Blog
As a curious observer of life, I blog on writing, marketing, my prairie - anything that interests me in the moment. I like to have conversations with readers, so don’t hesitate to leave a comment. I'll respond.
Coffee shop. Ice cream parlor. Lunch counter. But that’s the least of it. My favorite coffee shop these days is Smokey Row just off I-235 at MLKing in Des Moines. The thing I love about…
Crossword puzzle clue: Showy fall flower Answer: Aster Did you think asters? Since a crossword puzzle is part of my everyday routine, ‘aster’ and ‘showy fall flower,’ are always linked in my mind. Asters are…
My name is Carol. I’m addicted to web stats. There. I’ve said it. Every day, I look at the statistics for my blog. How many visitors? Which countries do they live in? Which browsers do…
I’ve never been all that much of a dog person. Cats are my preference. But growing up on a farm, we always had a dog. For most of my years on the farm, that dog…
Reporters say the sports world was rocked by the news that nationally known Tennessee coach Pat Summitt announced that she has early onset dementia – Alzheimer’s. I say any of us in our 50s and…
Bestselling author Ann Patchett just announced that she and her business partner will open a bookstore in Green Hills, Tennessee. The area needs a bookstore, she says. Some will no doubt wonder if Patchett is…
Francie Nolan grew up in an exceedingly poor Irish family in Brooklyn in the early 1900s. Her story is chronicled in the classic A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. Facing hours on the…
If you write fiction – or want to give it a shot – consider entering the 2nd Annual Montezuma All-Iowa Writers’ Conference Fiction Writing Contest. In addition to the adulation of your peers, and the…
Our book club just discussed The Work of Wolves by Kent Meyers. Described as ‘an expansive novel of great emotional depth,’ this book delivers a powerful read. Set in South Dakota, the author establishes the…
In 1915, you could catch a train within 12 miles, anywhere in Iowa. In the heyday of Iowa train travel, you could ride an hourly commuter train between Boone and Des Moines. In Des Moines,…