Collecting: Monday Morning Writing Prompt, August 1

Last week, a friend sent me the link to a wonderful blog belonging to a photographer. Among her many photos are a set of images reflecting her love of collections. It made me stop and think about what I collect. Everyone really should have a collection of something. It's fun, and it is a way to tell a story about what is meaningful to you. I've never been a big collector, but in looking at this blog I realized that collections don't have to fall into the category of figurines, stamps, coins, antique dolls. I'm not going to go any further with that, because the writing prompt for today will get you thinking creatively about what you collect. Don't limit it to stuff. Here you go:

What do you collect? Write about the things that you have more than two or three of, why you have them, and what they mean to you (think out of the box here: maybe you are a collector and you don't even realize it!)

This one might take some time for you to think about it, but after you have written about your collection, we would love to hear about it. We're compiling reader responses on this one for a future Mia issue!

Happy Monday!

A Heavy Read: Wednesday's Good Read Recommendation is "Pillars of the Earth"

What am I reading on vacation? The Pillars of the Earth, by Ken Follett. It’s just under 1,000 pages, so I’ve been trying to wade through this one for about six months. I never could get past the first three chapters because it was just so intimidating. But once I got to Chapter Four, I was hooked. Do I care about the building of cathedrals in medieval England? No, not really. Am I a sucker for love stories? Actually, I’m not. So what is it about this heavy book that keeps me reading? Follett is a great writer, and so he makes me care about the building of cathedrals in medieval England and about the star-crossed lovers. We have nine days left and I’m on page 709. Will I finish? Yes I will. However, before heading back home, I may donate my softback copy to the local library here in Pagosa Springs so I don’t have to haul it back home. So that’s our Wednesday Good Read Recommendation this week. Pick it up...if you can carry it!

Chance Encounters: Monday Morning Writing Prompt, July 25

In one of our early issues of Mia, contributing editor Sheilah Bright wrote about several people with whom she had a chance encounter, and how those moments affected her then, and now. You can read her story, "The Power of Strangers," on page 16 of our Fall 2009 issue here.

Here is your writing prompt for today:
Remember a time when a brief, chance encounter with someone made a difference in your life.

Happy Monday!

100 Good Wishes Quilt: Storytelling Tip #3

I posted this to One Good Story the other day, and then realized that this would make a great storytelling tip. Who would have thought a quilt could tell a story? So head on over to my blog to read about my daughter's 100 Good Wishes Quilt!

Cutting for Stone: Wednesday’s Good Read Recommendation

The video trailer for this novel calls it “an enthralling family saga of Africa and America, doctors and patients, exile and home.” I loved it. It’s the story of twin boys born to an Indian nun in Ethiopia. That should get you curious. The novelist, Abraham Verghese, is a physician who teaches at the Stanford University School of Medicine, but he is also a gentle and masterful storyteller. I agree with the reviewer who said that it is actually possible to live within it for the brief time one spends with this book. He adds, “You may never leave the chair.” I did stay up very late one night to finish it and I was not disappointed. This is a perfect novel for summer. It’s our Good Read Recommendation for today.

We would love to have your Good Read Recommendations to post! Email lisa@miamagazine.net with a paragraph about a great book you would recommend. If you need some ideas for great books to read, check out the New York Journal of Books website.

A Place to Write: Monday Morning Writing Prompt, July 18

The Monday Morning Writing Prompt is back after a long hiatus. I have no good excuse except life got far too busy and writing got pushed into “I’ll do that later” column. I keep thinking of good and worthy things to write, but then find twenty things that need to be done first before I can sit down and not feel guilty. And then, I’m reminded that I should never feel guilty for taking the time to write. After all, it’s writing that makes me feel complete and at peace. After I have collected my thoughts, reflected on a moment or experience, and then crafted it into sentences and paragraphs, I can take a deep breath and feel like my life is in order. I have no idea why it works this way for me, but it does. If I don’t write, life just feels jumbled, cluttered…messy. So together, let’s commit to not feel guilty when we take time for ourselves to sit down and write.

With that in mind, here is your writing prompt for today:

If you could write anywhere in the world, what setting would you choose and why? Would it be a beach cottage with a rustic desk and a view of the ocean; a cabin deep in the woods with no desk – only a pad of paper, a pen and a rocking chair; or somewhere exotic, mysterious, lonely? Describe your perfect writing location in detail and write about how it makes you feel when you walk into it and sit down to work.

Now, look the real-life location where you write and think of one thing you can place in it to remind you of your dream setting (I have a framed photo of a river in Colorado to represent my dream of a solitary cabin where I can hear the water and smell the pine trees).