My Three Sons

Stanley Livingston, Ernie on the sitcom My Three Sons, has written a memoir. I loved that show as did many of my childhood generation. You can order it from a TV Ad from MeTV, or at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Of course, there was a doll on that show, later on, which makes it fodder for my bibliopgraphy. Look for exciting news involving my blog posts in 2014, and Happy New Year to all my readers!

An Apologia for Countess Erzebet Bathory: Dr. E's Doll Museum Blog: Seasons Greetings, Merry...

An Apologia for Countess Erzebet Bathory: Dr. E's Doll Museum Blog: Seasons Greetings, Merry...: Dr. E's Doll Museum Blog: Seasons Greetings, Merry Christmas and Peace in 20... : From a Facebook friend; Enjoy!!!

Length is a Guide

From ProBlogger; tips on lenghts of posts: Last week I was involved in a number of conversations with readers about blog post length and whether it was better to write long posts or short ones. I'm always telling my students assigned paper lengths are guides; say whatyou need to say, don't count words. But, practicality is something else. On another note, a KISS memoir is on its way. Now is the time to look for new memoirs and biographies, including a "tell all" but Lindsey Lohan in the works. My thing is, someone ask me if I want to listen to the tell all. :) My short answer to the question was to write ‘useful’ posts, and to use as many words as were necessary to do so. Having said that, I have been experimenting over the last few months with the two extremes of short and long posts. If you’ve been paying attention here on ProBlogger this year, you’ll have seen some of what our team have called ‘mega posts’. For example here on ProBlogger we’ve published: ■The Ultimate Guide to Making Money with the Amazon Affiliate Program (7683 words) ■The Ultimate Guide to Selling Your Blog (5470 words) ■The Complete Guide to Getting Started on Pinterest (4734 words) ■The Ultimate Guide to Leaving Comments on Blogs (2047 words) Over on dPS we also experimented with longer posts including on a post titled The Ultimate Guide to Learning How to Use Your First DSLR (4202 words). These posts have all performed well above average compared with other posts on my sites over the last 12 months (in fact they feature pretty heavily in the most-read new posts on my blogs in 2013). What About Series of Posts? When I recounted the above examples in conversation this week the question that came each time was whether the same content could have been delivered as series of posts. Wouldn’t it make sense to break a 7000-word post down into 10 700-word posts? The answer, of course, is that a series of posts is definitely an option. I’ve certainly created my fair share of series over the years, and will continue to do so, but I also think there is a place for longer-form content. In fact, I think good long-form content has some distinct advantages over series of posts. For me, I think the main advantage of long form content is that its just more useful and convenient for readers to get it all in one go. A series of blog posts is great for page views and helping you to fill a week’s editorial calendar, however if you put yourself in a reader’s shoes, it can also be a little (or a lot) painful. Readers following the blog have to wait for new posts to be published before getting the full information in the series. Readers who come across the series later have to follow links between posts to get each installment. Neither of these problems are enough to stop me writing a series of posts, however, there are a couple of good reasons why I think long-form content is attractive to readers. The other thing I’ve noticed about good quality and useful long-form content is that it gets shared – a lot. While I’ve had great search traffic to each of the above posts this year, they have each been shared at a higher rate than the average post on my blogs in the same timeframe. While I do find my series of posts can get shared around too, I’ve never seen a series that I’ve written shared as much as some of the long-form content I’ve created (the only exception might have been when I first ran 31 Days to Build a Better Blog as a series many years ago). Choose the Best Length for the Topic At Hand Let me finish by saying that I am not suggesting creating longer-form content just for the sake of publishing longer-form content. The key is to choose the appropriate length and style of posts for the topic you’re covering. Long form, short form, series of posts or other formats can all work. Have you tried longer-form content? I’ve love to hear about your experience of longer-form content. Have you tried it? How was it received? Please share a link in comments below – I’d love to see your longer posts. Originally at: Blog Tips at ProBlogger

Dr. E's Doll Museum Blog: Seasons Greetings, Merry Christmas and Peace in 20...

Dr. E's Doll Museum Blog: Seasons Greetings, Merry Christmas and Peace in 20...: From a Facebook friend; Enjoy!!!

Miss Charlotte Bronte meets Miss Barbara Pym: Barbara Pym Doll by Debbie Ritter

Miss Charlotte Bronte meets Miss Barbara Pym: Barbara Pym Doll by Debbie Ritter: From our friend Debbie Ritter of Uneek Doll Designs comes this wonderful portrait doll of Barbara Pym. We love her creations, and own seve...

Miss Charlotte Bronte meets Miss Barbara Pym: Here and There, Pym does Mention her Dolls, Idols,...

Miss Charlotte Bronte meets Miss Barbara Pym: Here and There, Pym does Mention her Dolls, Idols,...: Marcia the Collector from Quarter in Autumn might approve: See below, written by Annetta Miller, a freelance writer who also wrote for New...

Dr E's Doll Museum in the News

See below, written by Annetta Miller, a freelance writer who also wrote for Newsweek wrote a very nice feature about us: When Dr. Ellen Tsagaris was a child in Greece, her mother presented her with a rubber yellow bunny doll that squeaked. “I liked it very much,” she recalled. Two Greek dolls dressed in national costumes followed that present. “By then, I was hooked. I remember saying, ‘I’m going to collect dolls.’” And collect she did. Today, some 50 years later, Ellen is not only the chair of multiple academic departments, but also one of the nation’s foremost collectors of and authorities on antique dolls. “When I was young, I loved portrait painting and I was interested in photography, costumes, and textiles, too,” she said. “I found that doll collecting encompassed all those interests. I’ve always loved having dolls, collecting dolls and reading about dolls.” Wooden dolls, porcelain dolls, dolls made of china and wax, Ellen has them all. And this year, she authored the first definitive book on dolls made from metal. Entitled With Love from Tin Lizzie, A History of Metal Heads, Metal Dolls, Mechanical Dolls, and Automatons, the book addresses the way dolls reflect cultures and civilizations, and how they have given rise to an international “doll economy.” Reviewers have described the book as an “academic text, a photo album, and book of memories all in one.” Ellen’s dolls hail from 50 U.S. states and most of the countries in Europe, Asia and South America. Her family–world travelers–have continued to bring Ellen antique dolls, folk dolls, costume dolls and souvenir dolls from all parts of the globe. One of her favorites is her ‘Vogue Baby Dear,” the type of doll that Communist Party Secretary Nikita Khrushchev took back to his grandchildren in Russia after his iconic “shoe-banging” speech to the United Nations in 1960. She received a Japanese Ningyo doll made of papier mache and covered in white oyster shell enamel when her Uncle Tom visited Japan as a U.S. Serviceman in the Korean War. At Knott’s Berry Farm in California, her father presented her with a strawberry blonde doll designed by celebrated ballet dancer and artist Suzanne Gibson. When she’s not collecting dolls, Ellen is something of an academic renaissance woman. She holds a law degree, a doctorate in Modern British Literature, a Master’s Degree in English, and a Bachelor’s Degree in English and Spanish. She is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa honorary society. A member of the Kaplan family for 15 years, Ellen chairs three academic departments, including Legal Studies/Paralegal Studies, Public Safety, and Humanities/Composition. Her interest in dolls has dovetailed seamlessly with her academic interests. She has researched and written about dolls in literature and about Anne Rice, who was an avid doll collector. Ellen’s next frontier: When she retires, she hopes to establish a non-profit doll museum similar to the one Rice established at the former St. Elizabeth’s orphanage in New Orleans. The museum will tell the story of human history through dolls, dollhouses, and related objects.

Writing your Memoirs: My Original Course-We're close to 10,000 Viewers!!

Writing Your Memoirs: We all have an Interesting life story to tell! Overview: In this course we will explore the genre of memoir. We will review the works of writers who have written about ordinary events in their lives which have inspired them in order to see that our own lives contain many meaningful experiences that will serve as inspiration for our own writing. Students will sample three varied techniques that will show them how to take their life experiences to create a memoir to record their events. Students will receive a packet of materials, samples, and other resources to help them continue with their project once they complete this class. Students will discuss classifying and organizing events and collecting artifacts and photos that will help them in their project. They will also be encouraged to discuss and reflect on the significance of remembered events and to keep a notebook of their thoughts and feelings. The instructor will share examples of memoir that she has taught and created in order in inspire the class. By the end of the session, students will have drafted an introduction and set of notes or outline to help them begin their Memoirs. Topics covered include: 1. Defining a Memoir, compare and contrast with biography and autobiography 2. What is an epiphany? What is a significant event to you and why? 3. Using treasured objects as catalysts 4. Writing around a photo, or using illustration 5. Using favorite recipes or patterns to tell stories 6. Organizing events around: a. Stages of life: infancy/childhood; adolescence/adulthood/family life/professional life b. Major life events c. Holidays and family/friend gatherings d. Emblematic moments e. Audience Objectives/Outcomes: The student will demonstrate: 1. Oral and written language skills to create, clarify, and extend their personal understanding of what they experience through their senses through introspection and interaction with others. 2. Practice and apply basic investigative techniques to generating material for memoir , including the use of questions Who? What? When? Where? How? Why? 3. ability and confidence to use oral and written language to the needs of their audience 4. Interest in writing and reading as a means to understanding themselves 5. creation of Memoir to record and preserve emblematic moments in their lives 6. Knowledge to help them complete their project and continue their interest through possibly joining a writers group that specializes in Memoir writing. Materials and techniques instructor will share with students include: Books, excerpts poetry, essays include: Marcel Proust, Remembrance of things Past Truman Capote, A Christmas Memory Barbara Pym, A Very Private Eye Annie Dillard, Pilgrim at Tinker Creek Joan Didion, On Keeping a Notebook Gunda Davis, Pumpkin Soup and Shrapnel Personal Memoir and Journals belonging to the author Works by Laura Ingalls Wilder The Journals of Sylvia Plath The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin Works by Maya Angelou Dolly Parton, Coat of Many Colors Works by Tasha Tudor Barbara Cooney, Hattie and the Wild Waves Jean Little Little by Little Robert Kimmel Smith The War with Grandpa Works by Ray Bradbury Works by Charlotte Bronte Crescent Dragonwagon, Home Place N. Scott Momaday, The Way to Rainy Mountain The Diary of Anne Frank Patricia MacLachlan, Sarah, Plain and Tall Students will also receive a bibliography of these and other works helpful to their interest in Memoir. Above works will be prepared and excerpted, where necessary, by the Instructor.

Message from the River

See below; here is a true collector's spirit; how Chad Pegracke started a Message in the Bottle collection from what he gleaned from the Mighty Mississippi: "In my work, I see thousands of plastic bottles out there. But I'm always scanning, looking in every bottle for a piece of paper. You get psyched out a lot because people have stuffed napkins or wrappers in there. You get kind of excited and then, "Oh no." It's the ultimate thing to find out there. When you're working, you don't use that time to open it right then. You put it in (the) boat, think about it and then open it up and read it. There's usually a lot of anticipation for it, especially at a big cleanup. It's a romantic idea. And truthfully, most of them aren't like a treasure map. Usually they're more intimate. ... They're sort of writing to the universe or the one above, just putting their thoughts out there."

Dr. E's Doll Museum Blog: Our Wishlist and some thoughts on Jimi Hendrix

Dr. E's Doll Museum Blog: Our Wishlist and some thoughts on Jimi Hendrix: As long as the big man in the red suit is coming soon, we will continue our museum wishlist. Wishes are, after all free, and sometimes, the...

Books Still the Majority and a Question for my Readers

Today as I was driving to work in the rainy fog of chilly October morning, I heard on NPR that books are still 80% of the publishing industry with eBooks, Kindles, Nooks, etc., making up the other 20%. True food for thought. As I have always said, I am a sucker for the heft of a book in my hand. I would be one of those affluent 17th c. women who had their portraits done among their libraries and curiosities, true signs of affluence and wealth in their day. If books were wealth, I'd be a billionaire today. Perhaps if I sold mine at $1 each, I'd still be going away with a good nest egg. I have so many memories associated with books and school, and they are almost always good. I still retreat to them in hard times. As one attorney colleague of mine once said, when his mother died during his thirteenth year, it was books that pulled him through. Another friend, a young mother with 4 little kids, once told me she often wished she were in school, just her and her books. What book would you take with you to a deserted island? Could you choose? If all your books, really all of them, could be put on an eReader, would you put them there and get rid of the actual books? What do you read? What do you write? Where do you read? Who is your audience? Are reading and writing linked for you? I would love to know; feel free to answer in comments, or tweet me at hashtag Dr. E's Doll Museum. Happy Halloween!

Dr. E's Doll Museum Blog: Empty Mansions; the Life of Huguette Clark and Her...

Dr. E's Doll Museum Blog: Empty Mansions; the Life of Huguette Clark and Her...: >Empty Mansions: The Mysterious Life of Huguette Clark and the Spending of a Great American Fortune Hardcover– Deckle Edge by Bill De...

Dr. E's Doll Museum Blog: Halloween and Dolls and antique Wax Models for Ana...

Dr. E's Doll Museum Blog: Halloween and Dolls and antique Wax Models for Ana...: One of the things I enjoy is posting on Pinterest. I have a Holidays Board and a Doll Collection Board; both contain images of Halloween an...

What to do at a Reading

I did a reading tonight with some friends at our local library. There is a community program done every year called Read Local. Tonight, I read with three other women. As is often the case, a theme runs through the poetry. Tonight was autumn, Sylvia Plath, women accused of witchcraft, law, and religion. I read from With Love from Tin Lizzie about masks and automatons and from my chapbook, Sappho, I should have Listened. Poets were reading their title pieces, so I read the actual poem “Sappho, I should have Listened.” We read poems from different parts of our writing careers, and gave an idea of the structure of our books. For women falsely accused of sorcery, I read “The Blood Countess/ For Erzebet” I note that those who wrote historical fiction had a few notes about the history that inspired them. Others, including me, gave brief biographies of the women they wrote about and why they inspired them. I think a little background whets the audience’s appetite. We also brought copies of our books to display, exchange, and sell. Students of writing often introduce themselves, eager to join groups and get ideas. Ironically, a local poets group was meeting across the hall from where we did the reading. Read Local is a good way for local writers to become aware of each other. There are programs like it everywhere, and LinkedIn features groups for writers of all types. You can join as many groups as you want online and commiserate and get ideas. On another note, I picked up some magazines to read at the library, and one 2003 Doll Reader had an article by our friend Shirley Holub, on doll hospitals. She writes the Doll Hospital series for Scholastic Books. For those who write memoir, there are several new biographies and memoirs on the shelves, including one by Shirley Jones, where “Mrs. Partridge” allegedly tells all. Now is the time to get out those holiday ornaments, photos, and old cards. You never know what might trigger a memoir. You might also try a historical prompt, “Where were you when…..” and include a significant historical event that affected you.

Miss Charlotte Bronte meets Miss Barbara Pym: Another good Blog on the Brontes

Miss Charlotte Bronte meets Miss Barbara Pym: Another good Blog on the Brontes: Here is a link for Bronteana. http://bronteana.blogspot.com/index.html. This is a great blog on the Brontes, though I think she stopped in ...

Dr. E's Doll Museum Blog: Why so high?

Dr. E's Doll Museum Blog: Why so high?: As many of my readers know, I publish. I have been published by The Hobby House Press, The Tower Press Mazgzine, Fitzroy-Dearborn/Routhledg...

Dr. E's Doll Museum Blog: 9/11 In Memoriam-The Star Spangled Banner with all...

Dr. E's Doll Museum Blog: 9/11 In Memoriam-The Star Spangled Banner with all...: May never forget, may we always have courage, and may The United States always be The United States. To those who lost their lives at The P...

An Apologia for Countess Erzebet Bathory: Praise for The Bathory Chronicles! This was a 5 S...

An Apologia for Countess Erzebet Bathory: Praise for The Bathory Chronicles! This was a 5 S...: Defiled no more!, June 26, 2013 By Cy (Illinois, USA) - See all my reviewsAmazon Verified Purchase(What's this?) This review is from: ...

Tips for bloggers and writers

From Problogger.com some writing and blogging tips I found interesting. These are free to share. Building a Blog Brand, Posting Frequency and Choosing a Niche [Speed Q&A] Posted: 22 Aug 2013 08:17 AM PDT In our most recent webinar we had 700 questions submitted by attendees – many of which we simply didn’t have time to cover. Here are 3 of those questions and some quick answers. How to Build a Brand for Your Blog “What is the most important rule of thumb for building a brand?” – David I think the most critical thing you can do in building a brand around your blog is to give some time to considering what kind of brand you want to build. Amazon Founder Jeff Bezos is famously quoted as saying that “a brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room” – the question I think we all should ask is: What do we want people to say about our blog when we’re not in the room? Identify what you want to be known for and you’ll be in a much better position to BE that – which is key to building your brand. This clarity will inform the way that you write, the topics you cover, the social media personas you build etc – all of which contribute to your brand. Some further reading on Branding Blogs: ■A Key to Building a Sustainable Online Personal Brand ■Branding a Blog is Difficult – Or Is It? ■Branding Your Blog: You’re Doing it All Wrong Choosing a Niche: Profitability vs Personal Interest “What is more important, finding a profitable niche or finding something you love writing about?” – Carley Great question and one that I’m sure there are going to be many perspectives on! I guess it really comes down to your goals as a blogger as to how you answer that question. At one end of the spectrum – if you have no intention of making money blogging then obviously profitability of the niche does not come into it. At the other end of the spectrum – if you are blogging with the sole intent of making money then you’ll want to give the profitability of the niche at least some consideration. Most ProBlogger readers however start out with mixed emotions and so the answer is somewhere between the two. I personally have had 30 blogs over the years – the two that have had most success and profit have been the two blogs that I started because I really wanted to talk about the topics (blogging and photography). My genuine interest in the topic sustained me through the tough times and I like to think that my passion for the topics showed through in the way that I blogged – which I think is an attractive quality when you’re looking for new readers. Interestingly – the blogs that I started purely because I thought they might be profitable didn’t last long. I couldn’t sustain writing about them every day and I think those who did find the blogs were probably bored by what I wrote. So if I had to choose between ‘interest in the niche’ and ‘profitable niche’ – I’d probably choose ‘interest in the niche’ (having said that – you don’t have to choose between the two – you can aim somewhere in between). Ideal Posting Frequency What is an ideal number of post per week? – Marsha This is another question that there are many perspectives on and you’ll need to weigh up a number of factors including how much time you have, what type and length of posts you’ll be publishing, your goals for blogging etc It also comes down a little to experimenting to see what level of posting goes down well with your readers and how much you can sustain because posting frequency can have an impact upon both you and your readers in positive and negative ways. Let me expand on that a little: Impact Upon Your Readers: ■too much posting can burn your readers out and leave your readers feeling overwhelmed. ■too little posting can make it difficult to build momentum on your blog and won’t enable your readers to feel connected and engaged Impact Upon You ■too much posting can burn you out and have a detrimental impact upon the quality of your writing ■too little posting can leave you feeling disengaged from your blog and readers – while regular posting can help you to build momentum It’s a juggling act and you won’t really know what is right for you until you start. As a guide – I generally recommend if you’re starting out with blogging that you start with 3-4 posts per week if you can sustain that. You can then adjust your strategy from there as you get into the swing of blogging. Read more on posting frequency in this longer previous post on the topic. Originally at: Blog Tips at ProBlogger

Another Monday,and the rain beats down on our roof as though it would break right through and drown us all. Below are two more of the original tips. When time was my own, I loved browsing how-to books. I found many self-help books interesting, even if they couldn't help me. Dr. Laura's were always the most fun, and there was one about business called When Smart People Fail that gave anyone looking for a job a lot of insight. I love our local botanical center for many reasons, but one is that they have a great library, displayed in a comfortable setting. The books are all on plants and gardening, and are lovely in their own right. What a great place to research this topic, all in one place, where you can sit in style and take notes. I learned a lot about pioneer crafts by making dolls. G. Stanley Hall's 1897 classic A Study of Dolls gives lots of insight into pioneer and urban crafts, and into the creativity of children. Innovative children he studied made dolls out of all types of found objects, including old shoes, rags, and even meat! Corncob and corn husk crafts have origins in Native American and European culture, cf my post on Corn Dollies. Wendy Lavitt's American Folk Dolls is another good source. 7.Invest in a good library on how to books and books on going green; don’t over look free government publications and consumer reports. Many books and magazines on these subjects can also be found at library sales, and library cafes, where they cost as little as a dime. You can also recycle your old magazines by bringing back the ones you have read and do not need any more. 8. As a family hobby, review pioneer crafts including soap making and butter making. Try making jam or jelly and using canning jars. If you are lucky and have your mother’s or grandmothers’ glass fridge containers nad storage boxes, check to see if they are lead free and use them. Martha Stewart's book have great ideas, as do Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House Books. Local museums and national parts have kits and publications on this topic as well. The Scouts for both genders have plenty of tips for crafts and how-two projects in their manuals and various brochures on earning badges. Joining Scouts or any similar organization is still the best way to learn self reliant crafts and folk arts.

How to write your Memoirs; My original class Syllaubs

Writing Your Memoirs: We all have an Interesting life story to tell! Overview: In this course we will explore the genre of memoir. We will review the works of writers who have written about ordinary events in their lives which have inspired them in order to see that our own lives contain many meaningful experiences that will serve as inspiration for our own writing. Students will sample three varied techniques that will show them how to take their life experiences to create a memoir to record their events. Students will receive a packet of materials, samples, and other resources to help them continue with their project once they complete this class. Students will discuss classifying and organizing events and collecting artifacts and photos that will help them in their project. They will also be encouraged to discuss and reflect on the significance of remembered events and to keep a notebook of their thoughts and feelings. The instructor will share examples of memoir that she has taught and created in order in inspire the class. By the end of the session, students will have drafted an introduction and set of notes or outline to help them begin their Memoirs. Topics covered include: 1. Defining a Memoir, compare and contrast with biography and autobiography 2. What is an epiphany? What is a significant event to you and why? 3. Using treasured objects as catalysts 4. Writing around a photo, or using illustration 5. Using favorite recipes or patterns to tell stories 6. Organizing events around: a. Stages of life: infancy/childhood; adolescence/adulthood/family life/professional life b. Major life events c. Holidays and family/friend gatherings d. Emblematic moments e. Audience Objectives/Outcomes: The student will demonstrate: 1. Oral and written language skills to create, clarify, and extend their personal understanding of what they experience through their senses through introspection and interaction with others. 2. Practice and apply basic investigative techniques to generating material for memoir , including the use of questions Who? What? When? Where? How? Why? 3. ability and confidence to use oral and written language to the needs of their audience 4. Interest in writing and reading as a means to understanding themselves 5. creation of Memoir to record and preserve emblematic moments in their lives 6. Knowledge to help them complete their project and continue their interest through possibly joining a writers group that specializes in Memoir writing. Materials and techniques instructor will share with students include: Books, excerpts poetry, essays include: Marcel Proust, Remembrance of things Past Truman Capote, A Christmas Memory Barbara Pym, A Very Private Eye Annie Dillard, Pilgrim at Tinker Creek Joan Didion, On Keeping a Notebook Gunda Davis, Pumpkin Soup and Shrapnel Personal Memoir and Journals belonging to the author Works by Laura Ingalls Wilder The Journals of Sylvia Plath The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin Works by Maya Angelou Dolly Parton, Coat of Many Colors Works by Tasha Tudor Barbara Cooney, Hattie and the Wild Waves Jean Little Little by Little Robert Kimmel Smith The War with Grandpa Works by Ray Bradbury Works by Charlotte Bronte Crescent Dragonwagon, Home Place N. Scott Momaday, The Way to Rainy Mountain The Diary of Anne Frank Patricia MacLachlan, Sarah, Plain and Tall Students will also receive a bibliography of these and other works helpful to their interest in Memoir. Above works will be prepared and excerpted, where necessary, by the Instructor.

With Love from Tin Lizzie Book Signing

Well, our first book signing was yesterday, held in the gorgeous setting of Vintage Rose Antiques. We had a beautiful, cool day for the signing. Despite a big Jazz Festival this weekend, many people turned out. It is always an interesting experience to have people ask you why motivated you to write a book, and what types of research you use. I wore a black Calvin Klein dress, my favorite, and a squash blossom necklace and lots of silver jewelry, even my sandals were silver and tourquoise. My friend Michele, the owner, wore gold and complimentary colors. We had a wonderful day all in all, and we thank our good friends at Vintage Rose.

Some Tips

I follow ProBlogger; there is a free daily newsletter you can read each day. Take a look at this: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 Thoughts on Opportunity and Success to Kickstart Your Week Posted: 22 Jul 2013 08:45 AM PDT Yesterday I tweeted a couple of thoughts on Twitter leading to an explosion of retweets but also questions, reactions and ideas. I thought I’d put them here on the blog too, in the hope they might help to kickstart your week! So many of us wait for opportunity to knock on our door. Most successful ppl are prolific door openers & don’t wait for knocks [tweet this] Sometimes, I find myself giving myself permissions to be ‘passive’ in my blogging (and life) and ‘hope’ that good things might happen to me – that opportunity might come knocking. However, the reality is that almost every time a good thing has come my way, it was the result of me taking some kind of small action. I’m a fairly reserved and shy person. I don’t like to push my way into situations or force things to happen. However, over the years I’ve learned that by taking action to push doors open (even if only a tiny creak) I often find the opportunity waiting for ME! Many times SUCCESS is more about DOING the things you know you should do, not learning the ‘secrets’ that you don’t know [tweet this] I’m a firm believer that bloggers who’ve been blogging for more than few months already know 90% (if not more) of what they need to know about blogging successfully. Of course, there are always new things to learn about writing, technology, techniques for finding readers etc but the fundamentals of blogging have not really changed over the last 10 years. The challenge is DOING those fundamental things, consistently and at a high quality, over the long haul. I like this response to my tweet yesterday by Jacqueline O’Donnell: “It’s a bit like healthy eating and exercise really… but the ‘shiny’ secrets & promise of shortcuts has a lot of pull power :-)” I think this is spot on. Most of us have enough knowledge of how to be fit and healthy. We understand that a modest, balanced and nutritious diet along with regular exercise will result in a healthy body. Yet so many of us struggle to actually apply the things we know. SO many of us are drawn to look for the latest silver bullet diet or program that will solve our issues. Knowledge isn’t bad – but gaining it is a waste of time if it doesn’t lead to action! Originally at: Blog Tips at ProBlogger

Amazing; for those like Pym who love "Cookery Books!"

Photo courtesy Regina's Studio, Etsy.com July 17, 2013 Calf’s head hash, and other recipes: librarian discovers 300 year old cook book by Zeljka Marosevic Calf’s Head Hash: don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. A librarian at Westminster Council’s Archives Centre has discovered a 300 year old book of recipes which she believes has not been opened for more than 100 years. Judith Finnamore, who works on local studies at the centre, found a collection of recipes compiled over the period of 1690 to 1830 and passed down from mothers to daughters – and all beautifully handwritten. The Cookbook of Unknown Ladies provides new insight into British culinary history, and reveals the popular recipes used daily in the home. Now Finnamore and her colleagues have begun trying out these recipes themselves, thus turning the compendium of recipes into its modern-day counterpart, a food blog. Writing on the blog, Finnamore says, This remarkable manuscript contains hand-written recipes from the early 1700s to the mid 19th century, covering one of the most exciting periods of development in the English kitchen. It is a time of technological innovation and of evolving tastes, as the price of exotic imports fell with the ever-widening reach of British trading routes. Finnamore also admires the skills of these cooks, whose identity is still unknown, and their relationship with the food they cooked: There are also parallels with today’s ‘slow food’ movement. Kitchens drew largely on seasonal, locally-sourced produce, and as far as possible used food produced in their own smallholdings and gardens. The compilers of this Cookbook make their own cheese from freshly drawn milk, fearlessly stuff calves heads, and demonstrate considerable skill in butchery. They appear deeply connected with the food they eat and where it comes from. The culinary craft of these periods includes many ingredients and combinations of flavours that one wouldn’t necessarily think to try today. A sweet spinach tart, Calf’s head hash (the first step, naturally, is to ‘boil the head’) and ‘Veal Kidney Florentine’ are only some of recipes attempted by the bloggers. In other posts, Finnamore and fellow writers use the recipes as a starting point to trace the history of food and its preparation and cooking in the British home. For those who like recipes with a historical bite, Melville House’s vegetarian cookbook, The Duke’s Table, published earlier this year, also has its origins in history. Compiled in 1930, it was written by Enrico Alliata, an Italian Duke, who so believed in vegetarianism that he converted every classic Italian dish into a delectable vegetarian delight. What’s more, the Duke’s recipes also have their origins in the Italian Food Movement, a movement which was as political as it was culinary. The slow food movement was a way for workers to enjoy the same long lunch breaks as their bosses, and thus gain better working conditions. Better food, better rights. And there isn’t a cow heel in sight.

With love from Tin Lizzie: A History of Metal Heads Metal Dolls Mechanical Dolls and Automatons by Tsagaris, Ellen: New, Softcover, $20.00 at Alibris Marketplace

With love from Tin Lizzie: A History of Metal Heads Metal Dolls Mechanical Dolls and Automatons by Tsagaris, Ellen: New, Softcover, $20.00 at Alibris Marketplace

Delectable Reading and Good Reads

I am a newcomer to Good Reads, am still getting the hang of it. I actually use lots of social media, and it is a big thing for writers. I have accounts on Twitter, and I seem to gain followers everyday, Facebook, where I have a page as Dr. E’s Doll Museum and belong to several groups, Tumblr, still very new, Pinterest, and LinkedIn. I blog avidly and enjoy meeting people. Good Reads is fascinating, and I get ideas from Google books, where I have my own library. I am a little mystified about how it works, and would welcome any ideas. One of the books I noted on GR is Miranda James out of Circulation, one of her library mysteries featuring Diesel the Maine Coon cat. My sweet Opie was part Maine Coon; you could see it in his ears. I love the cozy mysteries like this; they are delectable as a Viennese truffle from Godiva or Thornton’s English Chocolates. I particularly like those by our friends Margaret Grace and Deb Baker. Monica Ferris’ needlework mysteries, and Diane Mott Davidson’s Goldy Schultz mysteries. She and Hanna Swensen of Joanne Fluke’s series are family. I love the patterns, recipes, and craft tips, and often use them. These women write in the tradition of Barbara Pym, and as mystery writers, follow in the tradition of our own Charlotte Murray Russell, the coziest of all. Of course, there are also Hazel Holt’s books featuring Mrs. Mallory. In many ways, they capture the spirit of Catherine Oliphant, Pymian heroine from my favorite book, Less than Angels.

Original Course on Memoir

Writing Your Memoirs: We all have an Interesting life story to tell! Overview: In this course we will explore the genre of memoir. We will review the works of writers who have written about ordinary events in their lives which have inspired them in order to see that our own lives contain many meaningful experiences that will serve as inspiration for our own writing. Students will sample three varied techniques that will show them how to take their life experiences to create a memoir to record their events. Students will receive a packet of materials, samples, and other resources to help them continue with their project once they complete this class. Students will discuss classifying and organizing events and collecting artifacts and photos that will help them in their project. They will also be encouraged to discuss and reflect on the significance of remembered events and to keep a notebook of their thoughts and feelings. The instructor will share examples of memoir that she has taught and created in order in inspire the class. By the end of the session, students will have drafted an introduction and set of notes or outline to help them begin their Memoirs. Topics covered include: 1. Defining a Memoir, compare and contrast with biography and autobiography 2. What is an epiphany? What is a significant event to you and why? 3. Using treasured objects as catalysts 4. Writing around a photo, or using illustration 5. Using favorite recipes or patterns to tell stories 6. Organizing events around: a. Stages of life: infancy/childhood; adolescence/adulthood/family life/professional life b. Major life events c. Holidays and family/friend gatherings d. Emblematic moments e. Audience Objectives/Outcomes: The student will demonstrate: 1. Oral and written language skills to create, clarify, and extend their personal understanding of what they experience through their senses through introspection and interaction with others. 2. Practice and apply basic investigative techniques to generating material for memoir , including the use of questions Who? What? When? Where? How? Why? 3. ability and confidence to use oral and written language to the needs of their audience 4. Interest in writing and reading as a means to understanding themselves 5. creation of Memoir to record and preserve emblematic moments in their lives 6. Knowledge to help them complete their project and continue their interest through possibly joining a writers group that specializes in Memoir writing. Materials and techniques instructor will share with students include: Books, excerpts poetry, essays include: Marcel Proust, Remembrance of things Past Truman Capote, A Christmas Memory Barbara Pym, A Very Private Eye Annie Dillard, Pilgrim at Tinker Creek Joan Didion, On Keeping a Notebook Gunda Davis, Pumpkin Soup and Shrapnel Personal Memoir and Journals belonging to the author Works by Laura Ingalls Wilder The Journals of Sylvia Plath The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin Works by Maya Angelou Dolly Parton, Coat of Many Colors Works by Tasha Tudor Barbara Cooney, Hattie and the Wild Waves Jean Little Little by Little Robert Kimmel Smith The War with Grandpa Works by Ray Bradbury Works by Charlotte Bronte Crescent Dragonwagon, Home Place N. Scott Momaday, The Way to Rainy Mountain The Diary of Anne Frank Patricia MacLachlan, Sarah, Plain and Tall Students will also receive a bibliography of these and other works helpful to their interest in Memoir. Above works will be prepared and excerpted, where necessary, by the Instructor.

To My Schoolmate, Who left us too Early

To Mary Landa Adapted from A.E. Houseman’s “To an Athlete Dying Young” From your friend, Ellen The time you won your town’s swim race We chaired you through the market place; Coach and team stood cheering by And home we brought you shoulder high. Today, the meet all swimmers come, Shoulder high we bring you home, And set you at your threshold down, Citizen of a stiller town. Smart lass, to slip betimes away From pools where glory does not stay And early though the laurel grows It withers quicker than the rose. Eyes the shady night has shut Cannot see the record cut, And silence sounds no worse than cheers After earth has stopped the ears. Now you will not swell the rout Of those who wore their honors out, Swimmers whom renown out swam And the name died before the lass. So set, before its echoes fade, The fleet form on the sill of shade, And hold to the low lintel up The still defended challenge cup. And round that early laurelled head Will flock to gaze the strengthless dead, And find unwithered on its curls The garland briefer than a girl’s.

Dr. E's Doll Museum Blog: Desiree Holt and Barbie Dolls

Dr. E's Doll Museum Blog: Desiree Holt and Barbie Dolls: Sunday Morning reran the story of Desiree Holt, erotic romance writer, and how she uses Barbie dolls for inspiration for her heroes nad he...

Summer Environmental Reading

Blessed be this first day of Summer and the Solstice. We continue on as best we can. I have much to post, and will begin by introducing a new book, Edible by Tracy Ryuder and Carole Topalian, on eating local all over the country via a lovely,illustrated directory of farmers markets. More about this later. Our cat, our beloved Emma, is not well. She is on thyroid meds, and has had several teeth pulled, conditions she came with when we adopted her. She went from a fierce little tiger, to a little bag of meek, limp marbles. She only wants to sleep in the bathtub, and did want to drink from the tap there obsessively. She is better at that, but now does not have much appetite, and seems depressed. She used to sleep on a her blanket, a baby blanket with another fleece afghan, but she is half the cat she was. Vet says she is fine, but I think her system was shocked. She is around 11 years old. Any ideas? I am more worried that she is not into food, which was not a problem. She ate well and normally, before, and I buy her organic, holistic food, or make it for her. Some publications that fit the season, here are some favorites: Extraordinary Health, volume 17. Drew Barrymore on the cover. Features include RAW probiotics, which one is right for you? and "Eight "new You" healthy recipes. Heatlhy Living, vol. 17, noo. 3: Alanis Morisette on cover. Features: Coffee Bean skinny Pill, Silver Soothese ASthma Syumptoms, What Drug companies won't tell youa bout joint pain, Natural Hari care that performs! The above two can be found at local natural food stores. Design Toscano Catalog special midsummer issue features garden decor, with lots of fairies and animals, as we approach Midsummer and thoughts of A Midsummer Night's Dream! I am not a spokesperson for any of these, but I enjoy reading them, even if I never buy anything. As a writer, I get inspiration everywhere. From the University of Wisconsin Press, several pertinent Land management journals and other journals and books, many delivered as ebooks: Ecological Restoration, Steven N. Handel Ed. Land Economics, Daniel romley, Ed. Landscape Journal, Lance M. Neckar, ed. Native Plants Journal, Ed. R. Kasten Dumroese, USDA Forest Service Also, on NPR yesteday morning was a story called "The Secret Live of Plants," about how hard it is for plants to survive and thrive, and which are good food sources, and what humans can learn about survival by studying them. Try NPR or, All Things Considered to find it. Still working on typing, and my hands and arms hurt more than ever. My books seem to be doing well, and I have some signings and programs coming up. Thanks to all my readers and followers for this and my other blogs. You are my online family, and I love you all!

Miss Charlotte Bronte meets Miss Barbara Pym: For my Friend, Writer Angela Wells, who could put ...

Miss Charlotte Bronte meets Miss Barbara Pym: For my Friend, Writer Angela Wells, who could put ...: My Friend Angela Wells passed aways this week; I just learned about it. If you have read my book on Pym, or my dissertation, you will see ...

When we write Memoir

I just read a quote from a best selling author in NY Times Reivew of Books; she shall be named tomorrow, for my memory sometimes fails me, but she said to the effect that we write memoir to confront ourselves. True enough. It's finding a way to live with who we are and what we have done when we engage in memoir. We have to live with it; even if it is an ugly couch and a ghastly panting that inhabits the rooms and houses of our memory. Wouldn't Keats be proud of me!! ")

Writing and Blogging Tips

From the Pro Blogger Free Newsletter; some wonderful ideas. You can get this for free nearly everyday! 11 Quick Tips for Writing Compelling Posts On Your Blog Posted: 29 May 2013 07:58 AM PDT Yesterday I ran a workshop for a small group of bloggers here in Australia. One of the sessions I covered was on writing compelling content. Here’s a brief look at a few of the recurring themes in what I shared: 1.Be Useful – if your post isn’t informing, inspiring, entertaining or making someone’s life better – don’t publish it until it does. 2.Share your Opinion – opinions are often what sets bloggers apart from the pack. 3.Cut out the Fluff – before you hit publish, revise your post and remove anything that doesn’t add value. 4.Visualise Your Reader – writing with a reader in mind personalises your writing. 5.Make Your Posts Scannable – only 16% of people read every word online. Format your posts so that your main points stand out. 6.Work and Rework You Headlines – a good headline can be the difference between a blog post being read, or ignored. 7.Write with Passion – when you show you care about what you’re writing, your readers are more likely to care too. 8.Give your Readers something to do Next – ask your readers to DO something once they finish reading. It could be to read something else, comment, apply a lesson, share the post etc. 9.Tell Stories – stories are powerful ways of connecting with, inspiring and teaching your readers – they also create memories 10.Give Your Posts Visual Appeal – the inclusion of an eye-catching image or a well designed diagram can take your post to the next level. 11.Practise – the best way to improve your writing is to write. Practise Makes Perfect.

Dr. E's Doll Museum Blog: The Legend of Al Capone's Doll Collection; A reque...

Dr. E's Doll Museum Blog: The Legend of Al Capone's Doll Collection; A reque...: Anyone who has information about this legendary collection, please contact me. You may use the emails posted on any of my blogs, or comment...

Dr. E's Doll Museum Blog: Wild Horse gets five star review!

Dr. E's Doll Museum Blog: Wild Horse gets five star review!: On its first day of publication, Wild Horse Runs Free got a 5 Star Review! Thank you, Tom Swift!

Wild Horse Runs Free; A new Romance on Kindle

My romance about two Apache teens and their Apache and White families will appear tomorrow on Kindle. There is oer 20 years of authentic research in this book, which has become a labor of love in many ways. One of the characters, Red Feather, took over the story, and then ovetook the hero! I hope my readers will find the story enjoyable, and they will enjoy the hero's journey from the Southwest of the 19th century to the cobbled streets of New Orleans and back. Also, the cover for the long awaited book on Metal Dolls is here. The book will be in print within two weeks, and will be available through me, and eventually on Amazon. I have been writing and research dolls and other topics heavily, and hope to have a productive summer. Recently attended a fantastic estate sale of a long time collector, artist, and seamstress. I was amazed at how many things there were and at how clever she was at storage and organization. The newest dolls date from around 2000. All items were labelled, sometimes with the donor's name, but also with date, year, and occasion for the givt. To paraphrase Carl Fox, it is amazing what people quietly collect behind the quiet walls of their homes. I wish I could have had a dialog with this lady. All her dolls were cherished and well-kept, and must have give her hours of pleasure. She had made miniature wedding gowns that had darts and linings where applicable, and tiny shoes and doll clothes for all kinds of dolls. She favored collectible Barbies and modern porcelain dolls, with some vintage artist reproductions of antiques like Hilda by JDK, and other Kestner and German bisque dolls. Many of these were over 30 years old, from a doll show which is no longer held. Also, am beginning research on a writing project involving Hugo and various automatons. We are studying them again in my intellectual property class as well. It is fun to show them to my students, and to tie them in with patents, technology, and robotics. I would love to hear for your doll collecting and writing adventures any time. Look for Wild Horse on Kindle free days as well.

What went Wrong on Your Summer Vacation?

Here is a prompt for a memoir, and one that invites photos, scrapbooks, you name it. I can think of a few things, the car breaking down in the desert heat outside Needles, CA, my dad driving around and over London Bridge in Lake Havasu with Killer, our tiny black poodle mix; he got overheated, even in the shade. There was the fender bender in Toronot, the goof up with our passport in Juarez, the colly wobbly tummy in Knotts Berry Farm, but they were good times, all the same, even if we nearly and unwittingly re-enacted A Good Man is Hard to Find! Also, if you watch Retro TV or MeTv, try writing a memoir of the last time you saw a particular tv episode. I have lots of good memroies of where I was and what I was doing. Thse are some ideas to keep everyone writing over the summer. Thanks to all my readers. My new book in metal dolls, pictured here, is nearly in pring, and my noble Wild Horse Runs Free is soon to be on Kindle. Happy Summer!

An Apologia for Countess Erzebet Bathory: Countess Dracula by Tony Thorne

An Apologia for Countess Erzebet Bathory: Countess Dracula by Tony Thorne: It has been awhile, but I've started writing the second YA novel based on Erzebet, and reading the above book about her life. This is t...

Miss Charlotte Bronte meets Miss Barbara Pym: 4 Weddings and a Funeral

Miss Charlotte Bronte meets Miss Barbara Pym: 4 Weddings and a Funeral: It dawned on me as I watched this film with my class for their unit on cinema that two of the couples in this 1994 British film are Deirdre ...

Dr. E's Doll Museum Blog: In Memoriam and Happy Birthday Mary Hillier, "Almo...

Dr. E's Doll Museum Blog: In Memoriam and Happy Birthday Mary Hillier, "Almo...: To my friend, Mary, who always said she was almost a May Queen. Her birthday was today, and she would have been 95 years old or so. But, a...

Dr. E's Doll Museum Blog: In Memoriam and Happy Birthday Mary Hillier, "Almo...

Dr. E's Doll Museum Blog: In Memoriam and Happy Birthday Mary Hillier, "Almo...: To my friend, Mary, who always said she was almost a May Queen. Her birthday was today, and she would have been 95 years old or so. But, a...

Why I Write

It was about six or so years ago, and I was trying to enter a writing contest, and a very scholary one at that. It had to do with Virginia Woolf's A Room of Ones' Own, a piece I knew like the back of my hand. The contest called for lesson plans based on Room; easy! Right! Wrong! Though I had taught, read, studied, written about, viewed, and reviewed Room dozens of times, my mind went blank. I couldn't come up with anything, and got cold and hot at the same time just thinking about it. This wasn't just a case of writers block; it was mind block. I had forgotten everything. THE ROUTINE as I called the daily grind for me had eaten up my writing capabilities. Why? I thought I was washed up, done, before I'd even started. My unfinished manuscripts called to me; I couldn't answer. I looked around at the "writing stations" I had tried to carve out for myself, the bedroom desk piled with reference books, the living room computer station, my trusty lap desks, the writing board I used at my parents, even my old 386 comptuer at my parents. Nothing called to me. It was a challenge just trying to get the right writing atmosphere. Then it hit me; I needed just to write. Anywhere. On anything. There was no magic room, or pen. Like many writers, I dreamed of being The Madwoman in the Attic, with my own vintage rolltop desk, and a laptop, and file cabinets for all my carefully sorted manuscripts. My pencils would always be sharp, but the sharpener would never be far behind. I would have inspiration words written all over the attic, the way Anne Rice wrote words on her study walls in the house on First Street. I would have writing costumes, my first editions and signed books nearby, my reference books and dissertation research all handy. And, if this fantasy realy took hold of me, I would never write. I took Woolf's title too much to heart; she didn't literally mean a "room" when she penned A Room of One's Own. She meant finding time to write and the courage to seize the moment. So I took a page from Barbara Pym's book, and like her, I started to carry around little notebooks for ideas. I wrote words I liked, ideas, character skteches. Sometimes I taped in things I cout out. I started stories and novels. I keep these little books and go back to them. They keep me from losing good thoughs and ideas. If I really don't have a little book handy, I jot notes in caledars, on margins, on scraps I tear off of envelopes and napkins, and on PostIts. I tend to keep my PostIts, usually in pretty tins. I've put them together like puzzles to create entire essays, sort of a literary Mah Jong. The little notes helped. So did getting my Netbook, pink and cute as it is. Now, I could write anywhere, and I do. I make my inspiration and materials portable. I like to write outside on my patio on quiet days, when it is cool enough to be comfortable but sunny enough to see. I write on a wooden TV tray in my living room, surrounded by all my books, collections, family photos and things I love. Sometimes, when it is very hot, I go downstairs to the carpeted hallway of my basement, and set up said TV tray and my favorite green camp chair. It is a good place to edit, and to find solitude. I write in cafes and coffee houses; usually I work on longer projects there, and maybe bookmark Internet research. Libraries are OK; but I'm usually there to do research, or to browse their salesrooms. It seems harder to concentrate in libraries for me. I could only study productively in my law school library. To this day, I couldn't say why. I also work on several projects at once; I read for one, edit one, research for one, write a draft, write a chapter. This keeps me fresh, and sometimes one project informs another, or reminds me of what I need to do an another. Because my mind is occupied with new and various things, I don't get stuck or bored. I also blog. Some writers warn us away from blogging; they say it is a way to waste time, when we should be turning out a manuscript. Form e, it is a warm up exercise. My ideas are born in blogs; some are tried out as excerpts on my blogs. I also like to read blogs to get ideas; sources may need to be checked, but the writing is fresh, honest, written by someone who cares. Blogs give me confidence. I can see who is reading them, and as the number of viewers grows, so does my sense of accomplishment. So, I write everhwere. When I can. On a lot of things. The world is now my "room." That dreamy space in the attic? If I ever get it, I'll use it for sleeping.

Brief Kon Tiki Memories

Sunday Morning featured a story on two new Scandinavian sailor/explorers reprising the voyage of Kon Tiki, the brain child of Thor Heyerdahl, who in 1947, wanted to prove that inhabitants of then Polynesia could have drifted on a raft from Peru to their new home.  He sailed with 4 others on a 45 ' raft, 4300 miles, with a sale that had a Peruvian mask painted on it.  I read the original book in 5th grade, and thus became fascinated with all things Heyerdahl.  I was actively maintaining acquariums, and my love of sea and water was all consuming.  Kon Tiki and The Ra Expeditions seemed to combine all things I loved, and fuled the sense of adventure I had then.  We traveled all the time, by plan and car, and once in  while, took a train ride.  I was ready to go at any time, and my parents were young and healthy, so for the three of us, the world was our oyster, or at least our Ra expedition!

There will be a new film; I can't wait to  see it, and will find the old documentary on NetFlix or Youtube if I can.

Abide With Me-Grief

One of the original 49 tips was to be spiritual, however you define that term. Having read Elizabeth Strout's Abide with Me, I have to say that I found a quote or two that expressed what I felt when I first wrote that tip over 3 years ago. Here they are; The first gives us permission to grieve, and to realize that sometimes, there simply is no closure. I understand that. I grieve still for my Uncle George, killed at 30 in an accident, 40 years ago this June. For so many others, too, for Janet, my 14 Year old friend, who survived so much, do die in a car crash. For my mother, I'll never stop. I wait everyday for something to change, to come home to find her waiting for me. And I know, that as long as I live, I'll never see her again. She lives in memory with me, always. I wasn't always a good daughter, and we didn't have the smoothest relationship, but she loved, truly loved me. I was like her in many ways, and I look like her, and that is a compliment to myself. I sound like her, ail like her, enjoy much of what she did. Yet, she was unique, and brave, and smart, really smart. Everyday, she is with me, but just out of reach. Read below what Strout says; it sums it up-- "Anyone who has ever grieved knows that grieving carries with it a tremendous wear and tear to the body itself, never mind the soul. Loss is an assault; a certain exhustion,as astrong as the pull of hte moon on the tides, needs to be allocated for eventually" (283). I got sick the week she died; I had bronchitis off and on, and other things, through July of that year. My athritic hands developed over that time, and I have full blown asthma. Like she did. There is something to this. And: "Do you imagine that the scientist and the poet ar enot united? Do you assume you can answer the question of who we are and why we are here by rational thought alone? It is your job, your honor, your birthright, to bear the burden of this mystery." I'll fix my typos later.

A New Memoir from Carol Burnett

This Diva of evening comedy has written a memoir of her and her late daughter called, Carrie and Me. Carrie Hamilton, her daughter, died of cancer several years ago at only 38. We wish her luck with this book, and acknowledge the courage it took to write it. I would like to write a memoir of my and my mother, and include much of the books she wrote for me and as a memoir of her time living in Greece during WWII under the fascists and Nazis. My little boy and I did a narrative for Deb Bowen's a Book by Me, but it has not been created yet for that organizaiton, which asks children to write books about local Holocaust survivors and those who sufferred under the Nazis. We call ours Clara and the War. I have also started Death and Dying by Elizabeth Kubler Ross. Like everyone, I seek answers for why those I love have been taken, and sometimes, in the case of my Mom, so suddenly no one could have foreseen it. There is no closure for that kind of loss, only ways of trying to deal with it. As Chaucer said in far more eloquent words, this time of year can be the cruelest. Death is hard to take when the earth is recreating itself. My memories of this time of year involve my Mother and me on Easter break, going to the annual Antique Show by the Women's Club, buying flowers and bulbs, walking our dog Smokey, or before him, Killer, a little Scotty mix. We would sit outside sometimes, and drive to McDonalds for cokes. We loved hitting sales and the annual miniatture show where we bought kits of Ethel Hicks' Angel Children miniature dolls. We loved to go to lunch when we had a day off, and some of our favorite restaurants are gone, too, Velies, Harrolds on the Rock, The Italian Village. We cooked for Easter, and made turkey, usually. We made Easter baskets for each other, and dyed and decorated eggs. We brought the egg collection, Czech, Amana, Ukranian, blood Red orthodox eggs with a gold cross, dolls with egg heads, my own watercolor designs, sugar eggs, African stone eggs, Chinese, wooden, wax, goose eggs made into shadow boxes or jewel boxes, one heirloom that belonged to my Uncle George, with a miniature book and chalice inside. My Uncle Tom fixed it after it was crushed by accident. They, and mymother, are all gone, now. So, in this time of year when life begins again, many of us, including Carol Burnett, remember where it began, and ended. For us, our memories make them selves known, blossoming again like flowers.

Her Kind by Robin Throne; Memoir through Letters and Historical Documents

Debut novel fictionalizes the lost great river village of Parkhurst, Iowa Thank you to the incomparable Dr. Ellen for allowing me to share some thoughts about the historical research behind my debut novel, Her Kind, released last month by 918studio. Her Kind is a fictional account of the settlement of the real-life, lost great river village of Parkhurst, Ia., now part of Le Claire (voted one of the “2013 coolest small towns in America” by BudgetTravel). LeClaire historian, Dorothy Lage, first chronicled a narrative history of this eclectic river town with her self-published manuscript, LeClaire, Iowa: A Mississippi River Town (1976). In it, she characterized the attractiveness and functionality of Pau-pesha-tuk, the agitated waters of the big river, a series of rapids that drew some of Iowa’s first settlers after the Blackhawk Treaty of 1832, and later rapids pilots before the lock and dam system tamed this tumultuous stretch of river. The diverse blend of cultures, personalities and vocations led to the establishment of an even earlier set of communities that thrived along this unique stretch of the big river border of LeClaire Township, Scott County, Ia. Lage’s interpretation of the LeClaire oral histories said Eleazor Parkhurst, Iowa immigrant and native of Massachusetts, crossed the river and arrived in Iowa in 1834 from Port Byron, Ill. (est. 1828), and purchased an existing log cabin and 180-acre land claim on the Iowa side of the big river that had been built earlier that year by George Harlan. See this home on LeClaire’s River Pilots Self-Guided Tour. Although reports differ, Parkhurst had arrived to a community of somewhere between 500-1000 Sac natives that resided along this stretch of the river after relocation from their Illinois village of Saukenuk under President Jackson’s 1830 Indian Removal Act. Prior to the Homestead Act of 1862, that clarified property claim rights in the new states and territories, earlier land acquisition claims in the LeClaire area of the Iowa district of the Wisconsin Territory were handled by the Dubuque land office. Parkhurst extended his Iowa land grant west and north along the big river in LeClaire Township, some accounts say as long as two miles, settled the first farm, and built a house from native stone and stucco in 1842. Eleazor Parkhurst then convinced his brothers, Sterling and Waldo, to join him in the Iowa district, and his post office application was approved in 1836 establishing the village of Parkhurst. That same year, Sterling and Thomas C. Eads, who had purchased a portion of Sterling’s property, jointly began to plat out the town of Parkhurst. Surveyors making the original survey of the Black Hawk Purchase in 1837 recorded finding this town in section 85, LeClaire Township, and said it was prospering. Prior to the official Parkhurst plat, another topographer made his way through the Iowa district in 1835 and came across the early Parkhurst settlement. Lieutenant Albert M. Lea (namesake of Albert Lea, Minn.) had this to say about Parkhurst in his self-published work that led to the official state name of Iowa: Of this place, not yet laid out, it is sufficient to say that the site is beautiful, the landing good, building material convenient, and the back country fine. There is nothing wanting to make it a town but the people and the houses, and these will soon be there. Its position at the end of the Rapids will throw a little more trade and storage there then it would otherwise have. A good deal of trade of the Wabesapinica will find a port at Parkhurst; and many persons, emigrating from Illinois and the Lakes, will pass by this route (p. 39). Lea’s book was later reprinted in 1935 by the State Historical Society of Iowa and renamed, The Book that Gave Iowa its Name. In 1839, the Parkhurst post office was renamed Berlin, and Lage and others have noted that this may have been due to the influx of German immigrants within that period. In 1845, the name was changed back to Parkhurst and in 1847, the post office became LeClaire, and the village of Parkhurst became the Parkhurst addition. Get Robin Throne’s Her Kind, a novel free from Kindle April 5-7! She is the recipient of the 2013 David R. Collins Literary Achievement Award, and see why Her Kind readers are giving 5-stars at GoodReads!

Ah Saturday, and miscellany!

New show: Curiosity Quest goes Green, host is Joel Greene!  Today's topic, how glass is 100% recyclable.

Yesterday was Green Day locally; there is more and more awareness of what can be recycled and reused.  I supposed I've always hated waste of any kind, hence all my interest.

It is also Holy Saturday; to those who celebrate Western Easter, a blessed Easter, and to those who celebrate Passover, a blessed Passover.  Our Pascha in my church, the Eastern Orthodox church, means Passover, as does the Hispanic Pascuas.  Our Easter is May 5th, so many days after Passover, as the Church requires.

Age has been on my mind lately, and time.  I feel as I did when I was 19, and yet, I am not.  Middle Age is a conundrum and a problem.  I told AARP to take  a big hike; yet I'm so tired, and judgmental of myself for not being able to do what I used to.  I suspect much of this is due to work, family, home, homework, and things that are part of other people's schedules, necessary, but draining.

I make things because of these feelings, and have my whole life.  I like making things from found objects, and I love writing.  Music is important, and I still play the piano.  I learned from my mom to needlepoint and embroider when I was nine; it still serves me well.

Find something to make, to create.  Inspite of it all, you have a little tiny bit of something to relieve the tension, and s Barbara Pym would have written, "something to love."

Dr. E's Doll Museum Blog: The Spirit of Collecting- The Vogels; Legends in t...

Dr. E's Doll Museum Blog: The Spirit of Collecting- The Vogels; Legends in t...: I've loved this couple since the first time I saw them on 60 Minutes . Read on, and be inspired. Hoarders TV Show, Take That!!! The ...

Mary L. Tabor with Maureen Stanton 03/13 by rarebirdradio | Blog Talk Radio

Mary L. Tabor with Maureen Stanton 03/13 by rarebirdradio | Blog Talk Radio 

This is wonderful interview on creative nonfictin, memoir, and antiques.  Congratulations Mary on your interview an Maureen on your books and awards.

Her Kind; Excellent Epistolary Novel written as Memoir

918studio releases Throne fiction debut: Her Kind LECLAIRE, IOWA — March 18, 2013 — 918studio announced today the release of a debut novel from author, professor, and small press publisher, Robin Throne. Her Kind, a novel was inspired by Anne Sexton's famous poem of the same name, and is an epistolary novel of an unassuming matriarch who chronicles a family migration from England to the new England to Iowa, and the settlement of the lost river village of Parkhurst (now part of historic Le Claire). Throne was also named the recipient of the fourth David R. Collins' Literary Achievement Award March 16 at the Midwest Writing Center's Literary Banquet at the Outing Club in Davenport. Past recipients have included notable local authors, Sean Leary, Michael McCarty, and Connie Corcoran Wilson. Her Kind, a novel is available for purchase at the Midwest Writing Center, Artswork in Le Claire, The Book Rack in Davenport and Moline, Book World in Southpark Mall, and Prairie Lights in Iowa City. The Kindle version is available from Amazon.com. Past releases from 918studio have included Nancy Ann Schaefer's In Search of Lode (2012), The Legend of Tug Fest and other LeClaire Ghost Stories (2012), Jane VanVooren Rogers' How to avoid being and other paths to Triumph (2011), and Ellen Tsagaris' Sappho, I should have listened (2011). For more about 918studio, visit www.918studio.net

Some Inspiration from Daily Work and Callings

How Deep See Fishing Prepares you for writing; a little something I found on Twitter: When publishers started courting swordfish boat captain Linda Greenlaw more than a decade ago, she wasn’t interested in writing a book. As captain of the commercial swordfishing vessel “The Hannah Boden,” Greenlaw was a major character in Sebastian Junger’s 1997 bestseller The Perfect Storm. Female deep sea captains are a rare species, and after publishers kept bombarding her with offers, Greenlaw realized that The Perfect Storm gave her an opportunity she’d be silly to reject. Her first book—The Hungry Ocean, published in 2000—was a runaway hit. Nine books later, she spends more time writing than she does deep sea fishing (though she still goes out on day-long fishing trips closer to her home on tiny Isle au Haut, off the coast of Maine). . . . . I’ve always had to be really disciplined. Ninety percent of my work experience is fishing. I’m used to saying, “Hey, see you later,” and being away from everyone for 30 to 90 days. Since I’m used to being cut off from the world, having to cut myself off for four to five hours [to write], it’s not like jumping on a boat and leaving for 90 days. . . . . My experience [as an author] is really unique. I never had any intentions or desires or aspirations to write. Because I was portrayed so generously by Sebastian Junger in The Perfect Storm, I was invited to write my first book. [Editors told me], “We were intrigued by this female fisherman thing you have going on.” At first I was absolutely not interested, but they were offering me money, and I had to understand the opportunity I had been handed. I was very fortunate to do this, and nobody was more surprised than I was when The Hungry Ocean became a best seller. Nobody was more surprised than I was when it led to book number two, and then to book number three, and now to number nine [Lifesaving Lessons], which will be released next month. It’s been a great opportunity and it has been a great deal of work. . . . . I’ve trained my family and friends to not disturb me while I’m writing. I talk to my mother and sister every day on the phone, but they know when I’m working on a book, they can’t call until the afternoon. I don’t enjoy writing at all, I’m really weird about it. I need no one to come knock on the door, because I’ll gladly take any distraction. If I’m working on a book I treat it like I would my fishing. I need to eat, breathe, and sleep the writing, or it just isn’t good. I need tunnel vision, really single focus. Even when I’m not sitting down and writing, the rest of the day I’m still working on it in my head. When I’m hauling lobster traps in the afternoon, it’s a very mindless activity for me. It’s just physical, and I spend that time thinking about what I’m working on the next morning. http://www.thepassivevoice.com/03/2013/how-deep-sea-fishing-prepares-you-for-writing/?utm_source=Todd+Rutherford&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ThePassiveVoice+%28The+Passive+Voice%29

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Miss Charlotte Bronte meets Miss Barbara Pym: News About Mary Ingalls

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Lance Armstrong's Memoirs

This post discusses the brief difference between memoir and truth. All writing is subjective, even historical writing. We must always remember that fact. Memoir is telling the story how we remember it; it is selective, unlike autobiography, which is pretty much the tale from the beginning. Autobiography, too, can be subjective. It is edited, and we leave things out. The more famous we are, the more we may leave out. These forms of personal writing, are perhaps, our last chance to portray ourselves as we would have the world see us, unless we write our own obituaary. Lance Armstrong is apparenly being sued by two men for fraud and related causes of action on the grounds that his memoirs are a lie. This is in light of the recent revleation by Armstrong that he did use drugs to enhance his performance in cycling compeitions. The local radio hosts discussing the story also mentioned James Frey and his A Million Little Pieces. While I certainly don't think anyone should lie, I think we need to be aware that even fiction is autobiograhical, and lines blur in the literary world. Reader beware. No story is new, and fiction itself has been called a way of "lying to tell the truth." Maybe we should place memoir in the genre of fictionalized verisimilitude. But, how can these men win? If Armstrong inspired athletes, was he wrong, even if he left out information? Did these two men rely on his book to their detirment? How can they prove damages to themselves, and causation, that Armstrong's book caused their injuries, if any? Perhaps anyone who was inspired by an book or published work could bring such a suit. Can we sue Harper Lee for inspiring us to fight for injustice, or J.D. Salinger or Ray Bradbury for making us look at ourselves at different stages of our lives? Will we sue romance authors for inspiring ill-advised love affairs? Will we sue biographers for writing about notorious people at all? Could they be setting bad examples by writing about criminals and controversial figures as well as writing about saints and those who would better the human condition? Maybe this is not as much about the Kevin Frey's and Lance Armstrong's of the world, or the Clifford Irving's of my day, as it is about squelching expression and creativity, and having outsiders tell those of us who write how we may portray ourselves, and who we really are. I repeat, the motto of the day might be, Reader Beware! Adn for those of us who have studied our Reader Response theory diligently, I suggest we use it. Hand is bad; sorry for any typos.

A Recipe Book

Good Morning! I am writing/compiling a recipe/craft/puzzle book to sell as a fundraiswer for my school club. We sponsor local charities, contribute to The Sun Valley Indian School, contribute to Doctors without Borders, buy our kids books, professional clothes, etc. I am looking for recipes, easy patterns for any craft, cooking tips, craft tips, stories connected with food and recipes, easy puzzles, "clean jokes," brainsteasers. You may email them to me at the gmail address on this blog. Deadline: I'd like them by February 14th; Valentine's Day. I will email a completed copy to people who contribute. This is a nonprofit project; I make nothing off of it. Anything we make by selling it later in the year goes to my club, called the Legal Studies/Criminal Justice Club. Thank you.

Writing Your Life Story; the Original Course Outline

Writing Your Memoirs: We all have an Interesting life story to tell! Overview: In this course we will explore the genre of memoir. We will review the works of writers who have written about ordinary events in their lives which have inspired them in order to see that our own lives contain many meaningful experiences that will serve as inspiration for our own writing. Students will sample three varied techniques that will show them how to take their life experiences to create a memoir to record their events. Students will receive a packet of materials, samples, and other resources to help them continue with their project once they complete this class. Students will discuss classifying and organizing events and collecting artifacts and photos that will help them in their project. They will also be encouraged to discuss and reflect on the significance of remembered events and to keep a notebook of their thoughts and feelings. The instructor will share examples of memoir that she has taught and created in order in inspire the class. By the end of the session, students will have drafted an introduction and set of notes or outline to help them begin their Memoirs. Topics covered include: 1. Defining a Memoir, compare and contrast with biography and autobiography 2. What is an epiphany? What is a significant event to you and why? 3. Using treasured objects as catalysts 4. Writing around a photo, or using illustration 5. Using favorite recipes or patterns to tell stories 6. Organizing events around: a. Stages of life: infancy/childhood; adolescence/adulthood/family life/professional life b. Major life events c. Holidays and family/friend gatherings d. Emblematic moments e. Audience Objectives/Outcomes: The student will demonstrate: 1. Oral and written language skills to create, clarify, and extend their personal understanding of what they experience through their senses through introspection and interaction with others. 2. Practice and apply basic investigative techniques to generating material for memoir , including the use of questions Who? What? When? Where? How? Why? 3. ability and confidence to use oral and written language to the needs of their audience 4. Interest in writing and reading as a means to understanding themselves 5. creation of Memoir to record and preserve emblematic moments in their lives 6. Knowledge to help them complete their project and continue their interest through possibly joining a writers group that specializes in Memoir writing. Materials and techniques instructor will share with students include: Books, excerpts poetry, essays include: Marcel Proust, Remembrance of things Past Truman Capote, A Christmas Memory Barbara Pym, A Very Private Eye Annie Dillard, Pilgrim at Tinker Creek Joan Didion, On Keeping a Notebook Gunda Davis, Pumpkin Soup and Shrapnel Personal Memoir and Journals belonging to the author Works by Laura Ingalls Wilder The Journals of Sylvia Plath The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin Works by Maya Angelou Dolly Parton, Coat of Many Colors Works by Tasha Tudor Barbara Cooney, Hattie and the Wild Waves Jean Little Little by Little Robert Kimmel Smith The War with Grandpa Works by Ray Bradbury Works by Charlotte Bronte Crescent Dragonwagon, Home Place N. Scott Momaday, The Way to Rainy Mountain The Diary of Anne Frank Patricia MacLachlan, Sarah, Plain and Tall Students will also receive a bibliography of these and other works helpful to their interest in Memoir. Above works will be prepared and excerpted, where necessary, by the Instructor.

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