Writer's Corner - Notes and What's Up?

 I have attended a few webinars with the American Guild and Sister's of Crime World Wide, States and Toronto.  Toronto has one on Thursday night which I would like to attend if available.  I am going to continue with my last notes with Sisters of Crime (probably American) due to more availability with my schedule.  It's regarding Roads to Publishing.  "Long Road"  I'll be dead before success (I am giggling as I type this).  Apparently the speaker received 72 rejections looking for an agent.  With agents at Conferences - got rejected hundreds of times.

Raguel v. Reyes- Speaker - liked cozy but no one looked or talked like him - kept - always a Latino, Character.  20 years ago joined Sisters in Crime in Miami.  Sleuth first (no longer exists).  Met all kinds of people.  One of them was an editor - took her advice which made it better.  When you have a contract, you will get an agent (went to one that wanted to help minorities).  Movie - had no control over that.  Won't get help getting books published.  Rarely any requirements.  Publishers now do not pay for book tours.  If bidding war, may get a small budget - never will cover costs.  Do your research.  Everyone has an opinion so learn to discern.  Look at budget - start with local.  How do you become sellable?  If Indy, you have to do it all.  If family, don't listen but an author you admire - listen.  Allied may have pathway.  A couple of awards out there. 

Ok,   let me discern.  What is my budget?  Nadda.  I am in transition since retiring.  I am being prudent.  I am not considered a minority so I never fit anywhere for a free be.  I am white, straight and looking at me may lift your heart but not any charity.  When I sent my manuscript to the only publisher in Niagara Falls, Ontario, I never even got a I hate your book and I am planning to move there.  Not nice.  Does Stephen King want to talk to me about my book?  I hardly think so.  Of course I can drop it down his chimney and perhaps get a fire burning, but that's about it.  I am a realist.  I don't chase people.  However, when I go to shows, people normally come to see me or at least stop by and that is nice.  I am not computer savy but I am still better than most I know.  I do not have patience so that is probably not a good thing as a writer.  I am in transition so I am still exploring my options.  Do I want to be a professional writer and no longer have it as a hobby?  I really don't know.  There is so much more I can do than why am I not doing it?  I like writing but do I lose my passion if it becomes my work?  Do I care what people think?  There are all kinds of people out there and everyone does have an opinion.   I am not a business person.  I have never taken one business course.  I have spent a life time helping people from being a life guard, serving my country policing here and over seas and helping people as a therapist.  I still to this day remember the Life Saving Motto - " Whom ever you see in distress, recognize in him a fellow man."  I write because it is part of me.  I enjoy it.  In the last Sister's in Crime I attended (American -  I do like them) they talked about plotting.  It is structured.  However,  I am like a home cook (I don't cook) I just sprinkle a bit of this and that and create via the crevices of my brain.  The story takes over my brain and I just go with it.  What has stopped me through this transition is as I am exploring, I am making fun a priority.   I have been reading for fun a lot and watching movies.  I have been socializing and just chilling and finding my niche.  I have been thinking what is next for me?  I have been watching Global warming striking away and people still not understanding or recognizing it.  Leadership in some countries are strongly lacking logic and common knowledge.  People are more divided than ever.  And where do I stand?   I love life.  I love it today that I can turn off the air conditioner and breathe in fresh air.   I love it that I do not have food insecurity.   I love it that I have a room of my own and can write.  I believe in and love God and I am not ashamed about it.  I surrender to it.   I love nature and relish in the joy of watching a squirrel eat.  I enjoy watching a raccoon holding a ball in its mouth as a child would enjoy a ball.  I even enjoy watching children play as I ride my stationary bike in between pausing from reading for a few minutes.  I am watching the real estate market very carefully to decide the right time to move to Niagara Falls and travel.  What is your niche?  What moves you?  What do you think?  

An Author's Event

 

     I will be selling my books at this event.  Anyone who wants to attend this Author's Event and provides my name (Silva Redigonda) will get a 50% discount with lunch included.    

Illumination of the St John's Bible, Gensis 1, Seven Days of Creation - theology notes

Genesis 1 - 2nd Text -  flood with promise of life from God to Noah.

3rd  Covenant with with Abraham

Unique Genesis 1 = { division of seven days.  Not sure where it came from.  Egypt four day cycle,  maybe Abrahams 7 day cycle.  Day 1 - day/darkness cycle. Day 2 -creation of dorm - creates space for Earth.

Day 3 - Waters recede, negotiation.

Day 4 - Great luminating/ night stars

Day 5 - The creation of the winged.

Day 6 - humans/animals

Day 7 -  Day of rest.

Priestly - like children literature.

Day  1 -  Creation doubling day/night - there's naming.  There is no judgement of goodness in Day 2.  With the day.  Day 4 - Habitants of Night and Day.  What is being emphasis - attack and critque of Babylon.  Clarify relationship of Adam and Eve and God.  Why is Author silent in night despite all the flood.   Lack of judgement of goodness for humans night and dome.  Universe is good indeed.

Signs - is important for priestly.  Whoever put together, let them be together.

Genesis 9 & 17 - want to show a vision of hope.  The emphasis is on God's promise.

Read Book of Jonah, SIRAK, Wisdom of Solomon.  Jonah .   What the priestly writers do.  Why create Chapter 9?  Ends with Sacrifice.  Even for God, it is too hot.  When God expels Adam and Eve from the Garden, he gives them clothing.  That is beauty.

Up to the exile, there is no circumcisition.  Sinai Covenant not so important for priestly writers.

Covenant Deutonomy - no signs.  Chapter 31 - vs 12 Exodus - go back to Genises 7 days.

Next Jesus and Miracles  

Playing with fire: Is Canada's wildfire strategy working? York scholars debate

Playing with fire: Is Canada's wildfire strategy working? York scholars debate: Wildfires are testing Canada's emergency management framework. York researchers explore what's working, what's not and what comes next. This long-form feature explores the people, policies and science behind managing an increasingly complex threat.

Wanda's Waffle Factory - My kind of stop

https://maps.app.goo.gl/z7kerSynEkqSXT1G9 

Homicidal Behaviours and Systemic Family Therapy AAMFT notes ... continues

 The role of psychotherapy and childhood maltreatment in homicidal ideation -  Study looked at psychotherapy (lack of remorse, empathy) incarcentated, if child maltreatment had occurred.   As childhood maltreatment increased, so did homocidalology.  Men more so than women and gangs was not indicative of this. 

Leakage is the communication to a third person as an intent to harm a target. (Maloy & Otoole, 2011) Communication can vary such as email; verbal.  Reveals feelings, attitudes. It is not motivated to be stopped.  So often it has occurred in mass shootings.

Don't expect someone to actually do the harm.  Must be joking, denying it.  It is uncomfortable.  We must not be a weak link.  This is important information such as minimizing.  We need to be able to assess leakage.  eg.  one teenager communicated he wanted to kill girlfriend.

Case Study:  Caregivers.

 Mother had lost custody.  Grandfather adopted 14 year old boy and his brother.  14 year old leaked he wanted to kill his girlfriend.  Goes into the kitchen and cuts his wrists in front of his grandmother and gets gun.  Grandmother calls police.  14 year old points the gun at his grandmother and told her to move.  There was a bullet in the gun.  

     Woman complained that  boy was carrying a gun and would kill her.  Reported that she was being told she would be killed.  Male states he didn't mean it.  Male downplayed at pointing gun at her.

Domains:  Safety -  increase or decrease risk.  Emotional risk -  shame, guilt, fatal or non fatal.  Neighbourhood factors -  violence, community safety, gun presence, friends, traditions, shared commonalties, status; regret, social perceptions. 

      A clinician can be easily triggered in working with a family due to belief system.  How do they parent this child?  Grandmother - he put my life in danger.  Grandfather doesn't see it that way.

     We need to create safety and how the socialogy is.  How does the family respond when homocidal behaviours enter the room?  Lead with second order change (relational change).  Pull in first order change when needed (behavioural change).

     The boy went out to the community.  Police arrested him.

Lethal means safety counselling.  Be straight forward, practical and respectful.  Where does access occur in the community.  It only takes on bullet for someone to die.

     Talk about safer storage.  Look at pros and cons of keeping a gun in the house and changing how the gun is stored.  For some it is safety and protection of family.

Assault and Homicidal Danger Assessment Tool.  No predictable risk of assault/homicide.  Low Risk/Moderate risk - occurred within last year.  High risk.  

How do we address the relationship, so homicide is not the solution.  When child is distressed - instead of turning to the care giver, turned to a gun - homicial behaviour.   Difference of grandparents views make it difficult for child to turn to them.  Show how systematic family needs to change for behaviour of child.  How do we address the relationship so homicide is not the solution.  When caregivers are in conflict, children are in conflict.  - "When you need us, we are here for you."  That allows children to be able to go to them.

Conclued lecture.     Have a good weekend world. 

  

A full day a Niagara Falls

A large group of us went to Niagara yesterday and as soon as we departed Toronto and began to see trees and valleys, I could feel myself beginning to relax; no construction, no loud noises just peace and R&R.  People keep asking me why I want to go to Niagara.  The last comment I got was that there is no noise there (awwwww) and that tourists litter everywhere (I have not seen that).  Just before that another asked me, "Don't you like us?" I responded "yes".  He added, "Then why do you want to leave us?"  I am not leaving anyone.  Niagara Falls is about an hour and a half way.  It seems like I want to go to the other end of Canada or leave the country by the reaction I get.  I just have to make sure I buy something there for the visitors I will be getting.  However,  I am still here, waiting for the market to change, to become a sellers market once again.  Hopefully next year!  

     Our first stop was Neob Lavender, a first generation owner.  They began with nothing, living in a trailor being helped by mom and dad to now owning three stores, 20 years later.  When they bought this now purple everything it had no water nor electricity I believe.   It doesn't have a washroom people and though they said they have high end toilot cubicles that construction workers have in my neighbourhood,  and that they had been thoroughly cleaned,  mine was all wet (which was the general consensus) and the pump for water was insufficient to rinse the soap from my hands.  We went into the store and was created by lavender chocolate bites ( I bought a small bag).  Alas, there was a small sink with water and I managed to wash my hands properly.  There were all kind of smells with promises to heal but when it comes to healing, I listen to my physician.  However, one man from the group who had been hit by a car a few years back and spent 8 months in the hospital was generously spreading promised healing cream on his legs.  "You want some?"  He asked me.  "No thank you."  He had large scars on both legs and I wondered who sewed him up.  

     My niece bought me a lavender gift basket for Christmas and I always smell so nice afterwards having used it for soap and bath.  However,  I couldn't find anything to match it.   I found there was just too many smells that aside from chocolate I didn't really want anything.  Others bought for themselves and others and were quite pleased.  Me, I went to their front porch and socialized.

      Next was Caroline Cellars.  My first impression was not positive.  I went for the wine tasting with three others who wanted non-alcoholic drinks.  There were two bottles.  The first was not to my tasting and the second was a sparking wine which I thought was nice but it had 7% sugar so I decided to ask my pharmacist before buying it.  My pharmacist is worse than my physician in trying to keep me healthy.  Adjacent to the store is the Farmhouse Cafe with an outside patio and inside restaurant.  We weren't allowed to light the candles until 5 pm, the server, family member said.  "Does that mean I have to stay here until 5pm?  I asked.  It was about 11:00.  My group thought it was funny.  We had a choice of three meals and I kept telling my group that it was alcheapo, because the vegetarian option was grilled cheese.  I had planned on buying that at Tim Hortons later at the Casino.  However, Alcheapo it was not.  We had two large platters of cold cuts that my dad would have devoured had he still been alive.  I ate the olives and small tomatoes, and small cream cheeses wrapped in red peppers.  It is always nice when my comrades are there making sure there is something for me to eat.  I believe two other people chose the grilled cheese and this was no regular grill cheese.  This was the best I have ever eaten and it was definitely not a cheapo.  I was hesitant prior to the meal, because it said there was onions and honey in there but it worked.   I could only eat half and one of the men took my other half.  You won't go hungry if you go to Caralines and I fully recommend it.   We will be going back in the fall.  When we were leaving there wasn't any vacancy.  The place was packed with a line up.  Looks like the news is out.  

     Next was shopping at the Outlet and it was hot and humid.  I bought an orange pair of runners which I am wearing right now and it is super comfortable.  I bought it at Marshalls and though we have a Marshalls nearby, I like that one more.  Next I went to the Lindt store.  Even though I have one at Yorkdale, I cannot walk by a chocolate store.  So, two more small boxes of chocolate.  

    Then if was off to our last spot, the Casino.  I played and lost 20.00 of my own money and then went off to find a spot to finish off  a book I was reading.  I hated the ending.  Of course the author is a best seller.  I hate it when I am disappointed reading a book.   I remember someone telling me they were disappointed in reading my book, actually there were two.  One was Hey Guy Buy Me and the other was Ominious.  One day I will post the letter I got from the Ominous review, but not yet.  

     After losing my $20.00 and while polishing off my book,  I noticed a shadow in my peripheral and once I finished the paragraph I looked up and saw an unmarked picnic bag (I just won one last week - for my books).  There was no one nearby and I tried to get the attention of a worker.  My first thought - a bomb.  Then a man comes from a washroom, to retrieve the bag.  "I thought it was a bomb."   I tell him.  He gives me a big smile and leaves with the bag.  I can use that in one of my books, me thinks.  He was Middle Eastern but too good looking to be a terrorist.  Did you ever see a nice looking terrorist?  I am stereotyping people.  Terrorists can be nice looking somewhere in the world and not all are Middle Eastern I just finished all the chocolates and now me thinks I am going to be sick.  What's wrong with me?

     Anyhow, after all that it was about 5pm and I started thinking about eating supper.   They have a sandwich shop now so I ordered half a sub but didn't want to buy their intelligent water.  So, I went somewhere else for the water and returned.  I think it was a kiosk place before.  I took my sub outside to a bench overlooking the falls and thought about my mom.  She too loved Niagara Falls and she would wait for my call to hear all about my trip or any other trips I was taking, especially when driving down to Disney World.  She would want to hear about where I was, what it was like etc.......I missed her very much as I sat there with my sub taking a breather.  I then opened my bag and ate my supper.   It was a lovely day with wonderful people, but I always need to sneak away for some me alone time.  After a bit,  I returned to socialize until my return to Toronto.  It appears I have new neighbours.  Have a nice weekend and if you go to that lavender place, don't eat all the chocolates at once.  What do you think?