IWSG, Hurricane Update, Being Thankful

Posting the First Wednesday of every month, the Insecure Writer's Support Group is the brainchild of Alex Cavanaugh. YOU can sign up HERE to participate.

Every month a question will be posed that may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Remember, the question is optional. You can write about anything that relates to your writing journey.

Let's give a warm welcome to our co-hosts:  Stephen Tremp, Pat Garcia, Angela Wooldridge, Victoria Marie Lees, and Madeline Mora-Summonte!

This month's question is: What do you love about the genre you write in most often?

I write mostly for children, and mostly for middle grade, those 10 to 12 year-old tweeners who are still (hopefully) wide-eyed innocent kids. They are curious explorers, they still (hopefully) like their parents, they may even still (hopefully) believe in things like Santa Claus, magic, elves and fairies. They can be stubborn and sometimes rebellious, but are generally not deliberately angry and hostile. They are growing their flight feathers and making a ruckus in the nest by flapping their wings to make them strong for the day they fledge. They are my favorite age group and I can trace this love back to my own life. It's the magic and wonder I experienced that I want to pass on. And so, my stories have a little magic and wonder woven into them. 

IrMaria Update

It's been five (5!) months since the worst storms in VI history hit the islands and devastated them. But Mother Nature, who can be so destructive, is also a most forgiving goddess. Here is a picture of Magens Bay, on St. Thomas. Miraculously, trees stripped bare of leaves and beaches stripped bare of trees, have returned in emerald splendor.

Things continue to move forward. No, my sister still doesn't have electricity but the reason for that is because she lost part of her roof and she'll need to hire an electrician to inspect and hook her up. In the mean time she is preparing for the day when she'll actually be able to begin repairs on the house by packing up what can be salvaged and putting it into storage. It's a mourning process as she says good-bye to most of her books and electronics and her craft projects. The whole third floor needs to be cleared out so that the old floor can be pulled up, a new floor laid down and a new porch roof installed. All of this will take time and it may be a long while before it all happens.

That said, she is in excellent health and good spirits. The feral hens that skulk about her yard are giving her eggs. Plant life has returned and everything is green and blooming. The beaches are open and tourists are slowly making a comeback. The end of January she went out fishing with a friend and sent me this beautiful picture taken at the end of the day. No fish were caught, but she had a good time.

Being Thankful

Today I'm thankful for my strong and resilient sister. 

What are you thankful for? What do you love about the genre you write in? Ever raised or dealt with feral chickens?