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Horror writers scare the crap out of me
Posted by doggonedmysteries
One would think that since I write murder mysteries, horror wouldn’t bother me. One would be very wrong. I’ve only read a couple Stephen King books (and had to turn all the lights on in the house), I have one old autographed Jack Ketchum (Dallas, you are a dear but your writing terrifies me), and now I own several autographed Jonathan Maberry books.
The minds of horror writers scare the living crap out of me. I can describe a gory murder scene and stalk or be stalked by a killer through page after page. However, things that go bump in the night, complete psychos, zombies, and werewolves intent on brutal, mindless massacre make my skin crawl.
Yet, I am reading Jonathan Maberry’s books because he so graciously autographed all of them for me when I won his basket. (Thanks Jonathan, did I mention that live next to a cemetery?)
The cemetery doesn’t normally bother me since those neighbors are very quiet. We only worry about the live ones…or so I thought. Then I read Jonathan’s books and he completely creeped me out more than once. It may take a while before I’m comfortable again.
Posted in Misc, My blog, My books, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
Is our pond garden now Toad Hill?
Posted by doggonedmysteries
We’ve added a toad to our outdoor menagerie. The neighbor’s son presented him to us yesterday. He feels bad that our frogs are gone and thought he had one for us. I had to explain the difference between frogs and toads to him. However, I am delighted to have a voracious bug eater around again.
It won’t take him long to grow larger. With the frogs gone we do have more bugs about. Mr. Toadamus should eat well if he sticks around.
Several years ago, I brought home two that DH caught. They didn’t stick around I no sooner let them go than they packed up and headed north whistling as they went on their way. I guess they considered the frogs too much competition at the time.
I’m still hoping that the neighbor’s son will come across some native frogs and bring them home to us. They’d stay much smaller than the bullfrogs and might not go walk about as the bullfrogs did when the large bugs got scarce and the birds refused to land here after they saw others become bullfrog meals.
The little native frogs will also chow down on mosquitoes, which the bullfrogs considered too small to bother eating.
Posted in My blog, my garden, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Gardening, Gardens, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pond, Ponds, Writer, Writing
DH is getting the Ampyra!
Posted by doggonedmysteries
At least three letters, the neurologist’s intervention, and dozens of phone calls and faxes later, DH will get his Ampyra. What a total cluster f*** that was. Now, if it works, and he walks better he will be over the moon.
However, they only approved his meds for six months. I’m betting we’ll have to go through the whole dance routine again when that rolls around. Oh, what fun that will be…NOT! I can’t understand the whole process. They make you jump through enough hoops to qualify as a circus act and then they have the nerve to tell you yeah, you can have it, but only for six months.
Why? His condition isn’t going to change except maybe for the better and yet you want to toss him in the trash in six months? This sort of thing sucks.
From the looks of it, even if there are sweeping changes in our health care system, there will always be someone denied the proper care or medications.
Posted in MS related, My blog
Tags: Ampyra, Ampyra approved, Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, drug plans red tape, Family, Fiction, Healthcare, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
Dogs and cameras
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Did you ever sit there and think; “Now there are several minutes of my life that I won’t get back” I did tonight. I wanted to put up a new picture of Patty but she wasn’t cooperating. One of her best tricks is ‘stick ‘em up’ I wanted a shot of that. Twenty minutes later and I still didn’t have a picture.
Did you know that it is impossible to take a picture and work a dog at the same time? You also need to be quick on the button to catch the dog doing the trick. I wasn’t. Butt shots as she walked out of the picture didn’t work.
Tomorrow, I’ll ask DH to have her do the trick while I attempt to snap a good picture. I’m certain Patty will do better when she has her Daddy asking her to do her trick. She’ll do anything for him.
The next problem will be to keep Gavin from trying to hog the shutter time. He likes the camera. He never enjoyed the show ring but he certainly enjoys getting his picture taken. I can’t pick it up without having him try to get my attention. “Look at me, I’ll give my paw.”
Posted in Dog related, hobbies, My blog, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, digital photography, digital photos, Disability, Dog humor, Doggoned, Dogs, Family, Fiction, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pet humor, Pets, photo ops missed, photograhy, Rescue Dogs, Writer, Writing
I will pick the watermelon soon
Posted by doggonedmysteries
The sugar baby watermelon is almost ready to pick. Yes, so far we have just the one on the vines. The little yellow baby watermelon, which I’d hoped would compete with the sugar baby, died on the vine. With only one melon from two vines, it hardly seems worth the planting. We do have several cantaloupes growing nicely. I’ve had success with them before.
We will have no lack of eggplants, cucumbers, peppers, and tomatoes since all the plants are producing well so far. Right now, I’m eagerly waiting for the peppers that are supposed to turn red to do so, and for the tomatoes to ripen. The eggplants are growing like crazy. One plant has four little ones and the other two have three each. Soon G and I will both be serving fried eggplant. She was over here today drooling over the prospects.
I had almost forgotten the rosemary I’d planted near the pond last year. I will have plenty to dry since the plant is doing very well even after the freeze damage from the winter. The English lavender I picked and hung last month is dried and ready for use in whatever I want. The variegated lavender plant is starting to bloom. The scent is milder than the English lavender.
Posted in my garden, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Food, Gardening, Gardens, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
Own up
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Is it just me or is anyone else completely bugged about how celebrities get away with breaking the law? If Every-Day-Joe-Blow pulled any of this rehab instead of standing before a judge for sentencing crap, you know darned well the cops would have him in cuffs before he drew a second breath.
Celebrities are only people who have more money and press than the average person has. They are not above the law. When they break the law, they should serve the full term given to them by a judge. Fame is not and should not be a get out of jail free card. In the case of some famous people, I think I’ll add ‘grow the hell up’ to the mix.
I don’t care who you are, own up and make payment. If it is jail, serve the time, if it is fines write the checks. Did the judge order community service? Do it.
What does this teach the young people? Do you want your children or grandchildren to look up to famous people who have no respect for our laws?
Posted in Misc
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Celebrity crimes, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
Dang, they had to take that picture didn’t they?
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Geez, by now they were forgetting about me taking home all that loot from the PW conference raffle. However, they’ll be looking for the lynching rope once again when they read the PW newsletter. Yeah, it seems that there’s a darned picture of me in there with all the swag.
I should’ve ducked faster. I do not like to have my picture taken even under the best of circumstances. I don’t photograph well, never have.
I’m already saving for next year’s conference. Our annual basket donations are in preparation I have a few items for one basket set aside. Nope, I won’t tell you. You’ll have to attend the conference to find out.
Until then, happy writing everyone!
Posted in My blog, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pennwriters, Writer, Writing
Keep the readers satisfied
Posted by doggonedmysteries
A story needs a beginning, middle, and an end. Without all three, it isn’t a story.
Beginnings flow like a river with easy to navigate deep pools and rapids that make the pulse pound. Beginnings can introduce your characters to your readers. They can give your readers a time and place. Most of all, beginnings hook them.
Middles are a writer’s bane. Screw up the middle of the story and you lose your audience. You will often hear writers complain about a sagging middle. That dull, lifeless section comes between the brilliant opening and the smashing end. Middles need to move the story forward, excite the readers enough to keep them turning pages, and they add tension. Middles must sparkle as bright as the beginning and drive onward to the end. This is not easy.
An ending wraps things up with a nice bow. Whether it is the solving of a crime, the saving of the world or the success of a relationship, it satisfies the reader. Keep the readers satisfied and they will keep coming back.
Posted in My blog, My books, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
Caterpillars and butterflies
Posted by doggonedmysteries
When I was quite young, my father gave me his well-worn, dog-eared butterfly book. I have very little that was his so the book is highly treasured by me. We loved looking up caterpillars and butterflies when we saw them.
Tonight, I discovered that my bronze fennel has several caterpillars snacking on it. I grabbed the book, looked them up, and they are swallowtail butterfly caterpillars. I won’t kill them. Swallowtails are such lovely butterflies. I hope the little guys hang around long enough to change into their winged beauty. Who needs fennel when you have swallowtails to look at?
This week we’ve had a few days of much needed rain. South of us, they had quite a bit of flooding. We were lucky here. My garden is happy and I’m happy because I haven’t had to water.
The first sugar baby watermelon is almost ready to pick. I can’t wait! DH’s hand is the one holding the cucumber in the pictures from yesterday’s post. A few curious people asked whose hand it was. The cucumber measured 9 inches long with the wide end having a circumference the same measurement.
Posted in My blog, my garden, Weather related, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Food, Gardening, Gardens, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
Picture post
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Posted in My blog, my garden, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Food, Gardening, Gardens, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pond, Ponds, Writer, Writing
I need to de-clutter and organize
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Whatever happened to freestanding storage shelves? It seems that they are hard to find. I checked the two big name home improvement stores. One seemed to have no idea what I wanted, and the other had them but the prices gave me a slight case of sticker shock. It’s been many years since I bought any. They used to be cheap.
Now that I’m over the sticker shock, I will probably go buy them. I need two types, one an enclosed storage shelf unit and the other and open one. My back porch needs organization and de-cluttering. There’s entirely too much stuff sitting on the floor in the middle of it. We have one set of shelves out there now but that isn’t enough.
I figure if I put two more shelving units out there, that I might actually find the floor. I can see it now with everything organized and on shelves. The mixed in junk finally tossed into the garbage. Wow, I won’t know how to act.
Maybe once I do that I will continue and organize the entire house. Whom am I kidding? Only if Jackie volunteers to come help me, will that ever happen. Hey, Jackie I saw you duck behind your desk…
Posted in Misc, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
Too much information
Posted by doggonedmysteries
A local plastic surgeon is advertising a new liposuction. “We can remove your belly fat and use it to enlarge your butt and enhance your breasts.”
Now, the truth be told, I’d love to have some belly fat removed. It’s always been a trouble spot for me. However, even though I have no ass, I have no desire to have my fat removed from one place and added to another. Besides, since I’ve never had an ass (I’ve known several asses in my lifetime but we won’t go there) I wouldn’t know how to act, dress, or sit on one. I’m used to my flat ass. I’m betting it would seem oh so weird having new fat back there. Would I have to learn how to walk all over again? Would I bounce out of a chair if I flopped in it? I have so many questions.
That brings us to the other part of the body they will inject the fat. I’d rather have a reduction in the boob zone than an enhancement. Mine aren’t overlarge but why not have my boobs reduced so in another decade or two they aren’t pointing at the ground? Little boobs stay perky.
Posted in Misc, My blog, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, comedy, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
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