Thursday, January 28, 2010
Author Friends' Blogs
Writings and Musings of Paul West
* indicates that the author of this blog is a member of LDStorymakers.
* indicates that the author of this blog is a member of LDStorymakers.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Will People Get It?
I'm eagerly counting down the days (there are 47 of them) until the release of "Secret Sisters," my fifth published novel and the first in a new series. These books have brought me a lot of joy to write, taken me into a whole new realm of comedy, and added some sparkle to my days. I've really had the most fun ever writing them.
As I've sent the manuscript out for reviews and told people the premise of the story, most have chuckled and said it sounds hysterical. Well, it is - an elderly Relief Society presidency who turns to espionage in order to see to the well-being of one of the families in their care, and they end up solving a real crime - that's downright funny. Their adventures along the way, their back-and-forth dialogue, their unique personalities - it's a great deal of fun.
But here and there, I've gotten, "You know, what they're doing just might be illegal. Are you sure you want them to do that?"
Yes, yes, I do want them to do that. It's sort of the point.
What I'm really hoping people get from this story is that it's a comedy. It's a spoof. It's farcical. I've heard people say that their visiting teachers are going a little too far and getting a little too nosy ... that's exactly what inspired me. What if your visiting teachers really did go too far? What if they started spying on you? That thought snowballed into what became this series, and it's a lot of fun to consider the adventures that well-meaning, and yet misguided, ladies can find themselves having when they are convinced that they are giving service.
I'm a little concerned that my reviews are going to come back with, "It was a fun story, but the author clearly didn't understand the law." Yes, I do understand the law. I totally get that spying on people is against said law. That's what makes the book funny. Elderly women + breaking the law on purpose = funny. At least, it does when I do the math.
So, there you have it - my little moment of insecurity to cast a small shadow on what promises to be a hugely fun book release. Will they get it? I don't know. But you, my dear blog readers, you'll tell them, right?
As I've sent the manuscript out for reviews and told people the premise of the story, most have chuckled and said it sounds hysterical. Well, it is - an elderly Relief Society presidency who turns to espionage in order to see to the well-being of one of the families in their care, and they end up solving a real crime - that's downright funny. Their adventures along the way, their back-and-forth dialogue, their unique personalities - it's a great deal of fun.
But here and there, I've gotten, "You know, what they're doing just might be illegal. Are you sure you want them to do that?"
Yes, yes, I do want them to do that. It's sort of the point.
What I'm really hoping people get from this story is that it's a comedy. It's a spoof. It's farcical. I've heard people say that their visiting teachers are going a little too far and getting a little too nosy ... that's exactly what inspired me. What if your visiting teachers really did go too far? What if they started spying on you? That thought snowballed into what became this series, and it's a lot of fun to consider the adventures that well-meaning, and yet misguided, ladies can find themselves having when they are convinced that they are giving service.
I'm a little concerned that my reviews are going to come back with, "It was a fun story, but the author clearly didn't understand the law." Yes, I do understand the law. I totally get that spying on people is against said law. That's what makes the book funny. Elderly women + breaking the law on purpose = funny. At least, it does when I do the math.
So, there you have it - my little moment of insecurity to cast a small shadow on what promises to be a hugely fun book release. Will they get it? I don't know. But you, my dear blog readers, you'll tell them, right?
Monday, January 25, 2010
My Obession Bears Fruit!
I've been in love with classic Hollywood movies since I was a little girl. There is a movie theater on State Street in Murray called the Avalon, and when I was little, they showed classic movies. I saw "The Music Man," "Wuthering Heights," "Enchantment," "Calamity Jane," "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" - the list goes on and on. My parents took us there as regularly as they could, and as an adult, I now have my very own Netflix subscription and have kept the love alive. I've seen all the movies Fred and Ginger made together and some he made with other partners (I hate to say it, but Ginger wasn't his best partner, she was just his most famous) and I've loved every minute of it. Well, my husband grew up listening to a Doris Day album his mother had, and you know how kids rebel against things their mothers like - he hated Doris Day. I decided to take matters into my own hands and do a little reeducation. The other night, I put on "Calamity Jane" for my family, and they all loved it, from my husband down to my five-year-old son. That movie shows Doris at her most versatile, from dancing to singing to acting. I really think it's her best film ever.
When we were through watching the show, my eleven-year-old surprised me. "Mom," he said, "I think we should do this every week. We should watch a classic movie together and you can teach us all about it."
insert choir of angels and Tristi looking heavenward in gratitude
Everyone in the family agreed, and so now, we have instituted Pinkston Family Movie Night. We'll do a classic movie one week and a more contemporary film another week, and I'll get to impart my somewhat vast knowledge on the subject with my family. I'm lovin' this. Movies aren't just limited to Hannah Montana or whatever teenage rock star happens to be hot at the moment - I'm having the chance to teach my children about all eras of movie history, and I can help steer them toward the films that will be the most enjoyable for them at the same time.
Tonight we watched "Singin' in the Rain," and it was another hit. I have to thank certain movies for introducing these films to my children - "Robots" made them curious about "Singin' in the Rain," and "Wall-E" opened the door to "Hello, Dolly." Offerings coming up soon will include "Royal Wedding" (Fred Astaire and Jane Powell) and "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" (again, Jane Powell, but this time, with Howard Keel, who, incidentally, also starred in "Calamity Jane.")I can hardly wait for next week!
ANWA's Annual Writers Conference
A few years back, I had the opportunity to go down to Arizona to speak at the ANWA Conference. I had such a fantastic time! I hung out with Kerry Lynn Blair, who is a fabulous author and an even fabulous-er person, and with Kathy Jenkins, the amazing Queen Editor at Covenant. The conference was top-notch and I'll have happy memories of that weekend forever.
Now, I can't promise that you'll get to hang out with Kerry and Kathy (did I mention we went to the zoo, and a butterfly garden, and out to eat, and ... and ...) but you'll have a fantastic time!
The 2010 ANWA Writer’s Conference
“Start Write Now”
Saturday, February 27, 2010
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Dobson Ranch Inn,
1666 South Dobson Road
Mesa, Arizona 85202-5699
Open to all writers on this or any other planet
Register here
Discounted Hotel reservations available on the above registration site or by calling Dobson Ranch Inn directly at 480-831-7000 or 1-800-528-1356
Speakers:
J. Scott Savage
Author of the "Farworld" Series
Aprilynne Pike
New York Times best-selling Author of “Wings”
Doug Johnston
Publicist Extraordinaire
Nancy E. Turner
Author of “These is My Words”
Dr. Pamela Goodfellow
Writing Coach, Editor
and Owner of Goodfellow Publishing Services
Sara Fujimura
Author and Magazine Writer
Helen Bair
Counselor and Author of “Finding the Healer in Me”
Marsha Ward
Author of the “Owen Family” Series
Book signings at end of conference
Early Registration
General Public: $75 before February 7, 2010
ANWA Members $60
After Feb. 7 add $5
Cost includes Catered Lunch
For questions contact, the ANWA 2010 Conference Chair Person, Cindy R. Williams at cindywilliams@q.com or Conference Registrar, Krista Darrach at kristadarrach@yahoo.com
As a side note, I won't be there personally, but if you can make it, I really think you ought to go!
Now, I can't promise that you'll get to hang out with Kerry and Kathy (did I mention we went to the zoo, and a butterfly garden, and out to eat, and ... and ...) but you'll have a fantastic time!
The 2010 ANWA Writer’s Conference
“Start Write Now”
Saturday, February 27, 2010
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Dobson Ranch Inn,
1666 South Dobson Road
Mesa, Arizona 85202-5699
Open to all writers on this or any other planet
Register here
Discounted Hotel reservations available on the above registration site or by calling Dobson Ranch Inn directly at 480-831-7000 or 1-800-528-1356
Speakers:
J. Scott Savage
Author of the "Farworld" Series
Aprilynne Pike
New York Times best-selling Author of “Wings”
Doug Johnston
Publicist Extraordinaire
Nancy E. Turner
Author of “These is My Words”
Dr. Pamela Goodfellow
Writing Coach, Editor
and Owner of Goodfellow Publishing Services
Sara Fujimura
Author and Magazine Writer
Helen Bair
Counselor and Author of “Finding the Healer in Me”
Marsha Ward
Author of the “Owen Family” Series
Book signings at end of conference
Early Registration
General Public: $75 before February 7, 2010
ANWA Members $60
After Feb. 7 add $5
Cost includes Catered Lunch
For questions contact, the ANWA 2010 Conference Chair Person, Cindy R. Williams at cindywilliams@q.com or Conference Registrar, Krista Darrach at kristadarrach@yahoo.com
As a side note, I won't be there personally, but if you can make it, I really think you ought to go!
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Life, the Universe, and Everything
If you're a writer of sci-fi or fantasy, or if you just want to know more about writing in general, you should check out "Life, the Universe, and Everything," a symposium held yearly at BYU. This year it's taking place February 11-13th. I've been invited to sit on two panels.
Saturday, 10:00 - What Exactly Does an Editor Do, Anyway?
and
Saturday, 2:00 - Regional Publishers
Check out this link and see if you can come join us. I'll only be there on Saturday, but I plan to have scads of fun. And did I mention, it's free?
Saturday, 10:00 - What Exactly Does an Editor Do, Anyway?
and
Saturday, 2:00 - Regional Publishers
Check out this link and see if you can come join us. I'll only be there on Saturday, but I plan to have scads of fun. And did I mention, it's free?
Friday, January 22, 2010
Right Click by Susan Aylworth
On the day Sarah Kimball planned to mail out wedding invitations, her fiancé, Kyle, trampled her heart with this confession: his supposedly ex-girlfriend is pregnant, and he’s the father. Talk about shock! Six months later, Sarah is moving forward as a successful teacher with her own home and a fabulous roommate. Her exasperating yet adoring family members are setting her up with every eligible man within reach — even virtually. Sarah thinks she has everything under control — until a few wrong clicks prove otherwise.Searching her soul, Sarah confronts deep humiliation and anger over Kyle’s betrayal. As fierce pride claws her from within, she seeks healing through the Savior’s tender mercy. When Sarah meets Craig, who was also badly wounded by love, she finds another chance at happiness — but can both of them leave their painful pasts behind and fully embrace the freeing power of forgiveness?
When I read this backliner, I wasn't really sure what to expect. I'm not necessarily a romance reader, per se - I like my romance mixed in with suspense, or history, or comedy, rather than straight romance. This book had elements of wry humor, which I loved. It showed a lot of very realistic human emotion, and ... the part I liked best ... the conclusion took a twist. Throughout the book, we're pretty sure it's going to turn out one way, but when the ending arrives, and it was all brought together, it was surprising without seeming contrived, and it just felt right. That's a tricky thing for a novelist to accomplish, bringing about a twist that feels right.
I was also impressed by the portrayal of Sarah, the main character. She was badly hurt, and so of course, she's feeling defensive. She wants to let down her guard and open herself back up to love, but it's hard for her. This was all portrayed very well. Her reactions seemed natural rather than overly dramatic, which is also a tricky balance to maintain in fiction. Hats off to the author for finding that balance.
"Right Click" by Susan Aylworth is a delightful, different LDS romance novel that exceeded my expectations while thoroughly entertaining me.
*This book was provided to me free of charge. My opinions, as always, are my own.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
I'm Feeling Good . . . Announcement from Tristi
It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life for me ... and I'm feeling good.
What has me feeling so awesome, you ask?
My new novel, "Secret Sisters," which will be released in March, is now available for preorder.
Go check it out here and spread the word far and wide!
What has me feeling so awesome, you ask?
My new novel, "Secret Sisters," which will be released in March, is now available for preorder.
Go check it out here and spread the word far and wide!
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Virtual Book Tours - Becoming the Perfect Host
Over the course of the last few years, I've set up several virtual book tours for authors who are seeking to expand their publicity on the Internet. The concept of virtual touring is fairly new in our market. Publishers or authors send out copies of their books to bloggers who have agreed to read and review those books on a certain date, and then the links are gathered up and posted at a single location. People who want to read the reviews can follow along with the tour and get a good sampling of opinions from several different sources.
I'm frequently asked by bloggers what they can do to make their sites more attractive to the book-buying reader, and how they can increase the likelihood that they will be chosen to host book tours. I've put together a few thoughts.
1. Make your blog more visible. The more visible your blog, the more useful it is on a virtual book tour. The purpose of the tour is to expose the name of the book to as many people as possible, but if you only have five followers and you only get ten hits a week, that doesn't propel the book forward in a meaningful way. You should work to increase your following. One of the easiest ways I've found to do this is to visit other blogs and leave friendly comments. The blogger you visit will most likely return your visit, and if they like what they see on your blog, they are likely to come back. (More on this in under Item #2.) In addition, readers who follow that blog will see your name, become curious as to who you are, and follow you back to your blog. Going blog-hopping, as I call it, isn't just a good way to spread the word about your blog, but it's a great way to make new friends. I have several good friends I met through blogging that I know in no other way. I was just hopping around one day, ran into them, we hit it off, and have been friends ever since.
One quick note about leaving comments on other blogs. Don't leave comments like, "Hi, come visit my blog." That's not showing respect for the other blogger. You want them to visit you because you have said something of value. You're not looking for addresses for a mass-mailing - you're looking for bloggers with interests similar to yours. Be respectful of their time and their blog. That is the basis of a good blog relationship.
2. Make Your Blog Interesting. This sounds like a no-brainer, but your blog needs to be interesting. Blog about several different topics, or, if you specialize, blog about several different aspects of your chosen topic. Include interesting links. Post visually interesting pictures. Perhaps most importantly, post regularly. If you only post once a month, you're not keeping up the momentum you need in order to create and maintain traffic.
The more you comment and the more you blog, the more visible you become on the Internet. Your name will climb higher on the search engine lists, and that in turn will bring you more readers. It's like a snowball rolling down the mountain, growing larger as it goes.
3. Make Yourself Accessible. When you set up your blog, make sure that your e-mail address is visible to your readers, and also that when someone clicks on your comment, your blog information comes up. I've had several interesting comments left on my blog and I've wanted to go see who left them and pay them a return visit, but their profiles are blocked and I can't. I know that sometimes, people keep that information to themselves out of concern for their privacy, but you can set up your blog with an e-mail address created just for that purpose, and you can set up your profile to be vague as to your location, etc. But it's crucial that people be able to find you and communicate with you if you're interested in being a book tour host.
4. Provide Good Reviews. I don't mean that all your reviews need to be glowing. When I say "good reviews," I mean, be thoughtful in your evaluation. Give your readers more than just, "I liked this book a lot." Explain why you liked it and how it made you feel. If there were parts of the book that didn't work for you, explain why. A good book reviewer shares all their opinions, positive and negative. However, a good book reviewer will phrase their objections constructively. Rather than saying, "This author should be shot before being allowed to publish another book," say, "The dialogue was poorly constructed and I would have liked to see more character development." Constructive criticism goes a long way toward helping the author learn and grow. Raking them over the coals doesn't help anyone - it just makes you look like a big meany. And, if the book is so terrible that you can't even think of a polite way to state your objections, there is no harm in contacting the publisher or author and explaining that you'd rather pass on the review.
In summary, as you increase your name recognition and bring more readers to your blog, as you provide interesting content overall and make a special commitment to writing good book reviews, you make yourself a perfect host for virtual book tours.
If you are interested in becoming a host for the tours I set up, please contact me at tristipinkston AT gmail.com
I'm frequently asked by bloggers what they can do to make their sites more attractive to the book-buying reader, and how they can increase the likelihood that they will be chosen to host book tours. I've put together a few thoughts.
1. Make your blog more visible. The more visible your blog, the more useful it is on a virtual book tour. The purpose of the tour is to expose the name of the book to as many people as possible, but if you only have five followers and you only get ten hits a week, that doesn't propel the book forward in a meaningful way. You should work to increase your following. One of the easiest ways I've found to do this is to visit other blogs and leave friendly comments. The blogger you visit will most likely return your visit, and if they like what they see on your blog, they are likely to come back. (More on this in under Item #2.) In addition, readers who follow that blog will see your name, become curious as to who you are, and follow you back to your blog. Going blog-hopping, as I call it, isn't just a good way to spread the word about your blog, but it's a great way to make new friends. I have several good friends I met through blogging that I know in no other way. I was just hopping around one day, ran into them, we hit it off, and have been friends ever since.
One quick note about leaving comments on other blogs. Don't leave comments like, "Hi, come visit my blog." That's not showing respect for the other blogger. You want them to visit you because you have said something of value. You're not looking for addresses for a mass-mailing - you're looking for bloggers with interests similar to yours. Be respectful of their time and their blog. That is the basis of a good blog relationship.
2. Make Your Blog Interesting. This sounds like a no-brainer, but your blog needs to be interesting. Blog about several different topics, or, if you specialize, blog about several different aspects of your chosen topic. Include interesting links. Post visually interesting pictures. Perhaps most importantly, post regularly. If you only post once a month, you're not keeping up the momentum you need in order to create and maintain traffic.
The more you comment and the more you blog, the more visible you become on the Internet. Your name will climb higher on the search engine lists, and that in turn will bring you more readers. It's like a snowball rolling down the mountain, growing larger as it goes.
3. Make Yourself Accessible. When you set up your blog, make sure that your e-mail address is visible to your readers, and also that when someone clicks on your comment, your blog information comes up. I've had several interesting comments left on my blog and I've wanted to go see who left them and pay them a return visit, but their profiles are blocked and I can't. I know that sometimes, people keep that information to themselves out of concern for their privacy, but you can set up your blog with an e-mail address created just for that purpose, and you can set up your profile to be vague as to your location, etc. But it's crucial that people be able to find you and communicate with you if you're interested in being a book tour host.
4. Provide Good Reviews. I don't mean that all your reviews need to be glowing. When I say "good reviews," I mean, be thoughtful in your evaluation. Give your readers more than just, "I liked this book a lot." Explain why you liked it and how it made you feel. If there were parts of the book that didn't work for you, explain why. A good book reviewer shares all their opinions, positive and negative. However, a good book reviewer will phrase their objections constructively. Rather than saying, "This author should be shot before being allowed to publish another book," say, "The dialogue was poorly constructed and I would have liked to see more character development." Constructive criticism goes a long way toward helping the author learn and grow. Raking them over the coals doesn't help anyone - it just makes you look like a big meany. And, if the book is so terrible that you can't even think of a polite way to state your objections, there is no harm in contacting the publisher or author and explaining that you'd rather pass on the review.
In summary, as you increase your name recognition and bring more readers to your blog, as you provide interesting content overall and make a special commitment to writing good book reviews, you make yourself a perfect host for virtual book tours.
If you are interested in becoming a host for the tours I set up, please contact me at tristipinkston AT gmail.com
Sunday, January 10, 2010
You Just Might Save a Life
I invite and encourage you to copy and paste this blog onto your own blogs. Please note my name as the author, but feel free to share it.
This afternoon as I ran my errands, I was stopped at a red light for several minutes. A police car came racing through the intersection, cut across traffic, and pulled up to the curb just outside my window. I looked over and saw a man lying on the grass in front of the business on the corner. The officer shook him, and shook him, and got no response. Chills raced down my arms as I thought, "That man is dead." The officer grabbed the radio off his shoulder and spoke into it, then continued to shake the man on the ground.
From the left, an ambulance pulled up, and another police car as well. Across the intersection, a fire truck came to a stop, unable to cross because of the thick lines of traffic in his way. He laid on his horn and finally was able to cross when the drivers of the cars finally realized that flashing lights, plus a siren, plus a horn, means that something's up.
The man on the ground at last sat up. I took a deep breath of relief, and I'm sure the original officer did, too. At that moment, my light turned and I drove away, so glad that I'd seen that the man was alive before I had to go.
But then my frustration turned to the traffic. It is the law that when you see a police car, fire truck, ambulance, what-have-you, and they displaying their flashing lights, you get out of their way. Obviously, if the sirens are on, you really, really get out of their way. You pull over if you can. You don't go into an intersection if you see an emergency vehicle rushing through it. You always give them the right of way, you let them pass, you do whatever it takes to make sure they get where they are going without delay.
I have seen drivers refuse to pull out of the way of emergency vehicles. I have seen cars zoom in front, feeling that they could get out of the way by just going faster. One day, I was stopped at an intersection when a fire truck came through. The light had been changed to red in all four directions so the truck wouldn't have competition for the road. We all waited, able to hear the siren, knowing the truck was on its way. But then a car from one side of the intersection decided it could make it if it just zoomed on through. It darted out right in front of the fire truck, which had to hit its brakes to avoid a collision. If that crash had taken place, the driver of that car would have kept the firefighters from getting to their destination. Sure, another truck could have been dispatched, but how long would it have taken?
When you're having a heart attack, and you're in terrible pain, you need to know that your call to 9-1-1 was heard and that you will be helped. If you're trapped behind your steering wheel after a bad crash, if someone is breaking into your house, if you just pulled all your children out of their beds and you're huddled on your lawn, watching your house go up in flames, you pray that help is on the way. You need to know that you will be rescued. You need to know that someone is coming who can help you and even save your life. Every second feels like an eternity to you.
If you are one of those drivers who refuses to pull over, you're not only breaking the law, you are guilty of one of the biggest acts of disrespect I can name. Someone is waiting for that fire truck you're blocking. Someone is waiting for that police officer you just cut off. That ambulance that had to honk you out of the way was carrying life-saving supplies to someone whose very survival depended on help's quick arrival. I'm sorry if you're five minutes late to your hair appointment, or if your boss will be mad if you punch in late. I'm sorry if you need to grab some salad to go with dinner and your in-laws will be at your house any minute. Yes, you're in a hurry, but no emergency of yours is as great as the emergency faced by those men and women in uniform who are hurrying to the scene. The slight delay you cause them could mean the difference between life and death for someone.
I urge all of you, regardless of your current level of awareness, to become even more aware. When you see an emergency response vehicle, do a double-take and see if their lights are on, or if they're just going from one place to another. Be mindful that they could get a call on their radios at any time and could go from tooling along down the road to flipping into high gear and needing you out of the way immediately. If you're driving in front of them, keep them in your rearview mirror so you'll know right away if they need you to move. If you see a police officer parked along the side of the road, give the car a wide berth, going out into the median if necessary. Officers get struck and killed by cars zooming by while they are entering or exiting their vehicles, sometimes on very routine calls that should never have cost them their lives.
Selfishness has no place in driving, and it certainly has no place on the same road as emergency vehicles. If you were the person who placed a 9-1-1 call, you've be praying that help arrived immediately and didn't get caught in traffic. Show the same courtesy to others. It's the law, and it's the right thing to do. - Tristi Pinkston
This afternoon as I ran my errands, I was stopped at a red light for several minutes. A police car came racing through the intersection, cut across traffic, and pulled up to the curb just outside my window. I looked over and saw a man lying on the grass in front of the business on the corner. The officer shook him, and shook him, and got no response. Chills raced down my arms as I thought, "That man is dead." The officer grabbed the radio off his shoulder and spoke into it, then continued to shake the man on the ground.From the left, an ambulance pulled up, and another police car as well. Across the intersection, a fire truck came to a stop, unable to cross because of the thick lines of traffic in his way. He laid on his horn and finally was able to cross when the drivers of the cars finally realized that flashing lights, plus a siren, plus a horn, means that something's up.
The man on the ground at last sat up. I took a deep breath of relief, and I'm sure the original officer did, too. At that moment, my light turned and I drove away, so glad that I'd seen that the man was alive before I had to go.
But then my frustration turned to the traffic. It is the law that when you see a police car, fire truck, ambulance, what-have-you, and they displaying their flashing lights, you get out of their way. Obviously, if the sirens are on, you really, really get out of their way. You pull over if you can. You don't go into an intersection if you see an emergency vehicle rushing through it. You always give them the right of way, you let them pass, you do whatever it takes to make sure they get where they are going without delay.
I have seen drivers refuse to pull out of the way of emergency vehicles. I have seen cars zoom in front, feeling that they could get out of the way by just going faster. One day, I was stopped at an intersection when a fire truck came through. The light had been changed to red in all four directions so the truck wouldn't have competition for the road. We all waited, able to hear the siren, knowing the truck was on its way. But then a car from one side of the intersection decided it could make it if it just zoomed on through. It darted out right in front of the fire truck, which had to hit its brakes to avoid a collision. If that crash had taken place, the driver of that car would have kept the firefighters from getting to their destination. Sure, another truck could have been dispatched, but how long would it have taken?
When you're having a heart attack, and you're in terrible pain, you need to know that your call to 9-1-1 was heard and that you will be helped. If you're trapped behind your steering wheel after a bad crash, if someone is breaking into your house, if you just pulled all your children out of their beds and you're huddled on your lawn, watching your house go up in flames, you pray that help is on the way. You need to know that you will be rescued. You need to know that someone is coming who can help you and even save your life. Every second feels like an eternity to you.
If you are one of those drivers who refuses to pull over, you're not only breaking the law, you are guilty of one of the biggest acts of disrespect I can name. Someone is waiting for that fire truck you're blocking. Someone is waiting for that police officer you just cut off. That ambulance that had to honk you out of the way was carrying life-saving supplies to someone whose very survival depended on help's quick arrival. I'm sorry if you're five minutes late to your hair appointment, or if your boss will be mad if you punch in late. I'm sorry if you need to grab some salad to go with dinner and your in-laws will be at your house any minute. Yes, you're in a hurry, but no emergency of yours is as great as the emergency faced by those men and women in uniform who are hurrying to the scene. The slight delay you cause them could mean the difference between life and death for someone.
I urge all of you, regardless of your current level of awareness, to become even more aware. When you see an emergency response vehicle, do a double-take and see if their lights are on, or if they're just going from one place to another. Be mindful that they could get a call on their radios at any time and could go from tooling along down the road to flipping into high gear and needing you out of the way immediately. If you're driving in front of them, keep them in your rearview mirror so you'll know right away if they need you to move. If you see a police officer parked along the side of the road, give the car a wide berth, going out into the median if necessary. Officers get struck and killed by cars zooming by while they are entering or exiting their vehicles, sometimes on very routine calls that should never have cost them their lives.
Selfishness has no place in driving, and it certainly has no place on the same road as emergency vehicles. If you were the person who placed a 9-1-1 call, you've be praying that help arrived immediately and didn't get caught in traffic. Show the same courtesy to others. It's the law, and it's the right thing to do. - Tristi Pinkston
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
This Little Piggy ...
I have to shake my head just a little bit whenever I hear someone talk about the swine flu. People, it's not any more dangerous than regular flu ... more people have died from regular flu than from swine flu. I found this on Inksplasher and laughed so hard, I had to share.
It's Time to Say Goodbye ...
This last weekend, I don't know what got into us. My husband and I spent a couple of hours rearranging and cleaning and throwing out. I ran to Walmart and got a new broom, dustpan, mop, and huge bottle of Pine-Sol. We scrubbed and wiped and wore ourselves out.
I considered taking before and after pictures for the blog, but decided it wasn't worth the humiliation that would inevitably go along with showing the before pictures. Yes, I'm proud of the after, but I'm content to just let you imagine rather than showing you the reality of the before.
As we were cleaning out cupboards, I happened upon this:
My mom made each of us one of these plates in Relief Society back a million years ago when I was just a little girl. I've had mine ever since and loved it. In fact, I think my sisters each have theirs, too ... I'll have to ask them. I'm curious now.
But as I pulled mine from the cupboard, I noticed that the back of the plate had been marred and stained, and bubbles were starting to form in the Melmac on the front. It's not really safe to eat off it anymore - you wouldn't want to get a piece of plastic on your fork and then ingest it.
I decided to retire this piece of history, and to take a picture to treasure instead.
I do this a lot when I need to discard something - I'll take its picture so I'll remember it, and then I don't have guilt for throwing it away. I can remember the fond thoughts that go along with it, but I don't have an attic full of boxes of things I can't bear to part with. There are certain things I'll always keep, like my stuffed pink dog, but other things, I can afford to throw away.
Goodbye, rabbit plate. I'll miss you. But thank you for being mine for as long as you were.
I considered taking before and after pictures for the blog, but decided it wasn't worth the humiliation that would inevitably go along with showing the before pictures. Yes, I'm proud of the after, but I'm content to just let you imagine rather than showing you the reality of the before.
As we were cleaning out cupboards, I happened upon this:
My mom made each of us one of these plates in Relief Society back a million years ago when I was just a little girl. I've had mine ever since and loved it. In fact, I think my sisters each have theirs, too ... I'll have to ask them. I'm curious now. But as I pulled mine from the cupboard, I noticed that the back of the plate had been marred and stained, and bubbles were starting to form in the Melmac on the front. It's not really safe to eat off it anymore - you wouldn't want to get a piece of plastic on your fork and then ingest it.
I decided to retire this piece of history, and to take a picture to treasure instead.
I do this a lot when I need to discard something - I'll take its picture so I'll remember it, and then I don't have guilt for throwing it away. I can remember the fond thoughts that go along with it, but I don't have an attic full of boxes of things I can't bear to part with. There are certain things I'll always keep, like my stuffed pink dog, but other things, I can afford to throw away.
Goodbye, rabbit plate. I'll miss you. But thank you for being mine for as long as you were.
Saturday, January 02, 2010
Book Review - The Adventures of Hashbrown Winters by Frank L. Cole
"The Adventures of Hashbrown Winters" is the first offering from middle-grade novelist Frank L. Cole. Hashbrown Winters is a boy with a problem. He didn't mean for it to happen, but he accidentally sort of squished the pet roach belonging to the school bully with his prize marble, and now that bully wants revenge. The only way for Hashbrown to gain safety is to seek out the school's mafia boss and beg for protection. He ultimately succeeds, but the way is left clear for a sequel, which will be released next week.
The story is geared to the younger reader, but is filled with hyperbole I think is best understood and appreciated by adults, so parents and children might enjoy reading the book together. The plots and schemes are rather clever and the book is definitely unique in its presentation.
I did have one slight issue - but I offer it with the understanding that I am not this book's target audience. Rather than being a middle-school-aged boy, I am a thirty-three-year-old woman, and so my perspective will be a bit different. But I wasn't really in to all the potty humor contained in the book. It was just over the top for me. But that being said, I know that some readers will find it hilarious. Personally, I best enjoyed the segments of wry humor that were not potty-related.
(This book was released in 2009 by Bonneville Books.)
Note: I received this book as a gift from the author in exchange for a review.
Friday, January 01, 2010
Sponsors of My Merry Month of Miracles Contest
The following individuals/businesses generously sponsored my Merry Month of Miracles contest during the month of December, 2010.
Josi Kilpack, author of women's fiction and cozy mysteries
Anne Bradshaw, author of fiction and nonfiction for the LDS market
Rachelle Christensen, author of suspense and nonfiction
Laura Bingham, author of young adult fantasy
DeDe Smith of DesignzbyDeDe, digital scrapbooking kits
Anita Stansfield, author of women's fiction and romance
Michele Paige Holmes, author of women's fiction
Alison Palmer, author of nonfiction for the LDS market and fiction novels
K. C. Grant, author of Book of Mormon fiction
Daron D. Fraley, author of religious speculative fiction
Shirley Bahlmann, author of just about everything you can imagine
Gordon Ryan, author of historical fiction and political thrillers
Michele Ashman Bell, author of women's fiction and romance
Andrea Sherwood, representing Choffy
Rachel Rager, author of sweet romance
Angela Eschler, representing Eschler Editing
Lori Nawyn, artist and author of women's fiction
Jill Swensen, representing the Etsy shop Yarrrn
Sandra Sorensen, representing the Etsy shop Bangles, Beads, 'n Baubles
Dennis Agle Jr, representing Liken the Scriptures
Dana Wise, creator of beautiful vinyl signs (e-mail me for contact information)
Sandra Grey, author of historical fiction
Paulette Inman, representing Pendragon's Book Binding
Lisa Mangum, author of young adult urban fantasy
Nancy Campbell Allen, author of historical fiction
Upper Crust Aprons, beautiful hand-sewn custom aprons
Jillayne Clements, author of fiction and cookbooks
The John Clark family, owners of Lions Gate Manor
I encourage you to visit these sites and keep these products and services in mind for your future needs - let's support them and our local economy!
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