The wonderful thing about debates is that they can go on forever, and generate great discussions.  One debate that seems to evolve over time is the difference between genre and literary fiction.  The University of Washington videoed my view.  Check out the link below and let me know your thoughts.

 http://www.pce.uw.edu/certificates/popular-literary-fiction/video/instructor-perspective.html

Have a great day writing,

Pam

Winter Solstice, or Yule, as it is known in Celtic celebrations has taken on new importance this year.   But is December 21, the end of the world, as some speculate, or the dawn of a new age of awareness, inspiration and kindness?

Before answering that question, lets explore the meaning of Winter Solstice.

This time of year was seen as a great reversal of the Sun’s presence in the sky and stories of the birth or rebirth of the sun gods were a common thread in the world’s cultures. The Celts believed that on this night the Holly King, as the God of the waning year, would battle the Oak King, the God of the waxing year – and lose.

Winter Solstice Celebrations from hundreds and thousands of years ago to the present:

Christmas, Natalis Domini (4th century Rome, Christian) Christmas or Christ’s Mass is one of the most popular Christian celebrations as well as one of the most globally recognized mid-winter celebrations. Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, called the “son of God,” the second person of the Holy Trinity, as well as “Savior of the World.” The birth is observed on December 25. Activities include feasting, Midnight Masses and singing Christmas carols. Many observe the holiday for twelve days leading up to Epiphany.

Rozhanitsa (12 Century East Slavs, Russia) In 12th century Russia, the eastern Slavs worshiped the winter mother goddess, Rozhnitsa, offering her honey, bread and cheese. Bright colored winter embroideries depicting the antlered goddess were made in her honor and white, deer-shaped cookies were given as lucky gifts. Some Russian women continued the observation of these traditions into the 20th century.

Brumalia (Roman Kingdom)  Influenced by the Ancient Greek Lenaia festival, Brumalia was an ancient Roman solstice festival honoring Bacchus. The festival included drinking and merriment. The name is derived from the Latin word bruma, meaning “shortest day” or “winter solstice”.

Dongzhi (East Asian Cultural Sphere)  The Winter Solstice Festival or The Extreme of Winter is one of the most important festivals celebrated by the Chinese on or around December 21 when sunshine is weakest and daylight shortest. The origins of this festival can be traced back to the yin and yang philosophy of balance and harmony in the cosmos.

Hanukkah (Jewish)  Hanukkah, also know as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt of the 2nd century BCE. Hanukkah is observed for eight nights, starting on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar, which may occur at any time from late November to late December. The festival is observed by the kindling of the lights of a unique candelabrum, the nine-branched Menorah of Hanukkah.

Makara Sankranti (Hindu, India and Nepal)  Makara Sankranti, is the only Hindu festival which is based on the celestial calendar rather than the lunar calendar. In some parts of India, the festival is celebrated by taking dips in the Ganges or another river and offering water to the Sun god. In many cities, families fly bright colorful kites from their roofs all day and into the night. It is a form of celebrating and welcoming the longer days.

Shab-e Chelleh, Yalda (2nd millennium BC Persian Empire, Iran)  Shab-e Chelleh is celebrated on the eve of the first day of winter in the Persian calendar, which always falls on the solstice. According to Iranian mythology, Mithra was born at the end of this night after the long-expected defeat of darkness against light. Shab-e Chelleh is now an important social occasion, when family and friends get together for fun and merriment. The presence of dried and fresh fruits is reminiscence of the ancient feasts to celebrate and pray to the deities to ensure the protection of the winter crops.

Inti Raymi (Inca: Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador) Inti Raymi, or “Festival of the Sun” was a religious ceremony of the Inca Empire in honor of the sun god, Inti. One ceremony performed by the Inca priests was the tying of the sun. In Machu Picchu there is still a large column of stone called an Intihuatana, meaning, “hitching post of the sun”. The ceremony to tie the sun to the stone was to prevent the sun from escaping.

Soyal (Zuni people and Hopi people of North America) Soyal is the winter solstice ceremony of the Zuni and the Hopi. It is held on December 21, the shortest day of the year. The main purpose of the ritual is to ceremonially bring the sun back from its long winter slumber. It also marks the beginning of another cycle of the Wheel of the Year, and is a time for purification.

Yule (Finnic and Germanic peoples) Yule or Yuletide, is a winter festival that was initially celebrated by the Northern European people as a pagan religious festival, though it was later absorbed into, and equated with, the Christian festival of Christmas. The festival was originally celebrated from late December to early January on a date determined by the lunar Germanic calendar. The festival was placed on December 25 when the Christian calendar (Julian calendar) was adopted. Scholars have connected the celebration to the Wild Hunt.

So why did our ancestors single out Winter Solstice as a celebration in the first place? There are many theories, but one caught my attention. Starvation was common during harsh winters and as a result, communities joined together, and shared lodging and food in order to survive. It was a time to take a break and appreciate their blessings.

Winter Solstice is not the end of the world. It is the continuing of our awareness of the good in everyone. The signs have always been there. We just have to think with our hearts.

—William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night’s Dream

First the boring definition: “Summer Solstice occurs exactly when the axial tilt of a planet’s semi-axis in a given hemisphere is most inclined toward the star that it orbits. Earth’s maximum axial tilt to our star is . . . .”

For those interested in more of the same, turn to Wikipedia, but if you want the fun part. . . read on.

It is sunny outside so we feel better. We have more energy and we are more in balance. No wonder our ancestors found cause for celebration.

• In 2254 BC, The Chinese Emperor Yao, designated the Winter Solstice as male, (Yang) and the Summer Solstice as female, (Yin).

• The Romans called the Summer Solstice, the “Grove of Diana.”

• In ancient Egypt, the Summer Solstice was the most important day of the year because the sun was at its highest and the Nile River began to rise. Being able to predict the flood of the river was so important that this time marked the beginning of the Egyptian New Year.

• Scandinavian countries mark this day with dances and bonfires. The dances are usually around a maypole.

• For the Celts Summer Solstice is also known as Litha. Summer for them begins on Beltane (May 1st) and ends on Lughnassadh (August 1st) with the Summer Solstice midway between the two, marking MID –Summer. Those who celebrate Litha wear garlands or crowns of flowers in their hair.

• In Ireland, the Summer Solstice, is sacred to the White Mare Goddess, who was known in Ireland as Etain, in Wales as Rhiannon, and in France as Epona. It is also believed that on Midsummer’s night, elves and fairies would appear and if you picked fern seeds at the stroke of midnight, you would be able to see them.

The connection between the Summer Solstice and June weddings:

This was more than just the longest day of the year for ancient cultures. Many associated the prosperity of their crops with the fertility of human sexuality. The connection between fertile land and wombs became so powerful that pagans began to associate the celebration of the Summer Solstice with the time for marriage and the cycle of life.

Summer Solstice, is a time the Celts believed fairies bestowed good luck on humans. It is the time when the sun reaches the peak of its power and the earth is green with the promise of a bountiful harvest.

Deciding the best one can be daunting. Below is a list I hope will help.

• Travel and time off: Can you afford to travel a long distance? If not, check to see if there are writer’s conferences in your area.
• Cost: If cost is an issue, search for one or two day conferences. Some conferences offer scholarships, or a discount for volunteering.

Now that you have narrowed down a list of conferences based on location and cost, your next step is to determine your objectives. Below is a list to consider before you choose a conference.

• Objective #1: The Craft of Writing. If your objective is to learn how to write, edit, or polish your novel, concentrate on the conferences that offers the most workshops and panels on the craft of writing.
• Objective #2: The Business Side of Writing. If your objective is to learn how to market your novel, once it is published, review the workshops and panels offered at the conference you are researching. Do they offer the business side of writing? Social Media. Publishing options? And if so, how in-depth are the workshops and panels?
• Objective #3: Pitching Your Novel. If you have a finished novel and your goal is to pitch to an agent or editor, don’t just select a conference that offers the largest number of agents and editors. More is not always better. Research the list of agents and editors on the conference website. Do they represent the type of book you are writing? Are they acquiring new clients? Who are the authors they represent?
• Objective #4: Networking. The last goal, but certainly not the least, is the importance of networking. Networking is more than just meeting new authors it is the opportunity to network with industry experts, agents and editors. Look for conferences where you can volunteer. You will gain insights and confidence, and come away energized.

A conference I would recommend is the Pacific Northwest Writer’s Association. Visit their website and let me know what you think. pnwa.org

In researching the origins of Father’s Day, I found remarkable similarities between Mother’s and Father’s day. Both were tied to the Civil War and both were inspired by Anna Jarvis, the creator of Mother’s Day. (For details regarding Anna Jarvis, and the origins of Mother’s Day, you can refer to my blog).

In 1909, Sonora Louise Smart Dodd, inspired by Anna Jarvis, decided it was time to honor all fathers, and her own in particular, with a special day. Her father, William Jackson Smart, was a Union solder in the Civil War, who owned a small farm around Spokane, Washington. When Sonora’s mother died in childbirth, William raised the newborn as well as his five other children by himself. At the age of 27, Sonora launched a campaign to make her dream to honor all fathers a reality.

The first Father’s Day was celebrated June 19, 1910 in Spokane, Washington, but it had a long journey before it became nationally recognized. Although everyone liked the idea, and it was embraced across the nation, it took a while before it became official.

Woodrow Wilson came to Spokane in 1916, and spoke at a Father’s Day Service. In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge recommended that Father’s Day become a national holiday, but no official action was taken. In 1966, Lyndon B. Johnson, through an executive order, designated the third Sunday in June as the official day to celebrate Father’s Day. However, it wasn’t until 1972, during the Nixon administration, that Father’s Day was officially recognized as a national holiday.

Sonora Smart Dodd was honored at the World’s Fair in Spokane, Washington in 1974. She died in 1978, at the age of ninety-six.

We owe Sonora a dept of gratitude for helping us honor and recognize those who help us take our first step, and guide us lovingly along life’s path.

So why am I bothering to tackle this overexposed issue? Because it happened to me. I was writing every day, so the denial factor was as big as Mount Rainier. And of course I had a shopping cart full of excuses as to why that’s all the time I had to write. (Pardon the over used clichés, couldn’t help myself). But 200 to 300 words a day was not getting my book finished.

Enter the Daily 2K, a term coined by my friend, Jacqui Sullivan. You might think that the magic is the word, “Daily.” Nope. I was already writing every day. Or you might believe that a target of 2,000 words per day would summon the muse. Wrong again. What worked for me was reporting my word count.

The wonderful Maeve Binchy once said, “Writing is a bit like going on a diet: You should either tell everyone or no one.”

So, in addition to emailing my friends my daily word count, I posted it on Facebook.

This may not work for everyone, but announcing your goals worked for me.

Bridget, often called the “Flame of Ireland,” was born at sunrise and her birth celebrated with fire. Her father was know as the Dagda, who the Celts believed was an earth god responsible for life and death. She is one of the triple goddesses (a story for another time) and is known by many names in the Celtic world – Brid, Bride, Bridget, Brigan, Brignandu, Brigantia, Brighid and Brigindo. In Scotland the white swan is her symbol and an order of nuns in the Catholic Church were known as the Brigidline Sisters.

She is a complex character in Celtic history. She was the goddess of fertility, fire, forge, healing, hearth, home, was responsible for the birth of home crafts like knitting, basket weaving, candle making, taught mankind how to use plants and herbs, and last, but not least, Bridget was the goddess of inspiration.

The ultimate mult-tasker – in other words – the perfect woman.

Bridget is the ideal source of inspiration for me right now because I’ve set a goal to write 2,000 words per day. I’ve started a new book and I wanted it finished by the PNWA writer’s conference in July.

Find inspiration in the little things or seek out people you admire.

Pam

Julia Ward Howe

Although not quite a Celtic Legend, Mother’s Day, was inspired by those countries that celebrated Goddesses and respected the important role of mothers. In ancient times, the Egyptians celebrated the mother deity, Isis, who was regarded as the Mother of the pharaohs. And in Ireland, the Goddess Danu was considered the Mother of the Tuatha de Dannan. (The Tuatha are a race of magical beings that include fairies)

In sixteenth century, England and Ireland, there was a custom called, Mothering Sunday. On the fourth Sunday of Lent, Christians were encouraged to visit their mother church and reunite with their children.

But how did it become as it is today?

The credit goes to, Julia Ward Howe, the author who penned The Battle Hymn of the Republic. After the death and devastation of the Civil War, that pitted brother against brother, father against son, and neighbor against neighbor, Julia called mothers on both sides to come together. Her idea was for an international Mother’s Day – a day of peace and reconciliation. As with most things, it didn’t catch hold right away, but the seed was planted.

After Julia’s death, Anna Reeves Jarvis and her daughter continued the fight to make Mother’s Day official, not just in the United States, but in the world. It was not easy. Many opposed the idea, including congress. They didn’t give up. Anna and her daughter, (also named Anna), continued to pursue their goal, believing that this was an important issue. After all – this was about peace.

Despite defeats in the congress, by 1909 forty-six states were celebrating Mother’s Day as well as parts of Canada and Mexico. In 1914 Woodrow Wilson signed it into national observance, declaring the second Sunday in May as Mother’s day.

Both Julia Ward Howe and Anna Reeves Jarvis did not live to see this historical occasion, but we owe them our gratitude for never giving up. It is yet another lesson in the power of women and what they can accomplish.

May you all find your passions and the inner strength to accomplish them.

 Make a Writer’s Retreat a reality. Many authors dream of getting away. Yet the same questions of who, what, when, where and how, that cause writer’s block, sometimes grind those goals to a halt.

First of all, I am a big fan of the writer’s retreat. Not the kind where someone gives you a writing exercise where you, sit by a stream and describe yourself in water colors or what your name would be if you were one of the stars in the sky, but the kind where you actually plot a new book or polish a first draft.

If you’ve decided you want a working writer’s retreat, lets look at, who, what, when, where, and how for answers.

Who should I bring? This is an important question. If you go on a retreat by yourself are you sure you can stay motivated? Be honest. The only right answer is the one that will help you accomplish your goal. If you can do it alone, start making travel plans.  But if you decide you need others to help you stay focused, ask your critique partners, or other dedicated writers.  You want to succeed and this is the first step.

What should I bring? Write down the goals for the retreat. Are you plotting a new book, polishing a first draft, or adding scenes to a work in progress? Write down your goals. Next add research books and books on craft. All of this goes in my suitcase before the clothes. Actually, in my case, dark chocolate goes in at the same time as the books.

When will I find the time? There really is never a good time for a writer’s retreat. We can always find an excuse to put it off. The best solution is to schedule it in the same way you would a vacation or a trip to visit relatives.

Where should I go? If you say somewhere “warm and sunny”, you’ve missed the point. “Warm and sunny” is code for vacation. Choose a location where you’ll have a place to write. You’ll want to schedule breaks where you can walk and visualize the next scene, so take that into consideration as well.

How long should I be gone? A retreat can be as short as overnight, or as long as a month.

A Writer’s Retreat can push your writing to the next level, where you’ll discover unique plots, multi-layered characters, and new insights into your story.  I highly recommend you give it a chance.

Happy May 1st. Bealtaine is perhaps one of the most long-lived and adaptive festivals. Many claim it was celebrated in song and verse longer than human recorded history. It is a celebration. It marks the time of dark winter months to the light and joy of spring and summer. Death to life. A time of new beginnings. New hope. New goals.

The Celts celebrated May Day with festivals, fertility rites and danced with the first flowers of spring in their hair. Even the Catholic Church adapted the theme. On May 1st, in many churches around the world, the statue of Mary is crowned queen with a wreath of flowers. In fact, in my senior year in high school, I was given the honor of placing the wreath. There was a grand procession, complete with singing, a mass, and large amounts of food. (No fertility rite).

An old theory that surrounds this day is that feelings and emotions experienced on the day of the festival are expected to stay with the celebrant until the next May Day. So with that in mind, take this opportunity to mark a new beginning. Let go of old worries, and dark memories. Buy flowers. Put a figurine of a fairy or angel in your garden. Write down a new goal. Another words – let in the light.

Happy May Day, Pam