Woo Wednesday
Here we are again. It’s Wednesday and that means we talk about things we’re excited about and enjoying right now.
Quick reminder: I don’t get any kickbacks for anything I recommend. I just share stuff I’m digging.
Woo Shirley (Ms. Jackson if you’re nasty)
I love Shirley Jackson with a fervor bordering on spiritual. I also am a big fan of magical thinking. Which is how, last week, I found myself on the couch scanning Etsy for two hours looking for the perfect Cup of Stars.
The Cup of Stars comes from Jackson’s masterpiece The Haunting of Hill House. In a scene early in the book, Eleanor Vance is on a road trip and stops for lunch. In the restaurant, there’s a family with a small girl. The girl throws a fuss because her mom forgot her favorite little cup that she usually drinks milk from. The parents are trying to coerce her to drink milk from a normal, plain glass instead.
“Don't do it, Eleanor told the little girl; insist on your cup of stars; once they have trapped you into being like everyone else you will never see your cup of stars again; don't do it; and the little girl glanced at her, and smiled a little subtle, dimpling, wholly comprehending smile, and shook her head stubbornly at the glass. Brave girl, Eleanor thought; wise, brave girl.”
I was on Etsy because I decided it was high time I had my own Cup of Stars. My thinking was that having my own special coffee cup of stars will remind me to be a brave, wise girl and that my writing would be haunted by the spirit of Shirley, herself.
I found it at the In a Glaze shop. It’s perfect and I love it. It even has little stars inside the cup!
To make my Shirley mojo even stronger, I also bought this candle to keep on my desk.
I found this candle at Sainted Writers, also on Etsy.
With my Shirley shrine in place, I’m sure writing will be a breeze. A creepy, creepy breeze.
Woo Workshop
Things have been chugging along at Wells Writing Workshop. Thanks to everyone who’s subscribed or signed up to receive the free version. We’re still in early days, but I’m having fun thinking of new things to try and topics to teach you.
This week, I’m going to try something new. On Friday, Subscribers will receive a writing prompt based on a tarot card I pull that day. The idea will be to use either the images of the card or the meaning of the card to inspire your writing for the day. Or you can simply follow along and learn a little bit about how tarot can be used as a writing tool.
This will be for subscribers only, so if you want to join in be sure to sign up now. Since you’ll be one of the early supporters of the newsletter, you’ll get 20% off for life!
I'm going to say that to build a shrine, the chosen author should probably be deceased...so I'm going to go with Robert B. Parker. Otherwise, I might go with Stephen King and you. I love that you are using Tarot cards as writing prompts. You are so amazing.
Good afternoon(TX Time) Jayne.
To answer your question is hard for me since I have several authors I enjoy reading. If I had to chose it would be between you, Diane Kelly, Kathleen Baldwin, and a local author Pat Haddock. Each of you provide inspiration in different ways. If I really had to make a single chose for a mug, I would put all four on the mug. That way I would not have to chose.
Andr (Andi) King