My Sordid Affair

This is a busy summer. I'm in the middle of teaching my graduate class--coteaching, actually. (My teaching partner is my better half, and makes the month-long course a joy.) Two friends and I are embarking on a big (huge for us) undertaking involving storytelling. And it's hot.

Last week it got to 101 degrees. In St. Louis, that goes hand in hand with a humidity level of 127%. That might be an exaggeration, but only a slight one. In this part of the country, folks get to take shower as soon as they walk out the door--the sweat immediately starts dripping down every crook and crevice on our midwestern bodies.

Summertime... and the livin' is easy. And sweaty. 

Despite the heat, I've decided to make the season even hotter. Taylor Sheridan and I are having a hot and heavy love affair.

                                                          image by 19dulce91 via Pixabay

Why Taylor Sheridan? Why have I fallen in love with this smooth writin' man? Check out my post on the Muffin... 

... and keep cool. This sweltering weather--around here--could stay with us into September.

 

A Long Time Gone

 It's been a long time since I last posted. Last week, I saw the Chicks (formerly the Dixie Chicks) in concert here in St. Louis. My post's title reminded me of one of their songs, Long Time Gone.

Right now I'm knee-deep into a challenging project: creating a channel of podcasts for women. I have two partners in crime crazy, and we thought the response would be slow... But just a couple of days ago we sent out an email, asking former Listen to Your Mother-St. Louis writers if they'd like to be involved...

And we already have more than 100 enthusiastic yeses. A. Maz. Ing.

I wrote about this big dream on WOW's The Muffin. If you'd like more information about it, I wrote a second post. I certainly hope that when it's up and running, you'll check us out... and subscribe.

What challenging thing have you faced recently? 

Dream Squasher? Or Dream Nurturer?

 There are some who help keep people's dreams alive. They fan the tiny flames. They dig around the embers, the coals, trying to get a fire reignited. They bring in kindling. 

There are other people who squash people's dreams. They criticize. They ridicule. They refuse to listen to some out-of-the-box thinking from a writing colleague.

I'm lucky. I belong to a great writing group. When I do encounter people who are "clueless" about my writing (and everyone else "gets it") I know that probably that one person is the one who's in the wrong... it's not my writing that needs work.

Recently I wrote about my students in a post for WOW. While we were discussing the project they were working on, I brought up Mae Jemison--the first African American woman to go up into space, and how a kindergarten teacher tried to squash her dreams.

                                                                     image by Pixabay

If you're curious about what the teacher said, check out the post... and think about how you nurture other people's dreams, along with your own.

Sioux's Weird. But is She Wonky?

 I've been called weird all my life. When I was 13 I changed my name (much to the dismay of my parents) and thirty years later, made it legal. One year in high school, I wore moccasins every day. Even if it was raining, or snowing, I wore my mocs. And these were not moccasins that had a hard sole. All that was between me and the soggy, cold ground was a single layer of suede.

I also loved wearing overalls, and never wore any make-up until I went to a homecoming dance in high school.

I love sad movies and books that make me ache and sob.

Lots of people have called me weird. But am I wonky?

Well, I'm definitely doing something wonky. After getting my book, Greeenwood Gone: Henry's Story, published, I almost immediately envisioned it as a movie. Okay, that's showing how old and out of touch I am. Nowadays, things stream on Hulu and Netflix and HBO, so my dream of seeing my story told in a movie theater... well, that might not be the way it debuts. But I do see it as something larger than just a book. 

Soooo... I'm working on writing a screenplay version. And it's wonky. It's a strange format, and using a screenwriting program is quite helpful... but it was hard getting used to it.

 I wrote about my struggles recently. Check out my Tell, Don't Show post on The Muffin.

Who's Your Cheerleader?

 I belong to a writing critique group. I belong to a writing accountability group. Both of them are full of writing friends who are encouraging and helpful, in countless ways.

My husband? He tries. However, he's not a writer, so sometimes his attempts at being helpful go awry.

Recently, I read a post from a writer whose family had gotten her a cake made. Emblazoned across the cake was the word Writer. 

Too often, we get rejected as writers. We write and draft and revise... and all we get is a "no thanks" from editors and publishers.

Check out my post about my cheerleaders... and about my hubby who means well, but I might limit his megaphone use in the future...

Shifting Thinking

 I'm old. I'm rooted in the "old school" ways. However, when something new happens to you, you have to get some new tools in your tool belt.

I recently was fortunate enough to get my book published. That is definitely something new. Before, I only had to contend with a long string of rejection emails--or no email at all. Now, I have to shift my thinking so I can promote my book.

This is one thing I did: I created some shirts. I wore it when I went to Tulsa recently, and the shirt did spark some conversations.

I'm busy speaking to bookstore owners and museum personnel, to hopefully set up some author events. This is also new.

And I'm taking a break from writing curriculum to write this post. My publisher (the brilliant Margo Dill) is working on getting sponsors who will buy classroom sets of my book for teachers, and I'm writing the curriculm materials that will accompany the sets. As a teacher, I'd want a variety of different activities to do with the book, along with comprehension questions (to make it easier, when adding a new book to the classroom's reading list).

How about you? What new things are you doing lately?

My Future Trip to Tulsa Part 1

I'm still working on setting up book events when I go to Tulsa at the end of May. I'll be bringing boxes of my book... Hopefully the back of my car will be empty (or at least less loaded up) when I head back home. However, one thing has been set up.

I'm attending a brunch event and will be in the same room as some famous Tulsans.

One is Garth Brooks. I wasn't aware he was from Tulsa.

Another name is Wes Studi. The name didn't ring a bell, but as soon as I saw his face, I knew who he was.

His present-day face might not bring back memories of his work, but if I mentioned the character's name of  Magua, or if I said, "Do you remember the Native American who tried to convince a young woman (unsuccessfully) off the side of a cliff in the movie The Last of the Mohicans?" would you remember him then?

This is one of the most moving moments of the movie, in my opinion. The soundtrack--during this scene--includes a haunting fiddle piece (it's at the end of the clip). In fact, I bought the soundtrack for this single piece of music. Here is this memorable song:

Wes also played a memorable Pawnee in the movie Dances With Wolves. In the photo below, he's in the foreground, front and center. 

When I post next, I'll share the celebrity who will be at the brunch who made me squeal with uncontainable excitement. Hint: This person played one my favorite characters in the series St. Elsewhere.

How about you? What famous people have you had an encounter with? Giddy minds want to know...

The Journey Continues

 It's hard to believe, but unless the country runs out of ink and paper in 2021, this spring I will be buying cases of books. Copies of my book.

It's been a journey with lots of twists, turns and obstacles. It began with a first draft that stunk to high heaven. Because of my wonderful editor (and now publisher) and her feedback, I scrapped it and began again from scratch. I queried more than 120 agents and publishers, and got lots of rejections and even more "no responses" before I finally found a publisher who said yes.

                                                                     image by Pixabay

Now the journey is peppered with a variety of decisions. I've chosen to take all the piles of money dollars my book makes and use it for a good cause. Since my novel is about the Tulsa Race Massacre, it will go toward a project in Tulsa or scholarship for a Black Tulsan. I've considered a college scholarship or grant money to fund school field trips to the Greenwood Cultural Center. Currently, I'm mulling over an internship for a writer/performer to create a multimedia piece to show in the cultural center. Helping to showcase a rapper/poet/artist would be wonderful.

If you'd like to check out a post I recently wrote for The Muffin about some of the decisions I've grappled with, head here.

 

Feeling Over-the-Moon... But There's Obstacles

In case I haven't mentioned it 13 zillion times in the last month (on The Muffin), my manuscript is getting published. The stack of papers I labored over for years is going to become a book. A publisher said yes, they liked it, they really really liked it. (Sorry, Sally Field--I couldn't help myself.)

However, there was a moment recently where I was stopped dead in my tracks.

You see, I'm white and old. I'm also a woman. 

My main character is black and young. And he's male.

This is a problem these days, and I understand--or I think I partially understand. I obviously cannot fully or completely understand what it's like to be marginalized and ignored and silenced, since I am white. And elderly. And I have no idea what it's like to be a male and black, in a day and age where being black and male all-too-often means there is a target on their back. Literally and figuratively.

I wrote a post about what stopped me in my tracks. (Please stop by and leave a comment if you haven't already. I need some honest reactions.) 

                                                                        image by Pixabay

My book is still going to be published, but I plan on not making a single penny from it. Oh, I will peddle it from the trunk of my car and I'll set up book events and I'll go to Tulsa this May to be a part of the 100-year anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre, but my part of the sales will go somewhere else... it won't be going into my pocket.

And I'm not sure why I've been absent from this blog for months, but I hope my next post appears relatively soon...

 

A Writer's Faith

Too bad that George Michael is no longer alive. Perhaps if he was, he'd had written another song to help me along as a writer.

These days, I'm shuffling along. I sometimes say stumbling but really, most of the time it's shuffling. Stumbling implies a faster, forward way of progressing. Shuffling is less assertive, less confident.

However, shuffling is a slow but steady movement forward. That's not quite right either. So perhaps I should say, "I'm shuffling around, my writing progress stuck in the-middle-of-the-might mode, where I'm flailing my hand around in the dark, trying to find the light switch."

The light switch is what will illuminate my way on the path to hopefully eventually getting my manuscript published.

What George Michael song am I tuning into right now? (I'll bet you can guess.) What else did I write about my stumbling? Head to The Muffin and find out...

The Dog Days of Summer

Recently I wrote about my dog Radar going back to school. As is usually the case, it is the owner that is getting more "education" than the dog. Most of the time, dogs will do what they're supposed to do... if they're told to do it. If they're consistently expected to do it.

This is often how we find Radar during the summer.
A cool wooden floor + a hot dog = a great combination.

It's midway through the summer--for me as a teacher, it's more than midway. Beginning in August, something will happen. Either we will be planning on meeting in person in our classrooms, or we're going to start planning online classes, or we're going to create some hybrid approach--perhaps some in-person and smaller classes combined with online ones.

As a freelance writer, I need to follow the same guidelines the dog whisperers shared with me, as I allowed my 84-pound handsome guy drag me up and down the driveway as I  ran the gauntlet showed off my lack of dog handling skills.

If you'd like to read what I learned about myself as a writer (there's an even better photo of Radar as a bonus), check out my post.  And please leave a comment about any "old dog" habits you're dealing with, along with what new skills you're trying to work on.

A Tale of Two Cities

This time reminds me of Dickens’ Tale of Two Cities. Specifically, the beginning. In America, too often, it's the haves and the have-nots.

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way…”

The best of it? People are peacefully protesting the horror of what happened to George Floyd. Mayors and police chiefs are uniting and marching with their community members. The worst of it? George Floyd is one name in a string of names. Some people are choosing to loot and destroy. An age of wisdom? Newark and Flint--poorer communities--have had no looting. The police officers did not come out in riot gear and shields. They left their batons in their building. An age of foolishness? Our president has said, “When the looting starts, the shooting starts.” He’s got a horribly heavy hand. I could go on. And on...

image by Pixabay

We need to do some serious evaluation of what goes on in America. We need to do some amputation, some surgery. We need to undergo some honest rehabilitation… because America is not well. What is going on is sick. It’s horrible.

Before George Floyd was murdered, I wrote a post about the health of a writer for WOW. I’ve been reflecting on the mental and physical health of people who write.

Now, I’m worried more about the health of our country.

I saw Keegan-Michael Key, usually a hilarious guy, speak about this time. He explained, in a very simple way, why I (a white person) should never counter “Black lives matter,” with “All lives matter.” He likened it to thinking the fire department should spray down all the houses in the neighborhood, even if only one house is on fire. Yes, it’s important if your house is on fire. But right now, your house is not on fire.

Right now, it’s not a white person who just got kneeled on by a police officer (an officer who was so casual, he had his hands in his pockets) until he was choked to death.

Think about what we can do--what you can do--to make our country better… for all people.

These Crazy Days

These days, I’ m worried about what everybody’s worried about. No, not a lack of toilet paper (we have enough of that). But, along with the more serious concerns, there are some minor ones.

Like my hair. In the last 6 months, I found a shorter hairstyle that I like. Every month, I was getting it trimmed.

No more. I can trim my bangs, and probably do a passable job, but the back? The sides? I’m afraid I’m going to be rocking a mullet soon, and nobody wants to see Sioux in a mullet.

The corona 15. People (me included) are eating more than usual. We’re stuck with books, our television and our refrigerator. There are jokes that we’ll all gain 15 pounds before this is over. Stress eating or boredom eating? You be the judge.

My yarn supply. One of the things I’ve been occupying myself with (along with avoiding writing and the distance teaching I’m doing) is knitting. I’ve knit a baby blanket for my soon-to-be-born grandson (due in June). I’ve knit a baby/family blanket for a French great-niece or nephew (due in September). I’ve knit one scarf for our dog rescue’s silent auction. Now I’m knitting a scarf for myself with some left-over yarn, and I’m afraid I won’t have enough.

These days, we’re losing loved ones. My son, a doctor, is still okay. Everyone I know and love is uninfected and healthy--except for a couple of friends who are battling cancer. This week, the coronavirus claimed two legendary singers--Bill Withers and John Prine. Everybody’s familiar with Bill Withers, but John Prine flew under the radar when it came to some. Musicians from all different backgrounds loved him, and commonfolk like me adored his humor, his poignancy and his humbleness.

If you'd like to read what scares me when it comes to writing, read my post on The Muffin. And, if you'd like to hear John Prine (in his earlier years), listen to "Angel From Montgomery."

If you'd like to see how subtle (and how funny) John Prine could be, listen to "The Other Side of Town" which is about a husband's selective hearing...

... because these days, we need reasons to laugh and to embrace the joy when we find it.

Why I Hated Tanya Tucker

When I was young (10) I had a crazy crush on Glen Campbell. Our family had a record or two of his in our cabinet, and when the movie True Grit came out, my mom and I went to see it in the theater. We both were excited. Mom was a John Wayne fan, and I got to see Glen on the big screen.

When his character died, I cried.

Way after my little-girl gush over Glen ended, he had a lengthy affair with Tanya Tucker. Deep in my heart, I knew Glen deserved more than that bleached-blonde hussy. But did I get rabid about it? No. By then, Campbell had been replaced by Cat Stevens, James Taylor and Viggo Mortensen.

Recently I saw a piece on Tanya Tucker. She's still singing, still honest with her craft, and still single. I saw her as an incredibly independent woman who's obviously talented. (She had her first hit single--"Delta Dawn" when she was 13. Thirteen!)

Something Tanya said struck a chord in me. What did that now pink-haired singer say that stuck with me?

Read my post on The Muffin, where I write about one thing that might be needed in order to be successful. (You be the judge.)

What's Bugging Sioux?

Hi. I'm Sioux and I'm a Seinfeld-aholic. I was at a park yesterday, thought I was in a bathroom stall without toilet paper, and asked the person in the stall next to me if they had a square to spare.

If you're not into the show Seinfeld, sorry--that reference won't make you smile.

I recently survived Christmas (it's been a tough year) and fantasized about celebrating Festivus--a made-up Seinfeld holiday. It involves an aluminum pole (that is not decorated), the airing of grievances and finally, the feats of strength.

Since the year 2019 is now officially over, I figured I would air my grievances. (I have lots of griping to do.)

One of my grievances involves Viggo Mortensen. One involves Nutella. Another one involves my writing accountability group.

If you'd like to experience the airing of my grievances, head to my WOW post.

And happy Festivus--for the rest of us!

A is for... Accountability... F is Fun With Students... and Back-of-the-Book Blurb # 96

    In case you didn't know, I'm now part of an accountability group. Ten writers are in it, and we're off to a wonderful start. My first goal was tiny--edit the first 25 pages for tense consistency (Halfway through my manuscript, I changed my mind what tense my story was going to be told in. I figured I'd made some screw-ups along the way.)

   Just setting a goal and then making my goal public--it's a wonderful thing. I've accomplished my first goal, and plan on keeping the momentum going for the remainder of the week. (I'm hoping to finish the whole manuscript by the time Monday rolls around.)

What writing goal do you have right now, and what are you doing to accomplish it?

   Earlier in the week my students had fun at my expense. One of my 8th graders looked up my name on the internet, and up popped all sorts of photos. Photos of me at book signings. Photos I've used on my blog (like the one below of the rat family). In a second, several of the computers in the lab had the same pictures. Somehow, the sickness became contagious... without a single word being exchanged.

Oh, how they laughed because every day is a bad hair day for Sioux... and the camera always does a fantastic job of capturing each catastrophe.

And now onto the business of book blurb stuff.

Look at the photo below. That is the cover of your book. You choose the genre. Is it a coffee table book of fashion trends? Is it a photo collection of mentally-ill patients and their clothing choices? You decide.

        Write an enticing blurb--150 words or less. (The title doesn't count in the word count.) Blurbs are those enticing bits that prod you into buying the book. Sometimes they're on the back cover of the book. Sometimes they're on the inside front cover. What they always try to do is lure you into purchasing the book. 

          Lisa Ricard Claro was the original creator of this writing challenge. She moved to Florida, and is too busy to host a weekly book blurb. If you'd like to read my review of The Write Man, Lisa's most recent novel, you read it here.  It's a great read (and that's saying a lot, since I don't read romance novels).

     

          Include your blurb in a blog post. Include a link to this post. Also, link your post to Mr. Linky. Mr. Linky is easy. If you've never done it, you'll be impressed with how simple he is. And then, check out the other blurb(s). It's interesting to see the different directions writers take, given the same photo.

           Here's the book cover, along with my blurb:

Rats! Rats! Everywhere There's Rats!

      Elsie loved Nigel... which meant Elsie had to learn to love rats.
      Growing up, Nigel had trouble kids his age. His pointed nose, his furtive glances, his habit of squeaking when threatened--it all resulted in more torment from his peers.
       When he found a trapped rat and then nursed it back to health, he found what he'd been yearning for for years: a friend. Jerry (thankfully, there was no Tom in Nigel's childhood home) slept with Nigel and even spent every day in Nigel's pocket during the day.
       Then Elsie came along. When they first met, Nigel had only 3 long-tailed friends. He kept them separated so there was no baby rats. But while basking in the glow of love, he got sloppy... and the rats got busy. Three became 168.
       Will Elsie stick with Nigel? Or will she gnaw off her leg so she can escape this sticky situation? (150 words)




And for anyone who still reads by blog, here is the photo for the next book blurb:

      

Back-of-the-Book Blurb # 94... Why the New Name?

Until this week (which should have been last week), it was "Back-of-the-Book Blurb Friday." However, for quite a few weeks it's never on Friday. Usually on Friday I manage to post. Sometimes on Sunday. This week, it's Tuesday.

I could whine and make excuses about how busy I am, but everybody's busy.

A couple of newsy tidbits I would like to share: One, I'm starting up an accountability group. (I know, I know. That will be like the preacher preaching to themselves.) We will begin in February. If you have a major writing goal you want to accomplish this year, join us. (Just email me at sroslawski@yahoo.com)

Secondly, I just found out I am going to make a second trip to Turkey. This spring, Love a Golden's president and I will go back to visit our friends Emel and Siyami. Hopefully we will get to bring back four goldens...

And now onto what I am so late writing about:

Look at the photo below. That is the cover of your book. You choose the genre. Is it a coffee table book of fashion trends? Is it a photo collection of mentally-ill patients and their clothing choices? You decide.

        Write an enticing blurb--150 words or less. (The title doesn't count in the word count.) Blurbs are those enticing bits that prod you into buying the book. Sometimes they're on the back cover of the book. Sometimes they're on the inside front cover. What they always try to do is lure you into purchasing the book. 

          Lisa Ricard Claro was the original creator of this writing challenge. She moved to Florida, and is too busy to host a weekly book blurb. If you'd like to read my review of The Write Man, Lisa's most recent novel, you read it here.  It's a great read (and that's saying a lot, since I don't read romance novels).

     

          Include your blurb in a blog post. Include a link to this post. Also, link your post to Mr. Linky. Mr. Linky is easy. If you've never done it, you'll be impressed with how simple he is. And then, check out the other blurb(s). It's interesting to see the different directions writers take, given the same photo.

           Here's the book cover, along with my blurb:

FUN After High School

Fredricksboro University of Neanderthals is not for everyone. If a student is interested in learning, studying and working hard, FUN is not for them. If a student plans on earning a degree recognized by anyone outside their campus, FUN's not for them. If a student wants to develop a sense of pride in what they achieve, FUN's not for them, because all they'll develop if they become a member of FUN's student body is a STD, an addiction to alcohol or a unplanned pregnancy.

(For those extra-eager students, they can earn a Master of their Own Destiny Degree if they do all three. Young men just have to be the baby-daddy in order to fulfill the requirements.)

The surrounding colleges look down their noses at FUN. They advertise the rigor they offer, the academic journey their students enjoy. However, their enrollment is going down... and FUN has a waiting list. (150 words)

And finally, Val and Pat--I'm sorry this is so so late. I know that for Val, this is cramping her style, since she crafts such clever book reviews. Perhaps you'll have to pass up a trip into town for your magical elixir one day this week, since you'll be too busy writing...

Here is the photo for later this week:

An Unbelievable Movie, Snoring and Snorts and Back-of-the-Book Blurb # 93

       For a couple of weeks, a friend and I planned on seeing a movie on Friday evening. She left it up to me. "Pick a good one," she said.

       Well, the movie I chose has been out so long (unbeknownst to me), it was only showing at 1:00 in the afternoon. She suggested "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" even though she had already seen it. "It'll spark a conversation afterwards," she said. Did it ever.

       If you haven't seen it yet, I highly recommend it. Frances McDormand does a phenomenal job. There's several twists. An open-ended ending. Some character growth that I'm going to contemplate for a while (because some of it makes me question something I've experienced).

        When we got to the theater, a few people ahead of us were told the 7:05 show was sold out. However, there was a 9:40 show.

        Yikes. Friday is my fall-apart night. I'm tired all week and usually by Friday, I fall apart and end up falling to sleep by 8 or so if I'm home and on the couch. We ended up going to dinner and having a long, leisurely meal. I warned my friend, "I'll probably fall asleep. Poke me hard if you see me start to nod."

       Well, she had to poke me at least once. I don't think I snored or snorted myself awake, but I didn't have the courage to ask. (She had already given me grief for my shoes. That night I wore Croc sandals, but I wore socks with them--not white socks. I didn't want to push things and get teased even more.)

           Look at the photo below. That is the cover of your book. You choose the genre. Is it a coffee table book of fashion trends? Is it a photo collection of mentally-ill patients and their clothing choices? You decide.

        Write an enticing blurb--150 words or less. (The title doesn't count in the word count.) Blurbs are those enticing bits that prod you into buying the book. Sometimes they're on the back cover of the book. Sometimes they're on the inside front cover. What they always try to do is lure you into purchasing the book. 

          Lisa Ricard Claro was the original creator of this writing challenge. She moved to Florida, and is too busy to host a weekly book blurb. Currently, she's hired a manatee to record her romance books. Those slow-moving creatures enjoy audio books and they need love just like everybody else. Lisa's first romance novel (she has three more), Love Built to Last, just came out as an audio book. (The one for manatees is slated to come out this summer.) She even has a brand new book out called The Write Man. If you'd like to read my review of The Write Man, you read it here.  It's a great read (and that's saying a lot, since I don't read romance novels).

     

          Include your blurb in a blog post. Include a link to this post. Also, link your post to Mr. Linky. Mr. Linky is easy. If you've never done it, you'll be impressed with how simple he is. And then, check out the other blurb(s). It's interesting to see the different directions writers take, given the same photo.

           Here's the book cover, along with my blurb:

  Peace, Not Peas (146 words)      

         Ariel was only six. In first grade she was learning. She was figuring out how to add, how to share and get along with others.

        Which made her wonder... Ariel's family talked about what was going on in the United States. People arguing and yelling with each other. Calling people from other countries bad names. Why can't everybody shake hands and hug and decide to just respect each other? 

        Ariel hates peas. She shoves them with her spoon into her pocket so she can later dump them in the toilet and flush 'em down. They're disgusting.

        But peace? Peace is good thing. Peace is beautiful. 

        Ariel decides to right two wrongs at the same time. She made some signs. She's gone door-to-door. Now she's ready to take her campaign to the news stations, the newspapers... and the world.

    Make peas illegal.

Make being peaceful a law.   

And for Val and Pat and anyone else who wants to play along, here is the picture for next week:

A Dog's Dream Come True... and Back-of-the-Book Blurb #79

         One night Winnie's dream came true.

          Winnie is a three-year old golden retriever from Turkey. She's been living on her own for most of her life, probably. She's had at least one litter of pups, and came to the U.S. starved. She's been here a week. (You can feel all her ribs, and every time we open the refrigerator, her head is inside the fridge, nosing around. When we open the dog food tub, her head in buried in the food, in a helpie-selfie all-you-can-eat-in-two-seconds buffet.)

         Winnie's eating three meals a day in an attempt to get some meat on her bones.

         One night this week I was filling the dog food tub. I guess I wasn't quite calculating (correctly) where I'd cut the bag open, because a couple of cups of dry dog food spilled out onto the floor. The pieces skiddled all over the place.

         Winnie was on clean-up patrol immediately. Since I was about to feed her dinner anyway, I let her enjoy herself.

          As far as Winnie's concerned, it was a perfect night... And now onto book blurb stuff.

            Look at the photo below. That is the cover of your book. You choose the genre. Is it a love story about a feline and the bus driver? Is it an insider's tale, exposing the horrors of the lives of feral cats? Is it the true crime story of a cat stalking Morris the cat? You decide.

         Write an enticing blurb--150 words or less. (The title doesn't count in the word count.) Blurbs are those enticing bits that prod you into buying the book. Sometimes they're on the back cover of the book. Sometimes they're on the inside front cover. What they always try to do is lure you into purchasing the book. 

          Lisa Ricard Claro was the original creator of this writing challenge. She moved to Florida, and is too busy to host a weekly book blurb. Her first romance novel, Love Built to Last, just came out as an audio book. Her newest project? A writing retreat center on the beach. Writers rent beach cabanas, unlimited drinks are included, and the cabana boys either look like Viggo Mortensen or Jason Momoa. Therefore, Lisa doesn't have time to host this anymore.

          Okay, back to book blurb stuff.
     

          Include your blurb in a blog post. Include a link to this post. Also, link your post to Mr. Linky. Mr. Linky is easy. If you've never done it, you'll be impressed with how simple he is. And then, check out the other blurb(s). It's interesting to see the different directions writers take, given the same photo.

        Here's the book cover, along with my blurb: 

Enough is Enough is Enough

Marvin Hall’s wife needed him. If he wasn’t around, she’d feel useless.

He left dirty dishes in the sink. She enjoyed scrubbing the plates after the food had turned to concrete. He dropped his towel onto the bathroom floor showering. Melissa, his wife, would invariably pick up the towel and hang it up where it belonged. Marvin’s slobby ways made the little woman felt necessary.

His favorite thing to do, however, was to smear his fingerprints all over the windows. Each time Mrs. Hall saw some smudges on the panes of glass, she’d get out the vinegar and start wiping away.

Ahhh. Making a woman happy is easy… Or so Marvin thought.

One morning, a message on the bathroom mirror, written in lipstick, greeted Marvin.

“I’ve had enough. I’m not gonna take it anymore.”

How will life change for Marvin? Will he ever see the light? (146 words)

And for those who need an entire week to come up with hilarious reviews, here is the photo for the next blurb:

Vindaloo is Whoo Hoo... Margaret Atwood Came to St. Louis... and Back-of-the-Book Blurb #77

         A month ago I fell in love with a vindaloo sauce. Slip some chicken into that stuff, bake it, and it was spicy... but just the right amount of heat.

        My husband looked for more (at the same grocery store) but they had discontinued stocking it. I was cranky acting like I always do. I was jonesing for some vindaloo. 

        Hubby came to the rescue. Or was he trying to kill me? He found some online, and ordered a six pack of the jarred concoction of the gods. Waiting for that package was difficult as I salivated over future vindaloo dinners. I promised my daughter-in-law a jar of it. ("It would make a great quick dinner for you, after teaching all day," I said. Little did I know that my promise might later be construed as premeditation...)

      Well, that sauce that was delivered was labeled "hot and spicy," and they didn't mean hot by white-as-notebook-paper people standards. Immediately, I discovered that "hot" by Indian standards means "permanently burn your tastebuds" hot. 

      (If anyone would like a jar of it, I'd be happy to give you one. Don't be nervous when I hand it to you and I've got an oven mitt on...)

       Now onto a hot writer--Margaret Atwood.

       She's the author of The Handmaid's Tale and earlier this week, she came to St. Louis. I didn't get to see her, but my daughter sent me a link to an article about her appearance... in case you're interested.

        Tonight I'm going to see Sherman Alexie (I am pinching myself, I'm so excited) so I won't be able to respond to the dozens one comment on this post until much later this evening. 

        And now onto book blurb stuff:


And now onto our book blurb of the week.

            Look at the photo below. That is the cover of your book. You choose the genre. Is it a love story about a senior citizen and her bingo dauber? Is it an insider's tale, exposing the horrors of bingo halls? You decide.

         Write an enticing blurb--150 words or less. (The title doesn't count in the word count.) Blurbs are those enticing bits that prod you into buying the book. Sometimes they're on the back cover of the book. Sometimes they're on the inside front cover. What they always try to do is lure you into purchasing the book. 

          Lisa Ricard Claro was the original creator of this writing challenge. She moved to Florida, and is too busy to host a weekly book blurb. Her first romance novel, Love Built to Last, just came out as an audio book. Thankfully, she and her hubster and their home are safe and sound. (By the way, years ago, Lisa predicted that writing these silly blurbs would help with writing the real thing and by cracky, she's right.)

          Okay, back to book blurb stuff.
       

          Include your blurb in a blog post. Include a link to this post. Also, link your post to Mr. Linky. Mr. Linky is easy. If you've never done it, you'll be impressed with how simple he is. And then, check out the other blurb(s). It's interesting to see the different directions writers take, given the same photo.

        Here's the book cover, along with my blurb: 

   

Jean’s Packin’ Something in Her Depends

Jean was sick and tired of the fast and loosey-goosey bingo games at the nursing home. She’d complained. She’d written letters. Now she’d have to show them she means business.

Every Tuesday, she’d come early, set up her daubers and her good-luck trinkets, and then she’d peruse the prize table. No matter what Jean set her sights on—a dollar-store stuffed animal or a plastic rain bonnet—and no matter what threats she’d hiss (“That one’s gonna be mine! Stay away from the pink panda or I’ll slip you a whole box of Ex-Lax in your pudding.”), some blue-haired biddy would snatch Jean’s prize before she had the chance to win it.

Some hot lead will show ‘em she’s serious. Are those old folks feelin’ lucky… ‘cause Jean sure is. (128 words)

For those who want to work ahead on next week's blurb, here is the photo: