Four More Days Gone

Posted on by Sandy Webster

I have spent the last several days re-editing the novella, Kind Gestures. I requested one proof to look through. And that came in a few days.

Made a few changes and requested another proof only to be informed that it was ruined in the mail and they were refunding my money. So I used the one above to go through to check for noticeable errors…you know, the ones that even the smarty-pants proof reader who lives in the computer, just waiting to pounce on spelling and grammar, missed in their diligence.

The big thing was that the cover just gives the title. No more. Silly, isn’t it? Kind Gestures could be a book about, call your mother, treat someone to a beer, etc. So now it has a subtitle of (novella). That should help.

It has been a while since I read this and was not sure because it being an older work, that I wanted to add it to the other S. Webster books. A little bit of rearranging background information on one of the women characters, and I found I liked the story. So as soon as I see this next proof (Wednesday I’m told) and find nothing else out of order, I will publish it as well. Then their will be just the four books, all similar in size, until I create enough for volumes 2 of the first three and/or write another novella.

Time now is being spent on writing poetry and working on Burke and Wills.

It is still quite hot and humid here. A relief when it rains but brutal when the sun comes out afterwards. Sadie just stays low.

I know my basket making friends are gathered again this weekend in Tasmania, so to feel I am with them, added another drawing to the Gathering Book. It is of a Mahdi Chandler clay pot that has been contact printed with leaves and then coiled on the top. She is brilliant!

I met friends for lunch today at a local food truck/brewery and had one of my favorite local beers with a lobster roll that is only available on Sundays.

I was told to check out the bathroom and was certainly happy to step inside just long enough for this shot. too funny!

My short stories and novella are no longer on my website.  My web person is so good to deal with. He knows exactly what I am saying even though I do not have the correct words. Can’t beat that.

On another topic, I was noticing that what I am missing is conversations with the creative, passionate, strongly driven people that I got used to in my quest for BFA and MFA, then with students who were needing to express feelings in a visual form. My Australian regulars for master classes were so inspiring in that way. Meticulous, deliberate steps to arrive at what needed to be said. We stay in touch, and I am so grateful for that, but what i wish I had was that person that you meet up with to just talk art, not other life issues…just art. And I mean idea driven art.

When I was going to Asheville regularly, on my way out of town, I would meet Gwen Diehn, and she would haul her work into Trader’s Joes or show me in the parking lot outside before we headed in for breakfast and a good talk. She and I talked art for many years and I just supposed there would always be someone like that in my life.

Now I spend more time writing my ideas. And attending poetry reading groups. The words and poems that get to me are the ones that seem to come from those places that art did. The words need to be released in the same way the idea fixed in form does. It is not healthy for some of us to keep it all inside. Drawing in sketchbooks and writing are my way through this time of solitude. I am good company for myself and I understand what I am saying/thinking and that is good enough. I am getting used to myself. Not a bad idea to have a good talk and share a scotch with yourself.

Til later…..

 

Fast Week

Posted on by Sandy Webster

Beautiful morning walks to the gym. The other day all of the grasses in the field I walk through had been mowed down.

Then quickly rolled into hay bales that were taken away. All I could do was draw and paint the memory in the Meadow Book of what occurred there.

Couldn’t help adding those pesky Trifids in the background.

Then when not reworking the last of the small books for Amazon, I was busy watering over-heated plants out back. Just had to take some detail shots out there to remind me what flourishes and what wishes for more shade.

And today the first of two separate author proofs came in the mail. I can already see another adjustment I need to make before giving approval for publication. This book is thicker and gave room for a spine title/author. It costs a bit more to produce so price slightly higher than the other three. All can be found on Amazon under S. Webster.

Now I am working on the story of Burke and Wills. Writing in rhyme is fun so far, but several more drawings will be needed.

The monthly poetry meeting is this week and I have done more writing for that.

I am getting the hang of being alone and managing my time effectively. I miss doing artwork but with no place to put it, have gone back to writing.

Back in undergraduate school I remember having a hard discussion with my advisor. I told him as an artist, I am accountable for whatever the artwork is. Whether sculpture or works on paper/canvas. The artist is the work and vise versa.

BUT being a writer, the doors are wide open to be whoever I want to be through the characters in the story. There is such freedom in that way of creating. It is a good place to occupy right now.

These four small books by S. Webster will be enough for awhile. Burke and Wills will be using Sandy Webster as the author. (I actually still have a Sandy Webster artist page on Amazon because of my Earth Pigments book from years ago.)

That is about all I have for now. The novella, Kind Gestures should be available next week and slightly modified from how it appeared on my website.

Til later….

 

 

Finally Getting Somewhere!

Posted on by Sandy Webster

The stonework is now all finished! They had such a good idea how to work some into the back yard.

And put some under the pots.

And under the Free Radical that has come home and has the perfect hairdo.

The bamboo is all in place out front and we (the yard man and me) like how it gives a separation in the long lead up to the door.

Now to get the new screen door put on so it looks less fussy there and lets a breeze come through. The remaining bamboo piece was cut to wedge in with the other on the porch to hold the shade from blowing in and toppling whatever was it in its way.

The walks to and from the gym are always interesting to see what is coming up on the walk.

This morning I met the usuals from the coffee place at a breakfast outing to a place Lee and I used to go to every Sunday morning. I forgot how good the food was there. It might become a regular outing since the closer breakfast places are limited in their menus. I had a fresh spinach omelette with cheese and the best biscuit I have had in a long time.

Yesterday I baked cookies and savoury scones. It has been hot, but I needed to bake for the corner people and get more scones in the freezer. Those scones make such a good meal with a salad and/or fruit.

For the past several days I have been putting together another book of my short stories. Today the proof came and the only change I will make is the cover image. It seems to fade away into the grey at the edges. Not a good contrast.

There are ten stories inside and it is the same size as the other two books, so will be priced the same…$9.99 on Amazon. Next will be my novella written a while back. That has taken some effort in editing but is close to being ready to print.

Then I am back to writing and working on the color images for Burke and Wills.

It is quite warm here…90 degrees. So I will get a walk in later just before bedtime.

The internet was out for a bit this afternoon, but finally okay. So, I will make adjustments to the cover of the short stories book and send my approval for publication.

The family call is tonight so I can catch up on their news.  Marla will miss it because she is in Canada at Stratford watching King Lear. So glad I can hear all about it without having to attend in person.

There is little other news. Too hot to work on much.

Til later…

 

Keeping Busy Here

Posted on by Sandy Webster

This week walking over to the gym and back.

The humidity has been intense and today it is raining again. But at least the heat has cooled down a bit. I am still waiting for the last of the stone to be placed in the back. But it will happen when it happens.

Last week while Patrick was here we picked out a screen door for the front of the house. The window screens here are on the outside…not the inside where I am used to having them. So the screens have been taken out and stored in the garage. I makes the window views clearer and I wasn’t opening windows anyway with the porch door opened most of the time. Having a screen door in front there should be a nice flow of air through the house. Problem is, it might take some additional carpentry to get it lined up. But I have faith that the men can do the job.

I also saw some new animals in the meadow and put them in the sketch book.

Deer and groundhog.

We went through every box in the house and garage and still did not find the third small egg tempera of Australian shells. Now we think it may have been placed in a box for the kids while I was packing up several boxes at once sorting out the kitchen.

One thing we did find was this woodblock print I made several years ago and then added scraps of cloth and stitch to. The glass I ordered for the wood frame arrived in a stack and was damaged. I never replaced it so now need to get a piece 8″ x 16″ cut at the hardware.

I have a perfect place to hang it in the hallway near the studio door. I really do like this print.

Now that the poetry book (Inner Navigations) and the Essays book are out and available on Amazon, I am going through the short stories for another book to publish. That way I have almost all the writing in print and book form. Next will be the Burke and Wills story that requires color images and may be a different way of doing things. Before I get too far into it, I am going to look at children’s books that a local store carries. He has so many. But sad to say, the illustrations are not the kind I like. They are predominantly simple cartoonish looking critters and not at all the old fashioned ones I like such as Beatrix Potter, Jill Barklem, and those done for versions of Wind in the Willows. They all seem to lack the magic that got those illustrators on my shelves.

But we shall see how it goes. I know I will need to do more pictures when I actually get the whole story written. That is always the best part, the drawing and painting.

Til later….