Thursday, October 29, 2009

A TIME TO WORK AND A TIME TO PLAY...



Today was the day, I decided to play...

You are never to old to play dress ups. Today I put my work to the side and helped celebrate a dear friend's birthday, princess style. Oh what fun! Balloons,crowns, rings and hair clippies adorned the pink table. A game of kiss the birthday girl's husband was the highlight of the event. Everyone put on lipstick, was blindfolded, turned around three times, and then had to plant a kiss on a big poster of the birthday girl's husband. The birthday girl was the winner, she knew right where to kiss. The kitchen table was covered with delectable food. The birthday cake had a beautiful photograph of my friend Marina on it. Happy Birthday, friend!

Sunny threw a wonderful surprise party. Wait until you hit 40. I'm sure Marina will have a surprise in store for you.

WHAT IS THE MOST UNIQUE PARTY YOU HAVE BEEN TO, AS AN ADULT? Do you have a favorite party game? Please share...

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

I'd Like To Thank...



My dear friend, Amy at The Invisible Sister gave me my first blog award. So cool! Thanks, Amy.

So, now I have to nominate seven other worthy blogers and follow the rest of the directions, which are below.

Recipients-You are charged with completing certain guidelines after receiving this award.
1) Copy the pretty picture and post it on your blog.
2) Thank the person that gave it to you and link to their blog. (Thanks again, Amy!)
3) Write 7 things about yourself we don't know.
4) Choose 7 other bloggers you would like to pass the award to.
5) Link to those 7 other bloggers.
6) Notify your 7 bloggers.

Things you don't know about me...

1. I am English. (Well, some of you know this.)
2. I collect war memorabilia.
3. I'm a reality show junky. (That's why I'm posting now, Biggest Loser is on tonight.)
4. I once was a radio DJ.
5. I almost killed my cat last night. (He's okay now, after IV fluids. Don't leave dryer doors open!!!)
6. I have a hard time forgiving myself.
7. I want to write something so profound that teachers will use it in classrooms for years.

OK, now I'll pick seven people to share this award with....Here they are:


1. Write On Target(To Debbie, who can find something to write about even when she has nothing to say.)
2. C. Hope Clark (Thanks for sharing all kinds of information about contests that most of us would never find by ourselves.)
3. Market My Words (To Shelli, who has the best smile and gives great advice.)
4. BOOKISH BLONDE (To Sharon who always posts the best pictures and has a great first name.)
5. Anita Laydon Miller's Blog (To Anita because I almost fell off the sofa laughing while reading her blog one day.)
6. Call My Agent! (To Sydney for inspiring all of us to hunt for an agent, and perhaps one day being able to say, "Wait, I have to call MY AGENT!)
7. Tess Hilmo (And the final award goes to Tess for sharing her journey and her beautiful words with us.)


I hope you enjoyed today's presentation and will continue to frequent my blog.

Friday, October 23, 2009

DO I OR DON'T I...That is the question.



I've been pondering about something for quite some time. Perhaps you would be kind enough to give me some input. The Institute of Children's Literature only accepts 32% of it's applicants. I was accepted, but can't decide if it's the right move in these economic times. If you've had experience with them, I would appreciate your input.

If you went through their program:
*Were you published prior to enrolling?
*How many pieces did you publish while taking the course?
*Did you get your money's worth?
*Did you ask for a refund?
*How has going through their program affected your writing?
*Are you closer to your goals because of the training you received or would you have gotten there anyway?
*Who did you work with?
*Would you do it again?
*Would you recommend it to your mother, if she suddenly took up writing?

I welcome all comments, good or bad.

If you get a chance to go to http://www.knowonder.com my story Peep, Peep, Peep is on page 69. If enough people vote for me I could have the honor of being one of the top three stories of the month. (Thanks in advance.)

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

BRB


Feeling sad,
Feeling blue,
Pretty sure I've got the flu.



I'm going to take a few days off. I don't want to write some wacky column while under the influence of the flu. (I know sometimes they are wacky entries even when I don't have the flu.)

Stay healthy...

Monday, October 19, 2009

STOP THINKNG ABOUT IT...


I'm trying to not think about it, but I can't help myself. I tried to blog about writing, but all I can do is think about the flu.

My daughter's junior high has about 500 kids. 130 were absent today. There were only eight kids in her English class. I keep hoping they will close school for a few days. Thinking about all those nasty germs floating around school makes me worry. I want her to stay hydrated, but to not drink out of a fountain. I gave her a bottle of hand sanitizer. In fact, we all of have a bottle. We also have our own thermometers.

I went to the CDC website today. 41 states were labeled with widespread flu reports. I'm going to call the doctor tomorrow and ask him for anti-viral medicine. Then we'll have it on hand in case our darling daughter starts showing symptoms.

I hope everyone is washing their hands, coughing into their elbows and staying home if they are sick.


All I can do
is think of the flu.

I try and try
to make those germs die.

Washed hands are key
don't give it to me.



STAY HEALTHY...and write a little poem if you get a chance. Thanks for stopping by.

Friday, October 16, 2009

What's On Your Shelf?



I find keeping my books in order is a great way to keep track of what I have already read. The above picture shows the books I have read. It's a mix of picture books, mid-grade chapter books, WWII books, young adults and the occasional adult book. I have another shelf for autographed books. My books are all organized into sections: travel books, adult fiction, classics, Christian, poetry and of course resource books. I've discovered that having my books sorted into categories helps when I begin researching a specific genre. I keep that subject matter or type of book together so they are easily found if needed. They do get mixed up on the I've read shelves, after I am finished with them. So now you know...I like organization. I have a similar organizational system in my email and my file cabinet.

I have a friend who just moved to our neighborhood. She was particularly pleased with one kitchen cupboard. It has a HUGE lazy-susan in it. She put all of her spices in alphabetical order. This is a great idea! I keep buying spices I already have because I can't find them in my spice cupboard.

WHAT DO YOU HAVE THAT HAS TO BE PERFECTLY ORGANIZED? Do you have a friend like mine with a great system? Please share...

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

A ROOM OF ONE'S OWN


Adeline Virginia Stephen was born to write. Her father, Leslie Stephen, was an editor, alpinist, biographer, writer, and journalist. Adeline was denied a public school and university education as were most females in that era. Thankfully, she had her father's extensive library to roam. She was a voracious reader.

In 1895, she had her first mental breakdown when her mother passed away. 1904 brought more sadness and mental illness for Adeline when her father passed away. She battled mental illness all of her life and in 1941, upon completion of BETWEEN THE ACTS, took her own life.

Who was Adeline Stephen? We all know her by her middle name and her husband's surname. Virginia Woolf

Have you read any of her work? Sadly, I am struggling to read A ROOM OF ONE'S OWN & THREE GUINEAS. It was a different time and a different mentality than from the world we live in today. (I'm sure she wouldn't be keen on 13 REASONS.)

My question to you is: Are there any classic works of literature you have tried to read, but not been able to finish?

Monday, October 12, 2009

Winter Is Here


Winter has arrived. I can tell, because this morning it was SNOWING. That's correct, I said it was SNOWING. It didn't last long, but it happened. Last year we received 52 inches of snow. I'm hoping for more this year. Snow is still a novelty to me. After spending most of my life in the South, every snow event is exciting.

Now on to writing...

Check out Nathan's blog. He is having a spectacular contest!
Keep an eye on Stone Arch's blog too. I won a poster on their most recent contest.

Do you have any writing news? or any weather news? Or some Random Thought you'd like the world to know? Post it here and have a great night.

Friday, October 9, 2009

A Single Bloom



Do you know where this beautiful orchid is? It's in the canopy of the Pacific Rain Forest in Costa Rica. When we were there we took a tram up to the canopy. This was the only orchid we saw. We learned a lot about Costa Rica on our trip. Did you know it only has two seasons? (the wet season and the dry season) We were there during the dry season. I'm guessing that's why we only saw one orchid. We were able to see several trees we had never heard of before: (I think these are the local names.) a Naked Indian Tree, a Monkey Brush Tree, and a Loofa Tree. I wish I had been able to get photographs of everything we saw. It was so different than our lives here in Iowa.

What have you seen in nature that overwhelmed you?

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

WHAT MAKES YOU CRAZY???


What makes you crazy? Here's your chance to unload all those irritating things the people you love do. What about perfect strangers? Do they do things that makes you crazy?

Leaving an empty toilet paper roll on the holder makes me nuts! Another thing on my list is putting the toilet paper on the holder backwards. I am a firm believer in the toilet paper goes over the top philosophy.

People yelling at their children while Christmas shopping is one thing strangers do that drives me crazy. It's the time of year you are supposed to be the happiest and nicest. If you pay attention as you walk down the aisles at Wal-Mart, you'll hear adults yelling and children crying.

So what makes you crazy? You don't have to mention names, unless you really want to...

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Top Ten Reasons to Not Eat Poisonous Plants



The top ten reasons to not eat poisonous plants are:

10. They taste bad.
9. Then you won't have anything to feed the kids.
8. You saw what they did to your neighbor at a tailgating event.
7. You might finish a manuscript, if you have a salad instead.
6. Form rejection letters taste better.
5. The flower arrangement looks better with them in the vase.
4. What will you feed your husband for lunch?
3. You might get up the courage to query an agent.
2. Another personal rejection might arrive in the mail.
1. Tomorrow you might sell a manuscript.

Let's take a vote...funny or not funny?

Monday, October 5, 2009

FAN MAIL....Well Kind Of...



I recieved my first piece of fan mail on Friday. It probably isn't true fan mail...I knew the person who wrote it (thanks Suzie). But it did feel pretty nice. Someone took the time to send me a card to congratulate me on my story being published. The last time I had anything remotely like this happen to me was when I was a DJ in college. I was on a remote broadcast and a little girl came up and asked for my autograph.

Today I finished a folktale A TALE OF A TAIL and did a first draft of another folktale. Then I spent some time researching publishers who have published folktales in the past. I've never written a folktale before, but it kind of just oozed out of me.

Have you ever written something that was completely different from your normal genre? What did you do with it?

Friday, October 2, 2009

My First Story is Now in Publication



Yesterday something wonderful arrived in my mailbox. No, I'm not talking about the lovely personal rejection from a certain publishing company. I'm talking about a copy of Knowonder magazine. I had to check...Would it be there? Was it some kind of joke, and it wouldn't be there??? I flipped through the pages and there it was on page 69, PEEP, PEEP,PEEP.

So, if you get a chance to go online and sign up for the free online version at http://www.knowonder.com of the magazine, please do so. :) You can also order a years subscription for the cost of postage. It has a few parenting articles, 30 short stories to read to or with your kids and drawing for kids, by kids. At the end of the month you get to choose your top three favorite stories and drawings. Hopefully, you'll vote for PEEP, PEEP, PEEP. It's a story based on personal experience and research. Did you know Cardinals don't eat worms? Read PEEP, PEEP, PEEP to find out what they do eat.