IWSG Wednesday AND Did You Know Thursday

 

 

The first Wednesday of every month is officially IWSG day. IWSG was formed by Ninja Captain Alex Cavanaugh. Members post about their doubts and fears, discuss struggles and triumphs, and offer words of encouragement to others who are struggling.

 

Twitter handle: @TheIWSG  

Hashtag: #IWSG 

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.

The awesome co-hosts for

June 3 posting of the IWSG are Victoria Marie Lees, Sarah Foster, Natalie Aguirre, and C. Lee McKenzie!

Every month, we announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say. 

Remember, the question is optional

June 3 question - Do most of your story ideas come from one place (the news, dreams, etc.) or do they hit from all over the place?

 

That’s an interesting question.  I’d have to say all over the place. I’ve written books around a particular book title I’d decided on, an unusual topic on the news, and movies and movie stars that inspired me. One of my books was written at the request of my brother. He was fascinated by an 1873 Model Winchester that was found in the Great Basin National Park leaning up against a juniper tree in 2014. How it got there was a mystery. Hence Geller’s Find.😊.

 

May/June Reviews in no particular order.

* Disclaimer. If I run into an occasional typo, I ignore them and don't factor them into my review.

 

GIANT SHREWS FROM OUTER SPACE by Sylvia Kay Rose

SHREWS is another dark comedic, sci fi horror written in Rose’s uniquely audacious style. Teenager Claire Lawford and her mother Linda end up in the dying town of Abundance, Ontario when Linda’s car gives up the ghost. Unfortunately, the town’s residents aren’t particularly friendly to strangers and gouge Linda for everything she has, which isn’t much at this point. But that’s the tip of the iceberg for our heroines’ travails. The people in town are disappearing and being murdered in a particularly gruesome fashion. Now it’s up to Claire and her new friend Andy, that she meets while she and her mother are stranded, to save the town and its people. Throw killer shrews from outer space and ghosts from an abandoned mine into the mix and you have an entertaining read that’s hard to put down.

The characters are well-developed. The conversations are fun and engaging. And the world-building is first rate. I highly recommend it for readers that enjoy humor and sci fi intertwined with their horror or those that just want an entertaining, well told tale by an author who delivers.

Available at Amazon 

 

 

HOMEPORT by Nora Roberts

An art expert—Dr. Miranda Jones—and an art thief—Ryan Boldari—find themselves joining forces when Dr. Jones reputation and life are on the line. This is probably my favorite romantic suspense by Nora. She delivers a strong romance interwoven with chilling suspense that will keep you reading.  A must for Nora fans.

Available at Amazon 

 

 

 

 

 

DIE TRYING by Lee Child

I’m a huge Jack Reacher fan. DIE TRYING is one of Child’s earlier Reacher novels and like the rest of the series, delivers. As usual, Reacher finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time.

When a young female FBI agent gets abducted, he gets caught in the net too. Unfortunately, the FBI thinks Reacher is one of the kidnappers and plans to deal with him according.

If you are a Reacher fan and haven’t read this one yet, I highly recommend it.

Available at Amazon 

 

 

 

LOST SISTER By MK Alexander

In Book 4 of the SEVEN SISTERS Series, Milo and his crew set off for the Lost Colony. A voyage from which no one has ever returned. The journey is filled with peril and unexpected challenges, along with a new birdman friend and a mechanical man, whose handshake dispenses Urchin worms. One obstacle after another is thrown in their path but they persevere until they finally arrive at the Lost Colony where they will face the greatest challenge of all.

I thoroughly enjoyed the read and recommend it to anyone who loves steampunk sci-fi or a well-told tale.

Available at Amazon 

 

 

THE SECRET OF SECRETS by Dan Brown

Dan Brown once again weaves an intricate, suspense-filled puzzle with his latest rendering. As with his other novels, there’re unexpected twists and turns when Katherine Solomon’s—Robert Langdon’s current love interest—manuscript on consciousness is stolen and destroyed, and people they know are being murdered. Once again Professor Langdon’s knowledge of symbols and codes will help him solve the mysteries of the murders and discover who has gone to such lengths to make sure Katherine’s manuscript is never published…and why.

 Available at Amazon

 

AND

Did you know, the phrases: In a pickle, Green-eyed Monster, Dead as a door nail, All of a sudden, Off with his head, Night owl, Wear your heart on your sleeve, and Fair play all originated with Shakespeare?

For more information: 150 Interesting Facts About Our Favorite Authors [Infographic] 

 

 

Ketch-up Day

 

How are you? Is your week going well?

Here, there's a lot going on in the garden. 

I went outside the other day and saw this:

That little dark spot beneath the tree is another baby Fox Sparrow. I went back in the house, came back out and he was gone.  I went over and there he was under the grapevine, griping at me the whole time I was weeding, so I gave up and went to the flower area and started weeding again and he followed me over and started griping at me again...or so I thought. Turns out there's two of them.  One is shy and one's an explorer. Hops all over the yard, following mom, falls down between the bricks then hops out. Then tries to hop up on the little fences I have around some of the flowers but no can do.  Their wings are really short and again they have stubs for tails. They literally keep their parents hopping. In fact, the explorer may have popped under the fence. I haven't seen him today. I think I MAY have seen the original Baby all grown up.  It was a fully developed young Fox Sparrow, but it still had a spot of gray on his wing.

The Robin is also nesting again, or another, very near the old nest. We've got frogs, chipmunks, squirrels and, of course, birds. Never a dull moment in the garden. Much entertainment for the cats on the porch.

 

 

  

AND

My brother, who lives in FL, encountered this guy on his bike ride the other day.

AND

Last but not least.

  That's it for me, Blogger Buds.  Ketch me up on you. 

Weekend Wishes

 May 29 is National Snail Day

AND

Have a fun one, Blogger Buds.

 

 

Writerly Wednesday and Did You Know Thursday

What's your synonym, sentence or definition for:

 Example: Besides denoting a plot of land, erf  is  also a mathematical function. 

AND

Did you know, while EXTREMELY rare, folks can die from laughing, often referred to as fatal hilarity?

For more information:  

Death from laughter - Wikipedia 

 

Ketch-up Day

 

We're home! Our daughter recently had foot surgery so we went to Philly to spend a few days with her and the SIL. My job was to fill the squirrel, err, bird feeder. The regular-size squirrel shared the feeder with the birds.  Not Mr. Chubby. After he was done eating, Mr. Chubby--shown below--just sat in the feeder, refusing to let anyone else eat. Bad, Mr. Chubby.  Bad. Bad. Bad.

Harry and Holly's job is to keep our daughter company while she's laid up.  As you can see, they take their work very seriously.

And then, we headed home on the Choo-choo. Our normally eleven hour trip was fourteen.  Don't know what was going on there.

AND back at home:

Callie and Nori.

AND  a Belated Happy Birthday to J.P. and Janet.

Okay, it's your turn. Catch me up, Blogger Buds.

 

 

Ketch-up Day

 I'm going to be offline for a week or two. So save up your news and catch me up when I get back.

Leaving you with a few Eternal Garden pics. See ya soon, Blogger Buds.

The frogs seem to like this spot almost as well as the birds.

Frank.

 The grapes are growing.

As are the blackberries.

👋 

 

 

Weekend Wishes

 May 8 is:

 Though, I must say, mine are pretty well done with spring blooming by their day.

AND

To all the Moms on May 10:

AND

To all: