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Tag: Tui Snider

Unexpected Texas: Book Cover Reveal

Book Cover Reveal OK… Here is *basically* what the front and back covers of my paperback will look like. I’ve made a few changes, actually, since these graphics were made, but I am posting them anyway so you can get a general idea of what the look and feel will be for my upcoming quirky travel book: Unexpected Texas. Self-Publishing Update I’ve been cranking away, fussing with book formatting all week. Who knew that the hardest part of all would be getting page numbers set up properly in MS Word? I even lost sleep over the matter! But… I’ll save…

Cowtown’s Rooftop Jackalope

What is a Jackalope? Jackalopes are mythical rabbit/antelope hybrids that frequently appear in folk tales from the southwestern United States. Why is there a Jackalope in Fort Worth, Texas? In the 1980’s, Fort Worth artist Nancy Lamb was commissioned to create an eight foot tall jackalope sculpture for a garden and pottery shop. Rooftop Jackalope Address Although the Jackalope Store has since gone under, its unique mascot remains on the roof of what is now a car dealership. I always keep an eye out for it when driving through town. If you’re ever in north Texas and would like to…

Photo Essay: Stalked by a Deer

A Little Island You’ve Probably Never Heard Of Some of my family members live on Lummi, a lush island off the coast of Washington State. Every time I visit, we walk the beach at least once a day. We always try to make it down for low tide. That’s the best time to find agates and seashells, the best time to peer into tidal pools to see what they reveal. No Palm Trees Here Of course, we’re not talking tropical style beaches with palm trees and pale sand. This is the Pacific Northwest, folks. We’re talking a different kind of…

Off to the Editor: It’s Alive!

#Row80 Check-in I’m just gonna dive right into my check-in this week. Here’s how it’s going with my writing and blogging goals: Finish my quirky Texas travel book by January 31, 2014: OK. I got the draft done and I sent it to my editor yesterday. As the pages churned out of the printer, I caught several errors right away. Isn’t it funny how much easier it is to spot typos in print than on screen? Does that happen to you, too? Full disclosure: my editor is my dad. Lucky for me, that was his profession before he retired. Like…

Quirky Headstones: These Boots Were Made for Walker

Aurora Cemetery With over 1800 graves, Aurora Cemetery claims more inhabitants than the town itself, with its population of 376. As you might imagine, not much happens in Aurora, Texas. There’s no courthouse, no historic town square, no central shopping area at all. There’s so little to this town that it’s nearly impossible to tell you are there. Bizarre Incident Mentioned on its Historical Marker Even so, Aurora Cemetery attracts a steady stream of curiosity seekers. They come to look for the grave of a space alien who allegedly crashed there in 1897. The bizarre incident is even mentioned on…

10 Quirky Facts about the Space Needle

I’m not much of a sports fan, but I did grow up in Washington State, so I can’t help but feel excited that the Seattle Seahawks made it to the Superbowl this year. That’s why, for this week’s world travel post, I’m posting a photo of the Space Needle along with ten unusual facts about the Emerald City’s famous icon. I hope you enjoy it: Ten Quirky Facts about the Space Needle The Space Needle was originally called the Space Cage During the 1962 World’s Fair in Seattle, the Space Needle was topped with a 40-foot high flame which burned…