Received new shipment of books

I just love when I receive a new shipment of books in the mail...especially when they are mine!!!
I just received 20 copies of my latest collection of 2010 humor columns titled Welcome to the Country.
If you haven't read any, check out my website at www.charitymaness.com...and prepare to be amused!
The columns are an off the cuff light hearted look at country living, from eco art to cow pie bingo. No country odditiy goes un-noticed and no opportunity to poke fun at my cityfied family turned country is missed.
All in all, a hoot.
If you can't wait to get your hands on one, visit amazon.com or if you want to make sure I get a higher royalty you can go right to the publisher at https://www.createspace.com/3498373


As always....
Happy reading:)

Upcoming book signings

Great news!
I have two upcoming book signings celebrating the release of my new romance 'Prince Charming'.
December 10 at Umpqua Bank in Copperopolis, CA 4 pm to 6 pm (209-785-7007)
and
December 11 at Highland Books in Arnold, CA 12 to 2 pm (209-795-9423)

Stop on by and visit if you are in the area!

Happy reading:)

My son Chris is married!

Nicholas, Me, Chris, Avonlea, John, Amanda & Marshall.
Missing is Nick's wife, my amazing daughter-in-law, Kendra and my grandbaby Kadence.

Prince Charming now available!

A childhood where imagination replaced reality to hide from the violence, followed by a failed marraige, left Charlie wondering if any such thing as a 'Prince Charming' really existed.
When one day Prince Charming himself, all 80 pounds of furry, slobbering, barking joy, slammed into her dragging with him a two legged creature that set Charlie's nerves on fire and turned her world upside down.


A refreshingly realistic look at love after 45! As one loyal reader stated, "I was so happy to read about a woman my age finding love."

Available at amazon.com.

Writing at the speed of light!

I wish!
So here I find myself writing for work ( I work for an awesome newspaper thepinetree.net covering local events, news, and human interest stories), writing for school (yes back in college at 47 sigh, taking American Literature and Art History), and writing for the shear love of it!!
Thank goodness writing is a passion or I would most definately face burn out.
The only problem is the ideas in my head far exceed the amount of time I have to actually put my fingers to the keyboard. Though I don't necessarily wish for more time for I would fill it for sure, I would love to be more organized with the time I have.
Case in point:
I was sick this weekend, laying about on the couch like a bum. But do ya think I used that time to get all these characters and plots out of my head? Noooo, I watched tv! Ugh!
Oh well, I did learn how to make a better chili, at least I think so, I didn't write the recipe down and being as how my brain was a little fuzzy from the meds I'm thinking that my recollection of two tablespoons of cinnamon that the recipe called for may not be correct.
Check out amazon.com for my books...they make GREAT Christmas gifts..hint, hint:)
As always,
Happy reading!

Welcome to the Country

Welcome to the Country
So you’ve decided to move to the country where creativity is the name of the game.
The word ‘creative’ encompasses so many different aspects of our daily country lives that it’s hard to put it all in a nutshell. So to start with the basics:

There is creative writing. Most of us have managed to endure some form of creative writing in our lives, be it a high school portfolio autobiography or the general education requirement of creative writing. While this broadens our mind it doesn’t necessarily apply to today’s line of thinking.

Then there is creative as in knitting, sewing, welding, painting, artsy type creativity. Luckily for us in the foothills artists abound!
Add creative financing, like that of purchasing a car, a third with a credit card, a third with cash, and a third with beef cattle. Oh, and the ever creative apple pie for an auto tow. (Yes that did happen…thanks Mike.)

We can’t forget, though we would like to, around April 15th we all have a creative flair when it comes to finances, creating an elaborate web of profit and loss statements adding in home office expenses like DVR and surround sound, and we can’t forget to add all the vets visits and dog food for your security Chihuahua.

But again, that is not the creative street I’m heading down today.

Today I am going to touch on creative parking…country style.
Back when we were a pretty small county, just about 10 years ago, our government offices were not necessarily prepared for the speedy population growth. When I say government I really mean post offices. I’ve seen it in Copper, Arnold, and other areas, where it takes some seriously creative parking for us all to get our dualies properly wedged between the painted white lines evidently designed for a motorcycle. But we are resourceful here. Don’t ever underestimate the talent of those that drive quad cabs and 4x4’s when it comes to parking. Add in a cattle trailer, a boat, and the requisite tow hitch (aka the knee knocker) on almost every vehicle and the parking lot becomes an odd recreation of musical chairs for cars. Only, the one left when the music stops is blocked in for who knows how long.

But we adapt and conquer, and come back the next day to do it all over again.
Until next time…welcome to the country.
www.charitymaness.com

P.S. This particular Welcome to the Country was hatched from a story told to me by ‘Joe.’ If you have a similar story you think would be funny and interesting to tell, drop me a line and I may just, with a little “creative” literary freedom be able to turn it into a ‘Welcome to the Country.’
charity@thepinetree.net Please put ‘wttc idea’ in the subject line.

Home

Back in California where I am fluent in the local dialect.

Back to the grindstone of my everyday life...which is anything but ordinary.

Thank you for following my blog.

Check in from time to time as I may feel the urge to update with odd musings or anecdotes to life's most puzzling questions:)

Happy reading:)

Day six – itchy

I am figuring that I am a pretty tasty Californian, well at least for the critters in these parts. I have bug bites on top of bug bites. Luckily the shade of pink that the calamine lotion tints my skin is very much my color. Please say you heard the sarcasm there. I look like a lumpy pink marshmallow.
*****

Did you know that if you catch a jar full of lightening bugs, you can actually have a small nightlight by your bed? Just gently catch a bug that has lit itself up in hopes of gaining a mate, carefully place it in one of the plentiful mason jars to be found in any home, and cover with foil. Don’t forget to put a couple of holes in the foil, not so big you have bugs flying about your room, and you will have a soft haze reminiscent of the sixties. Not that I remember…
*****

My last day in Kentucky leaves me short on humor.
I will surely miss the kind people and the raw beauty of the land. I hope to visit again soon.


Happy reading:)

P.S. My travel blog is not over until my flight lands if SFO. One never knows what interesting things might happen between now and then.

Day 5 – hmmm

This days blog will include some musings about Kentucky. Just a few things I noticed while out and about.
****

Interestingly enough I spotted a drive thru funeral home. Logistically how this is done I haven’t got a clue, nor was I willing to investigate further.
*****

Happy cows come from California right? I might beg to differ. See this here state of Kentucky is the largest producer of fine bourbons…and their largest export is beef…just follow along I will get to the point in a minute. The main ingredients in bourbon are corn, rye, wheat and barley, but the most important is the iron free limestone water found in Kentucky. The ingredients, though essential, are also the residual by-product of the completed Bourbon. Now, guess what the distilleries do with the left over by-product? Why they feed it to their beef cattle. Now in my book, that would make for happy cows.
*****

Have a craving for a perfectly chilled glass of wine of a Sunday in Kentucky? Too bad. No alcohol sales allowed on Sundays. My friend’s motto: be prepared.
*****

Seeing as how the majority of the lakes abut cattle land, and the cattle know how to swim here, I have to admit, catfish has moved to the bottom of my list of items to eat when visiting.
*****

A copperhead’s head is not always necessarily copper colored. Any form of brown will do. So when I see a snake here, I scream and run, no questions asked.
*****

Based on the size of the squirrels ‘round these parts, I must say, it would take about two and a half to feed me. The conclusion I draw from this? I think these folks are pulling my leg, they don’t eat squirrel…maybe possum, but not squirrel. Either way, I don’t care if it tastes just like chicken, I’ll stick to salads thank you.

Happy reading:)

Day four - the rest

The plan of running to the dirt track turned into running to the drag races. Ever been? Loud, exhilarating, loud, exciting, and did I mention loud? If you get the chance give it a shot, but one note from a seasoned drag strip attendee…don’t take a deep breath around the time of the green light. Not good, not good at all. I’m pretty sure I inhaled enough carcinogenic air to make my lungs look like a pack a day smokers lungs.

After massive inhalation of fumes and many ohs and ahs later, my cell phone…oops in Kentucky, I meant my cellular phone, went nuts. Texts, voicemails, etc. Evidently the back yard of my home in Copper was on fire, CalFire was on the way, aircraft were involved and I was helpless. I sat in my rental car fielding multiple messages while trying to get real time information when the car radio blared an emergency broadcast. You know the kind, the annoying beep, beep, beep, then the “this is a test of the emergency broadcast system.” Well at least that’s what we hear in California, here in Kentucky it’s the real thing followed by the ever helpful where to run and hide information.

Bring it on.

After clicking my heels together three times wishing for home didn’t work, I tried plan ‘B’, drive like the dickens in front of the storm and beat it home. It was worth a shot. An hour later, safe and sound, I am towel dried and wishing I had some of that special Kentucky lemonade.

Happy reading:)

P.S. Thanks to all of you for your calls and your support. And thank you Copperopolis Fire District and CalFire for your awesome response time and your expertise!

Day four – losing count…vacation does that to you

Well last night I joined a couple for dinner and was serenaded by their 18 year old son playing Johnny Cash so well, Johnny himself would have been proud. If that was not enough he picked up his banjo and picked some dueling banjos. He then added in some of his own repertoire and the evening was complete.

There was one down side. I woke at 10:00 am again. Must have been that chilled apple butter cider. Is nothing sacred in these here parts?
*****

That tidbit leads up to today’s interesting look into small town politics.

Okay, so the county that I am staying in boasts among other things, the largest still ever confiscated within the state of Kentucky. So impressive, it was reassembled and sits today in a place of honor in the Kentucky State museum. With that said, this is a dry county. No booze allowed…at all. Hmmmm..

Recently the folks of the town decided they were tired of driving over the county line to pick up a beer or two and started a petition to revoke the ‘dry county’ standing. It was the first time in the history of this county that the bootleggers and the preachers united for a single cause. The preachers wanted no booze, the bootleggers wanted to keep their livelihood, albeit illegal, but still a livelihood. The petition failed, and the bootleggers found a new audience…women. What was once a concoction so foul a mere sniff of it would burn the sensitive hairs from inside your nose now comes in a variety of flavors; watermelon, strawberry, lemonade, and apple butter cider. I think I will stick to bottled water for the remainder of my trip.
*****

I did always find it strange that the stores in this area carry a large stock of quart mason jars…year round.
*****

Oh another addition to my ever growing Kentucky dictionary, just in case you haven’t heard this one..

Saying: Doesn’t that beat all the cats eatin’ the gravy?
Definition: Wow.

Happy readin’:)

P.S. Off to dirt track racing, the beginning of Nascar so I’m told…sacred around these parts, I cannot poke fun at that for fear of retaliation.

Day three - continued

After about a gallon of non-Starbucks coffee, I am vertical and mobile. My friend is taking me to lunch and on a tour of the countryside today. I can only hope no winding roads are involved.
*****

Off to get some shots of Unca Dan’s swimmin’ cows up on Trottin’ Ridge. Then headed o’er to Possum Run to see a hillside covered in cudd su. See…I AM bilingual. I actually knew what I was saying.
*****

Passing sign after sign advertising fried catfish, fried okra, fried chicken , and fried squirrel (just joking on the squirrel) I was pleasantly surprised when my friend pulled into the parking lot of a Japanese Hibachi restaurant. Whew…something I am somewhat familiar with. Ever heard a hibachi chef with a southern accent? Blame it on the residual moonshine pumping through my system, but I found it pretty darn cute.
*****

So here I sit…on the top of a knoll…stuffed…awaiting a tornado. It’s not happening. At 94 degrees with 84% humidity this California girl only lasted 25 minutes waiting for said mysterious tornado. Saw some cool cloud formations though and heard the rumbling of thunder, but thankfully no twister. I can now safely check tornado chasing off my bucket list.
*******

Oh did I mention the ac in the house I am staying is out? Yup. Not working. On the fritz. Kaput. Did I also mention its 94 flippin’ degrees out with 84% humidity? I know I did, I was simply repeating it for added impact. So this wonderful new avon moisturizer that I carefully repacked into a less than three ounce container so that I could carry it on the flight saving a luggage fee is now slowly sliding off of my face.
*****

Added a new word to my Kentucky dictionary today.
Buckeye:
Us- a tree
Kentucky- a worthless nut
Therefore it is an insult to be called a Buckeye. Whereas an Ohioan may disagree. ( They are, I believe, known as the buckeye state.)

Happy reading:)

Day three - slow start

Unwittingly served lemonade last night at a gathering.
I woke up at ten am!
It was lemonade flavored moonshine!
I knew it tasted a bit off:)

Posts might be slow in the coming today, LOL

Off to see the other side of town through a holler up on a rise to "tornado watch."
Not sure if that is supposed to be fun or simply stupid.
(Thinking stupid in my sluggish state.)

Happy reading:)

Day two - no mullet

No mullet! I’m not sure about you, but that’s extremely good news for me!
*****

Back to the ‘kin to mother nature’ thing…. Each stop I made; hair salon, market, gas station, besides hearing the usual “Y’all ain’t from around ‘ere are ya?” (Geez, like I have a sticker on my head ‘made in California’) there was the added talk of an impending tornado. Eyes looking skyward while whistling and shuffling my feet innocently, I was hoping people were not making the connection between the impending twister and my visit. I am starting to get a complex here.
*****

So, what to do while waiting for a possible twister? Soak in a friends pool of course. That would be a friend with a basement; friends with benefits takes on a whole new meaning round these parts. Pools and basements rank way up there in the benefit department. Just FYI, teeth are pretty low on that list.
*****

No tornado…yet. But a thunder storm that shook the house hard to enough to remind me of the Loma Prieta earthquake. Thank goodness for good old Kentucky construction.
*****

As an added note: after talking with a few folks in town it quickly became evident that nicknames were quite prevalent in these here parts. Not unlike truck drivers, many people have call signs such as: slim, hee haw, bumblebee, macy, mo, and boner.
*****

I will leave you with that.

Happy reading:)

Day One - travel

Well, Phyllis Diller hair was a non issue the minute I stepped outside into the wonderful coastal foggy air in San Francisco. My hair resembled, much to my dismay, a horrible imitation of the ‘60’s greasy, hanging in the eyes, hippy look. Classy, real classy.
***
Being one of those annoying ‘morning people,’ I chatted it up with an innocent victim next to me on the shuttle, waking him up against his will and causing me to miss my airline stop. I quickly found myself alone on the shuttle. I got a nice tour of the parking terminal routes.
***
Tucked into my seat at the airport, the one with the best people watching view I began to ponder the livelihoods, and dreams of some of the people around me. The exhausted parents dealing with screaming children, Mickey Mouse paraphernalia surrounding them, looking heavenward wondering if their whole vacation was going to involve screaming children. Yup…been there, done that. A vacation with children should come under a totally different heading…like maybe fakation. After all it’s not really a vacation in the true sense of the word. My definition always involves some sort of serenity and a beach, have to have a beach. Oh, and don’t forget the wine.
***
Landed in another dimension, better known as Kentucky. Louisville to be exact. But don't for heaven's sake make the same mistake I did by pronouncing it correctly, nooo the proper pronunciation of Louisville is louvul. Got that? its tough...i know.
***
People enjoy life SLOWLY here in this neck of the woods. This Californian needs to put on the brakes. When was the last time you heard someone say, or had the time to say, the full name for cell phone or car? Can’t think of the full name? Its “cellular phone” and “automobile.”
***
Called a friend here to let her know I was in town. She said “I figured. A storm was a brewin’.” A small town joke for those that know me here. Seems the last three times I have visited the storms that have hit the area have gotten progressively worse, from thunder, lightning and a deluge of rain, to a tornado whipping through town. I’m beginning to wonder if they think I’m kin to mother nature herself.
***
Getting my hair cut tomorrow in town. I am keeping my fingers crossed that I will not come out of the salon with a mullet.

Happy reading:)

Morning UGH

Seriously rethinking my brilliant plan of hotel vs early travel departure from home. First off who can really sleep in a hotel when an exciting trip is looming in their thoughts? Second, I forgot to pack a hairbrush. Have you ever tried to style your hair without a hair brush? Can you say Phyllis Diller?

Happy reading:)

Travel 101

Ok, so I may not be a seasoned traveler but I travel enough to know to check the weather of our destination prior to travel. Well what do you think I forgot to do this time?
Thats right folks, this trip I will be treated to the beauty of Mother Nature with predicted thunder, lightening and rain! For the next five days....and me with a bathing suit.
Guess I'll have to dance in the rain.


Happy reading:)

Hotel wins

Well, it was a pretty easy decision actually, cocktails at a nice hotel the evening prior to an early morning flight or attempt to go to bed early, wake up at 2 am and drive two and a half hours to SFO.

With that life altering decision made I went about cleaning. I am suffering some odd nesting complex, the kind a women feels right before delivery? Yeah, that one. I have vacumed, mopped, and dusted every non movable object in my home, and some moveable...have you ever vacummed your dog? So now I have a clean home that I am not going to be able to enjoy, my house guests will, but me? No.

Packing is always its own form of travel torture. What started as an entire wardrobe packed into a 50 pound bag has miraculously dwindled down to a 10 pound backpack. I'm that good. Hey, its vacation...I need my ticket, my ID and my swimsuit....right?

Happy reading:)

Time to travel

So here it is...one day prior to travel and I am left wondering... hotel or hit the road at 2:00 am?
If you live in the foothills you get this, if not, just keep reading, you'll catch on.
With a minimum two hour drive to get to the nearest airport not including parking, shuttle and check in, its necessary to leave the beautiful Northern California foothills at approximately zero dark thirty to arrive at SFO for a 6:00 am flight.
What idiot booked a 6:00 am flight you ask?
Well, that would be me.
In an effort to get to an area that has some semblance of green I managed to not only book a 6:00 am flight, but one with a two hour layover in Dallas! Can you say "Yeehaw?"
Fortunatly for me I am now tethered. Yes, my i phone and my computer now have an intimate relationship. It works for me:)
To follow me on my journey to another land (Kentucky)and live vicariously through my adventure keep checking in.
As always...happy reading:)

Publishing contract

I have just signed a publishing contract for "From Positive Test to Empty Nest."
So happy!

Sneak peak

If you are interested in a sneak peak of my latest books or articles, you can always log on to my website at charitymaness.com.
Happy reading:)

Just when I thought I was done...

I picked up my very first romance the other day to have a look, just a quick peek really, only to find spelling and grammar errors on the very first page! ARGH! What was I thinking when I edited the darn thing? Well, needless to say, two weeks later and many diet cokes, I have almost edited the book. I say almost because I am only on page 112 out of 168. Keep in mind that is single spaced and on 8x11 paper. Sigh.
It does have an up side. I have added a few little quirky exchanges and some more background adding approx 4k words to the original.
Still editing away though.
As always,
happy reading:)

My son deployed to Afganistan today. USMC Sgt Chris Maness

New romance done!!! Well sort of...

Finished writing my new romance today. On to my murder mystery, and the bodies are piling up:)
Happy reading!

Education, an ongoing event

In an attempt to educate my children of the importance of attaining a degree at each and every step of your education, I went back to my old college and attempted to petition for a degree based on my education from, gulp, 1986. Imagine my surprise when I find out that I am not qualified to receive the degree for which I am applying. Why? You ask. Well, evidently I did not have the all important computer class that is now required. Now I ask you...who the heck owned a computer in 1986?!?!? And I'm not talking a comodore here folks. In 1986 computers took up whole buildings! I don't know about you, but I didn't have a whole bulding to spare back then, my diet consisted of ramen and water and I considered my self lucky to have a roof over my head let alone a whole room. So here I am, children in tow, having to sign up for a computer class. Who knows, maybe I'll learn something...like research before I lecture my children, yeah that would be a good lesson to learn:)

Wow! Time flies!!!

I have been so busy this last month and a half, what with loving on my son home on leave, basking in the glow of finding out I'm going to be a grandma, and homeschooling my 12 year old, I have had little time to update my blog. I apologize.
So yes, I have indeed been working on a new romance (no title yet) and polishing up the combined novella's Hopefully and Faithfully. I have also taken a huge leap and enrolled in college and will be switching from my previous major, BC...before kids, of Biology to Criminal Justice. If you think that being married to retired policeman and currently a Private Investigator had anything to do with my decision...you are 100% right! With him as the proverbial ace up the sleeve I can't help but succeed in this particular vein of education! I am so excited!
One embarrassing point, some of my college transcripts were on micro fiche. Now that's OLD!!!
As always,
Happy reading:)

New romance in the works

A tidbit of chapter one.

Charlie knew there was no such thing as a Prince Charming by the time she was ten years old.
After all, Charlie had just turned ten when her mother’s prince charming Rowland had thrown his glass of wine at her mom and in his anger at apparently missing he put his fist through the decorative glass pane of their front door, effectively slicing his wrist open from palm to elbow causing her mom to have to rush him to the hospital while Charlie and her brother and sister were left behind to clean up the broken glass and the spattering of blood. If this was a prince charming, Charlie knew she never wanted one.
As luck would have it Charlie’s mom brought Rowland back from the hospital that same day alive and well. For a few weeks it seemed as though her parents had taken a hiatus on quarreling, but before long the palpable tension that seemed to have existed in her home for as long as she could remember was back in full force. Laughter was only heard in the home if Rowland was laughing the rest of the time was spent tip toeing about the house so as not to disturb him while his game was on tv or he was doing something else as earth shatteringly important. Happy times were but a foggy distant memory.
It was only a matter of time before Rowland found something new that angered him and though Charlie spent hours practicing the art of invisibility, at times like that she could only hope she would not be the next target of his anger.

Welcome to the Country 2-23-10

Welcome to the Country
So you’ve decided to move to the country where the advice of old timers is almost always the best advice you can get.
We have all heard the good old advice of ‘don’t squat with your spurs on’ and ‘if it rattles don’t investigate’ but here’s an old timer’s advice that really needs to be heeded in the foothills…if it itches don’t scratch it.
Now that may seem to be extremely simple advice to most of you and should go without saying but wait… I’ve added a bit of mommy advice to that one…
‘If you really must scratch remember to wash your hands before you use the restroom.’
I’m sure you have figured out where this particular story is headed, but for those of you that just love a good chuckle please continue with this quick read.
Hiking Table Top Mountain is pretty much every kid’s dream when they first move to Copper or the surrounding area. As parents we are usually able to dissuade our youngsters from this somewhat treacherous trek until they become teens or pre teens with manly hormones a pumpin’ through their little systems.
My oldest son home for leave, being the adventurous sort, snagged his citified high heeled girlfriend my other two sons, his sister in law and my daughter and headed off for a romantic Valentine’s Day trek to the top of table top. At this point in my life you can safely assume that I have lost an awful lot of my powers of persuasion over my two older boys towering over me at a whopping 6’2” and 6’3” so I gave in and let them go on this adventure convincing myself that at least they were not attempting this hike at the peak of rattlesnake season, which as we all know seems to be most any day that the sun shines, but I digress.
Off they went equipped with water bottles, first aid kits, and smiles. 3 hours later home they came, muddy, wet and exhausted. The next morning was when we discovered that poison oak is a plant that gives all year long because all hiking participants were sporting a plethora of bumpy red splotches on various parts of their bodies. My older sons had poison oak on their arms and neck, my daughter in law on her face and my youngest son just on one arm…until he scratched...and went potty. Not good. Not good at all.
The moral of the story is…if it itches…don’t scratch and go potty.
Until next time…welcome to the country.
www.charitymaness.com

Waste is just that...waste

I realize that the 3 or so books I have started that are on the back burner will never grow up to contain the amount of words required to interest an agent, so they will simply have to stay young, or small.
So with my desire not to be wasteful with my words, thoughts or creations I have decided to go with the proverbial literary flow and allow these ideas to come to life through a collection of short stories.
The plan is to have these stories on paper and published in 2012. Seems like a long way away, but there are an awful lot of thoughts running about in this head of mine that need organizing.
With that said, happy reading:)

P.S. No worries, the murder mystery is still in full swing.

New Fan Page on Facebook

If following a blog is just too much trouble, or you want more of a scoop, check out my new fan page on Facebook.
Oh, and now that Hopefully and Faithfully have been combined and are off to be edited..I will be concentrating on murder. I know this what all of you are waiting for with baited breath.
Until next time...happy reading:)

The time has come

For those of you that already own the first printing of Hopefully and the sequel, Faithfully, you may just want to keep them in a special place. Of course everytime I attempt to save something in a 'special' place I manage to forget where I put it, but who knows, maybe you have a better memory than I, or better yet, a designated 'special' place. Hmmm, now why didn't I think of that?
On February 13, 2010 Hopefully and Faithfully will no longer be available for purchase.
For the last few months, along with formulating sinister thoughts for my new book, I have been combining the two light hearted romances. Adding chapters and tweeking the characters. The second edition Hopefully is approximately 80K words and most definately a feel good read.
Who knows, maybe someday I will be famous and those books you have been using to weight down the papers on your desk may be worth something.
Keep your fingers crossed and keep the good thoughts coming!
Happy reading:)

Welcome to the Country humor column for 1-24-10

My January 24, 2010 humor column is available at
www.charitymaness.com/wttc.html

Life in the country is most certainly an adventure. Throw in a couple of kids, add some mud, a snake here or there, and humor becomes your best survival skill.

Happy reading:)

Rainy day madness

I just couldn't help myself.. the dark clouds, the eerie scream of the wind whipping through the trees and my mind wanders to ...murder. Doesn't yours?
Have you ever asked you husband to help you with your job? Maybe a little research? A hand with heavy lifting?
I'm no different. But I tell you, my husband is becoming quite exasperated with the multiple attempts at moving 150 pounds of dead, no pun intended, weight to the other side of the room, to show drag patterns. As if thats not bad enough I have him researching decomposition for me, human decomposition. Yes, I am at it again. But I really didn't want to overload my brain with too much information, just enough to be dangerous, so I gave him the task. Hey at least its not blood spatter evidence...now wait just a minute, hmmm, I think I can work that in!
I ask you, am I so different than any other spouse? Just a little supportive help, thats all:)
And besides, I never heard him complain when I was attempting to get a love scene just right for one of my romances. He had to try again, and again, and again...well you get the picture. Oh the suffering he went through in the name of literary research:)
As always,
Happy reading!

Humor is everywhere

Okay, so I couldn't "buckle down" to serious writing when I was bubbling with country type New Year's resolution humor. So here it is, my little New Year's contribution to the funny side of country life.


http://www.charitymaness.com/wttc.html

If you're from the country you'll get it..if you're from the city, it may leave you scratching your head.

I hope you enjoy.
As always....happy reading.

Charity

The Holidays are over...time to buckle down

Like most of us I use the holidays as an excuse to over indulge. But seeing as how I was recovering from a hysterectomy my over indulgence turned to ebay and my weakness for yarn. Word of warning don't shop on ebay while taking pain medication, one easily forgets how much junk one ordered!
On a high note, the holidays also got my mind reeling with more ideas for character background on Hopefully. The second edition will have chapters on Helen and Gertie's earlier lives, pre Hope and even pre 'Two Old Ladies with a lot of Yarn' yarn shop. There is also additional info about Philip and a little more heat between Hope and her accidental love.
This is turning out to be a fun re-creation.
Wishing you all a wonderful New Year full of love and laughter.
Charity Maness

Happy Reading!