Storyteller's Journey

Near Hood River, Oregon

My Need for Nature

It's been thirteen years since the idea for my first story meandered across my mind. It happened while we were staying in a rustic cabin in the Olympic National Forest following a severe windstorm.


That story later became my MG novel, The Tale of Willaby Creek.

As each year has come and gone, I've been inspired to write a number of stories - so far, three of them have been published. In each case, the natural world has been a key component for the inspiration of each story. For whatever reason, the setting of a story is almost always the driving force to motivate me to write a specific tale. It's probably due to my lifelong connection to the natural world. That being said, I also find it extremely important that I make time to spend quality time out in nature - not only for inspiration, but also for my personal well being.

Spending more time in the natural world is one of my goals for 2020. Just as I find it essential that I make time to read, it's also essential that I spend time communing with nature - wherever I happen to be.

For the next few Fridays I'll be posting my thoughts on those important elements that I'll be focusing on this year for my storyteller's journey.

Where do you most often find your creative inspiration?

Whimsical Word of the Week

Salubrious - (n.)
something that is enjoyable and good for your health.
Example: The writer's resolutions for the new year included many that were of a salubrious nature.

Bibliophile's Corner

Keep Going - 10 Ways to Stay Creative in Good Times and Bad
by Austin Kleon

Goodreads Description:
The creative life is not a linear journey to a finish line, it's a loop - so find a daily routine, because today is the only day that matters. Disconnect from the world to connect with yourself - sometimes you just have to switch to airplane mode. Keep Going celebrates getting outdoors and taking a walk (as director Ingmar Bergman told his daughter, "The demons hate fresh air"). Pay attention, and especially pay attention to what you pay attention to. Worry less about getting things done, and more about the worth of what you're doing. Instead of focusing on making your mark, work to leave things better than you found them.

Keep Going and its timeless, practical, and ethical principles are for anyone trying to sustain a meaningful and productive life.

My Thoughts:
Austin Kleon has done it again. His most recent release, Keep Going - 10 Ways to Stay Creative in Good Times and Bad, is informative, inspirational, and as usual, humorous. In this book, he speaks to all artistic souls, and discusses the seasons of the creative life, the importance of down time, and basically, says, 'give yourself some slack.' It was just the message I needed to hear after realizing I couldn't maintain the same pace I set during NaNoWriMo. I highly recommend Keep Going to anyone who is leading a creative life.

Click here to learn more about the bestselling author, Austin Kleon.

Storyteller's Journey

NASA Free Photo

What Stories Will 2020 Write?

While 2020 will be marked by the Mars 2020 Mission, which is part of NASA's Mars Exploration Program, other exciting events, such as the XXXII Olympiad in Tokyo are on this year's calendar. Then, too, there is the highly-anticipated United States Presidential Election in November.


However, what other stories will be written? What stories for children will each of us write? Do we believe our stories even matter?

Over the holidays I spent time reflecting on these questions. I thought about the books that mattered to me as a child. There were those with classic names everyone would recognize. However, there were many I loved, whose titles I can't recall. All those Scholastic Books my mother ordered for me nearly every month provided me with almost constant entertainment and encouragement. Their names? Other than one of my favorites - Pippi Longstocking - I can't recall most of them now.

Several years ago I read an article about the books President Kennedy had enjoyed as a child. (Click here if you'd like to read it too.) While many of the books are famous classics, one book stood out to me:

I'd never heard of this book, and so I looked up a synopsis of it:
At the Back of The North Wind was serialized in the children's magazine Good Works for the Young beginning in 1868 and was published in book form in 1871. It is a fantasy centered on a boy named Diamond and his adventures with the North Wind. (Diamond flies together with the mysterious Lady North Wind through the night on her many adventures to help mankind.)

When you couple the George MacDonald book together with another of Kennedy's favorites, J. M. Barrie's Peter Pan, a similarity comes to mind:
Both books feature a boy who is given the ability to fly away on an adventure.

I doubt that either MacDonald or Barrie ever dreamed that their books would be a favorite of a future U.S. President.


The reason I mention these books is that a book has a life of its own. While J. M. Barrie died in 1937, and George MacDonald in 1905, their books may well have inspired, at least unconsciously, President Kennedy to dream of sending the first men to the moon. While I've never learned of that possibility, it only makes sense, since the idea of flying to a faraway land was intriguing to President John F. Kennedy.

What impact might our books have - even long after we're gone? Even though our books might not inspire something as extraordinary as space travel, they might inspire a child to believe in her dreams.

So, as 2020 sets off on its journey through time, I'm reminded that my writing matters. My books matter. In my short career I've already had positive feedback to that effect by several readers. So, I write on.

Best of luck with your writing in 2020. It matters!

Storyteller's Journey

Sentinels in Snow by Michael Lindstrom 24 X 20 oil on panel

Season's Greetings!

This Christmas will be especially nice, since my husband Michael has vacation time these last two weeks of December. We'll be home for the holiday, and then spend some time in the Columbia River Gorge. As usual, I'll be taken a break from blogging until January.

Click here if you'd like to read my winter newsletter.


Wishing you and yours the peace, joy, and love of the season!

Sentimental Serendipity

The Magic of the Pittock Mansion

The Pittock Mansion is nestled in the West Hills of Portland, Oregon, and annually decorates for the holidays. This year they chose the theme: Wonderful World of Books. Needless to say, a visit to the iconic estate of Henry Pittock has been on my calendar for months. It was extraordinary, so much so, that I've chosen to share a blog post the same day as my visit with the hope that some of my local writer friends (and their wee ones) might also enjoy the magic of the Pittock Mansion this holiday season.

As we entered the mansion, the first room we encountered was decorated in a Harry Potter theme. Just enchanting! Every aspect of the room made us feel as though we'd been transported by portkey to visit Hogwarts!

Even the Christmas tree featured a familiar figure atop its bough: Albus Dumbledore, of course. In the background you can see the banners from each school at Hogwarts hanging in the windows. The wood architecture also added a warm touch to the décor. I'm pretty sure Harry Potter author, J.K. Rowling, would have approved.

Another famous British author's work was prominently featured; that of Lewis Carroll. His famous characters from Alice in Wonderland created a fairy-tale feeling in this bedroom of the mansion. In fact, the mansion made me feel as though I'd been transported back in time to the era when most of the featured children's classics had been written!

Precocious Peter Rabbit was also included in the collection of children's book favorites. The Christmas meal set on this table includes carrots, as well as berries!

Nearly every classic children's book was honored by having a Christmas tree of its own - including Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit!

And of course, what is Christmas without Ludwig Bemelmans's Madeline? She was honored with the entire music room of the mansion - including a classical pianist playing Christmas songs!

Here is the Christmas tree in honor of the little French girl who children around the world have come to love and adore.

The first "big book" I read as a little girl was Heidi. I was thrilled to see she too had been honored with a room of her own at this holiday celebration of books!

Just a few items that created the feeling of the mountain-top home Heidi lived in with her grandfather, who was called Alm-Uncle. Johanna Spyri's book is still one of my all-time favorite children's books.

The Christmas display of Tolkien's book, Letters from Father Christmas, sits below the large portrait of Henry Pittock. This was by far my favorite display of the entire exhibit.

That being said, other classics that were featured included: Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, The Secret Garden, and others!

It's strange to see the book again, when I only recently discovered its existence earlier this year. (I'm sure others have known about it for a long time!) Click here to read my review of the lovely little book by J.R.R. Tolkien.

This was the first time we'd ever visited the Pittock Mansion - even though we live thirty minutes away. It's a reminder to notice the beauty of everything all around you during the holiday season, but also, all year long.

Happy Holidays!

(Click here if you'd like to visit this exhibit - it runs through 1/5/20.)

Whimsical Word of the Week

Whizgig - (n.)
something (as a toy) that whirls with a whizzing sound.
Example: The young girl received a whizgig as a yuletide gift.