Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Christmas decorations waiting)




JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today.
JOE: I have to rush off to Tonawanda to do some evaluations. Before I go I wanted to share with you some guides I have been working on. They relate to my published books. Hope you enjoy them.

So you'd like to know why some priests are abusive link:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/community-content-search/results?ie=UTF8&flatten=1&search-alias=rp-sylt&query=know%20why%20some%20priests%20are%20abusive

So you'd like to live life with commonsense wisdom link:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/community-content-search/results?ie=UTF8&flatten=1&search-alias=rp-sylt&query=live%20life%20with%20commonsense%20wisdom

So you'd like to learn about seminary and monastery life link:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/richpub/syltguides/fullview/R1P2DP9QD8PU2Y

CALLIOPE: Thanks. I'll look them over.

JOE: Thanks. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Plants in Winter)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Rested. I took the weekend to unwind and restore myself.
CALLIOPE: How did you go about it?
JOE: I planned no major activities this weekend.
CALLIOPE: Did you just flop on a couch?
JOE: Not quite. I worked on some Christmas presents for a while. I also did some reading.
CALLIOPE: What did you read.
JOE: I caught up on some of my recent New Yorkers. I also started reading Rita Mae Brown's book, Starting from Scratch.
CALLIOPE: Tell me about it.
JOE: Her subtitle is "A different kind of writers' manual." She shares some good learnings and thoughts about writing I had not considered. She published it in 1988 but I have never heard of it.
CALLIOPE: Where did you find it?
JOE: At Borders Books used section. I just happened upon it.
CALLIOPE: Do you find it dated?
JOE: Just the brief section of computers which of course is from a different era. The rest of it is fresh and refreshing. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Rocky Mountains- Estes Park, Colorado)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Somewhat rested.
CALLIOPE: Did you accomplish anything yesterday.
JOE: I accomplished taking it easy.
CALLIOPE: What else did you do?
JOE: Some Christmas shopping and completion of gifts.
CALLIOPE: Anything exciting?
JOE: I had planned to give my new book, Navigating Life to a few people. After some difficulty with the cover, I think it is about ready for the printer, but I haven't had final word yet. I'm not sure I will have copies in time.
CALLIOPE: There's always New Year's.
JOE: True. Part of the focus is what we can do personally to improve our own lives, the country and the world. Perhaps releasing it just before the inauguration would be timely.
CALLIOPE: Perhaps. It's sensible to make the best of whatever circumstances present themselves.
JOE: You're right. That's what I tell everyone else. Talk with you on Monday.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Geese on Oatka Creek)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Fine. I'm in high gear today I also have a surprise for you.
CALLIOPE: I'm ready.
JOE: Here goes.

An Ode to Calliope
by
Joseph G. Langen

Back when I floundered in faint hope of finding my way in the forest
searching for ways to express what so grabbed me and spun my deep thinking,
you came along to shine light on what stirred in me, mindlessly musing,
waiting for me to start waking and know that I needed to write it.

You and not I could at last for once venture to speak through my writing.
Stirring to life I could now find a voice so long hidden in silence.
What has lain dormant inside me refusing to come to the foreground
daring to challenge my wordless and courageless way of not seeking?

Me as a spokesman for challenges forming to question life's torpor?
How could I finally find my weak voice and thus let it now free me,
daring to note my own carefully hidden, forgotten life message?
Can I now, must I now say what I thought must stay locked up inside me?

You have now found me and made me stop twiddling my thumbs as I notice
all of life's treasures and bounties which call me to finally voice them.
Help me now share them with readers who travel alongside my path stones seeking together some ways to make holy our journey in friendship.

CALLIOPE: Wow! I'm flattered. Thanks for the recognition. Did you write that in dactylic hexameter.
I did. I know it is a favorite meter in epic poetry which you champion.
I'm impressed.
JOE: You're welcome. It's only fair. Without inspiration I doubt I would have anything to write.
CALLIOPE: That's what muses are for. Did you spend the whole day yesterday writing this?
JOE: No. Phil Davis of Authors on the net suggested an amazon program called "So you want to...: I tried it and developed a list of readings regarding priest abuse, including my own of course. I also discovered a series of reader communities on a variety of topics and started posting there.
CALLIOPE: Do you think that will benefit your writing?

JOE: What better place to hang out than with readers already in an online bookstore?
CALLIOPE: I can't argue with you there. What do you have planned for today?
JOE: I'm recovering from a late night revision of the cover for my new book, Navigating Life. I hope it will be ready soon. I feel a need to relax today.
CALLIOPE: Sounds like you earned it.
JOE: I think so. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Seaside Fort- Condado, Puerto Rico)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. What news?
JOE: Plenty. Yesterday was busy. I managed to finish and post my column, Rebuilding Our World Standing and Self Respect. I also finished writing and revising my ten reasons for and against reading each of my books. Now I'll try recording them.
CALLIOPE: Good progress. Anything else going on?
JOE: Yes. I had a chance to browse Barnes and Noble yesterday and found Thunder and Lightning: Cracking Open the Writer's Craft by Natalie Goldberg and Starting from Scratch: A Different Kind of Writers' Manual by Rita Mae Brown.
CALLIOPE: What prompted you to buy these?
JOE: I thought I could use a little inspiration for my writing.
CALLIOPE: I guess all writers can. What are you up to today.
JOE: In addition to working on marketing, I found two challenges.
CALLIOPE: Which are?
JOE: One is a new online group coordinated by Ann Maid for local writers, some of whom I have met. The entrance fee consists of a poem, a genre generally scary for me.
CALLIOPE: How will you approach it?
JOE: I plan to write in dactylic hexameter in your honor since this meter is generally used in epic poetry. Maybe it will end up as an ode to you for your help.
CALLIOPE: I would be honored. And the other challenge?
JOE: Phil Davis suggested I write some entries for "Amazon's So You'd Like to..." I think it has possibilities and I plan to try it. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(East Chop Lighthouse- Martha's Vineyard)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Ready to get going again.
CALLIOPE: What did you accomplish yesterday?
JOE: A fair amount. I finished working on ten reasons to read and not to read each of my four books. I want to let them percolate a bit before recording them.
CALLIOPE: Anything else?
JOE: Yes. I started on my column for this Saturday, tentatively titled Rebuilding Our World Standing and Self Respect.
CALLIOPE: That sounds like a large topic, maybe enough for a book.
JOE: I agree but I'm in the middle of another book at the moment. I would like to at least stick my toe in the water of this topic first by starting with a column.
CALLIOPE: What prompted this venture?
JOE: I read an article recently about the recent proliferation of lying, stealing and cheating by teens. It got me thinking about where these trends originate. I concluded it must be in our eroding culture.
CALLIOPE: Sounds like a worthwhile project.
JOE: I hope so. It is part of my plan to raise people's consciousness about how they live their lives.
CALLIOPE: You've got quite a mission.
JOE: I do but I'm not alone. Sometimes I feel like the "voice of one crying in the wilderness." Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Sunrise- Martha's Vineyard)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. Glad to see you up and at 'em early.
JOE: I have been the last couple days, just not at the computer.
CALLIOPE: How did you do with marketing yesterday?
JOE: I looked over my ten reasons for and against reading The Pastor's Inferno. I also wrote lists of reasons for Commonsense Wisdom for Everyday Life and Young Man of the Cloth. I plan to write some for Navigating Life although I still have a little time since it is not available for sale yet.
CALLIOPE: Sounds like good progress. What's on the agenda for today?
JOE: Other than yoga class later this morning, I would like to work on refining my reasons and prepare to record them for distribution. I have a column to write and hope to at least get started with it.
CALLIOPE: What's the topic?
JOE: That's why I haven't written it yet. I'm still a little up in the air. I am considering our ethical crisis with more bad news than good and more notoriety for bad behavior which seems to be more prevalent lately.
CALLIOPE: Good luck with it. Anything else going on?
JOE: I'm waiting for news that Navigating Life is ready for distribution which could be any day now.
CALLIOPE: Sounds like exciting times.
JOE: It is. There's plenty to do. Back to work. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Sunset- Leroy, NY)

JOE: Good afternoon Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good afternoon Joe. I never know when or if to expect you these days.
JOE: Sorry. I had an early morning meeting and was wandering around doing some Christmas shopping. But now I'm back.
CALLIOPE: You said this was your week to work on marketing. Any progress?
JOE: It is turning out to be a busier week than I thought but I'll do my best. I did think of an approach.
CALLIOPE: Which is?
JOE: Some time ago I wrote ten reasons why and why not to read The Pastor's Inferno.
CALLIOPE: Yes?
JOE: I thought it might be good to expand on this theme.
CALLIOPE: How?
JOE: I plan to develop reasons to read and not to read each of my books and then post them as videos on MySpace and my website.
CALLIOPE: Sounds ambitious.
JOE: I suppose it is, but I've got to start somewhere. I had better get at it. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(St. Michael's Cave, Gibraltar)

JOE: Good evening Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good evening Joe. I've never known you to show up so late.
JOE: I haven't. I started out several times to talk with you and got sidetracked several times.
CALLIOPE: To do what?
JOE: I relaxed for a while this morning. Then I went to the gym. After that I got involved in marketing.
CALLIOPE: What are you doing with marketing today?
JOE: Networking. I am working on forming new Internet connections and resurrecting old ones.
CALLIOPE: How will that help with marketing?
JOE: Next week I will be working on more formal marketing activities but I need people to spread the word about my activities.
CALLIOPE: And?
JOE: My network of people will help, I hope.
CALLIOPE: I see.
JOE: That's about all I did today. Tomorrow I will gear up for my marketing activities next week. Talk with you on Monday.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Cabo San Lucas)

JOE: Good morning Calliope:
CALLIOPE: Good morning, Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Not very ambitious. I struggled to find much to write in my journal this morning.
CALLIOPE: What's that about?
JOE: I think I am still in my holiday mood from yesterday when I spent the bulk of my time visiting, socializing and eating.
CALLIOPE: So you're not back in the groove yet?
JOE: Nope. I feel like my mental field should lie fallow for a little while.
CALLIOPE: Perhaps so. You have been in high gear lately.
JOE: Right. I have been working hard to get Navigating Life prepared for publication and finally have my files submitted.
CALLIOPE: Is marketing your next task?
JOE: Yes. I have been reviewing marketing materials and gathering more. I haven't set up a clear marketing plan for Navigating Life yet.
CALLIOPE: When do you plan to start?
JOE: I think that would be a good task for Monday morning.
CALLIOPE: And this weekend?
JOE: Maybe some relaxing and continuing to read Patterson's Sail. I need to recharge my batteries. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Apple Umpkin Festival- Wyoming, NY)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Fine. I negotiated our two seatings of company yesterday and enjoyed the experience. I like not being quite so isolated.
CALLIOPE: Do you find yourself isolating as a writer?
JOE: Yes. I spend more of my time in front of the computer than anywhere else.
CALLIOPE: Doing what?
JOE: Writing, editing, marketing, research.
CALLIOPE: How about interaction online?
JOE: I have gotten away from it. I joined a number of online writer and marketing communities but have not spent time there developing relationships.
CALLIOPE: What about spending more time interacting?
JOE: A good suggestion. I'll try to keep it in mind.
CALLIOPE: What's up for today?
JOE: I was just thinking about that. I think my chief goal is to explore and try to pin down a marketing approach for Navigating Life. I'll talk with you Friday after Thanksgiving is over.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Butterfly Museum- Niagara Falls, Ontario)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Fine. I was up early to start soup and bread. Today is the beginning of our holiday entertaining. We have a noon and dinner seating.
CALLIOPE: Sounds busy. How about the book?
JOE: Yesterday I sent in the final manuscript and cover files. Now someone else's technology takes over and out will come a book.
CALLIOPE: When do you expect it?
JOE: I'm hoping it will be ready in a week or two.
CALLIOPE: So what are your plans in the mean time?
JOE: Yesterday I modified my web site to include Navigating Life. I also started working on some marketing materials I have accumulated but not yet perused.
CALLIOPE: Sounds like a good plan. Do you have any other writing projects in mind?
JOE: I have been thinking of doing a book of our conversations. I would like to take a little break until Navigating Life is in print. Then I'll start working on our book.
CALLIOPE: I can't wait. Have you looked back over our conversations?
JOE: No, I haven't. But I think they give a glimpse into the ongoing progress and frustrations a writer faces on a day to day basis.
CALLIOPE: There have been some of each.
JOE: No question. Right no I'm happy with the progress. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Geese preparing for migration)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How was your weekend?
JOE: Busy but productive.
CALLIOPE: Tell me more?
JOE: I was gone most of yesterday. Saturday night I received an online proof of Navigating Life. I did a little editing and returned it as a final copy for publication.
CALLIOPE: Is your book ready for printing?
JOE: Almost. There are a few details to settle such as the price, advertising copy for Amazon, etc.
CALLIOPE: Sounds like you're getting close. Did you have time to do anything else?
JOE: Yesterday morning before I left for my travels, I composed a marketing brochure for Navigating Life. The brochure is getting good reviews from the few people to whom I showed it.
CALLIOPE: Do you think it will help with sales?
JOE: Yes. I have already sold some copies even before the book is printed.
CALLIOPE: To what do you attribute this?
JOE: The title, cover art, spiritual theme and my reputation based on selections from the book which I previously published.
CALLIOPE: Great. What's next?
JOE: I plan to start developing other promotional materials such as a sample chapter on my web site, print and video materials for MySpace, YouTube and other sites. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Paphiopedilum Orchid)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you this morning?
JOE: Relieved.
CALLIOPE: On what account?
JOE: My book finally stayed fixed, paginated and indexed long enough for me to send it to Booklocker.
CALLIOPE: And the cover?
JOE: Converted to PDF form and also sent.
CALLIOPE: Congratulations. Now what?
JOE: Now I wait for the proof copy.
CALLIOPE: What will you do in the mean time?
JOE: I have already started on marketing. I am exploring key words to use in the text of my promotional materials.
CALLIOPE: What do you plan to do by way of marketing?
JOE: Publicity on my website, notification of my mailing list and friends on social sites. I also plan to request a spread in the local paper and some promotional videos to post on the Internet. I might be able to get some coverage in the Rochester papers as well.
CALLIOPE: Sounds like a good start. Anything else?
JOE: Perhaps, but this weekend I would like to catch my breath before going further. Talk with you Monday.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(My writing desk)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. I'm anxious to know how you made out with your book.
JOE: You will be happy to know that I have solved the problem. I now have correct pagination and a working index in Navigating Life.
CALLIOPE: Congratulations. How did you do it?
JOE: Trial and error. I don't think Word has entirely clear directions.
CALLIOPE: What was the problem?
JOE: The section break seemed to be causing the problem. I had to format it in a certain way and then suddenly everything worked.
CALLIOPE: Great. Is the book ready for publication?
JOE: I want to look it over and possibly make a few minor changes.
CALLIOPE: Such as?
JOE: I realized from the index that the book is more spiritual than I had thought. I want to make that clear in the Prologue and in the back cover text.
CALLIOPE: Do you mean religious.
JOE: No. There is a distinction between religious and spiritual and I want to make that clear.
CALLIOPE: We should talk about that more.
JOE: How about tomorrow? See you then.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Old San Juan- Puerto Rico)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. I missed you yesterday.
JOE: Sorry I didn't make it. I had an early breakfast with my daughter.
CALLIOPE: All day?
JOE: Well, no. When I got back I decided to work on finishing Navigating Life before we talked.
CALLIOPE: And?
JOE: I worked until late at night and never did finish.
CALLIOPE: How far did you get?
JOE: The cover is ready. No small feat. I used a template from my last book.
CALLIOPE: And the text?
JOE: I have it in a form I would like. But I still have one little problem.
CALLIOPE: Which is?
JOE: I can't seem to get the pagination and index to work together. I seem to have a choice of one or the other but not both.
CALLIOPE: What do you plan to do about that?
JOE: I'm not sure. I have been working on it for quite a while but no success yet. I have a book and a CD on Office 2003 which includes my version of Word. I plan to research this and see if I can solve the problem. Otherwise the book is ready to go. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Caribbean Sunset)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Fine, but busy.
CALLIOPE: What have you been up to?
JOE: Finishing up Navigating Life.
CALLIOPE: What did you work on yesterday?
JOE: I figured out how to make an index. It's the first time I have done one.
CALLIOPE: How did it turn out?
JOE: Good so far. I have some editing to do on it but it is progressing.
CALLIOPE: What's up for today?
JOE: First I want to finish the index which I think I can.
CALLIOPE: And then?
JOE: I have the cover to produce. I also plan to convert the book to a PDF to see how it will look in that format.
CALLIOPE: Sounds like you are reaching the end. Any other projects on tap?
JOE: I just received book of photographs to review. I'm looking forward to it. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Lighthouse- Portugal Coast)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How was your weekend?
JOE: Busy. Carol and I did some shopping yesterday. I found a set of Bose speakers for my computer to enhance my many hours in front of the computer screen with listening to the radio stations I have created for myself through Pandora.com.
CALLIOPE: My sister Euterpe would be proud of you.
JOE: We also attended calling hours for the mother of Carol's coworker and dined out for our sixteenth anniversary of being together.
CALLIOPE: Did you have any time for your Navigating Life?
JOE: Yes. I worked hard on it on Saturday and had a little time yesterday as well.
CALLIOPE: How far did you get?
JOE: I finished reviewing the manuscript and worked on format as well as the table of contents. I am considering an index as well although I have never created one.
CALLIOPE: Good luck. What else awaits?
JOE: The only outside information was my Library of Congress Control Number which just arrived by email seconds ago. I still have the cover design to complete but have the template from The Pastor's Inferno which should save me quite a bit of time.
CALLIOPE: What did you decided about outside review?
JOE: Most of the text has already been reviewed for prior publication as columns. I think it's in pretty good shape.
CALLIOPE: Better read it one more time just in case.
JOE: I will. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Nina Replica)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Thank you but it's fading fast.
JOE: It is. I have been a bit of a lazy bone this morning. I got watching the movie Kramer vs. Kramer. Yesterday I watched Marty.
CALLIOPE: Into old movies?
JOE: To some extent. But I have been wondering what makes movies and books successful and was doing a little research on the side.
CALLIOPE: Why this sudden interest?
JOE: James Bell's book, Revision and Self Editing prompted me to pay more attention to successful works and approach them from a critical stance.
CALLIOPE: That seems like a good idea. Are you taking notes?
JOE: I did yesterday with Marty and realized movies are not what they used to be.
CALLIOPE: How do you see them as being different now?
JOE: There seems more emphasis on being slick, fast moving and plot driven rather than character driven.
CALLIOPE: Good observations. How does that affect your approach to writing?
JOE: I'm still evaluating it. I realize what people are used to in movies as well as books. Still I am not sure there is much substance left in most newer works.
CALLIOPE: So what do you plan to do?
JOE: Incorporate some of the more glitzy approaches while making sure my work still has substance. Talk with you on Monday.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Incan road- Cozumel)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Doing well. I worked on reviewing Navigating Life yesterday a little at a time and should have it finished in a few days.
CALLIOPE: How is it coming?
JOE: Pretty good. I realized I had forgotten to include a story I wrote about discovering you and added it yesterday.
CALLIOPE: Thank you. Any discoveries?
JOE: I don't know about discoveries. I stopped to think about my writing in the middle of my revision and realized a few things.
CALLIOPE: Such as?
JOE: I came to see how repetitious I am at times and how I add tentative qualifiers to most of my statements. I am working on being more definite.
CALLIOPE: What do you suppose that is about?
JOE: I think I don't want to offend or stir up any of my readers.
CALLIOPE: Is that such a bad thing?
JOE: No. That's why I write in the first place. I'm not sure what I have been afraid of. If readers challenge what I say, at least I got them thinking.
CALLIOPE: Good point.
JOE: Thanks. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Lightship- New Bedford)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: A little bleary.
CALLIOPE: Too much proofreading?
JOE: Exactly. I don't usually do this much concentrated reading in one day.
CALLIOPE: How did you approach it?
JOE: I divided it into chapters and worked one at a time. Then I took a break to rest my brain and eyes.
CALLIOPE: How far did you get?
JOE: I have finished the first four chapters. It seems like slow going.
CALLIOPE: Slower than other tasks?
JOE: It seems so. It was easier selecting columns and pasting them into the manuscript. Now I am poring over words and grammar to make sure it sounds right.
CALLIOPE: That does seem like work. Have you come to any decision about outside readers?
JOE: I am leaning toward putting out a request to my column list to see if anyone is interested. I haven't done it yet but think I might.
CALLIOPE: What's keeping you?
JOE: I'm not sure. But I'm getting on with my own revision and need to make a decision soon. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Ernestina- New Bedford)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Ready for more work.
CALLIOPE: What did you accomplish yesterday?
JOE: I completed all the tasks for Navigating Life except final reading and I started on that.
CALLIOPE: Did you decide on outside readers?
JOE: No. I haven't come up with anyone to ask yet but am still thinking about it.
CALLIOPE: Did you have any trouble thinking of introductions to the book and to the various sections?
JOE: No, it all went smoothly. I also found a painting my son Peter did which I am thinking about using for the cover.
CALLIOPE: Have you showed it to anyone?
JOE: To Carol. She liked it. That's a good sign.
CALLIOPE: Any other progress yesterday?
JOE: I looked through James Bell's book Revision and Self Editing. I think it will be quite useful in reviewing Marital Property but it is geared to fiction and not specifically useful for Navigating Life.
CALLIOPE: I see. What's up for today?
JOE: More work reviewing Navigating Life. I plan to work a chapter at a time so I don't get bleary. I have a few other things to work on in between. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Fishing boat- Dunkirk harbor)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Good. I felt like I accomplished quite a bit yesterday.
CALLIOPE: Details please.
JOE: I have all my selections in the right place and have the headings correctly formatted according to the table of contents I generated. I also wrote introductions to the book as a whole and to each section.
CALLIOPE: Good progress. What's next?
JOE: Proofing. I will read the whole manuscript out loud as I have done successfully in the past.
CALLIOPE: What about outside readers?
JOE: That's under consideration. I don't feel I can pay anyone for a professional reading right now as I would like to.
CALLIOPE: Who read for you in the past?
JOE: Carol and Gerry, both excellent at the job.
CALLIOPE: So what about them?
JOE: They are both familiar with most of the material in Navigating Life. I was interested in a fresh look.
CALLIOPE: Don't you have others you could ask?
JOE: I do. But I think they are all quite busy right now. I am afraid it might be an imposition, especially since I want to get the book in print for Christmas. I'll have to think about this further. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Oatka Creek through the reeds)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How was your weekend?
JOE: Very productive thank you.
CALLIOPE: What did you accomplish?
JOE: In addition to raking leaves, I finished most of the draft of Navigating Life.
CALLIOPE: What did you do specifically.
JOE: I started with the list of articles I wanted to include. Then I organized them into themes. I found quotes for all the articles and also added "life lab lessons" to the articles which didn't have them. I also generated a table of contents.
CALLIOPE: Sounds like you made quite a bit of progress. What's left to do?
JOE: This week I plan to start with introductions to the chapters and to the book as a whole. I also want to review the chapter and topic headings to make sure they are both catchy and informative. I would also like to add suggested readings and possibly an index although I'm not decided on that.
CALLIOPE: Sounds ambitions. You plan to do all this in a week.
JOE: Yes. Then there is the proofreading. I would like to have someone do it quickly and thoroughly. Carol has already reviewed the articles but is willing to review the introductions as well. I am still considering another reader, but haven't decided on this.
CALLIOPE: It's probably a good idea.
JOE: I agree. However I would like to get the book in print by the beginning of December if possible.
CALLIOPE: You will have to decide between thoroughness and expediency.
JOE: You're right. Always a tough choice for me. Talk with you tomorrow

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Geese resting on Oatka Creek)
JOE; Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Just barely. I missed you yesterday.
JOE: It's nice to be missed. I got quite excited about the prospect of finishing my new book in time for Christmas and spent most of yesterday working on it.
CALLIOPE: You must be excited. Did you come up with a title?
JOE: The tentative title is Navigating Life: Reflections for the Voyage.
CALLIOPE: I like it. Tell me more.
JOE: It is a collection of columns I have written over the past few years. I found over a hundred I would like to include.
CALLIOPE: How will you organize them?
JOE: A fair question. I have sixteen categories and have grouped them according to them.
CALLIOPE: Will they all have the same format?
JOE: For the most part. They generally start with a relevant quotation and end with Life Lab Lessons.
CALLIOPE: Which are?
JOE: Practical suggestions for what to do about the reflection I have just offered.
CALLIOPE: Where did you get that idea?
JOE: I'm not sure. I think it occurred to me at one point that life reflections are not much practical use unless you do something about them. I offer some ideas. Talk with you on Monday.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Bridge over Oatka Creek- Leroy, NY)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. Back to your regular schedule?
JOE: As regular as it gets.
CALLIOPE: What are you up to today?
JOE: I have been working on my second volume of Commonsense Wisdom. I thought it would be nice to have it in print by Christmas but thought it was not possible.
CALLIOPE: Do you still think so?
JOE: I'm starting to wonder. I have about half the quotes I need. I should be able to finish gathering them in a day or two.
CALLIOPE: Then what?
JOE: I have "Life Lab Lessons" to add to some of the articles. Then I would need to organize them into themes.
CALLIOPE: What are the chances?
JOE: Good I think. I tend to underestimate time needed. However I think it might be possible.
CALLIOPE: So what's your plan?
JOE: Keep forging ahead and see how far I get. If I can finish the manuscript by the end of November, I think it might be possible.
CALLIOPE: Good luck with it.
JOE: Thanks, Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Halloween foolishness)

JOE: Good afternoon Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Where have you been?
JOE: Don't take offense. I had to leave early this morning for a presentation on eating disorders in Batavia.
CALLIOPE: How was it?
JOE: Fairly basic. I didn't really learn anything new but sometimes it's enough to confirm what you already know.
CALLIOPE: Did you do anything else today?
JOE: Yes. More excitement on the technology front. My Kodak printer died and I had to decide on a new one.
CALLIOPE: How did that go?
JOE: Quite well. I found a Hewlett Packard printer with reasonably priced ink. It does excellent documents and photos despite the low prince.
CALLIOPE: Any other items of interest?
JOE: Yes. I have been wrestling for quite a while with why my video camera won't upload anything. In my research, I discovered that the Kodak printer can sometimes interfere with other programs. I uninstalled it and found that my camera now works fine. Quite a discovery.
CALLIOPE: And what about your writers group last night?
JOE: We had a small gathering of four. I was afraid we might be finished with the group but it went well and we will continue for the time being.
CALLIOPE: Glad to hear it.
JOE: Me too. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Hanging moss- New Orleans)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Mixed. I am making progress on my writing. I have listed all the columns available for my next book, categorized them and started finding quotes to fit them. There is still quite a bit of work to do. I would like to have it ready for Christmas but it doesn't seem likely.
CALLIOPE: All you can do is your best. What's not going so well.
JOE: Technology. My printer was acting up and refused to print decently in black and white or color. After much ado, I discovered the print head was quite gummed up. Fortunately I had an extra one and installed it.
CALLIOPE: And?
JOE: Now it's as good as new.
CALLIOPE: Everything else going okay?
JOE: I have struggled with my latest column on Loving in the Shadow of Cancer.
CALLIOPE: What's the problem?
JOE: It is not just a general topic. I have had to wrestle with it in my relationship and have seen several people I know die of it. I think it's harder to write a column about something personal.
CALLIOPE: Did you complete it?
JOE: Yes. Carol read and reread it and showed me where it was lacking.
CALLIOPE: And now?
JOE: I think it is fixed and ready for publication as well as to mail to Kat and Paula. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(New Orleans Cemetery)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How was your weekend?
JOE: Different. I didn't do any running around yesterday although it did occur to me.
CALLIOPE: How did you spend your day?
JOE: I stayed home and worked on my writing instead.
CALLIOPE: What did you accomplish.
JOE: I wrote my next column called Loving in the Shadow of Cancer.
CALLIOPE: Prompted by your visit on Friday?
JOE: Yes. It had quite an impact on me. I realized we have more choice of how we handle life's challenges. We don't always get to choose what challenges we have to face but we do have a choice of how we react.
CALLIOPE: Is that a revelation to you?
JOE: Not really. But when I see love in action even given extreme circumstances, it is a good reminder of life's possibilities.
CALLIOPE: I'm looking forward to reading it on Saturday. Did you accomplish anything else?
JOE: I worked on my second commonsense wisdom book. I discovered that "quotes" would probably be a useful keyword for me in marketing the book. I decided to start each passage with a relevant quote and even added one to my next column.
CALLIOPE: Is this a new idea for you?
JOE: No. I had planned to start each chapter of The Pastor's Inferno with a quote from Dante's Inferno. Then I ran into copyright difficulty. I did not realize I could use a public domain version of the Inferno until I had already submitted the manuscript for publication. Oh, well. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Sunset in Key West)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Reflective.
CALLIOPE: About what?
JOE: In our travels yesterday, Carol and I spent the morning with a friend who is dying of cancer.
CALLIOPE: What was that like?
JOE: I was glad we did it but it wasn't easy. She has very little energy and spark left and was only barely able to carry on a conversation. I remember when she was bright, bubbly and full of life. Just an ember remains.
CALLIOPE: That must have been hard.
JOE: It was, but more so for Carol who lost her mother and sister and several other friends to cancer. She also went through a bout of her own.
CALLIOPE: Have you ever had to face cancer directly?
JOE: It depends on what you mean by directly. I struggled through Carol's diagnosis and treatments, but have never had cancer myself.
CALLIOPE: What did you learn from yesterday's experience?
JOE: That it is possible to remain loving and in love during the most extreme challenges. I am writing my next column about it and have it mostly finished.
CALLIOPE: So you plan to share the experience with others?
JOE: I do. The impact was quite profound. Talk with you on Monday.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Waiting for a train in Astoria)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. What's going on?
JOE: I went to Batavia yesterday to help my son take down his print exhibit. My car died. Actually it couldn't breathe because of a failed oxygen sensor. Fortunately it wasn't terminal and revived with a new part.
CALLIOPE: Did you get anything else accomplished?
JOE: Miraculously I did. I now have one article accepted with Ezine and two others in the works. I enjoy writing short informative and inspirational pieces and will continue this process as a way of sharing my thoughts and also as a marketing help.
CALLIOPE: Does this take you in any particular direction with the rest of your writing?
JOE: I have been thinking of another Commonsense Wisdom collection, mostly of columns.
CALLIOPE: What brought that on?
JOE: Writing out my goals and those of prospective readers. I have most of the material in hand but would have to organize and market it.
CALLIOPE: What about Commonsense Wisdom for Teens.
JOE: I will still work on it. But I know Commonsense Wisdom for Everyday Life had a fairly good reception even with practically no publicity. I think I can build on what I did with the first book and continue with the teen book.
CALLIOPE: Sounds like you have been thinking about strategy.
JOE: I have. I think I could do a better job of marketing now that I have more tools at my disposal.
CALLIOPE: Good luck.
JOE: Thanks, I'm excited about the prospects. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(My work space)
JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How was yesterday?
JOE: Busy as usual. I worked on marketing and Marital Property.
CALLIOPE: How about your comprehensive marketing plan?
JOE: I decided to start with the big picture- how people approach the Internet.
CALLIOPE: Where did you begin?
JOE: With what I look for when I surf the web.
CALLIOPE: What did you come up with?
JOE: I look for free or reasonably priced information or tools for my writing or web presence.
CALLIOPE: Then what?
JOE: I wrote down what kind of readers I want to attract. I want readers who are intrigued by common sense and would like to learn how to focus their lives in a way which will benefit them but be beneficial to others as well.
CALLIOPE: And after that?
JOE: I listed what such readers might want. I think they want suggestions about how to be more comfortable with choices they make, avoid making enemies, decide how to act in an ethical dilemma and live in a way which does not harm themselves or others.
CALLIOPE: Will this form the basis of your writing and approach to marketing?
JOE: I think it already does although I never put it into words before. I will use it as my guide. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Keeping an eye on the horizon)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. What have you been up to?
JOE: I'm easing into the day. I read the paper, did a couple crossword puzzles and tended to my mail so far and here I am.
CALLIOPE: What did you do yesterday?
JOE: Some editing of Marital Property. I also worked on marketing and development. I listened to Steve Harrison's presentations on What Rich Authors Know That Poor Authors Don't and Publicity Strategies.
CALLIOPE: What did you learn?
JOE: That it is important to start with a passionate dream. Earning money is not a good primary consideration. If you have something worthwhile to share with others, money follows. I learned how others approached and used media outlets to develop a platform for their sales and marketing efforts.
CALLIOPE: Do you think you can use what you learned?
JOE: I think I can incorporate it into a marketing plan.
CALLIOPE: Do you have one?
JOE: I did, but I have learned a great deal lately. I think it's time I reconsidered it to make sure it is complete and incorporates what I'm learning.
CALLIOPE: Sounds like a good plan. Is that what you will work on today?
JOE: Yes, in addition to continued work on Marital Property. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(With Carol at Letchworth Park)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. I stopped by Amazon to read more about The Good Person's Guide which you reviewed for me yesterday.
JOE: And what did you think?
CALLIOPE: Of the reviews I read, two focus more on business applications. Yours seems to stress the usefulness for a wider audience.
JOE: I see myself more from a personal than a business vantage these days. I also don't see a distinction between my work and personal identity. This is a point made in the book too.
CALLIOPE: While I was at Amazon, I saw some discussion of Kindle, the electronic book reader Amazon offers. What do you think of it?
JOE: I haven't seen one yet. I read the same information and am more intrigued now that I was before.
CALLIOPE: How so?
JOE: I would prefer to read an actual book than something on a computer screen.
CALLIOPE: Do you think Kindle is more like a computer than a book?
JOE: They claim the opposite. I guess I would have to see one to know for sure. The price is a little high for me at the moment. Maybe I will run into someone who has one so I can take a look.
CALLIOPE: What attracts you?
JOE: The availability of a wide range of reading stored in a small space. I have limited storage room now.
CALLIOPE: Anything else?
JOE: Accessibility. I would like to be able to download books easily and have them ready for easy access. We shall see. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Good. I have something special to share with you, a review I wrote about Richard Bayer's The Good Person Guidebook (NY, Five O'Clock Club Books, 2008.)
CALLIOPE: I'm all ears.

JOE: Inspirational books often tend to wander, appealing to the imagination more than to the logical mind. Not so with Richard Bayer's The Good Person's Guidebook. On the first page he makes it clear that the good person is "a person of moral excellence, but not in vacuum." Being good does not mean standing on a pedestal for passersby to admire. It means acting morally and responsibly in interactions with others.

The author describes his writing as inspired by religious principles and applicable to the business world. People not driven by religious beliefs or immersed in business will still find this book applicable to their daily lives.

Rather than simply musing about being good, Beyer presents an organized and well reasoned approach. His book is divided into three sections consisting of ways to consider living ethically, deciding what kind person to be and how to implement ethical choices in daily life.
His Seven Stories exercise helps make sense of your life so far. His Fifteen Year and Forty Year Visions offer a framework for charting your future.

I have found that readers looking for inspiration often do not want to sift through page after page of reflections in search of suggestions on ways to handle a particular life difficulty. They like brief concise treatments. Bayer provides these along with frequent suggestions for practical applications. His comprehensive table of contents and index make it easy for the reader to find a particular topic of interest.

In these days of reckless self indulgence, The Good Person Guidebook stands as a compass for readers looking to reorient their lives and live in a meaningful way.

CALLIOPE: Thanks for sharing your review. I'll look for the book.
JOE: Talk with your tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

Astoria Blvd. Subway station, New York)

JOE: Good afternoon Calliope.
CALLIOPE: I almost gave up on you today.
JOE: I've been busy. We're having people over tonight and I was busy preparing for them.
CALLIOPE: Are you ready now?
JOE: I am. I have a little time to work on writing.
CALLIOPE: I assume you got your newspaper article posted.
JOE: Yes. I have also been working my way through my most recent edit of Marital Property.
CALLIOPE: Anything else going on?
JOE: I realized this morning that with all my work on editing and marketing, I haven't done too much actual writing lately.
CALLIOPE: Does that bother you?
JOE: Yes. I wish I were writing. I realize there is much more to the whole writing undertaking that putting thoughts into words. Sometimes I wish the rest of the process would just take place on its own.
CALLIOPE: You could pay someone to look after those details.
JOE: If I had the money I could. For now, I have all the responsibilities.
CALLIOPE: Has there been any benefit to that?
JOE: I think I have reached an understanding of the writing and publishing world I would not have had otherwise. Time for me to stop complaining and get back to work. Talk with you on Monday.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(In the garden with Carol)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Restless.
CALLIOPE: What brought that on?
JOE: Yesterday afternoon I listened to a phone teleseminar by Steve Harrison about being perceived as an expert.
CALLIOPE: Did that make you restless?
JOE: One focus of the presentation was on deciding what is important and being passionate about pursuing it. I woke up this morning debating with myself about whether I want to be passionate about anything at this point in my life or whether I would just like to enjoy life for a while.
CALLIOPE: Does it have to be a choice?
JOE: Most of what I read indicates that it does. Being successful personally or financially is said to involve a passionate commitment to something close to my heart.
CALLIOPE: What would be ideal for you?
JOE: I would like to be able to share with others what I have learned about life and suggest alternatives to dangerous directions I see our society heading in. At the same time I would like to have some time to enjoy life after many working years.
CALLIOPE: So you want a compromise but read that it's not possible.
JOE: Exactly.
CALLIOPE: So what do you plan to do about it?
JOE: Find a way to reach this compromise in my way of life. How, I'm not quite sure. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Triboro Bridge, Astoria, NY)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Fine. I'm feeling back to normal.
CALLIOPE: What threw you off course?
JOE: Not getting any email the past few days and feeling out of touch with the cyberworld.
CALLIOPE: And that's corrected?
JOE: It is. I was working on a way to include an autoresponder on my website during the course of which my email was accidentally short circuited. All due to the omission of one hyphen. But now it's back in order and I have a ream of emails to wade through.
CALLIOPE: You sound overwhelmed.
JOE: Sometimes I am. I have signed up for quite a few notifications of articles related to my writing. It feels like overload at times.
CALLIOPE: What are you working on today?
JOE: Editing and marketing. I think I am finally getting to understand about keywords and ways they can be used to gain more traffic for my website. Maybe I'm a little dense, but it takes me a while to figure these things out.
CALLIOPE: Maybe they are just complicated. How about your writing.
JOE: I am continuing to read The Good Person Handbook and have been planning a review to share with you and post on Amazon.
CALLIOPE: Sounds interesting.
JOE: It's new venture for me. Hopefully it will be ready in the next few days. Talk with you tomorrow.

Conversations with Calliope- Dialogue with My Muse

(Geese on Oatka Creek, Leroy, NY)

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you this morning?
JOE: Mixed.
CALLIOPE: What's going well?
JOE: I finished and posted my column, Sticks and Stones May Break our bones. You can read it on my web sit on Saturday.
CALLIOPE: Tell me about it.
JOE: I read an article by Jodi Cohen from the Chicago Tribune in which she reported that high school students and their parents sometimes write nasty letters to colleges hoping to reduce their competition for freshman slots.
CALLIOPE: I never heard of such a thing?
JOE: I haven't either on the part of students and their parents but I saw an immediate parallel with political ads cramming the airwaves (or cable waves) lately.
CALLIOPE: What did you make of it?
JOE: I don't like the trend. As far as I am concerned it contributes to the disintegration of society.
CALLIOPE: Did you suggest any alternatives?
JOE: Yes, being more respectful of others and not feeling you have to trample others to get what you want.
CALLIOPE: Good for you. What didn't go so well yesterday?
JOE: I am having difficulty with my email hosting and haven't received any email yet this week. I'm still working on the problem. Hopefully I will have good news about this tomorrow when we talk.