Wednesday, June 3, 2020

Writer Secrets #IWSG

ISWG

June 3 question - Writers have secrets! What are one or two of yours, something readers would never know from your work?




I doubt that anyone reading my books would know that I learned weaving at an early age. Granted, the image above doesn't look that impressive. But I did this with some very crappy string and used corn husks for the letters. Have you ever tried to weave with corn husks? It'd look better if I had some yarn or something to hold it all in place. But I worked with what I found.

Readers may or may not know that I was actually born in the Virginville area of Pennsylvania. That's a roadsign for the exit because some of you think I made the place name up. "Come on, J! Next you'll tell me that Virginville is near Intercourse."

Pennsylvania Amish Country has some interesting names for places

I certainly wouldn't want you to think that all the names of places in this area sound like innuendos... 😆

I was born in a very hot month, so it probably was August. My birth parents aren't so great with calendars. And now that you've all been living the quarantine life and don't know what day it is, maybe that finally doesn't sound so weird. (Normally people look at me like 🤨 this. "How would anyone NOT know what day it is?") The birthday written on an official form (years later) was just that day's date and the year was an educated guess.

*Update- It has since been proven that many of the violent forms of protest were started by white supremacist groups and people paid to make the peaceful protestors look unsympathetic. So it's even more messed up.


How did May treat you? Did you manage to avoid getting the virus? Have you, like me, lost anyone to Covid-19? Are there any innuendo place names in your area? Do any campaigning against violence and systemic racism?

16 comments:

  1. I admit that I've never heard of weaving with cornhusks. That is definitely a new concept for me, and I'm trying to imagine how you'd do it.

    August is a great month to start out. I launched in February, and before this planet started heating up, it always rained on my birthday. No parties in the park for me!

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  2. So sorry that you lost someone to the virus. My heart goes out to you. I've been blessed not to have that happen to me.

    No, I never heard of weaving with cornhusks.

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  3. Thanks for stopping in. Yeah, I've lost a few now.

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  4. I'm so sorry for your loss! This is a hideous disease and so contagious. We've been lucky so far. I worry about mom because she's in a nursing home with dementia but the home is amazing and they haven't had any cases out of the 800 staff and residents so far. Hoping that continues.
    It's WAY past time for racism and prejudice to come to an end. And it doesn't surprise me in the least that white supremacist idiots have their hand in the violence.
    Stay safe

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  5. So sorry for your loss. We've been lucky here, although a couple of close calls. It seems as though 2020 is testing us and finding (some of) us wanting.
    The weaving with corn husks is fascinating--something I've never seen before.

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  6. We lost an Uncle. It's a horrid disease. Pennsylvania has some curious names. I'm originally from Burgettstown. :)

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  7. J, I am so sorry for your loss.
    I live in Harrisburg, and anytime we drive through Lancaster toward Philly/Valley Forge, I love to look at the town names. There is so much interesting history here. Much positive thoughts to you.
    Anne from annehiga.com

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  8. States have such weird names. Where I came from, there was a Drain, OR. (Fortunately, I never lived there.)

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  9. May wasn't too bad for me personally, but my June isn't going so great. I'm sorry for your loss. With so much craziness going on in the world, to also have to deal with this virus, just isn't fair.
    I've seen all kinds of weaving throughout my life, even some cornhusk weaving but it looked a little different. Maybe it's just the picture. I too have unfriended quite a few people. In retrospect, they weren't really my friends anyway. I cherish the friends that have remained.

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  10. It's been a crazy couple of months, for sure. I think those town names are hilarious, btw. Stay safe! From a fellow new-blogger, let me just say welcome! Stay safe!

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  11. I can't think of any fun names like that in Colorado off the top of my head (some must exist), but there is an actual town that has an official population of 2!

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  12. Your corn husk weaving is great. Very resourceful to use what you have. I feel like the quarantine brought out the resourcefulness in people. Use, or consume, what you already have so you don't go out as much. It's a scary virus. I worry about my parents, too. They're in their 80's and very vulnerable. My oldest brother died in March, not from Covid, but from respiratory failure. He'd been on a ventilator for many months. We're grieving. And, it's hard to be social distancing during all that.

    Systemic racism and violence are another chronic disease. I'm supporting Black artists during this time.

    Mary from Play off the Page

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  13. Oh, I also wanted to comment on funny town names. I grew up near Climax, which isn't too far from Fertile, MN.

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  14. I didn't know people did weaving with corn husks. I would never have thought of that as a use for them. Very creative. I haven't lost anyone to Covid-19 yet, but I worry about my elderly parents. I'm sorry for your losses.

    As for innuendo place names in Vermont, we have Blissville and Ticklenaked Pond.
    Lori at https://lorilmaclaughlin.com

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  15. The weaving looks good. I wouldn't know how to start with something like that.

    Sorry you lost someone. I'd like to think something good eventually comes out of the mess of this year in terms of us being kinder to each other. Remains to be seen but we can be hopeful.

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