Prickle Forrest Chronicles October 2020 Newsletter

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> PRICKLE FORREST CHRONICLES
> By Chrissy Hartmann
> October 2020
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> A cold chill settled over the fall trees helping them to change their colors > of a luscious green to a brilliant yellow, orange, red, and brown. And > sometimes an eerie fog creeps past the windows to give a fright. Yes, it’s > autumn and better yet Halloween. The pumpkin patches overflow with little > ones running through them to find the perfect gourd. Some will have a happy > face and some not so happy, but most will be carved with a sharp knife and a > candle stored inside to make them glow.
> Apple cider is pressed and candy stocks the shelves all waiting for that > last day of the month for little ghosties and goblins to ring a doorbell or > two for that spooky call of trick or treat. And here in this neck of the > spooky woods it’s no different. Lots of trick-or-treaters out tonight. Lots > of laughing and plenty of smiles.
> It’s good to know Halloween hasn’t been lost to any plague. Biggest warm > wishes to all those celebrating this beautiful crisp time of the year and > may your bags be filled with treats to end out the year.
> Happy autumn! Happy Halloween!
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>
> THE TOP FIVE
> 1. Pumpkin spice! Pumpkin spice! Pumpkin Spice! Yes, it’s back in season. > Woohoo!
> 2. Vinyl records.
> 3. Trick-or-Treat! Boo!
> 4. The autumn colors, red, orange, brown, yellow, green. Oh my! > 5. The buckeyes…And yes even the nuts!
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> WIP IT… WIP IT GOOD…
> Found a spooky anthology to submit a short story to. This one must contain > cake. Yes, that’s correct. Horror stories with cake in it. Hopefully the one > chosen will fit the bill…or the palate. Putting together a book of short > stories. Will probably need to write two or three more. Also getting ready > for NaNoWriMo. The goal here is to finish Whiskey 2. It’s possible, after > all wrote 35k last NaNoWriMo and possibly found a book cover designer. > Everything’s looking good though. Woohoo! Woohoo!
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> QUERYING…
> Okay, back to the drawing board. EP decided to pass on RWS. Their loss. Got > a few other publishers to query before the months over. Will probably > self-publish once a book cover designer is confirmed. Working on book 2 RWS, > but ancy to move on to the next one. Got at least five to seven novel > outlines ready. Hard part will be picking one. Hahaha!
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> THE CRAFT
> This month’s writing tip…
> Before you submit your work, set it aside. Give it at least a week. Then > after a cooling off period, you see it with fresh eyes. Proof it again. > Change a few things, read over it once more, then submit. Don’t hurry your > work. Best sellers aren’t finished in one sitting.
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> THE HOLIDAYS:
> Not many this month. A few little ones like #NationalPumpkinDay and > #NationalAppleDay, #NationalCatDay…. Which were fun to celebrate for some > of us. Trip to Amish country to get our apples and pumpkins. Punkin, the > Inker’s Spot resident black kitten didn’t appreciate the day for her. She > just wanted out in the yard to chase the blowing leaves. She’s a goof! > As Halloween approached and the full moon rose, the vinyl was spun with a > few spooky tunes here and there, but a lot of the oldies, U2, John cougar, > Rolling Stones, Eagles, Jim croce, Neil Young, and Tom Petty belted out of > the basement speakers making the house rock like the zombies and vampires > were in attendance for the Hallows Eve festivity.
> Bagged up the candy for the neighborhood ghosties and goblins. A little > disappointing this year, only gave out 48 bags instead of the 100 or so > previous years. Either kids in the neighborhood are getting old, the weather > too cold, or the stupid COVID scared away the trick-or-treaters. But did > decorate Goosie and Gander appropriately. Pictures down below. Spent the > evening passing out candy. A little chilly but the Cat in the Hat helped > keep the chill away. Even a plague doctor helping out. Baking cookies and > sipping on some apple cider cinnamon whiskey as the Ohio State Buckeyes > thump Penn State. Go Buckeyes!
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> MY BOOKSHELF:
> 1. When A Duchess Says I Do by Grace Burrowes
> 2. The Summer Deal by Jill Shalvis
> 3. The Writer Magazine back issues January through October 2020 >
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> SEASONAL FAVORITES:
> SEASON: Fall…autumn…that time of the year when all the leaves change to > beautiful shades of red, orange, yellow, and brown…Love it! > SPORTS TEAM: The Buckeyes! They are back! Woohoo!
> COLOR: Dark Brown and black.
> CAUSE: The Seeing Eye. Ruff! Ruff!
> SONG: Truly Madly Deeply by Savage Garden
> FOOD: Pumpkin rolls… Yummy!
> HOT DRINK: Pumpkin spice latte. Heaven!
> FLOWER: Daisies and roses…better yet…both!
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> DID YOU KNOW…
> Dexcom G6 is a fabulous continuous glucose monitor. No more finger pricks. > This is almost like having the pancreas working on its own again. Provides a > lot of freedom. One quick look at the iPhone app to see the blood sugar and > you’re good to go. And if you want to dress your CGM up why not try an > overlay patch from Expression Med?
> Lots of great designs. Puppy paws, flowers, flags, shamrocks, etc. Check > them out with the link below and get $5 off your firsts order. Hopefully > you’ll love them too.
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> PRICKLERS OF THE MONTH..
> * Lying joe and his family. Can anyone say traitors? Or better yet, Treason? >
> *Dunkin running out of pumpkin doughnuts by 9 am on a Saturday morning. Say > what?
> *COVID hysteria. Survival rate 99% and people are still wearing masks even > though they don’t work. Uh, stupid!
> * Publishers who lead on writers. Ones who ask you to make edits then they > don’t publish you. Arghhh!
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>
> THEY SAID…
> This month’s quote is by
> Vincent Price
> “In art, religion, and politics the respect must be mutual, no matter how > violent the disagreement.”
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> HOMETOWN UPDATE:
> *Halloween trick-or-treat in the Edgewood neighborhood is actually on > Halloween this year. Yes, that’s right! Celebrating the holiday on the > actual holiday. Woohoo! Woohoo!
> *College of Wooster on a lockdown. Apparently, they need to lock down the > 1600 students because a handful tested for COVID. Umm? Don’t they know that > age range has one of the highest survival rates? Or better yet, get your > science department to check out herd immunity. It works. Just ask Sweden. > * Some stores have bypassed Halloween and Thanksgiving and have shot > straight to Christmas. Yes, decorations are out already. Really? Don’t you > know people like to celebrate all the holidays?
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> INQUISITIVE MINDS…
> The Muses want to know… Do you prefer passing out the candy or receiving > it? And their bonus question is what’s your favorite candy? Please comment > below.
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> GOOSING OFF…
> Goosie & Gander
> They wanted you to know that even though it was national apple day, National > Pumpkin Day, and National Cat Day, they concentrated mostly on Halloween and > the fall season. They attacked the pumpkin patch and played with a black > kitty, danced with a scarecrow, and even were spotted socializing with > Frankengoose and his bat. But let’s not forget, they loved the leaves…not > raking them though. They left that for next month…Maybe. > Here’s hoping all had a wonderful Halloween!
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