art

What’s Making Me Happy: October and November 2018

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“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas….”

Seriously, though. Can you believe Christmas is a month away?? Thanksgiving was last Thursday here in the States, and now it feels like full steam ahead to the end of the year. Thank goodness I’m almost done with my Christmas shopping already… Because if the past two months are any indication, this December is going to be my busiest one in a long time.

I’m not joking. October and November were kind of crazy on my end. In a good way, though. (Wait – is there such a thing as a good kind of crazy-busy?) But I’ve made time to have some fun and take care of myself. So here are some of the things that have made me happy over the past two months, starting with…

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New at DIY MFA: #5onFri – Five Reasons Why Writers Should Give Coloring Books a Try

/ saraletourneau / 17 Comments

DiyMFA

Some of you might remember that I’ve fallen in love with adult coloring books. Yesterday I declared that love again at DIY MFA, as part of their weekly #5onFri series. But I’m not simply gushing about the adult coloring book trend. Instead, I offer five reasons why writers should try this hobby for themselves, from using it as a means to de-stress or meditate, to making it a creative solution for breaking through writer’s block.

Click here to read “#5onFri: Five Reasons Why Writers Should Give Coloring Books a Try.”

Are you also a fan of coloring? What are some of your favorite adult coloring books? Do you engage in other forms of art like painting, dancing, composing / playing music, etc.?

Time Flies!: November 2015

/ saraletourneau / 29 Comments

Time Flies Banner

Welcome to the latest edition of Time Flies! It’s my version of a monthly update, where I recap the past month’s accomplishments and articles, share news and random things from my offline life, and hint at what may be coming in the month ahead.

Huh? What do you mean, tomorrow’s the first day of December?! I’m not ready to think about 2016 yet!!

Buddy the Elf

It’s insane how quickly this year has sped by. November in itself was a blur. I was hoping things would quiet down after a nutty October. Nope. Life offline turned into another kind of crazy altogether. So I’ve craved more time than usual to relax and meditate, and I know I’ll still need it now that the holiday season is underway.

Btw, I hope all my fellow Americans (and anyone else who celebrates the holiday) had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I’d traveled out to state to spend it with relatives, hence my absence from the blog and social media for the past few days.

Let me give you a chance to catch up on the past month’s posts now:
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New at DIY MFA: A Case Study on Art as a Literary Theme

/ saraletourneau / 2 Comments

DiyMFA

I love it when an author makes art intrinsic to a story. Whether they highlight painting, poetry, or acting doesn’t matter. Simply reading about art awakens my imagination and draws me closer to the creative characters who are featured. However, did you know that by involving art in a story, the author is also making a thematic statement about the subject?

That’s the question behind my newest post for DIY MFA’s Theme: A Story’s Soul column. We’ll examine how art is used as a literary theme in two different novels, as well as the parallels in both examples that can help us explore the same theme in our own work.

Click here to read “A Case Study on Art as a Literary Theme.”

Got any questions or suggestions for Theme: A Story’s Soul? Feel free to comment below or tweet me at @SaraL_Writer with the hashtag #AStorysSoul.