Today’s theme being close-ups, this is one of my favorites:
This is just outside my high school after Miss Tadpole’s spring concert. She was in kindergarten, Bubbles here was in preschool, and Seymour and I were three short months away from tying the knot. It was a happy time for me, and exciting. I think both emotions are captured in this picture.
Don’t forget to stop by Charnele’s blog to see what she has posted, and have a great weekend!
(c) 2014. All rights reserved.
Today’s challenge was to go somewhere public and write a detailed report of what we see without using any adverbs. I’m not sure I succeeded on eliminating all my adverbs, but the following is what I can see through the front door of my office. It’s a pretty sight, and I hope you enjoy it as well.
As I sit at my desk, trying to avoid the mound of paperwork that needs filing, I can see a fraction of the courthouse square. Most of the parking spaces on the street sit empty as the day draws to a close; the courthouse has closed for business and its employees have all gone home, free from the shackles that still restrain me.
Brilliant sunshine gleams against a vivacious backdrop, blasting away the few clouds that litter the sky and casting charcoal shadows on the emerald grass. A woman down the block strolls the main drag, enjoying the warmth. Leaves flutter in the late spring breeze as it sends the flower baskets suspended from the streetlamps swinging.
A rusted-out delivery truck ambles past, searching for an address; the noise from its grumbling engine disturbs the stillness. A happy little bluebird sings a sweet song, but I can’t hear it over the engine’s roar; I only see its little beak open and close, open and close. But when the clock in the tower begins to chime the hour, the dings and dongs reach my tired ears, filling me with joy at the prospect of a quiet evening at home.
(c) 2014. All rights reserved.
Today I’m guest posting over at Don’t Delete Me about writing in general. Stop over and check it out and, while you’re there, have a look at some of J’s other posts. They’re all pretty great. 🙂
(c) 2014. All rights reserved.
The Chocolate Bar Challenge is a blog tour in which participants choose up to eight of their favorite books and then pick the perfect chocolate to go with each of them. I was tagged by the lovely AFE Smith and since the only thing I like better than books or chocolate is books AND chocolate, this seemed like a fantastic idea.
Now, on to the deliciousness! In no particular order, of course. 🙂
First up, it’s my all-time favorite book, Time Enough for Drums by Ann Rinaldi. It’s set in Trenton during the Revolutionary War and follows Jemima, a staunch Patriot who can’t understand why her parents allow a Tory to tutor her. But things aren’t quite what they seem, and as the war takes an unexpected toll, she learns some hard lessons about freedom and responsibility. It’s a fantastic book, and I’ve read it so many times I can quote it at length.
I think the best chocolate to pair with a great comfort read like this (because it’s one of my favorite comfort reads) is a milk chocolate Dove bar. Smooth and creamy with just the right amount of sweetness…
Today’s stop on the Summer Reads Blog Tour features Sam Dogra, Vice Captain of the Alliance of Worldbuilders. To see what books she recommends, read on!
Hey everyone, this week it’s my turn to feature in Lisa’s Summer Reads Blog 2014! This summer, Lisa will be showcasing the top 5 favorite books of various authors, in the hopes of sharing hidden gems for new readers to get into.
My name is Sam. By day I’m a doctor, running around taking blood samples, saving lives and getting grilled by consultants. When I’m not on duty, I’m also the author of The Chronicles of Azaria Series.
It’s a YA Fantasy Romance with a slight twist.
The day four assignment for Writing 101 was to write about a loss. I’ve had a lot of loss in my life, from my parents and grandparents to my first marriage and more. Loss is part of life, though not necessarily the most fun part. And sometimes, what we gain more than makes up for what we’ve lost.
Take sleep, for instance. I have children, therefore I do not sleep. Or to be more precise, I no longer sleep as much as I would like.
I no longer have my evenings and weekends to myself, because I’m taking care of little people and shuttling slightly bigger little people to sports practices and piano lessons and birthday parties and all those other fun things that kids like to do.
I no longer have the luxury of privacy, because Cricket and Thumper believe me to be their servant, created solely to give them whatever they want five minutes ago. Apparently when I became a mother, I also became a clairvoyant genie. Who knew?
Despite the sleep deprivation and the loss of my privacy, I wouldn’t trade my kids for anything. I’ve gained so much by knowing them, watching them learn and grow and question, and I love them all so very, very much.
If there’s anything in life more precious than the love of a child, I have yet to discover it. And I’m not sure I want to.
(c) 2014. All rights reserved.
Basically, this blog hop involves answering seven questions about my current work in progress, tagging five new participants, and linking back to the person who nominated me. I was nominated by the lovely Tricia Drammeh, and you can find her post here. 🙂
Vegin
Artwork by Hazel Butler
1. What is the name of your character? Is he/she fictional or a historic person?
Vegin is the Crown Prince of Lokana and very much a figment of my imagination.
2. When and where is the story set?
The story is set in the kingdom of Lokana in the present day, but present-day Lokana looks very much like the Middle Ages. Eventually there is a small detour to Arkona, a mythical world based on our own that looks very much like present-day eastern Iowa.
3. What should we know about him/her?
Vegin is an idealist. He wants to improve living conditions (among other things) in his kingdom, but feels powerless to change anything. He’s headstrong and naïve, charismatic and caring. He tries to do the best he can with what’s at hand.
4. What is the main conflict? What messes up his/her life?
In Book One…
Well, Friday certainly snuck up on me this week. I’m still trying to catch up on all the blogging fun I’ve been so lucky to be a part of this week, and I completely forgot about choosing a theme for this week’s Photo Friday post. Whoops.
As I was trying to decide what to post, I remembered that it’s my best friend Jenny’s birthday today. After wishing her well a couple different places, I decided that friendship would be the perfect theme and, since I have a bunch of pictures of my friends and me over the years already posted, why not collect them all in one post?
So, in no particular order, below I give you a dozen pictures of my besties and me over the years, from high school, through college, and beyond. I hope you enjoy my little picspam…
Summer is the perfect time to catch up on all the reading you’ve been meaning to do but just haven’t made time for. After all, what could be more relaxing than kicking back in a hammock with an ice-cold glass of lemonade and a shiny new book?
But there are so many books out there – how do you choose?
That’s where we come in! My friend and fellow author, Lisa L. Wiedmeier, has put together a 13-week blog tour to recommend a bunch of great books. In her own words:
I’m so excited I can hardly contain myself!! Sam, Carrie and I wanted to provide for you, my avid readers, a way to not only meet new authors, but also books you might not have seen or heard about. A way to expand your reading list for the summer.
Gaelic Storm at the Englert Theater
I can’t even begin to count the number of songs in which I can find meaning, or the number of songs that I love, that hold inspiration for me, that have shaped the person I’ve become. The first three that popped into my head, though, are “A Way Back Into Love” and “Dance With Me Tonight” from the Music and Lyrics soundtrack, and “Walk Through My Door” from Gaelic Storm’s album, Tree.
I listened to a lot of Gaelic Storm during my teen years, and their first three albums in particular can send me back to fun times with great friends in seconds. While I love all their music, “Walk Through My Door” always reminds me of a certain person. The song itself even inspired a short story, one that I’m told wasn’t half bad.
But, as inevitably happens, I graduated high school and got married (to someone else). And when my marriage ended, I listened to this song again…
Suddenly they all died. The end. 