Saints Win is Bittersweet

Beating the Cardinals last night in the Dome was great. We could hear the cheering, the ad hoc parades, and the partying happening all over the neighborhood from the house. Of course, because the last time we were here was 2006, the year after Hurricane Katrina, and the sports commentators can't help but bring that up. Yes, the team has done amazing things for our spirit here in the city. Drew Brees is an amazing individual with a heart of gold, and the team that has formed around him and Sean Payton reflect that same dedication to our city.

And then, when the station cuts to the local news, and sprinkled in to the Sunday morning news programs today, are reports on Haiti and what is going on there. We can't ignore the parallels between New Orleans 2005 and Haiti 2010. We may have been out of commission for six weeks here; I left on August 27 and returned October 10. Some neighborhoods haven't come back, true, but Haiti -- an entire country -- may never come back.

I can't donate money now, but maybe this summer or the next, I will travel to Haiti and help with the rebuild if I can. I hope that everyone finds a way to help, particularly if you live in a region that has experienced any type of natural disaster. We are so much better equipped in America to deal with this, and yet we still suffered. Can you imagine what it must be like there? If you can't donate your time or money, please spread the word. Keep the need in the news and in the public discussion. Katrina is still mentioned on a daily basis down here; let's make sure
Haiti gets the same attention five years from now.

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Book Review of "The Dare Club: Nita" by Laurie Bradach and Kim “Howard” Johnson

Laurie and Kim will be awarding a $20 Amazon Gift Card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour, so make sure to leave a comment here and visit the other stops on the tour: http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2012/11/virtual-review-tour-dare-club-nita-by.html Series: The Dare Club Format: E-book & Paperback Genre: Contemporary YA, Mystery Length: 330 pages in paperback Blurb: Nita Conroy has relocated to the most boring town on the planet. That is, until would-be boyfriend Brad Keeley spills the beans about a secret group of girls known as The Dare Club. During her subterranean initiation below the high school, Nita overhears a plan by contractors and school officials to embezzle millions of dollars in grant money. When she is betrayed, The Dare Club's pranks become deadly serious. With the clock ticking, Nita will need the help of her new friends to expose the chilling plot--and hopefully survive long enough to snag a date to the homecoming dance. Exce...

An Honest Lie Two!

I got word yesterday that my story, "Independence," will be included in An Honest Lie Two: Delusions of Insignificance. I am, of course, quite pleased since this will be the second story from my unpublished California collection, All Along the Pacific , to appear in print. Everyone knows that a collection with stories that have already seen publication has a better chance of getting taken. Of course, I have quite a bit of work to do on some of the other stories before they would be ready. Currently, I'm working on a few science fiction stories. Also, I've got my NaNoWriMo novel -- I finished it, but it was only 26,000 words -- with another author. If we can bump it up to 50,000, I'm certain we can find a place to get it published. This is a historical YA novel written specifically for eighth graders in Louisiana, but I think it has a wider appeal.

Exposition: One tool the author has to tell a story

Exposition is used in two ways when talking about fiction. First, it is the set-up at the beginning of the plot arc. Where we learn the basic who, what, when, and where. This is a necessary part of plot to ground your reader. I'm going to address the second way exposition is used in a story. This is when an author gives background information, description of characters or setting, or summarizes events that have already happened. It can happen at any point in the story. This is a necessary, key element of writing and one of the three tools an author has to tell his or her story, along with scene and dialogue. A good author does this without slowing down the forward progress of the plot. That is, the exposition makes sense in the context of the scene (or action) of the story and does not trip up the reader or bore him or her. She turned her blue gaze toward him. Here, we get the fact that she has blue eyes in the context of the action. That's the best way to give description. One...

Writer and Editor C.B. Calsing/ G.G. Royale

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