Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers

The conference is scheduled to be at the Renaissance Hotel

This is no surprise, but there are a lot of writers groups out here. One I’m thinking of joining is the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers. They host an annual conference every September that includes workshops for all writers from established authors to those who are just starting out. This year’s conference is September 10 to 12 in Denver. For more information, see http://www.rmfw.org/

Recently read: John Dunning’s The Bookman’s Wake

I love this author who is now a local author since I moved to the Denver area. It's always fun to know the places and the streets mentioned. This is part of Dunning’s Cliff Janeway series about a former Denver cop turned book dealer. In this book, Janeway agrees to go to Seattle to bring back a young woman wanted for burglary who skipped out before the trial, leaving the bail bondsman looking at a hefty payment. The quick and easy money promised Janeway for a quick and easy task is not as quick and easy as originally promised. The book the woman is alleged to have stolen is a 1969 edition of Edger Allen Poe’s "The Raven"—a book that lives in the myth surrounding a small prestigious publisher, a book that appears in no bibliography. If it exists, it would be worth a fortune. In addition to the suspenseful plot, excellent characterization, and down right excellent writing, we find ourselves in the fascinating (well, to me anyway) world of small press publishing where the printer is regarded as an artist and the buyers are a special breed.

Reflections spa

Image from Dover Publications http://store.doverpublications.com

One of the things that takes so much time after you’ve moved to a different place—whether a different city, state or country—is finding new providers of service. Carl and I needed everything from a new dentist to a new reflexologist. I lucked out when I noticed an ad for Reflections Spa. Talk about a full-service place! I go there for my haircut, my pedicure, my facial, and my massage AND my massage therapist is also my yoga teacher and the class is held in the spa itself! Among their other myriad services are reflexology, plus they have a book club. Is this my type of place or what? Check them out at http://reflectionscolorado.com/

Recently read: Jeffery Deaver’s The Blue Nowhere

Deaver is an excellent writer who creates new series rather than stick to the same old formula with the same cast of characters. I’ve liked all the ones so far! This novel is older and, like his Lincoln Rhymes series, explores the deadliness possible in the computer world. The Blue Nowhere is what one of the computer wizards on the police force has named this shadowy place where things and people are not what they seem. A series of murders in Silicon Valley, a sadist named Phate, a disbanded group of games players, and a felon all make this a page-turner.

I’m now a Flybaby

Looks like Sharpie had to shut his eyes to walk through the pre-FlyLady mess!

Several years ago, one of my friends told me about the Flylady web site for tips and information on getting organized and the house cleaned up. I optimistically added it to my favorites and promptly forgot about it. Well, now I’m even MORE disorganized and as for a clean house—best to avoid that subject. In browsing through that list of old favorites last week, I visited the site, signed up, and am enjoying it. And it’s made a difference—my kitchen sink may be the only clean thing in my house, but that’s a baby step in the right direction, which is all The FlyLady asks of her new Flybabies! Visit http://www.flylady.net/

Recently read: G.M. Malliet’s Death of a Cozy Writer

This is the first book in the Detective Chief Inspector St. Just series and it’s a fun read that mildly spoofs the traditional British mystery style. Sir Beauclerk-Fisk may be the master of sweetly cozy mysteries, but in private he is a nasty, vindictive man. His recent engagement to a charming widow has enraged his four adult children, who for once join forces to try to prevent the marriage and the threatened disinheritance. When the widow’s past turns out to be less than savory, and the eldest son turns up dead in the wine cellar, St. Just has to unravel a lifetime of greed to find the killer.

Glenn Hanson: sketchbooks and inspiration

You can click on the image to enlarge it for details.

A number of you have emailed me about my father’s sketchbooks. As a result, I will be posting some of the sketches over the next few weeks just for the fun of sharing. When I get organized (i.e. fully unpacked), I'll match the text from his journals of the time to the sketches.

Recently read: Arturo Perez-Reverte’s The Club Dumas

I love this Spanish writer whose novels all have a darker side as well as plenty of intellectual fodder. In this, Lucas Corso, who calls himself a book detective, is asked to verify a manuscript found at the scene of a bibliophile’s suicide. Alexandre Dumas’ works, especially The Three Musketeers, as well as his private life (which was rollicking as well), provide the intellectual touch and the darker side is an ancient book about the devil that was supposedly burned along with its publisher during the Spanish Inquisition. Suspicious characters, greed, death, and large sums of money all swirl around in a macabre dance.

Emergency Preparedness Training for a new career field

Visit PR/EP at http://www.kandrcreative.com/?110150

My good friend Kenton Whitman of K&R Enterprises LLC has announced a new line of business as part of K&R's mission of empowering clients' businesses and lives: Personal Resilience and Emergency Preparedness training (PR/EP), including graduate and instructor training certificates.

Whitman, who has taught wilderness survival skills and has been a martial arts practitioner for nearly 30 years, has worked with police officers, martial arts instructors, security staff, personal trainers and individuals instructing them in self-defense and survival.

The questions he asks the participants in his one-on-one sessions and group workshops include, “How would you function without the internet, without electricity, without groceries or gasoline or police protection? Do you have the skills and knowledge to deal with the possibility of social instability?”

In addition to learning the skills to survive, participants can continue on this as a career path where, for less than a year’s college tuition, they have the potential to earn up to $80,000 a year or more through running their own PR/EP business as a PR/EP instructor.

For complete information on the program and career opportunities, see http://www.kandrcreative.com/?110150

Finding my father’s sketchbooks

You can click on the image to see the detail

Because I was determined not to move junk and clutter and things that should have been thrown out years ago, I tried to sift through as many old boxes, sacks, and dresser drawers as I could back in Wisconsin. In the back of a drawer in my father’s room, I found a stack of sketchbooks dating from the late 1940s and 1950s. We had thought all but six of his 60 years of drawings had burned in my parents’ house fire in 2004, so turning these up is very precious! We still ended up moving a lot of junk and clutter and things that should have been thrown out years ago . . .

Recently read: John Sandford’s Eyes of Prey

This is another excellent read by a master writer continuing the saga of Minneapolis Lieutenant Lucas Davenport. Murder victims start appearing in the Twin Cities, each gruesomely killed and their eyes mutilated. A husband seems less than upset by his wife’s death, Davenport loses his heart again to an ill-fated love affair, and soon the list of victims increases. A page-turner, as usual!

Education grants

One of my blog readers brought this web site to my attention, and it is worth a look http://grantsforeducation.info/ The December, 2009, article discusses differentiated education programs and how schools can request grant money. Grant writing is such an important skill in today’s world, no matter what field you are in. And it is not too early to start thinking about the next school year.