Digressing some, but in regards to birthdays, think about this.  “Have you realized that your age is the number of times you’ve been around the sun?”  I read this on Tumblr earlier today.  What a motivating, exciting and well just thought provoking idea.  I’ve done my fair share of traveling having gone around the sun 31 times.  How many miles is that?  Well, in one year I travel 585 million miles.  Whew, I don’t even want to add that up.  It’s a bit astounding to think that I have ‘technically’ traveled that many miles.

Anyways, back to my query letter.  Feel free to take a harsh look at it as I will take each idea and play around with my letter.  I just need an outside opinion.  Does this make you want to read the manuscript?  If not, then I need to work on the letter.  If you would rather not leave comments, feel free to email me at  [kate_wordpress@hotmail.com]

Here goes:

Dear Blank,

I am querying you along with one other agency in the hopes that I have something to pique your interest.

When a girl loves hats as much as Lulu does, she has to have one for every occasion.  However, out of all the hats Lulu owns, she is lacking a fancy hat to wear when she goes out for ice cream on Sundays.  Lulu enlists the help of her best friend, Mimi, and the two of them scour the city looking for the perfect hat.  From large floppy hats to tiny ones that look incredibly silly, Lulu tries on everything without any luck.  Some hats are too big and others are too expensive.  Just when Lulu and Mimi are about to give up and go home, they spot one last shop they haven’t tried.  Does Lulu find her hat?  Of course! Because a girl has to have a hat for every occasion.

Lulu Buys A Hat is an unillustrated picture book complete at 1089 words, geared towards little girls, which is clear from the hat theme.  Hats are one of those quintessential items girls seem to naturally love, so I chose to write about a girl finding a hat after the experience of looking for my own hat.

I have been writing various things for 15 years, including managing two blogs, however I choose to write children’s fiction as a career, drawing from experiences in life.  I also draw on years of reading picture book at my home, grandparents, and many trips to the library.  While I want there to be the fanciful quality, I also like stories to have some realism included. Something a child can relate to when they read.

So, there you have it.  Again, I am open to any suggestion you want to give.  And thank you for taking the time to read this.

Signing off

~Kate

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For you, my dear. I have replied all these years……

When letters through the mail were the only form of communication you didn’t have the opportunity to be impatient for a reply. You just had to wait. While you might want a reply right away, you knew that it wasn’t possible so you might as well get on with your life, sit down have a cup of tea and enjoy the afternoon.

Then along came email. That instant gratification letter source. You could have a reply in a few moments if someone was so inclined to reply quickly. Granted, not everyone, including me, replies through email any faster than with a letter. I might take weeks to reply to an email as I mull it over in my head.

Oh, but I hate waiting for a reply. I hate, hate, hate waiting.

Right now I am impatient for an email from someone I sent something to last night. It was midnight and the person I sent it to is a very busy person. But we are friends, I think…. what do you call someone whom you have never met, but you have spent the last two years writing frequently and pouring your ideas out upon, having a bit of attraction to said person, and yet you are still as distant as acquaintances? You could be more but neither side is really willing to take that step?……. And I really digress….. Anyways, we are friends. I appreciate his advice, company and voice. Is it possible to just fall in love with a voice? I think so.

I know I won’t get a reply today, or probably even tomorrow. Heck, with the way things go with him, I might not get one for a week or more. (I will admit I am no better, so I shouldn’t get upset) But I hate, hate, hate waiting. ” It drives me completely insane”….. taken from French Kiss and one of Meg Ryan’s statements.

I know I should level off and relax, but rarely do I relax when I have sent a note and I want a reply. So instead I check my email obsessively hoping that something has come in, knowing full well it hasn’t. Before I even click the refresh button I know nothing will be there and I’m wasting my time.

Email has gone and all made us complete answer-aholics. We want that answer NOW. We want it that very second we send it off. We want that instant gratification, all because we can. But people are still people, and replies do take time.

So what am I griping for?

Signing off

~Kate

Usually though, the weather is pretty typical.  The past few days have been in that category after a week of nights down in the twenties.  We’ve had sun, a little too much, and warm temps, a bit more than I want.  But it’s finally Spring.
I mowed the lawns the other night, which is a challenge and a half using the electric mower (my parents say the gas is way worse, quit complaining) and dealing with all the excess weeds and various rock piles I may or may not run over.  But oh, when the lawn is mowed it looks so lovely.  Perfect.  Even the tall weed patches have some defined shape.
Throw in a sweet resinous smell that comes down from the mountains after the pines have baked all day in the sun, and then good clean spring smell and you have somewhat the epitome of the mountains.  Okay, it is actually better when you smell wood smoke but that was nixed the other  due to it being warm.  However there were the distant sounds of a dance going on at the small rodeo grounds.  Today is our annual local rodeo.  A joke in itself.  I’ve been once and I’m not impressed, but I love the sounds that come up from the rodeo grounds.  And it turns out after going up into town today and seeing the signs posted that it wasn’t a dance but actual rodeo proceedings.  Personally I would rather picture a rodeo dance on the grounds.  More fun, inspirational, romantic that way.

The mountains are cool, unique and very much me.  I told my cousin recently that was a city girl, and it’s very true. I am very girly girly, though I have to stick with jeans and boots most of the time due to living in the country/mountains.  However, I while I would love to wear heels and skirts more, have sidewalks and stores that actually carry what I want, I love being in the mountains.  I love that a storm can come up out of nowhere, which it did today. I love being able to step out at night and see all the constellations and stars.  Oh the stars you can see in the mountains.  So clear, so bright. I love the smell of pine, sweet grass, and cow manure.  I love seeing all the birds and having deer walking down the street, a la Northern Exposure style.  The mountains are kind of my home place.  I don’t have an actual home place after moving around all my life, but I could say I feel most at home in the mountains.

Signing off

~Kate

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I wonder what would happen though if people knew your secrets?  I only wondered this today after watching a bit of The Mentalist where LaRoche has a secret hidden in his safe inside of a tupperware container.  No one is supposed to know about this secret he keeps, and when the container is stolen, he thinks Patrick Jane knows what’s inside.  This secret could ruin LaRoche supposedly.

It made me wonder what would happen if someone found out a secret I keep.  Would it destroy me?  I suppose it all depends on the secrets we keep.  There are things we keep secret for the sake of a surprise, I.E. a present.  Those are innocuous.  They won’t hurt anyone.  Sure, it might take the oomph out of the surprise if they are found out, but it’s nothing that will do damage.

However, we all keep secrets that could hurt either us in the long run, or someone else.  And if all our secrets were found out, what then?  Because, we would all be on even ground, so to speak.

There is a chapter of The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen, where all the women at the society meeting start spitting out their secrets.  They can’t keep them in.  And the secrets are shocking, and hurtful.  They are about themselves or about others.  It does damage.

This is just a thought I had today.  Nothing in particular other than, what would happen if someone found out your secrets.  Would you be destroyed?

Food for thought.

Signing off

~Kate

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The Woman’s Study Bible is a very informative, easy to read, and encouraging Bible. Written as the NIV version, the text is easy to understand compared to other versions of the Bible.  One of the unique features of this Bible are the many areas of reference regarding our daily struggles.  From the mundane of shopping to the personal of a woman’s cycle and growing up, there are sections all throughout that talk about a particular subject then direct you to areas that are applicable.  Charts showing important women of the Bible, along with some you may not have known about as much.  There are quotes regarding spiritual life, and also character portraits.  The beginning of each book has a bit of history and the time period it was written, and by whom. This is definitely a Bible geared specifically and only for women.  There are even parts on the foods and herbs eaten in Bible times.  Clear and concise without a lot of extra dogma. There are lots of little places to get lost reading.

I was quite excited to try this Bible from Thomas Nelson books since I had missed the opportunity to request the Bride’s Bible.  I have this penchant for collecting Bible’s it seems, having about 10 in my collection, so one that was specific for women appealed to me.  I really enjoy this Bible, though I can’t say as I am one to read it all that often, but I’ve never been one to read my Bible all that often either.  Usually I prefer the New American Standard Bible, but this one is very easy to read.

I didn’t like the fact that the references and footnotes were more opinion than directing me to corresponding verses, like I’m used to, however, I still found it nice.  My other complaint would be the color of the cover.  Clay tan/brown would not have been my choice at all for a woman’s Bible.  Why not a pretty purple, lavender, pink, rose, coral, or even the color of the rose on the dust jacket?  The dust jacket was quite nice, but I had to take it off because it squeaked.  But honestly, the color was most annoying to me.  While inside all the highlighted areas are in this pale tan color, the cover is not appealing in the least.

That aside, I really enjoy this Bible.  There are a few areas I disagree with where the publisher put too much of their own specific views, usually in regards to birth control, marriage, children, and such, but on the whole, a very nice Bible.  I had considered possibly using it as a gift in the future for a friend or someone I thought might like it, as I have 10 Bibles, but I like it too much and it will have a place with my other treasured Bible from my uncle who passed away before I was even born.

I recommend this to anyone searching for a nice Bible to give to a woman, girl, or possibly even a  bride, though it is expensive.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Signing off

~Kate

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Boston skyline looking west with Boston Harbor in the foreground

It’s Monday, at 2:49pm in Boston, Massachusetts.  One week ago our country changed again.  It was the first terrorist attack on our soil since 9/11.  Still in shock, we wait to hear what will happen to the surviving terrorist. We wait for answers. We wait for loved ones to heal.

I ask all of my readers, near and far to take a moment in silence and prayer for the survivors and families of the bombings.  I can’t convey in words or thoughts my views on this, nor do I feel it necessary.  But I do think it important to remember those we lost, those we still have, and those who will need us to lean on.

If you can, find something to help with the healing. Whatever it is you can do, do it.  This week I am going to be donating blood with the Red Cross.  While my little donation is nothing in the scope of things, every little bit we do, helps.

Again, a moment of silence to remember those we lost.  Krystle Campbell, Lü Lingzi, Martin Richard, and Sean Collier.  I also ask you to remember the other 183 civilians who were injured.

Thank you.

Signing off

~Kate

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That being said, while I love letters, I’m quite terrible at replying to them.  It’s not that I don’t want to reply, but well, I savor letters.  If someone sends me one, I read it over and over, or mull over it, or think.  The minute I start replying to a letter, I start to forget what was in the letter.  It’s like this mind emptying thing.  So I hold off on replying to letters. I’m sure people wonder if I am ever going to get back to them.  Mrs. Austen would be one that comes to mind recently. I have received several nice emails from her and a letter and I’ve yet to actually reply!  I have things started.  It’s terrible.

Letters are incredibly exciting to receive in the mail.  Actually, anything addressed to one that is not junk or a bill is fun to get in the mail.  My favorite things are letters or books. You really can’t go wrong. I think the only thing that might top it off is if someone could figure out how to send a cup of hot coffee in the mail.  That would be something.  You open your package and there is this perfect steaming cup of joe.  Ah yes.

I go all out for letters a lot of the time.  Pretty stamps, nice paper, written with a fountain pen.  Or I try to do something unique. I  just sent a friend of mine a short letter that I wrote on one half sheet of card stock, folded in thirds, and printed with the tiniest print I could manage.  He was teasing me about my small script, which I thought was relatively normal.  Apparently not.  I like doodling on margins. I like trying new different methods of writing.  I like scribbling notes in margins, though I try to avoid that.  I get my notes better than other people.

I’ve even made my own envelopes by pricking them with a pin to achieve a punched out design.  Wax seals, stickers, letters written on one sheet of paper then folded into an envelope.  I’ve tried it all.  I love having that bit of creativity on hand.  And while I do like email thing, I still savor and take forever to reply.

So, if you have written me a letter and haven’t gotten a reply recently, even if I have promised a speedy reply, don’t take it personally.  I’m still enjoying your letter.  Savoring and digesting it slowly like a really good book.   Oh, and I keep almost every letter I receive.  I have boxes and email folders, and such.

Happy Friday.  Good Friday.

Signing off

~Kate

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Similar to what I was seeing. c. K. Branson

Tonight the sky is amazing.  There is an almost full moon and a mountain sky filled with the most beautiful cotton puff clouds.  There is no breeze and the crickets have started their chirping.  I can even here a bird that I have yet to identify but he sounds sort of like he’s laughing.

I am always accused of looking at the sky nowadays.  I’m always looking up, or remarking to someone how beautiful the sky is.  My mother is forever asking me if all I ever do is look up.  I have to blame her though.  For years all I did was look down at the ground.  I was always on the hunt for something shiny.  And the common comment was, “don’t you ever look up?”

So, now I look up.  I still look down.  You never know when you might find that stray dime or quarter.  The common penny.  Heck, you might even find a washer or bit of shiny glass.

I like to think that I can relate to Shelley (Percy Bysshe) and his poetry being ethereal.  While I’ve yet to read much of his, I did find it to be more focused on the air and light things.

I’m not as grounded as I probably should be. I spend way more time daydreaming plotting about things that are far from reality.  Yet, can you name a poet, writer, novelist, etc. that is actually grounded?  They all have their moments of what could be termed insanity, though I would rather say it’s just creativity taking hold.  Take Emily Dickinson, one of my favorite poets.  She was more melancholy than others, yet there were moments of pure freedom.

That’s what I tend to do. I shy away from the gloom and dreary things in life.  I think sometimes it will hinder my writing.  I don’t have enough conflict.

Well, I’ll go back to my earlier statement.  I blame my mother on why I always look  up.

Old postcard of Mount Shasta

Hello my lovlies.  (I have seen other girl bloggers use that term and it’s so cute)

As you read this, I am off to the wilds of Mount Shasta.  Okay, not actually the mountain as it is covered in snow, but the city below.  I hope it will be a sunny clear day so I might be able to snap a shot or two of the mountain.

I was puttering around with an idea so here is a smidge of flash fiction to start you off on a Monday.  A bit of back story; I love pin curls, and I love putting my hair up in pin curls.  I’ve yet to master it, in fact I usually come out looking like a cross between a poodle and a fight with an electrical socket.  Not a pretty picture.  But I do try and I hope someday I might have them tamed when I do them.  So, there I was, picturing one of my heroines, Rena Bliss, putting up her hair in pin curls.

Enjoy.

She sat at her vanity putting up her hair in pin curls.  She wore a filmy white and pale blue concoction of a summer nightgown; more slip than anything else, though everything essential was modestly covered.  Her glasses were perched o the end of her nose and she frowned intently as she carefully rolled her blond hair up, securing the curl with two bobby pins.

Milo watching in fascination as Rena sectioned and rolled.  She had this perfect set up, her brushes and combs laid out in front of her, spritz bottles of setting lotions and grooming sprays, her bobby pins and other clips in miss matched teacup saucers.  There was a little click and rattle of metal against porcelain every time Rena pulled one out of the dish, then a flash of white teeth as she pried open the pin and jammed it into the curl.  Sometimes she would stop mid curl to take a sip of tea from her pale teal polka-dot teacup.  One hand held the curl in place while the other lifted the cup to lips that were full and very pink.

Rena was pure femininity.  The movements she made, the clothes she wore, down to her pale pink fingernails, she was ultra girl.  Which was funny since country life was hardly conducive to all the girly things about her.  But that’s what made her such a fascination to Milo.  And watching her put up her hair; well that just sealed the deal. 

Pretty, flirty, and sexy as hell.  Yeah, she was a dream girl.

Signing off

~Kate

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