Back to School...Again. (A Novel Freshman Experience)

 The new term starts today at the University!

Ceramics II here I come. 

I spent last evening thinking about what I want to do this class.  And it struck me...I've been here before.  You know the place when you're learning a new skill...it's when you know just enough to be dangerous.  

When I started last term, I hadn't taken a test in...a very long time.  And other than a ceramics class in high school, which worked with slip and molds not clay, I'd never done anything like our ceramic class.  But I so love it.

As I was thinking about projects I want to try, I was suddenly reminded of when I started writing.  I'd been a reader my entire life.  I met some lovely writers online who supported me and cheered me on (the Dreamweavers were amazing!) and I wrote with sheer joy.  I'd been a reader all my life and wrote with just enough knowledge to be dangerous.  I'd never given thought to POV or hooks.  I read articles and talked to people, but that was all secondhand knowledge.  I learn best by doing, so back then I just did.  I just wrote.

That's what Ceramics was last term.  I read assignments, listened to lessons, but I learned the most when I just made stuff.  Not everything was a success.  LOL  But everything taught me something.  I made mistakes and hopefully I won't make them again.  

I can't even begin to tell you how much I enjoyed the class.  And it influenced my writing in so many ways.  I wrote an article that will be out in February about creativity and new experiences.  I wrote a short story that will be out free for newsletter subscribers sometime soon.  (Not a subscriber?  Join here.)  And my agent and I were talking about my success with the Maid in LA series (Quincy is one of my bestselling series) and she asked me to consider putting together a new cozy mystery series.  You might see shades of my going back to school in it! 

All in all, my first term back in college was a huge personal success.  I found something I love and it pushed me to new insights about me and my career.


Just imagine what my second term might bring!  Have you tried out something new lately?

Holly

You can check out my first term's Novel Freshman Experience posts at:Part 20, Part 19, Part 18,  Part 17, Part 16,  Part 15, Part 14, Part 13, Part 12, Part 11, Part 10, Part 9, Part 8, Part 7 Part Six, Part 5, Part 4, Part 3, Part 2, Part 1

PPS Hold Her Heart is on sale today!! It's a good book to talk about today because it's a story of discovery, too!

My Novel Freshman Experience, Part 14...Leave Room

Our second test today!!  I'm pretty sure I passed. Phew.

I keep talking about the similarities between art and writing.  My ceramics class just keeps hammering that home for me.  Our last project is going to be a narrative sculpture or teapot.  I thought mine was going to be a simple vace based on a line from Carry Her Heart...
"Maybe we all repeatedly curl up in a chrysalis and emerge as something else entirely."  I love that quote (which is cheeky to say since I wrote it LOL).  But more than that, I loved Pip's garden in both Carry Her Heart and in the third book in the series, Hold Her Heart.  It truly became a character for me. 

But here's the thing, I already know I'll go off script.  Heck, I've already gone off script.  I'll keep adding changes I didn't plan on, or skip features I thought I'd do.  That vase has turned into something else entirely.  Professor H. said he liked the concept, but the simple vase was too...well, simple.  So I thought I'd turn the vase into a tree...

But our other option for the project was a teapot and I realized my tree trunk had teapot qualities and now it's a...teapot. 

It's like that when I write a synopsis.  A friend asked me the other day I worked from a synopsis or flew by the seat of my pants.  My answer was...yes.  LOL  Yes, I do both.  Some books I stick to that initial script, but some take a left turn and lead me to uncharted and unplanned territory.  That's the fun of writing, finding an unexpected moment or path.  And for me, that's the fun of ceramics as well.  I have an idea, but I leave room for inspiration.  I leave room for the ceramic piece, like a book, to speak to me. 

I leave room.

I'm starting on the Hobbit Hole/Book Ceramic project this week...I'll post about it next week.  I thinking about the order of how I'm going to put it all together.  I know my skill level won't match my imagination, but I live in hope! LOL  
Holly

Carry Her Heart

Hold Her Heart

These Three Words

PS. All three Words of the Heart books are on sale, so you can read about Pip's garden for yourself.  Then let me know if the teapot fits the story.

PPS. If you missed any school posts, you can find them here...Part Thirteen, Part Twelve, Part Eleven, Part Ten, Part Nine, Part Eight, Part Seven, Part Six, Part Five, Part Four, Part Three, Part Two, Part One

Come FALL in love with Holly Jacobs Books...

e It's FALL!!  This is my favorite time of year. It's the time of year that Erie, PA truly shines! If you drive through North East, you can smell grapes ripening on the vine.  Enjoy the fall foliage—deep reds, vibrant oranges and cheery yellows—as you drive a little west along the lake into Erie proper.  Yes, the kids are back to school...oh, and there's a bit of news...so am I!!  I'm a college freshman.  My first class?  Ceramics.  Oh, I'm having more fun at school than anyone should.  Don't tell my class, but I just finished my presentation...uh, it's not due until November.  Yeah, I know, it's a sickness.  But seriously, I'm enjoying every part of this class.  I'm blogging about my "Novel" Freshman Experience on this blog. It's amazing how much pottery relates to my writing! And I'm going to segue from school to...uh, school.  It didn't take much talent, did it? LOL  I'm talking about my PTA Mom trilogy.  The first book, Once Upon a Thanksgiving, is out today as an ebook, and the paperback will be out in a couple days!   The PTA Mom series is filled with heart, holidays and three PTA Moms who find their own happily-ever-afters!   The first in the series, Once Upon A Thanksgiving is about when Harry Met…Samantha. Single mom, Samantha Williams is too busy for love. She’s already juggling work, four kids, a one-eyed cat and now the PTA’s Social Planning Committee. But when Samantha meets Harry Remington, she finds herself drawn to the kids’ principal. But not only is Harry recovering from a bad break-up, he’ll only be around until December. Maybe they can date knowing there’s an expiration date on their time together. But sometimes the heart has its own mind. By Thanksgiving, neither are ready to let go of what they've discovered together, but both are afraid to hold on. Will their love be enough to overcome their pasts as they look beyond their present to a future…together?   Reviews: "If you're looking for a comfort book as the season gets busier and busier, you can't go wrong with Once Upon a Thanksgiving.... And, for those of us who are fans of Jacobs, it's wonderful to discover this is the first in her new holiday series." ~Lesa Holstine in USA Today "Beyond delivering a compelling read, or the first in an inventive series about parenting, Holly Jacobs earns her kudos by seriously dealing with the difficulties of divorce on children and parents." ~ RT Bookclub The second book, Once Upon a Christmas is out in November, and the third book, Once Upon a Valentine's will be out in January!

I'm so glad all the winners loved their Weary Creek Bathworks boxes of soap earlier this year!  It was so much fun, I've decided to do it again for the PTA Moms trilogy.  The boxes will go out in December, so you have time to enter.  And here's how we're going to do this one... Take a picture of yourself reading any of my books, post it on social media and tag me...and you're in. OR write an honest review of one of my books for your favorite online site (Amazon, Goodreads, etc...) and tag me, or email it to me and you're entered. OR take a picture of a Holly Jacobs' book on your bookshelf, in a pile of leaves, and post it on social media.... Well, here's the thing...do something to tell friends about my books, tell me or tag me, and you're entered.  I'll draw names in December, so you've got two months to enter. Why?  Word of mouth is always the best promotion a writer can get.  I have Weary Creek working on PTA Mom boxes!  You can just link me on social media, or send them to me at HollyJacobs1@gmail.com. That's it this time!  I'm working like crazy on the new Quincy book (yes, she's back again for a 5th book and oh, there's a bunch of news!!) that will be out next year!  Thanks everyone for asking for more Quincy!! Wishing you all an amazing fall!  I'll be back in a couple months to tell you about Michelle's book, and then again to tell you about Carly, our accidental arsonist! (Don't you want to know how that happened??) As always, thank you, thank you, thank you for all your support!! Holly Once Upon a Thanksgiving Once Upon a Christmas Once Upon a Valentine's

A Novel Freshman Experience Part Nine...A New Assignment

A New Assigment

My idea for this coil pot took a turn, but a good one.  I was going to do another acorn imprint, but while I liked it on a small pot, it looked dump on a bigger object.  The project was something asymmetrical, big, different shapes, sizes and textures.  They need to be side by side, and while connected, two obvious different pieces. I tried this for an experiment...

I was inspired from a pitcher I found at a house sale. 

They're from Pigeon Forge Pottery in Tennessee, which was started by Douglas James Ferguson.    The texture of the jugs is amazing.  My piece didn't turn out exactly the way I envisioned it, it's coming along.  I keep saying that in so many way pottery (art in general) is like writing.  I don't think I've ever written a book ended up where I thought it would.  LOL  And truly, that's okay.  That sense of discovery is part of what keeps me writing.  

I'll confess, I'm more of a symmetrical than asymmetrical gal, but  project was so much fun...a lot of work, but fun.  I learned to use different tools, learned more about how the clay feels and what it can do.

I can't wait until next week!

Holly  

PS.

If you've missed any Novel Experience posts, you can find them here... Part Eight, Part Seven, Part Six, Part Five, Part Four, Part Three, Part Two, Part One