Barbara Fradkin's Blog, page 4

Lolly the Lobster, or Why We Need a Little Silliness Right Now

by Shelley BurbankI've been in Maine for a few weeks now, and it's filling me with such contentment. And by that I mean seafood. Lobster rolls. Fried clams. A nice fried haddock sandwich. (No chowdah yet, though. I might have to make some at home.)Photo of the week & a life as a wacky football gameHere I am hanging out on the coast this week with my good friend Lolly the Lobster. Actually I

One Eye Down, One To Go

 by Sybil JohnsonThis post will be short. I had cataract surgery a week or so ago and have another coming up on Monday. It has been an interesting experience so far. I’m sure a lot of people who are reading this have had this surgery. Eye surgery is something I’ve never experienced before. I suspect some of this may end up in a story someday.You’re awake during it, though they do give you

One of Those Days

 By Charlotte HingerI don't understand days like yesterday. It was more Monday than usual, and to make things worse, today is Tuesday and it thinks it's still Monday. I've been pondering the colossal best seller by Marie Kondo, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up and decided I should write the Life-Changing Magic of Shoving Everything into a Huge Hefty Bag and Leaving It For Somebody

The DEATH of the Short Story (and More) and Persistence

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzJiY... is the link to a short video by a working/selling science fiction novelist who still gets small ideas that need their own story, the short story. Science fiction might be more friendly than mystery to the short story and its cousins, the novella and novelette. The author relates the travail of a writer who submitted a story to Analog, one of the

George Goes Missing: An Alaska mini-mystery

by Catherine DiltsGone fishing! That’s my excusefor failing to post an article August 26th. To celebrate ourretirement, my husband and I planned an ambitious see-and-do-it-all trip toAlaska. A two week dream trip of bucket list proportions. At the last minute, I packedCurious George. It’s a lot to make room in your luggage for a plush monkey, buthe had accompanied us on many adventures

Routine and Novelty

by Shelley BurbankWhat is better for creativity: routine or novelty? For the past eight months I've been living halfway around the world in a foreign (ish) country. Novelty. However, I knew exactly ONE person when I moved to Guam, and that was my husband. Since then I've met a few of his co-workers and some very friendly ladies in the exercise classes I attend a couple times a week, but

Multiple Gunshot Suicide & the Suspension of Disbelief, by Cynthia Leal Massey

Type M 4 Murder is pleased as can be to host guest author Cynthia Leal Massey, whose wonderful new release, historical crime mystery Well of Deception, is set for release on Oct. 7.  You can preorder here!Multiple Gunshot Suicide & the Suspension of Disbeliefby Cynthia Leal MasseyThe old saying, “Truth is stranger than fiction,” reminds me of a problem I had with my crime mystery, Well

Audiobooks

 by Sybil JohnsonI'm a firm believer that every book should be available in as many formats as possible. They all serve their own purpose. I admit I prefer print books in general, but I don't hate the other versions. I like ebooks for when I travel or when my eyes are tired. Enlarging the font in the latter case is a big help. I've listened to audiobooks a fair amount, sometimes because

Second Sock Syndrome

By Charlotte Hinger"I simply don't understand this second sock syndrome," said my friend Angela. "I'm Virgo and German and it wouldn't even occur to me not to knit the second sock."This was in reply to my friend, Karen, also a member of my knitting group that I've attended since I moved to Fort Collins. Karen said she had at least 22 single socks. She couldn't bring herself to knit the same sock

The Wind of the Day

 Steve/MichaelImagine the array of brain cells you use for writing. They edit, type, color, format. And they have ideas. Some ideas are a product of logical development, but the best ones hit you like Moe with a mackeral, smacking into consciousness. They are bright and shiny. Sometimes they come with context and background and life, usually more than you can remember after the flash bulb of