The names: Willoday is a family name on my husband’s father’s side and Tiger is my great-grandmother, Anna Tiger Crawford’s, maiden name. She was an incredible lady to whom I was lucky enough to be close. “Willa” is the name of one of my favorite writers, Willa Cather.

The whole family is well, settling into life with a newborn. Big sister Wylie (3) is especially proud, but doesn’t like it when Willa cries. “It’s too loud,” she says, covering her hands with her ears. Oh, Wylie. Watch out.

I promise to be back soon, but for now it’s baby time. Thanks for sticking with me!

Willa, 6 days old

I am cranky, I am exhausted, and all I want to eat is ice cream. Right now, the only person in my house who does not annoy me is the dog.

That being said, this is my last post for a while. I’m due to have this baby in 6 days. So if you don’t hear from me for a little while, that’s why. I’ll try to at least get a good baby picture up here to share in a week or two, though.

In the mean time, here are some cool things I wanted to share before I head (God willing) into post natal bliss:

Credit: Richard Foreman/CBS

1.) My favorite show currently on television, NCIS, is finishing up its 10th season. That’s quite a long stretch for a TV drama, which means some kudos for the writers who keep viewers coming back week after week. That being said, Tuesday night’s episode ended on a cliffhanger, making me wonder if they’re going to kill off one of my favorite characters, a former Mossad officer-turned NCIS agent, Ziva David.

I can’t take this sort of drama with my pregnancy hormones raging. If they kill off Tony or Ziva–two characters playing ”will they or won’t they?” NCIS agents–I’ll lose it. Anyway, this interview with Cote de Pablo (the actress who plays Ziva) may fill in a few of the blanks. As a writer, I’m especially interested in the way she describes a choice with a certain scene in Tuesday night’s episode, and the way that she thinks Tony’s character is evolving … who he is as a man. Very cool.

Check it out here.

2.) I’ve talked about this book, Dirt Work: An Education in the Woods, here before, but I’ve got to mention it again. Just published this month by Beacon Press, it’s a book of essays about life as an Alaskan “trail dog,” by my friend, the writer Christine Byl. It’s already come out to great acclaim, and has been mentioned as a “favorite Spring read” in places like O Magazine and more!

I hope you’ll check it out; it’s available in hardback and as an eBook from any independent bookstore, and of course online at places like Amazon.com.

3.) Today is the birthday of Ella Fitzgerald, the ”First Lady of Song.” Originally from Virginia, she entered a talent contest when she was 16, started to freeze up, and then sang. From there, it’s history.

Ella once said, “The only thing better than singing is more singing.” So in honor of Ella, and of my current physical state caused by the baby in my belly, check out “Cry Me a River.”

That’s all, folks! Happy Weekend, and I’ll catch you on the flip side.

Black Balsalm Knob, Pisgah National Forest

And this, our life, exempt from public haunt, finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stones, and good in everything. ~ William Shakespeare

All over the world today, people are celebrating Earth Day.

What began in 1970 as an American grassroots conservation movement led by Senator Gaylord Nelson has now become an international holiday celebrated by over a billion people (so sayeth The Writers Almanac). Several years earlier, a scientist named Rachel Carson wrote a book called Silent Spring, exposing the danger of pesticides and other regularly-used pollutants on the planet. I read Silent Spring my junior year at Clemson University, and wrote a paper on it for my one of my communications classes. My professor liked it so much, he suggested I submit it to an academic journal.

I never did–I barely knew what an academic journal was back then, let alone how wonderful it would’ve been for my future teaching career to have something published in one–but his enthusiasm and support of my writing and my positions in the paper was powerful.

I’ve always been a natural conservationist. You can’t be raised outside, freely roaming the mountains and creeks and your own neighborhood, without something like that happening. Early on I felt a wonder about nature, about plants and animals and the earth, that I’ve never shaken. I truly believe–in my physical and spiritual consciousness–that taking care of the planet, and all that means, is part of walking through this life with faith, honor, and hope. It’s so easy to do otherwise, isn’t it? Certainly, I don’t always get it right.

But I firmly believe that it’s all connected; that we’re all connected. That nature is ever-cyclical, and that heaven watches.

On this Earth Day, why don’t we all–wherever we are–take a moment to breathe. To look up at the stars or the sky. To admire the azaleas blooming fuchsia. To touch a leaf, plant a garden, buy a plant, petition for more greenways. To watch your kids, and how they interact with the Earth–how to them, a line of ants is so utterly cool. To acknowledge that we’re part of it all.

Lastly, in honor of Earth Day, some quotations from those who’ve said it much better than I:

“I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in.”  ~ John Muir, 1913

“Suburbia is where the developer bulldozes out the trees, then names the streets after them.”  ~ Bill Vaughn, 1987

“Humankind has not woven the web of life.  We are but one thread within it.  Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves.  All things are bound together.  All things connect.”  ~ Chief Seattle, 1855

There is a pleasure in the pathless woods,
There is a rapture on the lonely shore,
There is society, where none intrudes,
By the deep sea, and music in its roar:
I love not man the less, but Nature more.
~ George Gordon, Lord Byron, Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage

“Only when the last tree has died and the last river been poisoned and the last fish been caught will we realise we cannot eat money.”  ~ Cree Indian Proverb

“There is a great need for the introduction of new values in our society, where bigger is not necessarily better, where slower can be faster, and where less can be more.” ~ Gaylord Nelson

“There would be very little point in my exhausting myself and other conservationist themselves in trying to protect animals and habitats if we weren’t at the same time raising young people to be better stewards.” ~ Dr. Jane Goodall

“I had assumed that the Earth, the spirit of the Earth, noticed exceptions — those who wantonly damage it and those who do not. But the Earth is wise. It has given itself into the keeping of all, and all are therefore accountable.” ~ Alice Walker

“The ultimate test of man’s conscience may be his willingness to sacrifice something today for future generations whose words of thanks will not be heard.” ~ Gaylord Nelson

For the beauty of the earth,
For the glory of the skies;
For the love which from our birth,
Over and around us lies;
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This, our hymn of grateful praise.

For the wonder of each hour,
Of the day and of the night;
Hill and vale and tree and flow’r,
Sun and moon, and stars of light;
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This, our hymn of grateful praise.

~ Folliott S. Pierpont, 1864

This just proves what I suspected when I had the said 3 1/2 year-old: Nature never intended barely 5’2″ tall women to procreate with 6’2″ tall men.

In other news …

Good stuff to share on this Spring Friday!

Thomas Jefferson

1.) Did you know that in addition to being a Renaissance man, an incredibly gifted writer and one of the more mysterious, flawed and brilliant of the Founding Fathers, Thomas Jefferson is also likely responsible for introducing macaroni and cheese to the fine people of the United States of America?

Yep. Mac-n-cheese, coming straight to us from old T.J. himself. Since this is one of my desert island items–you know, one of the few things you’d choose to have with you should be stranded on a desert island (my others are water, Chapstick, and my dog)–I find this a fun fact to share. Check out more of the story over at the Garden & Gun Blog.

2.) Yesterday was the birthday of Isak (Karen) Dinesen, author of many stories, but most famously of Out of Africa, the novel that inspired the movie of the same name, starring Meryl Streep and Robert Redford. Karen was a wealthy Dane who in 1913 moved from Denmark to Kenya with her husband, where they started a coffee plantation. Her time there inspired the novel, which originated as collected stories.

Isak Dinesen

I’d not read Out of Africa until last year, upon entering my MFA in Writing program at the Vermont College of Fine Arts. I’d always wanted to read it, and when I mentioned adding it to my reading list my advisor at the time heartily agreed. There are some novels that affect you, that move you, the moment you set eyes on the first page, and this was one for me. Her sense of place, her gorgeous, unindulgent prose, hooked me from beginning to end.

This is a classic to revisit, or read for the first time! Read the book, then rent the movie.

I had a farm in Africa, at the foot of the Ngong Hills …. It was Africa distilled up through six thousand feet, like the strong and refined essence of a continent …. In the highlands you woke up in the morning and thought: Here I am, where I ought to be. ~ from Out of Africa

3.) Alaskan mystery/thriller/suspense writer Dana Stabenow, most well-known for her Kate Shugak series, is launching a campaign to build a new writers’ retreat for women. The Storyknife Writers’ Retreat will be the first (and so far only) retreat just for female writers in Alaska.

Stabenow was inspired to launch Storyknife by her own writerly beginnings, when she was awarded a residency at Hedgebrook, another retreat for women writers in Washington state. The time there was a gift, she says, and she wants to pass that on to other female writers.

Alaska. The Last Frontier. The Great Land. I’ve been three times (I know, life is rough): twice in the summer and once in the winter, and I spent the summer after my freshman year in college living with my youngest aunt in Anchorage. I can say with absolute certainty that there’s no place like it. For a writer, it’s inspiration central. And I first read Stabenow’s novels–mostly in the bathtub–because my aunt was a fan. So women writers, check it out and stay informed. This is an opportunity not to be missed.

Hope everyone has a great weekend. Don’t forget to grab a good book and some yummy grub. Mac and cheese, anyone?

Full disclosure: Jimmy has been a friend of my husband’s since they were kids. I had a great time corresponding with him, mostly because he’s a history buff, so well-read, and funny as heck. The interview was one of the smartest and most detailed anyone’s done with me, so it was a joy.

I hope you’ll check it out, and his blog in general–which, especially if you’re a music buff, cyclist, and/or parent, is a must-follow–here.

And we’ll stop there. Because the rest of the song gets a little depressing.

I’m excited to announce two new events in which I’ve been asked to participate in August and September:

* The Birchwood Center for Arts and Folklife Book and Author Fair at the Table Rock Lodge in Sunset, SC - Sunday, August 11, 2013 from 2 – 5 p.m.

The event is free and open to the public! Authors will be reading from their books on a porch overlooking a gorgeous view of Table Rock mountain and state park, and will be set up at tables upstairs in the lodge to meet readers.

If you’ve not had a chance to make it up to this particular part of the South Carolina Upcountry, it’s breathtakingly beautiful. And I’m especially excited to participate, since much of Keowee Valley is set in this section of the Blue Ridge and within the ancient boundaries of the Cherokee country. I’d love to see you there!

* The 2013 Carolina Mountains Literary Festival in Burnsville, NC – Thursday, Sept. 12 – Saturday, Sept. 14.

The schedule is still being assembled, but there’s detailed information about past events on the organization’s web site. Right now, I know I’ll be presenting two 45-minute sessions during the festival, and certainly enjoying all the other wonderful authors and events. This year’s keynote speaker is Elizabeth Kostova, Asheville, NC resident and author of The Historian and The Swan Thieves.

The festival has a stellar reputation and is held in the “heart of the Blue Ridge,” right at the gateway to Mount Mitchell, the highest peak in the Appalachians. I’ve never been to Burnsville before, and I’m thrilled to have been asked to take part in this year’s festival. I think an early Fall getaway to the cool blue mountains to talk and learn about books, writing, and more sounds like heaven. I hope you’ll join me.

Just wanted to share a new interview I participated in over at blogger-writer-PR expert Hallie Sawyer’s blog. It was great fun to do; in it I get to talk about all sorts of good stuff, including Cherokee history, the inspiration for Keowee Valley, my writing process, and some of my favorite books.

Hallie’s also doing a book giveaway: a lucky reader will win a copy of Keowee Valley! Check out the interview & giveaway here.

Oh, Spring has officially sprung! (Winter, cover your ears.)

This week it hit a high of 82 in my mountains–yes, I like to call them mine, sort of like Stephen, the mad Irishman in the movie Braveheart, who calls Ireland “my island.” Love that guy.

Anyway, the birds are singing, dogs barking in glee, flowers blooming, and the walkers, runners and bikers are out in full force. What a glorious time of year!

Some fabulous things to share today, mostly regional/local. Enjoy!

1.) I’m a graduate of Clemson University, and I earned a double degree in both English and Speech & Communications Studies, which was a relatively new major when I was there. So I was thrilled to discover that Clemson University’s Debate Team won the National Educational Debate Association’s national tournament! For the last six years, this title has been won by Ball State, but my Tigers–a rookie team just started in 2012–took it this year. As a grad, I love it when my alma mater does well. Check them out here.

2.) Writers, check out debut author Shannon Huffman Polson’s post at SheWrites about the publishing process of her first book, which also coincided with a miscarriage. It’s a memoir called North of Hope, and Huffman’s story of the book coming to life–and of her personal journey as a mother–is well worth reading.

3.) The Assault on the Carolinas, Brevard NC’s big bad road race, is this weekend! Everyone is gearing up, including local breweries and bands. Head to the mountains for a racing good time!

4.) The Cradle of Forestry in Pisgah National Forest will have its opening day this Saturday, April 13th. Step back in time to the days of the first forestry school in America. There’ll be Percheron draft horses plowing the fields, old-time fiddle music, arts and crafts, and so many other cool Blue Ridge traditions to discover along the Biltmore Campus Trail! For more information, click here.

On a side note, my entire family and I are big fans of Pisgah National Forest, and of the Cradle. It’s cool enough having a national forest as your unofficial back yard, but the Cradle hosts an innumerable amount of fun events over the course of the Spring, summer and Fall. If you’re from nearby, it’s a no brainer to head on up to cooler heights. And if not, believe me when I tell you, it’s worth the drive!

Don’t believe me? Here’s a shot of my daughter from the Forest Festival Day and International Woodsmen’s Meet back in October. The dimples only appear when she’s really happy.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

I’ve decided it’s sort of like the guilty pleasure of reading U.S.A. Today on airline flights: you get all this great info, though brief, and it’s usually entertaining. Kind of like a buffet created only for you–based only on your tastes and interests.

I’m still figuring it out. I think I’ve only made about 24 “tweets” so far, and who knows if anyone is even interested. But I’m getting help from my husband, the marketing guy, and from new friends like the writer and blogger Hallie Sawyer, and others, who’ve suggested some wonderful folks for me to follow. Where else could I get news of my beloved Clemson Tigers, conditions on the Blue Ridge Parkway, my favorite literary journals, upcoming new episodes of NCIS (our family TV obsession), new books, cool songwriters, and more?

Better than a buffet, it’s like an ICE CREAM buffet. With all sorts of goodness–Reese’s Cups, M&Ms, sprinkles, hot fudge, Gummy Bears, crumbled candy bars, real whipped cream–just waiting to be piled upon whatever flavor you choose.

Raise your hand if you can tell I’m pregnant.

Anyway, I do hope you’ll follow me on Twitter @WritingScott. I’ll try to be interesting. And if you’ve got any great advice about navigating the Twittersphere, or know of fun folks to follow, I hope you’ll fill me in!

I am 35 weeks pregnant.

My husband works from home.

It’s raining.

I think I may have to give PBS Kids one of my kidneys.

Moving on …

Some great things to share!

1.) Porch Dogs by Nell Dickerson

The other day my husband and I had a conversation with friends from Michigan about the car games we used to play as kids, including the cow game–you know the one, where you count your cows on each side, and you lose them if you pass a cemetery? And one of my favorites: “dog on a porch.” My wonderful friends looked at us like we were crazy. My husband says only my family must’ve played “dog on a porch,” but I think not.

Ah, those days were magic. Now, take any major highway and all you’ll see are SUVs and minivans lit from the inside by the bright little rectangles of glowing portable DVD players. There’s no “I Spy” going on in those cars; no listing the states on license plates or counting cows, and certainly no dog on a porch. Sigh.

So, Porch Dogs is book of photographs chronicling that best of Southern traditions: porch sitting. Only these days, with air conditioning and busy lives and gentrification and the loss of so much good old culture, only our dogs seem to be keeping the tradition alive. I’m thinking every photo will make me (and any dog lover) smile.

2.) Writers, especially those with other jobs and families, should check out Wednesday’s blog post at novelist Julianna Baggot’s blog, Baggot Asher Bode: “Efficient Creativity.” I struggle constantly with trying to manage my creative life alongside my work and family life, and Baggot has some interesting thoughts on the topic.

3.) Where Clothes.

An eco-friendly clothing line designed and crafted by my incredibly talented artist-friend, Amy Wild. Located in Richmond, Vermont. Here’s her mission statement:

Where Clothes is an earth friendly clothing line handmade in Richmond, VT.  Everything is designed and constructed by Amy Wild, who uses vintage, antique, and recycled materials. Where Clothes was created in 2009 on the belief that buying clothing made from vintage and upcycled  materials protects  the environment and humanity. When you buy Where, you are  not  supporting  fabric mill pollution or unfair labor. Not only do vintage fabrics last longer  than a lot of the  materials made  today, but when reconstructed they become one of a kind, making each outfit  completely unique.

I’m loving her new summer line! Check out Where on Facebook and Blogger, too.

4.) I don’t know what it feels like where you are, but here in Western North Carolina it still feels a bit like winter. (Cough. The winter we didn’t have.) So, in anticipation for the warmth to come, some Spring quotes:

“In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.” ~ Margaret Atwood

“Spring is the time of plans and projects.”  ~ Leo Tolstoy

“April prepares her green traffic light and the world thinks Go.”  ~ Christopher Morley

“In the spring I have counted one hundred and thirty-six different kinds of weather inside of four and twenty hours.”  ~ Mark Twain