The Inside Secrets

       If you were inside my house last night, with all the firecrackers going off, you would have been welcome by Foley, our hospitable Golden Retriever. Always the charming host, he would have paced around you...endlessly. If you spent the night, he would have scratched at your bedroom door to get in, and then would have scratched on the door to get out...over and over and over.

      Foley is storm-/firecracker/rustle-of-leaves phobic. He paces and pants and isn't comfortable anywhere when thunder or fireworks disturb the airwaves ...unless he's drugged. We avoided the dispensation of the doggie downers last night--but tonight, it may be a different story. 

     Of course, my neighbors have cleared all the furniture out of their house so they can fill it with firecrackers the holiday is over, my neighbors obviously do not have a calendar and have no knowledge it is now no longer the 4th of July, so I'm sure tonight will be just as noisy as last night quiet.

       How did you celebrate the holiday? What are your hopes for the United States? America is a wonderful country but it's far from perfect.

      And hey, speaking of perfection...If you're in the moooood to read some perfect advice about writing, go have some coffee with your muffin. My guest post was inspired after reading James Lipton's memoir. (He's the host of Inside the Actor's Studio.)




      Check it out. You might find something of substance there...

 

The Dating Game: Do I Look Like Bob Eubanks To You?

         Chicken Soup for the Soul books is looking for dating stories. They are looking for "contemporary" tales so if you've been married for a couple of decades and it has been a while since you dated, just change "Andy Williams" to "Pharrell Williams" when mentioning what you were listening to on the car radio, and your story will be good to go. (Not that I've ever changed any unimportant details in order to make a story "fit" or make it a bit more interesting.)

           Two of the WWWPs are single, so I know they have stacks and stacks of dating stories. The other three of us...when we hear the word "date night," that means we take the time to braid the hair on our legs so that later we won't be too embarrassed if we're seen with our husbands at Ted Drewes the local frozen custard place.

        The deadline is July 15, so get crackin'.

Sometimes You Win, Sometimes You Lose

       When I get something accepted for publication, I shout it from the rooftop. When I get something rejected, I do the same. (As  a back-up singer in a Joni Mitchell tune sang, "Man, the chick is twisted. Crazy. Scooby-shooby...Flip city.") Getting a "no" from an editor means that at least I'm sending out pieces.

       Three writing friends--Lynn Obermoeller, Cathi LaMarche and Linda O'Connell--have stories in the Gloria Gaynor collection entitled We Will Survive. Because I love the song, I submitted something...and got a quick "no thanks." But hey, at least I tried.

      So Lynn, Linda and Cathi won that round. I lost.



Isn't this a great cover? I've read Lynn and Linda's stories
(at least the rough draft) and they're wonderful tales.

 

 

             Today I drew a name from the thousands  hundreds handful of followers that I have who left a comment for my book give-away. The drawing was handled by the well-known SODAD--Society of Dust and Doghair. The names were written carefully on slips of paper (see below) before being folded and "stirred." 

       And the winner is....Kathy M. Kathy, when you finish celebrating your wedding anniversary and put the camera down long enough to send me your address, I'll send you the book. (If you want, I'll even have Linda and myself sign it...to you,  or just a general notation, or to someone else if you'd like to "regift" it later. Let me know.)

         And especially for Val with her steeljaw trap of a memory--anyone can jump in, however: There are two song references in this post. With one of them, I gave you the artist. Do you know the song? The other one is the title of this post. Do you know either the singer or the song? 

        What's a win or a loss you've experienced recently?