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Fiction, Food, and Foolishness
TEACHER GIFTS
Okay, I should be good at suggestions for teacher gifts. I was a school secretary, after all, so that should make me somewhat of an expert. NOT. I will tell you what teachers don’t like…anything with apples on it. Usually because they have a closet full of that stuff. If they’ve been teaching for very long, the apple/teacher connection has been overdone.
What they do love are…gift certificates for restaurants, spa treatments, manicure and pedicure gift certificates, even movie passes.
If your teacher happens to be a coach, how about giving him.her tickets to a professional sporting event. I’m sure he or she has a favorite team, so find out which one it is and send them to a game. If you don’t want to do a sporting event, why not find out who one of their favorite musical personalities and search when that star will be performing close enough you could furnish tickets for their concert or club appearance. If the price is more than you want to spend, then get a co-worker to go in with you.
For male or females, find out if they collect any particular item and add to their collection. Perhaps they like antiques or old books. You can find many inexpensive collectibles at local antique malls.
Maybe they’ve been wanting to take a pottery or art class. Giving one lesson might be just the thing to get them going. Sometimes all they need is a little push.
Oh, and let’s not forget food items. I had a teacher who gave me tamales at Christmas and since I couldn’t make them, that was a great gift for me. Who doesn’t like baked or home cooked gifts? Be sure and include a copy of the recipe if it is one you choose to share.
And when in doubt…always remember, everyone loves cash!!
***SPECIAL NOTICE: I’ve been working on my website, so I hope you notice I have a new subscribe form in the left column. I’d sure love it if you subscribed. That way, when I add a new post, you’ll receive notice. AND, for all those who do subscribe between now and January 1, 2014, one lucky winner will receive a free copy of LAID OUT AND CANDLE LIT and YOU’RE BUSTING MY NUPTIALS…either in ebook format or trade paperback.
MANGER ANIMALS AS GIFTS
Just today I was watching Hallmark Channel’s Home and Family show and they offered a great gift idea I’d never heard of. There is a website where you can go give an animal depicted in the manger scene…goat, sheep, donkey to families in need. One goat provides milk, yogurt, cheese, etc. You can give one animal or one of each. I think prices range from $75 up to $548, depending on the number of animals you give.
This would be a great way to honor someone on your gift list. You can give the animal/animals in honor or in memory of someone. AND, I understand the recipients can be in the United States as well as other countries.
The website is http://www.WorldVision.org/Gifts
The site also has gift items you may purchase, handmade by families who have received animals in the past. Such a great idea!!
On a much smaller scale, but still meaningful, is to consider giving a memory book. Have family members write special memories which involved the recipient and make them into a booklet. We did this for my parents on their 60th wedding anniversary. It was just as special to those of us who read the stories told by other relatives, as it was to add our own. It’s also a great way to preserve some family history.
I hope one of these gift ideas hits home with you.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!
DECEMBER OBSERVANCES
I hope everyone had a great Turkey Day! I did. I gained the average three pounds articles claimed I should. Now, I just have to lose it in time to gain it back during Christmas!
Now for the December Observances. Other than Christmas, it’s a slim month in the awareness business. But, I did find at least one that I thought was pretty dang funny…Awareness Month of Awareness Months Month! How crazy is that?
Along with being aware of the months, it’s also National Tie Month and Write a Business Plan Month.
In the food department, it’s Quince and Watermelon Month. Gee, I thought watermelons would be celebrated in the summer. Add to those, Root Vegetables, Exotic Fruits, Tomato, and Winter Squash Month.
Moving to another subject, if I can make myself do it, I’m going to post some gift ideas you may want to consider for Christmas. I’m certainly not as good as Pinterest…and if you haven’t tried that site, you should…but be prepared to spend some time there. It’s addictive. Once you start looking at everything, you can’t stop! Anyway, here are my first suggestions:
For the hard to buy for child…why not buy tickets to the Children’s Theater in Dallas or your area. I did this for my daughter when she was about ten. I bought season tickets and we got to spend a Saturday mom and daughter day each month for several months…plus, we saw some great productions. The tickets aren’t as expensive as you think.
For a hard to buy for friend: If you have a friend who has lost a parent or loved one, why not give a gift of remembrance. I know every church I’ve ever been a member of, displays poinsettias at Christmas, where members can purchase one in honor of memory of someone. Remembering or honoring a loved one is such a special thing.
I hope you’ll check back for more gift ideas. If you have one you’d like to share, I’d be happy to hear from you.
Happy Holidays!!
NOVEMBER CELEBRATIONS
November is the month for writers to take part in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) which is an annual internet-based creative writing project challenging participants to write 50,000 words of a new novel between Nov. 1-30. I’ve never taken part in the exercise, but I admire authors who do…and succeed. I’m too slow to write that much in that amount of time.
It seems fitting since Thanksgiving takes place this month, we’d celebrate a lot of different foods. It’s Plum and Pomegranate Month, Spinach and Squash Month, Sweet Potato Awareness Month and Banana Pudding Lovers Month.
But, did you know November is also the month we celebrate Adopt a Senior Pet Month? Keep in mind, old dogs need homes too…even if you can’t teach them new tricks. Let’s not forget cats…however, there isn’t much difference in an adult cat and a senior cat. They pretty much just lie around all the time anyway.
It’s also Manatee Awareness Month, which is good, because I rarely give Manatees much thought. I guess that’s why they gave them a month for awareness. If you want to check out information about the Manatee, go to http://www.savethemanatee.org
Other things I seldom think about are sponges, so…November is World Sponge Month. Believe it or not, they have sponge conferences! Wow! I did not know that. The Ninth World Sponge Conference was held in Fremantle, Western Australia from November 4-8. Sorry I didn’t get this info out sooner. There might have been some of you who wanted soak up all that information. Oh well, there’s always next year.
On a more local level, I’ll segue into a book event I’m doing this Saturday, November 30th. I hope if you’re in the area, you’ll drop by for a visit!
THE BEN WHEELER BOOK FAIR
There will be 28 Texas authors — mostly from the Upper East Side of Texas — with children’s books, Christian humor, fantasy, literary fiction, historical fiction, horror, mystery, poetry, romance, and young adult fiction. Nonfiction authors include biography, children’s advocacy, memoir, music and culture, photography, and self-help.
A representative of Black Beauty Ranch will also be present to talk about and sell books about the nation’s largest animal sanctuary.
The book fair will be from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. in the restored Elwood Schoolhouse, 5475 FM 858 in downtown Ben Wheeler, which shares space with the Ben Wheeler Children’s Library.
It’s the same days as the 279 Artisans Trail which supports local artists. Organizers expect a good walk-in crowd to enjoy the restaurants, music venues, galleries, and retail shops along with special events in both Ben Wheeler and Edom. For more information, go to the book fair’s Facebook page, “Ben Wheeler Book Fair,” and check out www.benwheelertx.com.
~~~~~~~~~~~ HAVE A BLESSED THANKSGIVING ~~~~~~~~~~
HUMOROUS OCTOBER CELEBRATIONS
We all know October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It’s also Domestic Violence Awareness Month and National AIDS Awareness Month, along with National Crime Prevention Month, all worthy causes for attention. And although the month is almost over, I thought readers might be interested in some of the lesser known subjects we celebrate during October.
Since this is the month of Halloween, it’s only fitting for this to be Bat Appreciation Month, because All Hallows Eve is probably the only time Bat’s get some of the spotlight. Unfortunately, they have to share it with Feral Hogs and squirrels, because it’s also Feral Hog Month and Squirrel Awareness Month…not to be confused with Squirrel Appreciation Day which occurs in January. What’s up with Squirrels that they get a month AND a day? Even the groundhog doesn’t get that and he determines how long a season will last!
Some of my favorite October celebrations include food. Eat Country Ham Month, National Chili Month, National Popcorn Poppin’ Month, and Rhizomes and Persimmons Month. Call me Redneck Stupid. I had to look up rhizome to find out what I should be celebrating. Turns out, according to http://www.staceyreid.com/news/?m=201310, it’s a root. An example would be ginger root. Of course if you live in Texas, you know Persimmon is a fruit. Why someone decided to call attention to these two unrelated things is beyond me, other than the fact they rhyme. Root and Fruit. With that observation, it’s a good time to mention, it’s also National Sarcastic Awareness Month.
One of my favorites is National Toilet Tank Repair Month. So, if you’ve been putting that job off, you only have a few days left to repair and celebrate at the same time.
I’ll end with Self-Promotion Month. Hey, I’m all for that. I have two books published. LAID OUT AND CANDLE LIT and YOU’RE BUSTING MY NUPTIALS. The links are below. Please buy my books and make me rich…there, I self-promoted and celebrated being sarcastic.
http://amzn.to/RnxiDS LAID OUT AND CANDLE LIT
http://amzn.to/V4RNdP YOU’RE BUSTING MY NUPTIALS
Feel free to leave a comment about something you celebrate in October
MEET THE CHARACTERS BLOGFEST
Welcome to the Meet the Characters Blogfest!
Readers, get ready for a whole month of some of the most interesting, hottest, attention grabbing characters in today’s YA, NA, Romance, Horror, and Paranormal fiction!
All month long DelSheree will be introducing readers to amazing characters through character bios, artwork, interviews, and contests.
Here’s what’s happening today. Please check out these character interviews. First one goes live at 6 am Texas time. Others follow in two hour intervals. Mine posts at 8am.
http://delshereegladden.blogspot.com/2013/10/character-interview-zadie-stonebrook-my.html Dorothy Dreyer
http://delshereegladden.blogspot.com/2013/10/character-interview-tizzy-mccalister.html Ann Everett
http://delshereegladden.blogspot.com/2013/10/character-interview-dan-and-mattie.html Apryl Baker
http://delshereegladden.blogspot.com/2013/10/character-interview-zander-roth-wicked.html DelSheree Gladden
That’s Not All…
We’ll be having some fabulous contests, each of which has it’s own giveaway. Readers will get to vote on the characters, and one lucky voter in each contest will win a copy of the book the Winning Character comes from. The character giveaways will include:
Hottest Guy Contest (10/4)
Feistiest Girl Contest (10/11)****Be sure and vote for my entry, Synola Harper, from YOU’RE BUSTING MY NUPTIALS
Cutest Couple Contest (10/18)
Steamiest Couple Contest (10/25)
There will also be one MAIN GIVEAWAY starting today where 1 LUCKY WINNER will win a prize pack of 40 books from some of today’s hottest new authors. Additional winners will be chosen to receive runner-up prize packs as well.
*************GO TO SITE BELOW TO ENTER AND VOTE***************
http://delshereegladden.blogspot.com/
SO, WHAT CAN YOU FIND EACH DAY?
10/2 — Character interviews with Zadie Stonebrook (My Sister’s Reaper – Dorothy Dryer), Tizzy Donovan (Laid out and Candle Lit – Ann Everett), Kristi Becker (A Plain Wish – Cyndi Lord), Zander Roth (Wicked Hunger – DelSheree Gladden)
10/3 — Character Bios from Kristi Becker (A Plain Wish – Cyndi Lord), Bryan Sullivan (Arcadia’s Gift – Jesi Lea Ryan), Brandon James (Love and Other Games – Aria Kane
10/4 — Hottest Guy Contest (Stop by and vote for your favorite!)
10/7 — Character Surprise Posts from authors RH Ramsey and DelSheree Gladden
10/8 — Character Artwork from The Other F Word (Susan Stec) and Wicked Hunger (DelSheree Gladden)
10/9 — Character interviews with Kate Everett (A Slight Change of Plan – Dee Ernst), Jean (In Polester Pajamas – Catherine Dougherty), Ben (Twenty-Five – Rachel Hamm), Vanessa Roth (Wicked Hunger – DelSheree Gladden)
10/10 — Character Bios from Kassia (Ice Magic), Maze (The Ballerina and the Fighter – Ursula Sinclair), Lucien (Smoke, Wings, and Stone – Marijon Bradley)
10/11 — Feistiest Girl Contest (Stop by and vote for your favorite!)
10/14 — Character Surprise Posts from authors Kara Leigh Miller, Sharon Kleve, Linda Budzinski
10/15 — Character Artwork from On a Wing and a Dare (Linda Ulleseit), Invisible (DelSheree Gladden)
10/16 — Character interviews with David Corbin and Jon Reyes (Sign of the Throne – Melissa Eskue Ousley), Rosie (In Polyester Pajamas – Catherine Dougherty), Ketchup (Wicked Hunger – DelSheree Gladden)
10/17 — Character Bios from Nadia (love and Other Games – Melinda Dozier), (Karen Gastreich), (HL Carpenter)
10/18 — Cutest Couple Contest (Stop by and vote for your favorite!)
10/21 — Character Surprise Posts from authors Stephanie Wardrop, Lucy Crowe, Ana Blaze
10/22 — Character Artwork from Haunting Joy (Lena Goldfinch) and The Destroyer Trilogy (DelSheree Gladden)
10/23 — Character interviews with Rachel Blackstone (The Relcutant Medium – GG Collins), Nell (The King Series – Tawdra Kandle), Arcadia ( Arcadia’s Gift – Jesi Lea Ryan), Olivia & Mason (Invisible – DelSheree Gladden)
10/24 — Character Bios from (Karin Gastreich), Sam and Cole (Fate War: Alliance – EM Havens)
10/25 — Steamiest Couple Contest (Stop by and vote for your favorite!)
10/28 — Character Surprise Posts from authors Susan Stec, Shauna Roberts, Lisa Cresswell
10/29 — Character Artwork from My Sister’s Reaper (Doroth Dryer), Twin Souls (DelSheree Gladden)
10/30 — Character interviews with Nathan Shaw (Reflection – Kim Cresswell), Nia (In the Winds of Danger – Linda Ulleseit), Jayden or Merch (dark Night of the Soul – EM Havens)
10/31 — Winner’s Announcements!!!
Ann Everett, Best Selling Author
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{I hope you enjoy this sweet, short-story romance!}