Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning, Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning, Joe. Glad to have you back. What's new this morning?
JOE: Not much. I spent yesterday after being reattached to the internet catching up on e-mail and other sundries. I also wrote a little more of the chapter I was working on in Marital Property about the husband's conversation with his best friend.
CALLIOPE: How's that going?
JOE: Pretty good. I spent some time working on personality patterns for each of the two characters and their interaction on a theoretical level. It helped when it came time to write the dialogue.
CALLIOPE: How does it help?
JOE: I think it makes the characters more alive and well defined as opposed to all sounding the same.
CALLIOPE: That's good. You don't want to bore people. What's on the docket for today?
JOE: I plan to finish the chapter I'm working on. I have been thinking about publishing lately. I tend to get frustrated with the process of traditional publishing and wonder if I will ever attract an agent much less a publisher. For now I'll keep trying. If I can, I would rather not go the route of self publishing again, partly due to my finances and partly due to wanting to keep my efforts directed toward my writing rather than having to take on the whole other worlds of marketing and publicity by myself. But it may come to that anyway.
CALLIOPE: I guess you never know. It's sort of like a lottery. Keep at it a while and see what happens.
JOE: I will for now. I guess it is a challenge to my creativity to come up with an irresistable query letter.
CALLIOPE: Have you done your homework on that?
JOE: Yes. I have read plenty and tried to use what I have read. But so far no success. I will keep at it for a while longer. See you later.

(Metal sculpture- Polar Bears- Peter Langen)

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good afternoon, Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good afternoon, Joe. I thought you had abandoned me.
JOE: Perish the thought. My internet connection suddenly died on Sunday afternoon and I lost contact with the electronic world, phone included. But I have not forgotten you.
CALLIOPE: I'm glad. Did you get any writing done in the meantime?
JOE: Yes. I was able to complete two and a half chapters of Martal Property during the cyber-hiatus.
CALLIOPE: At least you didn't sit around twiddling your thumbs. Any other adventures.
JOE: I developed new business cards for my writing and psychology practice which I will limit to marriage counseling and chemical dependency evaluations from now on. I also completed a brochure on my private practice activities.
CALLIOPE: You have been busy. Any word on the publishing front?
JOE: No. I am still waiting to hear from my publisher friend and movie producer. If I don't hear from either of them by the end of the week I will proceed with my efforts to find an agent on my own at least until I tire of it.
CALLIOPE: Then what?
JOE: I will again consider self publishing. I guess I would rather not resort to that but I may have to. That's about it for now.

(Spiral staircase at Charlotte Lighthouse- Rochester, NY)

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. I missed you yesterday.
JOE: It was quite hectic. On Monday I wandered around Rochester with my brother from Hawaii. In the course of our hegira, I bought a new printer and set it up yesterday morning. At first it would shoot out three pages, eat one and spit it out and print nothing. After two hours on the phone with someone who seemed to be living in India (He wasn't sure how to spell "street,) I was as far as it printing out a jumble of colors, none of which were intended. I ended up exchanging it for one that works.
CALLIOPE: And then?
JOE: My goal yesterday was to write a Thanksgiving column on gratitude. It took me quite a while to get back into the gratitude mood which initially motivated me.
CALLIOPE: So you finally got it done?
JOE: I did, but that was about all.
CALLIOPE: I see. What about today?
JOE: I plan to work on my Christmas booklet this morning and see if I can get it to a draft stage. This afternoon, I will work on the novel.
CALLIOPE: At least you have a plan.
JOE: I do. And I better get going on it before I run out of day again.
CALLIOPE: Have a nice Thanksgiving.
JOE: I will and thanks for being you.

(Sculpture at Charlotte Beach-Rochester, NY)

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning, Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning, Joe. How was your weekend?
JOE: Pretty good. I had planned to finish the chapter I was working on Saturday but got involved again in the agent search.
CALLIOPE: How did that go?
JOE: I confirmed my sense about one agent and sent my publisher friend a post about him asking if he knew him and would recommend me to him. I haven't heard from him yet.
CALLIOPE: So what about the writing?
JOE: I didn't get to it. I also had to bake a loaf of bread for my life partner's aunt. I also worked on a Christmas booklet I am developing as gifts and possibly for sale. However I did get to the chapter on Sunday and was able to finish it longhand since I was not near my computer.
CALLIOPE: Have you written your material longhand before?
JOE: I did a while ago. I wrote one whole book longhand and then transposed it to the computer.
CALLIOPE: What was that like?
JOE: I try to just concentrate on the story now and am saving the editing for later. When I write longhand, it is difficult not to edit while I am transposing it. It distracts me somewhat from the story.
CALLIOPE: That is a consideration. How about today?
JOE: My brother is in town from Hawaii and I plan to spend the afternoon and evening with him. I jut got back from breakfast with my daughter. I guess I won't have much time today for writing. I also need to compose a column for Saturday.
CALLIOPE: It looks like another day off from writing.
JOE: It does. But I am hoping that talking with him might give me some writing ideas. I had a talk on the phone last night with his girlfriend who was very positive about The Pastor's Inferno. It was nice to get her feedback. It keeps me going. Well, time to prepare for my journey.

(Sculpture at Charlotte Beach, Rochester,NY

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. What have you been up to?
JOE: As I suspected, I did not do any actual writing yesterday. I had photographs to print, work to do on my Christmas booklet and mostly research on agents.
CALLIOPE: Tell me about the Christmas booklet.
JOE: It will consist of selected blogs from before I started conversing with you. They touch briefly on commonsense topics. I am hoping to have enough for a booklet.
CALLIOPE: How is the agent search coming?
JOE: It's getting there. I found an agent who works with children's and adult books, seems interested in a variety of topics, and even represented a book with a theme of Dante. I am thinking he might be a good bet but am doing some research on him and will check with my publishing friend.
CALLIOPE: It sounds promising. Was it much work?
JOE: Quite a bit. I am glad I have the internet. I don't know if I could ever find the information I have without it.
CALLIOPE: Good. Keep at it.
JOE: I will. I plan to finish the chapter I was working on later today and think about the next chapters over the rest of the weekend.
CALLIOPE: It sounds like you are working on getting back into the groove.
JOE: I am. I think next time I go away, I will make sure to do some work on my current project each day so I don't lose touch.

(Ladder- Charlotte Lighthouse- Rochester, NY)

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning, Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning, Joe. How are you this morning?
JOE: Feeling rather busy. I went for a massage, made a card for Carol for our eleventh anniversary of being together and one for her brother and sister-in-law's recognition dinner tonight. I have also been working on booklets I plan to use as Christmas presents.
CALLIOPE: I guess you are busy. What about yesterday?
JOE: I started the day determined to find some agents who might be appropriate. It's a little complicated but I need agents who handle children's as well as adult books who have worked with my publishing friend.
CALLIOPE: Any luck?
JOE: No. I found some who had worked with him but they only handle children's books.
CALLIOPE: So now what?
JOE: I sent him an e-mail asking him if he could suggest any agents and that I would determine whether they worked with adult books if necessary.
CALLIOPE: Did you do any writing?
JOE: No. But I did finally call the film producer I know. I had not received a reply to my e-mail.
CALLIOPE: Any better luck with the phone call?
JOE: Yes. I talked with her most pleasant secretary. I should have called in the first place. She gets thousands of e-mails and it would have been better to call. Her secretary will let her know I called and we shall see what develops.
CALLIOPE: Do you have any writing plans for today?
JOE: I'm not sure yet. I have a few more things to do today and then have a party to go to tonight. Maybe it will have to wait until tomorrow.
CALLIOPE: I guess you were right about it being hard to regain momentum.
JOE: Yes. But my plan all along was to interrupt my writing when need be to pursue publication for my last book. Well, back to work.

(Grand Central Station from the roof of the Yale Club- NY)

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning, Calliope.

CALLIOPE: Good morning, Joe. How are you this morning?

JOE: Off to a rather slow start. Maybe I am still a bit groggy from my recent trip. It seems hard to get started today.

CALLIOPE: What did you accomplish yesterday?

JOE: I started the next chapter of Marital Property but was not quite into it. I guess taking a break for a few days does not help with continuity.

CALLIOPE: No it doesn't. What else did you do?

JOE: I started doing some research to find agents who had worked with my publishing friend so I could ask him for recommendations to specific agents rather than leaving the work of winnowing them to him.

CALLIOPE: Kind of you. Do you think it is time well spent?

JOE: Yes. He is doing me a favor. It can only help to give him a head start if I can.

CALLIOPE: How's it going?

JOE: Rather slow. I found a couple agents but my research on them indicates that they work only with children's books. I plan to work my way down the list today and see if I can find any who might be willing to work with adult fiction.

CALLIOPE: Sounds like a plan. Anything else going on today?

JOE: Yes, quite a bit. I signed up to exhibit photos in a show at the arts council and need to drop them off today or tomorrow after I get them framed. I have a whole list of things to do. I better get started.

(Sunrise- Batavia, NY)

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning, Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning, Joe. How was your trip?
JOE: Great. It's always nice to spend some time in New York, especially with Mike and Joe. The wedding was excellent, about the fanciest I can remember attending. It was at the Yale Club and had a great view of the city from the 24th floor roof in addition to everything else.
CALLIOPE: What else did you do?
JOE: Carol and I were a little more laid back than usual since we had four days to spend this time. We visitited St. John the Divine, or at least what was open after their fire several years ago. It was cavornous and quite interesting although not nearly as old as Westiminster Abbey. We also visitited the Guggenheim Museum which I had not seen since the 1960's. I still did not like it as much as any of the other museums in New York. But there were some good paintings.
CALLIOPE: Anything along creative lines for you?
JOE: Yes. Two things. I always feel energized visiting New York and came back ready to start again. I also ran into my publisher friend on the street who promised to explore some agents for me.
CALLIOPE: That must have been exciting.
JOE: It was. I plan to post him this morning and see what he can find for me. I think I probabaly need a recommendation to find an agent or somehow become instantly famous, which I don't think I can count on.
CALLIOPE: Well, you better get going while you are pumped up.
JOE: I agree. Talk with you later.

(Skylight- Guggenheim Museum, New York)

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning, Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning, Joe. How are you this morning?
JOE: Feeling pretty much back to normal. Yesterday was a busy one.
CALLIOPE: What did you do?
JOE: First, I finished the chapter I was working on: dinner with the family. I don't write very many scenes with a bunch of people, so it was different.
CALLIOPE: What makes it so hard?
JOE: I don't like using "he said" or "she said" tags. So I have to make it clear who is talking in other ways. It's not so hard with two people, but a little more complicated with a group of people.
CALLIOPE: Sounds like a challenge.
JOE: It is. Yesterday I wrote and sent out a column on keeping law and order in balance. I also worked on revising my private practice web site. I decided I need to earn a little money to pay for some of my writing projects. It was quite a project since I could not find my original files and had to reconstruct them before making changes. If you are interested it is at http://www.slidingotter.com/.
CALLIOPE: You're not getting wealthy writing?
JOE: Not yet. It would be nice, but that's still down the road, or at least I hope it is. In the mean time, I have enough money for basics but not for things like extensive travel or up-front money for projects like self publishing if it comes to that.
CALLIOPE: Sounds like you're looking ahead a bit.
JOE: I am. No point waiting until everything comes to a standstill before deciding what to do. I believe in being at least a little prepared.
CALLIOPE: Sounds like a good idea. No starving artist life for you?
JOE: No thanks. I have to be careful with my money now but I'm not in the poor house. Well, back to work.

(Railroad tracks- Batavia, NY)

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning, Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning, Joe. How are you today?
JOE: Better. I am ready for a return to my usual self after dragging around for a couple days.
CALLIOPE: Did it slow you down?
JOE: Not really. I finished composing The Pastor's Inferno in Pagemaker. It is ready to convert to a PDF if I decide to pursue self publishing.
CALLIOPE: Good. How about Marital Property?
JOE: I did some work on that as well. My main characters are set for further get-togethers with best friends and siblings. The children are also trying to figure out how to manage what is going on.
CALLIOPE: Is that going smoothly?
JOE: Yes, but a little slow. I am working on incorporating Vineyard details and have realized I don't know quite as much about the place as I thought.
CALLIOPE: Accuracy does take some doing. Anything new on the publishing front?
JOE: Not yet. I am trying to be patient but nothing seems to be happening so far. I am wondering if I should approach more agents and if so, what I could do differently.
CALLIOPE: You seem to have done what you can on your own. The only other option seems to arrange an introduction.
JOE: Easier said than done. But I will keep my eyes and ears open for oipportunities.
CALLIOPE: What's on the docket for today?
JOE: More work on Marital Property. I also have a column to write for Saturday's Daily News.
CALLIOPE: You better get on it.
JOE: I am. I think I might write about the challenge of law and order.
CALLIOPE: Sounds interesting.
JOE: I hope so. And so to work.

(Alley's Store- Chilmark, MA)

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning, Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning, Joe. How are you feeling today?
JOE: Better I think whatever I had bugging me is receding.
CALLIOPE: Did you do any writing yesterday?
JOE: Yes. I worked on Marital Property but it was slow going.
CALLIOPE: How so?
JOE: For some reason I was working on a chapter which involved a great deal of geographical and historical detail such as the Vineyard, Cape Cod and New Bedford.
CALLIOPE: It is extra work, but it should make the story more interesting.
JOE: I hope so. I finished a chapter of the husband's reflections which I had not even planned to write. Sometimes characters have a mind of their own.
CALLIOPE: Well, I must admit, I give them ideas sometimes. Did you do anything else yesterday?
JOE: I thought more about self publication and worked on putting the manuscript of The Pastor's Inferno into press ready format. I think I am getting better at using Pagemaker.
CALLIOPE: Have you given up on traditional publication?
JOE: No, but I haven't heard from anyone who could help me and I think I am getting prepared just in case.
CALLIOPE: I guess it's good to be prepared.
JOE: I guess the key to satisfaction in wirting is being flexible. Back to work.

(Beach rose- Nantucket)

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning, Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning, Joe. How have you been?
JOE: A little under the weather the last couple days. I thought I was getting a cold but it seems to be passing.
CALLIOPE: The immune system wins again.
JOE: I hope. I received two rejections from agents and am still waiting for the third reply. I put in quite a bit of efffort to choose appropriate agents but not a nibble from my efforts so far.
CALLIOPE: So now what?
JOE: I am still waiting to hear from the third agent and from my film producer friend. I also sent a post to my publishing contact asking him if he knew any agents I could approach. I have pretty much reached the conclusion that in order to retain agents, one must be among the already famous or be referred by someone they trust.
CALLIOPE: If anything comes of these efforts, I assume you will continue with the traditional publishing route.
JOE: Of course. If not, I will probably try a few more agents on my own but at the same time look more seriously at self publishing. I have already started brushing up on my PageMaker skills.
CALLIOPE: Anything different from the last two books?
JOE: I don't have the funds to just use a printer and am considering POD publishing. I have the skills to produce print-ready copy and a cover. So it would not be too expensive. In that case I will need to get serious about marketing and publicity.
CALLIOPE: Are you looking forward to this?
JOE: No. But I think it might be the only way I can sell any books. When I just get them printed, I tend to give them away.
CALLIOPE: You won't get rich that way.
JOE: I know it. But that's not my primary reason for writing anyway. Maybe I need to find another source of income.
CALLIOPE: Well, do what you have to.
JOE: I will give it some thought.

(View of Rocky Mountains- Estes Park, CO)

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning, Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning, Joe. What's new with your writing?
JOE: I don't know if anything is new but I am continuing to work on my novel.
CALLIOPE: In what way?
JOE: I did a little writing, but mostly spent my time yesterday doing research on divorce in Massachusetts.
CALLIOPE: What about your own experience?
JOE: I got out my divorce file. It was depressing to even open it. I was not sure I wanted to wade back into my own divorce and become mired. Besides, I thought things might be different in Massachusetts where my story takes place.
CALLIOPE: I understand. You do have some distance from your own experience, but still the memories remain or can at least be stirred up adding unpleasantness. Are things that different in Massachusetts?
JOE: As a matter of fact they are. They are a little easier on grounds for divorce and have no-fault which they don't here in New York. On the other hand, they don't have any such thing as legal separation or using a year's separation as grounds for divorce.
CALLIOPE: I guess it's good you looked. Do you feel ready to proceed with your new found information?
JOE: I do. I think I can now write the next two chapters on meetings of each spouse with their respective attorneys.
CALLIOPE: Okay. On with it.
JOE: I'm ready.

(Beach near Aquinnah, Martha's Vineyard)

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning, Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning, Joe. How are things today?
JOE: Fine. I started a chapter yesterday on my wife's meeting with her attorney. I got as far as the office when I realized I had some research to do.
CALLIOPE: Such as?
JOE: First, I needed to document personality characteristics of her attorney and how the two of them might interact.
CALLIOPE: Anything else?
JOE: I thought I might as well do the same for the husband's attorney and the interaction between the two of them. Both sets are finished.
CALLIOPE: Now are you ready to proceed?
JOE: Not quite. I need to do some research on the divorce process and legal aspects of the proceedings. I am familiar with what happens in New York, but not in Massachusetts where my story takes place.
CALLIOPE: Do you think it will be hard to find what you need?
JOE: I don't think so. I have had good luck with internet research and also know a couple lawyers I can consult if need be.
CALLIOPE: Sounds like you will be busy today.
JOE: Yes. I'm ready to get going.

(Fisherman's Monument- Menemsha, Martha's Vineyard)

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning, Calliope.

CALLIOPE: Good morning, Joe. How are you this morning?

JOE: Good. I sat down to write a chapter of Marital Property yesterday and ended up writing two instead.

CALLIOPE: How do you suppose that happened?

JOE: I was planning to write a dinner scene with the family next but had also thought about a scene in bed with the parents. Once I started I just kept going. I was surprised how easily they both emerged.

CALLIOPE: Sometimes it happens that way. Maybe you were just anxious to write a sex scene.

JOE: Could be. It's the first time I wrote about sexual intercourse between two people.

CALLIOPE: What have you been waiting for?

JOE: A relationship where such a scene would be expected. I guess I could have put one in my last novel, but my protagonist was more drawn to boys.

CALLIOPE: I see. What was it like to write it?

JOE: I discovered that sex is not so easy to put into words. But then, many people don't talk about their encounters in detail.

CALLIOPE: Were you satisfied with what you wrote?

JOE: I'm glad I got it written. But I won't know if I am satisfied with it until I get to the revision stage and look at it from several different angles.

CALLIOPE: Will you wait until you finish the first draft?

JOE: Yes. I have learned from experience that it interrupts the flow of the story if I stop to edit what I have written before the story is finished.

CALLIOPE: Good thinking. I guess we will revisit this topic again.

JOE: I guess so. TTFN

(World War II Navajo Code Talkers)

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning, Calliope.

CALLIOPE: Good morning, Joe. How are you this morning?

JOE: Quite good. I finally received the e-mail address of the film producer I met a couple years ago.

CALLIOPE: And what are your intentions with her?

JOE: She has produced some films with meaning and not "high concept." I think she might be interested in considering The Pastor's Inferno.

CALLIOPE: Did you approach her?

JOE: Yes. I sent her an e-mail introducing my novel accompanied by a synopsis.

CALLIOPE: What do you think the chances are of her being interested?

JOE: I can't say. But if I don't try I will never know.

CALLIOPE: Well put. Any other developments?

JOE: Yes. I found an agent who handles books with spiritual connotations. I will query him today. I was planning to expand my agent search anyway but I think he might have some promise for me.

CALLIOPE: And your writing?

JOE: I wrote another chapter involving the children considering what they could do to help and how they might approach their parents.

CALLIOPE: Are you happy with your progress?

JOE: I am resigned to it coming in short bursts as far as the novel. I tend to think about each chapter for about a day before I write it. This also worked well with The Pastor's Inferno.

CALLIOPE: I'm glad you found an approach that works. On with the the show.

JOE: Okay, I'm ready for today.

(Church stove heater- Genesee Country Village)

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning, Calliope.

CALLIOPE: Good morning, Joe. What's up this morning?

JOE: I had to struggle to meet my writing goal on Saturday.

CALLIOPE: Tell me about it.

JOE: I planned to at least finish the chapter with my wife and her sister on the beach. I put it off all day until I had barely enough time to finish it. I knew I would be mad at myself if I didn't and just set down and wrote. At first I said I would at least write a little but once I got going I was compelled to finish the chapter.

CALLIOPE: How did that feel?

JOE: Like an accomplishment. Sometimes I have to wrestle with myself to get going but once I do, I enjoy writing.

CALLIOPE: Sounds like an inertia problem. I guess you just have to push yourself to get going sometimes.

JOE: It reminds me of my Uncle Dick's Model T. Most of the time he had to get it rolling down a hill and kick it into gear.

CALLIOPE: I guess times have not changed all that much. How about today?

JOE: I have been working on ideas for several chapters. Cynthia's sister suggested consulting a lawyer which I had not considered but now I think both spouses had better see one. I also have more to do about the children and a supper scene with the whole family.

CALLIOPE: Sounds like it is moving along pretty well.

JOE: It is. I just have to make sure I get my fingers moving every day.

CALLIOPE: Well, don't let me get in your way.

JOE: I won't. Talk with you later.

(Nineteenth century printing press-Genesee Country Village)

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning, Calliope.

CALLIOPE: Good morning, Joe. How are we this morning?

JOE: I can't speak for you, but I'm doing pretty well.

CALLIOPE: What news?

JOE: In this morning's paper, the column above mine was a rant about the war and its cost financially and in human life. Right under it was mine about finding ways to get along with people.

CALLIOPE: Did you think they fit together?

JOE: To some extent. They are opposite sides of the same coin. The problem is that getting more angry does not usually incline us to find ways to get along.

CALLIOPE: Agreed. So where does that leave you?

JOE: With parallel approaches. But I guess that's okay. I will keep doing what I am doing.

CALLIOPE: And how about the book?

JOE: I'm making some progress. I started the next chapter but found I needed to do some research.

CALLIOPE: Such as?

JOE: Such as where my wife's shop is located in Edgartown. I was in one just like the one I use in the novel. I also had to scout out a restaurant for my wife and her sister to lunch at before going out to Chappaquiddick for the afternoon.

CALLIOPE: So you did get some writing done?

JOE: Yes, but not as much as I would have liked. It seems things such as arrangements for my writers group keep cropping up.

CALLIOPE: That's life unless you want to be a hermit. At least you are moving in the right direction and got something done.

JOE: I plan to do some writing today and feel in the mood to at least finish this chapter and then think over the weekend about where to head next.

CALLIOPE: Be patient with yourself. It doesn't all have to be written at once.

JOE: That's sometimes hard to remember. I guess I need to learn how to slow down and enjoy the process more. There is really no rush.

CALLIOPE: Agreed. Besides you don't want to tax your muse too much.

(Lighthouse- Nantucket)

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning, Calliope.

CALLIOPE: Good morning, Joe. How goes it today.

JOE: Good. I learned what I needed to about Medicare supplement plans yesterday for the moment. I also weathered a board meeting.

CALLIOPE: Do you find all this distracting from your writing?

JOE: Yes and no. It takes time away from my writing but it does give me some other things to think about. I met several people in various stages of dealing with Medicare and got to know a little about their lives. I also got a sense of all the things lacking in our mental health system.

CALLIOPE: So what do you do with all that information?

JOE: File it in case I need it at some point. I have come to realize I can't save the world but knowing its ills helps me focus on things I can address through my writing.

CALLIOPE: How do you see your role?

JOE: To help people think about ways to envision their lives and also to realize that there might be other ways to view things and to interact with people.

CALLIOPE: Do you feel you are accomplishing anything?

JOE: Sometimes I do. I receive favorable comments from people I meet in my wanderings. But sometimes I am overwhelmed with the problems in the world and wonder if anything can make a difference.

CALLIOPE: I guess all you can do is your part.

JOE: I agree. I am trying to stay focused on that rather than all that needs to be done. If I do my part, maybe others will do theirs.

CALLIOPE: So how about the book?

JOE: I finally finished the chapter between my husband and his brother. It took a while, but the writing came easier yesterday. I guess it varies from day to day.

CALLIOPE: Yes it does. How about today?

JOE: I have fewer distractions. All I have on my schedule besides writing is a trip to the farmer's market, working out at the Y and doing some laundry.

CALLIOPE: So what's the writing plan for today?

JOE: I will focus on my wife meeting with her sister and finding a conducive spot on Chappaquiddick for their conversation.

CALLIOPE: Have you been there?

JOE:Once I drove out to the end of it with Carol stopping to look at Ted Kennedy's famous bridge spot. It is about as far from civilization as you can get on the Vineyard, but should be a good spot for a heart to heart.

CALLIOPE: I am looking forward to seeing what develops.

JOE: So am I. I guess it is time to get on with it.

(Ferry from Nantucket to Oak Bluffs)

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning, Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning, Joe. How are you this morning?
JOE: Feeling a little discombobulated.
CALLIOPE: How so?
JOE: I expected to get a fair amount of writing done yesterday, but didn't manage to do much at all.
CALLIOPE: What happened?
JOE: I started out with good intentions. However I was waylaid by work for my writers' group, baking cracked wheat bread, working out at the Y, two appointments and the soup crisis.
CALLIOPE: What appointments?
JOE: I still see a few people now and then for a little extra income until I make it big with my writing.
CALLIOPE: Is that why you write?
JOE: No. I write because it is exciting and I think I have something to say to the world about how to live and how to do it constructively with others.
CALLIOPE: Lofty goal. What about the soup crisis?
JOE: I planned on making pea soup and had all the ingredients. I found I had a little too much for my crock pot and decided to make it in a large stew pot instead. While it was cooking, I went to the Y for some exercise. When I returned, the house smelled terrible. I discovered the water had been boiled away and the peas burned to the bottom of the pot. As I say, a mess. And I had promised to provide Carol with bread and soup for dinner.
CALLIOPE: Then what?
JOE: I spent quite a bit of time cleaning up and airing out the house. I also found ingredients for borscht and decided to make that instead. Fortunately it turned out fine and was something Carol had never tried. She liked it.
CALLIOPE: Did you get any writing done?
JOE: A little. My husband and his brother finished breakfast, walked out to the lighthouse and headed for Menemsha. All in all a meager output.
CALLIOPE: Do you think you will get more done today?
JOE: If I get right to it. I am meeting with the powers that be this afternoon about Medicare and its finer points. Later I have a board meeting at Mental Health.
CALLIOPE: Sometimes it goes like that and only dribs and drabs end up on paper in a given day. But just think about what one or two pages a day adds up to in a year. Okay, lets not waste any more time. On with the show.
JOE: Agreed. See you at the manuscript.

(West Chop Lighthouse- Vineyard Haven)

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning, Calliope.

CALLIOPE: Good morning, Joe. How are things this morning.

JOE: Good. I had hoped to write another chapter yesterday but got waylaid by the need to write a newspaper column. I did manage to at least start the chapter.

CALLIOPE: Did you write about commonsense and the cowboy mentality?

JOE: Indeed I did. I was afraid it would be too political but I managed to keep it focused on the individual person rather than our current country leaders. After all, almost half of us elected the current leadership.

CALLIOPE: A tad sarcastic. But you are right. Our national leaders and local ones for that matter can only lead us if we let them.

JOE: I focused on my frustration about trying to stay positive and seeing such negative news suggesting we are becoming a nation of gunslingers (literally or figuratively.)

CALLIOPE: So, with that out of your system, what about your book.

JOE: I reviewed my enneagram typings for my husband and his brother and had them meet at the Martha's Vineyard ferry dock in Vineyard Haven. As we speak they are suspended in mid conversation while they wait for their omelets at the Black Dog Restaurant.

CALLIOPE: I hope they get a little farther today.

JOE: I hope so too. They are planning a walk out to West Chop Lighthouse and then a drive on to Menemsha and a walk on the beach.

CALLIOPE: Walking seems to be a fairly prominent theme.

JOE: Yes it does. I plan to incorporate what they encounter on their walk as reinforcing what they discuss.

CALLIOPE: Good idea. How will you accomplish it?

JOE: I was hoping you would help.

CALLIOPE: I'll keep my eyes open. Let's get going.

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning, Calliope.

CALLIOPE: Good morning, Joe. What's new today?

JOE: I spent a fair amount of time working on enneagrams for the two children.

CALLIOPE: Did you end up using what you developed?

JOE: Later in the day I did. I wrote about another conversation between the children after school and felt I had a better sense of how they would both react to things.

CALLIOPE: Good. What's next?

JOE: Today I will work on enneagrams for the husband's brother and wife's best friend, both of whom are appearing in chapters soon.

CALLIOPE: Sound's like it's moving along. Did you ever come up with an overall plan for the plot?

JOE: As a matter of fact I did. It just came to me a little while ago.

CALLIOPE: Are you going to share?

JOE: Of course. I plan to heighten the conflict through conversations and receiving conflicting advice on how to handle the problem. Then there will be some false starts with each trying to solve the problem in a ways which antagonizes the other. As they finally realize they are working at cross purposes, they might find a way to work together and both get at least some of what they want.

CALLIOPE: Sounds good. Any thoughts about the ending yet?
JOE: I have been considering the possibilities, the main ones being divorce, resolution or the promise of resolution without actually getting there.

CALLIOPE: Are you leaning toward one or the other?

JOE: No. I thought I would let my characters lead me to the conclusion, with your kind assistance of course.

CALLIOPE: I would be glad to provide any help I can.

JOE: Thanks, I appreciate it.
(Mayan Road- Cozumel)

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good Morning, Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good Morning, Joe. What's going on in your mind this morning?
JOE: I was just planning my day. I was bragging last week about being so organized and then could not find four books I had to return to the library.
CALLIOPE: Did you finally find them?
JOE: Yes. I was trying to be so good at organization that I put the books in a row with some others rather than leaving them in a pile. There were still where I put them.
CALLIOPE: I guess organization can be overdone. How about your novel?
JOE: First, I contacted the sister of the producer I met and am waiting for her e-mail address to send her a friendly query. The screenplay business is quite a mystery to me. But I think it helps to have a contact.
CALLIOPE: I agree. Did you do any actual writing over the weekend?
JOE: I did another chapter of Marital Property. Both spouses now have appointments to meet with advisors. He will be meeting his brother, and she her best friend.
CALLIOPE: Do you plan to write about those meetings today?
JOE: Probably not. I have some research to do on their personalities and interactions first. I also have a chapter to write about the two children talking after school.
CALLIOPE: Anything else going on today?
JOE: Yes. I have a column pending and plan to do it on Commonsense Wisdom and the Cowboy Mentality.
CALLIOPE: Sounds interesting. What is it about?
JOE: Mainly my frustration with positive writing all these years and feeling like people in our country are descending back into frontier diplomacy or what I call the gunslinger approach.
CALLIOPE: Let me know how it goes.
JOE: I will.

(Cannon- siege tunnel- Gibralter)

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning, Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. Have you been busy already this morning?
JOE: Yes, but not entirely with my writing. I have been wrestling with my computer to get it to play movies from Netflix. It's a long story with as yet no satisfactory conclusion.
CALLIOPE: So what about the writing?
JOE: Yesterday was very busy wit a great deal of running around. In late afternoon, I finally got a chance to do some writing. I wrote another chapter with my husband contacting his brother to set up a meeting.
CALLIOPE: Are you ready to write about it?
JOE: Not quite. I have to go back to the ennagrams and find out more about the brother and decide how the two should interact.
CALLIOPE: Any other news.
JOE: I have been thinking of contacting a producer I know in Hollywood to see if she might be interested in The Pastor's Inferno. I gave her card to someone and now it seems to be among the missing. I called her sister for her e-mail and am waiting to hear from her.
CALLIOPE: Sounds like you are going in a number of directions. Does it get confusing?
JOE: Not yet. I think I am keeping everything straight. I must be developing some new skills. In the past I would have been overwhelmed.
CALLIOPE: Good. I'm glad you are getting more organized. It does make life easier.
JOE: I will try to write another chapter today about the wife contacting her sister.
CALLIOPE: The plot thickens.
JOE: Well it should if the story is to stay interesting. See you on Monday.

(Rails near Cedar Street- Batavia, NY)

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning, Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning, Joe. Did you get any writing done yesterday.
JOE: Of course. But I had to do it early. After our conversation, I got down to work and wrote a chapter about my wife in her kayak and thoughts she had about the marriage.
CALLIOPE: And that was all you had time for?
JOE: Not exactly. I took my son to Wyoming, a gaslight village about twenty miles from here. It was an artist colony at one time and is making a minor resurgence in that direction. Anyway, Pete had arranged to deliver some of his prints on consignment to the W.G. Handyside Gallery of Fine Arts.
CALLIOPE: So where did your writing come in?
JOE: While he was negotiating, I looked around the shop and found that she sold books as well, but mostly about art. I asked her whether she sold other books and she was open to the idea. Flash. I just looked outside and found the most beautiful sunrise I can remember seeing. Wow!
CALLIOPE: Glad you enjoyed it. Sunrises are in a different department from mine but I enjoy them too. You were telling me about the gallery.
JOE: Anyway, I got to talking to the owner, Dianne Burnham, about my books and she took several copies of both of them on consignment.
CALLIOPE: Congratulations. Did you talk with her about your art as well?
JOE: Yes, somewhat hesitantly. I am less sure of my painting and drawing than of my writing and have trouble evaluating it.
CALLIOPE: Most artists do.
JOE: I remembered the old sayings, "Chacun a son gue" and "De gustibus non est disputandum" and talked with her about the relativity of impression of art on different people.
CALLIOPE: So are you going to show her some of your work?
JOE: Yes, I am. I might also put together a set of photos similar to the one I am preparing for the Christmas show at the Arts Council.
CALLIOPE: My, you are getting bold. Good luck with it. Well, back to the writing.
JOE: Yes, Ma'am.

(Main Street in winter)

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning, Calliope.

CALLIOPE: Good morning, Joe. glad to see you are up and at it early this morning.

JOE: It's a short writing day. Later this morning I'm taking my son to place some of his prints at a shop in Wyoming (New York that is). While I am there I will explore their carrying my two books. Then it's off to Lance's in Warsaw (also New York) for a Pennsylvania Dutch lunch and some baking supplies like whole and cracked wheat. Then I have two meetings this afternoon.

CALLIOPE: Minimal writing time I see. Where does the writing stand?

JOE: Yesterday I wrote a chapter about my husband reflecting on the state of his marriage while he walks on Gay Head Beach. That required a little research on the Martha's Vineyard beaches, beach plums and roses as well as Makani Kai Marina in Kailua for a fantasy sequence.

CALLIOPE: Sounds like it is coming along. What's next?

JOE: Separate but equal time for my wife's reflection as she kayaks on Nashaquitsa Pond.

CALLIOPE: Do you know the next steps?

JOE: Yes. Each of the couple has siblings and best friends with varying input depending on their personalities and points of view. The plot thickens.

CALLIOPE: I guess it does. Do you know where all this is headed?

JOE: In a general way yes but the characters and you will lead the way toward major developments. I was reading what Heather Sellers had to say about compost of the mind where all our experiences reside and moulder until they are ready for use.

CALLIOPE: Have you drawn on yours?

JOE: Of course. Most of what I include about the Vineyard is based on personal experience there but is reinforced by some research.

CALLIOPE: I can't wait to read it.

JOE: Neither can I. I am anticipating further developments and am as intrigued as you are.

CALLIOPE: It's nice to be on such an exciting journey, isn't it?

JOE: It sure is. Let's get on with it.

(Lillian Hellman's Cabana)

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good afternoon, Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good afternoon, Joe. Where have you been this morning?
JOE: I had an early morning appointment with my physician.
CALLIOPE: Anything wrong?
JOE: No. Just a checkup to see what condition my condition is in. Everything's fine.
CALLIOPE: Good. What's new on the writing front?
JOE: Yesterday, I decided to find another possible agent rather than relying on just the one.
CALLIOPE: How did it go?
JOE: I think well. I started again with the editor and I think learned why he was recommended.
CALLIOPE: Why was that?
JOE: He recently published a somewhat controversial book which differed from mine but had a similar theme of wrestling with God.
CALLIOPE: Did you find the agent's name?
JOE: No, but I did find another agent who worked with him and his publishing division and found a book she represented with a kinship to mine.
CALLIOPE: Did you query her?
JOE: Of course. I am being much more careful about crafting query letters lately rather than just using my old shotgun approach.
CALLIOPE: Good luck. Did you have time for any writing?
JOE: Yes. I think the agent process enlivened me. I wrote a chapter yesterday afternoon and another one this morning.
CALLIOPE: Sounds like you are making good progress.
JOE: I think so. I feel like it is full steam ahead and I have something to write about each day without much effort, although I need to do a little research along the way. This morning I had to look up Makani Kai Marina in Hawaii, alimony in Massechusetts and beach roses. I am glad I have the internet.
CALLIOPE: It is a help. Don't let me keep you from your writing. Let's get back to work.
JOE: Fine with me. Let's go.

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning, Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning, Joe. How is the writing going?
JOE: It's going well. I wrote another chapter yesterday, the one we were discussing. A conversation about the marriage between the mother and her two children.
CALLIOPE: No difficulty?
JOE: No. I had in mind what I wanted to do and did it. I had no idea what the actual conversation or even specific topics would be but it went smoothly.
CALLIOPE: How did you approach it?
JOE: I imagined I was in the room listening to what each person had to say and what each was thinking and just wrote it all down.
CALLIOPE:How do you know when a chapter is finished?
JOE: Most of my chapters tend to take place in one room. I think of them as movie scenes and have an idea what should take place. When the action for that scene is finished, so is the chapter.
CALLIOPE: I was wondering how you prepare to write a chapter.
JOE: I usually start thinking about the next chapter right after I finish the last one. I also try to fall asleep at night thinking about it. I don't wake up with the whole dialogue in mind, but I somehow know I can sit down and write it and I can when the time comes.
CALLIOPE: You realize that while you are sleeping, I am busy working on the details and leaving them in your mind to find while you are typing?
JOE: I guess I didn't know this for sure but certainly suspected it. I think we make a good team. Thanks.
CALLIOPE: My pleasure.

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning, Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning, Joe. How was New York?
JOE: Great. I was in the middle of the publishing world but did not do anything directly toward publishing.
CALLIOPE: Did you do anything indirectly?
JOE: Yes. I talked with a friend to whom I had given the name of an independent filmmaker in Hollywood whose contact information I had lost. He will send me her information.
CALLIOPE: Are you going Hollywood now?
JOE: It's hard to say. I didn't think it would hurt to see if she might be interested in converting my novel to a screenplay. If not it would not be a bad idea to be able to tell publishers it is under consideration.
CALLIOPE: You mean your last novel, The Pastor's Inferno?
JOE: Yes. I know it gets a little confusing. I thought about muses while I was gone. I almost went to see Xanadu but we ended up seeing the Spelling Bee. But I did think back to the movie and the role the muses played in it.
CALLIOPE: Somewhat fanciful but at least we got some consideration.
JOE: I also read Heather Sellers opinion that at least in her experience, if she took one day off from writing, her muse would take three off. That sounds a bit spiteful. You wouldn't do that to me, would you?
CALLIOPE: That's her experience. Between us, I will always be there. But if you don't write every day, you will get out of practice, a little like any creative artist. I will always be here, you just might have to look a little harder after taking a break.
JOE: I will remember that and try to write a little something each day, even if it is not my current magnum opus. While I was watching Van Morrison perform Saturday night, I wondered how often he practices to create such a show.
CALLIOPE: Practice is always a good idea. What are you planning today.
JOE: A scene in which the two children talk with their mother about her difficulty with their father. I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow.
CALLIOPE: Good. See you then.

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good afternoon, Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good afternoon, Joe. What have you been up to all day?
JOE: A marker of getting older, I have to deal with choices about Medicare in preparation for turning 65 in January.
CALLIOPE: Is it as much of a pain as I hear it is?
JOE: Yes, it is. The choices are astounding. Each one seems to make sense in certain circumstances which are quite hard to predict.
CALLIOPE: I don't envy you. Any progress on the book.
JOE: Some. I have envisioned the next scene which involves the girl and boy of the family discussing their parents' difficulties.
CALLIOPE: Is the writing going easily?
JOE: No. I would say fitfully. Let me tell you a story. I lived with my grandparents until I was three. My grandfather and I would listen for the steam whistle telling us a train was coming into town. We would bundle into his car and drive to the end of Park Avenue to wait for it. The engine puffed smoke while the train let off passengers and packages and reloaded with both. When it was ready to go, the conductor signaled with his lantern to the engineer. At first nothing seemed to happen. Then CHUG...chu...chu...chu and the train would move a few inches. This process went on until the train started making some steady forward process. That's what this book feels like.
CALLIOPE: Very graphic. So building up a head of steam is a slow fitful process.
JOE: Yep. I'm still chugging. I can get some chunks of words on paper but then have to stop and think for a while to imagine the next scene.
CALLIOPE: How does that compare with your last book?
JOE: I wish I could tell you. With all the months that have gone by since I started it, I don't remember the process too clearly. I wouldn't be surprised if was just like this one.
CALLIOPE: Neither would I. Are you frustrated?
JOE: Not really, this is my fourth book and I know that with perseverence, I will finish this one too in its own time.
CALLIOPE: It sounds like you are starting to mature as a writer. Keep at it.
JOE: Thanks. I'll talk with you on Monday after I get back from New York.
CALLIOPE: I'll be waiting. It sounds like there might be a story in that as well.
JOE: I guess you will just have to wait to see.

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning, Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning, Joe. What's new?
JOE: I visited my rheumatologist yesterday. I thought back to several years ago when my arthritis was bothering me so much I couldn't close my hands to make a fist. I had great difficulty with typing, making frequent mistakes because my fingers would not go where I wanted them to.
CALLIOPE: And now?
JOE: It's almost as if I never had arthritis. I have a tiny bit of stiffness in my hands but not enough to interfere with my writing or anything else.
CALLIOPE: Great. Do you have an exercise for today?
JOE: I decided to skip a few since they were primarily for just beginning writers or those who had het not been able to bring themselves to write. But one exercise seemed of interest and applied to me.
CALLIOPE: And what was that?
JOE: Along the theme of not writing alone, I should list all the voices which are with me as I write.
CALLIOPE: Sounds interesting. I'd like to know what they say as you write.
JOE: Here goes. Different people are with me at different times. As I write now, my Uncle Bob stands by watching with his smile but not saying anything. John Updike reminds me to think like a poet when choosing words. James Michener tells me that structure is a good way to organize a book as he did with The Source. Annie Lamott reminds me of the importance of writing each day. Henry David Thoreau reminds me to list things for which I am grateful each day (and have not done yet today.) And of course there is your quiet input.
CALLIOPE: It sounds crowded in your little room. Remember to think of all these helpers the next time you start to imagine writing is a lonely endeavor.
JOE: Thanks. I will.

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning, Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning, Joe. How's it going?
JOE: I guess okay. Yesterday I wrote Saturday's column for the paper about Rose and Russ. I learned some things writing it that I can use in my book.
CALLIOPE: Such as?
JOE: Such as secrets to staying married. I can use the ignorance of their secrets in writing about my troubled couple.
CALLIOPE: Good. Did you copy your lists from yesterday?
JOE: Yes. They are right here in front of me for inspiration.
CALLIOPE: So what are we going to do today?
JOE: My goal is to better understand the private and social aspects of being a writer. The social part is for getting ideas while the private part is where I write them down. The first question is whether I want my social part to be any different.
CALLIOPE: Well, do you?
JOE: I think I am getting good at getting people to talk about things I would like to include in my writing. I would just like to spend a little more time doing it.
CALLIOPE: Do you have the resources to do so right now?
JOE: I can't afford to travel everywhere I want. But I can take advantage of opportunities which present themselves. For example, I had an e-mail from a forensic accountant who got wind of my blog and volunteered as a resource.
CALLIOPE: The second question is whether your communal self needs to be balanced or enriched.
JOE: Sometimes, but I would not want my community around all the time. I would have to sneak off to write. My ideal commmunity would include people like John Updike, John Irving, Stephen King, Anne Lamott, Julia Cameron, Natalie Goldberg and Heather Sellers.
CALLIOPE: That's quite a group. You don't have them sitting in your parlor but you have most of their books and can ask for their input whenever you want. The third question is who helps you with your writing.
JOE: Excellent point about my support group. My helpers include Carol who keeps me specific and clear in my writing, Gerry who always asks incisive questions, Bob who cheers me on, my column readers who stop me around town and encourage me, Steve who is helping me find a publishing direction, and my writers' group who challenge me and help me stay on target.
CALLIOPE: Anyone else?
JOE: Yourself of course. You have been quietly in the background helping me in ways I don't even know.
CALLIOPE: I'm glad you recognize my help. On with the show.

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning, Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning, Joe. How are things this morning.
JOE: Good, I guess. I can see signs of Fall finally arriving but have immensely enjoyed the extended summer. My plumeria seems to be about at the end of its three month blooming season but a gorgious red hibiscus blossom awaited me this morning on my porch. I am feeling a stronger urge to delve into my new writing project.
CALLIOPE: That's good. How are you coming on Marital Property?
JOE: A little slow. It's hard getting into a new project after finishing a novel I spent eight months on. I picked up Heather Sellers' book Page by Page yesterday. She suggested some exercises to start and stay writing consistently. Do you mind if I share them with you?
CALLIOPE: Be my guest.
JOE: Thanks. The first exercise is to write three lists. First is qualities of my ideal writing guidebook. The book would be clearly written, well organized, specific, give quotes and refer to excellent examples of the points made, give me concrete tasks, and give suggestions for the roadblocks which appear before me as well as help me incorporate the rest of my life and experiences into my writing.
CALLIOPE: A good list. What is the second.
JOE: The second is the qualities of my ideal writing class. I recall my writing classes in high school and college and do not remember any encouragement. Writing petrified me. My ideal class would encourage me to write, initially ignoring quality but just getting my pen (or reasonable facsimile) moving, teaching me how to incorporate information from my senses and from my inner life, balancing dialogue, internal reflection and description, making dialogue intriguing and interesting, making my characters alive and unique, helping me have my characters tell my stories rather than relying on narrative, and not be afraid to have my stories be metaphors for my own hopes, dreams, worries and fears.
CALLIOPE: Well stated. What is the third list?
JOE: Imagine I am a small new pupil, a writing student, and list the attitudes I have when I am loving the act of learning something. I sit in wonderment of all that goes on around me, see the story in each movement, gesture, color, smell or sound, realize that there are words to express each of these, try different kinds of writing implements to see what my writing is like with each one, find fascination in my words and sentences, regardless of what my teacher thinks of them, realize that each person I see has endless stories within him or her, and know that what I write has the chance to be unique.
CALLIOPE: Great. I think you should put these lists on your wall with other things you want present while you write. Look at them when you feel stuck or tend to get down on yourself for being only human. I am here to help but you will still be you and the one who does the actual writing.
JOE: Thanks, I'll try to remember that when the going gets tough as it does from time to time.

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning, Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning, Joe. Did you have a nice weekend?
JOE: Yes and I learned some interesting things.
CALLIOPE: Such as?
JOE: On Saturday morning, I did some research on forensic accounting to help me understand my husband character. I have enough experience with art to give me some understanding of what my wife character does.
CALLIOPE: What about the rest of the weekend?
JOE: On Saturday evening I attended a sixtieth anniversary party for my neighbors Rose and Russ. I learned quite a bit about what it takes to stay together in a relationship and got to know their large happy family. They did it the right way although both did say that sometimes it was not easy.
CALLIOPE: So that contrasts with the couple you are writing about in Marital Property.
JOE: It certainly does. It will help me with an understanding of the mistakes my couple might make.
CALLIOPE: I'm glad you are keeping your eyes and ears open. Did you learn anything else this weekend?
JOE: Yes. I visited the Charlotte lighthouse in Rochester on Sunday after I dropped off my two clowns where participating in the River Romance. Other than the architecture I explored the design and some of its history as well as the history of lighthouses in general. I think this will help me with the lighthouses in Martha's Vineyard and give me a little better sense of my setting for Marital Property. I also enjoyed listening to an Irish band, Wild Geese. In the evening iI finished reading Diane Ackerman's Natural History of the Senses.
CALLIOPE: Even though you did not do any writing, it seems you made some good progress. Back to work.

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning, Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning, Joe. Nice to see you functioning in the morning. What news.
JOE: I got back to my Marital Property manuscript yesterday. I didn't do much actual writing though.
CALLIOPE: What did you spend your time doing?
JOE: I think I told you this story was set in Martha's Vineyard.
CALLIOPE: Do you think you know the island well enough to use it for your setting?
JOE: I think so. I have never lived there but have visited often enough to be familiar with it. I can also get the Vineyard Gazette on line twice a week to keep up with local events. I found a report of a heated meeting in Menemsha about who should be wholesale distributo for for local fish.
CALLIOPE: So how did you start with the setting.
JOE: I remember looking up at a house above Menemsha Pond last month and decided that was where my fictional family would live. I also got topographical maps of the area and checked on map directions to help with details like ocean breezes, sunrise and sunset and have already incorporated them into the story.
CALLIOPE: Speaking of the story, what is happening?
JOE: Everybody had breakfast and there was another to do on the deck in which the details of the conflict became evident. Then both spouses retreated to their own spaces.
CALLIOPE: So, one step at a time. What's next?
JOE: I'm not quite sure. That is up to my characters. I will start writing and see what develops.
CALLIOPE: It sounds like it's time for me to get to work.
JOE: I would appreciate your help.

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning, Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Just barely, it's almost noon. What have you been up to.
JOE: Mostly working on updates for my writers' group. But that's another topic. I'd like to tell you what I found about my compatability with my main characters in Marital Property. Their names are Dennis and Cynthia in case you are wondering.
CALLIOPE: That's nice to know, I already feel like I know them a little better. So what did you learn about you and Dennis?
JOE: Glad you asked. Dennis and I are fairly similar in some ways. We are both assertive, high energy and outgoing. We are both optimistic focused on the future and are good at communicating our ideas.
CALLIOPE: So what's the dark side?
JOE: We can both be exhausting to keep up with and have difficulty looking at problems. We both feel pressure to excel.
CALLIOPE: Okay, so what about Cynthia.
JOE: We tend to be quite different in our priorities and can complement each other when things are going well. I can help her overcome her shyness and she can help me concentrate on what I really want as well as to respect my feelings.
CALLIOPE: And the dark side?
JOE: We can both be impulsive and frustrated when disappointed or when things don't go they way we would like them to. Our differences can also be a source of conflict instead of complementing each other.
CALLIOPE: Sounds like an interesting mix. It should make for a good story.
JOE: I think so. On with it.

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good Morning, Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning, Joe. Glad to see you up and at it this morning.
JOE: I'm up but feeling a little punk. I think I might be getting a cold.
CALLIOPE: At least your fingers still work. I was wondering about something you said the other day before the editor/agent excitement. You talked about using enneagrams to form your characters. Did you ever look up your own?
JOE: Odd you should mention it. I have mine right here. I turn out to be type 7-The Enthusiast.
CALLIOPE: Interesting. What does the typing say about you.
JOE: I am described as being "busy, productive, extroverted, optimistic, versatile and spontaneous, playful, and high spirited."
CALLIOPE: That sounds like you. What's the down side?
JOE: I also tend to become "overextended, scattered and undisciplined." I "constantlay seek new and exciting experiences and become distracted and exhauted by staying on the go." I also have trouble with impatience and impulsiveness.
CALLIOPE: This sounds like you as well. Where did you find all this information?
JOE: On the website www.enneagraminstitute.com. Now I just have to figure out how to apply it to my writing and use it to my best advantage.
CALLIOPE: I understand the site also tracks interactions between types. Have you thought of looking into interactions between the types of your characters and your own?
JOE: No, I never did. But it sounds interesting. I think I will try it.
CALLIOPE: Have fun and let me know how it goes.

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good afternoon, Calliope.
CALLIOPE: And late afternoon at that! Where have you been all day?
JOE: Busy with my publication activity. After the letter from my editor friend yesterday, I got busy developing and implementing a strategy.
CALLIOPE: So what did you come up with?
JOE: My friend suggested I approach the editors he mentioned through an agent. So I started tracking down recent books each of the two had published. Then I went through web references to them and found agents listed as representing those books. I found two who seemed to be a good match for the suggested editors.
CALLIOPE: Did you query both agents?
JOE: No. As it turns out, both editors are at the same publishing house and both agents are at the same agency. I decided to begin with the agent who seemed to have the strongest connection with the editors. I spent most of the day preparing the best query letter I could as well as revising my synopsis and list of publications. I just put them in the mail.
CALLIOPE: Did you mention your editor friend?
JOE: No. He asked me not to use his name since he did not know the editors personally. I wish I could have.
CALLIOPE: Still it seems you did the best you could. Now what?
JOE: Now I wait. In the mean time it is back to the drawing board with Marital Property.
CALLIOPE: Okay. Let's get to work.

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning , Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning, Joe. What have you been up to?
JOE: Quite a bit. I finished working on character descriptions of my main two characters for Marital Property using enneagrams. I also finished chapter two and discovered what the couple were arguing about in the first chapter.
CALLIOPE: I guess you never know what you will discover when you start writing a story. Anything else new?
JOE: I woke up twice during the night. Once I realized what both characters did for a living, which I had been wondering about. The other time, I realized the story should be set in Martha's Vineyard. Did you have anything to do with these revelations?
CALLIOPE: Did you think I just worked when you did? I thought it was about time I made a contribution. You have been working pretty hard. I wasn't sure you would notice.
JOE: Of course I noticed. I know that these ideas were not there the day before and I had not even considered seriously what the setting should be or their occupations. Thanks.
CALLIOPE: You're welcome. Anything else going on?
JOE: Yes. I heard from my editor friend in New York who recommended two editors who might be interested in publishing my last novel, The Pastor's Inferno. I will get on their trail today.
CALLLIOPE: More excitement. Good luck with the hunt.
JOE: Thanks. I'll keep you posted.

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning, Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning, Joe. What's going on today?
JOE: Not much yet. I am just about ready to get back into my writing after a very busy weekend.
CALLIOPE: Did you work on your book at all yesterday?
JOE: Not directly, although I did think about it and had some experiences with I think will enrich it. I started the day with a fundraiser walk for breast cancer and noted a fair amount of men present. I thought about how breast cancer must have touched their lives. Although breast cancer is rare among men, unfortunately having a daughter, wife, sister or mother with breast cancer is not so rare.
CALLIOPE: Goodpoint. What else did you do?
JOE: I visited my girlfriend's aunt in the hospital and thought about the two husbands she had outlived and the family who still flocks to be with her.
CALLIOPE: And then?
JOE: Carol and I discussed a list of "schemas" she found in Oprah magazine outlining patterns which cause trouble in relationships.
CALLIOPE: You said these experiences related indirectly to your book. How so?
JOE: The breast cancer walk made me think of how serious illness affects relationships. My guess is that after all is said and done, illness can strengthen a strong relationship while it can further stress one which is already in trouble.
CALLIOPE: I cna't argue with that. What did you learn from the hospital visit?
JOE: Aunt Lucille still speaks fondly of her husbands long after they have died. It made me think of how we sometimes take spouses (and others) for granted and fail to fully appreciate their good points while they are with us.
CALLIOPE: And the schemas?
JOE: I think they were good as far as they went, but were limited to destructive patterns. It has been my experience that everyone has good and bad aspects of their personality patterns. It made me more sure of the enneagrams which I am using to consider my characters' personality patterns.
CALLIOPE: It sounds like you learned some good things yesterday. How do you plan to use them in your writing?
JOE: Today I plan to look further into the enneagrams of my main two characters and consider the good and bad points of their interaction and how to weave them into the story.
CALLIOPE: It sounds like you have a good plan. I will be waiting to see how it works out.
JOE: I will let you know the next time we talk.

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good afternoon, Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good afternoon, Joe. A bit late, aren't we?
JOE: A tad. This morning was rather busy with errands on behalf of various people.
CALLIOPE: Well, as long as you were doing good deeds. any progress on the book?
JOE: Yes. I finished the character descriptions for my two main characters. I also have some work to do on their typical interactions. Nevertheless, I did have enough to write the first chapter.
CALLIOPE: So you are off and running. How did you start the book?
JOE: With a rather strong disagreement but without the topic being indicated.
CALLIOPE: So the reader knows they are in strong conflict but not what about?
JOE: Exactly. I wanted to start it with a sense of the emotional climate and engage the reader to wonder what the issues might be.
CALLIOPE: It sounds like a good start. What's next?
JOE: Next is some background information by way of their internal reflections and dialogue.
CALLIOPE: Sounds like a good start. Good luck with the rest of the story.

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning, Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning, Joe. Tell me how things are going with your new novel.
JOE: Thanks for asking. Sometimes I just sit down and start writing stories. When I wrote my last novel, I came to realize that I did not really know my characters and therefore they were not likely to be very real.
CALLIOPE: A good point. So what did you do about it?
JOE: I read somewhere about enneagrams. These are character type discriptions involving a person's fears, wishes, desires, motivations, best qualities and worst qualities as well as how they interact with others of the same or different type.
CALLIOPE: Very interesting. So did you decide to use them for your characters?
JOE: I was well along in the last novel before I discovered this approach. I went back through what I had written and adapted the characters to fit specific patterns.
CALLIOPE: And with this novel?
JOE: I decided to approach it a little more systematically from the start. First I made a list of the main characters I thought would be included. Then I decided how old they would be and what their names would be. From there, I looked through the character descriptions and decided on types for each character. Then with the character in mind and plans for how each would fit into the plot, I read through the character descriptions and made up a character profile for each one based on what I found.
CALLIOPE: Sounds pretty organized, especially for you. Are you concerned that you might be confining your characters too much?
JOE: Not really. I am using what I have done as a guide and starting point. As I write, I expect that there might be some changes in what I know about each character, perhaps some radical changes in them and maybe some characters I have not yet imagined. I have found that to some extent characters help me write the story and I never quite know where it is headed.
CALLIOPE: Is that what you found in your last novel?
JOE: Yes. I had a theme in mind that I planned to follow. But characters emerged whom I had not even considered at the start and each one became more complex as the story unfolded.
CALLIOPE: I'm excited and looking forward to seeing where the adventure leads.
JOE: So am I. Let's get going.

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning, Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning, Joe. I am anxious to hear about your new novel.
JOE: Well, it's not exactly new. I have had the idea for about ten years but never did much with it before.
CALLIOPE: Why not?
JOE: I had just recently gone through a divorce and I think the experience was still too close and too personal for any kind of objectivity.
CALLIOPE: I guess I can understand that. It is hard to be objective when your emotions are still tossing you about. Yet your emotions are what would make the story real and interesting.
JOE: I realize that. However I was unable to find any sort of balance between objectivity and my personal feelings.
CALLIOPE: I know what you mean. I think the best fiction is a metaphor for the author's inner struggles. But the author needs to be able to see beyond them to make them a metaphor.
JOE: Exactly. I couldn't get beyond my own struggles to find any metaphors. I was locked in them in a way which paralyzed me.
CALLIOPE: Good insight. How about now?
JOE: Now I have had time to digest what happened to me. Parts of my experience are still a mystery, but I think now I can approach the topic with a better sense of balance. I also have learned a great deal about writing fiction, particularly using dialogue. I think I am ready now.
CALLIOPE: Great. Keep me posted.

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Good morning, Calliope.
CALLIOPE: Good morning, Joe. What's new with your writing?
JOE: Glad you asked. Yesterday was a busy day. I worked carefully, for a change, to make sure my submission was in the correct format. Then I converted my manuscript and synopsis of The Pastor's Inferno to PDF format and sent them off to a New York eitor who agreed to review the project.
CALLIOPE: Sound exciting. Is it?
JOE: Yes, it is. I have been working on this project since last November. I have had the idea for much longer than that but could not figure out how to do it.
CALLIOPE: What do you mean?
JOE: I had originally wanted to write the book as a series of interviews with abusive priests, but realized the cost would be prohibitive in my current circumstances. Then I had the idea of doing it as a novel and suddenly saw it as within my resources.
CALLIOPE: That's quite a switch. Have you ever written a novel before?
JOE: No. I have done a series of short stories over the years but never attempted a novel before.
CALLIOPE: So how do you think you did?
JOE: I am not exactly unbiased, but I think it turned out well. I guess we shall see how it is received.
CALLIOPE: I guess we shall. Now what?
JOE: My excitement about this project is carrying me forward and I am anxious to get on with the next project.
CALLIOPE: Which is?
JOE: Another novel tentatively titled, Marital Property. I'll tell you more about it next time.
CALLIOPE: Can't wait. Talk with you then.

Conversations with Calliope

JOE: Calliope, are you there?
CALLIOPE: Of course I'm here. I have been with you since your first interest in Chaucer during high school. Why do you think you found The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Christobel so engrossing? I was there to encourage you in your first steps toward literature.
JOE: I am happy to have you with me. I have sensed a feminine presence for quite a while when I was writing, but thought it was just my imagination.
CALLIOPE: I must admit I felt taken for granted but did not want to be intrusive. At least now you know I'm here.
JOE: Many times when I write, I feel lonely with only my pen or computer as companions. I have often wished to have a collaborator but it always seemed so awkward to arrange.
CALLIOPE: I will be right here whenever you need me or just want company. Glad to be of service.
JOE: I have been reading that the best writing comes from authors' exploration of their souls' deepest fears, desires and mysteries. Would you be willing to help me on such a journey?
CALLIOPE: Of course. I will go with you wherever you travel, even to the most inner recesses of your mind and soul. I can't say what we will find there since I cannot penetrate places where I am not invited. I will be happy to serve as your guide to your personal underworld as Virgil did for Dante in The Inferno as well as in more harmonious adventures.
JOE: That's great. I am looking forward to the journey. It sounds like everywhere we go will be an adventure but not always a happy one.
CALLIOPE: Exploring you soul will probably be upsetting at times but there are always things to learn about yourself and to use in you writing.
JOE: Thank you for accompanying me.
CALLIOPE: My pleasure.

Conversations with Calliope

Several days ago I was reading David Morrell's book, Lessons from a Lifetime of Writing. He suggested that writers keep a written dialog with themselves about their writing and about their inner workings forming the basis for their best writing. I decided a dialog with myself might be a little boring.

I remembered writing a story, My Muse, some time ago but did not think of her as having a name. However I did like the idea of a feminine presence helping me with my writing. I found a list of the muses and discovered Calliope was the chief muse and might be able to help me with my authority struggles. She is the muse of eloquence for which I have been striving. She is also the muse of epic poetry. I thought back to my fascination with Beowulf, The Canterbury Tales and the works of Michener. Epic poetry seemed about as close as I could get to fiction among the muse specialties.

I decided to start writing my blog as a dialog with Calliope, at least for a while, hence the title Conversations with Calliope. Please join me in my journey if you are interested.

Writing as Living

Last night I was thinking about all the experiences I have not had. Some were by my choice and some just from not being able to do everything in life. There just isn't time. Then I realized that I could experience anything I wanted by writing about it. Maybe it isn't quite the same, but I have total control of my adventures and no constraints of time and money. Why didn't I think of this before?

(Lillian Hellman's Cabana- Martha's Vineyard)

By the Sea

We seem to have the wonders of nature all around us. Sometimes we seem to busy to notice them though. I was thinking especially of sunrises and sunsets which seem all the more spectacular on the ocean than they do in our backyards. Maybe when we are away on vacation, it is easier to take the time to notice them, or maybe they really are more colorful.

(Sunrise, Oak Bluffs, Martha's Vineyard)

The Passive Aggressive Volunteer

I thought everyone who volunteered must be cheerful. My volunteering in clinical trial makes me happy and I always show up and leave from my appointments cheerfully. I was quite surprised recently to hear of a study volunteer whose motivation escapes me. Although it is a very good cause, he arrives at his appointments in a consistently dour mood and devies the nurses' best efforts to engage him in any kind of conversation. He volunteers only essential information and nothing more. This is one more I need to add to my list of life's mysteries.

(Sculpture garden- Nantucket)

What Are Sunflowers For?

I was reading Thomas Berry's book, The Great Work. I found a passage about how we have made everything utilitarian and have stopped just enjoying nature for the most part. I saw a field of sunflowers and wondered what they were for. They might have been for birds or people to eat, for oil, or maybe just for fun. I stopped to commune with them, and enjoyed seeing them from various directions and perspectives. I decided to enjoy them just for fun.

(A field of sunflowers- Leroy, NY)

Looking Back from the Future

Recently I wrote about the benefits of living in the present. Although not a realistic place to live, the future can sometimes provide a good vantage point for looking at the present. Sometimes I don't know what to do or how to do it. I become paralyzed by the options, decisions and potential consequences of my current situation. I solve this problem by projecting myself into the future, after the problem has been solved and the goal achieved. I leave all the present anxiety behind. Then I look back from the point of having accomplished my goal to calmly consider how I reached it. It sounded strange to me at first, but then I found out it worked.

(Rainbow- St. Maarten)