A New Box

What if there was a magical way to discover the words you use too often?  I'm always looking for ways to step out of the box, especially when it comes to revision.  So when a bloggy friend suggested pasting a story into a word cloud to find repetitious words, I was delighted by the creative aspect of it.  You can play around with colors, fonts and shapes.  Here's the result of pasting in my latest flash fiction piece:

Wouldn't you know that chocolate was the most common word used?  Gotta love that, right?  Have a great Friday everyone!  And check out Wordle to try it for yourself!

Recipe Roundup

Happy Thanksgiving, Friends!

This has to be one of my favorite holidays because it involves comfort food.  (YAY!)  In case you're searching for one of the recipes featured on the blog, here's a list of what's been served up so far:

Potato Soup

Hummingbird Cake

Snickerdoodles

Banana Bread with Crumble

Great Grandma's Three Day Rolls

Chocolate Raspberry Sour Cream Cake

Banana Pudding

Gooey Butter Cake

Quiche Lurlene

Holy Cow Cake

May all your dinners be festive and fun!  I'll have another recipe up soon, utilizing pumpkin.  Why can't they make a pie recipe that uses all the pumpkin?  I've got a nice breakfast dish that will delight the tastebuds.

Reflecting on the list above, I realize I tend to favor the sweet over the savory.  But I have to say, ten recipes equals ten rejections...that highlights the fact that the work is out there, making the rounds.  I say that's better than having manuscripts stuffed in a dark drawer any day. 

Have a safe and blessed Thanksgiving!  Don't forget to leave a light on!

Fine Tuning

                                          art by Susan Osborne

Hello, Friends!

As I fine tune features of the blog, I wonder...how do you like the music?  After reading various blog and web design tips, many, many experts say adamantly, "No music!" Ack! I didn't realize I was breaking a cardinal rule.

In my own defense, I try to keep the music relevant to the post, and I select songs that hopefully aren't too obnoxious.  If you would please go to my handy dandy sidebar, and vote in the music poll, I'd appreciate some feedback.  I'll leave the poll up for a week.  Otherwise, I'll continue to add songs that help reflect the general mood of my posts. 

Thanks for listening.  I look forward to your input!

Who Smiles at Maybe?

I do! 

Friends, cross your fingers.  I got an e-mail earlier this week that requested a little rewrite on a flash fiction piece I'd submitted to an online journal.  This is good news, because it wasn't an automatic, "No!" 

I've polished the piece, added a few more details to answer questions the editors had, and sent it back into cyberspace.  May my little story find a home. 

What's In Your Bag?

Seen Reading:

Outside the principal's office, sitting on the floor, a lanky lad around the age of thirteen, held a pink messenger bag in his lap.  (The bag was decorated with tiny black skulls.)  He wore jeans, a brown ripped hoodie and worn red Chuck Taylors.  His shiny black hair was shaggy, nearly covering his eyes. 

In between the bag and his chest, a book was open.  The bright illustration caught my eye.  I'd seen it before at the library.  He was reading it and nervously watching the door.  When I opened the door, a young lady, with a teased blond ponytail and dressed in a pink and black plaid mini-dress, (Hello, the 80's are back!) stomped out and jerked the bag from his lap.  She screamed, "You're reading my book?  How dare you?"

The book?  Love: Selected Poems by E.E. Cummings and Christopher Myers. 
 
(No worries! My son had forgotten his lunch; I was merely taxi-mom to the rescue.)

We Speak the Same Language

Reflecting on the past few days, where I've spent time with my writing sisters in one form or another, I cannot describe adequately how I feel.  But I found a quote that fits well.  It's from a guy who liked to plunk the piano keys to work out his problems.  I kind of dig that, since that's what I tend to do when I'm working out a plot in my mind.  Without much further ado:

"At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us. "

-Dr. Albert Schweitzer, Nobel Peace Prize winner, 1952

Dr. Albert Schweitzer plays the pearly whites on an organ. Rock on, Doc! 

Poison Ivy, Fever and Fatigue

Hello, Folks!  I've returned from the writing getaway.  Surprise! Poision Ivy has returned to the house, brought to us by a Scout campout the boys attended over the weekend.  And the presence of fevers.  (mine and my youngest son)

I'll return when we're feeling better.  Until then, keep the Benadryl handy and the chicken noodle soup warm on the stove.