It Doesn't Take a Genius

READING AND WRITING – THE BASICS

2012-09-01T14:47:00.000-07:00

I have been doing both.

It has always been a firm belief of mine that you can't write – or write well, anyway – if you don't read. And I'm not talking about magazines – c'mon, people, we all read magazines, if only while waiting at the checkout counter (although 2 of my regular supermarkets now have TV for the attention-impaired, 5 second snippets of shows and commercials.) I do not discount this type of reading; I publish in magazines and do not bite the hand that at least pats me on the head. But magazines are very thin picture books, meant to give your mind a jumpstart or a tweak, not to give you hours of transportation to a completely other world.

The difference between books and magazines (or newspapers or blogs or the Huffington Post) is not exactly the same as the difference between People Magazine and actual people, but it is nonetheless great.

So when I say I have been reading, I mean books. It sort of goes without saying that I read magazines, online posts, news, cereal boxes, tee shirts, bumper stickers, the mail, and just about anything with printed words.

I have my favorite genre fiction – it runs from James Lee Burke, Dean Koontz, and Louise Penney on one side to Earl Derr Biggers, Arthur Upfield and Ngaio Marsh on another and Sue Ann Jaffarian, Jeff Sharrat and Taffy Cannon on yet another - it's a multi-sided construct. But I love classic fiction as well. I learn from it, the easy way, while being entertained, enthralled, whisked away, and fed on rich things.

I have a dear friend who just discovered the joys of a Kindle and is reading Willa Cather. Now that's reading. This same friend just finished Faulkner (the hard, difficult, rip your eyes out Faulkner of Light in August) in hardcover, so she's no stranger to the type of reading that sometimes takes you to places you would never allow yourself to be taken otherwise. But she enjoys going to the good, kind places, too.

Which brings me to writing. If you don't take the trips to places through reading, I don't see where you can buy your ticket to take others to places through your writing. It is one of only two ways I know to learn how to write, and they are both connected. The other half of it is actually writing, the BIC (Butt In Chair) method.

This week I have been reading both fiction and non-fiction – and writing.

I have completed 145 pages – roughly 45,000 words – of that same novel I started writing in late 2007. I confess I let it sit for several years due to plot holes, but I have since learned how to knit up the raveled sleeve of a couple of good ideas strung together with engaging characters, an endearing puppy dog and a couple of gruesome murders. What's not to love? And working on it this time around is a pleasure, not a chore.

I also discovered – by reading through it and looking ahead to the satisfying conclusion which I have yet to write but now can see – that it is not the mystery I thought it would be, but is an animal I have not before tamed, namely Romantic Suspense.

So I have begun to read in that genre. And it's fun. I am enjoying and learning and reading it all with a delight I before had reserved only for mystery, science fiction and certain favorite classics.

So my question this week is:

Which romantic suspense authors do you like? Recommend a few books to me before I reach the end of my own.

THREE BEAUTIFUL THINGS

Eggs for breakfast this morning. It was especially nice to know exactly which chicken laid which egg for me. Thank you Spot and Big Red. (Nothing from Whitey right now - she's molting)

Hearing a wonderful story from a friend this week about a Gustav Klimt drawing and then receiving a postcard – from a different friend! – with a Klimt drawing on it!

Ramiro, our gardener, found two small, black statues of birds and gave them to me – I will put them at the edge of the bird feeder.

AN UPDATE AT LAST

2012-08-25T09:59:00.000-07:00

It has been a very long time since I posted here – so much has happened, and when stuff starts to snowball, you just get overwhelmed. I loved seeing the book in print, and of course, that took up a lot of time and energy. But also I quit working my part time job, started volunteering one afternoon a week at the dA Center for the Arts and started working again on my cozy novel. I also have been thinking about painting again – well, more like obsessing over it, which, in my experience, is the only way to do it.

But it has been too hot to do more than obsess over things.

CHICKEN NEWS

We have chickens, and the heat is hard on them. Chickens can be resilient – they can stand in snow and not flinch, but the heat really sets them off into odd behaviors, illnesses and throws them off their laying. This is too bad, as they lay the best eggs ever. (Except for Big Karla, the French Copper Marrans, she hasn't laid a thing since March. Who knows why? Her age? Her temper? Chicken voodoo?)

Big Red, the Rhode Island Red, lays a brown egg nearly every day. Spot, the Barred Plymouth Rock, lays a very smooth brown egg, also nearly every day. Whitey, the White Leghorn, was doing fine there for a while, laying a small, torpedo-shaped snowy white egg almost daily, until the heat hit and she started – inexplicably – to molt out of season. Hens don't lay during a molt, so I'm just waiting for her to finish shedding feathers and get back to work.

And Flora and Dora – the Red Speckled Sussex Games – well, they usually lay great big beautiful cream-colored eggs every day, but Flora has become broody – they don't lay when broody, and I am using all the usual methods to get her to stop it. And Dora is on strike in sympathy, I guess. The usual methods include trying to bring down the temperature of the chicken's underside, which goes up alarmingly during broodiness – by dunking them in cold water and keeping them away from nesting materials. (No, they don't like it, but it helps them in this heat.)

So instead of 6 beautiful eggs every day, I'm getting about 2 per day…still enough to dine on, but not enough to share.

Here are pics of the chickens.

THREE BEAUTIFUL THINGS

The puppies are so sweet. Can't believe we have three rescues. Only one kitty left now, as Nero died last Christmas.

My brother, Bill. He moved to New Mexico with his wife and pets and lives up a rustic canyon outside of Truth or Consequences near Elephant Butte Lake. It is so beautiful there. I plan to visit him in October. Here he is with a bass he caught.

Reconnecting with old friends. Sometimes the best things about getting older include looking back on how many opportunities we have had to make friends. Finding the ones who have dropped off our radar can be especially sweet, like finding that last peach on the tree which has had all summer to ripen.

IT DOESN"T TAKE A GENIUS - No, really!

2011-03-14T09:12:00.000-07:00

I started this blog years ago when my short story of the eponymous title was first published in the Sisters in Crime anthology, LAndmarked For Murder. I meant it to be for writers and writing and later for artists as I was painting also.

But mostly I meant it to be an entertaining romp. However, when I was putting together my book, I had to back-burner the blog. Then, when the book was released, I was inundated with all the stuff that goes with a new book, stuff I guess I didn't realize would be so pleasurably time consuming.

But It Doesn't Take a Genius was, and remains, one of my favorite stories. You all know I like revenge stories, empowered women stories and twist endings that leave you grinning. I love it that all those elements are in this story.

When my collection, INHUMAN CONDITION, came out last year, It Doesn't Take a Genius was meant to be the anchor story. But the publisher did not like the language (it's not for kids) or the subject matter (uh, it's not for kids) and kicked up such a fuss that I pulled the story from the collection.

I regretted it. The book is a very good and representative collection of my work, but I wanted this story included. Oh, well.

All I needed to do was wait for Technology to catch up to my wishes.

IT DOESN'T TAKE A GENIUS - the short story - is now available through Amazon.com in Kindle format for only 99 cents. (You may also download it in readable form for your computer if you don't have a Kindle.)

And I really like the cover - that graphic design genius, Jerry Lerma, designed it for me.

As for what now - well, I have gone back to working on The Novel (boy, it that slow going!) and a space opera that's a sort of continuation of my loose series from several years ago. I don't paint any more, because I don't have the time or space.

I guess in a finite lifetime, we have to make choices about the best uses of our rationed time. Too bad you can't see this little truth when you are young. Sigh.

But it's beautiful here right now. Yesterday I was the reader at Sisters in Crime Los Angeles and even sold a few books. The featured speaker was a writer and story editor from Law & Order: SVU, Ken Storer. He was great! I love being tossed in with the Big Time folks, but that's what a great group like Sisters in Crime can do.

Drop me a line - I haven't heard from some of you in a very long time...

And be careful out there.

INHUMAN CONDITION by Kate Thornton

2010-10-25T08:54:00.000-07:00

Human beings tend to fear the things they don't know, and that is often sensible, given the lurking dangers that confronted our distant ancestors. But sometimes we need to examine carefully the things we think we know: the pet shop owner in town, the teenage girl who lives next door, the people with whom we work, or the nice man who walks his dog each evening in our neighborhood.

The stories in this collection will drive that point home, and perhaps give you reason to re-define the word "inhuman."

"Kate Thornton's imagination is only exceeded by her talent as a storyteller. From the sci-fi fascinations of Mare Tranquillitatus to the darkly provocative Working in the Suburbs, Thornton takes us on an impish joy ride through a mind field of criminal intents. Inhuman Condition is a rare and evocative find among story collections."

-Darrell James, Award Winning Author of Body Count

"In Inhuman Condition, noted short story author Kate Thornton has compiled some of her finest tales into one fun and exciting read. Whether you are a fan of science fiction, crime fiction or just good fiction, you will enjoy this diverse collection that smacks of the same juicy eeriness as found in classic Twilight Zone episodes."

- Sue Ann Jaffarian, best-selling author of the Odelia Grey, Ghost of Granny Apples, and Fang-in-Cheek mysteries

Now available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Digital Bookshop.
The Kindle edition will be available mid-November.

INHUMAN CONDITION IS NOW AVAILABLE!

2010-10-15T08:55:00.000-07:00

WRITING NEWS

Okay, I am officially thrilled - my new book, INHUMAN CONDITION Tales of Mystery and Imagination, published by Denouement Press, is out! It is available here at Amazon.com and at all the usual local retail outlets (if they don't have it on the shelf yet, you can order it - ISBN 9781603640336)

The KINDLE version will be available mid-November.

In time for Holiday gift-giving, I'll be delighted to sign trade paper copies for you. (There isn't any way to sign the Kindle editions, of course)

Here's a pic of the cover:

I'm hoping to schedule a book signing or two before I leave for the Mystery on the High Seas cruise, but anyone who is interested in a signed copy, just leave me a comment here and I'll email you to arrange it.

INHUMAN CONDITION: Tales of Mystery and Imagination

2010-09-20T15:41:00.000-07:00

NEWS FLASH! The book is going to be released on October 15th, but today I got my proof copy! And except for a few minor corrections (which is why we get proofs) it is exactly what I thought it would be. Let's be honest, it's a thrill to hold it in my hand and see my name on the cover.

Here's what it looks like casually tossed on the corner of my desk:

It's a collection of 21 previously-published short stories - my favorites, of course - including mystery, crime, speculative fiction and the just plain weird. A few of them were even nominated for prizes. I can't wait to see it in bookstores - it will be in all the usual places, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Borders and independent bookstores will be able to carry it, too. There will also be an electronic edition available for Kindle, Nook and other electronic readers.

Published by Denouement Press, the trade paper retails for $14.00, a good deal for 300+ pages of edge-of-your-seat stories.

The cover art is one of my paintings, Learning the Numbers, 1-10 exhibited a while back in the Childhood Dreams show at the dA Art Center.

A big thank you to all the editors who originally published these stories. I could not have done it without you. And another big thank you to the folks at Denouement Press. I am very pleased and proud to be the first author in this new imprint from the folks at Wolfmont.

Can't wait to sign a copy for you!

I'M NOT PAINTING, I'M...

2010-08-01T18:09:00.000-07:00

...working on my new book, INHUMAN CONDITION, Tales of Mystery and Imagination. (Here's the artwork that will appear on the cover:)

I just signed a contract with Wolfmont Press, and publication is expected by November of this year, in time for my participation in a Mystery Cruise, MYSTERY ON THE HIGH SEAS.

With a total of 20 stories, 19 of them previously published, the book is a collection of favorites of mine. I have over 100 short stories in print, in various magazines, anthologies and other ezines, but this will be my first single-author collection.

The book will be a standard trade paperback, available at all the usual places, with e-book format also for all you Kindle, iPad and other digital readers.

A big thankyou to Tony Burton of Wolfmont Press, and to fellow writers Sue Ann Jaffarian and Darrell James, who have so generously offered cover notes for me.

So I'm busy, busy.

I'm still volunteering at the SCA Project Gallery Store and hope to see you there Wednesday afternoons (Brad is there on Wednesdays, too!)

But mostly you'll find me walking on air....

Be careful out there! (click on pic for a larger version)

SHORT STORIES AND NO PAINTING

2010-06-19T12:27:00.000-07:00

Since the garage remodel took a left turn, the painting studio has temporarily disappeared. But not to worry - my back patio is a fabulous place to paint. The weather is gorgeous, the plants, umbrellas and pets are all beautiful and there is a refrigerator full of Coke Zero nearby.

I am committed to doing a work for the Ice Cream Show at Bunny Gunner Galleries - and I already know what it will look like, it's just a matter of hunkering down in the sunshine by the pool and making it so.

But the Big Project for me right now - now that I am back from Chicago and a memorable trip to the Chicago Art Institute (and the Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art) - is The Book.

I am putting together a collection of twenty of my favorite short stories - a couple of them brand new - for publication. Titled THE INHUMAN CONDITION: TALES OF MYSTERY AND IMAGINATION it is a big job and I'm running out of time if I want to have it ready for Mystery on the High Seas this November.

I am currently searching for a couple of the stories in my messy archives, editing them all, writing the bridge copy between the stories and carefully considering cover art. All while trying to complete my paintings outdoors and unpack from the trip. Oh, and work at the SCA Project Gallery Store, too.

Where did I get the idea that retirement would bring leisure?

It's a quick update I know, but I'm pretty busy. Be careful out there.

THREE BEAUTIFUL THINGS

Chicago. It's a gorgeous city and I think I ate some of the best food in the world at The Gage, The Frontera Grill and Joe's.

Jeeves. He's just a wee bag o' bones now, but the little critter is eating and drinking and purring and doesn't seem too much worse for his week at the vet's. He is so glad to be home, though. Here he is when he was younger and stronger.

The Back Patio. I love it. I am so lucky. That's Coco in the foreground.

THE LEFT TURNS

2010-03-28T09:54:00.000-07:00

WRITING, PAINTING, FUN

I thought I was all set as a writer and painter. They sound like nice, quiet pursuits in the easy time of life, don't they.

Wrong.

My studio disappeared - actually it morphed into a beautiful office, the perfect place to write, but much too perfect to splash paint in. So the paints are all put away while the new studio is built. But studio-building is a big deal, a major project, not to mention a whopping expense, so that part of the picture is on hold until (a) all danger of rain is gone and, (b) there is money, time & the carpenter is available.

Now, the office is here - beautiful, serene, gorgeous. But I am busy - a volunteer at the SCA Project Gallery Store, and frankly that's the only place I can seem to get any writing done. When I'm at the workstation in the office, the lure of the computer game is way too strong for me and I succumb to the pleasures of difficult word games. But at the store, with my trusty little AlphaSmart Neo, I have been able to totally screw up the initial plot line of the novel and knock out a hundred pages of I-don't-know-what except it's gone from a cosy puppy story to a Jessica Fletcher-Meets-Jack Reacher thriller romance. Okay, that's fun, too - I really like the characters and where they are going, and the puppy is still in the story.

So the creative front breaks out no matter what happens. It just won't sit down and behave.

OMG - speaking of Jack Reacher and not behaving - I met LEE CHILD at Left Coast Crime and nearly wet my pants. Author and dear friend SueAnn Jaffarian introduced us. For those in the dark or the dark ages, he is the charming and prolific author of the Jack Reacher adventure series and I am a big fan. And did I mention he is tall, gorgeous, charming, and well, even for a writer words can fail. I'm sure I mentioned charming...

I also met Michael Connelly - author of my favorite L.A. cop series, the Harry Bosch novels. That was a treat beyond adequate description as well - and I got to be one of the first 3 people to ride the newly-redone Angel's Flight in L.A. - Now that was a spectacular experience. Mr. Connelly also treated us to a lovely lunch..

Okay, Left Coast Crime did what all mystery conferences are supposed to do - kicked me into overdrive with my writing. Woohoo!

But I just got a coveted invitation to exhibit a painting in July - so I guess I'd better get my behind in gear and figure out how to do one.

THREE BEAUTIFUL THINGS

Jerry retired from Cal Poly and is now home with me full time. It is fabulous. We celebrated our 31st wedding anniversary with long time friend (and Maid of Honor!) Nancy Hoskins at Campanile, a lovely restaurant built on the site of the wedding chapel where we were married. It was wondeful!

SueAnn Jaffarian. She is a gem.

Being able to work. Well, being able to do anything!
Be careful out there, friends.

The SCA Project Gallery Store Blog is Up!

2010-03-03T09:02:00.000-08:00

News Flash! I just got the the SCA Project Gallery Store Blog up & running - please stop by for store info and upcoming special events. I hope to showcase a different artist each week - I know that's pretty ambitious since I haven't updated this blog since the passing of my precious Typpee girl. I'm there on Wednesdays and look forward to seeing you. Please stop by - the blog & the store - when you get a chance.

Pictured at left: Our logo tee shirts and works by Maddie Bean, Patricia Hagerman, Franz Keller and more!

Sale this month: Large Pashmina scarves/shawls in various colors

Only $20 each

Pictured below: Nina Jun's ceramic balloons

Pictured above: "Can Can" by Tomoko Suzuki

The SCA Project Gallery Store carries a full line of Tomoko Suzuki's charming figures, only $30 - $50.

Click here for The SCA PROJECT GALLERY STORE BLOG

IN MEMORIUM

2009-12-16T07:11:00.000-08:00

My Beloved Dog, Typpee

She was a Poodle-Something mix, blonde like me, and - also like me - with one gimpy leg.We sorta looked like the dog-human match that you see in cartoons, both of us limping along together.

I found her at The Pound - the Humane Society up the road from us. I wanted a nice little doggie girl, a companion I could lavish affection on and maybe even dress up. Well, she was a sensible critter, too sensible to allow the baby-clothes-routine, but readily amenable to lavish affection, which she returned in spades. They told me she was 13 years old when I got her, her right back leg withered from a possible coyote attack in her youth. But I think she was closer to 8 or 9...and that was 9 years ago. At any rate, she was pretty old, but as of last Sunday still dancing on 3 legs and with the sweetest disposition imaginable.

She had been asthmatic for the past few years, her familiar coughing and wheezing a comforting signal of her dear presence. Always the lady, she loved being groomed and would hold still for almost anything, including baths, clippers and baby kitties.

Yesterday she went to sleep as I petted her, and her labored breathing stopped.

We put her in the flower courtyard under a delicate kumquat tree that bears heavily every year. It's a pretty spot, one that we pass several times daily, and a good place to remember her.

I will miss her terribly.

TAKING A SECOND LOOK

2009-11-19T10:59:00.000-08:00

WRITING STUFF – LOOKING INTO THE TRUNK AGAIN

And ADVICE FOR NEWBIE WRITERS FROM A GUEST BLOGGER

A Second Look Into the Trunk

I pulled out a couple of "trunk novels" – you know, those things you wrote way-back-when that didn't go anywhere, usually because you didn't know how to write very well at that time – and took a second look at them. Yes, one is so painfully bad it cannot be salvaged, although I got a kick out of re-reading it. The other one has a nifty plot, but I think I'm going to let my Main Character continue to sleep in perpetuity in the trunk and switch her out for one I like a whole lot better. This might be the revision it needs to get going. Or it may just be more writing practice for me. Either way, I intend to have some fun with it.

The Effective Writer

Here is a piece written by BILL THORNTON. He sent this to me in a letter – as a letter, actually - and I got his permission to post it here for you. He calls it "The Effective Writer" but I want to call it "The Character Plays the Part."

The Effective Writer
In order to create a believable scene, one must take the reader to that specific place. The reader must sense the scene, its particular environment, its smells, flavors, sounds and colors, its season and atmosphere. Similarly, the reader must feel the raw emotions of the characters, the urgency of the moment, and the emotional or political climate of the particular scene. He must, in a very real sense, live in the scene if not as a player, at least as a present observing bystander.

Descriptions of the scene must be rich and vibrant, colorful and dramatic. The characters may even be a bit more than real in their ability to express their particular part in the story line. Given the need for realism, muted, subdued even melancholy effects are critical to tapping into the reader’s emotions. These are real sensations that real people feel and sense, and it’s that sensitivity and realism that make a scene believable.

A writer may express deeply committed love, raging anger, explosive happiness, or crushing emotional pain, any number of real human emotions complete with their character’s physical reactions and responses.

Anything less is not honest writing, and conveys less than the actual scene.

While the writer may have personally known these feelings and sensations, it’s his ability to convey accurately those very awareness’s to the believing reader that makes the scene work.

“Dry wiregrass rustled in the early afternoon breeze, buzzing cicadas and the rich scent of cinnamon and fresh peaches drifted over the well worn path to the creek just at the tree line.” Well, what color is the wiregrass? Describe “rustled”. Was it a light breeze, or a near wind? Were the cicadas bussing loudly, or were they a distant background effect? What kind of peaches were they? Was it a dirt path? Did it run through heady scent of lush green freshly mown lawn, or were they long creeping tentacles of aged and unkempt crabgrass? Was the creek silent and melancholy, rich with the pain of the widowed fly fisherman, or brightly babbling and filled with the memories of laughing children? Was that just a tree line, or was it a stand of rustling, quaking aspens, their brilliant trunks contrasting with deep, thick underbrush or heavy clumps of wayward field grasses?

Be in the scene to make it believable.

The writer need not actually be experiencing the emotions he conveys, though experience is the “real” of realism. It’s often said that the successful writer writes about things he knows. One cannot take the reader to rural Southern Georgia in the 1920’s unless he has been there and walked those well worn paths to the creeks, smelled that peach pie cooling on the window sill on a heavy, humid southern afternoon in the dog days of summer. He may not have actually been at the scene in those literal times, but that’s the stuff of research, and interviews, and imagination combined. Atmosphere is the stuff of creating realism. Raw emotion, drama and contrast are the stuff of the writer’s skills and talent.

When a scene is created that conveys these senses, does it leave the reader feeling angry, hurt, elated, melancholy, inspired? These are the meat of the writer’s fare. Listen to his footsteps echo, fading down a long, wet alley amongst towering brick walls rich with the sounds of unnamed apartment dwellers in the bowels of a rotting city, rife with tenements, screaming windows into the lives of those imprisoned in the confines of their own desperation. The stench of leaking sewer lines, greasy Chinese food, and diesel hangs heavy in the late afternoon stillness of a filthy, cracked and weathered doorway, its once bright and vibrant red now grease and dirt colored, thick with years of neglect and apathy.

Does the writer take you into his world to bring you into the scene and make you part of it, or are you just reading words on a printed page? The flatness of the print on the flat page is often the stuff of boredom. Living words and emotions are the stuff of writing.

Did I give you my anger, or the anger of the character? How different are they? It’s the character that plays the part. An angry scene does not reflect an angry writer. Nor does a happy holiday scene, filled with laughter, reflect a happy writer.

PAINTING STUFF – IN FRONT OF THE REAL THING

I'm continuing to work on my painting for the January exhibition jointly sponsored by the da Art Center and the Pomona College Museum of Art (pictured left), IN FRONT OF THE REAL THING. Here are a few pictures of the progress. I'm mixing up the reds now, and trying to get the balances right. I hope I'll be able to fill in the central pupate form by next week if the weather stays sunny and my oils dry properly.

The painting is based on a 14th Century Italian Madonna and a 1971 abstract by Sam Francis. A few of the titles suggested to me (yes, my friends are all comedians) are: "Franciscan Madonna" "Atomic Mother and Child" and my favorite "CSI: Madonna."

Needless to mention - it ain't done yet!

THREE BEAUTIFUL THINGS

My old kitty Jeeves. My sweet Jeebee is still hanging in there, although thin and elderly (13-16 years old) he is eating well and active. And he doesn't take any sass from the younger cats & the 2 doggies.

Having lunch with friend Leslie Cole and then looking at mid-mod property in Claremont. It's no coincidence that four of my friends are in real estate. But lunch with Leslie always includes more: this time we talked about crock-pot recipes, cat recues and travel. I swear, we sound like old ladies in print, but the conversation was not of the sweet, cozy type – more of the speculative, adventurous type.

My sister-in-law Pris's 70th Birthday Party – what a blowout bash! With my husband's whole entire extended family there (except brother Charlie & his wife Joyce who live in Australia) and everyone Pris knows, it was an exceptional dinner for about a hundred people at Kellogg West at Cal Poly. A slideshow of Pris during her early years (like in a baby carriage!) and other family members (like my DH as a sullen-looking but still very smokin' 15 year old) was the highlight of the party. The cake was a work of art from Some Crust in Claremont, but looked like Duff and the folks at Charm City had made it.

Pris had a good time – everybody had a good time! – and the DJ was great, too. Many thanks to Pris's sons, Derek and Kyre, for putting on this terrific bash.

(That's DH's brother Art & sister Sandra - Pris was married to Art)

Be careful out there

VETERANS DAY 2009

2009-11-11T10:12:00.000-08:00

I first published this post in 2006 - but it holds up well. And here also is a reprint of a story I wrote which was published in Every Day Fiction a few years ago, too.

"Step forward now, you soldier, you've borne your burdens well.
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets, you've done your time in Hell."

Americans, remember all our veterans today - my Daddy was a naval officer, my brother Bill is a disabled Viet Nam vet, and that's a picture of me in my Army uniform during Desert Storm (I spent 22 years in the Army.) Make Veterans' Day the time you reflect on what so many gave - and continue to give - for you.

Put aside political and partisan differences and thank those folks who make your way of life possible. This day is not for blowhard politicians or policy makers or corporate profit-takers.

This day's BEAUTIFUL THING is that kid on front lines, the guy in the wheelchair, the homeless vet and the men and women who serve every day, in small and large ways, at home and in strange places.

And my Army buddies, pictured here:

VETERANS • by Kate Thornton

He looked across the breakfast table, knowing that soon he’d have to choose his words carefully. It was the same every year. First the flags popped out along their quiet suburban street. Then the television broadcasts of news, parades, observances and picnics, special sales on sheets and shoes and gardening implements. Finally, there were human interest stories, an interview or two, and then it would all be forgotten until Memorial Day.

Twice a year he had to watch his step, watch his mouth, not say anything he knew would upset her, not let the memories of war long past come between them.

Every year the war itself receded. It was someone else’s turn now, and young kids had their own war to think about, dread, and hope to return from.

Hardly anyone thought about the Gulf War, Desert Storm, with the horrors of the Iraq War on everyone’s mind. Gulf War vets were older now, most of them staring down their forties, although so many reservists had gone that there were plenty in their fifties and even sixties now. It had been a short war, so there weren’t that many disabled, not like the masses of disabled Iraq War vets. Not like the last of the disabled Viet Nam vets, either, with their hollow eyes, at the ragged ends of their ruined lives.

He looked at her with a mixture of affection, exasperation and pride. They had been separated during that short war, and both of them had done things they regretted, things they wished they could erase from their experience. He had been lonely and scared, looking for comfort and order, and some kind of reassurance. It had been his first real experience of war, as he’d been just a kid when Viet Nam was the nightly news.

Veterans Day and Memorial Day–they always brought back all the old pain and resentment.

He cleared his throat. “Want to visit the kids this weekend?” he asked with what he hoped was the right amount of casualness.

She looked up from her paper, over her steel-rimmed reading glasses and smiled. “Sure,” she said. “Let’s see if they want to go out to dinner or something.” Then her eyes clouded as she remembered it was Veterans Day. Everything came flooding back in a wave of pain.

He watched helplessly as her memories took her back to a bad place, to a desert road backed up for miles with trucks and family cars, the blades of her chopper whipping up children’s toys and the smell of burned bodies. The blinding heat and noise passed over her face and she was gone for a few minutes.

“Yes,” he replied. “Dinner. Let’s try that new sushi place, okay?”

She nodded. Okay.

_____________________

Be careful out there.

2009-11-05T08:39:00.000-08:00

THE TOUGH PROJECTS AND THE PASSING OF HEROES

PAINTING STUFF – THE TOUGH PROJECT

I had the pleasure of meeting with Pomona College Museum of Art Montgomery Art Center Assistant Director Steve Comba this week to experience something so intense I have to wrench back a word into real language and call it awesome. Nothing inspires awe like real art, but real art up close and personal, with the Museum's Assistant Director at your side and all the time in the world to look at it, to draw impact from it, to savor it at angles, under the lights, on a table, just you…yes, awesome is the word.

I am privileged to be among a handful of local artists chosen to participate in a joint da Art Center/Montgomery Art Center project called In Front of the Real Thing. This project allows the artists to choose an object in the Museum's extensive collection for private study. The artist may then produce a work inspired by the piece which will be part of a public exhibition at the da Art Center in January of 2010.

Not content with one masterpiece, I chose two – and the Museum graciously allowed me this extravagance. My two chosen works are from the Kress Collection, Madonna and Child, a religious painting in the School of Barnaba Modena, c. 1370-1380 and from the Modern Art Collection, Untitled, 1971, a lithograph by Sam Francis. I know they may look wildly different at first, but I see only the similarities when I look at them. My work, an oil painting, is inspired by the similarities I see.

After choosing a canvas in the right (for me) size and proportions, I then layered on fifteen coats of gesso, the last dozen in texture. This is not just homage to the Italian masters who gessoed their wooden boards, sanding them between coats to achieve that beautiful satiny finish, but also a way to achieve the raised splatter textures necessary to the work.

I met with Father Bill Moore to talk about what exactly halos are so I could get them right. I wanted to avoid the golden-plate-on-the-back-of-the-head concept while abstracting the image to its most basic form.

Then it was time to find an oil-based gilding medium (gold paint) that was in the right consistency for droplets to splash properly. After much experimentation, I found the right stuff, but it takes 21 days to dry. It's drying now.

More on the progress of the work as I finish it – the color will be transparent oil glaze thinned to the consistency of ink wash and will echo the reds, blues and yellows in both paintings.

I'll keep you posted on the progress of the work. Here are a couple of pics of the progress:

I have a bunch of new stuff up at the Sugar Rush Café & Gallery – it's worth a trip for their excellent food and artisanal coffee even if you aren't a big fan of the paintings.

WRITING STUFF - THE TOUGH PROJECT

I finished a Christmas story last week and sent if off to a magazine that has a tracking application online. Of course, I check it daily. Five days in slush and still not read – I may have to volunteer as a slush reader to get it going.

The really tough writing project I am working on is a novel I wrote in 1998. Back then, I thought I was a novelist and knocked out 3 or 4 long works - adventure/mysteries - that I thought were really good. Hah! Shows what little I knew! They needed a lot of work. So I shelved them (one was actually agented and had some interest from St. Martin's Press, only back then I didn't know enough about revisions to do the necessary rewrites.) But I had lunch yesterday with an old friend, a dear friend, who asked about that particular book and remembered it fondly.

So I am re-reading it first (I have a copy printed on my old laser printer) then doing a page-by-page rewrite into my computer. I used to have this work on an ancient five-inch floppy disc, but who knows what happened to that and what I could use to extract the info anyway. Also, I think it was in one of the very first iterations of Word Perfect.

I want to salvage the basic story, change the main character to one I have been developing, and update the technology (both in the storyline and what I use to write with.)

Maybe it will be a successful project. If so, I have three more "Trunk Novels" that could get the same treatment, if they're worth it.

THE PASSING OF A HERO

My friend and mentor, Colonel George Francis O'Connor, died last week of complications of esophageal cancer. He was 86, old to some of you, but still young to me.

George made my life in the Army an exciting trip through the world of Counterintelligence. He spotted & recruited me, then made sure I got the training and opportunities necessary to make me into an agent. I was privileged to work several missions with him. As one of very few women in units mostly made up of Vietnam War veterans, it was tough going at first, but gentlemen like Col. O'Connor, First Sergeant Eddie Scroggins and CW4 Artie Gibford made sure I got equal opportunities and they cut me no slack on performance. I loved them all dearly – even more when we were called to war during Desert Storm and I was one scared puppy. Okay, we were a litter of scared puppies.

I wish I could tell you all the funny stories of the things we did. I nearly laughed out loud at the funeral when LTC Glenn Miller leaned over and told me about the time they ran a convoy to the Madonna Inn. I told him about the time George "decorated" a few of us after a mission no one could talk about. He knew we were disappointed that no one could talk about a rather nice thing we had done (we were the Good Guys, after all) so he wrote up notional citations under the nom de plume "Col. Murphy" – I still have mine, neatly framed, citing us in the most incredible and very funny terms for something never mentioned.

There's not enough space here to outline his remarkable life – he was commissioned before I was born – but he was a real gentleman – and a real hero. He made me proud to serve. Good bye, George. A grateful nation will miss you, but no one more than I.

THREE BEAUTIFUL THINGS

Terry O'Connor, George's son – remembering the good times.

The flowers, of course.

And the way real art – like time – can heal.

Be careful out there.

2009-09-25T08:44:00.000-07:00

A SHED AS A THING OF BEAUTY

PAINTING STUFF - A NEW STUDIO FROM OLD STUFF

Our 1955 Cliff May mid-century modern house is a delight to live in. But with Jerry's impending retirement, we need to convert that middle bedroom from a paint-splattered, fume-ridden mess of a painting studio into a sleek, modern office for two. That's not so hard – empty the room, scrub the floors, paint the walls and move in a bookshelf unit and two side-by-side desks with chairs. The perfect place for me to write and live in the cyber world and the perfect place for him to, well, do whatever he wants. My PC and his MAC, living in peace and harmony and the excitement of DSL, with a comfy reading chair (that Plycraft Eames-style lounger and ottoman!)

But where would I paint?

Well, I explored the idea of an offsite studio in the Arts Colony, and Terry and Rolo Castillo of the da Center for the Arts made a couple of very generous offers. Susie Eaton of Bunny Gunner Gallery even called a property owner to check on studio rentals and Vincent Blue sky of Blue sky Gallery and Steve Ruiz of Blue Core Gallery both steered me to a possibility, too.

After a short 3-week hiatus, I was painting again yesterday and realized that I don't want to leave here to paint. I like painting in these beautiful surroundings with the plants and pets around me. I like hearing the cacophony of the birds. I like painting in my nightie, the bathroom only steps away. I like it that my kitchen, with its little drinks refrigerator, is right here, offering cold water and a whole lot more.

We have been collecting the Cliff May window and glass door sets that people who don't know better throw away when they exchange their beautiful original construction for the abomination of vinyl windows, cheap curved-light doors and stucco over the beautiful redwood board-and-batten siding of these lovely homes. I can't stop anyone from turning their Cliff May into a stupid-looking stucco box imitation of a bastardized Tuscan villa, but I can collect the priceless pieces of their discarded architecture.

So we have decided to construct a studio in the back patio out of these items. It will keep the beautiful Golden Mean proportions of the house, with a facing area ten feet wide and a depth of eight feet. We will utilize a beautiful original glass door set and a window set on the 10 foot north facing-the-pool wall, allowing maximum north light into the small space. (Well, it will be roughly twice the size of the area I paint in now) With another of the 5ft. window sets in the east facing-the-patio wall, there will be lots of natural light. A slanting roof with – hopefully – clerestory windows, will allow more light. And I am looking at the possibility of a translucent corrugated Lexan roof for even more diffused natural light.

Add to this a wrap-around little deck on two sides and electricity for lamps, nightlight, small energy-saving Japanese air conditioning/heating unit and maybe a CD/MP3 player, and I think it will be perfect.

I could buy one, of course, if I want to spend $8,000 - $45,000. And they are very beautiful. Companies like Modern Cabana, Metro Shed, Studio Shed and Modern Shed offer gorgeous prefabricated modern studios which they construct on your site.

But I like the idea of matching my house, re-using materials from original Cliff May homes and building exactly what I want. Not to mention cost. I think we can build this – with some expert help – for less than $3000. It might take a while, but I think the result will be wonderful. I will post pics of the progress as we go.

Here's the site as it is now. The main patio is to the right, and there is a perfect concrete slab for the studio here (not to mention good light)

And here is what will be the view from the front – see how the view is an echo of a door set and window set? That's the Master Bedroom, with a bamboo obstructing the right hand window set. Doors & windows are each 5 ft wide.

And here are a couple of pictures of similar structures, but you have to imagine the door-and-window combo that we will use.That one on the left is closest in design, I think.

They are all very pretty, and I will take inspiration from them

Lovely fence on this one...

WRITING STUFF

The new mystery short story is coming along – I have the set-up and the characters, and there is a delicious little twist. But I'm struggling with the plausibility factor – sometimes truth is stranger than fiction, but that just makes it unbelievable, so it can't be used. Sometimes you gotta make stuff up to make it sound real.

The Short Story class will become a reality in Pomona – Terry Castillo and I will get together soon and nail down dates, format, etc. Maybe we need an introductory talk and a workshop. Maybe a couple of workshops…hmmm…this could be a lot of fun!

In the mean time, for great programs with other published mystery authors, including several hot short story writers, check out the free programs offered throughout the Southland by the Los Angeles Chapter of Sisters in Crime. They are the best at getting readers, writers and interested (and interesting!) parties together for a time so good it should be criminal.

THREE BEAUTIFUL THINGS

Rescued architectural elements. It might look like old junk cluttering up my drive, but it's pure beauty.

Jerry getting his 30-year pin at Cal Poly Pomona. I listened in awe to his biography – I had no idea he had done so much.

Friend Leslie Cole came over for lunch and brought grilled salmon and salads from Dr. Grubb's in Claremont. Wow. It was terrific. We had a great afternoon talking about everything, but especially about this beautiful Millard Sheets designed house in Claremont that is for sale.

Be careful out there.

2009-09-11T09:05:00.000-07:00

NEWS FLASH! SHORT STORY WRITER PAINTS SELF INTO CORNER

WRITING STUFF – TRUTH IS GREATER WITH FICTION

I gave a very successful talk at the Burbank Public Library last week – "Writing the Short Story" was sponsored by the Los Angeles Chapter of Sisters in Crime and attended by about 50 people, ranging from beginners to published authors. Librarian Louise Paziak was terrific, providing me with a plush auditorium, cold water and copying my numerous handouts. Kudos to librarians everywhere for enriching the lives of writers.

I had a wonderful time, talked for 2 hours, and then schmoozed with some very interesting and really nice folks afterward. Many thanks to ARLENE for her delightful thank-you note – got it in the mail yesterday, Arlene!

Louise has contacted me about a couple of future presentations next year. Of course, I'll be delighted.

I spoke to Terrie Castillo at the da Center for the Arts (now partnerned with the SCA Galleries and Cheryl Bookout) about providing my Short Story Workshop to the Pomona Community. I have given the workshop (and its shorter talk/panel versions) dozens of times in the past few years, but never in my own community. Go figure!

I will plan an adult/all ages/all levels of writing experience talk similar to the one I gave in Burbank last week first, then maybe a workshop for young people who are just learning to write fiction. Details will have to be worked out, but a portion of any nominal fees will be donated to the da/SCA in support of Community Arts.

Inspired by my talk, I began work on another story and knocked out a few more pages on the novel as well. The publication of six of my stories this year by Flashshot brings my total short story publication numbers up over 100. Woohoo!

Every time I get "Painter's Block" I write. I've had Painter's Block for a couple of weeks.

PAINTING STUFF

I took four small paintings into Susie Eaton at BUNNY GUNNER to be framed together. I did these for the SUMMERTIME show at Bunny Gunner Gallery this summer, and have decided they would look better framed together, quatro-style, as "The Four Seasons" – hey, it's always summertime here, right?
(That's Time and Motion on the left)

I am still looking for studio space in Pomona, but I am also weighing the pros and cons of working offsite from my home.

Pros: More discipline, less turpentine and mess in the house (big concern – I'll have to repaint the studio/office soon, and not in "early spatter") and more room for larger works.

Cons: More discipline, can't work in underwear anymore, can't work at odd hours without getting out of the house, bathroom not steps away, kitchen not steps away, beautiful light at home.

Maybe I need to make studio space here at home work for me somehow. Maybe a garage remodel? Greenhouse or glass-framed shed? The patio would be beautiful, but I need a more controlled environment for drying/light/heat/ etc.

Life – it's one big happy dilemma.

THREE BEAUTIFUL THINGS

The summer orchids bloomed and bloomed but are at the end of the blooming cycle and now must set growth for next year. I love the beautiful leaves, flat and succulent (phaelenopsis) upright and spiky (miltonia) and the long, strappy leaves of the cymbidium. Time to feed and prune and watch for root & repotting issues. Next February the first cymbidium spikes will appear, and maybe a spike from that big, gorgeous re-blooming purple phaelenopsis, the Valentine orchid I call it. Then it will be a constant show of big white, yellow, pink & red cascades, then the delicate miniatures, then the summer blooms again.

Jeeves, one of the elderly cats, is looking a bit better with a good appetite and is more active. He loves to be brushed. He's about half the size he used to be in his prime, but still a wonderful kitty.

A few days in Tucson with my brother. Ostensibly for a Birthday Celebration for him with a handful of cousins, the cousins backed out at the last minute and my brother, his wife and I ended up at a Tucson Denny's for dinner. I was very disappointed in the cousins, who are on my sh*t list right now, but delighted that we had a very good time anyway. My brother Bill – who is active in Veteran's Affairs and works tirelessly with homeless veterans – is truly a Beautiful Thing. (And Lori, his wife, is too!) Happy Birthday, Bill. (That's an old pic of us - we've both lost weight since then!)

PS I'm posting this on September 11th, but I want everyone to remember that it is not just tragedy that unites us. We are united in happiness, too.

Pictures of me then...

...and now (with orchids & tomatoes)

And be careful out there.

2009-07-28T09:18:00.000-07:00

BLOG FLASH - WRITING & ART STUFF

Sometimes it just happens. I woke up this morning and painted for an hour, then wrote a 4 part flash fiction story, sent it off to a magazine and wrote some more. You gotta do stuff when it strikes you.

2009-07-27T08:54:00.000-07:00

FICTION IN A FLASH AND PAINTING, UH, NOT SO FAST
WRITING STUFF
I placed three more flash fiction pieces with FLASHSHOT – no scheduled dates for publication yet, but look for these titles in September/October: ARTIST'S MODEL; IF YOU FEED THEM,THEY'LL STAY and WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR IDEAS?
I worked a bit on the novel this month, but it's slow going as I am stuck on one of those pivotal plot points and can't make up my mind. Sometimes you come to that literary fork in the road and can't decide which way to go. Yes, I know: I should write BOTH – but really, who has that kind of time? Oh, yeah, that's right - I do. Sigh.

Okay, maybe I'll write it both ways and see what happens.

The problem with that approach is that sometimes both ideas work out and you have to choose between 100 pages of something that works and 100 pages of something else that works. Worst case is the Time Wasting Effort in which you produce 100 pages of something that doesn't work and another 100 pages of crap. That's just plain depressing.

So it's back to 100 word flashes that either work right off or get deleted.
Here's a sample of one of my recent flash pieces – this was published in FLASHSHOT on July 6th 2009:

FLASHSHOT
Daily Genre Flash Fiction
==================================================
ISSUE TWO THOUSAND-SIX HUNDRED-NINE July 6, 2009
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
A SURE THING
By Kate Thornton

"Sorry, no casino," the man at the desk said.

Michele blinked. What kind of local tribe had no casino?

"Stay for lunch, we have the Breadbasket Buffet, Buffalo Grill, and Corn
Doll Café."

She chose the café and ordered soda, pizza and chocolate cake.

Her waitress smiled. The resort was the old Chief's idea, just something
to keep everyone busy.

From the top floor, the view was reservation land planted thick with corn.
A train of tanker cars stretched from the processing plant.

There was no need to build a casino, not with the ultimate revenge -
high-fructose corn syrup.

copyright 2009 Kate Thornton
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
That's a sample – quick and to the point, under 100 words and with a grin at the end if possible.

Pros of Flash Fiction:
It's quick and easy to read
It gives the writer immediate satisfaction

Cons:
It takes as much time to write short as it does to write long
It is a bitch staying under 100 words and still painting the whole beginning-middle-end picture
Characters must be drawn fully in only a few words

But I love the puzzle of it, the challenge. Sometimes I'll write a 500 word piece, then edit it down to 75 or 100 words just for practice. There's nothing as satisfying as a concise sentence with exactly the right words. It's hard to do.

Practice it – take a "what if" idea ("Hey, what if that guy over there trying to operate his new Blackberry is really more than 800 years old?") turn it on a plot point ("The very old guy with the Blackberry discovers that his ancient fingers can text, if he goes slowly. But his messages can only be deciphered by other 800 year olds on the planet.") and write it out so it makes sense. Then trim it to 100 words.

See? Not easy…

PAINTING STUFF
Writing is difficult and takes a lot of time, but it's a breeze next to painting.

This month I will pick up 2 pieces from Bunny Gunner's SUMMERTIME show and 2 pieces from the da Center for the Arts WATER show. I will drop off 2 pieces for Ashley Ashley's GONE FISHIN' show. I am working on a larger piece for the HEAVY METAL show and a large piece for no show in particular.

I am still experimenting with my painting style, although I seldom stray from my compulsion shape, that ubiquitous circular thing I am forced to put in every painting.

But it has been so hot lately that I have had trouble with my paints – I work in oils and use a quick drying glaze medium to thin them for transparency. It means stuff dries too fast in the heat. If I thin with oil, then I lose the texture I need and the stuff never dries. I keep plugging away at it, though.

And I had an idea about the 2 pictures from the SUMMERTIME show. I did 4 pictures for the show, but only sent 2. I think I want to have all 4 framed on a black background – sorta like my "LEARNING THE NUMBERS 1-10" (shown in photo below between OBIE & AMY) only not vertically, but in quadrants. It won't be cheap, but I think it will look great. The pictures are about heat.

THE SOCIAL CALENDAR

We had a few friends over for drinks last week – it was fun. Here 's a pic of OBIE LOAGUE and his friend AMY. OBIE owns the Sugar Rush Café & Gallery and AMY bought one of my "NAM'S RED DOOR" series paintings.

Here's JER in the Eames chair and that's BRUCE EMERTON 's friend FREDDIE waving. That's BRUCE EMERTON and LINDA GARNER in the background.

Also present were BRAD LINDENBERG, AARON & LESLIE COLE and CHERYL SAVOIE.
I love having company – next time maybe a full-fledged party – or maybe just several evenings of different guests.

THREE BEAUTIFUL THINGS

The Summer Orchids in full bloom. Okay, the whole patio – pretty in the daytime, a magical place at night.

Drinks at DBA 256 on Fourth Saturday – with Jer, Linda Garner, John Clifford of Pomona Heritage and of course Tibbi, proprietor extraordinnaire.

We dragged one of the large rubber tree plants into the house too – indoor/outdoor living!

Be careful out there!

2009-07-04T11:27:00.000-07:00

CRIME AND PUNISHMENT: The Last Few Months of Painting, Art, Writing and Surgery

I guess my twice-yearly update should be something momentous, but one of the reasons I have not updated since April of 2009 is that I have been busy with the minutia of life.

ART:

Okay, lots of painting. I had pieces at the dA Center for the Arts in the past few exhibitions. Someone nice bought my fund-raiser plate, "Jungle Chicken" before I had a chance to photograph it, but take my word, it was pretty weird. Someone else bought one of my very favorite paintings, "IN THE TIME BETWEEN", from the Members Show at the dA Center.

Over at SUGAR RUSH CAFÉ & GALLERY, I sold "NAM'S RED DOOR" which was exhibited at the dA's SIMPLY RED SHOW in February of this year. The buyer phoned me for the story on the painting and I was touched and delighted that someone wanted to know more about it.
Obie, the gallery owner at Sugar Rush, asked if I had more like it as it generated a lot of attention. As a matter of fact, it was part of a series I did on dreams of the red door of a Vietnamese bar across the road from Ft MacArthur in my old Army days. I'll be delivering 2 of them to Obie next week when I get the wires on the back.

Currently on exhibition at SUGAR RUSH are several paintings, including my PATTERN RECOGNITION series from the SQUARE FOOT exhibit at the FIFTY BUCKS GALLERY and my tribute to one of my favorite painters, Fr. Bill Moore, "EVENING WITH FATHER BILL."

Coming up: 2 paintings in the H2O Show at the dA, a couple of paintings at BUNNY GUNNER GALLERY for the Second Saturday opening of the SUMMERTIME show and paintings for Ashley Ashley's GONE FISHIN' show.

On the enjoyment front, I was delighted by the recent show at FIFTY BUCKS GALLERY, PET SYMMETRY with knockout works by Jen Wilkins and Juan Thorp. One of Juan's painting was his proposal of marriage to Susie Eaton – I hear they are planning a February wedding at the dA Center for the Arts, and the gallery show will be SIMPLY WED instead of the usual SIMPLY RED show. Sigh – ain't love grand?

I heard my DH, Jerry, bought us a painting by Jay Merryweather at BUNNY GUNNER GALLERY, a surprise birthday treat. (My birthday was the same day as the dA' s 25th and just a day or two from Susie Eaton's of BUNNY GUNNER.) I think we can pick it up this week!

It was a great birthday – I celebrated for weeks: tea at the Huntington Library with special friend Nan, lunch at Akbar's in Pasadena with special friend Chris, lunch in El Segundo with special friend Trollman, lunch with Jerry and Brad at Sugar Rush and a Swedish Midsummer Festival Party in Pasadena with hosts par excellence, Tama & Johan, under the Swedish moon. Here's Brad at Sugar Rush...

WRITING:

I wrote three flash stories for FLASHSHOT magazine.
A SURE THING will be published July 6th
MARK DECIDES ON A CAREER IN PLUMBING will be published July 19th
NOSE JOB will be published August 5th
Check out FLASHSHOT and get fresh microfiction delivered every morning for free! (And you can read stories you have missed in the ARCHIVES)
I am trying to finish a nice crime story or three by several anthology deadlines. My story, CELL PHONE did not make it into the Los Angeles Chapter of Sisters in Crime's forthcoming anthology, MURDER IN LA-LA LAND. They sent out rejections to everyone I know who submitted, but I have yet to see a list of who or what that got in. I've had a story in the past three out of four collections – it's blind submission, so there's no hanky-panky, just inexplicable editorial choice.

It will be making the rounds of all the usual places as soon as I get some time.

I'll be hosting a short story seminar at the BURBANK CENTRAL LIBRARY sponsored by the Los Angeles Chapter of Sisters in Crime:

BURBANK CENTRAL LIBRARY
110 N. Glenoaks Blvd, Burbank CA
Tuesday, September 1st
7 to 9pm
FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Come and learn techniques for beginning as well as experienced writers!

SURGERY:

I had a septoplasty in May as my nasal passages were blocked (a congenital defect shared with my brother.) I had a wonderful surgeon, but it was painful, healed slowly, and was very messy – I'll spare you the blood-and-everything details. If I had known it was going to be that difficult, I probably wouldn't have done it. That's why my brother assured me it was a piece of cake – he knew I really needed to have it done. A six-week recovery was topped off by a virulent stomach 'flu and a blinding (literally) migraine. But now that it's all over, I feel great and breathe much better.

THREE BEAUTIFUL THINGS:

All the summer orchids are blooming, some for a second time! The phaelenopsis & oncidium beauties are gorgeous. My brother and his wife will be visiting over the Fourth of July weekend. They've been on the road for a vacation for the past month and we are the last stop before they return home to Yuma, AZ. When they go on the road, they go on the road! They visited Montana & Idaho, among other places.

Friends at the FIFTY BUCKS GALLERY – also friends at the American Legion Hall (yes I'm a Legionnaire!)

Be careful out there!

WRITING, PAINTING AND WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT?

2009-04-13T09:08:00.000-07:00

FIRST, the News of the Weird:

Okay, it's been a while since I updated the blog – mostly because so much has been happening and also because I forgot my password and Google makes it virtually impossible to recover a lost password.

I signed up for some serious physical therapy, and it seems to be helping me (although all PT is torture.) My Therapist, Brett Haslop, is not only cuter than a kitten's whiskers, he's also a real pro who understands what I want from the torture – namely, to get some strength back in the left side if possible. And it is possible – it's only been 2 weeks and I am already seeing a difference.
But here's the really weird part: my favorite TV show is NCIS and Brett, who has done lots of extra work in TV & movies, played a dead Marine in one of my favorite episodes! Here's a link to NCIS Season 6, Episode 5, NINE LIVES. He doesn't get name credit because he didn't have a speaking part (duh!) but that opening scene where they find his dead, tortured body is worth about a million looks. He says the makeup was so realistic that it creeped him out, too. There are other great scenes of him on the autopsy table.

WRITING NEWS FLASHES!

Last week I was a guest blogger on Every Day Fiction's FLASH FICTION CHRONICLES. Please check out this fabulous blog written by and for Flash Fiction aficionados. GAY DEGANI is the gatekeeper and driving force behind this endeavor, as well as a novelist and short story writer of note. But check out all the posts, as there is a multitude of viewpoints presented and very valuable information for every writer.

My post is really about who writes short stories when it's the novelists who get recognition, money and book signings.

And while you're at it, sign up to get a Short Story delivered to you inbox every day at Every Day Fiction. There's no fee, no hassle, and the stories are great.

NEWS FROM G.W. Thomas at FLASHSHOT: His fantastic email service – delivering a Flash Fiction micro gem of 100 words or less – to your email inbox daily has been converted to a blog where you may read these quickies daily at your leisure (and also go back and read any you may have missed.)

Bookmark it here: FLASHSHOT BLOG

PAINTING NEWS

The Sugar Rush

(Hanging right in the front lobby!)

I am currently showing a collection of my paintings at the SUGAR RUSH CAFÉ & GALLERY. This cozy spot is well-known for excellent food, terrific artisanal coffees (brewed individually with Chemex carafes) and the friendliest service around.

The Owner/Gallery Manager is "OBIE" (OBEDIAH LOAGUE) and his vision of a café/gallery has really taken off. PAUL LIU is the Assistant Manager, and in addition to being very personable not to mention gorgeous (how is it I am spending a lot of time these days in the company of attractive young men?) these gentlemen have an eye for abstract art.

Obie Loague Paul Liu

The clientele does, too – I have already sold a piece right off the wall! (Nam's Red Door, originally shown at the Simply Red Show at the DA Center for the Arts)

It is a fine piece, one of my best efforts, and I am proud to have it go to a good home.

Nam's Red Door

Here are more photos of the works at Sugar Rush:

I am delighted to have had such success in this past year – I have sold five works and have started painting a new series, Pattern Recognition. Many thanks to the DA Center for the Arts, Bunny Gunner Gallery, Vincent Bluesky Gallery, and Gallery 475.

Here's a preview of a work in progress:

And there's news on the Website Front, too – my new website will be at Katethornton.net – right now it points to the old website, but that will change as the new material is produced and uploaded.
So I'll try to keep this site updated on a more timely basis, too!

A BEAUTIFUL THING!

My friend Nancy at Louise's - we had a wonderful dinner and caught up on old times.

Be careful out there.

PAINTING STUFF: TIME IS LIGHT

2009-03-02T10:25:00.000-08:00

NEW PAINTING DIRECTIONS

Going from dark to light...
I have been painting in oil on canvas for more than a year - not long in the natural scheme of things, but long enough for me to have changed my initial rigid compulsive style.

I started with the tangible concept of Time - something that has bugged me for more than half a century, and which grew more tangible, more visible and more insistent after my cerebral vascular accident. The first three paintings I tried were direct visual representations of this, and I have them - framed and a constant reminder of where I started - on my studio wall.

I like them very much. (That's "Present" "Future" and "Past", left to right. If you click on any of the pictures here, you will get enlargements.)

They look almost monochromatic, don't they? I knew absolutely nothing about pigments, oils, paints, thinners, glazes, gesso, impasto, or anything else at the time. I just knew I had to paint these things and I had to do it right then.

The next paintings - still the same subject - were more complex in visualization and execution. You can see how deep they are, how layered and dark. I think I have painted about twenty in this style. (I have to collect 10 of them from local galleries this week.)

That's "Chinese New Year" on the left and "Untitled" on the right.

Today's paintings are a bit different.

They are still the Same Old Thing: visual representations of my concept of Time in its many forms, but I have discovered the lighter side of it, at least a lighter side, a side that is less about two hundred coats of thinned down black oil and glaze medium and more about reducing the conceptualization to a purer, lighter and more simple form.

See how the basic shape that defines my concept remains. (Untitled work in progress)

Here's another sample - different, eh? ("Blue #3")

I wonder what makes this compulsion evolve. I know pretty much where the compulsive behavior comes from, why it is that I feel pressed to make these paintings, no matter what (that's no matter that I don't know how, or have any time, or any history, or any rational reason.) But I can't figure out why it changes.

I have a painting hanging at Sugar Rush Cafe & Gallery right now - "Before the Moment" - and although it was painted horizontally, the gallery owner, Obie, has hung it vertically. He knows I paint in a mirror sometimes, or work on a piece sideways. But I always know which side is up. I think.

My brother who lives in Arizona visited me this past week and commented on the change. He thought the lighter colors reflected a lighter spirit, that they were less dark, therefore less unhappy. But I don't think that's it at all - there is no happy-unhappy to them, just as time itself does not reflect that sort of emotion. They may evoke emotion in a viewer, but to me they are more energy than emotion, more urgency than happiness. The lightness isn't happy-lightness; it's more transparency-lightness, I think. But what do I know - I just know which side is up. I think.

THREE BEAUTIFUL THINGS

large yellow cymbidiums

The orchids are blooming. I grow cymbidiums on the patio and they are the usual February-March profusion of flowers in lovely cascading sprays.

pink cymbidiums

yellow cascading cymbidiums with red lips

The little "plumicot" tree out in the kennel is covered in tiny pink blossoms - the promise of delicious fruit this summer.

The weather calls for more light rain this week - but I heard there were sixteen inches of snow somewhere back east. My weather - even with rain - is a beautiful thing. It's all relative, isn't it?

Be careful out there.

ART STUFF - BUNNY GUNNER GALLERY KICKS!

2009-02-19T07:30:00.000-08:00

HOMAGE - IT'S NOT JUST FOR FILM MAKERS ANYMORE

I was painting this morning and I had an idea - well, I had about six bazillion ideas, it's how I paint, but I had one that made me laugh.

Yesterday I was in Bunny Gunner - the frame shop/gallery on Second Street with my DH & Susie Eaton, the proprietor. We were looking at the All You Can Eat Exhibition, a remarkable show of hundreds of small works by artists we know and love. We couldn't even get near the place on Opening Night, but the daytime is perfect for viewing the art.

While there, Ashley S. Ashley came in, gave me a kiss (love the way he does that!) and I noticed his beautiful wall art pieces. His stuff was over near the dozen or so tiny paintings by Fr. Bill Moore, one of my favorite painters, and there was a piece of Ashley's that looked like a Fr. Bill piece. He explained it was an homage, and frankly, my dear, I loved it.

I got to thinking - I have done a painting of my own that looks a bit like a Fr. Bill piece - I thought it would be fun to do one of my own signature glazed synesthesia-inspired time pieces as if Fr. Bill would have done it.

As I looked around I saw work by Thomas Stubbs, R.T. Pece, Amy Maloof, Cheryl Bookout, Juan Thorp, George Comer, Tom Pathe, Michael Maas, Tomoko Suziki and literally dozens of others, all favorites, all different, all with that unmistakeable fire that lets you know you're experiencing Art - the real thing.

Anyway, while painting this morning, I thought wouldn't it be fun if there could be an exhibition of work by All The Usual Suspects in the style of Fr. Bill Moore - or just in the style of any other admired artist?

Just a thought, Susie (and Terrie Castillo over at the da Center - maybe this would require a larger space.) But I think it would be fun. I'd love to see what everyone came up with.

Anyway, here's the piece I was working on when this hit and a picture of my studio - it's not a mess, that's just how I work...

And here's my "Ode to Fr. Bill" piece

THREE BEAUTIFUL THINGS

Okay, Art is always beautiful, even when it's hard to understand

(Mark di Suvero's "Joi de Vivre" - I am a big Mark di Suvero fan)

The rain has let up for a few days and the place is starting to look like a home instead of an ark

The new Danish Modern setee is coming tonight! Okay - not new, period vintage like our house - even better! Michael from Futures Collide and Vincent Bluesky from Bluesky Gallery will deliver and stick around for Irish Coffee - now that's Beautiful!

(I like it from the back - it's a lovely piece indeed!)

WRITING STUFF - BIG CHANGES COMING

2009-02-16T09:15:00.000-08:00

Okay – It's Just My Website

I have several rinky-dink websites, one going back to 1997 or so – and they all cost me money, look terrible, don't provide you with much information about what I do, and in general are a point of sore embarrassment to me.

So I am going to change this situation.

I know, I know it's been more than six months since I've even updated this blog – what makes me think I can do something as complex as a new website when I can't even get the blog going? Well, I'm getting professional help. Several folks have suggested I get professional help. This may not be what they meant, but…

Since I write for publication and teach writing classes, one part of my bifurcated website will be all about My Writing Life. And since I paint and exhibit my work in galleries, the other part of the website will be about that, with lots of photos of my paintings and the places they are shown.

My Studio
Me at the Da Center Gallery

And who is that professional website designer? It's the incomparable Jerry Lerma who is busy designing websites for the State of California University system at CalPoly Pomona. He has announced his retirement plans as of the end of this year and I want to be the first in line for his services when he's available.

He has also promised to do the yard work and maybe paint the interior of the house. Yes, the shoemaker's children have long gone barefoot – Jerry is my DH.

BUT WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN?
Nothing Much, Except…

Now I will be able to spend some time getting back to updating the Blog here on writing topics – I have neglected this for too long.

For example, I taught a Short Story Workshop last month to 30 members of the Los Angeles Chapter of Sisters in Crime in Pasadena, CA. They were all preparing murder stories for an upcoming blind-submission anthology and I was able to tailor the workshop directly to their needs.

A couple of weeks ago I taught a workshop for short story writers of all levels of expertise, experience and interest at the Altadena Public Library. Chief Librarian Pauline Dutton was a joy to work with, and we had a turnout of nearly 50 people!

Altadena Public Library

MORE WRITING STUFF

My Writing Space

Here is an outline I used to teach the Altadena Workshop. Feel free to let me know if you find it helpfiul.

BASIC SHORT STORY WRITING
With Kate Thornton

1. Short Stories – What Are They?
a. A Guide to short story formats/lengths
b. We won't get rich writing them

2. Basic Story Structure
a. All stories – whatever the length – have a beginning, a middle, and an ending
b. Vignettes are not stories
c. Get a GRABBER!!

3. Where Do You Get Ideas?
a. Use your head. And your hands and feet, too – and everything you've ever read
b. The Idea File

4. Getting the Story Written
a. The BIC Concept
b. The Blank Screen of Death
c. Putting together scraps – and what did I do with that Idea File?
d. Just do it now vs. Lemme get it absolutely perfect

5. Are We There Yet?
a. How do you know when it's done?
b. Formatting – what is Standard Manuscript Format?
i. Fonts, spacing, indents, electronic formats

6. Now What? What To Do With a Finished Story
a. Revise! Or, it's never really done, is it?
b. Critiques – Or, who are all these people and why are they trying to hurt my feelings?
i. Groups, Individuals and Your Sisters (in Crime, that is) Online and offline
ii. Your family & friends who are not writers
c. Submit
i. Pay vs. No Pay – why they both work
ii. Anthologies, ezines, magazines, your church bulletin and the garden club newsletter
iii. Don't forget non-fiction venues

7. QUESTIONS, ANSWERS, SPECULATION and Are You Ready To Get That Story Ready?

REFERENCES

SHORT STORY LENGTHS:

These are guidelines; numbers vary

Flash: up to 1000 words (includes Micro Fiction – 500 words and below)
Short Short: Under 2,000 words
Short story: USA 2,000--7,500 words
Short Story: UK and Commonwealth 1000 - 12,000 words
Novelette (General Fiction): 7,500--15,000 words
Novelette (SF & Fantasy): 7,500--17,500 words
Novella (General Fiction): 15,000--30,000 words
Novella (SF & Fantasy): 17,500--40,000 words
Novel (General Fiction): Over 30,000 words
Novel (SF & Fantasy): Over 40,000 words

SOME OF MY FAVORITE ONLINE GROUPS:

Short Mystery Fiction Society - http://www.shortmystery.net/
Crime & Suspense Mystery Magazine - http://www.crimeandsuspense.com/
Absolute Write Water Cooler – http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/index.php
And their main site - http://www.absolutewrite.com/
Sisters in Crime Los Angeles - http://www.sistersincrimela.com/

A SHORT STORY BY THE MASTER HIMSELF, EDWARD D. HOCH (the most prolific mystery short story writer, well known for his regular appearances in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine):
http://www.mysterynet.com/Christmas/mysteries/three/

THREE BEAUTIFUL THINGS

Getting the Blog going again. Yes, it's been waaaay too long.

DH agreeing to do the websites. It feels like a whole new online life!

The rain. Okay, I am sick to pieces of it, but we need it and it gives me a great excuse to stay indoors and write or paint. And the light in the studio on a rainy day is just magnificent.

It's good to be back.

2008-08-31T06:50:00.000-07:00

PAINTING AND WRITING AND WHERE DO YOU GET THOSE IDEAS ANYWAY?

Okay, so I'm updating the blog every six months whether it needs it or not...

In the past six months, I have been painting a lot and writing a little. I guess I can't really do both at the same time, although I am convinced that the urge or drive or - well, let's face it, compulsion - to do both comes from the same place in my head, that not-too-well-ordered spot where the cups all runneth over and the glasses are never half empty or even half full, but brimming like silent fountains. It's the constant jackpot in the slot machine of my life.

Oh, yeah, I discovered casinos - "Indian Gaming" is the really polite word for what goes on in these absolutely vast gambling palaces. Full of smoke, noise, mirrors, drinks, music, over-the-top waterfalls, costumes and glitz, they are fascinating, repellent, beautiful and crazy. There are no clocks, and very little sense of time. Step through the doors into a different world, and live a science fiction vignette.

It can get pricey, though - the video slot machines can cost you if you don't win at least part of the time. And for me, it's a long drive at high gas prices. But the people I see and the ideas I get in the two casinos I have frequented make the trips and the cost worth it. And I have won a couple of times, so I am breaking even on the money.

The other big gamble I took this year was giving in to the painting compulsion. I began painting in oils even though I didn't know anything about painting, oils, equipment, technique or, well, anything at all. Also, since I don't have the use of my left side & I was left-handed before the stroke, I didn't have anything to paint with. I took an online class in how to mix oil pigments, what turpentine is for and how to gesso a stretched canvas. Actually, I learned a lot more than that, but when I felt ready I bought paints, oil medium, brushes, canvas, - a ton of stuff is needed - and started my first paintings. I already knew what to paint as I had been having obsessive visions of these paintings for quite some time. I started off using the brush in my mouth, but finally got the hang of using my right hand for much of the actual application of color. I got a beautiful easel for my birthday and turned the office into an office-studio.

I am delighted to report that my first ever public showing was at the DA Center Art Gallery in the Childhood Dreams show where I had two paintings on display. I can't tell you how thrilling it was to see my stuff on the wall right next to established artists.

This new direction has led me to at least think about updating my website to include links to the painting side of things, so over the course of the next hundred years I'll be working on that, too.

THREE BEAUTIFUL THINGS

The clean smell of oil & turpentine making the house somehow seem more expansive.

The bits and pieces of green shrubs defiantly growing up through the blackened and charred remains of our beautiful hillside which burned this year.

The new babies this year - my niece Bekki had a boy and my niece Susie also had a boy. Two boys! Woohoo!

2008-02-28T07:13:00.000-08:00

WRITING STUFF: Non-Fiction for the Fiction Writer

Every now and then I find myself researching details for a short story - you know, how tall the Empire State Building really is, what color the suit was that Jackie Kennedy wore in Dallas or if Hyperion and Sunset Boulevard ever meet - when I come across something I really want to write about.

Sometimes it's an opinion I have, a strong one, and I want to tell the world how I feel and exactly why my feelings on the subject are the right ones. Sometimes it's a discovery, either in the natural world or about human nature - and I want to share it as badly as any Nobel Prize winner or Times reporter.

What are these weird urges? What do I do with them?

Well, I can use them in fiction, but that's the easy answer as I can use anything and everything in fiction. It's one of the reasons I love writing fiction.

I can also write something entirely different. But it takes a tremendous push to get me to stick my toe in the icy waters of non-fiction. Non-fiction has so many forms, outlets, venues, and rules!

But Non Fiction PAYS A LOT OF MONEY! (When compared to Short Fiction, which is what I usually write.) Once, I wrote a 4,000 word story, one of my favorites, and it took me two months and a lot of rewrites, editing and work. I got paid about $100 for it. During that same time, I wrote an article on how to choose the right cookware for your kitchen, and included two photographs. I got about $1500 for that one.

So here are my methods for Painless Non Fiction:

(I'm not including journalism or news reportage here as that's way beyond my experience, and probably not anywhere near painless!)

Know What You Have and then Decide Where it Goes

1. Is it your opinion?

If it's your opinion, think about it for a while. Then try writing a coherent document based on what you think. Do you feel passionately about politics? Religion? Animals? Okay, tell us what you feel or think and why. Why is this idea - the central idea of your piece - so important? What can you do to make a difference? How can others help? Are there consequences to the reader if they do not see your point? Make it concise, with every word contributing to the persuasion of your position.

And if it's your opinion on a controversial subject, do you want to post it on your blog where a potential employer/your mom/a federal agent will see it? Know the line between bravery and foolishness. Bravery is good and you should have the courage of your convictions when you write for publication. Okay, do you want to publish it in the local paper? That's what the Op-Ed page is all about. Essays and opinion pieces can be the best form of writing and the most absorbing form of reading. They can inspire thought and action. Think Thomas Paine.

Or think Your Blog, if it is just musings and advice like what you get here - this type of opinion is primarily for entertainment, and there's no money coming in, let me assure you!

2. Is it an article?

If it's an article, make sure you have done all your homework. You may think you know everything there is to know about model railroads, beekeeping, how to create a quilt in a day, or how to appreciate modern art. But make sure you research more than just your experience - get a well-balanced article by exploring other experiences too. You may need photos or drawings to make your article more clear or approachable.

Articles are everywhere - increase your chance of publication success by carefully reading the guidelines for every magazine or journal to which you submit. Do they want clips of previously-published pieces? Do they take electronic submission? Do you need to submit a proposal for the article first? Check them out - read the periodical to which you submit. Is what you have what they publish? What are their rates? Do they pay by the line, word, inch or whole piece?

3. Is what you have an original or academic piece of research?

Okay, this is where university and professional journals get their articles. Take the time investigate the procedures involved in publishing original research. Do you have your research well-documented? Is it ready for public consumption? Do you need peer-review processes?

Chances are, if you have original academic research you already know how to get it published in the proper places.

This is just a quick overview of making the transitions between Fiction and Non Fiction - there's no rule that says you have to write one or the other - many successful writers support themselves with magazine articles while slogging away at their Great Novel.

So, if you haven't tried writing a non-fiction piece, why not part those waters with your big toe - or computer keyboard? Take a chance on a Letter to the Editor of your local paper, or a how-to for your local gardening club journal. Or go for the big time and see the vast markets for professionally-written articles and fillers in magazines, papers and journals of all types.

Good luck!

THREE BEAUTIFUL THINGS - All in Pomona!

Bruce Emerton, my neighbor who also has a beautiful Cliff May mid-century modern house. His tenants, Justin & Michele, are a lovely young couple busily doing the restoration on the house, and I was lucky enough to see them all yesterday. Bruce had to go to court over the landscaping in the front yard, but the judge dismissed the case when he saw the photos of the house - it really is a lovely xeriscape garden, like mine. The local Code Compliance person doesn't know squat about our type of garden, and cited him. She didn't know the difference between a banana tree and a bird of paradise flower, for example. Oh, and she thought the dormant red fountain grass was "weeds." That's Pomona for you - and our city is even named for the goddess of fruits and plants!

Bruce's house

Lunch at Tropical Mexico - it's my favorite local joint for excellent Mexican food. It's a hole in the wall in an industrial area, and it has been in business for years. They have the very best soups, which come with a tray of chopped onions, limes, cilantro and chilis. It's one of the great things about Pomona.

When Futures Collide and Bunny Gunner. When Futures Collide is my favorite furniture store in Pomona. It's a fabulous collection of mid-century stuff, from iconic to the just plain weird. The proprietor, Michael, can tell you stories about this city from the early days when he and his brothers were growing up and went to high school with my husband.

Photograph of Second Street Pomona by Sally Egan

Bunny Gunner is the framers next door, where proprietor Susie and artist Juan Thorpe both reside and work. Susie is a master framer who has done practically every piece of art in my house. Both places are on Second Street, where the Mall used to be. The fountains featuring Betty Davenport Ford, Peter Voulkos and Millards Sheets are still outside, working and looking beautiful. A truly Beautiful Thing.

Photographs of Peter Voulkos and Millard Sheets fountains by Sally Egan