Pure Whimsy

Every day, on my way to work, I pass by a fence.

"Yeah, so what?" you ask.

"It's not your normal fence." I answer.

"What's special about it?"

This:

Now, I don't know how to read music. I was, almost literally, kicked out of my 7th grade band class because I never practiced and, most honestly, I sucked. Since I played the clarinet I was supposed to blow, but I tried blowing and ended up sucking. It wasn't pretty.

Okay, okay. *Hands in the air in surrender.* You got me. I was asked to leave, politely, but it did feel like a kick at the time and there wasn't going to be a second chance. I had already burned that bridge. It had gone down in flames weeks before, I suspect in hindsight. The only thing that kept me there as long as I stayed was the teacher begging permission to get rid of me and waiting for approval and reassignment. I don't even know where I ended up during that period.

So, anyway, I drive past this fence every day and I always wonder. Does it have meaning? It does look like notes on a musical staff. But then, when I stopped to take the pictures, I found this:

What does that mean?

Most of the 'notes' are old vinyl records. For the Golden Oldies (anyone over about forty-five), they are 45 RPM, 33 LP and 78s. In the mix are disks - as in CDs - that are a solid 12-inches in diameter. You can't see them here, enough to make them out, but they are there. They sparkle in the morning sun, glinting green, glowing silver as I pass.

For someone to have taken the time, made the effort and laid these out, suspending them on the fence for all to see, it's wonderful, whimsical and simply fun. It gives me something to think about on my commute.

If I could read music and play an instrument, what would these 'notes' have to say? Is it jazzy or laid back, or is it classical or some hip-hop beat?

I don't know who the people who live in the house behind the fence are, whether they're famous or infamous, whether they play or compose, but just having these 'platters' splattered along the fence opens the door to wonder and curiosity.

A little farther along is a collection of birdhouses. Different shapes, different colors all standing in a group under a spreading pine tree. Mixed among them hangs an American flag.

It's a wonderful little still-life that I tried to capture a few weeks ago. Sadly, the angle of the sun and my photographic skills clashed. Even though I took several different pictures from several different angles, the colors were washed out to white. I really ought to stop and try again, but I'm always in a rush. Hurrying to where I have to be, when I have to be there. Which is sad.

At least I did stop this morning, to capture the whimsy of someone's creativity to share with you. That's pretty cool.

Stop, savor a moment or two and have a lovely day!

Best~
Philippa

Follow me on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/PhilippaStories

Procrastinator...

I've been naughty this morning. My promise to myself was that this would be my 'first thing' each day but here it is, just past eleven o'clock in the morning, and I'm just getting started. *Sigh* Best laid plans and all of that...  Of course, it is Saturday and I am entitled to one lazy morning, right?

It hasn't been lazy, though. I have been struggling with book covers.

Book covers are hard.  Like fighting off a full-grown greased anaconda in the dark. No matter where you grab it, it gets away and bites you back.

I used to think writing was hard. That was before I started editing.

Then I decided writing is easy and editing is hard. After all, splatter words over the page and you have 'writing'. It's the whipping into shape, getting it molded and formed so that someone else might take a chance to read it. Now that's hard.

Then I thought pitches were bitches.

How do you capture the whiff of your story in just a few words? How do you put down enough to capture someone's attention long enough for them to pause and look farther? How do you fit the essence of your story into a blurb that doesn't give so much away the potential reader knows beginning, middle, end before gently laying the book back on the shelf?

It's hard, man, really hard. Until I started tackling my book covers in a determined way. This makes everything else seem easy. Three books, two different genres, what I like v. what's edgy and will grab someone's attention.

I did the post the other day, pick my book cover but I'm an impatient old cow and couldn't wait. So I did this:

Panned.

So I tried this (which I really like):

Panned.

So, tongue partially in cheek, trying to catch the elements of family circle - father and three children, dying wife and hovering interloper - I came up with this:

A. I hate the color palette. The ochre yellow looks like something I would find in my daughter's diaper after a bad couple of days. According to the interweb, though, yellow is warm and friendly, comforting. Pink / mauve is feminine, soft. Green is gentle.  Blah, blah, freakin' blah.

B. The overall design squeals SCIENCE FICTION not Women's Fiction.

Meaning, that after several hours of work, I am straight back to square one.  For this.  I did however (oh joyful day!) come up with this for my erotic story:

I think it's light, fun, whimsical and sets the tone well.  Maybe all is not lost...

So, back to A Matter of Friendship and that cover design.

Have a lovely day!

Best~
Philippa

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PhilippaStories