tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-286743732024-03-13T19:44:33.613-07:00Maryann Miller's - It's Not All GravyA commentary about life and writing, and the absurdities of the human condition. Updated on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, with an occasional book review on Sundays.Maryannwriteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.comBlogger1336125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28674373.post-60612700447997250122015-05-18T08:10:00.001-07:002015-09-10T09:52:26.345-07:00MovedYour browser should automatically be redirected to the new site in a few seconds. Click <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://maryannwrites.com/"><b>HERE</b> </a></span>if the new page does not load automatically. Maryannwriteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28674373.post-22136139589053368492015-01-21T07:09:00.003-08:002015-09-10T09:51:16.342-07:00We've Moved<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><b>Visit Me At My New Site </b></span></span></div>
<br />
My new website, that also includes a blog, is over at Wordpress and all the posts from here are now living over there.<br />
<br />
Here is the <a href="http://maryannwrites.com/itsnotallgravy/"><b>link to the new blog site</b></a> where you can find all the archived posts, as well as new ones as they appear. I've enjoyed all the connections I've made via this blog, and I do hope you will all come to the new site.<br />
<br />
If you have been a follower here, you can follow the new blog site by adding the following link to your
Blogger Reading List or whatever website/app you use to follow blogs.<br />
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<span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #444444; font-family: 'open sans',arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.0200004577637px;"><a href="http://maryannwrites.com/itsnotallgravy" target="_blank">http://maryannwrites.com/<wbr></wbr>itsnotallgravy</a></span><br />
<b>And I will leave you now</b> with a picture of my cats. They are my companions as I write every day, and they love to look out the window at all the birds that flit around in the side yard. I'm sure they all wish they could go out and get a snack.<br />
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Maryannwriteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28674373.post-80843034980130394162015-01-19T00:00:00.000-08:002015-01-19T00:00:05.447-08:00Monday Morning Musings<b>How was your weekend?</b> Mine was busy, but a lot of fun. Yesterday I met with my writer's group and received some good feedback on my new book. Saturday, I was at the Winnsboro Center for the Arts, keeping the doors open, and met some folks who were interested in the current exhibit and art classes.<br />
<br />
Friday night I had the pleasure of hearing two of my favorite singer/songwriters, Lynn Adler and Lindy Hearne, known as <a href="https://adlerandhearne.bandcamp.com/"><b>Adler & Hearne</b></a>, live on the Bowery Stage at the <a href="http://www.winnsborocenterforthearts.com/"><b>Winnsboro Center for the Arts</b></a>. They were joined by <a href="http://www.michaelmcnevin.com/"><b><span class="fsl">Michael McNevin</span></b></a> another terrific singer/songwriter for an interesting concert - Songwriters in the Round - taking turns sharing original songs. Some were older songs, but there were a few new ones, and all the songs told wonderful musical stories. That's one of the things I love about Americana and Folk music, the story.<br />
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I also love the cover of the new Adler& Hearne CD. It was taken at their Organic Song Farm here in East Texas and the body of water is <a href="https://adlerandhearne.bandcamp.com/track/goolsbys-pool"><i><b>Goolsby's Pool. </b></i></a><br />
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<b>What I'm Reading:</b> Actually finished this short story the other
day and am back to reading <b><i>Rollercoaster</i></b> for next Sunday's review. The short story is
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pit-Stop-This-Could-Death-ebook/dp/B00MI3P1LK/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1421364743&sr=1-1&keywords=the+pit+stop+by+carmen+desousa"><i><b>The Pit Stop</b></i></a>
by Carmen DeSousa. This is a 10,000 word story that introduces
Detective Mark Waters, a recurring character is other stories by Ms.
DeSousa. It was a good, quick read, and I liked this new detective - at
least new to me.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UZrmVGFQTlc/VLxabZisxBI/AAAAAAAAK6I/7sZ45LW1rbk/s1600/Coretta_Scott_King_1964.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UZrmVGFQTlc/VLxabZisxBI/AAAAAAAAK6I/7sZ45LW1rbk/s1600/Coretta_Scott_King_1964.jpg" height="200" width="139" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courtesy of Wikipedia</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Celebrating Strong Women</b>: In honor of Martin Luther King Day, I want to feature his wife, <a href="http://www.biography.com/people/coretta-scott-king-9542067"><b>Coretta Scott King. </b></a>That horrible day in 1968 when <b>MLK</b>was shot in Memphis, most of the nation cried because we lost a great leader, but very little of the media coverage focused on her loss. I couldn't help but think how much more tragic that day was for her than for us.<br />
<br />
Despite the inherent dangers of the Civil Rights era, and they both were very aware of those dangers, she worked along with her husband throughout the 1950s and '60s. She took part in the Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1955 and worked to pass the 1964 Civil Rights Act. <br /><br />While her husband was primarily in the limelight during those years, Coretta had a notable career as an activist, working as a public mediator and as a liaison to peace and justice organizations. Following the death of her husband, Coretta continued his work along with hers. She founded the <a href="http://www.thekingcenter.org/"><b>Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change,</b></a> based in Atlanta, Georgia, serving as the center's president and chief executive officer from its inception. In 1980, a 23-acre site around Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthplace was designated for use by the King Center. The following year, a museum complex was dedicated on the site.<br />
<br />
<br />
On April 27, 2010, Journalist Shannon Firth wrote on the website <a href="http://www.findingdulcinea.com/features/profiles/k/coretta-scott-king.html"><b>Finding Dulcinea</b></a> about Coretta on the occasion of her birthday. This is what Shannon wrote, "Coretta Scott King was more than just the wife of a legend, she was a
singer, an organizer and an activist in her own right, pledging her
support to nonviolence, tolerance and equality for all races, genders
and classes. Though criticized for both whitewashing her husband’s image
and for not rigidly following his beliefs, she did what was in her
nature—she persevered."<br />
<br />
Yes she did!!!<br /><b></b>Maryannwriteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28674373.post-76700120261563369052015-01-18T07:19:00.001-08:002015-01-18T07:19:05.818-08:00Writing Tips From Elmore Leonard. <span style="color: #4c1130;">This post originally appeared in Feb 2012, but the book is still available, and the writing tips are still relevant, so I thought I would share it again. I was so busy with work for the art center, as well as working on my newest book, I didn't finish reading a book this week for review.</span><br />
<br />
I thought I would try something different this week. Thanks to a tip from <a href="http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/">Kristen Lamb</a>,
an awesome lady who gives advice to writers on her blog, I found out
about a different approach to blog sharing. I have had writer friends, <a href="http://www.marqcommedia.com/home-country-by-slim-randles.html">Slim Randles</a>, <a href="http://www.tracyfarr.net/">Tracy Farr</a> and <a href="http://www.carlbrookins.com/">Carl Brookins</a>
who have either sent me a review, as in the case of Carl, or given me
permission to use one of their blog posts or essays. But what Kristen
suggested recently is that we give a teaser on our blog with a link to
the site where the original was posted.<br />
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Since
Sunday is my usual day for a book review, I decided I would link to one
of the premier review places, The New York Times. Here is the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/05/books/review/elmore-leonard-returns-with-raylan.html?_r=1&ref=books">opening of a recent review </a>of Elmore Leonard's latest book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Raylan-Novel-Givens-Book-ebook/dp/B005GFQ0IK/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1421594231&sr=1-1&keywords=raylan+elmore+leonard."><b><i>Raylan.</i></b></a> The review was written by Olen Steinhauer.<br />
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In
an essay that appeared in The New York Times in 2001, “Easy on the
Adverbs, Exclamation Points and Especially Hooptedoodle,” Elmore Leonard
listed his 10 rules of writing. The final one — No. 11, actually — the
“most important rule . . . that sums up the 10,” is “If it sounds like
writing, I rewrite it.”</blockquote>
It’s a terrific rule. In fact, I liked it so
much that I passed it on to a creative-writing class I once taught.
However, there’s more to Leonard's rule that I didn’t pass on: “Or, if proper
usage gets in the way, it may have to go. I can’t allow what we learned
in English composition to disrupt the sound and rhythm of the
narrative.”<br />
<br />
I thought this was a bit serendipitous,
as Leonard is one of my favorite authors, and I love his rules of
writing, especially his point about not letting proper usage disrupt the rhythm of the writing. The rhythm of our writing is what distinguishes our voice, and we need to let that have some freedom from the constraints of proper usage. <br />
<br />
I hope you
can go read the rest of the review of the new book in which U.S. Marshal
Raylan Givens, now the star of the TV show “Justified,” returns to
confront gambling, mining and organ trafficking in Elmore Leonard’s
latest.Maryannwriteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28674373.post-41819418304800691382015-01-16T00:00:00.000-08:002015-01-16T06:37:38.590-08:00Friday's Odds and EndsAnother week has whizzed by. I was busy all week preparing for the big garage sale at the Winnsboro Center For the Arts, which didn't leave much time for writing, but I did get a few thousand words done on my current work in progress. How was your week? I hope it was productive and, most of all, fun.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-beSsN0nt7rE/VLhTozJIfPI/AAAAAAAAK5Y/CYcS66-8pXs/s1600/Sammy-my%2Boffice%2Bchair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-beSsN0nt7rE/VLhTozJIfPI/AAAAAAAAK5Y/CYcS66-8pXs/s1600/Sammy-my%2Boffice%2Bchair.jpg" height="220" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is Sammy. He likes to take over my office chair.</td></tr>
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<b>I was dismayed</b> to read about a bridal shop in Akron Ohio that closed because of the fear of Ebola. Apparently, Amber Benson, the Dallas nurse who had Ebola, had been a customer at that store and when news of that was revealed, customer stopped going to the store. The owner, Anna Younker, was quoted as saying, "It's like our store had cooties."<br />
<br />
How sad. <br />
<br />
<b>The attack on the </b>newspaper in Paris, Charlie Hebdo, was still big news for another week, raising a continuous flurry of news reports and commentary on the Muslim religion and its penchant for violence. Too often the reporting insinuated that all Muslims are terrorists, and it is only the Islam religion that promotes violence. That is simply not true. Throughout history other religions including Christianity have been twisted to support the right to kill in the name of that religion. Just think about the Holocaust. Just think about the battles between Protestants and Catholics that went on for so many years in Ireland. The truth is that none of these religions promote violence. They all teach about love and peace and tolerance. It is people who take those religious beliefs and tenets and twist them to serve their own purposes.<br />
<br />
<b>Friday's Funnies </b>starts with this from <a href="http://www.gocomics.com/pearlsbeforeswine"><b>Pearls Before Swine</b></a> by Stephan Pastis. In the first panel<b> </b>Goat<b> </b>is talking on cell phone and says, "Hey dad, did you get the Ken Burns Civil War D.V.D. I sent you for your birthday?"<br />
<br />
"Yeah what do I do with it?"<br />
<br />
"You put it in the D.V.D. player I got you."<br />
<br />
"Where?"<br />
<br />
"In the little tray."<br />
<br />
"What tray?"<br />
<br />
"The little tray in the D.V.D. player."<br />
<br />
"Which one is the D.V.D. player?"<br />
<br />
"On top of the TV set."<br />
<br />
Dad says, "Okay okay gimme a minute will ya.....? There okay I got it in and now I'm watching an explosion."<br />
<br />
"Good. You're watching the Civil War?"<br />
<br />
"No. No. The TV exploded."<br />
<br />
Goat walks over to Pig and says, "Never by your parents anything invented in the last 30 years."<br />
<br />
(I think my kids say that about me, too.) <br />
<br />
<b>This one is</b> from <a href="http://dustincomics.com/"><b>Dustin</b></a> by Steve Kelly and Jeff Parker. Dustin and his friend, Fitch, are in a convenience store. Fitch is holding a lottery ticket and says, "This is it Dustin. This is the one."<br />
<br />
Dustin says, "Seriously Fitch? A lottery ticket?"<br />
<br />
"Absolutely, Dude. I've got a feeling about this one."<br />
<br />
"Fitch, why do you keep throwing away money on those things?"<br />
<br />
"You can't win if you don't play, man." Then Fitch scratches off the ticket, looks up and says, "Lost again. Man, I wish I had a dollar for every time that happened."<br />
<br />
<b>Today's Writing Wisdom</b> comes from Xander Bennet from his blog post, <a href="http://xanderbennett.com/2014/04/10/how-not-to-write-a-screenplay/"><b>How Not to Write a Screenplay </b></a>that was first posted last spring. Xander is a a screenwriter and author and his blog is all about writing and film. In this post he has an extensive list of things not to do, and amidst the humor are some points we all could take to heart as we write, no matter what form our writing takes. Here are just a few of the things we should not do: <br />
<br />
Agonize over your script’s title.<br />
Start a pointless argument on Twitter.<br />
Decide you need to do more research. Fall down a Wikipedia hole and forget what you were doing.<br />
Change your screenwriting software.<br />
Wait for your manager/agent/friend/reader to email you back.<br />
Make more coffee; you need it.<br />
Eat more snacks; you earned them.Maryannwriteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28674373.post-19243783394159931792015-01-15T00:00:00.000-08:002015-01-15T06:28:23.596-08:00Book Review - #Burnt Edges by Dana Leipold<div style="font-size: 13px;">
<span style="font-size: small;">"What on earth?" you might be saying. Has Maryann lost all her marbles? This is Thursday, and it isn't even one of her regular blogging days. So what gives? What gives is that I am participating in a book tour for Dana Leipold and this is the only day that was available to me to do a review. Besides I do like surprises, as long as they are good surprises. So, without further ado...<b> </b></span><b style="font-size: 13.3333339691162px;"><br /></b></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-size: large;">Burnt Edges</span></b></i><br />
Dana Leipold<br />
File Size: 554 KB<br />
Print Length: 243 pages<br />
Publisher: Random Chick Publishing (October 21, 2014)<br />
ASIN: B00OI2A9VG <br />
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<b>SYNOPSIS </b><br />
Abuse
or an uncertain future. This is Laurel Lee Page’s choice when she is
faced with an unplanned pregnancy at 18. Born into a broken family, all
she has ever known is guilt and shame. No matter what she does or who
she meets, Laurel appears to be living a condemned life but she is
determined to find independence and freedom in spite of her family’s
legacy of hatred and self-contempt. Can Laurel see that she is in a
powerful position, poised to break the cycle of abuse? Set in Southern
California during the tumultuous 1960s era, <span class="il">Burnt</span> <span class="il">Edges</span> is based on true events and proves that strength can be found even in the most horrific situations.<br />
<b>REVIEW</b><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">There is much to applaud about this book, and I did enjoy the vivid descriptions that set the reader firmly in a scene and introduced the characters. One Amazon reviewer commented that there was a detachment about the writing style, as if the narrator, Laurel, was looking at events from afar. That helped establish a character who had been emotionally battered by the abuse she had experienced she was afraid to step out of that detachment lest she drown in her emotions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Writers who base a story on true events have to carefully consider what of the truth needs to be in a book and what doesn't. Not everything needs to happen in the story just because they happened in real life, and there were a couple of scenes that to me didn't seem to fit. The timeline also jumped a lot and for the most part that worked effectively. However, there were a couple of places where we left a traumatic moment and I wanted to stay a little longer to experience Laurel's emotional reaction. I also found a number of editing mistakes, especially in the second half of the book, and I wonder if it was not as carefully edited as the first half.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Despite those issues, this was a compelling read, and I did get so engrossed in the story that I was eager to see what came next. The author did a great job depicting the experiences of sexual, physical and emotional abuse, and readers will connect with Laurel and hope to see something good come to her to help her heal from the bad. </span></div>
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<b>Buy Links</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23430831-burnt-edges" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | </span><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OI2A9VG" style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" target="_blank">Amazon</a><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">|</span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/burnt-edges-dana-leipold/1120675184" style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;">T</span><span style="font-size: small;">here is a giveaway for this <span class="il">tour</span>. Visitors to the various stops on the tour will have a chance to win one of ten $10 Amazon gift cards, courtesy of the author. The contest ends 1/23.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Enter by clicking the <a href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ff6a4f1f110/?"><b>RAFFLECOPTER LINK</b></a></span></div>
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<b>Author Bio</b></div>
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Dana
Leipold is a freelance writer, author, and member of the Association of
Independent Authors and Creativity Coaching Association. Her debut
novel, <span class="il">Burnt</span> <span class="il">Edges</span>,
depicts the unwavering resilience of a young woman in the face of family
violence and abuse. She has self-published two other books: a
collection of limericks in Dr. Seuss-style for adults entitled, <i>Stupid
Poetry: The Ultimate Collection of Sublime and Ridiculous Poems</i>, and a
non-fiction book entitled, <i>The Power of Writing Well: Write Well. Change
the World</i>. In addition, she coaches other writers on story structure,
messaging, and writing skills so they can achieve their dreams to become
published authors. Leipold lives with her husband and two children in
the San Francisco Bay Area.<br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.danaleipold.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/danaleipoldauthor" target="_blank">Facebook</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/DanaLeipold" target="_blank">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4409457.Dana_Leipold" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/danaleipold/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></span></div>
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Maryannwriteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28674373.post-53531954353476964172015-01-14T06:26:00.000-08:002015-01-14T06:26:41.315-08:00 Daybreak. Coffee. The Big Two.<span style="color: #4c1130;">I'm happy to have Slim Randles here again as today's Wednesday's Guest. I thought this was a nice piece that invites us to stop and appreciate our days, especially those early morning hours when the world is waking up. I do love those daybreak times when I go outside and the sun is rising over the treeline in the meadow across the road. This is a picture I took a couple of weeks ago when I could actually see a sunrise before the clouds took over the sky 24/7. Now and then I look at it to remind myself the sun does exist. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #4c1130;">If you'd like, you can have a donut to go with your coffee and then enjoy Slim's story. And when you finish here, hop over to <a href="http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com/2015/01/time-out-for-some-fun.html"><b>The Blood<span style="color: #4c1130;">-</span>Red Pencil,</b></a> where Slim has another guest post. </span><br />
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There’s something so satisfying about getting out of bed when the world is still dark and quiet and resting. Making the coffee gives us time to scratch and think. Well, scratch, anyway. Most of that thinking will start after about the third cup.<br />
<br />
But it’s a quiet time. A private time. When the world is dark, and there isn’t yet a hint of pink over the eastern mountains, it’s very good. We can relax. No one is expecting anything from us right now. Our guilt can take some time off, and we can listen to music or work a crossword puzzle or turn on the TV and watch the weather guy discuss millibars and troughs.<br />
<br />
Soon enough, we’ll have to be out there living for others: our bosses, our customers, our animals, our fields. But right now no one needs us except the dog, and she does well on kibbles and an occasional drive-by ear rumple.<br />
<br />
We can look out the window at the eastern glow and wonder what will happen in the hours until our world turns dark again. People will be born and people will die. People will win honors and people will go to jail. People will create things today that live past them and people will disappear forever. People will write about these things and other people will read about these things.<br />
<br />
And then the world will go dark and dormant on us again and we’ll think about what happened in our tiny portion of this huge moving amalgam and hopefully we’ll sleep easily tonight. Then, when we arise tomorrow and head for the coffee pot, we can think about what happened today, and how it has made us slightly different for taking on the next tomorrow.<br />
<br />
Come to us, daylight. Bring us the new day. But do it gently, please, and slowly enough for one more cup.<br />
___________________________________________________________________________<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qbrES3-MW2U/U7zCh-osXJI/AAAAAAAAAfI/utuIoDpbJzc/s1600/Slim-Randles.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qbrES3-MW2U/U7zCh-osXJI/AAAAAAAAAfI/utuIoDpbJzc/s1600/Slim-Randles.jpg" height="122" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="color: goldenrod;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Slim Randles</b> writes a nationally syndicated column, <a href="http://www.marqcommedia.com/home-country-by-slim-randles.html"><b>Home Country,</b></a> and is the author of a number of books including <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Saddle-Up-Cowboy-Guide-Writing/dp/1936744317/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1404772993&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=The+Cowboy%27s+guide+to+writing+by+Slim+Randles" target="_blank"><i><b>Saddle Up: A Cowboy Guide to Writing</b></i></a>. That title, and others, are published by <b><a href="http://www.lpdpress.com/" target="_blank">LPD Press</a></b>.</span></span></td></tr>
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Maryannwriteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28674373.post-80340259749821356012015-01-12T00:00:00.000-08:002015-01-12T00:00:07.243-08:00Monday Morning Musings
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1YReeAKszB8/Uu_HF7bmwnI/AAAAAAAAIRw/But1QL3x6V0/s1600/hotapplecider.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1YReeAKszB8/Uu_HF7bmwnI/AAAAAAAAIRw/But1QL3x6V0/s1600/hotapplecider.jpg" height="200" width="110" /></a>Here in my little corner of East Texas we dodged a weather bullet this weekend. There was the possibility of ice and maybe snow, and while I wouldn't have minded the snow, I was not eager to go slipping and sliding down the path to the barn. Luckily, the really nasty stuff stayed north and west of us. Saturday night I was able to get to town to see <a href="http://www.rhettbutler.org/index.html"><b>Rhett Butler</b></a> in concert. If you have never seen him or heard his music, you are missing out. He plays guitar - sometimes two at one time - and the music is magical. <br />
<br />
So how was your weekend? Before you read on, how about a glass of hot cider to keep warm this chilly morning?<br />
<br />
<b>What I'm reading</b>: I just finished <a href="http://www.amazon.com/PRAYER-DYING-enthralling-murder-mystery-ebook/dp/B00QU8C32Y/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1420991195&sr=1-3&keywords=a+prayer+for+the+dying"><i><b>Prayer for the Dying</b></i></a> by Pete Brassett. It's an intriguing short mystery set in Ireland and I enjoyed it very much. Now I'm reading <a href="http://www.amazon.com/No-Telling-Parris-Afton-Bonds-ebook/dp/B00OFHDSG2/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1420991412&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=No+Telling+by+Paris+Afton+Bonds"><i><b>No Telling</b></i></a> by Parris Afton Bonds. Many moons ago I was in a writing group with her in the Dallas area, and it has been a long time since I read one of her books. This story line that has a mystery element appealed to me, and so far it is a pretty good read<b>.</b> <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.rachelcarson.org/images/rc.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img align="right" alt="PHOTO: Rachel Carson" border="0" class="ok" src="http://www.rachelcarson.org/images/rc.png" /></a><b>Celebrating Strong Women</b>: It is especially significant to me to showcase <a href="http://www.rachelcarson.org/"><b>Rachel Louise Carson </b></a>today. She is noted for her dedication to environmental issues, which is something I greatly admire. She was born in Pennsylvania in 1907 and died in 1964.<br />
<br />
Carson graduated from Pennsylvania College for Women
(now Chatham College) in 1929, studied at the Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratory,
and received her MA in zoology from Johns Hopkins University in 1932.
<br />
She was hired by the U.S. Bureau of Fisheries to write radio scripts during the
Depression and supplemented her income writing feature articles on natural history
for the Baltimore Sun. She began a fifteen-year career in the federal service as
a scientist and editor in 1936 and rose to become Editor-in-Chief of all publications
for the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service.<br />
<br />
She wrote extensively about environmental issues, and in 1952 her
prize-winning study of the ocean, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sea-Around-Us-Rachel-Carson-ebook/dp/B004TC14F0/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1420993301&sr=1-3"><b><em>The Sea Around Us</em></b></a>, was published. That book, along with <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Edge-Sea-Robert-W-Hines-ebook/dp/B004IPPW6K/ref=sr_1_6?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1420993374&sr=1-6"><b><em>The Edge of the Sea</em></b></a> that came out in 1955, made Carson famous as a naturalist and science writer.
Carson resigned from government service in 1952 to devote herself to her writing. A later book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Silent-Spring-Rachel-Carson-ebook/dp/B004H1UELS/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1420993217&sr=1-1&keywords=silent+spring"><b><i>Silent Spring,</i></b></a> documented the devastating
effects of pesticides like DDT on birds and the environment, and the
revelations helped in the creation of the Environmental
Protection Agency.<br />
<br />
In 1952
she was given the
National Book Award for Non-fiction for <em>The Sea Around Us</em>. That year she also received the John Burroughs Medal, the Henry Grier Bryant Gold Medal, Geographical Society New York Zoological
Society Gold Medal, and she was awarded a Simon Guggenheim Fellowship for research on tidal
life.<br />
<br />
Carson died in 1964 after a long battle against breast cancer.<br />
<br />
What a great role model she is for all of us to work harder to protect our world and all its living creatures.
Maryannwriteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28674373.post-31596513337073183382015-01-11T06:46:00.000-08:002015-01-11T06:54:31.638-08:00Book Review - Spring For Susannah by Catherine Richmond<span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is a book I read and reviewed some time ago, but it was such a good read, I thought I would share the review again. The book is available in paperback and as an e-book.</span></span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Spring-Susannah-Catherine-Richmond-ebook/dp/B004Z21HR4/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1420987212&sr=1-1&keywords=spring+for+susannah"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>Spring For Susannah</b></i></span></a><br />
Catherine Richmond <br />
Paperback: 356 pages <br />
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (June 14, 2011) <br />
Language: English <br />
ISBN-10: 1595549242 <br />
ISBN-13: 978-1595549242<br />
<br />
Following
the death of her father in Michigan, Susannah Underhill is left
rootless, and she agrees to go west to the Dakota Territory to marry
Jesse Mason, brother of Susannah's minister. At the urging of the
minister's wife, Susannah has corresponded with Jesse for several
months, but meeting in letters is nothing like meeting in person. <br />
<br />
Susannah
is quiet and shy, a stark contrast to Jesse's outgoing personality. She
doesn't know what to talk to him about or how, and is often more
comfortable talking to the dog. He is less threatening than this man who
seems to overpower her sometimes just by his mere presence. And he is
so confident about God and God's love. How can anyone be that confident?
<br />
<br />
Before her father died, Susannah helped him in his
veterinary practice in Detroit, and that experience helps save Jesse's
ox and twin calves. She also helps neighboring farmers with their
animals, and Jesse realizes that she is an asset and a blessing in this
land that challenges the strongest of men and women. For her part,
Susannah starts to feel a part of this desolate land and begins to
appreciate what made Jesse come out here to homestead. While it is harsh
and stark with many challenges, the Dakota prairie is beautiful in
spring. <br />
<br />
As Susannah works through her awkwardness and
feelings of unworthiness the bond that unites these two people grows
stronger. This is a beautifully written story with language and
descriptions that bring the prairie to life like the sun brings new
growth in the spring. The characters are true and believable, and the
testimony to faith is woven seamlessly throughout the story with a deft
hand. As Susannah learns to trust the love of Jesse, she learns to trust
in the love of God.<br />
<br />
This is a book that will appeal to
fans of inspirational fiction, but it also has a wider appeal because
of the strength of the love story.<br />
~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br />
In the
words of the author, "I was busy raising a family, working as an
occupational therapist, and trying to remember where I hid the
chocolate, when a song sparked a story within me. The journey to
publication has been long, but full of blessings. I couldn’t have done
it without ACFW, RWA, and FHL, the inspirational chapter of RWA – and
lots of chocolate!" Catherine's <a href="http://www.catherinerichmond.com/">Web site </a> <br />
<br />
~~~~~~~~~~<br />
FTC
Disclaimer: The author sent me an advance review copy of the book,
hoping that I would write a review. But she did say if I didn't like the
book, I didn't have to write one. In keeping with full disclosure, I
will also admit that I know the author, and I had the pleasure of
reading this book in its infancy. For her sake and mine, I won't say how
long ago that was. What I will say is that I was impressed with the
writing then and am even more impressed now. I am not a fan of
inspirational fiction. It is often too preachy for my tastes, but this
one doesn't pound the pulpit.Maryannwriteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28674373.post-91046512713266594732015-01-09T00:00:00.000-08:002015-01-09T00:00:05.392-08:00Friday's Odds and Ends<b>Some cities, concerned </b>about the amount of litter on their streets, have imposed a fee for using plastic bags at stores. Dallas is the latest. Granted, litter is a problem. I hate to even say how much trash I see along the county road where I walk each morning. I also hate to admit how many times I've seen someone toss a drink can out a truck window as they are driving along. When I was a kid, if I threw something out the car window, my father would stop and make me go pick it up. Believe me, I never tossed even a gum wrapper out after that.<br />
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<br />
That's a point that a Dallas resident, Barbara Whitfield Streetman made in a letter to the editor. She challenged parents to do what my father did, "Teach kids never to throw anything out of the car window or throw anything on the sidewalks or anyplace. Just carry it home and dispose of it."<br />
<br />
What a concept.<br />
<br />
<b>Reactions to the</b> latest violence - the mass shooting in Paris - incited the same kind of hateful rhetoric and behaviors as the last two in the United States. Sadly, and I may keep saying this until more than two people get it, that will not stop until people stop reacting with their emotions. Someone once said, "Hate the sin, not the sinner." I think that was Jesus, and so many of the people reacting with hate and anger call themselves Christians? <br />
<br />
Hmmmmm.<br />
<br />
<b>That's it for my rants </b>today. Aren't you glad? Just for fun I took a picture of my cats this morning. All four of them are on the edge of my desk watching the birds that are fluttering around in the flowerbed. The cats are twitching tails and ears and wishing there was no glass between them and the birds.Every now and then I hear a little chirp and it is one of the cats talking to the bird. I wonder if Harry is saying, "Come here little bird. I won't hurt you."<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-f_Kqb3apCTo/VK6eYXYRzZI/AAAAAAAAK3I/0hbuM9lz2TE/s1600/4cats%2Bwatching%2Bbirds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-f_Kqb3apCTo/VK6eYXYRzZI/AAAAAAAAK3I/0hbuM9lz2TE/s1600/4cats%2Bwatching%2Bbirds.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Harry is the black cat closest to the window</td></tr>
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<b>Now for some Friday Funnies</b>. This first one is from <a href="http://www.gocomics.com/luann"><i><b>Luann</b></i></a> by Greg Evans. Luann's parents, Nancy and Frank are sitting at the table in the kitchen working with some papers and Nancy says, "I can't believe it's another new year already."<br />
<br />
"No kidding," Franks says. "Time is flying by. When I was a carefree kid, a year lasted forever. Now that I don't have a spare second, the days flash by. Life is backwards."<br />
<br />
Nancy looks at him in surprise. "You'd rather rush through joyful childhood and crawl through grumpy old age?"<br />
<br />
"Maybe I wouldn't BE grumpy if I had more T... " He looks up. "Wait a minute. How did I become a grumpy old man all of a sudden?"<br />
<br />
She goes back to the paper she was writing on. "Time is flying by."<br />
<br />
Here's one from <a href="http://www.picklescomic.com/"><i><b>Pickles</b></i></a> by Brian Crane. Opal is sitting in the overstuffed chair, surrounded by hangars. Nelson stands in front of the chair watching what she is doing. Earl leans on the back of the chair and asks, "What are you doing with all those hangars, Opal?"<br />
<br />
"I'm crocheting colorful covers for them."<br />
<br />
"Silly question... Why do they need covers?"<br />
<br />
"Covers keep clothes from slipping off the hanger. And they're pretty."<br />
<br />
"Ah that makes sense." Then Earl walks off with Nelson and says, "I didn't have the heart to tell her I could accomplish the same thing in a tenth of the time with a roll of friction tape."<br />
<br />
Finally, this one from <a href="http://www.arcamax.com/thefunnies/crankshaft/"><i><b>Crankshaft</b></i></a> by Batiuk & Ayers. Crankshaft and his son-in-law, Jeff, are watching a news program on television and the weather forecast starts. The meteorologist says, "This is the big one, people. The mother of all snow storms.<br />
<br />
"We're not going to get inches of snow...!!! But FEET of snow.<br />
<br />
"We're going to get snow, snow, snow... and even MORE SNOW!!"<br />
<br />
Crankshaft looks at Jeff and says, "He must get paid by the flake."<br />
<br />
<b>Another new feature I would like to start on the blog is "Writing Wisdom". </b>Each week I will add some bit of inspiration or advice that I find helpful. This week I found a piece that<b> </b>Anna Elliot wrote, <a href="http://writerunboxed.com/2015/01/06/in-praise-of-quitting/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+WriterUnboxed+%28Writer+Unboxed%29"><b> In Praise of Quitting</b></a>, for Writer Unboxed, and I found her article very helpful in thinking about projects that we start and then abandon. I'll just post a short excerpt here, but do click over and read the whole article. It is well worth your time. <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Now, maybe I’ll go back to the abandoned story someday. At some point,
I’ll at least pull it out of the drawer and give it a read-through to
see if there’s something there. Maybe there is, maybe there’s not. But
that’s the good thing about stories. They’re very forgiving. They’re
not going to be mad at you that you walked away and left them to sit
idle for a couple of months or even years. Sometimes they actually even
<i>reward</i> you for having walked away by suddenly revealing to you
just what the fatal flaw was that made them impossible to finish
before.</blockquote>
Maryannwriteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28674373.post-36213348991139173342015-01-07T06:43:00.000-08:002015-01-07T06:43:39.677-08:00The Value of Play<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #4c1130;">Please welcome Slim Randles as today's Wednesday's Guest. He's here so often he could be called a regular, but Wednesday's Regular doesn't have the same rhythm as Wednesday's Guest, and in my estimation, writing is all about rhythm. I love this essay because I do love to play in the snow, and I miss it here in Texas where it only comes now and then. Reading Slim's post, I couldn't help but think of the new ad campaign sponsored by the the NFL: <a href="http://www.nflrush.com/play60"><b>NFL Rush Play 60</b></a> that is part of a nation-wide effort to get kids to go outside and play. Funny thing is that those of us of a certain age didn't need that kind of push. If Mom said, "Go outside and play" we were gone. It's kind of sad that that is not true today. But, I digress.<b> </b>Grab a cup of something to keep you warm on this cold winter day and enjoy. You may have a cookie, read the essay, and then go outside and play. (smile)</span><br />
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<br />
The whole thing began right after the first good snow this year. Herb Collins was looking out his window at the point on his small farm where Lewis Creek cuts through a rather steep hill. Neighborhood kids were sledding up there and trying to avoid rocks and one gnarly tree that stuck out. He also noticed that if the kids were successful in avoiding death and destruction, they came to an immediate and violent halt at a submerged log next to the creek.<br /> <br />
He brought this up at the next unscheduled-but-daily-anyway meeting of the World Dilemma Think Tank down at the Mule Barn. Some executive decisions were made rather suddenly, and construction began the following day.<br /> <br />
Jim Kennedy showed up driving a Bobcat, Doc brought a chain saw, and Steve had his four-wheel-drive pickup with a big chain in it.<br />
<br />
At the end of three hours, a long, sloping gentle run began up by the road and looped around two turns, and ended in a gentle upslope on the far side of the frozen creek.<br />
<br />
Of course, this activity ruined what snow cover there was, so the kids looked disappointed.<br /> <br />
But last week it snowed hard, a good six inches, and the kids went running down to try the new sled run.<br /> <br />
It wasn’t all that exciting for them. So when Doc and Herb and Dud and Steve showed up, one of the kids politely pointed out to Mr. Collins that they couldn’t really get going very fast down that hill on the new run.<br /> <br />
“I know that,” said Herb. “But see all those other steep runs you have? You can go break your neck on any of them. This run is for a special purpose.”<br />
<br />
“A special purpose, sir?”<br /><br />
Herb nodded. “Steve? If you please.”<br />
<br />
And Steve brought out the toboggan from his pickup truck, and the old guys took turns being kids once more down their own sledding run.<br />
<br />
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<br />
Brought to you by <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Strange-Tales-Alaska-Slim-Randles-ebook/dp/B00QP6HUKG/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1420641483&sr=1-1&keywords=strange+tales+of+Alaska+by+Slim+Randles"><i><b>“Strange Tales of Alaska,”</b></i></a> by Slim Randles. Now available on Amazon.com.<br />
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Maryannwriteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28674373.post-29701841484325152122015-01-05T07:22:00.000-08:002015-01-05T07:24:49.381-08:00Monday Morning MusingsThe beginning of a new week is almost as energizing as the beginning of a new year; a fresh start to all the things for which you have set goals. I'm going to be working a lot at the art center the rest of this month as we prepare for a major fundraiser, and I'm also going to go to another community theatre and audition for a show. This is my time to play on a different stage and not have all the other responsibilities of mounting a show. Even with all that, I am still going to make my goal to write every day.<br />
<br />
It's cold and blustery here today, so I am starting my morning with some hot chocolate. You are welcome to join me.<br />
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<br />
<b>What I'm reading: </b>Actually, I'm reading two books, one for review and one for fun. The first is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rollercoaster-survive-partners-breast-cancer-ebook/dp/B00OJXBY22/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1420467266&sr=1-1&keywords=Rollercoaster+How+a+man"><i><b>Rollercoaster: How a man can survive his partner's breast cancer</b></i></a> by Woody Weingarten. This is a book of significant importance, and I will do a review in a few weeks, as well as have Woody as my Wednesday's Guest.<br />
<br />
The other book is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/New-Year-Island-Paul-Draker-ebook/dp/B00E69E91M/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1420467612&sr=1-1&keywords=new+year+island+paul+draker"><i><b>New Year Island</b></i></a> by Paul Draker. I just started reading that one last night and got through the first three chapters<i><b> </b></i>without yet getting to the main story. Paul uses the technique of introducing the major players in their own chapter, giving the reader back story on each, so it will be a while before we get to the premise of the story which is what intrigued me about the book when I checked it out - "Ten strangers... marooned on an island for society's amusement. As
they're picked off one by one, they realize that they have something in
common -- they've each already survived atrocities. But can they live
through this twisted mind game?"<br />
<br />
If there are seven more chapters before the real story begins, I'm not sure if I will finish the book, as I am not fond of that style at all. Even though each chapter is well written and very dramatic, I prefer to get into the story a lot sooner. What about you?<br />
<br />
<b>Celebrating Strong Women:</b> For the new year, I thought I would try something different on Mondays and highlight one woman each week for her significant role, either currently or in history. Today I chose Jane Addams who was born in 1860 and died in 1935. She is recognized as the founder of the social work profession in the United States, and I remember learning that fact when I studied sociology in college. She was also a leader in women's suffrage and promoting world peace, and in 1931 she was the first American woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.<br />
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Jane was born in Cedarville, Illinois, into a prosperous northern Illinois family. Her father, John Addams was a founding memeber of the Illinois Republican Party. He was a state senator from 1855 to 1870 and was friends with Abraham Lincoln, helping Lincoln in his political campaigns. Her mother died when Jane was two years old, and John later married again.<br />
<br />
Reading was one of Jane's favorite pastimes, and she had a desire for higher education, wanting to study medicine. She thought that would be a good way to fulfill her dream of doing something to help people. She attended Rockford Female Seminary, which is now Rockford University, but was never able to finish her medical training due to ill health and family emergencies. <br />
<br />
Finally in 1889 Jane was able to act on her dream of helping others, especially women. Along with her college friend and intimate partner Ellen Gates Starr, she founded the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hull_House"><b>Hull House</b></a> in Chicago. They rented a mansion that had been built by Charles Hull in 1856, but the building was in disrepair. Using her own money, Jane had the repairs done and eventually a number of other wealthy women started offering financial support. Those donors included Helen Culver, who managed her first cousin Charles Hull's estate. Eventually she allowed them to use the house rent-free. <br />
<br />
The Hull House was a center for research, empirical analysis, study, and debate, as well as a pragmatic center for living in and establishing good relations with the neighborhood. Residents of Hull-house conducted investigations on housing, midwifery, fatigue, tuberculosis, typhoid, garbage collection, cocaine, and truancy. Its facilities included a night school for adults, clubs for older children, a public kitchen, an art gallery, a gym, a girls' club, a bathhouse, a book bindery, a music school, a drama group and a theater.<br />
<br />
The focus on arts at Hull House was very important to Jane, wanting to encourage students to think creatively and independently. She challenged the system of industrialized education that focused on training a student for a specific job, and I think that part of her philosophy is still relevant today. We need to challenge the educational system in place today and allow young people more opportunities for creative learning, which is one reason my heart is so entrenched in the <a href="http://www.winnsborocenterforthearts.com/"><b>Winnsboro Center for the Arts</b></a> and the programs we offer in all forms of creative expression. Maryannwriteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28674373.post-80742800362020371922015-01-02T07:01:00.000-08:002015-01-05T06:05:58.757-08:00Friday's Odds and EndsHow was your New Year's Day? The cold I'd been fighting for a week finally won over the jillions of vitamins I'd taken, so I was not in a party frame of mind. I did watch a couple of the bowl games, in between napping, and was happy that Michigan State won the Cottonbowl. I know as a naturalized Texan, I should support a Texas team, but Michigan State has always had my heart.<br />
<br />
I also watched Oregon beat Florida State, and that was also a good game. However, I thought the lime green uniforms the Oregon players wore were ugly as sin.<br />
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In between naps, I also logged on to Facebook to send out Holiday greetings, and it was interesting to see the different traditional meals that are purported to bring good luck. Here in Texas the good luck meal includes black-eyed peas, and that tradition spreads across the South. My Scandinavian friends in South Dakota eat pickled herring, and folks of Italian descent eat lentils.<br />
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<br />
I wondered about the significance of these foods, as did Sara Bir, a contributor for Good Eats. She researched the <a href="http://seriouseats.com/2014/12/good-luck-food-new-year-pork-sauerkraut-lentil-herring-collards-hoppin-john.html"><b>True Story of Traditional New Year's Lucky Foods</b></a>, and her article is very interesting. She explores all the legends and myths surrounding the "lucky" foods, and the article is well worth a read. Supposedly the choices of food are supposed to represent money, and it is monetary good luck that we are most eager for. <br />
<br />
In particular, I liked what she said about black-eyed peas, "When you find a coin—any coin—that looks like a black-eyed pea, please call me."<br />
<br />
She then goes on to explain that the peas, like most of the other good-luck foods, are staples of the households that serve them, and not just on New Year's Day.<br />
<br />
Sara finishes her article with, "Luck is something humans have no influence over, but the solace we take in
cultural and culinary identity is. These rituals of eating special foods
remind us who we are, where we've been, and the ways we hope to thrive."<br />
<br />
I agree. While it is fun to play along with the good luck tradition, eating black-eyed peas has never affected the good and the bad of the following year. In fact, the first year that I insisted we eat black-eyed peas - I liked them but my husband and kids did not - we had the worst luck the following year. He told me that a black-eyed pea was never to darken our door again.<br />
<br />
So what did you eat for good luck yesterday?Maryannwriteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28674373.post-90129230738754554592015-01-01T00:00:00.000-08:002015-01-01T11:31:10.656-08:00New Year's Day 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Wishing everyone a happy and healthy and successful New Year! Are you setting new goals? Making resolutions? I hope yours fare better than Luann's Father's.<br />
<br />
What happens to your New Year's resolutions? Do they follow the same pattern as <a href="http://www.gocomics.com/luann"><b>Luann's</b></a> parents. In a strip that ran on November 16, 2014 Nancy and Frank DeGroot are sitting on the couch eating popcorn. She's reading a book and he's reading the newspaper. And she asks, "What ever happened to your New Year's resolution to take up jogging?" <br />
<br />
"Nothing I'm keen to start. It's just that in January and February were too cold. March was windy. April I had taxes to do, and in May we had house guests. June, July and August were way too hot. Then I got that kink in my neck and then I couldn't find my earbuds."<br />
<br />
She says, "I see. And right now?"<br />
<br />
"It's getting kind of dark..."<br />
<br />
"But you're keen to start."<br />
<br />
He grabs a handful of popcorn and turns back to the newspaper. "Think about it all the time."<br />
<br />
If you want some inspiration for establishing new habits and sticking to them, this blog post from Dani Greer at <a href="http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com/2014/12/an-extra-month.html"><b>The Blood Red Pencil</b></a> might be of help. Maryannwriteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28674373.post-14075814104072494732014-12-31T06:47:00.002-08:002014-12-31T06:47:46.419-08:00New Year's Eve Reflection<b><span style="color: #4c1130;">Many of us will be taking time today to reflect on the year that just past - too quickly for some of us - and considering the things we left undone. My friend Slim Randles is here today with some wise words about dreams. Enjoy...</span></b><br />
<br />
<br />
There is a nighttime sweetness and hope that hovers over us this time of year here at home. This is a time for summing up and looking ahead … and a time for dreams.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WBLzLCTRRLE/VKQL0syAEyI/AAAAAAAAK1M/YOLxyiUtIng/s1600/Winter%2BScene-Wallpaper-Background-Snow%2B(19).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WBLzLCTRRLE/VKQL0syAEyI/AAAAAAAAK1M/YOLxyiUtIng/s1600/Winter%2BScene-Wallpaper-Background-Snow%2B(19).jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image <b>Courtesy</b> of <a href="http://wallpapers-and-backgrounds-4u.blogspot.com/2013/12/winter-scenes.html"><b>Desktop Backgrounds 4U</b></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
And at night… ah, that’s the time, isn’t it? Outside it’s dark, December dark, and we’re inside and warm and cocooned up. The cold makes our world shrink, especially at night.<br />
<br />
But we have our dreams.<br />
<br />
For Janice Thomas, our art teacher at the high school, it’s that painting she’s planning. She makes starts at it, from time to time, but she’s wise enough to know she isn’t good enough to paint it yet. She paints other things well, but that one … it has to be perfect. It will be the painting of a lifetime, she knows.<br />
<br />
Doc will drift off to sleep tonight thinking about that new fly rod. He has half a dozen, of course, that will take about any weight line, and let him catch anything from mouse to moose. But even the most expensive rod isn’t what he dreams of. This year, for Christmas, he’s giving himself a rod-builder’s jig, and he will make his own rod from a Sage blank. That will be the one. It will have his own wrappings and he’ll put the ferrules on it himself. He’ll be able to feel the fish breathe with this one. It will be true and wonderful and last forever.<br />
<br />
For cowboy Steve, the December dream is always the same: building a little corral up at the cabin for Snort. Maybe putting knotty pine walls in the turret. And perhaps figuring a way to get that coffee pot from the stove, up the ladder to the loft without Steve having to go fetch it for refills. He’ll have to work on that a bit. But that’s part of the December fun as well.<br />
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There is a nighttime sweetness and hope that hovers over us this time of year. Here’s to dreams.<br />
-------<br />
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Brought to you by <a href="http://nmsantos.com/Bookstore/Saddle/Saddle.html"><i><b>Saddle Up: A Cowboy Guide to Writing</b></i> </a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #4c1130;">Be safe this New Year's Eve and fulfill your dreams in 2015</span></b></span>Maryannwriteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28674373.post-52085373831309582942014-12-29T00:00:00.000-08:002014-12-29T06:18:11.685-08:00 The Eye of the Storm....... or The Days Between Holidays<br />
<br />
I remember when I was doing my various newspaper columns these few days between Christmas and New Year's Eve were always a little strange. It was too early to do New Year's related material, and Christmas was gone, so... what on earth should we write about?<br />
<br />
Nothing has changed, except I am now doing my "column" online. I'm still challenged as to a topic worthy of an entire blog post, so I'll just do my usual Monday thing.<br />
<br />
<b>What I'm Reading:</b> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Merry-Go-Round-Donna-Fasano-ebook/dp/B002ZNJL78/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1419799123&sr=1-1&keywords=the+merry+go+round"><i><b>The Merry-Go-Round</b></i></a> by Donna Fasano. I just started it, but so far it has my attention. Of course, I've always loved a carrousel and one figures prominently in the story.<br />
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<b>What I'm Dismayed About</b>: The great divide between police officers and the general public that is rift with hate and violence. Rioting and looting are not answers to injustice and killing police officers isn't either.<br />
<br />
<b>What I'm Happy About:</b> I had a terrific visit with my kids at Christmas. We had the traditional Christmas Eve dinner of lasagna, and I had a good time helping my daughter-in-law make it. The lasagna in Taiwan is much different from the American version. After dinner we did a White Elephant gift exchange, which is always great fun. There were threats to life and limb over the sausage balls my son-in-law makes every year.<br />
<br />
Other gifts were given, too, and one that I got was a <a href="http://sites.garmin.com/en-US/vivo/"><b>Garmin Vivofit Activity Tracker</b></a>. So far today I've walked 6784 steps, 2.89 miles, and burned 1104 calories. I need to walk a lot more to make up for the pumpkin bread I will eat later today.<br />
<br />
<b>Some Monday Fun:</b> This cartoon from <a href="http://www.shoecomics.com/"><b>Shoe</b></a> was in Sunday's newspapers. Shoe is sitting at his trash-can desk reading a letter to the editor: "Dear Editor, I'm fifty and still live at home with my mother, who cooks, cleans and does my laundry for me.<br />
<br />
"Everything was fine, but now she wants to charge me #400 a month for room and board!!<br />
<br />
"What should I tell her?"<br />
<br />
Shoe puts the letter down, fires up his laptop and writes, "Tell her I'll give her $800 and that I can move in Thursday."<br />
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<b>And Now a Word From Our Sponsor:</b> Not really. I just like saying that. However, I do want to mention that my YA novel, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Friends-Forever-Maryann-Miller-ebook/dp/B00MT6H7YU/ref=asap_B001JP7Y1S?ie=UTF8"><i><b>Friends Forever,</b></i></a> is currently discounted now through Jan 2 for Kindle and Kindle Apps. This is the new edition from White Bird Publishing.<br />
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<br />
Friendship is a tenuous thing when you're thirteen and
everything in your life is changing, especially your best friend.<br />
<br />
"4 1/2
Stars! FRIENDS FOREVER beautifully captures the pain and confusion of
early adolescence." (Sharpwriter review)Maryannwriteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28674373.post-61730134838651333682014-12-26T00:00:00.000-08:002014-12-26T00:00:07.814-08:00'Twas the Day After Christmas And...<span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><b>Going back to older blog posts, I found another from 2009 that is appropriate for the day after Christmas. I do hope everyone had a wonderful celebration with family and friends. </b></span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">In keeping with the Holiday season, here is another excerpt from </span><span style="font-size: 85%; font-style: italic;">A Dead Tomato Plant and a Paycheck.</span><span style="font-size: 85%;"> Enjoy.....</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RronlYute8w/Szeroyfym1I/AAAAAAAAATA/bXPhc-6umYI/s1600-h/ChristmasMoose.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RronlYute8w/Szeroyfym1I/AAAAAAAAATA/bXPhc-6umYI/s200/ChristmasMoose.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419989393801911122" style="float: left; height: 165px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 150px;" /></a>The
day after Christmas was usually one of the best and one of the worst
days of the year for our family. If that doesn't make sense to you,
don't worry, I'm not sure it does to me either. But let me try to
explain.<br />
<br />
It was the best because:<br />
<br />
There were now 364 more shopping days until Christmas.<br />
<br />
It was the one day of the year when perhaps the kids were just as tired as we were, and they’d sleep off and on all day.<br />
<br />
All the build up for the Big Day was finally over, and the noise level in the house had dropped about 20 decibels.<br />
<br />
I
didn’t have to cook since we had all those leftovers from Christmas
dinner. (If we didn't have a big Christmas dinner, I was in trouble on
that score.)<br />
<br />
The kids would decide they liked each other after all, and we could go the whole day without a fight – maybe.<br />
<br />
The
kids would invite me to color with them, or play a game, and we could
share some really good times together - as long as they let me win now
and then.<br />
<br />
But every coin has its flip side, and the other side of this day was:<br />
<br />
After
the glitter and tinsel of Christmas, after the giving and receiving,
the celebrating, singing and eating, we could all sit back, unbutton the
waistband of our pants and try to decide who would clean up the mess.<br />
<br />
Who
would get to spend the next four days sorting through the
thousand-and-one little pieces of games, toys, and puzzles that in less
than one day managed to get tossed together from one end of the house to
another?<br />
<br />
On Christmas day, nobody seemed to care, but
the day after nobody was being nice anymore, and the house was filled
with moaning and wailing and the sounds of blood-letting and bones
breaking ...<br />
<br />
"Find that Stratego piece or I'll break your arm off and beat you over the head with it!"<br />
<br />
"I never touched your Stratego game! Mommeee!!"<br />
<br />
I guess four days out of my life wasn't too much to ask.<br />
<br />
Who
would dig through the 22 bags of trash to find the instructions for
assembling the model airplane, because, for once in his life, a kid
cleaned up after himself and threw them away with the wrapping paper?
(Since that same kid would think nothing of digging through the
neighbors' trash to see if they threw away anything he could put to good
use, maybe I could pawn that job off on him. )<br />
<br />
Who
would accept the challenge of figuring out what to do with all the
unidentifiable things we received as gifts, such as the strange looking
thing from Aunt Mildred that could either be a doily or a dishrag.<br />
<br />
The gadget from Uncle Willie that favors a Chinese puzzle, but could actually be his eccentric approach to the can opener.<br />
<br />
The game that takes an IQ of at least 300 just to open the box.<br />
<br />
The funny little knitted things from Aunt Lucy that are either thumb-less mittens or toe warmers.<br />
<br />
I
could have called them all personally to thank them for the gifts, and
hope that somewhere in the conversation they will mention what they are.
But that would have taken some of the fun out of lazy summer afternoons
when we’d drag this stuff out again and play a new game called “What on
Earth is It?”Maryannwriteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28674373.post-34397226200870728272014-12-24T00:00:00.000-08:002014-12-24T00:00:11.231-08:00Christmas Greetings<span style="color: #4c1130;"><b>It seems particularly fitting to have an offering from Slim Randles this Christmas Eve. Here's hoping that those of you who celebrate Christmas have the best one possible. For those who celebrate other winter holidays and holy days, my best wishes to you and yours, as well. </b></span><br />
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<br />
Windy had sent off for a doo-dad for his small kitchen, and that’s why he checked the mailbox. If you’re Alphonse “Windy” Wilson, and you’re long-in-the-tooth and single, you find yourself not checking the mailbox very often unless there’s a reason. It saves the disappointment of finding it empty, you see.<br />
<br />
But there was something in there today.<br />
<br />
He opened it up. It was a Christmas card from Mrs. Morris. In it, she had written “Thank you so much for fixing my shed.”<br />
<br />
Wow! As Windy would say, it was a “transfigurational enlightening.” Of course, he only used his fancy English when there was an audience of one or more. But it led him to thinking he might have to check the ol’ mailbox more often.<br />
<br />
He had straightened up Mrs. Morris’ shed that was perilously close to becoming kindling in her back yard. That Mrs. Morris had wanted it to become kindling so she could use the space for other reasons didn’t really figure in. It all happened on one of Windy’s helping days. One day each week, he looked around for someone who needed help and helped them, whether they wanted him to or not.<br />
<br />
The next day there were two more Christmas cards. One from Mrs. Lopez, whose arthritis prevented her from weeding her flower patch, and one from someone who didn’t sign it, but just wrote “Thank you so much” inside.<br />
<br />
Windy was rendered speechless, which is the equivalent, here in Home Country, of the Pacific Ocean tides deciding to take the day off.<br />
<br />
But the capper came on Christmas Eve. Windy returned from eating at the Mule Barn and explaining to the guys all about “experiential trans-wisdom” and its effects on education these days. And there, on his front porch, was a cardboard box with holes punched in it. It was vibrating a big, too, and making whining sounds.<br />
<br />
On opening it, Windy found a brown puppy with an overabundance of enthusiasm and an active tongue and smile. There was no note. He hugged the pup and took him in the house. It was going to be a great Christmas.<br />
--------<br />
Brought to you with warmest Christmas season wishes by Slim and Catherine Randles.<br />
-------<br />
And now a Holiday Greeting from one of my publishers, Five Star Cengage<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/6dlMOWZ_xL0" width="560"></iframe><br />Maryannwriteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28674373.post-398111708393748182014-12-22T00:00:00.000-08:002014-12-22T00:00:17.908-08:00Visiting Christmases Past<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: #4c1130;">This post originally ran December 2009. I loved the picture of our cat, John, under the tree, as well as the essay, so I thought I would run it again today. </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RronlYute8w/SzORHkkNA7I/AAAAAAAAAS4/UlgBwQa2uL8/s1600-h/JohnUnderTree12-09.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RronlYute8w/SzORHkkNA7I/AAAAAAAAAS4/UlgBwQa2uL8/s200/JohnUnderTree12-09.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418834335917474738" style="float: left; height: 150px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 200px;" /></a>At
this time of celebrating winter Holidays, I want to wish everyone the
happiest of times with family and friends, and all the best for the New
Year. I celebrate Christmas, and our cat, John, has decided he wants to
be a Christmas present. Either that, or he is waiting to see what Santa
is bringing him.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The following is an excerpt from my humorous memoir <span style="font-style: italic;">A Dead Tomato Plant and a Paycheck.</span> Please accept it as a small gift to you.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Christmas Season was always a source of great excitement at our house. It
was also a time of great panic. Every year I found the Christmas Season
closing in fast with me panting to cross the finish line before Santa
Claus.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’d
immediately start my “Holiday Hustle” working non-stop for three weeks
to get everything done. There were gifts to send out of state, and cards
to mail. Since I didn’t start early enough on that task, I had to
decide if I would write one letter and copy it for all our friends, or
try to find the time to write individual letters. This was before the
birth of The Holiday Letter, which has now become a standard way for
friends to stay in touch. Some people don’t like them, but, you know, if
the alternative means not keeping up with friends, I’m all for it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Maybe
instead of getting angry at the stores that were putting out their
Christmas stuff before Halloween, I should have taken their reminder
seriously. Then I wouldn't have let Thanksgiving slip by without a
thought of the next holiday.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My
basic problem was, and still is, the fact that I don't get in the
Christmas spirit until a couple of weeks before "The Day" , and then the
frantic juggling act begins. If I could just bring myself to think about
Christmas in October I wouldn't be faced with the necessity of
regimenting my time down to the last second to get everything done --
structure and discipline being the closest thing to medieval torture I
can think of.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
However, I knew that I must have some structure, so sometimes I made a calendar with Things to Do. Monday
was slotted for shopping. No giving in to the urge to sing carols with
the kids or start making decorations. Friday was slotted for singing,
and decorating would start the following week. Tuesday was the day to
finish the Christmas cards. No fair claiming writer's cramp as an excuse
to quit for a while and play with the dog. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Wednesday
of that week started out easy. That was the day to write my newspaper column, and
I didn’t have to stress over what I would write about as I had all this
great material to work from. But the strangest thing happened as I
wrote about all the things I hadn’t done yet. I had to fight the urge to
quit working and dash out to the store when I thought of the perfect
gift to get Uncle Barney. Not to mention all the other things I’d forgotten on Monday.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While
fighting down that urge, another distraction popped up. The Girl Scout
caroling party. I still hadn't called the leader to tell her what songs
I'd planned for the girls. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then I remembered someone else I should have mailed a card to.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then I remembered I was supposed to get soda for a neighborhood holiday party. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I don’t even remember the rest of that week.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
Maryannwriteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28674373.post-65748792460310399522014-12-19T06:30:00.003-08:002014-12-19T06:33:20.130-08:00Friday Fun - Got Some M & Ms?<span style="color: #4c1130;"><i>In revisiting past blogs I found this piece that first appeared in October 2008. Thought you might enjoy the humor as you end the workweek and look ahead to the weekend. This is another one from Tracy Farr, a very funny guy who used to be a regular contributor to Winnsboro Today.com, an online community magazine where I was Managing Editor. Enjoy</i></span><br />
<br />
<b>Peanut M & Ms Anonymous</b><br />
<br />
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Hello, my name is Tracy, I’m addicted to Peanut M & Ms, but I haven't had any for 13 hours and 22 minutes.<br />
<br />
"Hello Tracy, and welcome to the group."<br />
<br />
Thanks.
To be honest, I was reluctant to come here at first because I didn't
actually think I had a problem. I thought I could control my desire to
eat Peanut M & Ms by myself, but I was wrong.<br />
<br />
"Tell us your story, Tracy. You're among friends."<br />
<br />
Well,
I can say I'm luckier than most. Some kids are born with the need to
eat M & Ms because their mothers ate M & Ms while they were
pregnant. Even though the doctors warn and often beg these mothers to
stop eating M & Ms during pregnancy, they don't listen. And then
they have M & M babies -- newborns just twitching with the need to eat
something round and chocolate. Luckily, that was not my case.<br />
<br />
For
me, my addiction started when I was quite young. I was hooked the first
time I saw M & Ms, tore open a package and let them melt in my mouth
and not in my hands. Those were just the plain chocolate kind -- the
kind kids love -- but as I grew older and my tastes grew more mature, I
naturally gravitated to Peanut M & Ms.<br />
<br />
The first time
I popped a Peanut M & M, my universe just sort of exploded with
new possibilities. I could see things more clearly. I could understand
things that I never understood before. It was like my senses were
attuned to higher and more sensitive levels. And once you pop one, you
have to pop another to keep that high going.<br />
<br />
It wasn't
long before I found myself buying a bag of Peanut M & Ms and
eating the entire thing without even realizing it. And I'm not talking
about the little $1 bag you get out of a vending machine. I'm talking
about the family-size, 6-pound bag that costs almost $12 and should last
a lifetime.<br />
<br />
It finally hit me that I had a problem
when my little girl said she needed new shoes and I told her I didn't
have any money, when in fact I did. I was saving that money to score me
another bag of M & Ms before the weekend. And that's why I’m here
at this meeting.<br />
<br />
I’ve tried stopping cold turkey, but
it's just too hard. I figured with help, and with belonging to a group
of people who have suffered through the same problem and survived, that
maybe I, with support, could pick myself up, dust myself off, and start
all over again.<br />
<br />
But, maybe I should start slowly. Maybe I should only eat a small bag a day and ease off this addiction gradually.<br />
<br />
Maybe this was a bad idea.<br />
<br />
Is there a vending machine around here?<br />
<br />
And can somebody loan me a dollar?<br />
<br />
~~~~~~~~~<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 100%;">You can meet Tracy at his website <a href="http://www.thefarrplace.com/"><b>The Farr Place,</b></a> where you can also find more humor. Be forewarned. He likes to write about goats.</span>Maryannwriteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28674373.post-43127725786414813992014-12-17T07:20:00.000-08:002014-12-17T07:20:55.813-08:00Protect the Children<span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>My heart is particularly heavy today due to the horrible <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/12/16/taliban-storms-military-school/20469711/"><b>massacre of children in Pakistan.</b></a> How Taliban terrorists could purposely target children in a school is beyond comprehension. Who can stand behind a gun and look at a child and pull the trigger? The death toll is 141, most of them children, and another 120 were wounded. </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><br />When I went looking for an older post to share today, I found this one that had been written by a former contributor to the online magazine I managed. Imelda Tatsch is the Executive Director at the Northeast Texas Child
Advocacy Center <a href="http://www.netcac.org/"><b>(NETCAC)</b></a> located in Winnsboro, and her "Caring For Kids"
columns appears in their bi-monthly newsletter. This essay first ran in December 2009, and what a contrast it is to the horror in Pakistan. This is how children should be protected and treasured. </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Now here's Imelda. She also makes the best cookies for my drama camp, so I thought we could all have one while we read. Enjoy...</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><br /></span></span></span></span>
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<span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span> </span></span></span></span><br /><br />Christmas is HERE! We just
finished off the last of the turkey leftovers and here we are just days
from the big day….Where time goes I do not know, but it sure seems to be
going there faster every year.<br /><br />This year we have rarely heard
any good news on television or read anything hopeful in the newspapers.
With all that being said, I would expect very little in the way of help
for those in need. This is certainly not the case here in Northeast
Texas. At least not that I have seen in recent weeks.<br /><br />If you are a
regular reader of these articles, you know that I work at the Child
Advocacy Center. Each year we see several hundred children from the
eight counties we serve. The children have possibly suffered either
severe physical or sexual abuse, or may have witnessed a violent crime.
Abuse is no respecter of age, gender, or social class. Many of our
families are put in desperate situations due to the obvious
interruptions to life when something like abuse takes place. The entire
family is affected.<br /><br />This can take a toll on the finances of an
already struggling family. To ease some of this stress during the
Christmas season, we offer our Angel Tree Program to the families of
children that have been through the center during the year. Families are
given the opportunity to place their children on the angel tree and
while many decline the offer, many more feel the need to accept. This
offer is not limited to only the child or children that come through the
center but for their siblings as well. Our angel tree list includes
families of one child to often as many as seven or more. This is where
my favorite word for the month comes into play…. GENEROSITY!!!!<br /><br />In
a time when we only hear of the negative economic conditions, we have
been extremely blessed by an outpouring of love for these children.<br /><br />We
know that the economy has brought several to the edge of desperation.
The need is there and just as the need has risen, so have those with the
heart of love. They feel such gratefulness for their own blessings that
they have shared with generosity beyond measure. Because of this many
children will have something for Christmas this year. Those caring for
these children; parents’ grand parents or other extended family members
are very grateful. They often tell us that without what they receive
from the Angel Tree Program the children would have nothing at all. We
are forever grateful to all of you who have opened your hearts to our
little angels this year.<br />
<br />
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I realize this space is allotted to me
to write something more specific to parenting or raising children. So,
this is my two cents worth of advice for this month! If you are so
blessed to have your children with you and your family, though you may
struggle at times is functioning and remains “intact” then you are
greatly blessed. Share that blessing with others and teach your children
to be generous. This does not have to cost you a dime. Be GENEROUS with
your time, your words of kindness, and a friendly smile. A few years
ago someone started a challenge to counter the reports of “random acts
of violence” with “random acts of kindness”.<br /><br />Maybe we can revive this practice.<br /><br />If
children really are our future, what kind of future do we want? They
will only know from what we teach them…Their eyes are always on you, so
when you think of what kind of person you want your child to be, look in
the mirror, do you see that person? Children learn what they live and
as you know they don’t always do what you tell them but they will do
what you teach them through your actions.Maryannwriteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28674373.post-7641392292223273592014-12-15T15:17:00.000-08:002014-12-15T15:17:03.406-08:00How do You Like Your Gourd Prepared?<span style="color: #4c1130;">You may have noticed I'm a bit late - okay, a lot late - with my Monday blog post. I went to the memorial service for a good friend this morning and then out to lunch with other friends, and we celebrated the friendships we have and the friendship we just lost. Bittersweet moments. Anyway, I wasn't even going to do a blog today, then I read this from <a href="http://www.marqcommedia.com/books.html"><b>Slim Randles</b></a> and it made me laugh. I hope it makes you laugh and brightens your day. Enjoy....</span><br />
<br />
We can blame it all on watermelon and pumpkin pie. Both are delicious and American, and both come from gourds. That’s the problem, you see. Cooks all over the world therefore think that other gourds can be made edible, too. <br />
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<br />
Gourds, for example, like squash.<br />
<br />
Squash. One of the English language’s most painful words, along with maim and trauma and rend and okra and Liberace. Why would anyone want to eat something that sounds as though someone sat on it?<br />
<br />
The bottom-line truth is, cooks all over the place love a challenge, and they have tried valiantly to turn squash into an edible dish. To do this, they take one tenth of a portion of squash, boil as much of the squashiness as they can out of it, then immerse it in nine-tenths something that tastes good and hope no one will notice. You know, stuff like chile, mutton, edible vegetables, nuclear waste, cottonwood bark and even chocolate. Then, when you can’t taste the squash in it, and most of the slime has settled to the bottom, they smile and say, “How do you like my ‘Squash Canneloni ala Hershey con Brio?”<br />
<br />
They even try to fool people who might consider buying squash into thinking it tastes like something else. Something like butter. Or acorns. Or crooked necks. Hey, I’ll take a crooked neck over a squash any day.<br />
<br />
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Makes you wonder what crime against mankind Mr. Zucchini committed to be forever more squash-damned in the history books.<br />
<br />
Let’s face it; squash is an unwanted growth on an otherwise perfectly good vine. It starts with a pretty little blossom that inspires Navajo jewelry and attracts bees. Then it begins its insidious malignancy into something that should probably be surgically removed.<br />
<br />
But it’s fall now. Autumn, that time of year when children play in the lazy sunshine and squash vines go belly up. And when we enjoy our pumpkin pie and jack o’lanterns, we’ll smile quietly, knowing we’ll once again be squash free for a few blessed months.<br />
---------<br />
<br />
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<br />
Brought to you by <a href="http://nmsantos.com/Bookstore/Saddle/Saddle.html"><i><b>Saddle Up: A Cowboy Guide to Writing</b></i> </a>Maryannwriteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28674373.post-14177281962386477662014-12-14T08:15:00.001-08:002014-12-14T08:15:34.893-08:00Books to GiftInstead of a review, I thought I would recommend some books if you have readers on your holiday gift list. These are some of the books I've read this year - or hope to read next year - as well as a couple from writers I've become friends with online. <br />
<br />
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First on my wish list is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/After-Im-Gone-Laura-Lippman-ebook/dp/B00DB2YMTY/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1418569494&sr=1-1&keywords=after+i%27m+gone+laura+lippman"><i><b>After I'm Gone</b></i></a> by Laura Lippman. Here is just one of the rave reviews:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“Lippman stretches a richly textured canvas that depicts, with wit and
sensitivity, the wounded but tough women Felix left behind. As she
traces the matrix of longing, jealousy, and betrayal that led to Julie’s
murder, Lippman incisively explores marriage, Jewish family life, class
distinctions, and the power and liability of physical beauty, thus
creating an involving and elegant novel of the psychological ravages of
crime.” <strong>—Booklist</strong></blockquote>
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ApBMJGSQmiI/VI2wrbWRjxI/AAAAAAAAKy4/j1VSQqTX6Dc/s1600/thestrangernovelspage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ApBMJGSQmiI/VI2wrbWRjxI/AAAAAAAAKy4/j1VSQqTX6Dc/s1600/thestrangernovelspage.jpg" /></a><strong> </strong><br />
From Harlan<strong> </strong>Coben I have two books on my wish list. First is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0525953493/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0525953493&linkCode=as2&tag=harlcobe-20&linkId=2L6KGCM7CQBFLCXK"><i><b>Missing You</b></i></a>, which came out last year and I missed, and his new book due out in March, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Stranger-Harlan-Coben-ebook/dp/B00NMPN46W/ref=la_B000APCH7Y_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1418569814&sr=1-2"><i><b>The Stranger.</b></i></a> That book is available for pre-order,so if any of my kids are reading this... hint, hint.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Coben... has written another twisty ripped-from-the-headlines page-turning stand-alone that could be his best yet." <i>Library Journal</i> (starred review)</blockquote>
<br />
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My reading tastes vary and often I like to read a mainstream novel. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Orphan-Train-Christina-Baker-Kline-ebook/dp/B0089LOG02/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1418570105&sr=1-1&keywords=orphan+train+by+christina+baker+kline"><i><b>Orphan Train</b></i></a> by Christina Baker Kline was a terrific story. I did a short <a href="http://its-not-all-gravy.blogspot.com/2014/11/monday-morning-musings_17.html"><b>impromptu review last month</b></a> when I was reading the book because I was so captivated by the story and the writing. <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SKZA-FHZzqw/VI2xTLMOxNI/AAAAAAAAKzI/Aj-DmDKKSHM/s1600/edwardadrift.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SKZA-FHZzqw/VI2xTLMOxNI/AAAAAAAAKzI/Aj-DmDKKSHM/s1600/edwardadrift.jpg" height="200" width="141" /></a>Another novel that I loved was <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Edward-Adrift-Craig-Lancaster-ebook/dp/B009L7QCNM/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1418572332&sr=1-1&keywords=edward+adrift+lancaster+craig"><i><b>Edward Adrift</b></i></a> by Craig Lancaster. That is a sequel to 600 Hours of Edward, and while both books would make a terrific gift, one does not have to read 600 Hours first. I <a href="http://its-not-all-gravy.blogspot.com/2014/11/book-review-edward-adrift-by-craig.html"><b>reviewed the book</b></a> a few weeks ago: <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Craig's first book was one of my favorite all time reads, and I was
delighted when I finally made time to read the sequel. Edward is a
42-year-old man with Asperger's Syndrome, who is trying his best to find
"normal" in a world that does not conform to this way of thinking and
operating. If you've ever wondered what goes on in the mind of someone
with Aspergers, Edward can clue you in, and as he reminds everyone, "I'm
not stupid, I'm just developmentally challenged."</blockquote>
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-osg4Z3dCUK4/U_zn6c5oRuI/AAAAAAAAKVg/KTK1FpmMcfo/s1600/Home%2BCountrycover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-osg4Z3dCUK4/U_zn6c5oRuI/AAAAAAAAKVg/KTK1FpmMcfo/s1600/Home%2BCountrycover.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a>I would be remiss if I didn't mention the books by Slim Randles, who is a frequent guest here. One of my favorites is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Home-Country-Slim-Randles/dp/1936744031/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1418572408&sr=1-1&keywords=Home+Country+by+Slim+Randles"><i><b>Home Country </b></i></a>which is a collection of his column of the same name. It has wonderful bits of humor and wisdom.<br />
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There are so many other books and authors I could recommend, but I don't want to write an epistle here. But you can check out books by Kathryn Craft, Terry Odell, LJ Sellers, Dennis Lehane, D.D. Ayers, John Sandford, Kent Krueger, and you won't be disappointed. <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YNeCQdekacY/U_y5mqneChI/AAAAAAAAKU4/30DrBCHp_Es/s1600/new%2Bcoover-%2Bsmallest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YNeCQdekacY/U_y5mqneChI/AAAAAAAAKU4/30DrBCHp_Es/s1600/new%2Bcoover-%2Bsmallest.jpg" height="200" width="127" /></a>And of<i><b> </b></i>course I should mention a couple of my books. If you were to order the paperbacks or hardbacks for a gift, I would be happy to send a signed bookplate to the recipient. The newest book is <i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Doubletake-Maryann-Miller-ebook/dp/B00J4YI8DE/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1418572807&sr=1-1&keywords=doubletake+by+maryann+miller">Doubletake.</a> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Boxes-Beds-Maryann-Miller-ebook/dp/B00BM9G53O/ref=asap_B001JP7Y1S?ie=UTF8">Boxes For Beds</a></b></i> was released last year, and the two books in my Seasons Mystery Series, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Open-Season-Seasons-Mystery-Book-ebook/dp/B00PVJMUBM/ref=asap_B001JP7Y1S?ie=UTF8"><i><b>Open Season</b></i></a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Stalking-Season-Seasons-Mystery-Book-ebook/dp/B00IKSCKR0/ref=asap_B001JP7Y1S?ie=UTF8"><i><b>Stalking Season</b></i></a> came out just before that. There is a new version of my YA novel out in paperback from White Bird Publishing, and<i><b> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Friends-Forever-Maryann-Miller-ebook/dp/B00MT6H7YU/ref=asap_B001JP7Y1S?ie=UTF8">Friends Forever</a></b></i> would be a nice gift for any girl between the ages of 9 and 13.<br />
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"Friends Forever is a wonderful example of how a story can teach lessons,
even change lives. The characters speak realistically and the other
parts of teenage life that aren't part of the main story are told with
accuracy. I was moved to tears several times, feeling the emotions of
the characters, knowing how they felt. This is a must-read for every
tween and teen. It is my hope that every young person...and us slightly
older people too...can learn something from this wonderful real-life
tale." One satisfied reader.</blockquote>
Maryannwriteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28674373.post-62108817156667354312014-12-12T00:00:00.000-08:002014-12-12T00:00:12.082-08:00Book Launch - Following His Heart by Donna Fasano<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: small;">Instead of my usual Friday fare on the blog, today I'm pleased once again to help a fellow author celebrate the launch of a new book. I've known Donna Fasano via social media for some time, and read several of her books. She does tell a good story, and here is her latest, which is the first in a new series. Once I am past the hectic pace of December, I will post a review.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">by Donna Fasano</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Series</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">: Ocean City Boardwalk, #1</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Genre</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">: Contemporary Romance</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Release Date</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">: TODAY!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sara Carson is a 30-something widow with a busy life. Two fun-loving best friends, a caring mom who needs her, and a thriving sweet shop. What more could a woman want? But when the ancient plumbing in her shop springs a leak and a gorgeous, dark-eyed stranger rushes to her rescue, hilarity unfolds—and Sara quickly sees exactly what she’s been missing.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Something most peculiar draws Landon Richards to Ocean City, Maryland—and to the lovely Sara. This woman touches his heart like no other, and the two of them explore the heady attraction that pulses between them. But haunting dreams have a way of encroaching on reality, and the strange phenomenon that brings these two together will also threaten to tear them apart.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is the first book in the Ocean City Boardwalk Series, where life for three enterprising women, Sara, Heather, and Cathy, isn't just fun in the sun—love is waiting on those sandy shores!</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4-5kcC12a8M/VImuwuAwzCI/AAAAAAAAKxk/i3K5Zjc8cGw/s1600/followhis%2Bheart%2Bcover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4-5kcC12a8M/VImuwuAwzCI/AAAAAAAAKxk/i3K5Zjc8cGw/s1600/followhis%2Bheart%2Bcover.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br />
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<span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-2efd3150-39d7-d759-d9a5-595f2d3ad3fd" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">USA Today Bestselling Author Donna Fasano has written over 30 romance and women's fiction books that have sold 4 million copies worldwide. Her books have won numerous awards and have been published in nearly 2 dozen languages.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Add the Book to Your <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23717285-following-his-heart"><b>Goodreads </b></a>Shelf: <b> </b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span id="docs-internal-guid-2efd3150-39d0-d6a4-0f6f-3bd9b4c96838" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Enter the <a href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/7996b6c559/"><b>Rafflecopter Giveaway</b></a><b> </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-2efd3150-39d0-d6a4-0f6f-3bd9b4c96838" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>******** </b></span></span></span><a href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/7996b6c559/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://amzn.to/12jdyvR">Amazon US</a> ** <a href="http://amzn.to/1zk0xi9">Amazon UK</a> ** <a href="http://ow.ly/FBcWI">B & N </a>** <a href="http://ow.ly/FzCrP">Kobo US</a> ** <a href="http://ow.ly/FzCxQ">Kobo UK</a> ** </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://ow.ly/FBu2W">iTunes </a></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/DonnaFasanoAuthor"><b>Facebook</b></a> <b>** <a href="http://twitter.com/DonnaFaz">Twitter</a></b> ** <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+DonnaFasano/"><b>Google +</b></a>** <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/DonnaFaz"><b>Pinterest</b></a> ** <a href="http://www.instagram.com/donna_fasano"><b>Instagram</b></a> </span><a href="http://www.instagram.com/donna_fasano" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://donnafasano.tumblr.com/"><b>Tumblr</b></a> ** <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Donna-Fasano/e/B001HCXJW6"><b>Amazon</b></a> ** <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1111480.Donna_Fasano"><b>Goodreads</b></a> ** <a href="http://www.donnafasano.com/"><b>Website</b></a><b> </b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br />
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Maryannwriteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28674373.post-89656637564409551512014-12-10T00:00:00.000-08:002014-12-11T09:13:27.307-08:00Meet Todd M. Thiede<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]--><span style="color: #4c1130;">Please welcome<span style="mso-tab-count: 3;"> </span>Todd
M. Thiede as today's Wednesday's Guest. Todd has written several mystery novels that feature Detective Max Larkin, and they have all been well-received by critics and readers. I'm reading <i><b>Miss Me?</b></i> now, and so far it's a good read.I just made some chocolate chip cookies, so grab one to go with your beverage of choice, and enjoy the interview.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #4c1130;">Thanks for coming by Todd and answering the questions.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tKPOWHyD3O0/VIc-lMpuIPI/AAAAAAAAKxE/H99qZphOARY/s1600/Todd%2BThiede%2BHeadshot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tKPOWHyD3O0/VIc-lMpuIPI/AAAAAAAAKxE/H99qZphOARY/s1600/Todd%2BThiede%2BHeadshot.jpg" height="200" width="132" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">How long have you been writing?</span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></b><span style="color: black;">I’ve been writing about four years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i><b>Time Killer</b></i> took me almost three years
to finish but <i><b>Lies to Die For</b></i> only took about six months. My newest book, <i><b>Miss
Me?</b></i>, took about six months as well and was my most challenging yet. It took me
away from the serial killer's that I had been writing about in my previous
books.</span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">What inspires you to write?</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black;">I had a few people read my book
before publishing and they really liked it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since <i><b>Time Killer</b></i> has been out I have gotten a lot of feedback about how
my stories impact people and their lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I love to hear that stuff and I truly enjoy writing now.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">Describe your writing process. Do you outline, create rough
synopses, do you do detailed biographies of the characters before starting to
write?</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black;">I actually don’t do any of above.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I start with the idea for the first chapter
only.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once I get that chapter down I
just keep going and the stories start to take on a life of their own. I try to
put myself into each scene and each character’s body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What they see I see.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What they feel I feel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s how my stories go from just a small
idea into a 200+ page book.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #4c1130;"> (That's the way I write, too, although I usually have the ending in mind as well as the opening.)</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">How did you decide on the cover and did you design it or
did you use a professional </span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">designer? </span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black;">I designed all my covers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then once I had the idea down I went to a
professional cover designer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With <i><b>Lies
to Die For</b></i> and <i><b>Miss Me?</b></i> I bought the rights to those pictures. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>The very first time I saw that picture of the
knife dripping blood onto a white rose it screamed at me that it was the
perfect cover for the book. The picture I used for <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Miss-Max-Larkin-Detective-Book-ebook/dp/B00NG7U1NK/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1418149733&sr=1-1&keywords=miss+me%3F+by+todd"><i><b>Miss Me?</b></i></a>, was so unique I
wound up rewriting most of the story to connect with that picture.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">Do you see your book becoming a movie or TV
show? </span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;"></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;"></span></b><span style="color: black;">I have been approached by
a production company in Hollywood about <i><b>Time Killer</b></i> already.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It may take some time and some development
but I could easily see one or all of them being on the screen (big or small)
someday.</span></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">Have you always been
fascinated with the strange and macabre or is that just your preferred writing
genre?</span></b></div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;"></span></b><span style="color: black;">The first thing that everyone
tells me is that I’m sick but they like it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just have a very vivid imagination and want people to see what it’s
like being inside my head. Some people, including my wife, don't want to know
what's in my mind sometimes but that's ok too.</span>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">What types of books do you read for entertainment?</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black;">I don’t have a lot of time to read
anymore but the last book set that I read was the <i><b>Hunger Games </b></i>trilogy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I liked that a lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I did read I had no preference.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I read all kinds, but if I have to choose one
genre it would be mystery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just have a
mind for it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My wife gets upset with me
when we watch shows like </span><span style="color: black;">CSI</span><span style="color: black;"> because I usually solve the case early.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #4c1130;">(I can't help but be critical of shows that don't get things right. Like DNA test results that come back in hours.) </span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">Tell us something about yourself that you haven’t shared
with any other interviewer.</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black;">The first chapter of <i><b>Time Killer</b></i>
is actually about a dream I had on my honeymoon nearly 4 years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="color: #4c1130;">(So who, besides me, is going to go buy that book to see what the dream was? LOL) </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">What is
the creepiest or scariest book that you have read or movie that you have
seen?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;"></span></b><span style="color: black;">Nothing really creeps me out
anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love a great horror book or
movie but now a days everything is toned down for the general public.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would rather watch or read all the gory
details.</span>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">What thrilled
you in your books?</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">The most exciting part for me in
my books is how the perpetrator chooses the victims.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want them all tied in together. It may seem
random but there's a rhyme and reason, I promise.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;"> What are you
working on now?</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>I’m working on the first chapter of the next Max Larkin detective
book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This one is tentatively called
"REVENGE, is a dish best served, DEAD!"</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"> </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;"> Will you share with readers your top authors and your top five
movies?</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black;">Lee Child, James Patterson, J.K Rowling, Suzanne Collins And Stephen King. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><i><b>Die
Hard, The Rock, Halloween</b></i> (the original), <i><b>Halloween </b></i>(the Rob Zombie remake), <i><b>Fast and Furious.</b></i></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;"> Describe the scariest place you could find yourself in and
how would you attempt to escape?</span></b></div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;"></span></b><span style="color: black;">The scariest place I could think
of being is buried alive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is only
one way out of that and that’s to dig your way out. Kind of like life. Every
time you do something wrong the only way to get out of it is to work hard and
dig your way out.</span><b> </b><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">Do you have a favorite quote?</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black;"> </span><span style="color: black;">One of my own: "If life isn’t fun you aren’t doing it right.”</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">Thank you for participating.</span></b></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">I truly appreciate it!</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N-9G4ZcGxZg/VIc-ukX-WXI/AAAAAAAAKxM/WOox_RFjcpA/s1600/Miss%2BMe%2BBook%2BCover%2BSmall.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N-9G4ZcGxZg/VIc-ukX-WXI/AAAAAAAAKxM/WOox_RFjcpA/s1600/Miss%2BMe%2BBook%2BCover%2BSmall.png" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">ABOUT THE AUTHOR </b></div>
<span style="color: black;">Perhaps you wouldn’t characterize
the Finance Manager of your local automobile dealership as an Amazon
best-selling author—until you get to know <b>Todd Thiede</b>. He has
worked for the past decade at Elmhurst Toyota, but Thiede is in the driver’s
seat as the writer of a murder mystery series featuring Detective, Max
Larkin. <i><b>Time Killer,</b></i> which Kirkus Reviews deemed “a fast-paced thriller” that
will “keep crime and thriller fans wrapped up in its twisting plot, fast pace
and memorable detective,” and <i><b>Lies To Die For</b></i> (which reached No. 1 on Amazon
in the “Murder Mystery and Serial Killer” categories) are available via Amazon
Kindle. His newest book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Miss-Max-Larkin-Detective-Book-ebook/dp/B00NG7U1NK/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1418149733&sr=1-1&keywords=miss+me%3F+by+todd"><i><b>Miss Me?</b></i></a>,was just released.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Go to </span><a href="http://www.toddthiede.com/" target="_blank">www.toddthiede.com</a><span style="color: black;"> for more info on Todd and his books.</span> You can find all his titles on his <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Todd-M.-Thiede/e/B003BQ5F6E/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1"><b>Amazon Author Page.</b></a>Maryannwriteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.com2