The Grand-Twins at soccer
Just the grand-kids, same age but a foot apart! Brayden's the one with brown hair, Hunter's blond.
50 Authors from 50 States: Ohio ReBoot: Author and Reviewer, Wendi Zwaduk
50 Authors from 50 States: Ohio ReBoot: Author and Reviewer, Wendi Zwaduk: My name is Wendi Zwaduk and I am a lifelong resident of Ohio. Kinda like the John Mellencamp song, “Small Town” (even though it’s written a...
The No-Campfire Girls: young adult adventure
Remember, folks: I have to sell the soap, from time to time!
The No-Campfire Girls,
a YA adventure—just 99 cents on Kindle and $5 in paperback:
Fifteen year old Beth Hamlin is horrified to discover her
beloved summer camp must go without campfires this year, due to the fire hazard
from a drought. But Beth isn't one to just sit (or swim, or boat, or horseback)
around. When her new cabinmate, Cassidy, claims a local Cherokee can do a rain
dance, she jumps into action.
All they have to do is trick the Camp Director into letting Running Creek do the dance, avoid the local bully and a flying arrow or two, and keep from getting caught plotting with Cassidy’s firefighter father on a forbidden cell phone. With luck southern Indiana will get a nice, soaking rain, and Camp Inipi can have proper campfires again.
But when things go horribly wrong, the whole area is endangered by a double disaster. Now Beth and her unit may be the only people who can save not only their camp, but everyone in it.
*A portion of the proceeds of this book benefits Friends of Latonka, an organization made to save a summer camp in Wappapello, Missouri.
All they have to do is trick the Camp Director into letting Running Creek do the dance, avoid the local bully and a flying arrow or two, and keep from getting caught plotting with Cassidy’s firefighter father on a forbidden cell phone. With luck southern Indiana will get a nice, soaking rain, and Camp Inipi can have proper campfires again.
But when things go horribly wrong, the whole area is endangered by a double disaster. Now Beth and her unit may be the only people who can save not only their camp, but everyone in it.
*A portion of the proceeds of this book benefits Friends of Latonka, an organization made to save a summer camp in Wappapello, Missouri.
Mom, and the hospital, and possibly a miracle
I took a 911 call at around 4:30 Monday morning from my step-father, who found my mother in a semi-conscious state. (I don't think I need to add that I was at work at the time.)
We thought it was another bout of diabetes problems, and her blood sugar was indeed sky-high; but so was her blood pressure, and it turned out she'd had a massive stroke. At some point later she had some related mini-strokes, and she was taken unconscious to Parkview Regional Medical Center in Fort Wayne, where we spent a few days preparing ourselves for her to pass away.
Then, at about the same time of the morning as the original 911 call, she woke up. At first she had trouble talking, but within twenty-four hours she was speaking in whole sentences, sitting up, eating, and besides a few memory problems seemed much improved. It was totally unexpected by everyone, including the doctors and specialists, one of whom used the word "miracle".
Mom has atrial fibrillation, which apparently caused the clot that led to her stroke, so we're not out of the woods yet. At the very least she's in for rehab and a long recovery, and she still has to keep her diabetes and blood pressure under control--prayers are appreciated, for those who do so. Especially since we have other medical stuff going on in the family that I'm not at liberty to talk about. In any case, it's been an ... interesting week.
And, yes, a pretty stressful week.
We thought it was another bout of diabetes problems, and her blood sugar was indeed sky-high; but so was her blood pressure, and it turned out she'd had a massive stroke. At some point later she had some related mini-strokes, and she was taken unconscious to Parkview Regional Medical Center in Fort Wayne, where we spent a few days preparing ourselves for her to pass away.
Then, at about the same time of the morning as the original 911 call, she woke up. At first she had trouble talking, but within twenty-four hours she was speaking in whole sentences, sitting up, eating, and besides a few memory problems seemed much improved. It was totally unexpected by everyone, including the doctors and specialists, one of whom used the word "miracle".
Mom has atrial fibrillation, which apparently caused the clot that led to her stroke, so we're not out of the woods yet. At the very least she's in for rehab and a long recovery, and she still has to keep her diabetes and blood pressure under control--prayers are appreciated, for those who do so. Especially since we have other medical stuff going on in the family that I'm not at liberty to talk about. In any case, it's been an ... interesting week.
And, yes, a pretty stressful week.
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| That's mom, second from the right. All the way to the right is HER mom. |
Intangible Hearts: Take a Gamble on My New Romantic Adventure!
A sequel from one of my writer friends--the original was a lot of fun!
Intangible Hearts: Take a Gamble on My New Romantic Adventure!: It’s finally here!! My second book about Penny, and though it’s a standalone sequel, Penniless Souls is the second half of a two-part jour...
Intangible Hearts: Take a Gamble on My New Romantic Adventure!: It’s finally here!! My second book about Penny, and though it’s a standalone sequel, Penniless Souls is the second half of a two-part jour...
50 Authors from 50 States: 2013 Alaska Reboot with Sean Thomas
50 Authors from 50 States: 2013 Alaska Reboot with Sean Thomas: Alaska’s been my home since on and off since 1955. I grew up mostly in Eagle River. In minutes, one can drive north or south of there an...
book review: Game of Thrones, by George R.R. Martin
So ... you've probably heard of this book, which has garnered some moderate success from an otherwise unknown author by the name of George R. R. Martin. Long-winded fantasy? Who does that anymore?
My wife and I were planning two long trips this summer, so we headed to the library to find an audio book that wouldn't make the dog howl like a direwolf. We were somewhat taken aback by Game of Thrones, an audiobook roughly as thick as the U.S. tax code. It was on 28 disks.
Twenty-eight.
Over a two week period we were on the road for roughly 26 hours of driving, and we still had to renew it from the library for another few weeks.
Game of Thrones opens with an execution, and believe me when I saw that's far from the only death to come along. The story follows nine viewpoint characters on a world where summers can last decades but winter hits hard, where dragons once flew, and where a giant, centuries old ice wall protects the continent of Westeros from the supernatural dangers of the north.
Most of the story revolves around the Stark family, led by Lord Eddard "Ned" Stark. After a long war, Ned's best friend Robert has become king of an assemblage of former nations, and now wants the reluctant Ned to be the King's Hand--basically the guy who does all of his dirty work. The honorable and dutiful Ned--you won't find a lot of characters like that here, outside of the Stark family--packs up and dives into the politics of an increasingly divided kingdom.
What could possibly go wrong? In Martin's world, pretty much everything. Tragedy, misunderstandings, treachery, and accidents ensue, as various characters give and take allegiance while others plot for power and ... well, pretty much just power. Despite Ned's desire to just go home, he finds himself entangled in events that will bring war to their world, even while winter nears and evil from north of the wall approaches. Meanwhile, the former royal family of the kingdom plots to take back what they consider theirs.
Sound complicated? It is. You can find dozens of maps online, just to show people where all the lands and cities are, and character trees to make interrelationships a little more clear. There's also plenty of nastiness, from graphic violence to child endangerment to incest. It's dark, detailed, and horribly addictive.
Emily and I were still catching our breaths when she took the audiobook back to the library. She returned with a new book, this time on good old fashioned paper, and I later determined it was five times as long as my first published novel.
Yep. Second book in the series, A Clash of Kings. We haven't seen the TV series, but my biggest warning about the world of A Song of Ice and Fire (which is the name of the entire book series) is that you should maybe schedule some vacation days before you start reading.
My wife and I were planning two long trips this summer, so we headed to the library to find an audio book that wouldn't make the dog howl like a direwolf. We were somewhat taken aback by Game of Thrones, an audiobook roughly as thick as the U.S. tax code. It was on 28 disks.
Twenty-eight.
 |
| Winter is coming. Maybe they could get some heated cushions for that uncomfortable iron throne. |
Over a two week period we were on the road for roughly 26 hours of driving, and we still had to renew it from the library for another few weeks.
Game of Thrones opens with an execution, and believe me when I saw that's far from the only death to come along. The story follows nine viewpoint characters on a world where summers can last decades but winter hits hard, where dragons once flew, and where a giant, centuries old ice wall protects the continent of Westeros from the supernatural dangers of the north.
Most of the story revolves around the Stark family, led by Lord Eddard "Ned" Stark. After a long war, Ned's best friend Robert has become king of an assemblage of former nations, and now wants the reluctant Ned to be the King's Hand--basically the guy who does all of his dirty work. The honorable and dutiful Ned--you won't find a lot of characters like that here, outside of the Stark family--packs up and dives into the politics of an increasingly divided kingdom.
What could possibly go wrong? In Martin's world, pretty much everything. Tragedy, misunderstandings, treachery, and accidents ensue, as various characters give and take allegiance while others plot for power and ... well, pretty much just power. Despite Ned's desire to just go home, he finds himself entangled in events that will bring war to their world, even while winter nears and evil from north of the wall approaches. Meanwhile, the former royal family of the kingdom plots to take back what they consider theirs.
Sound complicated? It is. You can find dozens of maps online, just to show people where all the lands and cities are, and character trees to make interrelationships a little more clear. There's also plenty of nastiness, from graphic violence to child endangerment to incest. It's dark, detailed, and horribly addictive.
Emily and I were still catching our breaths when she took the audiobook back to the library. She returned with a new book, this time on good old fashioned paper, and I later determined it was five times as long as my first published novel.
 |
| Also useful in knocking out burglars. |
Yep. Second book in the series, A Clash of Kings. We haven't seen the TV series, but my biggest warning about the world of A Song of Ice and Fire (which is the name of the entire book series) is that you should maybe schedule some vacation days before you start reading.
 |
| HBO covered this book in seasons three through twelve. |
She does Pokemon, I do photography, cute meet in downtown Albion
Apparently they do this periodic special thing in the Pokemon Go world where you can catch these very special, extra-shiny Pokemon, shove them into tiny prisons, then force them to battle each other to the death. Or something like that.
I don't do Pokemon, because I'd rather be writing about tiny beings fighting to the death in tiny prisons, which come to think of it I just came up with a great story idea. But Sunday I walked up to the Noble County Courthouse square to join Emily, who'd already been up there for awhile catchin' 'em all. I could have spent the time with her making fun of Pokemon, but Emily kicks really hard. So instead, I took pictures. (As usual, you can click on these to make them bigger. I think.)
I don't do Pokemon, because I'd rather be writing about tiny beings fighting to the death in tiny prisons, which come to think of it I just came up with a great story idea. But Sunday I walked up to the Noble County Courthouse square to join Emily, who'd already been up there for awhile catchin' 'em all. I could have spent the time with her making fun of Pokemon, but Emily kicks really hard. So instead, I took pictures. (As usual, you can click on these to make them bigger. I think.)
 |
| Yeah, okay, I took more photos of the courthouse. Someday I'll do a Noble County Courthouse calender, and you'll all want one. |
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| This is the geographical center of Noble County, give or take some concrete and asphalt. It's also the location of the tiny police booth, which has become something of an icon, and the "liar's bench", which perhaps ironically is right by the police booth. |
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| Volunteers keep downtown Albion flowered and flagged all summer long. |
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| Just as the District of Columbia was originally formed from pieces of two states, Albion was built at the border of two townships, so they took half a square mile of each and made Albion Township--the smallest township in the USA. The streetlight on the left is a reproduction of the original from the 1800s. Lighting it by striking two rocks together is a pain. |
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| I've often mentioned the Black Building, which is green, and the third building there built by the Black family. (The first two were wood, and thus highly flammable.) The art gallery there is the only place where you can buy all my books right off the shelf, which is appropriate considering it's mentioned in two of them. |
Bum Knee, Writer's Paradise
I banged up my knee a little, probably last Friday when we did some hiking at the Portland Arch Nature Preserve, and then the Fall Creek Gorge Preserve, in West Central Indiana. Not a lot of bang; just a bit of pain and swelling, enough for my chiropractor to tell me I should stay off it for a little while.
My very first thought when she said that was: "Ooh! An excuse to stay on the couch and work on my writing!"
Like I should need an excuse.
My very first thought when she said that was: "Ooh! An excuse to stay on the couch and work on my writing!"
Like I should need an excuse.
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| I know what your first thought was: Don't worry, sure-footed Beowulf was fine. |
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| She fell during a climb down, and I'm the one in pain. What's up with that? |
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| Way more impressive than it looks here; I'll post more photos later. |
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| Both the trails were listed as "rugged", and that was before we walked up the stream. |
More Fire Training Photos, or: Fun With Fire Trucks
Some photos I took at an Albion Fire Department training earlier this summer. As I recall, the temperatures got into the high 80s that day ... that's good weather for spraying water. After all, this is Indiana--it's not like the humidity could go up any more.
The photography part was spur of the moment this time, so these are cell phone photos ... although cell phone cameras are getting a lot better, these days. Considering how much I love taking pictures, I should keep the regular camera closer.
The photography part was spur of the moment this time, so these are cell phone photos ... although cell phone cameras are getting a lot better, these days. Considering how much I love taking pictures, I should keep the regular camera closer.
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