Jerrie Alexander's Blog, page 15

Six Sentence Sunday

         

 Welcome to six from THE GREEN-EYED Doll.

Today’s six continues on from last Sunday. Catherine had just exited her car to try talking the sheriff out of giving her a ticket when a gust of wind pulled the door out of her hands and into the sheriff.

Be sure to check in over at http://www.sixsentence.com where you ‘ll find lots of cool sites to visit. Go read other author’s six sentences.

 

          “What the hell?” he growled. His sunglasses went flying when he staggered backward a step before regaining his footing. “Are you trying to get arrested?”

          One word slammed into her brain…arrested? Not again. Never again.

 

 

 

Friday Special with Nancy Jardine

I’m excited to have Nancy Jardine with me for a Friday Special!  Good morning, Nancy!

Hi Jerrie,

It’s lovely to visit somewhere new, and especially when it’s just into the New Year. I’m looking forward to meeting your visitors and wish them the best for 2013.

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An ex-primary teacher, Nancy Jardine, lives in the fabulous castle country of Aberdeenshire – Scotland. Her husband mans the kitchen, her offspring only an hour’s drive away. When time permits, ancestry research is an intermittent hobby. Neglecting her large garden in favour of writing, she now grows spectacularly giant thistles. Activity weekends with her extended family are prized since they give her great fodder for new writing.

A lover of history, it sneaks into most of her writing along with many of the fantastic world locations she has been fortunate to visit. Her published work to date has been two non fiction history related projects; two contemporary ancestral mysteries; one light-hearted contemporary romance mystery and a historical novel.

Q. Do you do any special research for your novels?

I’ve done a fair bit of research for my historical novel -The Beltane Choice – though I used research I’d amassed while teaching Celtic Britain to my primary classes. For my current WIP, a sequel to The Beltane Choice, I needed to research quite heavily about the Roman occupation of Britain during the period around 71A.D. I’ve a reasonable working knowledge of the Celtic perspective, but I wanted to learn as much as possible of the Roman Empire’s advances northwards in Britannia during that time, in more specific terms.

I also did a reasonable amount of research about emeralds and jewellery for my recently published ancestral mystery – Topaz Eyes. My other two published contemporary romances didn’t need too much since I relied heavily on personal experiences, and used locations I’ve traveled to.

However, I always do ‘update’ research to ensure my information is still current regarding cities I’ve visited in the past, or particular facts I want to include in my work. Small details, but nonetheless important to me. For example in Topaz Eyes my character Keira Drummond takes a ride on a tram in Vienna. My last trip to Vienna was in 2002, but when researching during the writing process I discovered that in early 2012 Vienna launched a brand new Ring- tram system. The new trams are even more perfect for my writing needs and I needed to tweak the color of the new trams to a more vibrant yellow!

Q. What made you pick your particular genre?

To date, I don’t have a particular genre, or even sub-genre. My published work spans one Celtic/ Roman Britain historical ; two contemporary ancestral mysteries which have complicated family trees puzzles to solve; and one light-hearted contemporary mystery where the main characters fly around the globe to many exciting venues, their travel dogged by a saboteur. All of those published works have varying degrees of romance included, and elements of danger and intrigue are also present  - which is why they tend not to ‘fit’ publishers ‘lines’ very well. I’ve also completed a time-travel novel for older children (10-14 age groups) and years ago published a couple of non-fiction projects that were historically based for local schools.

Q. What are you working on right now? Can you tell us about it?

I’m currently working on the sequel to The Beltane Choice. This takes forward a character who gathers information about the movement of the Roman Armies around the time Eboracum (present day York, England) was established. The novel spans around a decade, and will culminate in one of the largest battles recorded between the Northern Celtic tribes (present day Scotland) and the Roman Army – the battle of Mons Graupius. Though that perhaps sounds gory it won’t be too bad! Romantic relationships develop slowly between the main characters, though till I’m finished I won’t know to what degree. The heat level will only be quantifiable when I’m finished! Though my plans for the novel are reasonably detailed I also tend to fly by the seat of my pants, too. 

Q. Do you ever hit the wall or find you’ve written yourself into a corner? How do you turn that around?

I feel that’s almost what’s been happening of late – in terms of hitting a wall. I’ve not been able to devote much time to my current historical sequel because of other pressing requirements – like three book releases between Aug and Dec 2012. I’m not in the least complaining, but the following may explain why my WIP has been languishing at around 30,000 for months.

My first contemporary ancestral mystery –Monogamy Twist – was published 24th Aug 2011 by The Wild Rose Press. They published my second work, my fun contemporary mystery – Take Me Now – on 3rd Aug 2012. That was immediately followed by my historical-The Beltane Choice – being e-book published by Crooked Cat Publishing on the 31st Aug 2012 (followed by the print launch on 26th Oct 2012.) On 7th Dec 2012 Crooked Cat published – Topaz Eyes – my second ancestral mystery. All of those have taken up a huge amount of inevitable promotional time since Sept 2012, when I started my historical sequel. Blog visiting and hosting, joining new social media places has sapped my energy!

And…since Aug 2012, I’m now officially child-minding my seriously energetic granddaughter at least two days a week from approx 6am through 7pm. There’s NO writing happening on those days!

So, although I’ve not had writer’s block my time has been restricted for new writing. I’m desperate about organizing my promo work better in 2013, to free up more writing time. I aim to complete my historical sequel by March 2013 and then work on my family saga that’s very well planned, but so far is sitting at about 9000 words.

Okay…enough with the business questions! How about some fun stuff. You know, just between the two of us.

Q. The opportunity to go on a surprise vacation arises. You have 90 minutes to pack and get to the airport. Where will you go and what will you pack?

My kindle -pre-loaded with lots of novels! I’d grab some light summery clothes (remember, I’m from Scotland so those normally languish at the back of my wardrobe) swimsuits, espadrilles/ sandals, sun tan lotion, my large sunhat, and a couple of my fanciest non-crushable outfits. My destination would be Oman. I’d be going back to the most fantastic hotel I’ve ever visited so far and really want to spend more time at. The hotel may have changed its décor a bit since I last visited, but it still retains its high class status. It has its own fantastic beach area with wonderful little tiki bars. During my last visit I had a ‘personal’ barman at one of the bars who made me custom-made, stupendous cocktails. He’d say… “And what are you in the mood for this evening? Rum? Vodka? Pineapple? Mango?”  I’d just say …”Surprise me!”  He never failed to please…J

Q. Are you more likely to be spotlighted on the TV show Hoarders or Fashion Police?

I think that would have to be Hoarders- though I’m not familiar with those TV shows. I’ve never been into keeping up with fashion trends, but I definitely hate throwing anything out. As such, my house has cupboards full of bits and pieces and a cellar that’s stacked with boxes of who knows what now. I’ve lived in my present house for almost 25 years so that means a lot of junk. However, I’m now pulling out toys and books for my 15 month old granddaughter which belonged to my daughter.

Q. If they make a movie about your life, who do you want to play your part?

That’s a really tough one, since I hardly watch movies these days and struggle to pick a more recent actress. So, I’d go for someone like Sally Field – though I was never bubbly in my life!

Q. Tell us one thing about you that might surprise us…it can be a secret…we won’t tell.

I have a Norwegian woolen Jacket stored in a box room I adored wearing in the 1980s. I’d love to fit into it again one day soon and be able to properly button it down. I’ll have to shed a good few pounds for that to happen!

Thank you for having me guest with you today, Jerrie! It’s lovely to visit with fellow Wild Rose Press Roses.

Author links:

http://nancyjardine.blogspot.com/   http://nancyjardineauthor.weebly.com/    http://facebook.com/nancy.jardine.56    Twitter @nansjar

Amazon Author page for books and to view book trailer videos: http://amzn.to/RJZzZz

Novels also available from http://thewildrosepress.com and http://crookedcatbooks.com

e-book formats from most e-book retailers.

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Topaz Eyes  – Blurb

A peculiar invitation to Heidelberg embroils Keira Drummond in the search for a mysterious collection of extraordinary jewels once owned by a Mughal Emperor; a hoard that was last known to be in the possession of Amsterdam resident, Geertje Hoogeveen, in 1910.

Who among the progeny of Geertje – hitherto unfamiliar third cousins brought together for the quest – can Keira rely on? Distrust and suspicion among them is rife.

Which one is greedy, and determined enough, to hire thugs to tail her… and worse… as she travels to Vienna and Minnesota?  Can Keira even trust Teun Zeger – a Californian she is becoming very drawn to – as they pair up to unearth the jewellery?

As they follow a trail of clues, will they uncover the full collection before the hired gun kills them? Details remain furtive and undisclosed until danger and death forces their exposure. And who harbours the ultimate mystery item that is even more precious than the Mughal jewels?

Greed, suspicion and murder are balanced by growing family loyalty, trust, and love.

Excerpt:

With just sufficient presence of mind to make sure her key card was in her pocket, Keira snicked the door closed. Stumbling along the wall, her legs still a gelatinous mess, she pried open the heavy door to the emergency stairs.

            Noises pounded from somewhere down below: shouts and bellows she couldn’t interpret. At first she couldn’t tell if someone was going down to lower floors or was coming up. Their room was on the eleventh floor, so there were plenty of floors above and below them.

            Stilling her heaving breathing, she listened more carefully. The person was coming back up the stairs but the footsteps no longer powered their way. Edging back to the door, she’d no idea whether to wait or to retreat to her room. Her gaze scanned above, not for divine intervention, but purely because she was too cowardly to look below. There was no problem if it was Teun… but if it was the stalker? Her whole torso plastered against the cold metal, her breath stifled by panic.

            A couple more flights by the sounds of the slowing footsteps. That inner sister berated her again, told her to get real and stop wimping. Opening her palms flush against the icy surface behind her, she willed some courage to return. One more flight. Oh God! She could now hear the laboured breathing of someone fighting with their fitness. Taking her unawares, anger roiled inside her and then erupted. Where her gall came from she’d no idea, but she was past caring.

            “If you’re not Teun, I’m going to beat your head in! I’ve got a weapon here and the minute you come near me, I’ll not hesitate to use it, you thieving… prowler!

            The minute the words gushed, Keira’s legs almost folded. What the hell had she just done? She gaped at her almost empty palms. A key card wasn’t exactly much use.

Topaz Eyes available from: http://amzn.to/RhRWK1 , https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/261511 and www.crookedcatbooks.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday Coffee with Kelly Moran

Welcome, Kelly! Coffee’s ready, so let’s tell the folks more about you and your books.

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Q. Do you do any special research for your novels?

If an author doesn’t research, they may as well not write. You need to know the setting, character’s career, their psyche, etc. All needs to be researched. Nothing ruins a novel like the wrong information.

Q. What made you pick your particular genre?

I think it picked me, honestly. I’m not a romantic person, but I’m ideal enough to swoon at the HEA. There’s enough ugliness in the world, I like my escape in books. In saying that, my lack of rose-colored glasses allows me to avoid overly gushy plotlines and have a focus on real-world issues in my stories– illness, death, depression– and pull it to a satisfying end where everyone’s happy. LOL. My gift, making people cry.

Q. What are you working on right now? Can you tell us about it?

I have a quirky contemporary called, The Dysfunctional Test, that I just contracted. No release date yet. I’m querying my serious contemporary, The Weight of Weeping, now. My current work in progress is called, Ghost of a Chance, which is about a team of ghost hunters.

Q. Do you ever hit the wall or find you’ve written yourself into a corner? How do you turn that around?

All the time. My characters usually find a way out. My best friend is great to bounce ideas off of. She doesn’t try to commit me for talking about fictional people as if real.

Okay…enough with the business questions! How about some fun stuff. You know, just between the two of us. 

Pfft. Right.

Q. The opportunity to go on a surprise vacation arises. You have 90 minutes to pack and get to the airport. Where will you go and what will you pack?

Huh. Ireland, definitely. Or the UK. I’d pack pen and paper, camera, undies, deodorant, perfume, jeans, socks, and a sweater. Enough for one bag. God, I’m so normal, aren’t I?

Q. Are you more likely to be spotlighted on the TV show Hoarders or Fashion Police?

Jesus. Neither. Stupid reality TV. What? I have to choose? Sigh. Hoarders.

Q. If they make a movie about your life, who do you want to play your part?

Oh my. LMFAO. Hm. Drew Barrymore. She looks a bit like me, is as awkward as me, and has the same sense of humor.

Q. Tell us one thing about you that might surprise us…it can be a secret…we won’t tell.

Secret. Right. PB and pickle is my favorite sandwich. Yes, together.

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BLURB:

In her dreams, a ghost demands to be heard…

Once plagued by mysterious nightmares, Trisha Eaton always chalked them up to childish nuisances–until they return with a vengeance. Something about the Drake house next door haunts her, and now her night terrors and sleepwalking seem to be luring her to something dark. After a series of strange events, Trisha turns to Nick Mackey. As the new deputy in town, Nick wants to forget his traumatic past. His undeniable attraction for Trisha has him wondering if a shot at a normal life is possible. But Trisha has somehow struck a nerve in their small, superstitious town, and a long-buried secret threatens to surface again. A secret that someone will kill to keep veiled. Answers only lead to more questions in a case where nothing makes sense, but one chilling fact remains…some nightmares are all too real.

BIO:

Kelly’s been known to say that she gets her ideas from everyone and everything around her, and that there’s always a book playing out in her head. No one who knows her bats an eyelash when she talks to herself.

She began her writing career in the Indie market, becoming the recipient of an Editor’s Choice Award, a Finalist in the 2008 Best Book Awards, and a Finalist in the 2009 Indie Excellence Awards before moving into traditional publishing. Her books not only have honors from the top review sites, but from NY Times bestsellers too. She is a respected reviewer and a Romance Writers of America member.

Kelly’s interests include: sappy movies, MLB, NFL, driving others insane, and sleeping when she can. She is a closet caffeine junkie and chocoholic, but don’t tell anyone. She resides in Wisconsin with her husband, Darren, three sons, Logan, Evan, & Ethan, and her black lab, Willow. Most of her family lives in the Carolinas, so she spends a lot of time there as well.

 

Monday-Monday – The no-name dog

First and foremost, welcome back from the holidays. I hope each of you shared the past few weeks with friends and family. I did and I admit being blessed to have such wonderful people around me. 2013 is going to be a busy year, full of excitement and fun. I hope you’ll stick with me! My friends, fellow writers, and most of all, my readers are why I’m here!

There are tons of blogs about resolutions, so I’m not going to even bring them up! Instead, let’s talk about how the no-name dog in The Green-Eyed Doll got his name! Larissa Hoffman interviewed this dog last Friday! Pop over http://networkedblogs.com/GYdHE and read his answers to 5 questions.

I’m a big believer in rescue dogs. It’s not that I have anything against pedigrees, but I have a soft spot for any ‘throw away’. So it shouldn’t have surprised me when a stray wandered into my hero’s life. He just turned up one day and sort of wrote his own story as he became an important secondary character. He taught me things about my hero that I didn’t know. I fell in love with the big mutt and thought you might too. Here’s a little bit of information about the no-name dog.

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During the hottest summer and longest drought on record, a sad-eyed mix of yellow lab and goodness knows what other breed, homesteaded Sheriff Matt Ballard’s small patch of land in Butte Crest, Texas

The dog wasn’t aggressive. In fact, he appeared good natured and hungry. Matt put out water and a few scraps, which the dog inhaled. But when he reached out to pet this hungry hound, he shied away. It didn’t take a brain surgeon to figure out the dog had been abused, so the sheriff didn’t press. Instead, he decided to let the dog learn to trust at his own pace.

An easy alliance was formed. No-Name followed Matt around, not too close but never far behind. Soon he was coming in and out of the house with Matt, eating and drinking everything offered.

Still, the dog refused to accept affection. No way would he allow Matt to touch him.

One day, a beautiful red-head named Catherine, stopped by Matt’s ranch. The sorry mutt fell in love with her at first sight. The traitor not only allowed her to pet and stroke him, he followed her around like a…well, like a dog!

Expecting No-Name to be amenable to his touch, Matt tried to scratch the animal’s ears only to be rebuffed again.

Catherine asked the mutt’s name, and Matt wasted no time telling her the dog didn’t have one. Incredulous, she insisted he to be called something appropriate.

Matt didn’t have to study long. One name immediately came to mind as he watched the dog fall at her feet.

So now you know a little of how No-Name earned the moniker Benedict Arnold.

But…Benedict made his preference clear. He worshiped Catherine. What do you think had to happen for the dog and Matt to make peace?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Six Sentence Sunday

        

For other great six sentences check out http://www.sixsunday.com

Happy Sunday all! In today’s six from THE GREEN-EYED DOLL, Catherine decides to try and talk her way out of a traffic ticket.

         “Please step out of the car.”

          Surely, he didn’t think she’d stolen the clothes stuffed in the cardboard boxes. Maybe, if she looked him in the eye, he’d listen to reason. Armed with a plan and full of determination, she got out. A gust of wind jerked the car door out of her grasp. It swung out fast, clipped the sheriff, knocking him off balance.

Friday Special with Barb Han and GONE

I’m thrilled to have my critique partner and friend, Barb Han, here today. We’re celebrating the release of her wonderful second book, GONE. Let’s find out where the idea for this book came from.

First of all, thank you for having me on your blog today, Jerrie!

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GONE came to me five years ago in the kind of nightmare that jars you from a deep sleep. It’s the middle of night, pitch black, and you wake up gasping only to realize you’re shaking and crying. I pushed up on my elbows and scanned the room—dresser, nightstand, bed—taking inventory to reassure myself I lived in this reality and not the other one…the one I’d just forced myself out of. I was Elizabeth. My son was missing. I was scared and alone. In a mental institution. No one believed me. I had to save him. The dream was so intense, so real, I was literally soaked with sweat.

I shot out of bed, and checked both of my sleeping children. So innocent. So sweet. So vulnerable. More tears came, and I said a prayer nothing bad would ever happen to them.

I washed off, climbed under the covers, and eventually calmed myself enough to close my eyes. For the rest of the night, I feared sleep. My husband was out of town (I never sleep well if he’s not here) so it was easy to stay awake.

I dragged myself out of bed the next morning and checked on the kids again. It was summer, so I let them sleep. I can’t remember how long I stood there watching them, grateful. Elizabeth’s story haunted me. I wanted it out of my head. I thought if I wrote it down, purged, it would leave me alone. I didn’t want to write a story about a woman who woke in a mental institution fearing for her son’s life. I had a little girl around her son’s age. I couldn’t go there. Not even in fiction. I scribbled everything I could remember on a tablet, recalling events with frighteningly vivid detail, and then stuffed it in a drawer. I tried to forget. Elizabeth waited. And not patiently.

The details pushed through my thoughts and I tried to force them out. Three years passed. I wrote other books. No matter what I did, I couldn’t get her story out of my head. I decided the best way to be rid of it was to write it. Over the next summer, ten weeks, I wrote four hundred pages. I didn’t need the tablet to remember. Every scene came back to me exactly as it had played out in the dream. I waited another two years to open the file again to edit. The hard part came. I revised, sent for critique, and revised again. Then repeated I don’t know how many times. The final result is my debut novel, GONE, which releases today.

My only hope is that I did justice to Elizabeth’s story. She’s been waiting a long time to be heard.

Here’s the blurb:

A woman wakes from a nightmare so visceral her entire body is shaking. She can think of only one thing—save her son! But the men in scrubs who rush in and jab her in the ass with a needle don’t share her sense of urgency.

What’s more, she wakes days later to learn there’s no boy and she’s in a mental institution. Her nightmare was so real—her arms still freshly imprinted with memories of holding her son—she’s confused. And her instincts tell her to trust no one.

Gone is her child. Gone are her memories. Everything is…GONE.

Here’s the excerpt:

If memories were liquids, then Elizabeth Walker’s would be blood. Not warm, life-giving, tissue-bathing blood, but cold, coagulated, dried up, and stepped-over-on-the-sidewalk blood.

Memories weren’t liquids.

They were more like fireflies blinking in the dark, daring to be caught, disappearing a moment before they could be reached. And the only liquid left in Elizabeth’s body was a few unshed tears. They hardly ever fell now. Even they seemed to be drying up on her.

Nightmare or not, she would claw her way through any level of consciousness to save the boy. The last ounce of breath she drew from her lungs burst out as a scream, leaving her choking and gasping for air.

The sense of urgency to save him, to do something, burned frustrated holes through the bottoms of her feet—feet that did not touch pavement no matter how fast she moved.

She had to do something. But what?

She calculated the likelihood of reaching him and came up short. He was far. No way could she reach him in time.  Yet waiting, doing nothing, wasn’t an option either. Protective instinct propelled her legs forward, and damn the odds.

“Somebody. Help.” She pushed herself from the dream.

She dug her fingers into her mattress, discharging a crush of bleach into her hyperventilated nostrils. A drowning sensation filled her lungs. She clenched her chest muscles. She gasped, struggling for oxygen.

A door slamming against a wall made her sit bolt upright. Two bulky men in blue scrubs burst into the room. 

 

[image error]Barb lives in North Texas with her husband, has three beautiful children, a spunky Golden Retriever/Standard Poodle mix, and too many books to count.

When she’s not writing, researching, or otherwise getting lost in a story, she volunteers at her children’s school, is in the kitchen ‘creating’ dinner, or can be found on or around a basketball court.

Writing contemporary romance and romantic suspense has been a dream come true for Barb—something she’s wanted to do for as long as she can remember. She left her corporate job, at her husband’s urging, and has been happily playing with her imaginary friends ever since.

In her down time, she plays video games and loves reading with her children. She also enjoys traveling with her family. Many of the places she visits end up in her books.

Barb is a graduate of The University of North Texas, and holds a bachelor degree in journalism.

Where to find Barb on the Web

Website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest.

Her newsletter has prizes and cool things just for subscribers.

 

 

Six Sentence Sunday

Welcome! I hope you enjoy this small tease.

Check out more great Six Sentence Sunday Authors at the Official Site .

He inched closer. Raised his hand to her cheek, and drew a line down her jaw with the tips of his fingers. He tipped her chin up and brushed his thumb across her bottom lip. Somebody moaned. Thank God, it was her. In a quick move, Catherine stiffened and pushed him away.

 The Wild Rose Press ~ Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

 

Six Sentence Sunday

      

Welcome! I hope you enjoy my six sentences taken from The Green-Eyed Doll. My hero has just called and interrupted his best friend. After a bit of grumbling, they get down to business.

Be sure to visit http://sixsunday.com and follow the links to other writers participating in the fun!

          “I have an offer to make.”

          “Couldn’t be better than the one I got last night.”

          “Yeah, right.” Matt chuckled and envisioned the smirk across his buddy’s face. “I need your help.”

           In work mode, Hunter was possibly the coldest hearted bastard alive.

 The Wild Rose Press ~ Amazon

 

 

 

Welcome to Six Sentence Sunday

 Six Sentence Sunday

The Green-Eyed Doll

Supper with her was a good idea. Sex would’ve been better. The visceral reaction he had whenever she got close sure screwed with his mind. Her low moan and then rapid pull-back stumped him. The more he thought about it, the surer he was…he’d scared the crap out of her. She’d sent a message before when she said she always left.

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Monday-Monday What the heck did he say?

Monday-Monday What the heck did she say?

Or…Excuse me, do you speak Texan?

From time to time, people tell me that I speak with an accent! In reality, I secretly think it’s not me who speaks a little left of center. It happened again the other day while I was shopping. The clerk told me I had a lovely accent! I’m not sure I’d call it lovely. Truth be told, every time I hear a recording of my voice I’m surprised. That woman who speaks with a twang can’t be me. Can it?

That got me to thinking. We Texans do use a lot of slang or cliches that can be a little confusing. With that in mind, I turned to my trusty friend Google. I wanted to know just what was out in the universe about Texan ‘speech’. Turns out other folks have been curious about the same thing.

Can you believe that Rice University has a huge list of Texas speak on their site? Really! http://www.rice.edu/armadillo/Texas/t....

 

 

Now I know the definition of the sayings or words below mean, but do you?

Got your tail over the line – you’re angry about something
Beat a dead horse – to refuse to give up on a topic, especially if you’re trying to make a point and you go on and on
Bee in the bonnet – to be angry
Whatever blows your skirt up – whatever makes you happy
Catty whompus – on crooked or out of alignment.
Frog-strangler – heaving rain
Gully washer – heavy rain
Dawgs – feet
Sashay – to twist your hips in an exaggerated manner
Hissy fit – temper trantrum

The sayings below don’t need definitions, I threw them in because my daddy would’ve used these phrases.

“Evil thoughts are like chickens–they come home to roost.”

“You can always tell a Texan, but you can’t tell him much.”

“Tend to your own knittin’/rat killin’.”

“That’s tellin’ him how the cow ate the cabbage.”

“You done stopped preachin’ and gone to meddlin’.”

“You had somethin’ in your mouth; I wouldn’t have in my hand.” (This was a response to anyone who used the word ‘shit’ around my daddy, pardon the curse word)

Writers are taught not to use slang phrases or cliches unless they can put a new spin on them. But in real life and around my house, you’re likely to hear just about anything!

Sunrise in Texas

This will be my last blog until after Christmas and New Year. I sincerely believe there’s nothing more important than family and friends. After last Friday’s tragedy, I think everyone will want to do the same.

I hope you understand my closing shop for this wonderful time of the year. Come back January 7th for more Monday-Mondays and Wednesday Coffee. I appreciate each of you and value your support. Merry Christmas…Happy Holidays…and Happy New Year.

But it’s still Monday!!! You don’t have to be from Texas or the South to know and use slang phrases. Do you know any you’ll share with us?