inspiration Archives - From the Write Side

September and the Relentless March of Time

September always makes me think about Bilbo Baggins and the dwarves setting off on an adventure, his furry hobbit feet and their sturdy dwarf ones whispering through the long grasses of the fields bordering the Shire. Perhaps it's because the prairie beyond our home waves at me each morning, the hummingbirds come to feed, and the app on my phone records the slowly departing birdsong that has sustained me throughout the lovely summer days. There is a hint of mystery in the lessening of daylight, [...]

By irvinjgdm|2023-08-31T16:20:26+00:00August 31st, 2023|Blog|0 Comments

A Midsummer’s Madness

Oh, how quickly the days speed by! It's already July and I'm writing like crazy...two novels completed, another in the R and D stage. Yes, writers do research and development, we just don't refer to it as such! Had the opportunity to visit the Ohio History Center to read up on Quakers in southern Ohio and their involvement with the Underground Railroad movement in the first half of the nineteenth century. What a fascinating deep dive into that period. I learned so much and still [...]

By irvinjgdm|2023-06-30T17:58:20+00:00June 30th, 2023|Blog|0 Comments

Marching Orders

You ever have one of those days when you swear the universe is sending smoke signals but you just can't read them? Yeah. I had one yesterday, its residue strong enough to push me to write about it today. I was preparing to leave for an evening of non-fiction readings by two local authors at the newest event sponsored by the Springboro Historical Society -- Reading Between the Wines -- where I serve as facilitator. I have the honor of introducing the readers for the [...]

By irvinjgdm|2023-03-01T19:44:45+00:00March 1st, 2023|Blog|0 Comments

Love Notes

Fab February is here, the shortest and, perhaps the dullest, of the calendar months. Except for the cultural touchstones that keep it interesting -- Valentine's Day, President's Day, National Heart Month, and the birthdays of those we hold dear. For writers like me, the month is an uninterrupted span of days to draft, revise, revisit, and polish existing work and to read and research for future endeavors. There is also, for football fans, the Super Bowl. Now, if my team isn't in it, I have [...]

By irvinjgdm|2023-01-31T17:50:35+00:00January 31st, 2023|Essays|0 Comments

October 2022 Author of the Month: CARLOS K. MARSHALL

Fall is definitely in the air around our neighborhood and so is the excitement surrounding this month's author, Carlos K. Marshall, whose debut achievement - God's Mighty Men The Christian Man's Guide to Love, Leadership and Life, is aimed at providing young Black men in our society with the support and foundation they need to achieve success in their personal and working lives. Janet Irvin: Welcome, Carlos. Let's start with getting to know you better. Can you share with us some of your early [...]

By irvinjgdm|2022-09-30T17:14:45+00:00September 30th, 2022|Author of the Month|0 Comments

September Blog: Time For A Hobbit Journey…

When the leaves begin to fall and the prairie turns brown and gold, I stare from the porch, unable to resist the urge to strap on a backpack and wander into the unknown. Amid the demands of life in the 21st Century, there are days I wish a wizard would turn up at my door, invite himself for tea, and invite me to go adventuring. Of course, our suburban lawns and urban landscapes rarely lend themselves to such fanciful walks, but the mind is a [...]

By irvinjgdm|2022-08-31T17:15:03+00:00August 31st, 2022|Essays|0 Comments

September Authors of the Month: MARY NEWMAN and CONSTANCE KIRKER

This author of the month feature is among the most fun activities I do in my writing life. Every interview yields new information about the writing life and expands my horizons to include writers of every genre. This month is no exception. I'm so pleased to welcome September's authors, sisters Mary Newman and Constance Kirker, who have written books about food and the cultural history behind its use. These amazing food gurus have serious academic credentials, a passion for travel and adventure, and a deep [...]

By irvinjgdm|2022-08-31T16:44:04+00:00August 31st, 2022|Author of the Month, Uncategorized|0 Comments

Digging Myself Up

No way to sugarcoat this truth, for me personally, it's been a shitty summer. Three rounds of antibiotics for various unusual infections followed by a Mohs procedure (www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-information/mohs-surgery) for skin cancer that ended up costing me most of my left nostril and resulted in complicated facial reconstruction, which is not over yet. If my last name were Scrooge, I'd scream Bah, humbug! The combination of these events entombed me in a very dark hole. I've been digging myself up ever since. For a flaming [...]

By irvinjgdm|2022-07-31T17:04:33+00:00July 31st, 2022|contemplative, Essays, inspirational, motivational, philosophical|0 Comments

Author of the Month: Celebrity Chef KEITH D. JONES

August 2022...We might be in the dog days of summer, but I'm so excited to feature my first celebrity chef and author, Keith D. Jones, as the subject of this month's author interview. I admit to being a 'food snob,' not in the sense that I have to have gourmet meals, no, but in the vein of healthy, fresh ingredients prepared with love and care and a touch of the creative. That's exactly what Keith brings to his table -- a dedication to eating healthy [...]

By irvinjgdm|2022-07-31T16:28:32+00:00July 31st, 2022|Author of the Month|0 Comments

It’s June…and Romance Is In The Air!

The absolute BEST prize for a writing contest is publication, and Central Ohio Fiction Writers have that. Sharpen your ideas, flex your fingers, and start writing! And pass the word to all your writing friends!

By irvinjgdm|2022-05-31T15:11:54+00:00May 31st, 2022|Essays|0 Comments