http://shinythings.gather.com Recent Articles on Gather by Pat S. en-us Copyright Gather Inc 2009 Mon, 04 Jan 2010 07:22:06 GMT 2010-01-04T07:22:06Z en-us Copyright Gather Inc 2009 http://www.gather.com/images/header/logo_gather.gif http://www.gather.com/ http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977974404 It’s a new year, a new decade, and time to start a new writing motivation exercise! This exercise is called Power Draft, and always occurs the first full week of the month. The objective is to state . . . Sun, 03 Jan 2010 18:33:47 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977974404 Pat S. 2010-01-03T18:33:47Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977949152 I have often referred to my trip to Paris as “planes, trains, and automobiles—and buses and metros and boats.” So many ways to get from point A to point B! I write historical fiction, . . . Wed, 16 Dec 2009 02:59:01 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977949152 Pat S. 2009-12-16T02:59:01Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977837205 It’s that time of year again. For those of us in colder climes, winterizing has begun. We’ve dug out our sweaters, put pots of soup simmering on the stove, and are thinking that hot, spiced . . . Sat, 03 Oct 2009 17:25:34 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977837205 Pat S. 2009-10-03T17:25:34Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977774883 I recently read this article, What’s in a Word?, on how our native language impacts how we see our world. It uses two examples for describing a bridge. In German, the word “bridge”  . . . Sat, 15 Aug 2009 14:48:01 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977774883 Pat S. 2009-08-15T14:48:01Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977713312 Recently I've been reading a book called Patience and Fortitude by Nicholas A. Basbanes. This book deals with libraries, -repositories of knowledge. It also discusses that mad breed, the book collector, . . . Wed, 17 Jun 2009 06:49:53 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977713312 Pat S. 2009-06-17T06:49:53Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977687781 This wombat thread begins with a bit of work: 19 minutes of your time to go watch the video posted below.   It's   by Elizabeth Gilbert, author of "Eat, Pray, Love". In it, she . . . Thu, 21 May 2009 00:23:33 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977687781 Pat S. 2009-05-21T00:23:33Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977549456 Welcome to WoNoWriMo, the Wombat's Novel Writing Month! Many of us participated in the internationally recognized NaNoWriMo, the National Novel Writing Month. Four people who started actually met . . . Wed, 31 Dec 2008 17:31:47 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977549456 Pat S. 2008-12-31T17:31:47Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977433059 Grief.   Sorrow.   Pain.   Loss.   Anguish.   Lots of folks are going through lots of changes right now.   While some of them are happy changes, some of them are not . . . Thu, 28 Aug 2008 23:45:21 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977433059 Pat S. 2008-08-28T23:45:21Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977422772   A recent article on Yahoo! News named London as the top "literary" destination.   What is described by the article is that some tourists to London are looking for a taste . . . Sat, 16 Aug 2008 05:33:29 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977422772 Pat S. 2008-08-16T05:33:29Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977406531        T his weekend is the great Wombat-together (or Wombatalooza) in California.   Wombats from all over the country will be converging on San Francisco for an evening . . . Fri, 25 Jul 2008 21:41:05 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977406531 Pat S. 2008-07-25T21:41:05Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977388222         Sex and love.   Most folks will agree they are best when one accompanies the other.   But each, by itself, can be entertaining as well.         . . . Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:23:08 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977388222 Pat S. 2008-07-03T00:23:08Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977381749         You've just had a fabulous idea for a great, new story!   Characters are springing to mind full blown!   You've got a plot point or two in . . . Wed, 25 Jun 2008 01:13:19 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977381749 Pat S. 2008-06-25T01:13:19Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977357353      How do you feel about change?   Some people embrace it, always looking for the next new adventure, excited about new vistas, can't wait to see what wonderful new thing . . . Fri, 30 May 2008 12:42:33 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977357353 Pat S. 2008-05-30T12:42:33Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977337483 Their some words ewe simply have two no.   Know amount of help from you're favorite word processor or spell checker is going to help you.   You can right a sentence that the spell checker . . . Sat, 03 May 2008 02:44:40 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977337483 Pat S. 2008-05-03T02:44:40Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977328187   Which is not the same as picking your nose (EWWWW!) No, I'm talking about editing here.   And rewriting.   And revisions.   How much is too much?   How much . . . Sun, 20 Apr 2008 23:10:38 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977328187 Pat S. 2008-04-20T23:10:38Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977312199   We all make excuses sometimes to get out of doing something we're not in the mood to do.   We're distracted, overworked, tired, and simply not in the mood. I'm talking about . . . Sun, 13 Apr 2008 04:38:51 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977312199 Pat S. 2008-04-13T04:38:51Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977302357           Most folks remember the old television show "Cheers", which portrayed that friendly neighborhood bar, where "everybody knows your name". . . . Sat, 05 Apr 2008 15:13:29 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977302357 Pat S. 2008-04-05T15:13:29Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977265682   We've talked about how we create our characters, how we give them voice, how we keep them safe, and how we do the research to get them, and their worlds, just right.   But when we speak . . . Sat, 23 Feb 2008 03:13:32 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977265682 Pat S. 2008-02-23T03:13:32Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977240545 Scars.   We all have them.   But do our characters? Not long ago, we were discussing character quirks.   Some of our characters tug on their ears.   Or bite their lips.   . . . Sat, 26 Jan 2008 04:36:52 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977240545 Pat S. 2008-01-26T04:36:52Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977204821 Hurry!   Hurry!   It's almost the holidays!   Have you finished shopping?   Have you sent out your cards?   Are your travel plans in place?   Relatives visiting? . . . Sun, 16 Dec 2007 02:29:11 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977204821 Pat S. 2007-12-16T02:29:11Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977127178 The race for romance, round 2 has officially begun!  On Monday, September 24th, Gather.com announced the 25 finalist who will now move on to round 2 of the First Chapters Romance contest. . . . Mon, 24 Sep 2007 23:38:55 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977127178 Pat S. 2007-09-24T23:38:55Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977125291 The Writin' Wombats are up to their tricks again, just in time for Halloween!  An informal contest is underway, and the topic this time is terror.  For all the rules, check out Phantasmorgia~ . . . Sun, 23 Sep 2007 01:06:11 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977125291 Pat S. 2007-09-23T01:06:11Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977039432   OK, first off, thank you to Ty for being such a terrific host on Wombats - Part DEUX!!  We may have overdosed on Grey Goose slushies, but we've had a wonderful time!   Summer is . . . Mon, 25 Jun 2007 22:09:20 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977039432 Pat S. 2007-06-25T22:09:20Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976995931 I've mentioned in comment threads elsewhere that Saturday, May 5th, was a day full of surprises and rating swoops in all directions.  Here's what I was seeing. This first table shows the . . . Wed, 09 May 2007 01:14:37 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976995931 Pat S. 2007-05-09T01:14:37Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976978739    WARNING:  Those of you prone to motion sickness might want to grab some tummy soothers before reading today's statistics.  It's been a roller coaster of a ride today! . . . Sat, 05 May 2007 00:06:58 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976978739 Pat S. 2007-05-05T00:06:58Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976975397 Aaaaand they're off!  It's still early, but the results are coming in.  Are you as excited as I am?  In the next few weeks, your vote and your comments are going to send 5 of these . . . Fri, 04 May 2007 00:14:32 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976975397 Pat S. 2007-05-04T00:14:32Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976971693   On Tuesday, May 1st, Gather will be announcing the 10 finalists in the First Chapters contest.  Their chapters will be available for review and rating starting the following day. As a person . . . Mon, 30 Apr 2007 14:48:14 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976971693 Pat S. 2007-04-30T14:48:14Z