Isolation Fosters Creativity

Isolation  fosters creativity and the frigid temperatures only add to the inspiration. At least, that's how it works with my artist husband and me. We're always busy in the summer but when the calming of winter settles in, it affords us the opportunity to step back, clear our heads, and begin new projects. 

All I need is a warm office, coffee, and movie themes from Pandora to create interesting characters and suspenseful plots. Listening to Batman themes will make my thoughts race if someone is chasing one of my characters. Thomas Newman's music from Passengers will encourage my character to continue and hopefully save the day. 

Recently I came across old 78 records that my father had made. They were recordings of my siblings and me back in 1952. My brother pretended to be a,  "Man On the Street Interviewer".

 

Advertisement from 1952

 

I decided to scour old photo albums to find any pictures that might accompany the recording. Then with the magic of iMovie on my Macbook air, I created a five minute nostalgic trip back in time.  

My Office

 

I finalized it into an Mp4, uploaded it to my vimeo account and sent links to my children, nieces, and nephews. 

For privacy concerns, I can't make the link public. If you would like to view the movie and I'm acquainted with you, use Contact the Author option, located bottom right of the blog, and I'll send it to you. 

This family portrait was taken in the summer of 1952. The following Christmas, my dad recorded the, "Man On The Street Interview".

That's me on the left. I was the youngest in the family.

My Dad always wanted to be an engineer but dropped out of high school in his junior year. His father had died and he became the breadwinner for his mother and two younger brothers. 

Through the years and as we were growing up, he was always the first on the block to get a TV, stereo, or any new technical gadget. Popular Mechanics magazine was his go-to for the latest in high tech news. We rarely had a repair man come to the house, my Dad would fix it.

My Mom and Dad loved to dance and every room in our house had a custom built speaker, made by Dad. We had the ability to listen to a baseball game or music where ever you were, just by flipping a switch. 

I kind of grew up with elevator music, instrumental, with very little singing or vocals in the background. Maybe that's why I write to music. The quiet and no music is actually disruptive to my mental creativity. 

I think my Dad would have been proud of me as I recently waded through the technicals of iMovie for over two+ weeks. If he was alive now, he would have liked all the new tech. 

If you haven't seen the trailer for my latest historical novel, The Old Cape Blood Ruby, here's the final product. I made it with iMovie.

My trailer 

Stay creative, warm, and safe,

Barbara

Reflections in a New Year

Rock Harbor - Orleans Cape Cod

 Reflections that signal a new beginning. A time to take stock in where you have come from and where you're going.

The Pandemic affected everyone whether you believed it was real or a conspiracy. It didn't matter. You were touched by it. 

Tim and I felt grateful that all our children and extended family were all on the same page, as far as vaccination, boosters, masks, social distancing, and evaluating the risk when leaving our homes. On the plus side, no one in our family has been sick. We were careful. We followed science. I guess, we were also lucky.

This morning as we walked around the harbor, a beautiful sky inspired us. Behind the grey clouds, an azure blue sky promised hope for a better year. 

Some thoughts:

Hope pushes us to get out of bed each day. It's the foundation of our life. It's what keeps us going.

We may not be able to stop a negative energy but it's how we face it that makes the difference. 

Today, the New York Times and other news sources have said that omicron is on the downside for infections.

Here's hoping...We will always have another day to make things right. Things will be better. 

My fourth novel in the Old Cape Series was published on May 18 of 2021. The Old Cape Blood Ruby achieved success even though the pandemic circled around it at every turn.

I was forced to cancel appearances at book clubs, bookstores, and inside venues. 

If there was a fair or art event outside, I was able to attend and meet, once again, my readers and, of course, sell books. Always feeling grateful for those outdoor opportunities.  

I had a wonderful interview through the Cape Cod Writers Center about The Old Cape Blood Ruby. The CCWC host, Madeline Miele Holt asked the right questions and made the half hour fly by. It was fun.

INTERVIEW

At this time, I plan to participate in several outdoor events in and around Cape Cod. See Events.

All my books are available at the bookstores and gift shops listed on the right side column of the Home Page.

Stay safe. Good Wishes for you and days filled with hope and peace.

Barbara

P.S. Work is in progress for my fifth historical novel.