Not everyone is cut out to be a judge, but it takes a special kind of person to be a Chief Judge. In The Velvet Hammer, Belvin Perry, Jr. tells us of his classic success story. Raised by a single father, Perry and his two siblings didn’t have things handed…
Tag: Richard Bist
Nature
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The Hurricane Debby Experience
We had our first (and hopefully last) hurricane of the 2024 season. Debby crept by just to the east of us. While we were spared the worst of the winds, we did get a few strong gusts that knocked branches out of nearby trees and took out our power. Big…
Music
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Music Moment – About Face by David Gilmour
For his second solo album, About Face, guitarist and vocalist David Gilmour brought in a slew of outside talent. The list includes Jeff Porcaro (Toto), Jon Lord (Deep Purple), vocalist Roy Harper, and Steve Winwood. To top that off, Pete Townsend supplied lyrics for two tracks. Gilmour, who is best…
Fiction
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Review – The Dragon Prophecies by MT Meiklejohn
In MT Meiklejohn’s The Dragon Prophecies, elemental magic and powerful dreams weave together to take the reader on a journey of knowledge, mystery, and restoration. When the last of the Knowledge Dragons disappeared eons ago, it plunged the land into a period of darkness. Now, years later, Cassandra, a young…
Creativity
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Writing Fiction – The Pain of Editing
Arguably the hardest part of being a writer is editing your work. For me, it’s like having a pile of puzzle pieces and trying to sort them into a coherent image. Or filling in the blank on a Mad Lib. There’s cutting, slicing, and rearranging. I toss aside lines and…
Books
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Review – Rebirth of Meredith Hallow by Suz Eglington
Carrying a story over the course of several books is no easy task. It’s the writing equivalent of running a marathon. Suz Eglington keeps the momentum going in Rebirth of Meredith Hallow: Kiara Noir Mother Nature Series, the third outing for her protagonist. In this volume, Kiara is straddling the…
Music
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Music Moment – Elton John’s Tumbleweed Connection
There’s no disputing that Elton John (and lyricist Bernie Taupin) had an amazing string of hit albums in the 1970s. While not quite as popular as some of the others, Tumbleweed Connection (1970) is, in my opinion, one of the best. At heart, it’s a concept album. John and Taupin…
Creativity
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Writing Fiction – The First Draft Dilemma
I have a love/hate relationship with first drafts. I call it my first draft dilemma. On one hand, I love writing a first draft. The idea for the story is fresh in my mind. I’m going along for a ride to see where it takes me. Usually, I don’t even…