tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89881898414307304252012-02-01T22:35:13.409-08:00The work and ramblings of Suzanne W. Vincent, a writer of slipstream fantasy, fairy-tale adaptations, and historical fiction.Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.comBlogger1571100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-91734199384236883062010-01-15T09:24:00.000-08:002010-01-15T09:28:58.362-08:00

I've re-started this blog thing, taking into consideration a web address and a blog title that is more appropriate to what I'm trying to do, and more focused specifically on writing.It is:Slushpile AvalancheI'll be moving my writerly posts over there, as well as adding new ones (Adventures From the Slushpile) in which I'll discuss what I see as I swim through a sea of slush, all in an effort to

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-30924563950392459162010-01-09T11:41:00.000-08:002010-02-17T15:06:56.601-08:00

PLEASE TRANSFER YOUR AFFECTIONS (AND LINKS) TO MY NEW BLOG: Slushpile AvalancheSomeone, at some point, decided it would be clever to write a story without ever actually giving his main character a name. I don't know when it first happened. It may very well have been centuries ago.At any rate, it's been done.Too many times.Writing fiction is all about decisions--choosing the first word, where to

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-74684904350932324422010-01-06T14:21:00.000-08:002010-02-17T15:07:15.348-08:00

PLEASE TRANSFER YOUR AFFECTIONS (AND LINKS) TO MY NEW BLOG: Slushpile AvalancheToday I finished reading Under This Unbroken Sky by Shandi Mitchell. The novel is not horror, but horror writers could learn a great deal about the buildup of tension, suspense, and the effectiveness of a masterfully handled climactic moment.Beware! I'm about to give away the plot of this novel, so if you'd rather

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-39827081759366825012010-01-05T11:47:00.000-08:002010-02-17T15:06:29.782-08:00

PLEASE TRANSFER YOUR AFFECTIONS (AND LINKS) TO MY NEW BLOG: Slushpile AvalancheFlash Fiction Online publishes all genres, so I read everything from westerns to romances, to historicals, to literary, to Tolkienesque fantasy, to space opera.But of all the genres, the one in which I read the most really awful ficiton is in the horror genre.Why is that? Let me tell you.The greatest error in wannabe

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-46791573510359955182009-12-22T20:56:00.001-08:002010-02-17T15:07:37.693-08:00

PLEASE TRANSFER YOUR AFFECTIONS (AND LINKS) TO MY NEW BLOG: Slushpile AvalancheWith apologies to my writer friends who, I'm sure, will find a plethora of writerly errors in this first-draft manuscript, [but, DANG! I got it done in time for Christmas!] I offer my annual Christmas story.Christmas at Valley Forge, 1777By Suzanne VincentSnow fell at Valley Forge that Christmas Day. By all apparent

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-85417842042405221592009-12-18T18:52:00.000-08:002010-02-17T15:08:31.218-08:00

PLEASE TRANSFER YOUR AFFECTIONS (AND LINKS) TO MY NEW BLOG: Slushpile AvalancheIs your story developing like a Christmas present or a game of Pinochle?Hopefully you're NOT writing a Christmas present.'Huh?' you say. 'But I like opening Christmas presents.' Who doesn't? But a Christmas present withholds information until the moment you open it to find out what it is. Writers should NEVER

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-19990367556671534382009-12-16T12:52:00.000-08:002009-12-16T13:06:52.041-08:00

Get this:A novella.Someone sent us a novella.Is the name of our site not clue enough that we don't publish novellas?*shakes head* Maybe we need to call ourselves Flash Fiction (not novellas or poems or oddly formatted stories) Online.Think it'd work?Me neither.

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-59369210126069005982009-12-07T11:36:00.001-08:002009-12-07T11:42:50.866-08:00

An editor I know received a submission that was, get this, landscape format AND in all-caps.Wow. Note to submitters: Don't do this. Ever.

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-48763957984426775002009-12-02T21:35:00.000-08:002009-12-02T21:45:33.752-08:00

I belong to a reading group, and it's an awesome reading group, populated by writers and editors and such-like.This month's book is called Casting Spells. It's a romance. There are only a few genres I very rarely read. Romance is one of them.I'm having a very hard time reading this book. It's not awful. It really isn't. It has an engaging narrative style, it's witty, it's got the makings of

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-47157674043553597072009-11-24T16:52:00.000-08:002009-11-24T16:57:33.517-08:00

One of the worst parts about editing for a fiction magazine is sending out rejections.Well, I lie. I can't say it's ALWAYS the worst. Sometimes I really enjoy it. But only rarely. Only when a writer clearly disregards all guidelines of decorum and street smarts. When self-proclaimed experienced writers are snooty, thinking they're too important to follow our submission guidelines, or making

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-58534728208938174082009-11-19T09:59:00.000-08:002010-02-17T15:16:21.247-08:00

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-72048932129541190682009-11-12T16:26:00.000-08:002009-11-12T16:28:00.539-08:00

Great article from Writer Beware's Victoria Strauss on, well, articles!Articles for Writers

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-68403690043944542222009-11-04T12:31:00.000-08:002009-11-04T12:32:52.816-08:00

Remember that timeless fable? Remember the lesson it teaches? That lesson is as timeless and true today as it ever was. Or is it?Here's a retelling for modern times:The ant works hard in the withering heat and the rain all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away. Come winter,

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-53492676425662240972009-11-02T10:55:00.000-08:002009-11-02T11:01:01.281-08:00

Heard on the news today that Ford, who did NOT take stimulus money, is on track to the black. They've pulled themselves up by the bootstraps, all on their own, and are FAR ahead on the road to recovery of Chrysler and GM, whose efforts to revitalize have been crippled by the heavy hand of self-imposed government enslavement.Ford took a lot of criticism at the time.Now they're proving, again, I

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-72032196792001578922009-10-26T13:35:00.000-07:002009-10-26T13:37:04.760-07:00

"If this nation is to be wise as well as strong, if we are to achieve our destiny, then we must know all the facts and hear all the alternatives and listen to all the criticisms."John F. Kennedy

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-47793622768360467412009-10-25T11:59:00.000-07:002009-10-25T12:00:22.666-07:00

Truthisms, to me, are quotes that just ring true right down to your very core, like this one:When buying and selling are controlled by legislation, the first things to be bought and sold are legislators. - P. J. O'Rourke

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-27355344769222612392009-10-20T21:01:00.000-07:002009-10-20T21:06:55.895-07:00

Please......read the submission guidelines. I had to reject a full 1/5th of the stories I slushed today because of submission guidelines violations. It wastes my time and makes you look lazy. I've worked hard to get myself where I am. I expect the same of you....avoid using strange formatting, or odd fonts, or variations in the spacing between paragraphs, or... I could go on all day. How your

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-86937929855588458342009-10-20T19:52:00.000-07:002009-10-20T19:54:36.464-07:00

I like good quotes. I have a collection of them. I don't like it much when quotes come to me without credit for who said them. As in days of old, we relegate them to that oft-quoted shadow-figure, Anonymous. Well, here's another one:"Obama's Health Care Plan will be written by a committee whose head says he doesn't understand it, passed by a Congress that hasn't read it and whose members will

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-17197887099908280132009-10-17T14:19:00.000-07:002009-10-17T14:30:06.741-07:00

Article 1 Section 9 of the US Constitution is not overly familiar to most Americans, but it should be. Here it is:No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince or foreign State.Now

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-5926455199764023082009-10-16T09:27:00.000-07:002009-10-16T09:32:23.841-07:00

A quote from Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann (R, Minnesota) said this about the "Health Care Bill" that congress 'voted' on this week:"...not one word of a law has been written yet and these people took a vote on a bill that hasn't been written. What's worse is the federal government estimated how much this bill would cost. You can't estimate how much it's going to cost if you don't have words on

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-55099138766853782282009-10-09T07:40:00.000-07:002009-10-09T07:43:42.182-07:00

The Smile Foundation.The Smile Foundation is an organization of medical professionals who donate time and resources to perform facial surgery on children in developing nations who suffer from palate and other cranio-facial deformities.These children are not only given the gift of being able to do things such as eat and breathe normally, but they are given the gift of social acceptance in

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-83784382053918119002009-10-09T07:23:00.000-07:002009-10-09T07:28:09.880-07:00

The Grameen Foundation.The Grameen Foundation is an organization that has worked to pull people worldwide out of poverty through low-interest microfinance loans to help them establish small businesses. This program has especially helped women and children in the world's poorest nations.

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-47366768421495628832009-10-09T06:59:00.001-07:002009-10-09T07:19:07.193-07:00

When I think of the Nobel Peace Prize, I think of giving the award to a person who has spent a lifetime achieving, working, molding a world that is better for everyone.But 9 months? Really? Is 9 months long enough for someone, especially someone in a position similar to President Obama's, sufficient time to prove what kind of person he is, and to accomplish much of anything by way of world

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-78543325374092653992009-10-07T22:06:00.000-07:002009-10-07T22:09:15.009-07:00

Do not blame President Obama, blame the people of America who have so enthusiastically acclaimed and adored him and rejoiced in their loss of freedom and danced in his path and gave him triumphal processions . . . . Blame the people who hail him when he speaks in the Capitol of the 'new, wonderful good society' which shall now be America's, interpreted to mean 'more money, more ease, more

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-12710326547042061302009-09-20T21:24:00.000-07:002009-09-20T21:42:09.374-07:00

I read a recent article on Newsweek.com entitled, "Play the Race Card," by Raina Kelley.The most ridiculous statement:"When "Tea Party" leader Mark Williams appears on CNN and speaks of "working-class people" taking "their" country back from a lawfully elected president, he is not just protesting Obama's politics; he is griping over the fact that this country's most powerful positions are no

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-53734557896731891742009-09-08T20:28:00.000-07:002009-09-08T20:33:20.343-07:00

We read it, and watched it, and talked about it, as all families should have been able to do.My 5th grade daughter--bored to tears, as I'm sure most elementary aged children must have been.My 10th grade son--he's reading 1984 right now and kept thinking of the constant mantra throughout the book to 'do your duty for the nation.'Me--it sounded like he was trying to get these kids used to the idea

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-50970431703044672832009-09-05T20:19:00.000-07:002009-09-05T20:22:03.446-07:00

I live in Ogden. I don't take the local Ogden paper. I can't find any information on the internet that doesn't involve selling my soul to obtain.We have some severe time constraints on the 12th, but would like to participate where possible.IS there a 9-12 rally happening in the Ogden area? Anyone?Weber County?Davis County?Box Elder County?Anyone?

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-72440099665384501112009-09-01T06:41:00.000-07:002009-09-01T07:06:31.742-07:00

Can someone direct me to a Utah 9-12 webpage that doesn't completely suck?The few I found are severly outdated (Ogden), don't have any plans for a local 9-12 rally (Weber--though they do have a Constitution Day meetup planned, which is cool), don't have any links to any OTHER 9-12 rallies they support, or are membership exclusive (Utah912.ning.com).That last on irks me the most. Now membership

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-41284472820733816202009-08-30T20:40:00.000-07:002009-08-30T21:55:54.577-07:00

From this point on I'll call what were formerly known as 'liberals,' 'progressives,' since it seems to be the currently preferred term. Over the past few years the word 'liberal' has taken on a decidedly negative slant, but in terms of political beliefs, it seems plain that 'progressive' is interchangeable with 'liberal.'So what do Progressives seem to believe about service?We can certainly

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-6660076775532420952009-08-29T07:33:00.000-07:002009-08-29T10:23:32.768-07:00

The more I read and research, the more I begin to understand the Liberal mind.Understand, mind you. Not empathize with.I am beginning to understand how Liberals view the term 'equality.' In a twist of hypocrisy, equality seems to mean 'sameness' from a political philosophy that spouts 'diversity' from its lips like a fountain of poison.I've also come to understand that there is no principle or

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-47262531429517547092009-08-28T13:19:00.001-07:002009-08-29T07:58:28.357-07:00

It seems these days that Liberty isn't spoken of much.No wonder so many are willing to give it up for the shadowy sense of security they believe government control over health care, industry, and welfare offers. They don't even know what Liberty is, let alone what it means to their ways of life, their pasts, their futures.So let's talk about Liberty. Capital L Liberty.The founders, in their

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-8092176932158587212009-08-26T22:20:00.000-07:002009-08-26T22:21:00.845-07:00

Loved this one. Found it at a fellow writer's blog:How many screenwriters does it take to change a light bulb?Answer: Ten.1st draft. Hero changes light bulb.2nd draft. Villain changes light bulb.3rd draft. Hero stops villain from changing light bulb. Villain falls to death.4th draft. Lose the light bulb.5th draft. Light bulb back in. Fluorescent instead of tungsten.6th draft. Villain

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-11239130859023329792009-08-26T12:57:00.001-07:002009-08-26T21:36:52.478-07:00

Remember when candidate Obama promised he would air negotiations with drug companies on C-SPAN? Remember when he demonized the drug companies and their executives?Well this week he climbed into bed with one of the most 'evil' of them all [according to him] in a secret, behind-doors deal.And the best part? It's not just the 'ultra-right-wing-sick-twisted-freak-paranoid-weirdos' who are reporting

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-732726343009692262009-08-13T16:28:00.001-07:002009-08-13T16:48:38.481-07:00

In 2003, during the Bush administration, Liberal Democart Senator Hillary Clinton said that is our Patriotic right and duty to protest a government whose policies we disagree with.This week, during the Obama administration, Liberal Democrat House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that those who protest and/or disgree with the government drive toward socialized medicine are UnAmerican.The press likes to

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-85403087046084134322009-08-06T07:43:00.000-07:002009-08-06T08:14:22.925-07:00

I had to dig pretty deep to find a source for this story that would satisfy the more left-leaning folk who may come across this post. It's reported high and low among conservative columnists and bloggers.But ABC News did manage to get it out, hiding it on the fifth or sixth Google page I perused.Here's the link:http://abcnews.go.com/WN/story?id=8261754&page=1Be sure to read the whole thing. You

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-91993631771795308322009-08-03T15:14:00.000-07:002009-08-03T15:19:31.158-07:00

The photo-op: The impression: (Officer Crowley is not in this actual photo. He's the squirrel in the tree. Kudos to him for rightfully sticking to his guns and not caving to the pressure.)

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-86278212670451413532009-07-29T11:23:00.000-07:002009-07-29T12:37:49.407-07:00

So apparently it's Blog Against Racism Week.*sigh*What I want to know is when are we going to stop talking about racism, and actually stop being racist?My answer: Not during my lifetime. Possibly never.First, because I have my doubts that those who in positions of power on the race issue really WANT to stop talking about racism. It's an attention getter. It gives them press to be able to

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-84148247352505949512009-07-27T10:04:00.000-07:002009-07-27T10:28:19.260-07:00

I've read my fair share of horror (I've even written some), but I don't necessarily like it all. Besides, what can be more terrifying than reading the newspaper?But that's kind of the crux of what makes really good horror really good. It's plausible. The vampires and werewolves (besides being hijacked by romance writers *rolling eyes*) are all good fun, but not hugely scary because there ARE NO

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-8376637276844205242009-07-25T12:27:00.000-07:002009-07-25T12:48:50.123-07:00

I read about this http://www.fox8live.com/mostpopular/story/JP-Coroner-Baby-died-from-apparent-rat-bites/JnfcwzaGCU-_8QJTUzC3-g.cspx in our local paper yesterday, and have since hounded out a few online articles and read a couple of forums.Most are quick to condemn the parents, like this:Not checking on a three month old for " Several hours" is neglect. I wish they could sterilze people like

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-79492887659990760642009-07-24T08:57:00.001-07:002009-07-24T08:58:44.288-07:00

I thought this was clever. http://www.mcsweeneys.net/links/lists/1LanceWaller.htmlCan you think of any additions?

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-18558798807667956682009-07-22T09:03:00.000-07:002009-07-22T09:36:49.981-07:00

I have now received two rejections from a particular high-profile editor.Both (and this is the funny part) had the author name incorrect. Dear Margaret...Uh, Sir, my name's not Margaret. Thanks for so clearly advertising--twice--that you use a form rejection.I have to admit, the first rejection was well-deserved. My computer printer was acting up, spreading blotches of ink all over the page. I

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-56729207280047208232009-07-22T08:50:00.001-07:002009-07-22T09:03:27.512-07:00

I'm not so sure about it.I've been facebooking now for about a month. I don't know. Is it worth it? Does it just eat up more of my valuable time? It seems to be eating up blogging time for some participants--friends who no long update their blogs and such. But it's not the same thing as a blog. If I do a Google search for information on some particular topic, Google isn't going to point me

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-66144996038413013442009-07-11T17:29:00.000-07:002009-07-11T17:30:42.330-07:00

My 17-year-old daughter scored a 31 on her ACT!YAY!!

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-14295947115874507412009-07-02T17:13:00.000-07:002009-07-02T17:18:34.715-07:00

My DH and I spent a day at the Grand Canyon this week, and while there we experienced a very rare atmospheric phenomenon--a Fire Rainbow or Circumhorizontal Arc.What is a Fire Rainbow?It's a rainbow producing light refraction that can only occur during the summer months, and only in mid-latitudes, and only when cirrus clouds are present, and only when the ice crystals in those cirrus clouds are

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-10461105691920944162009-06-22T13:37:00.000-07:002009-06-22T13:41:51.110-07:00

...into the 21st Century.I just joined Facebook. Though I think I'll skip Twitter. It seems like a whole lot of very little. I dunno. Reminds me just a little of Chinese Water Torture.Anyway, look for me on Facebook. Although I suspect it'll be mostly family-ish stuff there. Who knows. We'll see. At least I'm not as backwards as my parents. They only got a chordless phone a couple of

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-31342546392694241562009-06-16T13:25:00.000-07:002009-06-16T13:48:51.469-07:00

I do, on occasion, read historical fiction.Some of you may be groaning right now. Historical fiction tends to have a bad reputation for being a bit dry, heavy with information and lacking in deep character development in favor of swashbuckling muscular men who have beautiful intriguing women falling into their beds--or being forced into their beds--at every turn, all being told in first person

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-86712947034086794252009-06-12T20:58:00.000-07:002009-06-12T21:15:47.747-07:00

I'm reviewing this story because it was simul-subbed to Flash Fiction Online a few months ago, but went to Barrelhouse before we could get it winnowed.I was disappointed--not in the story, but in the fact that someone beat us to it."Into the Cellar" is the story of a man backed into a corner, and his triumph over himself. The main character, also the narrator, is contemplating his young pregnant

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-49063033967174401092009-06-11T13:27:00.000-07:002009-06-12T12:25:45.662-07:00

I am currently reading a pretty good collection of flash fiction. It's titled, Sudden Fiction: American Short-Short Stories, edited by Robert Shapard and James Thomas. Not every collection of very short fiction has been particularly pleasing. I can't, for example, recommend Flash Fiction: 72 Very Short Stories, Edited by James Thomas and others. But the differences between the two collections

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-65394772746070241822009-05-28T20:43:00.001-07:002009-05-28T21:03:44.524-07:00

I'm done! I'm doing the dance of doneness! Today I finished reading just over 300 stories in the space of about three weeks. Of those I accepted 54 for advancement to the second round of selection. That's about 18% of the stories, which is somewhat below my usual average. With that large a backlog it became necessary to reject quite a lot of stories that were marginal and that I might

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-65640447457924417152009-05-23T23:02:00.000-07:002009-05-23T23:40:12.168-07:00

Conduit was, in two words, TOO SHORT!!For me, at least.I had wanted to make a weekend of it--at least Friday and Saturday--but only ended up being able to participate on Friday for a few hours.But it all worked out fine. I taught my flash-class on writing sci/fi and fantasy for the flash market and spent a few hours with Kathleen.How does one teach others how to write flash fiction in an hour?

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-10943587568207189752009-05-06T07:33:00.000-07:002009-05-06T07:42:23.436-07:00

I just heard from Charlie Harmon of Salt Lake's Conduit committee.I'll be teaching a workshop entitled, "Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy for the Flash Fiction Market," on Friday, May 22.That means I have some work to do.I've already written out a workshop outline, but it needs plenty of tweaking, and I want to include mucho input from my colleagues at FFO.I have already received the gracious

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-81452199137687515812009-04-30T18:40:00.000-07:002009-04-30T18:53:25.403-07:00

Have I seen Mercury yet?No!!Last night the sun went down right in the middle of American Idol, with Adam Lambert in the hot seat! OK. I confess. I've become a fan of American Idol, mostly because there are people in that competition who are just plain likeable. Admittedly Adam Lambert isn't one of them. He feels and looks like a Ken doll to me--all plastic perfection and an empty head. So I

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-29785115289696086992009-04-28T17:27:00.000-07:002009-04-28T17:29:33.010-07:00

Have I seen Mercury yet?NO!It's the weather. I look at the weather for the next seven days and, guess what? Not a sunny day in the lot. Clouds, clouds, clouds. The one night I had hope of seeing it, I went out side to find the sky a brilliant blue--except for one large cloud covering the place where I would have seen Mercury!

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-10477340971009078162009-04-24T21:25:00.000-07:002009-04-24T21:34:42.269-07:00

So, while the sunspots were a wash, we DID find out that there is a fairly rare opportunity to observe Mercury occuring even as we speak. From now until about the middle-ish of May, you can observe Mercury in the sky above the newly-set sun. Mercury can be clearly seen for up to two hours after sunset at the zenith of the sighting window. This zenith occurs on Sunday, May 26th. I'm crossing

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-64091367150283250352009-04-22T14:21:00.000-07:002009-04-22T14:35:51.223-07:00

Today my kids and I put together a safe solar observatory!Materials:1 longish lens, like a telephoto camera lens, a binocular lens, telescope, or spotting scope.1 carboard box the size of an orange box1 9X12 sheet of white paper1 tripod (optional)It ended up looking SOMETHING like this:At least you get the idea. We kind of combined the cardboard collar and the projector screen into one

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-4352741129457115312009-04-21T09:40:00.000-07:002009-04-21T10:20:58.724-07:00

So I didn't, in the end, make it to a tea party.My day just didn't allow for me to attend events that were scheduled in the midst of my busiest day of the week. But I read as much as I could on the coverage of it.It was pretty awesome.Except for much of the mainstream news coverage.In a nutshell, the media--and the government for that matter--viewed the tea party attendees as right-wing

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-70406815683825897562009-04-07T11:01:00.000-07:002009-04-07T12:56:04.846-07:00

I would LOVE to attend a Tax Day Tea Party in my area, but haven't found one yet. So I'm going to see if I can find one through my blog. I understand that if you repeatedly include information in a webpost, it will be more likely to come up in a websearch, so here goes:Ogden, Utah, Tax Day Tea Party anyone? If you live in Ogden, Utah or Weber County, Utah and are organizing a Tax Day Tea Party

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-36362806141923826402009-04-04T22:00:00.000-07:002009-04-04T22:06:02.607-07:00

...if it snows one more time this week, I'm going to scream!!Doesn't the weather know about global warming?Doesn't Mother Nature know it's April?I need to get my garden tilled and my peas planted, but my garden hasn't dried out enough to do the first, which nullifies the second.Grr.At least my little baby tomatoes are growing nicely. I'm trying a new method of growing this year. It is to plant

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-54504749344236916112009-04-02T20:59:00.000-07:002009-04-02T21:11:07.390-07:00

Gosh, I don't know, but things seem like business as usual in Washington D.C.

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-32185331054255539762009-03-24T10:03:00.000-07:002009-03-24T10:23:59.620-07:00

I'm on the hunt for a magazine for my 10-year-old daughter.For the last year we've subscribed to National Geographic's World Magazine for kids, but I've found it overly heavy on indoctrination and global warming scare tactics and abysmally short on reliable, useful information.And as I've searched for a replacement, I've found very little by way of middle-of-the road, objective kinds of magazines

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-7519516660268545452009-03-19T14:21:00.000-07:002009-03-19T14:30:03.990-07:00

And NOT those who write erotica.I'm talking about those with the maturity of a three-year-old throwing a tantrum.I sent a rejection last night for a story that was good enough to pass through the first round of selection, but ended up being rejected by the editorial team. The next morning my inbox contained a response to that rejection that LEAPS over the border between stupidity and wisdom,

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-11962361328627427882009-03-18T17:43:00.000-07:002009-03-18T17:52:35.500-07:00

I got one last night.The first on this computer. We've had it over 5 years.That would make it certifiable as a technological dinosaur, but it's been a pretty good computer to carry us through some rough times with no major troubles. We had to replace the power supply once, the CD drive once, and upgraded our RAM once.Unfortunately, the company who made it isn't in business anymore. They were a

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-659384699478528132009-03-10T13:01:00.000-07:002009-03-10T13:16:19.757-07:00

A few days ago I sent a batch of slush to my EIC (Editor in Chief) for the winnowing phase of Flash Fiction Online's selection process.I included one that I liked but that my whole team rejected.*GASP!*But it was a good story! Since my team rejected it, I thought I'd better give it a second and maybe a third read before I sent it anyway. And after the second read I STILL liked it. I can't say

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-64888632432992226022009-03-04T21:24:00.000-08:002009-03-04T21:37:14.598-08:00

I just spent a lovely evening with a Salt Lake area reading group. This reading group just happens to include Jessica Day George, whose book Princess of the Midnight Ball we discussed.Unfortunately, I hadn't read the book, but certainly plan to.Fortunately I had been speed-reading through a couple of her books so I at least had some idea of what kind of author she is.I have to say, I very much

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-55043933849957731712009-02-25T17:06:00.000-08:002009-02-25T17:19:09.756-08:00

LTUE was GREAT fun! The three of us attended some really excellent discussions and workshops, including "Blurb Boiling" by Lesli Muir Lytle on writing the query letter that'll keep the potential editor/agent reading; "Crafting a Story" by Clint Johnson, a soon-to-be published Dragon Lance world writer; a discussion on writing sequels with Dave Wolverton, Tracy Hickman, Brandon Sanderson, and

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-78786521230814935352009-02-22T22:03:00.001-08:002009-02-22T22:11:08.882-08:00

So, as I've said, I've been reading a lot of slush lately. (We're getting a lot more really good sci-fi and fantasy now that we're an SFWA qualifying market. By the way, did I mention that FLASH FICTION ONLINE IS AN SFWA QUALIFYING MARKET???!!?!??!?!!?)While I haven't had a lot of time for anything else, I've had some time to reflect on those stories. I've read a whole ton of stories that are,

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-33305062114203523332009-02-19T21:29:00.000-08:002009-02-19T21:36:37.554-08:00

No, not the Douglas Adams book.It's a free annual sci-fi and fantasy conference hosted by BYU in Provo, Utah.And I'm going.Again.This is my third year. Last year I took my older kids with me, and we had a fun weekend of it. They're coming again this year. My son is most excited for the Munchkin tournament on Saturday. We LOVE playing Munchkin!We'll be meeting Kathleen Dalton-Woodbury for

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-49754084679899873242009-02-12T21:18:00.000-08:002009-02-12T21:20:07.388-08:00

To my friend, Mary Robinette Kowal, who just sold her first novel to Tor! And not just one novel, but TWO!YAY!!You GO girl!

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-12025257661739982582009-02-10T14:05:00.000-08:002009-02-10T14:16:30.495-08:00

You may argue with my definitions, but that's fine. There are almost as many definitions of flash fiction as there are writers of flash fiction.At any rate, Flash Fiction is NOT......a story summary. If your flash story has nothing but blocks of narrative, it's probably a story summary, rather than a fully fleshed-out story with active scenes and dialogue....a dialogue fest--or the opposite of

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-43490946384106750562009-02-07T22:35:00.001-08:002009-02-07T22:43:11.472-08:00

Yesterday I had some down time, some waiting time, and I had a pen and a notebook with me to, hopefully, get a story started, but no ideas.So I asked my daughter to give me an interesting word.She gave me 'drugstore.'Then I asked for a name. She gave me Mary.The I asked for another word, and another, then a verb and an adjective after that.In the end I had six words and by the time the sixth was

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-66124687159249684302009-02-04T08:35:00.000-08:002009-02-04T08:37:43.841-08:00

Our February issue is up and excellent!Love with a twist.Check it out:FFO

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-17076486805517165122009-01-29T20:19:00.000-08:002009-01-29T20:22:19.517-08:00

It's been one of those strange weeks in which I feel the rest of humanity has somehow fallen off the globe.I usually receive between 30 and 40 emails per day (a shockingly small fraction of them spam). But the past few days those numbers have fallen sharply.I don't know why.Maybe I never will.

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-15346614932394386962009-01-20T22:18:00.000-08:002009-01-20T22:22:45.681-08:00

I read a story in my slush pile this week.Ugh.It was a clear violation of the magazine's publication guidelines.Basically, it was erotica. We don't publish erotica. We don't publish anything explicit--either sexually or violently--because we all have families who read our magazine, teenage sons who read our magazine. But that's not all.This particular author sends in quite a lot of stories,

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-6417820408437706502009-01-20T22:01:00.000-08:002009-01-20T22:18:24.051-08:00

I've been MEMED!Thanks to Creative A over at Headdesk for giving me a moment to reflect on the things that really matter. And I'll be tagging some of you out there, so watch out!The meme rules are as follows:1. In a blog post list six things that make you happy.2. Tag six bloggers, give ‘em a heads up, and link to them.3. State the meme rules in your post. My Six:1. Me. Really I'm the only

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-53879492650004438742009-01-18T13:37:00.001-08:002009-01-18T13:44:08.357-08:00

So, I've been reading slush.I'll read slush and catalog it, sending some to one file for rejection, sending some to my reading team. It's seemed like the slush has been trickling slowly this month, until I told Jake I needed more.He sent me more--and MORE!Not that I'm complaining. I'm the kind of person who is easily bored, and the kind of person who has a very hard time doing nothing. I even

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-38226011509553998222009-01-06T18:56:00.000-08:002009-01-06T19:11:53.569-08:00

I have three goals for this year:One--lose weight. Like no one's ever heard THAT goal at New Year's before. To tell you the truth, I'm not sure how incredibly serious I am about this one. I'm not sure I'm passionate enough about it yet to make it a top priority. I'm already keeping up with my goals to be healthier and exercise more. I ran three 5Ks last year, posting my best time yet on the

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-61513070759217540682009-01-01T10:24:00.000-08:002009-01-01T10:36:16.727-08:00

As I've said, we homeschool.I was lucky enough the other day to find this wonderful video on Youtube that sums up the encounters we have with the general 'non-homie' population.We laughed all the way through! I hope this gives you a laugh, or at the very least, leaves you better informed.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1z_zMtofvY

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-15932534852526927502008-12-26T21:29:00.001-08:002008-12-26T21:34:28.079-08:00

We had a LOVELY Christmas, thanks to the snow.We decided Tuesday that we were unlikely to be able to make it out for the long drive to visit grandparents on Christmas Day because of a threatening storm, so, for the first time since we've been married, we stayed home.Don't worry. We didn't neglect grandparents. We went to see them on Christmas Eve instead, had nice visits with each, met some

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-22440841850913415682008-12-19T21:47:00.000-08:002008-12-19T21:57:16.562-08:00

Christmas Happy started last year at our house. Basically we had a housefull of grumps in the days before Christmas--part PMS, part seasonal blues, part the lack of good snow (which resolved itself in spades and spades and spades over the next several weeks. See?So I, being the perpetually non-grumpy one these days, finally had had enough of it. I threatened physical harm to anyone who didn't

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-19391580256660941922008-12-14T22:34:00.001-08:002008-12-14T22:55:16.167-08:00

So, Tonight I took my family to a local Messiah sing-in. I'll get the complaining over with first. Three of the four soloists left a great deal to be desired. The soprano is the same soprano as it always is. She is, from what I understand, a sponsor of the event, so they let her sing the soprano solo part. The woman teaches voice at the local university, but her musical diction is atrocious.

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-92177257090596283792008-12-06T12:22:00.000-08:002008-12-06T12:26:42.722-08:00

My sister sent me this link to a civics quiz, placed on the internet by a group that seeks to increase America's civics knowledge:http://www.americancivicliteracy.org/resources/quiz.aspxTake the quiz. See how you do. Let me know. Then when you get your results be sure to take a look at the link that takes you to a comparison of scores based on whether the quiz-taker is or has been an elected

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-49603346003694653642008-12-04T22:12:00.000-08:002008-12-04T22:40:40.272-08:00

Two things about this Christmas:First, we're reading Glenn Beck's book, The Christmas Sweater, as a family. I read a chapter a night. I have high hopes that this book will help us feel the true meaning of Christmas in spades this year.Second, it is a tradition in our family to spend the Christmas season reading together. We select a story every night (or, for the first 16 nights, a chapter of

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-16308505445311001512008-12-02T22:28:00.000-08:002008-12-02T22:48:37.738-08:00

So I have this friend who loves movies and books as much as I do. Every once in awhile I'll get an email: "Suzanne, you'll love this book/movie!" And every once in awhile I send her a similar email.So she blogged yesterday about seeing Hancock over the weekend and that it was, well, not worth the viewing. At any rate, she got me thinking about movies, so I thought, just for the heck of it, I'd

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-77926650961037205412008-12-01T22:21:00.000-08:002008-12-01T22:28:12.513-08:00

A 5K, that's what it is.Hubby and I ran one on Thanksgiving Day--him with his 10 or 15 pounds of excess, me with my 50 or 60. We've been training. We've been running now for about 2 1/2 years. This was our 4th 5K and our best time so far. But it was HARD!First, the elevation killed us. The course was a thousand feet or so above our regular stomping grounds; my lungs felt like they were

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-20444226958640675432008-11-30T12:29:00.000-08:002008-11-30T12:32:56.672-08:00

Do you own a 14-year-old boy?No? Want one?I'll sell him cheap.He's driving me crazy!!(But, as my Dad would say, "That's not a drive. It's a short putt.);-)

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-21947399791834496042008-11-18T15:47:00.001-08:002010-02-17T15:12:09.731-08:00

There goes the roulette wheel, there goes the little white marble. Where will it land? Odd? Even? Anywhere.Roulette, as finding a market for a story, is a game of chance with different levels of risk.A bettor can place money on a single number, radically decreasing his odds, but making for a huge payoff, or he can wager on any odd number, giving him 50-50 odds, but a drastically lower

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-39952788184191729652008-11-17T12:38:00.000-08:002008-11-17T15:12:09.348-08:00

Feeling a bit better today. Typing is the most strenuous thing I'm going to do today so MAYBE tonight we can go out Christmas Shopping.Do NOT get the stomach flu! On to writing.The Lying Writer:I think I've written before about having read WAY too many horror stories in which, SUPRISE! the main character is actually a vampire!! And we only find this out, or even have any acceptable clues, in

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-34948173332570186462008-11-16T17:06:00.000-08:002008-11-16T17:07:28.950-08:00

Stomach Flu.'Nuf said.I'm on my way to the bathroom.

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-68227983536896247392008-11-08T22:44:00.000-08:002008-11-08T22:56:40.722-08:00

I'm a writer, for crap's sake, and this is a writer's blog, so I should talk about writing.I'm reading a couple of short story collections right now:Flash Fictionand Stephen King's The Year's Best Short Fiction 2007.The first has been disappointing. Hardly a 'story' in it that is a 'story.' Most are vignette pieces. What's the challenge in that? I know it's popular in the literary circles to

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-8206269525004715212008-11-07T11:39:00.000-08:002008-11-07T12:05:16.019-08:00

So I'm Mormon. Everybody got that?In our church we believe that before this world was there was a battle between the followers of God the Father and the followers of his rebellious son, Lucifer.You see, Lucifer wanted to give us a gift--guaranteed salvation. But he wanted to give us that gift by way of taking away the one thing that the Father viewed as most precious above all things--choice.

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-38815815120362328022008-11-06T13:54:00.000-08:002008-11-08T07:53:08.139-08:00

Off we go into a new age of experimenting with the governance of humankind.I would like to make a few points:1. It has now been better than 100 years since the grand experiment of the founding fathers has been left to run its course unfettered by government interference in the liberties of its citizenry. 2. No one side--liberals or conservatives--has had a fighting chance to let their policies

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-56104072092362051502008-11-01T23:11:00.000-07:002008-11-01T23:26:09.756-07:00

My family and I sat down tonight and watched "The Reduced Shakespeare Company: The Compleate Works of Wlm. Shakespeare, Abridged."If you haven't seen this production live (which I have), you can now get it on DVD, and it's JUST as entertaining.Our whole family had plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, and learned a lot about Shakespeare. My daughter even remarked that watching this production made

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-3017274820284053912008-10-30T21:10:00.000-07:002008-10-30T21:43:32.726-07:00

I don't like Barack Obama, and it has to do with freedom.I look at what he stands for, and what I love about America. To me those two things seem opposed to one another.I am a lover of history. I look back to the accomplishments of our founding fathers and can feel nothing but honor for the grand experiment they undertook. And this was no trivial thing. All had studied the successes and

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-30073574709507248202008-10-25T17:25:00.000-07:002008-10-25T17:33:09.253-07:00

I'm a conservative, so there.I do not affiliate with any party. I find party politics distasteful and self-serving.I believe in small government, TINY government, and the protection of our right to self-determination wherever that self-determination does no harm to anyone else. I received an email from my dad yesterday. As is so common in emails that travel the circuit, it was attributed to

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-64910086927585145042008-10-19T22:57:00.000-07:002008-10-19T23:06:18.745-07:00

I'll tell you. I once participated in an online critique group. We'd 'meet' once a week, exchange manuscripts, then meet back a week later to give our critiques.In between we'd talk about this and that. Mostly writerly things. On one occasion, we were talking about some aspect of the writing craft. I don't even remember what. Mind you, this was probably three years ago or more. At any rate,

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-76642949713629228062008-10-15T12:20:00.000-07:002008-10-15T12:27:25.550-07:00

First, the band is ON A ROLL!!Another first place--this time by a spread of only 7 points!There were some tense moments for the band when they watched three of the four caption (or section) awards go to another school, but apparently their scores were close enough, and their music score high enough, that they beat the other school out and took the day!YAY! Go Tigers!!!Second, I just listened to

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-15665776461988566592008-10-11T23:22:00.001-07:002008-10-11T23:29:08.064-07:00

The band saga continues: Another tournament, another SWEEP of the awards!AND...I just heard from Norm at Drabblecast. My story, "Strange Love" will be up on the site as an audio cast Tuesday night or Wednesday of this week! The site address is: www.drabblecast.orgThose of you who still think I'm a mild-mannered Mormon girl (still proudly Mormon, but hardly mild-mannered and WAY beyond being a

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-89472907030297243522008-10-08T07:16:00.000-07:002008-10-08T07:21:17.775-07:00

We have a sweep!Ogden High School's Marching Tigers took a clean sweep of Tuesday's Davis Cup Band Tournament, taking all four section awards plus first place in their division!That's my boy at the back of that formation. (In marching band lingo, it's called a pod.)Go TIGERS!!!

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-2478125694060647142008-09-30T19:36:00.000-07:002008-09-30T20:35:30.222-07:00

My son is a member of the local high school's marching band.They had their first competition Saturday and nearly swept the awards.In marching band competitions at the high school level, bands compete against other bands from similar sized schools in five divisions, the smallest schools being in the 1A division, the largest in 5A. We're a 2A school.In each division, seven awards are given--four

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8988189841430730425.post-59635718575553311632008-09-25T20:35:00.000-07:002008-09-25T20:59:56.394-07:00

So, I'm LDS, and I'm a stay-at-home mom, and I'm a gardener, and I sometimes do homey kinds of domestic sorts of things.Like canning and freezing food.I have a friend on Long Island who is interested in survival techniques. He once started a book about what would happen were there a meltdown of the power grid along the eastern seaboard. Unfortunately, he experienced a health meltdown and hasn't

Suzanne Vincenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100432727581386694noreply@blogger.com4