Freedom's Just Another Word For Read Whatever You Want

Another year, another Banned Books Week, and once again, I'm shocked when I peruse the titles that have been banned and/or challenged. Take a look at this list, from the American Library Association's website. Bet you've read many of these books, somewhere along the road to higher knowledge. Provocative prose is guaranteed to make you think. Maybe that's why it scares some folks.

I have to admit that the idea of banning books makes me smile. I can't help thinking about my mom and one of her favorites sayings, "Don't put peas up your nose." Because of course, if you tell a little kid not to put peas up his nose (or her nose-this blog believes in equal peas for all), what's the first thing that the kid is going to do?

Yeah, that's right. It's off to the doctor's office to extract peas from a nose. So, I kinda think the best way to get kids to read the best books is to tell them that the books have been BANNED.

Oh, my gosh. Those kids will be stampeding the libraries to get to those banned books. I'd love to see kids all over America reading this list of books.

But honestly, I'm happy to see kids, teens, adults, seniors, even alien life forms, reading any book. So, read a book, any book, and celebrate your freedom.

Tooting My Horn Tuesday on Thin Threads: Compassion and Giving

Many years ago, when my children were very young (they were so young, the third one was just a gleam in the Good Lord's eye), I watched as a young mother walked out of a K-Mart and left her little brown-haired girl behind. The episode, and how the event unfolded, rocked me to the core of my beliefs. But it changed me, too.

Years later, when I started writing essays, the K-Mart story surfaced and begged to be told. I bet I wrote a dozen versions of that story. And each time I submitted the essay to a market, it came back with a "No, thanks." I can't say that surprised me. I knew there was something more I needed to tell, and that I hadn't gotten to the heart of the story. Then I saw the Thin Threads Contest.

As described on the website, a thin thread is a "moment, event, setback, crossroad or encounter that connected you to a person, place or an opportunity that changed your life for the better." I knew immediately that I had to try again.

I suppose that this time, I got it right. Because "A Little Brown-Haired Girl" was selected for Thin Threads, Special Edition: Compassion and Giving. They're always looking for life-changing stories, and maybe you have one that's just right for this series. Find out more at their website. Or submit your story for the Thin Threads Contest like I did.

I'll be ordering a few copies of the Thin Threads Compassion and Giving, perhaps have a contest here and give it away. But it won't really compare with what a little brown-haired girl gave me so many years ago.

Finding Something Friday on Makeovers (Or Does This Blog Make Me Look Fat?)

If you haven't dropped in to the Hall of Fame in a few days...Surprise! But if you have, and noticed the blog makeover, then thanks for the lovely comments. And if you're scratching your head and saying, "Why, yes, things look different but I can't quite put my finger on it," then, um, I'm sure you have lots of other great skills.

So, I've added a few blog pages, a functionality that's especially convenient if you want to add more information but keep a streamlined front page. For those who may not want to go the paid website route, a free blog with pages can be an effective showcase. Just look for the Edit Pages tab (adjacent to the Edit Posts tab) the next time you're writing a new post. It's that simple.

And I think I read where Blogger allows up to ten pages. Think of all you can do with ten pages! You can direct readers to your credentials or contact info. You can add a page of free downloads or fun facts. You can have recipes or riddles or rhymes! Pictures! Pointers! Puddles!

Um, okay, maybe not puddles. But I think you can see that the possibilities are endless.

I still have a bit of streamlining to do before this blog's shiny new makeover is complete. I just hope you'll still recognize the sleeker, shadow of her former self, Cathy C.'s Hall of Fame!

What's a Trazzler? (Hint: Travel Writing)

I zipped up to North Georgia recently, where Cathy-on-a-Stick walked the line between Georgia and Tennessee. But that's not the weird part. What's weird is that the little town where the line runs through is called one name on the Georgia side and another name on the Tennessee side.

Okay, maybe that's not that weird. How about this? The RIVER that runs through both states changes names from Georgia to Tennessee. That's got to be interesting, right? And if I write about this trip, I could win over at Trazzler.

Trazzler's a travel website where you can visit from the comfort of your laptop before you head out onto the road. And yes, they'll point out travel deals. But what I like about Trazzler is the articles other folks have written. I can check out spots within driving distance from me to see if a. There's something weird and wacky there and b. It's a spot that's arguing-worthy. Because to get the Beneficent Mr. Hall on the road is not an easy task. I have to have plenty of ammunition, as it were, for the battle.

So I've added Trazzler to my arsenal. And if you like traveling and writing about your travels, then you can enter one of the contests. Or you can just write about your travels for other folks to enjoy. You can read more about Trazzler here and how to write for Trazzler here. And you can vote for a friend's totally weird trip contest entry here.

And now I've got my own writing to do. I think I'll call it "Travels With My Stick." Weird...but catchy, right?

Finding Something Friday Beginning With A 90 Year Old Blogger

Need a smile? You'll find one when you watch this BBC story about Phyllis Greene from Ohio, a 90 year old who's whooping it up in the blogosphere. It's a little bit funny (as Elton John would sing) that the BBC would bring us this American story. But I'm glad those producers came al-l-l-l-l-l-l the way over here, and Ms. Greene surely enjoyed the experience.

Oh, and did I mention that Phyllis has almost 200 followers? And that she's on Facebook? And that she's in hospice? One of my choir friends told me about Phyllis last night, but honestly? It's stories like this, about a spunky 90 year old blogger, that make my heart sing!

You know what makes my heart race? Numbers, and figures, and word problems, oh my! So when I found this cool search engine that can do all sorts of calculating, I sped over to Wolfram. Now, I didn't really have anything earth-shattering to figure out on this particular morning, but a gal likes to keep up with her BMI (Body Mass Index). And unfortunately, thinking really, really hard doesn't burn any calories. So I let Wolfram figure it out for me. Of course, you might want to find other scathingly brilliant stuff from this computational knowledge engine. But just throwing around a phrase like "computational knowledge engine" already makes you sound brilliant, right?

Finally, I found my horoscope this morning. To wit: You have fans in the sidelines you do not even know about. They are waiting for the right moment to make their interest in you known. They have been entertained by you and can't wait to see what you will do next.

So, I'm fixing to run around the neighborhood, wearing nothing but a tiara and tennis shoes, just to see what happens. But first, I'm calling the BBC.

Tuesday Tip: Failure IS an Option (Try Anyway)

Some of you may be familiar with the prayer that's been attributed to Mother Teresa commonly referred to as "Do It Anyway." One of the stanzas goes like this:

What you spends years creating, others could destroy overnight.

Create anyway.

I often think of writing when I read these lines. I think of the years I've dedicated to one manuscript, hoping it will turn into a wondrous book, and that someday, that book will sit upon a shelf. I think of the research I've worked on, gathering information for one article, writing, editing, and polishing the words only to find that the market I pitched is no longer interested. I think of that one essay I've poured myself into, and yet, the thoughts are wrapped up in a neat little document on my computer, because time after time, the essay's been rejected.

But I'm a writer, so I create anyway. And I send my creations out into the world, aware that failure is an option, that an editor or contest judge or publisher or even another writer might stomp all over my writing heart and soul. I try anyway. Because I know what Mother Teresa knew. Sometimes, success is waiting.

Yesterday, I heard from a friend who won a wondrous grant for unpublished authors. And I had an article accepted in a market that I almost didn't send to, because I thought I didn't have the credentials to get published there. I have another friend who's on a blog tour for her second romance novel, though she started her writing career with a memoir.

Keep creating. Keep trying. Success is an option, too.

(If you'd like to read the entire Mother Teresa prayer, as well as the original poem on which it was based, you can click here. As for the photo, that "V" in the water is called a "fish trap." Native Americans found (I suspect after quite a few failures!) that they could pile up rocks in shallow river beds, thereby trapping the fish. Success at last-and a mighty fine dinner!)

Finding Something Friday Feeling Crafty

I just read in my local paper about the Yellow Daisy Festival here at Stone Mountain, Georgia. It's HUGE. And full of crafty stuff. Some of the handmade items are truly works of art. Others leave you thinking about going home and trying to make that item yourself.

Which is why I remembered Alison Morris' post on Shelftalker. Alison is leaving Shelftalker, but she left a ton of artsy links on book crafts before going. And honestly, a few of the DIY projects look simple enough that even I could do them. (Trust me when I say they must be VERY simple. Because a. I'm kinda lazy and b. I'm not that crafty.)

Like making bookmarks from paint chips that you can find here at How About Orange's blog. Aren't you always looking for a bookmark? I usually end up sticking a piece of trash in the book. Um, not like a banana peel. But, you know, like that receipt for paying my book fines. Maybe the next time you give someone a book as a gift, you can throw in a handmade bookmark. There's nothing like a handmade gift to say, "I care about you. And I'm kinda cheap. But really, I do care."

And you have to check out this totally cool vase made from a book. That's right-a book vase! The directions are here at lillyella's. Now, I'm not saying you should cut up your favorite book. But maybe that book that your sis-in-law gave you on the wonders of a macrobiotic diet that was really just an excuse to bring up the fact that you're eating too much junk food? You could cut that book up and expend a few calories.

So, with that little, tiny nip in the air, maybe this is the weekend for you to try a little crafting yourself. You'll find plenty in Alison's post. You might even find yourself following some of these interesting, artsy blogs. And when Cathy C. Hall has another contest, you may find yourself winning a bunch of cool, handmade bookmarks.

Because I care about you. I mean, I may be cheap. But really, I do care.

What Not To Do Wednesday (The Old "Picture's Worth a Thousand Words" Thing)

The Beneficent Mr. Hall, Cathy-on-a-Stick, and yours truly went on a train ride and met some wonderful people.

"Ha,ha," they laughed upon seeing Cathy-on-a-Stick. "You must give us your card so we can follow her adventures!"

"How kind," I said. Now where did I put those business cards?

After the train ride, we checked into a lovely B & B, where we met even more wonderful people.

"Ha,ha," they laughed (again) after seeing Cathy-on-a-Stick. "Please give us your card!" Hmmm...where ARE those cards?

Upon returning home, I found the business cards. In the box. On my desk.

I'm sure you don't need me to draw you a picture about What Not To Do, grasshopper.

On Winning Contests, Crazy Aunt Cloe, and Bubble Gum

Dear Donna (of Donna's Book Pub),

You cannot imagine how thrilled I was to receive my contest-winning package today! Why, the very first thing I did was open that bubble gum and start chewing! I wanted to blow a BIG bubble for you, to show you just how much I appreciated my prizes!

So I chewed my Citrus Bubblegum a bit because you can't blow a bubble just like that. And while I chewed, I read a delightful story, written by your granddaughter, Cari. The story was from the very first Cuivre River Anthology (of the Saturday Writers) and it was all about Crazy Aunt Cloe. I thought it was sorta funny that me and crazy Aunt Cloe's names both begin with C. In fact, there are many folks who have called me crazy. But I figure that was all just a BIG coincidence.

Then I thought maybe the gum was ready, so I tried to blow my bubble. And then I said to myself, "Self, wouldn't it be a fine thing if I could show off my bubble-blowing?" You see, Donna, when I was a wee, little girl, I won a bubble-blowing contest. You don't forget skills like that. Off I went to find the camera. But when I took the picture, it came out like this:



It was a lousy bubble, anyway. So I chewed some more and read (though there were moments when I forgot to chew, so riveting were the words that crossed the pages) your story from A Cup of Comfort for Military Families. Then I collected myself and blew again.



Do you know how hard it is to blow a bubble and take a picture of it at the same time? But I persevered, because you're a special person, and dadgum it, you went to a lot of trouble for me. And you shared your wonderful stories with me. So, Donna, this bubble's for you!



Warmly,

Cath

Finding Something Friday on Word Counts and Writing-world.com

Checking my email tends to be one of those "Good News/Bad News" activities. When it's Good News, there is wild dancing in the streets and Chex Mix for everyone!

When it's Bad News, there's still Chex Mix. But I don't feel like sharing it with anyone.

This Friday I had Good News and a Surprise. Which seems like a perfectly reasonable excuse for the fact that this Finding Something Friday post is actually on Saturday, right?

Anyway, on to the Surprise. I found my name in the latest newsletter of Writing-world.com. If you get the free newsletter, you can find it, too, under the Inquiring Writer column. I responded to a question about word counts for manuscripts, sending along this helpful blog post from Colleen Lindsay. (Check it out if you're wondering about word counts and your novel-in-progress.) And Dawn Copeman (who does the answering of said questions) included my comments in the newsletter. And, I noticed that Dawn said she's running low on questions. So this might be the perfect time to get your writing question answered. (Or send in your comments to a question and find your name in the newsletter!)

As for the Good News, I'm kinda still working on that article. So, I'll share more later.

In the meantime, have a glorious Labor Day weekend. And have some Chex Mix, won't you?