March 2009
WORDPLAY
Official JOAN REEVES WEBSITE Newsletter
"I can't write 5 words but that I change 7." Dorothy Parker, Writers at Work, 1958.
Volume 8 No. 03
SPRING BREAK
Ah, spring break. The season for rebirth, renewal, and thousands of inebriated college (and high school) students to hit the beach wearing as little as possible.
Here's my favorite spring break quotation.
"If you're a spy and you have to hide in Miami, pick a party where everyone is a Jello shot away from permanent brain damage." Spoken by Michael Weston, Episode 1 of Burn Notice, written by Matt Nix. (For more on the talented Matt Nix, read my blog post "Who Writes Burn Notice" at http://slingwords.blogspot.com/2009/02/who-writes-burn-notice.html).
The big news is, of course, the premiere of THE TROUBLE WITH LOVE, my latest serialized novel, at http://www.romantic4ever.com/romance-story/index.html. Each month a new chapter will be published until the end of the story in November 2010. I hope you'll visit Romantic4ever and read each month's chapter.
To enhance your reading experience, I've created a special soundtrack for this romantic comedy. Each month a new song will be added to the soundtrack to accompany that month's new chapter. You'll find the soundtrack on both my blogs Sling Words (http://slingwords.blogspot.com) and Joan Slings Words (http://joanslingswords.com).
Open a tab at the chapter on Romantic4ever.com then open another tab at either of my blogs. Scroll to the bottom of the blog page where you'll see the Player. Click Play. Then go back to the tab where my novel is displayed and start reading. The music will play until you hit Stop or you close the tab.
I hope you'll read this serialized romantic comedy and tell your friends about it too. Drop me a note if you can. I can always be reached at joan at joanreeves dot com. In the subject box, put Real Live Person so your email will make it through the spam filters.
Happy Reading and Happy Spring!
WHAT'S NEW ON THE WEBSITE?
GREETINGS: Note for March with a general overview of the monthly update.
THE PLEASURE OF READING features INTERVIEW WITH AMY CLIPSTON, a new author.
THE JOY OF WRITING feature article: YOUR INTERNET PRESENCE: WEBSITES.
WORDPLAY: My website subscription newsletter has a web floater that's thought provoking. We all need that every now and then, especially when we're mired in bad news all the time.
THE ARCHIVES: An article usually appears on its originating page for two months. After that it's moved to The Archives.
WORK IN PROGRESS: Opus 3 of 12 for 2009: TIME TO ASSESS.
PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED: KNOW YOUR CONTRACTS.
WRITTEN WISDOM: March's theme is Renewal. Look for quotations from Henri Frederic Amiel, Christina Baldwin, Wendell Berry, Emily Dickinson, Maria Konopnicka, Steve Perry, and Charles Dudley Warner .
By the way, if any of you out there have websites or blogs and would like to exchange links, just let me know. Send me an email at joan @ joanreeves.com with REAL LIVE PERSON - LINK EXCHANGE in the subject box.
Epitaph on Mel Blanc's tombstone: "That's all, folks."
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LET ME ENTERTAIN YOU
This Internet Floater is thought-provoking as well as amusing. It's from my friend Perry. Hope you enjoy.
THE BUZZARD, THE BAT, THE BUMBLEBEE
If you put a buzzard in a pen that is 6 feet by 8 feet and is entirely open at the top, the bird, in spite of its ability to fly, will be an absolute prisoner. The reason is that a buzzard always begins a flight from the ground with a run of 10 to 12 feet. Without space to run, as is its habit, it will not even attempt to fly, but will remain a prisoner for life in a small jail with no top.
The Bat
The ordinary bat that flies around at night, a remarkable nimble creature in the air, cannot take off from a level place. If it is placed on the floor or flat ground, all it can do is shuffle about
helplessly and, no doubt, painfully, until it reaches some slight elevation from which it can throw itself into the air. Then, at once, it takes off like a flash.
The Bumbletree
A bumblebee, if dropped into an open tumbler, will be there until it dies, unless it is taken out. It n ever sees the means of escape at the top, but persists in trying to find some way out through the sides near the bottom. It will seek a way where none exists, until it completely destroys itself.
People
In many ways, we are like the buzzard, the bat, and the bumblebee. We struggle about with all our problems and frustrations never realizing that all we have to do is look to our faith, whatever it may be.
Remember
Sorrow looks back. Worry looks around. Faith looks up. Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly.
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"That's all there is, there isn't any more." Ethel Barrymore, curtain call in 1904.
