| Mixed Genre Writers & Artists |
Anticipation is a big part of any travel adventure for me.
Several years ago I was working as one of the managers
of Farmington Bay Bird Refuge in Northern Utah. On
one occasion I was doing a literature review of migration
patterns of water birds and in the course of the review
was reading about shorebirds of the Copper River Delta
in Alaska...
(click to read more)
by Phil Douglass
Legacy of the Ripper: - Book Review
By Brian L. Porter
A legacy is defined as anything
handed down from the past from an
ancestor. Some bestow monetary
awards, others furniture and some
even jewelry. But, in the case of Dr.
Robert Cavendish in the book A
Study in Red the legacy bestowed
upon him was quite different. His
father, when he died, had his
journals given to Robert by his
solicitor and the end result was
anything but rich, gratifying or
happy...
(Go to Book Reviews to read more)
I give this book: 5 Ripperologists to
help solve the crimes and Five
Sergeant Wright’s to assist.
Fran Lewis: REVIEWER
By Brian L. Porter
A legacy is defined as anything
handed down from the past from an
ancestor. Some bestow monetary
awards, others furniture and some
even jewelry. But, in the case of Dr.
Robert Cavendish in the book A
Study in Red the legacy bestowed
upon him was quite different. His
father, when he died, had his
journals given to Robert by his
solicitor and the end result was
anything but rich, gratifying or
happy...
(Go to Book Reviews to read more)
I give this book: 5 Ripperologists to
help solve the crimes and Five
Sergeant Wright’s to assist.
Fran Lewis: REVIEWER
Romance Writing Tip
Writing is an essential form of
communication for children of all ages.
From the moment they enter school,
children are asked to express their ideas in
some form of writing or oral communication.
As educators, we must model, guide and
create experiences for our students to
experience different them explore and
develop their individual creativity.
This book is designed to help teachers
motivate reluctant writer and incorporate
many different ideas and skills to help them
enjoy writing.
These are some of the prompts that I used
with my students as the Writing Staff
Developer in my school...(click to read
more on the Writing & Promoting page)
Writing Tips by Fran Lewis
Writing is an essential form of
communication for children of all ages.
From the moment they enter school,
children are asked to express their ideas in
some form of writing or oral communication.
As educators, we must model, guide and
create experiences for our students to
experience different them explore and
develop their individual creativity.
This book is designed to help teachers
motivate reluctant writer and incorporate
many different ideas and skills to help them
enjoy writing.
These are some of the prompts that I used
with my students as the Writing Staff
Developer in my school...(click to read
more on the Writing & Promoting page)
Writing Tips by Fran Lewis
| Sneak Peak into: Secrets to Die For, Chapter 1 L.J. Sellers Author of the Detective Jackson mysteries The Sex Club, Secrets to Die For, The Baby Thief Raina shut off the motor and glanced up at the puke-green doublewide with a chunk of plywood over the front window. The near dusk couldn’t hide the broken dreams of the trailer’s occupants, Bruce and Cindy Gorman. Raina wasn’t here to see them. She was here for Josh, their eight-year-old son. As a children’s support advocate, Raina had been assigned to monitor Josh six months ago, when the state of Oregon had taken temporary custody and placed the boy in foster care. Her primary (click to read more) |
I believe that happiness is often
having something to look forward to–
“Like one that stands upon a
promontory, And spies a far-off
shore where he would tread–wishing
his foot were equal with his eye…”
-Shakespeare
having something to look forward to–
“Like one that stands upon a
promontory, And spies a far-off
shore where he would tread–wishing
his foot were equal with his eye…”
-Shakespeare
| The Mud Puddle by Kim Reale Johnson Ms. Johnson collects a lot of antique glass negatives. This painting is (click to read more) |
| The Worrying Whys Within by Sarah Rahman |
The worrying whys still haunt my mind And the Acherontic aura surrounds me Neither letting me live nor letting me die The story still confounds me Had it been the Divine play or the Tempter’s little game The miraculous reality of my life or a hallucinating dream frame (click to read more) |
| Michelle Marcos WICKEDLY EVER AFTER, by Michelle Marcos I just love writing about bad girls. I am drawn to them in spite of their imperfections...maybe even because of them. There's an old adage that says every villain is the hero of his own story. Well, I want to know what makes bad girls tick. So I opened the doors on a place called The Pleasure Emporium, London's most notorious bordello. In this series, the heroines are surrounded by scarlet women, making them a little pink around the edges, but that's precisely what makes them so irresistible to our heroes. (click to read more of this Interview) |
| Seeing Photo by Joanne Gallant-Chilton Poetry by Jeanne Rippley Eyes are only a vehicle for creation. In the pool of soul behind them all possibilities stream into a reality seen only by the fearless heart. (click to see more Photos) |
Denise Wakeman
Business, Blogging &
Online Marketing Advisor
Business, Blogging &
Online Marketing Advisor
| Kim Reale Mainely Classic Art By Kim |
| If I can't find the link that I am looking for, I search on Google. |
Click on Ads to
go to stores!
go to stores!
Click on Ads to
go to stores!
go to stores!
Phil Douglass,
Regional Wildlife Manager,
Conservation Outreach
Utah Division of
Wildlife Resources
Regional Wildlife Manager,
Conservation Outreach
Utah Division of
Wildlife Resources
Ceremony
by Kimberlee Medicine Horn Jackson,
Yankton Sioux
by Kimberlee Medicine Horn Jackson,
Yankton Sioux
I had the honor of witnessing a Lenape Nation wedding this
weekend. It was, without question, the most moving wedding
ceremony I have ever seen.
The church was nature, a circle of woodlands, open
blueness of sky, downy clouds floating, and the breezes.
The bride wore a halo of flowers in her hair flowing loose
down her back. She wore a simple white garment, and stood
in her bare feet. The groom wore white trousers and white
shirt with red ribbons. His hair was in a pony tail. To see the
two together, it was natural for them to be husband and wife.
The ceremony was spoken in the simple yet bold language
of the tribal chief. He explained.....(click to read more of this
short story)
| on a variety of topics of interest to Native Americans both on , Yankton Sioux writes and off the reservations and the for a Master's of Fine Arts for a Master's of Fine Arts in Poetry/Creative Non-Fiction. She lives in Ohio with her son, her German Shepherd Dog and cat. |
"The Fighter King"
by John Bowers
by John Bowers
Oliver looked down the slope again. The grade was steep, but climbable. Vegetation had been
cleared to deny cover to the enemy, but there were depressions and occasional boulders.
Even so, the Sirians making their way upward looked terribly exposed. They were only two
hundred yards out now, still climbing. At the base of the gorge, Oliver saw another battalion
getting ready. They would soon follow.
"When we open fire," he told Pedersen, "take your time and aim your shots. No need for full
auto until they get closer. Got that? This is just like a rifle range."
"Except the targets can shoot back," she reminded him.
He grinned at her. "You'll do okay. Just remember your training."
Pedersen gazed down the slope at the oncoming Sirians and Oliver sensed her tension. He
remembered his first real combat, and sympathized.
"Right now," he said, "it's best to keep your head down. Wait until they get closer."
"How much closer?"
"A hundred yards or less."
She heaved a deep sigh and......(click to read more of the Sneak Peek)
cleared to deny cover to the enemy, but there were depressions and occasional boulders.
Even so, the Sirians making their way upward looked terribly exposed. They were only two
hundred yards out now, still climbing. At the base of the gorge, Oliver saw another battalion
getting ready. They would soon follow.
"When we open fire," he told Pedersen, "take your time and aim your shots. No need for full
auto until they get closer. Got that? This is just like a rifle range."
"Except the targets can shoot back," she reminded him.
He grinned at her. "You'll do okay. Just remember your training."
Pedersen gazed down the slope at the oncoming Sirians and Oliver sensed her tension. He
remembered his first real combat, and sympathized.
"Right now," he said, "it's best to keep your head down. Wait until they get closer."
"How much closer?"
"A hundred yards or less."
She heaved a deep sigh and......(click to read more of the Sneak Peek)
"To Tempt the Wolf "
byTerry Spear
www.terryspear.com
Mist covered the winding coastal road on the long drive home, and although Tessa usually felt
comforted by it, late this afternoon it seemed gloomy, warning of impending disaster. The last
time she felt an overwhelming sense of doom, she had learned her parents had died in a car
accident earlier on a day just like this one, her last year at high school. She shuddered,
despite telling herself the disquieting feeling didn’t mean anything.
When she finally pulled into the curved driveway at her redwood home overlooking the rugged
coastline, she couldn’t shake the feeling that
something wasn’t right. A winter-chilled breeze played music on her wind chimes as the
contorted pines stretching next to her house stirred. She glanced at the gray clouds. As cold
as it was, if it rained, it would turn to sleet or snow or a mixture of the two soon.
She climbed out of her car, shivered, and locked the doors. The place looked foreboding now
that her brother was gone. Not the welcome refuge it had always been.
She hurried into the house, the air as chilly inside as it was out, and rushed to change in the
bedroom.
After laying her wool coat on the cedar chest at the foot of the bed, she turned on the floor
heater, and pulled off her black dress. Black as if she were in mourning. Which she was all
over again. The house seemed so empty without.....(click to read more of this Sneak Peek)
.gif)
African Princess non-fiction by Natalie Williams www.natalie-williams.com |
I grabbed the wood of my staff. It was warm in the hot baking sun. Without it I would have been
lost; my steady friend. I moved it in my fingers. It was rough and the heat it had absorbed in the
hours of my journey pulsed through the teak wood fibres, through into my skin and bones. The
wood was uneven and I cautiously ran my fingers down to its base, expecting a splinter but I
felt no stab or prick. The knobbles and dark markings that mottled its fibrous coat were part of
my staff. Just like the African earth I stood in and was covered with my staff’s damaged parts
were beautiful. I looked down at my hands, happy in the silence. The lines in my hands were
marked out from the red earth I’d climbed up in. There is a legend, you know. They say the
earth in Africa is so red that you can see the blood of fallen warriors flowing through it. I
imagined the Zulu warriors of old fighting with spears and skin shields, in the midday hours in
the same grasslands I had passed through only moments before.
Disturbed from my reverie by the team, I turned to look what was happening behind me. Our
guide was poised on one of the outlying boulders looking over the grasslands by the
waterhole. One of the men whispered to him, “what is It bût?” “Sssh.” Our team leader held his
hand up to silence him and pointed to the left of the horizon. We stood marking the silence, the
heat cascading off the earth in mirage-like waves, until towards the left rising slope we saw a
herd of antelope strolling through the grasslands. The majestic herd leader strode tall,
chewing the cud at the front of the herd and looked over to where we stood, watching. He
locked eyes with me, moment to moment, as keen to understand my presence there as I was to
understand his.....(click to read more of this Sneak Peek)
See this and other videos at our Videos Page.
"My Angel"; Coloured Pencils on Paper.
Carol Walden writes, "This drawing is
inspired by my fascination with all things
'otherworldly' I have painted and drawn
many portraits, most of which are of
people who have passed over.
Whenever I paint these portraits I feel a
sense..." (click to read more)
Carol Walden writes, "This drawing is
inspired by my fascination with all things
'otherworldly' I have painted and drawn
many portraits, most of which are of
people who have passed over.
Whenever I paint these portraits I feel a
sense..." (click to read more)
LOOKING TO VOLUNTEER?
by VS Grenier
Many shelters need the help of volunteers to
operate. Here is a list of websites and links.
Google--No Kill Animal Shelters to find more.
Volunteer and feel the rewards.
• Hearts United for Animals is a “No-Kill”
shelter, located in Nebraska. They do
adoptions and rescues in both the U.S. and
Canada. For more information visit:
www.hua.org
• PETS ALIVE is a “No-Kill” animal shelter,
located near New York City. Their mission is
to rescue and place animals in need. For
more information .....(click on Articles)
by VS Grenier
Many shelters need the help of volunteers to
operate. Here is a list of websites and links.
Google--No Kill Animal Shelters to find more.
Volunteer and feel the rewards.
• Hearts United for Animals is a “No-Kill”
shelter, located in Nebraska. They do
adoptions and rescues in both the U.S. and
Canada. For more information visit:
www.hua.org
• PETS ALIVE is a “No-Kill” animal shelter,
located near New York City. Their mission is
to rescue and place animals in need. For
more information .....(click on Articles)
| ASK PAT Online Discussion with Author Pat Bertram |
Title: Getting your book Published for Dummies
Reviewed by: Jo Linsdell
Review:
Getting your Book Published for Dummies is an
easy to use reference that will guide you
through the publishing industry, introducing you
to the key roles and breaking down the various
stages of a books development from idea to
published product.
Sarah Parsons Zackheim worked in book
publishing for nearly a decade before
becoming a widely published freelance writer.
Adrian Zackheim is Associate Publisher of the
General Books Group at HarperCollins
Publishers and has also worked as an editor of
fiction and non fiction. Their combined
experience makes them more than qualified to
write this comprehensive guide.
The book is broken down into easy ..................
(more at Book Reviews)
Reviewed by: Jo Linsdell
Review:
Getting your Book Published for Dummies is an
easy to use reference that will guide you
through the publishing industry, introducing you
to the key roles and breaking down the various
stages of a books development from idea to
published product.
Sarah Parsons Zackheim worked in book
publishing for nearly a decade before
becoming a widely published freelance writer.
Adrian Zackheim is Associate Publisher of the
General Books Group at HarperCollins
Publishers and has also worked as an editor of
fiction and non fiction. Their combined
experience makes them more than qualified to
write this comprehensive guide.
The book is broken down into easy ..................
(more at Book Reviews)
Her Patchwork Family, Love Inspired Historical, by Lyn Cote (www.LynCote.net) to be released
December 8, 2009
Chapter One
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 1867
In her gray Quaker bonnet and dress, Felicity Gabriel approached the gathering of mourners at the
memorial service on the windy hillside and tried to blend in, hide her presence. The pastor was
speaking beside the brand new stone marker which would memorialize the life of Augustus Josiah
Mueller, 1846-1865. Felicity listened to the familiar comforting scriptures of death and victory. But
even more she tried to remember Gus, her oldest and dearest friend, before the war had stolen him
away and left him in an unmarked grave somewhere in Virginia.
Her mind brought up childhood images of Gus and she picking wild raspberries, their faces smeared
with scarlet berry juice. Then the two of them learning how to ride that old mule his father had taken
in trade. The mule had taken off with them, giving them a wild ride till it bucked them off into the
Mueller’s farm pond. Felicity smiled, recalling how Gus had started laughing as if he’d just been
highly entertained. And then because he was a boy, he had thrown mud at her. Felicity grinned,
feeling her pinched mouth spreading wide into a glad smile.
“What are you grinning about?” The voice Felicity had dreaded flicked and snapped her like the
sharp tongue of a whip.
“I was remembering Gus........(read more at Sneak Peek)
December 8, 2009
Chapter One
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 1867
In her gray Quaker bonnet and dress, Felicity Gabriel approached the gathering of mourners at the
memorial service on the windy hillside and tried to blend in, hide her presence. The pastor was
speaking beside the brand new stone marker which would memorialize the life of Augustus Josiah
Mueller, 1846-1865. Felicity listened to the familiar comforting scriptures of death and victory. But
even more she tried to remember Gus, her oldest and dearest friend, before the war had stolen him
away and left him in an unmarked grave somewhere in Virginia.
Her mind brought up childhood images of Gus and she picking wild raspberries, their faces smeared
with scarlet berry juice. Then the two of them learning how to ride that old mule his father had taken
in trade. The mule had taken off with them, giving them a wild ride till it bucked them off into the
Mueller’s farm pond. Felicity smiled, recalling how Gus had started laughing as if he’d just been
highly entertained. And then because he was a boy, he had thrown mud at her. Felicity grinned,
feeling her pinched mouth spreading wide into a glad smile.
“What are you grinning about?” The voice Felicity had dreaded flicked and snapped her like the
sharp tongue of a whip.
“I was remembering Gus........(read more at Sneak Peek)
| Wandering Pam Travel the World with Pamposh Dhar |
ONE NIGHT WITH YOU
Francis Ray
Release date 11/03/09
CHAPTER ONE
Duncan McBride knew trouble when he saw it and he was looking at it in spades.
He could handle sudden snowstorms, droughts, brush fires, and ornery or sick livestock with grit
and determination. He planned to leave his mark on the land, and for that, he knew he had to
work hard.
However, no matter how he wished otherwise, there were times he'd come out on the losing
end. He didn't like it, but he accepted the harsh truth and worked harder so that the next time
he'd walk away the winner.
Standing on the front porch of his ranch house east of Billings, Montana on a beautiful summer
morning, Duncan dispassionately watched a woman emerge from the driver’s side of a dusty
black Jeep that had seen better days. Before her booted foot hit the paved driveway, he knew
trouble had come again to the Double D Ranch.
Long-legged, elegantly shaped with generous breasts, she had a small waist and come-hither
hips that gently flared in body-hugging jeans. Those features alone would have been enough
to ........(read more at Sneak Peek)
Francis Ray
Release date 11/03/09
CHAPTER ONE
Duncan McBride knew trouble when he saw it and he was looking at it in spades.
He could handle sudden snowstorms, droughts, brush fires, and ornery or sick livestock with grit
and determination. He planned to leave his mark on the land, and for that, he knew he had to
work hard.
However, no matter how he wished otherwise, there were times he'd come out on the losing
end. He didn't like it, but he accepted the harsh truth and worked harder so that the next time
he'd walk away the winner.
Standing on the front porch of his ranch house east of Billings, Montana on a beautiful summer
morning, Duncan dispassionately watched a woman emerge from the driver’s side of a dusty
black Jeep that had seen better days. Before her booted foot hit the paved driveway, he knew
trouble had come again to the Double D Ranch.
Long-legged, elegantly shaped with generous breasts, she had a small waist and come-hither
hips that gently flared in body-hugging jeans. Those features alone would have been enough
to ........(read more at Sneak Peek)
"Moon Gazing" by Artistst David Burk
There are moments in our childhood we
become adults, we may see little things
that remind us of – even magnify –
those moments in time. For Sam, a full
moon will always hold so much meaning
to him as an adult. (More of David's Art)
There are moments in our childhood we
become adults, we may see little things
that remind us of – even magnify –
those moments in time. For Sam, a full
moon will always hold so much meaning
to him as an adult. (More of David's Art)
| Can it be TOO big? by F. Jay Robins |
I talked to several people who had one to gather their thoughts on size and how to determine what
the best size might be. As you might imagine some have small one’s, some have medium sized
one’s, some have what most would call large ones and a few have really big ones. I got lots of
opinions on the subject, ranging from the pro’s and con’s for wide or narrow one’s and for long
and short one’s. There were a lot of good ideas on the smallest details that should be considered
and included when ranking the options and features most admired. Structure is important since
this is probably the most important feature to keeping it erect for the long term. Probably the most
often repeated phrase that I got from almost everyone is that “you can’t build them big enough”. I
am talking about options for my new ..................... (read more & see photos in Articles)
What do You Call an Unpublished Writer?
Puzzled in Pacuda
An unpublished writer is a writer, of course. All it
takes to be a writer is to write, and going by the
proliferation of blogs on the Internet, almost all of
us are writers.
Being a novelist is something completely different.
You need to be a writer, certainly, but you also
need to know the elements of storytelling, how to
create characters that come alive, how to describe
a scene without losing the momentum of the story.
And then you need to put it all together into a
cohesive whole that engages the reader’s
attention.
But most of all, you need to actually write the
novel, to put your idea into words and get it down
on paper or into your word processor. That takes
discipline. So does rewriting the same novel
perhaps a dozen times until you get it right.
Because, as we all know, there are no great
writers, only great rewriters.
What is the first thing you should do when
you finish your novel?
Confused in Connecticut
The first thing you do when you finish your novel is
(read more & Ask Pat your writing questions)
Puzzled in Pacuda
An unpublished writer is a writer, of course. All it
takes to be a writer is to write, and going by the
proliferation of blogs on the Internet, almost all of
us are writers.
Being a novelist is something completely different.
You need to be a writer, certainly, but you also
need to know the elements of storytelling, how to
create characters that come alive, how to describe
a scene without losing the momentum of the story.
And then you need to put it all together into a
cohesive whole that engages the reader’s
attention.
But most of all, you need to actually write the
novel, to put your idea into words and get it down
on paper or into your word processor. That takes
discipline. So does rewriting the same novel
perhaps a dozen times until you get it right.
Because, as we all know, there are no great
writers, only great rewriters.
What is the first thing you should do when
you finish your novel?
Confused in Connecticut
The first thing you do when you finish your novel is
(read more & Ask Pat your writing questions)
Claude Monet’s House and Gardens in Giverny, France "My garden is my most beautiful masterpiece." – Monet, 19th century French painter I have long loved Claude Monet’s fabulous impressionist paintings, especially his water lilies, so beautifully displayed at the Musée de l’Orangerie in Paris. Many of these were painted in Monet’s own gardens in the village of Giverny, where the artist lived and painted for the last 43 years of his life. Many years ago, I decided I wanted to see the natural beauty of the gardens that Monet himself had planted and tended, and which had then inspired some of his best work as a painter. In Paris, I hopped on a train moving towards ........ (read more of this Article & ask travel questions) |
| Taking Wings A Poetry Session with Poet Jeanne Riple |
Tips For Writing Inspirational Poetry
If you have been trying to write poems and
sense they lack substance, it may be that
you need to go deeper into your experience.
Does this resonate for you? If so, read below
for more. As you know, writing poetry requires
each word to count. It is often difficult to find
the balance of enough words so that we
connect with the reader but not having so
many words that the reader loses interest.
When I was writing for my first book, Wings to
Fly, I threw away several poems because I
realized that I didn’t have passion or a focus.
I believe that when we draw from a deeper
well of passion, ideas and words flow easier.
I asked myself: Why am I not writing about
what is central to my life? When I ........
(Join the Session & ask question of the Poet)
Watercolor quilts get their name from their
resemblance to watercolor paintings. They are
designed and assembled from 2" squares of
Watercolor quilts get their name from their
fabric to form impressionistic scenes. They
make wonderfully colorful wall hangings for
your home or office.
(Click to see Art, Crafts & Poetry Gallery)
resemblance to watercolor paintings. They are
designed and assembled from 2" squares of
Watercolor quilts get their name from their
fabric to form impressionistic scenes. They
make wonderfully colorful wall hangings for
your home or office.
(Click to see Art, Crafts & Poetry Gallery)
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