Connie Jasperson (@cjjasp) Bsky

#Writing Advice: the good, the bad, and the ugly We humans find it easy to remember simple sayings, little proverbs, if you will. New authors are bombarded with many axioms about the craft of writing. Some will be good, and some will lead to later problems. The commonly repeated writing proverbs were originally intended to encourage writers to craft stories that readers would understand and enjoy. Writers must know the basic rules of grammar.

#Writing Advice: the good, the bad, and the ugly

We humans find it easy to remember simple sayings, little proverbs, if you will. New authors are bombarded with many axioms about the craft of writing. Some will be good, and some will lead to later problems. The commonly repeated writing proverbs…

3 days ago 1 0 0 0

#FineArtFriday: Castle Bentheim by Jacob van Ruisdael, ca 1650 Artist: Jacob van Ruisdael (1628/1629–1682) Title: Bentheim Castle Genre: landscape painting Description: Castle Bentheim. The castle located on a hilltop, seen from below by a stream with a small waterfall, rocks, and tree trunks. Date: between 1650 and 1682 Medium: oil on canvas Dimensions: height: 68 cm (26.7 in) Collection: Rijksmuseum What I like about this painting: Jacob van Ruisdael gives us a view of Castle Bentheim in the late afternoon.

#FineArtFriday: Castle Bentheim by Jacob van Ruisdael, ca 1650

Artist: Jacob van Ruisdael (1628/1629–1682) Title: Bentheim Castle Genre: landscape painting Description: Castle Bentheim. The castle located on a hilltop, seen from below by a stream with a small waterfall, rocks, and tree trunks.…

6 days ago 0 0 0 0

Sometimes I want to write, but words fail me #writing We all have moments when our creativity fails us. This happens when I have an idea, but the words won't come. Or when they do, they feel stilted, awful. It happens to every writer at some point, and we feel alone in that experience. The words are supposed to flow from our fingers, but the well is dry and nary a drop fills our cup.

Sometimes I want to write, but words fail me #writing

We all have moments when our creativity fails us. This happens when I have an idea, but the words won't come. Or when they do, they feel stilted, awful. It happens to every writer at some point, and we feel alone in that experience. The words…

1 week ago 0 0 0 0

#FineArtFriday: a second look at “Haying at Jones Inn” by George Henry Durrie 1854 Artist: George Henry Durrie (1820–1863) Title: English: Haying at Jones Inn Date: 1854 Medium: oil on canvas Dimensions: 22"×30" Location: Private collection Life has gone a little sideways here at Casa del Jasperson this week. I feel in need of something calm and soothing, a little comfort from the past. The works of George Henry Durrie have always appealed to my imagination and they inspire all the warm feelings we sometimes need in this topsy-turvy world.

#FineArtFriday: a second look at “Haying at Jones Inn” by George Henry Durrie 1854

Artist: George Henry Durrie (1820–1863) Title: English: Haying at Jones Inn Date: 1854 Medium: oil on canvas Dimensions: 22"×30" Location: Private collection Life has gone a little sideways here at Casa del…

1 week ago 0 0 0 0

Making a fantasy map #writing Our modern lives are ruled by the geography of our area. Rivers, mountains, lakes, and ponds impede travel, forcing a road to go around them. Unfortunately, maps have fallen out of favor thanks to satellite technology and the GPS in our cell phones. Many people don’t know how to read a map. Authors might want to develop this skill because maps (and the ability to understand them) are a useful tool for authors of…

Making a fantasy map #writing

Our modern lives are ruled by the geography of our area. Rivers, mountains, lakes, and ponds impede travel, forcing a road to go around them. Unfortunately, maps have fallen out of favor thanks to satellite technology and the GPS in our cell phones. Many people don’t…

2 weeks ago 1 0 0 0

#FineArtFriday: Kaaterskill Landscape by Asher Brown Durand 1850 Artist: Asher Brown Durand (1796–1886) Title: Kaaterskill Landscape Date: 1850 Medium: oil on canvas Dimensions: height: 54 cm (21.2 in); width: 44 cm (17.3 in) Collection: Princeton Art Museum What I love about this painting: Wow! Where to start …. First, let me just say that Asher Brown Durand's lifetime spent painting the forests, mountains, and brooks of his native New England is amazing.

#FineArtFriday: Kaaterskill Landscape by Asher Brown Durand 1850

Artist: Asher Brown Durand (1796–1886) Title: Kaaterskill Landscape Date: 1850 Medium: oil on canvas Dimensions: height: 54 cm (21.2 in); width: 44 cm (17.3 in) Collection: Princeton Art Museum What I love about this painting: Wow!…

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Foundations of Worldbuilding: maps #writing The town I grew up in bears little resemblance today to the place it was ten years ago. New subdivisions have arisen along what used to be country roads. New shopping centers now exist in areas where few people once lived. The local municipalities have replaced stop lights with roundabouts at intersections that see heavy traffic. Traffic along the I5 corridor has become unmanageable.

Foundations of Worldbuilding: maps #writing

The town I grew up in bears little resemblance today to the place it was ten years ago. New subdivisions have arisen along what used to be country roads. New shopping centers now exist in areas where few people once lived. The local municipalities have…

3 weeks ago 0 0 0 0

#FineArtFriday: a closer look at “Spring in Giverny” by Claude Monet 1890 Artist: Claude Monet (1840–1926) Title: Spring in Giverny Date: 1890 Medium: oil on canvas Dimensions: height: 64.8 cm (25.5 in); width: 81 cm (31.8 in) Inscriptions: Signature and date bottom left: Claude Monet 90 I first posted this painting in March of 2024. It's such a counterpoint to the monotonous gray and constant rain of March in the part of the world where I live.

#FineArtFriday: a closer look at “Spring in Giverny” by Claude Monet 1890

Artist: Claude Monet (1840–1926) Title: Spring in Giverny Date: 1890 Medium: oil on canvas Dimensions: height: 64.8 cm (25.5 in); width: 81 cm (31.8 in) Inscriptions: Signature and date bottom left: Claude Monet 90 I first…

3 weeks ago 0 0 0 0

Worldbuilding – Calendars and Maps #writing I discovered early on that creating a calendar and a map for each novel gives me a realistic view of my plot arc. A mushy timeline stands out. I don't want my readers wondering how my characters managed to cram a week's worth of running around into only two days. Think about it. Errands take time. Shopping for groceries takes time.

Worldbuilding – Calendars and Maps #writing

I discovered early on that creating a calendar and a map for each novel gives me a realistic view of my plot arc. A mushy timeline stands out. I don't want my readers wondering how my characters managed to cram a week's worth of running around into only…

1 month ago 2 0 0 0

Planning a series #writing I'm a fan of book series. I'm like every other avid reader in that I hate to see the story end. Also, if it's a really compelling series, I will wonder how it all started. Most authors don't plan for their novel-in-progress to become a series, but by the time they reach the conclusion of the story, they discover that it isn't really the end, that the characters have so much more to say.

Planning a series #writing

I'm a fan of book series. I'm like every other avid reader in that I hate to see the story end. Also, if it's a really compelling series, I will wonder how it all started. Most authors don't plan for their novel-in-progress to become a series, but by the time they reach…

1 month ago 0 0 0 0

#FineArtFriday: Revisiting “In the Harbor” by Adolf Kaufmann Artist: Adolf Kaufmann (1848–1916) Adolf Kaufmann: In the Harbor Date: by 1916 Medium: oil on canvas Dimensions: Height: 75 cm (29.5 in); Width: 102 cm (40.1 in) What I love about this painting: This image first appeared here in 2021. It shows us the working harbor in a fishing village, with men and women unloading the catch and selling it on the docks.

#FineArtFriday: Revisiting “In the Harbor” by Adolf Kaufmann

Artist: Adolf Kaufmann (1848–1916) Adolf Kaufmann: In the Harbor Date: by 1916 Medium: oil on canvas Dimensions: Height: 75 cm (29.5 in); Width: 102 cm (40.1 in) What I love about this painting: This image first appeared here in 2021. It…

1 month ago 0 1 0 0

Successful revisions #writing I always think that in some ways, books are like machines. They're comprised of many essential components, and if one element fails, the book won’t work the way the author envisions it. So, what are these parts? Prose, plot, transitions, pacing, theme, characterization, dialogue, and mechanics (grammar/punctuation). As an editor, I’ve seen every kind of mistake you can imagine, and I have written some travesties myself.

Successful revisions #writing

I always think that in some ways, books are like machines. They're comprised of many essential components, and if one element fails, the book won’t work the way the author envisions it. So, what are these parts? Prose, plot, transitions, pacing, theme,…

1 month ago 3 0 0 0

#FineArtFriday: Claude Monet Painting by the Edge of a Wood by John Singer Sargent 1885 Artist: John Singer Sargent (1856–1925) Title: Claude Monet Painting by the Edge of a Wood Depicted people: Claude Monet, Alice Hoschedé Date: 1885 Medium: oil on canvas Dimensions: height: 54 cm (21.2 in); width: 64.8 cm (25.5 in) Collection: Tate Britain What I love about this painting: This is the record of a pleasant summer's day spent with friends, just relaxing and enjoying life.

#FineArtFriday: Claude Monet Painting by the Edge of a Wood by John Singer Sargent 1885

Artist: John Singer Sargent (1856–1925) Title: Claude Monet Painting by the Edge of a Wood Depicted people: Claude Monet, Alice Hoschedé Date: 1885 Medium: oil on canvas Dimensions: height: 54 cm (21.2 in);…

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Microsoft, you are p**sing me off, and other random rants #writing Look, Microsoft. I have been using your products since 1994. I've stuck with you through screens of death, through Windows ME and Vista, and through Windows 8. I adored Windows 10. I use your product every day, often for six to ten hours at a stretch. I write books and sometimes edit other people's work. I listen to a terrific playlist while I do that, mostly epic…

Microsoft, you are p**sing me off, and other random rants #writing

Look, Microsoft. I have been using your products since 1994. I've stuck with you through screens of death, through Windows ME and Vista, and through Windows 8. I adored Windows 10. I use your product every day, often for six to ten…

1 month ago 0 0 0 0

#FineArtFriday: A closer look at “The Peasant and the Nest Robber” by Pieter Bruegel the Elder 1568 Artist: Pieter Brueghel the Elder (1526/1530–1569) Title: "The Peasant and the Nest Robber" Date: 1568 Medium: oil on oak wood Dimensions: 59.3 × 68.3 cm (23.3 × 26.8 in) Collection: Kunsthistorisches Museum What I love about this painting I first featured this painting in September of 2024. It made me smile then and still does. I still love the sarcastic wit that Pieter Breughel the Elder instilled in it.

#FineArtFriday: A closer look at “The Peasant and the Nest Robber” by Pieter Bruegel the Elder 1568

Artist: Pieter Brueghel the Elder (1526/1530–1569) Title: "The Peasant and the Nest Robber" Date: 1568 Medium: oil on oak wood Dimensions: 59.3 × 68.3 cm (23.3 × 26.8 in) Collection:…

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Exploring Depth #writing We often talk about the story arc and its component parts and features. But to explain depth, we must put all the parts and pieces back together and examine the story as a whole. So, what is depth, exactly? It is the component of the narrative that supports and informs the story's arc. It is also comprised of layers.

Exploring Depth #writing

We often talk about the story arc and its component parts and features. But to explain depth, we must put all the parts and pieces back together and examine the story as a whole. So, what is depth, exactly? It is the component of the narrative that supports and informs the…

2 months ago 0 0 0 0

#FineArtFriday: A second look at “Gathering Wood for Winter” by George Henry Durrie 1855 Title: Gathering Wood for Winter Artist: George Henry Durrie (1820–1863) Date: 1855 Medium: oil on canvas Dimensions: height: 26 in (66 cm); width: 36 in (91.4 cm) Collection: Private collection Why I love this painting: I love the comforting hominess or George Heny Durrie's works. in fact, I love everything the snobbier critics hate most about his work - it is meant for ordinary people (like me) to enjoy.

#FineArtFriday: A second look at “Gathering Wood for Winter” by George Henry Durrie 1855

Title: Gathering Wood for Winter Artist: George Henry Durrie (1820–1863) Date: 1855 Medium: oil on canvas Dimensions: height: 26 in (66 cm); width: 36 in (91.4 cm) Collection: Private collection Why I love…

2 months ago 0 0 0 0

Building strength as a writer #writing This last week, I edited a paper that my grandson had to submit to his literature class at his college. That experience sparked the realization that many people make it all the way through school without learning even a few of the more common rules for punctuating written English. Yet many of these people have stories they are bursting to write.

Building strength as a writer #writing

This last week, I edited a paper that my grandson had to submit to his literature class at his college. That experience sparked the realization that many people make it all the way through school without learning even a few of the more common rules for…

2 months ago 1 0 0 0

#FineArtFriday: A Merry Company in an Arbor by Adriaen van de Venne 1615 Artist: Adriaen van de Venne (circa 1589–1662) Title: A Merry Company in an Arbor Date 1615 Medium: oil on panel Dimensions: height: 164 mm (6.45 in); width: 230 mm (9.05 in) Collection: Getty Center What I love about this painting: Good heavens, where should I start? This is now my second favorite Dutch Renaissance painting ever.

#FineArtFriday: A Merry Company in an Arbor by Adriaen van de Venne 1615

Artist: Adriaen van de Venne (circa 1589–1662) Title: A Merry Company in an Arbor Date 1615 Medium: oil on panel Dimensions: height: 164 mm (6.45 in); width: 230 mm (9.05 in) Collection: Getty Center What I love about this…

2 months ago 0 0 0 0

Revisions part 2 – Allegory, Symbolism, and Foreshadowing #writing Allegory and symbolism are important tools in a writer's toolbox. They are similar to each other but different and often misunderstood. The difference between them is in how they are presented. An allegory is a narrative, a moral lesson in the form of a story, heavy with symbolism. Symbolism is a literary device that uses one thing (an item, a…

Revisions part 2 – Allegory, Symbolism, and Foreshadowing #writing

Allegory and symbolism are important tools in a writer's toolbox. They are similar to each other but different and often misunderstood. The difference between them is in how they are presented. An allegory is a narrative, a moral…

2 months ago 1 0 0 0

#FineArtFriday: a second look at “Under flowering trees” by Adolf Kaufmann Artist: Adolf Kaufmann (1848–1916) Title: Under flowering trees Date: before 1916 Medium: oil on canvas Inscription: signed A. Kaufmann What I love about this painting: I first featured this painting n 2023. Adolph Kaufmann was brilliant at depicting the kind of misty rain we often get in spring. Here, he gives us a beautiful spring day with dew clinging to the grass, along with apple and cherry trees in full bloom.

#FineArtFriday: a second look at “Under flowering trees” by Adolf Kaufmann

Artist: Adolf Kaufmann (1848–1916) Title: Under flowering trees Date: before 1916 Medium: oil on canvas Inscription: signed A. Kaufmann What I love about this painting: I first featured this painting n 2023. Adolph Kaufmann…

2 months ago 0 0 0 0

Revisions, part 1: Shakespeare and the Art of Foreshadowing #writing Good foreshadowing is crucial. If, like me, you work from an outline (a planner), you might plan to embed clues in the first quarter of the story, hints that are little warning signs of future events.For those who wing it (pantsers), this happens on a subconscious level, but it does happen. Whether we are planners or pantsers, clumsy foreshadowing or neglecting to foreshadow are things we do when laying down our story’s first draft.

Revisions, part 1: Shakespeare and the Art of Foreshadowing #writing

Good foreshadowing is crucial. If, like me, you work from an outline (a planner), you might plan to embed clues in the first quarter of the story, hints that are little warning signs of future events.For those who wing it…

2 months ago 1 0 0 0

#FineArtFriday: Flock of Sheep with Shepherdess on a Rainy Day by Adloph Kaufmann Artist: Adolf Kaufmann (1848–1916) Title: Flock of Sheep with Shepherdess on a Rainy Day Date: by 1916 Medium: oil on canvas Dimensions: 102 × 113 cm (40.1 × 44.4 in) What I love about this painting: Oh those poor miserable sheep. Sure, they're wearing wool coats, but it's autumn, and the rain is cold. The shepherdess isn't really enjoying the day either, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do, and this girl's job is shepherding the sheep.

#FineArtFriday: Flock of Sheep with Shepherdess on a Rainy Day by Adloph Kaufmann

Artist: Adolf Kaufmann (1848–1916) Title: Flock of Sheep with Shepherdess on a Rainy Day Date: by 1916 Medium: oil on canvas Dimensions: 102 × 113 cm (40.1 × 44.4 in) What I love about this painting: Oh those poor…

2 months ago 0 0 0 0

Bringing emotions to life #writing To create characters with emotional depth, you must swim with the sharks of show-and-tell. Most authors who have been in writing groups for any length of time become adept at writing emotions on a surface level. We work to show our characters’ facial expressions, whether happiness, anger, or spite, etc. We show their eyebrows raise or draw together. Their foreheads crease and eyes twinkle; shoulders slump and hands tremble; lips turn up and dimples pop; lips curve down and eyes spark … and so on and so on.

Bringing emotions to life #writing

To create characters with emotional depth, you must swim with the sharks of show-and-tell. Most authors who have been in writing groups for any length of time become adept at writing emotions on a surface level. We work to show our characters’ facial expressions,…

2 months ago 0 0 0 0

#FineArtFriday: Spring Landscape by Ellen Favorin ca 1900 Artist: Ellen Favorin (1853–1919) Title: English: Spring Landscape (Suomi: Kevätmaisema) Genre: landscape painting Date: circa 1900 Dimensions: height: 20.7 cm (8.1 in) Collection: HAM Helsinki Art Museum What I love about this painting: Ellen Favorin shows us a pleasant spring day beside a calm lake, with leaves on the birch trees just beginning to bud out.

#FineArtFriday: Spring Landscape by Ellen Favorin ca 1900

Artist: Ellen Favorin (1853–1919) Title: English: Spring Landscape (Suomi: Kevätmaisema) Genre: landscape painting Date: circa 1900 Dimensions: height: 20.7 cm (8.1 in) Collection: HAM Helsinki Art Museum What I love about this painting:…

3 months ago 0 0 0 0

A few ideas for a Zen #writing life We may all write novels or short stories or poetry, but every writer is different. We each have our own approach to getting our work on paper. I’m like everyone else. I have difficulty thinking creatively when life is too stressful. However, blog posts are more like technical writing, which is how I keep my writing mind working. Over the years, I have developed a few tools for my writer’s toolbox.

A few ideas for a Zen #writing life

We may all write novels or short stories or poetry, but every writer is different. We each have our own approach to getting our work on paper. I’m like everyone else. I have difficulty thinking creatively when life is too stressful. However, blog posts are more…

3 months ago 1 0 0 0

#FineArtFriday: An Old Red Cedar on the Rocks near West Manchester, Massachusetts by Marianne North 1871 Title: An Old Red Cedar on the Rocks near West Manchester, Massachusetts Date: 1871 Dimensions: height: 35 cm (13.7 in) Collection: Marianne North Gallery What I love about this painting: Marianne North gives us a sunny day and the portrait of a tree whose life was written in its twisted trunk and tangled branches. This tree has seen some stuff!

#FineArtFriday: An Old Red Cedar on the Rocks near West Manchester, Massachusetts by Marianne North 1871

Title: An Old Red Cedar on the Rocks near West Manchester, Massachusetts Date: 1871 Dimensions: height: 35 cm (13.7 in) Collection: Marianne North Gallery What I love about this painting:…

3 months ago 0 0 0 0

Plot Armor, Objective, and Risk #writing My weekend got derailed due to life cluttering it up with huge chunks of reality. I hate it when reality ruins my carefully plotted existence. So, instead of a new post, I am revisiting a post from 2023, a short story about a writer wrestling with her characters, objectives, and inventing risks with a dash of plot armor thrown in. I hope you enjoy it!

Plot Armor, Objective, and Risk #writing

My weekend got derailed due to life cluttering it up with huge chunks of reality. I hate it when reality ruins my carefully plotted existence. So, instead of a new post, I am revisiting a post from 2023, a short story about a writer wrestling with her…

3 months ago 0 0 0 0

#FineArtFriday: a closer look at “Off the Coast of Cornwall” by William Trost Richards 1904 Artist: William Trost Richards (1833–1905) Title: Off the Coast of Cornwall Genre: landscape art Date: 1904 Medium: oil on canvas Dimensions : Height: 55.9 cm (22 in); Width: 91.4 cm (35.9 in) Collection Private collection Inscriptions: Signature and date bottom left: W.T. Richards.04. What I love about this painting: I first featured this painting in June of 2020. This is one of my favorite seascapes, as it captures the cold sense of danger that is a storm at seashore.

#FineArtFriday: a closer look at “Off the Coast of Cornwall” by William Trost Richards 1904

Artist: William Trost Richards (1833–1905) Title: Off the Coast of Cornwall Genre: landscape art Date: 1904 Medium: oil on canvas Dimensions : Height: 55.9 cm (22 in); Width: 91.4 cm (35.9 in) Collection …

3 months ago 0 0 0 0

What is an archetype and how does it fit into my work? #writing If you write fiction, you are making use of an archetype, whether you know it or not. In literature, the word archetype describes the kinds of characters and plots featured in stories across all cultures and eras of human history. Even in our ancient past, when we had little communication with other cultures, our myths and legends shared common, recognizable characters we call…

What is an archetype and how does it fit into my work? #writing

If you write fiction, you are making use of an archetype, whether you know it or not. In literature, the word archetype describes the kinds of characters and plots featured in stories across all cultures and eras of human history.…

3 months ago 2 0 0 0

Posts by Connie Jasperson