Holiday Season by Margot Justes

With the approaching holidays we’re all scurrying to get ready, we shop for food, we shop for gifts, we clean and cook; all the accoutrement that go with the season

I wonder, if amidst all that clatter, do we really take time to spend with family and friends. That marvelous dinner that we shopped for, cooked and prepared, do we spend it together or are we eating and listening for the latest sports scores.

Is the TV on so that no one will miss the latest and greatest, is it simply turned on for noise? Or is it turned off, and an actual conversation is taking place at the dinner table?

Who knows what world problems you can solve...of course it won't go beyond the dinner table, but you'll feel so much better having voiced your opinion about what is wrong with the world today.

You can discuss the latest scientific thrills coming from CERN, and the capture if only for a brief moment of an antimatter proton, that is certainly exciting, of course you have to understand it first, for me all of that is magic and beyond comprehension, but I recognize that it is a magnificent discovery, and brings us one step closer to an understanding of our beginning.

By the same token, that TV being on, and everyone listening to whatever game happens to be on, isn't that in itself a tradition? A form of relaxation and togetherness as family and guests gather around the TV and discuss the latest events, while nibbling on goodies.

This time of year is for family and friends and a slowdown from out every day lives, we certainly work hard all year and deserve this release during the holiday season.

I’m just curious how we enjoy celebrating it. How do we spend that precious and short time we have during this season? What do we do that is different from the rest of the year?

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Till next time,
Margot Justes
A Hotel in Paris
www.mjustes.com

Heavenly Saturday by Margot Justes

What a blissful Saturday, I've been up since six, drank a few cups of coffee, and had a delicious slice of Panettone (a big slice of Panettone) and I will spend the rest of the day writing. It doesn't get much better than that. Panettone and coffee are perfect together.

If you don't know what a Panettone is, I'll be happy to tell you. It is a delicious cake, not overly sweet, aromatic filled with raisins and orange peels. The one I just bought at Costco is made by the Bauli family in Verona, Italy. There are many brands readily available in the US.

For me just smelling the Panettone evokes the approaching holiday season, and after all we are a mere three weeks away from Thanksgiving.

All in all, other than my paying job, it was a good week. Thanks to my critique partner June Sproat, I will take my short story and included it in my novella-and voila, my novella will become a novel. It was such an obvious thing to do and I missed it until June said, 'why don't you just include it in the novella?'

And dare I mention it, I received the most wonderful rejection letter ever. I knew Amanda (an editor) didn't handle my genre, but since I pitched it to her at RT, she was gracious enough and asked to see A Hotel in Bath. She warned me it would take a while for her to respond. And respond she did. She offered advice on the conflict between the hero and heroine and then said, "with some revision and refining, this story could be a strong contender for NY Publishing houses." She urged me to pursue an agent.

To complete a great week, I received another batch of Eyvind Earle posters from Guy.

Till next time,
Margot Justes
www.mjustes.com
A Hotel in Paris

Bath England by Margot Justes

We're working on updating my website to include a page on Bath, England, and of course I have pictures.

An astounding, historical city where you can actually see the two thousand year old Roman Baths when visiting the museum, and while there you can walk over Roman lead pipes that provided water to the baths.

Till Next Time,

Margot Justes

www.mjustes.com

A Hotel in Paris

Stranger Than Fiction by Margot Justes

The thing about writing is that you have to do it well enough for the reader to 'suspend disbelief' at least that is what I've been told. Except in the James Bond type thrillers, paranormal and practically every other genre. I'm convinced that the 'suspend the disbelief' axiom is very subjective just like the agent, editor selection of a manuscript.

In many cases truth is stranger than fiction. Consider this, a story I recently read on Yahoo.com about an art treasure found in a Parisian home that had been uninhabited for 70 years, the rent has been paid, but no one stepped foot in the ritzy apartment for 70 years. The cobweb ridden place was locked up tight filled with art, books and furniture.

The owner was the granddaughter of Marthe de Florian, a muse for artist Giovanni Boldini. The granddaughter left the apartment after World War II and never returned, locking one of Boldini's paintings, along with a love note to Marthe de Florian in the apartment.

Recently after her death, the apartment was opened and among the trove one stood out, Boldini's painting of "a woman in a pink muslin evening dress" was worth a great deal of money, it sold for 2.9 million dollars.

Giovanni Boldini was born in Ferrara, Italy in 1842 and died in Paris in 1931. He is best known for portraits and did a masterful one of Giuseppe Verdi. I love it, it's stark and the face is so well done that it draws you right in, it's vivid and enthralling. Almost as if you feel the loss at never having met the composer.

Boldini worked on landscapes as well but his claim to fame was in portraiture.

Now comes the best part, no one knows why it's been locked up for 70 years...so writers and readers alike, let your imagination soar as mine did. What mystery lies beneath the locked Parisian apartment?

Till next time,
Margot Justes
www.mjustes.com
A Hotel in Paris

Paris by Margot Justes

A few times a year, especially in the fall I get an urge to go to Paris and visit old friends. The Winged Victory at the Louvre is by far my favorite piece there. It is magnificent, and perfectly placed, a wide staircase lead you to the masterpiece.

Not to be missed is the Rodin Museum, my ultimate favorite museum.

A glass wall with the backs of the Burghers of Calais greet you as you approach the entrance to the museum. A most remarkable and original enticement to a museum.

The Gates of Hell hail you as you enter and as you leave. And in the meantime you will be a guest in his home and gardens.

Visiting this museum feels like you're meeting old friends and as if Rodin never left, his spirit is still present in every single piece, finished or unfinished.

For me it is one of the most serene places I have ever been to...if you're on your way to Paris do not miss this amazing museum, and please say 'hi' to my old friends.

Till next time,

Margot Justes

www.mjustes.com

A Hotel in Paris

It was a Dark and Stormy...by Margot Justes

It was a dark and stormy night...except in this case it was morning. I always wanted to write that, and besides this morning it was dark and stormy. It really was. Instead of turning on the light in my kitchen, I lit a couple of candles, and unloaded the dishwasher, alas it simply refuses to do it by itself. But the ambiance for perfect for fine tuning a couple of scenes I'm having a problem with in Blood Art my vamp story.

Lately, I find that when I perform mundane everyday functions, I tend to day dream about scenes, dialog, characters, a new story, anything to do with writing. Maybe I'm escaping reality, boredom, sameness, whatever the case may be. I really hope every writer goes through that, otherwise...well, the alternative is not pretty.

My afternoon was spent watching my granddaughter test for a yellow belt in Tae Kwando. The discipline, the precision and dedication of those little tykes was inspiring.

Tae Kwando takes the training a step further than the martial arts classroom, it brings it home to the children and parents. It's all about respect.

The child is expected to show the same behavior at home and school. Tae Kwando offers a lot more than learning to defend yourself when necessary, it is also about respect and honor at all times.

My granddaughter indicated she wants to get her black belt, I think that is terrific, because along the way she'll learn to become a more rounded, tolerant human being and still be able to kick...when needed.

Till next time,
Margot Justes
www.mjustes.com
A Hotel in Paris

Playing Tourist in Chicago by Margot Justes

Friday was one of those incredible days in Chicago, the weather sheer perfection, sunny and warm with a light breeze, everything was still green and plenty of blooming potted flowers on Michigan Ave.

I spent a fantastic day downtown. We parked the car in Grand Park North and walked to State Street, then on to Wacker Drive, and right across the river from the Trump Tower, we found a new restaurant for breakfast. Hotel 71, appeared to be a boutique hotel with an inviting al fresco outside dining area, so we stopped to eat. I had an egg white frittata with mozzarella cheese, veggies and black beans, and it was tasty. Dina had an egg and bagel sandwich with goat cheese. Also yummy.

The Trump Tower is gorgeous, the sleek lines and glass seem to go on forever, nothing garish about this building, except maybe the Trump name everywhere you turn.

After breakfast we walked down Michigan Avenue to Nordstrom's and the Water Tower, where we stopped at Macy's and had a Lancôme make over with master make-up artist Alex Sanchez.

That was fun, but I never wear that much make-up, and it took two tries in the shower to get my face really clean, but in the meantime I felt pampered and relaxed.

We walked back on Michigan Avenue and stopped in the Art Institute, there is a certain comfort in stopping in a gallery and meeting old friends.

What makes a master in art, literature, in any of the arts? Is it simply a matter of survival? Or is it somehow so well done that it survives and is still relevant? Who decides that a work is masterful and worth saving? Is it that it gives us comfort because it is familiar, reaches us, makes us think? I've often wondered why a piece of art in whatever format survives through the ages.

A short respite downstairs in the outside cafe, was just what was needed before heading home. And the ride back at 5:00 pm was a breeze, we wondered what happened to rush hour traffic.

Chicago is a beautiful city, with much to offer any visitor; the architecture rivals the rest of the world, as does the theater, restaurants and certainly the museums. Yesterday was a reminder I don't have to go far from home to feel like a tourist.

Till next time,
Margot Justes
www.mjustes.com
A Hotel in Paris