Story Land Jamboree

Greetings to The Tribe! I hope you all enjoyed your Halloween festivities and have made a smooth transition to November as we journey toward winter. Lately, I have taken up exercising on a regular basis for perhaps the first time in my life since before forced to take physical education in school. I have been told that the best way to ensure that you will adapt exercise regularly to your lifestyle is to make sure it is something you enjoy. That's funny. To me, "exercise" and "enjoyment" are mutually exclusive. Much to my surprise, I found that there is a form of exercise that I actually -- GASP -- enjoy. I have taken up swimming. I have found that, in the pool, I am graceful. In the pool, I am at least 30 years younger and the boundaries aging has forced upon me no longer exist. So, I thought ... well, now I am exercising my body - why not my mind, as well? My little sister, Betty Jo, gave me a book recently called, Do The Work by Steven Pressfield. My ...

She was a just a baby herself. In love, and looking to get away from a domineering mother, she saw her future in marriage at the age of 16. She had her first child -- a daughter (me) -- at the age of 18. Three more daughters followed later. My mother is an extraordinary woman. She is far more extraordinary than she knows. She has always had self-esteem issues. (Sometimes I see a lot of myself in her, in that regard.) She constantly underestimates her value in the eyes of those who love her. She gave up her youth for her girls. However, she did not give up her dreams. She was intelligent and had a love of medicine and science. When I was in high school, she got a grant to go to school to be a nurse. I remember when she got the news of her grant. She stood in our small kitchen area and told us the news with tears in her eyes. It was the fulfillment of a dream and the beginning of a fabulous nursing career. Even though she is now retired, I still run into people who recognize her name...

Good afternoon! I hope all members of The Tribe are enjoying their Labor Day weekend. Well, Dear Readers, I am in the middle of a HUGE lifestyle change and at times it is so hard! I have had a weight problem for a long time -- and it's been worse since I have gotten off steroids for my illness. I am 47 years old. I like to think I eat well ... but I do like too much junk. I have tried different diets. Heck, I've been on a diet most of my adult life. It never really lasts more than a couple days or so before I'm absolutely stark raving mad from hunger and deprivation and then I pretty much eat everything in sight. It is then that I give up and just eat what I want until I feel I have the emotional strength to try another diet. I had given up hope. Until now. I am proud to say that I am on Day 7 of a healthier eating plan -- a plan that is slow carb, gluten free, and a general whole foods approach -- and have begun exercising. I have an illness that is degenerative an...

Okay ... here we go ... we are looking for some funny redneck haiku poems for Bubbaku, Too: He's Bigger, He's Badder, He's Bubba! If you are interested in purchasing a copy of the original Bubbaku which has tickled the funny bones of so many people already, then go to the store online at albanlake.com. Check it out ... then try your hand at penning a few of those hilarious redneck haiku! It pays $2 per poem, if your work is accepted. Allow plenty of time for a response ... I am just getting started going through submissions. The publication date for this collection is still TBA depending on the submission response we get. The original Bubbaku is selling like hotcakes so we thought another collection was warranted! We will also accept haibun and other similar forms as long as it fits the theme. (**A Haibun is a very short story that is punctuated by a haiku. Again, see the original Bubbaku . There are two haibun published in that collection. One is by myself and the ...

So ... I've been hearing all about Stephen King's "Under the Dome." I also had read the ebook on Kindle. I'm excited about his telling of the tale, BUT his idea is not entirely new. I had a short story accepted for publication back in 2003 ... it was published online in Twilight Times. My writing has VASTLY improved (so, if you go read the story, then please accept my humble apologies for errors in grammar) ... but the story was pretty good I think. You can still find the story online (under my old name), it's called "City Limits." Check it out if you're interested: http://www.twilighttimes.com/jan03/la_StoryHoury19.html Just sayin'.  I eventually want to turn my City Limits idea into a novel ...  Have a happy Independence Day!!!  Hugs to you all,  L.A.

Well, hello again, Dear Writer,  We really have to stop meeting like this. People are going to talk. Oh, well, I'll throw caution to the wind ... We need our time together and I really, really like spending time with you. After all, we have a lot in common, don't we? Recently, I had ANOTHER vampire poem accepted for publication. The poem is called, "Lily." It's been so long since I have had so much accepted so close together that I am just about ready to turn cartwheels. (Whoa! THAT would be a sight!) This thought led me to an important question that someone once asked me regarding my writing.  "What is YOUR definition of writing success?"  This is so personal for each writer and it can change from one season of a writer's life to another. I am living proof of that. When I was in my twenties, I completely imagined myself as a female version of Stephen King. Um ... that was until I realized that I do NOT write like he does. I was in my thirtie...

Hello, Dear Reader ... (or Dear Writer -- whichever is the case),  Before I launch into my latest writing sermon, please let me make an announcement! All this preaching I have done about sitting down and WRITING has paid off! It has been YEARS since I finished such a volume of work and recently I have submitted a short story and it was accepted for publication last week!! The story is called, "The Longest Season," and you will find it this summer in Alban Lake Publishing's "Outposts of Beyond 2013." The editor, Mr. Lake, will also be publishing my poem, "Cap'n Jones," as a reprint in that same publication.  Then ... THIS week ... I had another poem accepted for publication! It was a vampire poem called, "Forever" and it will be published in "Moonshadow: A Collection of Vampire Poetry." I also submitted a second poem, but I do not know if he will accept that one yet.  Needless to say, I am more motivated than EVER to get so...