Friday, September 17, 2010

Something New

See my brand new widget to the right? Feel free to go get your own copy and put it on your site.

See you at the American Night Writers Association (ANWA) Writers Conference on February 25 & 26, 2011!

Audio Commentaries

One of the delightful extras of DVD releases of film and TV series, is the audio commentary, voiced by a couple of the actors, or the producer and director, or whatever combination of staff or crew is deemed to have the most draw on the DVD.

Last night I finished watching Emma Thompson's 1995 production derived from Jane Austen's novel Sense and Sensibility. It runs for two hours and 17 minutes.

Today I looked at the list of extras, and found that along with deleted scenes, there are TWO audio commentaries. I've just spent over four-and-a-half hours rewatching the film with audio notes.

Whew!

Monday, September 13, 2010

All Around the 'Net

I started out searching for something in particular on the Internet, but that was several hours ago, and I can't recall now what it was.

Anyway, my path led in all sorts of interesting directions. One was an article urging us to go longer and further between oil changes, because Jiffy Lube's recommendation no longer is correct, after all. Who knew?

Something I just read made so much sense, and was something I'd never read before. It astounded me.

I did know that we all use far too much detergent in our washing machines. Years ago I tested that out by "washing" clothes for a couple of cycles WITHOUT any detergent. They got just as clean as though I'd used it. It followed that we use too much dishwashing "soap" as well.

From there, the article threw in some advice from an appliance repairman. Here's the thing that made me shake my head and go, "I didn't know that!"

If your oven has a self-cleaning feature, use it more than once a year. However, don't use it right before Thanksgiving!

Here's the reason: the process heats everything up to a terrific level, putting stress on anything that has a weakness. The repairman said if something is going to go out, it will do so right after you do the self-cleaning thing. He added that he gets a lot of calls around holiday time.

Now, how can I use that fact in a historical novel? Any ideas?

I'm soo ADD!

How ADD am I?

Yep, it's a squirrel.

I opened this composing window to actually compose a blog, but I got distracted. Now I can't remember what I wanted to say.

Lame, right?

Are you ADD or ADHD? How does it affect your life?

Thursday, September 09, 2010

Bill shared another bit with me

Yesterday I attended a writers' group at the new bookstore in town. Afterward, I took a couple of hours to edit and write in their cafe. Here's a small piece Bill Henry shared with me:


Bill thought of the first day he'd met Marie. Fresh from Texas, driving a herd of cattle, the Owen crew had encountered the little sister, half-paralyzed with fear. She'd barely missed being abducted by an outlaw band. She was safe, but the miscreants had kidnapped Marie and the Bates girl--she who was now Carl Owen's bride.

The Owens and their hired hands had tracked the party to a cave, and finally rescued the girls at great cost. His own cousin had paid the ultimate price.

For a moment, Bill let the barely abated grief wash over him, but his cheerful mood didn't want to go toward darkness just now.

On the way down the mountain, they'd stumbled across a deep black pool of water shaded by trees and surrounded by protective boulders. Rulon Owen had called a brief halt to better bind up Carl's wounds so he wouldn't expire from loss of blood

Marie reluctantly rested beside the pool, expressing her anxiety over Carl's dire condition and her desire to reach home. Be that as it may, Bill got the idea she had appreciated the beauty of the spot as she gazed around at the sheltered area. He'd brought her a tin cup to dip into the water. She'd looked up at him then, an intense gratitude in her dark eyes as she thanked him in a quavering voice for being one of her rescuers.

That was the moment when she had captured his interest. Even bedraggled as she was, with her shoulders and sleeves covered with dirt and her hair tangled and bedecked with twigs and leaves, she was the most beautiful creature he'd ever seen. Ever since that day, Bill had thought of the pool as their special spot.

Thoughts?

Tuesday, September 07, 2010

Winner!

Stacy Johnson and her daughter, Katy, have won the quiz I posted on Sunday. They were the quickest entrants to list the hymns correctly in the comments on this blog (although Stacy got one hymn number wrong, heh-heh). Since Stacy was the ONLY commenter to give the list, she is the winner, and will receive her choice of one of three books: THE DEEP END, TWILIGHT'S LAST GLEAMING, or HOW TO STUFF A WILD ZUCCHINI. Thanks for playing along, Stacy and Katy.

Sunday, September 05, 2010

Labor Day

This weekend's Labor Day holiday used to celebrate the working man and the labor unions.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, "Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country."

But "over the years, it has evolved from a purely labor union celebration into a general 'last fling of summer' festival," it says in wilstar.com's Holidays section. This is especially evident in my neighborhood, which is a summer cabin and camping destination. Rim Country is FULL of folks this weekend!

In a tribute to laboring-in-good-pursuits-of-a-neighborly-and-Christ-like type, I thought I'd put up a little quiz. All of the phrases below containing the word labor are found in the hymn book of the LDS Church. Can you find them all and put them in your comments?

I wish I could offer a prize to the winner, like a massage to take away all the pains of your labor, but hey! I'm in need of one. Instead, you'll get the recognition of all your peers in the comment section, and maybe a mention here on my blog. Maybe I'll even send the winner a free mystery book. It's called a mystery book because I don't know yet which book I'll send. I'm just making this up as I go along. [insert smiley face here, or whatever]

Ready? You have until Monday at midnight to find the answers and make a comment. Maybe include it as an activity in your family home evening.

Get set.

  1. Love's labor has merit alone
  2. while we labor for the right
  3. and labor as saviors of dear ones away
  4. in all labors you're pursuing
  5. and our labor here is done
  6. the blessings of God on our labors we'll seek
  7. while here we labor, choose the better part
  8. where I may labor through life's short day
  9. may we labor in the kingdom
  10. by the patience of hope and the labor of love

GO!
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