Oh…right…but you guys already know me. But many of you know me as “Double Latte Mama” on Twitter or from my other blog “Double Latte Mama’s Blog” or from my fan page “Double Latte Mama” over on Facebook … Well, little by little that is all changing…
I’ve been noodling around the idea of switching away from Double Latte Mama anyway and a blog post – “It’s a Pen Name, Not Witness Protection” - by Kristen Lamb convinced me to retire the Double Latte Mama.
When i made the leap into the wild west frontier of Twitter back in April of 2008, I didn’t have a blog to speak of and I wasn’t even pursuing writing at the time. I had a so-called “mommy” blog which has not been my primary focus in recent months. My original Twitter name was “MamaPJ” but then I discovered that somebody else already had a blog with that name. So I did some quick brainstorming and decided to capitalize on my love for lattes.
It worked for me for awhile, it’s always been a nice sort of conversation starter with new folks on Twitter and it’s frequently a source of fun punchlines. Many of you know that I have recently switched to decaf, however, so that sort of makes for an awkward conversation
So, I’m switching over my Facebook fan page … The new one will be “PJ Kaiser” as soon as I reach the minimum number of fans (here’s the link to the new page so you can help me get there). My new Twitter ID is “@pj_kaiser.” And those are the primary changes for the moment. You can currently reach this blog – “Inspired By Real Life” – either at www.inspiredbyreallife.com or at www.pjkaiser.com. My non-fiction blog featuring the “best of” my posts on parenting, education and other various topics will still be called “Double Latte Mama’s Blog.”
Thanks for bearing with me as all of this shakes out. Per Kristen Lamb’s advice, it’s better to do it now rather than down the road when I have thousands or millions (heh heh) of fans
Thanks to all the readers and writers who joined us this week for #TuesdaySerial! We are tying our record this week with an amazing 26 stories! We have one splendid debut from Cecilia Dominic. Welcome aboard, Cecilia!
Tell all your reading and writing friends about us – we’ll be back for more next week!
So, here is the final list of all of this week’s participants. Happy reading & writing!
ps Writers, if your story is missing, please leave a comment on this post with the Title, author and a link. Readers, be sure to check the comments for any late additions.
Thanks to all the readers and writers who joined us for Week 14 of #TuesdaySerial! We are setting a new record this week with an amazing 26 stories! We also have an incredible SEVEN debuts from Walt White, Tonya Moore, Frances Pauli, E.D. Lindquist, “The Socks,” C. Janelle Tuma and Jason Coggins. Welcome aboard, everybody, we’re glad to have you with us!
We also have three writers who are participating in “Web Series Writing Month” (#WeSeWriMo) over at EpiGuide. These writers are Gracie Motley, Isabel Joely Black and Cecilia Tan. Be sure to stop by and give them encouragement for their #WeSeWriMo quest! To find out more about #WeSeWriMo, check out last week’s #TuesdaySerial report.
Tell all your reading and writing friends about us – we’ll be back for more next week!
So, here is the final list of all of this week’s participants. Happy reading & writing!
ps Writers, if your story is missing, please leave a comment on this post with the Title, author and a link. Readers, be sure to check the comments for any late additions.
Dear TuesdaySerial Writers and Readers,
Thanks so much for the terrific support! We are thirteen weeks in and we have a nice variety of regular stories, a few debuts each week, and Tony and I are so pleased with how #TuesdaySerial is working out. Behind the scenes, we are keeping the process pretty streamlined, so that it’s not very time-consuming to do the posting, compiling the list, etc. We are definitely looking to continue keeping it simple, but thought it was a good time to throw out some questions to everybody:
What is working well with Tuesday Serial?
What suggestions do you have for improving things around here?
It’s time to put your thinking cap on and do some brainstorming. Nothing is off-limits! Our priority would be to incorporate any changes that would add a lot of value AND would be easy to do, but if you have ideas, let them fly and we’ll consider it! Add your comments to this post or, if you prefer, send us a DM on Twitter (@TuesdaySerial) or send us an email pj at doublelattemama dot com.
Thanks to all the readers and writers who joined us for Week 13 of #TuesdaySerial! It’s a terrific week with 22 entries, including two debuts from Elizabeth Flora Ross and Paul Anderson! Thanks to all of our writers and readers! Please let us know if we have made any mistakes on the entries and/or marking items as debuts.
We also want to share some news for all writers of serials. Yesterday afternoon, The Penny Dreadful hosted a chat with guest EpiGuide to discuss the “Web Series Writing Month” that they are hosting. Have you heard of NaNoWriMo? National Novel writing month takes place in November and participants attempt to write 50,000 words. If they complete 50,000 during the month then they “win” bragging rights. Well, Web Series Writing Month – WeSeWriMo – is a somewhat less formal version of NaNoWriMo specifically for web series and takes place in August. It actually encompasses all forms of web serials such as podcasting, comics, etc. Participants are able to specific their own goals, since an appropriate goal would be different depending on the medium. A suggested goal might be to aim for 150% of your normal monthly output for your serial. If you are interested in participating, then here are some things you should do:
Check out the chat transcript provided by the fabulous folks over at The Penny Dreadful from Tuesday July 27 in which EpiGuide chats about WeSeWriMo.
And then check out the WeSeWriMo Page for more details and to sign up.
Any #TuesdaySerial contributors who are participating in WeSeWriMo, please let us know by sending us a message on Twitter (@TuesdaySerial). You’ll get a special mention in our TuesdaySerial reports during August.
Tell all your reading and writing friends about us – we’ll be back for more next week!
So, here is the final list of all of this week’s participants. Happy reading & writing!
ps Writers, if your story is missing, please leave a comment on this post with the Title, author and a link. Readers, be sure to check the comments for any late additions.
For Spoken Sunday this week, I have done an audio recording of a story I wrote earlier this year that won the “Write On” February Challenge. The story is “Waiting for Spring” and you can check out the full text and audio recording by going here.
I have been doubly-honored … I have received the Fabulous Flash Award AND I have received it from one of my favorite writers – Mark Kerstetter! He’s written a most-eloquent post (that left me blushing) about why he bestowed the award upon me. I enjoy Mark’s stories so much and to top things off, he hangs out over at Escape Into Life (one of my favorite surfing sites on the web) and does some terrific things for them as well. So, I’m very pleased to receive this award – which originated over at Mad Utopia – and very flattered at all the nice things Mark has to say about my writing.
So, now, I have the responsibility to pass this award on to four other writers. I wanted to highlight four terrific writers, not necessarily members of #fridayflash, who I think everybody should check out:
Aaron M. Wilson – Aaron writes terrific flash, short stories and he’s writing a web serial called “Bike Mechanic” that promises to be quite a ride (pun intended). Check out his blog “Soulless Machine” for all the scoop.
Sarah Joyce Bryant – Sarah writes short stories and essays, but her real forte is memoir. This young lady is a very talented writer and one to watch for sure. Start reading her now and in a few years you can say “I knew her when …” Her blog is “The Night Writer.“
Isabel Joely Black – I have just recently been introduced to Isabel’s writing and she’s got a style all her own and has created a world that I enjoy visiting. So, go check her out now over at her blog “Between the Words.“
Noelle Pierce - Noelle is another writer that I have recently come to know. I am enjoying her serial “Closing Time,” and I have also discovered that there’s a whole other side to Noelle including novels and short stories! You can check out her main blog for more info.
Okay, mission accomplished. I hope i’ve introduced you to at least one or two writers that you didn’t know before. All are very much worth following and reading!
Thanks to all the readers and writers who joined us for Week 12 of #TuesdaySerial! It’s a terrific week with eighteen entries, including two debuts from Clive Martyn and Isabel Joely Black! Thanks to all of our writers and readers! Please let me know if I have made any mistakes on the entries and/or marking items as debuts.
Tell all your reading and writing friends about us – we’ll be back for more next week!
So, here is the final list of all of this week’s participants. Happy reading & writing!
ps Writers, if your story is missing, please leave a comment on this post with the Title, author and a link. Readers, be sure to check the comments for any late additions.
My audio recording for this story can be found below and the text follows. For more audio recordings and information about #SpokenSunday, click on the menu item above “Audio Recordings.”
The woman behind the desk stares at the computer screen through her thick glasses and taps on the keyboard. I walk to the opposite side of the counter and wait for her to look and acknowledge me. Tap tap tap on the keyboard.
I step closer to the counter and say softly, “Excuse me.”
Her eyes scan back to the monitor. She leans in, squints her eyes and continues typing.
I say, louder this time, “Excuse me. I need to lodge a complaint.”
Her fingers freeze in mid-air and her pupils shoot towards me. The skin at the edge of her left eye twitches a couple of times as she studies me through her spectacles.
I sigh. This is going to be more difficult than I thought.
I lean in closer to her. “Look, I need to tell you that the young lady who performed my pedicure and manicure did a simply atrocious job. Where do I begin to tell you all the things that she did?” I shake my head. “I specifically asked her to cut my toenails short, but they look like talons. I asked for my fingernails to be rounded and the corners are so sharp I have already poked myself twice. And when removing my cuticles, she drew blood on two toes and four fingers. Look!” I splay my fingers on the countertop. She pushes her glasses higher on her nose and leans in to study my nails. The blood has mixed in with the pearl white nail polish providing lasting evidence of her bumbling.
Her voice surprises me in its softness. “Are you very certain you wish to file a complaint?”
I glance at the blood-streaked nails and crinkle my brow. “Are you kidding me? You’re lucky I’m not filing assault charges. Look – can we get on with this? I need to get back to my job site. I’m a construction worker and I have an enormous pile of lumber to sand today.”
“Sand?”
“Yes. I use a power sander. I’ll wear gloves, of course.”
“Yes, of course.” She turns back to her computer, purses her lips and holds her fingers above the keyboard. “Very well. Name?”
“Ingrid Sampson.” I spell out the letters as she types.
“Address?”
“Why do you need my address?”
Glaring at me again, she says, “We keep very precise records and take complaints quite seriously.”
I say, “547 Peachtree Lane.”
While she types, my eyes drift across the desk and land on a display of business cards propped up next to her keyboard. The embossed letters read: “No Complaints Nail Salon. Tabitha Silke, Proprietress.” I grin and almost laugh out loud at the irony of the name.
Her head swivels back to me. I sober up quickly. “Nature of your complaint?”
“Well, I just told you – she didn’t respond to any of my instructions and she injured me in several places.”
She raises her eyebrows, dainty, over-plucked, brown arches. Click click click on the keyboard. “Very well. Is there anything else you wish to add?”
“Isn’t that enough? I could have permanent scars on my fingers and at a minimum I’m going to have to redo my manicure. These cuts are going to burn like crazy when I use nail polish remover …”
Pulling gently on her ear, she closes her eyes and wiggles her nose. As my eyes grow wide, the reception desk, the woman and the surrounding room dissolve into a pink mist.
*****
I stand in a small workroom. My manicurist stands at my side. I look down and realize I’m wearing a smock like hers over my clothes. She places her hand on my arm and leads me towards the door. “Come, your client is here.”
My mind spins. “What? Where am I?”
She stops, releases my arm and turns to face me. “There are no complaints allowed at this salon. Anybody attempting to complain can never leave. I was a butcher until I came in for my manicure last week.” I nod slowly. I look down and the wounds on my hands and feet, as well as the polish have vanished. My mouth drops open as she leads me out the door.
My client, a young girl with flaming red hair, leafs through a magazine while her feet soak. I give her a weak smile.
She lowers her magazine and says, between chews on her chewing gum, “Make sure you get rid of all the callouses on my feet. The last place I went to didn’t buff them enough.”
I meet her eyes for a moment and then survey the array of tools laid out next to me.
A smile tugs at the corner of my mouth. “Yes, ma’am. I’ll do my best.”
Thanks to all the readers and writers who joined us for Week 11 of #TuesdaySerial! It’s a terrific week with twenty entries, including two debuts from ThoreyO, J. Dane Tyler and Dan Luffey! Thanks to all of our writers and readers! Please let me know if I have made any mistakes on the entries and/or marking items as debuts.
Tell all your reading and writing friends about us – we’ll be back for more next week!
So, here is the final list of all of this week’s participants. Happy reading & writing!
ps Writers, if your story is missing, please leave a comment on this post with the Title, author and a link. Readers, be sure to check the comments for any late additions.
