Tell A Story Day

Today, April 27th, is Tell a Story Day here in the United States. In England and Scotland this holiday is celebrated on October 27th. Today celebrates all forms of story-telling - fiction and non-fiction. Maybe you have a great tall-tale or a folk-tale to tell. It would be a terrific day to share stories from your family's past. Those stories are important to share before family histories are forgotten.

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Do I Get To Go Home?

When I was a child, my family drove from Cherry Hill, NJ to Nova Scotia, Canada. What a terrific education experience for any child. It was supposed to be a grand adventure. My adventure was slightly more terrifying than the rest of the family's.

See, when we drove across the border into Canada, I was a sleep. My older brother seized the opportunity to torment his little sister. When I woke, he told me that the border guard had not counted me and that meant I was not going to get to return to the United States. At 7, I believed him. I also knew that my father was going to be furious with me. What a mess. Thankfully, my brother told me not to mention it to Dad until he was positive he could not think of a way to sneak me back across the border. For the next two weeks, I fretted about being stuck in Canada for the rest of my life.

Obviously, the little twerp lied to me and I got to come home.

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Ok, it was not much of a story. But, in honor of Tell a Story Day, I am sharing this small piece of my childhood. Someday, I might tell you about the Hook Monster. Yes, that is another invention of my brother.

Things to Ask When Choosing An Agent

• Does the agent charge a standard 15% commission for domestic sales?
• Are there any hidden charges and fees?
• Does the contract protect both you and their interests?
• Will the agent send your manuscript to more than one publisher at a time?
• Is the agent a member of the  Association of Agents Representatives (AAR)?
• Are they familiar with and skilled at the auction process?
• Will they send you copies of all rejection letters?
• Do they have a huge client list? Will you get lost in the crowd?
• What is their track record? Have they sold books to established publishers?

10 Things to Ask About My Story

1. Do I have the right narrator?
2. Is there inner monologue? Too much? Too little? Is it in character?
3. Oh my world, where did all these characters come from? Do I have too many or too few minor characters?
4. What might add more texture?  Allusions? Metaphors?
5. What is my character's motivation? Is it enough?
6. Is my dialogue dead? How can it be made more lively?
7. Do I include enough trivia information?
8. Is this scene wrong? Does it reveal things about my character? Does it advance my plot? What, if anything, does it say about my theme?
9. Does it need a new beginning?
10. Will letters or lyrics add interest?

One Sentence, Many Discussions

Kelley Armstrong’s Bitten was not my introduction to her Women of the Otherworld series. My husband bought me Dime Store Magic, not knowing it was part of a series, when struggling for an idea for my birthday. He liked the idea that the main character was a witch presented in a positive light. Bitten was probably about the fourth book in the series I read.

I love to discuss the books I have read. It is even better, in my opinion, when one sentence or the backstory behind one sentence, represents so many different concepts.  In Bitten, this sentence would be “I am the local Psychopath.”  Clay’s simple statement and the grisly tale behind it can open up discussions in a wide range of topics.

First, is Clay truly a psychopath? Interestingly, as horrifying as the backstory is I do not feel that he meets many of the important requirements for this label. Are you interested in this type of psychology? Then read Bitten.

Second, do the ends justify the means? His actions saved lives. But, how does that merit when compared against the methods used? I would have loved to have read this story before I took my AP European history class in high school. This part of the book would have added an interesting dimension to my paper on Machiavelli.

Third, those that protect us tend to be “alpha” males. Do we really want these mean to stifle their protective instincts and macho behaviors? If they did, would they lose the part of themselves that allows them to risk their lives to save ours?  Does society need this type of personality to allow others to do good? Before you answer based solely on Bitten, Eric Greitens’s The Heart and the Fist. He makes another statement that it is interesting to explore. His is about how humanitarian workers need soldiers to make an area secure in order for them to be able to do good. But that is a discussion for a future post.

When you read fiction, does a statement make you stop and think? Maybe not about something the author intended to say but rather about a topic you find interesting or that hits close to home. I have mention just a few of the discussions I have had regarding one sentence in a novel. That one statement lends itself to starting several other topics.

Bitten is not my favorite book in Ms. Armstrong’s series. However, it does contain my favorite passage.

31 Tweets for Red Cross Month

1. Today (March 1) in 1999, Red Cross Initiates Nucleic Acid Test (NAT) which provides early detection of HIV & Hepatitis C in blood.
2. Each year, the American Red Cross responds immediately to over 70,000 disasters, the majority are house or apartment fires.
3. The American Red Cross has been providing assistance to victims of disasters in the U.S . since Clara Barton founded it on May 21, 1881.
4. Did you know that the American Red Cross directly touches the lives of 1 out of 5 Americans?
5. About 200 times a day, American Red Cross volunteers help a family who lost everything in a house fire or other disaster.
6. The American Red Cross supplies nearly half the nation’s blood supply.
7. Today (March 7) in 1932, Red Cross begins distribution of government surplus wheat and cotton products to victims of drought in the Dust Bowl.
8. Did you know that the American Red Cross is part of a global network of 186 national societies?
9. 475 times a day, the American Red Cross connects deployed service members with their families.
10. Did you know that the American Red Cross locates family members abroad affected by war, famine, or strife?
11. Most American Red Cross workers are volunteers…about 600,000 vs. 35,000.
12. The American Red Cross trains about 10,000,000 people in CPR and 1^st Aid per year!
13. Clara Barton, known as the Angel of the Battlefield, was not a trained nurse.
14. Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies have no religious, cultural or political connotations attached to them.
15. Dr. Louis Appia and Henry Dunant were the founders of the International Red Cross.
16. Today (March 16) in 1882, U.S. Senate ratified the first Geneva Convention.
17. In December 2005, a red crystal emblem was endorsed and recognized as a distinctive sign of the International Red Cross Red Crescent Movement, along with the red cross and red crescent.
18. The Red Cross is one of the world’s most recognized symbols.
19. On today (March 19) in 1913, President Woodrow Wilson named 1^st honorary president of American Red Cross, establishing a precedent for all Chief executives who have followed.
20. Today (March 20) in 1945 President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s last radio talk to nation was in support of the Red Cross War Fund.
21. The Movement’s 186 National Societies represent 97 million of volunteers. About half are youth volunteers.
22. The Red Cross has won the Nobel Peace Prize FOUR times 1917, 1944, and 1963 as well as in the award to Henry Dunant (1901).
23. The American Red Cross puts special emphasis on disaster relief, services to the armed forces and veterans, and public health and safety programs.
24. The American Red Cross was organized (1881) by Clara Barton and received its first federal charter in 1900.
25. Today (March 25) in 1911, Red Cross helps families of mostly young female victims of tragic Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire in NYC.
26. Did you know the American Red Cross sheltered over 450,000 evacuees during Hurricane Katrina?
27. Today (March 27) in 1964, Red Cross helped victims of massive earthquake that hit Anchorage, Alaska.
28. The American Red Cross is the only congressionally mandated organization to provide aid to victims of disaster.
29. Every 60 seconds, the lifesaving mission of the American Red Cross benefits 250 people.
30. The American Red Cross is responsible for fulfilling the mandates of the Geneva Convention within the United States.
31. In April 1912, American Red Cross provided food and shelter as well as financial assistance to those who survived the sinking of the Titanic.

American Red Cross and Persons with Disabilities

Several years ago, I began to lose my hearing. Scared about the effects this changed had on my lifestyle, I became a virtual hermit. I loved disaster response and canine assist search and rescue. However, the ability to hear was vital, in my opinion, to both activities.

Within months, the isolation got to me. I gathered my courage and approached my local Red Cross office. I asked to resume my instructor and instructor trainer activities within their health and safety line of service. Our director already knew about my other disabilities (a spinal condition) and was happy to help me adjust to my decreasing ability to hear while teaching CPR. 

My situation was not unique. The American Red Cross has a long tradition of serving persons with disabilities. There is an equally proud history of individuals with disabilities serving within the ranks of the Red Cross as both volunteers and paid staff.

Persons with disabilities have served as Gray Ladies, receptionists, typists, and telephone operators. Personally, I have volunteered as my chapter’s Emergency Operations Center liaison, a community partnership liaison, shelter workers, logistics specialist, and a disaster action team leader within the disaster services area. For health and safety, I have been an instructor and instructor trainer for multiple courses and the my center’s health and safety program manager. I have done all of these tasks while accompanied by my service animal, Bug-A-Boo, or her predecessor, Paksenarrion.

The Red Cross offers several services to the disability community in association with partner organizations. These organizations include Meals on Wheels and Lifeline. They conduct programs and training at adult day care centers, nursing homes, and supervised care facilities.

10 Facts about US Navy Seals

 

1. SEAL stands for Sea, Air, and Land.
2. There are 8 SEAL teams. However, there is no Team 6. Interestingly, there is a Team 10. I know what happened to team 6. I wonder why no 9.
3. Navy SEAL’s are also known as Frogman. A frogman is a combat diver or combat swimmer.
4. Navy SEALS make up less than 1% of all United States Navy personnel.
5. One of the more unique ways SEALs can go to war is the HALO (High Altitude-Low Opening) jump. These jumps have  SEALs exiting  an airplane at 25,000 feet or more and free-falling for several minutes. The sailors open their chutes within 500 feet of the ground.
6. Visitors to  California have two seal/SEAL viewing opportunities. They can see seals frolicking lazily on the beach near San Diego or prospective SEALs training on a beach in the Coronado area.
7. SEALs have extensive operations in land-locked areas.
8. The washout rate for prospective SEALs is nearly 80%.
9. If a recruit decides to quit during training, he may do so by ringing the class bell three times.
10. U.S. Navy Seal, Commander Christopher Cassidy went to space aboard the shuttle Endeavour as a mission specialist on July 15, 2009 becoming NASA’s 500th astronaut.