Venmon Week: Brown Recluse Spider

The Brown Recluse Spider is common is the United States in the states from central Texas to Alabama, north and south Ohio west to southeastern Nebraska, Kansas, and Okalahoma. There are 13 different species of Loxosceles, or brown spiders, in the U.S. The Brown Recluse is 1 of 4 out of the 13 that causes reactions in humans. The Brown Recluse Spider is also known as the Violin Back Spider or the Fiddle Back Spider due to the violin shaped brown spot on it's back,(in both photos above it can be clearly seen). The figure on the spider's back actually can vary due to it's habitat and diet, some do not even have the trademark figure.

The best way to identify a Brown Recluse Spider is by it's eyes. The Brown Recluse has 6 eyes and not 8 as most spiders do. These eyes are in sets of 2 that are separated from the other pairs. Brown Recluse Spiders can be up a 1/4 of an inch long and 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch wide. Their leg span can that of a quarter or up a half a dollar in length. They vary in color from a light golden yellow to a chocolate brown. They are covered in dense short hairs and the male is often smaller in abdomen size than the female.

These spiders are not aggressive and are found to be shy and as their names states reclusive. Most bites occur when they are pressed into the skin when putting on clothing or when rolled onto in a bed, a few cases happened when a bathtub due to the spider cannot climb out of the slick area. These spiders usually only bite when scared or injured. They prefer dark places that are not disturbed, like most spiders. Under rocks, in cervices, voids, and corners. They have been found under bales of hay, in meter boxes, in shoes, in bedding, in wall outlets, behind book shelves, in boxes not sealed air tight, in attics, basements. If you have an infestation in your home it is best to call a professional pest control agency to eliminate them due to the spiders venom.


The Brown Recluse Spider hibernates during the winter months unless it lives indoors. These spiders are most active from the months of May till October. Most bites happen between May and August. These spiders can go for weeks without food, so removing their food source will not remove them. They lay anywhere from 20-50 eggs in a egg sack and in a single season can produce 20 egg sacks. Their lifespan in a lab is 2 years yet some scientist believe in nature they can live up to 10 years.

They can spin webs and if left undisturbed their webs will be a sheet of webbing. Often they will have a "tubular" hideout spun onto the back of the web for resting. They can also hunt short distances away from their web. When they hunt their prey is subdued and bitten, but not wrapped in silk. If their prey is caught on the web it is wrapped in silk. The web itself will not have a pattern but will be irregular in pattern and seem to be random.

If you get bit it is best to collect the spider in a jar using the hearding method (I always trap the spider or insect with a jelly jar and then slide a paper plate under it, then while wearing long sleeves and gloves that are taped at the wrist to ensure it cannot enter the sleeve, swap the paper plate for cling wrap or foil sealed with a tight fitting rubber band.). ER doctors recommend you bring the spider with you to the ER so they can identify it and begin to treat the area as needed.

The Brown Recluse Spider causes bites that are from a horror movie. Not pretty, and it is best not to be bitten peroid. The venom of the spider causes skin ulcers that can start out by appearing to be a skin pimple often associated with a wasp sting or tick bite. Usually within 24 hours it will redden and enlarge and often have a "bulls eye" appearance to it. The venom of the Brown Recluse cause the skin in the area of the bite to die, which results in a scooped out looking wound. If you think you have been bitten by a Brown Recluse go to your local ER as quickly as possible. There has been deaths from this spider's bite. If you wish to see a Brown Recluse bite wound feel free to google it. Be prepared, it is some nasty stuff.

Keep in mind that like venom's the Brown Recluse's bite results can vary depending on how sensitive a person is to venom. If you are HIGHLY allergic to wasp stings and bee stings it is best to extra careful when bitten or handling anything with venom of any kind (this includes snakes also). And of course those with weakened immune systems, elderly, and children should not handle anything with venom and if bitten rush the nearest ER while applying RICE.

The State of Tennessee recommends using RICE for bites of snakes, spiders, scorpions and any other type of bite including dog, alligator, and even the rare but not unheard of squirrel bite. RICE is; Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. Rest, that means relax! It's done so calm down and don't panic. Ice, apply ice to the wound (NEVER HEAT! This actually speeds up the toxins of the venom and speeds up bacteria growth). If your short on ice a cold wash rag, a frozen bag of peas, corn, whatever you have handy will do. Compression means to apply pressure to the wound with a CLEAN towel, shirt, bra, whatever is handy. Elevation means get the wound if possible (if on a limb like an arm or leg) above your heart. So lay back relax and throw it up in the air. If at home or in a car place on a pile of pillows, jackets, or on a get someone to hold it up for you.

If you have an aspirin or other over the counter pain reliever handy take it. It helps stop the inflammation and will ease the pain. An antihistamine can be taken to reduce the allergic effects of the venom. If you do take anything make sure to tell the doctor when you see them. There may also be joint soreness, fever, chills, sweating, nausea, vomiting, seizures, kidney failure, coma's, and a whole slew of other symptoms. If your feeling funky and have been bitten go to the ER.

I know that this blog was a bit long but the Brown Recluse spider is dangerous to people of all ages. I feel that the more knowledge that is known the better. If you have any questions on any species of spider leave me a comment and I will answer it the best I can or I will refer you to someone who can answer it. Tomorrow is Part I on snakes in the Tennessee area.

Scorpions!

Did you know that Tennessee actually is the home of two species of scorpions? If you ask a person who lives in Tennessee if they have ever seen a scorpion in their backyard they would possibly look at you like you was crazy. Scorpion sightings are extremely rare.

The two species of scorpion in Tennessee are the the Plain Eastern Stripeless Scorpion (Vaejovis carolinianus) (bottom pic)and the the Striped Scorpion (Centruroides vittatus)(middle pic). Both have stingers and can deliver venom. If you are allergic to bee or wasp stings then you are more than likely allergic to a scorpion sting and should seek medical attention quickly once stung.

Contrary to popular belief scorpions are not insects. Instead, they are closely related to spiders and belong to the same class, Arachnida. At some point in the past, a common ancestry is shared. They also have similar traits. Scorpions are distinguished by a compact head called a "cephalothorax," a broad segmented abdomen and a tail-like structure called a "telson." The tail tip is enlarged and contains a venomous stinger used for self-defense or to subdue overactive prey. Scorpions can control the amount of venom injected. Venom is injected by thrusting the tail forward over the head and into the prey.

They become active in temperatures above 77 degrees Fahrenheit and are mostly active at night and hide during the day.They are cold blooded. They prefer damp locations like under rocks, fallen trees, rock crevices, and in pine needle litter. Their winter locations are the same but in more protective areas.

The Striped Scorpion is yellow-brown in color with two dark longitudinal stripes on the back of the abdomen and a tooth called a "tubercle," which is located at the base of the stinger. This species is not as long-lived as the Plain Eastern Stripeless Scorpion (which can live up to 5 years). It matures in approximately 12 to 24 months and may live another two years depending on the climate. Scorpions mature faster in warmer weather. Average body length is two to three inches in adults. Mating occurs in early summer and the gestation period is between six to 12 months with litters containing up to 50 young. The Striped Scorpion normally occurs in the south-central to southwestern part of the United States and into northern Mexico. In Tennessee, this species is usually found in groups under rocks and in crevices on well-drained hillsides. Clustering, or staying in groups, is common among this species. The striped Scorpion is not native to Tennessee and was introduced accidentally in the 1960's.

Kentucky also has a native species of scorpion The Southern Devil Scorpion (top pic). Like most scorpions the mother will carry her young on her back until they are mature. When fully grown are about two inches long. They are mostly found near lakes and other water sources in rocky areas.This species is also not very dangerous as far as their toxic level in their venom, but they should NEVER be handled with bare hands. If stung a person may feel tingling along with numbness, it is best to go to the local ER in all cases. Once again the reaction to the venom depends on the persons sensitivity to the venom.The recommended way to capture them (as well as ANY scorpion) is to heard them into a container, then seal it. If you want to keep it alive remember to give it some air holes. The recommended way to preserve scorpions and spiders is in alcohol.


They usually feed only once a week and will eat small bugs and worms. Crickets, mill worms, butterflies, spiders, beetles, cockroaches, ants, and pretty much any other insect they can subdue. Due to their eating of "bad bugs" it is best if you find one in your home to release it into the wild.

Scorpions are collected at night using a portable black light also called a UV light. Exposure to a black light at night will cause scorpions to glow fluoresce green and thus are easy to see. The fluorescence is caused by a substance excreted from the outer or cuticle layer of skin. Scorpions that have just molted do not fluoresce until the new cuticle has hardened. This feature is common to all scorpions.

Scorpion sightings are very likely to increase with more and more natural habitat being consumed by development. If you should be lucky enough to encounter one, remember that they are very beneficial in controlling the insect population. Natural predators include birds, frogs, centipedes, spiders, lizards and snakes. Scorpions are very discreet creatures of the night and would prefer to stay hidden. Consider yourself very fortunate should you happen to see one of these fascinating creatures of the night.

Venom Week!!

Since warmer weather is here that means that all the creepy crawly creatures come out to play. Bugs of all shapes and sizes, snakes, spiders and heaps of others are awake from their winter sleep. Now is the time to beef up your knowledge of these creatures.

In order to ensure that we cover all of the nasty creatures to a good extent I will be blogging everyday this week, and snakes will be a 2 part blog series. I will be covering snakes, spiders and other animals in the Tennessee/Southern region since those are the ones I am familiar with and that is where I live at. Welcome to Vemon Week! Tell your friends and spread the word, knowledge is power and that power could save a life!!

Summer is upon us!!

At last today is the day of school!! This year has been great and each of my boys have grown in leaps and bounds educational wise. I can't complain, it has been a very productive year for all of us. I always look foreword to summer because my boys become mine again. I don't have to share them with anyone!! I'm a bit greedy with their sweet hugs and kisses.

Being that summer is here I am concerned about them loosing any learning they have gained during the year. I was told by a teacher that the first quarter of the year they actually spend it re-teaching lessons that were learned in the previous grade. A refresher course so to speak. I don't want my boys to jump back a step so I have planned out fun activities that will continue to keep their minds active. If you have kids I would do the same. It could make a huge difference in their grades when school starts again.

Some easy things to do are trips to library's. Public library's offer a whole slew of summer reading activities, and your child's school library may remain open so they can still rack up those accelerated reader points. A trip to the park or zoo can be a two day event that's packed full of fun.

One day at the park or zoo the next day at home make construction paper books about their experience! Let them draw their favorite things you did on separate sheets of paper, color them, and decorate using glitter glue, buttons, rice, macaroni or bits of tissue paper. Once they are dry make a cover and staple them together. Your child will have a book that they made!! This activity encourages creative thinking, fine motor skills use, memory use and team work and not to mention sharing!

A favorite activity here during the hot part of the day is our Alphabet hunt. Make large ABC's and number's out of different colored construction paper. You'll need a treasure box (a small shoe box they have decorated is awesome for this) and of course binoculars. We made ours out of a paper towel tube cut in half and decorated. Place the ABC's and numbers all over the house. Then let the kids loose to find them. It's a hunt they enjoy. Once they find their prey put them in their box and when it's over count up who got the most and make words out of their letters they found! It's a whole slew of activities in one. This one also helps those fine motor skill, creative play, sharing, team work, ABC identification, scissor skills, tripod grip, and color and number recognition.

Be creative and if your having fun then they will too. And if your worried about messes don't be. Messes can be cleaned up by little hands too and most of the time they are eager to help clean up. I feel that the messier a project is the more fun it is!!

Enjoy your summer and if you have some great projects for kids feel free to share them!!

Impressions

I have learned today that one never really knows what kind of an impression you will make on someone. A few weeks ago I took an Eastern Box Turtle that was rescued off of 840 to Charlotte Elemtrary school. I visited 3 classes with London the turtle. London was active and not shy and all the kids loved her. I talked about what kind of Habit and food she liked and how they lay their eggs and other facts. I had a good time and it was a bit sad for us all because once the day was over we knew we had to release her.

I felt that it was wrong to keep her from meeting her dream male turtle in the wild and living out the rest of her days in lovely wood. So we let her go on her way and we cried. My oldest son had grown very attached to her and it was most difficult for him. In my mind I could see having a pet turtle and we would all be a happy family, but in reality I knew that we just did not have the resources to keep her. Turtles require lots of stuff that we couldn't provide. London all left her mark on us.

Now we have a Hamster named Biscuit (from a local pet store) and a Guinea pig named Willie that we adopted from Petco. London is not in our every thought now that we have two new furry friends that my boys adore. And this morning a little girl and her mom brought a hatchling snapping turtle to class. A tiny baby turtle a bit bigger than a quarter.

The mom said that her daughter wanted to show the class the turtle like I did London. The mom said she was all set to let her little girl take it to class by herself and she protested. The little girl said that her mom had to show it to the class like I did. The mother said that I had raised the bar for parental involvement in the class. (I try to be a helper whenever I can at school)

That made me pause. I try my best to be a good mother and help out at school whenever I can. I know that the teachers can't do everything on their own. I don't mind being asked to make cookies or be an extra set of eyes on a field trip. Somehow in my striding to be a good parent I had made an impression upon another parent I had never met before. That is amazing. It shows that sometimes going that extra bit pays off more than you know.

That's my story. Do you have one where you influenced someone without meaning to? I would love to hear about it.

What a name can do for your writing

What you name your characters can mean a lot to you the writer of the manuscript, and it can mean even more to your reader. Most writers do not put thought into naming their characters, but they should. Have you ever read a book and not been able to fully connect to the characters because they have a name you can't pronounce or even think of someone actually naming their child that?

When I am naming my characters I think about their personalities. I have came across certain people in my life that have they same name and every single one of them with that same name were all the same type of person. An example, I know several people named Beth, and almost every single one of them has been bitchy to an extreme point that made me want to lock myself in the nearest bathroom for a bit of peace. As for men I have met several people named James that are very controlling and for some mad reason are obsessed with detail and being able to pin point people, like fitting them into a certain category. One James that I know actually dislikes so much because he can't get inside my head and figure me out. He says that I do things for no rhyme or reason. Which is not true, he just can't seem to understand my way of seeing things.

So when naming people in your writing consider their personalities. Are the bitchy, snooty, laid back or an obsessive type person? Then think about all the people you have met with the name you have picked and see if it fits. It's like naming your children. When my husband and I picked the names for our sons we took a lot of things into consideration. Our boys have two middle names so that they could pick which name they wanted when they got older. We also took in the consideration if it sounded right with our last name. Self is a tricky name to work with. Also their initials have to be considered, does it spell out something nasty? Lots to think on when naming a child, pet, or a character.

If your having trouble picking a name ask some friends, or even google the name to see what come up in the search. You will be surprised. And as always think about what the name means. Names have different meanings in other languages.

In short be considerate. Think of how well your name suits your character and how well the reader will be able to relate to the name. If they can't connect to the name then they most likely wont be able to connect to the book.

Publishing this Week

This is a tidbit of news that I found interesting due to the fact that it is in my genre of fantasy fiction. Knopf is set to publish Christopher Paolini’s Eragon’s "Guide to Alagaësia". It is gaged toward young readers and it is a tie to to his Inheritance cycle of books, which so far is up to four books in the series (consisting of Eragon, Eldest and Brisingr). The fourth book has yet to be published, but is in the works. It's publication date has yet to be announced.

The guide will be released on November 3 2009, and will be simultaneously published in the U.S., U.K., Australia and New Zealand, was developed in conjunction with Britain’s Templar Publishing. They are hoping that the book we sell as a companion to his other books in the series due to it will contain landscapes, and inhabitants of Alagaësia. The Inheritance cycle of books has sold over 22 million copies world wide and the first was made into a movie by 20th Century Fox that was released in December of 2006 and The cast included Edward Speleers in the title role, Jeremy Irons, Garrett Hedlund, Sienna Guillory, Robert Carlyle, John Malkovich, Djimon Hounsou, Joss Stone, and the voice of Rachel Weisz as Saphira the dragon.


"Eragon’s Guide to Alagaësia will take readers deeper into the captivating world Christopher created, offering a visual perspective of the novels that millions of readers across the world have come to love," said Knopf publishing director Nancy Hinkel in announcing the book on May 20th at a press release.

For more information on the author and his work go to his web site at http://www.alagaesia.com/ .

Now for my question if you have read the books, or listened to them on audio book do you foresee this as a purchase for yourself or someone else? Also what other series do you wish had this type of a compaion? I have the Anne Rice companion books and they contain a wealth of information, and it makes me very tempted to see the author's vision in print. Also if J.K. Rowling was to publish a companion of this type would you be interested? I would be.

An update

The Feathered Quill is a handy-dandy blog full of tips for writers and links to resources, but it also a way to let me tell all of my adoring readers about my journey. I try to make the blog fun as well as informational, so if you the adoring reader have a question please leave a comment and ask me. I'm open about things.

Here in the past month I have been editing my first draft of my manuscript. It's a daunting task full of frustrating moments. I am currently up to chapter seven on editing. What am I editing you ask. Everything from sentence structure to character ideas and minor plot lines. The major key elements I am keeping because the are the heart of the book. I have been cutting down the chapters so that they are not twenty pages long, but still keep their core. It's a delicate balance I am striving to achieve. I actually don't mind editing, it's typing the new pages that gives me pause. I have issues finding time to type, and it's not just typing. When I input the new pages I am also adding bits of narrative to the page.
I have had many offers from people to help type, but it just can't be done. It's a vicious circle.

I am actually hoping to have all the chapters edited by the end of June and typed by the end of July. I would love to arrange a meeting with Susan Gilmore to ask her some questions, but I have jury duty coming up and I am not sure when that is or when it will be over. Until that is done I am not making any plans set in stone.

I would like to thank everyone that has read all of my blog posts, and I hope that in some way it is helpful to you.

Workshops, seminars and other activites

I know that writing can be a lonely occupation, but it doesn't have to be. One of the greatest tools (and distraction) for an author is the Internet. We can contact other author's and aspiring writers through on-line writer's groups, and check out other people's blogs. One of my favorite blogs to read is Nathan Bransford's, not only is it informational but you get to see the publishing world through an agent's eyes.

Outside of the world wide web there are slews of workshops, book clubs, classes, seminars, and conventions. I know in mid-state TN in the next four months there are at least 4 different events happening this summer and fall. 1 seminar, 2 conventions, and a few workshops. Now keep in mind these types of events require a bit of fundage and of course registration. If you live in the middle TN area one of the best organizations that offers these types of events with a reasonable cost is the Council for the Written Word, they are based in Franklin TN. They are hosting a seminar/workshop in the fall. Their website is:
http://www.cww-writers.org/

What to do if you are interested in a workshop. Workshops are fun, and are supposed to be relaxing, there is no need to work yourself into a tizzy. Breathe!

First thing to do is to find out their registration deadline is, then mail in your information or submit it on-line if that option is available. Next is check what type of materials you will need. I attended a workshop in march and the guest speaker was Susan Gregg Gilmore and it was recommended we read her book before hand and to bring it with us. Which I did, (it was a good read!) and surprisingly she even signed the book for me. It was also recommended that we bring our own writing tools(pen, paper, ect.) A must for attending any conference, workshop, or any event is to make sure you know the TIME and PLACE of the events. Most workshops have a pre-event get together usually at a book store the night before. Check your information, and if it seems unclear ask them about it. I assure you that they will not bite.

If you are feeling a bit shy about going to a workshop all willy-nilley and meeting new people take a friend with you. I asked a friend to go with me in March and she benefited from it also since she is in college and is taking creative writing courses. I have learned that jeans and a comfy shirt is okay apparel to wear. Wear what ever you are comfy in, (not pj's though, make sure you do look professional)especially if your going to be sitting for long periods of time. But as always check the event listing, a ballroom party might not be a good function to wear jeans to unless it's themed.

So in short, relax and enjoy the function. Don't worry the other author's at the event, they are people just like you, and are possibly more nervous than you are. Enjoy the fall and summer workshop season.

Chidren's Book Week

Starting today May 11- 17 2009 is Children's Book Week. In 1913, Franklin K. Matthiews, the librarian of the Boy Scouts of America, began touring the country to promote higher standards in children's books. He proposed creating a Children's Book Week. In 1944, the newly-established Children's Book Council assumed responsibility for administering Children's Book Week. The CBC has developed materials and promoted and encouraged local celebrations of Book Week ever since.

Celebrate this special week by taking a child to a library, reading them a book, or even let them make their very own book out of construction paper or copy paper. Nobody is too old to play with crayons and glitter glue.

Reading a child a book encourages them to read on their own and improves their imaginative play and the grades in school. A win-win situation I'd say. You get to spend quality time with your child minus the T.V., and they pick up a GOOD habit. Amazon.com has a wide assortment of children's books if you are unsure what to begin with. My personal favorite is the "Three Billy Goat's Gruff", gotta love that grumpy, hungry troll.

Oral History to your publishing history

I know that in any given family there is a story, a story of a crazy neighbor that might be a witch because she turned her wayward husband into a goat, or a legend about a lost family treasure. These stories that are told on camping trips can be a goldmine for a writer. They can be easily expanded, detailed and even researched to make it fuller and more compelling.

These types of stories are always the best because most of the time they do have a sliver of truth in them. What makes me thrilled is how a simple story of grand dad loosing a watch can turn into a full blown treasure hunting themed story. Simply amazing how stories can evolve and become something amazing and intriguing.

Rain, Gloom and Doom

I know that in most books there is at least once scene that it all gloom and doom, not every scene can be sunny and on a lovely stretch of beach. In our imaginations we have the memory of certain storms that sacred the crap out of us when we was younger, and we use those memories to help us write our doom and gloom settings. Sometimes in our daily lives we miss the details of our landscapes we bypass on the way to school or work. To help me have better narrative in my writing I pay close attention to the details around me. If I see a hawk winging overhead as I'm waiting for school to dismiss I try to describe it out loud (I know you may worry about the other parents thinking your a loon because your talking to yourself, but it works). If the description is a good one I write it down and save it to use in my writing. Easy, and it gives me something to build on later. Same goes for weather, describe a bolt of lightening, a thunderhead,does the window panes rattle when the thunder booms? What does the air smell like after the storm? Simple details that we can extract from our daily lives to aide us in writing narrative.

Narrative in writing is important, it allows us to SHOW the scene, not tell the scene. Think of it as your telling you Best friend about a movie that your watching but they can't watch it because they are temporarily blind. Show them, let your words paint the scene in their minds. I cannot stress this enough. an example:

A; The sky over head was rolling with thick black clouds that announced that rain was surely on the way. I was racing towards home in my cherry red jeep wrangler trying to beat the rain. I had not checked the local news this morning and assumed that the weather would be good, and now I was driving like mad through town without the top on my jeep getting battered by the wind praying that the rain would hold off for another fifteen minutes. It did not. I cringed as the few raindrops splattered on my windshield, I was going to get drenched. As I pulled to a stop at a red light beside Food Lion the bottom fell out. No need to hurry home now.


B; I got caught in the rain without the top on my jeep, and I got drenched.


which one did you like best? Which one would you prefer to read in a story? I like A, it showed that the character was stressed and regretful. A simple detailed narrative can show the reader what kind of emotional range the character has, and what their personality type is. Narrative is your best friend as a writer.

Movies for May

Summer is approaching with the speed of a bullet train and many of us may not beware of the summer movie releases that are coming to a theatre near you. I am not putting my personal stamp of approval on any movie, this is just an F.Y.I., and keep in mind that these are just the major movies. There are actually a ton of them coming out. So fetch yourself a big ugly red marker and your calender. And as a tip remember to check the rating of a movie before you drag a two year old to watch a movie. Just because you like hack and slash doesn't mean they do.

First up is being released on May 1st is "X-men Origins:Wolverine". This movie stars the ever-ripped Hugh Jackman as the rough and hardy Wolverine, the rest of the cast is Liev Schreiber as Sabertooth/ Victor Creed, Lynn Collins as Kayla Silverfox, Danny Huston as William Stryker, Ryan rynolds as Dead Pool/ Wade Wilson, Taylor Kitsch as Gambit/ Remy LeBeau and Dominic Monaghan as Bradley. In this latest movie that dips into the comic realm tells Wolverine's viloent and raomatic past as well as gives us the details that we crave about his relationship with Victor Creed and the Weapon X Program.



Number two is "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past" starring Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, and Micheal Douglas. Directed by Mark Waters. This looks to be a chick flick, but has moments of comedy for our poor pitful dates. A bachelor (McConaughey) realizes he let his soul-mate slip through his fingers only after he is visited by ghosts in A Christman Carol-fashion. It's out on May 1.





Number three is "Star Trek" Directed by J.J. Abrams and starring Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Eric Bana, and Zoe Saldana. . The story is set in the early days of the Starship Enterprise, and is set into motion by a Romaulan warrior (Bana) with a chip on his shoulder who has the know-how and tools to travel through time and create black holes. He uses both to strike out against James T. Kirk (Pine) who is struggling with his own destiny.



Number four is "Angels and Demons", based on the book written by Dan Brown. This movie is starring Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon with a new hair do, Ewan McGregor, Ayelet Zurer, and Stellan Skarsgard and directed by Ron Howard. In the book series this was actually the first book, not The Da Vinci Code, but in the movie realm it is set up to be after The Da Vinci Code. Now that is cleared up lets move on. The story begins with a gruesome murder in one of the most secretive lairs of science, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, also called CERN.
Robert Langdon is pulled in to help solve the murder and to keep a member of the Illuminiati from turning the Vatican into an overly large crator with a highly combustable canister of antimatter. Look for it in theatheres on May 15th.



Number five is a "Terminator Salvation", it comes out on May 21. It is starring Christian Bale and Sam Worthington. This the 4th installment of the Terminator movies. The movie is set in 2018 and an all grown -up John Conner, played by Bale, is the leader of a resistance against the nefarious computer network Skynet.



The sixth on our list is "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian"
directed by Shawn Levy and Starring Ben Stiller, Amy Adams, Hank Azaria and Robin Williams. This one is great for kids in the 7 plus age range, they are old enough to understand the humor, where as a 4 year old would laugh at some of the action scenes but not really be able to grasp the over concept. This movie moved from the Museum of Natural History in New York to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C., this alone gaureentees that this movie will be bigger and better due to the fact that the Smithsonian is 19 museums in one. The bad guy in the film is an evil pharaoh bent on ruling the world (Hank Azaria). This movie introduces heaps of new characters and of course the brilliant Amelia Earhart as a romantic intrest. Look for it out on May 22nd.



Seventh up is "Drag Me to Hell", starring Justin Long and Alison Lohman, directed by Sam Raimi (Spider-man). Alison Loham plays an ambitious bank exec given a difficult choice to make; Offer a very desperate older lady another extension on her home loan or foreclose and thusly throwing her on the street. Loham does the latter to please her boss, but earns a curse that forces a brutal demon upon her. Not a movie to take the kiddies to. Will be released on May 29th.



Okay this one is for the kiddies and those of us out there that love animated flicks. "Up" is dropping on May 29th, a Disney-Pixar movie with the voices of Ed Asner, Jordan Nagai, Christopher Plummer and is directed by Pete Docter. The Story begins with a grumpy old man who is widowed and a former ballon salesman (played by Asner) who fixes his home to fly off to South America for a long delayed vacation.



I hope you liked this post, and if you did tell me, leave me a comment. I am really looking foreward to "Up" and "X-Men Origins: Wolverine"(Ryan Renyolds!), which ones are you eager to see?

Newspapers going extinct?

Today the Audit Bureau of Circulations said that daily circulation of newspapers has declined 7.1 percent from October-March, they compared the data from 2007 to 2008. This is based on daily papers that are delivered 365 days a year. One of the only papers to show an increase in readers was the Wall Street Journal. Even Sunday paper circulation has declined. Their income has stayed the same due to price adjustments.

What I am feeling is that the newspaper industry should have seen this decline, it has been steadily happening since the 1990's. I know that I do not receive my news from the local paper or from the number one ranking paper, USA Today. I either watch it on T.V. or read it online. I for one am not big on heaps of newspaper cluttering up my home, and in the process of not buying a paper I am saving trees.

I am not saying that journalism is a dying breed of writing, but the product itself is more or less inconvenient. I do buy a Sunday paper once a month for the coupons, but I don't read it. The whole paper ends up getting recycled. I don't care for the articles they have. It mostly pertains to violence, or tragic sob stories that I cannot emotionally commit to.

Newspapers used to be the cutting edge of writing and spreading of news, not so much today. What happened this morning at 5 am has already been read, processed and we have moved on, do we really need to read it again in the Saturday paper? I don't. It's much easier to flick on the T.V. to CNN or pull it up on-line, if I view my news on-line I get to pick which articles I want to see, not what some editor decided was news worthy. I like to have options and choices.

Now that you know my preferences tell me yours. Do you read a daily newspaper, get the Sunday paper, or get your news from an on-line source. Now part II, if newspapers were to quit being published in paper form would you miss them?

Where as all the good gone?

Here recently I have pondered where the good in humanity went, I did this mostly on Wednesday when an employee at a local gas station in Charlotte chased down my car and demanded that I pay a quarter for a plain old Styrofoam coffee cup that I could have bought at the dollar store in a pack of 50 for a few bucks (keep in mind this was after his co-worker told me that the cup was free). That made me angry, yep angry. I promptly told him where he could take his cup and that if he was so hard up for a quarter for him to hound someone else since I did not have any money. That's how broke I was, I had sent my last fifty cents with my oldest child to school for ice cream money. I did get my cup at the gas station next door and I was assured that it was okay for me to take it without charge and minus the prospect of an Indian guy hanging off my bumper demanding a quarter.

Fear not though, the giving in humanity has not died a tragic and violent death like Meg Ryan did in the movie City of Angels. On the Breast Cancer Site they are having a "click drive". Every click that is entered on their site gets counted and if they collect 200 clicks by the end of April they will donate $10,000 for breast cancer research. It's free and easy. Help fund on-going research and fund a mammogram with a single click! Their web-site is www.thebreastcancersite.com, if your feeling clicky check out their sister sites like literacy site that donates books to children.

Here's a video of the band Old Crow Medicine Show singing "Down Home Girl" to get your weekend started a bit early. That's it for this week, everyone have a great weekend!

Simply Spiffy

This has NOTHING to do with writing but it is so neat. I am a huge fan of James Blunt and my boys know his music, so when this was on Sesame Street this morning I had to post it. Enjoy.

Publishing this week

This is some exciting news for fans of Dan Brown, it has been announced by Random House that his next book involving Robert Langdon is "Lost Symbol" and will be released to the U.S. and Canada on Steptember 15th 2009. This will give Random House a much needed boost, and they are expecting a huge selling, they are releasing 5 million books with the first printing. The story is 12 hours of Robert's life. It must be an amazing 12 hours to fill a book. I am eager to read it.

Other news involving Dan Brown is that the movie "Angels and Demons" will make it's silver screen debut on May 15th. It is directed by Ron Howard and is starring Tom Hanks minus the long hair(thank goodness). For more info about Dan Brown visit his website www.DanBrown.com .

What Am I Reading?

In an earlier post I mentioned that I am an avid reader. Are you asking yourself what does she read? Well, I am here to answer your question. I read everything, and when say everything I mean everything. Currently I am reading "Drood" By Dan Simmons. So far it is pretty good. I like a book that I can sink my teeth into. I do read romance, but I can rip through a romance book in a day so I like a book with substance. But I guess that my type of book is one that will make my mind spin, one that gets me going. I first read "Angel's and Demon's" by Dan Brown way back in 1999 ( it was a gift from a co-worker) I was enthralled, I read it and re-read it. "Cold Mountain" did the same thing for me when I was stuck on bed rest for 6 months with my first pregnancy. I cheered for Ruby, and loved them all. A book should be able to draw you in and make you forget that your worries. Reading "Cold Mountain" while on bed rest made my little "bed vacation" seem like a breeze, something not so terribly bad compared to what the characters were going through. When I was younger I read Anne Rice like her books were handed down from God himself. Her books are fantastic and she does hook you in. In "Interview with a Vampire" you want to know what Louie and Claudia did in Paris, you need to know about their adventures, you crave to see how their love bloomed. I must say though that my favorite book of all time other than "Alice in Wonderland" is "Servant of the Bones" by Anne Rice. It does not have vampires, or witches in it. It's about a boy named Azeriel who is cursed. I have an extremely worn paper back copy that I have read at least 20 times. I recommend it highly.

What are you into currently? What books, movies or songs have caught your attention and inspired you? I want to hear from you, don't be shy!!

Making your character shine

Remember the days of before responsibilities sat upon your shoulders? Before promises that were made had to be kept? That feeling of freedom and independence? I do, I mourn the loss of it. I am a mother of 2 and a wife, not to mention a daughter and a whole slew of other titles. Now that I am older I have to embrace them and carry on and try not to look backwards overly much and wish I could have changed the path I am now set upon. Sometimes I feel as if I have lost little pieces of me along the way. At first I did not notice them, now I can sense that they are missing and cannot be retrieved. It's saddening to me.

I am disappointed in a way of how things turned out for me, I had wanted a much different outcome. Now I am faced with altering that. Sure I could throw all my responsibilities to the wind and savor my new found freedom, but in the end how many lives would that damage? Too many to count. So in small ways I am striving to hang on to the "ME' that is me, not to become a cookie cutter cut out person. That is what makes a person a person and not a clone.

So in our writing we need to remember that a character is not truly real until they have those quirks that makes us all individual and special. Would you love your mom as much if she was like all the mothers on the block? Would your best friend be your best friend if they were the same as everyone else? The world is colored with many hues and shapes, the same goes for people. We all have flaws and strengths, make sure that your characters are the same. No single person is perfect in all ways, even "SUPERMAN" has his flaws. Think about how these traits can help your plot along and how the flaws can too. The key to developing your character is to know them, and I mean know them. Are they a boxers or briefs kind of person, what is their favorite flower, does someone smacking gum drive them crazy? Get inside their head and figure them out and then your story will take off and fly.

Finding Your Voice

I read a lot. Well, some of my closest friends and family will state that is an understatement of how much I read. What I read does not really have any set pattern to it, I'm not at the book aisle every Tuesday when the new releases are shelved screening possible additions to my book case. What makes me pick up a book and actually purchase it is not just the story alone, or the wonderfully witty characters, it's the writer's voice. Yep, their voice.

Now, I'm betting you are wondering what an author's voice is and if your are a writer what yours sounds like. An author's voice is how they phrase their sentences, convey their words onto paper, the type of language used (an example, do they write in American tones or British tones?)The author's voice can tell you a lot about the author from what period (Renascence, Victorian, etc.), what class they were cast in society (this can even expose a person's education level), and in some cases even reveal what area they were raised in from their vocabulary selection and slang use in their writing. A writer's voice is as individual and unique as a finger print. For an example compare Edgar Allen Poe's works to Mark Twain's writings. Yes They are both American and born in the same time frame but their voices are different.

For us writers to understand and hear our own voices read aloud your work. Read it to yourself, your friends, your family, if you need toread aloud to your houseplants. Just don't read it thinking, "oh, this again, I've read this 100 times since I wrote it.", that maybe true but read it and you will hear yourself. The easiest way to hear your voice is to get a friend to write a short story and then you write the same short story, the same everything; character names, storyline, beginning and ending. Then swap stories and read them. Your voice will stick out like a sore thumb to your ears.

Once you can recognize your voice you can control it and how it effects your writings. It's your voice it can be anything that you envision it to be. If you try the short story exercise let me know if it helped you, I love feedback.