A Fun Adventure

Posted on May 19, 2018 by russtowne

I love doing author readings to youngsters in schools, libraries, and elsewhere. They’re fun and I’m delighted to experience the reactions of the children and adults to my creations. Such adventures often yield surprises. I had two amazing surprises the same day this week when reading to two classes of children at an elementary school.

The first was when a teacher told me of an incident when she read my early chapter book Sir Alex Sleighs a Dragon to her class of preschoolers. With the relatively short attention spans of youngsters of that age she’d planned to read a single short chapter to them each day, but when she’d finished the first chapter her students begged her to read another. After the second, she told them it was snack time. They begged her to read a third chapter instead. Forgoing snack time? REALLY? I took their requests as one of the greatest compliments I’ve ever received for my books.

Earlier that same visit, one of the parents said that when the teacher read one of my books, part-way through the story she told her class it was time for recess. They asked if they could stay in so she could finish reading my book to them! Children skipping recess to have one of my books read to them?!?! WOW! I love those kids!

With love,

Russ

 

 

Posted in Author Readings/Guest Readings, Children, children's books, Children's Picture Books, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 13 Comments

Last Hurrah

Posted on May 11, 2018 by russtowne

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Nature appears to have once again shut off the spigot where I live in California, but the poppies at our home appear determined to go out in a gorgeous golden blaze of glory. Thanks for the awesome show, my flowery friends. Please come back soon.

With love,

Russ

Posted in Beauty, flowers, images, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Made Me Smile and Remember

Posted on May 9, 2018 by russtowne

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I looked up from my desk a few minutes ago and saw Rusty Bear sharing his bench with a squirrel. The furry-tailed critter was in the same posture as his redwood friend, sitting and looking at me. By the time I grabbed my phone and put it into camera mode, he’d moved and was poised to leap from the bench. I got the shot just before he decided it was time to vamoose.

The scene made me feel like I was out in the country, and that reminded me of a song I wrote:

I wrote the lyric and Kevin Harris wrote and played the music, and sang the song.

May our song bring back beautiful memories of being out in nature for you.

With Love,

Russ

Posted in My Songs, Song Lyrics I've Written or Co-Written, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 9 Comments

More California Gold

Posted on May 7, 2018 by russtowne

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I love orange flowers, California golden poppies most of all. They draw and keep my eyes with a power unlike any other color or blossom. These images are of some of the poppies in our front yard. My eyes are often treated to, and sometimes enthralled by, their beauty.

With Love,

Russ

Posted in Beauty, flowers, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Fascinating Fact

Posted on May 7, 2018 by russtowne

Bad news for vanilla ice cream fans:

Vanilla now costs more than silver!

Ice Cream Pricier Than Silver

Sources: BBC, Yahoo Finance

With Love,

Russ

 

Posted in Fascinating Facts, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

A Little Magic Every Hour

Posted on May 5, 2018 by russtowne

These images are of a beautiful and magical clock featuring glittering Swarovski crystals my Beloved gave to me for my office. At the top of each hour it briefly plays a classic song and the numbers dance, creating various shares and patterns. I love it. It’s an hourly brief meditation, a reminder for me to take time to experience beauty, relax, and enjoy the moment.  That’s magic to me.

With love,

Russ

 

 

Posted in Beauty, images, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments

One of Those Moments

Posted on April 30, 2018 by russtowne

It happened again. I was working in my new office for the first time this morning doing something I love for my investment Clients and myself when a chorus of bird songs caused me to stop and listen through my open windows at their “It’s great-to-be-alive message.” I don’t speak bird, and can’t swear that’s what they were singing, but their songs are so delightful that I’ll bet my interpretation is fairly close.

I looked up to see my tiny grove of redwood trees swaying to the timeless rhythm of the wind’s caress. The invisible visitor even took a moment to say hello with a gentle kiss to my face.

The redwoods proudly sported the lighter green needles of new growth which contrasted so handsomely against their darker more experienced brethren.

I felt the pleasant warmth of our faithful dog Sadie as she lay at my bare feet, her black coat gently tickling my toes.

I was engulfed with immense gratitude to be able to experience it all in my office while I did what I love without having or needing a boss or commute. I know that many people dream of retirement and I can understand why, but as for me, I’ve been retired, and this is so much better.

In that moment, as  I simmered in those thoughts, I asked myself how much money it would take to get me to give it all up and go back to work in a regular office with a boss and a commute doing something I didn’t love. I couldn’t think of a large enough number.

May your days be filled with blessings.

With Love,

Russ

 

 

Posted in Abundance, Dogs & Other Wonderful Creatures, Following Your Passion, Gifts, Home Addition and Remodel, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 16 Comments

The Power of Using Beta Readers

Posted on April 30, 2018 by russtowne
I just finished writing an unedited draft of a story of action and suspense titled “Blood Oaths” and sent it to my beta readers last night. I’ve already received helpful feedback that will help me enhance my story. One of the beta readers suggested that I provide a more detailed description of the man mentioned in the first sentence of the story, perhaps providing hints about him and his past. Her feedback inspired me to turn this sentence:
“The man was in his early forties.”
into this:
“Jacob Makepeace was in his early forties, and though his face wore the wrinkles of a man aged beyond his years, its pallor hinted of someone long denied sunlight.”
That, my friends, is why I love getting feedback from the kind, generous, and talented people who volunteer their time to read my stories before they’re published and provide specific feedback. I’m blessed and honored as a writer and as a person to have them in my life. If you’re one of them, thank you!
With love,
Russ
Posted in A Writer's Journey, Beta Readers, Uncategorized, Writing Project Updates | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

The Shot Rang Out

Posted on April 29, 2018 by russtowne

The Shot Rang Out an anthology of 500-word western stories featuring my yarn “Mary’s Medicine” has just been released as a paperback! Fifty-one western authors accepted best-selling author Scott Harris’ invitation to write precisely 500-word stories that included these sentences exactly in this order:

“The shot rang out. I heard her scream at the same time the bottle crashed to the floor.”

It was such a fun project that I’ve already accepted Scott’s invitation to include more of my work in his next two multiple-author collaborations.

I enjoyed reading these widely varied tales crafted from the minds of so many writers based on the same eighteen words, and believe some of you will too.

The Shot Rang Out

With Love,

Russ

 

Posted in A Writer's Journey, Author Collaborations, Uncategorized, Westerns, Writing Project Updates | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

I Love Every Aspect of this Story

Posted on April 28, 2018 by russtowne

Strangers meet on a subway. A forty-year-old father struggling with math problems he hasn’t seen for thirty years so he can help his young son do better in school. Seated next to him is a man who used to be a math teacher and offers to help. Across the aisle is a woman who takes it all in, is touched, and shares the moment with the world.

A Special Moment on a Subway

Sources: CBS News New York, Leo @ Not All News is Bad

With Love,

Russ

 

Posted in Beauty, empathy, Kindness, Parenting, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments