Reboots and Second Chances

Do-Overs.  That's what we need, chances to do things right this time.  If you want to hear stories about Second Chances, Reboots and Do-Overs, come out to Touchstone Theatre, 321 E. 4th Street, Bethlehem, PA 18015, on Friday night, Jan. 17th at 8 pm, for a Story Cabaret,  Admission is $10 but the tellers are awesome.

A promise of things to come.

Because...
Psst.  Over here.  You may not have noticed but a new year started 2 weeks ago.  You know what that means.  You have a whole year in which to do all the things you promised to do last year.  Right?  Like, um, get organized.  Put your finances in order.  I am not even going to mention the, how should I put it? - size thing at all.

Maybe you were going to keep your house looking like a model home last year.  Maybe you were going to finally invent that gadget for corralling the kids' toys.  That book?  You will get it written this year.  Or that business plan - this is YOUR year, buckos and buckettes.

Right?  It will all get done.  You have been given another brand new year.  It's like freshly fallen snow, completely unsullied by any bird's twig-like footprints or boot tracks.  The new year lies in front of you like a white field, just waiting for you to break a trail.  Yeah.

I could tell you stories about all the second chances I had and lost.  And I will tell some of those stories on Friday night.  Join me.  I may even bring the accordion.  If enough of you show up, I promise not to play it...

Happy New Year!!

It's 2014.  And we didn't even need to do anything to make this happen.

No looking back this year.  2013 - well, it's over, isn't it?  Here are the things I am looking forward to in 2014.

Great Storytelling!!  Children's Winter Series  at Godfrey Daniels starts on Sunday, Jan. 5th.  I am antsy for that to start, already.

Great writing!  I know.  Except for a short-lived (1 and 1/2 years) column in a weekly paper, I have never published anything.  This is the year.  I know it.

Great family!  My Mom is healthy.  My siblings are all well.  My son and daughter-in-law are thriving. My granddaughter is growing, growing, growing.  My Hub is still supporting me and loving me.  And I love him.

Great reading!  Rachel sent me a pirate book suggestion; I have it on my Nook right now.  It's time to start reading because book review sessions are just a few months away.

Youth telling!!  We have a contest planned - the Pennsylvania Youth Storytelling Showcase - in April.  We need young tellers.  Give me a shout out if you are interested.

And the best of everything, everywhere - for me and mine and especially, my friends, for you and yours.

So, This is the New Year...

I hope you had fun.  (Apologies to JL.)  This is the time when we make grand promises for the New Year, such as:
I WILL lose weight.  (We forget about the "Gain it Back" part.)
I will review a book every single day and two on holidays. (hahahahahaha)
I will get organized... OR
I will learn to "let go". There are so many ways to interpret THAT resolution.

So, here are my resolutions.
I will quit groups that don't work for me.
I will pare down my FB friends to people I actually know and with whom I share fond memories.
I will read.
I will write.
I will review books.
I will make things.

I recently read Renegade Magic by Stephanie Burgis, the follow-up to Kat, Incorrigible.  I so adored Kat, Incorrigible.  It was one of my top five books of 2011.  And Renegade Magic does not disappoint. 

The trouble begins at Kat's oldest sister's wedding.  An enraged woman demands that the wedding be stopped because her son was enchanted!!!  Oh, no!  But her son is not getting married to Elissa.  He is merely standing up for the groom.  He is very much in love with Kat's middle sister, Angeline.  To whom he IS engaged.  But he can't be any more unless he wants to forfeit all his money until the ripe old age of 30.  And soooooo.....

Kat's stepmama has a plan to find a suitable fiance for her magically endowed step-daughter.  She will take the family to Bath where all the most eligible bachelors hang out.

Throw in the wild and magical qualities of the waters at Bath, and Kat's sudden loss of Magical Power due to the evil machinations of some of the Guardians in charge of said power.  (Read the first book.  This part IS a little confusing without the background.  But persevere.  All will out.)  Oh, and Kat's hapless brother Charles who has never met a bet he wouldn't take.  And Papa's penchant for staying out of the picture and never seeming to notice.  AND Angeline's headstrong character.

 Yep, add it all together and you have a Regency Fantasy Quasi-Romance for middle schoolers that will get them all ready - and even eager - for Jane Austen.  Kat is awesome.  I can't wait for Book 3!

BUT!  We can all read the first three chapters of Book 3 on Stephanie Burgis' website.  And Burgis has posted a FREE Kat short story.  Check it out. 

2013 is looking brighter every minute!