Exterior of Home-Made Car

Here it is! Many of you asked to see the exterior of this unique car after viewing the inside. Thanks for all of your great stories. I can't wait to print many of them out and share your flash fiction with the owner (once I track him/her down). And, in my mind, I thought it was green, but as you can see, it's brown with green wheels.

Let me know if this is what you expected it to look like!

My Winning Photograph

I was flabbergasted and beyond thrilled when I was notified that I had won FIRST PLACE in the annual Art & Photography Contest by Ozarks Writers League in February. I mean I almost needed garlic waved in front of my nose. To my dismay, I was out of state during the meeting to receive this honor. Still, it was amazing news.

As background, this was the first time I had entered a photography contest and it certainly won't be my last. Most of you know I am not tech savvy. Not in the least. I finally threw away my corded Princess phone (okay, it was almost that bad) and bought a new-fangled phone that has a great camera. Ever since my phone/camera purchase, I've been snapping pictures constantly. I'll run to catch a great shot, crouch, squint, try different angles, stand in the hot sun or on an icy patch--whatever it takes. I almost feel like a real photographer.

Okay, okay. I know you just want to see the winning photo. I entered a few and honestly thought a couple of wildlife photos might have a chance at placing. This award-winning photo caught me by surprise (a very pleasant surprise). It's funny. Really funny and is a home-made car by an ingenious person. I first took photos of the exterior but couldn't see the rich, humorous details inside. So, I got close to the car from every possible angle and came up with this... Note: It's best enjoyed in the 8" x 10" version.

Car spotted in Cape Coral, Florida. It really runs!

"Car Seats" photo by Beth Carter



Creative Writers

As I prepare to enter my first-ever photography contest, it occurred to me that writers not only write creatively, they are naturally creative people. To illustrate this, let me introduce you to several of my author friends who are extremely creative:

• Linda and Jan both write and paint
• Shirley writes and crochets
• Stephanie writes and makes beaded jewelry
• Brenda, Sharon, and Mike write and are award-winning photographers
• Amy writes, dances, acts, and is a magician's assistant
• Lonnie writes and plays instruments
• Mike writes, sings, and plays several instruments
• Linda writes and is a public speaking expert
• Claire writes and is an amazing cook (or so I hear!)
• Ruth and Linda write and read Tarot cards

I'm sure I've missed several, so please fill us in. Oh, and what's my claim to fame? I write, play the piano (albeit rarely) and have a new-found interest in photography thanks to my updated cell phone. (I'm currently shopping for an easy digital camera.) I also bought a Drawing for Dummies book because I would love to learn to draw and paint. Once in high school, I made a paper mache` clown that actually made it into the main hallway showcase at Central High School. That's big for someone who normally cannot draw stick people. I'd give anything to have that cute clown.

How about you? Besides writing creatively, are you a creative writer? If so, what is your creative outlet?