tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60154988259865101382024-03-13T23:04:11.094-04:00The Girardi Diner<b>Because of the confines of virtual reality, you may have to bring your own food.</b>Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01816106870127354391noreply@blogger.comBlogger103125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015498825986510138.post-72471466312599950822012-04-15T16:18:00.001-04:002012-04-15T16:21:28.305-04:00Oh My Gosh How Time Flies...and Something to ShareI cannot believe it has been nearly an entire year since I last blogged. My apologies.<br />
<br />
Though, I'm not sure anyone was sitting at the edge of the computer chair clicking refresh on this page until new content popped up. Still, it is bad form for a writer to not share writing.<br />
<br />
Currently I am working on my dissertation, and as I do, I will share little tidbits of wisdom I find in my readings. I share quotes on Twitter, but here I will share the nuggets of gold that are larger than 140 carats - I mean characters. <br />
<br />
For starters, I love how this student questions what creative writing actually is, especially in comparison to composition.<br />
<br />
"I'm really confused here. What's the difference between the two? Most of the time I use the two words interchangeably....For all I know, it is a grave sin to use one for the other. Is creative writing stuff that is done for fun, and composition stuff that the teacher makes you do?"<br />
<br />
Part of me loves that this student thinks "creative writing" is the fun stuff. On the other hand, both composition and creative writing should be challenging, rewarding, and fun.<br />
<br />
Here's one more from the same essay:<br />
<br />
"I think I was misleading myself for a very long time. I had so many grand ideas about writing that I had forgotten that you have to write to be a writer...[Now,] instead of pondering over ideas and waiting for the perfect one, the one to make me famous, I take small ideas and make them good ones. I just recently finished a short story that I am very proud of. It was 8 pages long, the longest one I had ever written. It had scenes, summaries, dialogue. I love it. I didn't really ever think I had it in me. I was putting so much pressure on myself to write the masterpiece that all of my writing was overdramatic, didn't say anything and was shallow. I have learned to write in stride, write for myself & let my ideas flow."<br />
<br />
This student who is just discovering his writing abilities and who is proud of writing eight pages is wise, wise, wise. I particularly love the advice about not sitting around waiting for brilliant ideas to strike. Why not turn small ideas into good ones, big ones, powerful ones?<br />
<br />
Great advice from students of the late Wendy Bishop in her essay "Crossing the Lines: On Creative Composition and Composing Creative Writing"Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01816106870127354391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015498825986510138.post-38969997484555649032011-05-16T07:00:00.001-04:002011-05-16T07:00:13.190-04:00Rainy Days and Mondays #24Happy Monday, everyone. I want to share a fun video with you to get the week started. It would be so fun to pull a prank like this...<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/AkjUOT67hcU" width="425"></iframe><br />
<br />
Also, I'll be sharing more tips from the PennWriters conference through my Twitter account today. Follow that at @TamaraGirardi.Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01816106870127354391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015498825986510138.post-85686056226310804292011-01-01T20:58:00.000-05:002011-01-01T20:58:12.338-05:00New Year's Resolutions and All ThatIs it possible? I mean, really possible, to devise resolutions at the beginning of a calendar year and somehow stick to them? <br />
<br />
I once interviewed residents of the Alle-Kiski Valley, a suburban area of Pittsburgh, for a newspaper article on New Year's resolutions. One woman made a very interesting comment. She said she didn't believe in these kinds of resolutions. Rather, she believed that a person should always evaluate his place, his success, his expectations and resolve to change when change is needed - not just on January 1.<br />
<br />
I couldn't agree more, but here we are. It's January 1, 2011, and I'm talking resolutions. There's something about the calendar that just lights a fire under...well, you know the saying. But also, I'm planning to connect my blog to the classes I'm teaching this spring, so now is a great time to plan for 2011 changes. <br />
<br />
My students at Westmoreland County Community College will be creating blog teams. Together, the teammates will create blogs, choose themes and topics, schedule posts, and write the blogs. The writing they do in these public forums they create will be graded for the course. <br />
<br />
Privately, the students will reflect on their experiences and the improvements they see in their writing. <br />
<br />
Since I'm asking them to write more often in a public forum, I will do the same. My blog, although it will remain The Girardi Diner, will take on a theme "Writer 360" for the next few months. In my posts, I will be talking about writing from three different perspectives - a writing teacher, a composition PhD student, and a writer. <br />
<br />
More ahead...Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01816106870127354391noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015498825986510138.post-4500668115073742832010-11-22T08:10:00.000-05:002010-11-22T08:10:29.629-05:00Firecrackers and Blue JeansSorry for the delay in getting this blog up. I was kind of lost in the whirlwind of the funeral last week. But I promised you all tales of my gram, the firecracker.<br />
<br />
She was a firecracker, which really is just a polite or more colorful way to say she had a temper, right? For instance, this one time, we were driving down the road when I was in high school, and she got angry at me. She slammed down her turn signal and broke the entire steering column. <br />
<br />
Thus, her "firecracking" was sometimes directed towards me or inanimate objects. But other times it was directed to people who had done her family wrong. <br />
<br />
When I was in elementary school playing basketball, she came down from the stands to scream at the referees and the coaches because when I was wrestling with another girl for the basketball, the girl punched me and knocked the wind out of me. <br />
<br />
Gram was fired up that day, but her hardheadedness started long before I was born, long before my mom was born even. <br />
<br />
When gram was a high school student in the mid-1950s, she walked into a girls' bathroom to see a couple white girls beating up a black girl in her class. She stepped in the middle and started swinging at the white girls. That was the end of her friendship with them, but she didn't care. <br />
<br />
Right was right, and wrong was wrong.<br />
<br />
Then again, even she blurred those lines from time to time. During those same high school years, she wanted nothing more than a new pair of Levi blue jeans. She asked her father for them again and again, but he said they were too expensive. <br />
<br />
So, she chose not to eat lunch and instead saved her money until she could afford the jeans herself. She paid for the jeans, removed the tags, and wore them home from the store. Her father saw the red "Levi" tag sticking out from the seam and yelled at her, but she smugly knew she could not return them since they'd already been worn. <br />
<br />
Eventually, though, she felt guilty for wearing expensive jeans when she saw other things in the family that needed replacing, her father's shoes that were worn thin for instance.<br />
<br />
Still, when I was in high school 45 years later, she grabbed the little red tag on my jeans (I feel the need to point out that Levi's are now very affordable) every time I walked by her, and she told me that story. <br />
<br />
She told me lots of stories I will treasure and always be thankful for. I'm thankful to you all for reading as well. Thanks for your comments and good wishes. <br />
<br />
Have a great week, everyone, and Happy Thanksgiving.Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01816106870127354391noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015498825986510138.post-24129292649147030782010-11-17T14:18:00.000-05:002010-11-17T14:18:06.066-05:00Bragging GrandparentsAs I was growing up, I remember my grandmother bragging about me - a lot. She even submitted to a local newspaper column called "Bragging Grandparents." She would tell anyone who would listen - grocery store workers, high school friends she bumped into at Denny's, the servers at Denny's (and you get the point) - about my sports, my grades, and my travels. <br />
<br />
It kind of embarrassed me then, but now it's a sweet memory and unequivocal proof she was proud of me. I wish I could be humble or nonchalant about it, but as a girl who has lost four "parents" before her 30th birthday, knowing I've made them proud matters. <br />
<br />
Yes, my grandmother loved to brag, but now it's my turn to brag about her. <br />
<br />
When I was in kindergarten, I had the coolest job in the world. After my morning classes, I would come to the cafeteria for lunch while all the other kids went home. I would eat with the big kids, and then when lunch was over, I was a special helper to the janitor. <br />
<br />
He gave me a rag, and I wiped every table and chair in the place. I took my job seriously, making sure every crumb disappeared. My reward was a handful of candy from his office. I got this job because of my grandmother. She was in the kitchen volunteering - cooking and cleaning. <br />
<br />
After we both finished our duties, I climbed into her car and drove away with her. When I had to stay in school for the afternoon in pesky first grade, I remember missing those times with my gram. <br />
<br />
But we had other times. <br />
<br />
She drove me to Girl Scouts and basketball practice. She came to school events like Grandparents Day, and she was there when I won the Geography Bee in third grade. <br />
<br />
Each Christmas, she planned a massive holiday party for the whole family - her three children, seven step-children, their spouses, and 23 grandchildren. She even arranged it so Santa could visit. There are pictures from those parties somewhere, pictures of the 23 grandchildren piling on top of each other to squeeze into photographs in front of the Christmas tree. <br />
<br />
She planned summer picnics, too. She let me climb the cherry tree in her backyard. She watched me score baskets and spike volleyballs. She watched me walk across the stage before Prom and give my speech at graduation. <br />
<br />
When my mother passed away my freshman year of high school, Gram didn't give taking us in a second thought. She immediately sought a lawyer and made sure the adoption was finalized pronto. She struggled immensely in losing my mom, her baby girl. But she was still there for us - her kids and her grandkids. <br />
<br />
She was also a firecracker. But more on that tomorrow...<br />
<br />
Thanks for letting me share.Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01816106870127354391noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015498825986510138.post-53305773784627478112010-11-16T12:32:00.003-05:002010-11-16T12:39:00.922-05:00Saying Goodbye is Not FinalIn my book, THESE WALLS CAN TALK, which was originally titled THE DINER ON THIRD, my protagonist Leia Angeletti is very close with her grandmother. She visits Grandma Jack often at the nursing home and does her best to reach her grandmother through the fog of Alzheimer's. <br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The character Grandma Jack was based on my grandmother, Anne Goerman Farneth. Yesterday, she passed away at the age of 73.</div><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjXdZzRbB0_y2g06As4J2uSyH27BIkz-CljIhIvLM8tGcGFCW44W6v15nUlhamI1YYLZ5_L49LdaXmUYp-FZTSYmiIiSvOQD6Js7LpxkJT7E7vtuwFzpU80b1m_2YixFE6kvhhe5dbmgA/s1600/gram+and+pap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjXdZzRbB0_y2g06As4J2uSyH27BIkz-CljIhIvLM8tGcGFCW44W6v15nUlhamI1YYLZ5_L49LdaXmUYp-FZTSYmiIiSvOQD6Js7LpxkJT7E7vtuwFzpU80b1m_2YixFE6kvhhe5dbmgA/s400/gram+and+pap.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With my grandparents Anne and Clarence Farneth on the day I graduated from Valley High School in New Kensington. They adopted me and two of my siblings when our mother died in 1997.</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">My family and I spent the afternoon at the funeral home discussing arrangements, including the obituary. We toiled over how it would be worded. Would we list that she adopted three of her grandchildren, me included, when she lost her youngest daughter (their mother) to illness? In what order would we list the many relatives who preceded her in death? Should the grandchildren be listed by name?</div><br />
The questions seemed silly. Did it really matter, I wondered? But I realized in a way, it did. The funeral director said, "This will be the last thing written about Anne." It would be the final record of her life. <br />
<br />
Final record. <br />
<br />
I don't mean this as a joke, but that sounds so final. And it shouldn't be. <br />
<br />
Anne Goerman McSherry Farneth lived 73 years in a town called New Kensington. She had three children, seven step-children, 23 grandchildren, and several great-grandchildren. She worked as a bookkeeper, grocery story cashier, and volunteered in the cafeteria of her grandchildren's school. She was infinitely proud of her family's heritage of starting the first local newspaper and the first local fire company in the 1800s. She was beautiful, loving, and flawed. In her 73 years, she touched the lives' of thousands of people, and her life boils down to a one-column obituary?<br />
<br />
She deserves more, and even if this humble blog is my only platform to deliver that, I will gladly do it. So all this week, I'll be sharing stories of my gram. And all my life, I'll be missing her. <br />
<br />
Thanks for allowing me to share her with you.Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01816106870127354391noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015498825986510138.post-10578587712236725392010-10-26T10:34:00.000-04:002010-10-26T10:34:01.655-04:00Backspace is around the cornerI've been such a slacker with the diner. Sorry about that. There really is good food here, and I should stop by more often!<br />
<br />
So, in two weeks from today, I'm boarding a plane at Pittsburgh International and heading for the <a href="http://backspacewritersconference.com/">Backspace Conference</a> in New York City. I've been revising my manuscript THESE WALLS CAN TALK for months now, and I'm so excited to get back out there and share it with agents and editors who will hopefully love it as much as I do. <br />
<br />
I've had some first readers who've loved it, too, it should be noted. <br />
<br />
In any case, I'm unagented, but hopefully that will change in the next couple months. Of course, I'll share good news as soon as there's any to share. And the good news I'm sharing now is that I will be the official Twitterer (Tweeter just sounds strange) at the <a href="http://backspacewritersconference.com/">Backspace Conference</a>. <br />
<br />
I'll share all the great quotes from agents, the success stories, and the faux pas writers should avoid (as per the agents' requests of course). <br />
<br />
So check out the conference and follow my tweets: <a href="http://twitter.com/TamaraGirardi">twitter.com/TamaraGirardi</a> for all the dish.Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01816106870127354391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015498825986510138.post-54826061106272056842010-08-30T17:03:00.000-04:002010-08-30T17:03:16.467-04:00What Happens in Vegas, Even if You're Not in VegasI feel like a movie set stalker. Today, I drove through Kittanning, a small river town north of Pittsburgh where Janet Evanovich's <em>One for the Money</em> is being filmed. I walked along the river and listened to the glorious calls. <br />
<br />
"Rolling!"<br />
<br />
"Background!" (And cars start moving along the bridge).<br />
<br />
And finally, "Action!" <br />
<br />
If I didn't have to drive up to Indiana University of Pennsylvania today to reserve a study space in the library, as they all go within hours of the first day of classes, I could have been driving one of those cars. <br />
<br />
Sigh. <br />
<br />
But instead, I listened from the sidelines as the cool breeze blew through the trees in the riverside park and the morning sun reflected off the water. For people who live in New York City or Los Angeles, movie sets may be common place. Pittsburgh has played host to several film crews, especially recently, but it's still fresh and exciting to see the trailers, actors, and cameras in town. <br />
<br />
And seeing all of that in Kittanning this morning reminded me of last week. Point of information: production companies make background actors (aka extras) sign confidentiality agreements that specify the actors will not talk or publish pertinent information about shooting. This includes locations and plot points. <br />
<br />
They might say something like what happens on the set stays on the set. But they might also say when the movie comes out, feel free to blog, tweet, and Facebook all you like. <br />
<br />
If you're following me, good. If not, rewind, and read between the lines. <br />
<br />
In other words, I've taken some notes about my experience in "Vegas", and when a certain movie hits theaters, I will post more details about filming.<br />
<br />
In the meantime, it's back to IUP for me (classes start tomorrow) and more work on my revisions (which are going well) of THESE WALLS CAN TALK.Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01816106870127354391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015498825986510138.post-32060577549875648792010-08-23T06:00:00.001-04:002010-08-23T20:26:16.612-04:00Very exciting Monday morningAfter several emails, I have finally managed to get hired as an extra on a movie set. <br />
<br />
I'm not saying much just yet because I want to be a good extra. But later, I will blog and let you know anything I can. Hopefully I'll have a few photos as well - not of the set. Cameras and phones are strictly prohibited on set. But I'll see what I can do! <br />
<br />
Happy Monday, everyone!Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01816106870127354391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015498825986510138.post-44967173073863863282010-08-17T10:42:00.000-04:002010-08-17T10:42:33.749-04:00Jackie Evancho - wowThe city of Pittsburgh is a buzz over the 10-year-old singing sensation Jackie Evancho. Jackie wowed audiences on America's Got Talent, but she has been making a name for herself in the city for some time now, even being compared to another Pittsburgh native, Christina Aguilera. <br />
<br />
There are several YouTube videos of Jackie, including this one:<br />
<br />
<object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/cdxnQsjhNJc?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/cdxnQsjhNJc?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01816106870127354391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015498825986510138.post-59249543920190405082010-08-16T11:33:00.000-04:002010-08-16T11:33:03.030-04:00How very (and depressingly) true...Hard at work today, so it won't take years...<br />
<br />
<br />
"It can take years. With the first draft, I just write everything. With the second draft, it becomes so depressing for me, because I realize that I was fooled into thinking I’d written the story. I hadn’t—I had just typed for a long time. So then I have to carve out a story from the 25 or so pages. It’s in there somewhere—but I have to find it. I’ll then write a third, fourth, and fifth draft, and so on."<br />
<br />
DAVID SEDARIS <br />
<br />
Get more <a href="http://www.advicetowriters.com/">Advice for Writers</a>.<br />
P.S. This is definitely not a Rainy Days and Mondays post!Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01816106870127354391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015498825986510138.post-84489824930841695412010-08-11T09:30:00.000-04:002010-08-11T09:30:31.501-04:00I Survived Summer SchoolI hate to be such a drama queen, but I did, in fact, survive summer school. Good to hear, right?<br />
<br />
Although the reading and writing seemed tortuous at times, I actually enjoyed my classes and especially enjoyed the company. I'm on a break now until Aug. 30, but a break from school is not a break from work. <br />
<br />
In the fall, I have an amazing opportunity waiting for me. I will be the graduate assistant to Dr. Lynne Alvine who teaches a Literature for Adolescents course. My assignment will be to read YA literature and discuss it with the students in the class among other duties assisting Dr. Alvine. I've already started reading the books on the list. <br />
<br />
The first was Chris Lynch's <em>Inexcusable</em> in which a teenage girl makes an allegation against a teenage boy. Unlike so many YA books on the shelves, this story is told through the perspective of the boy. His view of the world could be considered naive and/or twisted. I won't divulge the surprises, but I would recommend the book. I think it will make for some great class discussion this fall. <br />
<br />
Now, I'm rereading Laurie Halse Anderson's <em>Speak. </em>It's been years since I read it the first time. The voice is surprisingly funny, especially the way Melinda names the people around her. The voice is so candid and surprisingly aware. This book is one of the top recommendations in YA literature. If you haven't read it, you really should. <br />
<br />
Other than reading ahead for the Literature for Adolescents course, I am back to revising my manuscript, THESE WALLS CAN TALK. I've been hoping to submit it to agents since July, but it's not ready. I want to send them my best work, so I've found a way to be patient. Hopefully, I will have it ready soon. <br />
<br />
Hope everyone's enjoying the last days of summer...Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01816106870127354391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015498825986510138.post-5363864066429137952010-06-14T07:00:00.005-04:002010-06-15T19:48:25.875-04:00On hiatus. . . againIf only there were more hours in the day.<br />
<br />
But there aren't. So, something's got to go, and it's going to be the diner for a while. <br />
<br />
The PhD program is intense. I'm working on a presentation featuring using YouTube to teach argumentative theory and a paper on the value of Twitter in classroom instruction. If you want to keep an eye on my studies, check out <a href="http://blog.iup.edu/blogs/course/summer2010/pagnucci/engl808/011/xmnr/">my student blog</a> (I know! Another blog? It's a requirement) or my <a href="http://www.people.iup.edu/xmnr/">student web page</a> where we post most of our assignments in my Literacy and Technology class. <br />
Other than that, here are a few videos I go to when I need a smile or a break:<br />
<br />
<object height="340" width="560"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/C64ZYuR7PuQ&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/C64ZYuR7PuQ&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br />
<br />
And:<br />
<br />
<object height="360" width="580"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/bep4bgdPOtI&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/bep4bgdPOtI&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="580" height="360"></embed></object><br />
<br />
And: <br />
<br />
<object height="360" width="580"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/rN_U5Hrk6YU&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/rN_U5Hrk6YU&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="580" height="360"></embed></object>Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01816106870127354391noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015498825986510138.post-20764278175861186662010-06-07T06:00:00.004-04:002010-06-08T08:11:35.920-04:00Plum Lovin'Yes, I'm still in awe at the fact Stephanie Plum is coming to Pittsburgh. If you're thinking, "Stephanie Plum is fictional, Tamara. You do realize that, right?" <br />
<br />
No. I don't. In fact, you're wrong. She exists.<br />
<br />
So does Lula and Grandma Mazur and (if there is a God) Ranger and Morelli. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, pull your credit card from your wallet, and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=one+for+the+money">click here</a> pronto.<br />
<br />
Janet Evanovich, if you come across this posting by some grace of all things tasty, I offer myself up to you as a tour guide. I'm a good tour guide. I promise to keep you away from Pittsburgh's "Stark" streets. <br />
<br />
Or, hey, we can drive down them if you prefer!<br />
<br />
In honor of my future feature film debut, here are some recent tweets from Janet (we are so on a first name basis. Sort of. Not really, but I mean, there's still time for that to change). They are always bright spots in my Twitter feed, so if you're a tweep, <a href="https://twitter.com/JEvanovich">follow Janet</a>. Like now.<br />
<br />
“That's the second CR-V you've burned up this week.” - Vincent Plum, Hard Eight<br />
<br />
“I'll throw in a bucket of chicken and an ice cream cake from Carvel. That's my final offer.” - Morelli, Finger Lickin' Fifteen<br />
<br />
“I always thought I'd make a good detective, on account of I'm so nosy.” - Grandma Mazur, Hard Eight<br />
<br />
“He mess with a big woman like me, and he be nothin' more than a smelly spot on the carpet.” - Lula, Two for the Dough<br />
<br />
“You've got a helluva gene pool, babe.” - Ranger, Two for the DoughTamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01816106870127354391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015498825986510138.post-61516876631373421062010-06-04T11:59:00.001-04:002010-06-04T12:05:43.919-04:00Stephanie Plum's ShadowI love, love, love Stephanie Plum. And I just might be able to star (or, you know, appear in the corner of a room or walking down a street or something) in "One for the Money." <br />
<br />
The <a href="http://www.wpxi.com/entertainment/23710003/detail.html">film is being made in Pittsburgh</a>!!! This calls for a celebration!<br />
Anyone else up for being an extra with me?Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01816106870127354391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015498825986510138.post-40764295973274803142010-06-02T07:00:00.001-04:002010-06-02T07:00:00.347-04:00Day 1 - What I LearnedWhat did I learn the first day of my PhD program?<br />
<br />
I don't have time to post this blog right now. Lots of reading and a bit of writing to do tonight before I head off to bed (this blog was written Tuesday night but posted Wednesday morning). So I'll keep this short and sweet. <br />
<br />
I left my house at 6:30 a.m. for class. I returned at 6:30 p.m. Ouch. People around the country do this every day. If you're one of them, you have my utmost respect. I work from home. I roll out of bed, cross the hallway and plop down at the computer. <br />
<br />
But it's also kind of exciting. Both of my professors are great. I already have ideas flowing for the assigned essays. None of the food places on campus are open in the summer (I know!), so I'll be snacking on fruits and veggies that I bring every day and lose a few pounds. <br />
<br />
Can't beat that. Now, it's off to work I go!<br />
<br />
P.S. Check out my blog (I wrote it before I started my classes) at <a href="http://workingstiffs.blogspot.com/">Working Stiffs</a> today.Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01816106870127354391noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015498825986510138.post-39999899558876225492010-06-01T07:00:00.002-04:002010-06-01T07:00:02.166-04:00Back to School<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The day has finally arrived. </div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">While most students are exhaling sighs of relief and closing their textbooks to the joy of summer vacation, I am dusting off the backpack that has been hanging on a hook in the basement since college. </div><br />
Yep, it's back to school time.<br />
<br />
The family has been supportive. They've asked if I have my Trapper Keeper packed, what Disney character is on my lunch box, and when the bus is coming to pick me up. <br />
<br />
The jokes took me back to the days of Trapper Keepers and every-color-of-the-rainbow Lisa Frank folders. Unicorns. I always went for the unicorns.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBENCKa9hJCF6r2Q3ZkPUC14qGLG0u60Ea8WI18aqz1Ido_MRjzEB5UMp1NA5vhhwrZgh51f2yeKumXs-y3h7zzOhtWxiFMF8PiW7XCqu3u_mHGVFNLssNSyVTYHyqUIy5XmWwLAxT8Sw/s1600/Lisa+Frank.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBENCKa9hJCF6r2Q3ZkPUC14qGLG0u60Ea8WI18aqz1Ido_MRjzEB5UMp1NA5vhhwrZgh51f2yeKumXs-y3h7zzOhtWxiFMF8PiW7XCqu3u_mHGVFNLssNSyVTYHyqUIy5XmWwLAxT8Sw/s320/Lisa+Frank.gif" /></a></div><br />
Of course, Lisa Frank folders won't really fit in with my PhD studies. Although if I could find one, I'd probably still rock it. I mean, really. Did you look at the picture?<br />
<br />
And I'm sure I could find a Trapper Keeper on eBay. I could use a lunch box, too. Maybe Hannah Montana.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPLJzVv8RLhHRo6bzIF1Mmkso1zfvVkx666MDuZeuVz4PD8uqq8e8g3cDjkCsv12kN_weUHBa1MmKsi1KUP4vLiijVx5v4MLk8-jJ-2oCWdkAIjpeNECkHrz8BonuPQzBcpqZDi8WHKW0/s1600/Hannah+Montana+Lunchbox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPLJzVv8RLhHRo6bzIF1Mmkso1zfvVkx666MDuZeuVz4PD8uqq8e8g3cDjkCsv12kN_weUHBa1MmKsi1KUP4vLiijVx5v4MLk8-jJ-2oCWdkAIjpeNECkHrz8BonuPQzBcpqZDi8WHKW0/s320/Hannah+Montana+Lunchbox.jpg" /></a></div>I digress. The point is I've considered doing a PhD for years, and today is the day it all begins. I'm a student of the <a href="http://www.iup.edu/english/composition-tesol/default.aspx">Composition and TESOL program at Indiana University of Pennsylvania</a>. I've had my head in one book or another for the last 23 years, so that won't be new. <br />
<br />
As for what will be new, I'll let you know soon. <br />
<br />
Stay tuned...Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01816106870127354391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015498825986510138.post-17511378105108443272010-05-31T11:18:00.000-04:002010-05-31T11:18:33.488-04:00Happy Memorial Day, everyone!Today, I'm celebrating my two-year wedding anniversary. And I thank the men and women who have fought to give me the right to do that. <br />
<br />
Happy Memorial Day.<br />
<br />
<object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/oPnLBLnX14Y&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/oPnLBLnX14Y&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object>Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01816106870127354391noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015498825986510138.post-88355700854759345612010-05-24T09:32:00.001-04:002010-05-24T09:33:15.554-04:00Rainy Days and Mondays #20Oh happy day. <br />
<br />
The weather in Pittsburgh is gorgeous. I've spent the past week revising, revising, revising, and it's all going very well. <br />
<br />
AND Literary Agent Extraordinaire Janet Reid posted amazing <a href="http://jetreidliterary.blogspot.com/2010/05/how-much-fun-did-i-have-at-pennwriters.html">comments on her blog</a> regarding the PennWriters conference. I can't tell you how much fun it was meeting Janet in person. <br />
<br />
But perhaps the better deal was hanging out with Octopussy. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiylGqDHp7AJ2iZtQYNQEjjahbaHz0hKO-KHDT4r7BrWmJLUc1UYtYwWvoFvrxU600BR5wq_nRVa3YWepXY_DYb2_x3Ht59VxSy4Yz4c4ju-3HfpvkB1PsfmgjWWtuArOIvZjq0ze6dO8E/s1600/Octopussy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiylGqDHp7AJ2iZtQYNQEjjahbaHz0hKO-KHDT4r7BrWmJLUc1UYtYwWvoFvrxU600BR5wq_nRVa3YWepXY_DYb2_x3Ht59VxSy4Yz4c4ju-3HfpvkB1PsfmgjWWtuArOIvZjq0ze6dO8E/s320/Octopussy.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Those glasses to the upper right of the photo belong to the mysterious, rarely photographed Janet Reid. <br />
<br />
By the end of the night, Octopussy (who is in desperate need of a worthy first name and perhaps a middle initial) and I were old pals. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivWHl6eeVzNb88Uicvo5vDYh3Bq9JLBDOquA5pCV1KQ0bS9QimABXFPScsQJ9wURq9t1bLr6rPGbfQAtJ3ujTP1qWT_vE5mP8x05TX3B8iqwgHq1fk_JFCnqopTFFzriaBv1rQUobdlh0/s1600/Me+and+Octopussy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivWHl6eeVzNb88Uicvo5vDYh3Bq9JLBDOquA5pCV1KQ0bS9QimABXFPScsQJ9wURq9t1bLr6rPGbfQAtJ3ujTP1qWT_vE5mP8x05TX3B8iqwgHq1fk_JFCnqopTFFzriaBv1rQUobdlh0/s320/Me+and+Octopussy.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Finally, it's been a whole week since my little puppy boy had his surgery. He's still hopping around on three legs, rather pathetically, but he's definitely on the mend. He's spending more time hanging outside than being wrapped up in a blanket like he was last week. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHWfMePn_flQazLnNLG7Fmerb2d-Ap5YSgiF3Y3BK7JxB-EQLDum4tduMj6bjflINSggc873JmNFeKUL64OIBs5M6DPjXC6cKaYf0DpY5YLJACHL-6RDzoj40EzFstSqUF3So-f6sMc_g/s1600/Hero+after+surgery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHWfMePn_flQazLnNLG7Fmerb2d-Ap5YSgiF3Y3BK7JxB-EQLDum4tduMj6bjflINSggc873JmNFeKUL64OIBs5M6DPjXC6cKaYf0DpY5YLJACHL-6RDzoj40EzFstSqUF3So-f6sMc_g/s320/Hero+after+surgery.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Have a great week, everyone!Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01816106870127354391noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015498825986510138.post-11309747117163330282010-05-20T07:00:00.003-04:002010-05-31T18:09:59.990-04:00Cool, Collected Links #1Nothing like finding a great article on how to write a query letter the day after you've sent 50 out to agents. <br />
<br />
That particular situation did not happen to me, but I find great resources online maybe not at the greatest time to find them. So I'm going to start compiling them here, on the blog, for your benefit as well. <br />
<br />
Here are this week's Cool, Collected Links:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.guidetoliteraryagents.com/blog/Literary+Agents+Talk+Trends+In+Childrens+Publishing+At+NESCBWI.aspx">Advice from Literary Agents: Ammi-Joan Paquette of Erin Murphy Literary Agency, Sarah Davies of Greenhouse Literary Agency, and Edward Necarsulmer IV of McIntosh and Otis at the NESCBWI Conference</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://caseylmccormick.blogspot.com/2010/05/tip-tuesday-37.html">A Look at Free, Online Writing Communities</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://payaauctions.blogspot.com/2010/05/week-3-query-25-page-critique-and.html">Tempting package from AS King and worth checking into future auctions on this site</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://cba-ramblings.blogspot.com/2010/05/reputations.html">Literary Agent Rachelle Gardner always has something interesting to say</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://yawriters.blogspot.com/2010/05/revision-girl-strikes-again.html">Really funny InkyGirl.com Comics</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.plottopunctuation.com/blog/show/80">Three Steps to Writing a Breakout Story</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.personal-growth-with-corinne-edwards.com/a-publishing-deal-yay-now-what/#respond">Things to Consider When Offered a Publishing Contract</a>Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01816106870127354391noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015498825986510138.post-4142138308607042852010-05-19T08:00:00.000-04:002010-05-19T08:00:04.694-04:00Debut Blog on Working StiffsToday, I'm debuting as a contributor to <a href="http://workingstiffs.blogspot.com/">Working Stiffs</a>, where crime writers talk about life, work and murder. <br />
<br />
After attending Janet Reid's Social Media workshop at PennWriters this weekend, I'm excited to become active again in the blogosphere. <br />
<br />
My first blog post will be The Difference a Year Makes to inspire writers who like me thought an agent and a publishing contract was going to come along much sooner than reality provides.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://workingstiffs.blogspot.com/">Check it out.</a>Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01816106870127354391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015498825986510138.post-16926878959311443492010-05-18T08:00:00.003-04:002010-05-18T08:00:04.060-04:00Tuesday Tips: Volunteer at ConferencesThe <a href="http://www.pennwriters.org/prod/">PennWriters</a> Conference was brilliant this weekend. I learned a lot and met some really great people, which I will continue talking about on this blog and on <a href="http://workingstiffs.blogspot.com/">Working Stiffs</a> tomorrow. <br />
<br />
But today, it's about a tip. When you attend conferences, which you absolutely should if you can, get more out of them by volunteering. Working the registration table ensures you meet everyone, including agents, editors, and published authors, as they walk in the door. <br />
<br />
Introducing presenters gives you more face time with them. Offering to timekeep pitch sessions gives you face time with agents. <br />
<br />
PennWriters has a great opportunity to PennPal with presenters, agents and editors. I was PennPal to <a href="http://www.tridentmediagroup.com/alex_glass.html">Alex Glass</a> of <a href="http://www.tridentmediagroup.com/index.html">Trident Media Group</a>. It was a pleasure. Alex is very funny, and he boosted my ego by needing me more than some other PennPals needed their counterparts. I found myself wandering the hotel by his side to try and get him in the right place. <br />
<br />
He offered great advice to writers in his presentation, and it was a pleasure getting to know him even a little better. <br />
<br />
The only guarantee you have to selling your writing is by making it shine. Work on your craft and polish your pages. But, volunteering at conferences adds value to your overall experience. There are usually several opportunities, so next time you attend a conference, reach out to those in charge and offer to help in some way.<br />
<br />
For more on the value of interacting with agents in person, check out this <a href="http://cba-ramblings.blogspot.com/2010/05/value-of-verbal-pitch.html">great blog post from Literary Agent Rachelle Gardner</a>.Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01816106870127354391noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015498825986510138.post-82828246730966933502010-05-17T11:41:00.000-04:002010-05-17T11:41:35.733-04:00Rainy Days and Mondays #19It's a rainy Monday.<br />
<br />
But it's a good day. The PennWriters conference this weekend has inspired me to return to my blogging. So, here's to a fun video for Rainy Days and Mondays.<br />
<br />
Intellectually, I can't possibly buy it, but it's still pretty entertaining. And it's dedicated to Hero, my little pup who's in surgery today.<br />
<br />
Enjoy.<br />
<br />
<object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/prOzOsJpR7Q&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/prOzOsJpR7Q&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object>Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01816106870127354391noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015498825986510138.post-78195959823013079282010-05-06T10:13:00.000-04:002010-05-06T10:13:15.397-04:00Deferring to my students. . .I won't be blogging for a while (big surprise, right?). <br />
<br />
But my students will. I'd like to defer to them. Please take a peek at what <a href="http://wccc-awritersjourney.blogspot.com">they've been working on</a> for the past few months, and offer a comment or two when you see things you like. I know they'll appreciate it. <br />
<br />
The blog is: http://wccc-awritersjourney.blogspot.com<br />
<br />
Thanks for your support.Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01816106870127354391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015498825986510138.post-21933466072253630162010-04-20T20:57:00.003-04:002010-05-17T11:49:07.810-04:00If Writers Were Hockey PlayersIf writers were hockey players, several New York City literary agents would be missing a few teeth. <br />
<br />
More specifically, if I were an Ottawa Senator, I would throw a childish tantrum any time I don't get my way, or even when I do.<br />
<br />
Disclaimer #1: I'm a Pittsburgh Penguins fan. <br />
Disclaimer #2: I get that fighting is a part of hockey. <br />
<br />
Still, there's a difference between starting a fight to create a momentum shift in a game and pushing, slapping, and punching the nearest Penguin every time the referee blows the whistle. <br />
<br />
Maybe I'm just sensitive to athlete behavior with two Pittsburgh Steelers, who will go unnamed here because they don't deserve any more media attention for their transgressions, in the news lately for misbehavior. Let's be honest, these are grown men. They should know how to behave themselves. <br />
<br />
Why is such behavior of smacking around the closest human being to you when you get excited acceptable?<br />
<br />
I have absolutely no idea. <br />
<br />
But I do know if I were a hockey player, my husband would have black eyes on a regular basis. He's a great guy. We have a good marriage, but what I'm saying is this isn't rational anger. It's frequent and unbridled. <br />
<br />
If I were a hockey player, I would have to put rubber bumbers on my Jeep to protect myself from all the drivers who are in a rush to pull out in front of me but in no rush to go anywhere. If I were a hockey player, I would plow right through their little Chevy Cavaliers, leaving them on the side of the road to wonder what the heck just happened. <br />
<br />
If I were a hockey player, the woman at the grocery store who chit chats about all the wrongs committed by her boyfriend, best friend, and in-laws as she bags my groceries would be covered in egg yolk. <br />
<br />
If writers in general were hockey players, the literary world would be quite different. Agents would attend writing conferences wearing pads, helmets, and mouth guards. They would have to. <br />
<br />
Critics would write reviews undercover. Their faces and identities would be more protected than governmental witnesses to gang violence. <br />
<br />
And when authors make the New York Times Bestseller List? Look out. Nothing can contain that excitement. Well, human rationale can. But apparently, that's lacking if you're a hockey player (i.e. an Ottawa Senator). <br />
<br />
Am I the only one who sees this? Just today, my brother said he doesn't care that above-alluded-to Pittsburgh Steeler cannot behave himself off the field, as along as he keeps winning on it. <br />
<br />
I'd like to see a man behave like a man. I wonder if these guys let their kids watch them play hockey. I really hope not. <br />
<br />
The little ones might be sitting at home thinking, "If I were a hockey player..."Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01816106870127354391noreply@blogger.com1