Undertaker Tales

Finished my last radiation treatment and have been reading books like crazy the last few weeks.
Wayne Bethard, a pharmacist, has a book of funny, thought provoking, stirring short stories with the startling and sometimes off-putting title, Undertaker Tales. I once asked a friend why anyone would choose to be a mortician. I still don't know the answer, but the Undertaker Tales sheds a whole new light on this group of men and women. Far from being the doleful, gloomy, stiff necked men and women living at the local funeral home ss sometimes pictured, Bethard portrays them and their families as people of unusual empathy for those hurting members of our communities. Undertaker Tales include stories submitted by morticians from around the world. One section includes tales of dogs and cats involved in the mortician's life and in the deceased's life.
Undertaker Tales can be purchased at Amazon in book form or downloaded to your kindle.

Fantastic Texas

We went to our monthly NETWO meeting Thursday night and heard an interesting speaker, Lou Antonelli. Lou is editor of our local paper, the Daily Tribune. In addition to his writing for the paper, Lou has begun writing short stories. He shared his source of ideas for various stories and his adventures in getting them published.
Naturally, Mr. Antonelli had copies of his books with him. Two found a home with us. Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on your point of view, he was out of his latest book. Fantastic Texas, a science fiction anthology, is a collection Texas tall tales made up of a mix of pure fantasy and 'it might happen' science fiction. The stories are short, making the novel ideal for those times we find ourselves waiting in a doctor's office, for children to come out of school, or for someone to return to the line after assuring you, "Your call is important to us."
Fantastic Texas can be purchased at most book stores or from Amazon. Mr. Antonelli, like most authors, usually has several with him and is willing to autograph those you buy from him.

Fall activities

Fall is always exciting with the return to school in September, and family get-together near Hot Springs, plus author fest in Tahlequah, Ok in October. I'm looking forward to visiting Winfield ISD September 14 with my mini writing workshop for 4th through 7th grade students. I hope they will enjoy the program as much as I enjoy sharing my writing experiences with them.

NETWO, the writing organization I belong to, is planning a free workshop October 22, 2011. It will be at the Pizza Inn in Pittsburg, Texas. There will be several interesting speakers and information dealing with publishing and promoting our work through internet. Check out details www.netwo.org Everyone is invited.

I'm busy rewriting parts of sequel to Second Chance. Not sure what the title will be, but it takes place in Kilgore 1931 when the big oil boom filled the town to overflowing with all sorts of characters. Some were honest, some were anything but honest. Hope to have it published by 4RV Publishing in Spring of 2012 if I can just get this rewrite up to par. This will be the best book I've written so far. I'm so excited.

Until next time. Take care of each other.

July - A Busy Month

July was a busy Fun Month

Had a fun time with Mary Robertson and her class July 14th. I read and she and the kids acted out the squirrel scene in Dragons for Kris. The students enjoyed Charlie, my pet dragon.
Habitat for Humanity had a huge Garage Sale in Mt. Vernon, Texas. We cleared over a $1000. Lots of work but it will help build a house for a family willing to work with us.
The following weekend Mt. Pleasant Habitat For Humanity held their annual Mayor's Cup Golf Tournament. I got to watch the hole-in-one green where everyone was trying to win a pickup truck
Our Habitat group is fortunate to have so many
supporters from the community.
A real delight was our First Saturday NETWO gathering of writers at Pizza Inn in Pittsburg, Texas. This last Saturday Fredna Stuckey, an English teacher at Le Tourneau University, talked about revising and editing, two different things. She titled it Editing, Revising, the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. She was very informative and an entertaining speaker. We all had a great time.
While watching for the hole-in-one shot, I had a furry companion to keep me company.

Voices From The Heart

Voices From the Heart by Jonikay Pace is a riveting story after the reader gets past the nasty backgrounds of the main players. Ms. Pace has excelled at setting the scene for a young girl to be hoodwinked by a manipulative, self centered man bent on using her to reach his own goals. In spite of human guardian angles attempting to guide and help Clara, she allows herself to be deceived and heads down a long road of believeing lies and experiencing physical and emotional abuse.

Ms Pace ties up all the loose ends in a neat package that caused this reader to smile and murmer, "That'll teach you, you scumbag."

Voices From The Heart was published by Comfort Publishing, LLC

Copyright 2008

ISBN 978 0 9802051 6 9

When I'm Feeling Angry

Workshops are almost always interesting. Jory Sherman's workshop June25th on ebooks was informative and challenging. As an author I'm interested in promoting my books, obviously. I usually do this offering my mini writing workshop for fourth through sixth grade students in schools. According to Mr. Sherman and other speakers I've heard, the future in book sales will be through Kindle, Ipods and that sort of technology. It's a new world folks.

The workshop was in Winnsboro, Texas, at a book and gift shop called, Winnsboro Emporium. They have a little bit of everything: collector books, new books, paintings, pottery, jewelry, etc. I found two books I had to have for our grand daughter. When I'm Feeling Angry by Trace Moroney is a paper back picture book suitable for children two and older. The author points out that we all get angry sometimes and that it is okay to be angry. It is how we handle our anger that is important.

When I'm feeling Angry is one of a series of books on feelings published by The Five Mile Press. Some of the other titles deal with being scared, or lonely, hurt, etc. Trace Moroney's web site is http://www.tracemoroney.com/ This series of books is very good.

Smackover, Arkansas

Smackover, what a name! I would love to have been born in

Smackover. Just think of the fun Smackover citizens have when they are out of state. "And where are you from?" an elderly lady might ask a twelve year old girl. "Why, I'm from Smackover, Arkansas, ma'am."

A couple weeks ago my sister and I, plus our indulgent husbands, visited the oil museum in Smackover. I got some good pictures and information for my new novel, the sequal to Second Chance. The ladies at the museum were so helpful and willing to share information.

To give you an idea of how tall that derrick is, take a close look at the lady standing at the end of the walk. That's me. The horizonal beam just above the shed behind me is called a walking beam. It has something to do with pumping the oil, I believe.
Visitors will find a wonderful collection of figures, artifacts,

diagrams, and pictures explaining the oil boom in Smackover

during the late 1930s.

There is a lovely wooded area for picnics and lots to see. It is well worth scheduling at least a half day visiting the museum and surrounding area if you are anywhere near Magnolia or Smackover, Arkansas.
More later. Stay cool.

Magnolia, Arkansas

I didn't retire to sit home and do housework. A couple of weeks ago my husband and I met my sister and her husband in Magnolia, Arkansas. We stayed at Lake Columbia County Park. It was beautiful and so well kept. The host went out of his way to welcome and accomidate all the visitors.



After setting up our trailers side by side we set out to explore the area starting with the city of Magnolia. Wow! From the truck we saw some truely impressive murals on the sides of many buildings.

After visiting a few shops the men grew tired of our exploring, asking endless questions, and examining all the interesting things in shop after shop featuring iron work, glassware, antiques, clothes, beautiful crochet items, and food. The men discovered some of the best homemade pickles we had ever eaten. We bought four jars, one for ourselves and one for friends. After their treasure find, the men were ready for a nap. Jo and I returned to the city and continued our exploration on our own. We helped close a couple of shops. One even opened up for us when they learned we would be leaving the next day.

When the shops finally closed we retired to the camp ground and the dinner our husbands had prepared. The next day we went to Smackover, Arkansas. More about Smackover next time.

Second Chance on Kindle

Hay everyone,
I'm excited. Second Chance in now available on Kindle. I was browsing through some book on Amazon and on a whim typed in Galand Nuchols. Wow! there flashed up all three of my books and Second Chance in now on Kindle. Weeeee!

Habitat Women's Build 2011

For over a week women came in teams of two to eight

or nine helping Habitat partners to paint, calk, or frame three houses in Mount Pleasant. There were teachers, office workers, nurses, a ranch manager, secretries ... well, ladies from every line of work you can imagine. They welded paint brushes, slung hammers, and toted wood making a huge difference in construction progress in just six days. Everyone was impressed.

On Saturday Habitat hosted a Bar B Q and silent auction. Again, ladies from the community brought in salads, vegetable dishes, and desserts galore. All was held on the Presbyterian Church;s parking lot just outside the Habitat office.

Along with the Bar B Q was a silent auction. Community businesses were generous and donated over 30 items including such items as: an airplane ride, hair cuts, lamps, cutlery sets, dinners out, candles ... there were just too many items to name.

Mount Pleasant Habitat is building their web site. You might be interested in checking it out.

mphabitat@hotmail.com

Mt. Pleasant is a good place to live.

Northeast Texas Writers' Conference 2011

April was a busy, exciting month with NETWO's (Northeast Texas Writers' Organization) annual writers conference May 29 - 30. Frank Carden from Las Cruces, New Mexico, was our Short Story winner with his story Iwo. Heath Dollar from Haslet, Texas, placed second followed by Elaine Pietsch from Ringgold, Louisianna, taking third place. Gail Reed from Mt. Vernon, Texas, placed fourth. There were several honorable mentions. At right above, I am giving Mr. Carden his first place award. Seated at left is New York agent Kathleen Ortiz.


This was NETWO's 25th conference. Camp Shiloh Retreat on Lake Bob Sandlin near Pittsburg, Texas was the place to be April 28 and 29th. Nine notable authors, agents, and publishers spoke explaining how they work, what they need in submissions, and why they need it in the format described on their web site and in their handouts. One on one visits with publishers and agents were made available. I can't begin to describe in this short blog the idea generating power the weekend turned out to be. For further information and pictures check out NETWO's website at http://www.netwo.org/

More later. Take care of each other.

UGLIES and PRETTIES by Westerfeld

A young teenage friend recommended the following two books as excellent reads. Both are by Scott Westerfeld.


UGLIES

The first, Uglies, starts off slow, but the plot thickens, drawing the reader into a complicated social situation. Somehow, the earth's population has been convinced that all of societies problems are a result of people's desire to be beautiful. At age of sixteen, everyone automatically undergoes an operation that converts their natural shaped face and body into a prescribed "beautiful" image. Unbeknownst to the patient, the operation also changes their brain and way of thinking.

What happens if someone does not want the operation? Who controls all these bubbly, beautiful people? Can Tally escape the "Specials", those beautiful but cold hearted enforcers who control the artificial world in which both the Uglies and Pretties live? You must read UGLIES to find out.

PRETTIES

After reading UGLIES, I rushed to the library for a copy of PRETTIES. I had to find out if Tally could break the hold the "Specials" had on everybody. I was not disappointed in Westerfeld's masterful discription of a small but determined group of individuals bucking the system. But the cost of being different is high. It takes courage, cunning, and a strong will to survive in this world where beauty is the main goal of all but a few individual thinkers.

UGLIES
Teen to adult interests
ISBN-13:978-0-689-86538-1

PRETTIES
Teen to adult interests
ISBN-13:978-0-689-86539-8


Both books can be purhasd at your favorite book store or from Amazon.

I've been traveling, visiting schools with my mini writing workshop as well as visiting relatives in central and south Texas. On highway 16 between Fredericksburg and Kerrville, we saw an eye catching sculpture made of car parts. We turned around and went back for pictures.

My sister and I visited an aunt in Kerrville over the weekend. I visited a 4th and 5th grade in Center Point sharing writing tips and a bit about my books: Dragons for Kris, Dragon Hatchling, and Second Chance. The children were so polite and attentive. They made my day.

Wednesday we were in Mission, Texas, helping a cousin celebrate her 50th wedding anniversary. That was a great party.

Thursday I visited a school in Donna, Texas, speaking with 4th graders. They were excited and full of questions. We had a great time. Afterwards we headed to Houston and spent the night with another cousin.

The Houston cousin is into genealogy. We discussed various stories in the book my sister and I wrote about our family, starting with our great grandparents. I urge everyone to collect the funny stories, stories about work, family vacations, etc and record them. Also record important health information that children and grandchildren might want someday. Such a book is a keepsake that no one else can claim. Every family is different.

Until later - stay well.

Galand

Heaven is for Real

Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo is both inspiring and reassuring to those of us who may believe with our brain but wonder in our hearts about just what Heaven is like. Todd Burpo tells the story of
his young son's near death experience, and who and what the boy saw in Heaven.

The families scary search for medical help when their son became ill will pull at the heart of any parent. The miraculous answer to their and others prayers will deepen your faith, confirming what you have been taught since childhood.

Heaven is for Real is an inspiring read for teens and adults. Small

children will enjoy having portions of Colton's memories of Heaven

read to them.

Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo can be purchased at your favorite bookstores or downloaded to your Kindle. Heaven is for Real will make a lovely gift for those you love.

heroes for my son

heroes for my son

by brad Meltzer

heroes for my son is a must for teachers, counselors, and youth leaders of every description. heroes for my son is a collection of fifty-two very short biographies of ordinary people who made incredible changes in our world. The heroes, spanning time and continents, include the famous and those not so well known. Mahatma Gandhi, Frederick Douglass, Miep Gies, Eleanor Roosevelt, Neil Armstrong, John Lennon, Amelia Earhart, Dr. Seus, are just a few of the heroes Brad Meltzer wrote about, men and women he wanted his son to look up to.

heroes for my son is perfect for short motivational talks, group discussions, and a starting place for research projects for history and civics.

Published by HarperCollins Publishers

heroes for my son can be purchases from Amazon, Hastings Book Stores, and most other book outlets.

ISBN 978-0-06-190528-5

You Can Do It!
by Tony Dungy


Tony Dungy, former NFL player and coach of the 2006 World Champions, the Indianapolis Colts, has written a beautifully illustrated book encouraging young children to set big goals, believe in themselves, and trust God to lead them through life.

You Can Do it! is the story of Tony Dungy's family describing, in story form, how his parents encouraged him and his brother and sisters to be anything they dreamed of being. This twenty-four page book is appropriate for children of any age but especially those four years to third or fourth graders.




You Can Do It! is a Children's Book-of-the-Month Club Selection.

Published by LITTLE SIMON INSPIRATIONS an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division.

ISBN 13:978-1-4169-5461-3