C is for Casanova - My Romantic Lead

Simply hearing the name Casanova evokes romance for me, despite the man’s association with womanizing. Perhaps I like to think the women enjoyed themselves more than were hurt by his promiscuity.

Whatever my reasoning, an OC of mine shares that moniker, at least on official documents. In daily life, James Casanova Smith goes simply by Jimmy. There are exceptions, however.

This romance first took shape in November of 2013 while I took the National Novel Writing Month challenge. Then the story fell apart before I wrote an ending. Somehow, life intervened and I never really got back to these guys.

With plans to rectify that, I must say that some story ideas came to mind in the process of typing this. That strikes me as a good sign.

Meanwhile, April in the northern hemisphere means we are gearing up for summer while countless friends south of the equator are battening down their hatches for winter. Which is it for you? And what is your favorite season? For me, it’s autumn all the way.

-

B is for Bald Eagles – An American Treasure

This past winter has been brutal for many parts of the northern hemisphere. Somehow, great numbers of local wildlife managed to survive by the look of things. And two mated bald eagles in Pennsylvania are no exception. A live webcam in Codorus State Park near the town of Hanover showed an amazing sight on March fifth.

The pair of eagles, named Liberty and Freedom, found themselves buried in snow as they tried to keep their two eggs warm. Their dedication and astute action astonished me. Besides being the national bird of the United States, they are also one of the first raptors to breed each year. Hence their difficulties when a late winter storm blew in.

I find myself checking daily to see this family and have been privy to some really stunning natural moments. Watching the pair trade off on egg sitting duty when the male brought her a fresh meal must be a favorite. Well, that is until the first egg hatched around March 24th.

Many news websites covered the story; below you can find one article including screen shots:

WTOP - Washington's Top News - Watercooler

You can also take a peak to see what they are up to today (WARNING: some graphic views of caught prey, most often fish, may be in the shot):

Bald Eagle Live Cam

-

A is for ActivTrax – Motivation to Move

Kicking off our A to Z April blog challenge, ActivTrax fitness software seemed ideal. The service, available at my local YMCA, is almost like having a personal trainer. Though you do have to provide your own motivation. (Thankfully, I have that. At least for the time being. ~crosses fingers~) An initial strength evaluation with a health club staff member got me started. She took my information and set up an online account.

Using the software is easy as pie. Of course, the exercise itself is a challenge. That’s the whole point. Sometimes, however, the challenge extends beyond healthy.

For example, I once tried inadvertently to enact a scene from the movie “Dodgeball”. Like pulleys mangled poor Justin Long, the elastic Resist-a-Band basically mauled me. After two embarrassingly awkward attempts, I listed that little piece of malevolent equipment as a restricted exercise. The same goes for stability balls. I’m sorry, but breaking my neck is not on my agenda.

Now that I’ve been doing this for a while I feel pretty fantastic, mentally and physically. Both swimming and the weekly outdoor walks Julia Cameron prescribes in her “Artist’s Way” workshops fit nicely into days I don’t visit the YMCA.

I’m thankful for the ability and energy to do this. It is certainly good for a writer to get out of her head now and then. Don’t you agree?

-

Thoughts (and Concerns) to Close 2014

This is what happens when I can't sleep at 2am.  I think too much about some of this world's absurdities.  And some of them rather worry me while I hope a few make you laugh.

Celebrities are not necessarily heroes.

Tweets are opinions, not news.

Repetition dictates popularity more than quality.

CGI abuse has turned movies into feature length cartoons.

Actors and musicians are entertainers, not political pundits.

Reality TV is far from real.

Pain is the one thing we can truly call our own.

Everything has a price, including freedom.

Money may not buy happiness but true starvation must be agonizing.

Religion does not guarantee that a person is either stupid or decent.

The most heated religious disputes seem unrelated to actual human caring.

Opinions should almost always be reserved.

What other people think of me is none of my business.

Solitude is nearly as precious a commodity as time.

If you have time to kill, there's a broom in the corner.

Humor can help resolve conflict, restore relationships, and even save your sanity, but only if you know your target audience. Otherwise keep your jokes to yourself lest you get popped in the nose, shut out in the cold, or possibly locked in a rubber room.

~

A Foodie's Find

Like things a little spicy?  How about some crunch in your life?  I found just the thing to satisfy both those cravings.

They are crispy jalapeños under the Fresh Gourmet brand name.  My local grocer stocks them in the produce department alongside various bagged salad toppings.  The heat is unpredictable, as warned on the bag, but I don’t mind.  The lightly salted crunch with an amazingly fresh and fruity jalapeño taste has me hooked.

The crisps are versatile, too.  While excellent on salads, a handful makes a good standalone snack.  A sprinkling also perked up that old Midwestern standby – green bean casserole.  I added just a dash to the classic French fried onions.

Yum.

Then I cooked hash browns the other day.  I like my potatoes nice and crispy, too, so that turned out to be another great pairing.

I look forward to coming up with new ways to spice up my dishes.  How about you?  Anything unique at the store catch your eye?

-

Ending Overtype Mode Permanently (!) in MS Word

I have a new laptop.  And this Lenovo ThinkPad is awesome, the keyboard a writer’s dream.

But (and don’t we all have buts!), there is one issue that has plagued me.  This post’s title gives it away, of course.

Overtype mode needed to be stopped.

A Google search became paramount, and for a change my “Google Fu” struck a major hit.  Or in this case, a lethal blow – allowing me to kill the Insert key, which I didn’t understand had been the reason behind my little agony.

On my ThinkPad, the Insert key just happens to reside next to the Delete and Backspace buttons regularly used during story editing.  For months I’d been going through Tools → Options → Edit tab to uncheck the Overtype mode box in the uppermost left hand column.

No longer.  Thank the heavens.

With no further ado, here is how you kill the INS key.

1. Start Word
2. Click on the Tools menu
3. Click Customize
4. Click the Options tab
5. Click Keyboard
6. Under the Categories dropdown box, select All Commands
7. Under the Commands dropdown box, select Overtype
8. Under the Current keys dropdown box, select Insert
9. Click Remove
10. Click Close until the dialog windows close.

That’s it.  Wasn’t that easy?  Can’t you just feel that weight lifting from your shoulders?  Well, that might be a little overly dramatic.  Maybe.

I must say thanks to Steve Thomas and the guys at tech-recipes.com both for sharing this information.  You can find the original post here:

Web Development Learnings
 

Happy writing!

-

Meet A. Catherine Noon, Coauthor of Tiger Tiger (Chicagoland Shifters)

In celebration of Tiger Tiger (Chicagoland Shifters) becoming available so recently, I am lucky to announce that one half of the dynamic writing team of A. Catherine Noon and Rachel Wilder could take a few minutes for an interview.  Ms. Noon, you honor me by agreeing to be grilled.  ~grin~  While I focused on the writing aspect here, folks reading should know that there is another side to this interview on The Nightlight Blog.  It features questions from the fangirl in me.  ~squee~  Now, down to business, as it were.

Review of Mel Keegan's "Home From the Sea"

I picked up “Home From the Sea” the minute I heard of the title’s release and did not regret my purchase for a moment.  Mel Keegan has an enviable gift for world building, in this case transporting us to the English coast circa 1769.  Mr. Keegan brings to life an ordinary, upstanding fellow about to be swept up in secrecy and adventure he could never have fathomed.

We first meet Jim Fairley running his late father’s tavern.  A reputable establishment, The Raven flocks with clientele who share hair raising tales from the high seas that leave Jim musing over the thrill of exotic shores.  The fog of his daily grind only lifts when a man of like mind enters the establishment and the pair discovers mutual attraction.  But these illegal interludes are dangerous, inevitably brief in nature.

As a result Jim finds himself forever consoled by the companionship of rum-soaked sailors, a dog, one cat, his nearly deaf grandmotherly cook, and a female populace that assumes an old leg injury left him a eunuch.  Even an aged regular sees the danger of missed opportunity, warning that any safe haven can become a prison.

Enter Toby Trelane, the enigmatic visitor who gradually, unintentionally, turns Jim Fairley’s mundane existence on its ear.  Toby acts as handyman by day and balladsinger by night, drawing unlikely crowds even on the cusp of bad weather.  This stranger piqued my interest with his secretive yet generous nature.  What was Toby hiding?  Why did he seem shamed by his past?

I had difficulty putting the book down well before any actual mayhem ensued.  You must know, too, that Mr. Keegan incorporated some unexpected characters, well crafted ones.  There’s the long-dead owner of The Raven who watched the coastal path with eerie intensity.  No one could say why.  Mother Nature plays a major role, for sure, and even the The Raven herself seems like much more than just a set of structures.

I consider this an outstanding mesh of romance, mystery, drama, and jeopardy.  If you appreciate a thoughtful story filled with grit and heart instead of endless sex, be sure to pick up “Home From the Sea”.

Click here to read the blurb, excerpt, or just buy, wish I recommend:

Mel Keegan Online 

-