UP!–Q&A with Peter H. Reynolds

Q&A-LighterSideUp_WriterSideUp.com_byDonnaMariePeter - portrait

     A “Lighter Side Up”

            Q & A with

        Peter Reynolds

 

Confident that someone wouldn’t have to be unusually perceptive, it’s not a stretch to assume you’ve gotten just a bit of a hint that I am somewhat OVER-THE-MOON, JUMPING-OUT-OF-MY-SKIN EXCITED about the Reynolds brothers visiting my blogs for a “chat” in celebration of International Dot Day 😁😍👍👏😎❣💥!!!!!!!

No “Dynamic Duo” is complete when you have one of a pair. Last week I had the pleasure of one cape-donning superhero dropping by: the amazing Paul Reynolds. This week none other than the pencil-and-brush-wielding Peter Reynolds is here. Needless to say, very much in “Lois Lane” fashion, I’ve been swept off my feet to circle the stars by their gracious presence and certainly their incredibly thoughtful, moving and inspirational responses to my questions. I’m betting you enjoyed Paul’s and are about to enjoy Peter’s too 😀 😎 (also posted on “Creativity” Cookbook) Continue reading

UP!–Q&A with Paul A. Reynolds

Q&A-LighterSideUp_WriterSideUp.com_byDonnaMariePaul - portrait

       A “Lighter Side Up”

               Q & A with

            Paul Reynolds

 

For those of you who’ve been following my blog since its launch, you may recall that at that time it had been planned to do Q&As with the Reynolds brothers, but due to life’s demands the posts had to be postponed. These are two busy guys. After all, what else would you expect from superheroes?! Well, I can tell you—they were worth the wait. When you read their sensitive, wise, affecting responses to my questions, their superpowers are crystal clear: words and actions that stem from passionate, sincere hearts. I’m SO honored to be hosting them as part of International Dot Day 2018 (just 2 weeks away, having been inspired by Peter’s book, The Dot!). This year, rather than creating my own little Dot, I think this is a MUCH better way to celebrate 🙂 ❤ Continue reading

UP!–What Gets You to REREAD a Book?

BookStack_WriterSideUp.com_byDonnaMarieI don’t know about you, but I’m not exactly a fast reader. I’d say I read at a moderate pace. Typically I read novels (or any fiction longer than a picture book) at bedtime, rarely allowing myself to read them during the day. That is, of course, unless the book is one I simply can’t put down, and OH, how I love it when that happens! 🙂 My list of books To Be Read (TBR) is a very lengthy one, and stays that way because it takes me relatively long to read each book, plus new ones are added every day. So, though I may want to REread a book, I nix the idea almost immediately.

Then you have Continue reading

UP! — It’s all about FOCUS! Plus a Giveaway :)

VisualArts_WriterSideUp.com_byDonnaMarie

Recently, on Leslie Zampetti’s blog, Rear in Gear, she posed a question about how to get kids to talk about what they’re reading. As I began typing my comment in response, it got me thinking about what’s at the core of the issue. My thoughts came full circle, ultimately encompassing what’s at the core of many “road blocks,” even for we adults. Whether it’s to do with getting kids to talk, writing a novel, or just about any task or issue with a similar obstacle, it comes down to focus and how we go about achieving that. Continue reading

UP!–for You or Someone You Know–COLLEGE APPLICATIONS made EASIER!

GradCap-writersideupOK, so “College Applications” is not exactly a “writerly” subject unless, of course, you’re going to major in Journalism or English Literature 😉

As you may recall, my Writer Side UP! blog has a “sister.” I still have a lot of set-up to do on both blogs and am far from posting in any systematic fashion, that is, IF I am ever truly systematic about it. That work is going to take some time, BUT meanwhile—there are subjects that are coming up and things I want to offer that are somewhat timely, so I’m putting up actual posts before my pages are filled in!

It will be a very rare occurrence when I will “double blog” the same information. That will only happen if the subject matter truly belongs on both: here for lit-related and there for creativity-related. At Creativity Cookbook, I’ve set up a “HANDY MISC.” page for just that—the handy miscellany.

Creativity Cookbook-Avatar-300dpiFor anyone who is applying for college or knows anyone who intends to apply for college, I have put up some very useful charts that may help with the process. Continue reading