A Year's Gifts In Brief

Snow has fallen throughout the day. A blanket of dry, white fluff has sifted over the lawn and through the trees. Now and then the wind moans like a tired old grandmother as I sit here tapping on the keyboard. Outside, Venus and the Moon light up the winter sky. It is the last day of the year, time to take stock of the bounty that's rolled in during twelve months of hard work.

First comes the gift of family. My mother's health is improving after a scary time of crisis. Other members of my extended family (cousins, aunts, uncles) have come together all year to support each other through the loss of a beloved uncle. Our family has once again demonstrated its vast capacity to love, forgive, and remain crazy beyond words. Friends come next. This year brought the blessing of new friends in places where I once felt like a stranger. These people have helped me create links to support my writing and the writing of longtime colleagues. Feels like a great harvest. Old friends cannot be overlooked. Some have struggled with obstacles they've never faced before. Their love and humor in the face of adversity is exemplary. Finally, my life would come to a screeching halt if it were not for the insight and work ethic of my clients. I've been blessed with the opportunity to write for people who are leaders in their fields, who have spent their lives helping others, who never lose sight of what is essential. Although deadlines can create enormous stress, these people make me feel that my work means something, that writing well can provide visionary people with the tools they need to help those most in need.

Finally, every day I spend at Pennsyl Pointe is a beautifully wrapped gift. Each time I look out the window at those giant pines, those rising stars, my heart fills with gratitude. The charm and magic of this place keeps me aware of how fortunate I am -- even when my wallet is empty. When we remain mindful of the simple blessings around us, the threat of scarcity is transformed into an old wives tale. Tonight I am the richest writer on earth -- J.K. Rowling, notwithstanding.

Winter Meditations

Mystery lies at the core of the creative impulse. At this time of year, there is so much imagery in the environment to stimulate creative thinking. Smells are abundant: the fir branches give off the fragrance of winter; burning candles perfume the air. Candle light casts shadows over the walls. Winter wind whipping through the trees provides an eerie soundtrack punctuated by the crackling fireplace.

Yes, this is the time when the muses circle around us and provide a clear pathway to creative expression. The sacred space between the end of an old year and the beginning of a new one is a perfect time to think about what we have done badly or well. It's also an opportunity to imagine the future and develop our vision for what comes next. More than anything, this is a time to express gratitude to those who have contributed to the richness of our lives throughout the past year. Today I plan to sit by the fireplace and formulate a list. It won't be one that itemizes things I want from Santa. It's a list that describes the big gifts I've already received and how much they mean to me.

Pennsyl Pointe Writers to Read in Jim Thorpe

It's been a busy week for most people. Although rumors suggest that no one has any money to spend, the streets are still crowded with people looking for last minute holiday gifts. I'd like to suggest searching for that elusive present at Sellers Books and Fine Art in downtown Jim Thorpe. I'll be reading there on Saturday, December 20th at 3 in the afternoon. I'm looking forward to hearing the work of some fellow writers from the Liberties Scribblers group in Philadelphia and from another Pennsyl Pointer from Carbon County. Come out and join us for a little holiday fun. The theme of the reading is Trojan Gifts -- you know, those gifts that have unintended, or unforseen consequences. Refreshments and scintillating conversation are sure to follow our readings of original fiction.

Remembering the Gifts of Paris: Shakespeare and Company

As deep cold hardens the Pocono earth, it’s hard to remember back as far as April. Spring seems like a dream I had a hundred years ago -- when I was Harry Potter’s age. But it’s only been a few months since I spent some wonderful weeks in Paris with friends I hadn’t seen in many years. My trip was planned around spending some time in a writing workshop at the great Shakespeare and Company Bookstore across from the Cathedral of Notre Dame. At the time, I felt depleted from all the work I’d done fixing up Pennsyl Pointe. I was afraid that I’d neglected my writing for too long and wondered if it was even worth it to finish my novel, The Truth about Pluto. But Paris is a destination known to open the eyes of many beleaguered artists. I decided I would go there and give my novel a “do or die” moment by sharing it with an unknown group of international readers/writers. Thumbs up, I continue. Thumbs down, I slink back to my established freelance business.

No choice could have buoyed me more. The city was beautiful. In every part of Paris lush gardens were waking to the gentle tap of April rain. At my friend’s house in Le Marais, I met a variety of artists and professors who provided encouragement as I tried to prepare myself for the writing workshop. One person in particular, Marylene Lerault, was very helpful. She is a gifted painter and visual artist who graciously agreed to help me taste French food and wine for some articles I was writing. Marylene has been living the French creative life for a long time. Click here to look at samples of Marylene's wonderful paintings. She is married to a musician whose talents are also well known throughout Paris. Marylene and her husband know that the secret to a satisfying creative career is that you must love the process –- audience response and market success are not within your control.

In the end, the Shakespeare workshop was wonderful. I met fascinating people from all over the world and my work got a very good reception. In fact, the participants helped me think about the core message of my novel in a completely different way. I returned to the states with Edith Piaf tunes in my head and an unquenchable thirst for Sauvignon Blanc. The work of editing continues even as the snow swirls outside my window.

Inspiration with a Foreign Flavor -- A film by Philippe Claudel

When the world around me starts feeling too dull, I can usually raise a few sparks in my brain by engaging in some cross-cultural activity. In an ideal world, I’d have enough dough to hop on a plane and visit a foreign country every few months. However, since impulse travel is out of the question, I do the next best thing and go to a foreign film. Last Saturday I went to see a very moving French film called I’ve Loved You So Long. This was the wrenching story of two sisters reuniting after one of them completes a 15 year prison sentence for murder.

The movie was very touching. The most striking qualities of the film are its emotional honesty and the stripped down nature of the acting. At the beginning of the story, the primary characters aren’t comfortable around each other and each seems to harbor their own volatile secrets. Relationships evolve slowly and revelations surface in very subtle ways.

If a movie with this theme had been made in Hollywood, the actresses would have been dolled up and shimmering. The script would be weak and it would force two photogenic women to overact. The style of Philippe Claudel, however, is much more restrained and avoids the shiny pomposity of American film. When the movie was over, I felt like I’d traveled a great emotional distance in a few hours.

After seeing a film in another language that reflects a different culture, my mind feels enriched, stimulated – like I just took a mini-vacation. But because this was a French film, it also transported me back to memories of my trip to Paris last April. While there I wrote some articles about French food and wine. Here is a link to one of my pieces at Vineyard Stars. Juicier details of the trip will follow.

Get Out and See the Local Talent: Becky and the Beasts

After years of living in Philadelphia – home of hundreds of theater companies, musical groups, and galleries -- I’ve become a little spoiled by easy access to the performing arts. But the Pocono region is full of working artists who are just as talented as the big city types. The main difference is that artists here have to work harder to cultivate an audience that is more geographically dispersed. The big benefit to consumers is that it costs a lot less to hear a great band or see a show in the Poconos.

A few weekends ago I paid a measly ten bucks to hear Becky and the Beasts, a fantastic cover band play a live benefit performance at the Mauch Chunk Opera House. The concert was so much fun -- partly because the band played all sorts of danceable music from the seventies and eighties. But they did it with a much higher degree of musicianship than you’d expect when you’ve only paid ten dollars. Songs ranged from Paula Cole tunes to Jethro Tull and Eric Clapton classics. Sounds impossible, right? Yet it was all built on the superb voice of the lead singer (let’s assume her name is Becky) and the incredible guitar skills of other band members. The multiple talents of the band’s sax player provided the key asset that allowed the band to perform such a wide range of music. He was perfectly comfortable – and skilled – on the flute, trumpet and cornet. And he also sang pretty well on a few songs. These musicians reminded me how much fun a good night out can be. Along with others, I got carried away by the music and danced in the aisle. That’s good for you. Music is good for you and having that much fun makes you realize the joy you can give to others when you put your own creative talents to use.

Times News Article about Pennsyl Pointe Writers

Michelle Gallagher, one of our featured writers during last Saturday’s reading at Seller’s Books, called my attention to an article that appeared in the 11/3 edition of Carbon County’s Times News. Those of you who want to know a little more about our event last week can follow this link to the article. Pay no attention to that corny photograph.

Jim Thorpe -- A Great Town for the Arts

This past Saturday, several writers joined me for a reading of short fiction pieces at Sellers Books and Fine Art in downtown Jim Thorpe. I was happily surprised at the turnout. The room was full and our host, Randall Sellers, put together a really nice event. In fact, we had such a good time we may do it again in a few months. Be sure to come by and join us in December if you are in town. We’ll announce the date here and in the Carbon County media.

Perhaps the best outcome of the event is that, due to the store’s location, we can now tell our families that we performed on Broadway.

I read this great poem by Susan Mitchell as part of the event:

The Dead

At night the dead come down to the river to drink.
They unburden themselves of their fears,
their worries for us. They take out the old photographs.
They pat the lines in our hands and tell our futures,
which are cracked and yellow.
Some dead find their way to our houses.
They go up to the attics.
They read the letters they sent us, insatiable
for signs of their love.
They tell each other stories.
They make so much noise
they wake us
as they did when we were children and they stayed up
drinking all night in the kitchen.

by Susan Mitchell

Local Writers to Read in Jim Thorpe

If you are in the Carbon County area (or if you are willing to drive there), consider stopping by the Sellers Book Store at 101 Broadway in downtown Jim Thorpe on Saturday, November 1, 2008 around 3 pm. Fiction writers from Pennsyl Pointe and from the Liberties Scribblers writers’ group in Philadelphia will be reading their work that afternoon. We also plan to make a community ofrenda to commemorate loved ones who have passed away. This is a common ritual observed in Mexico during the Days of the Dead. If you would like to bring an object of significance representing someone you’ve lost, feel free to do so. It will be returned to you once we take the ofrenda down. See the attached poster to get an idea of what an ofrenda looks like. The Days of the Dead are observed from October 31st to November 2nd. The theme of the reading is: Advice for the Dead.

Inspiration – Witness the Greats: Leann Rimes

My family knew the value of creative arts. Early in life my father made us listen to the remarkable musicians of his generation. We absorbed the power of Tchaikovsky while hiding behind our upright piano. From there, the Nutcracker Suite was like a soundtrack for space travel. Some days Nat King Cole brought the spirit of jazz to our house while Sam Cooke taught us something about soul. Since my father was a fine singer himself, he understood the power of great voices and wanted us to hear them – though we didn’t always know why. Last month when I learned that Leann Rimes was going to sing at Penn’s Peak, the chance to hear a great voice came my way once more.

Although we bought two of the last available tickets, our seats were terrific. We were up on the balcony but had a clear view of the stage. The theater at Penn’s Peak isn’t oversized like the Spectrum, so each performance retains a personal quality. With her down home approach to the audience, Leann Rimes made the show feel unscripted -- in a good way. Although I was there to hear her sing the country songs that made her famous before she reached the ripe old age of 20, her music has moved into a powerful rock and roll phase that took me by surprise. She has also begun writing her own songs. Over the next few years, she may evolve into one of our country’s greatest talents. Her voice is a gift – like Picasso’s sense of form or Fitzgerald’s skill with metaphor. Some songs required her to hit – and hold -- notes that stretched across several octaves. She sang with a depth of feeling that provokes a listener to share the highs and lows of love, the push and pull of family, and the challenges of living a life filled with events we can’t control. “What I Cannot Change”, her song based on the Serenity Prayer, was deeply touching.

When you hear someone with this kind of talent, you can’t help but feel inspired to work harder at your own art -- even if your primary art is living through one more day. I loved seeing that tiny little woman dominate the stage with her dancing and vocal presence. She looked like some genie released from the same bottle Elvis must have lived in before he came to earth.

Writing in the Natural Environment – Pocono Critters

The range of wildlife in the Pocono region is incredible. It provides me with an endless supply of images that often end up animating my creative work. For example, I thought I knew what happiness was until I saw this tiny frog exploring the back lawn at Pennsyl Pointe. From buggy eyes to webbed feet he was smaller than the top joint of my thumb and exhilarating to watch. He must have just traded his tadpole tail for that pair of wild legs he now kicks with so much joy. Today he can hop up one side of a tuft of grass and jump right down the other – it’s his version of Olympic victory. When he rested near the roots of plants it was impossible to see him. His red orange color eliminated any contrast between him and the clay dirt at his tiny feet. It was the leap through vegetation that gave him away. A frog this small and red belongs to some science book my teachers never gave me. Unlike the green and grumpy ones, this one might actually convince a princess to kiss it.

Writing and Walking -- Finding Your Muse at the Labyrinth

This past weekend was a gift in every sense. At the retreat we had great weather, lively companions, and enough free time to drink in the natural beauty around us. Since we had an artist in residence, we dedicated some time to sprucing up the labyrinth installation at Pennsyl Pointe. Indigo Raffel, our labyrinth designer, helped us to improve the layout by adding more and bigger rocks to outline the walking path. We took some beautiful shale and granite river rocks from a creek bank that’s pretty close to the house. This involved crossing the creek on slippery stones and hurling rocks across the water. It wasn’t dangerous exactly -- just risky enough to make you feel 100% in the moment. It also gave us a chance to take turns throwing stones at each other. How often does that happen?

Now the labyrinth looks terrific. With autumn approaching, the place is perfect for walks that bring you a little closer to your muse. In fact, I suspect the deer are strolling up there right now, reflecting on their plot points. Don’t laugh. On various occasions, I've caught them in the act.

Welcome Writers -- Check out the Labyrinth

From the beginning, I wanted Pennsyl Pointe to be a place where friends, family, writers and other artists could relax and cultivate their creative talents. The natural beauty of the place has always inspired me, but I thought we could make it even more interesting by tossing in a few creative amenities. Summer brought the introduction of a wonderful new landscape feature. I persuaded my long time friend Indigo Raffel, a Pittsburgh-based artist, to visit the retreat. Indigo’s work has been a creative force for many groups including the Norris Square Neighborhood Project in Philadelphia, the Mattress Factory and Friends of the Urban Forest in Pittsburgh. During her visit, she helped me create a labyrinth on the grass up the hill from the retreat house.

The use of labyrinths can be traced back to medieval Catholic cathedrals. Originally, they were used as a site of pilgrimage. The most famous of these is the labyrinth in the cathedral at Chartres. Because international travel was extremely dangerous during the Middle Ages, visits to labyrinths were used as a substitute for a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Geometrical designs were created in cathedral floors using pieces of marble in various colors. The labyrinth at Pennsyl Pointe was made with sand and granite rocks that outline each circuit of the labyrinth. Now, don’t confuse a labyrinth with a maze. This is not a walkway meant to puzzle you and there is no danger of getting lost. The rule is: one way in, one way out. Your walk in the labyrinth is intended to help you relax your mind and discover new solutions for old creative problems. I’m very happy that this weekend, Indigo will be visiting again along with several members of my family. With this gang of innovators, our holiday weekend at Pennsyl Pointe is sure to be an experience out of the ordinary.

Writers' dilemmas -- The Search for Inspiration

Good writing doesn’t require an exotic setting or extravagant plot. The essential ingredient of compelling work is the writer’s ability to describe, in an original way, that ineffable quality that made the story irresistible to them. Not every writing idea triggers a truly creative response. Writers need reflective time to sort through potential brainstorms and find the one that can be transformed into an exciting story.

To refine those inspirational ideas, I take long walks on the roads around Pennsyl Pointe. Time among the busy creatures of the Pocono woods sets my thinking free. Back at the house I have a shocking pink Moleskine notebook that I use for jotting down details of story concepts. Since legend (and persuasive advertising) suggests that Moleskines were used by famous expatriate artists including Ernest Hemingway and Pablo Picasso, writing in mine makes me feel more inventive. Keeping a log of inspired ideas also ensures that I have no excuses for not writing when my Sunday creative time rolls around. On my list I include possible characters, provocative events, and weird stuff that gets stuck in my mental freight. Right now, I owe myself some writing on blue herons, Mexican immigrants and phony aristocrats. But I still haven’t crossed injured spiders off the list.

Writers dilemmas -- the battle against isolation

Meeting creative people in the Carbon County area isn't easy. People live far apart and, between work and family obligations, most of us have to drive quite a bit. This past weekend was a good one for me because my writing activities gave me the opportunity to talk with others who write -- and they live just a few minutes away from me.

One of the biggest problems faced by many writers is the sense of isolation that accompanies the job. It's very difficult to be focused and meet deadlines when other people are around -- but passing hours along at the computer screen can be awfully lonely. Writing groups and workshops can be a key resource for writers fighting this battle. Workshops provide an amazing opportunity to meet people with common interests and experiences. You might see the same people in the video store or the gas station, but you're unlikely to discover your shared interest.

My work over the past few years with the Liberties Scribblers writing group in Philadelphia has been a valuable source of inspiration. Other writers in the group bring a great deal of insight and humor to our discussions. Members' critiques of my work have helped me polish projects and see creative possibilities I never imagined for myself. My great hope is that over time, I will be able to build the same kind of writing network in the Carbon County area. So if you're down by the creek writing alone, drop me a line.

As with all great loves, this one seemed to arrive unbidden. Yet on August 13th of this year, I’ll celebrate the one year anniversary of a relationship from which I’ve chosen not to escape. The days leading up to our big ceremony were a little frantic. There were sheaves of paper, long lists, lots of nervous phone calls. It was not my first trip down this path. Memories of those past experiences seemed to thwart my ability to make the simplest choices. What colors? What time? I just couldn’t decide without rethinking it a hundred times. In spite of my doubts, I proceeded.

When I woke up on that auspicious morning I felt like some caring friend had sent me a package of weather straight from heaven. I kept checking the horizon to make sure I wasn’t just imagining that blue and cloudless sky. We had scheduled a 10 AM ceremony and I was oddly punctual. But then, I’d long since decided that I really wanted this. For months I’d dreamed of it and planned. Supportive callers helped me through the final preparations – my mom saw no reason to turn back, a colleague assured me I was doing the right thing. My partner in this thing was sure too -- so I stayed the course.

He was sure, yeah, but he was also late. Even with him coasting twenty minutes behind, we got the business over with by 11. The house he no longer loved officially became mine. Our plans to celebrate the transaction with champagne and cake were scuttled by unforeseen work crises, but this did not disturb my happiness. I was ready to go back to Pennsyl Pointe and get things running.

I knew there’d be no real honeymoon. The house had more flaws than charms. But the rotting rugs and frayed drapes could not hide its beauty from me. Even now, one full year later, I remain bewitched. I am, however, proud to announce that I have renegotiated the original 30 year marriage (at 7.25%) down to a 20 year tryst closer to prime.

Summer Writing Workshop Series at Pennsyl Pointe Retreat

A Beginners Writing Workshop for adults will be offered on August 10th, 2008 at the Pennsyl Pointe Writers’ Retreat. This is a five hour workshop for novice writers who would like to learn more about the fundamentals of story writing. The workshop focuses on basic elements of fiction to help new writers bring a story to life on the page. The workshop starts at noon and ends at 5 PM. The fee is $50 and includes refreshments. Writing activities take place in and around the Pennsyl Pointe retreat house which is located at 22 Shady Lane, Albrightsville, PA. The house is in a beautiful wooded area along the Mud Run Creek in Carbon County.

On August 16th, 2008, a Creative Writing Workshop for Children (aged 8-12) will be offered at Pennsyl Pointe. This is a four hour workshop, starting at 1 PM that cultivates kids’ creative writing skills. Activities focus on inventing original characters, creating story settings, and developing basic plots. The fee for the workshop is $40. Refreshments are provided.

Instruction for both workshops is provided by Colleen Davis, proprietor of Readletter Services, a successful freelance writing business operating since 2001. She holds a B.A. and M.S. from the University of Pennsylvania where she has taught summer writing workshops for the past three years. She is also the founder and facilitator of Liberties Scribblers, a Philadelphia-based creative writing group. For the past two years, the Scribblers have sponsored a seasonal series of story slams at the Standard Tap pub in the Northern Liberties section of Philadelphia.

Special assistance for the Children’s Workshop will be provided by Isabel Ramos who, in 2007, won 1st Prize from the Philadelphia Young Playwrights for her play Me Name-O Eduardo.

Inspiration at Pennsyl Pointe

Although I’ve traveled to many other places, I’ve lived most of my life in Pennsylvania. Because the state has such a range of assets – from historical treasures and cultural wealth to vast natural beauty – it offers great inspiration to the creative soul. Experiences from a Pennsylvania childhood have shaped the sensibility of some of our country’s greatest writers including (but not limited to) John Updike, August Wilson and Annie Dillard. The establishment of the Pennsyl Pointe Writers’ Retreat in the Pocono Mountains is part of an effort to make sure that the noble line of PA scribblers continues to flourish in the 21st Century. The Pocono environment adds its own sort of magic to the writing process. Pennsyl Pointe is located in Albrightsville, a village in Carbon County. The region is populated with an extensive range of creatures – both animal and human – that offer recurring surprises to the inquiring mind. The next few posts will examine some exceptional critters not likely to be found outside of Pennsyl Pointe.

When the writing gets tough, the tough get coffee

For the past week or so, a lot of my time has gone into organizing the various aspects of our August writing workshops. Some of that work involves publicizing the workshops through other creative outlets in the Pocono community. I’ve been very fortunate to get a lot of support from local entrepreneurs who’ve worked hard to create their own successful businesses in the Pocono region. Giuseppe, the proprietor of Caffe Lantico, has been extremely helpful – not only because he posts information about the Pennsyl Pointe workshops. He also provides the terrific coffee Pocono people need to fuel their next masterpiece or whitewater adventure. Giuseppe’s coffee is special, made in the old fashioned Italian style. He also makes fresh mozzarella which I buy religiously to pair up with local farm grown tomatoes and basil from my garden. This post was not intended to make you hungry. It’s just here to let you know that when hunger strikes you can always fight back with Giuseppe’s cannoli.

Writing Workshops at Last

Like Punxatawney and Pottsville, Pennsyl Pointe wasn’t built in a day. The past few weeks have been hectic. Plans to launch a new series of writing workshops at this wooded Pocono retreat have resulted in a long and overwhelming to-do list. But after plenty of hard work and good planning, August 2008 will mark the public inauguration of Pennsyl Pointe Writing Workshops for scribblers of all ages and experience.

In late June, we held a test run with a two-day workshop for experienced creative writers. The session used a pilot format that united a group of talented writers from Philadelphia for a 48 hour program of writing, great meals, creative critiques, communing with nature, mutual creative support, and of course, dessert. The good reviews on everything --including the fruit salad -- seemed to suggest that the time had come to let the rest of the world in on a good thing. If you re-visit this blog tomorrow you should be able to find a preliminary workshop schedule and some registration forms for the retreat’s next offerings.

Pennsyl Pointe is a real place. It's where I spend the better part of myself -- you know, the bits no collection agency can take away from you, the stuff no one else would ever pay you for. It's a beautiful spot that I long for before I'm even out of the driveway. The Pennsyl Pointe Blog is currently under construction. Come back in a few days and you'll find photos, workshop schedules and more background. In the meantime, that's me in the corner.