Just Squint One Eye and Tilt Your Head...

A Lil Switch-A-Roo...

2010-06-03T12:56:00.000-05:00

Hello again all! Just a quick note that I will be changing my blog from the current one you are reading to http://bcbrownbooks.blogspot.com . This is my new home, and the name I will be writing under on a permanent basis now. After much, much, much consideration I've decided to bump myself up on the alphabetical bookshelf a tad! :) The bad news is that now I need to rebuild my website and blog and notify everyone of the change; the good news is that for all of you who have anything signed B.B. Walter - it is now a one-of-a-kind first and last edition! Pretty good silver lining, if I do say so myself.
I will repost periodically on here as a reminder that I can be found on my new blog instead, and to let followers (new and old) know that I have a permanent home under the name B.C. Brown.
For instance, I have two great articles posted on my new site! Both are dedicated to writing and how to better ourselves as writers, as well as a peek into the mindset of a writer for those of you who don't. So click on by and show me the same love and support you've given me here!
Sincerely,
B.C. Brown
(previously B.B. Walter)
http://bcbrownbooks.blogspot.com
www.bcbrown.webs.com

Writing Contests

2010-05-16T15:01:00.000-05:00

Greets and well meets again, friends! Here I am on a nearly sunny, almost warm Sunday afternoon to bring you a little information I've dug up recently on the wonderfully wacky world of writing.

Before I do that, however, I'm going to fill a few of you in on how my last little blog episode went - Me learning to cook!

Shopping for the ingredients for my garlic butter and herb roast chicken was a bit challenging to begin with. Fennel seeds are NOT your every day cooking item. And in a small town where fennel seeds are almost never an item (more like never) served on the dinner table, they proved to be impossible to find. So I ~cringe~ made the executive decision to ditch the seeds and make the dish without them. I thought maybe the dish had enough other spices - rosemary, thyme, and sage, for instance - that the fennel seeds would go unnoticed as missing. By the end of the dish, I was right.

I am pleased to announce that my roast chicken went off smashingly well! I received six thumbs up out of seven. The six thumbs were three teenagers (one of them remarkably picky about what they do and don't eat), my sisters (who made sure I stayed on track while cooking the recipe), and myself (who was surprisingly shocked to see the dish turned out so well). The seventh thumb neither gave me a thumbs up or a thumbs down; a very particular eight year old who liked the chicken but didn't like the potatoes I decided to make with chicken as a side dish.

All in all, I was very happy with the dish. There were some ~ahem~ interesting moments, however, with the creation of my first ever real attempt at cooking from scratch. The biggest one being the garlic moment. :)

Having gone to the store and collected my ingredients for my dish, I collected 14 cloves of garlic like it called for... ~laugh~ However, at no point in my life have I ever been told or shown what a "clove" of garlic is. So, like most cooking-ignorant individuals, I purchased exactly 14 of the little balls of garlic you find in the vegetable section of the grocery store! Thank goodness for big sisters paying attention to little sisters learning something new. (Thanks Beck!) I now have learned the very valuable difference between a "head of garlic" and a "clove of garlic". ~sheepish look~

So, that is the update on my teaching myself how to cook. Recipe 1 went off without too much fuss or trouble, having learned my valuable lesson about garlic, so I'm on to Recipe 2 - Caribbean Roast Pork. Think I'll try to get around to that sometime this week and see how it goes...Now onto the reason I'm blogging today.

I've been doing a little research on publishers and agents but ran across a couple of writing contests I thought to share with everyone.

Please note: Only a small amount of research has been done into these contests to verify their validity. If you choose to enter one of these contests, please do your own research PRIOR to entering! I am not responsible for the legitimacy of any of these contests.

The first contest I ran across was: Annual Women Who Write Poetry and Short Prose Contest

DEADLINE: May 30, 2010

Entry Guidelines

* Open to women writers 18 or older.
* Women Who Write will retain one-time publication rights, after which, all rights revert back to author.
* Entry must be previously unpublished.
* Prose limit 3,000 words.
* Each poem or story must include a cover page with title of work, author name, address, home phone number, and valid e-mail address (if applicable).

* To identify each page of your work, use the title set in the header along with the page number. For example: This is my Title - 1
* Other formatting:
o Prose and Poetry
+ Microsoft Word .doc format
+ Times New Roman font, size 14
+ Double-spaced
o Prose Only
+ text justified
+ indent paragraphs one tab
+ double-spaced
+ no extra space between paragraphs
+ only one space after period at end of sentence
+ default on all other MS Word settings
* $10 entry fee for initial poem or story submitted; additional entries in the same category are $5 each.
* Postmark deadline: May 30, 2010
* Winners will be notified by mail or e-mail in August.
* Members of Women Who Write are ineligible.
* Submissions will not be returned.

Send entries and entry fee to:

Women Who Write
P.O. Box 6167
Louisville, KY 40206

Awards and Recognition:

Short prose and poetry winners receive:

First Place..........$150 and five copies of the current anthology
Second Place.......100 and five copies of the current anthology
Third Place...........75 and five copies of the current anthology

Winners' work is published in Calliope, Women Who Write's annual anthology.
Winners read their poetry and selections from their stories at the awards program.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

general rules

1. Participants must be above 18 years of age, or sponsored by such a person.

2. Any style accepted – rhyme, no rhyme, nature, family, erotica, personal, society, humor, etc.

3. We apply no censorship, however it is fair to tell you up front that poems encouraging hate, violence, pornography, derogation of others, drug abuse, and similar – have no chance of winning. Of course, if such aspects are relevant and necessary as part of the “story” – then there is no problem in using them.

4. The specific conditions of each individual contest must be adhered to.

5. Proven plagiarism will result in indefinite banning from the site.

6. Poems must be between 10 and 50 lines long, empty lines included. This limitation might change occasionally, if specified in the individual contest. Submissions should be in .doc format.

participation and prizes

1. Any number of entries per contestant, grouped in groups of 5 poems with each group priced independently (see pricing lower down).

2. Participation is charged at:

- first entry

$5

- second entry

$4

- third and fourth entry

$3 each

- fifth entry

free

To be paid uniquely by Paypal.

Please select the number of poems you wish to submit, and the relevant submission fee.

3. Prizes:

- 1st prize

$300

- 2nd prize

$150

- 3rd prize

$50

Paid out uniquely by Paypal.

The first 3 prizes will be posted indefinitely on our site, against the relevant contest.

The following 77 entries short-listed for a specific contest, will be posted on our site against the relevant contest, until the following contest is concluded.

The three winners and the 77 short-listed will be published with Lulu or Amazon. The three winners will receive the book free of charge. The 77 short-listed will be able to purchase it on the Lulu/Amazon site, and the commission paid to Aquillrelle by Lulu/Amazon on these books (one copy) will be passed on to them, via Paypal (against proof of purchase). Anyone else will be able to purchase it on the Lulu/Amazon site.

This is the contest I have on my list that has the soonest deadline date, so I am putting it out here first. I have a few more on my list that have deadlines coming up, but they are a little way off so I'll post those later. For now, though, I wanted to share at least one today.

In the same thread as usual...If you have any contests (or good recipes lol) you want to share, feel free to post them direct to here, or email me at bbwalter@bbwalter.com and I'll share your contest on my next blog.

B

Personal Oversight...

2010-04-19T13:20:00.000-05:00

Afternoon to all! It's been a few weeks since I last blogged. Recently, I've heard
(and said) something more than once that I feel I need to address on a personal level. AS many of you know, I pride myself on my...um, idiosyncracies, my quirks and oddities, so to speak. But I've always lamented one of my quirks.

~audible gasps~

B.B. laments? one of her quirks?

I know, I know. It's so hard to believe; I am so near perfect that it's laughable, right? ~LOL~ And, quite rightly, I'd agree with you entirely. However, there is one small tidbit about myself that I've always wished for but never achieved.

riveted attention spans

I.Can't.Cook. There; I've said it. ~winces~

I know many of you are thinking, Is that all? Well, yes, it is. You see, I love food - all kinds of food. But I haven't the foggiest notion on how to prepare it. Or at least, haven't the foggiest on how to prepare something that is edible. Just ask anyone who knows me. ~embarrassed sob~ And, coming from a family of cooks and culinary experimentors, this is quite embarrassing. So, recently, I've decided that I need to learn how to cook.

My poor family. You just know they are going to be my unsuspecting victims during my trial and error attempts at learning how to cook. Of course, I'm going to have to master some of the basics that I never bothered learning all the way but, fortunately, I do have family to ask. And, since they already know I can't cook (yeah, because apparently Hamburger Helper is not cooking...And I thought I was doing so well all these years!), me asking questions won't be either embarrassing or a sign of ignorance.

Once I get those questions out of the way, I think I know what recipe I'm going to try first. It's not too out there, but it is ambition...Especially for me. Here is the recipe for Roast Chicken with Herb Butter, Onions and Garlic:

Ingredients:

* 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley plus 3 large sprigs

* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme plus 3 large sprigs

* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary plus 3 small sprigs

* 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed

* 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

* 1 7- to 71/4-pound roasting chicken, rinsed, patted dry

* 3 medium onions, peeled, quartered lengthwise (do not remove root end)

* 14 garlic cloves, peeled

* 1 cup canned low-salt chicken broth

* 1/2 cup dry white wine

* 1 1/2 teaspoons all purpose flour

Preparation:

Mix butter, chopped herbs, fennel seeds and 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt in bowl; blend well. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before continuing.)

Position rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 400°F. Sprinkle main cavity of chicken with salt and pepper; fill with herb sprigs. Starting at neck end, slide fingers under skin of breast and upper part of legs, loosening skin. Spread 3 tablespoons herb butter under skin on breast and upper leg meat. Place chicken on rack in large roasting pan; tie legs together loosely to hold shape. Scatter onions around chicken. Brush chicken and onions with 2 tablespoons herb butter; sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Roast chicken 30 minutes. Remove pan from oven. Scatter garlic cloves around chicken. Brush chicken, onions and garlic with 1 tablespoon herb butter. Roast chicken and vegetables 30 minutes. Reserve 1 tablespoon herb butter for sauce; brush remainder on chicken and vegetables. Continue to roast until chicken is golden and thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 180°F, about 30 minutes longer. Insert wooden spoon into main cavity; tilt chicken so that juices drain into pan. Transfer chicken to platter; surround with onions and garlic. Tent with foil.

Set roasting pan over medium-high heat. Add broth and wine; bring to simmer, scraping up browned bits. Pour pan juices into large glass measuring cup. Spoon off fat; discard fat. Pour juices into medium saucepan. Stir reserved 1 tablespoon herb butter and flour in small bowl to smooth paste. Bring pan juices to simmer; whisk in paste. Simmer sauce until slightly thickened, whisking occasionally, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve chicken with sauce.

Of course, this is VERY ambition for me. I mean, I've HEARD for fennel seeds, but I've never seen one...much less cooked with one. And the whole "sliding fingers under the skin of the chicken to spread a thin layer of herb butter"...Well, that part of the recipe frightens me, frankly. But I'm going to do it; I'm going to learn this eventually.

At least, I'm going to do it one mangled dish at a time, I avow. ~LOL~ Feel sorry for my test subjects...err, I mean, my family.

And now, since I like interactive blog articles whenever possible, tell me a little about your experiences learning how to cook, or about that one experimental dish that just didn't go quite right.

bb

March 2010 Publisher Spotlight - Samhain Publishing

2010-03-10T13:04:00.000-06:00

Good afternoon, messires and maddams! (Ok, so I didn't take French as a foreign language.) Today, I am spotlighting a publisher I've recently ran across and gathered information on.

Samhain Publishing

Samhain—the Celtic New Year—signifies a new beginning, a rebirth.

Pronounced sah-vin by the Scots, sow-in (sow like cow) by the Irish and sam-hine in English, Samhain is the Irish word for November. And November 2005 saw the launch of Samhain Publishing, Ltd., founded with a goal of bringing to compulsive readers books that allow them to discover new worlds and be taken on adventures through the creative minds of today’s brightest authors.

Primarily an ebook publisher, Samhain has also segued into print books (anything over 60,000 automatically becomes a print and ebook). So, concerning cornering a large market, Samhain caters to both e-reader and traditional reader alike.

Now, from a writer's POV, Samhain offers many great guidelines as a publisher.

Firstly, is how highly recommended Samhain is by several well-known and established writer resource sites. Two of these sites include Preditorsandeditors.com and absolutewriterwatercooler.com.

Is Samhain right for me, however?

This is the largest question looming over writers' heads when they consider submitting for publication. And, then there's the lengthy process of trying to gather enough information to make certain this publisher is one you like...and one whom will like you. Here, I've complied a list of several items Samhain Publishing offers that, I think, will entice most wirters.

1) Payment - How does Samhain Publishing pay their authors?

From all the research I've done, it appears that Samhain pays their authors in both royalties and with 10 author's copies of their novel/la.

2) Submissions - How long do I have to wait to hear from Samhain? And, can I submit to other publishers at the same time to increase my odds?

While this publisher does ask for a 12-16 week response time to inqueries, they are open to simultaneous submissions (meaning - you are free to send to multiple publishers/agents while also sending to Samhain). The only item they request is that you notify the editors your manuscript is being considered as a simultaneous submission.

3) Recognition - Is Samhain Publishing recognized by any national literary organizations?

Yes, indeedy. Samhain Publishing is an RWA (Romance Writers of America) recognized publisher. Not sure if this is a big deal or not? RWA guidelines only recognize non-subsidy, non-vanity publishers; the publisher must release books via a national distribution campaign; and, the publisher must have sold (in one year) more than 1500 hardback/paperback copies or 5000 copies of any other format.

4) Genres - What genres/categories does Samhain accept?

This publisher, while primarily a romance/erotica publisher, has began to diverge into a large scale of titles, including science fiction and fantasy, romance and erotica, horror, paranormal fantasy, historicals, urban fantasy, mysteries and thrilles, and a ton of more genres. (Please, check publisher's submission page to see what titles they are currently accepting, if any.)

All of this builds up to a pretty reliable, large-small to medium sized publisher. But what was most important to me (as a writer and the one bringing this information to my friends and readers) was how genuinely happy Samhain's authors are with the press. Authors have made comments on many blogs regarding the helpfulness of their rejection letters, the artistry of the cover art, and the helpfulness of the staff and editors at Samhain.

To me, as a writer, this all stacks up to be a decent publisher. However, I understand that my research is not imperfect and my opinion not absolute (unless you're my husband reading this and then my opinion is absolute! LOL). If you have anything to add regarding this publisher, or you plain need any other information I may have collected during my research then, by all means, leave me a comment or drop me an email at bbwalter@bbwalter.com .

I'd also love to hear any feedback concerning other publishing houses you've found to be interesting (either good or bad). The more information we can put out there for writers to find, the better! Thanks, and I'll chat atcha soon.

BB Walter

Guilt and Debrox Drops

2010-03-07T23:34:00.000-06:00

Hello again all. Today, I have a life experience to share with you all. It envolves Debrox ear drops.

My nephew had some serious ear wax built up when we took him in to see his pediatrician the other day. He recommended we take the child to see an Ear Nose and Throat specialist but, in the mean time, to flush his ears using the Debrox drops. My sister asked after the hole in his ear, and the doctor (based on his thirty-some odd- years experience with the product) said that he should be fine.

WRONG! Less than thirty seconds after administering the drops, my nephew was shrieking in pain. He hurt enough for his face to turn beat red and he collapsed on my sister's lap. Poor little guy! We all felt so bad (my sister, myself, and my niece). But I had tried the drops (had to show a worried little guy that they didn't hurt you, you know) and had no problems - actually, they worked great for me.

He screamed for over an hour while the drops drained out (along with the wax, btw - so it did work) and even had some pinkish discharge, quite possibly blood, along with it. However, after speaking with the doctor (who was confounded since he'd never had any problems with any patients using these drops over the years) said to keep a close eye on him. If his condition worsened or did not lessen within an hour, we should take him to the E.R. immediately. Fortunately, he seems to have calmed but is still complaining of pain and is in and out of sleep.

So, while these drops did work (my ears are clean, and the one ear we used them on for him is also clean now, despite his pain), I'm just posting on here for my friends (and blog followers, if any) that if you have ANY inner ear deformities or abnormalities/anomalies - DO NOT USE Debrox drops for ear wax issues. Now, if you don't have these problems, use away :)

[CR: The Realtor Murders by David A. Kaufelt; Cell by Stephen King; City of Bones by Cassandra Clare; and Contemporary Fiction - 50 Short Stories Since 1970 by assorted authors. TBRN: Her Majesty's Wizard by Christopher Stasheff and The Burning Land by Victoria Strauss]

To Freelance or Not to Freelance?

2010-02-19T12:31:00.001-06:00

A portfolio of more than 300 short stories, 19 novels (complete and incomplete), and more poetry than one can count; a background strong in English with a focus for details; and a passion to make the written word better - to pick up the individual letters in a composition, polish them till they gleam, and put them back again...

So published author, literary tutor, and education major (and these are my Night Jobs)...Why am I seriously considering an addition of freelance editing/proofreading to my portfolio? Some might say that I've gone off the deep end. And maybe I have. But, after reading some of the papers that were recently turned into my friend's writing class (she's a professor at a nearby community college) and reviewing several manuscripts getting ready to go to publication, I've decided that the literary world needs me to be a little crazy. In fact, it needs me to swim clear out into the deep in and tread - for an eternity. LOL

Actually, a little more seriously, I feel my services could be used by friend and fellow writers who need a little help catching the things they might have missed. And as for the college students...? Um, they need all the help they can get. LOL

So in addition to everything else I do ('cause aren't I magnificent? lol), I've decided to add proofreading/editing services to my portfolio of greatness. Just my little part to beautify the world one letter at a time. Now all I must do is get the word out, build up a client base, and figure out what to charge...Easy-piezy, right? lol

Return of the Living Dead

2009-10-14T14:11:00.004-05:00

Hello, all! B.B. Walter has returned from the land of the dead. I wanted to leave a brief message to everyone letting them know that I am all right. A few of you know the reason for my absentism for the last several months, and I appreciate the outpouring of emotional support I've received from each one of you! For those of you who are unaware of what transpired; my cousin (she and I were closer to sisters than cousins) slipped into a coma in July from a rare disease - Pompe's Disease. After several weeks of struggle, Amber Nicole (Burgess)(Bennett) Cowan passed away in the middle of August. Since then I have been hiding from/wallowing in my grief from her passing.

Having come out of the darkness (although still have moments of utter blackness) I have decided that the best service I can do my cousin's memory is to live. I am also planning a series of articles about my cousin Am and her disease, Pompe's.

This disease effects only 1 in 40,000 people. Briefly, the human body produces lactic acid during movement (that is the bodily fluid that makes your muscles feel weak/fatigued/stiff after exercise) and, separately, another enzyme to break down the lactic acid. Pompe's disease is the non-production or minimal production of this second enzyme called (I believe) glucosamine (I will be double-checking all of this information prior to my articles). Essentially, the lack of this enzyme causes the stiffing of muscles. Since the heart, lungs, and brain are the hardest working (and constantly working) muscles in the human body, these three organs are amongst the first attacked and affected (although a patient may feel pain/fatigue in other seemingly less-deadly muscles as premature symptoms of the disease).

My cousin Amber's disease first manifested as common fatigue; it progressed to pain in her hip and left leg causing difficulty with mobility; and, finally, attacked her lungs, causing her to slip in and out of consciousness, before affecting her brain causing debilitating seizures.

Writing about all of this is going to be both cathartic and devastating for me, I know, as well as for my family. But, true to writer form, unless I'm tweaking an emotional response, I'm not interested in writing something. Also, after seeing the network of people whose lives are affected by this virtually unknown disease, I feel it is important to enlighten those I know (even if they are few) about the illness and its devastation. So look for a series of articles from me on my blog here and also on AllVoices (an online news community written by the everyday people who witness the most extraordinary things).

This is my first step out of the darkness Amber's death has left behind. I miss the light she radiated, and I am determined to find my way back to it again.

Until my next blog article, I hope all my friends, fans, and occassional readers are well and happy. And I look forward to writing at you again soon!

B.B. Walter

Write With Me, Learn With Me Vol. 2

2009-05-07T11:50:00.003-05:00

All right, kiddies; I'm back with another exciting installment of "Write with me, Learn with me". What is this strange thing you ask? (Well, you ask if you are new to my blog.) The truth is, I'm always trying to learn more about my trade - writing - and how to improve myself. So what I am doing is posting my assignments here on my blog for constructive criticism/thoughts as to how I can improve.

Today, the assignment I'm posting is my Argumentative Paper for my Comp. class (taken here at my local college). The assignment was "If all books were made illegal, what one book would you choose to memorize and tell to future generations?" This assignment came because we were reading Fahrenheit 451 by Bradbury in class. I chose Flowers for Algernon to write my paper on and argue why this book should be kept above all others.

**I do want to warn the reader that, with the professor's permission, I took some creative license with this paper in the way of grammer and punctuation. If you have read Flowers for Algernon then you will understand; if you have not, here is a brief synopsis.

The story is told by Charlie Gordon, a mentally handicapped man, who wants nothing more than to be smart. Charlie undergoes experimental brain surgery to increase his intelligence but finds that its effects are not lasting. The entire story is told in the first-person and is written in the form of personalized Progress Reports by Charlie himself. In the beginning, Charlie's grammer, spelling, and punctuation are on level with his I.Q. of 68. As his intelligence increases, due to the surgery, he learns and evolves. Unfortunately, we also witness Charlie's loss of intelligence but that he gained so much more wisdom in the end with his same progress reports.

My warning is that my argumentative paper was written exactly how the book is written by the author, Daniel Keyes, as a person evolves and deevolves intellectually. So, here is my paper. All input is appreciated!

Most Smart Pirson In The Wurld

There is a sayin told win we ar litel Do to other peepl what you wunt thim to do to you It’s a good sayin and peepl don’t go by it oftin Cept for some vary few peepl You see it all the tym on the street and on the telivishun We are told two that peepl are gud and peepl are kind And you see this all the tym with peepl at chirch or the nice boys who help peepl at the groshry stor And in storees riters rite two like a book calld Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes This riter rote a gud book about a man who wants to be smart like other peepl he knos and like a vary speshul mous named Algernon who can run mazus Charlie Gordon is a gud man who is gud to other peepl just like the sayin we ar all told as litel kids But ol Charlie cant think so gud Charlie just wunts to be smart like the peepl he knos and he even gos to a collug to learn speshul At this collug Charlie is picked by speshul docters for a sergery to make him smart Charlie thinks he will wayk up aftir the sergery smarter and he dus Aftir the sergery Charlie gets smart lik other peepl lik the mous Algernon and ol Charlie starts to see peepl arnt so nice and gud aftirall The sham is that peepl ar like that all over In Flowers for Algernon peepl who reed it and Charlie finds peepl ar mean to him when he used to think they wer his frinds that the docters who gav him the speshul sergery arnt vary smart at all evin tho they messd with his jeans that he dosnt no how to talk to gurls that he wus startin to remimber stuf that hurt about how peepl treatd him from win he wus litel and that bein smartr thin everyone els dosnt make him happyer
One of the first things Charlie notises in Flowers for Algernon is that peepl ar bein mean to him win he ust to think they wer his frinds. Charlie has two gud frinds at work, Joe Karp and Gimpy. Joe and Gimpy ust to tayk Charlie out aftir work and ust to joke around with Charlie all the tym. Aftir Charlies speshul sergery, Joe and Gimpy still treet Charlie the same, but Charlie starts to notis that Joe and Gimpy arnt bein funny win they say things like “Don’t be a Charlie Gordon” (-)like he ust to think. Charlie rites in his Progris Riports about how Joe and Gimpy ar reely bein mean to him and, you kno, peepl are mean. You can see it on the street at the peepl who pass up the person walkin in the rain or cold, and also in the mean things peepl say win other peepl fall down or say sumthin wrong. Course not all peepl are mean. Charlie knos that becus his teacher at the collug is kind to him. But one person being nice while the whol wurld isn’t doesn’t make thos that aren’t ok.
Of course Charlies doctors are also nice to him. Even if it is for their own reesons. See Charlies doctors are trying a new type of sergery surgery – a speshul surgery – to trick Charlies old dum brain into being smarter. Lots of doctors have tried doing the same thing threw the years. Acordin to Alex Boese, riter of Elephants on Acid and Other Bizarre Experiments, in 1927 Dr. Il’ya Ivanor, wirld-renownd xpert on veterinary reproducktiv biolog, tried to inseminate girl chimps with human spirm! That didnt work to good, and peepl were reel mad about the hole idea and he spint som tym in a prisen camp. But Charlies doctors think their surgery works pretty good because of the mouse named Algernon, the speshul mouse who got super smart and stayed that way aftir his surgery for a long tym. Dr……….. told Charlie all about how smart Algernon stayed; he said “Charlie we werked on this for a long time but only on animals like Algernon. We are sure thers no fisical danger to you but there are other things we cant tell until we try it.” (8) And this is tru about stuf like xperiamintel surgery like, according to the United States Govirmint, Nazi doctirs deprived Jewish prisonirs of oxigin to find out how long their bodys would keep living aftir they stoped breathing becawse one Jewish man had lived longer than all the other Jews they had xperiaminted on (144-147). They thot that mayb this man or the other peepl were brokin somehow. But why do the scientists keep trying to fix all the peepl who are broken, like Charlie? It makes you wonder what xactly is broken in Charlie aftirall?
Although Charlie does find out that something about him is not so right after all. Charlie had never had a girlfriend before, but he starts to think about girls more. Espeshully Especially when he starts to notice “how beautiful Alice Kinnan is” (54). He is reely really drawn to her “pigeon-soft brown eyes and feathery brown hair” (54), so Charlie asks her out on a date. On their date, things began to change between Charlie and Alice. Their relationship became charged with a new kind of electricity, with an unknown sexuality. Despite Charlie’s development intellectually, on an emotional level he was “still just a boy” (65). Sexuality in humans has been a long debated topic among doctors and sycho psychologists. And it was a large debatable topic in Flowers for Algernon when the book was written in 1959. The somewhat explicit scene between Charlie and the woman on the park bench was a hot button debate. Many groups believed it demonstrated a loose morality and opened the door on sexuality outside of marriage, especially since the woman is married and pregnant with another man’s child while soliciting Charlie. However, the open exploration of Charlie’s sexuality is one of the most significant moments in the story on a developmental level. Until that moment, the reader views Charlie as a rather one-dimensional character, possessing an unheard of depth of knowledge with little to no social or sexual knowledge. There are numerous studies of sexuality bridging the gap between intelligence and social interaction. With clear correlation drawn between intelligence and sexuality, it is hard to imagine Flowers for Algernon without the topic.
However, Charlie’s sexual revelation comes at a steep price; he is forced to face uncomfortable insights into his own history. These insights, however, do explain Charlie’s sexual retardation as having stemmed from deep-rooted psychological scars inflicted upon him as a child by his family. On page 78 of the novel, the reader is given such an insight into Charlie’s past during a dream. Little Charlie has seen his sister climbing out of the bath naked, and he gains an erection from it. His father attempts to diffuse the situation, but his mother, Rose, is not to be swayed. Instead, she screams, “holding a leather belt in her hand” (78) and threatens young Charlie. Despite the vehemence of her warning “If you ever touch a girl, I’ll put you away in a cage, like an animal, for the rest of your life” (78), Charlie experiences a natural reaction to his deepening involvement with Alice that changes him from a static one-dimensional character into a more developed and interesting character. In a short span of time, Keyes deepens the reader’s involvement and connection to Charlie. Intelligence has been a long standing connection among today’s modern society, however, social and sexual communication and relation is a instinctual and well-documented reaction that stems back to prehistoric man. For instance, phermones still play a vital role in the inter- and intrapersonal relationships man forges on a daily basis. Nurmerous studies done at Oxford indicates an increased correlation between prehistoric phermones and modern day relationships. To exclude Charlie’s sexual development from Flowers for Algernon would be akin to excluding the entire surgical procedure that had adapted his infantile brain to the intellectually stimulated one, and without both forms of development Keyes would have found little to document.
One of the key componints of Flowers for Algernon is Charlie’s emotional developemint. Despite his low intelliginc intelligence, Charlie felt welcome in the simpel life he had always led. And, although it is shown that many of the peepl Charlie interacted with on a daily basis are oftin cruel or unkind, “it was home” (72) to him, and it offered a plac of security and shelter. Once his intelliginc intelligenc skyrockets to the point of genieus, Charlie begins to feel lik an outsyder. He becomes emoshunaly distant from everyone he knos when he points out that “intelligence has driven a wedge between me and all the people I knew and loved” (75). The isolashun leevs Charlie alone in a wurld he dosnt understand and cant conneckt to. Lots of studys show how peepl just lik Charlie who got reel smart reel fast cant talk to peepl around them. Thers peepl tho that dont agree with Flowers for Algernon tyin soshul stuf with intelliginc but thre medikel gernals did riports on soshul and intelliginc bein tyd togethir. And most docters git it rite most of the tym And probly if the mous Algernon culd talk hed have told peepl himself but mys cant talk only squeek Aftir Charlie lirns he is the most dum smart pirson in the wurld becuz he cant talk to peepl he feels reel bad and remimbers that lots of peepl likd him win he was a dum pirson becuz they laffed and wer his frinds lik Joe Carp and Gimpy And win he gits dum agin Carp and Gimpy stik up for him a new werker Meyer Klaus says “I hear you’re a very smart fella-a real whiz kid. Say something intelligent.” (214) Aftir that Gimpy tells Charlie they ar gona set peepl strait that bother Charlie agin And Charlie remimbers “It’s good to have frends” (215) So its easy to see that bein smart aint always the sam as bein likd just lik them doctrs sayd befor And evin Charlie knos at the end that he may not hav bin smart at the beginnin of the book but he was hapy cuz peepl likd him When he got his intelliginc he wasn’t hapy cuz he new peepl wer makin fun of him so by the end he lirns that evin tho he is dum agin peepl ar his frinds and mabee it is beter that he is dum and likd and not smart and mad fun of
In Flowers for Algernon peepl lirn that bein smart dosnt reely hav much to do with how hapy a pirson is no mater how they play with ther jeans or how many fance sergerees they hav or evin how they talk to gurls But they do lirn that Charlie is mad betr at the end becuz evin tho he isnt any smartr he can remimber the good things about bein him lik peepl likin you win they can laff with you and that gurls ar not so scare and can be gud frinds But the best thing Charlie lirns is that hes a gud pirson if hes dum or if hes smart It’s a gud lesin for Charlie to lirn or anybody to lirn becuz every pirson no mater how dum or smart shuld be treatd nice Peepl can lirn in Flowers for Algernon that the importint stuf about bein peepl is how we treet other peepl Like the old sayin we ar told as kids Do to other peepl whut you wunt thim to do to you Charlie wint threw lots of stuf that hurt lik an operashun and gitin fired from the bakery and hurtin Alice but he lirnd mor win he lirnd he was goin to be dum agin dering his xperimints with the mous Algernon then he did win he was smart He lirnd that evin tho Algernon wasnt smart anymor he was still a gud frind to Charlie and Charlie likd him Win Algernon died Charlie was sad cuz he lost such a gud frind but he was hapy becuz hed had the tym to be Algernons frind at the end and cuz the mous shoed him that bein dum didnt meen you didnt hav frinds witch was somthin he lirnd bein smart At the end he evin asks the doctirs in his last progris riport to “put some flowrs on Algernons grave in the bak yard” (216) And there aint any beter lesin to be lirnd if you ar smart or dum then the lesin that Flowers for Algernon teachs peepl U aint got to be smart or dum as long as you remimber the peepl and somtyms animuls that mak you hapy and that bein who you ar and not havin som fance operashun to chang your brain maks you smartr then the most smart pirson in the wurld

The End.

So, there it is; me laying my heart out for the world to see. Lemme know what you think - good or bad, I like to hear it all.

{Finished Reading: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Mark Haddon - Bloody fantastic book! It gives you a true peek into the mind of an individual with Autism and the world from their view. - CR: Familiar Texas by Caroline Burns (I'm a sucker for this woman's romance/intrigue stories.) and Secondhand Husband by Dallas Schultz and To Serve and Submit by (can't remember who). - TBRN: Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyers}

Thanks so much!
B.B. Walter

Quick Note

2009-04-30T16:18:00.002-05:00

[*Finished Reading: New Moon by Stepahnie Meyer, and plowed right on into and through Eclipse as well the same day - I definitely see this series appeal, but I'm still not sure if I actually like it; I find myself wearing my editor/writer's hat and wanting to take a red ink pen, but the characters have appeal and who doesn't love a vampire/werewolf story? -- CR: To Serve and Submit by Susan Wright - Great so far with subservient erotica - and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon - Riveting! I'm having a hard time putting it down when I pick it up, but it may not be to some people's taste in novels. TBRN: No friggin clue! :) More than likely will get Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer so I can finish the series, but I'm not chomping at the bit or anything.]

A quick note to let everyone know that I'm not dead. LOL

Things are a bit crazy right now. Z and I are getting ready to move to the St. Louis area. He got a great job offer (two actually) that he's decided to take. I'm not jazzed about the idea of moving - um, AGAIN - but I am about when we get there. See, I've always been the responsible adult who worked full-time and made sure all the bills were paid (rarely on time, but PAID anyway) while Z was free to work part-time and pursue other paths like school and his own small business. We've been doing this pretty much since we've been together - the last ten years. This being said, when we move to the St. Louis area, Z will have a great job with excellent pay, so we made a pact. It's MY turn to do the part-time work and full-time other pursuit while he plays the responsible adult. I figure since I had the last ten years, he can have this decade; we'll just switch off every so often! :)

I'm not thrilled about leaving all my friends and family and moving two hours FARTHER away, but I am looking forward to city with some culture in it. Don't get me wrong, we do have friends there already and even some family, but nothing like the last ten years we've accumulated here. Oh well...have to buck up and take the bad with the good, right?

As for my writing, I'm still hard at work on it. Mostly working on my writing classes I'm taking currently, but I do manage to get a little "me" time writing time, too. Most of this is spent working on the third book of the Of Shadows series and the second book of the Abigail St. Michaels series, plus my new post apocalyptic erotica I'm tinkering with. Not much more on the publishing front, but I did get a pretty good inside tip about a publisher recently that I plan on using to my advantage soon! (wink) You know who you are!

That's about it for me today...I have some serious house-hunting tomorrow, so I'm trying my best to rest up tonight! Until we meet again...

Keep reading; keep dreaming!

B.B. Walter

Write with Me, Learn with Me!

2009-04-24T12:00:00.002-05:00

All right, kiddies! I threatened some time ago that I would be posting my writing assignments from the two courses I'm taking right now on here every so often. Today is that magickal day!! *And the crowd goes wiiiiiild!*

No, seriously, folks...I'd really like to hear some feedback about this short story I had to write for one class. It hasn't been graded and returned by the teacher yet, but I'm hoping for some constructive criticism from my friends, or any complete stranger that happens to read it. *wink* So here goes...

EXTRA-ORDIANRY

Tean-year-old Marcus Samuel Simon is what some would call an extraordinarily ordianry little boy. With mousy brown hair and nondescript brown eyes, freckles across his cheeks, he walks home from school with rounded shoulders, his hands crammed into the pockets of his blue jeans. The toes of his red and white sneakers leave wakes in the dirt as he drags his feet. Shades of his classmates taunt him during his trudge down the dirt road leading home.

"Marcuth Thamuel Thimon," the shades mock.

A new year at a new school because his dad has a new job at a new refinery. Marcus had anticipated the ridicule; this was the fourth school in as many years.

He sighs as he takes in the faded lime green pull-behind camper; his home since his mom abandoned them. His dad, Stephen Simon, did what he could but work was hard to find with refineries closing all across the U.S.

Twenty-two minutes and eleven seconds to go...

A piece of cardboard that neither keeps out the rain nor the cold is duct-taped over the busted window (the window where his "bedroom" is) at the front of the camper. Two rusted lawn chairs stand guard outside the dented front door.

Marcus strides across the outdoor carpeting that constitutes their "lawn". He retrieves the key tucked inside his shirt. The key is on a necklace comprised of two of his dad's old bootlaces.

Nineteen minutes and six seconds to go...

He slides the key into the lock and twists. Pushing his way into the dim interior, Marcus reaches for the kerosene lantern to his right. The lantern hangs on a rusted nail his father has driven; the book of matches for the lantern is in a brown glass ashtray. The ashtray is from the local (as in three states and two schools ago) bowling alley. It is balanced on the backside of the bench seat that joins its mate and small Formica table making up their "living/dining room".

Lighting the lantern, Marcus closes the door and hangs his key on the hook. Climbing the two stairs that bring him into the center of his home, he sets the lantern on the table. From his position, he can touch the table, the hot plate, and the bathroom door all at once if so inclined.

Marcus is not inclined.

Fourteen minutes and thirty-seven seconds to go...

Looking at the table, he sees his dad left him a note.Dear, son. chance for overtime. Eat your dinner, do your homework, and wash your face before bed. Here's a dollar; get something sweet from Chuck's. Love, Dad.

Chuck's is the convenience store down the road from their trailer park. Marcus moves the four quarters used to hold down the corners of the note and sighs. A dollar might get him gum if the old man who works there takes pity and doesn't charge tax. Marcus deposits the quarters back into the change jar sitting beside the hot plate. He stirs the jar, making it look like he spent the coins - not that his dad would check.

Stephen Simon works from three each afternoon until three in the morning, six days a week. Overtime meant an additional four hours; he would be ready to drive the hour and a half home about the time Marcus would be getting ready for school. The boy would be in class when his dad got home. Stephen Simon would be too tired to check his change jar to see if Marcus spent the money or put it back like always.

Marcus opens the door on the miniature refrigerator. The refrigerator shares the same counter as the hot plate and makes up their "kitchen". Removing the package of bologna and a juice box, he closes the door. The bread is in the cupboard above him. Within five minutes, his dinner is made; five minutes later, his dinner is eaten and his mess cleaned.

Five minutes and eighteen seconds to go...

There is no homework for the night; it's the first day. Marcus heads to the bathroom.

The bathroom consists of a small commode, a child-sized shower, and a sink the size of a sand bucket. Marcus removes the washcloth from teh edge of the sink and wets it. He scrubs at his face, turning the skin pink, and wrings the water from the cloth. Placing it back on the edge of the sink, he exits the bathroom. To his right, beyond a moth-eaten curtain, in his dad's "bedroom". His dad's room houses a bed and a small two-drawer cardboard dresser. The dresser has decorative pink and purple flowers; his dad found it on the side of the road.

Marcus turns and makes his way to his own bedroom. He extinguishes the light as he passes. His room is past the living/dining room and kitchen. Marcus's dad had hung him a sheet too; the sheet is 'Strawberry Shortcake' but Marcus doesn't mind. He bats the sheet aside and climbs into his bed, kicking his sneakers off as he pulls himself up.

Two minutes and three seconds to go...

Marcus draws the curtain shut, closing himself in. His room is made up wholly of his twin-size bed and the small storage space beneath it. Marcus reaches down and opens the door to the space. He pulls out a battered shoebox, clearly one of his dad's, and settles it in his lap. He sits Indian-style on his mattress. The boy caresses the boy, sliding his hands along the top of the cardboard, before he removes the lid. Light engulfs Marcus and he closes his unremarkable brown eyes.

Seven seconds to go...

Marcus opens his eyes to the adoring faces tilted upwards at him from inside. Salutations of greeting drift to him in melodious harmony.

"Hail Marcuth Thamuel Thimon! Hail King Marcuth, the Creator!" the people cheer.

Marcus's face splits in a dazzling grin. You see, ten-year-old Marcus Samuel Simon is what would ordinarily call an extraordinary little boy.

The End.

Allright, now I've put myself out there; laid my soul bare, so to speak, and I want you to tell me if you think it's pretty or not. *lol* Truly, I would like some feedback on what you think about my little diddy, how I can improve it, etc.

Well since I'm at work, I probably should be getting back to doing what they pay me for. *smile* Even if I'd rather be doing this...Chat atcha again in the future!!

B.B. Walter

Play Ball!!

2009-04-07T12:11:00.000-05:00

“Take me out to the ball game; take me out to the crowd…Buy me some peanuts and cracker jacks; I don’t care if I ever come back….!!”

All right, boys and girls, you know what time of year it is….Opening Day of Baseball Season on April 6, 2009! Of course, I (like anyone sane *smile*) will be rooting for the Chicago Cubbies, and that is the theme of my blog today – Baseball and the Cubs.

Since I love this sport (and particularly this team), I’m going to include some baseball facts and then follow up with the 2009 Active Cubs Roster – complete with height, weight, and birthday!!

Fact #1 – Did you know?...Baltimore Orioles shortstop Cal Ripken, Jr. didn't miss a game in 16 years. He played in 2,632 consecutive games from April 30, 1982 to Sept. 19, 1998.

Fact #2 – Did you know?...Pitcher Nolan Ryan played 27 seasons in major league baseball and struck out more batters in his career than any other pitcher.

Fact #3 – Did you know?...Baseball stars from the National League and the American League played the first All-Star Game in 1933. The National League has won 40 of the 73 games. The game ended in a tie twice. In 1961 rain in Boston prevented extra innings and the game ended in a 1-1 tie. And in 2002, the game went 11 innings with the score knotted at seven before it was finally called off due to a lack of pitchers.

Ok, and here is the active line up for the Chicago Cubs for 2009:

2009 Active Cubs Roster Active Roster Pitchers B/T Ht Wt DOB 84 Neal Cotts L/L 6-1 200 03/25/80 46 Ryan Dempster R/R 6-2 215 05/03/77 57 Chad Gaudin R/R 5-10 190 03/24/83 63 Kevin Gregg R/R 6-6 240 06/20/78 37 Angel Guzman R/R 6-3 200 12/14/81 40 Rich Harden L/R 6-1 195 11/30/81 47 Aaron Heilman R/R 6-5 225 11/12/78 30 Ted Lilly L/L 6-1 190 01/04/76 49 Carlos Marmol R/R 6-2 180 10/14/82 45 Sean Marshall L/L 6-7 220 08/30/82 54 David Patton R/R 6-3 205 05/18/84 29 Jeff Samardzija R/R 6-5 220 01/23/85 51 Luis Vizcaino R/R 5-11 210 08/06/74 38 Carlos Zambrano S/R 6-5 255 06/01/81 Catchers B/T Ht Wt DOB 55 Koyie Hill S/R 6-0 190 03/09/79 18 Geovany Soto R/R 6-1 225 01/20/83 Infielders B/T Ht Wt DOB 17 Mike Fontenot L/R 5-8 170 06/09/80 6 Micah Hoffpauir L/L 6-3 215 03/01/80 25 Derrek Lee R/R 6-5 245 09/06/75 7 Aaron Miles S/R 5-8 180 12/15/76 16 Aramis Ramirez R/R 6-1 215 06/25/78 2 Ryan Theriot R/R 5-11 175 12/07/79 Outfielders B/T Ht Wt DOB 21 Milton Bradley S/R 6-0 225 04/15/78 1 Kosuke Fukudome L/R 6-0 185 04/26/77 4 Joey Gathright L/R 5-10 185 04/27/81 9 Reed Johnson R/R 5-10 180 12/08/76 12 Alfonso Soriano R/R 6-1 180 01/07/76

So, now that you know a little bit more about me (and the ONLY! team that matters *smile*), I bet you can live your life a little fuller, huh? *LOL* Nah, just joshing…Let’s just…

PLAY BALL!!

B.B. Walter

Frustration

2009-03-31T19:21:00.003-05:00

Hello, world; me again! Just popping in to talk about a little thing that gets me big time - Frustration.

I guess I'm just frustrated right now because I'm wanting to go so many different directions right now, and I'm stuck in the loop of "Almost there! Almost there! Hold on a little longer now!"

You know, it's just a matter of being in a job that is starting to wear on my nerves, but I can't leave (and probably should just be grateful I have a job anyway) because there isn't anything open right now that is as good or captures my attention; my schooling is progressing nicely but sooooo slowly; and my writing has hit a bit of a road block - well, really it's stalled a bit on the tracks - even while I attempt mouth-to-mouth to revive it.

Aw man, I sound like such a bummer this evening! But it's not just all that, my plans are just taking too long to come to fruition, ya know!! Argh! As to work, you know, I'm looking just not finding yet (yet being the operative word); school, well, only so much can be crammed into my head at a time, and I just have to worry about my impatience outdoing my better judgement; and my writing? -hum, my writing- have several plans in progress on how to jumpstart that front again. It's just that it all takes time, you know, and my instant gratification is showing...I want it all - now! *LOL*

Well, that's my little rant this evening - my frustration with it all. *smile* I know I'm on all the right roads, barrelling along faster than most people while still obeying all the proper road conditions to get to my destination safely, but it doesn't make me less impatient or less frustrated.

I guess I just need to step back and take that all important deep breath and relax. Things will come to fruition in their own time; or, as my great grandmother used to say, "You can't rush the fruit ripening; if you do, you only get bitter fruit and unhappiness in the end." Wise old women should be listened to, I suppose, in the end; if we all did that more often, I think the world would be a friendlier, albeit slower paced, but more satisfaying place.

Let me know, how do you pace yourself? What keeps you from throwing up your hands and screaming to the horizon, "Oh, come on already!" Really, I want to know. *smile*

{CR: Still on A&D by Dan Brown, and absolutely loving it, and started I'll Be Seeing You by Mary Higgins Clark, also excellent so far; Just Finished (JF for future reference) Silent Night by Mary Higgins Clark, a great book, and Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (was for class, but still loved reading it); TBRN: New Moon by Stephanie Myers, To Serve and Submit by ?}

Amazon Breakthrough Novel Contest

2009-03-18T14:45:00.002-05:00

If you all recall, I had entered the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Contest last month. This contest was for a publishing contract with Penguin; not ot mention some serious bragging rights since the entry format was against everyone who wanted to enter in the U.K., Canada, Australia, and the U.S. Against these staggering odds I was hoping that my creative genuis was good enough to advance to the second round; however, it seems, my creative genuis did not mesh with the reviewers' ideas.

I'll freely admit that I'm a little down about it; however, my life has taught me that one door closing opens another somewhere. My open door is now is that I know early enough in the year to start marketing this new novel to agents/publishers.

Of course, I don't doubt that there are better authors out there amongst the countries allowed entry; however, I'm good too. If you want to check it out for yourself, go to www.bbwalter.com and click on my other works page, the story I entered was 'A Touch of Darkness'; there's an excerpt. Please let me know what you think.

Well, that's it for me today. Since I'm in a bind for time, I'm not going to include my usual "Reading" section. I'll try to get it on here next entry.

Thanks!! ~BB Walter

Write with Me; Learn with Me - Assignment 1

2009-03-12T14:29:00.004-05:00

Ok, I'm pretty sure I mentioned before that I'm taking some writing courses. I also think I mentioned that I'm going to include a "Learn with Me" portion here on my blog. And if I didn't....that's what I'm going to do. Here is one of the first assignments we had to do in my writing class through my local college. This was an in-class assignment of an essay we had to read. So here is the essay I wrote about that essay. I'd really like some feedback from my friends, followers, and odd-ball strangers wandering into my blog. Criticisms, pointers, likes, would be greatly appreciated. Now onto the essay...

“Shame” by Dick Gregory
Found In the Depths of the Soul

“Shame” by political activist, comedian, and writer, Dick Gregory, plunges its reader into the deepest, most forgotten recesses of the human soul. Shadows, previously unrealized and non-existent, creep into the life of a young black boy, his own life, early in childhood and taint his existence for years to follow. In “Shame”, Dick Gregory is able to beautifully relate to every individual on a personal level how shame affects every person at some point in their lives through vivid story introduction, a momentum building narrative rich in detail, and real details that resound with the reader now matter how they grew up or what walks of life they come from.
Gregory beautifully begins his essay by setting up the premise of the piece, immediately immersing the reader in the first-person and making them relate to the character in the story, himself. The first lesson, the moral and point of the essay, is immediately brought to the front but is done so in such a way through exact details of his life before he realized what shame was that you are left wonder “What happened that was so important that this little boy’s whole life would be changed so drastically?”
A small step back, an introspective approach, ties the reader and the writer/Richard together when he clearly points out the similarities between himself and every person by offering a common denominator. He then follows it beautifully with what would have happened had normally events occurred. This draws a connection between the reader and writer again because maybe, for the reader at least, things went the way things should have gone. The correlation, however, allows the reader to consider, “Well, what if…?”
Of course, some readers, such as this one, would not know what is was like growing up black during the in the late 1930’ and early 1940’s, and Gregory seamlessly ties in examples of life for him growing up with his narration as he propels the story along. Quick, simple dialogue, tied together with narration and his thought process at that age, opens up more to the reader as they continue, shining light on the story and the moral given in both the topic and the introduction. The dialogue further goes to show how shame occurred in his life, where the actual emotion stemmed from. But what is probably most stunning is how he sums his entire essay to date into five beautiful lines delivered within seconds of each other: ‘ “We all know you don’t have a Daddy.” ‘, ‘Helene Tucker turned around, her eyes full of tears. She felt sorry for me.’ and then, ‘I walked out of school that day, and for a long time I didn’t go back very often. There was shame there.’
Gregory goes one step further in driving home the message to his story by furthering out the details of what life was like before he experienced shame for the first time and how those same details of life became the epitome of that shame from then on. And he draws the reader back around after giving more detail about his life following the shame with reiterating the same dialogue that became the source of his shame for many years to come by stating simply, ‘Yeah, the whole world heard the teacher that day, we all know you don’t have a Daddy.’
“Shame” is beautiful written. Short and poignant, it touches deep into the depths of the human soul no matter their race, life station, or experiences because it points out that on some level we all have shared this same experience with Dick Gregory.

So, lemme know what you think. This was an outstanding essay, by the way, and I highly recommend you Google it if you get a chance. Mr. Gregory is an exceptional writer.

[CR - Still "Angels & Demons" by Dan Brown; I'm further into this now and really enjoying it! Also CR "Silent night" by Mary Higgins Clark - Just started this book and not sure how I feel about it yet, but I love a good mystery most of the time, and she's reported to be one of the best. TBRN: Think I have Mercedes Lackey's "Burning Brightly" (Something new I'll add on here is the reviews I'm doing for other authors, so here goes.) BIR (Books I'm Reviewing): "Watchdog" by S.R. Roberts, and "Love at 1,000 Feet" by Kellie Martins - These reviews will be posted on my website, www.bbwalter.com , to read if the author wishes them posted.]

Thanks all for now, folks!
B.B. Walter

St. Patrick's Day

2009-03-05T17:17:00.005-06:00

Being of Irish decent, I've always been proud of celebrating St. Patrick's Day...perhaps even with a little too much zeal! ;) But, despite my lineasge, I've never actually known the reason behind the celebration until recently when I stumbled upon a great website called Irish Culture and Customs, found at www.irishcultureandcustoms.com .

This site is fantastic! And I wanted to include on here a great article that was on their site. Below is the article about the true reason behind why we celebrate this saint that most only know "drove the snakes out of Ireland". However, I have to emphasize that this site also contains so many more fascinating tidbits about Irish culture that you should definitely check out. So, without further adieu, here is the article about Why We Celebrate St. Patrick's Day.

"I, Patrick, the sinner..."
by Bridget Haggerty

The high veneration in which the Irish hold St. Patrick is evidenced by the common salutation, "May God, Mary, and Patrick bless you." His name occurs widely in prayers and blessings throughout Ireland and it is said that he promises prosperity to those who seek his intercession on his feast day, which marks the end of winter.

Crops could not be safely planted, nor animals put out in the fields, before the fear of winter frost had passed. The appearance in one's garden of snowdrops, daffodils and crocus were fickle forecasters of better weather, as often as not popping up too soon, only to be covered by a late snow, or shriveled up by a sudden blast of frost. Indeed, such was the importance of getting the planting date correct, that the Celts had markers, to remind them when it was safe to plant, and later on, the early Christian Irish adopted these days as Saint's days, for St Brigid (Feb 1) and St Patrick (March 17). Thus the proverb went: "Every second day is good, from my day forward" says Brigid. "Every day is good from my day forward" says Patrick.

All well and good. But who was this man who legend says drove the snakes out of Ireland and used a shamrock to convert the heathens?

The Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland by the Four Masters state that by the year 438 Christianity had made such progress, the laws were changed to agree with the Gospel. In just 6 years, a 60 year old man was able to so change the country that even the laws were amended. He had no printing press, no finances, few helpers and Ireland had no Roman roads on which to travel.

Recorded history and mystical legend are cavalierly intertwined when it comes to St. Patrick. Some historians say he was born in Banwen, Wales. Others say it was Kilpatrick, near Dumbarton, in Scotland . As with many of the facts about his life, no-one is exactly sure where.

Even the date of his birth is disputed, although many historians place it about 385 A.D. Most of what is known comes from the saint's Confessions, a slim volume which he wrote before he died in the late 400s.

In Patrick's youth, the Roman Empire was in decline; without Roman protection, Britain was vulnerable to attack by marauding Irish pirates whose homeland had never been conquered or absorbed by Rome.

After one such raid, Patrick became one of the thousands captured and returned to Ireland as slaves; this was a devastating shock for one who had enjoyed a life of relative comfort as the son of a well-compensated church official.

Not only was he torn from home and family, but he also was taken to a land that, while not very distant, had to have seemed incredibly alien and frightening.

Roman expansion into Britain had brought law and order, advanced culture and infrastructure, and eventually, Christianity. Ireland, on the other hand, remained a harsh, difficult place where warring kings ruled violent small kingdoms and pagan priests performed human sacrifice.

Patrick was purchased by a Druid. Members of this mystical Celtic religion practiced magic, oversaw rituals and served as judges in the top echelons of ancient Irish society.

Once indifferent to the Christian teachings of his family, Patrick's attitude changed radically during his six-year captivity. As a shepherd in his master's lonely, misty fields, he writes of having only two constant companions - hunger and nakedness. In this isolated and degrading situation, Patrick wrote of his spiritual transformation: "The love of God - grew in me more and more, - in a single day, I have said as many as a hundred prayers, and in the night, nearly the same - I prayed in the woods and on the mountain, even before dawn. I felt no hurt from the snow or ice or rain."

Patrick dreamed of escape. He tells us that he stole away one night and hiked 200 miles to the nearest port, where he found a ship that was soon to embark. But, because he was a penniless slave, the captain refused him passage. Patrick then prayed for several hours in a nearby wood; he returned to the ship, and miraculously the captain relented and gave him a place on the ship, possibly as a sailor.

History does not record precisely where the ship landed, but it was most likely along the coast of France, then known as Gaul. Details about how Patrick finally reached his family in Britain are also very sketchy. But, he did make it home and was haunted by his experiences in Ireland.

Convinced that God had summoned him to return to the pagan land of his captivity, Patrick trained for the priesthood. Some historians believe that he did so in France under the tutelage of St. Germain. Others say he trained in Rome. Regardless, he was assigned as a missionary to Ireland.

A few others had preceded him but with little success. Patrick's immediate predecessor, in fact, was said to have been martyred. Territorial kings and intransigent Druids proved powerful barriers to Christianity, then synonymous with Roman domination as the church and its popes filled the void left by departing emperors.

Patrick faced very real danger but had an advantage. Having lived among the Irish for six years, he was familiar with their ways. That and a persuasive personality were vital to his eventual success.

Though Ireland is smaller than the state of Maine, it had many kings,each ruling tiny kingdoms called tuatha. Above them were kings of the five provinces, in turn subject to the high king seated at Tara, then the capital. Patrick knew he had to appeal to the fiercely independent minor monarchs in order to spread his message safely. Greasing their royal palms helped.

"I spent money for your sake in order that they might let me enter," he addresses his superiors, recounting his mission in Confessions. "I made presents to the kings, not to mention the price I paid to their sons who escorted me."

Underscoring the need for such royal protection, Patrick frequently referred to the dangers he faced in Ireland. Sometimes, the patronage of a king wasn't enough to keep him safe.

At one point, he tells of being attacked, bound, robbed and threatened with death, all while under "protection." But because the kings constantly battled with each other, it was important to court all of them.

Having friends in high places helped Patrick's mission in other ways. Although he made few converts among kings who offered him safe passage, their fortunes being too closely related to maintaining the old order, his message often attracted other members of the royal families with less to lose, including younger brothers with little hope of inheritance from their fathers.

As Ludwig Bieler, the mid-century church historian, noted, when the highest echelon of society adopted the new faith, the people often followed.

But royal favor doesn't begin to explain Patrick's transforming effect on the people. History cannot always interpret such intangibles. There is little contemporary documentation of Patrick's mission by chariot throughout Ireland, converting thousands and establishing churches.

Later hagiographers -- people who write about saints -- give vivid yet ultimately unreliable details about Patrick's conversions and wondrous acts. His most famous "miracle," driving the snakes out of Ireland, certainly is legend - geologists say the island broke off the European continent before snakes could evolve there. The story most likely is intended to be emblematic of how he purged paganism.

But Patrick's dynamism was so great that myths abounded. "He must have been a terrifically charismatic figure," says Robert Mahony, an associate professor of English at Catholic University and former director of the Center for Irish Studies there. "And such people inspire legends."

One legend that is not widely known is Les Fleurs de St-Patrice which says that Patrick was sent to preach the Gospel in the area of Bréhémont-sur-Loire. He went fishing one day and had a tremendous catch. The local fishermen were upset and forced him to flee. He reached a shelter on the north bank where he slept under a blackthorn bush. When he awoke the bush was covered with flowers. It was Christmas day and from that time on, the bush flowered every Christmas until it was destroyed in World War I. The phenomenon was seen and verified by various observers, including official organizations. Today, St. Patrick is the patron of the fishermen on the Loire and, according to a modern French scholar, the patron of almost every other occupation in the area.

Thomas Cahill, author of How the Irish Saved Civilization, believes that part of Patrick's appeal lay in his message. In a 1996 CNN interview, Cahill noted that "the Christianity that Patrick planted in Ireland was really of a unique kind, in the sense that he left behind all of those dark, sad mediations on human sinfulness that were favorites of the fathers of the Church, and instead he concentrated on the goodness of creation.

"The Irish were already very mystical. They believed that the world was a magical place, and he built on that rather than on this human sinfulness theme, and, as a result, early Irish Christianity was extremely celebratory of the world, of the earth, of matter, of human experience, of the human body. It gets off the ground very quickly in this kind of dance of happiness and joy which is very unlike the sound of earlier Christianity."

There is no reliable account of St. Patrick's work in Ireland. Legends include how he described the mystery of the Trinity to Laoghaire, high king of Ireland, by referring to the shamrock, and that he singlehandedly--an impossible task--converted Ireland. Nevertheless, Saint Patrick established the Church throughout Ireland on lasting foundations: he travelled throughout the country preaching, teaching, building churches, opening schools and monasteries, converting chiefs and bards, and everywhere supporting his preaching with miracles.

His writings show what solid doctrine he must have taught his listeners. His "Confessio" (his autobiography, perhaps written as an apology against his detractors), the "Lorica" (or "Breastplate"), and the "Letter to the Soldiers of Coroticus," protesting British slave trading and the slaughter of a group of Irish Christians by Coroticus's raiding Christian Welshmen, are the first surely identified literature of the British or Celtic Church.

What stands out in his writings is Patrick's sense of being called by God to the work he had undertaken, and his determination and modesty in carrying it out: "I, Patrick, a sinner, am the most ignorant and of least account among the faithful, despised by many. . . . I owe it to God's grace that so many people should through me be born again to him."

St. Patrick died at Saul (Sabhall) on March 17 493. Saint Tassach administered the last rites and his remains were wrapped in a shroud woven by Saint Brigid. The bishops, clergy and the faithful from all over Ireland crowded around his remains to pay due honor to the Father of their Faith. Some of the ancient Lives record that for several days the light of heaven shone around his bier. His remains were interred at the chieftan's fort two miles from Saul. Centuries later, the cathedral of Down was built where St. Patrick was buried.

There is another old legend that promises that on the last day, though Christ will judge all the other nations, it will be St. Patrick sitting in judgment on the Irish. In an interview, when Thomas Cahill was asked whether that spelled good news or bad news for the Irish, Cahill didn't hesitate. "That's great news for the Irish!" Resources: The Irish Heritage Newsletter and several web sites including The Catholic Messenger

And that is the conclusion of my "nifty tidbit" for today. I can definitely state that I am more educated now than I was ten minutes ago from reading this well written article.

So, to finalize: [Still Reading: Angels and Demons by Dan Brown, and started Cat in a Neon Nightmare by (still can't remember). I'm a pretty good way into A&D and have to say I'm really liking it so far; as for CIANN, I think this series has to be read from the beginning to really be understood, so I'm going to traipse on back to the bookstore to find the first book and start from there.]

Til Next Time!! ~B.B. Walter

Remebering A Friend

2009-03-04T14:50:00.002-06:00

Today, I'm remembering a friend I lost last year. Paul was young, too young to lose to a heart attack, and just shy of his birthday when we lost him on March 4, 2008. He was one of those eternally grouchy people; but it was a grouchy that was good-natured and even welcomed most of the time by those who knew him because...well, that was Paul! *smile*

Paul was a very intellegent man with an odd collection of random, probably useless, knowledge. But that knowledge was also one of the reasons he was so well-loved by me and many who knew him. He could randomly come up with a strange bit of fluff to ellaborate on the subject at hand, or some small morsel that indirectly related to the game you were playing or the topic we were discussing. And his great ability to argue a topic from the opposite side of his beliefs was awe-inspiring at times.

I'd call Paul a gamer, but it's too simple a term. He was a free-spirit who enjoyed the "nerdy" aspect of socialization, but he was quick to talk to or help a stranger. Paul's only problem he had with the world was stupidity. Or, rather, the people who refused to be educated beyond their own narrow scope of reality. They drove him wild, but he also thrived on them as well as a constant fuel for his ire. I also think that he needed those people or else his anger might spill out onto everyone else who he only found "mildly" annoying...and those few could be mighty at times! *lol*

But despite his sometimes surly nature, Paul was also a giant teddy bear of a man (size not withstanding) with a soft spot for kids and a sympathetic ear (though sometimes harsh tongue since he tended to be blunt...uh, very blunt) for friends and family. But he was a loving, dutiful son, a good samaritan, and a man with a sense of humor.

Today, I want to remember my friend Paul for his life, his humor, and his kindness; not for the loss we suffered when he passed, but for what he brought to so many of us who knew him. Today, I want to remember, be mournful I will miss out on more of Paul in my life, but, most importantly, remember how he enriched all of our lives, those who knew and cared for him.

We miss you, Paul; we celebrate you, Paul.

Writing Classes

2009-02-27T10:10:00.002-06:00

Hey, all; back again! This time to bore you with more about (what else?) ME! *snicker*

No, seriously, folks; I'm doing two (count'em, TWO) writing classes right now, and I feel that, as an author, it's important that I share with everyone else how I evolve.

Ok, that was a little too sophisticated for my taste. *sneer*

Really, I just want a little feedback from my friends, family...complete strangers who randomly read blogs online, etc.! You know, the usual!! So what I'm going to do is put any finished papers/assignments I write here for a little feedback. I may also put some short stories, poems, or whatever I've been tinkering with. And I promise (Scout's Honor) to be more diligent about chiming in here on a more regular basis rather than letting the dust bury my little blog.

I've also decided that I like my friend's "What I am reading" category on her blog. (Sorry, Mol, I'm stealing!! *smile*) So I'm going to start putting that on here too. And since I don't have an assignment to post yet, here is my currently reading/wanting to read list.

**Currently Reading: *Angels & Demons* by Dan Brown - Only three pages into it, so not sure I feel yet but loved *DaVinci Code* so we'll see.
Just Finished: *Twilight* by Stephanie Myer - On a whole, not too bad; not the greatest, but I can see why it has appeal.
To-Be-Read-Next (furthermore known as TBRN): *New Moon* by Stephanie Myer, and *Cat in a Neon Nightmare* by (can't remember off-hand)**

Well, that's it for now! Chat'atcha soon!

bb

Book & Writing Festivals

2008-12-30T12:31:00.002-06:00

Well, kiddies, I'm back and flappin' free. For a little update...My mom is doing great now! *Whew* She's scared the hell out of us, but she's back up to speed and back to work now. She definitely seems happier for it all too, despite the scare. Thanks so much to everyone who sent well-wishing and thoughts; we truly appreciate it. Now on to some other things. I've decided that since this site is suuposed to have something to do with writing, books, or the weird ramblings of a writer that I should put something on here again pertaining to one of those items....So here goes... January 2009 Writing/Book Festivals BookMania! - Stuart, FL - January - 772-221-1403 - email: mclsprogram@martin.fl.us Cowboy Poetry Gathering - January-February - Elko, NV - 775-738-7508 - www.westernfolklife.org Eleventh Moon Storytelling Festival - Natchez, MS - January - 601-446-6502 Kearney Storytelling Festival - Kearney, NE - January - 308-468-6476 - www.nebraskastoryarts.org/kearney_festival.html Key West Literary Seminar - Key West, FL - January - 888-293-9291 - http://keywestliteraryseminar.org Winter Storytelling Festival - Kennesaw, GA - January-February - 404-329-9950 - email: sosmailcmt@aol.com ZORA! Festival - Eatonville, FL - January (last weekend) - 407-647-3307 - www.zoranealehurstonfestival.com I'll add the February events once I get a completed list of those together, too. It's not a comprehensive list, and some of the places are a little distance from me, but I figure they're close to someone and there are more festivals than I was previously aware of. Just wanted to share those with you all. Also, I'm going to start including what I'm currently reading, what's up next to read, and what I have planned for near future reading. So here are the initials: CR (currently reading), UN (up next), and NFR (near future reading), so you're down with the lingo, daddy-o! CR: Silent Night by Mary Higgins Clark and Stranger She Knew by ? (can't remember off the top of my head and it's at home) UN: (nothing at this time until after the first of the year) NFR: (haven't gone through my new pile of books received for Solstice this year yet) Well, that's it for now. I am officially back from the land of the dead (technologically and socially speaking) and back in full swing. Looking forward to 2009's rewards and pleasures, failures and frustrations, and I wish you all a year filled with warmth, caring, a smidge of disappoint to balance it all out, and - most of all - books, books, and more books!!!! :) B.B. Walter

Mother Not Doing Well

2008-10-22T10:10:00.002-05:00

As a few of you know, my mom had gall bladder surgery last Thursday. Despite finding a few more things wrong while they were in there (that they went ahead and fixed), she appeared to be doing ok. Friday we had quite the scare when she couldn't keep her oxygen levels up but was out of danger by Sunday. They even talked about releasing her today on Sunday. Monday night, however, she began having trouble with her breathing again and complaining of chest pain. They have moved her to the Heart Wing at Union Hospital in Terre Haute. My sister is with her now, and I will be heading that way as well to spend time with her. Mainly, I wanted to stop in here and let everyone know how she was doing since I don't have time to call everyone and keep them posted. I appreciate all the well wishing and prayers and thoughts that have been coming our way, and I know my mother does as well. Thank you! I will make sure I try to stop in here and leave a few notes to her well-being from time to time.

Bad Week

2008-10-13T12:59:00.004-05:00

Ever have one of those ridiculously downer weeks? I am currently riding one.

Unfortunately, my grandmother's long-time boyfriend, Dewey, passed away this weekend. Dewey had been battling colon cancer for sometime, had undergone radiation treatments, but hadn't outlasted the terrible disease. My grandmother and Dewey were long-time friends and began seeing each other after my grandfather's death and Dewey's wife death some years ago. While Dewey couldn't replace my gradnfather, he was a grandfather in his own way to all of us. Quick with a smile and chuckle, he will be sorely missed by the entire Brown clan!

Ontop of that, I'm stressed because my mom is going in for surgery this Thursday. Nothing too terribly serious, but they are having to completely open her up. She needs to have her gallbladder removed and to have a growth lanced off of one of her kidneys.

Jeez!

On a good note, I've started my Long Ridge Writer's Group courses. For those who are unfamiliar with this - Long Ridge is a by-mail writing class that strengths writer's in areas of non-fiction and fiction for magazine and short story publication. They are heavily accredited through the Better Business Bureau and have been in operation for some years. Many writers have completed the 2 year course (you can complete it earlier, depending on how fast you get to your assignments). You are paired with a published writer as your mentor who goes over each assignment with you step-by-step. I encourage you to check out their website http://www.longridgewritersgroup.com/ or you can Google them.

Well, that it about it for now. I do have a book signing coming up for Sister Light at Waldenbooks at the Cross conty Mall in Mattoon, Illinois this Saturday, October 18, 2008. I will be there from 12-3 pm. There will be free books given away, a trivia contest, and you can be entered into a free giveaway for tons of gifts from me!

Look forward to seeing anyone who can make it...Until then - tah-tah!

B.B. Walter

Things Most Commonly Asked by Non-Writers

2008-10-07T11:57:00.007-05:00

Okay, since this blog is supposed to revolve around writing and all the things that go with it, I thought I'd actually write something on...(hold your hat!) writing! (TA-DA!)

No seriously.

I get asked lots of things by people when I'm out and about, or when they find out that I write. I've decided today, Dear Reader, to go over those few items I get asked mostly commonly...And i know every other writer gets asked these, too, because I've been there when people have asked other writers these same questions.

Question #1 - Where do you come up with this stuff?

Answer - Well, hopefully, this comment is because they think my stuff is so fantastic they can't fathom the depths of creativity my mind can muster...and I hope it's not meant in the "Oh my god! What is this crap?" You know. Every writer is different in how they come up with ideas. I've met tons that see inspiration everywhere around them (playing with their kids, a scene playing out in real life on the neighborhood street, or a beautiful sight that inspires them to no end). I'm different in that most of my ideas come from my dreams. I have some really fantastic dreams that I jot down in a notebook or on the laptop as soon as I possible can after waking. (To my husband's dismay, I sometimes jot these down in the middle of the night, then go back to bed.) The idea rarely stays the same as the original dream (i.e. my inspiration for my fantasy novel Sister Light was only a one line blurb "Beware the Child with the pale blue eyes" scratched out in my notebook and posted to a large bulletin board for future use). The dream always unfolds into something else, however, for me. Once I have a chance to sit down and let the words trickle from my fingertips, the story begans to mold and shape, forming a backbone of its own that I can build the skeletal structure around. (I don't flesh out until after the first draft is completed.)

Question #2 - How can you work on multiple stories at once? Isn't it hard to concentrate?

Answer - Actually, a lot of writers ask me this same thing, so it's not just a non-writer question. My answer is always the same. Simple: I'm a multi-tasker, first. And second? I don't write the stories; they write me!

I'm one of those people who can start multiple ideas at one time. I work on them as long as they demand my attention, and then they are tucked away until I choose to pick them up and really focus on the story.

As in (currently) I have seven storylines started, but I'm only focusing on four of them. There are five more storylines that have been squirreled away for another day, and I have at least ten projects that have stalled on the tracks (so to speak) and will probably be pulled out of the drawer (or my folder on my desktop labeled "Tidbits") and reworked and revised later on.

My other saving grace, other than being a multi-tasker, is that I'm dedicated and decent with time management (only as far as my writing...anything else in life and I'm a train wreck, just ask my family). I know how much time I need to spend writing to dedicate a fair share to each project, and I sit down and just do it. Period. Truthfully, I don't have any more time then anyone else does, but writing feels good, gives something to people, and is what I seriously want to do with the rest of my life. 'Course the money from royalties and the possibility of becoming rich and famous are big motivating factors too!

Question #3 - Why do you write?

Answer - Well, I touched on this briefly a moment ago. Every writer has different reasons for writing. Mine is simple - IT MAKES ME FEEL GOOD.

I can't imagine not writing. I've been doing it since I was a child (those are interesting stories to re-read for sheer humility factor), and it's become second nature. Writing has always been a great outlet for me (emotionally, etc.). Also, it makes me feel good when someone reads what I wrote and likes it, telling me about it later. (Of course it makes me feel crummy when they don't like it, but -hey!- whatcha gon' do?)

Also, I'm not going to lie. Writing is successful for many people. You can get rich and famous being a writer. Rich and famous appeals to me. Some people grow up wanting to be rockstars; I grew up wanting to be Stephen King. Writing is also a means to an ends for me; I want to be successful at something I love to do, stay at home and not have to report to a timeclock every morning; customize my work schedule to better fit with my life; and spend time with my head in the clouds...I want to be a writer.

Okay, so those are the three top questions I get asked as a writer from non-writers. For all the writers who do read my blog each day, what are the questions you get asked most frequently? If you're a non-writer and read my blog, feel free to ask me any questions you are burning to know the answers to. My life is an open book, not just my work!

Been Slacking

2008-10-05T18:31:00.003-05:00

Ok, I've been a little remiss in getting on here and writing something every so often. I'll admit, most of it has been shear laziness...Some of it, however, has been a fairly hectic schedule. This time of year is so incredibly busy for me - book signings are picking back up, family events are taking place, and I've also started this writing course which is just getting underway. Everything combined has made things crazy. So, just to let everyone know, I'm not dead...just dead on my feet! *laugh* I promise I will be more diligent with my updates from now on. So don't shut me yet...I'm new at this blogging thing, and it's one more new thing to figure out how to add into my schedule. Never fear...I'm a multi-tasker extreme. But for tonight...good night and sweet dreams...I'm off to the land of fantasy and make-believe; Book Two and Three are still needing some work, as well as the plethura of other stories demanding a little TLC from me. Good night from B.B. Walter

A Quick Note

2008-09-30T14:48:00.002-05:00

Just a little note to let everyone know I'm not dead. :) I fell a bit behind on things last week and since internet is not primary concern and writing is I slacked on blogging and doing updates. So, here is a quick overview from last week: Item #1 - B.B. Walter was the undisputable heavy-weight champion against Mysterious Illness. The battle was fierce but B.B. hung in there to pull out an A-Maz-Ing! recovery to triumph over the nasty foe. The bell dinged and it was B.B. 1 - Mysterious Illness -0! (And the crowd goes wild..........) Item #2 - Since I had that epic combat with sickiness last week, I've fallen a bit behind on all things: internet updates, email checking, reviews, and writing. So, please be patient. I have a system for getting caught up, but it will take time. I promise all is important to me and I multi-task well! :) Item #3 - Publically appeared at the Tri-State Book Expo Evansville, Indiana, at the Washington Square Mall. There were more than sixty authors signed, and more than fifty that attended the event on Saturday, September 27, 2008. The event was all day from 9-4 where people could meet local and not-so-local authors and we could talk with the public as well. A few good friends attended with me - Molly Daniels, P.M. Russell, and Bernice Camp. And I was pleasantly surprised to make a few more good friends while there - Jay Zimmer (Dry Terror), Tracey Barrett (Anna of the Byzantium), and quite a few more too many to list out. It really was a great event, and I enjoyed the day despite the lack of significant sales. Item #4 - Tracey Barrett was kind enough to pass on information about another book signing conglomeration in the Nashville, TN area on October 11 & 12. I will not be able to attend, but do have the information if anyone would like to know a little more about it. Item #5 - I have an event coming up fairly soon at the Waldenbooks in Mattoon, Illinois, at Cross County Mall. There is more information listed on my website under the Book Schedule section, and I will get some information to follow on my blog soon about events and links. Ok, I think that about does it for now for me...plus, I'm only on the fifteen minute break work affords me, so I need to keep it short for now. Just a quick note to let all know that I'm neither dead or lost in the Bermuda Triangle. :) Promise I'll be caught up with everything soon. B.B. Walter www.bbwalter.com

Just a Little Something

2008-09-19T11:51:00.002-05:00

Hey all! Just wanted to pop on today and say a little something since I'll be out for the weekend and probably won't get a chance.

I'm headed down home tonight to pick up my talented and beautiful niece Ashlae. I'm bringing her up for the weekend so she can sing at the Mattoon, Illinois Relay for Life. She'll be on stage performing from 7:30-8 p.m. Saturday, September 20, 2008 at Peterson Park in Mattoon. I'm a hugely active member in the Relay, and last year I noticed a lot of local singers/performing up on stage during the Relay, so I asked if it was possible for Ash to perform. They thought it was a great idea, and I know how much she loves singing in front of new people. So it all worked out great for everyone - Ash gets new people to hear her sing, I get to show off my gorgeous, talented niece, and the Relay gets another performer to draw people's attention and get them involved in raising money to find a cure.

It also means that I get to chill out with my niece for the weekend, which will be cool. It'll be a good kick-back and watch movies, talk about her school and stuff (and I know she'll grill me on my latest writing projects), and have fun.

Since we're doing the Relay, I'm not going to bring my nephew R.J. up with me this time. Normally I get them both. But there will be a lot of time spent just walking the track at the park, and I think he'd be really really bored. So it'll just be the girls this weekend. I'll have to make it a point to go back down sometime soon and bring him up for a fun weekend with Aunt Billie, too.

Anyway, so that's the extent of my weekend plans (and my explanation for not blogging much over the weekend. Hope everyone has a great weekend!!

B.B. Walter

http://www.bbwalter.com/

Fatigue, Time and Motivation...3 Obstacles to Writing

2008-09-18T11:49:00.004-05:00

Allright, since I decided solely to rant yesterday on my blog, today will include somethng productive. Since becoming a writer, whenever I meet someone and they learn of this fact, the one question I always receive is "How do you find the time?" or "Where do you come up with your ideas?" Today, I'm going to tackle these three very important topics for writers.

(Please keep your hands and feet inside the vehicle at all times and enjoy the ride!)

Fatigue - One of the key points of everyday life. Adults are simply tired - All. The. Time. Period. Between work, kids, housecleaning, paying bills, errands, and social life - there isn't enough time to sleep, so there isn't enough energy to go around. We all know that Family and Bills/Work are priorities that head up every adults life. Followed closely behind those are housecleaning and errands. And, if we're lucky, we get to fit in a social life. (Most of us aren't lucky.) With writing, being tired is a bad thing. Fatigue is bad mojo for the creative Muse to strike. When it comes to being tired and writing, you have to do what we do when we face all other things and we're tired. We just do it.

Writing is like any other aspect of our work lives. If you're writing for publication (or with the hopes of one day becoming published) then it has to be viewed as work. Fun and interesting work, but work nonetheless. The great thing about being a writer is that our work is fun and interesting. And, I'm willing to go out on a limb here, I'd guess that once you do sit down at your computer or with your notebook or typewriter and start the process of writing that you feel infused with energy and don't want to stop, right? Come on, you know I'm right! Writing is stimulating; it gets the brain thinking, blood starts flowing, and (if we're writing something we're interested in and most of us are) then it gets the blood pounding. Plain and simple, it makes us feel good, so we want more. You know you'll feel good once you start, so the trouble is actually starting. My advise here is simple. When I don't feel like writing because I'm tired and run-down feeling I tell myself one thing: "I'm going to pick up the laptop for 15 minutes only, and I'm only going to edit." I set an alarm, and here's the thing I learned...I never only edit, and at the end of the 15 minutes, I always always reset the alarm for another hour.

Just like any form of work or exercise...Writers know we have to write to survive. The same with work and exercise, it's something we have to PUSH ourselves to do. The good news is that once you do, unlike work and exercise usually, you're going to end up happy, fulfilled, and just darned proud of yourselves so....Shush, grab the notebook, and push through it. You'll be glad you did!!

Second subject that goes hand in hand with fatigue is TIME!!! (Dum dum DUUUUM!) I won't list out again everything that eats away at our precious time. (If you need it, see paragraph #3) Time is an issue regular people have, so it makes sense that it is also an issue writers have...only we have one.more.thing. to squeeze into that darn day. There are two things you have to realize before I talk about "How to make time in your busy day". Are you a lark or an owl?

Larks are morning people. This is not to say you enjoy getting up early to go about your day, but that you find you are more productive and get more achieved throughout your particular day when you do get up early. You're also sharper and more focused during the day, have more energy, and are generally in a better mood.

Owls are night people. This may mean a mid-day person. Generally these are people who are sharper and more focused during the later parts of the day, are sluggish moving around in the earlier hours of the day (like it takes you three hours to wake up instead of a brisk hot shower and a bowl of cereal), and are short tempered when woken before, say, 11 a.m.

Once a person determines which kind of individual they are, it makes it easier to go into this next part. If you're a lark, you should write in the morning; if you're an owl, the evenings. This means when you sit down at whatever you use to write, you should try to schedule your day around these factors. I am (to my husband's annoyance) a lark. (He's an owl.) I'm required to be at work at 8:00 a.m. Monday-Friday; I live precisely 15 minutes from work if I hit a train that morning; My beauty regime takes me 45 minutes (shower, dress, makeup, breakfast...the whole nine yards). What time do I get up? 5:00 a.m. Why? Because I'm a lark; I'm more productive during the day. So that is when I schedule my writing time.

Second thing a person needs to do after discovering their individuality is time management!!! I can't stress it enoough. You have a work schedule, right? So have a writing schedule! It makes sense. You have a time you have to start work (within x amount of time so you don't get in trouble) and a certain time to get off work. Do the same with your writing. This is not saying you need to force yourself to write. If you sit down and can't get started on anything new, then edit something old, do some research (real research, not just surfing the web or playing games...research includes, however, reading my blog *smile*), or reread and revise old material. Ten-to-one says that one of those items will kick-start the old silly noodle and you'll end up writing something.

The key thing with this "scheduled writing time" is that people know this is work time, not optional. Ever notice how everyone calls you while you're at work? They want to swing in for a chat when you have a date planned with your husband? Humans are genetically programmed to be a disruption, I think, and that's why we all have this talent for zeroing in on a person's scheduled whatever time. Friends and family should know when your time to write is and when they are not welcome. You have to be as blunt as that because, if you're not, it will be taken as being ok if they think it's important. (Like them needing to ask if you're going to watch the Cubbies tomorrow night...you know, a conversation that can wait for another hour or so.) Be polite but be firm about your schedule....with others and with yourself.

All right, key thing...Motivation. Every writer has different motivating factors in their lives - personal fulfillment, money, fame, a combination of things. (I'm a fame/money person with a dash of personal fulfillment tossed in for flavor.) There is not cut and dry motivation for anyone in this world; humans are complicated, and so are their motivations. The important thing is realizing What motivates you. For me, motivation can be as simple as looking at the thin pocketbook (lack of money equals need to write more) or Google-ing myself online (I don't come up that often that I feel I'm starting to get famous. The personal fulfillment dash? I'm not happy unless I'm working on something, period. So that takes care of that. Your mission (should you choose to except it) is to take a long hard look at your writing and ask, "How important is writing to me?" If you answer that it is toss Issue #1 and Issue #2 right out the window; they no longer matter. Your family is important and (unfortunately) work and bills are important, so you make time and spend energy you don't have on those, don't you? The same goes with motivation for writing...if it's important, you will make the time and you will find the energy.

If you can't, then you're a dreamer, not a writer.

B.B. Walter

Fiction Novelist

www.bbwalter.com

Refreshing to See Honest Mechanics These Days

2008-09-17T11:42:00.000-05:00

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying all mechanics are crooked. That being said, however...have you ever noticed how there are just a few more things wrong with your vehicle when you take it in then the basic oil change you needed?

My father is an auto mechanic - has been for my whole life. I used to think that mechanics were helpful, friendly and concerned for their customer's safety and well=being....Until I bought my first car and needed work done. Sicne then I've found mechanics downright rude, arrogant, and shady.

What's bringing this whole rant about is my car, of course. I have an SUV that has been (irritatingly so) loosing air out of the rear tires for months now. All of the sudden, it also started making a strange sound while I was in motion. Tires loosing air I can manage; it's called an air hose at the gas station every two to three days. Funny sounds? Definitely not ok.

I took it in to the local mechanic in my town. Truthfully, I expected them to find all sorts of problems (not related to the tires or the funny sound) with my car, but to my surprise they didn't. Turns out the rotors on the car had started to rust on the inside, hence the rubbing sound when I was driving. I steeled myself when I asked how much it would be to replace the rotors. Low and behold, the mechanic laughed and said, "We'll just take the tires off, turn the rotors over, and put 'em back on, ma'am. There's nothing wrong with the other side; they'll last a good while yet."

I was stunned and pleasantly so. I half expected him to be all "Well, missus, it can get might-y pricey." Maybe I wasn't being fair (I'm willing to admit), but my experience has not been great with mechanics in the past. He even laughed and mentioned the tires next. Then I thought "Oh no; here's the kicker." He said they thought they looked a little low and they could patch them for me. Not sell me new tires but patch them.

Every time I take my vehicle in for any kind of non-standard maintenance (tires, suspension work, funny sounds, etc.) I expect a minimum of $150-$200 spent; these guys fixed my funny sound (which could have become hazardous at some point) and my tires (seriously an issue when it comes to good gas mileage) for less than $70! All-in-all I was very pleased!!

'Course, I know this has nothing to do with my writing, books, or other authors, but I figured this is my blog so I can add the occasional tidbit that is not necessarily related to writing. Also, and you never know with a writer's brain, I may have a decent, honest mechanic star in one of my books sometime. :)

2008-09-16T14:34:00.001-05:00

All right, I'm about to complete my first ever blog online. It's a little scary, but I have my blankey and a flashlight so I think I'm good. My website ( www.bbwalter.com ) has a small blog on it that I occasionally put random bits of information on, but it's not much of a blog. A good friend, Molly Daniels (young adult romance writer extraordinare!) told me all about her blog. So I checked it out, decided it was pretty cool, and thought "I need to get off my butt and try this 'blog thing'." So here I am. Ok, now for the good stuff. Intent of Blog: (sounds a little like a legal notice, doesn't it?) To discuss books and writing This can be anything from books/projects I've written/am writing, to friend's (other published writers) books, to the general books of bigger named (but no more important) authors. I also intend to use this site to interview up-and-coming authors; post tips on writing, editing, and promotion/marketing; and to provide resources for struggling writers who like to dream big. Well, that's about it for now. I think that's a pretty good jumping off point for a new adventure. If you want to learn more about me that isn't here on my blog, try my website www.bbwalter.com (business) or my MySpace www.myspace.com/bbwalter (personal). If you're an author interested in being interviewed or having me chat up and promote your books/writing a bit, leave me a message on my guestbook or email me, and we'll chat! Have a good one, and remember to tilt your head and squint one eye...Your impossible world is waiting! BBWalter - Author of Sister Light, Book One: Of Shadows