Tag: Holidays (Page 1 of 2)

How a Writer Rests (or Not)

December 13, 2021 / Katie L. Carroll

After a writing whirlwind of a November with a couple of virtual events, my Highlights Foundation writing retreat, and successfully completing NaNoWriMo (you can read about that in my post “The Magic of Highlights Foundation Writing Retreat”), I had planned to take a bit of a breather in December. November left me feeling a bit burnt out, so my plan was to watch some lighthearted movies, catch up on pleasure reading, and maybe bake a little with the kiddos. I also wanted to play around creatively with painting my playing guitar, things that had been put aside last month.

Overall, I’m doing pretty well on those goals. I have just one article due this month, so things are quiet on the freelance side. I haven’t done any fiction writing except for tooling around with one picture book and jotting down a few notes for when I gear up to revise the young adult novel I wrote for NaNoWriMo.

I’ve watched a bunch of movies, done some reading but I’d like to do more, and a little bit of baking with more planned for once the kiddos are on their school break. The painting and guitar playing I’ve been less successful on, but I’m trying to keep those things low-key, so I’m okay with that.

So I seem to be doing well on my goal, except…I got an idea on how to develop one of my writing projects and I kind of ran with it. (I know I’m being annoyingly vague here, but more details will be coming on this.) It’s stretching me in new ways on the business side of things and it’s hit a few bumps along the way, adding some stress to my life. Which wasn’t in the plan for December, and maybe all of this could have waited until after the New Year.

But I also didn’t want to wait on it, so I’m just decided to go for it. It hasn’t really been time-consuming so much as uncomfortable as I do things that are new to me. It’s made me feel unbalanced when I was striving for more balance this month. In the end, I think it’s going to be really good. So while it has put a wrench in my relaxing plans for this month, it always feels good to move feel like I’m making progress.

I guess what I’m trying to say is I’m very good at taking a full break. We’ll call it a break-ish. What are you all doing/celebrating as we close out this year and look forward to a new one?

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year

December 25, 2017 / Katie L. Carroll

Happy holidays and a very happy New Year from my family to yours. See you in 2018!

Happy Turkey Day

November 23, 2017 / Katie L. Carroll

The boys and I drove by a rafter of turkeys (yup, a group of turkeys is called a “rafter”…I looked it up and everything) the other day. We like to open the windows and gobble at them to see if they will gobble back (which they often do!). Since it was so close to Thanksgiving, we decided to yell at them to be careful cause we all know what happens to turkeys on Turkey Day! Happy Thanksgiving to all those who celebrate.

Celebrating International Talk Like A Pirate Day

September 19, 2017 / Katie L. Carroll

September 19 is International Talk Like a Pirate Day (see the origins of this auspicious occasion here)! With a book called PIRATE ISLAND coming out in less than a month (Eeeek! Less than a month!) was there any doubt that I’d be celebrating?

Billy, the main character in PIRATE ISLAND, and his best friend, Andy, naturally enjoy talking like pirates. Andy even has a book that tells you how to talk like a pirate (and, I might also have a book like that as well–it’s called The Pirate Primer 😉 ).

For your entertainment, here are some of Billy’s and Andy’s favorite pirate talk and insults:

Get yeeself to the poop deck and fetch me some grog.

I’ll squeeze yer squeezy cheese-head off yer body.

There is more of life in me little finger than in all yee carcass.

Yee be a bilge-sucking, cutthroat tarrmagant.

Why don’t ya use yarr swivel-tongued mouth ter scrape thee barnacles off thee poop deck.

Yarr a hen-hearted curmudgeon.

And finally here’s a lovely toast from Billy himself:

To success on arr ventures. To fortunate preeceedin’s an’ gooder friendship. Let us drain a garrblet, clink cannerkin an’ toss a pot ter thar great makees of Chinese grub. Drink arrp, me hearties, yo ho!

Happy International Talk Like Pirate Day! Arrrgghh!

A Sweet Valentine’s Post from Penny Estelle Author of A Float Down the Canal

February 14, 2014 / Katie L. Carroll

A sweet treat for all of you on Valentine’s Day from Penny Estelle, author of the MG short A Float Down the Canal. Leave a comment and your email address for a chance to win a copy. Welcome, Penny!

Since Katie was nice enough to let me visit her blog on Valentine’s Day, I though I would talk about what some folks have done for their sweethearts on this special day. I put out a request for some of my blog followers and friends as to what they have actually done. I received many stories of going to dinner, receiving candy and jewelry, going to a favorite Bed and Breakfast, etc…..all wonderful stories. I did receive three that I thought were quite unique.

1. Mr. X happened to be off work on this particular Valentine’s Day and flipped the TV to the Oprah Show. She suggested having her favorite dinner ready, spreading rose petals from the front door to the couch where a new nightie would be spread out. Run a bubble bath for her just before she gets home and have chilled champagne waiting for her at the door. He ran out and bought all the above and completely set this scenario. He had just finished the bubble bath when Mrs. X drove into the driveway. He grabbed the two glasses of champagne and waited at the door. The door opened and in walked his wife, with their neighbor’s twelve year old son. (The neighbor’s other son had broken his wrist at school and asked Mrs. X to pick up her other son.) Now this is why men should NEVER go off track with a proven, first class, plan), He decided to be naked…with a rose tied to his….uhm…best friend. After Mr. X ran to the bedroom, the neighbor’s son said, “Somebody’s planning on getting lucky tonight!”

2. This time Mrs. X went to where her husband works and completely decorated his car. She painted all the windows with “Happy Valentines Day” “Hurry home for a big surprise”. She put helium filled balloons inside the car with messages about what her plans for him were when he got home. Pairs of sexy panties were laying in the front seat complete with a picture of Mrs. X in a bubble bath holding a glass of champagne and blowing him a kiss. Well he was hurrying home when he got pulled over by a policeman, because he felt his car was a distraction. With a penlight, the policeman, saw the panties and read some of the balloons. He looked at Mr. X and said, “You are one lucky man. Drive safe!”

3. THIS WAS MY FAVORITE – This Mr. and Mrs. X lived off the PacificBeach. Mr. X loved steamed clams. The day before Valentines Day, at night, Mrs. X and a friend went to the beach and buried a bottle of champagne, plastic glasses, clams (in Ziploc bags) a deep sauce pan, two gallons of water and lighter fluid. She also had wood that she hid up against a cliff wall. Now it’s not warm in February, so as the sun was just starting to rise, Mrs. X got Mr. X up and headed to the beach, with a blanket. She drew a huge sigh of relief when nothing was bothered. So as the sun rose into the sky Mr. and Mrs. X had a fire going, clams steaming and toasting champagne. Now that’s love!!!

A Float Down the Canal blurb:

Not a Valentine’s Day story, but a sweet story of puppy love

and one where the underdog finally wins!!!

Twelve-year old Pam Simpson gets dumped on when her mother is called into work. She must cancel her plans for the mall to babysit her younger brother and his friend and take them to the public pool. To make matters worse her cousin, Candy, is also coming over for the day. She doesn’t even like Candy!

Much to Candy’s dismay, transportation to the pool is on inner tubes, floating down the canal. One thing leads to another and it is Pam who, once again, must save the day.

When things couldn’t seem worse, the day takes a drastic turn for the better and it is Candy, and the float down the canal, that makes this the best day of Pam’s life!

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CUQEZYE

About the Author:

I write stories for the young and for the young at heart. More about my stores and myself can be found at the following links. Stop by anytime. I love visitors!

http://www.amazon.com/Penny-Estelle/e/B006S62XBY

www.pennystales.com

www.pennyestelle.blogspot.com

https://twitter.com/Pennystales

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5820078.Penny_Estelle

http://www.facebook.com/pennystales

https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore2/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=146&Itemid=82

Thanks to Katie for having me today. I would love to offer a PDF copy of A Float Down the Canal to one commenter who stops by and leaves an email address!