I'm A Winner, Again!

Woo-hoo! Yessiree! I'm a winner! Yee-haw! Boy, I'm on a roll. This is the second time in the past month that I've won a book! I'm a happy camper! What did I win? I won a copy of THE MOTIVE by John Lescroart (HC) over at J. Kaye's Book Blog. Judy reviews books, lists them on her blog, then and holds a monthly contest. Pop on over to her site and check it out. Leave a comment on the summary review and maybe you, too will be a winner! Happy reading (and writing) everyone!

Birth Order and the First Born

I stopped at a garage sale yesterday and picked up a book (actually, I picked up 4 books. Of the four, 2 were identical, the only difference was, 1 is a hardcover and the other a paperback) that is verrrrry interesting. It's called THE BIRTH ORDER BOOK: Why You Are The Way You Are by Dr. Kevin Leman. This is an older book, published in 1985 but, boy, is it fascinating.

I'm only on chapter three, which is called "First Born: First Come, First Served" and already I've learned a lot. This chapter, interestingly enough, fascinates me. Why? Because, as the oldest of four siblings (all girls), this chapter refers to me. The perfectionist, the high achiever, the serious first born.

I love reading and learning about what makes people tick. I've always thought that I would have liked to have been a Psychologist or Psychiatrist. Maybe in a past life I was. All I know is this is fascinating stuff and I'm having a lot of fun comparing the theories from this book to my own family.

What did I learn so far? Well, first off, I learned (and this isn't about me) that the baby of the family never has to grow up and take responsibility (according to an article by Laurie Campbell). Dr. Leman (and Laurie Campbell) both say that the babies of the family are used to everyone doing everything for them. They expect everyone to do things for them. Now, I can't vouch for anyone elses family member, but I can certainly vouch for mine. This hits the nail right on the head. Bullesye.

However, this wasn't exactly news to me. I was already aware of the fact, and have told my siblings this very thing on many occasions. It was nice to see it confirmed by a certified Psychologist. Now, I can turn to my sisters and say, "See, I told you so!" :) (A first born character trait, by the way).

My youngest sister, the baby of the family, who happens to be staying with me at the present, just kills me. 90 % of the time I could just strangle her! My other two sister's are always telling me I'm too hard on her. I don't agree. I'm just trying to motivate her. To get her to open her eyes and get with the program. What's wrong with that?

According to Dr. Leman (who, by the way, is a family baby), that's just how the babies are. And, it's partially the families fault. They're the ones who spoil them, they're the ones who do everything for them (and still do), so, they're partially to blame. I don't want to harp on the negative points of the youngest family members. On the positive side, the youngest are outgoing and charming. They're often found in professions that require the ability to "be on stage" or perform. They're more likely to have an occupation such as announcers or anchor persons for radio or television. They're carefree, vivacious, affectionate, uncomplicated and sometimes a little absentminded (not a positive trait, but, what the heck).

As far as first borns, Dr. Leman says that they are "more highly motivated to achieve than their younger brothers and sisters." Look at some of the occupations of the first born. Of the first twenty-three astronauts sent into outer space, twenty-one were first borns or only children. All seven astronauts in the original Mercury program were first borns. He also says that first borns are more likely to write for a living (this if found interesting).

You'll also find a great number of first borns among accountants, bookkeepers, executive secretaries, engineers and in computers. First borns typically go for anything that takes precision, strong powers of concentration, and dogged mental discipline.

As far as middle children, Dr. Leman describes them as the mediator and negotiator. Middle chilren avoid conflict, they're independent (this describes my middle born sister to the T. She's very independent), they have extreme loyalty to their peer group, and they're mavericks with many friends. He goes on to say that middle borns usually leave home first or find their real companionship outside the home because they feel sort of left out.

I'm only skimming the surface here, as I'm by no means an expert and I've only just begun reading the book. I'm sure there's a lot more to the things I've mentioned in this post. If you're interested in learning more about birth order and birth order characteristics, here's the link to a really neat online Workshop presented by Laurie Campbell. It's titled THE PSYCHOLOGY OF CREATING CHARACTERS. This workshop also includes downloadable handouts, which is always nice.

Here's a fun little quiz from the book. If you'd like, leave a comment and let me know how accurate this quiz was for you.

Enjoy!

Which of the following lists of personality traits fits you the best? (You don't have to be everything on the list, but pick the list that has the most items that relate to you and your lifestyle). A.) Perfectionist, reliable, conscientious, list maker, well organized, critical, serious, scholarly B.) Mediator, fewest pictures in the family photo album, avoids conflict, independent, extreme loyalty to the peer group, many friends, a maverick C.) Manipulative, charming, blames others, shows off, people person, good salesperson, precocious, engaging If you picked list A.), it's a good bet you are the first born in the family. If you picked list B.), chances are you're a middle child (second born of three children, or possibly third born of four). If you related best to list C.), it's likely you are the baby of the family and somebody had to buy this book for you.

What Tarot Card Are You?

You are The Moon

Hope, expectation, Bright promises.

The Moon is a card of magic and mystery - when prominent you know that nothing is as it seems, particularly when it concerns relationships. All logic is thrown out the window.

The Moon is all about visions and illusions, madness, genius and poetry. This is a card that has to do with sleep, and so with both dreams and nightmares. It is a scary card in that it warns that there might be hidden enemies, tricks and falsehoods. But it should also be remembered that this is a card of great creativity, of powerful magic, primal feelings and intuition. You may be going through a time of emotional and mental trial; if you have any past mental problems, you must be vigilant in taking your medication but avoid drugs or alcohol, as abuse of either will cause them irreparable damage. This time however, can also result in great creativity, psychic powers, visions and insight. You can and should trust your intuition.

What Tarot Card are You? Take the Test to Find Out.

Sad News - Romance Novel Cover-Model Rob Ashton Passes Away

With great sadness I learned that Rob Ashton, well known romance novel cover-model, passed away Monday, August 26, 2007 from complications due to an extended illness.

This was very sad and unexpected news to many in the romance industry, and the news of Rob's death spread like wildfire within the romance writer and reader community. Notices were posted to online writers lists, websites and blogs and several Myspace bulletins broadcast the sad news with requests to re-post the bulletin, in an effort to spread the word and pay respects.

Not only was Rob a hunky romance novel cover model, in 1995 he was voted Romantic Times Mr. Romance. The title landed him a gig, among other things, along with model Linda Ryan, to pose for the cover of Janice Reams Hudson's 1996 novel, APACHE FLAME and his career took off. To many women's delight, the 6ft tall, black hair, hazel eyed, 197 lb hunk went on to grace many more romance novel covers. Some covers include:

You Belong to My Heart by Nan Ryan

Prince of Shadows by Susan Krinard

Captivated by Coleen Corbet

White Wind by Susan Edwards

The Pirate by Kate Hoffman

Lakota Dawn by Janelle Taylor

Apache Flame and Hawks Woman both by Janice Reams Hudson

Rob was also a dancer with the well-known and popular Chippendale's and traveled all over the world. Then, he entered the 1996 Mr. Romance contest and the rest, as they say, is history.

Rob was more than just a handsome face, he had other interests besides posing for photo shoots and romance novels. He was a website developer and helped create his own official website. He loved communicating with his fans and added a chat forum, so he could do just that. He liked motorcycles, and enjoyed riding with his father, who, says Rob, had a huge impact on his life.

He loved helping with charities and collected teddy bears, along with his long-time friend, Kelli Salkin (Romance Model, RT Convention and other romance related Web Designer), at the 2001 Romantic Times convention in Orlando for the Hugs with a Heart charity.

Rob completed a Real Estate course and received his Realtor's license. He was a personal physical fitness trainer and created the EUROPEAN NUTRITIONIST, an online training and certified Euro Nutrition program done via Live Cam.

He was a friendly, down to earth, modest man with a big heart that overflowed with love and kindness. To prove that, read the following quote by Rob. It was taken from the 2001 Romantic Times article, UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH ROB ASHTON:

I believe that destiny and free will actually coexist at the same time and that everything we do is part of our destiny. We are all here for a reason, and we repeat behaviors to learn from them and grow. I believe there's a lot more to this life than just what's seen, and as I grow, I find that my priorities have changed and that there are some truths that are as real as gravity, although unseen; there are laws of the universe that apply to us all. For example, what you put out comes back to you even more, so. On my site we're giving to several worthwhile causes-not because it's the thing to do, but because it's about real people caring, sharing, giving, and helping those who need it, and it returns in much greater amounts...that's what life is really about!

Rob was a talented model and he was a kind and generous man. My prayers are with his mother and his extended family. Rob will be sorely missed.

Godspeed, Rob.

*SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT*

Kelli set up a special message board which is linked from Rob's website, where you can post your goodbye's to Rob and your condolences to his family.

Kelli will be compiling posts from the message board for a special Romantic Times memorial commemorating Rob, so keep your eyes peeled and your ears open.

Click to visit Rob Ashton's Website and the Message Board

Visit Kelli's Web Design Myspace page

Visit the Rob Ashton Myspace Dedication page

Copyright Companion for Writers Guide

Another great writer's reference from LiteraryLawGuide.com. If you're a writer you have to check out this site. This guide, as well as the as Contracts Companion for Writers (see previous post) is next on my book list. By attorney Tonya Evans-Walls ISBN: 096745799-8 BINDING: Paper PAGES: 176 PRICE: $19.95 (26.95 CAN) PUB DATE: Jan 2007 Distributed to the trade by Independent Publishers Group DESCRIPTION: DO YOU KNOW YOUR RIGHTS AS A WRITER? What is fair use and how is it different from public domain? -How is a copyright created? -When and how should copyright be registered? -How is a copyrighted work protected on the Internet? -How is copyright protected internationally? -What do freelancers and songwriters need to know about copyright? These are among the many questions addressed in this thorough look at copyright law written specifically for writers who want to know their rights. Through clear and concise explanations and dozens of useful forms, this book debunks myths such as the Poor Man's Copyright (aka the mail-the-manuscript-to-yourself theory of protecting copyright) and examines the difference between fair use and public domain, the definition of infringement and how to avoid it, how writers may assert claims, and how to obtain permissions to use copyrighted works such as song lyrics, pictures, and quotations. The book also covers the most recent amendments to the Copyright Act, hot topics like orphan works and Google Print, and how those amendments and topics affect the rights of writers.

Contracts Companion for Writers Guide

Wow, what is a great reference! Contracts Companion for Writers by attorney Tonya Evans-Walls.

By attorney Tonya Evans-Walls

ISBN: (13) 978-09674579-8-7; (10) 09674579-8-X

BINDING: Paper

PAGES: 160 (w/ Forms CD-ROM)

PRICE: $22.95 (26.95 CAN)PUB

DATE: July 2007

Distributed to the trade by Independent Publishers Group

DESCRIPTION: Contracts Companion for Writers is a comprehensive collection of contracts for the publishing industry drafted with the rights of writers in mind. This book empowers writers at every level of their careers to maximize the value of their work and "get it in writing." From the seasoned author published with a major publishing company to the author thinking of signing a publishing deal with an independent publisher to the writer who aspires to publish or is thinking of signing with an agent or working on a project with a collaborator to the freelancer and even the songwriter - every writer can benefit from the forms, key clauses, deal points, explanations, and real-life examples contained in this book. Each contract is set forth in its entirety, and the key clauses are explained. The author includes suggestions about important negotiation points and key clauses to help demystify the process of signing important agreements in the publishing industry.

WHAT YOU'LL DISCOVER INSIDE THIS BOOK: Key clauses in agency, publishing & collaboration agreements What every permission, release and work-made-for-hire agreement should say Whether an email, phone call or letter can constitute a valid contract When to use an interviewee or model release What to do when a good deal goes bad & how to get your rights back What every freelancer should know about their rights The difference between a single song & exclusive songwriting deal The players involved and the process of selling & licensing copyright When you need media perils insurance & how to get it

LiteraryLawGuide.com was voted a 2006 top site by Writers Digest

Check out Contracts Companion for Writers and other's at: LiteraryLawGuide.com

Check out their blog, Lit Law for Writers on the Go! Blog

Visit LiteraryLawGuide's Myspace page

What Kind of Witch Are You?

You are a Moon Witch. Beautifull, mysterious and always changing. You love to honour the moon and see as one of the few persons her true beauty. Take this quiz!

Sourcebooks is Opening A New Romance Line

First off, I just wanted to note that I absolutely CANNOT get this post to format correctly. When it's in "compose" mode, it looks great. When it's in "preview" mode, the format is just all over the place. I really don't know what to do about this. It's driving me crazy. This is not the first time I've had problems of this nature and I'm sure it won't be the last. If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know. Now, on with the post... I always look forward to Cynthia Sterling's weekly MARKET NEWS NEWSLETTER. It's always chock full of industry and market news updates and her current issue is no exception. I've especially been looking forward to the upcoming issues, because I know it will have lots of good information straight from the RWA National conference. To my delight, I received the newsletter today, and, I was right. :) It's full of interesting news. This issue contains a resource for Sourcebooks, a publisher who normally sticks to baby naming books and college guides, but will be adding a new romance line this fall. Maybe this is old news to some of you, but for me, it's not. For those of you who, like me, have never heard of this publisher, here's the scoop. Enjoy!

*The following article is re-posted with permission per the Cynthia Sterling MARKET NEWS Newsletter.*

This week I began my look at all the publisher Spotlights from the RWA National Conference in Dallas last month. So if you have friends that are interested, let them know they can sign up for the newsletter. And as always, the archives are available at Yahoogroups.com if you miss anything. First up, Sourcebooks. The Spotlight on Sourcebooks was an energetic presentation by President and CEO Dominique Raccah and Editor Deb Werksman. Ms. Raccah spoke first, and gave some background on Sourcebooks. She founded the company in 1987 in an upstairs bedroom of her home in Napierville, Illinois. Sourcebooks currently publishes 250 titles a year and has 75 employees. It is one of the top ten independent publishers in the company and the largest woman-owned publisher in America. Sourcebooks has had ten New York Times bestselling titles. Ms. Raccah spoke at length about what she feels separates Sourcebooks from other publishers. She said they publish careers and authors, not just books, and have a long-term focus. They also put together a marketing plan for every author. She gave the example of an author Sourcebooks took on, Ted Fisk. He’s the author of the Fisk Guide to Colleges, which was published by Random House. The book was the number four college guide in the country when Fisk came to Sourcebooks. Through repackaging and a promotional push, Sourcebooks took the guide to number one. They also came up with a plan for Fisk to produce a number of complimentary materials that could be marketed with the guide to increase his market share. Ms. Raccah also spoke about a Sourcebooks fiction author, Michael Malone. He’s a southern novelist who has been previously published by Knopf and Harper. When he came to Sourcebooks they bought out his backlist and reprinted it. They developed a five-year marketing plan for his new books and sent him on a pre-launch book tour to meet book buyers before the book was even available. His first new book for Sourcebooks was a New York Times bestseller. “We’re known by our customers for innovation and marketing,” she said. Thirty percent of the company is devoted to sales and marketing. They also have an active sub-rights department. Ms. Raccah said that whenever Sourcebooks enters a new category, they go into it with the intention of being at the top of the category. She cited their experience entering the crowded calendar market and becoming one of the top sellers, as well as their successful foray into children’s book publishing. Now they are making the same commitment to being a top seller of romance fiction. In 1997, Sourcebooks bought a company called Casablanca, which had published a bestselling book, 1001 Ways to Be Romantic. Today Sourcebooks Casablanca is the largest nonfiction romance publisher in the world, with books that are especially popular at Valentine’s day. In 2004, Sourcebooks published Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife, by Linda Berdoll. This very sexy sequel to Pride and Prejudice has been very successful. That success led Sourcebooks to target the romance fiction market. Editor Deb Werksman spoke next. Sourcebooks Casablanca is launching its romance fiction list this fall with a mixture of reprints and original fiction by both new and familiar authors. They’ll publish two Georgette Heyer reprints, a new Regency by a debut author, and a time travel romance by an established author. In the Spring they’ll release two more Georgette Heyers, a women’s fiction novel and a collection of erotica that was previously a bestseller overseas, a paranormal by a previously unpublished author and one by an established author, a historical romance reprint, and a contemporary romance with a Navy Seal hero by a debut author. Sourcebooks is looking for single title romance fiction between 85,000 and 120,000 words – contemporary, historical (any time period to 1900), romantic suspense, humor, erotic romance, paranormal and women’s fiction. Ms. Werksman said she wants to fall in love with the story’s hero, or, alternatively, fall more in love with her husband because of the story. She wants to relate to the heroine. She likes heroines who are realistic and even a bit unusual – no perfect twenty-two year olds. She wants to be taken to another world, “a wholly conceived environment for the characters.” She said authors should be able to sum up their book in a couple of sentences so that the sales people and account buyers can quickly grasp the story. Sourcebooks accepts submissions from both agented and unagented authors. She prefers email submissions and would like either a simple query or a synopsis with the full manuscript. Authors should receive confirmation of their submission within 21 days and her goal is to reply in 12-18 weeks. Detailed guidelines are available at http://www.sourcebooks.com/content/authors_romance_submission_guidelines.asp

Anyone can sign up to Cynthia Sterling's newsletter by sending a blank email to: cynthiasterling-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Also, if you're interested, I've found a really good article at the Publishers Weekly Website regarding the new romance line opening this fall with Sourcebooks. It's entitled: Sourcebooks Launches Romance Fiction Line and you can access the article by clicking on the links. Happy Writing!

Capricorn-My Horoscope Today

This is what my horoscope had to say about me today. I just thought I'd post this to show you all what I've been talking about lately (See my earlier post entitled EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON aka Synchronicity).

EARTH ELEMENT: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn Do you believe in magic? Call it what you will - synchronicity, alchemy, divine assistance - you just need to wave your magic wand today to manifest your desires. All the tools you need are on the table - and you may find a few surprises up your sleeve, too!.

SYNCHRONICITY - I do believe this is the word I was looking for in my post, EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON.

Didn't I just recently write that this is exactly what has been happening to me? I did, and this is just exactly what I meant. Synchronicity - that's the word I was looking for to describe what's been happening to me. Everything falling into place...

Freaky, huh?

Lonesome Dove and Larry McMurtry

There's good news for all of us Lonesome Dove fans. It looks like we'll be seeing a lot of Larry McMurtry stuff in the months to come.

I've just learned that Comanche Moon, a movie that takes place after the 1996 movie Dead Mans Walk , starring David Arquette and Tommy Lee Miller, and before the original Lonesome Dove starring Tommy Lee Jones and Robert Duvall, is in production and due to be released in November of this year as a TV mini series.

Comanche Moon stars Karl Urban as Woodrow F. Call and Steve Zahn as Gus McCrae. Val Kilmer, Wes Studi and Elizabeth Banks are among some of the others who also star in the movie. I'm sure it will be a hit.

Boone's Lick, another Larry McMurtry book, is also in pre-production. Boone's Lick stars Tom Hanks and Julianne Moore and is due to be released sometime in 2008. I'm must confess, I've never read this one and don't know much about it. Below is the plot summary from the IMDb website:

Told with McMurtry's unique blend of historical fact and sheer storytelling genius, the novel follows the Cecil family's arduous journey by riverboat and wagon from Boone's Lick, Missouri, to Fort Phil Kearny in Wyoming. Fifteen-year-old Shay narrates, describing the journey that begins when his Ma, Mary Margaret, decides to hunt down her elusive husband, Dick, to tell him she's leaving him. Without knowing precisely where he is, they set out across the plains in search of him, encountering grizzly bears, stormy weather, and hostile Indians as they go. With them are Shay's siblings, G.T., Neva, and baby Marcy; Shay's uncle, Seth; his Grandpa Crackenthorpe; and Mary Margaret's beautiful half-sister, Rose. During their journey they pick up a barefooted priest named Father Villy, and a Snake Indian named Charlie Seven Days, and persuade them to join in their travels. Written by Giorgio_C Boone's Lick revolves around a headstrong woman who drags her family on a rickety wagon from Boone's Lick, Mo., to the Wyoming fort where her husband lives. Moore plays the woman and Hanks plays her husband's brother, who escorts the woman, her four children and her father on the trek and falls in love with her during the perilous journey Written by Cat Stevens

If that isn't enough Larry McMurtry westerns for you, there's a book due to be released this October entitled A Book of Photographs from Lonesome Dove by Bill Wittliff. Below is a blurb from The University of Texas Press website:

"Lonesome Dove is a great book that had the rare fortune of being made into a great movie. And now, through Bill Wittliff's photographs, we have a third generation of Lonesome Dove artistry. The same creative power and conviction that allowed Larry McMurtry to transform a workaday scenario for an unproduced screenplay into one of the greatest novels of our time, and that transformed that novel into the greatest western movie ever made, are on display in this collection. A Book of Photographs from Lonesome Dove is a masterpiece begot by a masterpiece begot by a masterpiece." —Stephen Harrigan

Larry McMurtry's books and movies are my favorites. I don't know about you, but I can't wait to see these movies or to get my hands on this picture book!

For those of you who are on MySpace and would like to add LD to your list of Myspace friends, here's a link to THE LONESOME DOVE Myspace site.

This isn't an official site, and the site itself isn't anything fancy, however, it might come in handy to have on your friends list. That's how I learned about the LD picture book.

Happy trails!

Incentive Programs

Hi!

I wanted to invite you to join me on Gather. It's FREE. And best of all when you join and get five friends to join, you'll get a $20 Borders Gift Card! Gather is a social network where people like us can write about and share our interests. The content is great and ranges from politics to cooking, plus you can publish your own articles or photos and comment on others' contributions. We even earn Gather Points just for using the site! You can exchange your points for great stuff like books, CDs, wine, and vacations. Check it out! Hope to see you on Gather.

I love stuff like this.

You mean all you have to do is write and you earn free stuff? You can actually do something you love and get paid for it?

Sounds good to me.

Right now, besides My Coke Rewards, I belong to MyPoints. It's not a program geared towards writing, but it is a really good incentive program to join. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes these types of things. I don't know how many gift certificates I've earned since I joined four years ago but I know it's a lot. And, there's no strings attached.

All you do is register and visit the sites from the links they send you.

That's it.

That's all there is to it.

They send you links to websites, you click on the link and visit the website and you earn points. Of course, they'll try to get you to buy stuff, but you don't have to. And that's what I like about this program. You don't have to buy anything and you still earn points.

But, if you do decide to buy something, well, that's a double bonus because you earn even more points. I purchased my cell phone through a MyPoints offer (I earned LOTS of points doing that), I've joined book clubs through MyPoints and I've participated in surveys.

If you shop through the MyPoints site, you earn points as well. EBay, Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, Bath and Body Works, Newport News - they're all affiliated with the program. These are places I shop and things I do anyway, so why not get something out of it?

I joined Gather last year when I heard about their FIRST CHAPTERS contest. It was a good contest and I was impressed (but I didn't enter). Now, they're holding a FIRST CHAPTERS ROMANCE contest, which is right up my alley, but I haven't entered that one either. Only because I'm not eligible. You have to have a completed manuscript to enter, which I don't.

I've been a member of Gather since last year, however, I haven't been much of a participant. This offer looks good, though, and I'm debating whether to get heavily involved or not. For some reason I'm not comfortable posting anything I've written on their site, and I don't know why.

Are any of you a Gather member, and, if so, what's your thoughts on this online community?

Am I A Blog Addict?

I think I'm turning into a blog addict. I already know I'm a MySpace addict, so, I guess I should know.

I can't believe there are so many interesting people out there and interesting things to read. My blog links are growing by leaps and bounds. Every day, it seems, I'm adding a new link to my blog and my RSS feed subscriptions are getting longer and longer.

God help me, I'm hooked.

I wonder if there's a twelve step program for blog and MySpace addicts?

What about you? Are you a blog addict?

Boomer Women Speak Writing Contest

BOOMER WOMEN SPEAK

AUGUST-SEPTEMBER WRITING CONTEST

Back to School Memories

Ah, remember the back to school days of youth? How about taking us back with you by writing your favorite back to school memory? You are welcome to write about the anticipation and excitement of beginning another year, or plunking yourself down in a classroom full of strangers wearing brand new clothes all the way down to your underwear. Maybe you loved having all new school supplies, or couldn't wait to get to the playground to catch up with friends you hadn't seen all summer. Whatever it is, take us back to the good old days. Send us your story by entering our contest and win prizes!

Deadline: September 30, 2007

Entry Fee: none

Prizes include:

$50.00 cash and New Membership or Renewal to NABBW!

Defying Gravity: A Celebration of Late Blooming Women, by Prill Boyle What Happens Next? by Chloe JonPaul A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Throne, by Georgia Richardson

Share your story with us and win prizes! For guidelines visit us at BOOMER WOMEN SPEAK

********Winner of the JUNE-JULY Boomer Women Speak Writing Contest was Amy Mullis with her essay, Death by Faulkner. To read about Amy's "aha" moment click HERE!

An Honorable Mention went to Linda Oatman High for Lessons of Blessings and Joy , and can be read at HERE.

A Little Fun

I thought this was pretty cool. I found this puzzle with the link for the code on the Petticoats & Pistols blog and thought I'd share. You can upload your own photos and turn them into puzzle, too. We all need a little diversion from time to time, right? Enjoy!