Venom Week: Black Widow Spiders

Male on left and female Black Widow on right

Black widow with two eggsacs

Female Black Widow on a leaf


The the United States there are 5 species of Black Widow Spiders, in Tennessee we have two species. Those are the Southern/Common Black Widow and the Northern Black Widow. They belong to the Comb-foot or Combweb family of spiders. The most commonly seen and found species of Black Widow in Tennessee is the Southern Black Widow. The Northern Black Widow is a rare find due to the fact that they prefer to live in tree limbs high up away from humans.

females of both species of spider can reach up to 1 1/2 inches with their legs extended, and typically the Northern Black Widow is larger than the Southern, but both can have an abdomen over a 1/2 inch in diameter if their food supply is plentiful. The males are typically smaller in size that the female and this goes for both species.

Both species of spider have 8 eyes that are arranged in two rows of four eyes, and even though they have 8 eyes their vision is poor. Their bodies appear to be hairless and glossy to the naked eye, but they are actually covered in dense fine hairs that they use to "see" on their web. Their colors can vary from a deep black, brown and even a reddish brown and their legs can appear to be striped with red and black, or reddish brown and black.

On their belly, underside, they have a red or orange hourglass. Most will have a red dot on their bottom above their spinnerets. It can be clearly seen against their dark bodies, and it is their distinguishing mark. This vibrant mark tells birds, lizards, and other predators that they are venomous. Meaning, "Hey I pack a punch back off!" They do have natural predators in birds and lizards. In juveniles this distinguishing mark can be white or another color or missing completely.

Males of both species are considered harmless to vertebrates because of the shortness of their fangs. They do carry venom but cannot really get a good bite because their fangs are short. There have not been a case of a human being bit my a male Black Widow reported ever. The males are about half the size of the females and can have red or yellow spots or bands on their back and sides. These spots can be circles or diamonds in the red color or in yellow, and they may be in a row.

In nature the spiders prefer to live under bark, logs, in rocky places, under shrubs and in trees, places that are typically dry and safe. Places that are not disturbed often. Us humans have provided plenty of safe places for the widows to thrive. They can be found in out buildings, sheds, abandoned homes and barns, boxes, attics, crawl spaces, rubbish piles, root cellars, seldom worn shoes, pretty much anywhere that is dark and quiet.

Their webs are non-symmetrical, irregular mesh webs.They are usually built in corners, ceiling edging and other places with nooks and crannies. Often in the top of the web they will have a retreat for them to hide in and it is often funnel like in shape.The Northern Black Widow's retreat is often on the end of tree branches and is dome like in shape, the rest of her web will spread out from her dome retreat covering the rest of the branch.

Black Widows stay in their retreat unless their web is disturbed. When their web is disturbed they will race out to the section of web that the prey is on with surprising quickness. They are highly aware of their surroundings even though they have poor eyesight. Usually if something larger like a bird or a human disturbs their web they will not attack, but retreat into their hiding place, or escape the web.

Black Widows a formidable hunters. They will kill anything from the size of a housefly up to a scorpion which is many times larger than they are. They will not eat prey that has not been treated with several bites of venom. Their venom breaks down the prey's insides till it's juice that they can suck out. They wrap their prey in silk to subdue it and when they are finished with their meal they leave an empty husk in the silk. They will bite their prey several times before they will consume it.

In mating is where the Black Widow gets her/his name. It is thought that after the mating is done the female will eat the smaller male. In a study done with 18 males only two of the males were actually eaten by the females. So they have a pretty good chance of surviving the mating. These two males that were eaten were actually on their "second date" with the female, after they had mated a second time they were consumed. This goes to show that it is always smart to feed your date before you get down to business. Males can actually mate with several females in a season.

How the males gets such a deadly female to mate is simple, he "blinds" her by cutting her web in places and he vibrates his abdomen to put her in a trance. He vibrates for about an hour before he even attempts to mate her. If he fails the first time he cuts more of her web and starts all over. (a vibrating male is every woman's dream, too bad a spider gets that wish filled.)To ensure his safety he uses his webbing to form escape webs. He can use the to get out quickly if she rejects him. As every male he has a back up plan. Before he mounts her he will weave a silk web around the female. This web is called a "Bridal Veil", romantic huh? This veil will subdue her for a few seconds should things go wrong. Once he has inserted his pedipalps into the female to inseminate her this is the most dangerous time for him. If the female attacks while mid insemination he will need a few extra seconds to withdrawal himself. Hence the Bridal Veil, it should give him the extra time he needs to escape before he his turned into lunch.

The Black Widow spider can produce 5 to 10 eggsacs, and each eggsac can have anywhere from 150 to 250 eggs inside. The baby spiders or spiderlings will hatch in the eggsac and molt before they emerge about 4 weeks later. Newly freed spiderlings are cannibalistic, and do not stay together. They balloon off (like in the end of Charlotte's Web where the spider babies leave Wilbur).The spiderlings are harmless to humans at this age due to their size, and they can easily slip through a window screen (they are tiny!)

Now the part we all dread, the bite. Usually the actual bite is painless. The pain will arrive 8 hours later with no skin lesions, that is of course after it has be circulated through your system. That means that you may not even be able to see the sight of the bite. Pets are extra sensitive to their venom a will have a bite area with a white/blanched section with red surrounding it, this is often called a "red zone". 90% of all cats that are bitten die.

In humans the symptoms of a bite from a Black Widow is pain in the legs, sides, thighs and chest and this pain is often mistaken as renal stones,acute appendicitis,m or acute myocardial infarction. Other symptoms are sweating,diphoresis, nausea, and vomiting. The actual degree of the symptoms range due to victim age, sensitivity to venom and how much venom was injected.

In a study from 1960-1969 only four deaths were caused by Black Widow bites. The number of bites has actually dropped due to the widespread used of indoor plumbing. Who knew that an outhouse an ideal spot of spiders?? Anyway, to prevent getting bitten use a vacuum to suck up their eggsac's and the spiders and dump them far away from your house, like in the woods somewhere. The State of Tennessee recommends use of sticky boards near windows, doors, and any entry point into a structure, and of course wearing protective clothing when cleaning in un-used area's like behind shutters. Protective clothing is a hat, long sleeved shirt, pants, boots and gloves. Use tape to seal your cuffs of your pants and shirt to ensure that no spiders can get in your clothing.

If in doubt call a professional. Hey it may cost a few bucks, but it may save you some pain in the end. And remember NEVER to handle a spider bare handed unless it's a daddy long legs, those are okay. And please use this info to educate your kids on spiders and snakes. I tell mine to never touch a spider or snake, but to get mommy or daddy. That's what were for, killing of scary things.

Venom Week: Basic snake info

Okay, I feel that I need this post to clear the air for those that do not live in the country or have common sense. Snakes do bite. All species have a mouth that can open up and they will strike out if scared or frieghtened. They live in abandoned places such as empty barns, tobacco smoke houses, gardens that have a high amount of prey in them, close to water such a rivers, lakes, ponds, creeks, pools of water that has a food source like frogs or lizards nearby. They like rocky outcrops, trees, grassy places, and places with fallen trees.

Most snakes can move fast. And I am talking fast. A rattlesnake can strike quicker than you can blink. Yeah fast. Some snakes chase their prey and will not be scared to chase you the 100 foot tall human. They are brave. All snakes can taste the particles in the air with their tounge, and yes they all have a forked tounge and most lizards do also. They can feel the viberations in the ground, so most of the time they know that you are coming. Almost all have the ability to viberate their tails, puff up and of course flatten out, and coil up. They usually coil up before the strike. Most snakes can have a strike distance of 2 to 3 feet depending on the size of the snake, to be extra careful stay back at least 5 feet. They can do amazing things.

Snakes do not have ears. On the Jeff Corwim Experiance several years ago he had a rattlesnake on a dirt road. He had two cell phones. One was set to ring and one set on vibrate. It struck the one on viberate and ignored the ringing one. So when your out in and about in a wooded or rocky area rattle the trees and stomp around as loud as you can. Being quiet can prove to be deadly, and of course watch where you are stepping. And if it looks "snakey" wear snake boots and other snake appropriate clothing.

Almost all of them eat the same food. Lizards, frogs, eggs, small mammals, insects. If you live near a lake, river, pond or have a pond in your backyard you probly have a snake living nearby. The best thing to do is to be vigilant, especially if you have kids. I put out moth balls around my yard and it seems to work. I'm guessing it makes the air smell funky, it works for deer in my garden. That's a suggestion it's not gareenteed to work.

I absoultly do not condone picking up wild snakes or snakes that are not yours. Even the best biologist can make a mistake. I would not want to pick up a Cotton Mouth thinking it was a Banded Water Snake. OUCH!!! (I usually run in the opposite direction quickly.)

There is one type of lizard that is often mistaken for a snake. The Glass lizard. It is a leggless lizard. It will abandon it's tail in order to retreat. The fact that it has eyelids is a dead give away, other than the tail falling off.

If you have any doubt about a snake leave it alone!! That goes for any wildlife pretty much. Common sense. I hope you enjoy Venom week as much as I do, and tell your friends. If you like my blog tell me!! If you don't tell me!

Venom Week: Snakes Part I

Black and Speckled Kingsnake

Grey Rat Snake

Broad Banded Water Snake

Corn Snake

Eastern CoachWhip Snake

Common Garter Snake

Eastern Hog Nose Snake



In Tennessee there are 32 types of snakes, but only four are venomous. Since this is such a large category I will be splitting up snakes into three days worth of blogs. First up let me state that it against Tennessee's wildlife regulations to capture a wild creature and keep it as a pet without first getting a permit. So if you found it and want to keep it contact your local wildlife office, their number should be in the phone book. It is also against regulations to release a pet into the wild because the animal will not survive (no hunting skills). I just want everyone to know that I DO NOT want anyone to go out into the wild and handle wild snakes, this inforamtion is purly education. With that said lets get to the creepy crawlies.

First up is a list of 6 non-poisonous snakes and 1 maybe posious snake.

Black & speckled King Snake- An adult can measure anywhere from 36-48 inches long. They are black with yellow flecks of color on their scales. Harmless(no venom). Eats mainly rodents, other snakes including venomous snakes. When scared can strike out and will produce a very smelly musk. They live in swampy areas, woods, fields, urban areas.

Grey Rat Snake (also known as a Chicken Snake)- adult rat snakes are typically 3-5 feet in length and if they are in a area that has plenty of prey they can get over 6 feet long. They are colored a dark grey with black bands, and the juvenile snakes are a slate grey with black markings. They eat bird eggs, frogs, birds, squirrels, mice and rats. They can be found in barns, abandoned buildings, wooded areas near ponds. They can vibrate their tail to mimic a rattlesnake and will release a musky scent when scared. They can bite but are harmless. They are constrictors so they can climb trees, brick walls (we had one on the side of house a few years back), and they of course constrict their prey. They are the most common large snake to be found in suburban areas.

Broad-Banded Water snake- These live near water because their main food source is frogs. They are harmless and are often confused with cotton mouths. The clear difference between the two snakes is the "Bandit-mask" a cotton mouth snake has around it's eyes. This snake will coil up, flatten it's self and vibrate it's tail and it also produces a musk that smells like a skunk's spray. They can be 22-36 in length. They can be found near ponds, creeks, flooded drainage ditches, lakes. They are seldom found far from a water source. They appear to be black with yellow or brown bands from a distance. They are bad tempered and aggressive when disturbed.

Red Corn snake- The red corn snake, or corn snake, or red rat snake can grow up to 3-6 feet in length and are harmless. They are commonly kept as pets due to their color and their calm attitudes. They mostly eat birds, bats, rats, mice, frogs and eggs. The are constrictors. They are named "corn snake" because of the maize like pattern on their bellies and that they are often found in corn fields. In the wild they can live up to 20 years and as a pet in captivity up to 23 years. They hibernate in colder months like all cold blooded animals unless kept indoors, and will lie in the sun to warm up. They can found in fields, wooded areas, abandoned homes and barns. They prefer places that are not disturbed.

Eastern Coach whip Snake- This snake is one of the fastest moving snakes in the U.S., they are one of the longest also and adult can be anywhere from 50 inches to 70 and the longest on record was 72 inches. Wow huh? They are non-constrictive and non-venomous, but they do bite repeatedly often at an attackers face (OUCH!) and will vibrate their tail in a warning.They have a very strong bite and powerful jaws. They will eat other snakes including venomous ones, grasshoppers, insects, frogs, birds. They will eat pretty much anything they can subdue. They will bite their prey and eat it alive, sometimes they will smash it against a hard surface to knock their prey out before consuming. They can me multi colored starting out black at the head with gradual color change down it's body to a white or cream color. They are named due to the slimness of their tail and it's likeness to a braided whip. They can be found in open fields, wooded areas, rocky hillsides, cedar glades, pretty much anywhere there is food and shelter. They are active during the day.

Common Garter Snake-This snake is black with yellow stripes on it's body. These stripes look like Garters, hence it's name. It is non venomous to humans but it's Silvia maybe toxic to frogs and fish and earthworms. They can release a musk when handled or scared. They can be anywhere from 3-5 feet as an adult. The common Garter snake hunts both during day time and night time, which is rare in snakes. They hibernate as other snakes do. They often can be found in common dens with other snakes. When they mate they can be seen in "mating balls" where one female is covered by 10 or more males. There are more males than females in this species. Their young are born with out an umbilical cord of any kind and the female can have up to 20 babies at a time. They can be found anywhere prey and shelter is abundant. These snakes are often kept as pets as well. They can be easily found in East Nashville where they have the most metro sightings.

Eastern Hog-nose snake- This snake has an upturned nose like a pig that it uses to root around for worms and toads. This snake does have rear facing fangs and it does have some toxins it releases via these fangs. There is a debate if the venom it releases is dangerous to humans, so it is better to be safe than sorry and just not handle this snake. It can be tri-colored from brown to a yellow with black patterns on it's back to solid black in color. It is known to play dead. If scared it will play dead and if moved while playing dead it will remain limp, it also will go as far to hang it's tongue out of it's mouth and release fecal matter. It watches it's attacker and will come back to life if not watched. It eats typical snake fodder such as eggs, lizards, toads, frogs and mice.

This is a video of a very upset and angry Hog Nose snake, you can tell what it is in the photos in the end of the video by the upturned snout.



This video is of a Hog Nose Snake playing dead, the guy filming it mentions the musk and the fecal matter the snake releases as it plays dead.

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 .