Eat, Pray and Love among other things

Today I received a shipment from Amazon of the latest books I've purchased that I swear will not gather dust on my bookshelf.  One might think with all the books I own that reading would be one of my biggest excuses for not writing, but it's not.  I'm much more a collector than a consumer of words.  I seriously don't need to buy any more books for...well, let's just say a very long time.  

I've had Joan Didion's book, "A Year of Magical Thinking" for awhile and have just two more chapters until I finish it.  Having just looked up a website to refer to Joan's above-mentioned memoir on her husband's death and her grief, I'm on the verge of tears as I discovered something online that isn't in the book because at the time of its publication, it hadn't happened yet.  For those of you who haven't read the book, I encourage you to do so and don't do any internet research on Joan until you've finished.  Hers is a sad tale indeed.

I've purchased all these memoirs recently because it was suggested by a friend that it would be ideal to learn more about that kind of writing style since that's the genre my book will fall into.  It's a brilliant idea and it's an intimidating one.  I don't want to mimic another author's style.  I want to find my own.  However, I think discovering what appeals to me (what techniques and formatting work and what don't) is important and will help me with my writing.  And least that's my hope.  I won't let reading the words of others' personal lives prevent me from exploring and sharing mine. 

I missed writing a blog post yesterday and I have no excuses.  I just didn't do it and I wanted to acknowledge that.  Onwards and forwards...

I'm working on my book outline (chapters and headings) as I sit patiently for the first sentence to appear.  I trust that it will and I'm willing to sit for a very long time.