Nora Cook Smith - An Author's Blog

Raise a Glass to Hope the Dog

2012-01-17T09:35:00.000-08:00

It's such a horrible thing when people abuse animals. Here's a chance to help a dog that got a rocky start in life, but is now in a loving home. She needs surgery on her leg, however, so a wine tasting benefit is being held to raise money for the operation. Here's the scoop:

Wine Tasting Fundraiser for Hope!
Thursday, February 16, 2012
7PM - 9PM
Vintner's Cellar in Royal Oak
325 East 4th Street
Royal Oak, MI 48067

Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door.
Contact Shannon for Tickets – 248.229.2404

You can read about Hope and other dogs like her at: http://www.chained2011.org/

Ten Thousand Things to Do

2012-01-13T11:53:00.000-08:00

Christmas brought a delightful little gift in the form of a comic diary written by Jesse Reklaw. My first thought was how cute, a little book detailing the life of a writer. Then I opened the cover, began to peruse the pages. The dialog is funny, and the drawings just sucked me in. Especially the cat. I love the subtle humor and can truly identify with the author's emotions. I'm not done with the book yet, but I'd like to send a shout out for it. It's worth the price of $20. http://www.slowwave.com/stuff.php?page=ttttd

2011-10-30T08:37:00.000-07:00

THE EGGIES AND ME
(First Experiment)

I, who rarely watch commercials thanks to ways to block them and trips to the kitchen for snacks, recently fell victim to an entrancing Eggie commercial. Have you seen them? The promise of perfect boiled eggs without all the messiness of shelling them? The commercials made it look so easy. Just crack an egg and drop it into the little cup, boil it for the required minutes, and voila - you have the perfect boiled egg. The Martha Stewarts in your family/friend circle will gnash their teeth at the deviled eggs you present at the next gathering.

Yesterday, walking through a Target, I spied a display of Eggies. I had to have them. Ten dollars poorer, I did. I had too much to do when I came home, to immediately try them out. While they were washing and drying, I prepared my Halloween costume, went to church with my hubby and went to the Monster Bash for Literacy at Dick O'Dows. While I enjoyed the evening, the Eggies waited their turn.

My first clue, this new way of boiling eggs might not be as easy as the commercial promised was when I opened the package and realized each Eggie had (4) parts. With (6) Eggies, that's (24) parts. AAAACK. But I told myself to buck up. If I took them apart to wash them, they would go back together. Right?

This morning, in an attempt to mollify my inner self that told me I was supposed to be working on a short story, I decided to try out the Eggies. I do not remember the commercial mentioning the interiors of the Eggies must be coated in cooking oil. Oily fingers and Eggies reluctant to be re mated are not a good combination. Nevertheless I persevered because I did not intend to let a few pieces of malevolent plastic win and send me off to work on that rewrite. The Eggies were filled and joined whether they wanted it or not. Into the pot of water they went, and I turned up the heat.

I was calmly cleaning egg whites off the counter because one of the Eggies had treacherously moved when being filled, when I turned around to see a great foam of white erupting over the pot rim. Now, boiling water may foam, but it doesn't produce great puffy clouds of white. Second clue received. One of the Eggies had insisted on the last laugh and opened itself when the heat was turned up. Okay. I could deal with this. Clean off the mess and keep boiling.

When the timer went off, I had (5) Eggies and (1) rather sad looking hard poached egg. I could deal with that. Yes I could, until the remaining (5) took a stand for monogamy by remaining glued together. Having opposable thumbs, I was able to put them asunder.

Right now I have (5) rather damp half- boiled eggs. I have no idea what happened to the other halves. It's like they disappeared without a trace. The smoking man from X-Files said "nothing disappears without a trace". He was wrong.

I'm not sure if the Eggies will have another chance. The Purple Heart box is calling them.

Dog Tags by David Rosenfelt

2011-10-08T14:02:00.000-07:00

Just a quick blog post today to tell you about a new (to me) author I've found. This is the second book I've read by him, and I am sold.

Andy Carpenter is newly wealthy, an attorney who doesn't take on too many clients and a dog lover - not necessarily in that order. He's also a smartmouth which lends humor when the plot is getting tense.

The plots are not simple, but the flow is quick. These are really engaging books.

h

2011-07-02T10:07:00.000-07:00

Five questions:

1. What would you change about the publishing industry if you had the power?

2. If you could change one thing about your favorite author's writing, what would that be?

3. If you read non-fiction, what/who do you like to read?

4. If you are a writer, do you have a muse?

5. Are you into e-books? If so, what source do you use to purchase them?

My answers:

1. I wish more books were edited better. I hate to spend upwards of $10 for a book only to have it filled with typos, scenes that go nowhere and endings that aren't endings. I'm not talking about a hook that can lead to the next book. I'm talking about letting loose ends dangle. That's the editor's job to catch that sort of thing.

2. I love Connie Willis books, but whoever edits her books needs to tighten up her writing. I keep reading because usually the plots are great and I like the way she turns a word.

3. I do sometimes read non-fiction. I tend to like books that have to do with Christianity or medicine. Sometimes I like books written about celebrities. Oh, and animal stories. Love those.

4. I used to have a muse. A grey and white cat named Paws. She used to stay near me while I wrote. No muse since then. Unless my guardian angel helps. Hadn't thought about that possibility before.

5. I'm not into e-books as of yet. My husband has a Kindle and loves it. He buys from Amazon. Of course that goes with the territory of owing a Kindle.

Please join in if you want. Would like to see some responses if you can spare the time.

2010 The Best American Mystery Stories?

2010-12-30T08:30:00.001-08:00

When did it happen? When did plot cease to be important in a mystery? And what now constitutes a mystery in the world of publishing?

This is the second year in a row that I've picked up this compilation put out by Mariner Books, hoping to enjoy short stories in one of my favorite genres. Last year I was extremebly disappointed but thought it was a fluke. This year I'm beyond disappointed. For the most part, these stories go nowhere and when they get to the end, there's no surprise.

If I wanted to read about angst or take an emotional bath or read 50 pages of nothing but character development, I wouldn't turn to a mystery. There's plenty of that to be found in mainstream, and there's nothing wrong with those things being in mainstream. However, when I pick up a mystery or suspense, be it short or full-length, I expect plot and twists and a good ride through the unexpected.

Maybe part of the problem with this particular compilation is where it draws from - a good number from literary magazines. Please. Literary magazines have their place, but that's not where I would go for a good mystery.

Bring back the plot or quit pretending. I beg you.

2010-11-29T17:07:00.000-08:00

What have I learned by participating in NANO?

I really can make myself write when I don't feel any inspiration - NADA.

Sometimes inspiration comes after I begin writing.

It is possible to write a rough draft and not go back over it and edit it before moving on.

Hearing how my friends are handling NANO is a very bright spot in my day. If they are behind, I encourage them to catch up. If they are ahead, I want to get moving and pass them up.

I really am a self-absorbed person when I'm writing - probably not much fun to those around me who are picking up slack.

If I say I'm working on my NANO project that means I am unavailable for whatever I didn't want to do anyway. NANO is a great excuse. I used to use my kids but they went and got all grown up on me.

One of the hardest things about doing NANO was telling Tiggs he couldn't get on my lap until I was done with my session. He has said threatening and hurtful things. Cats do not hold back on sharing their feelings.

Now that I am done, I can look back and say it was fun.

If I do this next year, I can probably be declared legally insane.

FAMILY TIES

2010-10-17T13:59:00.000-07:00

What is family?
A connection of blood, tissue, helixes and strands
But something more
A deeper sounding. hidden, unmeasurable
Kinship instantly clamoring or
forged through experience to wear like iron
When no cellular kinship appears evident
does family go deeper?
To some distant past?
Memory gone underground
Or is family an evolution, new bonds forming
in an alien landscape
Underground streams
Bridges
Launching pads

Wishin' and Hopin' by Wally Lamb

2010-06-26T07:24:00.000-07:00

Since I wrote a book centering on Christmas, my eyes are always drawn to Christmas books by other authors. It's a morbid fascination. Did they do a better job than me? Will their book be made into a movie? How much will I love the book and wish I'd written it?

I can honestly say I wish I'd written "Wishin' and Hopin'". The basic plot revolves around a class of fifth graders at a parochial school in the year 1964. Some of the seven deadly sins rear their ugly heads - lust and jealousy to name two.

This book had me at page 1. I started laughing and didn't finish until the book ended. The opening chapter involves a bat (the animal kind), a supply of BB's, a religious movie and a nun on the verge of a nervous breakdown. That's only the first of many scenes of mayhem. There's a Christmas Play toward the end of the book that you might want to just start out reading on the floor since that's where you will end up after rolling off the couch laughing.

I heartily recommend this book and hope you enjoy it as much as I did. I borrowed it from the library but I plan to buy a copy.

P.S. I hope it gets made into a movie.

Red Carpet Treatment

2010-05-24T09:21:00.000-07:00

I haven't flown United for awhile. On Thursday morning I was sitting waiting for our flight to
Chicago and heard the call for first class and a couple of other groups who fly with perks being summoned to board the aircraft. A great deal of fuss was made about them (and only them) boarding via the red carpet. Actually, it was a red carpet square over which their privileged(?) feet would pass. I kid you not. Not a red carpet - a red carpet square. All around me I started hearing snickers and right next to me Jim was trying not to fall out of his seat laughing. Did this idea start somewhere in New York where someone in marketing thought it would be a lovely idea to roll out the red carpet for their first class customers? Then some accountant said "nah, just buy a carpet square - cheaper and more efficient." Now I have nothing against first class and wish I could afford to fly that way. Who wouldn't enjoy those cushy seats? But a red carpet square?

Making It Up

2010-05-01T06:19:00.000-07:00

People who have read my book often ask where do you get your ideas. The truth is I make most of it up. I recently discovered this is something my brain likes to do; and if I do not allow it this activity when I'm awake, it will get its way while I'm asleep.

I've always been a dreamer. By that, I don't mean I sit around imagining I'm about to win the lottery or Publishers Clearing House - okay I do indulge in that but that's not the issue here. The dreaming I'm talking about in this blog has to do with subjecting my husband to recitals of the wildness that goes on in my head during the dark hours. The way his eyes dart all over the place looking for an escape route makes me realize this isn't his favorite part of the morning.

For instance, last night's episode had me assisting a number of people after a vehicle crash that involved a truck, a car, two motorcycles and my jeep. Yes, I was horrified the jeep would need to be totaled which seemed so unfair since it was parked in my driveway and the car had run into it trying to avoid the crash.

When I'm writing on a regular basis, my dreams tend to be less vivid. I'm curious if other fiction writers experience this? I don't think I've been working hard enough lately to finish this second book, and I don't need any more ideas for it from my subconscious.

I'm going to have to try and remember this so I can tell Jim about it when he comes home from work. See - he will do anything to escape. Maybe I'd better write it down. It's so funny when his eyes do that jumpy thing.

An Old Cat and Springtime

2010-04-10T07:46:00.000-07:00

His name is Tiggs and soon he will be 19 in human years. There was a time in his salad days when winter didn't faze him. He wanted out year around. The last few years have brought a change. Now he lies on his scratching post in the warmth of the winter sun blazing through the door wall. Outside isn't a hospitable place for a furry creature with arthritis and diminishing body weight. Being close to the patio via a protective glass wall is so much nicer. On Good Friday the southeast Michigan temperature climbed to around 80 degrees and Tiggs went straight to the door and wanted out. There may not be a lot of spring times left for him, and he has no intention of spending this one inside. He loves his house with it's abundant food bowls and comfy places to nap, but nothing can compare to a warm wind ruffling his orange fur. He has a yard to stalk, pee mail to check and maybe one more mouse to dispatch.

Karen Traviss - Sci Fi Write and Spinner of Tales

2010-02-27T12:24:00.000-08:00

I just finished "The World Before" by Karen Traviss. This is the third book she's authored that I've read, and let me say as the third book in the Wess'har Wars series it did not disappoint. Traviss' ability to create several worlds of sentient beings, including humankind, and make the reader care about all of them is genius. There's a wonderful city that looks like it's made of pearl, and when I found out what it's really made of, it was just another example of Traviss' creativity that it should perhaps gross me out but doesn't.

There's a lot of bad blood between aliens* and aliens, between aliens and humans as well as between humans and humans. As is often true in the science fiction genre, human beings do not always come across as sterling characters but Traviss does not usually leave them or their alien counterparts without some sort of redemption.

I'm only three books into the series so can't say for sure the rest of the series is as good as these first three books I've read. I intend to find out though.

If you want to read the series, I would suggest you start with the first book - "City of Pearl" - because the books do build on each other.

* I apologize for using the word "aliens" to describe the other races, since it's humankind who come to the part of space where the other races live, so technically it's these men and women who are the true aliens.

That Mysterious Something

2009-11-16T07:21:00.000-08:00

Whether you are writing a book, a short story, a play, a pamphlet or even an office memo that won't get instantly relegated to the round file, how do you find the right words to grab your readers and compel them to keep reading? What is that mysterious something that makes them keep coming back for more?

I would like to think it's a well-guarded secret by the famous who have their works prominently displayed in bookstores and all over the internet, but this doesn't appear to be true. Otherwise, why does a well-established writer with a large public, create a dud for the marketplace that makes people start wondering if they've crested the hill and are on a swift ride to the bottom? I'm not talking here about obviously bad writers that get published because they know someone or have a great idea that makes their readers overlook the glaring faults because they like the story line or are too young to know any better. I'm talking about good writers that go bad either for a short season or forever.

I used to have a cat who sat by my computer while I typed. Paws the muse. She's gone now to where the catnip never runs out, but sometimes I think about her while I'm working and the ideas are flowing and wonder if she's still looking out for me. Captain the pug does often lie near me when I'm writing, but I've never felt he was contributing much other than a snore here and there.

I wish creativity would just show up every time I sit down to work. I have to admit sometimes when I launch into a new chapter or story I do it in spite of feeling nothing is there to give. Sadly enough I'm on occasion proved right when I later look over the drivel I've produced. Sometimes, those wonderful times, I begin feeling nothing but from somewhere the words almost produce themselves.

I wish I could bottle that. It would be a hot commodity.

Sweet Pain (Joy on the Road Less Traveled by Nancy and David Norris

2009-10-07T18:37:00.000-07:00

Everyone wants that perfect bundle. A genius infant with ten perfect little toes, bursting with good health and smiles for the adoring parents. What happens when that precious baby is born with serious health issues? What happens when the truth begins to sink in that this child will never live what we able-bodied think of as a normal life; will never run and play, grow up, marry, produce more babies for the family to enjoy?

This is what happened to Nancy and David when Nathaniel was born. Suddenly the future they'd envisioned as a couple, as a family, as a pastor and pastor's wife, turned dark and threatening. All those Christian platitudes such as "God must really love you to trust you with this child" or "God knows best" seemed hollow and cruel. "Sweet Pain" is a book about two very real people who were challenged in ways they hadn't known were possible.

This isn't a pollyanna story. Nor is it written with poetry and beautiful language. It's a gritty how do we get from here to there sort of tale. Concurrent with the story of Nathaniel there's also an extended family drama to deal with which at first might seem to be a separate issue from their struggles with their son, but it turns out it isn't. There are lessons to be learned, and Nathaniel is at the heart of them.

When I finished reading this book, I realized the story isn't over. Nathaniel has gone on to God but his parents are still grieving, still missing their son who was the focus of their existence during his short life, still grappling with the way Nathaniel changed them and changed their marriage.

This book raises more questions than it answers. There's no Hollywood ending.

Name that Teacher

2009-09-10T14:41:00.000-07:00

Okay. It's September. School's started. Here's a challenge and a good memory exercise. Name as many of your teachers and profs as you can. 1 Point for every name. 2 points if you can remember at least one of the subjects they taught or what grade you were in when you were lucky enough to meet them or unfortunate enough to fall into their clutches depending on how you view that experience. Along the way it might be nice to send a good thought or prayer their way - especially if they inspired you when you were in their classroom. I'll start. No fair checking yearbooks.

Miss Debbie (KG), Mrs Toothacker (1st), Mrs. Simmons (2nd), Mrs. Gook (3rd), Mrs. Jackson (4th), Mr. Kwapis 5th & 6th), Mr. Best (Math), Mr. Malachnik (Science), Mr. Rasmussen (Homeroom), Miss Coruna (Home Ec), Mr. Bartch (Choir), Miss Rubenstein (English), Mr. Huffsinger (Gym), Mr. Wright (Algebra), Prof Drain (History), Sister Norris (Child Psych), Brother Sabin (Religion Analysis, Miss Zewiski (Music), Brother Grant (Church History), Brother Norris (Church Doctrine), Annabelle McIlnay (Writing for Fun & Profit)

Okay. There are a lot more I can't remember. I got 42 (coincidentally the important number in Hitchhiker's Guide or maybe it isn't a coincidence). Can you beat me?

Top Five Health Care Reform Lies—and How to Fight Back

2009-08-23T12:49:00.000-07:00

Top Five Health Care Reform Lies—and How to Fight Back

Lie #1: President Obama wants to euthanize your grandma!!!

The truth: These accusations—of "death panels" and forced euthanasia—are, of course, flatly untrue. As an article from the Associated Press puts it: "No 'death panel' in health care bill."⁴ What's the real deal? Reform legislation includes a provision, supported by the AARP, to offer senior citizens access to a professional medical counselor who will provide them with information on preparing a living will and other issues facing older Americans.⁵

Lie #2: Democrats are going to outlaw private insurance and force you into a government plan!!!

The truth: With reform, choices will increase, not decrease. Obama's reform plans will create a health insurance exchange, a one-stop shopping marketplace for affordable, high-quality insurance options.⁶ Included in the exchange is the public health insurance option—a nationwide plan with a broad network of providers—that will operate alongside private insurance companies, injecting competition into the market to drive quality up and costs down.⁷

If you're happy with your coverage and doctors, you can keep them.⁸ But the new public plan will expand choices to millions of businesses or individuals who choose to opt into it, including many who simply can't afford health care now.

Lie #3: President Obama wants to implement Soviet-style rationing!!!

The truth: Health care reform will expand access to high-quality health insurance, and give individuals, families, and businesses more choices for coverage. Right now, big corporations decide whether to give you coverage, what doctors you get to see, and whether a particular procedure or medicine is covered—that is rationed care. And a big part of reform is to stop that.

Health care reform will do away with some of the most nefarious aspects of this rationing: discrimination for pre-existing conditions, insurers that cancel coverage when you get sick, gender discrimination, and lifetime and yearly limits on coverage.⁹ And outside of that, as noted above, reform will increase insurance options, not force anyone into a rationed situation.

Lie #4: Obama is secretly plotting to cut senior citizens' Medicare benefits!!!

The truth: Health care reform plans will not reduce Medicare benefits.¹⁰ Reform includes savings from Medicare that are unrelated to patient care—in fact, the savings comes from cutting billions of dollars in overpayments to insurance companies and eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse.¹¹

Lie #5: Obama's health care plan will bankrupt America!!!

The truth: We need health care reform now in order to prevent bankruptcy—to control spiraling costs that affect individuals, families, small businesses, and the American economy.

Right now, we spend more than $2 trillion dollars a year on health care.¹² The average family premium is projected to rise to over $22,000 in the next decade¹³—and each year, nearly a million people face bankruptcy because of medical expenses.¹⁴ Reform, with an affordable, high-quality public option that can spur competition, is necessary to bring down skyrocketing costs. Also, President Obama's reform plans would be fully paid for over 10 years and not add a penny to the deficit.¹⁵

The 3's of Me

2009-08-08T07:40:00.000-07:00

Three names I go by
1. Nora
2. Virginia Slim (back in the skinny days)
3. Mom, Mum, Mummers

Three Jobs I have had in my life
1. Admin
2. Tech Analyst
3. Financial Analyst

Three Places I have lived
1. St. Paul, MN
2. Oskaloosa, IA
3. Blue Island, IL

Three Favorite drinks
1. Pina Colada
2. Mojito
3. Mai Tai

Three TV Shows that I watch
1. Eureka
2. Desperate Housewives
3. Warehouse 13

Three places I have been
1. Hawaii
2. Aruba
3. Cozumel

Three of my favorite foods
1. Dragoba Bars with lavender & blueberries
2. Pepper Steak
3. Tacos

Three friends I think will respond
1. Sandy
2. Tammy
3. Chris

Three Things I am looking forward to
1. Trip to Portland to see Suzette & Heather
2. Trip to South Padre Island
3. Getting Janet Howard back to work

People who text me regularly:
1. Suzette
2.Jim
3. Zat's it

A Challenge

2009-07-14T13:49:00.000-07:00

I went to the dictionary and picked ten words at random. You should be able to tell this just by looking at the list. Here's the challenge. Try writing a one-paragraph short story involving at least 5 of the words on the list. You can pluralize, change tense, etc. as long as the root word remains. Feel free to post it. I will start.

Morph
Senile
Deport
Thermomotor
Forage
Stimulant
Conventional
Apocryphal
Waiting
Overwork

While waiting for the thermomotor to heat up I noticed my boss foraging through some newly delivered boxes. I smirked, knowing she was looking for a stimulant so she could morph into a half-way intelligent person before the big bosses showed up. But the whole department was tired of being overworked because this woman couldn't even find her own lunch in the refrigerator. No one had ordered any drugs. Conventional wisdom says the top bananas should have had her deported that day when they arrived to find her trying to figure out how to turn on her own computer. They didn't. She went for advanced management training, and the rest of us are still overworked. This story is not completely apocryphal.

MISS MELVILLE REGRETS by Evelyn Smith

2009-07-03T06:34:00.000-07:00

I picked this book off the library shelf for the simple reason my husband's grandfather was married to an Evelyn Smith. I took a look at the blurb on the inside cover and thought it looked interesting enough to check out. I'm a mystery lover, but a lot of mystery books just do not hold my interest. This book, however, is a page turner. I suppose you could call it a cozy since there's no blood and guts, but Miss Melville is not a cozy person. She's a middle-aged woman who has had it up to here with society's rejection and takes a stand. A would-be-suicide turns quickly to murder and Miss Melville finds gainful employment as an assassin. I laughed my way through the entire book - mainly due to Miss Melville's observations.

HOLY MOLY by Ben Rehder

2009-05-25T06:05:00.000-07:00

A fossil is missing in Texas, and there are a lot of people who want to find it. From mobsters to lawmen to rednecks to church people it becomes their holy grail, and they will stop at nothing to get their paws on it. This book is pure fun - great satire. It's like taking a ride on a roller coaster with dips (pun intended) and curves everywhere. I actually slowed down toward the end of this book because I didn't want the ride to end. How this author manages to keep all the characters moving on the board shows real talent. I never got bored or confused. This book won't teach you anything, but it will make you laugh.

BURNT SHADOWS by Kamila Shamsie

2009-05-11T08:10:00.000-07:00

I just finished this book, but I'm still trying to digest it. It's fiction and the story begins in Nagasaki in 1945 on the day the bomb falls, then jumps to Delhi India in 1947 finally ending up in New York 2002. Basically it's the interwoven story of several families and the influence of war on human relationships. I found the book fascinating because I have such limited knowledge of India and Afghanistan where most of the book is set. There are a few slogging through parts but not many and those are mostly getting inside a character's head for too long. What really blew me away was the ending. I definitely do not like the ending, and I've been asking myself why. I don't have to give it away to discuss it.

I think like an American because I am one. Even if I'm more liberal than conservative, even if I know the United States has done a lot of harm in the world as well as a lot of good, I still have an American world viewpoint. I have mixed feelings about our dropping the bombs on Japan, especially Nagasaki. I think there's some merit to the argument our country was trying to save American lives because of course that had to be our goal. A country goes to war to win - every country that goes to war goes to win - even if the odds are stacked against it, there has to be the belief that victory is possible. So, when the argument that America thought it was justified in bombing Hiroshima because it would save more American lives proves the United States is a monster, I'm going to disagree. It was horrible. People suffered and died and still generations later the effects of that day, both physical and emotional, are still being felt. However, had Japan had the bomb, I have no doubt they would have dropped it on us. I'm basing that on the viciousness of the attack on Pearl Harbor. That was the state of the relationship between our two countries at that time. Let me say I still don't understand Nagasaki. There are conflcting arguments there.

I definitely do not like what happened in Afghanistan. In hindsight it would have been better to let the afghans and the Soviets battle it out. It would have been a Vietnam for the USSR. We should never have backed the Taliban. That's the problem in getting involved in another country's war. How can you be sure you are backing the right side.

Still, I don't think the US is to blame for all the ills of the world. Yes, we are arrogant. We believe our form of government is the only one worth merit, and there is an element in this country that believes that is true only if American business interests are not threatened. Witness Nicaragua in the 1950's when the US put down a democratic uprising because it threatened the interests of an American businessman.

This book is written by a Pakastani woman. It's worth a read because:

1. It's well written
2. It's recent history (fictional but at least there's an attempt to be factual) written from the viewpoint of a non-American.

I think this book will stick with me for some time. The best compliment I can give a book is "it made me think".

That's enough. Probably way too long.

2009-04-18T05:20:00.000-07:00

TEN THINGS I WILL NEVER DO AGAIN

1. Eat liver
2. Read War and Peace
3. Go into the pasture of a large surly goat
4. Take an animal to the humane society
5. Read Lord of the Rings
6. Watch Leave it to Beaver
7. Stand up immediately after downing tequila shots
8. Watch a horror movie alone at night
9. Go snorkeling at low tide
10. Eat Poi

INCOME TAX & LENT

2009-03-25T06:24:00.000-07:00

I've been watching Jim do our income taxes using Turbo Tax which incidentally appears to be a good software program. This is the second year he's used it. Doing our taxes has always been Jim's responsibility since he is good at it and trust me, I will keep telling him that because he keeps buying it. My role is technical services. So unless there's a glitch in the program or something in our computer isn't working correctly, I am able to do whatever I want while he spends hours doing whatever one does when filing income taxes. If I'm somewhere near him, I do have to listen to some "frickin frackin" but other than checking to see if he needs help desk support, I am free to stay or move on to quieter locales. I'm quite happy with this arrangement.

Yesterday during a post filing debriefing session Jim told me about his Income Tax & Lent theory. He feels they fall in the same months for a reason. Both involve a lot of soul searching as in:

"Dear God did I really do that. I am so sorry."

and

"Dear me did I really spend all that money. I am so sorry."

Whether holding up our behavior or our financial records to scrutiny, it all ends up in one place. Guiltville.

I asked him did he think somehow the government was getting involved in religion (smirk on my part) and he said probably not, but they saw a good thing nonetheless. Lent started long before US income tax, but he seems to feel our government saw an opportunity when people are already in guilt mode to set the date for tax season.

Now Jim is an X-Files fan (like me) so there's no doubt he sees government conspiracy everywhere. Still, I thought this was a very interesting conspiracy theory and one I'd never thought of before.

I just hope I don't wake up some night and find our Turbo Tax CD out in the family room trying to gain access to our Lenten DVD.

Rush Limbaugh a Closet Democrat?

2009-03-09T05:44:00.000-07:00

There's a rumor going around that Rush Limbaugh is a closet democrat and laughing his way to the bank. Has anyone else heard that rumor? If not, would you be willing to spread it?

COWARDS AND RACISM

2009-03-03T04:54:00.000-08:00

The story behind the President Obama display in a Coral Gables Florida bookstore is making the rounds on the internet and unfortunately it is true. However, Barnes & Noble claims they didn't put out the display. They claim this was set up by a prankster and then photographed. I wonder how that could go unnoticed by the staff, but let's take the high road and say it was a busy day and the staff was preoccupied. Why doesn't the responsible person come forward and take the heat off? If they are willing to stir up such controversy, why not take ownership? It's a free country. They have freedom of speech. The reason they won't is they're afraid - COWARDLY. It's the KKK tactic - wear white sheets so no one can see your face. Even before President Obama took office I've noticed a rise in thinly disguised racism. Jokes circulating via email about Obama being black. They're just not funny. However, if I say so, the sender says lighten up, it was meant to be a joke. I don't think so. I think it's passive aggressive behavior. It's someone who is afraid to turn loose of that little edge of superiority they really only think they possess. Without turning into a totalitarian state we can't at the government level stop magazines* from printing racist cartoons or bookstores* from putting out racist displays, but we can stop it at the personal level. We can call someone out when they tell a racist joke. We can refuse to pass along racism emails. We can teach our children and other people's children that we come into contact with that racism is wrong on a moral level and counterproductive to this country's success in the world market.

*We can boycott magazines and stores. It's a powerful tool in the thinking person's arsenal. However, I would caution we do so only after we have all our facts straight.

Two Books I Would Like to Recommend

2009-02-18T08:02:00.000-08:00

Writers often hang around with other writers and I'm no exception. Over the years I've had the good fortune to belong to a couple of good writers circles. I'd like to promote two authors I know who currently have books out on the market:

1. Legerdemain by P.S. Ramsey. This is a good fantasy novel and the first in a trilogy. It has magic and wizards and a princess in need of rescue. There's a young hero who's a slave but wants to be a free man. I really liked this book and would recommend it for late grade school through adult. It's available on Amazon.com and will soon be available on Com-Publishing.com (their website is currently being updated so there's no pay cart available.)

2. Chicken Wings for the Beer Drinkers Soul by Bob Maier and Bill Messner-Loebs. Everything you wanted to know about America's favorite beverage (forget the Pepsi-Coke wars). I've also read this book and would recommend it for beer-drinkers and non-beer-drinkers alike. It's witty, informative and the illustrations alone will make you laugh. It's available on Amazon.com, Target.com and will also be available through Com Publishing.

Connie Willis

2009-02-04T09:31:00.000-08:00

I spent the last hour watching an interview with Connie Willis, the science fiction author. Let me say that she is one of my favorite authors. If you haven't read any of her books, here are some of my favorites:

To Say Nothing of the Dog
The Doomsday Book
Lincoln's Dreams
Bellwether
Firewatch

Many of her novels and short stories have to do with time travel, and some of her characters appear in more than one book.

Having said that, the interview with her got me to thinking about why we like certain authors and not others, especially why we stick with certain authors through thick and thin. In my opinion Connie Willis' last two books have been less than stellar. Both "Passages" and "All Seated on the Ground" are not examples of her best work. However, she has another novel coming out. Will I read it. Yes.

If I absolutely love a book, I always go looking for other books by the same author. Recently I read a mystery with a female detective and thought I have to read more of these. I tried and couldn't get past the first chapter of the next book I read. I probably won't try again with this author. There are authors such as Lillian Jackson Braun who I keep reading even if every book isn't fantastic. Why? Because I fell in love with her human and feline characters and want to know what happens to them. I fell in love with Anne George's characters and will never find out anything more about them since Anne went on to that great writers conference in the hereafter.

Nobody can get it right 100 per cent of the time, but I only have so much time to read, so once in awhile an author falls off my list. I think sometimes as fans we force authors to keep putting out books about the same characters even after it's obvious they should be writing about a new cast. I love the Ellie and Ben mysteries by Dorothy Cannell. Set in England, they are funny and have good plot lines. I liked them all the way up through "Bridesmaids Revisited", then they fell flat. Dorothy tried getting a new cast of characters, but I have a sneaking suspicion her fans didn't support this move.

In the past I've always felt the author owes me because I'm the one who buys their book, but do I owe the author something as well and if so, what?

Creating a Web Page

2009-01-29T09:23:00.000-08:00

An author should have a website. Right? Otherwise how can we let the world know our baby is out of the playpen and ready for action.

Creating a website? It should be easy. After all, with today's hosting sites it shouldn't be that difficult. Drag and drop. Paste a link. Drop in a picture or a graphic. They even furnish lovely little templates for you. Myriads of lovely little templates. And that's where it started. Someone like me who has to look at about a hundred templates before making up her mind, is in trouble from the get-go. So, after choosing a template, could I be satisfied with what it offered. Noooooo. Just had to mess with it. I might as well have chosen a basic template and went from there.

Two days later I have a home page - http://www.noracooksmith.com/ - but no other pages done on the site. Plus my domain name isn't pointing correctly yet. Maybe soon.

Innauguration Day 2009

2009-01-20T05:20:00.000-08:00

I've been watching "The Presidents" on the history channel and finding it fascinating. It's been awhile since I had an American History class, and as my husband Jim put it, they didn't teach us that stuff in school. Actually I did have a college professor who taught a pretty decent history of America which translates to he wasn't afraid to dish the dirt.

So, in looking back over past presidential terms of office, it's interesting to see what they were remembered for, loved for and despised for, and that got me wondering to how our new President Barak Obama will be viewed in years to come. Of course he's the first African American to hold this office and that in itself is a honor, but I hope he becomes one of the remembered ones because of his strong character and leadership qualities.

Here's my wish list for our new president:
The courage of George Washington
The faithulness of Abraham Lincoln
The feistiness of Theodore Roosevelt
The charisma of Franklin Roosevelt

I'm excited about this beautiful young family representing our country. I'm glad that children's laughter will once again ring through the white house. I hope Barak and Michelle find time to kiss and hug each other and their children. There are still bad times ahead (when in the history of the world have there not been bad times ahead?) but I want hope and courage and faithfulness and good old American feistiness to survive and be alive and well the day Barak Obama hands over the reins of office to a newcomer.

God bless America and God bless this innauguration day.

A sappy patriot,
Nora

Most Dangerous Cake Recipe in the World

2009-01-11T15:12:00.000-08:00

When I saw this recipe I should have just turned around and walked away. I knew it would be wrong to try it but I did it anyway. It is probably wrong of me to pass it on but I'm going to do so. Hate me if you will, but remember you could have just turned around and walked away.

MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE
1 Coffee Mug
4 TBSP flour (plain flour - not self-rising)
4 TBSP sugar
2 TBSP baking cocoa
1 egg
3 TBSP milk
3 TBSP oil
3 TBSP chocolate chips (optional - ha ha - in what universe?)
3 TBSP chopped nuts (optional)
Small splash of vanilla

Add dry ingredients to mug and mix well. Add egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in milk and oil and mix well. Add chocolate chips and nuts (if using) and vanilla and mix again.

Put mug in microwave and cook on high for 3 minutes. The cake will rise over the top of the mug but it won't run over.

Allow to cool and tip out onto a plate. In theory this can serve two. A scoop of vanilla ice cream would not hurt anything.

Why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world? If you haven't figured that out yet, think harder. You are now only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any time of the day or night.

Remember - the first temptation was about food.

A Road More Traveled Than You Might Think

2009-01-08T08:34:00.000-08:00

This is my first post and you have a fellow writer and friend,Chris Nadeau (http://christopher-nadeau.blogspot.com/), to blame for this. Chris has been urging me to start a blog so here goes. Since my first book has been published*, I've been approached by people asking me how to get started in a writing career. I started writing early on in life but it wasn't until I joined an on-going writers workshop and met Annabelle McIlnay, the workshop's coordinator, that I got serious about publication. She basically told me that I had good ideas, but I had a lot to learn about how to present them. She was an excellent teacher and I was a willing student. Sadly, Annabelle shuffled off this mortal coil on twelf night five years ago so I can't send anyone to her to learn her kung fu, although there are rumors some of her books on writing may be republished. In the meantime, here are some ideas for those who aspire to write.

1. Take classes in journalism, creative writing, etc.
2. Subscribe to writing magazines.
3. Read books on how to write.
4. Find a writing group that meets and critiques each others' work and be willing to accept and give criticism.
5. Write Write Write. I can't stress this enough.
6. Carry a notebook to jot down ideas because you will forget them.
7. The market is changing all the time so you have to go with the flow. People are making their own markets.

*My book is A Not So Perfect Christmas and is available on Amazon.

In my humble opinion (ha)
Nora