{"id":5090,"date":"2022-07-15T08:51:31","date_gmt":"2022-07-15T15:51:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/janetalcorn.com\/staging\/1364\/?p=5090"},"modified":"2022-08-17T19:38:38","modified_gmt":"2022-08-18T02:38:38","slug":"books-and-serial-killers-with-gratuitous-complaints-about-the-arizona-heat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/janetalcorn.com\/staging\/1364\/2022\/07\/15\/books-and-serial-killers-with-gratuitous-complaints-about-the-arizona-heat\/","title":{"rendered":"Of books and serial killers (with gratuitous complaints about the Arizona heat)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

No, this post isn’t about our resident backyard serial killer of tomatoes<\/a>. That little beast has disappeared, because it’s now too hot here in Satan’s Anus for the tomatoes to produce fruit. Instead, they’re wilted and sad, hoping desperately for temperatures below 100F. Kind of like me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the plants and I shall hope in vain, because our forecast for the weekend looks like this: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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At least we might get some rain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maybe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But don’t worry, I’m not going to spend the rest of this post complaining about the weather. I’m saving that topic for next week. This week it’s time for the monthly What’s on Your Bookshelf Challenge, hosted by Debbie<\/a>, Sue<\/a>, Donna<\/a>, and Jo<\/a>. At least I hope this challenge is still happening. As of Friday morning, their posts aren’t up yet. Maybe they’re all on vacation, toes in the sand and books in hand. <\/s> Update 7\/22: the challenge is happening this week. I was a week early. It’s just like me to show up to a party at the wrong time… *sigh*.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s also time for the Weekend Coffee Share<\/a>, hosted by Natalie the Explorer<\/a>. Her post is up–and she has iceberg pics, y’all. I’m gonna stare at them for the next three hours to see if I can convince my body that I do not, in fact, live in Satan’s Anus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have a seat, grab a treat, and let’s get to it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Writing News<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I’ve started a new short story (as yet untitled) to submit for, yes, another contest. (Hi, I’m Janet, and I’m addicted to writing contests.) This one’s limited to 2500 words, which I’m finding refreshing. No subplots. No big cast of characters. Just two people and a night to remember. Well, one of them will remember it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I attended an amazing webinar last night courtesy of the Grand Canyon Writers<\/a> chapter of Sisters in Crime called Independence Day for Writers: Take Control of Your Writing Career. It was recorded and will be posted on their website. For an annual membership of $25, you can watch it and their many other excellent programs. I’ve mentioned here before that I’ve been in a bit of a writing slump this year. This program inspired me to tackle my first novel manuscript, Vanishing, Inc.<\/em>, again and–dare I say it–get back in the querying trenches (as soon as I finished the as-yet-untitled short story). Nothing ventured, nothing gained. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Books, Baby!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I’ve also been in a bit of a reading slump. The year’s more than half over, and I’ve read only 26 books. I’d like to say that’s because I’m writing more and exercising more, but… nah. It’s because I waste hours scrolling the news and social media in a haze of doom and misery. I mean seriously–have you seen the news and social media lately? And yet I go back for more. Every. Damn. Day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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And now I get to embarrass myself by owning up to how little I’ve read in the last month. And to the fact that a good portion of it is about serial killers. I mean, I literally read about serial killers to relax before bed at night. Because have you seen the news lately? A few grisly murders from the 1970s are a definite improvement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And then there’s this: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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And this: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Books I finished in the last month<\/h3>\n\n\n\n