Writers' Workshop

Come to the Triangle Sisters in Crime
One-Day Workshop for Writers!

Saturday March 12, 2016, 9 AM to 4 PM
Room 118, Western Wake Technical Community College
3434 Kildaire Farm Road, Cary NC

Registration closes March 7.
 

Click here to register for the workshop

Learn from the Best - Sign up for this all-day writers' workshop View this email in your browser Come to the Triangle Sisters in Crime One-Day Workshop for Writers! Saturday March 12, 2016, 9 AM to 4 PM Room 118, Western Wake Technical Community College 3434 Kildaire Farm Road, Cary NC Registration closes March 7.   Click here to register for the workshop THREE DYNAMITE PRESENTATIONS   Thrills and Chills with Allison Brennan.Character, conflict and pacing are the three keys to writing a compelling mystery or thriller. In this workshop, Allison Brennan will talk about how to create characters readers will love (or hate), how to keep the story moving, how to keep your stakes high and your conflict real. Plus, a special bonus discussion on villains--no matter what kind of villain you create -- evil or just misguided -- Allison will share tips on creating a villain worthy of your hero. Allison Brennan is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of 28 books and numerous short stories. She writes two series -- the Lucy Kincaid/Sean Rogan romantic thriller series (book 11, THE LOST GIRLS, will be out in November); and the Maxine Revere cold case mystery series (book 3, POISONOUS, will be out in April.) Allison believes life's too short to be bored, so in addition to writing three books a year, she is raising five kids, assorted pets, and a husband. Visit her website at allisonbrennan.com. Plotting Along with Erin Knightley. We’ll discuss different approaches to plotting and how to know what will work best for you. From detailed outlines to simple character motivation worksheets, group plotting sessions to solitary brainstorming, find the method that fits your personal writing style best.     Erin Knightley, the USA Today bestselling author of a dozen published works, including seven historical romance novels, initially decided to pursue a sensible career in science. She eventually came to her senses, leaving her practical side behind in order to write full time. Together with her tall, dark, and handsome husband and their three spoiled mutts, she is living her own Happily Ever After in North Carolina. Visit Erin’s website at erinknightley.com. Make a Living as a Writer with Tara Lynne Groth.  What does it take to rely on writing as your sole source of income? Learn about various streams of income you can tap into with your unique expertise. Consumer and trade magazines, advertising agencies, and website owners need content. Writing credits build your authority and a 'writer platform' makes you attractive to traditional publishers and readers. What are standard pay rates? How much do you need to earn? How can you protect yourself financially and legally as a writer? We'll answer these questions during this session.​ Tara Lynne Groth, a full-time freelance writer, resigned from salaried life in 2010 and has been running her writing business ever since. She writes web content, magazine and newspaper features, speaks at conferences, and leads workshops through two groups she founded: Triangle Writers and Asheville Writers. She blogs at www.writenaked.net and more at www.taralynnegroth.com. SinC members $65, Triangle SinC members $60, Others $75 Includes catered box lunch, door prizes, coffee & snacks, writing game, mingling, and moderated panel.

Click here to register for the workshop Questions? Contact JD Allen

 

Curmudgeon's Book of Nursery Rhymes

Now on Kindle.

Beloved nursery rhymes told with a twist.  In Little Bo Peep the narrator is one of the sheep, who says "in the first place she didn't lose us" or in Hickory Dickory Dock the story is told from the viewpoint of the clock. In Little Miss Muffet the spider says "I was invited to that fateful lunch."

There is also a politically correct version of Little Bo Peep rewritten so as not to offend anyone, especially those who are little, that is to say "vertically handicapped" or "altitudinally challenged."
Sometimes thought provoking, often humorous, the retelling of old stories reflects how the Resident Curmudgeon sees life. A true curmudgeon also sees things from a different viewpoint.

Available on Kindle for $2.99

Functions of the President

Among the many functions of the President is to represent the US in international affairs. Among many other things he must negotiate with leaders of other countries.

Now that brings us to a problem.  Can you imagine Donald Trump negotiating with the Prime Minister of England?  Or of France.  How about Trump meeting with Angelia Merkel? Please spare us the embarrassment!

But the absolute worst scenario:  Donald Trump having an audience with the Queen of England.

Heaven protect us from such a tragedy!

A Puzzlement

I am really puzzled about some things I have seen recently. There are a couple of televangelists who seem to be claiming a new (at least to me) concept in religion. As I listen to and read their pulpit rantings, I keep getting this theme:  "If you don't believe exactly the same as I do, then you're a sinner!"

Whoa there! I thought that was God'S job, to decide who were sinners. How come these earthlings now have this task?

Listening and reading further, I realize the really important factor.  They claim that God speaks to them directly. Aha!  Now I understand.  This is some sort of a franchise arrangement. These teleboys have some sort of a license whereby God tells them the ground rules, and then they get to apply them.

Since there are more than one of these teleboys, I have to wonder just what sort of territorial jurisdictions have been assigned.  Maybe it's something to do with what network they are on.

In a way you just have to admire these teleboys.  They are true entrepreneurs. They have discovered a product, and developed a market.

Bless us all here in the good old USA.

Trickle-down economics

Trickle-down economics

This theory has been disproved many times in our history, yet the dingbats are still in love with it.  It has never worked, but they still keep preaching this as the ultimate solution to all our economic problems.

Here is a hypothetical example:  You own a small factory manufacturing gizmos.  Currently your capacity is 1,000 gizmos each year.  Each gizmo retails for $1,000, and you realize 30% net profit.  So far you have been able to sell your entire production each year, but the past few years have been tight.  The number of middle class workers who can buy gizmos is shrinking.

You currently employ 20 workers. At times you have considered expanding your production which would enable you to hire a few more, but the market just is not there.  This would require some investment on your part, and entail a risk that you might not be able to sell more gizmos.

The government is constantly talking about how we need to create more jobs, but you just can't see any economic advantage associated with the risk of expansion. But then the government says that in order to encourage job creation, we're going to give you a big tax break.

So you and your accountant look at the numbers. Yes, you could invest in expansion, take the risk, hire a few more workers, and maybe, perhaps show an increase in revenue.  OR, you can do nothing, enjoy the increase in net revenue resulting from the tax break, make up excuses why you can't create more jobs, and investigate moving your entire operation to China.

So, more money to the top does not necessarily mean any will trickle down to the workers.  What it usually means is that the rich get richer.

Immigration

The more I read and listen, the more I am convinced the dingbats are totally insane.  Current events prove the point.

Last week, they wanted to impeach President Obama for "misuse of executive powers" because he made some things happen that the dingbat controlled Congress would not do.  Now they want him to use those same executive powers to do something about the immigration crisis, because they don't want to pass some legislation that might hurt them in an election. Wish they would make up their minds, assuming such is possible.

They all seem to conveniently  forget that much of this "crisis" stems from legislation passed in 2008, and signed into law by then-President Bush.

Fracking

I vowed that I would not write anything more about the totally stupid actions by the dingbats in the NC Congress.  I have problems controlling the anger I feel every time these idiots again display their total ignorance about history, reality and concern for the common folk.

However, they have now pushed through, without debate, new legislation designed to expedite "fracking " for natural gas hopefully located in Harnett, Lee and Chatham counties.

They totally ignore the physical evidence coming from other sites where "fracking" is practiced.
That would be bad enough, but there is one other even greater problem.

The oil and gas corporations who are so insistent that they be allowed to immediately harvest this hoped-for bonanza have failed to answer the one most critical question concerning this operation.

Let's assume they are able to recover natural gas from the shale formations. The question then is:

 What are they going to do with the gas? 

Where is the nearest pipeline terminal?  How do they propose to get the gas from the well head to that terminal? Do they propose a monstrous fleet of tanker trucks roaring up and down the winding, narrow back roads?  Maybe they will propose to build a pipeline extension into the area.  How long will that take?  What do they plan during the interim?

I think it is wonderful that some people will make good money from drilling leases.  But, what about the rest of us?  How much do we have to suffer?

As usual, the dingbats are totally concentrating on big business, and to hell with the people!