Photography – Page 10 – Nicci Carrera

October 19, 2015October 19, 2015 Nicci Photography

Monday photos and musings

Happy Monday!

We woke up to some wet ground and lingering clouds, a very welcome occurrence in California. It was so pretty out that I went for a photo shoot, to the Saratoga public library, Central Park, and this heritage house.

Warner Hutton House, Saratoga. 1896, Queen Anne Style

I’m happy to share these views of another library. I hope this place with all its nooks and crannies looks inviting and cozy for you on this fall day.

A nook in the children's section of the public library, Saratoga — A nook in the children’s section of the public library, Saratoga

Two of my favorite things in the world are mountains and libraries, and here the architects of the new Saratoga library brought in the setting through this archway outside one of the doors.

Heritage Lane is a walkway leading on a diagonal from Fruitvale to Highway 9/Saratoga Avenue. The lane is a dirt walking path through the heritage orchard and leads to the lovely library.

Saratoga library and a heritage oak tree

Yesterday was supposed to be very productive, but for some reason I was very tired, so I ended up resting a lot. I did manage to bake a cake for my friend’s birthday, which was really fun. I also read a Writer’s Digest magazine that was focused on revising. It was brilliant, and I marked it with a lot of yellow highlighter.

I hope you are having a good start to your week. I am dreading edits, more and more because the editor is taking so long. I have to keep reminding myself she’s really busy and edits a lot of authors, plus is an author herself. Now I know how my friend feels when I take over a month to edit one of his manuscripts, LOL. My turn to dread the comments. Karma.

However, it’s not all fear and loathing, there are things to look forward to. I was looking forward to taking some photos and doing this blog post, but now that is done, so I need something more to look forward to! So…I’m looking forward to starting to read a new book. I took one back to the library this morning, since I was there. I just couldn’t get into it, and there are so many books, I figure, why force myself? I’m also kind of looking forward to working some more on the new book that I am writing. It is part small town contemporary romance and part disaster movie. Go figure, LOL! I say kind of because I have mixed feelings about the process. Weird, I know, but I feel like a race horse about to explode from the gate and tear around the track, on one hand, and on the other hand, an old cart horse with blinders on trying to move a heavy load. But I am looking forward to reading, so I’ll focus on that.

Do you have anything you’re dreading this week? What are you looking forward to this week?

October 16, 2015October 16, 2015 Nicci Photography, Reading

Reading groups and websites

I tried to create a new website using WordPress and a static page. Wow, that was hard. Either I couldn’t figure it out, or you really have no freedom. I went back over to Wix and was able to do what I wanted, which was to change the colors. Easy peasy. It’s all done now at niccicarrera.com, if you want to take a look, but basically, the colors are like this blog site. I did add the draft blurb for the new book to the Books tab.

What a relief to have another book coming for my website and my blog sidebars! I can’t wait for the cover. As for the edits, I think I’ll take a sedative before opening that email, LOL.

Anyway, I made some colors I really like in Photoshop and put them in color swatches. Then I copied the Hex code for the color from the color in Photoshop and went to Wix, to the background color, opened the custom color option, found the Hex # field, and pasted the number. Done.

WordPress.com doesn’t seem to let you change the colors. You have to use a theme, and they give you a couple of their palettes to go with it. I bet they help keep you from putting up clashing colors, but I want total freedom. I am building swatches from Latin American colors, really vibrant. However I avoided using my beautiful intense red. Even I know one had better know what one is doing before using red. For one thing it looks like blood. I also have a gorgeous green, but I heard you have to be careful with that too. Ditto yellow. That leaves blue, LOL! I did get wild and crazy and put pink in the menu background color. Pink was not in my palette, but I figured pink is safe. Oh…and the blue? Photoshop transformed it into a Web friendly version. I figured I’d better accept the advice on that one. So, basically, I was railroaded into one main color that was a little like my original vision. But I’m happy with the outcome.

I need to start learning about design. My local community college has classes, but I’m going to try the library first. I’d like to learn the principles of color in web design and about visual branding. That way I can have the freedom that comes with knowledge to add to the freedom that comes with Wix.

Today’s photos are from a sunset I caught in Campbell before my romance reading group. I love yellow houses. We are going to paint our house yellow. I’m really excited about that. But our house isn’t wooden like this, nor does it have a white picket fence. My husband says a white picket fence would clash with the style of our house. I think he’s probably right, sigh.

Yellow house at twilight windows reflecting the sunset — A cozy house at twilight

On the bright side, I looked up what is required to build a fence. Since we are Do-It-Yourselfers, no thanks.

I thought the library looked really nice in the light of sunset.

I love libraries.

Well this is it. It’s Friday. Or in the case of Australia, Saturday.

What do you plan to do this weekend? Any cooking, writing, photography, socializing, or sleeping in? Reading? Sports?

October 12, 2015October 12, 2015 Nicci Photography

Waiting to work, waiting to play, and bursting with life

Happy Monday! Woo hoo!

What is up with this woman? you ask. I crawled out of bed early, not super early, but since I went to bed late, I was still tired. I just read yet another article about how important getting enough sleep is, but the photos outside my door beckoned more than bed.

I opted not to go back to downtown Campbell. Instead I went to the parks near me. I found the feeling a park gives is really different from a downtown area. There’s a calmness as the trees stand and wait for light. People are quiet as they walk around getting exercise, as though not wanting to disturb the peace.

Since everyone loved my redwoods the other day, I started there. Standing under these trees in the morning feels amazing. Trees, especially redwoods, have an energy you can feel, if you just pay attention, which photography forces you to do. I noticed a feeling of calm anticipation.

This little guy seemed to be growing in the wrong place, but the big tree allowed its wayward child to do as it wished. The fresh green needles seem to shimmer with excitement.

Ah… then I drove to the other park and found trees reveling in the light and a playground waiting for children.

This fire hydrant spends most of it’s time waiting for work.

My morning photography shoot infused me with excitement instead of dread. I am waiting to work…my edits will be coming soon, and I’ll have to work hard and face the slings and arrows of criticism.

There’s still a little time to play. Today that means finishing up the last edits on the middle grade fantasy I set aside six months ago. It feels like play because the book is now where I want it, so I’m just reading it quickly and enjoying the story.

Do you have a hobby that is purely for fun? Does it energize you?

Look at the dew glistening on these roses. They have been blooming the whole six months since I set aside Mark Taggart and the Circle of Stones to work on Third Strike’s the Charm.

Perhaps the roses have been holding the dream for my co-author and me, so when I return to look closely, I find a precious gem ready to be pruned and shared.

October 7, 2015October 7, 2015 Nicci Photography, Writing Life

Writing life, the next level

My critique partner shared this story with me: http://www.theplayerstribune.com/matt-duffy-giants-dad-photo-gallery/ This is a baseball story and a very inspiring one. Also, for photography fans, it’s a gorgeously photographed chronicle. From birth to the major leagues, Dad (Tom Duffy) photographed his son (San Francisco Giants, Matt Duffy) playing baseball. He said:

To see a big league stadium with 40,000 fans there supporting him was both surreal and incredible. You see, while he was growing up through the game of baseball, Matt and I never once discussed making it to the big leagues. We continually kept our eyes on a much smaller prize: getting to the next level.

Emphasis mine. I love the thought of not focusing on the big time but just on what’s next for you. It made me ask myself what is the next level for me? That is an exciting thing to focus on compared to trying to imagine a big dream that just feels overwhelming. I have a little announcement to make. I just now received the contract from The Wild Rose Press for Third Strike’s the Charm. Talk about the next level; this book really is that for me.

I went out to take pictures early the other day and had a lot of fun but was disappointed when I looked at the results. They weren’t interesting. My husband helped me analyze why, look at other photos that are interesting, and create a plan for going back and shooting the same place again. I’m happier with the results.

In addition to writing, I’m focusing on learning and getting to the next level of amateur photography, and that’s what’s exciting. With photography I really don’t have goals, other than to take interesting and exciting photos for my blog. With writing I do have dreams, of course I do, and when I make sure that dream is writing increasingly good books, the journey is a joy.

Do you focus on outcomes or the journey and which inspires you the most?

October 5, 2015October 3, 2015 Nicci Photography

The Great Pumpkin Cometh

Do you remember, in the Peanuts comics, Linus and The Great Pumpkin? Linus would get very excited leading up to Halloween every year because of arrival of The Great Pumpkin. Well, in our garden, the Great Pumpkin cometh for sure.

October 3, 2015October 3, 2015 Nicci Photography, Writing Life

A new day, filled with light, and a little writing stress

I hope you are having a good weekend. I really am. The light was so pretty this morning, I had a lot of fun taking pictures. Then I had some news from my editor, a bit nerve-wracking news. Details below. But first the fun stuff.

The garden is still going…as well as glowing.

These pigeons were dining on who knows what on our patio before I came out. They startled and flew away. What a nice thing to be able to do. Just fly away. They reassembled first on the power lines then over on the neighbor’s antenna.

It is October 3, but we still have a squash flower.

This big guy was watching the world from his roost atop a tall oak tree.

This plant was enjoying the sunlight.

As was this redwood tree.

The persimmons are starting to ripen.

This was the first shot I took when I came outside.

I followed up with my editor, and turns out she was just on the phone with the senior (acquiring) editor, who had a problem with a plot element. A big plot element. She wanted to know if it was realistic and wanted to know if I’d done any research. I did research it, which I shared with them, and I said I could also add things to convince a reader who might have the same question. Donald Maass says to take the most unlikely thing in your book and prove it to the reader in as many ways as possible. He gives some ways to do that. I’ll be looking through his book and my notes from his workshops if the Wild Rose Press wants the book and wants me to do that.

So, the status on the book is a little gut wrenching. I will have to follow up with my editor to make sure she received my response because she didn’t reply. (I couldn’t figure out how to do the auto reply my friend Laurie told me. I have Yahoo mail, so it might not be a feature. I know Outlook does it.) I figured I’d do that this afternoon, soon then, just to make sure she received the email, per what we agreed to after the last email problem.

No wonder I spent the whole day playing with photos. I am a little worried. Photo processing is relaxing and fun.

Now I’m off to do some critique work for a friend and then listen to more of an audio book I’m really enjoying. One of life’s great pleasures is being read to. I love the advent of audio books.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend. Monday I will posting about The Great Pumpkin.

September 30, 2015September 30, 2015 Nicci Photography, Travel

Writing life, vacation’s over, now what?

Back to work I go. On the flight home I worked out a schedule looking at the hours in a day, and what I can allocate to writing. Also to blogging, photography, social media.

I allocated four hours a week to photography. Well I spent four hours just processing the photos from Vermont. And an hour or so writing this post, now I am rewriting it. I changed my mind about what I wanted to say. So that’s 6 or 7 hours on photos and blogging in one day.

But I like it. Maybe I’ll cut out what I “should” do, and just do what I love to do. I love blogging and taking photos. And writing and editing and fiddling with my website and reading and talking about books.

I was going to cut down on being online, planning on cutting way down on social media and networking, but it’s early morning (still on east coast time) and I just spent an hour reading the New York Times and links to other articles. And I like sending emails to friends, chatting on messenger with friends, and meeting for coffee, lunch, or writing marathons.

I guess I’ll plan to keep doing things the same way because I’m going to anyway, and if I embrace my choices instead of doing that while I’m supposed to be “disciplined” about my time, I’ll just feel bad, but not really be doing anything different. I think I just had an early morning epiphany. LOL

I guess I’ll just keep making lists of the important stuff, embrace the chaos, and see how I go. Do you adhere to schedule or just wing it?

Here is the chronicle of my last day of vacation, spent with friends in Vermont.

Picking apples is really fun. My friends and husband did most of the picking while I did most of the clicking.

Picking apples at an orchard in Vermont — Picking apples

I picked a couple apples…and ate them. I did contribute a couple to the bags, but the rest of the time I was having a blast taking photos.

My friend said my taking photos was okay, though, because if all four of us picked apples, the fun would be over too quickly. As it was, it only took 20 minutes to fill two bags. These Macintosh apples were incredible tasting. We also had fresh-pressed apple cider and hot fresh cider donuts.

Then we went for a hike in a park called Red Rocks near Lake Champlain to try to work up another appetite for our picnic lunch.

The orchard also raised and sold flowers, and they made a beautiful display in front. What an inviting display.

Oh…wait, guess how we ended our vacation in Vermont? Watching the eclipse. We all had our chairs out under a cloudless sky. Because we were in Vermont, we could watch the whole thing. Here’s one shot.

Moon eclipse 20

September 28, 2015September 27, 2015 Nicci Photography, Travel

Enjoying the last days of vacation in Vermont

We are lucky to have friends who live in a country town near Burlington Vermont. We would love coming to visit them no matter where they live, but what a treat to visit here. The country life is especially enjoyable after 10 days in New York City. Whew, what a relief to escape the noise! Although New York City has its own special beauty, it is too loud for me.

Driving along the rim of the Champlain Valley, it is very difficult to keep going instead of stopping 40 times to take photos. There was finally a good place to pull over near the town of Vergennes, a lovely country town. Here I was finally able to take a photo of one of the silos that dot the land.

Silo in near Vergennes Vermont — Silo near Vergennes Vermont

An inn Silo in near Vergennes Vermont — An inn near Vergennes Vermont

We arrived at our friends’ house after about a 6 hour journey in time to catch the sunset from their deck. With a glass of beer and my tripod, I took some photos.

Nightfall in Vermont — A country view in Vermont

The next day we hiked at Mad River Glen, where our friend skis. The photos from the hike are in the gallery below. Some of the fall colors are starting to come in, though they are somewhat hampered by a dry summer. It seems to be dry everywhere these days.

Afterward, we took a detour to look at this hop farm. Micro-breweries are booming in Vermont. In fact, there are now brewery tours in addition to the leaf-viewing tours. Hence growing hops is a new farming trend.

As I write this, it is Sunday. I am scheduling this post of lots of photos from Friday night and Saturday, and it will show on Monday. On Wednesday I will share the photos from Sunday’s adventures, which we are about to start…think apple picking, fresh cider and cider donuts, walking by Lake Champlain, and finally, sampling some of those micro-brews.

Fall colors at Mad River Glen ski area

A creek at Mad River Glen ski area

The single chair at Mad River Glen

Hiking at Mad River Glen ski area

Single chair at Mad River Glen

A hike at Mad River Glen

Mountain tops in Vermont

Fall colors at Mad River Glen ski area

Hiking at Mad River Glen ski area

Fall colors at Mad River Glen ski area

The Nature Center at Mad River Glen ski area

Hiking at Mad River Glen ski area

Fall colors at Mad River Glen ski area

A dead tree at Mad River Glen ski area

A stream

Wildflowers

Fall colors at Mad River Glen ski area

A typical Vermont scene

This says it all…

September 25, 2015September 25, 2015 Nicci Photography, Writing

Waiting for a contract for my new novel…and New York life

It has been very convenient not to have a contract in September because I’ve been vacationing like mad.

I have some scenery shots from the New York portion of my September vacation, plus some photos of New Yorkers living their lives. You can see that despite the stresses of the city and the crowding, that people here live normally, exercising, walking their dogs, playing with their children, and going grocery shopping. I didn’t take photos of all of these activities, but I’ve seen them. The parks are what make the city livable for people. Because I grew up in the mountains, I didn’t appreciate the value of parks until I came to New York City.

Even while on vacation, I’ve been checking email 10 times a day, hoping for one from my publisher saying they’d like to offer me a contract for Third Strike’s the Charm. So far, nothing.

I did get up early to take photos at Riverside Park. The rewards for crawling out of bed so early were there, and I have to ask myself why I’m not doing the same for writing. I have to think about that. I bet I could get some good creative thoughts first thing in the morning (and then go back to bed for a nap later.)

Heading to work — Morning by Riverside Park

Old railway ties with New Jersey in the backgroun

In the middle of the day, I could do your standard kind of work, the editing, research, promo, and networking, just like I took an amble through Central Park and snapped a few good travel shots.

Around lunch I could enjoy some time with friends like this man with his best friend.

Walking with your bestie in Central Park

In the afternoon it’s important to have some refreshments,

Having some refreshments — Having something to drink

Finally, evenings after dinner can be left for:

For the rest of today, I’m going to imagine receiving the email that says something like, Dear Nicci Carrera, The Wild Rose Press would like to offer you a contract for THIRD STRIKE’S THE CHARM.

What dream of yours are you imagining into reality?

September 23, 2015September 22, 2015 Nicci Book Reviews, Photography, Travel

Robyn Carr Virgin River book review and photos of New York City

Yesterday was hard work in some ways, with a lot of walking and emotions ranging from fun to sobering to sad. New York provided extraordinary weather for being a photographer and tourist: cool with a pretty sky.

Even after all the touring, which started at sunrise at the Flatiron Building and ended after 10:00 p.m. on top of the Empire State Building, I finished reading Virgin River by Robyn Carr. The last 50 or so pages were so riveting that despite being tired, I had to press on and read to the end. The Virgin River series is small-town contemporary romance, which is the direction I might be heading with my romance writing. I say “might” because I have some romantic suspense stories planned as well. I’ll probably write both sub-genres. Anyway, I’m so glad that my Goodreads group started reading this series. I’d picked up a couple books from later in the series but they didn’t captivate me. Now that I’ve ready the first one, I know to just push through the first few chapters, and I will be rewarded. I loved the contemporary and realistic elements and was moved and riveted several times throughout the book. I ended up giving it 5 stars, highly recommended.

The reading group is a great thing because many of the long-term members had read the book and their encouragement to keep going made the difference for me. Now I have a great new (to me) author and series to enjoy and another good example to follow.

Here are my favorite photos from sight seeing on Monday.

Old Ferry Building, New York City — Old Ferry Building

Statue of Liberty, New York City — Statue of Liberty

View from Staten Island Ferry, New York City — View from Staten Island Ferry

The old Ferry Building, Detail, New York City — The old Ferry Building, Detail

Here are some other photos of my day in New York City in a gallery for you. The World Trade Center and the memorials are absolutely gorgeous. I was very impressed by and proud of the people who came up with the design and implemented it. I’m glad I went, although it’s a very hard thing to stand there and remember, to absorb. It feels good to have paid my respects. Taking photos at the September 11 memorial is very easy because the site is beautiful from every angle. I won’t say much more because I’m starting to tear up. I really have no words, but am happy to share a few images in the gallery. The other photos are a smattering of images I enjoyed and hope you do too.