Monday’s Pen to Paper : A Perfect Place
My Monday’s Pen to Paper, became Tuesday’s Pen to Paper, but I still have writing inspiration from that day, Memorial Day. It just so happened that my son had a basketball tournament in Everett. Someone I love is buried there. I dropped my son off early to warm up for his game and then drove the 6 blocks to the cemetery. It had been a while. My heart ached. I felt a little lost. The rhododendrons had grown. I walked up to the grave, took in a deep breath and listened to the memories swimming in my head. All around me there were American flags pushed into the ground. I thought of all those lost in battle, those still battling. There was a different intensity, sadness and also pride for those who had given their lives for our country. I brought my attention back home and took a seat in the grass. “This would be the perfect place to write.” I thought. And I would have, had I not had a basketball game to hustle back to.
Find a cemetery near you, and with your journal in hand, breathe in the energy around you and write.
PeaceLoveBasketball Friday: Adjustments on the court of “life”
When you’re playing basketball you need to be ready to adjust to the changes on the court, just like you have to do in life sometimes. This morning I left my house at 7:00am to take my vanagon to the mechanic in Ballard. (You may have ready about the “Blue Bomber in an earlier post) Well, just as I was coming up the ramp to get on Highway 99, which was soon to be packed with the early morning traffic, my vanagon stopped running. Time to adjust.
My eyes darted to the gas gauge, the needle slowly lowered as the engine petered out. Phew, there was gas. Though maybe running out of gas would have been a good thing (except for the fact that I would feel stupid), an empty gas tank would be an easy fix. I lost all power, and like a guard running the fast break, I scanned ahead, assessed the situation and swerved to the left. It would have been more fun to take a player to the basket, but I was happy with finding a shoulder wide enough to skirt the soon-to-be bumper to bumper traffic and avoid the morning news for ruining the commute. There would be no helicopters overhead filming the blue Volkswagen blocking the road, just my own time lost.
My blue box rolled into the one spot on Highway 99 that has space for an extra car. I didn’t even utter a swear word. (though I’m certain if I’d been on my way to work or a basketball game, things might have been different.) I put the car in Park, put on the emergency flashers, grabbed my cell and called for a tow. (This was not my first rodeo).
“The tow truck should be there […]
Monday’s Pen to Paper: Research
It is said that to be a good writer you must read. However, when I find a good book, it can be time consuming, therefore a little detrimental to my writing process.
Because of this, at times I’m fearful of a good story.
This morning while I was having breakfast I scolded myself as I reached for the hard bound book that was sitting on the kitchen table. The young man on the cover (who looks like Justin Bieber) is wearing a space suit and is gazing out from behind rounded glass. The patch on his shoulder reads “Lunar Search and Rescue-Failure is Not an Option.” Though I just now noticed this patch and I’m intrigued, the title and cover hadn’t drawn me in before, but this weekend both my son and daughter blew through Apollo’s Outcasts by Allen Steele. They couldn’t put it down.
This could be a problem for me.
I am currently working on a young adult novel. “I must read Apollo’s Outcast,” I tell myself. It’s research right? I read the first page. “Sonya put it down!” I do it…for now. I have mom duties and work to take care of, but tonight I may have to take an adventure to the moon.
If you’re a writer, find a book in your genre and do some research. If you’re not a writer, find a good book and enjoy.
All New PeaceLoveBasketball Store Coming Soon
My daughter helped me out today and shot some of our new PeaceLoveBasketball Apparel . These new products will be available soon with the arrival of a new PeaceLoveBasketball store front. Get a first glimpse at the environmentally friendly and stylish t-shirts and hoodie…
Meet Sonya
Meet Sonya
Sonya Elliott’s memoir, Back on the Court: A Young Woman’s Triumphant Return to Life, Love & Basketball, is her story of finding hope in the wake of tragedy after she and her fiancé were hit by a train. She blogs about writing, basketball, and life and is currently working on a Young Adult Novel and a Non-Fiction Coaching book. Stories of her career as a fashion model are woven through her memoir, as both the Soloflex and Easy Spirit Shoes commercials were filmed during that time period, and this unique and intriguing business continues to be a part of her life.
Sonya played basketball at Eastern Washington University and was a starter for the Big Sky Champion team that went to the 1987 NCAA tournament. She coached for almost 25 years and was voted Seattle Times Coach of the Year, Seattle Officials Women’s Basketball Association Coach of the Year, and twice voted Metro League Coach of the Year. She loves the game of basketball and is thankful, not only for her husband and kids but for her ability to continue to get back on the court.
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