Uncategorized Archives - From the Write Side

November and Politics: Is it possible to do better?

November may be a dreary month, but I always feel energized by the essay opportunities it provides. After all, in the drabbest month, making a list of things to be grateful for lifts spirits. There is also the voting thing, which has become fraught with dissension and shows no sign of shifting back to the middle ground. And I serve as a poll worker, so training, which is now obligatory for volunteers in Ohio, demonstrates that even in a non-partisan environment, tension reveals itself. Several [...]

By irvinjgdm|2022-11-02T01:17:57+00:00October 31st, 2022|Blog, Uncategorized|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

June 2022 Author of the Month: TRACE CONGER

Welcome, June, and welcome to crime writer, Shamus award-winning author, and fellow Ohio University grad (Go, Bobcats!) Trace Conger, whose novels explore murder in the crime, thriller, and suspense genres. I've had the opportunity to share space with Trace at Mulberry Street Books in Lebanon, Ohio, and pick his brain a little about the writing process and this writing adventure we share. He is the author of the Conner Harding and Mr. Finn series Janet Irvin: Trace, let's talk about choosing this writing path. [...]

By irvinjgdm|2022-05-31T15:10:08+00:00May 31st, 2022|Author of the Month, Uncategorized|0 Comments

March Author of the Month: TARA TYLER

I love Book Fairs and Book Signings, not only for the opportunity to talk with readers and the public in general but also for the chance to interact with fellow writers. I met Tara Tyler at Mulberry Street Books in Lebanon, Ohio, where proprietor Angela is incredibly supportive of local authors. Tara, a sci-fi fantasy and adventure author, impressed me with her stories aimed at the middle-grade reader. She describes herself as "a math teacher who writes to share her passion for reading with others. [...]

By irvinjgdm|2022-02-28T17:01:18+00:00February 28th, 2022|Author of the Month, Featured, Uncategorized|0 Comments

A Thankful November

Amid the difficulties and ongoing problems we confront as individuals and as a society, there is much to be thankful for this year. Speaking from my writer persona, my newest novel, a venture into the genre of romantic suspense, relased in October and I have a wealth of events coming up. Please check out the Events page for specific information. I'd love to see you at one or more of the book signings scheduled. I'm also thrilled to receive permission to observe several classes [...]

By irvinjgdm|2021-10-31T23:55:26+00:00October 31st, 2021|Essays, Uncategorized|0 Comments

PANTSING THROUGH AUGUST

If I have learned anything over the past eighteen months, it is the simple fact that life can change in unexpected ways in the space of a hiccup. Making plans to travel, sending deposits for tickets, and planning to attend conferences, may or may not work out. Yet I persist, penciling in dates and researching airplane flights, trusting in the belief that things will work out as they should. In other words, I'm an optimistic pantser! Is this any way to go through life? Let's [...]

By irvinjgdm|2021-07-31T17:32:38+00:00July 31st, 2021|Essays, Uncategorized|0 Comments

Slinking Into Summer

OMG, it's June...summer sun, sweat, sandy beaches, sweet tea, and Slurpees...this year a languid slide replacing the frenzy of the regular routine...remember bursting from the schoolroom doors, cheering the arrival of the long vacation? With all things virtual that have filled our days, how, I wonder, will it go this year? Now, I do live in Ohio, so counting on normal on any given day is a little like playing craps. You shoot for a temperature point and hold your breath. This Memorial Day Weekend [...]

By irvinjgdm|2021-05-31T15:33:31+00:00May 31st, 2021|Essays, Uncategorized|0 Comments

Don’t Stop Believing

As I write this note, the two-inch snowfall melts outside the window, and the weatherman predicts temps in the twenties tonight. I have covered all my tender peas, lettuce, and spinach, but my heart quails at the prospect of losing blossoms on the tulip pear or on the pansies in the window box. Still, beneath the coverlet of white, spring trembles, preparing to begin again the rites of renewal and growth. And then that song plays in my head..."Don't stop believin..." I step away for [...]

By irvinjgdm|2021-05-01T23:13:23+00:00May 1st, 2021|Essays, Uncategorized|0 Comments

The Tides of March

What does it mean to shift from one season to another when the snow still falls and the wind whistles ice-laced tunes across the brown-coated land? What if the shamrocks delay their debuts and the violets linger beneath the swell of crusty dunes piled high against the cedars? Conversely, as we 'spring' ahead with the time change, how to account for the early peek of perennial beds, the too-early-to-survive budding of blossoms that, in years past, remained dormant until they were assured of milder temps? [...]

By irvinjgdm|2021-02-28T13:24:00+00:00February 28th, 2021|Uncategorized|0 Comments

An October Like No Other

When I was a kid, the best thing about October was the run-up to Halloween. The expectation of a bagful of treats overrode any other considerations. Those with birthdays that month had their happiness doubled by the promise of presents and candy. The weeks leading up to All Hallows' Eve echo with the memory of prior years, sweet chocolate cheers, and little ones announcing their costume choices, mostly homemade or cobbled together from whatever clothing Mom could spare. This year, 2020, feels so much different. [...]

By irvinjgdm|2020-09-30T15:14:06+00:00September 30th, 2020|Essays, Uncategorized|0 Comments