A-I is controversial. So, let’s play with it a bit here. It just serves as a bit of Christmas fun for us today. We’re not writing a book for an agent or editor.Let’s have A-I start the dysfunctional Christmas story and then switch to author writing. The first couple of hundred words spring forth from A-I. Here’s a ~175-word blog-style piece blending a femme-fatale vibe … Continue reading AI-AI — Wh0ah
For some of us we just celebrated or at least thought about the Day of the Dead, which some folks celebrate at Halloween time. I’m Catholic, and for us. Halloween is also known as the evening before All Saints Day, Nov. 1. When a really h0ly person is recognized by the Church, they are canonized, which means they are named a saint. We can celebrate … Continue reading Friends above and along the way
The Booker Prize longlist for 2025 has been announced. It’s a selection of 13 top-drawer works of fiction, chosen from over 150 titles written in English and published in the UK and/or Ireland. I’ve become very interested in books nominated for the Booker List over the past two years, especially this year. The 13 nominated books are: Love Forms by Clair Adam, The South by … Continue reading Eyes on the Booker Prize and other books
We’re tickled to have fab author Cindy Goyette as our guest Chick today. Cindy admits that she still gets a bit nervous at book readings and podcasts. (As a side note, she also gets nervous around chickens). But, I’m sure that doesn’t extend to Chicks! Take it away, Cindy! But Did You Die? Fun fact. I’m afraid of chickens. No, a wayward chicken didn’t nearly … Continue reading Guest Post: Cindy Goyette
If you have a union job, you may make a bigger deal out of Labor Day than hubs and I do each year. In the U.S. Labor unions brought us the weekend. Working most of the past 30+ years for newspapers, and not for union presses, my husband and I haven’t always had the pleasure of having Labor Day off. Or, even weekends, for that … Continue reading Gather your clan, large or small for a family reunion
When I was little enough to still go trick-or-treating, my favorite candy was anything that included chocolate. I still rarely turn down chocolate. In the sixth grade, I won the school-wide spelling bee, which advanced me to the county-wide competition. I believe I finished 26th, which was respectable for a contest with hundreds of competitors. There wasn’t any money on the line. But my school … Continue reading Changing tastes
Yesterday was Father’s Day. For lots of folks that meant buying just the right tie or a bottle of scotch. Cards and phone calls. And lots of hugs. For me, as for many of you, it was time for a good cry. I know I’m lucky because so many people will never know the blessing of having a wonderful daddy, like mine. He passed away … Continue reading Daddio-mine
If you hail from West Tennessee, as I do, you’ve heard of Elvis, and you’ve eaten Ripley tomatoes. Around the first of July, many of you will have set out driving up Highway 51 looking for a sign on the side of the road advertising Ripley tomatoes. They’re beefsteak tomatoes, so some people may assume they’re nothing special. But, they’d be wrong. Folks will actually … Continue reading Red, white, and tomatoes
It’s been a pretty mild winter for us here in the U.P., so far. We’ll continue to have some snow through April, and it’s not at all unlikely that we’ll still have some chunks of ice floating in Lake Superior in June. I’m not complaining. The city keeps our streets ploughed. Our heating works well where we live. A few inches of fresh snow last … Continue reading When weather gets scary
Sometimes I’m pretty forgetful. I’m average smarts and only occasionally brilliant. But this week I remembered reading an article a couple of years ago by some woman who thought herself an expert on cozy mysteries. She started the article by mentioning Agatha Christie and “Mrs.” Marple. I skimmed through the article but could hardly take her seriously. I mean, really? If you’ve read anything by or … Continue reading It’s Miss Marple, not Mrs.
If I woke up one morning, let’s say it’s Feb. 2, and found myself living in an endless loop, what would I want to happen over and over? Would I relive a favorite day? My wedding day, for example? No. It was a lovely day. And back then my husband could, and did, actually pick me up and carry me over the threshold. But, we … Continue reading Let’s just do it — again
Like many people I start each January with a list of resolutions of all the things I’m going to accomplish during this calendar year. You know the list – ambitious, optimistic, unrealistic goals. Most people give up on their New Year’s resolutions by March and have forgotten all about them by April. Not me. I stop actively pursuing those goals by March, but I tell (lie to) … Continue reading Never too late to start writing
Chicks on the Case 