Moving!

Yesterday, I alluded to an ending, but really? I am all about beginnings.

This is my last post in this space, but you will be able to find all of this, and everything going forward at Cameron D. Garriepy.

It’s time to start fresh. I’ve been blogging behind Mary Poppins for a long time, and I think I’m just not that girl anymore, so forward! Onward!

To make it easy for you, click here for an email subscription to the new site and here for the RSS feed. This post will stay up for a few days, and after that it’s going to redirect, so don’t worry, you won’t lose me.

I know, you were worried.

Can’t wait to see you over there for reals tomorrow!

If you’re trick or treating tonight, I hope you get all the candy you were hoping for. Except for the Snickers, because I want those.

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Six Parting Words

Only one last post remains. Tomorrow.

Proud Mama

Today I’m telling a story about Betty and Felix at The Kir Corner as part of her Proud Mommy Moments series.

I was also passed the Versatile and Kreativ Blogger Awards over at Do Sweat the Small Stuff. She had some very lovely things to say about me, for which I am very grateful. I’m not very good at passing these along, but I will ask you this:

Today, while you’re out and about in the blogosphere, leave a comment somewhere that simply appreciates the blogger–tell them why you come to read. Pass along the love. Pay it forward. For me.

Thanks!

Six Word Sunday: 8/14/11

Published my first story on Friday.

(When the Mad Woman makes this meme official, I am so on it.)

Recruited!

I’m the Sluiter Nation Recruit today.

Pursey Rests Up

As I write up this post, Pursey Galore is living it up in San Diego with her Evil Twin, OctoPursey. But before a wild weekend of carousing with the cream of the blogging world, Pursey needed to recharge a little.

So, she came to see me.

Pursey and I test drive my Uncle's sweet ride. She helped me pick it up from the long term lot for him while he's traveling.

Pursey and I grab a Skinny Latté at Target and have a wander through the aisles.

Pursey liked these, but they didn't have them in my size.

She was quite disappointed in my flip-flops...

We grabbed a cold drink at Mickey D's on the way home.

On Sunday, she jumped in the van with Felix and I and a few Sturdy Gal tote bags to visit friends in New Hampshire!

Pursey cuddled up to my van just before she left. I think she appreciated the red.

But the last love Pursey got? From my Small Boy!

If you haven’t already, please consider donating to Pursey’s cause. Stroke is a destroyer of lives and families. Help us support the search for a cure!

Wearing A Red Dress Today

I’m over at the Red Dress Club today, talking a little about how I write, characters, dialogue, and the big What If.

This Crazy Idea

I’m a busy woman. Most of the people I know are busy people. I’m trying to be a writer. A real writer. Many of the amateur writers I know are trying to be real writers.

We have supportive communities (two in my sidebars come to mind–looking at you, Red Dress Club and Studio Thirty Plus), but what I hear, time and time again is how we’re not getting the constructive criticism and feedback we need.  Carrie, who writes over at Views from Nature, sparked a rousing discussion on this topic over on the Red Dress Club‘s site yesterday. It got me thinking.

I work a 52 hour week. I have a small child with me at work, and I still have to parent him when I get home (thankfully there I’ve got backup!). My weekends are full of family and social and housekeeping obligations. We had two tough years financially, and there’s no money for classes–even if there was time.

I’m not alone in this. I know I’m not.

I’m kind of banking on that.

I don’t know exactly how to get it done, but I want to know: is anyone else out there interested in a serious critique group? A focused group? Accountable to it’s members? The Red Dress Club had a good model when it first started up, but I know it had trouble maintaining itself, and eventually it got phased out.

And I remember. I had a hard time keeping up with it, too.

So, let me know. Let’s brainstorm. DM me on the Twitters (my handle’s on the right). Email me on the gmails (moveovermarypoppins). Leave me a comment (comments are yummy). Skywrite if you must. Or one of those planes that pull banners: twin lobsters, only $9.99! I always read those.

Pursey Goes Barefoot!

Many of you already know about Lori O. and her charitable organization, Project Purse and Boots. But for those of you who don’t:

“Project Purse and Boots is tour of an outrageously tacky purse to inspire women to take a night for themselves as way to raise money for The American Stroke Association. Each stop The Purse makes earns money by way of pledges.” Project Purse and Boots is a registered American Heart Association fundraiser.

I missed my window to grab Pursey for a Weekend, but I still want to help out.

What’s more appropriate for a Purse in her downtime than shopping? So I’ve pledged 100% of the profits from a week’s sales at my Barefoot Books Marketplace to Pursey’s cause. That’s 20% of all sales for a week: May 23 through May 29th, so shop and pass the word!

Fantastic children’s books, music and products for a fantastic cause.

To shop with Pursey, click on the link below:

Cam’s Barefoot Books: Pursey Goes Barefoot!

Thanks, everyone, for your support. I lost my beloved Grandma to a stroke when I was fifteen, so this fundraiser is dear to my heart.

Utopia

I’m not the first artsy type to dream of the creative utopia.

This morning alone, I read blog posts by my dear Marian, by the clever Julie Gardner (whose Today Call Me Bo-curious post actually inspired this post in a weird way), Cheryl, Nichole, and Katie, the Red Dress triumvirate of awesome, and Mandy, who might be the other half of my brain.

Before the week is out, I’ll read pieces by a dozen other writers who have–in addition to blogs, day jobs, families, and new babies–greater literary ambitions.

How on earth are we going to write these novels/memoirs/books with bills to pay and kids to watch? Besides by drinking heavily and/or giving up sleep altogether?

Here’s my 21st Century Writer’s Commune concept:

A modest suburban development–perhaps a cul-de-sac?– of 2-3 bedroom houses with yards that blend into one another. There are schools nearby, decent ones, and a public park, preferably with a pond or lake for swimming and watercraft. We all move in and set up a rotating schedule of collective duties, , gardening, childcare, errand running.

We, the writers, get to work when we’re off-duty, while our children are cared for by people we know and trust, right in the neighborhood. We share resources, gardens, eggs, family meals, expertise in non-writing topics, writerly advice. Our non-writer partners are free to pursue their careers free from the strain of a crazed writer with spinny-eyes and stained pants wandering their houses looking for the children/dog/cat/fish/clean underwear (what? that doesn’t happen at your house?).

What do you say? Are you in?