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Predictions for 2017
Happy New Year! Can you believe it’s 2017? The older I get, the faster January seems to come around. My resolutions (I prefer to think of them as priorities) haven’t changed much, so this year, I’ll take a stab at predicting what will happen in 2017. Despite Mom’s fervent prayers, Donald Trump will be President…
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The Upside of My Vision Issues
Advanced Macular Degeneration (AMD) prevents me from seeing like I could twenty years ago. It’s like looking at the world through smudged up glasses. The big picture — what things are and where they are located, for example — is still clear, but the smudge obscures anything I focus on. Bellyachin’ won’t help me see better or…
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Out-Crotchetied by Whippersnapper
In our little subdivision, I’m the resident crotchety old man. Pity the fool who provokes me. I run kids out of my yard, fuss at anyone who fails to pick up after their dogs, and call the police to report illegally parked cars. A guy I’d guess to be in his early thirties recently moved into the…
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Southern Talk 101
I grew up in Kentucky, lived in D.C. for eighteen months, and for the past seventeen years, have called Athens, Georgia home. Most folks would say I’m a Southerner. I say most because some denizens of the Deep South don’t consider Kentucky or D.C. part of the South. Blame the War of Northern Aggression, or…
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Exclusive Interview with Peggy Tucker
I’m super excited to have Peggy Tucker as a guest on my blog today. She’s a central character in my new release, Whippersnapper, and an extraordinary woman. She’s agreed to answer a few questions and, as a special treat, will share the recipe for her famous cinnamon buns. Peggy: Thank you, Michael. I’m thrilled to…
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A 5K to Remember
My first 5K event took place in January of 2009. I signed up to run in the Chilly Dawg because it was sponsored by my employer. The plan was to walk it, but I quit before I even reached the half way point. In 2011 I ran in the Sleighbell. Having failed miserably at my first…
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The Evolution of a Writer
Some people know who they are from an early age. Not me. Despite my 57th birthday later this week, I’m still trying to figure it out. Announcing who I am or what I intend to do never sticks for long. More than half a century of wrong guesses and empty proclamations lead me to believe I’m not supposed to know. The…
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Pantsing Magic
Plotters plan out everything about a story ahead of time. Pantsers make up the story as they go along. My writing process has been different for each of my novels, but I fall squarely on the pantsing side of the continuum. I drift toward plotting now and then, but no matter how hard I try, my books…
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Search Me
WordPress — the host for my web page — tracks the number of visitors to the site and page views, how visitors found me (Twitter now eclipses Facebook), and all kinds of interesting tidbits. I don’t pay much attention anymore, but every now and then I like to see what search terms have brought visitors…