is not fear itself but ourselves. I am my own worst enemy – or maybe my mind is. It keeps me awake at night with a stream of thoughts and nightmares. It started when I was a child. Listening to adults talk or the news on the radio sparked so many fears of the unknown: horrific stories of what happened to friends and family in the Second World War; the Cold War gave me chills; the Vietnam War was thousands of miles away but it was there on the television in terrifying black and white. Later, I was afraid that I couldn’t keep my child safe. That I would let her down. She’s made it into adulthood. Now I fear for the grandchildren I don’t even have yet.

gnarled knots on branches
exploding with spring blossom
survival instinct

Kim M. Russell, 2017

My response to dVerse Poets Pub Haibun Monday:…

Superman and Doomsday

Don’t let the picture fool you.  We aren’t talking exclusively about physical pain and torment.  That’s fairly easy and people have their own preferences.  Some villains go for the bones while others focus on the skin.  I went to Evil Bastard University (Go Pink Chickadees!) with a guy whose only struck the left side of his opponents.  Not sure what happened to him, but I’m sure he’s either doing okay or been killed by somebody who wasn’t in the mood for his antics.  Anyway, how do you REALLY hurt a hero?  Here are a few tips:

1. The most common method is to hurt or kill a loved one.  If you go with the first or third option then make sure the hero is watching.  Doing it when they aren’t paying attention will get them mad, but having the see it happen creates a sense of helplessness.  Out…

Hey, SEers! Mae here today. Got your pen handy? It’s time to sign some books!  🙂

When it comes to book signings, whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned pro, it never hurts to reevaluate your strategy. I realize not everyone has print copies of their books, but that day might linger just around the corner. Then or now, I hope you find these tips helpful.

Let me start by saying I’m far from an expert. I only have two signings under my belt, with a few on the horizon. That said, I’ve learned from the meager few I’ve done. How, you ask?

Know your venue
If you’re going somewhere you’ve never been before, scope it out beforehand so you know the layout. At the very least, research it online and Google Earth the location. If I’m going somewhere new, I always do a practice run first so I know exactly…

Prolific writer is one of those terms that is difficult to nail down. The word prolific just means: productive, abundant, or creative. In other words, we may “know it when we see it,” but the meaning is subjective. It’s a quality that requires comparison. And by comparison, history has delivered some very prolific authors. Interestingly, a review the top forty prolific writers, reveals many names you might not recognize.

Sometimes the reason may be as in the case of the German author, Rolf Kalmuczak who wrote over 2,900 novels but did so under over one hundred pen names. In other cases, such as Barbara Cartland’s 772 novels, the unfamiliarity may be because you’ve never endeavored to read romance. But there are other names, such as Isaac Asimov and his 506 books, you may know even if you’ve only experienced his stories in movies (Bicentennial Man and iRobot). The numbers, however…

A shopping list? A to-do list? Christmas list? Repair list?

Me? Oh yes! I’m lost without a list for everything. I’ve lists on my phone, on the fridge, on my desk, and in my computer.

I can hear you. Yes, they overlap but how else will I have the list when I need it.

But I’d never thought about making lists for my story or for my characters!

What a wonderful idea.

Not only have I divided it up into sections but also made lists for my characters and scenes.

I even made my protagonist an anal list maker. How fun. 

My manuscript now has lists (steps) that the characters must complete in each scene.

Okay, I heard you. Yes, it’s a lot like scene goals, but I’m breaking it down a little further. For me it’s working to break through a bit of stalled writers slow down, I’ve…

“peace begins with a smile” – Mother Teresa

We are all from the same place, a place being something that is everything. A place is simply an existance, whether it is observable, thinkable or something that is felt. The observable place of our time is the universe and in time it may be that we understand that its even bigger than that. We are all going to end up in this same place, one way or another.

To treat each and everyone with respect, honesty and love. Smile at everyone because love reflects love, when I smile at you, you smile in reflection even if it’s an smile inside. We all have our goals in this life, but we have our goals as a human race too. Regardless of race, disability, age, beliefs or financial status our goal as a human race is to work together with love and unity…