Skip to content

Tag: author Tui Snider

My Exciting News & the 2015 Langdon Review Weekend in Granbury, Texas

What is the Langdon Review Weekend? Each September, during the week following Labor Day, Tarleton State University hosts a festival called the Langdon Review Weekend at the Dora Lee Langdon Center in Granbury, Texas. Attendees each receive a copy of the Langdon Review of the Arts in Texas, a literary journal that highlights poetry, fiction, essays, film, photography, art, and music from all over the Lone Star State. Throughout the Langdon Review Weekend, fans of writing, music, film, and art attend live performances, gallery showings, book signings, film screenings, and more. It’s a whole lot of fun! Art, Poetry, Picnics…

Historic Cemetery Symbols: Fairview Cemetery in Gainesville, Texas

Graveyard Symbols in Fairview Cemetery, Gainesville, Texas I’m playing hooky this week! Rather than talk about one particular historic cemetery symbol, I’m going to talk about a historic graveyard that I visited last week. If you’re on my weekly newsletter, or you’ve seen me elsewhere online, you’ve probably heard me talking about how excited I was to be giving my Historic Cemetery Symbols presentation at the Santa Fe Depot in Gainesville, Texas as part of the Hill House Manor Paranormal Expo sponsored by ASAP Entertainment. The entire event was a blast and a half, and my talk went well. People…

Historic Cemetery Symbols: What do Lilies Represent?

FREE Cemetery Symbols Guide: Would you like a FREE guide to historic cemetery symbolism? If so, click the image below: What does a Lily symbolize when it’s carved on a headstone? You’ve probably heard folks refer to someone as having a “lily white reputation,” right? Lilies are not only white, but they symbolize purity. That’s why being “lily white” means you are as clean and chaste as they come. In the context of a headstone, lilies may also refer to the soul’s return to a state of purity and innocence in the after life. Field Guide to Cemetery Symbolism: I…

Historic Cemetery Symbols: The Acronym “HTWSSTKS” & Its Meaning

FREE Cemetery Symbols Guide: Would you like a FREE guide to historic cemetery symbolism? If so, click the image below: What does HTWSSTKS stand for on a headstone? When it comes to historic cemetery symbosl, acronyms are used as a form of shorthand. There’s only so much room on a headstone, after all. (Speaking of acronyms, in an earlier post, I explained the surprisingly upbeat meaning behind the rather dire-sounding acronym, FATAL.) HTWSSTKS is an acronym with connections to the Masonic Temple, specifically Royal Arch Masons. The letters stand for, “Hiram, Tyrian, Widow’s Son, Sent to King Solomon.” Of course, now…

Water is a Writer’s Best Friend

Even Home is a Travel Destination I have nothing against staycations. I don’t even despise the word, as many others do. As a mindful travel writer whose motto is “Even Home is a Travel Destination,” I am always on the lookout for fun things to see and do nearby. (Heck, I even write best selling books on the topic!) However, if you caught my IWSG check-in for July, you’ll know that due to a health scare with my husband, Larry, “nearby” literally became “our house and backyard.” Couldn’t see past the chores For me, the biggest challenge with being housebound…

Cemetery Symbols: What do Half-Carved Stones Represent?

Cemetery Symbol: Why do these headstones look half-finished? No, the monument maker didn’t get fed up and quit halfway through the job. When you see a half-carved headstone such as these, it represents the transition from life into death. Additionally, half-carved stones convey the idea that while we may accomplish many things during our time on earth, we have even more to learn and do in the afterlife. So headstones like these symbolically remind us not to place too much importance on what we do or don’t achieve during our life because we still have much more “polishing” to do…