WHAT NEW WRITERS SHOULD KNOW

§  You'll waste a lot of paper. Wasting paper and purchasing printer cartridges are part of the trade. When you print your work and find it's beyond help or you need to start over, throw it away and delete it from your computer. Physically throwing it into the trash signifies a new start mentally. Don’t worry about killing trees. Like crops, trees for paper mills are planted, held in rotation until mature, and harvested. However, if you think you do have a few paragraphs, sentences, or nifty phrases that are worthwhile, start a "miscellaneous scrap" file and squirrel them away on your computer. 

§  Writing is a lonely, solitary occupation. Writing takes time. You'll miss being out in the sunshine or watching your favorite television show. You may miss family gatherings with a deadline near. You'll miss sleep. Make friends with other writers. They understand your crazy burning need to create.

§  Find a place to write where you feel comfortable and secure. Arm the location with a good collegiate dictionary, The Chicago Manuel of Style, and an unabridged Roget’s Thesaurus. Roget’s has more than ten times the amount of synonyms than any online site. Then, find something that signals routine and the need to sit down and write—like making your bed, drinking that second cup of coffee or tea, or taking your dog for his morning walk—or choose an evening signal if you write at night.

 §  Never, never send out your first draft to anyone, anywhere. If possible, let your words sit for a while to cool like a hot custard pie. It’s easier to see missing data, mistakes, and grammar problems when you’ve distanced yourself from your work. Having trouble finding your mistakes? If you’re prone to using Times New Roman on your computer screen, print your work out in a different font like Courier, Arial, or Century Schoolbook. Have a friend help you. Intensive editing is part of the writing process. Also, printing a hard copy gives you a different perspective to look at it. You can also email the doc. file to your Kindle or digital tablet for another perspective when editing.

§  Don’t believe people who say that writing doesn’t have to be as perfect as possible—because that’s what editors are for. Everyday, editors reject dozens of manuscripts. Do you think they’ll accept one with grammar and punctuation mistakes or basic sentence structure problems? Your writing is a reflection of who you are. It’s your first shot at making an impression and getting a toehold into the publishing world. Just like a job interview, you need to make it a good one.  

Happy New Year!

Here's hoping your New Year ahead is filled with all good things like health, happiness, contentment and peace.

Too often we forget the important things while we hurry forward in life. Take time for family, and take time for yourself—be it a quiet corner to read and reflect or an activity that brings you joy whether it's a favorite sport or a creative endeavor. I plan to finish a multi-author, contemporary short piece involving cookies as a theme, and I’d like to create and write another novella.

This year, my resolutions are few: Besides reading, writing, and finishing projects that I start, I plan to eat healthy. And, I believe it’s my duty to do everything possible to try to keep myself and others safe by wearing a mask, practicing social distancing, washing my hands, and getting a vaccine when it’s available. I pray for an end to this Covid virus and an end to the deaths and suffering that have occurred.

Let's raise our glasses and give a toast to 2021—and hope it's a good year for our people and our nation!

For more information about my books, visit my Amazon Author Page: 
https://www.amazon.com/Judy-Ann-Davis/e/B006GXN502/  

A Polish Christmas Eve - Wigilia

For people of Polish ancestry, Christmas Eve is a special night. It is a night of magic when animals are said to talk and people have the power to predict the future. It’s a time for families to gather and reconcile any differences, and to remember loved ones who have gone before them. It’s call Wigilia (vee-GELL-yah) which means, “vigil,” or waiting for the birth of Baby Jesus.

Pollish Santa

As dusk approaches, the mother of the family places a lighted candle in the window to welcome the Christ Child. Straw or hay, a reminder of Christ’s birth in a stable, is placed under a white linen tablecloth, which symbolizes Mary’s veil which became the Babe’s swaddling cloth. The eldest woman of the house places the blessed Communion-like wafers called oplatki (Oh-PWAHT-kee) on a fine china or silver plate. In modern times, straw and evergreens are assembled on a serving platter and covered with a white napkin. The oplatki is then placed on the napkin.

An extra place is set of any weary stranger who happens to pass by, in the same way Joseph wandered from home to home looking for a place for Mary to give birth, and in memory of those who are departed. (The extra place is also set in hopes that Christ will dine with the family.)

After sunset, the youngest child is sent to watch for the first star. This is why the wigilia dinner is also known as the Star Supper. Only then are the candles on the table lit and the dinner begun. But not a morsel is eaten before the “breaking of the oplatki.”

Oplatki

The eldest family member takes the wafer, breaks it and shares it with the next eldest with wishes for good health and prosperity, and a kiss on each cheek. Each person then exchanges oplatki with everyone else at the table. It can be a very emotional time as grudges are forgotten and deceased family members are remembered.

Instead of sending Christmas cards to friends and family not present, Poles send oplatki, first tearing off a small corner to show that the donor has broken it with them as a token of affection. (In America, Polish families often enclose oplatki in their Christmas cards.)

In some regions of Poland, at the end of the supper, Father Christmas, known as The Starman (very often the parish priest in disguise), accompanied by singing Starboys, pays a visit. He brings rewards to good children from Starland, and scolds the naughty ones, who eventually get their reward, too.

Typical food dishes on Christmas Eve include borscht, mushroom dishes, herring, white fish, meatless cabbage rolls, gingerbread cookies, pierogis, poppy seed rolls, spice cake, fruit, chocolates, tangerines, and cognac, liqueurs, and vodka made into a variety of drinks.

A fun video to watch with great music:     

 https://www.facebook.com/lovepoland.org/videos/1003789649809281/

[Information taken from “About Food – Polish Christmas Recipes and Traditions” - by Barbara Rolek, Eastern European Food Expert.]

For more information about my books, visit my Amazon Author Page: 
https://www.amazon.com/Judy-Ann-Davis/e/B006GXN502/

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

LET'S GIVE THANKS THIS YEAR

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year. It's a special day when we don't have to go into a meltdown mode chasing down the perfect gifts for everyone on our Christmas list. The real gift, in other years but our current one, is simply being able to gather family and friends together to eat, talk, share stories, and enjoy all those tempting dishes—like to-die-for corn bread stuffing, Aunt Jane’s pecan and pumpkin pies with mounds of whipped cream, and the ever-famous turkey, baked to a golden brown in the oven or a deep fryer. Even though we can't gather in large numbers because of safety reasons, Thanksgiving is still the time to reflect about things we are thankful for.

1. I'm thankful for warm, toasty home and a cupboard full of food. In this ongoing pandemic, it's nice to know I have a safe place to live with a peaceful place to lay my head each night.

2. I thankful for my family, friends, fellow writers, and many others who are part of my life. Luckily, during these devastating times, we have the ability to communicate using the telephone, Skype, Zoom, and other on-line media venues. Can you imagine what it was like to quarantine during the Spanish Flu in 1918 to the spring of 1920?

3. I'm thankful for the beautiful earth that we have, and especially, our rural community with its lush, scenic mountains, clean streams and lakes, and our exquisite sunsets and striking sunrises. The four seasons of Pennsylvania gives us a variety of flora and fauna to enjoy year 'round. 

4. Lastly, I'm thankful for far too many people to list: our medical professionals, our first responders, our police, our military, and all those who help keep us well and safe. 

Of course, there are other people and things I haven't mentioned, but now it's your turn. What are you most thankful for this year?

NOTE: If you leave a comment, I'll gift the winner, through Amazon, a digital copy of his/her choice of one of the three books below. Please leave an email so I can contact you.   

      I'm happy to announce that ADELENE ~ THE VIOLINIST, which is Book 2 of my Musical Christmas series, has won first place in the Contemporary Short Category of the International Digital Awards, sponsored by the Oklahoma Romance Writers of America. For some fun holiday reading, check out all three romantic mysteries below!

                                                             Happy Thanksgiving!

          BUY LINKS for JUNE ~ The Pianist                  Amazon       Barnes and Noble

          BUY LINKS for ADELENE ~ The Violinist        Amazon       Barnes and Noble

          BUY LINKS for LUCY ~ The Clarinetist            Amazon       Barnes and Noble