There is a great article in Mythaxis Magazine about the genre of Paranormal Romance. The history and roots of the genre, illustrations, tips, and writing exercises.
This should be of interest to anyone thinking of writing a story or a novel in this genre, and also for anyone who enjoys those books.
https://mythaxis.com/2021/02/19/kiss-my-cold-lips-writing-paranormal-romance/
Have you ever wondered why this seems to have become some kind of world-wide target to achieve every day? I have. Why not 12,000, or even 5,000? When my wife used to use a Fitbit watch, it made a noise and showed a picture of a rocket taking off when she reached 10,000 steps.
I have never counted steps. I work out my routine the old way. (Or at least I thought it was the old way)
My walking pace when out with Ollie is around three miles per hour. On harder ground this may increase slightly, and will surely decrease when walking in deep mud, or flooded fields. So if I am out walking for two hours, and I don’t sit down or stand still chatting for any length of time, I have walked around six miles. If I am out for as long as five hours in good weather, then that could be as much as twelve miles, allowing for short rests, or pausing to take photos.
Bur four hours in good weather is more usual, so let’s say ten miles a day in those conditions.
Assuming bad weather for almost nine months of every year, I walk for two hours each day. That’s six miles a day, seven days a week. So forty-two miles a week, in bad weather. Perhaps seventy miles a week when there is no rain or mud.
I don’t think I need to count steps.
But if you do, then here is an interesting short article about why 10,000 steps has become the ‘magic number’, and why you may not need to walk that many anyway.
https://theconversation.com/do-we-really-need-to-walk-10-000-steps-a-day-153765?utm_source=pocket-newtab-global-en-GB
I found this well-written article about the bond between humans and their dogs. If you don’t like dogs, then skip it. 🙂
The pandemic is still going to affect foreign travel, so it is a brave soul indeed who is prepared to book a holiday in some exotic location for 2021.
With much of the UK now in the same lockdown situation, holidaying in Britain might be the only option for many people used to seeking sun and excitement in foreign countries.
Fortunately, our own country does offer many places to enjoy, despite the unreliable weather.
But where to go?
I found this article online that has lots of suggestions. I have visited quite a few of the locations mentioned, but also discovered some I didn’t know about.
It does have some sponsored links, but they will be helpful on this occasion, so you can find out more.
(I get nothing for recommending this article, just so you know.)
Your chance of being being the victim of a serial killer is one less thing to worry about in 2020.
Some good news for once is about the decline in serial killings in America.
Since the ‘boom times’ for serial killers in the 1970s and 1980s, the trend has shown a dramatic fall, reaching rock bottom recently.
This article explains it in more detail, in case you are interested.
I am promoting this article from the daughters of our fellow blogger, Felicity Harley.
It is on Medium, with no reblog button, so here is the link.
I am one of those people that does not like distractions when I am writing. Other than Ollie snoring beside my desk, I like to write in silence.
However, many writers not only enjoy listening to music as they write, they draw inspiration from it for scenes in their books.
Here is an article that explains how one writer channels music to add creativity to her work.
https://mythaxis.com/2020/10/04/how-music-influences-writing/
Hard to believe, I know, but I am currently the Fashion writer for Mythaxis Magazine. It is ‘fashion’ with a difference of course, and somewhat tongue in cheek. Coming to this role late in life makes me approach it from a different perspective, so don’t expect any reviews of skinny jeans, swimwear, or male moisturisers.
For anyone interested, here is the link to my latest article for the magazine.
I was very happy to be told that I have been nominated for the Pushcart Prize. This nomination is for a non-fiction article published in Longshot Island Magazine, ‘Brutalist Architecture‘. I am of course very proud that the magazine considered my article to be worthy of nomination, whether or not I am shortlisted for the prize.
Nominations
This year (2018) we will nominate 5 works of fiction and one work of nonfiction for the Pushcart Prize.
Vacation by Daniel Wallace
The Part Beneath by Christine Rice
The Transcendent Cavewoman by Joe Taylor
The Food by Cameron Thomson
Born for Wonderland by Ewa Mazierska
Brutalist Architecture by Pete Johnson (nonfiction)
This is what the Pushcart Prize is all about.
The Pushcart Prize: Best of the Small Presses series, published every year since 1976, is the most honored literary project in America.
Since 1976, hundreds of presses and thousands of writers of short stories, poetry and essays have been represented in our annual collections. Each year most of the writers and many of the presses are new to the series. Every volume contains an index of past selections, plus lists of outstanding presses with addresses.
The Pushcart Prize has been a labor of love and independent spirits since its founding. It is one of the last surviving literary co-ops from the 60’s and 70’s. Our legacy is assured by donations to our Fellowships endowment.
If any of you would like to submit a story or article for consideration for inclusion in Longshot Island Magazine, please use this link. http://www.longshotisland.com/submissions/
I am once again delighted to have had an article published in the latest edition of Longshot Island magazine. As you can see from the cover, the theme this time is ‘Humour’, and there are some delightful illustrations to accompany the stories and features inside.
You will notice that I am credited as the ‘Style’ contributor, and this irony is intentional, I assure you. My own article this time is a re-working of ‘My New Fluffy Gown’, which some of you will remember from this blog.
I sincerely apologise for the shameless self-promotion, but I am obviously very pleased to be in print once more. Please check out the magazine online, and if you like it, buy a copy! (I don’t get royalties) You may also want to consider submitting your own story or feature for possible publication, and links follow.
The photos can both be enlarged for detail. Sorry the second one is a bit wonky!
http://www.longshotisland.com/magazines/comic-encounters/
http://www.longshotisland.com/
http://www.longshotisland.com/submissions/
beetleypete 