Stray Dogs and Ugly Pumpkins

I love Fall. Cooler weather, colorful leaves, and the first fire in the fireplace all make me happy. One of my favorite fall rituals: local harvest festivals. I’m a sucker for bales of hay, tractor rides, and apple cider. Maybe it’s because I grew up in Florida where there are only two seasons: tourist and …

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Shout-Outs for “I Was In Love With a Short Man Once”…

  Orangeberry Book Tours 2012 Hall of Fame:  http://www.orangeberrybooktours.com/    The Authors Show, 50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading, Winner, 2012: http://50greatwritersyoushouldbereading.com/winners-previous-years/     The Five-Star Reviews Book Corner: Where readers go to find books with at least twenty-five 5-star reviews  –  http://www.victoriatwead.com/i-was-in-love-with-a-short-man-once/ AUTHORSdb selects “I Was In Love With a Short Man Once” as …

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Verbal Cues and Vocal Frys: Oh Ma Gawd!

One of my favorite things to do on a Sunday morning is spread out the Washington Post on the coffee table, settle in with a good cup of joe, and watch CBS Sunday Morning. During a recent broadcast they discussed a relatively new phenomenon known as “The Vocal Fry” Being that French fries are my …

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Kimba’s Tip of the Day

I’m not a big fan of unsolicited advice. My propensity to spout off has often gotten me into trouble and pissed off my friends and family who get sick of my know-it-all tendencies. I work diligently to quiet the girl in my head who has a running dialogue in every conversation about how she can fix …

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How Do You Know She’s a Witch?

We have found a witch, may we burn her? How do you know she is a witch? She looks like one! “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” Hmm… what exactly does a witch look like? The sad truth is that by most estimates, up through the 1700s, 40,000 or more people were executed under suspicion …

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Fifty is the New Fifty

Thanks to Geraldo Rivera’s now infamous Too. Much. Information tweet-pic of his seventy-year-old naked torso – and he damn near showed us Christmas and ALL the presents – I’ve noticed quite a bit of conjecture by the media regarding age, aging, anti-aging, youth, beauty, and wrinkles. Under headlines such as “Is Seventy the New Fifty?” …

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Gone Fishin’

Back in 2005, I shocked the majority of my gal pals with my announcement that I would be heading to Alaska to go… wait for it… salmon fishing. This crazy southern Irish gal is a bit of a weird hybrid: love pretty pedicures, but will also happily get downright muddy in the garden. I’ll rabidly …

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For the Love of Gal Pals

I’ve often been called a “guy’s gal.” This is usually – I think – meant as a compliment. There are some stereotypically masculine pursuits that I do enjoy and which often lead me to rattling around in the boys’ club house. For example, I LOVE football. I’ve followed the Dolphins since 1972 and as many …

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The Art of the Middle-Aged Swimsuit

Here we are in mid-June, firmly pressing into summer. The annual ritual of warming up, slowing down, and taking time off is upon us. Sunscreen: check. New summer read: check. I-Pod loaded with beach-themed music: check. Well-fitting yet comfy swim suit: Ugh. Damn. This happens to me every year. I’ve promised myself in the winter …

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Know Your Audience: Stellar Advice or Sexist BS?

Awhile back I was having coffee with a fellow who I consider to be one of my writing and networking mentors. We were discussing this past year, my book, and the future of this blog. As we were sipping our lattes and talking about our latest projects, he noted that he admired how I’ve been …

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