Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you this morning?
JOE: Ready for another day. I have written in my journal and checked my email. Now I'm ready to go.
CALLIOPE: Tell me about yesterday.
JOE: I worked on Marital Property again. All of my major characters have made an appearance in the first person. I am still debating whether to use present or past tense in my narrative.
CALLIOPE: Why is that an issue?
JOE: I feared that present tense might get tiresome, especially in a novel length story. I decided to experiment with it and so far I like the results. I think I will continue with it at least for now.
CALLIOPE: What if you tire of it?
JOE: Then I will switch to past tense or a combination of past and present tense.
CALLIOPE: Do you have any models to consult.
JOE: I am reading Barbara Kingsolver's Poisonwood Bible as I mentioned. She uses strictly first person and present tense for the most part although I noticed some sections with past tense.
CALLIOPE: Which tense do you like better with her book?
JOE: I think I like present tense better, but that doesn't mean it will work for me.
CALLIOPE: True. It's fun to experiment though isn't it?
JOE: It is. I am happy to have this opportunity to try various approaches and be free to choose whichever I like best. Talk with you tomorrow.
West Chop Lighthouse- Martha's Vineyard)

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: I'm ready to go for the day.
CALLIOPE: What's on your agenda?
JOE: My first priority is to complete reports from police candidate screenings I did yesterday, one of my few remaining psychological duties.
CALLIOPE: Then what?
JOE: I have a column to write for Saturday and also a writers' meeting tonight in Brockport.
CALLIOPE: Have you decided on anything to read tonight?
JOE: I did just this morning. I had planned on reading a story I have been revising, but decided to do something different.
CALLIOPE: Are you going to tell me?
JOE: Hold your horses. I'm getting to it. I was reading last night about personal essays and realized many of my columns were of that genre. I decided to write one about the chandelier in the mall and also take the column for review tonight at my writers' group.
CALLIOPE: You have never submitted a column to the group?
JOE: No. I have almost always taken a book chapter for review. Lately I am working on writing style and I think this might be a good chance for input on my recent efforts.
CALLIOPE: Sounds like a good plan.
JOE: I think so. I'll let you know you know how it goes tomorrow when we speak.
(Moorish Castle- Gibraltar)

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Excited and full of energy.
CALLIOPE: I take it you had a productive day yesterday.
JOE: I did. One comment from Authornation, a new site I am trying out, suggested that the fonts were confusing in the current draft of my short story Child Bride. I wasn't sure what she meant and went back to read it. More than half of the story is internal reflection which I showed by using italics. It is confusing.
CALLIOPE: So what did you do about it?
JOE: I changed the voice and wrote the whole story in the first person eliminating the need for italics completely.
CALLIOPE: Interesting approach. How do you think it worked?
JOE: Too soon to tell. I have only received one comment so far suggesting the change made the story much clearer. Nice to know my efforts paid off.
CALLIOPE: Did you get anything else done yesterday?
JOE: I wrote my column for Saturday on walking out of a concert.
CALLIOPE: Which I can find on your website Saturday?
JOE: You're learning. It will be there.
CALLIOPE: What's up for today?
JOE: I think I'm finally ready to start recording the Ten Reasons video, barring any untoward construction noises from upstairs. Talk with you tomorrow.
(Gay Head Cliffs- Martha's Vineyard)

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you this morning?
JOE: A little slow getting in gear.
CALLIOPE: How so?
JOE: Last night Carol and I attended our second concert of the Rochester International Jazz Festival, this time Gillespiana, a tribute to Dizzy Gillespie. I am still savoring the experience.
CALLIOPE: Glad you enjoyed it. You said you wanted to be more involved in activities outside yourself.
JOE: I did. I also made another discovery.
CALLIOPE: Which is?
JOE: I had suspected a relationship between various forms of creativity. I just finished my lighthouse project, taking my time to produces a polished work.
CALLIOPE: That's nice. What did you learn?
JOE: Developing patience with my painting translated into a more polished short story as well. I spent quite a bit of time yesterday revising Child Bride. I think it came out well.
CALLIOPE: Would you like my opinion?
JOE: Sure. It's posted on www.authorsden.com. Look up Child Bride or my name.
CALLIOPE: I'll do that and let you know what I think tomorrow.
JOE: I'd appreciate it. Today I plan to continue working on creativity, starting a new lighthouse painting and using what I have learned about myself and my writing to revise my other recent story, Or Not To Be. I also have a column to write. Talk with you tomorrow.
(Exploring Grossology- Strong Museum, Rochester, NY)

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Pensive.
CALLIOPE: I think maybe you better explain that one.
JOE: Okay. Yesterday my trusted reviewer Jerry sent me his reactions to my current draft of Marital Property.
CALLIOPE: And?
JOE: He liked the story but thought the characters were too stereotyped and did not come to life.
CALLIOPE: Did his comments surprise you?
JOE: No. I felt the same thing as I was writing the story. I tried to make some revisions but I am afraid they fell short.
CALLIOPE: How do you think this happened?
JOE: I talked with Gerry about it and concluded that I have been living a fairly isolated existence lately with most of my time spent before a computer screen. I think I have become too insular and introverted. My creative juices have been drying up.
CALLIOPE: Not a good state for a writer. What do you plan to do about it?
JOE: I think I need to take a break from writing and work on restoring my creative energy maybe through art, photography and spending more time socially. I see myself as a cotton field which has been over cultivated and exhausted. It needs time to recover.
CALLIOPE: That seems to fly in the face of conventional writer wisdom to keep writing no matter what.
JOE: I realize that but I have not always been conventional. In fact, I think I am at my best when I allow myself to be unconventional. We'll talk some more about this tomorrow.
(Fishing boat- Dunkirk harbor)

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. Ready for another week?
JOE: I guess so.
CALLIOPE: You don't sound too enthused.
JOE: I feel like an alligator sleeping on the shore, too lazy to move.
CALLIOPE: What a way to start the week. Do you have anything planned?
JOE: I do. Over the weekend, I spent my free time reading which I enjoyed. However I didn't start working on the videos.
CALLIOPE: So what's your excuse?
JOE: None other than inertia. But I did set them as my main goal for this week. I received a new cable for my video camera and will try it out today. If I still can't get me camera to connect to my computer, I will proceed using my webcam although I am not thrilled by the quality. But at least it would be a start.
CALLIOPE: I agree. You seem to have trouble becoming motivated in general lately.
JOE: I guess you're right. I wrote in my journal earlier this morning that I would just as soon spend the day sitting on the porch reading again today. But I don't think I will.
CALLIOPE: Where do you suppose the answer lies?
JOE: I think in just getting myself in gear. Once I am on the move mentally, I think I can keep going, the other side of inertia.
CALLIOPE: See what you can do today. Otherwise we will need to look at more drastic steps.
JOE: Yes Ma'am. I'll do my best. Talk with you tomorrow.
(Sandwash- Batavia, NY)

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Hot, but otherwise fine.
CALLIOPE: Did you accomplish anything yesterday?
JOE: A swim, but not much else. I had little ambition yesterday and didn't even follow through with the few plans I had. However I did enjoy an outing last night with my grandson and favorite clown.
CALLIOPE: I guess we all deserve a little down time. How about today?
JOE: I don't have much time. I am baking bread and have coleslaw to prepare for this afternoon. I think the most I will accomplish will be to post my column on my website. Tomorrow I have little on the agenda and will get serious about planning my videos. I spent some time yesterday reading Maugham's Of Human Bondage, recommended for its description, particularly of characters.
CALLIOPE: And your conclusion?
JOE: Cindy was right. He does an excellent job. Recent literary fiction of my acquaintance is tricky and intricate but does not seem to have much of a plot. I think that is a missing element.
CALLIOPE: Why do you suppose this is?
JOE: Maybe life is seen as not having much purpose any more. I guess I'm not really sure. This phenomenon does not seem to appear in short stories I have read.
CALLIOPE: Something to consider. Anything happening with Commonsense Wisdom for Teens.
JOE: I have posted questions on several sites about the need for and process of obtaining teen permission for inclusion of their input.
CALLIOPE: Is there a consensus of opinion?
JOE: Questionnaire data seems OK to include but narrative seems to require parental input. The process remains somewhat of a mystery. But I will give it further thought. Talk with you Monday.
(Dishes drying- Batavia, NY)

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you this morning?
JOE: Reflective.
CALLIOPE: On what do you reflect?
JOE: Mostly my writing. I was sailing along in a cloud of hubris imagining myself the next John Updike or Ernest Hemingway.
CALLIOPE: What dissipated your cloud?
JOE: I read the contest winners' entries against which I recently competed. I thought my story was great when it wasn't, either upon reflection of my writing group or in comparison with the other entries.
CALLIOPE: What do you conclude from that?
JOE: One conclusion is that I am not the literary equal of Mozart. Finished work does not flow from my pen, at least not at this point in my writing career and probably never will. Creating a polished piece involves hard work and concentration, while at the same time remaining in a creative mode, a delicate balancing act at least for me.
CALLIOPE: Quite a realization. Does it make you reconsider your writing career?
JOE: No, but I have a new respect for the craft of writing and what it involves. I can easily create pedestrian work, but that is not my goal. I have considered my mission to help readers understand themselves and their impact on others. But I have come to realize that no one will read what I have to say if I don't make it interesting and engaging.
CALLIOPE: So it's not just a psychological challenge?
JOE: No. It's also a literary one as well. I don't know why I never realized this before. Sometimes it takes me a while to discover insights which seem obvious once I unearth them.
CALLIOPE: Well said. Now what?
JOE: I will continue writing but try to avoid distractions from my craft or at least use them as challenges and try to convert them into something creative. I'll start working on it today. Talk with you tomorrow.
(Alcatraz)

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you this morning?
JOE: Much better thanks.
CALLIOPE: Do what do we owe this resurgence?
JOE: I left for the Liftbridge Writers Group meeting last night plagued by self doubt about my writing and also wondering why my efforts were not appreciated more.
CALLIOPE: Did the meeting change your somber mood?
JOE: Indeed. What I thought made for a good story contained some glaring errors and an obvious (to everyone but me) inconsistency in the age of my protagonist which thoroughly distracted everyone including me once it came to my attention.
CALLIOPE: How did you end up submitting such a flawed piece?
JOE: I just finished pondering that matter. In my excitement about developing a story idea so quickly during the 24 hour contest, I became carried away and ignored some of the basics. When I write, I like to let a story percolate a while before I reconsider it for necessary revisions. I did not allow myself enough time for this to happen and submitted it in its raw state. No one to blame but me.
CALLIOPE: So you learned something from the experience?
JOE: I did. Next time I will build in some percolation time to let the story settle before a final review.
CALLIOPE: And you learned all this last night?
JOE: Yes and No. Our new member, Cindy, pointed out how our unconscious mind can sense what we can't articulate at the moment. I think this happened to me last night and I didn't realize what I had learned until I started writing my journal this morning. Thanks, Cindy.
CALLIOPE: So where is this story now?
JOE: Posted on Author's Den if you are interested. Look for The Child Bride under short stories at www.authorsden.com. Talk with you tomorrow.
(In Muir Woods, California)

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Okay.
CALLIOPE: You sound a little glum. What's bothering you?
JOE: I told you a while ago about the short story contest I entered. I thought I wrote a very good story.
CALLIOPE: And?
JOE: It won no prizes, not even an honorable mention.
CALLIOPE: So?
JOE: Now I am beginning to doubt my writing. I have noticed more difficulty lately being creative.
CALLIOPE: Have you thought about seeking some other reactions to your writing?
JOE: I have. Two people I respect are currently reading Marital Property and will no doubt return honest appraisals. I will also post Child Bride and Or Not To Be in two on-line communities for feedback. I am also meeting with Lift Bridge Writers Group and will share one of my stories, probably Child Bride.
CALLIOPE: Do you think the religious criticism overtones of Child Bride had any influence on the contest judges?
JOE: I wish I knew, but they don't offer any feedback. I do plan to read the winners and see how they differ from my writing.
CALLIOPE: Good idea. It's always good to consider the source in assessing opinions.
JOE: You're right. Maybe I'm selling myself short. I will defer judgment. Talk with you tomorrow.

(California Shoreline)

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How was your weekend.
JOE: I enjoyed it. On Saturday I worked on my story and on Sunday I relaxed and read.
CALLIOPE: Tell me about the story.
JOE: Okay. I told you I was working on it, but not furiously. I transferred what I had written to the computer and reviewed what I had written.
CALLIOPE: How do you usually write a story?
JOE: I usually start with a theme and begin writing. As I progress I develop the characters, plot and ending.
CALLIOPE: Did this one work that way?
JOE: For the most part. I took a walk after transcribing what I had written. When I returned, I had in my head quite a few ideas about ways to strengthen my presentation. I also had the ending in mind.
CALLIOPE: Did you finish it?
JOE: Not yet. I plan to today or tomorrow so I will have it ready for the Liftbridge Writers Group tomorrow night.
CALLIOPE: When can I see it?
JOE: I will post it on Critique Circle and Author's Den probably on Wednesday and let you know when it is ready for your viewing.
CALLIOPE: I can't wait.
JOE: I'm excited about it too. This is the first short story I have written in some time. Talk with you tomorrow.
(Cable Car- San Francisco)

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Having a little difficulty realizing that I finally reached the end of my second edit of Marital Property.
CALLIOPE: It's certainly a milestone. Next it is off to your readers?
JOE: Not my public but to Carol and Gerry who have been most helpful to me in the past.
CALLIOPE: What do you expect of them?
JOE: H0nesty. I count on them to tell me how the story comes across to them and whether I need to make any major shifts in emphasis.
CALLIOPE: Anything else?
JOE: Yes. They will also tell me when they encounter awkward phrasing and when I am not clear in how I express myself.
CALLIOPE: Good. Have you ever considered using a professional editor?
JOE: The thought has occurred to me. I think there would be advantages and disadvantages. A professional editor would probably be somewhat more objective although my traditional readers have not pulled any punches in the past and I don't expect them to this time.
CALLIOPE: Any other thoughts?
JOE: I fear that a professional editor would look at my work chiefly in terms of its commercial potential, although this might not be entirely fair. My personal editors know me, what I am trying to say and what my goals are. I don't think a professional editor would approach my work in these terms. Of course, I can't say any of this for sure since I have never engaged one.
CALLIOPE: Do you know what other writers' experience has been?
JOE: No, but that's a good question. I would like to find out and will research it in my writer communities. Maybe someone will share their experience here as well. You're all invited. Talk with you on Monday.
(Muir Woods- California)

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Doing well. Despite a rather busy day, I did make considerable headway with editing Marital Property.
CALLIOPE: How much headway?
JOE: I am within striking distance of the end and plan to finish it this morning.
CALLIOPE: Good. What's the next step?
JOE: I have two readers ready to go to work.
CALLIOPE: Professional editors?
JOE: No. But both tend to be quite attentive to detail and in the past have pointed out difficulties which eluded me.
CALLIOPE: How did the difficulties get past you?
JOE: When I am deeply involved in a manuscript, I sometimes overlook problems or typos which I think I would notice in someone else's manuscript.
CALLIOPE: Have you had any experience editing others' work, particularly fiction?
JOE: Yes. I joined a group called Critique Circle in which we read and comment on each other's fiction. I have found it helpful in approaching my own writing more critically.
CALLIOPE: It sounds like you are on the right track.
JOE: I think so. Later today I will return to my marketing efforts. But more about that tomorrow.
(Sand Wash- Batavia, NY)

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Good. I have been busy. I was up at 5:30 to take Carol's son Mike and his partner Joe to Rochester for their bus back to New York. Then Carol and I had breakfast at Scooters and here I am preparing for my interview.
CALLIOPE: What interview?
JOE: The Daily News in Batavia is planning an article on The Pastor's Inferno and is coming here to interview me for it.
CALLIOPE: What do you plan to say?
JOE: I've just been wondering about that. I sent them a copy of Ten Reasons for and against buying my book and might focus on that.
CALLIOPE: Anything else?
JOE: I would like to discuss my writing development to some extent as well as what brought me to write the book. I sent them a copy and some publicity but don't know what focus they plan to take.
CALLIOPE: Any other points you wish to make?
JOE: I would like to stress it's being a novel for the thinking person, my fantasy of what might take place in an abusive priest's mind. I think my main point is that understanding such a priest gives us all an insight into the human condition in which we all live.
CALLIOPE: That sounds like a good approach.
JOE: I hope so. I think it might sell more copies if I could make it sound slick, but that's against my nature and also the purpose of the book.
CALLIOPE: Good that you recognize that.
JOE: I think so. I'll do my best and see what happens. I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow.
(St Paul's Monastery- Pittsburgh, PA)

Commonsense Wisdom for Everyday Life

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Cranking along quite well.
CALLIOPE: What have you been up to?
JOE: Yesterday was technology day. I bought a new digital camera to use capturing more photos for you to look at while reading our posts in Blogger. It took a while to get the software involved and working
CALLIOPE: Sounds like fun.
JOE: Sometimes it can be a challenge.
CALLIOPE: What else?
JOE: Posting an audio proved harder than I thought it would be. I have posted it on my website, Commonsense Wisdom, and I think on MySpace but the message says they are still processing it, whatever that means. I also learned there are royalty free sites for music although there is still a download cost, at least for some of them.
CALLIOPE: What other challenges await you today?
JOE: I finally started my story, Or Not To Be, last night. I also need to get going on my column for Saturday which I will base on a Simon and Garfunkel song, or at least that's the current plan.
CALLIOPE: Let me know how it turns out.
JOE: The Daily News also called and will come next week to conduct an interview for an article on Marital Property. I'm looking forward to it and feel prepared after the interview with Phil Davis.
CALLIOPE: Sounds like you are making progress.
JOE: I think so. Now it's just a matter of juggling everything and keeping all the balls in the air. See you tomorrow.
(The Lagoon- Martha's Vineyard)

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you this morning?
JOE: Still trying to digest yesterday's letter to the editor about my recent column on priest sexual abuse.
CALLIOPE: What's the problem?
JOE: A reader interpreted my column as an attack on the Catholic Church rather than an inquiry into the nature of abuse.
CALLIOPE: What did he say about you?
JOE: That I seemed to be ignoring the abuse among others charged with care of children and was singling out priests, only a small minority of whom abuse teens.
CALLIOPE: How do you plan to handle it.
JOE: I'm considering it. A friend suggested a brief acknowledgment of the writer's position and then moving on.
CALLIOPE: How does that sound?
JOE: It's good advice. At the end of his letter, the writer says, "Maybe Dr. Langen would agree with me that an honest, courageous and thorough study of this psychological condition is desperately needed because it is spreading."
CALLIOPE: Do you agree with him?
JOE: I do, but also think there are cultural and institutional factors bearing consideration as well. Maybe I can just restate that and move on.
CALLIOPE: Good idea. I guess you have to be careful about what you write.
JOE: I guess so. Explaining my entire position in a five hundred word column can be daunting. If it stirs up controversy or need for further discussion, maybe that's not so bad. See you tomorrow.
(Carol at the spice market- Marigot, St. Martin)

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Better.
CALLIOPE: On what account?
JOE: I solved my webcam problem.
CALLIOPE: How?
JOE: After considerable gymnastics (mental, physical and electronic), I reached the conclusion that my first webcam was a dud, or at least not about to cooperate with the machinations of my computer. Back it went, and then I tracked down another which worked fine from the outset.
CALLIOPE: Glad to hear it. Is your mind at rest?
JOE: At least it's relieved. I still have much to learn about webcam workings but at least the immediate crisis is past. However I wasted time I could have used on my writing.
CALLIOPE: Did you get anything done along that line?
JOE: I did some work on editing Marital Property and also critiqued a story on Critique Circle.
CALLIOPE: What about creative writing?
JOE: Critiquing stories reminded me that I haven't written anything original for a while with all my efforts going to editing and marketing. I have been working in a story idea.
CALLIOPE: Care to share?
JOE: I met a woman in Martha's Vineyard several years ago, best described as a character. Such denizens are in no short supply on the Vineyard. I thought it might be interesting to write a story about her, or at least about what I imagine her life to be about. I plan to start working on it this afternoon.
CALLIOPE: I am looking forward to it.
JOE: I will most likely post it in one or two of my writing groups and will let you know when it's ready. Off to work. Talk with you tomorrow.
(Vineyard Haven Bay- Martha's Vineyard, MA)