 |
| Coloring page by AMI |
Happy Labor Day, friends! Are you camping this weekend? Relaxing?
Reading a good novel? Or are you (gasp) working?? Here’s hoping you’ve
found some leisure time this weekend to recharge for the week ahead.
I’m writing this on Friday and hoping for
some creative time before Monday. Favorite creative endeavor lately? Coloring!
No doubt you’ve heard the ravings of many an adult who has rediscovered
how relaxing and challenging and enjoyable coloring is. But we’re using grownup
books that fall under the category of “adult coloring books.” But don’t let the
name fool you. Nothing unseemly here.
I’m one of those people how never left drawing, painting, or
coloring behind when I grew up. Didn’t matter whether I was good at it or not,
I loved to use color and pen/pencil/pastel chalks/paint to bring an image to
life. Before now, the only books I could choose from were Disney characters, princesses, or baby
animals. Not anymore.
I’m buddies with a slew of writers and editors on FB, and I’ve
watched this craze grow among this crowd. I first heard about adult coloring
books back at the beginning of the year sometime. And then I dove in around
May. So far, I’ve only finished a few pictures. Why? Because they’re detailed.
(Sometimes to the extreme, which isn't very relaxing, at least for me.) But I also decided I didn’t want to just fill in
the open spaces, I wanted to use gradients and shading and blending of colors. So I
take my time. I included one of the pages I’ve completed in this post. (Not the best photo, but you get the idea.)
We writers need to keep our creativity alive, sometimes
outside the act of writing. For me, creativity extends through words to color
to art. I can spin a story or paint a canvas. What types of leisure activities
keep you motivated, inspired, and help you relax?
Color on (ahem-write
on), friends!
~~~~~
 |
| Her Nerdy Cowboy |
Whoever heard of a bookish cowboy? When Logan
McDaniel’s brother-in-law dies, he steps in to help his beloved sister run her
ranch. But what does a city boy know of herding cattle? Claire Langley loved
her cousin. After he dies, she agrees to serve as a temporary nanny for two
heartbroken children.
Claire and Logan find they share a love of books, and
Claire can’t resist the nerdy uncle who is great with children, and who reads
to her of pirate romance. Claire’s ailing mother needs her in Seattle. Can she
break away? And if she does, can there ever be a future for Logan and her?
~~~~~
 |
| Annette M. Irby |
Annette M. Irby has three published books and
runs her own freelance editing business, AMI Editing.
See her page here on Seriously Write for more information.
