Month: September 2014

The Butterfly Emerges

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on September 29, 2014. Posted in General. 4 Comments on The Butterfly Emerges

My web presence is about to transform from a fuzzy caterpillar to a beautiful butterfly. I love caterpillars, their chunky little bodies moving with unexpected grace. But a butterfly! Soon, you’ll be able to actually read this blog—no more black background making you squint and ultimately blame me when you discover you’ve developed...

Competency

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on September 27, 2014. Posted in General. 2 Comments on Competency

I cannot lie: I LOVE feeling competent. For me, “competent” means I’m able to satisfy expectations. Mine, others, or both. Today at the Literacy Mid-South inaugural Book Festival, I was competent. I know this because after the talks people keep coming up to me and telling me how helpful they found the information I imparted...

So Easy

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on September 26, 2014. Posted in General. 6 Comments on So Easy

So my friend had three polyps; two benign, one malignant. So he had to have another colonoscopy this year to recheck things. So he’s on Medicaid. So Medicaid doesn’t pay for the prep material that you must drink and cannot have a colonoscopy without. So he had to postpone the colonoscopy until a day came when he didn’t have...

The Website Has Me Trapped Like a Spider

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on September 23, 2014. Posted in General. No Comments on The Website Has Me Trapped Like a Spider

This website re-design is so hard! I am a trial and error person, which, by definition, means I make errors. Another way to look at it is I need to play with things. Try a little of this, mix in a dollop of that. Maybe take a big eraser and start all over—why do you think my husband marvels at the process I go through to get dressed in the morning? I’ve...

Thank God Dogs Gotta Pee

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on September 19, 2014. Posted in General. 2 Comments on Thank God Dogs Gotta Pee

Thank God dogs have to pee. My time at my dad’s family reunion this past week was invaded by the Door of Hope book, Writing Our Way Home: A Group Journey Out of Homelessness. Calls from TV news anchors; an interview with Leonard Gill of the Memphis Flyer, which resulted in this great article: MEMPHIS FLYER All wonderful stuff but, for...

PSA: The Heart You Save Might Be Your Own

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on September 8, 2014. Posted in General. 4 Comments on PSA: The Heart You Save Might Be Your Own

“If you hadn’t come in, you would’ve been dead before the end of the year.” Ever since a doctor spoke these words to my husband, I’ve looked men in the face and said, “At least once a year, go in and let a doctor listen to your heart.” I try to make them understand. My husband was doing great too. He...

My Drugstore

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on September 6, 2014. Posted in General. 5 Comments on My Drugstore

In 2001, I moved to Memphis and became a writer, which is a person who sits at her computer and meets no one. I left behind a busy law practice in Jackson, Mississippi, so the change was a shock. Quiet days at home, on my own in a new city, no outlet to meet people. Then I found Wiles-Smith Drugstore. I never became a fixture at the old-fashioned...

Old Stories Found

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on September 3, 2014. Posted in General. 5 Comments on Old Stories Found

After a long hiatus, I submitted a couple of short stories to literary magazines today. I’ve been working on the new website, mulling over what stories I wanted to include. The website will have a “Photo Bio” featuring a sentence about my life that reflects a dominant themes in my work and a representative photo. Click on the...

The Good News

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on September 2, 2014. Posted in General. 6 Comments on The Good News

When I was young, my mother told me I’d gotten a phone call. I was whining about what terrible news it was certain to be, and she said, “How can it be good news if you don’t leave room for it to be good?” I think of this every time I’m about to open a SASE. You know, the letter that, incredibly, some very high-end...

A Modern-Day Literary Salon

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on September 1, 2014. Posted in General. 2 Comments on A Modern-Day Literary Salon

Susan Cushman, who has an amazing blog at Pen & Palette, hosted a wonderful literary salon at her house on Saturday. Neil White of Triton Press spoke to about thirty-five writers about the hybrid publishing option. I learned many things. I wanted to share a few with you. * When revising, look for scenes hiding in your sentences. Neil encouraged...