Donna's Muse Papers

I tried painting the same subject three times and all were destined for the trash can. No, don’t tell me, “Never throw away your art.” It wasn’t art, it was a mess. I had a hard case of artist’s block. So, I Googled “artist block” and found I am not the only one that suffers the malady. Just like for writer’s block, the advice is to either take a break or work your way through it. Since, I’d developed a headache the break sounded good. Whenever I experience creative block, whether it is writing or painting, I start to question my ability. That self-deprecating voice inside my head starts in on me with the “you’re not good enoughs.” It doesn’t seem to matter I am a published writer with six books under my belt and hundreds of articles, or have shown in juried shows and sold my art. I sold some just last week. When the block rears its ugly head I don’t feel good enough to call myself a professional writer or artist. I feel like a wanna-be. I have noticed that when I am str...

I am blessed to have grown up in a family that loved tradition, but didn’t mind being flexible when circumstances called for changes. Daddy worked shift work, so sometimes birthdays and even Thanksgiving dates were moved so he could be part of the festivities. Now that my children are grown, and even their children are grown, we gather at my house on Saturday after Thanksgiving Day. That allows my girls to have Thanksgiving at home or with their spouse’s families without them having to take turns or try to hectically fit it all in on one day. This year we are not even going to try to do the whole turkey dinner thing. The center piece of the menu will be my mama’s scalloped oysters. Julia will make them since she gets it closest to “right”. Mama didn’t have a recipe written down, so it is all by memory.   I am fixing a spiral cut ham and roasted veggies. I am cooking up some fresh pumpkin and haven’t decided what I’ll do with it yet. My daughter, Julia, says she is brin...

Some writers, once they have finished writing a book, struggle over whether they should look for an agent or a publisher. “Do I want to give 15% of my royalties to an agent?” they ask themselves. I have had both experiences. My children’s fiction was published without an agent and I can say I had no problems in dealing directly with my publishers. The publisher was a regional, non-profit and we had the same goals – to share North Carolina’s stories with young readers. When The Book of Miniature Horses was published I was collaborating with a photographer, and he already had a literary agent. I “inherited” the agent with the collaboration. I went on to writing The Book of Draft Horses and The Book of Mules without collaboration but still with the agent’s representation. I have never regretted that she gets her 15%. I think she earns every penny of it. She negotiated my contract with the publisher, getting a higher advance than they offered, caught clauses that were not in ...