** Whatabouts Wednesday **

I wanted to come up with a cutesy title for today's post. So I decided to find a unique word that began with the letter "W", to go with "Wednesday". After spending just a nano-second or two online, I came across a site called The Phrontistery. (definition: an establishment for study & learning.) What a fabulous discovery! Every writer or anyone interested in language and words, the origins of words, etc. will love this site! So, I chose the word:  Whatabouts. Noun; meaning: things with which one is occupied. Sounded great to me! Whatabouts Wednesday! I then looked it up in a couple of other "normal" online dictionaries, and neither one had that in their list of words. Oh well. I love it, and so I'm going to use it!! It sounds like an Aussie word, doesn't it?

Here are some of my Whatabouts:

* This afternoon I was interviewed by a young man who works for Vox Magazine. (I had received an e-mail from the Books and Endnotes Editor a couple of weeks ago, explaining they were doing an article about Missouri writers, etc. She asked if I would be interested, and I said, "Sure". The magazine is published by the Columbia Missourian and produced by magazine students at Mizzou. Vox was named the best magazine produced by college students in the entire country.) Anyway, I had totally forgotten about that......a normal ailment of mine....until "Nick" called today. He asked questions. I provided answers. I should find out in a couple of weeks if anything I said will make it to print!

* I took part in the Coffee & Critique group again yesterday morning, and this time I took something to read. I really like this group! They are all passionate writers, kind people, very giving of their knowledge and offer helpful hints. I get so much out of it, whether they are commenting on my writing or someone else's. I'm happy to be a member!

* Naturally, I'm very occupied writing my book. I'm moving along at a pretty good pace....most days/nights!

* I'll be attending the Saturday Writers first Open Mic this Friday, March 26th at Main Street Books in old St. Charles. There will be readings from 7:00 - 9:00 pm. (I plan on bringing something to read.) Also during that time, the famous Mr. Nick Nixon, will be playing the guitar and singing! It will be tons of fun! So, y'all come, ya hear?!

* And finally, here's news about my Blog Contest for April. My new Author Friend/Blogger Buddy, Miss Michael Lee West, has graciously accepted my request to provide an autographed copy of one of her books. I came across Michael's first book in 2006, while browsing in a book store. (imagine that!) The title was: Crazy Ladies: A Novel and it looked interesting. I flipped through the pages to read a paragraph or two, and it grabbed me enough right away to buy it! I loved it! (It's about "crazy ladies" in the South)  I'm sorry to say I didn't keep track of her new books, so I haven't read any since. But, that is going to change. As soon as I get finished with the 10 or 12 books I have stacked and waiting to be read, I'll get right on that!

I'm not sure yet which book Michael will provide for the contest, but you can be sure, whichever one it is, it will be a fabulous read! To be eligible to be the winner, here are the requirements:

1) If you live in the South, or were from there, explain what was wonderful about growing up there and/or living there now.
2) If you don't live in the South, tell why you might like to.
3) No matter where you live now, if you visited somewhere in the South that left you with a desire to go back or live there, tell where it is.
4) Name someone from the South, living or deceased, or even fictional, you'd like to have dinner with.

They don't have to be long, drawn out answers. It can be as simple as this:
1) fun
2) warm climate
3) Atlanta
4) Scarlet O'Hara

See? Simple! Winner will be chosen by random.org after midnight, a week from today, March 31st.

And, please ask your other friends, bloggers, followers, etc. to stop by and join in and leave a comment! There's so many reasons to stop by and see what's on my blog! Thanks so much! Looking forward to reading all your comments.

And oh, by the way.....since I've seen things on other blogs about interviews or give-aways, etc......I have not been paid to do this, nor have I been asked by Michael Lee West to do this, etc...etc.. (and the same goes for the give-away of Bread Alone!)

"Writing became such a process of discovery that I couldn't wait to get to work in the morning: I wanted to know what I was going to say." -- Sharon O'Brien

** Writing, Photography and Lovely Treasures **

I've decided my new blog friend, Susan, of Writing Straight From The Heart, and I were separated at birth! Every time I go to her blog and read her newest post and look at her newest photos, I think to myself, I could have written this and posted these pictures! She and I are sooo much alike!

Especially in the past week or so, Susan has shared photos of darling bunnies, (not live ones!) and then now, a beautiful tea cup and saucer. I have a very small collection of both of these. Actually not even enough to refer to them that way. I have a couple of each!

And without further ado, here are a couple of my pictures to share not only with Susan, with all of you!
The darling ones on the left are from the Royal Albert pattern, Old Country Roses.The large mommy is a statue I got at Home Goods last year, for a ridiculously low price! So, then I went online to Ebay and got the matching salt & pepper shakers, because I thought she just needed to have a couple of little baby bunnies!

Next we have a cute bunny and a teeny-tiny turtle investigating each other! I don't remember where I bought them, but it wasn't very expensive, either. It's made out of some kind of plastic. On the bottom says: Garden Party ™, Russ Berrie and Co. Inc. Oakland, New Jersey.

Finally, this is one of my tea pots and tea cup sets. The tea pot came from Dillards, years ago, and says Windsor - Made in England, on the bottom. The tea cup and saucer are both No-Name and I'm pretty sure I got at a Shabby Chic re-sale shop, also years ago!

Susan, I hope you....along with everyone else....really enjoyed taking a peek at some of my little treasures!

Later tonight, information will be posted about my newest blog contest, happening in April!

* I added this picture today, March 24, specifically for Bill. This is a Royal Albert, Old Country Roses clock! I also bought it at Dillards, years ago, when I first began my tea pot collection. It was the first item I'd ever seen of the pattern that wasn't china plates, etc. Even with that, I was really surprised to find the darling bunny statue and S&P shakers, too! (oh and this was also in the picture I posted last month of the plates and half tea cup on my dining room wall.)

"You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me." -- C.S. Lewis

** Terrific Tuesday **

I've got a busier day than usual planned for today. And since I've been up since 6:00 am, and didn't get to sleep until after 2:00 am, I think I see saggy, baggy, blurry eyes today.

Because of vanity, I wore contacts years ago.
Because of vanity, I'm thankful I wear glasses now.
   (to help hide all those saggy, baggy wrinkles)

Be back later with news and photos..........


"Nothing is worth more than this day". -- Goethe

** Calling All Funny, Weird, Humorous Writers **

Ever since I first heard about this contest.....months ago....I really wished I could write poetry. And not even just poetry, but funny poetry! And with a name like Wergle Flomp, how could it be anything else??

The Official name is: The Wergle Flomp Poetry Contest.  Catchy, isn't it?!  (I keep hearing that old song and lyrics in my head: "Let's all do the Bristol Stomp")  ☺

There is NO ENTRY FEE. Entries have been accepted since August 15, 2009, and they end on April 1, 2010. So that leaves about 10 days to get your crazy, wacky, hilarious,  and to use one of their own phrases: "Inspired gibberish" entries submitted. The prize money is....to use one of MY favorite words: Fabulous! Winning entries and Honorable Mentions will also be published on Winning Writers.

Go to their website for all the guidelines and pertinent info. But hurry. You only have until April 1, 2010.

*Creativity & Lies -- Is It Politics or Is It Memorex?*

Thanks to the lovely Lisa Ricard Claro for bestowing upon me the "Creative Writer" Blogger Award. As I understand it, this great honor is a license to be creative which, as all writers know, can sometimes lead to outrageous lies! (Think of those recent infamous "memoirs")

( I was kind of dreading this "award", but I had a blast and hope everyone else will, too! )

Rules of acceptance require me to list up to seven wild and wacky little known facts about myself, at least one of which must be true. It's then up to you, the reader, to decide for yourself which, if any, of the facts below are crazy truths or creative fiction.

1) I've always been fascinated with airplanes. One day when riding my bike home from school, I heard a "funny" engine noise up above. While concentrating so much on watching the bi-plane, I rode my bike right down into a concrete rain ditch.....and only got one scratch near my eye. I have the scar to prove it!

2) Speaking of airplanes....I've flown across the Atlantic Ocean more than 5 times.

3) I graduated Sumo Cum Lardo Wrestler from HACC. (Harvard Area Community College)

4) I can whistle through my fingers.

5) After the birth of my first son, and weeks of semi-recuperating, I was forced to sign papers stating I wasn't holding the hospital or any of the doctors, etc. accountable...blah, blah, blah....

6) I once rode in an elevator that was going up so fast I was thrown down to the floor with 3 other people.

7) I've only fainted once in my life and that incident involved a crowbar.

Hey...this was way more fun than I thought it would be! I didn't think I could come up with any non-truths, but I did and it was a great writing exercise!

*Okay, here are the rules:

1. Thank the person who gave this to you. (Thanks, Lisa!)
2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
3. Link the person who nominated you.
4. Tell up to 6 outrageous lies about yourself, and at least one outrageous truth. (The key here is the "up to" and the "at least." Some people are just born liars!)
5. Nominate up to seven "Creative Writers" who might have fun coming up with outrageous lies.
6. Post links to the seven blogs you nominate.
7. Leave a comment on the "up to" seven blogs you nominate, letting them know you nominated them.

I nominate Tammy, Karrie, Janel, and Daisy. I know all of you will do fabulously! I can't wait to read all of them! I'm off now to leave my comment on your blogs.

"Most writers regard the truth as their most valuable possession, and therefore are most economical in its use." -- Mark Twain

** Odds & Ends on a Saturday Night **

On March 12th, I mentioned four upcoming topics I wanted to write about. I've already written about two of them: Tiny Lights and the Erma Bombeck competition.

The other two are: Songs on my Play List and my upcoming contest in April.

Here's my thoughts on my Play List. I love listening to a wide variety of music, and because each play list only holds about 200 songs, I now have more than two that are completely full. Many people find the music distracting and may immediately hit the mute button when they arrive at my blog. I can totally understand that. Most of the time when I'm "really" writing...working on my book, or contests or other submissions, I can't listen to it, either. I have a couple of CD's that I can listen to, and write to, and I even feel like they help soothe me and help me to write better! They are both "easy listening" instrumentals. And I do have my "Starting Song", which is Moonlight Serenade, played only by the Glenn Miller Orchestra! That may seem really strange, since I'm not 80 years old....but it was one of my mother's favorite songs, and always makes me feel kind of bittersweet, which is great for my memoir writing.

So, I have these questions: Do you like listening to music when you write?  Do you have a "Starting Song"?

"Music is what life sounds like". -- Eric Olson

** I Won a Book on Hope Clark's Blog **

I've been a follower of Hope Clark's blog for over a year. She always has interesting contest information to share, plus book reviews, etc. Today, I won a book because I left one of the first 3 comments. I am thrilled because this particular book is about critique groups and I just joined one this past Tuesday. The book is called, "The Writing & Critique Group Survival Guide-How to Give and Receive Feedback, Self Edit, and Make Revisions", by Becky Levine. I cannot wait to receive it! Thanks again, Hope!

I also receive newsletters from Hope from her website Funds for Writers. You can subscribe to receive 3 different newsletters there: Funds for Writers, FFW Small Markets and Writing Kid. Tell her Becky Povich sent ya!


"A book is like a garden carried in the pocket." -- Chinese Proverb

** Reading, Writing and Dancing! **

While I was sick the past 2 weeks, every single piece of paper, junk mail, bills, magazines, and coupons that arrived in my snail mail, have apparently been busy multiplying! Don't you just hate it when that happens? Oh well, I know what's really important in my life and my priorities are firmly set. Writing comes first! Along with the "actually typing of words on my laptop" kind of writing, I've discovered there are different ways of writing. I love to browse through various "helpful" and "how to" books, some of which I recently picked up at the library. Other times, I'll read something online that really makes me stop and think, Wow! I never thought of that!

* If I wrote today, but deleted most of it, I still wrote!
* If I had zillions of ideas, but only got as far as jotting down notes, I still wrote!
* If I edited some of my writing, I still wrote!

Somewhere, I also read practice saying outloud, "I am a writer."
Say it while sitting in your chair. Say it while walking around the room.
I've chosen to sing it opera-style, while I dance around the room!

Whatever you do today, take care of your self!!

"If you really want to do something, you'll find a way. If you don't, you'll find an excuse." - Jim Rohn