kimlajevardi

Hello! It is Wednesday. The middle of a good week for me. I guess you could say today is squeezed between a long weekend of productive writing and an upcoming multi-day writing binge. My happy place. Which means, I’m in a good mood. Enjoy its affect on my news choices.

This first video is entrancing. Gross, but entrancing. After watching the slow-motion puke-up of the other snake, I began wondering how beneficial it is evolutionarily-speaking if it takes that long.

https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_5b9f2cb8e4b046313fbc551d

Random children’s voices repeating a nursery rhythm in the dark of night would have sent me running. I would have packed my bags, thrown the car into gear, and thought later to sell my house. That is one hell of a burglary deterrent. Even worse that it’s being triggered by spiders.

https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_5ba086bce4b013b0977e4fb4

And since I was already thinking about spiders, science and spiders. Have I given you pre-Halloween nightmares tonight? I bet I did. You can’t hear it, but I’m cackling and tapping my fingers together maniacally.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-45572331

That’s all for tonight, folks. See you here in seven.

Welcome back one and all. Like my use of the word all? I have a massive audience–I do. Stop laughing. Hmph … massive may be the wrong word. That’s not important. News, time for some news.

This fish store in this first story is funny–misguided, but funny. Eye see what they were trying to do. (I could not help myself.) 🙂

https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_5b8b3239e4b0162f47241e6b

What are they going to do with all those right shoes? Seriously.

https://m.sfgate.com/news/crime/article/Left-behind-Thieves-raid-Virginia-store-of-right-13196138.php

Last but not least, science that rocks our thinking. This story trumps the age old question of whether a tree falling in the woods would make any sound. Turns out that it depends on which perspective you’re referencing. It may not hear itself just like the mice. I enjoyed the mental candy of the possibilities implied and imaginable. I heart science!

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/09/180912133507.htm

That’s all tonight, folks! See you here in seven.

Guidelines and rules: 

Word count: 3500-6000

Genre: Young Adult Romance

Theme: 
Masquerade
A Masquerade can be a false show or pretense, someone pretending to be someone they aren’t. It can be a ball, a fancy dress party, it can be a mask. Open to interpretation.

Submissions accepted: September 5 – November 4, 2018

How to enter: Send your polished, formatted (Double spaced, no page numbers), previously unpublished story to admin @ insecurewriterssupportgroup.com before the deadline passes. Please include your contact details, your social links, and if you are part of the Blogging, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter IWSG group.

Judging: The IWSG admins will create a shortlist of the best stories. The shortlist will then be sent to our official judges. This year, we are honored to have seven incredible judges:

Elizabeth S. Craig, author
Elizabeth is the bestselling cozy mystery author of the Southern Quilting mysteries, Memphis Barbeque mysteries, and Myrtle Clover Cozy Mysteries for Penguin Random House, Midnight Ink, and independently.

Elana Johnson, author
USA Today bestseller Elana Johnson writes young adult and adult contemporary romance. She is an inspirational adult romance author under the pen name of Liz Isaacson, and her work includes the young adult dystopian romance series Possession, published by Simon Pulse (Simon & Schuster). Learn more at Elana Johnson.

S.A. Larsen, author
S.A. Larsen is the international award-winning author of the middle grade fantasy-adventure MOTLEY EDUCATION and the young adult contemporary-fantasy romance MARKED BEAUTY. When she’s not chasing her characters around a graveyard or antagonizing them with young love, she can be found in Maine with her husband and four children. Visit her cyber home at S.A. Larsen Books.

DL Hammons, Write Club founder
When DL isn’t running the online writing contest WRiTE CLUB on his blog, he splits his time crafting YA and adult Mysteries, with a little bit of Paranormal/Sci-Fi on the side.

Gwen Gardner, author and previous IWSG anthology winner
Gwen Gardner writes lighthearted, cozy mysteries with a few ghosties thrown in to “liven” things up. Since ghosts feature prominently in her stories, she has a secret desire to meet one face to face—but will run screaming for the hills if she ever does.

Kelly Van Sant 
Kelly Van Sant has nearly a decade of experience in the publishing industry and is a literary agent with the Red Sofa Literary Agency. She is a teaching artist at the Loft Literary Center and blogs about writing and the publishing industry at Pub(lishing) Crawl and co-hosts the their weekly podcast.

Kristin Smith, author
Kristin Smith is the best-selling young adult author of the Deception Game series and a former Pitch Wars mentor. When she’s not writing, you can find her dreaming about the beach, beating her boys at Just Dance, or belting out karaoke (from the comfort of her own home). She currently resides in the middle-of-nowhere North Carolina with her husband and sons.

Prizes: The winning stories will be edited and published by Freedom Fox Press next year in the IWSG anthology. Authors will receive royalties on books sold, both print and eBook. The top story will have the honor of giving the anthology its title.

It’s Wednesday, I’m feeling better, and I found some awesome news stories. You’ll love them. You’re welcome! 🙂

That’s A LOT of Big Macs, like a disgusting, stomach-churning lot of Big Macs. The only thing left to ask is: why?

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/weird/ct-wisconsin-big-mac-world-record-20180507-story.html

Who knew cows were the latest crime-fighting tool. Can you imagine her reaction as the crowd of cows grew from one to two to at least twelve?

https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_5b6c8585e4b0bdd062078826

This last story is so cool. Morphing materials that can shift back and forth via exposure to light, and it’s from a college in my neck of the woods. I attended a branch of this school. I always love science, but today, I also get to bask in the referred glow of greatness. Extra love!

https://www.colorado.edu/today/2018/08/24/shape-shifting-material-can-morph-reverse-itself-using-heat-light

That’s all tonight, folks. See you back here in seven.

Hi all! Sorry I’m late. It wasn’t forgetfulness this time, I swear. I wasn’t feeling well yesterday, and so, I decided to veg on my couch. I know you missed your news fix. But don’t despair, it’s here. My more settled tummy and I are happily sharing what we found. You’re welcome! 🙂

This first story is gross–just gross. There are just not words for the ickiness of walking, boating, or biking by a guy casually peeing in a box while everyone watches. Blech!

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/paris-toilets-public-urinoir_us_5b71bb3de4b0530743cc2e9b

This next dog cracks me up. Is someone paying him in dog bones to keep his troublemaker cat friend out of trouble? He really is a good boy. 🙂

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/dog-breaks-up-cat-fight_us_5b72654be4b0ae32af9b1736

And in science news, the auroras are not the only light game in town. But, I chafe a little at calling them STEVEs.  Is it funny? Yes. But is it on par with the cool factor? Not even a little bit.

https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/environment/a22790353/steve-light-phenomenon-not-aurora-borealis/

That’s all for me this fine tummy-happy Thursday. See you back here in six.

Hello! Wednesday is here yet again. It was a long day and a hot one. Which means, this post will be short and sweet. Sweet news that is.

Someone really wanted noodles, or, and this was saved for the last sentence of the story, the truck they were stored in. The noodles, I think, are a bonus.

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/hungry-thief-wanted-after-nearly-100000-worth-of-ramen-noodles-stolen_us_5b743aeae4b0df9b093b3e9e

This bird wanted no part of her supposed rescue or rescuer. Very funny!

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/parrot-rescue-curse-words-london_us_5b73d74ce4b02b415d73c11a

Finally, some science. Sound that could theoretically affect the behavior of a star.

https://m.phys.org/news/2018-08-phonons-mass-negative-gravity.html.com

That’s all for tonight. See you back here in seven.

Hello all! Wednesday is back again, but it’s a sad, sad Wednesday. I go back to work tomorrow; summer break is over. Boo hoo. I know over two months off does not engender much symphony in civilians, but … but …. All right. Big girl pants. News. I’ll distract myself with the news.

This first story is so sweet. I hope they get the overall record. Fingers, legs, and all other assorted appendages crossed. If I can’t walk, do I still have to go to work? 😉

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/masao-matsumoto-miyako-sonoda-oldest-married-couple_us_5b6b591fe4b0ae32af94eef0

Goats. Can you imagine walking out to 100 loose goats? I’m dying over here. I probably would have opened the door, taken one look at the goat crowd, and shut myself back inside. Maybe not. They are so cute.

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/rogue-goats-boise-idaho_us_5b6472bee4b0fd5c73d9111c

And in science news, a probable planet that could change the game in terms of how we find new planets. Score yet another one for science.

https://www.livescience.com/63282-rogue-brown-dwarf-auroras-magnetic-field.html

That’ll do it for whiny me tonight. Big girl pants–that’s what I need to remember–big girl pants. Sigh.