Terry Pratchett Creates Sword with Meteorites

Okay. You've probably all heard about this by now. Our favorite fantasy/humor writer, Terry Pratchett, has decided to make himself a sword out of meteorites.

I announced this to my husband in astonishment, and he replied, "Well, what else are you going to do with meteorites? Keep them on a shelf?" -- Mrs. Hall

A Mad Rejection

A Mad Rejection
Check out this link above... Glad I'm not the only one who receives these! (Rejection letters, I mean. Not specifically ones from MAD Magazine... I don't think I've ever actually submitted something to them... -- Mrs Hall

Kurt Vonnegut on Short Story Rules

Kurt Vonnegut had some interesting things to say about the "rules" for writing a great short story. I find it interesting that he went on to say "that Flannery O'Connor broke all these rules except the first, and that great writers tend to do that." Nice bit of praise for a wholly Catholic author from someone who considered himself an Atheist! -- Mrs. Hall

CROSS SYMBOL Using Computer Keyboard †

A Review: The Reluctant Entertainer by Sandy Coughlin

I suppose I was expecting something different from this book, The Reluctant Entertainer by Sandy Coughlin. I guess I could say I was expecting practical advice on things to do for entertaining a group of friends: you know, "this is what a place setting is supposed to look like" or "this is when this kind of wine should be served".

As it turns out, this is more of a book of affirmations to bolster the confidence of the inexpert entertainer. Basically, she says this: "Don't worry about making things perfect. Just be yourself." And it IS good advice! I have much more fun entertaining when I just shrug my shoulders and say, "My guests have doubtlessly seen a few unwashed dishes before. I'm not going to freak out about it."

And I won't say that she doesn't give ANY practical advice. She does have recipes and a few recommendations for when to serve them or how to give a nice party.

But I was hoping for more practical advice and less affirmation. I can't give this book a bad review because I'm sure it would be useful to someone whose main entertaining problems are nerves and worrying about "perfection"... I generally don't, though. So I wanted some of that practical stuff -- "what to serve on a midsummer's evening" -- "what to do to keep your guests entertained" and such. Oh well. -- Mrs. Hall

Nathan Bransford - Literary Agent: The One Question Writers Should Never Ask Themselv...

This gentleman makes some very good points. You should click on and read the whole thing...!

Nathan Bransford - Literary Agent: The One Question Writers Should Never Ask Themselv...: "Over the course of writing and maintaining this blog, I've found that there is one sure-fire way a commenter can set my teeth on edge and ma..."

The pope is writing a book about the infancy of Jesus

So the Pope writes a huge, scholarly book, longhand -- and has, several times -- during a three-week vacation.*sigh* Makes me feel like a slacker, taking a year plus to write just one lousy fiction  novel, but I guess that's why he's the Pope. -- Mrs. Hall  †