Horror-scope and the co-worker

October 22, 2015

Having arrived at a place in my life where I'm blessed with a good bit of vacation, I'm taking a long weekend. I had two unscheduled days to get in by the end of this calendar year or lose them. And I'm not about to lose them. 

One of the things with taking vacation days is a person has to work like a dog to cram five days work into four. It doesn't seem fair. That's the sort of thing that will get "the boss" to thinking you can take on extra work. Moral of this thought - always leave a little something on the desk when you take vacation. Just pick the right thing. 

I like to read the daily horoscopes. I don't believe or disbelieve but I do think it's interesting when one hits the mark. Today's is good advice for everyone - don't take the bait. 

I deal daily with a little old woman who constantly baits people. She's annoying. Her modus operandi is to tell half the truth then stand back and watch who makes a fool of themselves. Did I mention she's annoying? 

So here's the thing for today. She was in my office, first thing this morning, and "reported" on a meeting she was a part of. Oh, yeah. Little did she know I'd already gotten the minutes, spoken with our CEO and the other person in the meeting. (She still doesn't know.) I listened to her and watched her face. Yep. She was trying to play me into saying something I shouldn't. 

I know her and I know better. I kept quiet. She left, probably a little pissed off at me, but so be it. I least I won't have to waste any of my weekend worrying about her spreading gossip with my name attached to it. 

Then I read my horoscope. Nailed it. 

Gemini 5/21-6/21

You could be in for quite a wonderful surprise today as something totally unexpected grabs your attention. However, don't move too fast if you feel a knot in the bottom of your stomach. What you see is not the whole story and trusting your intuition can save you from yourself. Ultimately, it's not a good idea to take the bait unless you are ready to go on a ride to points unknown. Stop moving for a minute, block out the noise and re-establish your center. The answer will be crystal clear once you listen to your heart.

KC
www.kckendricks.com
www.twitter.com/kckendricks
www.facebook.com/kckendricks

Scatterings

October 18, 2015

It felt, for the first time, like autumn today. Early this morning my red car looked white with a coating of frost. I stepped out onto the front porch and looked up. What a splendid sky! Orion the Hunter, my winter king, was above me, with trusty Sirius at his heel. I rather wish I'd attempted to get a photo because the offerings on the Internet are poor compared to my morning view. Even as a girl, before I learned the mythology of the hunter, he drew my attention. 

For some reason, I allowed this day to get away from me. Oh, I did some writing, fixed dinner, and a few sundry things, but now it's approaching seven o'clock and I wonder what I accomplished. 

Perhaps it's that I was trapped inside today. Band after band of rain swept through, each bringing cold wind. In my younger years I would've dashed outside between the showers and gotten my work done. Am I older and smarter, or older and lazier? That's something to think about. 

This week coming, I'm only working four days. I never imagined having twenty days of vacation a year would be hard to schedule but it is. I needed to add two days off to the calendar or risk losing the paid vacation time. 

I'm not a big fan of diet soda, but I had a coupon for a free boss bottle of ginger ale. I must confess I've enjoyed the change from water this weekend even as I'll be glad when it's all gone. 

Tonight the newest Jesse Stone movie airs. My partner and I plan to open a bottle of wine and view the movie together. I hope I can stay awake. 

May the week coming bring you joy. 

KC

It's a 4.5 review for Hot August Comes

October 15, 2015

I actually enjoyed this story quite a bit. I was not surprised however, because KC has always given you stories that just seem to flow just off the pages. - Pixie at MM Good Book Reviews

First off my thanks to Pixie for her kind words! I appreciate that she took the time to read Hot August Comes, and to note there's a bit of humor in it. Drama is one thing, but it can get a bit dry if the author doesn't lighten up every so often. I'm glad she noticed. 

You can read the entire review at....
mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com/2015/10/06/hot-august-comes-by-k-c-kendricks/

A bit about Hot August Comes: 

Leo Corbin shook the dust of Westfall off his shoes to pursue opportunities among the bright city lights. When his mother suddenly dies, Leo returns home to settle her estate. His grief at her passing quickly turns to shock at what she left behind and rekindles old questions about the identity of his father.

Harrison Wade stuck by his father to help run the family farm. Life for a gay man in Westfall has limitations, but Harrison knows how to make the best of them. When Leo Corbin returns to town, Harrison’s quiet existence tilts. Leo is the guy who put an end to the high school bullying Harrison endured so many years ago. Harrison quickly discovers his old boyhood crush on Leo has matured into an adult attraction.

As the mercury rises, Harrison and Leo’s friendly buddy arrangement heats up. When hot August comes to Westfall, they discover home is more than where a man hangs his hat. It’s where he gives his heart.

HOT AUGUST COMES is available now. For more info and buy links, please visit my website at https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/hot-august-comes-by-kc-kendricks.html

KC Kendricks

My home on the web- Between the Keys: 

http://kckendricks.blogspot.com

Visit my bookshelf at: 

https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/the-bookshelf-of-kc-kendricks-and-rayne.html

twitter.com/kckendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards

instagram.com/kc_kendricks

My country life at Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

Very funny!

October 11, 2015

A friend sent me this and it's the funniest joke I've read in a long time. I must share it. Enjoy!

"Oh, my God, they stole my story!" (IWSG)

October 7, 2015

The Insecure Writer’s Support Group

http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com

There you are. It’s a rainy evening. You’ve written over one thousand words in the current work-in-progress and you’re winding it down for the day. A little surfing at your favorite online bookseller is in order. You can download a new book and tottle off to bed to do a little reading.

Not so fast. There is YOUR cover on someone else’s book! Okay, okay. You know everyone and their sister is buying cover stock from a rather limited pool. You just have to grin and bear it and remember you bought that cover stock because the guy is pretty sexy. 

So you scroll a few more pages and then it happens. Holy crap! SOMEONE STOLE YOUR TITLE!!!  Well, it’s not exactly your title. Your title’s The Alpha’s Broken Finger and this - this - this THIEF used The Alpha’s Broken Toe. And you can't copyright titles and names. But dammit! That’s awfully close. And both stories are about how his mate saves him.  What the heck is going on?? Is this something serious or did we simply inspire another writer? Haven't we all gotten inspiration from someone else somewhere along the line? Who hasn't read a story and been blown away by a particular turn of a phrase and then had it creep into our usage? 

I even had a fellow writer comment on this blog about the fact we both use the word "KEY" in our blog titles as though I stole the word directly from her mind. 

Plagiarism is a risk we all take when we publish a book. While I wrote the above tongue-in-cheek, the theft of intellectual property is no laughing matter. The honest among us have all seen covers and stories so similar to our own that the hair on our arms raises in alarm, disgust and anger. It’s not a good feeling. So what do we do about it?

If we accuse another writer of plagiarism and it turns out to be a weird coincidence, we’ve gained an enemy, one unlikely to ever forget. And do we want to apply the stigma of plagiarism to someone else who may have simply had a similar idea? How would we feel if we were unjustly accused of such a thing?

The serious among us view our work as both creation and business. There are steps we can take if we’ve been pirated (DMCA letters) or suspect plagiarism (an attorney versed in the applicable laws).  One of the sad truths about this business is it’s stacked against the author. We do the work of creation and everyone makes a profit on our backs.

I could let the ugliness of theft stop me from writing, but I won’t. I could put my money into lawyer fees (and if seriously pissed off I will). I submit DMCA letters albeit in a lazy fashion. For better or for worse I’ve accepted the risk because I believe Karma exists.

I know that sooner or later savvy readers will catch on and avoid suspect “authors.” The problem of deliberate, premeditated theft is so pervasive that even with a hundred thousand keyboards raised against it, it’s not going to go away. And that’s not right and that’s not fair.

The best thing I can do is put my energy into writing the next story and not dwell on the inequities of this business. I could allow it to discourage me, but I won’t. I do what I do for the honest readers and there are enough of them left to keep me going. And that will just have to be good enough until karma kicks butt.

KC Kendricks

http://www.kckendricks.com

http://www.twitter.com/kckendricks

Doors of Time by KC Kendricks

October 3, 2015

**Updated 4/2/21 - the My Sexy Saturday blog hop has closed.**

Welcome to My Sexy Saturday #112! My Sexy Saturday is a blog hop where your fave authors present seven sexy words, seven sexy paragraphs, or even seven sexy pages from a published book or a work in progress. 

This week I have seven sexy paragraphs from Doors of Time. As teens, Calvin didn't confess to Emory he had feelings for him so Emory always believed Calvin was straight. Surprise! He was misinformed. Enjoy!

_*_*_

Calvin levered his weight forward, rolling Emory beneath him. Emory locked his heels behind his knees and grinned up at him. “That’ll almost work, Calvin.”

“You’re too eager.” Calvin covered his mouth in a slow, easy kiss. Emory’s tongue flicked out to touch his. He flexed his pelvis to Emory’s, groaning as the beginnings of renewed arousal spiked through him. Emory unceremoniously dumped him off.

“I know exactly where that kiss is headed and I’m out of time.”

Calvin grunted as Emory smacked his butt and sat up on the edge of the bed.

“Come wash my back, Cal.” Emory started for the bathroom.

He bounced across the bed toward Emory. “Spank me some more and I’ll do whatever you want.”

Emory paused and turned around, eyebrow raised. “Really?”

_*_*_

About Doors of Time:

Calvin Lawson arrived in Clear River to rebuild bridges with his ailing father, not hook up with Emory Fleming, although being an honest man, he has to admit Emory’s on his mind. But first things first, and before he goes looking for his boyhood friend, he needs to find a restoration project to generate personal income so he’s not sponging off his father. Gutted by an arsonist, the Clocktower Theatre, affectionately called the Time by everyone in town, is in dire need of his special skills. 

As an on-the-air journalist, Emory Fleming is making a name for himself and getting noticed. He’s back in Clear River at the local network affiliate, preparing for the move up to a major market in a few years. When Calvin Lawson rolls back into town, Emory’s stunned. The old pal he worked with at the Time kept a big secret - he’s gay. All the fantasies Emory had as a teenager about Calvin suddenly become real as he and Calvin reconnect and quickly become lovers. 

Calvin’s planned restoration of the Clocktower Theatre may not be a practical possibility. He has to secure a lot of funding to do the job properly, and money is tight everywhere. When Emory’s big break comes faster than anticipated, Calvin sees only one option - step aside so Emory will accept the job he’s always wanted. It doesn’t take for Emory long to figure out why Calvin walked out, and put in action a plan to win him back before the doors of time close between them permanently.

Doors of Time is available at
Amazon, iTunes/Apple, Barnes and Noble, Kobo,
and other online booksellers. 

_*_*_*_*_*_*_

 KC Kendricks

My home on the web- Between the Keys: 

http://kckendricks.blogspot.com

Visit my bookshelf at: 

https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/the-bookshelf-of-kc-kendricks-and-rayne.html

Social media links:

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

twitter.com/kckendricks

pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards

instagram.com/kc_kendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

Remembering Fallingwater

October 1, 2015

It's wet. Rain is falling. It's not conducive to writing, at least for me. Planning and plotting come better when it's dreary outside. My muse needs sunshine to be productive. 

I was looking in the files for an inspiration photo and came across a few photos of the Frank Lloyd Wright masterpiece, Fallingwater. I had occasion to visit there on a rainy day in October of 2007, and decided to recount that visit tonight. It seems appropriate, given the rain.

For years I’d seen pictures of the Frank Lloyd Wright house and marveled at its very existence. It is an engineering masterpiece. Before the visit, I tried to imagine what it would really be like. Would it be a disappointment in real life? Would it be better than I ever dreamed? I can honestly say, it was more than I ever expected.

By today’s standards, the rooms of Fallingwater are actually of a modest square footage, the interior deliberately dwarfed by the cantilevered terraces. If a queen size bed were placed in any of the bedrooms, there’d barely be room to walk around it. Not that anyone would mind with a wall of windows to lie in bed and look out through.

No fancy gourmet kitchen, either, thank you. A kitchen is used strictly for food preparation. A dining area is used for family gatherings and entertaining guests. The flagstone used for the floors is not polished smooth, its dips and crannies a hazard for anyone in heels. Better to walk barefoot across the stones and let the ageless beauty of the rock lure you back into another world, another time. For a space of time, I embraced its seduction.

Every terrace at Fallingwater provides a stunning view of the house, woodlands and Bear Creek. Access to the plunge pool in the creek is through the living room. Above the house is a small (by today's standards) lap pool. The covered, curving walk up to the pool is as genius as the rest of the house. Fallingwater is all about experiencing the woods and the water. 

I've often wondered if the house has been imitated anywhere, but I'm not sure I really want to know. Any copies would be only that - a copy. 

While I may never write Fallingwater into a story, the feeling of romance the house instilled in me is something I’ll not soon forget. Maybe it was the intimacy of a rainy day. The hushed reverence of everyone in the tour group. Or maybe it was the knowledge I stood in the presence of creative genius. 

If you ever have the chance to visit Fallingwater you should go. It's a place you'll never forget. 

 KC Kendricks

My home on the web- Between the Keys: 

http://kckendricks.blogspot.com

Visit my bookshelf at: 

https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/the-bookshelf-of-kc-kendricks-and-rayne.html

Social media links:

My country life at Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

Life through the eyes of Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

twitter.com/kckendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards

instagram.com/kc_kendricks

A look back a summer

September 27, 2015

I love everything about autumn. Cooler temps, cleaner air, beautiful colors. I get energized by autumn. It's usually the time of year we do a lot of home and garden projects. Note the word "usually." This year was very different, and I say that with gratitude. As of yesterday, we crossed off another major item on our To Do List and now we will enjoy the fall with little to do except sit on the patio or a porch and sip a beverage. 

The projects began back in May with another visit by the tree trimmers and then swapping out a tub for a walk-in shower. It was a necessity for the man of the house and I confess I wasn't sure I was going to like it. I knew I'd adjust but after four months I admit I rather like it. I'd thought I'd have to get a smaller dog, one I could wash in the kitchen sink, but with the walk in shower another Lab is possible. Yes, if any dog wants to sleep on the bed, they must be bathed on a regular basis. 

The shower was quickly followed by new shingles on the shed roof, removal of the roof ridge vent on the house and repairing the roof (no more leaks! and no more fucking ridge vents EVER!), new gutters and downspouts, a new sliding glass door for the sunroom, composite deck boards on both front decks, burying a discharge pipe to carry rainwater father away from the house and down the hill, painting the trim on the shed, and lastly, painting the house shutters. 

Oh, and don't forget setting up the pool and then taking the pool down. And buying another Charger. And the man's cataract surgeries. 

No wonder I'm tired! 

Surprise! 

My slush fund is down thousands and I don't mind a bit. The money was well spent. Yesterday morning we enjoyed our coffee on the sunroom porch and agreed that, come next summer, we won't have a lot to do. Of course, we know that living in the woods is full of surprises. Mother Nature can drop a surprise big limb in your front yard while you're in the middle of composing a blog. 

Next summer will surely bring something. Thankfully, the slush fund should have time to recover by then. And with any luck, we'll be recovered, too.  

KC Kendricks
www.kckendricks.com
www.twitter.com/kckendricks

Ride Your Luck for this My Sexy Saturday

September 19, 2015

**updated 4/9/21 - The My Sexy Saturday blog hop has closed.**

Ride Your Luck is now available!

Here are seven sexy paragraphs from Ride Your Luck for this My Sexy Saturday. Be sure to check out the linky list at the bottom of this post for more great excerpts.

*+*+*+*+*+*

I grinned at him. “Won’t it look suspicious us riding out again?”

“I don’t care.” He flashed me a sly-looking smile. “Saddle up, bronco.”

My cock turned to steel, eager to lead the way. “I’ll meet you in the barn.”

I stacked my plate on his so he could put them in the dishwasher. Then I headed back to my bedroom to get my hat.

And a condom. And some lube packs.

I crammed them in a pocket and opened the door. Wythe stood there, blue eyes blazing. Before I could say a word he propelled me backwards to the bed. We collided with the edge of the mattress and tumbled down together.

His fevered lips kissed my neck as his hands yanked my shirt out of my pants. I undid his belt and pulled down the tab of his zipper. We grunted and groused at each other until we were both naked and panting. He fisted my shaft and stroked me. My eyes crossed and my toes curled.

_*_*_*_*_

More about Ride Your Luck:

Regan Oakley’s luck ran out. After a stint in rehab, he’s putting his life back together without the booze. What he thinks is an old friend’s charity is really a plea for help. There’s trouble at the Bar RC Ranch and the friend’s son is in the middle of it. Regan takes one look at Wythe Carver and knows that young man isn’t the only one with his world turned upside down.

Wythe Carver’s life took a strange turn. Suspected of murdering the ranch foreman, he’s hanging on, one day at a time. The person who could alibi him has disappeared and Wythe can’t find him. To make matters worse, his prize stallion is loose on the range. Complicating his life even more, his father called an old friend to come help out at the ranch. One look at Regan Oakley is all Wythe needs to know it’s going to get hot at night. 

Regan sets out to find the truth of what happened that night at the Bar RC. He’s sure Wythe is innocent, and he’s just as sure he has no business getting involved with the boss’s son. With no solid proof to clear Wythe, Regan needs to ride his luck to get to the truth and keep Wythe by his side. 

RIDE YOUR LUCK

Contemporary gay cowboy

Amazon US: www.amazon.com/Ride-Your-Luck-KC-Kendricks-ebook/dp/B01E9TQ4YS

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01E9TQ4YS

Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01E9TQ4YS

Apple/iTunes:  itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1098678927

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ride-your-luck-kc-kendricks/1122717097?ean=2940153211367

Rakuten/Kobo: www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/ride-your-luck-1

Universal link to additional booksellers: https://books2read.com/u/4XGyvm

Ride Your Luck webpage with more information and excerpt: https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/ride-your-luck-by-kc-kendricks.html

_*_*_*_*_*_*_

 KC Kendricks

My home on the web- Between the Keys: 

http://kckendricks.blogspot.com

Visit my bookshelf at: 

https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/the-bookshelf-of-kc-kendricks-and-rayne.html

Social media links:

My country life at Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

Life through the eyes of Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

twitter.com/kckendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards

instagram.com/kc_kendricks

Cover reveal - Ride Your Luck

September 17, 2105

**updated 4/9/21**


Modern-day cowboys - ya gotta love 'em. I said many, many bad words when A & E canceled Longmire. Now I'm paying the Netflix fee just for Longmire. Cowboys. Just say yes.

Coming this weekend - Ride Your Luck! 

He's not quite my vision of Wythe Carver but I know how hard it is for the cover artist to find just the right guy for ten bucks. I'll give him the pass because he tries to get it right. 

Here's a bit about Ride Your Luck.
 _*_*_*_

Inspiration for the character
of Wythe Carver

Regan Oakley’s luck ran out. After a stint in rehab, he’s putting his life back together without the booze. What he thinks is an old friend’s charity is really a plea for help. There’s trouble at the Bar RC Ranch and the friend’s son is in the middle of it. Regan takes one look at Wythe Carver and knows that young man isn’t the only one with his world turned upside down.

Wythe Carver’s life took a strange turn. Suspected of murdering the ranch foreman, he’s hanging on, one day at a time. The person who could alibi him has disappeared and Wythe can’t find him. To make matters worse, his prize stallion is loose on the range. Complicating his life even more, his father called an old friend to come help out at the ranch. One look at Regan Oakley is all Wythe needs to know it’s going to get hot at night. 

Regan sets out to find the truth of what happened that night at the Bar RC. He’s sure Wythe is innocent, and he’s just as sure he has no business getting involved with the boss’s son. With no solid proof to clear Wythe, Regan needs to ride his luck to get to the truth and keep Wythe by his side.

RIDE YOUR LUCK

Contemporary gay cowboy

Amazon US: www.amazon.com/Ride-Your-Luck-KC-Kendricks-ebook/dp/B01E9TQ4YS

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01E9TQ4YS

Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01E9TQ4YS

Apple/iTunes:  itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1098678927

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ride-your-luck-kc-kendricks/1122717097?ean=2940153211367

Rakuten/Kobo: www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/ride-your-luck-1

Universal link to additional booksellers: https://books2read.com/u/4XGyvm

Ride Your Luck webpage with more information and excerpt: https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/ride-your-luck-by-kc-kendricks.html

_*_*_*_*_*_*_

 KC Kendricks

My home on the web- Between the Keys: 

http://kckendricks.blogspot.com

Visit my bookshelf at: 

https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/the-bookshelf-of-kc-kendricks-and-rayne.html

Social media links:

My country life at Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

Life through the eyes of Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

twitter.com/kckendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards

instagram.com/kc_kendricks

Windows 10? Not impressed.

September 13, 2015

So I downloaded the Windows 10 upgrade. Like a lot of folks, it's not that I really wanted to, but being that sooner or later we'll be forced into either taking Win 10 or going Mac, I bit the bullet. For the record, I'm not impressed. 

Writing is the center of my internal world. I use my computer for writing and therein lies the problem. I don't game unless you count Freecell. I don't draw or design. I play music, sometimes even create playlists for a particular book, but I don't use Finale or any of those other music writing programs. I balance my checkbook. I write sticky notes to myself. Today's operating systems, with all the whistles and bells, aren't designed for those of us who view our computer first and foremost as a mega word processor. 

Personally, XP did everything I needed. I think Microsoft forgot their mission when they designed XP. You know, the planned obsolescence model of doing business. It's not that I can't maneuver around the Windows 10 file manager (thanks, at least, for bringing that term back), it's just XP was more straightforward and didn't have that silly "ribbon." For some of us, XP and/or Windows 7 would have been enough for the rest of our days. 

I'm sure lots of people are loving Windows 10. I don't hate it, you understand. I just don't love it.

Perhaps I'm just a little pissed off that the last Win10 update fucked up changed all my settings. Settings that I spent a lot of time, well, setting. It's like the designers are telling me not to bother, that I have no say in the matter. Like I'm not intelligent enough to decide for myself the way I like my computer to look and feel while I work. 

And there's the crux of the problem. I have no say in the matter. 

Like any good reader and writer of science fiction, I can see where this is headed.

KC Kendricks
www.kckendricks.com
www.twitter.com/kckendricks

ACBW - Brain Games

September 11, 2015

Have you tried doing mturk.com. It's owned by Amazon. My son does it for fun. The pay starts out small (pennies) but as you built up the amount of jobs you take, the pay increases. He did a 2 minute job for .86 cents. You'd have to read the instructions to understand the system, but there's money to be had there for an ambitious person. - Brenda Williamson

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I never heard of it before so I went and looked. It sounds more like a fun personal challenge than serious money but I can see where signing up and filling in the odd moments while at the day job would be beneficial to my state of mind. It would be better than playing Freecell or Mahjong. I should set up the account and tell Himself to have at it. :)  - KC Kendricks

A Conversation Between Writers - What did I forget?

September 4, 2015

I used to laugh at my mother and grandmother for forgetting things but it's not amusing. Nor is it amusing my calendar didn't send me the alert on it. 

Today I decided I needed a break from caffeine and I can barely keep my eyes open. Someone is going to stroll in here and find me snoring.  - KC Kendricks

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Everyday I too seem to forget to do something. Nothing important, but it gets so annoying. And it's not like I totally forget, it's more like the thought gets pushed to the back of my brain and jumps forward every so often so I remember it at an inopportune time. - Brenda Williamson

September Day Trip to the New River Gorge Bridge, WV

September 2, 2015

It may sound strange to those not living near, but West Virginia is a frequent destination for me when I leave home. The state slogan is "Wild and Wonderful" and the moment you begin the ascent into the time-worn Appalachian Mountains it's clear why. West Virginia is a stunningly beautiful chunk of planet Earth.

Eastern Continental Divde

Our day began with our filled travel mugs safely tucked into the holders and 721 songs on a jump drive plugged into the Charger's USB port. Our route was west Interstate 68, to south Interstate 79, to south US Route 19. First item of note was crossing the Eastern Continental Divide at Savage Mountain, elevation 2620 feet. We've done it many times before but this time Mr. Swifty managed to snag a picture of the sign, albeit not a good one even though I slowed down to a virtual crawl... continue reading here. 



KC Kendricks
www.kckendricks.com
www.twitter.com/kckendricks

ISWG: The Most Important Thing I've Learned on Pinterest

September 2, 2015

The Insecure Writer’s Support Group

http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com

I’m a Pinterest addict. There. I’ve admitted it. And I can do that because we all know I write fiction. But truly. I love Pinterest. All the pretty pictures and colors. The neat craft ideas. The cats! The puppies! The writing funnies…

So I found this bit of advice: Keep Calm - it's only a first draft. Oh, my goodness, are these words to take to heart.

So you’ve written the story and the hero’s name changed halfway through. Keep calm. It’s only the first draft. You can fix it.

So you’ve written the story and the hero started out with brown eyes and ended up with blue eyes. Keep calm. It’s only the first draft. You can fix it.

So you published the story and six months later it suddenly occurs to you how you could write it better. Keep calm. It’s only the first edition. You can fix it.

 

I could go on and on, drawing from the vast pool of my past mistakes, but I’ll get to the point and move on for the day.

No mistake you make is an original mistake. It's been made before so don’t beat yourself up over it. Honestly. Someone, probably many someones, have accomplished the same feat. 

When I started out a good piece of prevailing wisdom was to polish, polish, polish that manuscript before you submit it. 

Okay, that’s good advice. You should have your manuscript as spic and span as humanly possible, but don’t get sidetracked when your beta reader/crit partner points out your hero started out with blond hair and now he has black hair. Don’t get insulted. Don’t argue. Don’t throw a temper tantrum.

Keep calm and fix it. It’s only the first draft. 

KC Kendricks

http://www.kckendricks.com

http://www.twitter.com/kckendricks