Laura Benedict's Blog, page 29
February 17, 2017
Saturday Serendipity 18 February, 2017
This week I was in the mood for a little silliness:
Recently I learned about hygge, the Danish coziness mantra. But the Finns, in addition to having some pretty killer tv crime shows, also have the word karlsarikannit. Hint: it involves alcohol and maybe your underwear.
His coworkers want the mayor of this small Spanish town to call in an exorcist because the town hall is haunted. I’m all about ghosts, but I love his practical response.
Just one more reason dogs are awesome. They have a s...
February 16, 2017
Hello, Resistance, My Old Friend
Resistance and I are old, old friends. You could almost call her my twin from the dark side. Sometimes she comes to me dressed as fear. Sometimes as jealousy. Sometimes as illness. Sometimes as a cruel judge. Sometimes as a blank, brick wall. Sometimes as my mothering heart. No matter how she’s cloaked, she’s extremely competent at her job, which is to get between me and all I dream of accomplishing before I die. That sounds big, doesn’t it? She’s very ambitious.
Primarily, Resistance is...
February 15, 2017
Urban Legends: Stories We Love to Fall For
I adore urban legends. I particularly loved them when I was a young teen because they were outrageous or scandalous stories with elements that hit close to home. My very favorite one is a little gross, so bear with me. (I loved scary stories as a kid, and was an early adopter of Stephen King books.)
A young babysitter had to babysit overnight while there was a killer on the loose in the area. She was afraid, but the parents told her not to worry because their dog was a good watch dog, and...
February 14, 2017
A Peek at The Intruder
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If you’re following along (and I hope you are!), you know that on Wednesdays, I like to talk about what I’m reading, or books that have made an impression on me.
This week I’ve been reading my latest manuscript, with brief excursions into Paolo Bacigalupi’s The Windup Girl. More on that book later. Probably a lot later because it’s a dense sucker.
Confession: I either love my work or loathe looking at it. There’s no middle ground. I’m not supposed to tell you that sometimes I loathe my o...
February 13, 2017
Colors of the Heart
You can probably tell from my photos that I spend a lot of time at our house. But the wonderful thing is that nature is never tiresome–it’s never the same from day to day. Occasionally I think about doing an Instagram or a regular post with a photo taken at the same spot every day of the year. It sounds like fun, but there are so many other things I want to spend my days on. Besides, I don’t need a photograph every day to see the changes.
The colors of these recent sunsets behind our house ma...
February 12, 2017
Something to Fall Back On
Perhaps I’m showing my age here, but did anyone else’s parents advise them to take a typing class in high school so they would have “something to fall back on?”
My mother suggested that I take typing, so I dutifully registered, even though it sounded kind of boring. But it also turned out to be easy, so after I completed Typing I, I took Typing II. There were no guys in the class, only girls at the rows of IBM Selectric IIs. If a boy had registered, he would have been roundly mocked. Typ...
February 11, 2017
Sunday, 12 February 2017
“Difficulty, my brethren, is the nurse of greatness – a harsh nurse, who roughly rocks her foster – children into strength and athletic proportion.” –William C. Bryant*
*Translation: Do the hard stuff. Your life will be better.
Don’t forget to share the title of your favorite love song for a chance on special Valentine package from me! Click here to go to the post, but be sure to weigh in by tonight, Sunday, February 12th, at 8 pm, EST. 
Saturday Serendipity, 11 February 2017
It’s been a long, challenging week in the Benedicts’ little corner of So IL. The DH was gone, and the boy got his driver’s license. I finished the first draft of The Intruder and have begun reading/editing. Winter and spring are in an early battle–I haven’t seen any buds on trees, yet. Praying that they hold off another few week in case winter gets the upper hand. Hope you’re staying cozy–particularly if you’re in the snowy up east.
If you’re a writer or you’ve ever worked from home, t...
February 10, 2017
All the Valentine Hearts, Just for You!
I’ve been so touched by the wonderful support that’s come my way over the past six weeks or so since I started blogging every day. Thank you! Here’s a chance to win a special Valentine package from me: A copy of my latest novel, The Abandoned Heart, a custom-designed (by me!) mug and Valentine, plus a limited edition tin of Godiva treats.
Comment below with the title of your favorite love song before Sunday, February 12th, at 8 pm, EST. (You must comment here–FB and Twitter comments don’t...
February 9, 2017
Slaying the Beasts: Do The Hard Thing First. And Then the Next Hard Thing.
If you do a Google search for the phrase “Do The Hard Thing First” you’ll find it’s a pretty common theme–and for a good reason. It’s very practical advice, but it’s also a radical suggestion for procrastinators.
Procrastination is natural. No one likes pain (well, most of us don’t), and doing difficult things is emotionally painful. But putting something off often always causes more pain than just sitting down, or getting out, to do the thing we’re avoiding. Procrastination has a ripple...
