L.F. Falconer's Blog

The Art of Giving and Receiving Constructive Criticism

In the world of writing, constructive criticism can be an author's best friend. It allows the writer to see her work through the eyes of the reader and to help locate trouble spots the writer might not be able to see due to her intimate knowledge and closeness to her own work. Trouble spots such as plot holes, disappearing characters, description problems, clumsy dialogue, unwieldy wordage, etc., can often elude the author but may be quickly picked up on by readers.

It is as important to know how to give criticism as it is to receive it. In giving criticism, always be respectful. Specify what you like as well as what you don't. Remember to explain why you think a change should be made. A bland "I just don't like it," tells the writer nothing. Be concrete and be polite. A critique is meant to be a helpful tool, not a gladiator game where you must destroy your opponent.

Receiving criticism often takes more courage than giving it does. We're close to our work - we love it - it is a part of us. No one wants to hear about its flaws. A writer must learn not to take critiques personally, for a flaw in the written work does not equate to a flaw in the author. We are all human, imperfect and bound to err. Keep in mind that every criticism is an opportunity for improvement. Be open to suggestion but remember: it is your work. Ultimately, you control it. To take or ignore the advice of others is entirely your choice.

Bear in mind that a critique group is not equal to a support group. We all like hearing "oohs and ahhs and wow, that's greats," but a good critique group should give you support while exposing your weaknesses at the same time. A good critique group is designed to help one another, not tear each other down.

Benefits of a critique group:

1. Belonging to a group helps keep you on a deadline.
2. Through various interests, hobbies, levels of education, and life experiences, other eyes can help you with story details you might be unfamiliar with.
3. Every person in the group possesses their own strengths which benefits the group as a whole. Diversity is good!

Some basic etiquette in providing critiques and dynamic feedback:

1. Be brutally honest without being brutal. It does the author who is seeking honest feedback no good if you fear to give it. Simply remember you are here to offer your help, and "honesty is the best policy." Just be nice about giving it.
2. Don't simply point out what doesn't work. Mention the things that do work as well. In fact, it is often best to offer what you liked about the work before you delve into what you didn't like. Authors need to know what they're doing right as well as what they're doing wrong.
3. Don't simply point out that something is wrong and don't try to rewrite the work for the author. Offer alternatives and be sure to say why you believe it is wrong. Do not get offended if the author disregards your suggestions. After all, keep in mind who ultimately has control of the work!

Critique Group guidelines to remember:

1. Be kind! Be respectful. The word to remember here is that this is constructive criticism.
2. Basic writing rules are fluid. Consider the work's genre, for the rules that apply to one genre might not strictly apply to another. A cozy mystery is constructed differently than a sweet romance, which is different than a sci-fi space opera, which is different than historical fiction...(you get the idea.) Taking part in a multi-genre critique group can broaden your own horizons through exposure to things you might not normally read. You might prefer Romance over Heroic Adventure, but your knowledge of Romance might be just the thing another author needs to sweeten up his main character's romantic entanglements, while his knowledge of street fighting might aid your main character's needs during an unexpected confrontation with a character not-so-sweet. Again - diversity!
3. It is usually beneficial for the person whose work is being critiqued to remain silent when being given the feedback of others. This allows for the comments of all to be offered without the writer feeling the need to justify herself. Be courteous to those whose opinions you sought. Remember - this is a critique of words written - not of the writer herself.
4. If several members of the group mention the same trouble spot in your work, it probably needs to be fixed. If only one member mentions it, maybe not. Use your own discretion in this and strive to remain true to your voice and your story's intentions.

Direct Critique Session Suggestions:

1. Critique sessions are best done as weekly or twice-a-month meetings. This allows for more to be accomplished.
2. Even if you don't have anything ready to be critiqued, still take part. You might recognize your own errors in someone else's work, as well as provide another with your valuable input.
3. In a direct critique session, do not read more than 2 or 3 pages of your work per session. Pages do not have to be critiqued in plot succession. Whatever part of your work you feel you need help with the most at the time - bring that!
4. Instead of reading your own work aloud, perhaps allow another to read it aloud for you. To hear your words being read by another gives you a greater understanding of how a reader interprets your words. If it differs greatly from how you perceived it to be, perhaps it needs more tweaking.

Note: A simple way to self-critique at home is to read your work aloud. This will often reveal major problems with syntax, awkward dialogue, clunky transitions, etc. However, we're often our own worst critic, so opting for a self-critique over a peer-critique is hardly recommended.

Beta Reading:

Beta reading is usually done in the final-draft stage of creation, where you allow others to read your entire, finished manuscript. These beta readers then give you feedback on the overall flow, readability, character development, plot, etc., which then allows you to correct any previously undetected problems or issues before you move into the publishing stage. Try to enlist 5-10 people (who you can count on to give you honest feedback, so usually not your mom) to read your manuscript before you call the work complete. This step can really save you some heartache and embarrassment down the road, lending credibility to your appearance as a true professional.

HAPPY WRITING!

2017: The Year of Major Minor Achievements

In some ways I'm glad to kiss 2017 goodbye; in other ways I'm sad to see it go. Mostly though, I simply sit in bewilderment, wondering how it can be over already!

The year started out with great promise with the publication of my 8th book, a supernatural thriller titled A Debt of Survival , released in early March. Much to my delight, it's been well received with rave reviews!

I had two other publication credits of note: my short story, "Burn on the Bayou," was published in August by Weirdbook #36, and "The Witch of Skur," was published in Weirdbook Annual #1 Witches, in October. (Weirdbook Magazine will always have a special place in my heart--the first periodical which paid me in actual $$ for my work!)

In July, I was thrilled to receive a first place people's choice award in the Amazing Book Covers contest for A Debt of Survival, sponsored by LeRue Press as part of Reno Art Town in Reno, Nevada. The win netted me some free advertising as well as a live interview on the BookHound radio show in October. It was my first ever live interview and I'm relieved to report that I survived the experience!

Another contest bestowed me an almost-win in a short story contest sponsored by High Sierra Writers. First runner up is nothing to spit at, even though I'm beginning to get that "always a bridesmaid, never a bride," feeling.

In June, I forced myself to abandon my comfort zone of introversion by volunteering to give a presentation on "the use of journey in writing" at my hometown library to a small creative writing group there. Yes, thankfully I survived that experience as well, so much so that I then volunteered to lead a discussion on outlining during a pre-NaNoWriMo get-together. Baby steps, but they still count.

Speaking of NaNoWriMo, I dipped my toes into that event for the first time this past November. I failed to reach that magical 50,000 word spot, but still consider myself a winner for I achieved what I'd hoped to achieve from it. I kicked myself out of the writing slump I'd sunk into and now have 25,000 words written on a new steampunk fantasy novel, as well as 5000 words on a new short horror story. I'll take success wherever I can get it.

Two craft fair events, one in the spring and one in the fall, brought me quite a few print book sales at the local level and as far as e-books go, I'm happy to say all three of my Legacy of Skur books, The Legacy of Skur Kindle Box Set are now available as a box set on Amazon! One click gets you over 1100 pages of dark fantasy.

They say hindsight is 20/20. While at times I felt I was merely spinning my wheels this past year, looking back, I can see the big picture more clearly and feel much better about my fledgling writing career. I don't anticipate any new novels coming forth in 2018, but I do have hope for 2019, so to my fans and supporters, I say "please stay with me. There will be more to come." And for all you who stuck it out all the way through this post, I wish you warm wishes for a blessed New Year!

Tapping Random Memories

Do you ever wonder why some memories stick in your mind, no matter how trivial? In the mid 1970's, my first husband and I lived for a time in a group of triplexes near the railroad tracks in a small Nevada town. Rent was cheap--every night at 2 a.m. the train would pass by, shaking us like an earthquake.

There was an odd woman (if I ever knew her name it escaped me long ago) who lived in one of the neighboring units. She was always disheveled and seemed pretty spaced out all the time, with a strange, faraway look in her eyes. She'd knock on my door once or twice a week, asking me for a cigarette. It was hard enough to keep myself supplied with smokes, let alone help support her habit too, but I'd usually go back inside and get one for her, mostly just to hurry her along and away from my door, dreading the possibility of having to carry on a conversation with her.

One day I spied her through the window, heading toward my door. I figured I'd beat her to the punch so I took a cigarette from the pack and met her at the door. Yet when I opened the door, she already had a cigarette in her hand--what she needed was a light! So once again, I had to leave her at the door while I went to retrieve a book of matches.

Little did I know that 40 years later I would immortalize this woman within the pages of A Debt of Survival. Anyone who has already read this supernatural thriller will easily recognize the character of Mrs. Helen Jones, the bizarre foil of both Don Lattimore (the hero) and Jiang (the demon). So easily was she and the role she was to play inspired by a few mundane, doorway exchanges many moons in the past.

Why did my mind cling to this random memory? I cannot answer. Perhaps my subconscious knew I'd need such an inspiration one day. If so, then I have a wealth of them to choose from. I hope to make good use of them.

Fact or Fiction?

Do you consider yourself to be a good judge of what is reality and what is illusion? I like to think I am, but am often amazed at the oddities life can produce. My ordinary, dull existence has had its share of paranormal experiences--from the often heard sound of a ghostly bucket falling to the floor of my childhood bedroom, to the night that three mysterious lights in the sky followed my sister and me home from the Black Rock Desert in Nevada.

As an author, I've allowed some of my stories to be born from life's more memorable moments, which I then expound upon and alter to suit a plot line or make things more dramatic. But the initial spark of a real experience has often been the driving force. A few good examples of this can be found within my short story collection, Through a Broken Window

Now, for a bit of fun, I present to you six short episodes of some strange occurrences. Three of them actually happened to me. Three of them came straight from the imagination. Give them a go and see if you can decide which ones are Fact and which ones are Fiction.

1. Footprints
One day as I walked on the beach in Santa Cruz, California, I noticed a young girl in a blue dress walking not far ahead of me. She wore no shoes. Wafting in her wake came the faint scent of lilacs. She left no footprints in the wet sand. The following day as I strolled along that same stretch of beach watching several surfers ride the waves, I was suddenly inundated with the scent of lilacs. Small, bare footprints pressed into the sand around me, yet I was quite alone. The girl in the blue sundress was nowhere to be seen.

2. Whispers
While tending bar on the graveyard shift of a small, older bar/casino in my hometown, occasionally there came those rare moments when the gaming tables would close for the night, the late drinkers would all depart, and the early morning crowd had yet to emerge. Times when I was the sole occupant of the building. These were the times I dreaded, for this was when I would sometimes hear my name being whispered from across the room.

3. Echos
One overcast, gray afternoon while exploring the tumbledown remains of the ghost town of Ellsworth, Nevada, I heard footsteps crunching upon the gravel behind me, not quite in step with my own. I stopped and looked behind me. There was nothing but silence. No one was there. I turned and began walking again. The footsteps resumed. I stopped. They stopped. I turned and looked. No one was there. Again, I started to walk, warily listening. The extra footsteps had vanished, and all I could hear were my own.

4. Cemetery Sighting
On a sunny, springtime afternoon, my sisters and I were exploring the ghost town of Aurora in Nevada, a place now completely reclaimed by the pine forest it lies within. I was just leaving the forsaken cemetery when I caught a glimpse of my sister walking through the pines. I called out to her but she didn't respond, continuing on her way. As she passed between two pines, momentarily coming into full view, I realized it wasn't my sister, but a short, stout woman in a long calico dress. As she passed behind the tree, she vanished from sight.

5. Projection
The month after I turned fourteen, I rose from the kitchen table to get a fresh glass of iced tea from the refrigerator across the room. I must have risen too fast, for suddenly I felt woozy and faint. I grabbed for the table to keep from falling, but instead found myself reaching for the refrigerator door. I glanced back across the room and saw myself standing beside the table. Another wave of dizziness rolled through me and I was back at the table once again, clutching at it for dear life.

6. Bed Mate
At age seventeen, I had rearranged my bedroom, placing the bed into a position I had never put it before. That night, I turned off the light and climbed under the covers. A moment later, the mattress moved, as if someone had lain down beside me. I scuttled out of the bed and switched on the light. Of course, there was no one there. The following night, after I crawled into the bed, it was only a matter of moments before a weight pressed me down, as if someone was lying on top of me. Terrified and fighting my way out from under the pressure, I scrambled for the light switch. Again, the room was empty. I repositioned the bed back into one of its previous spots and never experienced any ghostly "bed mate" again.

All right, that was fun. As I said, three of these accounts are true. Can you guess which ones? I'd love to hear your thoughts, and feel free to share any weird accounts of your own!

Hero vs. Heroine

Within the social media hoopla surrounding International Women's Day (March 8), I saw a lot of posts concerning writers who do (or do not) create strong female characters, both past and present. Today's public seems to be screaming for heroines. But there are countless interpretations as to what constitutes a strong character.

Too many stories (and movies) seem to feature a strong heroine as a kickass female who can take down a dozen swarthy adversaries at once while dressed in a skimpy outfit and high heeled boots. Now, as a woman, these types of portrayals make me shake my head and chuckle. Not that I don't think a woman can't kick a man's ass, because I know of a few who could, but at least make it believable. One on one combat might work better. Get rid of the sexy clothes, give her some sensible shoes, and for Pete's sake, let her use her brain more than her brawn. And make certain she has a heart. A lack of compassion does not equate strength, nor does foul language or constant snark.

While every rule has its exceptions, there are some basic, physiological differences between men and women that a writer should understand and employ. You can't just plunk a female into the lead role meant to be occupied by a male and make her act like the man. Well, you CAN, but if you want a truly believable character, you shouldn't. Get acquainted with the differences between men and women and how they work alone or within a group, then tailor your character for the role which fits her.

One of the heroines I admired most from my childhood books was a teacher. Annie Sullivan overcame a wretched childhood and became a lifesaver for Helen Keller who might otherwise have led a bleak and silent existence if not for the determination of Annie. That was Annie's strength--her determination and perseverance against tremendous odds. Helen Keller went on to become a well-known public figure. Her teacher faded into the shadows. Yet in this instance, Annie was the true heroine. A strong woman who did what she had to do to survive and still maintained her compassion and willingness to help another succeed.

As a female writer, I am often asked why I don't create more heroines. I do create heroines, but yes, I am guilty of having more heroes in my works. Maybe I'm simply trying to create my ideal man (haha), but I'll leave the reasoning behind it to the psychology students out there.

I do try to keep my heroes human. They have physical limitations. They have fears. I let them shed tears. They make mistakes and beat themselves up emotionally about it. The one thing all my heroes do (not necessarily my main male characters, because not all my leading men are heroes) is that they respect, or come to respect their female counterparts. My heroines may be lacking the physical prowess of their male counterparts, but exhibit inner, emotional strength, determination, and some strong intuitions.

I try to keep my heroes and heroines on equal ground with one another. They benefit one another, work together to complement and fill the gaps between them as their different strengths compensate for their partners' weaknesses. In The Legacy of Skur: Volume Two, Elva may be capable of wielding a sword, but depends more upon her innate telekinetic powers when in a bind. Her dogged determination and kind heart helps her counterpart, Adalanto, to overcome his loneliness and misogynistic attitudes. Together, the two work as a team in a daring rescue as well as in the rule of a new kingdom.

Role models do come in all shapes, sizes, colors, ages, and genders. As we writers (especially women writers) try to encourage and empower our daughters, let us not neglect our sons in the process. Whether your work features a hero, a heroine, or both, keep them real and strive to instill them with the heroic traits their genders dictate they are most likely to possess. Strong role models are more than superheroes. Men and women may be different but they can be equals, and our differences can create a beautiful balance. The characters we create can go a long way in proving that cooperation and respect between genders is the most powerful force of all.

Writing Under Pressure

I will be the first to admit that I don't do well under pressure, and if I were prone to be a leaper, when I finally finished the first rough draft of A Debt of Survival, I would have jumped to the moon in joy. It was the singular, most difficult novel I've ever written--not due to content, but to circumstance.

Late in 2014, I gave birth to the germ of an idea and began to write. After presenting bits and pieces for critique to the writer's group I belong to, I was encouraged to keep developing the story. But I was in the midst of launching my "Legacy" series, so felt no hurry.

All went smoothly until the writer's group announced a contest which would also provide some editorial feedback on the entries. Yay! I looked forward to some professional feedback on my "Survival" story, so eagerly entered. Lo and behold, my entry ended up on the quarter-finalist list. :O

That's when I felt the first turn of the screw. While I continued the launch of my "Legacy" series, I kept forcing myself into this other world and penned a few more chapters for A Debt of Survival.

Soon, I was named a semi-finalist, tied for first place. Whoa! If I ended up winning, I'd be expected to produce a complete manuscript in a short period of time! I could have conceded to the other author, but no--I'm too damn competitive to do that. So I hung in there, putting the production of the final volume of my "Legacy" series on hold, and tried to concentrate on working on the rough draft of the "Survival" story. I was still only 35,000 words into the manuscript when the judges made their final decision. I was the runner up. I hadn't felt that much relief in ages. I wound up with a nice cash prize and was now free to focus on publishing The Legacy of Skur: Volume Two. The "Survival" manuscript was shelved. But not for long.

At the onset of 2016, my writer's group decided to repeat the contest and I was highly encouraged to enter my "Survival" story again. I did not have to take part in this. I could have said no. But that damn competitive drive in me lured me on.

2016 proved to be a very rough year. First off, I was in the midst of launching my latest novel. At my paid job, I spent the better part of the year snarled within some bitter and seemingly endless union negotiations. My son accepted a job overseas, packed up his family and left the country. My oldest sister was diagnosed with cancer--dying a month later. My only other sister in town sold her home and moved out of the state. My best friend then moved out of the state. Suddenly, I felt inundated beneath a giant wave of loss, despair, and loneliness.

Yet through it all, I managed to keep plugging away, adding word after word, scene after scene, until A Debt of Survival was complete, ever pushed onward by the deadline of a contest I had entered.

This time, I failed to even place. Yet again, I breathed a huge sigh of relief, for even though the story was now complete, it was far from finished. And I didn't much care for it.

I edited. I revised. I polished. I ran it through a couple of beta readers who both gave their invaluable input. I didn't like the ending. I rewrote the ending. I didn't like the new ending. Nothing seemed to please me. The entire manuscript was missing something.

Completely frustrated, I was ready to shelve it for good. Then it dawned on me what was wrong. What it was missing. And what it was missing was--"me."

I don't adhere to strict genre and tend to follow my own twisted path. Not everyone appreciates my style, but I do, and so do my "constant readers." In the course of writing A Debt of Survival, dealing with the problems of my personal life and trying to live up to the expectations of the contest judges, L.F. Falconer got lost in the shadows.

The story was okay--but it wasn't up to MY expectations. It lacked an edge, a spark. It lacked that "twisted bit of me." Voila! Once I uncovered the problem, I could fix it. I realized that I hadn't written the story for me--and that is what I needed to do.

So, I began to rewrite. And I'm pleased with the result. My supernatural thriller, A Debt of Survival , will soon make its public appearance. I know it will not please everyone. But it pleases me. And I hope it will please those readers who seem to appreciate my "one step off the beat" writing style.

As for 2017? I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a better year.

The ABC's of Review Writing

You've just finished reading the book and it was (a) Wow! (b) Okay (c) What a waste of my time. The final page asks you to please write a review--not to feed the author's ego, but because (a) Your opinion can help other readers (b) More reviews give a book validation in a shopper's eye (c) It affects algorithms which can help increase a book's exposure.

"But wait!" you cry. "I don't know how to write a review."

And I say unto thee--"Relax. No one expects you to whip out a professional review. What they want from you, dear reader, is your unbiased opinion."

Okay--you've just finished the book. There's a link right there within your reach to enable you to leave a review. It only takes a few moments of your time, but where do you go from here?

First, what is your overall opinion of the work? Was it "wow!"? Was it "okay"? Was it a "waste of time"? Or somewhere in between?

Once you've made this decision, you can give it the appropriate star rating, which in all reality, whether it's a one or a five, is what gives your review its real weight here. Your words might never be read by another, so again, I say--"Relax."

But, since some sites (Amazon, for instance) require some words to accompany those stars, you are required to jot down a few. How few or how many is entirely your choice. It can be as few as "Great story!" or "Don't waste your time!" After all, this is your personal expressed opinion.

If you do care to expound upon that opinion, then you might add a few details as to "why." Why was it a great story? Did it make you laugh or cry? Did the characters come alive in your mind? Did the story touch you, or teach you, or cause you to pause and think? Or why was it simply so-so? Or a waste of time? Was the writing too pedantic, or too stilted, or too flowery? Were the characters stiff or boring or flat? Did the story drag on? Or move too fast? Did it end satisfactorily? (Not to be confused with a happy ending, but one which fit the story and gave it proper closure.)

So now you can add another sentence to your initial "Great story!" And did you like the book enough to recommend it to others? If so, to whom? Men, women, clowns, cowboys, mystery buffs, dog lovers? That can be added as a final sentence.

Now you've got:

"Great story! I loved the character Jane Doe because she was such an optimist, even in her darkest hour. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes stories about the underdog."

or:

"I really didn't care for this book. Handsome Hero was rude and boring and Dastardly Dude was a pussycat. And I found the nonstop one-liners annoying."

(A) Give it a star rating
(B) State your overall opinion
(C) Give one or two examples of "why" you have that opinion and possibly follow up with a recommendation to others.

Voila! You have just written a reader review! Congratulations! And you thought you couldn't do it ;) But in three easy steps you were able to put together a coherent review to help inform other potential readers with your valued opinion, for even an unfavorable review might pique a potential reader's interest, and a seasoned author can take the heat.

So don't be shy. Your opinion really does matter. Don't be afraid to share it!

Four Steps to Crafting a Page-Turner

"Wow! That was a real page-turner." Every author longs to hear those words in regards to their own works. And page-turners are what most readers crave. You know the type--the ones who keep reading until the wee hours because they simply Can. Not. Put. It. Down.

Page-turners are not limited to any specific genre--the basic building blocks of suspense can be incorporated into nearly any type of story. To take your story from blah to wow, remember to include these four things:

1. Characters to care about. Captivate your readers' hearts. Give them a hero they can believe in. Make certain to keep the hero "human" (even if it is a three-headed gorgon). Your reader must be able to identify with your main character. So let them inside the hero's fractured soul now and then. You will begin to gain your readers' sympathies. They will learn to trust you. And then they will follow your hero everywhere, cheering and fearing all the way.

2. Exciting circumstances. Start the story off with a bang and don't let it sag in the middle. Finish with an explosion of fireworks and don't drag out the aftermath. Sounds easy enough, doesn't it? This is where subplots become your best friend. Something must always be going on so your middle won't fizzle out. Just make certain everything gets resolved by the grand finale so there aren't a lot of loose ends needing to be tied up right before you type "the end."

3. Build up suspense. Take a lesson from Aesop here--be the tortoise. Slow and steady. Keep hinting at more exciting things to come. Behind the main plot, keep those many small subplots simmering on the back burner, and once one is cleared up, make certain another is already in the works. Each little mystery to be solved within the story adds another layer of suspense.

4. End your chapters with a cliff-hanger. One of the surest ways to keep your reader reading is to leave the main drama of the chapter unfinished. End it midstride and wrap it up in the next chapter. Don't view each chapter as a mini story that must be told from start to finish before the next chapter can begin. Overlap them. Make it seamless and keep pulling your reader through those pages.

The best way to become proficient in churning out page-turners is to read, practice, and read some more. Analyze the pages of some of the best page-turners you've ever read and locate the key elements that made you read past midnight. Once you can spot the basics, you can easily begin to integrate those bones into the structure of your own stories!

www.lffalconer.com

Daring Art in Non-Literary Fiction

Usually just one step off the drumbeat, I think I've been practicing artistic expression since I was born. I do keep my creative flair within bounds, yet not quite restricted within any sharp lines. Whether I'm planting flowers, rearranging the furniture, refinishing an old chair, or putting brush to canvas, I do abide by certain necessary rules, but freely give my own imagination room to flourish. My writing is no exception.

The first novel I published was a complete experiment in art. Hope Flies on Broken Wingsis a tale of a young girl's first experience with love, set in a mythical medieval era. Religious differences are a constant source of contention between the female protagonist and her mother. The female lead is naive and starry-eyed and often torn between what few choices life offers her. The male lead is more experienced, yet faces much different issues of his own. And together, the pair creates a completely new set of problems to deal with.

It was a simple story that basically wrote itself. All I really did was to embellish it with artistic expression. I made good use of many acceptable and unacceptable literary devices: a few extended sentences to help induce breathless excitement, or short, abbreviated ones to exhibit frustration or other strong emotion. I injected some symbolism and occasional alliteration. I employed repetitive sound effects, and wrote in dialect with colloquial nuances in speech.

Did it pay off? Well...some say yes, and some say no.

As with all art forms, nothing will appeal to everyone's eye. I admit, I can appreciate some forms of impressionistic artwork (on canvas) while others leave me cold and bewildered. I've often not been a big fan of literary fiction for the same reason. Too much of it escapes my immediate comprehension. I really don't want to work that hard to enjoy a story. I don't mind some obscurity and I certainly can recognize beauty in well-presented words, but I also want a clear and reasonable introduction, plot, climax, and conclusion. And that, I do give.

Hope Flies on Broken Wings was a wordsmith experiment with varying rates of success. There are those who appreciate the art in its words. There are those who simply like the story. And, of course, there are those who find it unattractive in either context or construction, or both.

Personally (and I might be just a tad biased here), I believe it was a lovely success in experimental prose. However, in terms of genre, it has been nearly impossible to place, so I've had little luck in finding its target audience. Would I be willing to write another novel-length experiment? I probably already have, for I am as much a wordsmith who freely allows her artistic side to play as I am a storyteller. In that respect, I will continue to either please or raise the hackles of my readers by pushing my writing techniques a bit beyond the established norm and shoving those misbegotten works into whatever genre seems to be the nearest fit for as long as I am capable of cognitive thoughts.

www.lffalconer.com

10 Things That Amaze Me

When my son was eighteen months old he was well aware of what a "kitty cat" was. After all, we had one in the house and he had plenty of picture books filled with animals which he adored and could easily identify. He knew that we called all the felines not only by "lion or "tiger" but also "kitty cats." so the first time I took him to a zoo and we stood before the lion's enclosure is a day I will never forget. I pointed to the majestic pair that were basking in the sun and asked my son if he could see the "kitty cats." He looked around for a moment and then it registered--his mouth dropped open and his eyes grew wide as he took in the sheer size of these huge "kitty cats" for the very first time. That priceless moment of pure amazement is forever etched within my memory.

There is much to hold as amazing in our youth and you'd think that the world would become less amazing with age. Not so! After living for more than half a century, I still find myself astounded on a regular basis and what follows are a few of the top contenders:

1. I find it amazing that so many Americans can name the quarterback of every Super Bowl winner or relay all the intimate details of every Kardashian, but cannot name more than 10 presidents, somewhat explain what led to the Revolutionary War, or locate Iceland on a map.

2. I find it amazing that most people grow quite indignant when treated with the same disregard as they treat others.

3. I find it amazing that in my country, a nation founded on the principle of religious freedom, too many of its citizens fight to deny that freedom to others.

4. I find it amazing that anyone would wish to run for the office of President of the United States in order to become one of the most despised and ridiculed persons in the world while holding office.

5. I find it amazing that millions of women get off on a story that glorifies the sadistic relationship between a young woman who consents to continual debasement and her rich and powerful, sexually psychopathic lover.

6. I find it amazing how people can wear sandals in February and then complain about being cold.

7. I find it amazing how many people form their judgments based on fear instead of facts. and even when given the facts, choose to disregard and deny the facts in favor of fear.

8. I find it amazing that so many people choose to tag their perfectly beautiful bodies with unsightly, permanent graffiti.

9. I find it amazing that so many of the same people who are quick to vociferously belittle others for finding loopholes that allow them to manipulate the system have no qualms whatsoever about using loopholes in order to manipulate the system to benefit themselves.

10. And most of all, I find it amazing that, for all the hatred and ugliness that abounds, I can still find peace and beauty in the world that surrounds me. That I still have the ability to laugh.

* These opinions are mine and are in no way intended to influence your own.