"Who ever heard, indeed, of an autobiography that was not interesting? I can recall none in all the literature of the world."

Henry Louis Mencken, American Humorist, Journalist


Read by visitors from 23 countries and 77 cities


Showing posts with label creative writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label creative writing. Show all posts

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Flashback to 1971 - Circus Girl - "Lions, Tigers, and Horses,Oh My!"

My horse Commodore and I fit right in at PT Barnum and Bailey Circus at the Cow Palace, San Francisco.

He, a good looking tall black-bay with a long mane, wearing a new red halter and a leadrope on one side as a rein. Me, 19 years old, riding him bareback.

Lions looked out at us from cages, elephants were led by, people were milling around.

It was 1971, my Mom and I moved to Santa Barbara, California. We took a horse trailer up to San Francisco to pick up Commodore. A professional had trailered him across country from Wisconsin.

I hadn't seen him for a year, having been away at college. Commodore had been turned out in a giant pasture in Wisconsin.

The Cow Palace sign announced "PT Barnum and Bailey Circus."

We located the truck driver and Commodore.

I knew right away Commodore hadn't forgotten me.

I slipped the new red halter on him with the leadrope. "Would you give me a leg up please?" I asked the truck driver.

In my mind I said to Commodore, "Comma, I have missed you so much."

The past year melted away.

Commodore was a tall jumping horse, spirited, and I had never ridden him bareback with only a halter and a leadrope on one side.

We instantly connected, tuned in to each other. We took off riding around the circus.

We stopped at the lion cage. All kinds of circus animals were in cages nearby or being led around.

People in the crowd smiled at us, watched, waved, pointed at him. I knew Commodore was trusting me. That was why he wasn't nervous or spooking.

The bystanders probably thought I was a circus girl, one of the bareback riders with her trusty trick horse.

In my mind I said to him, "Oh Comma thank you! You're so good."

Commodore in his red halter, me riding bareback, we watched the PT Barnum and Bailey circus at the Cow Palace.

It was not your everyday experience, but Commodore was not your everyday horse.

Saturday, November 21, 2009

How to Tell Anecdotes, Ira Glass of "This American Life" Explains Storytelling, Anecdotes, and Building Suspense

To see the whole Ira Glass series on storytelling just click to watch the episodes on youtube. Visit Ira Glass and his award winning show that's on Chicago Public Radio at http://ThisAmericanLife.org. Enjoy listening to a master storyteller online.



Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Life Story Bloggers - This Video Shows How To Publish A Book From Your Blog

Are you writing your life story on a blog? Would you like to publish a book made up of those blog posts? The video below shows you the steps to do this.



Video - Novelist Joyce Carol Oates Talks About Writing

Award winning novelist Joyce Carol Oates talks about the importance of starting your story with people.




Saturday, March 8, 2008

Inspirational Video for Life Story Telling

Need a creative, inspirational uplift for your life story writing? Watching the video below is one way to get the story rolling.