Monkshood, the queen of poisons, is known by many names: wolfsbane, aconite, leopard’s bane, women’s bane, devil’s helmet, blue rocket, and friar’s cap. Her beauty is astounding, but her flowers of white, cream, yellow, blue, or purple are deadly. The Plant and its Poison Each part of this gorgeous flower, especially the leaves and roots,…
Fiction Writing, Guest Posts, Writing
The Art of Teleportation – Guest Post by Richard Petracca
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• •When you read, the words should magically teleport you to another land, time, or universe filled with other people, animals, or creatures. You lose yourself in a fantasy world and live vicariously through someone, maybe even something, else. The enchanting art of teleportation needs to be used as you write. Put yourself in the place…
Confusing Words, Fiction Writing, Words
Confusing Words from Charted to Cite
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• •Would someone choose or chews a new car? Would one wear a coat when the weather is Chile, chili, chilli, or chilly? When you practice firing your gun, would you chute it or shoot it? charted, chartered If something has been charted, a course of action has been planned. The captain charted his route before he left…
Author Interviews, Writing
Fenton Grace Interview: Society, Sexual Boundaries, and Advice for Writers
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• •Book Reviews, Fiction Writing, New Words Learned, Romance, Suspense/Thrillers, Words
Monday, Sunday – a Review
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• •Monday, Sunday isn’t a book that every person will be able handle reading. This book explores the boundaries of sexual attraction between older females and teenage boys. To broach such a difficult, almost taboo, subject took skill. Fenton Grace did an amazing job writing this tale of love and betrayal. I knew before I got…
Book Reviews, Children's Books
Mia’s Quest for Courage – a Review
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• •Fiction Writing, Suffering for Beauty, Writing Prompts and Exercises
Suffering for Beauty – the Victorian Corset
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• •A corset is an undergarment worn by some women to enhance the shape of their body. It is made stiff by whalebone or some other stiff material, and it is tightened by having the laces pulled. Remember Scarlett O’Hara’s tiny waist? She achieved such a small middle by wearing a corset and having the laces…
Fiction Writing, Phobias, Writing Prompts and Exercises
Pediophobia, the Fear of Dolls
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• •A phobia is an extreme dread or fear of something. When a person encounters the object of his or her fear, he could experience anxiety, shortness of breath, rapid breathing, an irregular heartbeat, sweating, nausea, dry mouth, etc. While this person’s phobia may seem outrageous or unreasonable to you, I assure you it is not unreasonable…
Book Reviews, Children's Books
The Secret Garden: A Flowers Primer – a Review
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• •The look of wonder and excitement in a child’s eyes when he or she is introduced to books and the world of reading is priceless. Most small children are fascinated with flowers. My two-year-old granddaughter loves to watch the butterflies and the bees fly around and land on their colorful petals. Taking a toddler on…
Confusing Words, Fiction Writing, Words
Confusing Words from Cents to Charred
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• •Would you have cereal or serial for breakfast? Does a teacher use chalk or chock to write on the blackboard? Would chard or charred be served with dinner? cents, scents, sense A cent is 1/100th of one dollar, so cents would be more than one cent. Heather was so broke, she couldn’t even afford the pack of…