Weird and whimsical works of friendship and love
Yes, I talked about it last month, but I was thinking again about the term “pantser” being used for a writer who does not have a solid outline in advance of writing. Many authors seem to embrace that term, but it’s always rubbed me the wrong way. I think I figured out another reason why …
Read the full post →“Revisiting what makes me a “discovery writer” instead of a “pantser””
The Queen Mary, launched in 1936, is one of the most incredible artifacts/ships in the entire world. Just stepping on board feels like stepping into history. Hopefully she’ll open again after COVID! A friend and I stayed the night in April 2019. I’ll share more photos of the rest of the ship later, but here’s …
Read the full post →“The Queen Mary – Cabin A-149 – April 2019”
If you’ve spent a lot of time in writing circles, you’ve probably heard that there are two types of writers: “plotters” and “pantsers”. “Plotters” get their nickname because they plot out their stories in advance. For that virtue, they are granted a title that is a real word meaning “one who plots”. “Pantsers” get their …
When I’m writing fiction with a historical bent, sometimes a word strikes me as “modern,” and I wonder if a character from a certain time period would know it. I find the Online Etymology Dictionary to be absolutely invaluable! Did you know that the verb “buzz” dates to the late 15th century? Yet the word …
An embellished but otherwise true story. The clerk asked me the question he asks every customer. “Do you play Monopoly?” The correct answer was “no.” Every customer said “no.” I crinkled my eyes to try to express cheerfulness and said, “Sure!” Shock overtook the cashier’s eyes, and I’m sure his mouth was gaping under his …
Anyone who knows much about the Titanic (or who ever saw a cinematic or television portrayal) probably knows there were quite a few Irish immigrants. The ship’s last port of call before heading to New York was Queenstown, Ireland (now Cobh). Titanicstories on YouTube has a nice (though sad) video showing some of the sights …
Read the full post →“Sailing from New York to Ireland in 1912”
I love pretty much any place named Coney Island. So when I visited EnterTRAINment Junction (fall 2019), I was thrilled to hear they had a miniature Coney Island display! (Themed to Cincinnati’s Coney Island in 1965.) The most famous Coney Island is the one in New York City, but many cities built their own parks …
Read the full post →“Tiny Coney Island – EnterTRAINment Junction”
One day after the Titanic sank and the news is out in the New York Sun, with articles on at least the first five pages. On page 5 was a rather lovely outline of the ship, though. And the next day’s headline was even more grim: HOPE ABANDONED FOR ALL BUT ABOUT 800 OF THE …
Read the full post →“The New York Sun’s Reports of Titanic on April 16, 1912 and beyond”
By the time the April 15, 1912 edition of the New York Sun reached its readers, the Titanic was at the bottom of the sea. I was surprised that, the newspaper reported not only the Titanic being struck by an iceberg, but also that oceanliner Niagara was struck! LINER NIAGARA, HIT BY ICE, CALLS HELP …
Read the full post →“The New York Sun’s Report of Titanic on April 15, 1912”
At 11:40 p.m. on April 14, 1912, the Titanic struck the iceberg which would sink her less than three hours later. What did the New York Sun report the morning before the sinking? Readers from yesterday may be relieved that ten-month-old Ruth Fleischman was found safe and sound and restored to her parents. The kidnapper …
Read the full post →“News stories from around the time of Titanic’s Voyage – April 14, 1912”
