M.B. Gibson's Blog, page 5
January 1, 2017
Reading Challenge 2017
Happy New Year! I’m going through my usual New Year’s Day goal-setting which will include another stab at a BACK to the CLASSICS Challenge. This contest sets up twelve categories of classic literature for the participant to read throughout 2017. If you’re curious about this or would like to join, go to https://karensbooksandchocolate.blogs... and … Continue reading Reading Challenge 2017
October 31, 2016
Who is the Real Ichabod Crane?
Ever wonder how authors name their characters? It can be a tricky business. My characters have undergone multiple name changes due to my bad habit of giving them all names starting with the same letter. Ugh. Can you say ‘confusing’? A main character in AROON, Eveleen, was originally named Catherine. I can’t remember what prompted … Continue reading Who is the Real Ichabod Crane?
August 8, 2016
Lincoln–A Towering Figure
On a recent trip to our nation’s capital, I marked a visit to Ford’s Theater—the site of Lincoln’s assassination—off my bucket list. While I could write plenty about the awe I felt standing so close to where Booth pulled the trigger—and just might—I must note a fascinating tribute to our greatest president that I’d not […]
June 27, 2016
I Want a Grogoch
In writing my book, Aroon, I needed some Irish mythical creatures. In the story, a prominent character, Eveleen, is telling fairy (or should I say faerie) stories to her little sisters. Having some Irish blood in my veins is not enough–it was off to Google to discover a beastie or two. I searched “Irish story […]
June 8, 2016
Wrote a book…wish you were here
You’d have to know my mom. She was smart, funny, and a lover of life. She was not cuddly. She avoided emotions as one would a bill collector. So, her reaction to the first few chapters of my book made me giddy. After reading, she set down the manuscript and looked at me with mild […]
March 15, 2016
Ben Franklin on Donald Trump
In his time, Benjamin Franklin could be considered “the most interesting man in the world.” He was an author, printer, politician, postmaster, scientist, inventor, civic activist, statesman, diplomat—and he had a way with the ladies. You may not know he was also a bigot. At least he “played one on TV.” That is to say, […]
March 5, 2016
Farewell, Pat Conroy
On Friday, March 4th, we lost a literary legend in South Carolina. Pat Conroy, the prolific author of the Lowcountry, succumbed to pancreatic cancer at his coastal home in Beaufort. While many people will remember him for The Prince of Tides and The Great Santini, or several other outstanding tales based on his life, […]
February 22, 2016
What’s a Deckle Edge?
Many people, including myself, mourned the news that the South Carolina Book Festival was no more. Nothing (except maybe writers’ conferences) can get my blood gushing like a room full of books, writers, and readers. Even the smell of the pages invigorates me. Fortunately, some movers and shakers in Columbia, South Carolina felt the same way—hence, […]
November 14, 2015
A Suitable Memorial
Even today, the turbulent history of slavery is often watered down, ignored, or dismissed. Toni Morrison, Nobel-prize winning author of Beloved, will not be silenced. Her novel on the effects of our national sin is as eye-opening as it is chilling. In 1989, she called out this denial of our history, saying, “There is no […]
October 3, 2015
General James Longstreet: Defying the Stereotypes
What do Civil War General James Longstreet and U.S. Senator Strom Thurmond have in common? They both served their country, they were both Republicans, and they were both born in Edgefield County, South Carolina. That’s not far from where I live. On the surface, they seem mighty similar. But on closer inspection, they are radically different. […]
