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Why I Write
When I write, I draw on my experiences as a woman with a painful past, a rapturous wife and mother, a world traveler, and a spiritualist. For me, writing is an art form. Like an artist, the work becomes more than I imagined it would be. When I set out to write a story with a particular idea or character in mind, words I cannot claim as my own flow from a magical and mysterious place through me and onto paper. The work takes on a life of its own; it is living art. The process fascinates me, satiates me, and makes my life more meaningful.
Please read my stories! If you would like to offer me feedback on my work, please click here and sign up for a free membership: https://heftynicki.Writing.com
I hope to see you there!
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Blog, Blog, Blog
 
Welcome!
 In 2011, my main focus will be on writing a novel. Since I'm a novice novelist, I've decided to come at the project from different angles, exploring the genre and experimenting with its elements. This blog and its offsite sister blog will be my journals where I attack novel-writing one day at a time.
As I was creating my BlogSpot page, the inspiration for the blog solidified in my mind. I named that blog "One Significant Moment at a Time." In essence, I want to use the format as a reminder to walk through my life with my author's eyes open, taking in the details, feeling the emotions of the day. As moments unfold and I feel their affects on me as a person, a woman, a mother, a sister, a member of the world community, I'll let the writer in me talk about it.
Creative Nonfiction is the genre most fitting to describe what I envision accomplishing here, moreso than blogging or journaling. The style is best suited, I feel, for my ambitions as a novelist.
In addition, Friday entries will not be written by me. Instead, I'll turn the keyboard over to one of the characters in my novel. He or she will relate the events of the day as s/he saw them, through the filter of his or her perception.
** Image ID #1779494 Unavailable **
 Click this image to visit my Blog City neighbors!
Leave me a comment there, and I'll send you a WDC token of my appreciation!
Become a Follower there, and I'll send you a Supportive Merit Badge! -- You don't have to go to blogspot.com each day; in fact, I post much of the same entries here in this WDC blog. But building up a verifiable readership may prove important one day when I'm knocking on literary agent/publishers' doors!
 To Follow, just click "Follow" on the right margin of my blog page. You'll have to sign in using, or create, a Google account (it's free and only takes two minutes!), and then follow the short instructions. It's easy, and I'd appreciate it so much!!
2011 Reading Goal = 25 Books in 52 Weeks. To see the list of books I've read so far, CLICK HERE 
 Leave me a comment anytime ~ even on older postings!
Thanks for reading!!
August 5, 2010 at 10:13am August 5, 2010 at 10:13am
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Last night, I entered the Twitter frenzy by creating an account. I have a blogger friend who has been saying for months that it's a great site and I should join. It was only natural that he was one of the first people I contacted once my profile was set up. Talk about launching myself head-first into the deep end of the Twitter pool...
Simon has over 2,000 followers, and he was in conversation with hundreds of them last night. I developed an immediate case of ADHD trying to follow along.
He's awesome and tweeted an invitation for his followers to make me feel welcome. Seconds later "@NicoleDwrites" messages began flooding my timeline. It was great -- and flattering/fun/chaotic/scary/intimidating/exhausting/and did I say fun?
I've figured out only a couple things:
 Tweets I make show up on my timeline, as well as tweets made by the people I follow.
I visit other people's Twitter sites to get involved with a conversation by reading/replying to what they've tweeted, that was in reply to someone other than me. (What? I don't even understand what I'm typing!)
If I put @ followed by someone's username, at the end of my tweet, it indicates I'm referring to that person.
If I put # followed by a word(s), I create a hashtag
| a keyword indicating the subject that others can search by for like tweets |
And that's it. So basically, I'm the newest brand of Twitter newbie and pretty lost. If anyone has Twitter knowledge to share with me, from navigation tips to etiquette to "things you should never do on Twitter," please pass it on!
Thanks!!
Oh, and to find me on Twitter, click here: NicoleDwrites
 Nicki
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[This post can be viewed with accompanying book cover art, author and illustrator photos, and lots of links HERE ]
I’m thrilled to participate today in the Blog Book Tour for Little Pickle Press and their newly released children’s book What Does It Mean To Be Present? This little treasure’s beautiful message, illustrated with whimsical brilliance, is capturing the fancy of children and parents alike.
(One Significant Moment at a Time followers are able to purchase What Does it Mean To Be Present at a discounted rate online. Receive your coupon code below!)
Author Rana DiOrio's third book in the "What Does it Mean..." series is a refreshing, vibrant picture book aimed at children 4-8 years old, which engages all of the senses and explores answers to a deceptively simple question, “What does it mean to be present?” Each colorful page reveals how to seize the moment and "be present," sharing ideas that will open important dialog between children and parents, and teachers and students.
In DiOrio's words, being present can mean “listening carefully when other people are speaking”; “focusing on what’s happening now instead of thinking about what’s next”; or “savoring each bite of your delicious food.” The book helps children judge what’s truly important in life.
The author's powerful messages resonate with adults, too. As I read, I reflected on my own rushed, often hectic daily life. It’s easy to forget to slow down, to indulge the senses, and to listen to your heart sing. Children learn to behave primarily through the example set by their care-givers. This book is a wonderful tool for grown-ups who know there is no greater gift than teaching a child the importance of “closing your eyes and being still enough to hear your inner voice.”
DiOrio’s words come alive accompanied by the magic of Eliza Wheeler’s whimsical illustrations. Through Wheeler's drawings, a story emerges of two children, a boy and a girl, as they move through their day. Wheeler creates the book's wonderful sense of flow as the background scenery moves from setting to setting, with each turn of the page. And children will be delighted to hunt on every page for the blue butterfly and the orange fruit, sometimes out in plain view, sometimes slightly hidden. When Wheeler was asked about the butterfly in a recent interview, she said:
“Whenever a butterfly is around people seem to stop to watch them. They are fragile, gentle creatures that don't usually live long, yet they bring such beauty while they are here. I included blue butterflies on each page because kids love to search within drawings and find repetition. Searching for the butterflies slows them down as they read the book, and helps them to be "present" and fully experience each page.”
I love that!
I was completely enchanted by What Does It Mean to be Present? and I highly recommend it. Be sure to seek out the other two titles in the series: What Does It Mean to be Green? and What Does It Mean to be Global?
An Offer Just For You (Visit my BlogSpot blog HERE -- where everything is linked properly!)
Rana DiOrio and the Little Pickle Press are offering One Significant Moment followers a great deal! You can order online any two books in the series and a poster for just $29.95.
Go HERE and type the coupon code MOMENT at check-out.
Grand Prize Give Away (Visit my BlogSpot blog HERE -- where everything is linked properly!)
You could win all three books in the What Does It Mean... series, plus four posters and a DabbaWalla backpack. Click HERE for full details!
About the Author
Rana DiOrio was born in Providence, RI and grew up in a colorful Italian-American family. Her curiosity about the world began in kindergarten, while studying Western access to China and, obviously, panda bears! She has written her way through life – as a student, a lawyer, an investment banker, a private equity investor - and now as an author of children’s picture books and owner of Little Pickle Press.
Rana’s motivation for writing What Does It Mean To Be Present? was deciding that she had a Blackberry® addiction and hoping that the best cure would be to write about how best to live without it. Her interests include reading nonfiction, dreaming, effecting positive change, and, of course, practicing yoga. She lives in Belvedere, California with her husband and their three Little Pickles.
About the Illustrator
Eliza Wheeler, an award winning children's book illustrator, was born into a family of musicians, artists, and teachers, and was raised in the north woods of Wisconsin. As a toddler, she adored crayons, and drawing has been her favorite creative outlet ever since. Eliza received her BFA in Graphic Design at the University of Wisconsin-Stout; shortly thereafter, she abandoned the mouse and embraced pen on paper to pursue a career in illustration. She began studying illustration in earnest and fell in love all over again with the picture books of her childhood. Now, Eliza has found her true calling — illustrating for the children’s book market and creating illustrated gifts for her online gallery.
Thanks to Dani Greer at Blog Book Tours for inviting me to participate today. And thanks to Alex Cavanaugh for thinking of me and passing my name to Dani!
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7:10 a.m., and the house is quiet. And it isn't because the children are snug in their beds, dreaming of carefree summer bliss.
The beds are already made.
Any dreaming of carefree summer bliss is happening on the school bus.
That's right, the children have gone back to school...and now my vacation begins. Just kidding! Sorry if I sound a bit giddy. And please don't misunderstand. It isn't that I haven't enjoyed my children immensely this summer. I have! It's been one of the best on record. But, this schedule-oriented, deadline-loving, early-to-bed-early-to-rise, muggy weather-hating, I-need-silence-to-work writer is doing the happy dance today!
Back to business as usual. And the first step is:
Re-evaluate my goals for 2010.
I've come to realize I approach the year in two five-month blocks. Think about it. On January first, it's easy to look the year to come straight on, as a twelve month entity. But summer derails all my best-intended goals.
In reality, I'm on-track in all aspects of my life (my writing, the housework, my health and fitness routine, etc.) from January through May. Then, school lets out -- and all hell breaks loose -- for summer break.
We sleep in, sometimes staying in our jammies until it's time to put the swim suits on and head for the pool. We eat Cheez-Its and Diet Coke for lunch. I put baskets of clean, badly-wrinkled laundry back in the dryer, because I never get around to folding the clothes the same day I wash them. Every evening I remember I didn't take meat out of the freezer, so I dash to the store to buy steaks for dinner. We start a feature-length movie at 8:30 at night, eat dinner on the living room coffee table in front of the TV, finish the dishes at 11:30, shoo the kids off to bed by midnight, and finally fall into bed in the wee hours -- only to get up late the next morning and do it all over again.
And my WiP gathers dust in the binder where I put it, back when I was preparing for the trip to France.
But today begins the second five-month block of 2010. August through December sees the return to normalcy around here. My beloved daily schedule resumes! (*fist pump*)
So, re-evaluation time. I took pages of notes in France, for a new story floating around the edges of my mind. But I won't turn my attention there just yet. First things first. I'm sticking to my original deadline of finishing the first draft of Overcome by November first. I want to attend the Georgia Writers Association's Red Clay Writer's Conference on November 6th with a completed manuscript in hand. So I need to write, on the WiP, e.v.e.r.y.d.a.y.
Also, I need to get my @ss back in the gym. I've managed to maintain my weight, more or less, this summer, but my muscle tone is disappearing. I can't wait to get my sweat on.
This week, I'm easing into things. Organizing my desk, mopping a sticky floor here and there, actually planning a couple meals. Tomorrow I hit the gym with Lorri. (But afterwards, we're heading over to a friend's pool where she's hosting a "Our Kids Are Back In School Let's Drink Margaritas and Celebrate Party.")
And I'm going to write. At least 500 words. E.V.E.R.Y.D.A.Y.
By next week, I should be completely transitioned back to my regularly scheduled life.
What are your goals this week? Please share -- it'll help me to feed off your motivation energies!
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Please Never Text and Drive...
...Distracted Drivers Are As Deadly As Drunk Drivers!
Other distracting activities include:
Using a cell phone
Eating and drinking
Talking to passengers
Grooming
Reading, including maps
Using a PDA or navigation system
Watching a video
Changing the radio station, CD, or Mp3 player.
Did You Know?
Research on distracted driving reveals some surprising facts:
In 2008, slightly more than almost 20 percent of all crashes in the year involved some type of distraction. (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration - NHTSA).
Nearly 6,000 people died in 2008 in crashes involving a distracted driver, and more than half a million were injured. (NHTSA)
The younger, inexperienced drivers under 20 years old have the highest proportion of distraction-related fatal crashes.
Drivers who use hand-held devices are four times as likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves. (Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
Using a cell phone use while driving, whether it’s hand-held or hands-free, delays a driver's reactions as much as having a blood alcohol concentration at the legal limit of .08 percent. (Source: University of Utah)
(The above facts were copied from the Official US Government Website For Distracted Driving.
Please visit the site today: DISTRACTION.gov )
I have a steadfast rule in my car: NO CELL PHONE USAGE. I won't answer a call, not even with a blue tooth accessory. I won't read or respond to a text message. If my kids are in the car with me, and if it's appropriate, I ask them to type a text I dictate, or answer the phone. Otherwise, I wait until I'm parked, engine off, to use my phone.
My cell phone voice mail message is: "Hello! I'm either away from my phone or driving the car, but I'll call you back as soon as possible. Until then, have a great day!" Of course, I worry that someone may take me for a snooty Oprah-wannabe. But if that message-leaver is a friend or family member I love, making the call from her car, and she is reminded not to risk her life or the lives of others by driving distractedly, then I don't care if labels are cast on me.
Some things are worth that climb atop the soap box 
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It's been a while since I wrote anything I'm proud of. Working hard right now so I won't be able to say that anymore! Hope your week's off to a great start. Thinking of you!!! 
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~Noelle 
~
Where'd Ashy go??)~
