Scribble and Scrambles - Blog Post on a Stick Part 2

More Iowa State Fair moments…

The Iowa State Fair has never been emblazoned by the theme – “More Fun Than You Can Shake a Stick At” – too bad. A visit to the fair really has the potential of being great stick-shaking fun.

Our family of seven piled into two vehicles early Saturday morning and headed I-80 East.

When our kids were 4-Hers we spent a good part of our summers at either the county or state fair and nostalgia has been pulling at us of late.

My favorite part of the Iowa State Fair was being with my peeps.

No, not the ones in the fowl barn, the ones who live, or used to, in my house. We laughed, whined, guzzled shared water, sweated and walked together for several glorious steamy hours.

And we ate.

Smoothies, funnel cakes, onion blossoms, tenderloins, Mexican food done as only Iowa can, gallons of water, and fresh squeezed lemonade. Yum.

We patted huge draft horses with hooves bigger than our heads, snickered at polka-dotted llamas. Like salmon squeezing upstream we entered and attempted the many rows of vendors in the only air-conditioned building. A few “as seen on TV” demonstrations caught our fancy, but not our money.

This year, we got to see moldy award winning food. The 4-H displays had been sweltering for nine days. Not pretty. Though some cakes decorated in fondant looked fresh as a daisy. I’ve not seen anything prettier in magazines or on the television, one exhibitor even crafted a guitar, drum and amp. The record breaking pumpkin weighing in at over 1,100 pounds putrefied on the lawn.

Photography has to be my all time favorite exhibit, though. From the 4-Hers to the adults, I was awed by the images they captured. Who woulda thought wooden clothespins encased in glassy ice could be so beautiful? And the shots of scenery from exotic to homey transported me to places I’ve never been and places I will never tire of.

There are some very talented people in Iowa.


And speaking of talented people...you must go here tomorrow Friday 8-24-07 (after coming here to read Mark Mynheir's interview, of course.)

I'm doing a regular gig at NovelJourney blogspot(usually every Friday) and I had the opportunity to interview Kevin Alexander from Writers Digest Magazine. Now Kevin isn't exactly a household name, but he's dang funny. And Writers Digest is pretty much THE writing magazine. I so enjoyed bantering with Kevin and I think you'll love his slightly sarcastic answers.

Serials and Scenarios - The Void

Click on the book cover to find out more about The Void.

Visit Mark Mynheir.

My Review:

I can't believe I haven't yet discovered Mark Mynheir's previous novels.

Mynheir is an author worth watching.

Tense, tight prose, fascinating police-work details, strong grasp of point of view, and a spine-tingling plot sucked me into The Void and didn't let me go until the heart-twisting conclusion.

Though part of a series, I found this novel to be comfortable as a stand alone. I didn't feel overwhelmed with backstory nor did I feel like I'd thoroughly missed a chunk of previous life that would have helped flesh this story out.

I will head back and pick up the titles I've missed.

Suspense lovers, police novel fans, great story junkies...pick up The Void. Like Dekker, Hines, Liparulo, Gansky, Wilson or Collins? Add Mynheir to your list.

Come back Friday (8-24-07) for Mark's Dreg interview. He wrote a scene that curled my toes.

Scribble and Scrambles - Blog Post on a Stick

Somehow the Iowa State Fair has become famous for food on sticks.

You’d think we’d have exhausted all the possibilities after 153 years. Apparently not. According to a Des Moines Register trivia quiz we lack spuds on a stick. Any entrepreneurs out there may want to consider spending the year formulating a whole new spud experience and getting your name on a vendor list.

Let me know if you’ll be doing this and I’ll be happy to give you some blog promotion.

Though I didn’t go looking for food on a stick, apparently, sticked varieties of Twinkies, cheesecake, lamb or pork chops were available. I did experience one unique stick item. I wouldn’t have purchased it, and I don’t think it’s going to catch on, but it was free and moderately tasty.

Ready? The Egg Council handed out….egg on a stick. Hard-boiled, of course.

One other stick item stuck out. In the arts building one of the vendors sold Origami on a stick.

I suggest the following – funnel cake on a stick, onion bloom on a stick and Grand Champion Rocky Mountain Oyster on a stick.

Serials and Scenarios - A Drawing - Check it Out

Check this out, Dreggies.

"Thanks for posting my interview. While I'm here, you-all might want to zip over to my website at http://www.elizabethwhite.net/ and enter my drawing for two book baskets, each of which will include 10 Zondervan new releases. The welcome mat's out!Beth "

Serials and Scenarios - Elizabeth's Black and White of it.

Off the Record's Elizabeth White dropped in with some thoughts to take us through the weekend.

Thanks, Elizabeth.

Fiction character you would most like to be or most identify with and why?

Marguerite Blakeney, heroine of _The Scarlet Pimpernel_, which is one of my favorite books ever. She was brave, beautiful, and had an amazing adventure with a husband who loved her. All that married sexual tension. Wow!


If you could change something in any novel, what would you change about it and why?

The ending of Little Women. Why on earth did Jo not marry Laurie? Why did she marry the frumpy old Professor Bhaer? I never did get that. I mean, he was a nice guy and all, but if you can have fun, hot Laurie, who gets your humor...


What period of history intrigues you the most?

I think the American Revolution. One of my favorite novels is _Dawn's Early Light_ by Elswyth Thane. People had a real cause to fight for. Faith was an everyday element of life, and people weren't pressurized to hide it. Maybe I'm idealistic, but it seems from this side of history that political issues of the day were very clearcut. Plus, the clothes were so beautiful, and women were very much a part of the struggle for independence. I may set a book in that era one day.


How does something worm its way into your heart? Through tears, truth, humor or other?

Music. Poetry by itself doesn't interest me very much, but I get overwhelmed with truth wrapped in the lyrics of a powerful song. Next in line would be humor. A novelist who can twist in a bit of humor with a good plot and "real" characters will hook me forever.


Which compliment related to your writing has meant the most and why?

When people tell me they get my humor--especially laughing out loud--that rings my bell. Particularly since character-based humor makes me go back to an author again and again.


What word annoys you more than any other?

Predestined.


Grammatical pet peeve…sound off.

"She lay her head on his shoulder." Grrr.

Happy weekend, all.

Serials and Scenarios - Me Unleashed- Part 1

I received a challenge last week.

What should I do? It's not like you don't know my "voice." But then on the other hand, my anonymous friend Xta knows me far too well and yet continues to call me. I do think she calls me for entertainment purposes only, since she tends to get me into trouble or at least into situations that threaten my sanity.

Xta began our friendship with a big, hairy lie, and has kept me on my toes since. This is her challenge.

Kelly,I would like to read an interview you do with...yourself! How about that for next week? I want to know your worst grammatical pet peeve and periwinkle preference and the whole caboodle.Anxiously awaiting, Xta

The sickening part of this whole thing is that I lose so many blogging ideas just from the split second thought to later recall, that I consider this a keeper.

So over the next few weeks, you'll find random posts wherein I'll ask myself the burning dregs questions.

Without further ado, let's begin.


Fiction character you would most like to be or most identify with and why?

This is hard. Do I apologize to all my past guests who've had to scramble for an answer? No, they could pass.

Lucy from Narnia. Not for the kingdom or the wardrobe or even the adventure. She seemed the most innocent and sweetest of the four and she loved Aslan and spent time with him. Aslan is such a strong allegory for me, and I read the series when I was young enough to be shaped by Aslan's character and strength. Lions are favorite animals because of that influence.


If you could ask any person, living or dead, a random question -- what question would you ask of whom?

Okay, another toughie. Alright, I apologize previous guests.

Who and what? I don't leave a lot of questions unasked or carried around like a burden. I admire many, but do I have a burning question? For someone?

I'd thank my grandpa for his enthusiastic support. Grandpa Henry always believed in me. He encouraged my artistic side. I'll never forget his compliments and his quiet demeanor. When Grandpa spoke, people listened, including me. If he hadn't been so encouraging and excited about my dive into writing, I don't know that I would have continued to pursue it. His response made me wonder if I really did have some talent. "Thanks, Grandpa. I know you'd love the Pat stories. Maybe one day I'll tell the one about you, me and Grandpa Bill in the 54 Ford."



Some out there in writing land have strange rituals. Share yours.

I don't know that I consider myself a real writer yet. I have a love/hate relationship with procrastination. I try to beat deadlines with days to spare. But book length works paralyze me. And I have this horrible habit of getting 10,000 to 20,000 words into a story and then setting it aside to ferment.


If you could change something in any novel, what would you change about it and why?

I read a popular novel several years ago that left its mark. I absolutely hated it. The characters were ones I didn't care about which ended up being a good thing because one died.

Unfortunately the character died only after she began to become someone I could like and I had invested hours into her life. Not only did the death bug me, but the fact that it felt tacked on and almost random annoyed me to no end.

I can handle death in books. But this left the heroic, bittersweet and hope out of the equation. I'd change it by not reading it.

To Be Continued - Randomly.

Scribble and Scrambles - Ask Me About My Grandpuppies!

Meet Lily (left in all three pictures) and Lola (right in all three pictures)...the cutest Boxadors in the world. (Especially when sleeping)

Fortunately, we don't have any pictures of them piddling on the floor.

Okay, now everyone...one...two...three...Awwwwww!

Am I going to be insufferable when I have babies to brag about? Maybe.

By the way, I am way too young to be a grand of anything, so I'll wait.

Patiently.