Creative Energy can take many paths

This week, because I had been asked to answer questions, plus provide a few images for an interview, I went looking for some paintings I had done back when I was painting. When I came across the blog below in a site that is no longer public, I thought it fit well with this topic of creativity.

For many creative people, they go through various ways to express their ideas. The beauty of it is how each can seep into the other venues. The experiences I had while painting and waiting for Ranch Boss as he fly fished, an art form of its own, also gave me the chance to wade creeks looking for more round rocks, a hobby of mine. Did you know that all creeks do not produce round rocks? When they do, it takes looking carefully to see how round they are.

The main experiences of creativity for me, besides always writing, were impressionistic painting and clay sculpture. Those two plein air paintings are at the farm. I remember doing both of them as I describe below. As my tremors worsened, both became less feasible. I am glad though for the times I with those modes of expression. 

One thing I hadn't mentioned in the earlier blog is that when I painted at Slough Creek in Yellowstone, we also saw and photographed a grizzly. It had been sleeping on the other side from where I painted and Ranch Boss fished. 

We left that site to look for wolves and more buffalo pictures in the Lamar Valley, Returning, the grizzly had clearly waded the creek from the brush where he'd been napping and was heading out. Lucky for us, he crossed the gravel road, right in front of our vehicle. Then, he headed up the hill to a quieter area with tall trees and no fishermen. Ranch Boss said you can tell by the trail, that a bear knew it well. likely that bear.

While I was painting, a ranger asked if I had seen the grizzly. I described what we saw. He then asked if he had seemed aggressive. Absolutely not, he just wanted to get out of there. Too many people.

 

 

 

from 2010 Yellowstone -- grizzly -- second image on his trail-- Frankly, life for predators is never easy even though bears are omnivores.

 ~~~~

It seemed a good idea when making a trip to Montana and Yellowstone National Park that I would take several small canvases, my oil paints, and the new portable easel along. The truck had plenty of space although there was one difficulty in planning to sleep in the back while in the park. That meant packing light and I kind of thought I had... if I didn't consider the easel.

What I learned was that the easel was not needed and was in the way. It takes too long on a fast trip like that to get it out and set it up-- not to mention it was not necessary as I actually like sitting on the ground with a canvas propped against a rock and mixing my paints right on the canvas. So next trip, no easel unless I have a trailer along to carry the extra supplies and plan to spend more than one night in a location.

The other thing I learned was that wet oils are a problem to transport. The need for a small box that will hold the oils apart from each other and protect everything else from getting paint splatters is obvious.

I have to get used to the curiosity some feel when they see someone painting on location. I was asked by one man if I was a painter. How does one answer such a question? I said I want to be but thought that I need to decide if I am; or if I am not than what am I doing?

All in all I enjoyed the painting and felt good that I was able to do it in places I love very much while my traveling partner was fishing and enjoying his time also. First painting is at Rock Creek, east of Missoula, Montana. Second is Slough Creek in Yellowstone National Park.  Both are 8"x10" oils on stretched canvas.

 

Creating vs. marketing

 

Tonto Country, Arizona back country  -- our photo

In trying to put together some words regarding my writing philosophy, I realized the initial ideas that came to me, first two paragraphs below, were about encouraging someone else to be a writer. 

That led me to try to change my focus to why might someone like my books and the third paragraph below.

My blog has had the first purpose, along with loving nature, and positive ideas toward life. Marketing my books has not been here so much. The thing I am wondering is can they be blended?

Writing romances is taking what you know, have loved, experienced, dreamed, along with the losses. mistakes and failures, adding a touch of fantasy, mixing it together with fictional characters, who use it to create their happily ever after.

 For writing romances, take what you have learned about life, the positive and negative, add to it imagination and characters you get to know as if they were friends. That’s basis of my work for what I value, love, honesty, which comes first? For me it's been the writing, but many say write to th, courage, strength, friends, and family—along with happily ever after.

 The basis for my romances, whether historical, fantasy or contemporary comes from what I value—love, honesty, courage, strength, friends, and family. I use what I’ve learned and dreamed—the easy and the hard with an added touch of fantasy.

Here's a question for writers and wantabes--  Which comes first, writing or marketing? It's taught by many that you need to know what the market is and write to that, if you ever want to sell. You need to learn what tropes readers want and make sure they are there.

As for me, I've gone the other way with writing to my interests, whether that was the historicals, contemporaries, or fantasies.There are popular tropes that turn me off totally for reading. How could I write to that. 

What I have believed is that my characters work through different problems and time periods (where research comes in), taking into account what changing outside forces might be impacting them. My plots do have a similarity to them with some suspense, conflict and, of course, the happily ever after romances require. But that's me as a writer. What about the reader, those who know what kind of story they want and are unsure if what I write, in a different series, will satisfy them.

Selling books has to be part of a writer's focus. For some writers, it supports their families, but even when living frugally in retirement, it's important as writing is about sharing the writer's voice with others. Selling means that happened. 

Some might say then make the books free or 99¢. That would be undercutting writers who are supporting their families. Another reason, to keep the price higher then that, relates to some believing a low price indicates less value in the book.

Other than for a sale, mine are priced based on lengths, as I believe they have equal quality. Novellas are $2.99. Novels vary from $3.99 to $4.99 based also on length. Their prices could be higher, many writers have their eBooks at $6.99 or more. 

Marketing is frustrating to figure out what is fair to writers and readers. Currently none of mine are in KU because they are wide to sites like B&N, Kobo, etc. Well, there is an exception to that, with the contemporaries, which I have only in Amazon, but not KU. That's because of Amazon rules regarding independent writers. I can't have any book in KU unless I do not have it elsewhere. 

For now, the contemporaries are where they are because I want to do editing, before I make them wide. I know that sounds confusing. It is to me, but I need to deal with their covers and maybe titles. I tend to not have enough commas, which had been a problem in the books I did just edit (the ones in the below poster).

It is a poster I made for the contemporary paranormals. I did it for my own satisfaction as not a lot of places I can use it. I like seeing my purposes and books together. Stories were set in Idaho, Montana, and Arizona, my beloved West.

 

 

 

Dilemma

 

 Since I am editing one of my paranormal, Tucson romances, I should not be paying attention to world news, but it's hard not to check in and then go uh oh, or whatever I end up feeling, with so much of what happens on the world stage impacts us little folks far below it.

My immediate thought, when I awoke one morning this week, was definitely an uh oh. Not so much for what I read but what it meant for the world, little and big countries. After a sip of vodka (never mind that I am off of alcohol). I felt up to writing something about it. Maybe...

The world is not evenly divided. This is not just about wealth but about resources, like water. It never has been from the time humans became humans.

Resources are more than the land and what it holds. It's also the kind of people, who live there and what they can and will do with their own resources. Exactly how the earth worked out that way, who can know.

First of all, with natural resources, when humans first figured out they could exploit such, is that how we settled where we did? Climate probably controlled a lot of it, easy to live there and oh boy. The next thing humans looked around to find what might not be where they lived, but where they could bring usable products to their homes. In short, they wanted what had grown or could be grown above ground-- basically food. They also continued to hunt for animals where their pelts or bodies could be used.

Then came a search for fossil fuels, like coal, iron, oil, etc. Much of the earth was not and still is not as rich with such things. Wars could then be fought to attain what a more powerful tribe or country might want. Humans also wanted slaves as not all of them seemed suitable for such uses. 

Does any of that sound fair? Cross 'fair' out of your vocabulary where humans, of all colors and races, were concerned or are concerned. Humans took what they needed and wanted whether that was desirable minerals, like diamonds, or what would fuel their lives. To the victor went the spoils and to a degree, that still goes on.

Is that bad? Does that mean humans are the bad mammals? Maybe, but again and again, it goes back to that quote-- to the victor go the spoils. It is how it has always gone.

So, for those who find fault with that and try to take it away from the victors, check out how that ends up, where that comes to wealth and yes, that means charitable... supposedly organizations. Do those who run it or support it end up with the funds or does it go where it was intended?

Where does that leave us 'pawns'? What can we do about it in today's supposedly more civilized world?

The future fight and and contests are more likely over what is needed for technology-- rare earth minerals. These are often in places no one had seen of having value. But now, want to use your computer or technology, those minerals are the key. They turn up often in what are seen as poorer countries or regions within a country. If those populations can't exploit that wealth to mine their own 'in-the-ground' wealth, like, lithium, coltan, cobalt, titanium,etc. you can bet others will try to. 

So, poor countries should get wealthy, right? Not how it seems to work out with the human species. Again, are we evil or bad? Not really. Just mammals. 

It is the age of the mammals. Will it stay our age? Not likely given the nature of evolution. Should the mammals who have found the riches, exploit them, then help others that have none? A few claim they should, but they barely do it themselves. If you have two coats, do you give one to someone who doesn't have one. Some do... Very few.

What do we do as humans, who have a compassionate nature (at least how we feel inside)? Donate a few dollars? Feel righteous? Or find a real answer to the imbalance of life on this earth? If the latter is the answer, it doesn't appear to have been the answer, so far. 

Wars have been fought over taking above and in ground resources. Might happen again. We could hope not, but history offers no reassurance. 

The photo at the top gives you a clue how it works in nature-- with no guilt. It's our front yard here in Arizona. For years, to us, the saguaros looked like they were growing equally. Turns out not where it came to the resources they needed. Not fair how it worked out. Is life fair? If you think it is, I do not think you've had much experience. 

To the victor go the spoils. That doesn't require wars. It's just who is strongest, and empathy doesn't appear to weigh in-- sad as that might be to say. Is that fair? If a greater power intervenes, guess who ends up with that desired wealth. The only real thing we can count on is that life is not all physical. There may be spiritual consequences. Not very comforting for those suffering in the here and now.

But Should We

 

 “Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should”

This was one of those weeks, wonderful in so many ways but not beneficial for coming up with something for the blog. Our son drove down from Oregon for a short visit here in the desert with us. It was very good with him, but the weather didn't contribute as it rained most of the time he was here. Not exactly desert weather supposedly, but the desert loved the rain as it didn't flood that much and the plants flourished with it. He had come hoping to hike and fortunately he did get one good hike in, but not what he had hoped. 

As our life returned to normal, I began to think about the blog and what might I write here. I don't use photos or stories about the family to protect their privacy; so that was out. Then, I came across that quote from Jurassic Park and thought it fit so many situations today.

First, of course, is science and how the word is used to make agendas happen. I have a problem when science is used in a way that to me is really projections based on science from the past but assuming it can continue as it was in a known pattern, but does that work given how the earth changes. 

To call it science, it should be based on known facts and repeatable. But then as this quote says, you need to think if they should do it. We can see a lot of examples of when it should not be done, but we only have choices for what comes next. That is what counts-- in my opinion.

I was distracted because my real reason for that quote was for our lives. We could do this or that but should we? In the culture where I live, the options are huge for what we could do based on our skills. A bigger question comes with should we? It's what makes that quote from Jurassic Park so powerful to me.

When I write my books, I think about good stories and characters but also what should I depict as being beneficial. This is not only for readers, but for myself. I spend a lot of hours with these characters and their actions. I want that time to improve my life and not just be about making money or even popularity. 

 Finally, this moon was the wolf moon, first full moon of 2024. Moons mean so much to us as they change with their cycles through a year. They can determine planting cycles as well as help us recognize the seasonal changes.

Sunsets and life

 One thing I have learned about sunsets or sunrises when the image are dramatic is it takes clouds and color. Neither do it alone.

 It also helps to have a great foreground and interesting land in the background to ground the photo as to from where it is. 

They also don't last very long, which can be true of many great moments in life. Savor them while they are there.

Studying clouds before the sun sets can lead to disappointment when the promising clouds have a very dark one appear overhead and change it all.

I think there are things about sunsets from which we can learn for life.

"Believe in your heart that you're meant to live a life full of passion, purpose, magic and miracles.”
― Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”
― Albert Einstein

“I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be.”
― douglas adams, The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul

Instead of worrying about what you cannot control, shift your energy to what you can create.”

― Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

“Dwell on the beauty of life. Watch the stars, and see yourself running with them.”
― Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

Spirit-living and Terraphilia (again)

 

 

A Year of Spiritual Thinking from Practicing Terraphilia 

by Susan J. Tweit

I am embarking on an experiment that both terrifies me and exhilarates me: I am beginning a Year of Spiritual Thinking. For the next year, I am going to give myself permission to radically shift my perspective and experience everything—my writing, my re-storying work, my daily routine and relationships, my routines and rituals and habits; my house and even my truck, all of my experiences, and the world around me—through a primarily spiritual lens.

This year of spiritual thinking is most determinedly not religious. The word spiritual, says my dictionary, means “relating to or affecting the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things.” It is deeply rooted in that connection to the ephemeral and essential, arising from the Latin spiritus, which means both “breath” and “spirit,” and itself comes from the verb spirare, “to breathe.” So to consider the spiritual is to consider the mystery of our essential selves, and also the way we inspire the formless, colorless, odorless gas—oxygen—we require to live.

In this year of spiritual thinking, I hope to explore the essence of breath and spirit, both of which are basically inexpressible in words, and the wisdom gained from that essence.

My main intent here is to shift the balance of my life from striving to a deeper level of being in love with this world and we who share the planet.

By striving I mean attempting to achieve something, whether that is some kind of goal in my writing or an award for one of my books, or a review in a particular place, a certain level of income, writing an article for a particularly prestigious journal—that kind of outward focused striving for power, recognition, money, or material things.

My aim in taking this year of spiritual retreat at home within ordinary life is to simply shift my focus from striving, as I have done all of my adult life, to reflecting, to considering what this life means, and sharing that wisdom, whatever it may be. Hard-earned as it may be, and in my case, it usually is hard-earned because I tend to learn by smacking my forehead into some obstacle, not by thinking about it.

 From Striving to Engaging in Relationship with the Living World

 I simply want to change the tenor of my life from the years of working toward something—“some thing”—material or career-focused or whatever, to being. To taking part of this life in a deeper and richer way, to being engaged in this existence in a deeper and richer way, to practicing my terraphilia* not for something, but to be part of something.

To be in relationship, to deepen my relationship with this living world and we who share the planet in a way that I am most concerned with the richness of relationship, not richness in the material or social or cultural sense.

I have no program or framework for the year ahead. I am not going to study with a particular teacher. I have no goals or expectations in mind. I am not going to go anywhere or attempt to “escape” my ordinary life in order to find enlightenment. I want to learn what I can learn through the minutia and wonder of everyday life.

There is a Buddhist saying that the fastest way to enlightenment is not through retreating to some sacred community, but by living our everyday lives. Nor does reaching enlightenment change our lives, only how we live them. The other Buddhist saying that comes to mind is from mindfulness meditation teacher Jack Kornfield, “After the ecstasy, the laundry.”

 Recognizing the Sacred in Everyday Life

I want to shift the moments that comprise my life to the spiritual. To, for instance, make my morning breakfast cereal in a more mindful way, to take time to thank the oats, the blue corn ground into meal, and the flax. The grapevines that grew the fruits dried into raisins, the blueberry bushes that flowered and were pollinated to swell into blueberries. The clean water the cereal soaks in, the cinnamon trees whose bark produced the cinnamon, the ginger root dried and ground into ginger.

I want to remember to be part of this life in its most quotidian moments in a way that I see and value the richness and the spiritual depth and the connection to all others with whom we share this planet. That’s what this year of spiritual thinking is all about.

I have no expectation of how it will go or what I will learn. To have expectations is to doom any possibility of change and transformation. Because to have expectations is to already have made a box to fit into. And that negates the idea of reaching within and without and learning more deeply how I belong in this world and how I can love this world.

And that combination of terror and exhilaration? It comes from, as the philosopher L.A. Paul writes in her book Transformative Experience, “[Knowing] that undergoing the experience will change what it is like for [me] to live [my] life, and perhaps even change what it is like to be [me], deeply and fundamentally.” link to L.A. Paul’s book: https://academic.oup.com/book/7934

We can’t and don’t know how life will transform us. But we can learn from it.

 *Terraphilia: n. The intrinsic affection for and connection to the earth and the planet’s web of lives we all carry in our cells. When we don’t tend this bond, we become lonely, hungry for something we often cannot articulate; we are less than whole. My late husband and I borrowed and re-defined the word to explain what motivated our work, his abstract sculpture bringing local rocks into our everyday lives as “ambassadors of the earth,” and my writing that explores the bond between humans and the rest of this living earth.

My weekly newsletter, Practicing Terraphilia aims to help us explore, grow and strengthen a reciprocal relationship with this numinous planet. We’ll consider whether our daily actions and behaviors are aligned with loving this earth and our fellow passengers on the planet. We’ll look at ways to be the best humans we can be, whatever the challenges and times. And ways to love ourselves—just as we are—in the doing.

Blessings! Susan

Links:

Practicing Terraphilia: https://practicingterraphilia.substack.com/  (If you have trouble signing up, email me with your name and email, and I’ll add you to the list manually. info@susanjtweit.com)

Bless the Birds: https://bookshop.org/p/books/bless-the-birds-living-with-love-in-a-time-of-dying-susan-j-tweit/14982089?ean=9781647420369

Walking Nature Home: https://utpress.utexas.edu/9781477309346/walking-nature-home/

My other books on my website: http://susanjtweit.com/books/