POLAR BEAR PLUNGE
Here we are in New Baltimore, MI. Time for Winterfest in spite of the fact that there is no snow, it's barely above freezing, and the sun's out--for now. It IS Michigan after all. But the plungers are ready and will soon take to the water.
When I chose a title for my holiday novella for 2011, I couldn't help but think of the many volunteers who work tediously for the Jingle Bell Run and Polar Bear Plunge here in my home town, all involved in local charities and organizations to help others.
If only I added a nurse and a bestselling returning war veteran, there might be a chance for some romance to "heat up" the winter activites. So I did. Even added a manipulating mother-in-law who planned to get her widow daughter-in-law back into circulation. "Circulation" being key for the Polar Bear Plunge and the war veteran who cracks his noggin during the festivities.
If you like laughs and a few tears, check out the novella, Polar Bear Plunge, OR stop by New Baltimore, Michigan this afternoon and take the plunge for charity.
You won't be sorry on either account!
Anybody from New Baltimore or surrounding area who attends Polar Bear Plunge today and leaves a comment and their email, will be entered in a drawing to win a copy of the book. Good luck and be blessed. I'm hoping for snow for all you plungers!
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
STOP ALREADY!
Stop already with the words and punctuation that get you nowhere fast. See if you can find problems in the sentences below. What can you do to make the sentences stronger?
-He never like the way she fixed her hair.
-I couldn’t go to town even if I wanted to.
-She literally flipped her bouncing tresses out of her perky face.
-"Celebrating birthdays just doesn’t do it for me anymore."
-Bob dropped a twenty on the table and looked at his date. “Is that enough?” he asked.
-She couldn’t even move the dresser two feet before feeling tired.
-Sadie laughed at the way her toddler waved his arms. Smiling at her husband, she said, “Isn’t he just adorable?”
-His life was over. There weren’t enough hours in the day. She was so hard to please.
-The newspaper said that he had done a poor job.
-If she could, she would do it again. It wasn’t the worst job in town. Or was it? It made no sense that people fought her about it.
-“I don’t understand! Isn’t my coming to the party enough?”
-It wasn’t important . . . or maybe . . . maybe it was. She tried . . . she really did. But to no avail.
Do you see ways to strengthen or at least stop the tired aspect of these sentences?
-He never like the way she fixed her hair.
-I couldn’t go to town even if I wanted to.
-She literally flipped her bouncing tresses out of her perky face.
-"Celebrating birthdays just doesn’t do it for me anymore."
-Bob dropped a twenty on the table and looked at his date. “Is that enough?” he asked.
-She couldn’t even move the dresser two feet before feeling tired.
-Sadie laughed at the way her toddler waved his arms. Smiling at her husband, she said, “Isn’t he just adorable?”
-His life was over. There weren’t enough hours in the day. She was so hard to please.
-The newspaper said that he had done a poor job.
-If she could, she would do it again. It wasn’t the worst job in town. Or was it? It made no sense that people fought her about it.
-“I don’t understand! Isn’t my coming to the party enough?”
-It wasn’t important . . . or maybe . . . maybe it was. She tried . . . she really did. But to no avail.
Do you see ways to strengthen or at least stop the tired aspect of these sentences?
Sunday, January 8, 2012
WHERE THERE’S A WILL…
…there’s a relative. I’m sure you’ve heard the saying. And it’s probably true in a great many instances.Common expressions can make great fodder for your stories.
Have you ever thought of going through some of the tired old expressions in order to come up with a stimulating storyline? Titles to nursery rhymes? Lines from a song? Suspense doesn’t come just from frightening news at night.
A tisket, a tasket, I bought a yellow basket. (and when I took it home, I found a mummified finger with a gold ring initialed with the letter C.) Old man Conyers had been missing for thirty years.
I saw Mommy kissing Santa…(and then he shot her.)
Ring around a rosey, a pocketful of posies. (a girl’s body is found in a lovely English garden. Zuzu’s? petals are in her pocket.)
A little corny, but you get the idea.
Wonderful, novel ideas can come from anywhere. If you sit at your keyboard and pick a topic, you’ll be surprised at how many amazing and fresh subjects will fill your head.
The next time you’re looking for a theme for a story, pick up a dictionary and just point at a word. Do you get a tingle down your spine? Maybe this is the next bestseller for 2012.
Have you ever thought of going through some of the tired old expressions in order to come up with a stimulating storyline? Titles to nursery rhymes? Lines from a song? Suspense doesn’t come just from frightening news at night.
A tisket, a tasket, I bought a yellow basket. (and when I took it home, I found a mummified finger with a gold ring initialed with the letter C.) Old man Conyers had been missing for thirty years.
I saw Mommy kissing Santa…(and then he shot her.)
Ring around a rosey, a pocketful of posies. (a girl’s body is found in a lovely English garden. Zuzu’s? petals are in her pocket.)
A little corny, but you get the idea.
Wonderful, novel ideas can come from anywhere. If you sit at your keyboard and pick a topic, you’ll be surprised at how many amazing and fresh subjects will fill your head.
The next time you’re looking for a theme for a story, pick up a dictionary and just point at a word. Do you get a tingle down your spine? Maybe this is the next bestseller for 2012.
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