tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15068512913026929372024-03-14T02:50:46.550-04:00Denise Golinowski's GambolGambol - n. a light-hearted recreational activity for diversion or amusementDenise Golinowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04646310909366020757noreply@blogger.comBlogger105125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506851291302692937.post-86246729639785770022014-03-31T09:30:00.000-04:002014-03-31T09:30:04.061-04:00Movin' on up - See you on the flip side!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Hello! You've reached the former blog of Denise Golinowski. Sorry I'm not here anymore, but if you'd be so kind, you can follow me over to my new blog at <a href="http://denisegolinowski.com/">DeniseGolinowski.com</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">It's been fun, but time to move on. Cue the Jeffersons' Theme song!</span>Denise Golinowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04646310909366020757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506851291302692937.post-62129385552027755162014-03-10T09:30:00.000-04:002014-03-10T09:30:03.873-04:00Starting again and Your Monday Fortune Cookie,<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Off with her head!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>The secret of getting ahead is getting started.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b></b></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>SNARKY RESPONSE:</b> Actually, first make sure the axe is REALLY SHARP!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A head? Get it! Yeah, been watching Reign, what can I say?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Okay...anyway, w</span>ith my DH and myself having just celebrated our mumpty-mumphed<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> birthdays, we've decided to do something very important for ourselves and each other. We've signed up for a weight-loss program together. In the past, one or the other of us (mostly him) has attempted a program on their own, but it's hard if the other partner (usually me) isn't participating.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I won't name names, but it appears to be a very well-rounded program, fully staffed with medical, nutritional, and physical fitness professionals. The first meeting included a talk about the program and their perceived road blocks to a healthy lifestyle. The combination of diet and exercise makes sense and is nothing new to anyone who has been on the weight loss roller coaster. Their difference is the level of support provided, which I admit, sounds wonderful.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Countin' down</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I think for my DH and I, the key will not be so much the program, but the togetherness of our effort. I look forward to the challenge, hopeful that we can succeed (and that we don't kill each other along the way LOL).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Accountability is another key point, and I'm going to use this blog and you, poor things, as my accountability crew. You'll get to watch from a safe distance as I, we, once more wage our battle against the bulge.</span>Denise Golinowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04646310909366020757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506851291302692937.post-52341432911168051282014-03-03T09:30:00.000-05:002014-03-03T09:30:01.438-05:00Secret Smiles & Your Monday Fortune Cookie 3/3/14<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">You have a curious smile and a mysterious nature.</span></b><br />
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<b>SNARKY RESPONSE:</b></span><br />
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<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ec/Mona_Lisa,_by_Leonardo_da_Vinci,_from_C2RMF_retouched.jpg/250px-Mona_Lisa,_by_Leonardo_da_Vinci,_from_C2RMF_retouched.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ec/Mona_Lisa,_by_Leonardo_da_Vinci,_from_C2RMF_retouched.jpg/250px-Mona_Lisa,_by_Leonardo_da_Vinci,_from_C2RMF_retouched.jpg" height="320" width="214" /></span></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">You have a curious smile and a mysterious nature.</span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b> Keep 'em guessing, Lisa! None of us wants to be an open book, and anyone who says they do, is <u>definitely </u>hiding something.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Then again, the key is the level of subterfuge. A healthy little secret here or there is to be expected, even in the closest relationship. It's when secrets begin to build that we run into trouble.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Why?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Because we humans are a curious bunch. Show us someone who's hiding something and even the most virtuous of us will want to discover why. If only to help. If only to satisfy that curious gene. No one can resist a good mystery.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Curiosity is what drives a writer to write. It's the temptation of that phrase - What if? What if I told my story? What if I shared my experience? What if I imagine something different? What if I turn that event around and explore a different ending?</span><br />
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What if a siren becomes a courtesan so she can learn to control her gift/curse? - <a href="http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=177_139&products_id=4218" target="_blank"><i>The Festival of the Flowers</i></a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What if shapeshifters come out of the closet only to become targets? - <a href="http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&zenid=443f38aa80628e9657a4972ddf41a224&keyword=collector%27s+item&x=17&y=15" target="_blank"><i>Collector's Item</i></a></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And if we do it right, maybe then we can smile that curious smile to display our mysterious nature.</span><br />
<br />Denise Golinowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04646310909366020757noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506851291302692937.post-57003011543343424522014-02-24T09:30:00.000-05:002014-02-24T09:30:02.200-05:00Eyes on the Prize! Never say Never! Get 'er Done! It's Your Monday Fortune Cookie, 2/24/14<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>THEY SAY YOU ARE STUBBORN; YOU CALL IT PERSISTENCE. </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b> SNARKY RESPONSE: </b>And sometimes it's just called not knowing any better.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>They say you are stubborn; you call it persistence.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="gmw_">Despite the <span class="gm_ gm_610baea3-00ef-28e6-17b0-4a02e4f539ac gm-spell">snark</span>, I love this fortune. Anyone who has taken the bit in their mouth and pursued something to the end despite the naysayers has to be right there with me.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">For folks who stick to their guns regarding dreams and goals,
stubborn is the mortar that holds your efforts together. Anyone who's
pulled out a hundred rows of knitting to correct one dropped stitch,
anyone who has hauled themselves out of bed at the crack of dawn to put
in a couple of miles, anyone who has corrected that bit of paint, clay,
or pastel until they captured their subject knows that it's really
stubbornness that pushes them through.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">For
writers, this is what keeps us sending out that novel, essay, or poem
over and over until it finds a home. Even if, in the end, that home is
in something you produce on your own. You wanted to get those words into
print and by George, you were going to see it happen.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">If it was easy, everyone who wrote would be published. <b><span class="gmw_">Mini-<span class="gm_ gm_21e37e8c-b53f-0aa6-3b69-93551dccc90d gm-spell">Snark</span>:</span></b>No, wait! Thanks to some online publishing services, everyone CAN, but there is the matter of quality versus quantity.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The
key, for me, is to have made the effort to produce the best possible
writing you can, polish it until it gleams, and then put it out there. I
see no reason why you can't sidestep the publisher route and publish on
your own, just make sure that it's worthy of your time and effort as
well as the time and effort, not to mention the cash, of your reader.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Persistence
is a nice word, a pleasant word, a 'politically-correct/motivational
speaker' word, but for true - 'stick-to-it'ness (how would you write
that phrase?) - I'm putting my money on Stubborn.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">What have you been Stubborn about lately?</span><br />
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<br />Denise Golinowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04646310909366020757noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506851291302692937.post-29653376610813448712014-02-17T09:30:00.000-05:002014-02-17T09:30:03.054-05:00No Cookie for You, but a Peek at My Writing Process<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TDe7fkZOYY0/UwDN-h3ojwI/AAAAAAAAAwg/ydrTcus7ZW8/s1600/typewriter-159878_640.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-indent: 0in;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TDe7fkZOYY0/UwDN-h3ojwI/AAAAAAAAAwg/ydrTcus7ZW8/s1600/typewriter-159878_640.PNG" height="255" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Pixabay</span></td></tr>
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<b style="text-indent: 0in;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">My Writing Process – Blog Tour</span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span>I'm taking a brief break from Monday Fortune Cookies and am thrilled to be participating in the <b>My Writing Process Blog Tour</b>. Thank you, Tracey Livesay, for inviting me to play along. You can visit this amazing debut author at <a href="http://traceylivesay.com/" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0in;" target="_blank">http://traceylivesay.com/</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0in;"> and her new
novel is </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0in;">T<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tycoons-Socialite-Bride-Entangled-Indulgence-ebook/dp/B00HY09X52?tag=entangpublis-20&link_code=ur2&creative=9325&camp=211189" target="_blank">he Tycoon's Socialite Bride</a>. </i></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">What am I working on?</span></b><span lang="EN-CA" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Currently, I'm working on a couple of
projects. One of them is the second book in my Marant Clan trilogy, a romance involving Peter Marant, the
eldest son of the Marant shapeshifter clan. The other project involves final
revisions for <i>Aces Down</i>, another
shapeshifter romance set in the same world as <i><a href="http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&keyword=collector%27s+item&x=0&y=0" target="_blank">Collector's Item</a></i>, but outside the Marant clan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">How does my work differ from others of its genre?</span></b><span lang="EN-CA" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I'd like to think that while I adhere
to most of what is expected for the Paranormal Genre, I give it all my own
spin. For instance, I gave the animal sides of my shapeshifters their own
personalities, complete with names. I've seen other authors including the
animal side viewpoint upon occasion, but I wanted to go a step further. The
animal personalities serve the purpose of the side-kick or advisor for my
shapeshifters, sometimes helping my shapeshifters to pick up on things the
human side might miss or stop over-complicating things. The back and forth
between human and animal can often be amusing, give me the freedom to make observations
that might be censored out of our human mental dialogue (or not).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Why do I write what I do?</span></b><span lang="EN-CA" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I write paranormal and fantasy
because that's what I love to read. I've written since I was a child, always
exploring the "what ifs" and testing to see if I can add my own spin
to the genres' tropes. All while trying to weave a story that I would enjoy
reading myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-CA" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">How does your writing process work?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Pixabay</span></td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I'm basically a pantser, meaning I write by the seat of my pants. Generally, my stories evolve from a character who steps onto the stage of my imagination demanding the spotlight. Together, we explore their world and generally get into mischief of one kind or another. Then, as a member of two wonderful critique groups, I am required to regularly inflict pages of my current projects upon them for feedback. This keeps me honest, believe me. I have to write so that I don't look like a slacker. Writers Endeavor and RichWriters have been invaluable to me for learning the craft and art of writing. If you don't have a critique group or critique partner, do yourself a favor and find one or both.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0in;"> </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Next week, February 24<sup>th</sup>, I invite you to visit with three wonderful and diverse writers to read about their Writing Process. As anyone with a grain of experience in writing will tell you, there are as many ways to approach writing as there are writers, so I encourage you to visit with my friends see how they're navigating their paths.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YbiH34d7Eys/UwDQwZf0v0I/AAAAAAAAAw4/padhb763fag/s1600/SofieCouch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YbiH34d7Eys/UwDQwZf0v0I/AAAAAAAAAw4/padhb763fag/s1600/SofieCouch.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b>Sofie Couch<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sofie
Couch writes sweet romance with just enough piss and vinegar to make you
spew your coffee and test your bladder control. With the help of 1,000 Typing
Monkeys, (which also just happens to be the name of her blog), she cranks out
romantic comedies and other literary mischief. You can find her at </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.sofiecouch.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">www.sofiecouch.blogspot.com</span></a></span><span style="color: #1a2a37; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-38M5R9_RaXU/UwGAZw1DCzI/AAAAAAAAAxY/Gb7lja613l8/s1600/AlleyneDickens.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-38M5R9_RaXU/UwGAZw1DCzI/AAAAAAAAAxY/Gb7lja613l8/s1600/AlleyneDickens.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-38M5R9_RaXU/UwGAZw1DCzI/AAAAAAAAAxY/Gb7lja613l8/s1600/AlleyneDickens.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a><span lang="EN-CA" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b>Alleyne Dickens<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Alleyne Dickens was destined to be a writer the
moment her parents named her. It's just taken her a while to get there. Pre-published,
Alleyne writes historical romance, historical mystery and historical
fantasy (aka steampunk). Discover her at </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><a href="http://alleynedickens.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">http://alleynedickens.wordpress.com/</a></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NWHTy-Zdmgc/UwDRCSnnVAI/AAAAAAAAAxI/1zE8ASI3h-A/s1600/Leah-186x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NWHTy-Zdmgc/UwDRCSnnVAI/AAAAAAAAAxI/1zE8ASI3h-A/s1600/Leah-186x300.jpg" height="200" width="124" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b>Leah St. James<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #1a2a37; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Leah St. James writes stories of mystery and romance, good
and evil, and the enduring power of love. To learn more about Leah and her
books, visit her at </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="background: white;"><a href="http://leahstjames.com/blog/" target="_blank">http://leahstjames.com/blog/</a></span></span><span lang="EN-CA" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Until next week, keep reading, writing, and smiling.</span></div>
Denise Golinowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04646310909366020757noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506851291302692937.post-25314414890646809572014-02-03T09:30:00.000-05:002014-02-03T09:30:02.650-05:00What dreams may come and your Monday Fortune Cookie, 2/3/14<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Old dreams never die they just get filed away.</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>SNARKY RESPONSE:</b> And my office is proof of that fact.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Old dreams never die they just get filed away.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The trick is to remember to go back through those files once in a while and see if anything has changed. Time passes, we change and those changes may give us more perspective, skills, or opportunity than we had when we opted to file that dream away. Sometimes we're just not ready to take that leap of faith. Sometimes we have too many irons in the fire already--one more would create a catastrophic meltdown. Sometimes we have to gain more experience, more knowledge, more skills before we can pursue that dream.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6Bdy5gTcCNg/Uu8KcUl6btI/AAAAAAAAAwM/kGAQaK2GMx8/s1600/20131219_071200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6Bdy5gTcCNg/Uu8KcUl6btI/AAAAAAAAAwM/kGAQaK2GMx8/s1600/20131219_071200.jpg" height="223" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">That's what I did in 2000 when I decided to find out if I could truly write something worth publishing. I set myself on the path to publication and have trod the path as best I could. There have been the inevitable quagmires, wrong turns, and darkest nights. There have been false starts, misleading middles, and abandoned endings. And there have been tremendous friendships, amazing guidance, and unexpected partnerships. Along with victories, big excitement, and enduring determination.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What about you? What dreams have you plucked out of the archives of your heart to pursue with your soul?</span><br />
<br />Denise Golinowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04646310909366020757noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506851291302692937.post-48164147572619537812014-01-27T09:30:00.000-05:002014-01-27T09:30:01.491-05:00Two Poetic Twists on a Theme & Your Monday Fortune Cookie, 1/27/14<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Cold hands -- warm heart (or poor circulation)</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>SNARKY REPONSE:</b> So do cold feet -- hot buns?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">At MarsCon, I attended a Poetry workshop where the moderator, <a href="http://www.gardnercastle.com/AdeleGardner.htm" target="_blank">Adele Gardner</a>, invited us to write some poetry playing with the con's fairy tale theme. Here are what I came up with:</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>Point of Departure</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Before stepping between, she pauses to breathe,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">a golden girl in pinafore with eyes of tempest blue.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Fingers splayed to reach, to push, to pull,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">she breaks the liminal boundary, icy as sorrow,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">fleeting as fog on a wintry morning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">A step away from a world dark with memories,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">a step forward into a vista of unknowns,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">she arrives, safe but not sound, here and yet still there.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Beyond the looking glass, she begins to seek her ending.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>Queen's Gambit</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">So simple, yet so right.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">With dew drops lingering bright on crimson skin,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">the unsuspected vessel of my assured victory.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">A single bite is all that's required.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Tart sweetness to be relished until<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">the body learns what the eyes did not perceive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Rose red lips will part to gasp,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">to frame a question unasked,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">release a final breath in a sigh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Innocence once more felled by naivete,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">How simple, yes, how right.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The fruit of innocence bears the seed of death.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If you'd like to share something of your own in the comments, I'd be thrilled to see and read it. If you'd like to share your thoughts about my words, I'll try to be equally thrilled to read them (depending on the tone LOL).</span></div>
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Denise Golinowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04646310909366020757noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506851291302692937.post-8156073577748440602014-01-20T12:13:00.000-05:002014-01-20T12:13:04.434-05:00That thin line between vision and hallucinating AND Your Monday Fortune Cookie, 1/20/14<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others.</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>SNARKY RESPONSE:</b> It's also called hallucinating, and you might want to keep it to yourself.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others.</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><br /></b> Well, unsuspecting guests walking into the Fort Magruder Hotel this past weekend probably thought they might be hallucinating, or stepped through the looking glass, when they walked into the midst of <a href="http://www.marscon.net/" target="_blank">MarsCon</a>'s Twisted Fairy Tales.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="gmw_"><span class="gmw_">Look in any given direction<span class="gm_ gm_fae2bff5-e49c-8c04-6ec2-a90880be0e5e gm-spell gm_tiny"> </span>and you might see Dr. Who talking to a Klingon or a trio of giggling fairies pacing down the hall or members of the </span><span class="gm_ gm_5e996106-f0f4-9cc0-4b0f-de2008caabe2 gm-spell">Manticorian</span> Navy looking for recruits. This year's MarsCon theme was fully embraced by everyone, including enterprising science fiction costumers. This science fiction soldier added wings and became part of Project Flying Monkeys.</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O43LgEs2Yic/Ut1UEi7Iw8I/AAAAAAAAAvA/q4R5BnN8Uv0/s1600/ProjectFlyingMonkey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O43LgEs2Yic/Ut1UEi7Iw8I/AAAAAAAAAvA/q4R5BnN8Uv0/s1600/ProjectFlyingMonkey.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="gmw_">In celebration of all things Dr. Who, there were multiple <span class="gm_ gm_365e0c5b-5591-54c4-b4a7-47da97696a3b gm-spell">daleks</span> and a double seating of a Dr. Who themed tea.</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N_ud-1VR424/Ut1UUc5Z_jI/AAAAAAAAAvM/wIHDuYEFmjo/s1600/DrWhoTeaDalek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N_ud-1VR424/Ut1UUc5Z_jI/AAAAAAAAAvM/wIHDuYEFmjo/s1600/DrWhoTeaDalek.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xH7tbz4s2Mk/Ut1UUFqZsMI/AAAAAAAAAvI/yi73lASBinE/s1600/SteampunkDalek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xH7tbz4s2Mk/Ut1UUFqZsMI/AAAAAAAAAvI/yi73lASBinE/s1600/SteampunkDalek.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Along with all the fantastic visuals, there were a regular plethora of panels covering everything science fiction and fantasy. My personal bent being writing, I was most involved with <a href="http://www.jimchines.com/" target="_blank">Jim C. Hines</a> and <a href="http://carrieryan.com/" target="_blank">Carrie Ryan</a> as the writing Guest of Honors. I even sat on a panel with them to discuss Fairy Tales in literature.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0y4CQLrmmTA/Ut1U1Q-V1NI/AAAAAAAAAvY/YU66xcfi-OI/s1600/GuestsofHonor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0y4CQLrmmTA/Ut1U1Q-V1NI/AAAAAAAAAvY/YU66xcfi-OI/s1600/GuestsofHonor.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IvZyKBgCOF0/Ut1WTLOQBUI/AAAAAAAAAvk/BR_LCarlCz8/s1600/DannyBritFilking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IvZyKBgCOF0/Ut1WTLOQBUI/AAAAAAAAAvk/BR_LCarlCz8/s1600/DannyBritFilking.jpg" height="200" width="112" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I also sat on several panels relative to Erotic Romance and two spontaneous writing panels where panelists had to rewrite their chosen fairy tale including some random aspects from the audience. These aspects included an extra character, an object, a setting, an obstacle. Nothing like a little pressure, right? The first was an Over 18 Erotic Rewrite and the second a PG Rewrite.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">There was plenty of music with, I believe, four or five musical performers, including <a href="http://dannybirt.com/home.html" target="_blank">Danny Birt</a>. Here he is filking. What is filking? Well, my research reveals that it is rather free-form and basically indefinable, but resembles folk music with science fiction or fantasy lyrics, though there are also filkers who preform other musical styles and themes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="gmw_">This was my first MarsCon<span class="gm_ gm_af106577-344d-83a9-346d-ea0d69447038 gm-spell gm_tiny"> </span>and I was doubly honored and thrilled to attend as a panelist. It was enlightening, entertaining, and exhilarating. I'm looking forward to next year! </span></span>Denise Golinowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04646310909366020757noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506851291302692937.post-18785895471456995112014-01-13T09:30:00.000-05:002014-01-13T09:30:02.907-05:00Beautiful mistakes? And your Monday Fortune Cookie, 1/12/14<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">How can you have a beautiful ending without making beautiful mistakes?</span></b><br />
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<b>SNARKY RESPONSE:</b> Well if we're talking orders of magnitude, then, my ending is going to be in 3D, surround-sound, techni-color.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">How can you have a beautiful ending without making beautiful mistakes?</span></b></div>
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Nk7JjlJSdjA/UtNO18pCT7I/AAAAAAAAAuQ/qeVCMVkmqmg/s1600/specman-161930_150.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Nk7JjlJSdjA/UtNO18pCT7I/AAAAAAAAAuQ/qeVCMVkmqmg/s1600/specman-161930_150.PNG" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Nk7JjlJSdjA/UtNO18pCT7I/AAAAAAAAAuQ/qeVCMVkmqmg/s1600/specman-161930_150.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And a beautiful mistake is better than a regular mistake how?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Does it hurt less or more?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Is it less disappointing or worse?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Is it more instructive or destructive?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Is it just me or does this sound as if the Fortune Cookie Guru is saying "no pain, no gain" in a long and roundabout way? I can't decide if I'm impressed by the depth of this fortune or irritated by it's pompousness.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I guess it's that ol' "you appreciate it if you've earned it" mentality. If we've suffered for our goals, we'll be grateful. If we sacrifice for our happiness, we'll value it more. If we haven't seen the dark, we can't appreciate the light.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I seriously vote for achieving my beautiful ending without mistakes, beautiful or ugly. I think I'm able to appreciate the positive things that happen to me without having to be clobbered by a boatload of negatives first. What about you?</span>Denise Golinowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04646310909366020757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506851291302692937.post-36958616284204955272014-01-06T09:30:00.000-05:002014-01-06T09:30:01.394-05:00What the heart wants, vampires, and Your Monday Fortune Cookie, 1/6/14<b>The heart wants what it wants: an unending supply of human blood.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>SNARK RESPONSE:</b> First - EW! Second - and so do vampires. Third - you call THIS a fortune cookie fortune?<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>The heart wants what it wants: an unending supply of human blood.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRJtoBt8pSZEeaZ_RBw6ulSbTZ_nhheGl4dFcdJHLMptuOOGoEK" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRJtoBt8pSZEeaZ_RBw6ulSbTZ_nhheGl4dFcdJHLMptuOOGoEK" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.cwtv.com/shows/the-originals" target="_blank">The Originals</a> on the CW</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Been trying to catch up with <a href="http://www.cwtv.com/shows/the-originals" target="_blank">The Originals</a> on CW, so I've got vampires on the brain. Still in the first few episode, so please, folks, no spoilers. Certainly a very photogenic group of blood-suckers plus one witch. Or is she a werewolf? And a twisty dysfunctional family structure to boot. Still a little fuzzy about the who's who, but the setting, Nawlins, is always filled with promises of the bizarre and outre. Yep, definitely intrigued.<br />
<br />
In fact, I'm thinking I may be doing some posts over at <a href="http://www.teanstrumpets.com/" target="_blank">Tea & Strumpets</a> for Myth Perceptions about the vampire myth and related tropes. So, consider this a little snark peek, er, sneak peak at vampires as seen through the eye of yours truly.<br />
<br />
First, why oh why ARE they always so deliciously hunkadorable to look at? Of course, there is that whole seduction to obtain food thing. I suppose if someone less than fabulous wanted to nibble on your neck, you'd be more likely to think twice. And if you've got to live forever, it is preferable to do so in a body to die, or not die, for.<br />
<br />
Second, if all you can eat or drink is blood, talk about halitosis! How would you seduce someone if every breath smelled like an abattoir? I don't think Listerine would be completely up to the challenge, do you?<br />
<br />
Well, I'd better stop now before all the vampire fans come after me with pointy objects. Don't get me wrong. I enjoy a good vampire story as much as the next one, and I'll be watching The Originals. For a while.Denise Golinowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04646310909366020757noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506851291302692937.post-65176298862068148412013-12-30T09:30:00.000-05:002013-12-30T09:30:02.233-05:00A good story can be a real killer & Your Monday Fortune Cookie, 12/30/13<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>What doesn't kill us usually makes for a good story.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>SNARKY RESPONSE:</b> And afterwards, it's best told with copious amounts of alcohol.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>What doesn't kill us usually makes for a good story.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Isn't it strange how often the sad stories, the difficult issues, and the painful episodes are the ones that we harken back to the most? Tragedies are infinitely more relatable than comedies. And, if you look closely at any comedy, you'll find the funniest things are built around a moment of pain, be it slapstick or satire, someone's hurting in there somewhere. The difference is that experiencing tragedies is more often private while comedies are public. We withdraw with sadness, but we fling ourselves outward with laughter. This is my observation and my experience.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-koRO0nMdXGk/UsDkAf4PglI/AAAAAAAAAt4/72iasvLF7Rk/s1600/20131223_164344.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-koRO0nMdXGk/UsDkAf4PglI/AAAAAAAAAt4/72iasvLF7Rk/s320/20131223_164344.jpg" width="178" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As writers, we are lucky to be expected to break with that pattern and outwardly share both the sorrows and joys of our characters. Only if we convey the emotional depths properly can we hope to bring our readers the connection they need and desire in a good story. So, we hoard every experience, good or bad, recording the stimuli and response so we can remember it for the page. And what we don't or can't actually experience, we delve into our imaginations, building on the closest proximity, and creating the best facsimile we can.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So, writers and readers, take heart and this advice, when life hands you lemons, yes, you can make lemonade, but be sure that you also take notes. Someone, somewhere, somewhen is gonna ask you how you did it. Trust me.</span><br />
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<br />Denise Golinowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04646310909366020757noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506851291302692937.post-13443985431139203442013-12-23T10:13:00.000-05:002013-12-23T10:13:10.108-05:00Wisdom? From Me? And your Monday Fortune Cookie 12/23/13<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cQkGm8ueM7I/UrhPXv1yUII/AAAAAAAAAts/ikUYtn0P2Ks/s1600/card-19737_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cQkGm8ueM7I/UrhPXv1yUII/AAAAAAAAAts/ikUYtn0P2Ks/s320/card-19737_640.jpg" width="213" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Wisdom is on her way to you.</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>SNARKY RESPONSE:</b> I hope she's a lot more reliable than her cousin, Lady Luck! Marlon Brando immortalized that lady's unreliability in <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVlQXvrWC_A" target="_blank">Guys & Dolls!</a> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Wisdom is on her way to you.</b></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Personally, I think Wisdom has opted to take the Grand Tour on her way to me. I get an occasional postcard in the form of a momentary burst of brilliance or personal fortitude, but mostly it's all kinda "wish you were here" from Lady Wisdom. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OcXVL9194DY/UrhPXvAv6eI/AAAAAAAAAtk/jPsC-OC0cnk/s1600/thank-22016_640+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OcXVL9194DY/UrhPXvAv6eI/AAAAAAAAAtk/jPsC-OC0cnk/s200/thank-22016_640+(2).jpg" width="133" /></a></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #93c47d;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">But I have learned this piece of wisdom - courtesy is never out of style. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Saying "thank you" is a simple two-word gift that you can give to anyone and everyone who offers you assistance and/or support.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Thank you, everyone, who has supported me in my writing endeavors - RichWriters, Writers Endeavor, James River Writers, Virginia Romance Writers, and especially all of the Strumpets of Tea & Strumpets! </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">And thank you to my husband and family for everything they do every day to make my life more complete. Without you and your love, NOTHING would be possible. Love & thanks!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></span><br />
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Denise Golinowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04646310909366020757noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506851291302692937.post-33610753918152832182013-12-18T16:57:00.000-05:002013-12-18T16:57:49.232-05:00Best Laid Plans...Last Minute Shopping...Books!<span style="color: red;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Drop by the Celebrate with a Book event at <a href="http://www.shopregencysqmall.com/directions/" target="_blank">Regency Square Mall</a> o</span></span></i></span><span style="color: red;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">n Saturday, December 21st, </span></span></i></span><span style="color: red;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">from Noon to 4pm! </span></span></i></span><span style="color: red;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></i></span>I'll be with a group of talented authors braving the last minute shopping frenzy to offer a dazzling array of books to help round out that Christmas list. </span></span></i></span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7oDhHHKR7FY/UrIYW1B1W3I/AAAAAAAAAtQ/4Gbuo3raONc/s1600/CelebrateWABook-Grn.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="335" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7oDhHHKR7FY/UrIYW1B1W3I/AAAAAAAAAtQ/4Gbuo3raONc/s400/CelebrateWABook-Grn.png" width="400" /> </a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WFzKod-VeUw/UnbZq6B3giI/AAAAAAAAAqc/ysgIVK1EfEs/s1600/CollectorsItemBook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WFzKod-VeUw/UnbZq6B3giI/AAAAAAAAAqc/ysgIVK1EfEs/s320/CollectorsItemBook.jpg" width="222" /></a> </div>
<span style="color: red;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></i></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This will be the first public appearance the paperback version of COLLECTOR'S ITEM. I'd love to see it nestled underneath Christmas Trees or tucked into Christmas stockings this year!</span></span></i></span><br />
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<span style="color: red;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Stop by and say hello.</span></span></i></span><br />
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<br />Denise Golinowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04646310909366020757noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506851291302692937.post-52449429661010309482013-12-16T09:30:00.000-05:002013-12-16T09:30:04.331-05:00Diamonds, Tears, and Your Monday Fortune Cookie, 12/15/13<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>THE PLEASURE OF WHAT WE ENJOY IS LOST BY WANTING MORE.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/GTPdVK7OFDg/maxresdefault.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/GTPdVK7OFDg/maxresdefault.jpg" height="149" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>SNARKY RESPONSE:</b> Unless we're talking about </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">diamonds. Just ask </span><a href="http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/video/497401/Gentlemen-Prefer-Blondes-Movie-Clip-Diamonds-Are-A-Girls-s-Best-Friend.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank">Marilyn</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>The pleasure of what we enjoy is lost by wanting more.</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I think this is a particularly cynical or perhaps puritanical fortune. Cynical by assuming that we're so unappreciative by nature that something is devalued by desiring more. I'd think that the value of what we have is increased by our desire for more. And that's where the puritanical comes in, we should NEVER ask for more than what we are given. Why not? We seldom get without making the effort to earn or ask for it. I'd love to hear your thoughts, pro and con.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Today's fortune is very apropos to this the final section of BY TEARS BOUND.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: purple;">BY TEARS BOUND</span></div>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-t-pqNKoNkyA/Uq5l58A5FfI/AAAAAAAAAtA/f1iGqqBCUh0/s1600/20131005_171426.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-t-pqNKoNkyA/Uq5l58A5FfI/AAAAAAAAAtA/f1iGqqBCUh0/s1600/20131005_171426.jpg" height="178" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="color: purple;">His last kiss still warm on her lips, Annaree
watched Erskine stride away from the village toward the cliffs. He stopped at the edge where the cliff trail
dropped below the horizon to wave before he turned to start down to the beach.</span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="color: purple;">She stood staring long after he disappeared
below the horizon, imagining his path down to the pocket beach, to the cave and
to the discovery of his missing pelt.
She imagined his anger at her betrayal.
She had tried not to fall into the trap, but it had closed around her heart just as it did for every man or woman who had loved a selkie.</span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="color: purple;">Unbidden
images of their life before and after this morning rose in her mind. The fading of shared laughter into the
silence of betrayal, the passion that drew him to her turning to a desperate
passion to return to the sea. What had
possessed her? She had thrown it all
away.</span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="color: purple;">Knowing the realization came far too late,
she drew a shaky breath, slammed the door behind her and ran down the path
toward the village.</span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New';"><span style="color: purple;">#</span></span></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="color: purple;">Annaree burst into her best friend's
house. "Maeve! Maeve!
Where are you?"</span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="color: purple;">Maeve poked her head around a doorway and
frowned. "What's wrong?"</span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="color: purple;">"Where is it?" Annaree demanded.</span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="color: purple;">Maeve stepped into the room and jerked her
chin toward a chest tucked under the front window. "Not to worry," she said, wiping
her hands on her apron. "I've got
it safe and sound in there."</span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="color: purple;">Annaree threw herself to her knees and yanked
the chest open. For a moment, she stared
down at the seal pelt, the reality of what she had done catching at her heart.</span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="color: purple;">"'Twas right where you said it'd be," Maeve said, unaware of Annaree's distress. "Had a real time getting it in that
storm."</span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="color: purple;">Annaree gathered the pelt into her arms and
rose to her feet. "I can't. 'Twas a mistake. I can't trap him this way."</span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="color: purple;">Maeve reached out a hand as if to hold
Annaree back, but stopped, hazel eyes clouding in sympathy. "Even if you give it back, he'll never
forgive you."</span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="color: purple;">"He'll understand. He has to understand. He has to." Annaree's voice cracked against the truth
reflected in Maeve's eyes. She shook her
head, spun and raced out the door.</span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="color: purple;">Oblivious to
the surprised looks and shouted questions, Annaree ran through the village, her
arms straining to hold the pelt. But she
refused to stop; she could not spare the time.</span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="color: purple;">The village
disappeared behind a curve in the cliffs and still she ran. Storm debris littered the beach beneath her
feet--crushed shells, dead crabs, foam and driftwood. She stumbled and almost fell several times,
but she did not stop running until she saw him standing on the sand,
bareheaded, staring out at the sea.</span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="color: purple;">She
staggered to a halt at his side, gasping for breath, tears wet on her cheeks,
and held out the pelt.</span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">"I'm
sorry," she said. He did not move
or acknowledge her as her words tumbled over each other. "I don't know what I was thinking. No, that's a lie. I know exactly what I was thinking--I love
you and I wanted you with me always. Not
just on stormy nights or foggy days or whenever you show up, but every day."</span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">She studied his profile--the high brow, the
bold nose and the line of his jaw, tight now with anger. But he said nothing and she filled the
silence with her attempt to explain.</span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="color: purple;">"But when you left this morning, I knew
I couldn't do it. I knew I couldn't trap
you here. You're everything I asked for,
but you're not mine. So, here--take
it. I'm giving it back to you. Just please don't leave me."</span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="color: purple;">Again, she held out the pelt and waited. He stood silent, so still he could have been
carved from the cliff behind them.</span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="color: purple;">The wind caught the tears that trickled down
her cheek and tossed them into the waves.
She felt each drop that left her skin.
Just so had she cried the day she wove her spell and now she felt her tears unweaving it.</span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="color: purple;">The man she had known as Erskine turned to look at her and she bit her lip. His
eyes held no warmth for her, only a cold flatness that cut her to the
core. Her arms sagged and the pelt slithered to the sand between them, a shimmering pile of brown.</span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="color: purple;">He bent and scooped it up without hesitation,
his silence eloquent, his face expressionless.</span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="color: purple;">"Good-bye," she whispered to the
stranger in front of her, then turned and walked away.</span></span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin-left: 1.0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<u><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="color: purple;">Do not cry into the sea, lassie<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin-left: 1.0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<u><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="color: purple;">Let not your tears meet the waves.<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin-left: 1.0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<u><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="color: purple;">For should the water of your eyes<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin-left: 1.0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<u><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="color: purple;">Meet the waters of the sea<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: 1.0in;">
<span style="color: purple;"><u><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">A selkie man will steal your heart from thee.</span></u><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="color: purple;">THE END</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I hope you enjoyed BY TEARS BOUND. I'm sorry if you were expecting an HEA, but perhaps a future incarnation of the story will provide one. Maeve and Random Bay appear in my fantasy e-novella, <a href="http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&keyword=festival+of+the+flowers%3A+the+cour&x=31&y=16" target="_blank">The Festival of the Flowers: The Courtesan and The Scholar</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The poem that brackets the story leapt into my mind as I was researching selkies for this story. <a href="http://www.orkneyjar.com/folklore/selkiefolk/" target="_blank">The Orkney Jar</a> website spoke of the spell and Annaree's desire, dilemma, and disappointment were born. I just love research, don't you?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sooo, do you agree or disagree that today's Fortune Cookie matches up?</span>Denise Golinowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04646310909366020757noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506851291302692937.post-57403809073785341472013-12-09T09:30:00.000-05:002013-12-09T09:30:00.677-05:00By Tears Bound continues and Your Monday Fortune Cookie<b><span style="font-size: large;">TRY EVERYTHING ONCE, EVEN THE THINGS YOU DON'T THINK YOU WILL LIKE.</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b>
<b>SNARKY RESPONSE:</b> Except for brussel sprouts. Oh! Nor anything intentionally containing insects as an ingredient.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Try everything once, even the things you don't think you will like.</span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b> You might be expecting me to take back my snarky response, but I'm standing by it. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Now that that's out of the way, here's the next section of my story, </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">By Tears Bound</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. I hope you're discovering that, unlike brussel sprouts, you like this.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s2Cf42KpasE/UqU8ZFHavVI/AAAAAAAAAsw/WI2R8feYkgM/s1600/0219120848.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s2Cf42KpasE/UqU8ZFHavVI/AAAAAAAAAsw/WI2R8feYkgM/s320/0219120848.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="color: purple;"><b><i>By Tears Bound</i></b></span><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: purple;">Dressed in a gown of flowered cotton, Annaree left her black hair loose about her shoulders. When she dabbed a drop of perfume in the hollow at the base of her neck, the touch of the dropper sparked memories of other touches.</span><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: purple;">Gravel crunched outside and she stoppered the bottle. Setting it on the shelf, she turned to the door.</span><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: purple;">A knock, and it opened.</span><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: purple;">Erskine stood on the threshold, his hat pulled low over his eyes, his smile a flash of white.</span><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: purple;">She forced herself to cross the room calmly, her voice casual. "Why is it you only come to see me when a storm's brewing?"</span><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: purple;">He pulled her into his embrace with a laugh. His cloak blew around them while the storm broke over Random Bay, sending rain and wind racing through the village.</span><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: purple;">"I guess the wind just pushed me this way," he said before his lips made conversation impossible.</span><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: purple;">#</span></div>
<span style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: purple;">Life in the village revolved around the pub during a storm. Life on the beach depended upon hiding from the ravages of the storm. And life in the house at the edge of the village consisted of languorous kisses, passionate sex and drowsy conversations.</span><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: purple;">"Tell me another story," Annaree asked, snuggled against Erskine, her hand on his chest.</span><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: purple;">"I almost think you bed me for my stories as much as for my dashing good looks," Erskine teased, his voice rumbling against her ear. He yelped as she tugged on a handful of chest hair. "I yield! I yield. What would you hear?"</span><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: purple;">"Another story of your people and mine," Annaree said, hoping her voice would not betray her. "Something with a happy ending."</span><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: purple;">"My people's experience with yours seldom ends happily, Annaree," Erskine said. "Selkie magic is linked to his pelt and that link is our greatest weakness. We cherish our time as humans; the contacts we make are treasured and savored for their rarity and brevity. But humans have persisted in using it to trap and control us for centuries. And even without that, there's the spell--the one you cast to call me from the sea."</span><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: purple;">Annaree paused, the words of the spell rolling through her memory. Standing knee deep in the waves, she had cried her grief for one man and cast a spell to call another.</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: purple;">With seven tears shed in the sea<br />I call a selkie man to me.<br />From the ocean far and wide<br />My tears will call you to my side.<br />With seven tears shed in the sea<br />I call a selkie man to me.</span></blockquote>
<span style="color: purple;">"To a selkie male, the tears of a human female are like ambrosia to the gods, and yours the sweetest I'd ever tasted." Erskine stroked her cheek with one finger. "Such sorrow, such longing, such determination." He rolled her over onto her back, his brown hair falling forward to curtain their faces. "But I've no complaints. Have you?"</span><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: purple;">Annaree fought the urge to tell him, then shook her head as she drew his face down to hers. "None."</span><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: purple;">#</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: purple;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: purple;">Silence pulled Annaree awake and she tensed beneath the blanket. Eyes closed, she strained for the sound of raindrops pattering on the thatch overhead. Instead, she heard the faint notes of birdsong. The storm had blown itself out during the night.</span><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: purple;">For a second, tears prickled the back of her eyes and she squeezed her lids tight, willing the moisture not to betray her. Only when the battle was won did she open her eyes.</span><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: purple;">The pillow beside her was dented from his head and her questing hand felt a trace of heat on the mattress. She drew a slow breath and rolled over. He stood before the window, naked, staring out toward the sea.</span><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: purple;">Pushing herself up on one elbow, Annaree watched him, admiring his unconscious grace. "I've never known a man so comfortable in his nakedness as you, Erskine," she said. "Though, to be honest, I've seen only one other naked man in my life. And while Donnie shared my bed and my body, he never would have stood so before my eyes."</span><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: purple;">"Why should I not be comfortable like this?" Erskine asked. He turned, his face in shadow, his skin gilded by the morning sun. "Should I get dressed?"</span><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: purple;">"No!" Annaree bit her lip, embarrassed by the breathless denial. She smiled. "No, I like it. But I'd like it better if you were over here with me."</span><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: purple;">"You're a wanton woman, Annaree Velton," Erskine said, laughter dancing around the edges of his voice. "I like that about you."</span><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: purple;">"It's all that sunlight, my bonnie lad." Annaree smiled and slipped back under the covers to clear a space for him. "Now come and show me how much you'll miss me when you leave."</span><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: purple;">#</span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I hope you enjoyed this section and that you'll come back by next week to read the conclusion of <i>By Tears Bound</i>. Until next week.</span>Denise Golinowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04646310909366020757noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506851291302692937.post-46809259449201464272013-12-02T09:30:00.000-05:002013-12-02T14:11:10.274-05:00Offering you a story along with your Monday Fortune Cookie, 12/2/13<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">SOMEDAY EVERYTHING WILL ALL MAKE PERFECT SENSE</span></b><br />
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>SNARKY RESPONSE:</b> Yeah, and it'll be way too late to do anything about it.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Someday everything will all make perfect sense.</span></b></div>
</div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Usually, I try to write something loosely related to the theme of the fortune cookie, but I think it's time to change it up </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">a tad. You know I'm a writer, and I've indulged in the occasional shameless self-promotion of my books. Well, I've decided to offer you, in serial format, one of my short stories, published back in 2008 - </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">By Tears Bound</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. I hope you enjoy it.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JJbNfb5quR0/UpvrlMeKy-I/AAAAAAAAAsg/J0-lbCPfWAM/s1600/DSCF4679.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JJbNfb5quR0/UpvrlMeKy-I/AAAAAAAAAsg/J0-lbCPfWAM/s320/DSCF4679.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">By Tears Bound<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="text-indent: 0in;">Do not cry into the sea, lassie.</span></span></i> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Let not your tears meet the waves.<br />For should the water of your eyes<br />Meet the waters of the sea<br />A selkie man will be called to thee.</span></i></blockquote>
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">"Storm
coming," Annaree murmured as she stood on the cliffs overlooking Random
Bay. The rising edge of clouds piled up
on the horizon drew an early twilight over the coast. The approaching storm pushed the wind before
it and dusted the tops of the waves with foam.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Earlier, the
fishing fleet had scurried into the harbor, the fishermen beaching and securing
the boats as best they could. Now the
men would be gathered in the pub, downing dark beer and telling darker tales of
storms long past.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">A gust of
wind wrapped Annaree's skirts around her legs and tugged at the shawl around
her shoulders. She tightened the knot at
her throat as she watched the sea foam scattered on the beach below. Then, she turned from the cliff edge and
headed down the path to her house at the edge of the village. Her fingers grasping the knot of her shawl
tight, she smiled.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Storm
coming. Would he?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">#<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Golden
lamplight filled Annaree's house while she bathed in the tub she had pulled in
front of the fireplace. Lavender scented
steam rose from the water to perfume the air and coaxed the waves of her hair
into loose curls. But the relaxing
warmth of air and water could not keep her from straining her ears for the
sound of a footstep, a knock on the door.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">She remembered the first time he came to her, appearing on her doorstep ahead of a savage nor'easter that raged for days. She had checked her supplies carefully and prepared herself for a long lonely wait when there was a knock on the door.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Thinking it
might be her best friend Maeve Tillson come to check on her, Annaree rushed to
pull the door open.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">"Maeve,
I'm a big girl. You don't ..." She stumbled to a halt as she stared up at
the tall stranger in her doorway.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">"I'm
sorry, sir," she said. "Can I
help you?"<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">"I
think it's more a question of can I help <u>you</u>?" The man's smile was a flash of white beneath
the shadow of his hat. He held out a
bundle to her. "I believe this may
be yours?"<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Before she could reach out, a sudden gust of wind made the door shudder in her hand and she remembered her manners. "Please, come in."<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">"Thank
you." The man swept his hat from
his head as he crossed the threshold and tucked it under one arm when he paused
just inside the door.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Annaree
latched the door against the wind and turned to see him still holding the
bundle. "Oh, I'm sorry." She took it in her hands and then froze.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Her hands
identified the familiar bumps and knots, her eyes recognized the pattern of
stitches--her shawl! The one she lost
the day she ...<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Her head jerked up and she stared at the man. "Where did you find this?" she asked.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">"It
came to me on the wind," he answered, his dark brown eyes holding
hers. "It came to me when you
called me from the sea."<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">#</span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I hope you'll come back next week to read the next installment of <i>By Tears Bound</i>.</span></div>
</div>
</div>
Denise Golinowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04646310909366020757noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506851291302692937.post-65403594265775308072013-11-25T09:30:00.000-05:002013-11-25T09:30:00.527-05:00What do a shard, a circus and a rooster have to do with each other? And your Monday Fortune Cookie, 11/25/13<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>BE DIRECT, USUALLY ONE CAN ACCOMPLISH MORE THAT WAY</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>SNARKY RESPONSE:</b> Yeah, good luck with that. How often have you thought "direct" was another word for bossy, bitchy, or officious?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Be direct, usually one can accomplish more that way.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Correspondingly, the shortest direction from Point A to Point B is a straight line, however, my bus tour of London was far from a straight line, and I was so busy snapping pics that I hardly heard our guide. I figured, and rightly so, that I could always Google the various landmarks and then put the names with the photos. There was just too much to see not to be captured by the images flashing by my bus window. Unfortunately, a moving photo platform makes for a lot of blurry images, but I managed to get about 1,000 pics decent pics.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="gmw_">And NO, I'm not going to subject you to them all, but here are a few of my London <span class="gm_ gm_073b53d7-da29-0976-e8b4-c4622c1d6de7 gm-spell">favs</span>.</span></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rJsCPqUbx3o/UpNEiacmn_I/AAAAAAAAArU/9JYLwcVmtRw/s1600/20131105_140404.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="178" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rJsCPqUbx3o/UpNEiacmn_I/AAAAAAAAArU/9JYLwcVmtRw/s320/20131105_140404.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Piccadilly Circus - London's Times Square</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Did you know Piccadilly comes from<span class="gmw_"> the word "<span class="gm_ gm_f700fd3a-4a7a-92ae-2e7d-03e40dc885a8 gm-spell">piccadil</span>" which was the name of a frilled collar used in the 17th century? And the "circus" part comes from the traffic round-about or circle. Circles are the traffic intersection of choice in the parts of England we travelled. Some were just small circles of grass and or shrubs, some had decorations in them representative of the locality. Imagine not ONLY having to ride on the wrong side of the road but negotiating traffic circles at every major intersection? I'm so glad I didn't have to drive.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sw4tKHDVv54/UpNEif7ZAXI/AAAAAAAAArY/b9sotcJISbM/s1600/20131105_141307.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sw4tKHDVv54/UpNEif7ZAXI/AAAAAAAAArY/b9sotcJISbM/s320/20131105_141307.jpg" width="178" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-62B5VVToDUY/UpNEiI-U8BI/AAAAAAAAArQ/l2avG6cZq3Y/s1600/20131105_141238.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-62B5VVToDUY/UpNEiI-U8BI/AAAAAAAAArQ/l2avG6cZq3Y/s320/20131105_141238.jpg" width="178" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="gmw_"><span class="gmw_"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trafalgar_Square" target="_blank">Trefalgar Square</a> celebrates the Battle of </span><span class="gm_ gm_55735569-4e94-f599-5807-3d0df9749f2e gm-spell">Trefalgar</span> and Nelson's Column dominates the square. There are four plinths or platforms for commemorative statues, three occupied and the fourth left empty, currently used to display a variety of sculptures. Currently the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hahn/Cock" target="_blank">Big Blue Cock </a>holds pride of place.</span> Rather jarring compared with the more traditional sculptures surrounding it, but definitely eye-catching.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Speaking of eye-catching - any Whovians will recognize this shot. The Doctor and Clara were deposited in Trafalgar Square in front of the National Gallery.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HKC5fas0Zcs/UpNEjZi8IdI/AAAAAAAAArk/iuhaw8SugXg/s1600/20131105_141443.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="178" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HKC5fas0Zcs/UpNEjZi8IdI/AAAAAAAAArk/iuhaw8SugXg/s320/20131105_141443.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">And how could any trip to London not include a shot of Big Ben and the London Eye, or better yet, BOTH in one shot!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4VIZApOWUgg/UpNEjAGmtjI/AAAAAAAAArg/vilKhBKTWT8/s1600/20131105_141855.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4VIZApOWUgg/UpNEjAGmtjI/AAAAAAAAArg/vilKhBKTWT8/s320/20131105_141855.jpg" width="178" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bprJVxWEYcA/UpNEjzAxDaI/AAAAAAAAArw/j0_dO2SkjX4/s1600/20131105_154759.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bprJVxWEYcA/UpNEjzAxDaI/AAAAAAAAArw/j0_dO2SkjX4/s320/20131105_154759.jpg" width="178" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Buckingham Palace was as impressive, stately, and beautiful as expected. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2fhvn7LCDfk/UpNEj-FtN2I/AAAAAAAAAr0/V1IM3k6fKwg/s1600/20131105_152143.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="178" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2fhvn7LCDfk/UpNEj-FtN2I/AAAAAAAAAr0/V1IM3k6fKwg/s320/20131105_152143.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">On the opposite side of the architectural spectrum is <a href="http://the-shard.com/" target="_blank">The Shard, </a>designed by Renzo Piano</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2ZZTSpFseKA/UpNEkK8pw6I/AAAAAAAAAsA/SfHRAzHIiMI/s1600/20131105_161141.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2ZZTSpFseKA/UpNEkK8pw6I/AAAAAAAAAsA/SfHRAzHIiMI/s320/20131105_161141.jpg" width="178" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">And finally, can you name this famous bridge in London?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1nN50UQ2Ij0/UpNEkiDkldI/AAAAAAAAAsE/azakIrVL8DM/s1600/20131105_162133.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="178" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1nN50UQ2Ij0/UpNEkiDkldI/AAAAAAAAAsE/azakIrVL8DM/s320/20131105_162133.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Not London Bridge but Tower Bridge. I was delighted to get some really good shots of it from the side of the river and feel this is the cream of the crop.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I will continue featuring pics from my trip in future blog posts, so be warned. I hope this won't scare you off because I'll be including other topics and such among the pics. After all, I took 1,000 PHOTOS! I've got to do something with them, right? LOL</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">See you next week! </span>Denise Golinowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04646310909366020757noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506851291302692937.post-41316122400263325252013-11-18T09:30:00.000-05:002013-11-18T09:30:01.991-05:00Hoarding, England, and Your Monday Fortune Cookie, 11/17/13<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">IN THE GAME OF GIVE AND TAKE, HOARD.</span></b><br />
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<b>SNARKY RESPONSE:</b> Absolutely! The one who dies with the most "toys" wins!</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In The Game Of Give And Take, Hoard.</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This piece of sage advice does not come as news to anyone who has a hobby addiction of any kind. From antiques to toy soldiers to needlework patterns to model car kits, anyone who has a hobby rapidly descends into hoarding! Bits and pieces, research and meets, hobbyists will be hard-pressed indeed to resist the next "sparkly" that comes down the turnpike, website, or vendor's table.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In case you haven't been following me on facebook (why not?), I've just gotten back from my first ever trip "across the pond" to Merry Ol' England. My husband is a model ship junkie, and a member of the International Plastic Modelers Society. This year, there was a big conference in Telford, England, and they offered a 7-day tour of military museums to interested attendees. I'm NOT a modeler, but who am I to rain on my hubby's parade. Besides, it meant I got to go to ENGLAND!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I've always loved England and all the British Isles. My dearest wish was about to be granted. And let me say right off the top, the trip exceeded my wildest expectations. Even though the focus was on the modelers, I found myself caught up in the history and the beauty of the military museums.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The weather was exactly what I had heard - mostly overcast, sometimes rainy, more often drizzly, occasionally sunny. The temperature was mid to upper 60's. I took my new prescrip sunglasses and only needed them twice. We bought umbrellas on our first day, having forgotten to pack any (silly tourists) and used them often. I used my cell phone as my camera and took over 1,000 pics in hopes that I'd get a good 100 or so decent shots. Since we spent a lot of time traveling in a tour bus there were a lot of blurry pics to be discarded.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The plan was to spend the first day in London doing a bus tour, then begin the round of museums. And there were a LOT of museums, with never enough time to spend in any of them. Our last day sent us spinning back to London from Telford with a brutally short 45 minutes in Stratford On Avon and Shakespeare's Birthplace museum (my personal trip highlight).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But let me reassure you that even though I am not a military history buff, I became fascinated with the stories presented at each museum. Sadly, the focus was inevitably on war and the horrors that only mankind can inflict upon itself--and continues to do so. It's so hard to understand why we have never learned that lesson, but I can only pray that one day we will evolve past it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The next few weeks will see me inflicting pics and commentary from our whirlwind trip through southern England. Here are a few pics from London to get us started!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yIJJQ1Kj8aI/Uolu8QiRI8I/AAAAAAAAAqw/X4_WQht1O4s/s1600/20131105_154332.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="178" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yIJJQ1Kj8aI/Uolu8QiRI8I/AAAAAAAAAqw/X4_WQht1O4s/s320/20131105_154332.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The London Eye - From Afar</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1Ul0akUa2zI/Uolu8c_1UNI/AAAAAAAAAqs/qn9KQs6FjCI/s1600/20131105_152024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="178" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1Ul0akUa2zI/Uolu8c_1UNI/AAAAAAAAAqs/qn9KQs6FjCI/s320/20131105_152024.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Buckingham Palace - The Royals Are At Home</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9X-7NK3xMzY/Uolu9BpB-2I/AAAAAAAAAq0/rveqXUsLa-c/s1600/20131105_162752.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="178" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9X-7NK3xMzY/Uolu9BpB-2I/AAAAAAAAAq0/rveqXUsLa-c/s320/20131105_162752.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Tower of London</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iW1jvBnNRjU/Uolu8X_24LI/AAAAAAAAAqo/uJQjXmlZJRc/s1600/20131105_162133.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="178" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iW1jvBnNRjU/Uolu8X_24LI/AAAAAAAAAqo/uJQjXmlZJRc/s320/20131105_162133.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Tower Bridge</td></tr>
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Denise Golinowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04646310909366020757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506851291302692937.post-45775566634121334982013-11-04T09:30:00.000-05:002013-11-04T09:30:05.177-05:00Conflict, Story, and Your Monday Fortune Cookie 11/4/13<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">EVERY GOOD STORY REQUIRES A LITTLE CONFLICT</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>SNARKY RESPONSE:</b> Oh, yeah. I'm even getting critique instructions in a crunchy cookie shell.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Every Good Story Requires A Little Conflict</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And every good romance needs a bit of conflict between the hero and heroine. It's all about that "will they or won't they" that keeps a romance reader reading.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In <a href="http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=177_136&products_id=5180" target="_blank">COLLECTOR'S ITEM</a>, the conflict between KT Marant and Peyton Allers is a struggle for supremacy. Two strong-willed people facing off over the best way to get to their individual goals.</span><br />
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<b><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Peyton</span></u></b></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Peyton Allers struggled to contain his temper as he faced the "princess" of the Marant clan, AKA Katarina Teresa Marant. Because a high-blood princess had slipped her leash and made herself a target for the Collectors, his cover and his operation were blow. No simple "chip & tip" would do for this Collector's Item, damn it!</span></i></blockquote>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">KT</span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>KT finally lost her temper. She slammed her hands onto the floor and leaned forward to thrust her face toward his. "And just like that, you let your best chance at catching Douglas Torne slip right through your fingers? As well as my best chance to find out who has my aunt? Not happening. I won't allow it."</i> </span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When they finally resolve this contest of wills to join forces, I hope you'll agree that they truly do become greater than the sum of their parts.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WFzKod-VeUw/UnbZq6B3giI/AAAAAAAAAqY/W-oeuPhyxlw/s1600/CollectorsItemBook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WFzKod-VeUw/UnbZq6B3giI/AAAAAAAAAqY/W-oeuPhyxlw/s200/CollectorsItemBook.jpg" width="139" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">COLLECTOR'S ITEM is now available in paperback at <a href="http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=191&products_id=5391" target="_blank">Wild Rose Publishing</a> and on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Collectors-Item-Denise-Golinowski/dp/1628301279/ref=sr_1_1_bnp_1_pap?ie=UTF8&qid=1383520860&sr=8-1&keywords=denise+golinowski" target="_blank">Amazon</a>.</span><br />
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<br />Denise Golinowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04646310909366020757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506851291302692937.post-5540221358028009272013-10-28T09:30:00.000-04:002013-10-28T09:30:01.499-04:00Pay-offs, Subs, and Your Monday Fortune Cookie 10/28/13<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">ALL YOUR HARD WORK WILL SOON BE PAID OFF</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>SNARKY RESPONSE:</b> Yeah, and the check is in the mail, right?</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">All Your Hard Work Will Soon Be Paid Off</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Talk about hard work!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Anyone who says writing isn't hard, hasn't been doing it right. At least that's what I've been told and, frankly, that's also been my experience.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Oh sure the first draft is a breeze! Caught up in the moment. Chasing that brilliant story idea down the pathways of your imagination...and over the cliff.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It's not the sudden drop that kills you, it's the sudden stop.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">That's the moment when you begin to realize that you have to worry about characterization, plot development, voice, theme, and grammar. All the fine details of continuity - names, physical characteristics, verbal tics. Is the setting easy to visualize and the world-building both invisible and convincing? Does the dialogue flow easily through the mind or off the tongue? No one can ignore the rules without paying the cost. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">You have to make a solid effort to provide your reader with the best story told in the best way that you know how. And that takes work. Time invested in choosing the words, the phrases, and the action. Time putting it down on paper and then reading it over and over as you fine-tune it. Then time re-reading it and revising it some more. Words in/words out/rinse/repeat.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And from my perspective, while it might get easier as you become more experienced, it never becomes automatic.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I've just pushed the SEND button on a submission to my editor. It's a terrifying moment knowing that it's gone out of my hands, and I'm not going to be there when it arrives to help clear up any mistakes or misunderstandings. Will that cold read by my editor be all I hope it will be?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I just know that there's gonna be something I missed. Something I didn't quite nail. Heck, on that final read through, after having read Aces Down until I was green around the gills, I still discovered some continuity issues, missing words, and unclear situations. I fixed all I could find and now I have to hope it was enough. Enough to help my editor fall in love with Norah and Tristan, and the rest of the gang at Aces Down.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Well, only time will tell. Fingers crossed.</span><br />
<br />Denise Golinowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04646310909366020757noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506851291302692937.post-79692576640505672522013-10-21T14:03:00.003-04:002013-10-21T14:03:44.402-04:00Good News! Options, We Love Options!<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Wishes do come true! Indeed they do!</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>SNARKY RESPONSE:</b> That's not a fortune cookie fortune</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="gmw_">Yes, <span class="gm_ gm_1a235efc-ac1b-393d-c54e-f86eb7e51529 gm-spell">Snarky</span> Me has called me out, but she doesn't mind because we're throwing ourselves a little party today!</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Why?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Because I just got official word that COLLECTOR'S ITEM is now available in paperback! Isn't it BEE-U-T FUL?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_HAGqod7APc/UmVmXz2cExI/AAAAAAAAAp4/eM9UoCEIhwU/s1600/CollectorsItemPaperback.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_HAGqod7APc/UmVmXz2cExI/AAAAAAAAAp4/eM9UoCEIhwU/s320/CollectorsItemPaperback.jpg" width="222" /></a></span></span></div>
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<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Alpha were-jaguar, Katarina "KT"
Marant is trained to protect the pride so when her aunt disappears, KT
naturally takes up the hunt. Her suspicion settles on the Collectors, humans
who view shapeshifters as the ultimate big game.</span></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></i><div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Peyton Allers can't believe he's got to blow
his cover to rescue a shapeshifter "princess." Even harder to believe
is that she wants to stage her own kidnapping in order to catch the leader of
the Collectors and find her aunt.</span></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></i><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Everything goes sideways when KT is kidnapped
for real and by someone she never suspected. Will Peyton find her before time
runs out? Or will she become a true Collector's Item?</i> </span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Available NOW at</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=191&products_id=5391" target="_blank">The Wild Rose Press</a></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> and on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Collectors-Item-Denise-Golinowski/dp/1628301279/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1382376937&sr=1-3&keywords=denise+golinowski" target="_blank">Amazon</a></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">It's truly yet another dream realized. I've got a book in paper!</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Novellas in paper are generally not considered a profitable price point, which is why I resigned myself to not realizing this dream for a while. THEN, TWRP, who had granted my First Wish of publication, granted my Second Wish of print publication!</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I have to thank my editor, Callie Lynn Wolfe, and my publishers, RJ Morris and Rhonda Penders at The Wild Rose Press, for what they do to support me and all the Roses.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I hope that if you or someone you know prefers reading physical books, you'll consider picking COLLECTOR'S ITEM to Place On Your Book Shelf!</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Wow! I actually get to say that!</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">COLLECTOR'S ITEM can be put on your book shelf!</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Happy dancing!</span></span></div>
Denise Golinowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04646310909366020757noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506851291302692937.post-58757899748851429012013-10-14T09:30:00.000-04:002013-10-14T09:30:01.149-04:00Mondays, Maxine, and Your Fortune Cookie 10/14/13<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">YOU WILL MAINTAIN GOOD HEALTH AND ENJOY LIFE.</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b>
<b>SNARKY RESPONSE: </b>That's a lovely sentiment, Fortune Cookie Guru, but I ascribe to a different credo, as espoused by that wise woman, Maxine, and others:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Life is not a journey to the grave with intentions of arriving safely in a pretty well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming, "WOW! What a ride!</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">You will maintain good health and enjoy life.</span></b><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">You know, Mondays get a bad rap. We B&M (you can figure it out) about Mondays, but ANY Day that serves as the first day of the work week would get lambasted. If our work week began Tuesday or Thursday, we'd call it the dreaded T-Day or something.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Yeah, Wednesdays are fortunately positioned in the work week. That hump day mojo is pretty strong right now. Especially thanks to a certain insurance commercial.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It's pretty funny, but I bet even that ubiquitous ungulate would have a hard time selling Wednesday if it was the first day of the work week instead of the crest of the weekly slog.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Really, we should celebrate Monday's arrival. Yes, the drudge-trudge to Friday has begun, but the hardest part is now over. We're up. We've started, we've begun. We're on our way. WOOT!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Let's hear it for Monday. After all, there's only ONE a week! Think about THAT one, why don't ya!</span></div>
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Denise Golinowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04646310909366020757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506851291302692937.post-27422073637954865662013-09-30T09:30:00.000-04:002013-09-30T09:30:00.821-04:00Fall Ponderings and Your Monday Fortune Cookie, 9/30/13<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">YOUR ABILITY FOR ACCOMPLISHMENT WILL BE FOLLOWED BY SUCCESS.</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>SNARKY RESPONSE:</b> Of course. It'd be ridiculous to say that one's ability for success will be followed by accomplishment. No, wait! That makes sense too? Today's fortune is a kind of palindrome. Who knew?</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Your ability for accomplishment will be followed by success.</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I was going to write about something else, hopefully something inspiring and worthy of a fortune about "accomplishment" and "success," but as I sit here at my desk, with my window open, I'm thinking about fall.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sure, I can still hear frogs inviting someone, anyone, over for a drink and a roll on their lily pad, but soon the temps will drive every self-respecting amphibian into hibernation. Alone. Solitary confinement until spring when they'll emerge and begin their chorus all over again. Unless they don't survive the plummeting temps, in which case it's the next generation who will take up the tune.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Anyway, potential death in the marsh notwithstanding, fall is definitely beginning that downward spiral to winter.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Temps are falling,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sap is receding,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Leaves are falling,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Daylight hours are dwindling. Everything is headed down.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Despite the holiday heyday,</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Despite the fatalistic vibe, I still find this my favorite season. The crisp Fall air, such a relief after the smothering humidity of Summer. The shifting of the greens of Summer to the glorious reds, golds, and yellows of Fall.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Summer's indolence rolls over and applies itself to harvesting and nesting. Meals cooked outside over an open flame, billowing smoke into a summer's day, shift to crock pots and stew pots and spice-laden air wafting through the house.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm pulling out sweaters, polishing boots, anticipating sleeves in all their lengths and weights. Summer whites, tropical brights, and cool pastels are packed away or pushed to the back of the closet to make room for fall and winter tones, earthy, jeweled, and spiced.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">How do you anticipate Fall? Do you spend it mourning Summer's passing? Do you count it only as the approach of Winter?</span>Denise Golinowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04646310909366020757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506851291302692937.post-47636471390808558202013-09-23T09:30:00.000-04:002013-09-23T09:30:02.590-04:00Belief, Writing, and Your Monday Fortune Cookie, 9/23/13<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">BELIEVING IS DOING.</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>SNARKY RESPONSE:</b> Just make sure you've got that parachute before you take that leap of faith!</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Believing is doing.</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Back in 2000, I decided that if I really thought I was a writer, I was going to have to get serious and write! All the talking about that great story idea I'd been harboring, or that neat character who'd been haunting me wasn't getting me anywhere. I had to actually put my fingers to keyboard and start typing. Until I did, it was nothing but a pipedream.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6O2rjRwKyto/Uj-GzUw1ipI/AAAAAAAAApA/_FBTpBGcenU/s1600/0930111844.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6O2rjRwKyto/Uj-GzUw1ipI/AAAAAAAAApA/_FBTpBGcenU/s200/0930111844.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I joined a critique group, listened, learned, wrote, and eventually began putting pages in front of them for review and critique. It was scary, putting my words in front of unbiased eyes. It was hard listening when flaws were spotted, mistakes corrected, plot holes identified, but I believed I could improve if I listened. If I remained open to learning new ways of seeing my writing. I kept at it, believing I could do it. I kept doing it, believing it was an evolving effort that would result in my becoming a better writer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It's still true. Even now, discussing my newest idea with my critique groups is only so much hot air if I'm not putting it down on the screen. If I'm not putting words to screen, I'm not writing and I believe the only proof is in the pudding, or the writing. That's also why being in a critique group is so good for me. Not only must I believe in my writing and do the writing, but I have to turn in pages to the group, thereby holding me accountable for my dreams.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There's no getting around it, no short-cutting it, no foolin - if you want to be a writer, you have to WRITE!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And once you're doing that, YOU ARE A WRITER. Don't dismiss it, don't duck your head and scuff your shoe mumbling. Lift that head, meet the other person eye to eye and say aloud, "Yes, I'm a writer."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It took time, patience, effort, openness, and determination, but now I can truly say that I believe I'm a writer and because I'm a writer, I write!</span><br />
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<br />Denise Golinowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04646310909366020757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1506851291302692937.post-29496128167207070482013-09-09T09:30:00.000-04:002013-09-09T09:30:02.224-04:00Baltimore Ukrainian Festival and Your Monday Fortune Cookie<b><span style="font-size: large;">THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS TO ANYWHERE WORTH GOING.</span></b><br />
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<b>SNARKY RESPONSE</b>: If you want proof, ask OnStar.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">There are no shortcuts to anywhere worth going.</span></b></div>
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The OnStar comment may seem odd, but believe me, Joe and I have traveled many a winding road because OnStar thought it was the most direct route. We've been on backwoods roads so deep in the wilderness that I would have sworn I heard banjo's playing.</div>
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Well, OnStar did it again this last Saturday to get us to the Baltimore Ukrainian Festival and though it took us on a route we had not anticipated, it did get us there in good time. So as the Bard says, all's well that ends well.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ybcfVUfs-H8/Ui0d5PLhMaI/AAAAAAAAAnM/se7yJBhRYsI/s1600/20130907_115732.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ybcfVUfs-H8/Ui0d5PLhMaI/AAAAAAAAAnM/se7yJBhRYsI/s320/20130907_115732.jpg" width="178" /></a>The Baltimore Ukrainian Festival is held in Patterson Park in Baltimore, not far from the Inner Harbor. Actually on the other side of Little Italy. This was their 38th year and going strong. The festival is set up around the monument to Poland with food, drink, novelties, and live entertainment.</div>
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Saturday in Baltimore was lovely. As we drove through Baltimore to the festival, it rapidly became apparent that it was a very busy day in Baltimore. There was a game at the stadium, and a sudden encounter with people costumed like super heroes revealed that the Baltimore Comic Con was at the Inner Harbor. Then passing through the neighborhood to get to the Ukrainian Festival, we discovered there was a small Polish Festival being held at a church several blocks from the park. Determined to avail ourselves of both events, we parked in a midway area and headed in. </div>
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The Baltimore Ukrainian Festival features booths from four different Ukrainian churches offering Ukrainian foods, a Ukranian Beer Garden where you could enjoy Ukrainian beers, vodka, and honey liquor and vendors with lovely Ukranian decorated eggs and embroidered shirts. Cabbage rolls and pierogi are not photogenic, but they were delicious. I guarantee it.</div>
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This was a vegetarian offering of spaetzle, mushrooms, and cabbage. And the beers were very refreshing.<br />
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The cabbage rolls and pierogi differed from church booth to church booth in subtle ways, but all were delicious.</div>
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Sitting on our blanket in the shade of a tree, Joe and I enjoyed watching a wonderful dancing group performing traditional Ukrainian dances, a talented violinist playing Ukrainian music, and a local Ukrainian acapella group. The temperature was perfect and a steady breeze kept us all comfortable. I admit I did feel for the performers, but honestly, it's been hotter in past years, and none of them were noticeably drooping.</div>
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The Cossack dances are always exciting to watch. The young men leaping about and kicking from squats were impressive. My knees ached just watching them jump up and down. And there was one dance where they whirled the girls in the air. Fun!<br />
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The Polish Festival was being held at a nearby church and included entertainment, vendors, historical displays and, of course, food. This was a new event for us and, we loved the smaller venue. Being a one church event, it felt cozier and the food came right out of the kitchen to your plate. Yum!<br />
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There's something so delightfully rich about enjoying an event steeped in tradition. Hearing people speaking their native languages and sharing food and stories about their history with welcome strangers. These two cultures are my husband's heritage, and I love that he enjoys sharing it with me. It reminds me how marvelously diverse our country is, the world is, and how much we need to remember and celebrate that diversity with joy and love.<br />
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Denise Golinowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04646310909366020757noreply@blogger.com0