It is awe-inspiring to watch eagles in flight. The brief video below offers a glimpse. 💗

Hello friends, today I share a post that author John Howell created for Story Empire, a blog site for writers. John posed several interesting questions and prompted considerable conversation among writer communities. I thought you might appreciate it as well, thus the reason I bring it to your attention.

I'd love to hear your thoughts and hope you have a wonderful day.

MARCH 24, 2021 / JOHN W. HOWELL 

Hi SEers, John here with you again. Today I want to discuss authorship in light of the changing environment within our social framework. What do I mean by that statement? Well, to put it bluntly, I think it is time to take a look at how we write characters and stories in an atmosphere of ever-increasing sensitivity to the possibility of offending individuals and groups of people. Put another way, maybe it is time to seriously ponder the question, “Am I knowingly or unknowingly writing characters or a story which casts aspersions on anyone relative to their race, nationality, gender, sexual preference, religion, disabilities, or age?”
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Now you may wonder why I suggest asking the question that I posed. I’m sure none of us would knowingly write any situation that in our heart knew discriminated against others. The key to the question is we may write something that we didn’t think would discriminate but did that exactly. How could this be? Think of how the concept of individual rights has changed over the years. These changes have come about through education and evolving acceptance within social norms.

Click this link to read more   

Dear friends, I've a lovely post to share from author Sally Cronin. Many of you know her through her acclaimed books and her daily writings. She is an extraordinary supporter of the creative arts, especially writers and dreamers, and she loves to share laughter, health advice, and travel escapades. She embraces the fullness of life. 

Today Sally featured me, and I'm quite humbled by her kindness. If you'll click on the image below, you'll travel to her site. 

I hope you have a wonderful weekend. 💗

It's St. Patrick's Day, a holiday that summons memories of the streets of New York for me.  According to ancestry.com, I'm 89% British and Irish. Mom came from an O'Brien clan, while Dad was a Taylor. We never celebrated St. Patty's Day when I was a child, but living in the Northeast for decades changed that experience. Everyone seems to be Irish on March 17th.

Because my children and grandchildren live in the greater New York City area, I usually visit The City a couple of times a year. COVID-19 changed my travel experience, but like many, I'm hoping to board a plane soon. There's nothing quite like New York's St. Patrick's Day Parade. Fingers crossed, maybe next year, I'll be in the crowd shouting again!

Author Colleen Chesebro offers another #TankaTuesday prompt - immortality. My tanka poem, syllables 5/7/5/7/7, is about today's celebration. Happy St. Patrick's Day!
    

Hello friends, I'm at Story Empire today and invite you to join me there. I've written about the medical benefits of reading and writing. Some of the research is pretty astounding, and I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. 

Just click on the link above or use this link and hit the blog tab:  https://storyempirecom.wordpress.com/
 
Hope to see you there, 

All the best!

It's #TANKA TUESDAY per author  Colleen Chesebro. And since today is the second Tuesday of the month, she explains that writers must use synonyms of the chosen words. Author Sally Cronin selected the words this week, and they are Eager & Hope. 

My imagination first climbed a mountain with this challenge, but then it took me to the beach. I hope you enjoy my attempt and as well, I hope to see your submission. If you visit Colleen's site, you'll find loads of helpful information. 

​My Tanka poem ... LAST NIGHT.
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Hello friends! Today I write to share some wonderful news.

As you know, I've written a few military thrillers. Though many in my family have served or are currently serving in the military, they rarely speak about their experience no matter where it might have been -- Vietnam, the Middle East, or the South China Sea. So when I began writing about those areas, I surprised them as much as I surprised myself. 

My last book, The Culmination, a new beginning, was particularly demanding to write, because it required enormous research. When it was finally published in late November, I wondered if it would be received well by the military community. I did a Google search and discovered a group entitled the Military Writers Society of America and decided to submit my book for review. Last week, I heard back from them. I am elated by the evaluation and want to share it with you today.

Writers work alone and depending upon the topic, they may climb mountains to find just the right word. With The Culmination, I struggled up and down peaks I never knew existed. But I'm ever so glad to have made the journey, for I have learned so much. ​Thank you all for accompanying me and a special thank you to all who offered a review. There is nothing more cherished by a writer than a review. 💗

MWSA Review
The Culmination: a new beginning is the third book in The Contract thriller trilogy by Gwen M. Plano. Despite being written in the present tense, it is a gripping, engaging mystery that fares well as a stand-alone book. From the first chapter surrounding an assassination attempt on an Air Force base in California, this story grabbed my attention. The Culmination has everything: interesting characters, romantic love stories, international intrigue, and politics. Ms. Plano details the interplay among the leaders of countries facing off against each other during negotiations to craft a denuclearization agreement. The actions, reactions, and apparent motivations of each foreign leader are fascinating to read as the events unfold resulting in a murderous turn. In the midst of personal and international struggles, an unlikely but captivating, romance blossoms.
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The President of the United States becomes physically incapacitated and Vice-President Margaret Adler is sworn in as the new leader. With the advice of the former president, Adler has to determine who she can trust within the cabinet and staff during a difficult world situation while establishing credibility and trustworthiness among fellow world leaders. It’s up to President Adler to form alliances and avoid massive destruction during what appears to be the beginning of World War III. Adler and the Joint Chiefs, along with other freedom-loving nations, work together to save the world from absolute biological and nuclear destruction at the hands of the Chinese and their evil allies. 
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Although the author seems to lack a clear understanding of weapons systems and military authority, she weaves a compelling white-knuckle tale from beginning to end climaxing in a nefarious attack in the Middle East. The Culmination is an exciting read.
Review by Nancy Panko (March 2021)

It's #Tanka Tuesday and author Colleen Chesebro has declared the first Tuesday of the month a Poet's Choice. She's also urged writers to consider alternative options, something new. I've followed her suggestion and tried the Diatelle. I'd never heard of this poetic form until Colleen's post. If you haven't as well, I'll explain. It has a complicated verse structure that includes syllables of 1/2/3/4/6/8/10/12/10/8/6/4/3/2/1 and adds an additional challenge of a rhyme pattern of abbcbccaccbcbba.

​Below is my first attempt to stretch a bit with this demanding poetic form. I've entitled it YOU.