Lately I’ve been reading a lot of ‘stuff.’ I do this in the mornings, over coffee. I’ll be scrolling through my Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn feeds and something will catch my eye. So from time to time, I’m’a gonna share these links or videos with you. Hope you enjoy!
For Writers
Writers, don’t we hate the proofreading process? We’re almost there, almost have that novel DONE, yet there’s the tedious business of proofreading. I not only need to proofread my own novels, but I also proofread in my editing business. Quick and Dirty Tips has 10 Tips to Banish Typos. A nice list, though I ain’t a’reading my work or my client’s work backwards; I just ain’t gonna! I’ll add one to it: I have my Kindle read my book, or my client’s book, to me—believe me, this works!
Am I a Real Writer? Yup, this question is still asked by many writers who may feel they don’t quite measure up, or that their writing is seen as a hobby, or maybe they won’t consider themselves a Real Writer until their book is published. If you’ve ever struggled with this, go ye and read Kristen Lamb’s post Diagnosing a REAL Writer: Do You Have Terminological Inexactitude Syndrome?
If we’re happy and we know it, clap our hands! But if we’re sad, meh, let’s don’t beat ourselves up about it! Being happy all the time is weird. There. I said it. So, while rattling around Thrive Global, I found this interesting article on The Upside of Feeling Down: Why It’s Okay Not to Feel Happy All the Time
The World’s Most Relaxing Film: “The World’s Most Relaxing Film will make you relax in just 7-minutes. It has been recorded based on advice of experts from the fields of stress, mindfulness, nature therapy and music therapy. The film was recorded on the West Coast of Zealand (Sjællands Vestkyst), in Denmark.”
I baked these myself! MMMMM!
Food/Health:
I love scones. What I love about the ones that are done correctly is that they aren’t too sweet and they aren’t too moist and they aren’t crumbly dry—the perfect ones are just right! And if you, like me, have a difficult time finding those perfect scones: make your own! I do! And the best, easiest recipe I found that I use every single time is King Arthur Flour Scone Recipe. I have experimented with different additions (like nuts, fruit, lemon zest, peanut butter, oats, etc) to the basic recipe, all with success. The only thing I do differently in the basic recipe is I usually add half a stick more butter–I just like it that way.
Maybe you don’t need to boost your sex drive. I don’t! I swear! Raise your hand if you do *no one raises their hand* – Well, in the case any of you who didn’t raise your hand secretly wants to raise your libido, here are, according to Readers Digest, 9 Vitamins and Herbs That Can Boost Your Sex Drive
Chocolate & Pop Music – Nuff said.
For Business:
Looking for a job? Ugh, right? I haven’t had an interview in yeeeeaaars. I’m lucky to be able to work from home, but should that ever stop *gasp* Ungh! Perhaps these 14 Interview Questions That Are Designed To Trick You will help you with that process.
When I post these links, I’m going to post at least one “wild card” link. One that I stumbled on while looking for something else, and something about it piqued my interest. The website/blog that I am exploring right now is: Dave2 from Blogography: “Blogography is a place to learn and grow by exposing yourself to the mind of David Simmer II, a brilliant commentator on world events and popular culture (or so he claims).” (Note from me: HE wrote “or so he claims” -not I. *laugh*)
It is the forgotten playground of a god, or God. Almost there. Almost Just Right. Almost Earth-like . . . more on that later.
Smaller than Earth, it does have two moons so that in itself makes it nice to visit in my Lil Loghouse Spaceship. Though, it’s often difficult to see the moons, because of the dust storms kicking up. The wind howls, and you can hear it if you click on this video—as well as see a sunset tinge the sky blue. You can hear the sounds of Mars from space on this video.
From space, Mars is beautiful in its own way—if you like red, and I do. There’s so much iron in the soil. And it’s cold. 80 degrees below zero. And I forgot my coat on Pluto. Oh well! When you are a Lonely Woman, you don’t have anyone to remind you to grab your coat, or to make sure your shirt isn’t on inside out, or fix the tag that’s sticking up in the back, or acknowledge your existence when you return to Earth from Mars. There’s not even a Jesus to wipe off your Mars-dusty feet, either. But I digress . . . .
On Mars, there’s canyons, volcanoes, craters. Clouds, fog, wind. Tornados. There’s gravity—though one-third less than Earth has. If you dropped a cup of coffee on Mars, it would fall slower than if you dropped that cup of coffee on Earth—maybe you have time to grab it, but then I suppose everything would move slower. Just like with Pluto, which I wrote about below, you’d weigh less: if you weighed 100 pounds on Earth, you’d only weigh 37 on Mars. You could also jump higher on Mars. Wheeee! Though after a while, jumping higher means nothing if there’s nothing to jump for, or no one to show how high you are jumping and laughing while you scream “Isn’t this cool?” We must have witness to coolness or it just doesn’t feel as cool.
It takes a little less than twice as long for a year to pass on Mars than it does on Earth—plenty more time to fail at your New Year’s resolutions; am I right? One day on Mars is only 20 minutes longer than on Earth. What to do with those twenty minutes? What to do. Waste it? Make it count? Scientists think that at one time the planet could have had liquid water, or at least could support oceans. They think that something may have struck Mars and flung out a lot of its atmosphere into space—
That happened to me. I was metaphorically struck by something, or if I’m being honest, by someone, and parts of me flung out into space so that I am left altered. I am Mars—all howling winds and dust storms and I am next to all this Life and Abundance and I am not Goldilocks—Not Just Right—and . . . more on that in a second.
Mars is the closest thing there is to Earth, and scientists think it could support life. As long as we don’t think of it as Life as We Know it On Earth.
I don’t believe in God. Not any longer. And not for quite some time.
Okay, that came out of the blue, right?
Doesn’t that “mass” look a little like our continent?
As I travel our Galaxy in the lil spaceship, I see our beautiful Earth among all the other planets so inhospitable. I know that Earth is in the “Goldilocks Zone,” meaning Earth is situated in the “just right” place in our solar system not only to support life, but life so lush and varied that it boggles the mind how we became who we are and what we are—Random Acts of Nature. Because, I randomly think, if there were this Higher Being creating, why not Mars? Why would a god so magnificent and awesomely and powerful stop with one planet? Why make Mars “almost there” but not go there? Would a god realize his limitations? Did he/she/it want us to be the Lonely Planet? Did he/she/it feel abandoned so abandoned the entire project? Would a god or God be the loneliest being in not only this galaxy, but in all the galaxies? Maybe God or gods created just what he/she/it felt—a world full of lonely-hearted people looking for a way not to be lonely; a world full of the Always Searching for Something that isn’t there until it is and then it isn’t.
If you are the Lonely Woman traveling the galaxy looking down at the busy earth, and the desolate planets all around it, you feel the absence of God not the presence. You don’t see this Miracle—instead you see Beautiful Acts of Random. You see how a planet right next door just because it is not in The Perfect Spot, but almost is, is not able to sustain the life as Earth does.
You know what I miss most about believing in a god and Jesus and all that? Not the fire and brimstone—I mean, face it, the God(s) man created are abusive and mean and incredibly cruel and why would I pray to that? This God throws you in a lake of fire and watches you burn—how sick is that? And though Jesus would want to kiss your blistered feet, even he has to turn his back on you once you do whatever it is that is not pardonable. And there you are screaming out their name, begging for mercy where there is none. That sounds like a really interesting novel that I’d read once and be so disturbed I’d never read again. I have done much thinking on this. I find science comforting. Very comforting. I find a god or Gods unsettling and more like a fairytale told to misbehaving children to get them to Act Right.
But what I miss about Jesus, you see, is that as a Lonely Woman, you lie in bed at night and there is no one to listen. You speak aloud to hear your voice, and you “pray” to the Universe but you know no one or no thing hears you. The dark is darker. The night is nightyer. The loneliness lonelier. You think that if it were your last night on Earth, who would be there to witness your death? Who would cry and scream and shake their fist to the sky? It would only be after no one had heard from you that they’d begin to worry and then make their grisly discovery. You try not to think about these things. But you do. So you reach out to neighbors and friends and family and find ways to make sure you are Seen and Heard and Discoverable very quickly.
Earth may be the God Zone, but Mars is the No God Zone, and that is where I am hovering right now, right above Mars, looking down at a dust storm fierce and howling. When I land, I’ll walk its dusty soil and know that no Big Being in the Sky would leave Mars so desolate—so close to Earth yet so far. Here’s a Rover on mars.
It’s as if the God Story is unfinished. As if this Being started a project in a petri dish, the Great Scientist in the Sky, and then grew bored. Or gave up. Or perhaps thought, “This is enough for me. This is just right.” Or, as I lie in bed at night looking out the window at the stars and as the moon shines on my right foot, I know just how random I am. There is some comfort in that. I can absolve myself from so much responsibility.
But there is no one to say that to. No one to talk to and say, “Guess what? I just had an epiphany!” And there’s no Jesus there to nod his sage head and say, “Good work, my daughter.” There’s no God up there smiting me, either, which is a relief. Who wants to be smit’ed?
For Lonely Woman in this strange Unfinished Galaxy, there is You in the night. You. You. Just You. You. Just You. Unfinished. Almost but Not Quite Just Right.
Easy Repair of the Day: Is your ceiling fan making noise and driving you nuts? Did you know that sometimes all you need to do is clean it? That there may be some dust on it, or on the top of the blades where you can’t see it, and that is causing it to be out of balance. Turn the fan off, take a rag and clean the blades top and bottom. Turn the fan back on and be amazed that it fixed the clickity sound or the clackity sound or the click-clack sound. If this does not work, or only partially works, you may have to go to your local hardware store (or big hardware store) and purchase a ceiling fan weight balance thing to try that. But the easier fix without even leaving your spaceship is first to try cleaning the blades. I cleaned the dust from mine and it worked!
If you love Appalachian/Southern Fiction, I hope you will head over to Kat Magendie Amazon Page and pick out a book. I will have book give aways (mine and other authors’) from time-to-time, but today–chocolate. TG & Sweetie are two of my best sellers. But there are more to choose from.
Give away of the week: Chocolate! Since we talked about Mars today, I am going to give away some Mars chocolates. I don’t like the “first commenters” thing. So, at the end of the week (Saturday), I will randomly draw a number out of a box and whomever is the *that number* commenter is the one who receives the give away. If I receive only 1 commenter, then, well, I’ll have to pull from the box until I get number 1 *laugh*
1. Our interstates have a “system” to them. Odd numbers are north to south with the lowest numbers in the west. Even numbers are east to west with the lowest numbers in the south. Exits are assigned numbers to let you know the distance to the next exit—mile-markers aren’t always exits but they tell you distance “in between.” The interstate system is about 46,300 miles, and of those 46,300 miles, it is a known fact that 40.4858788584857% of the time, a bathroom will be ten to fifty miles from where you really have To Go Bad. And 50.4848482975875% of the time, a Left-Laner will hold up traffic for 20.225 miles, plus three, and then flip you off in indignation when you finally zoom by in frustration.
Supposed to work – let’s hope you never have to find out!
A skunk can spray up to ten feet away. The spray is a yellow oily substance—and guess what? Oil and water don’t mix; so if your dog is sprayed and you wet the dog, it’s going to stink worse—delightful, right? The spray contains as many as seven kinds of nasty “ingredients” that can easily be conglomerated by the skunk into a gas that explodes from the ass(it rhymed!)—that’s what makes it stanky; no, stanky isn’t strong enough a word—putridly pungent. A skunk stinks, yeah, but in a sobering addition to this light-hearted skunkfomercial: did you also know that skunk spray can cause severe anemia and death in dogs? Okay, only very rarely but worth a note if your dog loves chasing Pepe LePew.
How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Tootsie Pop? According to science: 1,000. According to Kat: about 30 before she bites into it with glee.
When you google “Will I ever use Algebra in real life?” This is the kind of answer you find, which is an evasive non-answer in my Algebra experience: “This is a difficult question, but the simplest answer is that Algebra is the beginning of a journey that gives you the skills to solve more complex problems.” Uh huh. Nice try.
It’s a myth that lightning never strikes twice in the same place. Where did that saying come from? Actually, it’s from the 1800s or some other time when people made up stuff out of boredom and other bored people readily believed it because there wasn’t Google, or Bing if you are a Binger, to debunk it (only 6.777558475% of people like Internet Explorer; poor thangs)—of course, ironically, the internet is full of BS that bored people make up and equally bored people believe. Anyway, lightning not striking twice meant: misfortune won’t happen twice in the same way to the same person. *fake-coughs out a barely perceptible bullshit*
Women’s colons are longer than men’s colons (so who is more full of sh with a side of it, you may ask? Answer with care, my male friends, answer with care). And our female colons are more twisted up. We’re all discombobulated in there. Why? Whyyyyy? They—the infamous “They People” (who I believe are Aliens! No, really!)—say it’s because we give birth. Oh. Okay. So, we have more colon so we can squeeze out a human? Uh huh. They—the Aliens—are tricksters. Just tricksters.
Conversely, a man’s brain is about 10% larger than a woman’s brain. Now, before you men’s heads swell up even more, no it doesn’t mean you
This is your brain; this is your brain on gender
are more intelligent, or any less intelligent. It does mean you process differently. But brain size is not a correlation to intelligence. The brain is larger to accommodate the extra body mass and muscle. Is to! Is TO!
Speaking of brains. Artists have different brains. According to a scientific study (by “They”), researchers found sort ofishy scientifically that artist’s brains are structurally different from non-artists. I suppose that includes us writers, right? I need an excuse for my discombobulated hootnannies. Scans (by They/Aliens!) show that artists have more grey matter in an area of the brain that matters to scientists because scientists are awesome. That area of the brain could possibly (why aren’t “They” ever sure?) be linked to that “inner eye” that gives visual creativity/clarity.
While goofing off on Google, you find things that you think are jokes, then realize some people really do believe in these Thangs. Like, the “theory” that cats are aliens. Uh huh now; I see. Well, there is discussion of it Here and Here. Enjoy! The first one actually is called “catalienconspiracy.com.”
10. The Perfect Every Time Boiled Eggs. Really! I swear! Put eggs in a saucepan and cover the eggs with water–I just added “the eggs” while re-reading this; didn’t want you to think I meant cover the pan with water -haha! Bring water to a boil and soon as it reaches that “roiling bubbling toil and troubling boil” turn off the heat, cover the pan with a lid, and let the eggs sit in the water for 14 minutes—no more! Some say 12 minutes; some say 13 minutes (what do “they” say?). I’ve had success with 14 minutes. Soon as the timer goes off—and if you don’t use a timer, you will forget and your eggs will suck–no one likes sucky eggs or to suck an egg; eww. No, you will forget–use a timer. I mean it; you will. Anyway, pour off the hot water, add cold water on top of the eggs in the pan, and add some ice to stop the cooking process. Perfect boiled egg.
Most writers make crap for money. If writers are in it for the money, nowadays especially, then those writers may surely be sorely disappointed in the results of their dreams of Lotso Casholo. No, seriously! You wouldn’t believe the people who think I’m rolling in it because I have 5-6 books and some stories out there. When they see me pull up in my 17 year old Subaru decked out in clothes from the clearance rack, an old Dell laptop, a broken-shattered iPhone that I refuse to replace until my iPad’s paid for, they think I’m being ironic, or eclectic, or
What you talkin’ bout Willis?
that I left my sports car at home with my Louboutin’s. Seriously, though, folks. There is about 0.555785959992445566999999% of the population of authors/novelists who can do this “for a really good living without having another income” and 0.2455668855599999494994949 of those 0.555785959992445566999999% spend a lot of their time writing inspirational platitudes and giving writers advice about how we should be doing this and not doing that and all this blah blah blahdidly blah that they half-believe themselves but they’ve paid their dues, by golly gee, and can tell all us other writers how it is done and if we can’t do it that way, well no wonder we don’t sell books! The rest of us are varying degrees of starving, doing okay, doing pretty well, and pretending we are doing very well by posting upbeat Facebook and Twitter updates about how awesome we are doing and how we aren’t drowning our sorrows in wine and chocolate and sex—la tee dah, y’all! Haw!
And speaking of Louboutin’s—while looking up how to spell it (I can spell Ked’s – wait, is that Keds or Ked’s – dang), a glance at a site that sells them yields this: “cheapest” (relative term): $525 for some kind of oogly-arse boat shoe looking thangs, to the more expensive sparkled heel at $4,225—my entire wardrobe does not come anywhere near that much—shoes included.
Now, aren’t you glad you know all that? I know I am!
I’ve been on marathon sessions for edits/rewrites of The Lightning Charmer – so my posts, which are already sporadic because I do what I want when I want cause I can, have been fewer. Who cares, right? Who has time to read a bunch of shit, right? riiighhht! Today, I’ve collected a few links for y’all – they’re all set to images with short blurbs beside them, so a quick and dirty read- check ’em out and go kick the ass of the day!
Healthy Habits that may not be so great for you— maybe a few will surprise you? Like the notion of eating small meals throughout the day. Well, this can go oh so wrong if not done “properly” — if we overeat those small meals (watch portion control, y’all!), or eat crappy foods, this will not work. I’d love to eat small meals throughout the day, but when I’m busy, I don’t think about it. I usually have three meals plus one snack.
This just makes me laugh
Best and Worst Foods for your Sex Life – actually, for me, the less I eat and drink (especially alcohol), the better sex is. I laughed to myself when I saw in the link the word “men” – well, guess what? Women love sex, too.
The Germiest Places in your Gym – ewwwwww. I wipe the treadmill (or any other equipment, even the free weights) before and after I use them. I also take my own water bottle, already filled (I like a little peppermint flavoring added to my water- try it!), and I have my own mat to do my mat exercise work! I never use the gym’s mats.
Ten Weight Loss Myths – This site kind of bugged me with their “skip this ad” crap, but anyway. There are lots of myths and misconceptions out there. Educate yourself, but also learn what works and doesn’t work for your health and body. It’s not just about weight loss, but about feeling your best!
All right, back to work on TLC — later, y’all.
Work out Music of the day also happens to be what could be a great trailer for Lightning Charmer — if you take out the woman singing. The images, whether on the nose or metaphorical, are so close to the mood/tone/etc of TLC!
Remember I wrote last Friday that I’d not be on any panels at the Fairhope Conference? Welp, somehow I ended up on two panels *laughing* lawd (Our Rose & Thorn Journal panel of what editors are looking for, and I’ll be on a “what works and what doesn’t in social media [when it comes to our books], etc, panel). If you are in around those parts, come join us. Angie Ledbetter and I would love to say hello.
Also, I hope you will stop by our newest feature at the Rose & Thorn – our Art Galley “wall.” We are blown away by the art/artists. While there, check out the prose and poetry–soon, May 15, our spring issue will go live. Every other Wednesday on our blog, our Art Director Alaine Benard announces two new artists. We are honored. The alternating blog posts are Back Story posts from our writers and poets. Y’all come!
Linda Hoye, a wonderful beautiful woman, has a new book coming out in June, a memoir “Two Hearts.” Go by and check it out. I’m looking forward to buying my own copy!
I’ve been visiting Write It Sideways, and today’s post is about “How to read your way to better writing.” I can’t imagine never reading (double negative -haw!). It’s always been about The Book. I adore books, and that’s part of the reason I became a writer–the two are intertwined.
Karen Elliott has had “Musician Week” over at her blog. Prior to that was “editor week” — I always look forward to her “weeks” :-D
Sharla Lovelace is having some wonderful contests over at her blog to celebrate the release of her new book “The Reason is You,” which comes out next month. Go by – it’s easy and fun and you just may win a prize.
I had a wonderful time at Book Blather on Marilee’s blog. Unfortunately, I, and some others who stopped by, weren’t able to comment, so I want to to thank those who stopped by and read. I enjoyed the conversation with Marilee. As well, I was so nervous about putting up that small excerpt from the new Graces book coming out this spring– it was one of the sadder/darker parts of Family Graces.
spring is here in the mountains! wow!
I stumbled on this site, Space Porn (laughing!), from a Huffington Post article. I love science and physics, and even if I don’t always grasp every concept, I can’t get enough of it! At Huffington, I spend time on the Books and Book Publishing areas, but I’ll also go to the food and science posts as well.
That’s enough for now. I’m busy listening to the Sweetie audio book files just to make sure all is well. I want to finish that this week, since I’m hopping in the BoopMobile and heading Down South to Fairhope next week. Poor GMR and Not Quite Fat Dog and Psycho Cutie Girl will miss me – – maybe, haw! Oh, ‘course they will, teeheehee. I am amazed at how the “voice-artist” reads–her instincts are so on point and her voice so clear and mesmerizing, it’s really not a chore at all to listen. She’s absolutely wonderful and is bringing to life my characters. She’s perfect for Melissa’s voice. Love it and her!
boop-boop-beep-beep!
Now, y’all go do the day, feel Gratitude, and have a wonderful weekend.
While I ain’t a social networking wizard, I do spend a fair amount of time with social networking sites before I start my writing day, or during a break in writing. Partly because otherwise I’d be so reclusive I’d soon be running down the cove road nekkid yanking out my hair, rending my garments, shouting, “Aiyeeeeeee Aiyeeeeee Aiyeeeee!” And partly because it is really “Expected” of an author to show herself on social networking.
Really, gone are the days when authors sat on their ivory high golden thrones as enigmas that rarely interacted with their readers (though some are still there and perhaps rightly so!). Now, authors must show their faces, to some degree, to the “World,” and not just our physical faces, but pieces of ourselves. I keep a lot of my life still private, but I also share bits of my life — not just about my books, which you know I do not do much of that, but about writing and friends and books and products and etc etc etc. It is how I stay connected, yet still remain rather reclusive here in the cove.
Come Join!
So, I’d like to invite you all to join me on FACEBOOK, and on TWITTER–where I do most all of my social networking (other than this blog), and if you are interested in further social networking (where I admit I am lacking in time and energy and pieces of me stretched thin to spend too much time on—), Pinterest (be careful with copyright issues!) and I make the rounds every so often on Google+. I’m on Networked Blogs, as well, now that I figured out you have to actually join it, teeheehee. If you’ve requested friending/following and not heard back from me, that probably means I never saw the request, accidentally deleted it, went in spam file, something, as I do my best to answer all mail, email, requests, et cetera!
In the comments section, I invite you to share your links and further, if you like, something about You. So share! Let us know who you are and where you are!
Join us on R&T's Facebook page!
There on my Facebook page, I have Rose & Thorn Journal’s page, Writer Unboxed, Photo of the Day, and other wonderful places to visit/join/like. If you have an “author page” (which I do not), feel free to link to that as well so we can all check it out.
See you later from the smoky mountain cove at killian knob
Y’all have a wonderful weekend — go do the day and remember to Be Filled with Gratitude.
GMR never has to worry about Valentine’s Day, for he knows I couldn’t care less, and in fact, have grown to dislike Valentine’s Day – bleah!
I gave a nod to it by reading the posts on BelleBooks/Bell Bridge Books blog for their Valentines Week blog posts. (I have one called The UnRomantic Queen but this is a repeat post from some time back, so some of you may have already seen a version of this–see, couldn’t even inspire myself to write up something new for V’s Day -haw!).
Diane Estrella had a “how cupid shot me” bloghop – so if you are looking for something a bit more romantic, bleah romantic bleah (but not bleah on her blog, which is wonderful!), then go by and take a look at the offerings others have posted there (look in the comments section for their links or on the linky thingee there).
And I’ve just discovered (again, for a friend had a poem published here a few years back) Hyper Text where the V’s Day offerings are eclectic, and where fellow blog-buddy Kristin Bair O’Keeffe from Writerhead has fiction.
Enough of V’s Day (once again: Bleah!).
Rose & Thorn:
There’s a new blogpost every Wednesday on Roses & Thorns (our R&T blog) – we hope you’ll sign up to subscribe to posts–we never give away your email address, and your support really does mean ever so much to us and to our writers, poets, and artists. Every other Wednesday is our new addition–our Art Gallery with mentions by our new Art Director Alaine Benard, and on the alternating weeks are Back Story (our poets/artists/writers give us a peek into their artistic process, how they crafted their stories, etc) or general blog posts. Please come join us! We’re also on Duotrope Digest, and have an Editor’s Interview if you want insight into what we are thinking/looking for/etc. Come follow us on Twitter, and on the right sidebar is a link to “like” R&T on Facebook. As I said, your support is important and we appreciate you!
My physicist crush:
My other “physicist crush” (besides Neil deGrasse Tyson who hosts Nova scienceNow) is Professor Brian Cox, who hosts “Wonders of the Universe,” and when I write that, I keep saying it as he does “Wonders of the U-nee-vuhse” teehee, what a cutie. There is a mathematician-scientist whose name I can’t recall, though I can see his face, and wish I could pull that name out of my blackholed brain, for he is fascinating as well. Dang. I *heart* physicists/scientists :-D
Online Journals/Magazines:
The Nervous Breakdown, an online magazine/journal, sends me a newsletter to remind me of its eclectic offerings – check them out, sign up for their newsletter. Yes, I realize/recognize that I am a Publishing Editor of an online journal (above!), but someone else’s success or great-ta-tude does not take away from the enjoyment and love Angie Ledbetter, I, and our Managing Editor Cynthia Toups (and all our wonderful staff) have publishing our little journal. TNB puts their all into their endeavor and it shows! I believe we should all support and tout about one another–this goes for authors, too.
Russian (and Washington) Kat Lovers?
I sometimes go look at my website (kathrynmagendie.com) stats just to see where people are clicking from. I don’t know who they are, just where they are from. Like my State Department friend(s) who visit daily–could Hillary be a closet Kat novel-lover? reading my books under the covers with a flashlight? *teeheehee.* But the last couple of days I’ve had a lot of visits from Russia. Tender Graces and Secret Graces are going to be released there (so far?), but I don’t know when or how that works. I did find this page that has that airbrushed photo of me that I hate (where I look like my much younger twin teeheehee) and everything else is in Russian, so I’m clueless–there is a “lib” in there; library? Dunno. Maybe I’m now a Russian bride and will start receiving mail from creepy . . . uh, I mean lonely . . . American men until they realize I’m an almost 55 year old American woman *haw!* Some of the pics at the bottom made me laugh :-D. If you know Russian, maybe you can clue me in!
Videos that made me go “Haw!” or “aww” or “lawd” . . . :
GMR just shakes his head, or at least he used to when these commercials would air, but it makes me laugh every danged time – I’m laughing now! *they have a PEPPER BAAAAR!* laughing . . . lawd.
And my poor brother *laughing* – he spent hours doing this and keeps saying “No one likes it! Huhn . . . well, shoot . . .” and I just laugh, because it’s so silly, but it still makes me laugh at how he spent hours on this, moving the dogs and doing all this stop-action and cutting and pasting and etc, and, well, um, see for yourself *laughing* . . . oh, of course I mean, *poor brother* teehee.
Finally, last video – this is wonderful and must have taken hours and hours (take a lesson brother *HAW* -okay, just kidding . . . lawd). I love the idea of magic happening once humans have left a building/room.
That’s all for now. You all have a wonderful weekend and I’ll see you Monday for Monday Classroom. I have been trying to visit around on social networking, but soon I’ll have to bury my head in the new book and that will really curtail my visiting–I’m writing something even more Supernatural this time. My books have ‘hinted’ at it or touched on it, but this time I’m giving myself full reign to use my imagination–release the hounds! :-D
With Valentine’s Day fast approaching and who cares *Kat is sooo unromantic and doesn’t really like Valentine’s Day – Bah Humbuger!* maybe I’ll send a “some e-cards” card to GMR. Teeheehee. If you like irreverent, then you’ll like some e-cards.
Did you know there is a place where you can join to (at least attempt to) be rid of unwanted catalogues and other mail? Their header: “Stop unwanted mail. Free service to opt out of catalogs, coupons, credit card offers, phone books, circulars and more.” Catalog Choice.
I have a YouTube Channel. Do you? A place where I post videos or add faves or subscribe. Let me know in the comments and I’ll subscribe to yours.
I’d love to see you on Facebook, if I don’t already.
As for our wonderful blogging community – I have linked to many here on Linky Love Friday, so I hope you will scroll down and around and visit. Today I want to link to author Barbara Forte Abate, who has a marvelous novel “The Secret of Lies,” for which I loved! Give her some visit love; she’s a wonderful writer. Another author to visit is Linda Cassidy Lewis, who never shies away from telling her truths, and I like that, and I loved her book “The Brevity of Roses” very much as well!
And then I just wanted to do a random Google search, so I put in “cute pigs YouTube”and now I will go peruse them – I love piggies. Please don’t eat the poor piggies – *sob* (all you bacon-lovers out there — shaaaaaammme! – though I know that Bacon Lovers have no shame – I’ve never seen such adamant eaters of a foodstuff – lawd! *laughing*)
Soon I’ll have an image of the new bookcover for the last in the Graces (Virginia Kate Sagas) trilogy. They re-fashioned the Secret Graces cover, as well. I have links to my booksUp There at the top of the page. But y’all know I don’t like all the white noise of yapping about my books. But, when I have news, I do like to share. So, soon as I have the final image, I’ll post it here, there, and yonder, including my “books page” above.
Now Y’all go have a wonderful weekend and I’ll see you on Monday for “Monday Classroom,” where we will talk about commas.
Time for Friday’s linky love – where I hope to have something for everyone, and as always, where I hope to have some small part in pulling together this wonderful blogging community by sending you here there yonder. I try to do my “blog walking” once a week and am always happy to visit my faves and to discover new people and places. So, if you are shy, don’t be! I can only ‘see’ you if you show your beautiful faces. Happy Clicking Y’all.
Sharla Lovelace is not only one of the nicest people around, but her debut novel “The Reason Is You” will be out this April. I’ve read it ( and was honored to endorse it) and though am not normally a Romance reader, this, to me, wasn’t a “typical” romance. Stop by and congratulate her!
Fellow North Carolinia colleague at Mountain Musings with her two wonderful Goldens Lucy and Ellen and life in these mountains.
I’ve purchased and read Glynis Smy’s poetry and so loved Sticky Sandwiches. She has a smile that’ll light up the room – you’ll see it, there in her bio pic!
Jill of All Trades – I love how her blogs are simple and to the point. And her blog header is so cute.
Len Lambert has a new blog “about writing and other ramblings” – she’s just moved in and would love for you to stop by and take a look!
And new blog friend – Lines of Beauty – “….a blog about aging gracefully, one beautiful wrinkle at a time.” I will soon be a guest there.
I have an Amazon Author Page, and think it’s turning out pretty snazzy, though half the time I don’t know what I’m doing. And to my website homepage, the wonderful Tech Belle, who also has a blog about techy computery stuff, added a slideshow of my books at the top. Whachall think? Are both of these easy to peruse?
I think this “Beautiful Old Tree Books” site is interesting. I need to find some time to look about.
And speaking of trees – I love giving gifts that are in memory of a loved one. I gave my mom tree dedications in the names of my brother and granny. It’s just a unique and lovely gift: The Trees Remember is the company that does this.
And I just love this program on the Science Channel – Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman. It doesn’t hurt that I adore Morgan Freeman, just as much as I am fascinated by science and physics and et cetera. In my “dinner with the physicists” post, I was all giggly when a physicist (who remained anonymous) wrote a nice comment, teeheehee *blushy kat* and it remains one of the most googled of my posts, huhn! Through the Wormhole “explores the deepest mysteries of existence — the questions that have puzzled mankind for eternity. What are we made of? What was there before the beginning? Are we really alone? These questions have been pondered by the most brilliant minds in history.” *kat’s heart goes pittery pattery*
Every now and then if it’s someone I admire or am interested in or curious about, I DVR and watch Oprah’s Master Class (Maya Angelou had one of the most touching and inspiring – and she also quoted from Shakespeare a quote that I happen to have in my next novel Family Graces – below – and for the same kinds of reasons. I’m so glad she lives in my state of North Carolina–lucky honored us!), and this weekend is Morgan Freeman (yay!). I’ve watched one episode so far of Oprah’s Next Chapter and that was Governor Chris Christie, and I’ll be watching more.
And I didn’t watch the New Jersey Governor for any political reasons (for which you know I never talk politics!), but out of curiosity. And you know what? I became pissed off at the potshots made at his weight. Not that he’s asking for my indignation or even cares, or even knows this woman in a little log house in a cove at Killian Knob is pissed off on behalf of him, but I am and I do. This has always been a sensitive topic for me because it reeks of “bully mentality” I suppose. You know, the overweight kid, or the “different” kid, or the shy kid, or the kid who wears homemade or well-worn clothes because there is no money, or the kid who stutters because she has had trauma in her life, etc etc; you know, the one who stands in the schoolyard while some Arse hurls insults and the hurling of insults is easy because they know no one will or can fight back. So when a Letterman or a Leno hurls out potshots at someone’s aching soft vulnerability, I imagine that bully in the schoolyard. Yes, sometimes a Letterman or a Leno hurls their putritude at people who maybe “have it coming” and sometimes there is a lightening of something that needs lightening and we find that in humor, but in the instance of someone’s weight or some other vulnerability, I just become REALLY MAD! *okay, kat’s off her soapbox now*
[Here is the quote from Shakespeare I have in Family Graces: When, in disgrace with Fortune and men’s eyes, I all alone beweep my outcast state, and trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries, and look upon myself and curse my fate—William Shakespeare]
That should be enough for now. I’ll see you all on Monday with “Monday’s Classroom.” Have a great weekend!
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