Concentration camps at the border: a moral stain that will taint America forever.

SeanMunger.com

While I don’t often speak out directly on political current events on this blog, today is an exception. I’m going to make this as blunt, succinct and clear as possible: the Trump Administration’s policy of tearing children away from their parents, and imprisoning them in cage facilities near the border, is cruel, immoral, wrong, and disastrous. It’s a moral stain on the United States of America, and on Americans as a people, which will not soon be washed away. And if we don’t stop and reverse course right now, it’s going to get worse.

A lot of ink has been spilled over the last few days about what to call the monstrous thing happening down there in the Southwest, whether children are being put in “cages” or what conditions the children are or are not being subjected to. I don’t hesitate to call these facilities what they are: concentration camps…

View original post 637 more words

Advertisements

WOLF NOTES: An Uncommon Interview – GB MacRae

Welcome to WOLF NOTES, where interview questions stray from the rest of the pack. It’s nice to know the usual stuff like where an author gets their inspiration and why they write, but sometimes we need a little fun in our lives.

GB was born in a small town in Vermont and grew up in the country attending a rural school. She started telling stories to her toys from a young age, writing her first short story in second grade. Her first novel in 10^th grade. They’ve often been of the fantasy genre, because who doesn’t want to let their imagination travel as far as it can? But they’ve also been about real life: betrayal, suspicion, joy, war, triumph, self-doubt, all that good stuff. …And unicorns and dragons!

Growing up, her hobbies were showing her horses, lots of reading, and creating art. As she aged and life circumstances changed (she moved to the city where having horses wasn’t possible) she added folkloric belly dance, costuming, and entertaining in her home to her list of activities.

Currently she lives just a short drive from Lake Ontario where there is lots of snow, in a rambling old colonial house with her family and pets.

Wolf: If you could be any animal in the universe, what would it be and why?

GB: Are we talking imaginary or real? This is a difficult question. Always be a unicorn. Or a dragon. I (like a lot of writers and artists) have introvert tendencies, so to be left alone to do my work but with a few close friends, and having powers is a bonus. As for a real animal, I would like to be a warmblood dressage horse. They get the best care, work for about an hour a day except on show days.

Wolf: The questions was any, so we’ll stick with unicorn for and answer. What is the strangest food you’ve ever eaten?

GB: I tend to be relatively tame when it comes to food. No eyeballs or tentacles. I enjoy the international food I’ve had. Chinese, Indian, Middle Eastern, etc. Probably the strangest thing was haggis (not true haggis because it’s not legal in the States). It reminded me of gamey meatloaf.

Wolf: That’s one I’ve never tried. What is the nicest thing you’ve ever done to your characters?

GB: I give them hope.

Wolf: What is the meanest thing you’ve ever done to your characters?

GB: Oh man, what haven’t I done? Across the series there have been entire families eradicated, some characters have had severe trauma…

Wolf: That sounds about right for an author. Do you consider yourself a cat person, or a dog person?

GB: I’m a pet person in general. I currently have a dog, a cat, a hamster, and an aquarium.

Wolf: Nice. While walking in the woods you come across…

GB: I have bad luck, so probably a very lost grizzly.

Wolf: Hope it’s not hungry. (I actually have come across a grizzly. Very scary.) If you could have a super power, what would it be?

GB: So many wonderful powers to choose from! I think I would love to have the powers of Dr. Strange. It would be very handy indeed.

Wolf: Yeah. I like what he did with Loki in the last Thor movie. Which of your characters is your favorite?

GB: It varies from moment to moment. Whichever character is making me happy for whatever reason. They all have their moments, but Cassius, Mina, and Gallylya are probably most often at the top of the list.

Wolf: What is your favorite body of water and why? (river, ocean, waterfall, puddle, bottle…)

GB: I love waterfalls. They’re beautiful, powerful, and always changing. Lakes come in second because they’re safer than the ocean and the view is nice.

Wolf: What story are you working on now?

GB: I’m polishing Arise, Book of Avenzyre III (due out later this year), and a writing the first draft of a book for tweens about a teenage girl living in rural New England surviving mean girls at school as well as horse shows (doesn’t have a title yet), and a coloring book to accompany the Avenzyre series.

Wolf: More familiar with mean girls at schools than I’d like to be. What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

GB: I read, research, I have various sewing projects (I make the costumes I wear at RavenCon and Ren Faire), sometimes I crochet, I make very involved sketches of my characters and sometimes paint.

You can connect with GB through these links.
https://www.facebook.com/GBMacRae/
https://twitter.com/gb_macrae
https://www.pinterest.com/gbmacrae/pins/
https://mewe.com/profile/59f63ab71be2d92868415133
 

Don’t forget to pick up your copy of STAR TOUCHED

We Need to Talk About ALL Deaths by Suicide—Not Just When Celebrities Die by Suicide

This is an excellent article.
Thinking of suicide?
Stop and get help now.

The Bipolar Writer

I am saddened by the two celebrities, Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain, that died by suicide last week. However, I am glad it has increased the discussion about mental illness and suicide. I wish people would discuss the severe epidemic of mental illness and suicide before celebrity suicides occurred, but at any rate we are talking about it finally.

After listening to people speak about mental illness on the news and other places, I have come to the realization that most people do not have a clue what mental illness is. Too many people have said that these two people who died by suicide had everything going for them and had everything to live for and yet they were not happy.  These comments make me think that people really don’t get it.

Mental illness is not a choice. Mental illness is not a character flaw. Mental illness is not always…

View original post 1,359 more words

WOLF NOTES: An Uncommon Interview – Jesse Galena

 

Welcome to WOLF NOTES, where interview questions stray from the rest of the pack. It’s nice to know the usual stuff like where an author gets their inspiration and why they write, but sometimes we need a little fun in our lives.

Wolf: Welcome to Wolf Notes, Jesse. Tell us about yourself.

Jesse: In the blackness of the night, my mind slipped beyond the confines of mortal planes. Knitted within nightmares and dreams, I found a land where I did not obey rules, I made them. I found a place where the unconventional can become standard; a spectacle beyond what eyes can behold, but not more than the mind can comprehend. May the worlds beyond be as influential and entertaining to you as they are to me, and may I be a worthy guide.

Wolf: Okay. Not the strangest bio I’ve heard. What is the meanest thing you’ve ever done to your characters?

Jesse: Made them so depressed and lonely they turned to vigilante crime fighting to meet people and make friends.

Wolf: I’m very familiar with depression, but I’ll leave the vigilante stuff to fictional characters. While walking in the woods you come across…

Jesse: A beautiful scene I will no doubt take a s@#ty picture of.

Wolf: You need to have more faith in your picture taking abilities. If you could have a super power, what would it be?

Jesse: I would have cartoon logic apply to me. Need to hide something regardless of its size? Just put it behind my back. Want to whip around a 6 ft long sword like a rapier? That’s cool, it doesn’t have any significant weight to me. Want to fly? Just walk off something high and don’t look down. Need to get through a solid wall? Dump a bucket of paint on a wall, spend 2 seconds making it look like a doorway, and walk through it.

Wolf: Too funny. I love that idea. What five items would you want to have in a post-cataclysmic world?

Jesse: A genie that talks like Jeff Goldblum, the USS Defiant, the TARDIS, Jeff Goldblum, and a twenty-sided die that summons 1d20 dire weasels every time it is rolled.

Wolf: I gather you have a thing for Jeff Goldblum. Which of your characters is your favorite?

Jesse: The four main characters in Super Subpar: a dark comedy novel that is a mixture of well-intentioned incompetence and underwhelming superpowers.

Wolf: What story are you working on now?

Jesse: I’m currently querying Super Subpar, writing several fantasy short stories, and writing a fantasy adventure about a disgraced bodyguard, two charlatans, an honor-bound mercenary, and a murderer who all have to either discover who assassinated the king or die trying.

Wolf: Sounds interesting. What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

Jesse: Be with my partner, play tabletop RPGs, read, play board games, play video games, see standup comedy, and eat.

Wolf: Would you like me to connect you with a successful agent who wants to represent you?

Jesse: Very much so.

Wolf: Just kidding. You’re on your own for that one.

Catch up with Jesse at these links:
Social Media Links:
https://twitter.com/RexiconJesse
http://RexiconJesse.wordpress.com
https://www.facebook.com/RexiconJesse
Facebook.com/JesseGalena
Goodreads.com/RexiconJesse

Don’t forget to pick up your copy of STAR TOUCHED

 

WOLF NOTES: An Uncommon Interview – Bobby Sue Thompson

Welcome to WOLF NOTES, where interview questions stray from the rest of the pack. It’s nice to know the usual stuff like where an author gets their inspiration and why they write, but sometimes we need a little fun in our lives.

Wolf: Welcome to Wolf Notes, Bobby Sue. Why don’t you start by telling me about yourself?

Bobby Sue: Thank you, Wolf. I’m really tickled you asked. You sure have big teeth.

Wolf: You do know that I’m a wolf, don’t you?

Bobby Sue: As sure as my mom’s pecan pie. Just kiddin’ with you. I grew up in south central Kentucky, not far from Tennessee. The rest of my family is in Oklahoma. At least I hope they’re still there. Haven’t heard a peep from out there since the Day of Reckonin’. Sure hope they’re okay.

Wolf: What’s the Day of Reckoning?

Bobby Sue: That’s the League of the Stars’ name for the Cataclysm. You know, the day all heck broke loose. Meteors, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions. Anyway, my folks and I were vacationin’ in Ohio during the Day of Reckoning. Well, I was vacationing, seein’ the sight and all. There was a big old conference for psychology professors that they couldn’t pass up on. The building collapsed. They didn’t make it.

Wolf: That’s horrible. So sorry for your loss.

Bobby Sue: Thank you. You’re sweet. I miss them horribly, but I’m doing okay. They wouldn’t want me to keep mopin’ about. Life has to go on. Got a great job working for Gareth here in Atherton. He runs a store and tavern. Real nice fella. He’s kinda like a substitute dad to all of us workin’ there, but that woman he has in charge, she’s a mean piece of work. Although, she does show the occasional bit of honey when Gareth is near.

Wolf: Interesting. I’ll steer clear of her. If you could be any animal in the universe, what would it be and why?

Bobby Sue: I’d love to be a scissor-tailed flycatcher. That’s the Oklahoma state bird. I found this sweet little hairclip at the market the other day. I don’t often buy stuff, but this one just called to me. Someday I’ll make it back there and find out for sure who survived.

Wolf: That’s beautiful and it looks fantastic in your red hair.

Bobby Sue: Why thank you. I swear, your fur is almost as soft as Fifi’s.

Wolf: Thanks, but I’d rather not be pet…. On second thought, as long as you’re there, I do have an itch behind my left ear. Would you consider yourself a cat person or a dog person?

Bobby Sue:  I love all critters, but they don’t all love me. The only one who can get near that crazy rooster of Gareth’s is Tatiana. Animals just seem to take to her like a fish to water. Would you like to meet her? I could introduce you.

Wolf: Thanks, but we’ve already met. I interviewed her last December. Today is Clear Sky Day. What can you tell me about that?

Bobby Sue: The Day of Reckonin’ spewed all sorts of ash an’ junk into the sky. Then one day we all woke up and it was gone. Boom. Just like that. Sky was clear. Sun was shinin’. Things finally started warmin’ up. It was the first sign of hope we’d had since the disaster. You should come to our annual ceremony and celebration in the town square. It’ll be a lot of fun.

Wolf: I think I’ll pass. People might freak out if I showed up.

Bobby Sue: Oh. You’re probably right.

Wolf: What can you tell me about the star-touched? Where’d they get their powers?

Bobby Sue:  That’s a tough one. I mean, it’s only been eight years since they came into their powers. And before you ask, I don’t know where they got them or how they got picked. The league has been tryin’ to figure it out since the first star-touched showed up. They don’t know, the star-touched don’t know, nobody does. Maybe we’ll figure it out some day, but gosh, give it some time.

Wolf: I guess you’re right. If you could choose any weapon, what would it be?

Bobby Sue: Weapons aren’t my thing. I prefer to talk to people. If the world hadn’t turned upside-down, I would have been a social worker so I could help folks.

Wolf: And if talk doesn’t work?

Bobby Sue: A big old stick to knock some sense into them.

Wolf: Remind me not to make you angry. If you could pick any super power, what would it be and why?

Bobby Sue:  Not sure I’d want any kind of super power. They’re a lot of responsibility. People could get hurt if you’re not careful. And some folks get jittery around people with powers. I’d hate to see more riots like we had a few years back. But I suppose if I had to pick, it would be the ability to help fix what’s hurt inside a person’s mind. Psychologically speaking, not the physical stuff.

Wolf: That would be a great gift. Thanks for stopping by. To learn more about Bobby Sue and the star-touched, grab a copy of Star Touched.

 

 

Promote Your Writing!

Looking for things to read? Check out the ones posted here.

charles french words reading and writing

(https://pixabay.com)

Hello to everyone! I want once again to offer an opportunity for all writers who follow this blog to share information on their books. It can be very difficult to generate publicity for our writing, so I thought this little effort might help. All books may be mentioned, and there is no restriction on genre. This include poetry and non-fiction.

To participate, simply give your name, your book, information about it, and where to purchase it in the comments section. Then please be willing to reblog and/or tweet this post. The more people that see it, the more publicity we can generate for everyone’s books.

(https://pixabay.com)

Celebrate and promote your writing! Shout it out to the world!

Feel free to promote a new or an older book!

I hope this idea is successful, and I hope many people share information on their books!

Gallows Hill can be found here…

View original post 45 more words

WOLF NOTES: An Uncommon Interview – Joan Wendland

Welcome to WOLF NOTES, where interview questions stray from the rest of the pack. It’s nice to know the usual stuff like where an author gets their inspiration and why they write, but sometimes we need a little fun in our lives.

Joan Wendland is an engineer, game designer, and author. In her free time she – who am I kidding, Joan has no free time. You can find her games at Welcome to Blood & Cardstock Games! and her first novel SF/F Backstage is available from Amazon for download. Her second novel ‘Mr. Darcy: Cogs Maketh the Man’ will be available this summer.

Wolf: You’re right, there is no such thing as free time. What is the strangest food you’ve ever eaten?

Joan: I think technically it was a drink. It was called a Green-Eyed Molly and was gin, lemon juice, macha green tea powder, and egg whites. It wasn’t horrible, but the flavors fought rather than mingled.

Wolf: Ick. The mouth shouldn’t be a combat zone. What is the nicest thing you’ve ever done to your characters?

Joan: In Backstage I gave CC Law a dream job and true love. What could be nicer than that?

Wolf: That is nice. What is the meanest thing you’ve ever done to your characters?

Joan: In the first LARP I wrote I gave a character the name Clarence and wrote him as hating his name so much he made his girlfriend call him Sheriff instead. When he proposed she made him promise to let her call him Clarence or she would marry her pirate suitor instead. You think that’s not so mean, but you should have seen how much the player suffered.

Wolf: I can understand that. You’ve just been turned into a plant. Describe yourself.

Joan: Pretty pissed off. I don’t want to be a plant.

Wolf: I’m suddenly reminded of baby Groot. If you could have a super power, what would it be?

Joan: I would never get old, injured, or sick, but would just drop dead one day in my old age.

Wolf: Hope you get some warning first. The world is about to end. What is the first thing you do?

Joan: Find my husband, find some privacy, and have epic end of the world sex. Is this a trick question?

Wolf: What five items would you want to have in a post-cataclysmic world?

Joan: A nuclear power plant, a standing army, a pharmaceutical plant, arable land in an easily defensible valley, and a pony.

Wolf: You think big. What story are you working on now?

Joan: I’m writing a sequel to Backstage. It’s working title is ‘Looking for Trouble’. CC is going to be given an opportunity to pick her own assignment to test her suitability for a promotion from trouble shooter to trouble analyst.

Wolf: What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

Joan: I’m a media junkie. When I’m not writing I like to read, listen to music, and watch movies at the Alamo Drafthouse. I also like going to the beach off season to soak up some sun and -big surprise- read.

Wolf: I could use some beach time. Who was your role-model growing up?

Joan: Fittingly, my role-model was fictional. Her name was Bunny Watson and she was a reference librarian with a phenomenal memory. Catherine Hepburn played her in The Desk Set.

Wolf: Thanks for stopping by. Connect with Joan through these links:

www.blood-and-cardstock.com

www.zoo-illuminati.com

@BandCGames