Ekta R. Garg's Blog, page 85

Into a new month!

Hello, Write Edge readers! Here we are into a new month, the second month of the year. Can you believe it?

After last week’s deep dive into bone-shattering cold, I’m glad we’re back to a “balmy” 30 degrees or so here in Illinois. I’ve actually seen people jogging in shorts these last couple of days! Not quite swimsuit season around here, but if the weather stays like this it wouldn’t surprise me if I see a few of those as well.

With better weather, of course, comes a better mood and a renewed sense of energy. Those of us pursing careers and life goals in the creative fields, of course, find ourselves invigorated. We’re able to mine our imaginations for new possibilities, new stories to tell. Here’s a quick reminder, in this week’s motivational quote, that you don’t always have to dig so deep as that either:

“I urge you: Don’t hesitate to beg, borrow, and steal from your own life. There’s richness there.”—William Luvaas, novelist

I’ve also got this week’s short story to share with you. Because it’s the month of love, I thought it might be fun to do stories with romantic overtures for the next couple of weeks. Here’s a quick excerpt of this week’s offering:

My cheeks started burning again, but I didn’t look at him. Not right away. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ellie look up and then back at me. She nudged me with her elbow—hard—and then I had to look.

Find the whole story now on The Write Edge Writing Workshop!

This week I’ll also have a brand new book review for you. The Girls at 17 Swann Street by Yara Zgheib releases tomorrow, and I’ll share my thoughts on it this Wednesday. Find out what I thought of the book in the middle of the week on The Write Edge Bookshelf!

At the end of the week it’s back to more parenting adventures. Find out what my kids and I have been up to on Growth Chart!

Have a wonderful day and week, readers!

E.R.G.

Happy birthday!

February 1, 2019

Good evening, Write Edge readers, and happy birthday! To me and to The Write Edge. I’ve hit a milestone birthday—the big 4-0—and the blog is a respectable 9 years old.

As I write this, bits and pieces of conversation from family and friends drift upstairs. I’m in my writing studio on the second floor of our house. Everyone else has retreated to the basement, and I’m willfully ignoring discussions of where banners should be hung and where I should stand to cut my cake. My husband, a twinkle in his eye, teased that he knew I’d take a peek at the decorations before tonight. I pinky swore I wouldn’t. (Although, I have to admit, I’m curious about where the confetti comes in.)

I’ve spent the week processing turning 40. Pondering. Perusing my memories and goals.

Many of those come long before The Write Edge, of course. Memories of birthdays past; of pizza nights with friends; of vacations with my parents and sister. Memories of me scribbling away in my room, crafting creative nonfiction essays and short stories that I would share with my friends at school. I still remember as they passed my stories around the lunch table, commenting, sharing, bickering even over who got to read them next.

I’ve experienced my share of heartache as well. All in all, however, I know I’ve had a blessed life. I’ve received an abundance of love, resources, good health, and moments of joy. Depending on the household, for some people these things are in short supply.

As I begin another decade of life, I feel with more gravity the responsibility to share what I can of myself with the world. I believe I’ve been bestowed with the gift of writing. In the coming weeks, months, and even years, I want to make more concerted efforts to use my writing and my writing-related experience (like editing and book reviewing) for the good of others.

I also want to help people in general, in matters non-writing related. For as long as The Write Edge has been in existence, every year on my birthday I start my day with a conscientious act of kindness toward a stranger. This has happened in a variety of forms: donations to a food bank; generous tips at businesses that accept them; making something yummy that someone complimented and surprising them with it on February 1.

Random acts of kindness, I believe—truly—can change a person’s day. If enough people do them with enough regularity, we can transform society. Big goals, right? :> Hey, I’m an optimist.

If nothing else, doing something nice for a stranger makes me smile with delight when I see the surprise and then gratitude on their faces.

Today, on my birthday, and on this platform where so many of you have become instrumental in pushing me to better myself, I’d like to ask all of you to perform a random act of kindness. Pick a day—Labor Day; Arbor Day; even the Fourth of July—and do something nice for a stranger every year on that day. I chose my birthday because, quite frankly, it’s easy to remember and also because it reminds me that not everyone has the same life privileges and advantages I do. Choose a day that you’ll remember and help someone out, whether financially, physically, or emotionally. It’s not hard.

Birthdays are about celebrating one person. Helping others is kind of like a celebration of them. If we all make these efforts, we can throw metaphorical confetti all year round.

Thank you, readers, for your constant encouragement. Your presence keeps me motivated on the days I don’t want to write, on the days I feel down about myself, and it reminds me that my writing is as much about you as it is me. To that end, this occasion belongs as much to all of you as it does to me.

Happy birthday to The Write Edge! Here’s to many more years of writing, editing, reviewing, and dreaming!

E.R.G.

 

 

Book review now up!

Good morning, Write Edge readers! It’s a bone-cracking day today here in Illinois. For those of you in cold climes as well, please stay warm and be smart about wearing all those layers. Yes, it takes extra time to put them on, but they will keep you alive!

The best way to warm up is by reading a good book. This week I’m reviewing One Fatal Mistake by author Tom Hunt. Here’s the opening to my review:

A teenager makes a split-second decision, drawing his entire family into a nightmarish situation. While his mother is determined to take the lead and keep her son is safe, other forces may prevent her from doing so. Author Tom Hunt is back with his second novel and thriller, the somewhat uneven book One Fatal Mistake.

Read the whole review now on The Write Edge Bookshelf!

Bundle up, readers, and have a wonderful day!

E.R.G.

Birthday coming up!

Happy Monday, Write Edge readers! Winter has solidified its icy grip on Central Illinois — we’re looking at single-digit highs for the next few days! It’s a good excuse to stay inside with some good reading. I hope The Write Edge comes somewhere on that list for all of you!

This week is the blog’s birthday — yay! It’s also mine :>, so be on the lookout for a special birthday post this Friday. I can’t wait to celebrate here with all of you!

I’m knee-deep in an editing project that’s taking a lot of time and energy. That means I’m not spending nearly as much time on my own writing, which makes me miss it all that much more. But even this time away is a good thing. It gives my stories a chance to take a break from me and me from them. Everyone gets a chance to breathe. And that’s important as this week’s motivational quote reminds us.

“A story can die in our hands if we don’t give it breathing room.”—William Luvaas, novelist

It’s the last Monday of the month, which means our writers showcase. This month I’ve found some good ones for you. They remind readers not to underestimate the power of brevity…or boredom with cookies. :> Find all of this month’s showcase stories on The Write Edge Writing Workshop!

In the middle of the week, I’ll have a review for you of an upcoming book release. Last year debut author Tom Hunt shared his first novel Killer Choice with the world, about a husband cornered into making an impossible decision. Next week comes his second book, this one called One Fatal Mistake. Come back on Wednesday to find out what I thought about it. Check out my review on The Write Edge Bookshelf!

This Friday, as I said, is the blog’s birthday. I can’t wait to share some memories and thoughts with you. I may just have to hold off on a new post on Growth Chart to do so, but there are plenty of parenting posts from the past there for you to enjoy.

Have a fantastic day and week, readers, and, please, stay warm!

E.R.G.

Parenting adventures now up!

Hi, Write Edge readers! I’ve posted my latest parenting adventures for you (finally, I know!) Here’s a quick excerpt of today’s Chart:

“Why don’t you go ahead and pack up your instruments and then just read the music together so you can look through the tubble sprots, uh, trouble spots,” I said.

Twelve giggled.

Find all the Spurts now on Growth Chart!

Have a great weekend, readers, and please stay warm and safe on those roads!

E.R.G.

Slow start to the week…

Hello, Write Edge readers! As you may have noticed, I got a slow start to my week. With Monday being a holiday and the kids at home, I didn’t get to do as much writing as I liked. My intentions have filled blog posts for the next five years. My actions…well, let’s just say I’m working on getting the two parallel lines of intention and action to intersect at some point. Just need to bend them a bit.

I didn’t want to leave you, my dear, loyal readers, in the lurch this week, so I’m just picking things up where the week is. It’s Wednesday, which means a book review! Today I’m sharing thoughts on The Indigo Girl by historical fiction writer Natasha Boyd. Here’s the opening to my post:

When a father gives his teenage daughter responsibility for his plantations, she must fight against society’s conventions and established gender ideas to prove that she’s up to the task. As she manages the land, she discovers an entrepreneurial spirit she didn’t know she possessed. Author Natasha Boyd delves into pre-Revolutionary life in the grounded novel The Indigo Girl.

Find the whole review now on The Write Edge Bookshelf!

On Friday I’ll share new Spurts on Growth Chart. Have a lovely rest of the week, readers, and stay warm out there!

E.R.G.

Parenting adventures posted!

Hello, Write Edge readers! I’ve posted my latest parenting adventures for you. Today I talk about an ongoing discussion in our house with the younger kid :>. Here’s a quick excerpt:

She just shook her head in exasperation, her expression telling me that I just didn’t get it, that as a parent I shouldn’t focus so much on…well, parenting.

Read the whole post now on Growth Chart!

Have a good weekend, readers, and stay warm and safe!

E.R.G.

Book review now up!

Hello, Write Edge readers! Happy Wednesday. Hope you’re all staying warm and safe. Winter is truly upon us!

One of the best ways to wile away the days is with a good book. I’ve got my latest review for you today. Here’s the opening to my post on The Suspect by Fiona Barton:

A reporter discovers she has close ties to a story she’s covering and finds herself in the spotlight. As each piece of news comes to the forefront, she must decide whether she can remain an impartial bystander or become an involved mother. Author Fiona Barton brings back her smart journalist character in her latest novel The Suspect.

Read the whole review now on The Write Edge Bookshelf!

Have a great night, readers!

E.R.G.

 

Blink — we’re halfway through the month!

Hello, Write Edge readers! Can you believe January is, essentially, halfway over? How are those New Year’s resolutions coming? What about those plans for 2019, the ones that help you pursue your life’s passion?

Sometimes, for the latter, we need a little motivation. That’s where our weekly inspirational quote comes in. Check out the newest one right now:

“I never could have done what I have done without the habits of punctuality, order, and diligence, without the determination to concentrate myself on one subject at a time.”—David Copperfield, Charles Dickens

Sometimes when I write it turns out well; most often, the stories require another draft or two. But I keep writing, keep striving for excellence. That’s what the Writing Workshop is all about: the discipline to pursue that standard. To that end, I’ve posted this week’s short fiction. Here’s an excerpt:

The lights began to flicker, and a loud metallic bang made Kyle look up for a minute. Then he put his head back down. He never imagined he’d die in a plane full of strangers.

Read the whole piece now on The Write Edge Writing Workshop!

In the middle of the week, I’ll bring you a brand new book review. British thriller writer Fiona Barton is back with a brand new release next week, and I have a sneak peek for you on Wednesday. Come back then to read my review on The Write Edge Bookshelf.

At the end of the week I’ll share a brand new piece on parenting. I hope some of you other parents have a thought to share on this week’s post. Find out why this Friday on Growth Chart.

Have a wonderful week, readers!

E.R.G.

Parenting adventures up!

Hello, Write Edge readers! I’ve posted my parenting adventures for you. Here’s a quick excerpt:

“Yes, I was known countrywide,” Ten said, “but now in some cases it’s nationwide.”

“Aren’t countrywide and nationwide the same thing?” my husband said.

Read the latest Spurts now on Growth Chart!

Have a wonderful weekend, readers!

E.R.G.