The Inspired Artist Studio Volume 1, Issue 2 July 2012
Artist Spotlight: Christine DeCamp
The Superior Connection A Short Story of Romance & Intrigue by Davina Haisell
The Joys of Summer
: w vie Deb
r e i& t d n n I e
Little Memories, One By One
And So Much More!
s W s u r on tho
B ties Au l
a Loy Copyright Š 2012 by Blue Sun Studio, Inc.
The Inspired Artist Studio Volume 1, Issue 2 July, 2012 The Inspired Artist Studio is published on the last Friday of every month. Cover: Wendi Kelly To Subscribe click here. Submission Guidelines All submissions are original work not previously published, except for author’s own websites. Authors retain all copyrights to the work however we reserve the right to publish on Blue Sun Studio Websites and newsletters with attribution. Entries may be used for purposes of promotion and contests. Chosen entries may be published- with attribution- in a collection of entries for a future publication.
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“Your heart will lift and fall with all that these characters go through and have to learn to deal with as their plight becomes so important to you as you read. I can NOT wait for the second book in the trilogy….watch out Stephenie Meyers, Anne Rice and even Nora Roberts….you have competition in Deborah Dorchak and Wendi Kelly!..” - Lynda Starbuck; Brewster, NY
Copyright © 2012 by Blue Sun Studio, Inc.
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The Inspired Artist Studio July 2012.
In This Issue: From the Editors’ Desk................................................................... 4 Behind the Words: Bonus Interview with Loyalties Authors Wendi & Deb.................... 7 Meet the Pack: Man of Mystery: Diego Beauchamp................................................ 10 Artist Spotlight: Magic, Spirit and Wisdom: Christine DeCamp................................. 13 Poetry Corner.................................................................................. 17 The Inspired Artist Gallery: Renaissance Days............................................................................ 21 Life’s Little Inspirations: Little Memories, One By One.......................................................... 22 Storyteller’s Nook: The Superior Connection................................................................. 24 Fiction Friday Challenge.................................................................. 33
13 Artist Spotlight: Christine DeCamp Midsummer Fantasy
22 Little Memories
24 Davina Haisell’s The Superior Connection 3
From the Editors’ Desk Welcome to the second edition of The Inspired Artist Studio. Our first issue was a wonderful success and we heard back from so many of you about how much you enjoyed the articles and aesthetics of the magazine format. Thanks again to all of the brave artists who ventured in sight unseen and shared their creative talents. To date,
For Wendi and Deb, a more purposefully relaxed summer schedule means more time to to focus on our favorite kind of fantasy, The Bonds of Blood & Spirit Trilogy. Book one, Loyalties is enjoying brisk summer sales and we enjoy thinking about all the people taking it out to their favorite beach and relaxing reading corners.
“The best in this kind are but shadows, and the worst are no worse, if imagination amend them.” —William Shakespere; A Midsummer Night’s Dream the first issue was viewed by 2,013 people. Want your work seen? This is the place to do it! This month’s theme of summer fantasy means different things to different people. For some, it’s a time to relax and daydream more, or a juicy summer fantasy novel, or a trip to the Ren Faire, where you can be transported back in time to another century. Check out the photo shoot from Wendi’s staycation trip to the Bristol Renaissance Faire, and if you are anywhere near the area, stop by on the weekends for your own good time this summer. 4
(Speaking of which, if Loyaties is doing any exciting summer travel out there, let us know! We’d love to know where that book is landing! Send us a photo and we’ll include you in The Inspired Artist.) Book two, Uncivil Wars is one step closer to getting into our fans hands. The First Draft manuscripts have been printed and are being carefully perused before they land in our reading team’s very competent hands. And book three, Legacies is writing itself! Okay, we are actually doing the typing but the story is pouring out at a rapid rate. Our goal is to have the second and The Inspired Artist Studio July 2012.
third books released close together, we know our Packmates don’t like to wait. We received some wonderful submissions for this fantasy issue from very creative people but we need more! Check out the article Are You Good Enough? if the little voices in your head are holding you back from sending us your creative contributions.
As this month’s issue comes to a close, there is only one last month to enjoy the summer before back to school and busy schedules fill our time again. Make time for play, deep breathing, slowing down and creative inspiration.
Wendi & Deb Blue Sun Studio, Inc.
Edwin Henry Landseer; Scene From A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Titania and Bottom
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Behind the Words An Interview with Wendi Kelly & Deb Dorchak Reprinted with permission from Kristina Yeager; Book Club Sisters Editors’ Note: A couple of months ago, Kristina Yeager of the book review blog called Book Club Sisters, put out a call for writers to participate in her independent authors interview series. How could we resist an opportunity to share our thoughts with a new audience? We’d like to share that interview here now with all of you Packmates and future fans. Enjoy. *** Share with us what’s it like to be collaborators, even though you don’t live close to one another? Deb: Wow...where to begin? Writing a novel on your own is an amazing journey in itself, but add another person into the mix and you have the experience of a lifetime. Wendi and I work together well on so many levels. You know you have a great writing partner when you’re both in the same Google doc, writing on the same line and finishing each other’s thoughts. Wendi: It takes a deep level of honesty, trust and patience to collaborate both 6
a business and a novel series together. And thick skin. We are blessed to have that kind of relationship together. Rule number one: Leave the Ego at the Door. What’s the hardest part about getting a book published? Deb: Marketing. That is definitely the hardest part...for me anyway. The planning and the writingis fun, so is the clean up and adjustments that come after the first draft. We do everything in house when it comes to designing the cover and interior, and I look forward to doing layout once the final manuscript is done. Getting the word out and getting people to buy the book once it hits the shelves is the hardest part and never stops. We have to constantly find fresh, new ways to generate interest. Wendi: For me the hardest part is clutter-reduction, otherwise known as editing. We write many, many chapters that The Inspired Artist Studio July 2012.
end up on the cutting room floor because they take the reader on too long of a journey. However, sometimes you don’t know what you will need or get rid of until the story is finished. It is a challenge to keep the story organized and all the characters from falling into giant loopholes. Deb and I keep detailed notes and “project” lists for the book that keep track of items still needing to be written. What are some of your favorite authors & books? Deb: I love Terry Pratchett and his Discworld series. It’s fantasy, with that dry, British wit and I often find myself laughing out loud whenever I read one of his books. I also enjoy historical fiction, like Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series. Really, any book that takes me out of daily life is good. Wendi: I am a book freak. I have so many books from so many different style of writers that it would be hard to pick just one. Interestingly, the genre I read the least is probably fantasy now, if I want that, I write my own! When I want a no-brainer book I read Nora Roberts or crank it up a bit with Christine Feehan. I also have read everything that Sandra Brown, Tami Hoeg, Elizabeth Lowell and Midsummer Fantasy
David Baldacci has written, I love the way Baldacci weaves together a story. What’s your writing style and technique? Do you use a outline or just write? Deb: One thing I’ve discovered over the years is that no matter what kind of creative endeavor an artist embarks on, it’s really hard to see what your own style is. I couldn’t really tell you what my personal style is, I’m too close to it. I also don’t try to think about it too much. Once I start doing that, everything goes all mechanical. You’ll just have to read Loyalties and tell me what that style is. Regarding the outlining or winging it... we do a bit of both. We start out with a general direction and an outline, but it’s just a guide, not written in stone. We never fully know what our characters will do once we get them into situations. All of our character dialogue is done in realtime, in a Google doc, so it’s not just one person creating a conversation where they know what direction they want it to take. There’s another real person involved and many times we end upwith amazing twists we never saw coming. Wendi: We start out with the big picture. In fact the big picture is done for all three books in the series, so we have (Wendi & Deb: continued on page 28) 7
Meet the Pack Man of Mystery: Diego Beauchamp Staff
One aspect of the writing and storytelling process that takes us by surprise every time is the way certain characters end up stealing the spotlight from the others. Loyalties started out as Regina’s story, then Cole, being the attention hog that he is, stepped up and said “Nope, sorry Gina, this story is all about ME!” But the real dark horse in all of this has been Diego, the imposing, rough around the edges, Cajun Alpha who cemented the Pack together. Our first Packmate question comes from Leigh Spencer. Leigh: “First, I wanna HUG Diego. He’s my absolute favorite character. I’d ask him where to go for good crawfish po’boys. :) Seriously, I really want to know more about his background and history.” Deb (Diego’s creator and main writer): Diego started out as a bit player, meant only as a guide and mentor, there to help move the story along by offering more clues to each mystery the Pack discovered about themselves along the way. If you want readers clamoring for your 8
characters, surround them in mystery. Diego had plenty of it, mainly because I only fleshed him out enough to fit what we needed for the book. In fact, a bulk of Diego’s background was a mystery to us too! So, to answer your question, Leigh, you and the rest of the Packmates will get all the juicy details of Diego’s life in book two, Uncivil Wars. Trust us, it’ll be well worth the wait. The Inspired Artist Studio July 2012.
In regards where to find good crawfish po’boys...he’d tell you ain’t no one made them better than his dearly departed Mamaw. Our next question comes from Packmate, Lynda Starbuck. Lynda: “When is the next book coming out?” Soon. Very soon. Uncivil Wars was two years in the making. The story is so involved we had to stop and start several times to keep it on track. Right now, we’ve completed the first draft and we’re in the process of doing a
read-through and edits before we hand it off to our focus groups. When we reached the end and wrote that final sentence, we still didn’t feel done with it. We had this intense need to keep going. Wendi had a flash of inspiration we can only describe as divine intervention and before we knew it, we were on fire and starting book three, Legacies. Our goal is to have both books released very close together. The holidays for Uncivil Wars, and very early 2013 for Legacies.
What if I’m Not Good Enough? The submission forms are staring at you, mocking your creative fears. The audition beckons and you freeze, stuck in the groove of, “They’d never pick me anyhow so why bother?”. You write, you paint, you create and then you hide...stuffing your creative genius in the sock drawer of life. You aren’t alone. There are millions of talented people hiding their light under a bushel for one very common reason. They fear they are not yet good enough. It is a paradox, because there is only one way to ever become good enough, and that is to keep on creating, let the world see your work, be willing to hear the constructive feedback and GROW. Without sunlight and water, plants can’t thrive and without exposure to the sunshine of viewership and the water of feedback, your work won’t thrive either. Writing takes courage and risk. The only way you’ll get better is by pushing forward through the dirt into the light. You can stay hidden forever and never grow or you can get serious about your work and jump into the public eye. The Inspired Artist Studio is here to help you take that first step. Midsummer Fantasy
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Christine DeCamp: “Ocean Mother” Gouache and gold leaf on paper 10
The Inspired Artist Studio July 2012.
Artist Spotlight: Christine DeCamp The Magic, Spirit and Wisdom of Art Staff
Today we welcome Christine DeCamp, a very talented and totally inspired Creativepreneur. We first had the pleasure of meeting Christine at one of Christine Kane’s events for entrepreneurial women and were totally captivated by her whimsical and deeply spiritual art. Join us as Christine shares an inside look at what goes into her art and the inspiration that keeps her boldly moving forward with magic, spirit and wisdom Tell us how you got started in art. It all started as soon as I was able to hold a pencil, or maybe it was a crayon. I don’t really remember...but it started with drawing....on every piece of paper I could find in the house.....on my bedroom wall (I got into big trouble for that one!)....on Midsummer Fantasy
the sidewalk with chalk or charcoal...it was pretty obsessive. I didn’t have any training really...I grew up in a rural area and the “art classes” we had were pretty dismal. Later I copied pictures out of the newspaper and comic books. Back in those days the clothing store advertisements were all illustrations. I also collected Millie the Model comic books and copied from those. I was interested in fashion (hard to believe now!) and I learned to sew at an early age. I made clothes for my dolls and clothes for myself. My friend had a Barbie doll with the Dream House and I had a Babette doll & no house, so I made a hat shoppe for Babette out of a cardboard box, with hat displays & hats I made for her. I also did embroidery, which my grandmother taught me. When I was in the 7th grade, my friend Cindy and I knitted matching mohair cardigans for ourselves. Hers was pink and mine was yellow. When I got to High School, we had a good teacher who had us doing different stuff like ceramics (I made a green ashtray 11
and a lumpy vase) and cast silver jewelry. But my foundation was always drawing. What is your favorite subject matter? Whatever inspires me is my favorite subject matter. I tend to channel images for my paintings from some source other than myself...so I just use whatever comes up and go from there. Sometimes I see something in nature, in a book or somewhere else that gets me going and I often take an idea and just play with it and make it my own version. Nature, animals, and feminine spirituality are all themes in my paintings What is your favorite medium? At the present time I work in several mediums--I paint either with acrylics on canvas or with watercolor and gouache on paper. I sometimes add other things to my paintings—like beading, mirror, feathers and gold leaf. I am also working in clay, creating handbuilt pottery and sculpture. Over the years I have worked in many mediums, including fashion design, weaving and textile design, batik, soft sculpture, installation art, performance art, sculpture in clay, papier mache and mixed mediums, also furniture... 12
How does art fit into your everyday life? I have a live/work space, so basically I am in my studio all the time. Of course, that doesn’t mean I am constantly working on new pieces, but when you are surrounded by your work all the time, both finished and in progress, you can’t help but think about it. Which is a good thing...because new ideas pop up all the time. Tell us about your Spirit Wisdom Cards. What are they and how did you come up with the idea for them? My Wild Spirit Wisdom Cards are inspired by the Tarot, which I have used for years. The Inspired Artist Studio July 2012.
Christine DeCamp:”Barn Owl” Acrylic on canvas Left: Wisdom Card; “Red Boat” I wanted to create a Tarot of my own, but it would be a lifelong project to do it the way I would want and the basic system of Tarot would have required me to create specific images to fit those established symbols. So I had a better idea. Using my own paintings I’ve done over a long period of time, I have taken those images and fit them into a card deck format and created a message for each image. The basic format is that of an oracle or divination deck, that can be used in many ways, with spreads like you would use for Midsummer Fantasy
tarot. I envision creating a book to go with it that would talk about the cards and images, while giving ideas of how it could be used. The deck has been in progress for over a year, and is not finished. I am hoping to publish it early in 2013. Which artists inspire you the most? Too many to count, but some of my favorites are Remedios Varo, Henri Rousseau, Pierre Bonnard and Frida Kahlo. I have a (Christine DeCamp: continued on page 16) 13
Poetry Corner Girlfriends At ten, we played a Heart and Soul duet on the spinet in your den. Samantha twitched her nose in a black and white flicker on the Magnavox behind us, while on the couch Uncle Marty with the bulbous schnoz spat cherry pits into a bowl. Feldman Brothers Produce: your family’s fridge overflowed, carnival of fruit dancing over the shelves like a merry-go-round cut loose, and around the dinner table— running chatter, interruption, clatter of hands rustling for seconds, thirds, the noisy jockeying of family, a fountain of grapes, plums, peaches flowing onto the table, out into the night, rainbow ride home that fed me heart and soul, though I didn’t know it then. —Joy Resor
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The Inspired Artist Studio July 2012.
Collared A company in France manufactures citronella anti-bark collars for canines, expensive, but worth every quiet moment, and not considered a cruel correction.
May I call you Daisy? I imagine you curled into yourself, bedcovers, dreaming of him, his kisses on your neck, cheek, lips, his fingers in your hair, creeping downward, then upward beneath your halter, and earlier you’d met him by the dock just to talk, and the waves broke, hormones rose— you dug his smile, his ease; he liked your stem-like legs, seedy humor. Wary of over watering (falling into the lake), you mentioned a walk around the neighborhood. That’s when he planted kisses on your neck, cheek, lips, and his fingers unhooked your beige lace bra, and, dear Daisy, do you remember when its strapless sliver like a petal slipped to the ground?
As I read poetry in my sacred room, our young Beagle surveys the street scene, spies the neighborhood greyhound trot by, barks once, receives a snoutful of spray from his collar. Puppy pads over from his lookout spot bringing a citrus-like freshness along, rests silken ears on my slippered feet, transforms into a Norman Rockwell vision. I imagine a comparable collar for Homo sapiens available in designer hues and jeweled, which sprays when we utter a negative word, changing us into a simpatico species. —Joy Resor
Find Joy On The Web: Joy On Your Shoulders
It landed on a tree lawn where I found it as I took my morning walk. —Joy Resor Midsummer Fantasy
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(Christine DeCamp: cont. from page 13) 10 years. So I was doing other things. Also, I loved school. I almost went to graduate school, but I was afraid of getting out of school and being in debt for thousands of dollars, as there were no teaching jobs and I would be waitressing to pay off my school loans. So I just continued to do my work while working in other jobs, mostly in the restaurant business.
“Lotus Buddha” Acrylic on canvas pretty extensive art book collection, with a very wide range of artists—I am often inspired by people’s work that is nothing like my own. Your about page tells us you went to a lot of different art schools—and you have two separate Bachelors of Fine Arts! Tell us a little bit about your education experiences and why you made the choices you did. I didn’t have a good experience in my first year of college art school and it really threw me off track. So I transferred and got a BA in English literature. But that wasn’t really IT for me, either, so I went back to art school twice, kind of searching for myself. And I had a painting block for about 16
How do you balance the business of art and the art of business? (And we just realized you wrote a post with that same title!) I started selling my work in the late 70’s...and early 80’s. I floundered around for many years, showing my work here & there, and sometimes selling, but not making much money at all. Over time, I picked up information from fellow artists, and I actually did take a class on how to promote your work at that time. I never really knew anything about business, and no one in my family was a business person, so I had to discover it on my own. And it was difficult, as I had to support myself, besides doing my work and trying to promote it. There were times when the job that was supporting me financially also kept me from showing my art, because of my work schedule. In later years, I have taken advantage of any opportunities to learn about business and marketing, and I have The Inspired Artist Studio July 2012.
“Foxy” Acrylic on canvas found it to be fascinating and challenging. (Who knew?!) And this year, I have added yet another business to all that I do--which is Heart and Soul Business Coaching. I am working with spiritual, creative and inspired women entrepreneurs--offering programs of support, accountability and creative visualization as well as practical business and marketing solutions.
are so many ways to make a business now & more opportunities because of technology and global access. Just as general advice, I would say, do your research, do your inner work and get some kind of support.
What advice would you offer other creative folk who want to turn their art into a business? Don’t do it! (Just kidding) Seriously, there
Bonus Question: Cats or Dogs? If I have to choose one, I would pick dogs—-however, my dream was always to live on a farm and have all kinds of animals.
Is art your only passion? No, art is not my only passion, I have several, including Saint Bernards and excellent chocolate.
Find Christine On The Web: See Christine’s art or sign up for her workshops at: http://christinedecamp.com Or learn more about her coaching programs at: Heart and Soul Business Coaching Midsummer Fantasy
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The Inspired Artist Gallery: Renaissance Days
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The Inspired Artist Studio July 2012.
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Photos by Wendi Kelly Bristol Renaissance Faire Midsummer Fantasy
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Life’s Little Inspirations Little Memories, One By One Wendi Kelly
Sunday dinners at grandma’s house. Hot summer afternoons jumping in the pool. Countless Family Days, amazing dinners, and crazy afternoons filled with adventure and fun. Camping, spiders, marshmallows and stars that always seem brighter far away from home. My mother, making gourmet food around the campfire. Nights cuddled up in the family room with loved ones, hot buttered popcorn, a warm fire and a good movie. All of the kids (and grand-kids) coming home for a home-cooked meal and hours of conversation and laughter lingering around the dining room table. Playing games and cards and laughing until we cry. Traveling and vacations and seeing the world together. Long walks and holding hands. “Meaning of Life” conversations, deep into the night. Playgrounds, pools and amusement parks. Swings. Fireworks. Picnics. 20
Photos by: Wendi Kelly The Inspired Artist Studio July 2012.
Snowed in… with a crackling fire and homemade chili. Planting seeds, gardens and fresh awesome tomatoes that we wait all year for. Sitting around the firepit. Sitting in the Jacuzzi. Sitting around the grill. Playing with the dogs.
Golden Memories. Magic Moments. The Happiness Scrapbook of our Minds. The little bits of day-to-day living that make up who we are, what we stand for, and why we spend all the rest of the time working so hard.
tions of life, family, friends, events and laughter. Always the laughter… and the love. Are you creating memories? Are you stopping long enough to celebrate, play, and enjoy your special moments? Do you take time to appreciate the daily little celebrations we have every day? Don’t let them pass you by, this is what it is all about in the end. Building memories, one by one.
What’s it all about anyway? Sometimes I think we forget. We get caught up in work for work’s sake, or the dangling carrot at the end of a goal that we can’t remember why we have in the first place. It’s a good idea to take a moment every now and then and celebrate the WHY and the WHO and the WHAT in our lives that we are doing it all for. In the end, we won’t want to remember the long labored hours, the frustrating challenges and sleepless nights of our careers. We will want to recall the victories. The moments that we succeeded, felt on top of the world and made it to the next mark. We will want to remember the celebraMidsummer Fantasy
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Storyteller’s Nook The Superior Connection A Short Story by Davina Haisell
Photo: Peter Weubker Vanessa stood alone on the front porch of the farmhouse, deep in thought. Her vacant stare was fixed on hazy barnyard shadows that filtered through the late morning fog, while in the orchard to her right, rugged branches stretched skyward, reaching above the gentle white mist. Storm clouds hovered over the tree line in the pasture behind the barn, rendering muted shades of purple and grey above forest green. Westerly breezes had paused, mingling earthy aromas from the vegetable garden with the pungent sweetness of lavender. The wooden porch was rough beneath Vanessa’s bare feet, rousing her senses 22
from their recent sleep. She shivered as cold droplets from the frosted beer mug trickled past her wrist and down to her elbow, before dripping onto her feet. Alan’s not-so-distant memory seized her thoughts and she raised her mug of beer to the sky, “Cheers”. Vanessa forced herself to swallow the frothy bitterness, as if punishing herself. A lightning flash startled her and the beer mug tumbled, spilling Alan’s Corona at her feet. Thunder rumbled a hearty applause as she bent down to retrieve the mug, setting it aside. She marveled that it was still in one piece. “Mother…breakfast,” her daughter called from the kitchen. Wearing a paltry smile, she headed inside, letting the screen door slam shut behind her. The table had been set for one. Danielle was standing in front of the stove, wearing old blue jeans and a crisp, white cotton blouse. She flipped her long red hair back over her shoulder as she leaned over the pan of sizzling bacon. The Inspired Artist Studio July 2012.
Vanessa slid into her chair at the table without a word, inhaling deeply, enjoying the appetizing breakfast aroma. Her pleasure was quickly overshadowed by a pang of guilt that her daughter was cooking breakfast for her, again. She appreciated Danielle’s company since Alan had left over a month ago, feeling thankful for having salvaged something from the marriage. However, the impending divorce weighed heavily on both of their minds and the past few weeks had been difficult. Vanessa wanted to reconnect with her daughter, to tell her the truth, but she’d been afraid; unable to face the truth herself.
The farm could be a lonely place. It was a 40-minute drive to town and the nearest neighbour lived a few miles away. Danielle was on her summer holidays from high school and had stayed close to home. Though they’d kept to themselves, it was comforting for each woman to know there was someone nearby. This past month Danielle had cooked most of the meals, taken care of their three horses, tended the vegetable garden and kept the house stocked with groceries. Depressed, Vanessa hadn’t been out of the (Superior Connection: cont. on next page)
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(Superior Connection: cont. from page 23) house for a week, except for the short trip to the porch that morning. That had been progress. “You shouldn’t be drinking so early.” Danielle was standing behind her, holding a plate of toast. Vanessa sensed her daughter’s disapproving stare and choosing to ignore it, took a sip of coffee. Impatiently, Danielle dropped the plate of toast on the table in front of her mother without another word.
and slammed the window shut, harder than was necessary, Vanessa thought. Danielle put the breakfast plate down in front of her mother and sat in a chair on the opposite side of the table. “You’re not eating.” Vanessa stated the obvious. “I ate a couple of hours ago after doing chores.” There was a sharp edge to Danielle’s tone of voice. Rain had begun pelting against the windowpane and the kitchen lights flickered.
“Vanessa could see the apple trees in the orchard swaying as if they were being stirred by the thunderclouds. The curtains fluttered and the wind whistled through the window screen.” Then she took her mother’s empty plate to fill it with bacon and eggs. Another flash of lightning startled Vanessa and she almost spilled her coffee, just like the Corona on the porch. Thunder rumbled overhead, its hollow echo announcing the storm’s arrival. Vanessa could see the apple trees in the orchard swaying as if they were being stirred by the thunderclouds. The curtains fluttered and the wind whistled through the window screen. Danielle rushed over 24
The two women sat at the table in silence, listening to the storm that was upon them. The toast was dry and Vanessa washed it down with another sip of coffee. Her stomach was unsettled and she couldn’t decide if it was from the beer, the storm… or something else. “Shit!” Danielle was staring down at herself. “There’s bacon grease on my new blouse.” “You should have known better than to wear it while frying bacon,” Vanessa said. The Inspired Artist Studio July 2012.
Danielle rolled her eyes and exaggerated a sigh. Vanessa wondered why her daughter was still sitting there; it was out of character. Danielle usually left the kitchen right after cooking breakfast. It was unsettling the way she was staring at her from across the table. Vanessa chose to ignore her. Conversation with a resentful 16-year-old was the last thing she wanted over breakfast; though she knew she would have to reach out to her daughter soon. Danielle stood up, took a piece of bacon from Vanessa’s plate, stuffed it in her mouth and licked her fingers. Vanessa stared after her, puzzled, watching as she crossed the kitchen towards the bar cabinet. She poured herself a glass of red wine and lingered there, staring absent-mindedly at her reflection in the glass doors. Danielle could see her mother’s reflection staring back at her and she deliberately took a couple of sips of wine before returning to the table. “Cheers,” she raised the glass of wine to her mother, defiantly. Vanessa admitted to herself that her stomach wasn’t upset from the beer or because of the storm. The lights flickered again a couple of times before going out. Mother and daughter were left sitting in a gray, shadowy kitchen, cloaked in a surreal landscape. Vanessa tapped her foot on the Midsummer Fantasy
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hardwood floor, attempting to reconnect with the peaceful state of mind she’d enjoyed while standing on the porch. It was difficult to collect her thoughts while under Danielle’s watchful, almost expectant eye. She did seem to be waiting for something. The grandfather clock in the next room announced midday. Twelve chimes rang through the kitchen, wrapping Danielle and Vanessa closer. The next rumble of thunder paled in comparison. Danielle glanced at her watch, even though the clock had just struck noon. Vanessa found herself wishing that Alan was there to break the spell they both seemed to be under. Had it only been five weeks since he’d left? She’d lost track of time. “I dreamt about Lake Superior last night.” Danielle broke the silence. She fiddled with her cigarette pack, flipping it over a (Superior Connection: cont. on next page) 25
Photo: Jessica Weubker
(Superior Connection: cont. from page 25) couple of times. “Remember when dad and I drove up there last summer?” Vanessa glanced up and met Danielle’s eyes. They were a beautiful sapphire blue and seemed to be looking right through her. Vanessa looked away, not wanting to remember that trip. “When I saw Lake Superior I couldn’t stop staring at it,” Danielle continued. “It felt like the lake was staring back at me, too… and that it was stretching its arms wide across the horizon, inviting me to come into the water.” Her voice was dreamlike as she reflected on her memories. Vanessa, intrigued by Danielle’s recollection, couldn’t help but meet her gaze again. Danielle faltered under Vanessa’s stare before continuing. 26
“The water was calm and the surface looked just like a giant skating rink, glistening in the sunshine. I felt like I could have walked across it to the other side. I wish I could have done that in my dream….” She paused to light a cigarette and her story trailed off, as did Vanessa’s attention. Danielle watched her mother pick through her breakfast, finding it hard to believe they were related. Aside from sharing the same colour of eyes and hair, they were two very different people. Her mother was an artist and had just turned 39. Every September she taught a series of art classes for the community centre. Aside from that, she avoided socializing, preferring to keep to herself. Danielle recalled that it had been The Inspired Artist Studio July 2012.
Vanessa’s idea to buy the farm because of its remote location. Danielle took after her father. She was adventurous, outspoken and strongwilled; eager to share and connect with people. She enjoyed being in the spotlight. Becoming a professional dancer was her dream and now that she had her driver’s licence, she was able to drive herself to all the dance classes she wanted to. At 16, she was finally starting to spread her wings. Vanessa continued to play with her food, dangling the fork lazily between her fingers. Danielle found herself staring at her mother’s hands. Her fingers were long and shapely and reminded Danielle of the dream she was about to share. The lights flickered on and they both raised their heads. Danielle continued; “So, in my dream, dad and I were visiting Lake Superior. We were sitting on a log by the water, just the two of us. Suddenly, the water came alive. I could even hear it breathing. It grew long fingers that crawled from the shore, towards us across the sand. The fingers grew into arms that grabbed dad and carried him away. He couldn’t stop it.” Rain was pounding on the kitchen window; the way it always did just before it stopped. “I ran to try and rescue dad, but the water formed a wall to stop me. I couldn’t Midsummer Fantasy
walk through the wall; it was solid. Dad disappeared. Then, I sat back down on the log and cried….” There was an unmistakable sound of a car engine in the driveway just then. Danielle flicked ashes into the ashtray and stood up. “I miss dad.” Vanessa couldn’t look up from her plate. She hated that she still hadn’t told her daughter what she’d wanted to. “Let me take that.” Danielle seemed awkward, trying to bridge the gap between them. She carried her mother’s unfinished breakfast plate to the counter and then returned to the table to butt out her cigarette and swallow the last of her wine. Danielle set the empty glass down and remained standing, watching her mother. Their eyes met briefly, before the front door opened. While still holding the doorknob, Alan peeked through the doorway expectantly, his gaze fixed on Danielle and then on Vanessa. “Ready?” he said to no one in particular. Without waiting for an answer he backed away and the screen door closed noisily behind him. They listened to his footsteps as he returned to the car. The car door slammed shut. Without a word, and very much to Danielle’s surprise, Vanessa rose from her chair (Superior Connection: cont. on page 31) 27
(Wendi & Deb: continued from page 7) a general guideline. We know that THIS and THAT need to happen before the end of book one, or two and where all of the characters need to be by the start of book three. We know the goal/ending of book three. But every time we think we have the details figured out, the characters throw a curveball. You can depend on the fact that their ideas are usually better than ours. What’s your favorite genre to write in? Deb: Everything I write has an element of fantasy or paranormal to it. I’m not big on reality whenit comes to stories, or rather, writing about mundane things. If I want that, I’ll read a newspaper or watch the news. I like a supernatural twist, something that takes me and our readers out of the norm and makes them think, hm...are there really shifters/vampires/ ghosts/angels out there? Is my neighbor one? We like to keep just enough reality in the stories, either through historical events or character traits, locations, etc. to tread that fine line of suspension of disbelief. In our second book, Uncivil Wars, we have a lot of excellent parallels that go on in the plot and our characters’ lives that correspond with real events and locations during the Civil War period. 28
Wendi: I never wrote much fantasy before I met Deb. I like writing relationship stories. What matters to me is the story, the growth of the characters and their learning curve, how they change by the end of the story. The Fantasy is extra, it’s the fun stuff, but without the reality that is about our everyday lives, I think fantasy is hard to relate to. Deb and I are a great mix for writing fantasy with a real human twist. What are some of the obstacles you face as writers? Deb: My biggest obstacle? Abandoning everything else for the sake of writing the story. When we get on a roll, it’s really difficult to pull away from it and focus on something else. Even when I’m working on design projects or blog posts, the STORY is still running like background music through my head. What? You want me to go make dinner? Okay, just let me finish this chapter... Wendi: The number one obstacle for me is time. As a wife, mother and grandmother, my family time is important to me and I am already juggling that with a full time job owning Blue Sun Studio with Deb. It would be easy to say, “Well we’ll write when we have time.” It would never The Inspired Artist Studio July 2012.
happen! We MAKE time by putting it on the calendar and making it sacred.
construction paper, with illustrations I drew for a third grade project. I was always drawing pictures to illustrate my
What’s your favorite thing about writing? Deb: Telling the story. There’s a real rush I get when Wendi and I start brainstorming and putting those ideas down into the first few chapters. Everything unfolds, our
favorite books. Then later on it changed,
characters come alive again and it’s like
novel in 7th grade and by that time had
visiting with old friends...old friends who kidnap us and take us on wild adventures.
I started drawing with words and that’s when the real stories started. Wendi: I knew as soon as I could pick up a pen. I wrote my first (unpublished) a full collection of short stories under my belt. I am a writer because that is the
“Stop hiding, stop writing and stuffing those pages into some junkdrawer. You’ll never know if you’re good enough if you don’t have the guts to share your work with the world. Any kind of art is about failure. Fail a lot and fail often. It’s from those failures that you’ll discover your greatest successes. Actually, there are no failures, just first drafts.” —Deb Dorchak Wendi: Disappearing into another
way my brain expresses itself through the
world, and when working with Deb,
written word. To not write means that I
sharing that world with one other person
am getting bottled up and feel like I will
who lives there too. Time stops when
explode! What’s a message you have for inspiring authors? Deb: Inspiring or aspiring? Probably doesn’t make a difference, it all comes down to the samething. Have faith in yourself. Stop hiding, stop writing and stuffing those pages into some
we write. STUFF stops. It like a little mini vacation when we jump into the stories. When did you know that you loved writing? Deb: Writing always went hand in hand with pictures for me. I can still remember putting together my first book, on blue Midsummer Fantasy
(Wendi & Deb: continued on next page) 29
(Wendi & Deb: continued from page 29) junkdrawer. You’ll never know if you’re good enough if you don’t have the guts to share your work with the world. Any kind of art is about failure. Fail a lot and fail often. It’s from those failures that you’ll discover your greatest successes. Actually, there are no failures, just first drafts. Wendi: Get your butt in that chair and write. Just write. Don’t worry about if it is good enough, because the moment you do that you have fallen out of the story. Just tell the story as simply and honestly as you can. Editing is for fixing. Writing is about telling the story. Do you have a message for fans or readers? Deb: I LOVE our fans. They keep us going. In fact, we call all the Bonds of Blood & Spirit fans “Pack”. Our Pack is filled with incredible people and without them, we wouldn’t havea reason to do what we do. Nothing is more exciting than hearing a Pack member loves a character you
created, or is totally floored by a twist you threw into the story. We’ve had people tell us they couldn’t believe we did what we did halfway through Loyalties. It’s fun, it’s a rush, and I especially love the fact we have such a connected society now where we can get that instant feedback from our fans. Wendi: I am blown away by our fans and readers. They have such enthusiasm for the story and have taken the characters under their wings and brought them home. We hear from fans all the time who have their favorite and they get in little spats with other fans about who is their “Fantasy” Character. We love that. And we have our favorites too, but we aren’t telling! To all of our fans, thank you— you make this so much fun! Thank you Deb and Wendi it was a pleasure meeting you guys and I enjoy getting to know you both. Best Wishes to you both with your business and amazing book series.
Find Wendi & Deb on the Web: Want to read more from Wendi and Deb? You can find them here on the Blue Sun Network: Blue Sun Studio, Inc. Behind the Words Life’s Little Inspirations Creative Clarity Coaching 30
The Inspired Artist Studio July 2012.
(Superior Connection: cont. from page 27) and walked across the kitchen to retrieve the suitcase that Danielle had left behind the bar cabinet. “You knew I was going?” Danielle asked, rather stoically, disappointed that her secret hadn’t been a secret after all. Vanessa said nothing. She handed the suitcase to Danielle and leaned forward to kiss her on the cheek. “Enjoy the rest of your summer holidays,” she whispered. But there was so much more to say. Danielle set the suitcase down and reluctantly submitted to her mother’s hug. Vanessa clung to her daughter, still holding her secret. She would tell Danielle after she returned from visiting her father, having decided that if she knew now, she might not come home. “Mother…?” Danielle pulled out of the hug rather decisively. “I know what happened last summer while dad and I were at Lake Superior. I know that you had an affair.” And with that, she picked up her suitcase and left, leaving the screen door ajar, caught in the wind. It creaked on its hinges as it swung opened wider, before slamming closed. A breeze blew in through the screen, swirling and reaching for Vanessa. Cowering from the sudden intensity of the truth, she closed her eyes. The wind Midsummer Fantasy
wrapped around her, tousling her already unkempt hair. A realization swam through her mind about her daughter’s dream; how Lake Superior had separated Danielle and her father. Now, as if by some cruel twist of fate, Lake Superior had separated Vanessa from her daughter. “Mother… breakfast,” she imagined Danielle’s voice was calling her again. The scent of bacon lingered in the kitchen. The storm clouds had cleared, giving way to bright sunshine that streamed in through the screen door. It burned white behind her closed eyelids. “Mother… breakfast,” called Danielle’s voice, again. The scent of lavender was overpowering, suddenly. Vanessa opened her eyes. Danielle was standing over her, holding a small round vase of lavender that had been freshly picked from their garden. Bright sunlight was streaming through the bedroom window, the curtains having just been drawn. Delightful summer breezes swept in through an open window. “Morning, mom,” Danielle smiled brightly, “I’ve picked you some lavender. Are you coming down to breakfast? It’s almost noon and dad will be here soon.” Danielle, excited by her own words, was 31
grinning widely about the prospect of seeing her father again. There was no sign of bacon grease on her white blouse, Vanessa noticed. Vanessa threw her blankets off and sat up quickly, feeling more alive than she had in weeks. She motioned for Danielle to sit beside her. “Breakfast can wait for a minute, can’t it? I have something I’d like to talk to you about, first.” Danielle carefully placed the vase of
lavender on the bureau and sat next to her mother, waiting. Vanessa’s spirit was soaring. It had all been a dream… most of it. The secret still threatened to hold her back, but she reached out and lovingly swept Danielle’s long red hair away from her face. “Honey,” she began, “I dreamt about Lake Superior last night. Remember last summer when you and your father drove up there?”
About Davina: Davina Haisell is a professional freelance editor who has been proofreading for advertising clients since 1996. She also edits fiction and non-fiction books and practices a little writing of her own in her spare time. Find Davina on the web at Shades of Crimson.
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The Inspired Artist Studio July 2012.
Fiction Friday Challenge Fortune favors the bold, and we’ve definitely had a lot of bold artists join us for this month’s issue of The Inspired Artist Studio. Are you ready for that first step? Even if you don’t think your work will fit the theme, send us what you do have. We’ll keep it on file for a future issue. To get you started, we have a Fiction Friday Challenge with an open theme for next month’s issue. What is a Fiction Friday Challenge? We give you a prompt, it could be a picture, a sentence, a group of words, or the start of a story. You take that prompt and continue with your own story. This month, we have the image below. In your own words, describe what’s going on
in that picture. What kind of story is this scene telling you? Describe it any way you like. Think about what details catch your eye, what emotions and overall mood it brings up. What story does this scene create for you? All Challenges should be written in a Word doc and between 500 to 1000 words. Who knows, if you can’t stop at 1000, you may end up with a short story for the Storyteller’s Nook! Don’t let us limit you, they’re only guidelines, not laws written in stone. Email your Challenge to The Inspired Artiist Studio (click on the link), or check out our full listing of guidelines for other submissions on our Submissions Guidelines page. Good luck and good writing!
Photo: Wendi Kelly Midsummer Fantasy
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