DJ Geribo's Art Apart Newsletter
Fall 2018
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Welcome!

'Fall'ing Out of Another Year


And now we have come to the end of the year and the start of the winter months. In the blink of an eye we are through another year. The older I get the faster each year passes. Also, each year that passes without having another one or two books published is stressful for me. Every day starts with good intentions; I plan to work on a book and am excited about the project. Then life happens and I just don’t get around to it – that day. The next day comes around and the same scenario presents itself – working on a book, excited, something happens, on to the next day, etc.

End of the year and a new year beginning. Time for change. With our puppy now one year old, we have all settled into our new lives with a puppy and I feel more confident that I can set up a regular writing schedule, particularly during the upcoming winter months. And reading – I didn’t read nearly as much this year as I have in past years and that frustrates me. Therefore, I’m putting a short reading list together and will stick to it. And if I really intend to finish writing more than one book this year, I will also stick to a tighter writing schedule to complete the many stories I have started.

Writing yearly goals is something I have done for many years now. And although I don’t always stick to it diligently, I do like having this goal list so that I know where I am at a certain time in my life and where I want to go from here. And it helps to look back at old lists and see what remains on my list year after year, identifying my true passions.

One change I am making based on the holiday shows I did this year is to eliminate these from, in particular, my holiday schedule. I gave up my entire Thanksgiving weekend (as did Jim) for a three day show that didn’t come close to paying back the time that I put into it and that doesn't include the miles and gas to drive there.  A friend advised me to not do them anymore. I think she is right. Never say never but right now that is what I’m saying.

One last thought to wrap up 2018 and look forward to 2019:

                  Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year to All!

Guess who turned 1 year old on December 31! Felix, the sweetest boy ever!!!! He looks so grown up (sigh!)
                                  
 
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Writings & Musings

Putting Your Own Life in Your Story

 

Although memoir is specifically writing about a particular time in your life, you can add pieces of your life to your fiction. And since you know this time in your life better than anyone, you can write it with truth and conviction.

There have been several times when reading one of my stories to my husband, who is also my editor for our publishing company, that he'll smile and then make an off-hand comment about this character 'being me'. No, I always correct him, this character is not me. It is a work of fiction. But do I add something from my own life to the character's abilities or shortcomings? Absolutely! These are the kinds of things that I know so I can confidently add a nugget to my story if it is something that I have first-hand experience with and know for sure that it is true.

For example, I'm not going to talk about the time I injured my hand when I was a mason building a wall (this is where you would do your research) because I have no experience in this area and am not even sure if a mason would build a wall (they would, I looked it up).

But I do know about learning to drive a stick for the first time and when I was in a line of traffic waiting to enter a parking lot, putting the car in 1st and figuring out the right amount of pressure to put on the gas to keep the car running without stalling and without rolling back into the car behind me and then having to restart the car again and again when it did stall. Yes, that happened to me. There are several other stories I can relate about first experiences driving a stick shift, as well.

We have all had so many life experiences that can add a touch of realism to every story we write. If we add too much of our life to a story, well, now we are writing a memoir. You can add an experience, a particular incident, an ability, a fear or any number of truths about yourself that fit into the story you are writing. You will always have people, though, who think they know you because of the character you have created. They will often identify you with your character and think you have written an autobiography, not a work of fiction. There isn't much you can do about that except add the disclaimer at the beginning that tells the reader these characters are not based on real people who are living. They don't need to know the parts that actually are you.



Link to DJ Geribo's Blog

It is always exciting to me when I paint something that someone is struck by and that recalls a pleasant memory for them. That is the case for the beautiful fall scene mini, one of my latest, that was sold at one of the holiday shows I participated in this year. And also for the two horses snuggled together painting, another one that I just finished painting this summer (see both below).
The models for the two horses (above) was from a photo I took when Jim and I visited Castle in the Clouds this summer. I just finished painting it in November.

My Books

 Funny story – my latest book, the one I’m currently working on is, well, it’s three books, actually. I joke that I have ADHD – I realize that this is not a joke for people who really have this learning disability but I may actually have a touch of it. The reason I would make such a statement about myself is because I often seem to be all over the place with my writing, having a problem with focus.

For example, I have an idea for a story so I sit down to write and will write 5-7000 words. Then life gets busy and I don’t get back to it for a few days. In the meantime, another idea has struck me and now I’m obsessed with this latest story idea and I start gathering information and begin writing several thousand words about this latest story idea. So it is a fact when I say I am currently working on three books at once.

So, what am I writing and where do my obsessions take me? I read the first line from a book (can’t remember which one now) and it talked about a grandmother, which made me think about my maternal grandmother – I met her once when I was about seven; never met my paternal grandparents who had both passed on before I was born. I have a few thousand words about a grandmother, not necessarily mine but a few ideas are definitely taken from information I was told about my grandmother.

 A second story, one that I have written about 7000 words on, was from an idea I came up with when a thought came to me about a mansion and a couple renting the guest house. It is becoming a bit of a mystery which is a genre I haven’t written yet. A third idea (you thought I was kidding?) I just started putting together but it is one that I’ve thought about before because it is based on the dogs I have had over the years, in particular, Pomeranians. I took all the story ideas I had started about my dogs and am putting them into this one book.

And then of course there are all the other books that I’ve already worked on and that are in various stages of completion from about 5000 words to about 35,000 words. And yes, I know, I know, why don’t I just finish one of those that are closer to completion?  I guess there is just no controlling a creative mind!


To order your copy of my latest book "Seven Storied Houses" go to  www.BBDPublishing.com.



My books are also now on Amazon!


 

"I never paint dreams or nightmares.
I paint my own reality."

                                                                            
                                                  -Frida Kahlo

Story in 6
 
"Who's There?"

A woman is locked out of her house. Her keys, she notices, are sitting on the front seat of her locked car. She checks her watch, looks up and down the street, and finally sits on the front step, waiting. After more than a half hour, she gets up and walks next door to the neighbor’s house. A man, small and shriveled, finally arrives at the door and unlocks it with shaking hands. The man steps back allowing the woman to enter, exclaiming “I didn’t think you’d ever get here.”    

Authistpreneur

author/artist/entrepreneur

Someone who is an author, an artist, and an entrepreneur.  Any person who writes or has a published novel, who paints fine art/illustrations, and also has established businesses using the combination of artistic talents.
                                                                - DJ Geribo

 

What I'm Reading


This fall I had great expectations for reading more books. But that didn’t happen. I did manage to finish a couple but with the holiday shows that I participated in and regular day-to-day life, I didn’t finish reading anywhere near what I thought I would complete. I came out several books below my yearly quota; I haven’t read so few books in about 10 years.

And yes, the puppy, once again, did take up  far more of my time than I thought he would.  He still demands a lot of my time but he is on more of a regular schedule now. I run him around as much as possible (or Kitsu and Jacqs help out by playing with him)  but with winter coming early this year, we didn't get out to walk as much as we would have in a typical fall season. Still, excuses, excuses. Here, then, are the (two) books I read this fall.
 
   The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime -With an autistic boy, Christopher, as the narrator, Haddon, the author, helps us understand the daily obstacles that people with this disorder encounter. The simple distractions of life can be overwhelming to a person like Christopher. Although he very well may be the cause of his parent's divorce, they are both committed to his well-being and helping him live a successful life.

   I'll Give You the Sun - A YA book about love, loss, and accepting your true self, twin siblings are connected and disconnected by their closeness and by the loss of their mother in an accident. They are both creative in their own ways but also competitive and supportive as well as jealous of each other's talents. In the end, all is well and they both become better people for all the heartache they have suffered.
     
   
 

Go to My Blog to See What I'm Reading

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