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The August wrap-up: Steel Panther and gastroenterology fun
August is over! That sound you hear is 7 million Arizonans sighing in relief. We’re still sweating, but Weather Bragging Season is in sight. And we’re below 100F and supposed to stay that way till Wednesday. Woo hoo! I can garden without melting. Also, it’s time for a quick look back at August here at Camp WTF. But first: This post is part of the Weekend Coffee Share hosted by Natalie the Explorer and What’s Been on Your Calendar hosted by Sue, Donna, Jo and Deb. Have a seat, grab a box of Extra Toasty Cheez-Its, and let’s get this party started. My poem is a finalist! First up: writing news. My poem, “Mourning…
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Busy April: Last in Line Concert and Tucson Travel
I’m still trying to figure out where March went, and now April is almost gone. I think the months pass so quickly for me because I’m a) old and b) busy. This post will be a quick slice-of-life view of the past month here at Camp WTF. It’s also part of the Weekend Coffee Share, hosted by Natalie the Explorer, and What’s Been on Your Calendar, hosted by Sue, Debbie, Donna, and Jo. The Day Job I don’t talk a lot about my day job on here, because I’m trying to keep my writing life separate from my professional life (hence the pseudonym). But it’s been a big month for me on…
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Ironwood National Monument (Weekend Coffee Share #27)
For the second week in a row, I haven’t been anywhere more interesting than my kitchen, so we’re going to relive a trip from last May to Ironwood Forest National Monument (and, of course, engage in the usual silliness). But first: welcome to the Weekend Coffee Share, hosted by Natalie the Explorer! Grab a drink, take a seat, and let’s catch up.
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Agua Caliente County Park + 80s fun (Weekend Coffee Share #24)
I did diddly squat last week, so for this week’s coffee share, we’re going to time travel back to good ol’ 2021. Buckle up! Yeah, sorry, no DeLorean for us. How much money do you think a librarian makes, anyway? Hop in the back of my 23-year-old pickup, and let’s go. But first: Welcome to the Weekend Coffee Share, hosted by Natalie the Explorer. Pretend we’re having coffee together, and I’m boring you to tears with photos and reminiscences.
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January in the rearview mirror (Weekend Coffee Share #23)
Lately I’ve been by turns baffled and terrified at how fast time is passing. 2022? Shouldn’t that be the title of a sci-fi movie? But here we are, almost a month into that sci-fi year, and I find myself in a weird, reflective mood. The last week or so has been… odd. I feel like the fog in my life has lifted, and I’ve found my blue sky again. Cheesy? Yup. But true. I’ve come to realize I’ve spent the last quite a few years just slogging through life. They’ve been hard years–lost my mom, lost one of my best friends, watched my husband suffer through multiple painful surgeries, and…
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Bring characters to life with specific details–Carrie Underwood style
Want to bring your characters to life, to make them live and breathe on the page? Use concrete, specific details. One of the most common issues I see when I critique other people’s writing (and when I look at my own early drafts) is too many generalities. Don’t tell me your character wore jeans and a t-shirt. Tell me he wore faded 501s, two sizes too small, and a Van Halen t-shirt with the sleeves ripped off. Or tell me he wore Wranglers with the outline of a Skoal can etched into the back pocket. (And I just told you I went to high school in a rural-ish town in…