Young Adult and Middle Grade Author
While I’m blanching and steaming and roasting and toasting, here’s my wish to all my friends who are celebrating Christmas 2016.
While I’m setting our table, calling the kids to bring those crackers I forgot to buy, deciding between cookies and pies for dessert, here’s a song for all my friends who are celebrating Hanukah 2016.
I’m late this morning with my Monday post for a couple of reasons. One, I stayed up last night to watch a cult movie that was filmed in Santa Cruz, my neighborhood. The Lost Boys was a 1987 vampire tale with Jason Patric, Corey Haim, Kiefer Sutherland, Jami Gertz, Corey Feldman, Dianne Wiest. I know the trailer looks grim, but this is one vampire movie you’ll laugh through. Hoaky and fun.
The second reason I’m late is about a little accident. It seems I’ve done in my right shoulder and to some extent my right hand and those five digits attached. I can only use that whole apparatus for a few hours before I have to stop, ice it, and down some pain killers. Long story. But I’m now in physical therapy and hoping for a quick recovery. I’ll be putting a lot of things on hold for a while, so I’m putting up the “Gone Fishing” sign until after Christmas.
I will post on Dec. 21 for the DECEMBER WEP, and I will try to get around to say Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, and any other holiday you decorate for and celebrate–just a little slower than usual.
Quote of the Week: (tangential to my post!) “Men and women are like right and left hands: it doesn’t make sense not to use both.” Jeannette Rankin, America’s first congresswoman
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While I had every intention of visiting all blogs and doing more Twitter and more FB while I was on break, that didn’t happen. Here’s what did.
I’m just now climbing from between the sheets and looking around at what’s happening in the world.
If you can accept losing, you can’t win. Vince Lombardi
What do you suggest for getting back on track after a break and then after being totally out of it for days? Are you ready for Christmas? Do you know about Masquerade Crew and their Cover Wars?
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| D.L. HAMMONS |
I posted this in November of 2009! Imagine. I was discumboobled even then. Maybe it should have been discombobulated? At least this year I’m aware that the word I used originally isn’t a word anyone recognizes. It must have been a wild 2009!
So here’s my Deja Vu Post.
Is that how you spell it?
Tonight is another book signing APPEARANCE and I’m still putting together what I want to say. Then there’s company arriving, my mom who needs some TLC, the cat with a hairball issue, and a leaky toilet. I haven’t blogged in days. I’m wearing my baseball hat all day because I can’t use Halloween as an excuse for my hair anymore. My Tweets have turned to Chirps and when I looked at the garden from my window one of my patio chairs is floating in the fish pond.
Anybody have a system that keeps writing, family, pets, house, and personal hygiene needs under control? If so, please send ASAP!
In the meantime, wish me luck with tonight.
So that was my 2009 post. Deja Vu anyone? Hope you’ll go to the others in this retrospective week and say hi. Here’s the link to D.L. HAMMONS‘s blog again. Their posts will go up on Friday 19 Dec.
Back to 2014 and the Christmas Present. May you and those you love be well and share beautiful time together.
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| Crazy Frankenstein |
If you’re anything like me, you run full tilt from October through December. More food to buy and prepare, more people to contact, more company and more stuff in general. The day after Christmas, you can generally find me unwrapped and under the tree. Comatose.
So between Christmas and New Years, I’m slower than a sloth. What I like to do is see movies. The Hobbit was on my list, so I checked that off. I thoroughly enjoyed that movie. It’s so much better than Lord of the Rings. Go see it. Eat popcorn and let Hollywood cinematography wash away the holiday sludge.
I even resort to looking up trivia to give my brain its well deserved rest between the change from one year to the next. Here are a few I thought were interesting.
Did you know that Rudolf Valentino’s real name was Rodolpho d’Antonguolla? What? How do you pronounce that?
And Kirk Douglas? You’ll never guess what his real name was before Hollywood polished it up. Issur Danielovitch Densky. Yep. No lie.
As to the Oreo Cookie: It first appeared in 1912 and the source of the name is a mystery. Most likely it was a pleasing sound to some long forgotten person in a marketing department.
There. I feel better already with nothing but trivia to consider. How about you? How do you refresh yourself after the rush of November and December? See you again on January 8 when the ISWG hits the blogOshpere for the first time in 2014
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| A GRAND IDEA BY MARK KOOPMANS |
2013 was a year of loss for our family. My mom died. My son was in a serious accident and is still in ICU.
While I never imagined two back to back catastrophes like this, I’ve learned to live with them and to appreciate my family more than ever before.
So out of death and out of crisis come simple lessons: treasure the moment because that is all you have and treasure the people in your life while you can.
My sincerest thanks to all of my followers and my readers. I appreciate you and I value your part in my life. May you share your holiday with those you love and my 2014 see your dreams come true.
Here are others who have set aside a few moments on this December 24.
Yep that’s what the analyzer had to offer up from my writing sample. I used the first paragraph from a piece of fiction I’m working on right now. How they came up with Jane, I’ll never know. Give the analyzer a shot and tell us who you write like.
More Miscellany: This is December 19 and we only have five days until Christmas. So I’ll send my holiday best wishes to all my friends and fellow bloggers and hope that during this holiday season you all share beautiful moments with the ones who mean the most to you.
Don’t forget to ask for a present from me. Here’s the POST in case you missed it. I have books and ARCs to send off as well as an eBook with short stories, so let me know if you want one.
My favorite quote for today is: “Talent hits a target no one else can hit; genius hits a target no one else can see.” Schopenhauer
Here’s three things to keep in mind while you’re creating those stories. I love them because they’re simple, easy to understand and effective.
1. Take your characters to a dark place. ASAP
2. Have your characters make the wrong decision. BAD is GOOD–HORRIBLE is BETTER
3. Give your characters a secret. What do they have under the bed? What don’t they want anyone in the world to know? YUMMM. Love those secrets.
First and most important is that Graham Best has generously sent me copies of his wonderfully illustrated and beautifully written book, The Tightrope Walker’s Dream.
I featured his book earlier this year, but because it’s Christmas I wanted to offer another visitor a chance to win Graham’s book. It probably won’t come in time for Christmas, but you can start your new year by winning and enjoying his story.
Just leave a comment about what dream has turned into reality after you let your heart lead the way.
Merry Christmas all. I look forward to seeing you here and at your own special places in the blogosphere in 2011.
C. Lee
Hope all of you are having a wonderful holiday season. First I have to give a gift today and that should put me into the holiday spirit! Natasha, the judges said your story won, so you’ll be receiving the signed copy of Shooting Kabul. Congratulations. Contact me and send me your snail mail address.
Now that that’s done. Let’s think about what the season is really about. Gifts, of course, but the idea behind those gifts. The wrapping up at the end of the year, looking back to be grateful, looking ahead to the possibilities in the new year.
What are you looking back to in 2010? What are you looking forward to in 2011? Hopes? Dreams? Good health? Knitting together rifts or reaching out to new friends?
I’m remembering 2010 as a great year. My mom is still with me, even though she’s had some illnesses that were deeply troubling. My family survived the economic downturn. My yoga brought me closer to my goal of being”accepting” instead of “judgmental.” I have book two out as of the fifteenth.
As for 2011, I’m looking forward to a wonderful year of writing–submitting my third book, developing my fourth, sharing with writers whenever possible and keeping close ties with my friends and family.
Oh, yes and lots of persimmon things. My neighbor’s tree was prolific this year and I have a freezer full of persimmon pulp just waiting to go into cookies and puddings. Having persimmons ensures that I will have a lot of guests. I think they smell when I’m baking and just happen to drop by! Lovely.
