Book Review: “The Third Thing”, by Sirkka Smith
Love. Friendship. Weird Birds. Thirty-one-year-old Xiomara (Xo) wants a reset on life. She ditches her job and heads to the small town of Lingen where she accepts a part-time position doing what she loves: drawing and painting local birds for an upcoming field guide. As much as she would like a boyfriend, she feels awkward, … Continue reading Book Review: “The Third Thing”, by Sirkka Smith
Announcing…
So many of my ideas start with a picture in my mind whether I'm working on a novel, or brainstorming a blog post. Sadly, I'm no artist. But Sarah C. Bittel is and I'm excited to announce that we've teamed up to create this periodic comic strip, The Introvert Files. We hope you enjoy it.
Sensitivity
I learned something the other day: In the military it is not okay to refer to a subordinate by their first name. It implies an over-friendly superior-subordinate relationship and can actually be a punishable offense. I knew it was common to use last names but I hate doing what’s common and I thought, why can’t … Continue reading Sensitivity
War Sonnets: A Collage
Today's post: a collage of images I use to represent my characters, Leo, Dooley, Woody, Cal, Sergeant Ryan, Lt. Inoue, Kaito, Tadashi, Sachiko, Harry, Russo, and Johnson, and their surroundings. Can you spot the protagonists? Antagonists? There are two of each.
Hooked on Ender
Ender’s Game, the movie based on the novel by Orson Scott Card has been on my watch list for awhile now. But like so many movies that appeal to me, I never got around to seeing it. So when I was on the hunt for books at my favorite used-book store, Thrift Books, I decided … Continue reading Hooked on Ender
My Christmas Book Wishlist
Is anyone out there who doesn't love to read? Hands up? Didn't think so. Several of my favorite authors have recently or will soon release new titles. The Evening and the Morning--Ken FollettHis books are l-o-o-o-ng but usually really good and interesting historical fiction.Troubled Blood--Robert GalbraithGalbraith, aka JK Rowling writes a good mystery. This is … Continue reading My Christmas Book Wishlist
Symbols of Me
Have you noticed the image at the bottom of my homepage? That's not just some random clip art. It's an image designed by my daughter that is meant to be a wrist tattoo (that I might actually get some day), and it has an important significance to me. Several years ago I was seeing a … Continue reading Symbols of Me
Book Review: “If Darkness Takes Us” by Brenda Marie Smith
Imagine you're an old lady, settled in your ways, just you and the old man. And then the power goes off: a solar pulse has disrupted the entire energy grid. But it's not just electricity that's been lost. There's no water, no cell phone, no computer. Anything with any kind of electronics no longer functions, … Continue reading Book Review: “If Darkness Takes Us” by Brenda Marie Smith
S-H-O-P is a four-letter word
I hate shopping. How about you? The stores, the crowds, the noise. It’s a nightmare of the worst kind in which I only know English and everyone else is speaking Chinese. Shopping drains every last bit of energy out of my batteries. Black Friday? WORST. DAY. EVER! via GIPHY Who knew when the internet was … Continue reading S-H-O-P is a four-letter word