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

People Watching...

I recently returned from a 2,500 mile cross-country road trip stretching from Wisconsin to Montana and back again - with stops in Virginia City and Seeley Lake, Montana; and Walnut, Iowa. These locations have become special places for me since my next novel (tentatively titled "AMELIA 1868") will be set in these locations - and frankly,because I've fallen in love with these historic towns of the past! Unique little towns that have somehow found a way to expand upon their historic roots and move into a promising future...

While I, of course, had an agenda - and endless lists of questions that I needed to have answered, I found much more than the answers that I originally sought. While I found fascinating historical information in local libraries and through conversations with local geneologists and historians, and while I discovered perfect places for my characters to have lived and died... I also took time to simply sit back and watch people.

I watched and I listened carefully - on the street or over a cup of coffee at Aunt B's Kitchen in Walnut, Iowa; The Stage Station in Seeley Lake, Montana; or The Outlaw Cafe in Virginia City, Montana. In the process, I discovered a number of fascinating characters, some of whom will most likely end up in my novel.

Let me introduce you to several of the most unforgettable characters I met on this journey. Some are already coming to life in the first draft of my manuscript. Some have actually changed the plot line. Others are still trying to capture my attention...

First, there's Diamondback Dave (the man in this photo.) A vision spiraling forward in time from the 1860's gold mining era in Virginia City, MT, this gentleman still does gold prospecting and placer mining in Montana. Accompanied by his faithful burro, Dusty, he escapes into the mountains every chance he gets along with his pick, shovel and gold pan...the way they did it 100 or more years ago. Dave is also an actor and costumed interpreter portraying life in the Old West. Check out his website at http://www.diamondbackdave.net.

I'll never forget little Sarah, the whimsical, friendly ghost-child who occasionally haunts Virginia City's Outlaw Cafe and Antique Shop. She loves to play with the vintage toys - frequently turning on the musical rocking horse clock...even when staff have purposefully removed the batteries to prevent Sarah's escapades...

While catching up on email and enjoying a mocha latte at The Stage Station in the picteurespue mountain town of Seeley Lake, Montana, I met a friendly elderly gentleman, a recent widower who stopped in with a batch of chocolate chip cookies he'd just made. This was his way of conntecting with others after the death of his beloved wife. He made his way through the town, stopping at local businesses to pass out his delicious cookies and visit with his neighbors.

Moving on to Iowa, I found new friends who live in a lovely Victorian home in the antique town of Walnut. Dorine owns and operates a quilting business in the heart of the historic Walnut district. I was wrapped immediately into the comforting blanket of a community that still thrives on old-fashioned values of friendliness and neighbors helping neighbors... even during the recent flooding that has devastated so many of the local farmers.

And there was more, much more ... like the chilling discovery of a gravestone in the Walnut, Iowa Cemetery that linked clearly to one in the Virginia City, Montana cemetery. It's all about "AMELIA!"

Suddenly, all the pieces of my novel were coming together...

People watching...yes, this is the answer to many of the questions that we, as writers, struggle with. People watching... this is where you will find answers to questions that you have not yet thought about...

Please stay tuned and stay in touch.

Always,

Janet Kay
http://www.watersofthedancingsky.com

WRITERS WRITE...

...BUT we occasionally need to escape from the fantasy worlds we've created on our computer screens. We need to seek out other writers - sometimes the only people who understand the dual reality that we live within, splitting our time between real and make-believe worlds.

One of the best escapes I've found is belonging to and participating in a good writers' organization. In Wisconsin, we're fortunate to have a statewide organization (with numerous local clubs) dedicated to supporting and assisting both amateur and professional writers in their creative writing efforts.

The Wisconsin Writers Assocation was founded in 1948 (as the Wisconsin Regional Writers Association.) It offers excellent educational conferences, contests, book fairs, promotional and networking opportunities.

I just returned from the WWA Fall 2011 Conference in Stevens Point, Wisconsin - recharged, inspired, anxious to apply some of the things I learned there.

This was one of the best writers' conferences I've attended! There was something for everyone - sessions on flash fiction, memoir writing, poetry, science fiction/fantasy/horror, self-publishing, small presses, freelance writing opportunities, journalism in the e-world, and screenplay writing. There were opportunities to "pitch" your manuscript to an editor/agent and time to network with other writers.

We listened to Bruce Dethlefsen, Wisconsin Poet Laureate, read his delightful poetry. And we were entranced with the success story of Cayla Kluver, teen-age author of the best-selling Legacy Trilogy. Cayla's mother and agent, Kimberly Phifer, took us along on their journey to stardom in the young adult world of books.

The book fair offered an excellent selection of books by Wisconsin authors -and we were pleased with our book sales.

Yes, writers write...but we also need to take time to learn and network at writers' conferences like this one. I, for one, came away inspired and raring to go on my next novel!

Stay tuned and please stay in touch.

Janet Kay
http://www.watersofthedancingsky.com

Remembering 9/11...

"Freedom itself was attacked this morning by a faceless coward - and freedom will be defended!" President George W. Bush, September 11, 2001

As the tenth anniversary of this insidious incident approaches, an event that rocked the foundations of our previously "secure" world, I, like many of you, still struggle to put this into perspective,to understand what has happened - and why...

Think about people like Jose Bonilla, New York City. In the last decade, he has helped to wage a war, had two children, and has been employed with crews helping to rebuild the soaring skyscraper that will soon tower over the ashes of the old Trade Center. When he looks back at the transformation he has seen since 9/11, he sees rebirth. It's like a phoenix rising up from the ashes, he says.

Think about those who have lost their loved ones in this tragedy, thousands of our friends and neighbors whose lives have forever changed.

While some of us have by now been lulled into a false sense of security and complacency, think again...

Never forget those who have sacrificed their lives for all that we believe in, for those who continue to fight to protect our country and our rights.

May God Bless America!!

Please stay tuned and 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

TIME TO HIT THE ROAD ...

The writer in me is restless... it's time to start my next novel, tentatively titled "Amelia 1865" or "Prairie Rose." Before I begin, however, I need to hit the road. I need to explore the places where my novel will be set, to learn about the people, the history, the culture.

You see, I'm a place writer of "destination" novels. It's important to me that my readers identify with the places where my characters live. It means a lot to me when readers tell me that after reading my book, they are planning a trip to the place where it is set.

So...this time I'm off for several enchanting destinations. First, to Walnut, Iowa, officially known as "Iowa's Antique City." It's a small village of brick streets lined with turn-of-the-century historic buildings filled with antiques. Home of Prairie Rose State Park. A refreshing place where small town spirit lives on.

My final destination is the old western ghost town of Virginia City, Montana. Nestled in the mountains at the foot of Boot Hill Cemetery, Virginia City was a bustling gold mining town in the 1860's.

The basic premise of my novel is this: WHAT IF a restless spirit comes back to life seeking revenge for her murder in a previous lifetime?

She's a bored farm girl growing up in rural Iowa. Commitment-phobic, she stands her fiance up at the altar and heads west towards an unknown destination. A mysterious force drives her to the old western ghost town of Virginia City, Montana.

Why does she finally feel at home here, somehow recognizing old historical landmarks? Flashbacks begin to flow through her soul, driving her to a cemetery nestled in the mountains overlooking the valley. Here she discovers an overgrown gravestone inscribed, "AMELIA 1865." No last name, no date of birth.

Obsessed with discovering the truth about this long-forgotten woman, Rose finds herself flashing back and forth between two different realities - her current sheltered life and that of a "hurdy gurdy girl" struggling to survive in the Wild West. Rose's own life depends upon her ability to merge these realities into something that makes sense.

This strange journey becomes more complicated when a love interest materializes and throws her off balance. This relationship becomes a bizarre dance twisting and turning between love and hate. Can she still accomplish her mission? Does it matter?

Stay tuned and please stay in touch!

Janet Kay
http://www.watersofthedancingsky.com