Sherrie Miranda's Blog, page 184
August 10, 2015
The Wolf
We had two dogs that were part wolf when I was growing up. We, five kids, loved them so much that when the 2nd one got hit by a car, trying to keep up with us, my mom vowed “No more pets!” She could’t take our crying any longer.
We loved both those dogs more than we loved members of our family!
P.S. I wanted to let you know that it looks like we have worked it out so we can still take our trip back to NY and my husband be able to play for my nephew’s wedding. Angelo couldn’t stand to hear about anyone else’s crying over us not being there.
Sherrie Miranda’s historically based, coming of age, Adventure novel “Secrets & Lies in El Salvador” is about an American girl in war-torn El Salvador: http://tinyurl.com/klxbt4y
Her husband made a video for her novel. He wrote the song too:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/P11Ch5chkAc?version=3&rel=1&fs=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&wmode=transparent
Originally posted on Scribbles on the Wall:
My yellow eyes stare at you from the dark.
My crinkled snout hides my furious teeth,
While my mouth waters
At the very smell of you.
I’m lurking, I’m waiting.
Preying on your animals
Preying on your children
Preying on you.
That’s who you want me to be.
Your stories write me big and bad,
And you have made up your mind.
Turn around, man.
Turn around and see.
Look at your reflection.
Because the ferocious beast
Pulling the trigger is you,
And not me.
Mariana Llanos©2015
Wolf Picture By Gunnar Ries (Own work (own photo)) [CC BY-SA 2.5 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons
August 8, 2015
full of miracles
This is a perfect photo for how I feel today. Have you ever had a perfect trip planned, that included very special, heartwarming time with family, only to find you screwed up the dates?
That’s what happened with me and my hubby. He was going to play at my nephew’s wedding. Andy’s fiancé was so excited about it and so was my husband. Since they started planning the wedding a year and a half in advance, I must have looked at last year’s calendar. I thought we were off the 2 weeks before the wedding, but Angelo has to go back on the 5th, not the 12th of October.
We had also planned to do some day trips or overnight trips to see more of Upstate NY and even to go to NYC this time.
This is Angelo’s last year of teaching and he doesn’t want to give these students any less than he has given his students for the past 30 years. I understand. But I have subbed for several teachers who have taken their vacation during the school year so just this once, I do wish he would do what would make my family happy and take the time off. I know it’s too much to ask. So, as I write this, I am letting go of this heartache, wishing the best for my nephew and his bride-to-be. She is perfect for him; she is the woman he is meant to be with. I wish we could share their beautiful day with them, but alas, it isn’t meant to be.
I hope both the bride’s AND the grooms family will forgive us this mistake. We love them all very much and are happy to be part of this extended family. ;-)
Sherrie Miranda's historically based, coming of age, Adventure novel “Secrets & Lies in El Salvador” is about an American girl in war-torn El Salvador: http://tinyurl.com/klxbt4y
Her husband made a video for her novel. He wrote the song too:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/P11Ch5chkAc?version=3&rel=1&fs=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&wmode=transparent
Originally posted on AnaElisa:
full of miracles
photo copyright ana elisa fuentes
August 4, 2015
Literature Monday: Patrick de Belen, Thin, Hyphenated Line
Wow, well, I guess today is poetry day! Although I don’t know my roots very well, I have always asked similar questions. My husband IS Filipino (Filipino-American, though he never adds that 2nd part). He is very comfortable in his skin. Maybe because he is a musician. I hope Patrick will find his place through his poetry. Or maybe by going back to the PI. Or maybe BOTH! ;-)
Sherrie Miranda's historically based, coming of age, Adventure novel “Secrets & Lies in El Salvador” is about an American girl in war-torn El Salvador: http://tinyurl.com/klxbt4y
Her husband made a video for her novel. He wrote the song too:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/P11Ch5chkAc?version=3&rel=1&fs=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&wmode=transparent
Originally posted on A Tourist In This City:
Through my internship at the Kapisanan Centre, I have been blessed with the chance to meet so many wonderful Filipino artists. One of them is Patrick de Belen, who leads the Poetry is Our Second Language workshop at the K. This is the first poem of his that I heard him perform, and it resonated deeply with me. It’s rather long, but trust me when I say that it is powerful, and well worth the read. Thin, Hyphenated Line is a compelling piece on identity, ethnicity, and growing up Filipino in Canada. Here it is in full:
You’ll have to excuse me if I hesitate when you ask me about my ethnic background
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Poem of the Day: ‘i carry your heart with me(i carry it in’ by e. e. cummings
Thanks, BookPeopleBlog! I dedicate this poem to my husband. I couldn’t do better than him if I lived a thousand years!
Sherrie Miranda’s historically based, coming of age, Adventure novel “Secrets & Lies in El Salvador” is about an American girl in war-torn El Salvador: http://tinyurl.com/klxbt4y
Her husband made a video for her novel. He wrote the song too:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/P11Ch5chkAc?version=3&rel=1&fs=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&wmode=transparent
Originally posted on BookPeople's Blog:
Today’s poem of the day for this final week of National Poetry Month (oh, where does the time go?) is one from E. E. Cummings, that master manipulator of language: i carry your heart with me(i carry it in. One of the most prolific and experimental poets of the twentieth century, Cummings cultivated a distinct style that reimagined the rules of grammar and even invented its own words. He’s know for being weird and at times virtually impossible to understand, but if you’ve taken a spin through the massive volume E. E. Cummings: Complete Poems, 1904-1962 (Liverlight Publishing Corporation, 1994), you’ll know that he’s also a romantic whose body of work consists largely of love poems. This is one of them (and it’s not impossible to read!) Enjoy.
~
i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
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August 3, 2015
(Re)dedication
I love how the movement of the plants matches the movement of the dolphins! Very nice work, Ana!
Sherrie Miranda’s historically based, coming of age, Adventure novel “Secrets & Lies in El Salvador” is about an American girl in war-torn El Salvador: http://tinyurl.com/klxbt4y
Her husband made a video for her novel. He wrote the song too:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/P11Ch5chkA?version=3&rel=1&fs=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&wmode=transparent
Originally posted on AnaElisa:
Today, members of the Coastal and Valley tribe of the Chumash joined together with members of the Santa Barbara community to re-dedicate the Dolphin fountain at the waterfront.
The fountain which honors the Dolphin relatives of the Chumash people, was enshrined thirty years ago today.
The Dolphins face the northern direction and its placement in the fountain symbolizes harmony in the three worlds. Since we are in severe drought, plants have replaced the flow of water; the Chumash people sang traditional and contemporary songs in their language – to honor and welcome the plants, their Dolphin ancestors and the flow of life; which includes the revitalization of the Chumash language.
Ho!
Learn more about Chumash life, culture and song here.
Text and photos copyright Ana Elisa Fuentes. Photos captured with Apple iPod
July 29, 2015
Author Tip: Is Short Story Writing Something You Should Do?
Sounds like it follows a similar pattern as the novel, just a few less ups and downs. I definitely need to try to write AT LEAST one short story just to show myself I can. After that, we’ll see! ;-)
Sherrie Miranda’s historically based, coming of age, Adventure novel “Secrets & Lies in El Salvador” is about an American girl in war-torn El Salvador: http://tinyurl.com/klxbt4y
Her husband made a video for her novel. He wrote the song too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P11Ch5chkAc
Originally posted on Book Cover Design & Illustration by Michelle Rene:
Why Short StoriesYou may not have considered short story writing before, but here are some reasons why you should. This article will also tell you how to go about crafting a short story.
Short stories are for everyone. They are fun and easy to read as well as easy to write. Short stories can be read in one or two sittings, they grip the reader’s attention and don’t let go until the end. They are popular. Remember all of those story ideas that just weren’t developed enough for that novel? These are perfect little critter’s to get you started writing short stories.
Maybe you are a new author just starting out trying to finish up that first great book. Or maybe you’re an experienced author working on a sequel or at best trying to dream one up. As a writer you need to keep busy…
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July 28, 2015
Wednesday for Women: Who are you calling a Mama’s Boy?
Actually I must admit I agree with Dad on this one. I also think Dad’s rules should apply to girls too. I wish my parents had taught me to be a little tougher.
I’m curious to hear what others think though! ;-)
Sherrie Miranda's historically based, coming of age, Adventure novel “Secrets & Lies in El Salvador” is about an American girl in war-torn El Salvador: http://tinyurl.com/klxbt4y
Her husband made a video for her novel. He wrote the song too:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/P11Ch5chkAc?version=3&rel=1&fs=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&wmode=transparent
Originally posted on Live & Learn:
Eric (son) turns 18 in less than a week. Eric is a Mama’s Boy. And Mama and Son are hand-in-glove. They are cut from a similar cloth – both peaceful – both warm and gentle – both kind hearted – both intelligent and humble. And, they share a deep emotional bond.
Meanwhile, there’s Dad circling on the outside looking in.
Mom’s the Nurturer. The Protector.
Dad, on the other hand, is The Beast.
It all started with absentee Dad hearing that Mama was teaching her Son the proper way to use the toilet. (I’ll spare you the details. I still cringe.) That was enough. Ever since Eric was a youngster (after the bathroom incident), Dad has been relentless – – he’s been on the “Man-Up” bus. Tirade after tirade…
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Reading to Heal/Writing to Heal, by Sherrie Miranda
Any one of us who loves to read can testify to the healing powers of reading. Reading helps people deal with loss, illness and being victims of crime. I’ve been through some tough times in my life, times when I don’t know what I would have done without books. By the time I became a teacher, I realized that my traumas were mild compared to many of my students’.
Back then (many moons ago ;-)) I didn’t know about therapists or women’s groups, but I did love to read. At times I was almost healed from one trauma when another happened. Just so you know, of course, physical violence is a trauma, as well as witnessing violence (probably the most common trauma for young people). But the death of a loved one is also a trauma; so is divorce – many say it is equal to death as that person is no longer a part of your life. The spoken word can be, and often is, violent: yelling, insults, making a person feel like they are not worthy of love; these can all be very traumatic.
In my twenties, when I lived in New Orleans, just walking out of my home could be a traumatic experience. In fact, being INSIDE your home could be too. I remember one night getting up to write because I couldn’t sleep. I heard two men arguing over a woman, neither of which bothered to ask the woman who she wanted to be with. I wrote that my experiences in New Orleans prepared me for the violence I would later witness in El Salvador. In truth, it was worse in NOLA: a man getting shot dead for hitting the bumper of a an off-duty policeman, a woman, missing getting her face smashed in by inches. The latter was during Mardi Gras, which I grew to hate because of the violence and mean spiritedness of many of the people. Oh yeah, she was being hit by a policeman too. I also heard stories of police killing young black children (as young as eight or ten years old) and pulling out their “throw away” gun to place on the scene so they could claim self-defense.
By that time, I was spending weeks, maybe months, going to work and coming home, then spending all the rest of the time reading or sleeping. I wasn’t sleeping much those days, which is unusual for me. I stayed up most of the night reading voraciously. I remember reading “Papillon” and Marge Piercy’s “Woman on the Edge of Time.” Piercy’s book had such an influence on me that, for years, my goal in life was to become a screenwriter so I could turn the story into a movie. (Sadly, I was not meant to be a screenwriter so if anyone reading this is, seriously consider making this into a movie!)
Reading, especially novels, helped me to see that we have many choices in this life; we don’t have to do what those around us are doing. And we certainly don’t have to be victims. Now that I am older, I have seen that some of the strongest people are survivors of extreme abuse, but at that time, I could only see that in fiction. And the occasional memoir.
Another book, “Drinking: A Love Story,” is a memoir written by a woman who was an alcoholic though it took her years to finally accept that fact. It is one of several books that helped me realize that many of us, women and men alike, struggle with the same issues. Whether we are male or female, black, white or brown, American, French or Salvadoran, reading helps us to understand ourselves and to let go of shame: someone else has been here before us and someone will be there after us. And we must survive.
P.S. For these reasons, writing is important too. Write your story and help the world heal.
P.P.S. My dream is to one day do workshops for seniors and troubled teens (& who among us wasn’t a troubled teen?), to help them write their stories and release their pain so they can become their best self. With the seniors, I have discovered that many, especially women, haven’t told their family of their life before they started a family.
P.P.P.S. I wrote my novel to help myself and others heal. My Salvadoran ex-in-laws are so proud that I wrote about their “Tom Thumb” country!
Sherrie Miranda’s historically based, coming of age, Adventure novel “Secrets & Lies in El Salvador” is about an American girl in war-torn El Salvador: http://tinyurl.com/klxbt4y
Her husband made a video for her novel. He wrote the song too:
“You’re Not Like the Others” — How to Make Your Protagonist Different Without Being Cliché
Well, my protagonist fits most of these descriptions & many readers want to read more about her. So Far, I have a prequel planned, but am still thinking about a sequel. ;-)
Sherrie Miranda's historically based, coming of age, Adventure novel “Secrets & Lies in El Salvador” is about an American girl in war-torn El Salvador: http://tinyurl.com/klxbt4y
Her husband made a video for her novel. He wrote the song too:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/P11Ch5chkAc?version=3&rel=1&fs=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&wmode=transparent
Originally posted on jdominique37:
Writing a good protagonist is hard. Really hard. After all, what exactly defines “good”? Likeable? Interesting? Relatable? Well-developed? All of the above? Creating a “good” protagonist has never been an easy process, but here are just a few tips that might help you.
You’ll notice that often protagonists are similar in the way that they all have several key characteristics — bravery, loyalty, compassion, etc. Harry Potter is an excellent example of this. And then you have characters who aren’t exactly likeable, but they’re interesting, there’s something about them that is compelling — for me, Katniss Everdeen is like that. Both, I think, are good protagonists, but what makes them stand out from all the hordes of average main characters?
You’ll notice that a lot of books and movies will have other characters remarking, “You’re special, Protag” and “You’re different than the others, Protag.” There’s nothing wrong with this because…
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July 27, 2015
How to Quickly Tweet Your Way to Blog Traffic
If you are like me & still haven’t figured out how to best use your Twitter account, here are some great tips. Thanks Janice & Thanks to Chris as I wouldn’t have found this otherwise!
Sherrie Miranda’s historically based, coming of age, Adventure novel “Secrets & Lies in El Salvador” is a/b an American girl in war-torn El Salvador: http://tinyurl.com/klxbt4y
Her husband made a video for her novel. He wrote the song too:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/P11Ch5chkAc?version=3&rel=1&fs=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&wmode=transparent
Originally posted on Reflections:
A reader was perplexed.
He wrote,
Janice – don’t suppose you’ve written anything about using Twitter? I can’t get my head around it at all!
Getting blog traffic from Twitter can be as fast as actually writing a Tweet, so dubbed due to the fast nature of the writing.
According to recent statistics, 302 million people actively use Twitter each month. Clearly, that’s a huge market that bloggers can tap. Getting Twitter users to your site is easy and quick.
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