So Joey of Joeyfully Stated hooked me up with a new obsession: The Skipah’s Realm blog. Like I needed another time-eating source of endless delight.
The Skipah lives in Madison, Indiana, a place I love but have never actually visited. I’ve been there many times to sell books at That Book Place (now, alas, no more, but news at the end of the post!). That Book Place is “up on the hill,” away from the fancy-schmancy Madisony stuff downtown. We’ve often discussed eating at one of the recommended downtown eateries, but 88 King Buffet is also up on the hill. ‘Nuff said.
ANYWAY, Skipah’s Realm rocks. Take a gander at this post about bears, dogs, cherry vodka, and Jimmy Buffet. You’re welcome.
Passive Guy over at The Passive Voice finds and comments on a wide range of subjects, all of which interest me. Maybe they’ll interest you, too.
One of the articles he quoted and commented on led me to The Deseret News, which appears to be a Mormon (LDS) publication, specifically to this three-page article on prescribing specific books to alleviate specific maladies.
So OF COURSE I had to find the website for the book the article mentioned, THE NOVEL CURE. Puttin’ that puppy on my Wish List, yo.
If you aren’t following the How-To Geek yet, why not? He posted a most useful article this week on How To Take Better Pictures With Your Phone’s Camera. Since I take snappies with my phone, like, ALL the TIME, I loved it!
NOW THE BIG NEWS! Frank Hall, who owned The Book Box in Madison, Indiana sold it about a year ago and he and everybody who loved the store have regretted it ever since. So this weekend, Frank and the amazing Tony Acree and the lovely Lynn Tincher BOUGHTEN Karen’s Book Barn in LaGrange, Kentucky! Shiny!
A WRITING PROMPT FOR YOU: Your character buys into a business.
MA
Joey
July 22, 2016 at 11:25amSkipah’s good people 🙂
Thanks for the links, I’m definitely checking out the photo snaps with phone!
Marian Allen
July 22, 2016 at 12:30pmThanks for introducing us online!
Joey
July 22, 2016 at 6:46pmMy pleasure!
Alicia Butcher Ehrhardt
July 23, 2016 at 12:19amPart of the idea behind writing Pride’s Children is that disabled and ill people are seen as ‘other’ or unlucky by too many people. As if it were contagious in some way even when it isn’t.
People who are disabled are discouraged – by society and by themselves – from having the normal aspirations healthy people have.
With one of the three main characters dealing with a chronic invisible illness, I hope to use fiction to get around some of these barriers, and provide a faint educational thread through the books. Yes, disability affects life. No, it doesn’t determine everything. Fiction allows a reader to live life with a character – and understand. I hope some people won’t notice at all, but others will – and the character will seem natural. Some people with CFS have loved it. Others have given it to family members or friends.
And yet illness and inspiration are not the point of the novel.
Disabled people want some of the same things everyone else wants.
Marian Allen
July 23, 2016 at 8:51amAlicia, you are going to think I cribbed from your comment to write my review that I’m posting Monday, but I’ve already written and scheduled it! As for seeing disabled people as unlucky, I feel sorry for myself because numbers jump around on the page when I try to do math, because I can’t yodel, because I can’t sing, because I can’t do the can-can — I don’t feel condescending if I’m sorry for other people who can’t do other things they wish they could do. Some people wish they could make imaginary people and places come alive in fiction, but they can’t. Poor, sad bastards.
Alicia Butcher Ehrhardt
July 23, 2016 at 10:41amI wouldn’t think you cribbed – you’re a writer.
What I DO think is that you got it – and I love readers who do. I’m looking forward to your review when it shows up.
Fiction is such a gift – I’m amazed I got it.
Jane
July 23, 2016 at 9:14amStarting a business? Oh, don’t I wish! My head spins at the thought of all the deadlines involved! Really, oops, there I go, spinning off my office chair..wooooo…oohhh! Hey,that was fun. Maybe I SHOULD start a business….
Maybe when I grow up.
Alicia, I had nuclear PMS my whole adult life. They even built a new category to describe it: Life-altering PMS, called PMDD. Really, truly awful. It sucks when your body just plain fails you. And the adolescent phase, not easy any way you look at it, when you just have to conclude you’re going stark raving bonkers. I’m old enough that no one knew about PMS, just that some women are really really bitchy during That Time. It wasn’t until my Mom handed me a women’s magazine and said, I think this is what you’ve got, that I began to dimly realize I wasn’t actually loose-cannon crazy. I was thirty.
It didn’t really help the PMS, of course; there is no treatment. But it DID help how I coped with it.
Alicia Butcher Ehrhardt
July 23, 2016 at 10:48amJane, I’m so sorry. I had a mother who never had a cramp. She didn’t believe me. It took years and the invention of the antiprostaglandins to get any relief – and doctors weren’t much help.
I can’t imagine dealing with PMDD – another of the invisible illnesses people think are all in your head?
So many of us deal with something heavy – and still have to live our lives, do the best we can, achieve what we want (if possible). Not for sissies.
I’m glad you were able to give it a name. I think that helps, and nowadays it points you to resources, research, and things like FB support groups where you can share information and know you don’t have to explain yourself all the time.
Makes a difference to have SOMEPLACE to go when the docs can’t help.
Jane
July 24, 2016 at 10:55amThanks very much, Alicia.
The only remedy is getting old enough to stop having periods. Which –YAY– I can now say I’ve achieved. So just depression left, for which I DO still have to medicate. But I can say I pretty much feel like a different person. I think.
Gary Mathews
July 24, 2016 at 9:31pmOh no after that rousing introduction my ego is going to need it’s own city block! Thanks for the kind words and the mention!