Looking forward to the promise of a New Year

 cj Sez: This is the last Lyrical Pens post of this year and a good time for me to reflect on the stresses of 2020 as I optimistically look forward to happier and healthier 2021.

 
  “When sorrows like sea billows roll” pretty much describes 2020 for me—both of my sisters died, three months apart (not virus related)—but I find comfort and peace leaning on God’s promises and declare, “it is well with my soul.”

  Despite the sorrows, I have much to be grateful for.

  I’m grateful for my loving family...grateful for the wonderful exuberance of grandkids…grateful for good health in the midst of a world-wide pandemic…grateful for thoughtful neighbors and friends…grateful for the comraderie of writer communities...grateful for the indie bookstores who sell my books...grateful for meeting goals...and on and on I could go.

 

  My heartfelt thanks to you for stopping by to read my 2020 Lyrical Pens posts and leave a comment. You are the best!

   I wish you and yours a 2021 overflowing with happiness, health, and peace.
 

  You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same.
cj
 

A week of exceptional events...

 cj Sez:  On December 21, the Winter Solstice occurs in the Northern Hemisphere. That’s when the nights reach their longest in the global north—in Fairbanks in Alaska, the sun barely makes it above the horizon during the winter solstice before the scene dips back into darkness. 

   Conversely the date is the Summer Solstice in the Southern Hemisphere, when the days reach their longest in the global south.

   For you romance writers, if your protagonist exclaimed that the earth stood still when her lover kissed her, she might be right—depending on when the kiss happened. How is that so, you ask?

   It’s because for several days before and after each summer or winter solstice, the sun appears to stand still in the sky, i.e., the sun actually pauses in its path at a northern or southern limit before reversing direction… for two or three days.

§§

Star light, star bright . . .    

   As 2020 skids to a close, the world will witness a celestial Christmas phenomenon that it hasn’t seen in nearly 800 years, not since March 4, 1226.

During the December 21 Winter Solstice, the planets Jupiter and Saturn will align so closely together that to the naked eye they will appear to be one dazzling star—referred to as the “Star of Bethlehem” or the “Christmas Star.” The astronomical phenomenon is expected to stay visible in the Northern Hemisphere for the entire last week of December.

   Mark your calendars for a once-in-a-lifetime look, because the brilliant star won’t appear again until 2080.

§§

Buy Now

   Books are Christmas gifts that keep on giving year-round, and anthologies are even better because there’s more than one story to enjoy. 

   With that in mind, let me help you out with a wonderful gift idea: Seven short stories in one great anthology, HOMEROOM HEROES. 

   Better yet, it’s a two-fer: part of the proceeds from this anthology will benefit the Acadiana Writing Project. 

   My short story “The Substitute,” is about an FBI agent working undercover as a substitute adapted physical education teacher for a class of physically and mentally challenged students while he investigates Federal fraud and tax evasion. His job gets even more complicated when he falls in love with the beautiful, first-grade teacher assigned to help him with the kids.

   HOMEROOM HEROES joins HOMETOWN HEROES and FINALLY HOME as the third in a series of anthologies published by Bienvenue Press benefiting various charities. All are free on Kindle Unlimited. 

   From paranormal to contemporary to historical, there are short stories in all three anthologies to fill everyone with the spirit of the season. Look for them on Amazon and at other fine book sellers.

§§

   December 25 is the third auspicious event this week. Though it may seem rather antithetical to wish everyone a Merry Christmas when we’re still in the throes of a pandemic, it is with joy that I celebrate the birth of Christ—a figure of love and hope.

§§ 

  That’s it for today’s post. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same.

cj 

➜ Follow me . . .       

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More than seven million words!

cj Sez: CONGRATULATIONS TO THE DETERMINED MILLIONS!

(From Sisters In Crime  … their Facebook site press release):

7,258,625!

   That's how many words were reported from participants of our #SinC50K  #NaNoWriMo challenge in November! Congratulations, everyone!

§§

   Let's talk a bit about opening lines, and the importance of a good, inviting opening line, opening paragraph, or opening chapter.

   There’s a lot of advice that says start a story in the middle of a drama, some captivating situation. This is the hook with which a writer can snag the reader’s, or agent’s, interest.

   Ken Follet, in The Pillars of the Earth, starts off with “The small boys came early to the hanging.” Wouldn’t you want to find out more?

   One of my personal favorites is from Prison Letters, Corrie ten Boom’s memoir of her time in a WWII concentration camp: “From time to time, I wrote short sketches on scraps of paper.”

   In a 2013 interview with Joe Fassler, Stephen King said: “An opening line should invite the reader to begin the story.” He goes on to say, “For me a good opening sentence really begins with voice.” He thinks readers are drawn to the story because of the voice of the writer.

   In the opening-line examples above, I believe you can get a good sense of the author’s voice, how the rest of the story is going to be told.

   Authors know (for sure) that introductory lines are hard to write. They also generally change as the writer gets further into the story. King, himself, said it used to take him months or even years to settle on an opening line. (I doubt it takes him years now, considering how prolific and masterful a writer he is.) He also said, “A really bad first line can convince me not to buy a book—because, god, I’ve got plenty of books already—and an unappealing style in the first moments is reason enough to scurry off.”

   Wow, would I hate that. All those hours and months wasted because I blew the first line. I try to develop first lines that fit both the story and the genre.

   Here’s my first line for my romantic suspense (ala Jane Bond-style) Deadly Star:  

“I am not going to die; I am not going to die.” 

And for Choosing Carter:  

Bryn McKay’s body ricocheted off the passenger door as the pickup, engine roaring, veered from one side of the Colorado mountain road to the other.

For the untitled detective mystery I’ve just finished:

             “We bury our dead alive, don’t we?” 

   Do you start your stories in an active scene? Are you in narrative voice? Please make sure the opening is not in backstory.

§§

   With this year of turmoil coming to a close, I’ve been thinking of people and places I miss. Coincidences being what they are, someone posted this question on Facebook: When you think of home, what do you think of? 

   What I think of is sitting around the kitchen table harmonizing on old hymns with my sisters and my mother. I think of childhood-me sleeping with the window open under a warm blanket in the chill of a starry July night in West Texas. Precious and happy memories.

When you think of home, what do you think of?

§§

   Books are Christmas gifts that keep on giving year-round, and anthologies are even better because there’s more than one story to read. With that in mind, let me help you out with a wonderful gift idea: Seven short stories for less than a buck!

   HOMEROOM HEROES, Bienvenue Press’s upcoming charity anthology for 2020, is available now for the preorder price of 99 cents! Better hurry, tho. The price goes up on launch date—December 15. Buy Now.

   Better yet, it’s a two-fer: Buy a book and part of the proceeds benefit the Acadiana Writing Project.

   HOMEROOM HEROES joins HOMETOWN HEROES and FINALLY HOME as the third in a series of anthologies published by Bienvenue Press benefiting various charities. All are free on Kindle Unlimited.

   From paranormal to contemporary to historical, there's something in all three anthologies to fill everyone with the spirit of the season. Look for them on Amazon and other fine book sellers.

§§

  That’s it for today’s post. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same.

cj

P.S.  My stand-alone suspense novels are out of print on Amazon, but The Haunted Bookshop has signed copies in stock. TO ORDER my autographed books or any book of your choice on-line from a favorite, indie bookstore, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us 

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Chekhov said, and I quote ...

 cj Sez: The question of leaving unresolved threads in stories came up in another discussion recently, and I opined that I found it annoying. 

   I want to know what happened or, if the book is part of a series, I want to read some hint that it’ll be resolved, good or bad, in some later story. Basically, I agree with playwright and short story author Anton Chekhov’s critique on plays, referred to as “Chekhov’s gun.”

 
   “Chekhov's gun is a dramatic principle that states that every element in a story must be necessary, and irrelevant elements should be removed. Elements should not appear to make false promises by never coming into play.  .... In the original instance, the ‘gun’ is a monologue that Chekhov deemed superfluous and unrelated to the rest of the play.  He is quoted as saying: "If in the first act you have hung a pistol on the wall, then in the following one it should be fired. Otherwise don't put it there."
 
   Of course, Chekhov’s principle applies to short stories because of the word count constraints, but I think it applies to novels as well. I’m not talking about red herring threads…those are always tied up in some fashion.
 
   However, if the “gun” (dialogue/character/conflict) happens to be in a story that is part of a series and you plan to reveal the who/what/when/where/why/how in a later story, you might consider including a hint of that in the denouement through a simple mention in a character’s dialogue or thought or in an epilogue. It can be disappointing if there isn’t some kind of closure for all the threads and that could affect how the reader judges the author. I really dislike loose ends. In fact, I’ve not read other books by the same author because s/he left me hanging.

§§

Has this ever happened to you? 
   I've been looking for plain cornmeal (not cornmeal mix) for a while and couldn't find any on the shelves, so I went to the dot com site and ordered. But I couldn't order just one 5-lb unit to reach the $35 minimum for free delivery; the dot com said I had to order a three pack. 

   The order arrived on Saturday morning in a sturdy box, and now I have cornmeal . . . on the sidewalk, on the front porch, trailing through the den, on the kitchen table, and on the kitchen floor. Two of the unprotected 80-oz paper bags had broken open, and the fine-ground cornmeal drained out of the holes in the corners of the sturdy box. In my defense for ordering “bags” to be delivered, the photo on the dot com site showed boxes. Yep. Lesson learned. It’s still 2020.

§§

 
Here’s a rare phenomenon …and a bit of nice news at the end of 2020:  
“HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHP) — The rare “Christmas Star” is coming!
   2020 has been a rough year, but as it comes to a close we will see a celestial Christmas phenomenon that hasn’t been seen in nearly 800 years.

   Mark your calendars for December 21st (the Winter Solstice) because that is when Jupiter and Saturn will align very closely in the sky, so close that to the naked eye they will almost appear to be, “colliding.”
  

This will cause a radiant light to be created, often referred to as the “Star of Bethlehem” or the “Christmas Star.”
   This is something that hasn’t happened this brilliantly since March 4th, 1226.
(///)  Overall, it will be closest to Earth on December 21st, but the “Christmas Star” should stay visible from just about anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere for the entire fourth week of December.
   The next time this will happen?
   How about March of 2080! So take some time later this month to try and catch a glimpse of one of the truly bright lights of 2020!”
(https://mynbc15.com/news/offbeat/the-first-christmas-star-in-nearly-800-years-will-soon-be-visible )

§§

   Books are Christmas gifts that keep on giving year-round, AND…and…HOMEROOM HEROES, Bienvenue Press’s upcoming charity anthology for 2020, is currently available for the preorder price of 99 cents! 

   Better yet, it’s a two-fer: part of the proceeds from this anthology will benefit the Acadiana Writing Project.
 
My short story “The Substitute,” is included.

  "When FBI agent Aron Olsen is assigned to work undercover as a substitute adapted physical education teacher for physically and mentally challenged students, he knows he’ll need a lot of help. He is thrilled when his help appears in the beautiful form of first-grade teacher Melanie Andrews, who is also a Special Olympics volunteer. Together they learn to turn their can'ts into cans and their dreams into plans."

   HOMEROOM HEROES joins HOMETOWN HEROES and FINALLY HOME as the third in a series of anthologies published by Bienvenue Press benefiting various charities. All are free on Kindle Unlimited.
 
   From paranormal to contemporary to historical, there's something in all three anthologies to fill everyone with the spirit of the season. Look for them on Amazon.
 

§§

  That’s it for today’s post. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I'll try
try to do the same.  

cj
 
P.S.  My stand-alone suspense novels are out of print on Amazon, but The Haunted Bookshop has signed copies in stock. TO ORDER my autographed books or any book of your choice on-line from a favorite, indie bookstore, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us
 
➜ Follow me . . .       
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➜ on Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fcN3h6
 

MWA names 2021 Grand Masters

 
cj Sez:  Congratulations to authors Charlaine Harris and Jeffery Deaver on being named the Mystery Writers of America’s Grand Masters for 2021.

   From the MWA press release: “November 23, 2020 —New York, NY—Today Mystery Writers of America (MWA) announces the recipients of its special awards. The board chose Charlaine Harris and Jeffery Deaver as the 2021 Grand Masters, and the 2020 Raven Award recipient is Malice Domestic. They will receive their awards at the 75th Annual Edgar Awards Ceremony, which will be held April 29, 2021.” 
 
   Read more about the event at:
https://mysterywriters.org/mwa-announces-2021-grand-master-and-raven-award-honorees/?fbclid=IwAR2AiRZhYDRti8v9qLsLpcadkLivbiqG-WuTPLKdvAWOQ7Mg1oynxs-Ywzc
 

////

   It’s into the home stretch on the last two days for the NaNoWriMo challenge.

   Keep on keeping on, Word Warriors. Ignore that panic key. You got this!
 

////

 
   The weather is forecast to turn cold in Mobile this coming week, as in going down into the 30s at night. Brrr temperatures for this former snowbird who has almost acclimated to the hellacious heat and humidity of the Gulf Coast.
 

   Any temperature below about 45 degrees is way too cold for the potted hibiscus sitting on my patio—we’ve named it “Grandpa.” Son will have to create a space to protect it from this cold snap. We’ve been babying that plant, moving it in and out of the garage or workshop, every winter since Tracy Hurley gave it to me more than ten years ago. I will keep tending to it as long as possible in memory of my friend. (Like the rest of my flowers, Grandpa has suffered through some storms, so the picture is what it looked like when I got it.)

////

 
Now some words from my sponsor:

   Spreading holiday cheer is always a good thing, and especially so when buying either of these anthologies is a two-fer—you’re actually helping out a charity, too.
 
   The digital versions of the first two Bienvenue Press Christmas charity anthologies have been on sale for the entire month of November, and now, fair warning, the 99 CENT SALE ENDS NOV 30.
 
   From paranormal to contemporary to historical, there's something in these anthologies to fill everyone with the spirit of the season.
 
HOMETOWN HEROES benefits Cajun Navy Relief & Rescue
FINALLY HOME helps regional animal rescue programs
 
   At this price, you can send one or both to as many family and friends as you want. Even better, add in the fact that delivery will be free and there’ll be no wrapping or postage costs, then buying these anthologies makes for great gifts at a great bargain. Wow! Another two-fer.
 
   Both are available on Amazon (free on Kindle Unlimited)

***

   AND…and…Bienvenue Press’s upcoming charity anthology for 2020 is currently available for the preorder price of 99 cents! Part of the proceeds from this anthology will benefit the Acadiana Writing Project.
 
  In “The Substitute,” my short story in the anthology, an FBI agent’s undercover assignment as a substitute special education teacher gets even more complicated when he falls in love with a first-grade grade teacher. She has a good idea what’s been happening at the school, but can she…will she…help him get the proof he needs to complete his assignment?
 
   Look for HOMEROOM HEROES on Amazon Saturday, December 5. (The cover shown is the first draft.)
 

////

  That’s it for today’s post. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same.

cj
 
P.S.  My stand-alone suspense novels are out of print on Amazon, but The Haunted Bookshop has signed copies in stock. TO ORDER my autographed books or any book of your choice on-line from a favorite, indie bookstore, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us
 
➜ Follow me . . .       
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➜ on Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fcN3h6 

Tidbits for writers and readers

 cj Sez:  Here’s a tip for authors from my fellow Mobile Writers Guild member Joyce Sterling Scarbrough:  “Chicken Soup for the Soul has a number of submission calls out right now, including one for kids and teens dealing with the challenges of this pandemic.”

Changing Your World One Story at a Time®

   “If you or a young writer you know has a story or poem you'd like published, please submit!”  

Submission guidelines here:   https://www.chickensoup.com/story-submissions/possible-book-topics?fbclid=IwAR3r5WuvM54nyWcBXYQYdT2QeEOrwAF4dRUQHulwUCgSY_OuxBQ3VTE7mVE

And cj's tip for readers…these are great books for your to-be-read stack.

////

Rooting for you… This is how you do it: you sit down at the keyboard and you put one word after another until it’s done. It’s that easy, and that hard. — Neil Gaiman

////

   Nearing the home stretch and worried you aren’t going to succeed? Here are some words from Kurt Vonnegut:

   “When I was 15, I spent a month working on an archeological dig. I was talking to one of the archeologists one day during our lunch break and he asked those kinds of “getting to know you” questions you ask young people: Do you play sports? What’s your favorite subject? And I told him, no I don’t play any sports. I do theater, I’m in choir, I play the violin and piano, I used to take art classes.

  And he went WOW. That’s amazing! And I said, “Oh no, but I’m not any good at ANY of them.”

   And he said something then that I will never forget and which absolutely blew my mind because no one had ever said anything like it to me before: “I don’t think being good at things is the point of doing them. I think you’ve got all these wonderful experiences with different skills, and that all teaches you things and makes you an interesting person, no matter how well you do them.”

   And that honestly changed my life. Because I went from a failure, someone who hadn’t been talented enough at anything to excel, to someone who did things because I enjoyed them. I had been raised in such an achievement-oriented environment, so inundated with the myth of Talent, that I thought it was only worth doing things if you could “Win” at them.”

//// 

   John Floyd is a prolific author (he’s written 32 stories in 2020), and his short mysteries are favorites of mine. In a recent Sleuth Sayers column, he recounts how he reworks old, unsubmitted stories he’s had stashed away for years and then submits them…some moved on to become award winners. Maybe there are points you would find worthwhile…I sure did: https://www.sleuthsayers.org/2020/11/the-same-old-story.html?fbclid=IwAR05pLxJJr9NcZGJ1E4LtmsAc7WUbYRHLjUfSrMxkikY1mBmwGyGoTSFP_0

////

   HOMETOWN HEROES eBook is on sale now. This anthology brings you five Christmas romances that celebrate everyday heroes.

   From paranormal to contemporary to historical, there's something in this anthology to fill everyone with the spirit of the season.  

   On Amazon: https://amzn.to/3ncvCS5

////

   99 CENTS !! PREORDER PRICE for Bienvenue Press’s upcoming charity anthology HOMEROOM HEROES. Look for it on Amazon Saturday, December 5. The final cover reveal coming soon.

   In “The Substitute,” my short story in the anthology, an FBI agent’s undercover assignment as a substitute teacher gets complicated when he falls in love with a first-grade grade teacher. Here are the opening lines:

     “Will Miss Melanie Andrews please report to the office,” the voice blared over the school’s intercom system.              

    Mel stopped setting out the materials she was readying for her first-grade students and stared at the speaker mounted in the corner of her classroom. She frowned, hurriedly dropped the last few crayons on the work tables lining the walls, and sealed the hazmat bag where she’d put the paper towels she used to sanitize the desks.

    “What now? I haven't had time to do anything wrong yet.”

    Being called to the principal’s office wasn’t how Mel wanted to begin her first day back in the classroom after summer break.

    How embarrassing, she thought. Everyone in the school heard that and will be wondering what I’ve done this time.

////

 

That’s it for today’s post. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same. 

cj

P.S.  TO ORDER my autographed books or any book of your choice on-line from a favorite, indie bookstore, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us

➜ Follow me . . .       

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➜ on Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fcN3h6

Scene-by-scene...what is drama?

 

cj Sez: Sending my congratulations and best wishes for success to all the writers who accepted the NaNoWriMo challenge. (See more at their websote here: NaNoWriMo)
 

 
   I’m currently working on a novel that now has 40K words….after years (true) of pecking away at it. Obviously, I am not a candidate for the challenge, but I’ve got my fingers crossed that all you writing warriors will carry through to the finish!

You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club. — Jack London

 

////

cj Sez: I’ve gone into my archives for the following  post because I think it’s worth repeating for all the new writers entering this publishing world. It may also be helpful for the NaNoWriMo writers when they begin their editing process on December 1.
 
   Having worked as a journalist for a few years, I tend to write my first drafts sparsely—without much narrative. To justify my methodology, I point to Kurt Vonnegut’s eight rules. In this case, specifically No. 4: “Every sentence must do one of two things—reveal character or advance the action.” I know what you’re thinking, and you’re right, rules are made to be broken. However, some are best kept for a while, especially by yet-to-be-bestselling authors, like me.

 
   I also think that I tend to write like a screenwriter (one of the best classes I ever took). I visualize the scene and write to that. By necessity, writers of TV series must think in terms of every scene and every line, because for each hour-long show, they have forty to forty-five minutes to tell the story, beginning to end. (cj Sez: I just checked: the average is forty-two minutes.)
 
   Years ago David Mamet, executive producer of the old action/drama TV series, “The Unit,” had some serious instructions for the show’s writers and sent them a memo that virtually shouted.  (He wrote it in all capital letters, and he had an "inviolable rule.") He directed his writers to concentrate on writing drama if they expected to keep their audience entertained…because if they lost their audience, they’d be out of work. It must’ve worked because the show ran for four seasons. Following are excerpts from that memorable memo:   
 
   "QUESTION: WHAT IS DRAMA? DRAMA, AGAIN, IS THE QUEST OF THE HERO TO OVERCOME THOSE THINGS WHICH PREVENT HIM FROM ACHIEVING A SPECIFIC, ACUTE GOAL.

   SO: WE, THE WRITERS, MUST ASK OURSELVES OF EVERY SCENE THESE THREE QUESTIONS.

1) WHO WANTS WHAT?
2) WHAT HAPPENS IF HER DON’T GET IT?
3) WHY NOW?

   THE ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS ARE LITMUS PAPER. APPLY THEM, AND THEIR ANSWER WILL TELL YOU IF THE SCENE IS DRAMATIC OR NOT.

[ *** ]

   START, EVERY TIME, WITH THIS INVIOLABLE RULE: THE SCENE MUST BE DRAMATIC. IT MUST START BECAUSE THE HERO HAS A PROBLEM, AND IT MUST CULMINATE WITH THE HERO FINDING HIM OR HERSELF EITHER THWARTED OR EDUCATED THAT ANOTHER WAY EXISTS. (cj: I think of his inviolable rule as the writer’s hooks at the beginning and ending of scenes and chapters.)
   

   LOOK AT YOUR LOG LINES. ANY LOGLINE READING “BOB AND SUE DISCUSS…” IS NOT DESCRIBING A DRAMATIC SCENE." (cj: They write loglines for every scene.)
 
cj Note:
A logline is a 25-word synopsis of your book.
A tagline is a catchy “movie poster” phrase.
 
Examples for Jaws –
Logline – After a series of grisly shark attacks, a sheriff struggles to protect his small beach community against the bloodthirsty monster, in spite of the greedy chamber of commerce. (from J. Gideon Sarentinos  http://bit.ly/1D90FmH  (25 words not counting "a" or "the".)
 
Tagline – Don’t go in the water.
 
You can read David Mamet’s entire memo at: 
http://movieline.com/2010/03/23/david-mamets-memo-to-the-writers-of-the-unit/
 
   Okay, let me know if what you think. Agree?  Disagree? Helpful with what you’re working on?
 

////

   Tis ALMOST the season, but spreading cheer is always a good thing—especially when it’s a two-fer, and you’re actually helping out a charity, too.
The first two Bienvenue Press Christmas charity anthologies are on sale digitally for the entire month of November. Take advantage of the sale prices to stock your E-reader for December and beyond.
   HOMETOWN HEROES benefits the Cajun Navy Relief & Rescue
   FINALLY HOME helps regional animal rescue programs
 
Both are available on Amazon (free on Kindle Unlimited)

////

  Halloween might be over, but the short pieces (stories, poems, even a play) in HALLOWEEN PIECES are timeless. Add this anthology to your Christmas gift-giving list. 

   (P.S. Several of the authors have signed a limited supply of copies available from The Haunted Bookshop (see where to order below).

////

  Thank you for visiting Lyrical Pens. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same.

cj 

P.S.  TO ORDER my autographed books or any book of your choice on-line from one of my favorite indie bookstores, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us 
The store has re-opened to limited hours, so if you’re in the Mobile area, you can stop and shop, too.

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Eleventh Hour, Eleventh Day, Eleventh Month

cj Sez:  On Wednesday this week, the U.S. respectfully observes Veterans Day, a day set aside to honor all the veterans whose heroism made and keep this country free.

   “When first celebrated as Armistice Day, the day marked the end of World War I, formally recognized on the '11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month' in 1918.

   “Today we continue to celebrate the day as Veterans Day, still recognizing the original tie with November 11. That means Veterans Day is on the same day every year—November 11—regardless of on which day of the week it falls.”  (Source: https://www.military.com/veterans-day )

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NaNoWriMo  

   If you’re taking part in the challenge, GOPHERIT!

   "Find your best time of the day for writing and write. Don’t let anything else interfere. Afterwards it won’t matter to you that the kitchen is a mess." — Esther Freud

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I won a prize!

   Surprise, surprise, and thank you, thank you! I liked and shared the Facebook post of the Mobile Bookseller, Independent Bookstore, and my name was entered into a drawing to win a prize …

   “Congratulations cj petterson!  You are the winner of the Paranormal Romance starter set giveaway!

   “Thank you for all of your shares, everyone!! And don't worry, there will be another giveaway before 2020 finally ends. Maybe a little somethin' somethin' for Christmas? Be on the lookout!

Facebook Link:   Mobile Bookseller

   “We sell or trade previously Loved books! Most of our books are priced around $3.50! If we don't have it, we can order it! We also have a nice collection of NEW Local Author books, and most of them are signed!”

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   That’s it for today’s post. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same.

cj

P.S.: 

   Anthologies make great gifts...timeless short stories from different authors for hours of entertainment.

Great news...These digital two-fers from Bienvenue Press are on sale during the month of November—Buy an anthology, support a charity: HOMETOWN HEROES benefits the Cajun Navy (that marvelous group of volunteers helping neighbors after storm floods) and FINALLY HOME benefits various animal rescue groups. 

   Be sure to watch for their soon-to-be-released next Christmas charity anthology: HOMEROOM HEROES to benefits the Acadiana Writing Project.

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Buy Now 

HALLOWEEN PIECES

   The latest anthology from the Mobile Writers Guild has 18 pieces in it.

   Available on Amazon (free on Kindle Unlimited)—and several of the authors have signed a limited supply of copies available from The Haunted Bookshop (see where to order below).

   TO ORDER my autographed books or any book of your choice on-line from my favorite indie bookstore, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us

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