Category: Blog on Writing & Life
Quirky Facts about the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge I was recently nominated for the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge by fellow Texas writer, Brandy Herr, author of Haunted Granbury. The way the challenge goes, after being nominated you are supposed to either dump a bucket of ice over your head, then donate $10 to the ALS charity of your choice (I donated here) or decline the ice, and donate $100. Although I was traveling and unable to respond right away, I chose the former. Even so, my ALS Ice Bucket Challenge was rather pitiful. (Scroll down for details and to see…
IWSG Check-in IWSG stands for “Insecure Writers Support Group.” It’s a monthly check-in for writers of all stripes. Its creator, Alex J. Cavanaugh, describes ISWG like this: “Purpose of IWSG: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!” – Alex J. Cavanaugh Belated is the New Black! Phew! Howdy, all. No, I didn’t forget about IWSG. I’m just pulling in a couple days late. And I hate being late…
Welcome to the SNAPSHOTS relaunch blitz! My friend, Patricia Lynne, is relaunching her book Snapshots. If you’re looking for a late-summer read, you can snatch it from now until August 4th for a mere 99 cents! Scroll down to find out more about YA author Patricia Lynne, her book, and enter to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card, too. Good luck and happy reading! Add to your Goodreads shelf Buy on Amazon | Smashwords It’s said the eyes are the windows to the soul, but that’s a lie. They are snapshots of a time yet to come–the future of the…
All’s Fair in Love, War & Child’s Play A trip to Venice, Italy got me thinking about the model train set I had as a kid, and how it taught me the meaning of scale. For those who have never played with model trains, they come in two different scale sizes: N and HO. HO is the larger of the two, with a ratio of 1:87.1, while N gauge ranges from 1:148 to 1:160. Because of this difference in scale, an HO caboose seriously dwarfs an N caboose when sitting side by side. Serious model train aficionados (i.e. adults) would…
The Old Man & the Polydactyl Cat Not only was Ernest Hemingway fond of cats, but his name has become synonymous with a particular feline genetic mutation, one that causes cats to have extra toes. While these polydactyl cats are not an actual breed, they are often referred to as, “Hemingway Cats,” in his honor. It all started down in Key West, where Ernest Hemingway lived in the 1930’s with his second wife, their kids and, rumor has it, a polydactyl Maine Coon named Snowball. The cat was given to him by a local sea captain. While it’s unclear how…