato or Shakespeare who left us these words of wisdom? Some even say this quote is a variation of a Proverb. Regardless, it's one of my favorite quotes, and I think it applies to many situations in life.

In my case, I got up this morning on beautiful Galveston Island hoping for a sunny day on the beach. Instead the wind howled, the sun refused to appear, and the radio informed me that the current temperature was 36 degrees! So much for my beautiful day, I thought. Maybe I'd just bury myself under the covers and catch up on my sleep.

After a few minutes I quit feeling sorry for myself. After all, folks at home in Wisconsin were shoveling snow. Other parts of the country and the world were struggling with extreme weather. Who was I to complain?

So I decided to quit being a wimp and head out on my daily 3.5 mile hike along the beach. It was difficult at first to head into the wind. Head down, I forced myself to move along. It would be easier heading back home.

As I hiked along, something strange happened. The ugliness of the day began to slip away. The pounding surf thundered and splashed, white froth dancing on the crest of the waves. Dark cloud formations interacted with soft billowy clouds, creating an assortment of animals and objects in the sky. The sun even tried to peak out now and then, casting striking reflections on the world below. Crazy pelicans plopped into the surf as seagulls clustered on the shore. Great photo opportunities!

More importantly, there seems to be something about days like this that bring out one's creativity. You draw inward as you tense up against the wind and cold, going deeper inside to places you've perhaps never been. In my case, I found myself thinking about the novel I'm currently writing - Amelia 1868. Some of the parts I'd been struggling with started to come together.

I began to see the beauty in the ugly parts of life, in the trials and tribulations that we all experience at times.

I'd like to share another example of beauty lying in the eye of the beholder. With Valentine's Day coming up, I'm thinking of a couple I recently saw walking along the seawall. They had to be well into their 70's, perhaps 80. He used a cane. They were wrinkled and gray-haired as older people tend to be and somewhat overweight. Not exactly "beautiful" in the sense that the world unfortunately defines beauty.

But they held hands as they gazed lovingly into each other's eyes. So much in love after all these years. Yes, they'd been married 50 years. He obviously found his wife to be the most beautiful woman in the world. To me, this is true beauty. And I do plan to use this couple in a future novel!

Stay tuned and please stay in touch.

Janet Kay
http://www.watersofthedancingsky.com

A NEW DAY IS DAWNING...

This morning I captured this photo of a breath-taking sunrise over the Gulf of Mexico here in Galveston, Texas. It made my day! And it made me think about the infinite possibilities ahead for us all. Emily Dickinson once wrote, "I dwell in possibility..." So do I!

A new year. A new day. A new beginning.

I don't know about you, but speaking for myself, I made my usual New Year's Resolutions recently. I've already broken some of them! But, gazing out at the sunrise from my balcony, I'm inspired to begin again. Maybe resolutions are meant to change, to evolve as the year progresses. What counts is that we have goals in life and that we try to make our dreams come true.

Never forget to dream and to believe in your dreams! One of my greatest dreams is to write novels that will have value and help other people in some small way. To inspire hope. To share the beauty of a sunrise and never forget that a new day is dawning - every day...

What are YOUR dreams? And what will you do with this day that God has created?

Happy New Day to you all!

Please stay tuned and stay in touch!

Janet Kay
http://www.watersofthedancingsky.com

It's A Wonderful Life...

"Dear George, remember no man is a failure who has friends. Thanks for the wings! Love, Clarence"

This is a quote from my all-time favorite Chrismas movie, "It's A Wonderful Life." I watch it every year...and every year, I cry.

Clarence Oddbody is an angel second class, transported to earth on an urgent mission that could help him to earn his wings and become a first class angel. His assigned mission is to help George Bailey, a compassionate but devastated businessman who is contemplating suicide over financial ruin.

By showing George how many lives he has touched and all the good he has done throughout his lifetime, Clarence saves George's life. And the many friends whom George has helped over the years now find it in their hearts to help George. In the end, Clarence gets his wings!

What is it about this classic movie, released 65 years ago, that still touches our hearts and souls, and re-kindles the Christmas spirit within us all?

At a time when many are struggling with unemployment, major losses in their investments, health problems, and the loss of family and friends, the messages in this movie manage to restore a sense of hope. This helps us all to see through the fog of temporary problems in life and to focus upon our many blessings, on the truly important things in life.

Nobody ever said that life was supposed to be easy or fair. Perhaps this movie can teach us lessons that will help to build character and pursue our individual missions in life.

As Christmas approaches, many are stressed out, trying to create the perfect Christmas. The reality is that we must contend with the loss of loved ones who are no longer here to celebrate with us. With an overload of events to attend, gifts to buy. Sometimes there's a family fued or crazy relative who manages to put a damper on this holiday.

Perhaps, in the big picture of things...none of this really matters. That's the gift that "It's A Wonderful Life" portrays to the world.

Happy Holidays to you and yours...and always remember that it truly is "a wonderful life!"

Stay tuned and please stay in touch!

Janet Kay
http://www.watersofthedancingsky.com

My Christmas Gift to You

Here's an idea to help you complete your Christmas shopping quickly, on line, at a seriously discounted price. For one week only, I'm offering an e-book version of my novel, Waters of the Dancing Sky, at a 50% discount! For $2.98 (less than a good cup of coffee) you can download my e-book, read it yourself when you need a little diversion from the hustle and bustle of the holidays - or gift a good friend. One warning - many readers say they are unable to put this book down!

To take advantage of this offer (expires December 19, 2011) go to http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/105615. Proceed to check out and enter code SL22W to get your discount.

Yes, I gave in to the e-book revolution although I personally love nothing more than holding a real live book in my hands! If you're like me and would prefer a print version, go to my website - http://www.watersofthedancingsky.com.

Reviews of this novel have been excellent and readers are requesting a sequel.

My best to you all for a Merry Christmas and a New Year filled with peace, good health, and happiness.

Please stay tuned and stay in touch!

Janet Kay
http://www.watersofthedancingsky.com

Tis The Season...

Somewhere in between Black Friday and Cyber Monday this year, The Woodlands, Texas was transformed into a magical world unlike any other.

"The Nutcracker" came to life here at the hands of the Woodlands Ballet Ensemble. This holiday classic is based on the story of E.T.A. Hoffman and danced to the brilliant music of Tchaikovsky.

Attending this well-loved ballet is a refreshing diversion from the harsh realities of a struggling economy and the rampant commercialism of this holiday season. The Nutcracker allows us to escape into an enchanting world in which dreams still do come true.

The beauty of the Christmas season is reflected on stage through an innocent little girl named Clara as she marvels at the wonder of falling snowflakes, as she dances with her nutcracker doll. The lovely Sugar Plum Fairy entrances the audience with her magical dancing in the arms of her Sugar Plum Cavalier. It reminds us all of the true beauty in this world. And perhaps leaves us wondering if there still is some magic out there for us all...

Nutcracker season has become an annual tradition for my Texas grandchildren who have grown up dancing in The Nutcracker in Missoula, Montana and The Woodlands, Texas. One of the highlights of my Christmas season is watching them perform, seeing them learn and grow into bigger and better roles. This year, I had the honor of watching grandaughters Abigail and Madelaine dance the roles of Clara and The Sugar Plum Fairy. They performed so beautifully, with so much passion and intensity, that I sat in the audience with tears welling in my eyes.

My congratulations to all the Nutcracker dancers for their great performances, to their teachers, parents, and those behind the scenes who made it all possible.

May the magic of The Nutcracker be with us all throughout the Christmas season!

Stay tuned and please stay in touch.

Janet Kay
http://www.watersofthedancingsky.com

THE MAGIC OF FANTASY

What do you see when you look at this tree? Try to look beyond the obvious...beyond identifying the type of tree, a cloudy day, etc. Daydream. Turn your imagination loose. Clear your mind and tap into the feelings that this image evokes in your heart and soul.

I see and feel a ghostly tree hiding chilling secrets from the past. What about those crumbling tombstones? Who lies beneath - and how did they die? I sense spirits lurking in the shadows...do you? Wait...is that an elf playing in the twisted, gnarled roots of this ancient tree?

As a writer, I frequently start with an image like this before spinning off into a bit of fantasy.

While fantasy and mythic stories have always been a part of our culture, there has been an explosion of interest in various genres of fantasy. Think J.K. Rowlings' Harry Potter series, J.R.R. Tolkien's work, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Why are so many people today reading and writing fantasy?

As Philip Martin (author of A Guide to Fantasy Literature)writes:"Fantasy is about journeying to strange worlds - but it is ultimately about arriving, in a state of surprise and grace, at a place inside ourselves where we see our own world again with the wonder and the belief of a child."

Yes, fantasy allows us to escape to places where all things are possible. I will never forget my little grandaughter Madelaine's fantasy of being The Little Mermaid. She played the role, sang the songs, perched on a rock beside the pool in a dramatic mermaid pose. However, she got so absorbed in her fantasy that she dove into the pool...she couldn't swim yet! We immediately rescued our little mermaid from her fantasy.

Fantasy allows writers and readers to create and live in make-believe worlds of our own. Here, we ideally learn lessons about good and evil, right and wrong, before returning to the real world.

Fantasy includes a number of interesting categories including fairy tales, adventure, high fantasy, dark fantasy, supernatural/paranormal, and magical realism.

As a writer, I'm not even going to try creating an elaborate world of dungeons and dragons. My preference is "magical realism" which combines magical elements with the real world. The magical or supernatural elements I like to introduce into the ordinary world include paranormal spirits from the past.

I want my readers to come away with a sense of hope and reconnection with the childish dreams that many of us have locked away in the dusty closets of our minds.

I write because there are readers and reviewers like Beverly Pechin of Reader Views. After reading my novel, Waters of the Dancing Sky, she wrote: "This novel will keep you intrigued, inspired, and hopeful. The way the author intertwines reality with fantasy simply leaves one to wonder if there aren't such beautiful possibilities out there for all of us."

Love to hear your thoughts about fantasy!

Stay tuned and please stay in touch!

Janet Kay
http://www.watersofthedancingsky.com

Getting Away From It All ...

Most authors have unique writing processes, little tricks to help them write well. Mine is simple - just getting away from it all. When I've completed my research and am ready to begin the next novel, I plan a writing retreat to some place that will inspire me and feed my creative process.

When I was ready to write my "Waters of the Dancing Sky" novel, I took off, alone, for Isle Royale National Park in Lake Superior. I brought all my research notes with me, colored pens, and a roll of white paper. It was time to create my fictional village on paper. I needed to know where my characters would live, what the town looked like.

I settled into my room at Rock Harbor Lodge, got my supplies out - but found it difficult to get down to business. There were trails to hike, a lighthouse that beckoned, moose roaming the island, and Lake Superior lapping against the rocks beneath my balcony.

So I headed out to explore this wilderness island, chastising myself for not getting down to work. After all, writers need to write, don't they?

Of course, BUT... it was then that I discovered my secret to writing well. To write effectively, I find that I need to achieve a delicate balance among three things: learning, creating, and being.

"Learning" is the exploration, research, travel, taking in and absorbing of information. "Creating" is the process of shaping that information through your unique perspective, rearranging bits of information into something new and meaningful.

"Being," however, is the piece that we often tend to ignore in our fast-paced world. It is the process of letting go, of clearing your mind, of doing nothing except absorbing the world around you without the need to analyze or fix anything.

As I settled into the natural rhythm of Isle Royale, I thought about this. I gave myself permission one morning to just sit out on my balcony as waves crashed below me, as diamonds of sunlight danced with the seagulls. I lost myself in the waves, in the magic of this mysterious lake.

I had nothing to show for that morning - nothing except a burst of creativity. I felt that I'd absorbed things deep within my soul and subconscious, things that soon began to surface in the pages of this novel.

Just being... and getting away from it all... Try it, you'll like it!

Stay tuned and please stay in touch!

Janet Kay
http://www.watersofthedancingsky.com

A CHANCE ENCOUNTER...

The "Sleeping Giant" was shrouded in eerie banks of fog rolling in across Lake Superior. This "giant" is, in fact, the rocky backbone of Sleeping Giant Provincial Park on the north shore of Lake Superior, Canada. Looking across the big lake from Thunder Bay, it appears to be a huge stone figure lying on its back, gazing into the heavens above. This silent giant rises many hundreds of feet above Lake Superior, its sheer cliffs dropping dramatically into crashing waves far below. Canada's Aboriginal people have passed on many fascinating legends and myths about this sleeping giant over past centuries.

Today, my two oldest grandsons, Derek and Malachi, and I were exploring this natural wonder. We'd driven many miles along narrow winding roads criss-crossing the top of this gentle giant to the very tip of the Sibley Peninsula.

Peeking through layers of fog as raindrops splattered around us, we were surprised to find the tiny community of Silver Islet. Once upon a time, as in 140 years ago, there was an active silver mining community on this site. The old clapboard General Store, built about 1870, still stands on the rocky point that juts out into Lake Superior.

The ramshackle store was closed, but a sign on the door invited us to ring the bell if we needed anything. We did. An elderly man greeted us, inviting us in. It was a step back in time. Nothing much had changed since the days when the miners purchased their supplies here. Surrounding the store, tucked back into the forest, are a number of the original miners homes which have now been converted into cottages for summer residents.

There happened to be another gentleman hanging out in the old store. He sported long hair and a beard, looked as if he'd been living in the wilderness for a while. In fact, he reminded us of a French Canadian voyageur...which was exactly what he turned out to be!

Mike Ranta, a 39-year-old explorer from the little town of Atikokan, Ontario, Canada was on the journey of a lifetime. He was paddling his canoe, alone, with his faithful dog, Spitzii, along the old Voyageur route. His 3,231 mile journey will take him from Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, Canada all the way to Montreal, Canada. He will be the first person ever to complete this journey all alone.

The boys (and I) were intrigued, just listening to his stories. Mike is doing this to raise money for his hometown Atikokan Youth Center. He delivers a powerful message to all whom he meets along his journey, particularly the youth.

His message is simple but very powerful - "Anyone can do anything. There is nothing you can't do! Nothing worth anything comes easy. It takes preparation, confidence, honesty and hard work. But... YOU CAN DO IT!" This gentle man radiates motivation, determination, and self-confidence. He has no doubt, despite the dangers of his journey, that he will succeed and reach Montreal. He reaches out to young people along the way, encouraging them to follow their dreams.

It was a chance encounter, one that my grandsons will always remember. One that I plan to integrate into my own writing. We would not have met Mike Ranta if Lake Superior hadn't been rough enough to force him in to shore that day - or if we hadn't changed our travel plans.

A coincidence? Perhaps...

Stay tuned and please stay in touch!

Janet Kay
www.watersofthedancingsky.com

AN ODE TO KETTLE FALLS, VOYAGEUR'S NATIONAL PARK

THE FALLS CALLS ...

Churning kettles of root beer-flavored foam
bubbling, boiling, tumbling down thundering falls
into swirling pools of frosty white geysers
surging like tidal waves against ancient faces
of black granite worn smooth with time

Shaded by clumps of evergreen and sumac
sprouting precariously from prehistoric crevices
dotted with dainty moss roses of delicate pink -
swaying to the rhythm of wind and water
dwarfed by the power of the falls ...

Dwarfed by the power of the falls ...
I, too, shrink into tininess, into insignificance
drifting backward, forward in time
slipping silently through misty seas
diving deeper, deeper yet
until I'm flowing
in sync, once more,
with the spirits of the universe.

*********************************

Yes, Kettle Falls is a special place for me. I sat by the falls, absorbing inspiration, as I wrote my novel, Waters of the Dancing Sky.

Stay tuned, and please stay in touch!

Janet Kay
www.watersofthedancingsky.com

HER NAME IS BETH...

I'd like to introduce you to a special woman who has become a good friend and an important part of my life over the past few years. Her name is Beth.

She's middle-aged, but still struggling with a tragic past that haunts her. Growing up on a wilderness island on a lake along the U.S./Canadian international border, she was just a young girl when her mother mysteriously drowned in the big lake. Her mother was gone. She had no father -just her grandmother who did her best to raise her right.

Barely grown, Beth fell in love - with the wrong man - and suffered through an abusive marriage for twenty years. Finally, she escaped, and went home to her family's island. Her grandmother had just passed on. Once again, Beth was alone with the demons from her past.

Embarking upon a journey of self-discovery, she found her mother's old diaries which held shocking long-held family secrets...including the identity of her father. Spirits of the past emerged as she struggled through a complex web of emotions and shifting relationships.

She doubted that she'd ever be able to forgive and put the past behind her, much less learn to love again.

While I tried to help her work through her shifting emotions, to gently nudge her along the road to healing,she had a mind of her own. She was intent on creating her own reality, her own destiny...perhaps a good sign that she was, in fact, learning and growing. I'm proud of my friend.

And now,

the rest of the story...

WHO is this special woman exactly? Well, she happens to be the main character in my novel, WATERS OF THE DANCING SKY!She's also become a good friend who has taught me a lot as "we" wrote this novel together. I hope you are able to meet her someday in the pages of this novel - and the sequel that I plan to do in response to reader requests.

Stay tuned and please stay in touch!

Janet Kay
www.watersofthedancingsky.com

"Writing is a journey...not a destination"

I was sitting at my computer, hammering away, trying to meet another self-imposed deadline. Now that I had my first novel out (Waters of the Dancing Sky)my readers were anxious for a sequel. I'm honored! But lately they've been asking how soon it will be available in the bookstores or on Amazon.com. Meanwhile, I'm struggling to complete another novel which will be set in the old western ghost town of Virginia City, Montana. So much to do...so little time. Wasn't publication, after all, my ultimate destination? Isn't that why we all write?

Maybe...maybe not. I belong to a wonderful writers group, The St. Croix Writers, and am learning a great deal from the members. Publication isn't necessarily the goal for many of my writer friends. It's the writing that counts - the sharing of thoughts and memories. It's a matter of tapping into one's creativity, looking at the world in a new way, learning and growing. If publication occurs, that's great. But,it's really more about the process of writing itself and the sense of satisfaction that results.

Yes, "writing is a journey, not a destination." We need to take time to enjoy the trip. Along the way, some of us chose to stop at destination points, islands of publication, before we embark again. But we need to take time to enjoy the journey, I think, instead of obsessing over publication and deadlines.

Today the loons are calling to me as gentle waves lap against the shore outside my window. Diamonds of sunlight glisten and dance across the waves. I think my computer needs a break from me today!

Stay tuned and please stay in touch!

Janet Kay
www.watersofthedancingsky.com