PrickleForrestChronicles By Chrissy Hartmann

Author: Prickle Forrest Chronicles by Chrissy Hartmann

  • Prickle Forrest ChroniclesApril 2020 Newsletter

    PRICKLE FORREST CHRONICLES

    April 2020 (Posted 04/30/2020

    By Chrissy Hartmann

     

    Spring is finally here. And even though most of America is on lockdown, Mother Nature still provides us with flowers readying to bloom, trees sprouting new leaves, and a clear path for the Easter Bunny to travel. The weather is warming up, enough to sit out on the deck and contemplate book ideas and how this year might end. There are no do overs for 2020, so push on for happier times. The coming celebration of the rebirth of Jesus Christ is a good sign, don’t fear, for this is a glorious time and we shall overcome. Keep your prayers going, wash your hands, and stay home as best you can. Remember, America is strong and shall always be America the Beautiful. Good luck to all, stay healthy, stay safe, and most of all have a blessed Easter!!!

     

     

    THE TOP 5

    1. Happy Happy Joy Joy! Easter is here! Thank you, Jesus! 💙✝️
    2. Tax refunds! 💰💰 Cha-Ching! Cha-Ching!
    3. Writing Book 2…SAVING WHISKEY’S SALVATION ✒️📖 Woohoo! Woohoo!
    4. Lockdown is almost over! 🇺🇸Woohoo! Woohoo!
    5. Jelly beans…the fruitier the better!🤍💛🧡❤️💙💜💚🤎🖤

     

     

    WIP (Work In Progress):

    Oh wow! So close to being done with Rescuing Whiskey’s Salvation© edits. Good thing to, cause need to resubmit to EP by June 1st. definitely think the book is worth publishing. Spent lots of time writing and editing and have enjoyed every bit of it. Need to think about a page for acknowledgments and who to include in those. The Muses of course think they only need to be acknowledged. Ha! They are good, but not that good! Well, maybe…

    Hopefully the beta readers will send their comments soon so corrections or additions and even deletions can be made. In the meantime, going to work on the sequel. Not 100% sure on the title, see potential title name above, but have the outline  done and five chapters written for it. Loving it!

     

    QUERYING:

    Target date to start querying for Rescuing Whiskey’ Salvation © is going to be June 2nd… but hoping to write the second book for Whiskey while we are under lockdown for the COVID-19 disaster. Ugh!

    The finger tappers are working hard to write this novel and twitch with excitement with the other 50 stories rambling around in the noggin.

    Going to plan plenty of time to pitch on Twitter and hopefully attend the Cleveland Writers Conference on July 11th…if it hasn’t been cancelled.

     

     

    THE CRAFT

    This month’s writing tip…

    Check out Jami Gold’s Blog. Great advice for writing tenses.

     

    Storytelling Verb Tenses: Past, Present, and “Literary” Past Tense <https://jamigold.com/?email_id=1574&user_id=675&urlpassed=aHR0cHM6Ly9qYW1pZ29sZC5jb20vMjAyMC8wNC9zdG9yeXRlbGxpbmctdmVyYi10ZW5zZXMtcGFzdC1wcmVzZW50LWFuZC1saXRlcmFyeS1wYXN0LXRlbnNlLw&controller=stats&action=analyse&wysija-page=1&wysijap=subscriptions>

     

     

    THE HOLIDAYS:

    Everyone probably woke up April 1st hoping COVID-19 was just a figment of the imagination. WRONG! Unfortunately, Ohio and other states are on lockdown until May 3rd. Looks as though the peak hit for this area, but looks like the stats were wrong. Easter was definitely behind closed doors. No big family get together this year. Learned how to use Cisco WebEx. Maybe next lockdown (Hahaha!) the family can do a virtual holiday. Hmm?

    And major league baseball is postponed. If this gets over by the summer, they might still have half a season to go. Hopefully all the athletes are staying in shape. Would love to hear Hammy announce another tribe winner.

    Go Tribe!

     

    MY BOOKSHELF:

    1. Write your story from the middle; a new approach for plotters, pantsers, and everyone in-between by James Scott Bell.
    2. Almost Just Friends by Jill Shalvis
    3. The Country Guest House; A Sullivan’s Crossing Novel by Robyn Carr
    4. A Wild Pursuit by Eloisa James

     

     

    MONTHLY FAVORITES…

    SEASON: Spring!

    SPORTS TEAM: The Cleveland Indians.

    COLOR: Dark brown with pink and white

    CAUSE: The Seeing Eye www.theseeingeye.org

    SONG: Truly Madly Deeply by Savage Garden

    FOOD: Bacon wrapped garlic peppered Brussel sprouts…Yummy!

    HOT DRINK: French vanilla cappuccino…Ooo! So good!

    FLOWER: Daisies and roses…better yet…both!

     

     

    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 sense of freedom. One quick look at the iPhone app to see the blood sugars and then it’s go time. 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 and get $5 off your firsts order. Love love Love them! Hopefully you’ll love them too!

    http://expressionmed.refr.cc/christinabenchoff

     

     

    PRICKLERS OF THE MONTH…

    • Tax fraud, someone stealing a family members SSN for taxes. Arghhhh!
    • COVID-19
    • Lockdown.
    • No Easter family dinner get together.
    • Stupidity…preferably from the progressive libs.

     

     

    THEY SAID…

    This month’s quote is by

    John Grisham –

    “Don’t compromise yourself, you’re all you have.”

     

     

    HOMETOWN UPDATE:

    • All is quiet here in Woo. The kids are finishing the school year via home school until May 27th, 2020..hopefully they can go back next school year.
    • Wal-Mart still working on their renovations for online shiping and pickup are almost done. Supposed to be done May 1, 2020. Boy will that save a lot of time. Already learned how to use Instacart with Aldis and I love it!!! Already got my favorites folder filled to make finding stuff easier. Yeah, a good idea!
    • Last month Lucky Records closed, but Josh Lehman from Operation Fandom bought the record store and has reopened it using the name Blackbird Records…a takeoff of a Beatles song. Woohoo! Woohoo!
    • Downtown Woo is revamping the other side of the square this spring and summer. Unfortunately its near Operation Fandom, Blackbird Records, and Tulipan Hungarian Bakery. Ugh! Let’s hope it is completed before the summer is over. !

     

    COMMENT BELOW

    The Muses want to know… which do you prefer

    Fruity or spicy?

    Don’t get any wild ideas, we’re talking jellybeans, folks.

    And which color is your favorite?

     

     

    GOOSING OFF>…

    Goosie & Gander

    Its springtime so you know what that means, right? Bunnies, eggs, flowers, bumble bees, birds, and more flowers for them to show off. They’ll be sporting new shoes this season to match their outfits too. Rain is in the forecast this month, but never fear, they do have their own raincoats. And let’s not forget about the frogs they want to save. These are two geese well prepared. Check them out …they like to show off their duds.

     

     

    FIND ME…

    Twitter: Chrissy Hartmann @USAWriter355

     

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/USAWriter355/

     

    Expression Med $5 coupon by using the link: http://expressionmed.refr.cc/christinabenchof

  • Prickle Forrest ChroniclesMarch 2020 Newsletter

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  • Prickle Forrest CHRONICLES – AMERICAN BRUSH-OFF BOOK REVIEW

    PRICKLE FORREST CHRONICLES BOOK REVIEW
    By Chrissy Hartmann
    February 14, 2020
    TITLE: American BRUSH-OFF
    AUTHOR: Max Willi Fischer
    PUBLISHED: January 29, 2020
    FORMAT: EBook(Kindle)
    GENRE: Young Adult
    PRICE: $2.99

    So you don’t believe a government would turn on their own citizens?
    That’s what Lud Mueller thought.
    No its not 2020, but it is 1942 in Max Willi Fischer’s novel American Brush-Off.
    The author crafts a story of an All-American senior high school boy from Cleveland when the USA’s culture became entrenched in Anti-German and anti-Japanese sentiment. Instead of playing football, hanging with friends, kissing his sweetheart, and enjoying his senior year Lud travels on a heart-aching journey that no American-born citizen wants to travel.
    He must make a horrible sacrifice to reunite with his emigrant German parents and the rest of his family, And all for what?
    A secret plan by the Democratic FDR administration to help end World War II.
    You’ll find your curiosity growing with each of the 354 pages with a story worth being told.
    Not many know about the American-Japanese internment camps and less about the American-German ones here in the USA during the second world war, but they are real. Real just like the death camps of the Third Reich. Fortunately for Lud, and the other 11,000 imprisoned it didn’t mean death, but the loss of one’s own identity, liberty, and happiness which comes in a distant second. The plot engages the reader to keep going always making you wonder if Lud brushes off his five year experience and return to his “normal” life in Cleveland or go on to help others who might encounter the same situation.
    To the author’s credit, he’s done his homework. The scene descriptions place you inside Lud’s house in Cleveland… Living in the group home in Chicago… and finally riding the train to Crystal City. The dialogue carries the reader further into the scene and the emotions that Lud experiences pulls at your own heart making the reader wonder how a progressive-thinking government could betray its citizens. This is a book well worth the read that will teach the reader that bigotry exists for everyone, innuendo destroys, all are innocent until proven guilty, and there are those who work deep within the government that have their own secret plans. Kudoes to the author for revealing a truth lost in history. This is one book of history I think my teenage son will thoroughly enjoy. Well worth your time to read and it deserves Two thumbs up and a five star rating. Looking forward to the author’s next book.

  • PRICKLE FORREST CHRONICLES FEBRUARY 2020 NEWSLETTER

    PRICKLE FORREST CHRONICLES

    February 2020 (Posted 02/14/2020

    By Chrissy Hartmann

     

     

    Love is in the air… And so is the snow. It looks as if Old Man Winter and Mother Nature have worked out their differences. Cold air and snowflakes have made their presence known. They’ve crawled out from whatever corner they took to until the little spat over what elements constitute an Ohio winter were settled. I think the flights of fancy have gone to Mother Nature’s head. But luckily, Old Man Winter set her on the right path. We don’t need the flora and foliage getting confused and overproducing again. Allergies will take that as an act of war. No way will the sinuses sacrifice themselves for that. So until the first day of spring, snuggle into a warm blanket, slide on a pair of fingertip-free gloves, and set them free across the keyboard … a fabulous way to keep the hands warm… unless, cupid’s arrow plunges into the heart…then all bets are off. Enjoy… and may many cards find their way into your Valentine box with love!

     

     

    THE TOP 5

    1. Love…Romance…Champagne…Roses…Aww!
    2. The Dexcom G6.
    3. Ornery kittens…Punkin!
    4. Leap Year.
    5. Acquittals.

     

     

    WIP (Work In Progress):

    Ugh! Still working on the edits for Rescuing Whiskey’s Salvation©…will they ever end? Good thing this doesn’t need to be turned in until June 1st. Maybe if a certain writer would sit down and just do it, it would get done in a day. Rumor has it this certain writer is aiming for March 1st to be done with it all. The Muses want to get back to TAGS…Because Everything Has A Price©. Hear that Writer… GET IT DONE!

     

     

    QUERYING:

    This is totally on hold now. The Wayne Novelist Guild (WNG) has a few projects that are preventing any more querying. Hopefully they can be mentioned in the next update. Keep your fingers crossed.

     

     

    THE CRAFT

    This month’s writing tip…

    If you are writing romances one book you might find helpful…

    Naughty Words For Romance Writers, A Romance Novel Thesaurus by Cara Bristol. Purchased for the Kindle.

     

     

    THE HOLIDAYS:

    Valentine’s Day is approaching. Might try and make a few valentines this year or maybe a meme or two. Hopefully Goosie and Gander can help with this one. What’s your favorite Valentine’s Day gift? Mine? Roses…champagne…dark chocolate… Not too crazy about receiving cards though…. Not unless they are tactile or three-dimensional. Fun touchy-feely kind of things are good.  Hint! Hint!

     

     

    THE BOOKSHELF:

    1. American Brush-Off by Max Willi Fischer
    2. Summer Of Suspense 16 Tales by Some of Christian Fictions most popular mystery and suspense Authors, by Mary Ellis….
    3. Writing Deep Scenes, Plotting Your Story Through Action, Emotion, Theme by Martha Alderson
    4. Sandusty by Bob Adamov

     

     

    MONTHLY FAVORITES:

    SEASON: Winter

    SPORTS TEAM: The Ohio State University Buckeyes

    COLOR: Dark Brown

    CAUSE: The Seeing Eye www.theseeingeye.org

    SONG: Truly Madly Deeply by Savage Garden

    FOOD: Stuffed mushrooms… OMG! Fabulous!

    HOT DRINK: Hazelnut coffee with a shot of Minglewood Cinnamon Whiskey!

    FLOWER: Daisies and roses…better yet… Both!

     

     

    DID YOU KNOW…

    Valentine’s Day is the most romantic day of the year, right?  But did you know…

    After the Roman Emperor Claudius II outlawed marriage, Saint Valentine continued to marry men and women in secret. Even way back then men and women traditionally exchanged flowers on their wedding day, as a sign of good luck and the start of a “blooming” relationship. Today, we continue to celebrate love on February 14th, the day Saint Valentine died, by exchanging flowers, and the more modern gifts of chocolates, teddy bears, and …

     

     

    PRICKLERS OF THE MONTH…

    • Dexcom G6 sensor failure.
    • Upgrade needed from Windows 7 to 10.
    • High cost of life sustaining medications.
    • Headaches that prevent writing.
    • The weather.

     

     

    “MAY I QUOTE YOU?”

     

    “Nobody will ever win the battle of the sexes. There’s too much fraternizing with the enemy.” – Henry Kissinger, Political Scientist

     

     

    HOMETOWN UPDATE:

    • Friday, February 7th… Night To Shine…Another fabulous event. Way to go Woo!
    • New endocrinologist in town. Woohoo! Dr. Tony King.
    • Rittman’s Sparky’s compares to if not better than Wooster’s Coccia House…NOT!

     

     

    JUST CURIOUS…

    The Muses want to know… Do you prefer red hearts or pink hearts for Valentine’s Day?

     

     

    GOOSING OFF>…

    Goosie & Gander…want to answer the above question…they love both! In fact, check out their pics on Twitter @USAwriter355.

    They look quite adorable. There might be a shot with me and Punkin in a few to…Just depends if she will wear her pink and red ribbons for Valentine’s Day. Keep your fingers crossed. Hahaha!

    Goosie and Gander are looking forward to the upcoming spring. Got lots of new outfits to show off. Hopefully the groundhog’s prediction comes true. But if an early spring shows up, but does that mean a longer summer too? Good gravy, hopefully not! Summer and Winter are not anyone’s favorite seasons here. Ugh! Too hot, too cold. Yuck! Yuck! Yuck!

    Might need to talk to that ground hog, better yet, Buckeye Chuck.

     

     

    AUTHOR LOCATOR…

    Twitter: Chrissy Hartmann @USAWriter355

     

    Facebook: Author Chrissy Hartmann http://www.facebook.com › public › Chrissy-Hartmann

  • Prickle Forrest Chronicles Newsletter 21 January 2020

    PRICKLE FORREST CHRONICLES

    January 2020 (Posted 01/21/2020

    By Chrissy Hartmann

     

    Happy New Year! It is 2020! Wow! Another decade nears its end. Holy smokes! What will this year bring?

    Right now, with the lack of the Ohio winter season of falling snow and bitter cold one might question if they have truly arrived in Ohio. For a writer the incentive to stay in and write vanishes each sunny warm day.

    Crazy or not, but some writers prefer the decline in temperature and sparkling snowflakes in the air. And yes, some do prefer a blizzard or two. Actually a wonderful time to write. And read up. But not to worry. Because Mother Nature has finally arrived to entice Old Man Winter to climb out of his comfy chair and take a whirl around the floor. With their footsteps in sync, they dance gracefully to a tune of a chill in the air, icicles tinkling, and confetti of snow to celebrate the New Year. So grab your dance notebook, strap on your pen, flex your finger tappers for the keyboard, and strut out for the perfect time to waltz your words out onto the dance floor of creativity.

     

     

    THE TOP 5

    1. Writing.
    2. Hot coffee and shortbread cookies.
    3. Reading.
    4. Dark chocolate kick-ass knee-hi boots.
    5. Punkin.

     

     

    WIP (Work In Progress):

    I have written 12 pages of the thirty I need to finish the edits on Rescuing Whiskey’s Salvation©. Spent a week researching how I could close the gap on my MC emotional distance. Thought of the perfect solution almost immediately, but wanted some verification if the idea would work. The Muses loved the idea, so of course, my doubts grew. But my beta readers did a read through of the material and loved it. So the goal now is to get the last twenty or so pages written and added to the novel, then proofread, and throw it out to the wolves…or I mean my lovely beta readers. Hahaha! Hopefully by February I will be back to writing TAGS…Because Everything Has A Price©.

     

     

    QUERYING:

    Honestly, after sending out a few last month and beta reading a couple of novels for some writing buddies, I put the query letters on the back burner. Probably not a wise move, but got it penciled in on the calendar for February to get ten more sent out. Keep your fingers crossed.

     

     

    THE CRAFT

    This month’s writing tip…

    If you plan to read any books on writing, make sure that is what they actually are. Currently I’m 50% into a book on setting your pages on fire and from what I can tell, its just about writing fast. Not bad advice but I had hoped for more sustenance on how to make each page a real page-turner. Unfortunately, this book on the craft is not the page-turner I hoped for…Bummer. Too bad too, loved the title. Sorry, will not mention the book by title, do not want to shine negativity on anyone’s work of writing, but a hint of the title is above. Now back to the drawing board for page turning techniques.

     

    THE HOLIDAYS:

    * New Year’s Day is over…nothing big that day but a few mimosas and a nap after work. Yes, had to work, not novel writing work though. I wish!

    * Looking forward to National Winnie the pooh day, which is January 18th, (this will probably be posted by then…I hope.)

    * Also ready for the big celebration at the end of the month…yes, the big birthday. That is correct, I will finally be 21…again…and again…and, did I say again?

     

    MY BOOKSHELF:

    1. Elenor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
    2. The Other side Of Hell by Bob Adamov
    3. Waiting For Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey
    4. Voice by James Scott Bell

     

     

    ALL-TIME FAVORITES:

    SEASON: Autumn (Only 9 months until its back!)

    SPORTS TEAM: The OSU Buckeyes (13 – 1) Big Ten Champs But lost playoff to Clemson Tigers and FCC Zebras.

    COLOR: Dark Brown (Got a new pair of dark brown lace up kick-ass knee-hi boots!

    CAUSE: The Seeing Eye www.theseeingeye.org

    SONG: Truly Madly Deeply by Savage Garden

    FOOD: Shortbread cookies and bacon Brussel sprouts (Yeah, shocked me when I wrote Brussel sprouts too, but hey, they are fabulous in the air fryer!)

    HOT DRINK: Pumpkin Spice Latte with or without Rum

    FLOWER: Daisies and roses…better yet…both!

     

     

    DID YOU KNOW…

    Author of Winnie the Pooh, A. A. Millne wrote at least 10 funeral readings in his book Winnie the Pooh?

    My favorites are…

    “If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred ……minus one day so I never have to live without you.”

     

    You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we’re apart…I’ll always be with you.”

     

    “Sometimes,’ said Pooh, ‘the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.”

     

     

    PRICKLERS OF THE MONTH…

    • High cost prescription prices for life sustaining drugs.
    • Congress wasting time on false charges of impeachment.
    • Not having enough time to write.
    • Sinus infections.
    • Slow workdays.

     

     

    THEY SAID…

    This month’s quote is by

     

     

    HOMETOWN UPDATE:

    • Author, Bob Adamov is speaking to the Wayne Novelist Guild at the WCPL Thursday, January 30th from 6-8 pm. Woohoo!
    • University of Akron Regional Writers Contest Award night is Wednesday April 23, 2020. Good Luck writers!

     

     

    GOOSING OFF>…

    Goosie & Gander

    …are thrilled…they finally get to play outside in their Frosty the Snowman outfit and Geese dress with snowballs. Adorable. Hoping to soon post a pic on Twitter of them out in the snow. They do want me to tell you that the new addition to the family, Punkin, our kitten, is quite entertaining when she tries to hide under them. Another picture that needs capturing. They were also touched to find that the kitten does not like them leaving her behind when they go out to play in the cold. Unfortunately, they don’t have an extra goose feather to keep her warm. Sorry, Punkin looks like you’ll need to wait for spring.

     

    FIND ME…

    Twitter: Chrissy Hartmann @USAWriter355

     

    Facebook: Author Chrissy Hartmann https://www.facebook.com/pg/USAWriter355/ads/?ref=page_internal

     

  • Prickle Forrest Chronicles Newsletter December 2019

    PRICKLE FORREST CHRONICLES

    December 2019 (Posted 12/26/2019)

    By Chrissy Hartmann

     

    A winter wonderland arrives…Jack Frost’s job is complete. No more nips to the nose. Below freezing temperatures settle in. Abundant artic gusts curl the toes. A Black silk top hat, knit scarf, eyes of coal, and carrot nose patiently wait for falling snow. Mother Nature’s icicle wand swirls overhead. Stockings warm near a cozy fireplace. Christmas trees twinkle in the night. Ribbons and bows with colorful wrapping paper entice the onlookers. Merriness and good cheer fill the hearts. Jingle bells and carols sing aloud. Cookies and candies baked without guilt. And all for a season of holiday traditions. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

     

     

    THE TOP 5

    1. Christmas Romance.
    2. Snowmen.
    3. Minglewood Cinnamon Whiskey.
    4. Holiday Parties.
    5. Classic Christmas Songs.

     

     

    WIP (Work In Progress):

    Turned in short story for the University of Akron Regional Writers Contest. Woohoo!

    TAGS…Because Everything Has A Price© on hold for now until complete the edit changes for Rescuing Whiskey’s Salvation©. Bummed! But will resume TAGS©. writing before February 2020.

     

     

    QUERYING:

    Finally heard back from the one publisher after they asked for more time to review it. They said not quite the right fit for them, but if I made some edits with the suggestions they made as in strengthening the tone of the MC and going a little deeper to get rid of the emotional distance they’d like me to send it back to them June 1st. Plus they want anything else I’ve written.

    Woohoo! Not too difficult to do. Already working on it and like the changes. Just wish the finger tappers typed faster.

    Ha! Ha! Ha!

     

     

    THE CRAFT

    This month’s writing tip…

    Find the type of book you like to read and go from there. Don’t copy their style but come up with your own.

     

     

    THE HOLIDAYS:

    Christmas time and New Year’s Eve. Wow! Double whammie! Have you done your shopping yet? Most gifts purchased, but do need to shop for stocking stuffers…and maybe run by the liquor store for some bubbly. Found some great suggestions for gifts for writing friends looking on the internet and even found a few bottles of wine with writing themes. Love it!

     

     

    MY BOOKSHELF:

    1. Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding.
    2. This Side of Hell by Bob Adamov.
    3. Cast Iron by Marilyn Todd.

     

     

    ALL-TIME FAVORITES:

    SEASON: Autumn!

    SPORTS TEAM: The OSU Buckeyes (13 – 0) Big Ten Champs! Ranked #2, playing #3 Clemson December 28th in Fiesta Bowl. Go Buckeyes!

    COLOR: Dark Brown

    CAUSE: The Seeing Eye www.theseeingeye.org

    SONG: Truly Madly Deeply by Savage Garden

    FOOD: Salads and Apples

    HOT DRINK: Pumpkin Spice Latte with or without Rum, preferably with!

    FLOWER: Daisies and roses…better yet…both!

     

     

    DID YOU KNOW…

    Jingle Bells…

    • Centuries ago, sleigh owners fastened bells to horses to signal the approach of someone important or to warn pedestrians of an approaching vehicle.
    • Sleighs could not stop quickly enough so they needed a warning sound.
    • William Barton opened the first US sleigh bell company in East Hampton, Connecticut in 1810.
    • Gemini 6 astronauts played jingle bells and a harmonica in 1965 making them one of the first instruments ever played in space.
    • The song Jingle Bells composed in 1857 written by James Lord Pierpont and intended to be a Thanksgiving song is still one of the most popular Christmas songs today.

     

     

    PRICKLERS OF THE MONTH…

    • Impeachment.
    • Christmas without snow.
    • Gaining weight.
    • Work slowdown.

     

     

    THEY SAID…

    This month’s quote is by J.B. Priestley

    “the first fall of snow is not only an event, it is a magical event. You go to bed in one kind of world, and wake up in another quite different, and if this is not enchantment, where is it to be found?”

     

     

    HOMETOWN UPDATE:

    • Donate aluminum cans at city hall and Buehler’s Milltown. All proceeds benefit NE Ohio ACB.
    • Wooster City Schools go on Winter break December 23rd to January 3rd and return to school January 6th, 2020.
    • The cold season lasts for 23.1 months from December 2nd to March 5th with an average high temperature below 44 degrees Fahrenheit.

     

     

    CHECK THIS OUT…

    For making your holiday festivities fun try these cocktails

    • Tequila Mockingbird: Cocktails with a literary twist
    • Gone with the Gin: Cocktails with a Hollywood Twist
    • Are You There God? It’s Me, Margarita: More Cocktails with a Literary Twist

     

     

    GOOSING OFF>…

    Goosie & Gander have had many outfit changes

    • Poinseta
    • Snowman
    • Snowflake coat
    • Gift package
    • Christmas tree
    • Reindeer
    • Santa
    • Elf

    I think their favorite is the Poinseta dress and Snowman. Check out my twitter link below for pics.

     

     

    FIND ME…

    Twitter: Chrissy Hartmann @USAWriter355

     

    Facebook: Author Chrissy Hartmann https://www.facebook.com/pg/USAWriter355/ads/?ref=page_internal

     

    Prickle Forrest Creations December 2019

  • Prickle Forrest Chronicles November 2019

    PRICKLE FORREST CHRONICLES

    November 2019 (Posted 11/16/2019)

    By Chrissy Hartmann

     

     

    Autumn hours have fallen back. The colors decorating the skyline are still bountiful in their representation of the season.

    — Reds, golds, oranges, and browns —

    Thanksgiving comes late this year. Even with the shorter days go enjoy traipsing through an apple orchard, hiding in a corn maze, and scouring a pumpkin patch for that last remaining hidden gourd.

    After the long day, don’t forget to enjoy the chilly maple smokey scented air while sitting on the front porch sipping on hot cinnamon apple cider and reading a favorite book as the local favorite football team plays on the Wi-Fi. Remember this is a holiday of thanksgiving, be thankful for the beauty it brings because in only a few days the snow will fall, the temperatures will drop, and Jack Frost will have iced a path for Santa and his reindeer. Ho-Ho-Ho!

    “Happy Thanksgiving!”

     

     

    THE TOP 5

    1. Autumn colors.
    2. Hoody’s and kick ass boots.
    3. Pumpkin spice.
    4. Cozy fires.
    5. Football.

     

     

    WIP (Work In Progress):

    Doing #NaNoWriMo this month. So far at 21,000+ words. Hopeful to type 50K by months end. Fingers crossed and The Muses handcuffed to the desk. Must say the stash of Oreos is getting a little low. Will need to send for more soon. Hopefully Oreos will restock the pumpkin flavor for the holiday. Yummy!

     

    QUERYING:

    Still waiting to hear back from the one publisher who requested more time to discuss  Rescuing Whiskey’s Salvation©.

    The WNG members are tossing around the idea of starting up a publishing company. Definitely peaks some interest.  Must do some research on the matter. Ugh!

     

     

    THE CRAFT

    This month’s writing tip is by …

    Jane Friedman

    Exposition should serve the scene, not the other way around.

    www.janefriedman.com

     

     

    THE HOLIDAYS:

    Thanksgiving is less than 2 weeks away. Celebrating this year with the Hartmann’s. Traditional food served. Turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, sweet potatoes, deviled eggs, stuffed mushrooms, pumpkin roll, veggie tray, pumpkin pie, corn, green bean casserole, and some homemade wine.

    This will be a day of spoiling the taste buds. Oh boy!

    Don’t plan to go out for the early bird Black Friday shopping. Too dangerous. Why risk losing life or limb to get one of two possible sale items the stores keep stocked. Crazy nuts! Plus it’s still Thanksgiving a wonderful time to spend with the family…and yes even the ones that drive you bonkers.

     

     

    MY BOOKSHELF:

    1. Twist of Fate (Heartbreaker Bay Series) by Jill Shalvis
    2. Island of Last Resorts by Mary Ellis
    3. Cast Iron by Marilyn Todd
    4. Waiting for Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey

     

     

    ALL-TIME FAVORITES:

    SEASON: Autumn!

    SPORTS TEAM: OSU Buckeyes (10-0 Woohoo! Go Buckeyes!)

    COLOR: Dark Brown

    CAUSE: The Seeing Eye www.theseeingeye.org

    SONG: Truly Madly Deeply by Savage Garden

    FOOD: Pumpkin Covered Pretzels…OMG! Fabulous!

    HOT DRINK: Pumpkin Spice Latte with or without Rum

    FLOWER: Daisies and roses…better yet, both together.

     

    DID YOU KNOW…

    The first presidential turkey pardon  may have been granted by  President Lincoln  in 1865.

    https://www.whitehousehistory.org/pardoning-the-thanksgiving-turkey

     

     

    PRICKLERS OF THE MONTH..

    • Working for a company and waiting to be notified each day if there is work.
    • Sales clerks who steal from children by “just rounding up the total price.”
    • People who decorate for Christmas before Thanksgiving.
    • Athletes not being punished for their instigation of an on field fight.

     

     

    THEY SAID…

    This month’s quote..

     

    “Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting, and autumn a mosaic of them all.” – Stanley Horowitz

     

    HOMETOWN UPDATE:

    • Fall leaf pickup has started. Woohoo!
    • Wooster YMCA Turkey Trot — November 24th. — On your marks, get set, go!
    • Akron University Regional Writers Contest deadline is Dec 8, 2019. Good Luck!

     

     

    CHECK THIS OUT:

    Want to learn deep point of view? Then Lisa Hall-Wilson’s blogs is where you want to look.

    https://lisahallwilson.com/

     

     

    GOOSING OFF>…

    Goosie & Gander celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday — Sort of.

    Goosie is having fun in her autumn dresses while Gander thinks it’s all for the birds. He’s such a turkey!

    Still haven’t worked out the bugs for posting pics  of the Geese but they are on Twitter …see below.

     

    Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

     

     

    FIND ME ON…

    Twitter: Chrissy Hartmann @USAWriter355

     

    Facebook: Author Chrissy Hartmann https://www.facebook.com/pg/USAWriter355/ads/?ref=page_internal

     

  • Prickle Forrest Chronickles October 2019

    PRICKLE FORREST CHRONICLES

    October 2019

    By Chrissy Hartmann

     

    It’s fall. No better time of the year. The foliage of the trees is changing to beautiful colors of red, orange, gold, and browns. Beautiful! Spices of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg are all around to tickle the nose. And make the belly grumble. Don’t forget the Halloween candy — Snickers! KitKats! Reeses! Crunch bars!

    And remember the trick-or-treaters…Wondering what will be the top costume for this Halloween? Pumpkins will be out until the end of November. The chilly air gives reason to throw on jeans, hoody, and some kick-ass boots.

    Plus let’s not forget about the added bonus…Football is back. Go Buckeyes!

    So what’s not a better reason than these to love the month of October?

     

     

    THE TOP five

    1. Jack-O-Lanterns.
    2. Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cookies.
    3. Halloween Trick-or-Treating.
    4. Pumpkin Spice Latte.
    5. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.

     

     

    WIP (Work In Progress):

    Working on book 1 rewrite of the Sugar Creek Trilogy

    TAGS…Because Everything Has A Price 2019©

     

    Outline is finished and the first 3 chapters are finished. Learned the techniques of Deep Point of View and trying to apply them. It’s a slow process right now, but once it becomes familiar, progress should quicken…If The Muses don’t stir up trouble.

    And yes, completed book 2 last year. Hope to start Book 3 in January. Signed up for NANOWRIMO…Hope to have rewrite finished by December 1st. Fingers crossed. No toe crossing yet…Only as a last resort.

     

    Although everything will change if nominated to participate in PitchWars. Keeping toes crossed now, announcement on November 3rd.

     

     

    QUERYING UPDATE:

    Queried quite a few literary agents and publishers August and September. Should be hearing back from them soon. Actually have heard back from one publisher who asked for more time so they could discuss RESCUING WHISKEY’S SALVATION 2019©

    Not sure just exactly what that means. Maybe good news? Hoping to hear back from them soon.

    But just in case…Already have another group of literary agents and publishers ready to query.

     

     

    THE CRAFT

    Learned how to use deep point of view. What a game changer for the writing!

    Check out the book Method Acting for Writers

    By Lisa Hall-Wilson

    The Muses give her 5 Oreos.

    Lisa also hosts a free workshop on Facebook a few times a year. She has a much more extensive workshop that lasts about 8+ weeks. Unfortunately unable to sign up for it this time, but maybe next time it rolls around.

    After this brief workshop, definitely notice a difference in the writing. Love it!

     

     

    THE HOLIDAYS:

    Halloween is the big one for this month. Will probably pull out the old standby costume of “Where’s Waldo” but will dress as his girlfriend…Wenda. She’s the one who always takes the pictures but somehow loses the camera. Still wondering what happened to Wenda’s twin sister Wilma and Waldo’s first girlfriend. Hmm? Kind of spooky. Huh?

     

    The neighborhood Trick-or-Treat is not on Halloween. Bummer.

     

    Hoping to also celebrate National bandana day on Frankenstein Friday, which happens to be October 25th and let’s not forget to celebrate National Pumpkin Day on Saturday October 26th. Not sure what to carve the pumpkin into yet. But really only doing it to get the pumpkin seeds. Cover them in sunflower oil and a pinch of salt then bake them at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes Sweeten them up with some cinnamon sugar before you bake them if plain ones don’t float your boat. Fantastic snack!

     

     

    MY BOOKSHELF:

    1. Method Acting For Writers by Lisa Hall-Wilson
    2. Snap Shot: An Atmospheric Thriller by Marilyn Todd
    3. Wrapped Up In You by Jill Shalvis

     

     

    ALL-TIME FAVORITES:

    SEASON: Autumn

    SPORTS TEAM: OSU Buckeyes

    COLOR: Dark Brown

    CAUSE: The Seeing Eye www.theseeingeye.org

    SONG: Truly Madly Deeply by Savage Garden

    FOOD: Sweet potato or apple chips

    HOT DRINK: Pumpkin Spice Latte (with or without Rum)

    FLOWER: Daisies

     

    DID YOU KNOW…

    Adaptations of Washington Irving’s short story “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” (1820) often show the Headless Horseman with a pumpkin or jack-o’-lantern in place of his severed head. (In the original story,

    On the morning after Crane’s supposed encounter with the Horseman, the discovery of Ichabod Crane’s abandoned hat lies near a shattered  pumpkin.

     

     

    PRICKLERS..

    1. Trick-or-treat not held on Halloween.

    Seriously? Thank goodness this is not worldwide.

    1. Keurig died.

    Three years of faithful coffee brewing. RIP my friend.

    1. Stores decorating for Christmas already.

    Uh? Hello? It’s October.

    1. Running out of pumpkin spice cream.

    Noo! Only 1 month to go then they’ll yank it from the shelves.

    1. Browns losing.

    Come on Brownies!

     

     

    THEY SAID…

    This month’s quote is by — Unknown —

    There is magic in the night when pumpkins glow by moonlight.

     

    HOMETOWN UPDATE:

    * Smithville-Western and Friendsville Roundabout

    Whoohoo! Woohoo! Almost done.

    * Edgewood neighborhood trick-or-treat

    Candy Up! Sunday October 27th from 4 to 6 pm.

    * Leaf Pickup

    Grab your rakes! Starts October 28th.

    DTZs Halloween Rock Out

    Get your dancing shoes on! Band playing Saturday October 26th at the Wooster Country Club $10 cover charge.

     

     

    CHECK THIS OUT:

    They are real! Real pumpkin carols! Thanks Peanuts!

    https://retroist.com/peanuts-pumpkin-carols/

     

     

    GOOSING AROUND…

    Goosie and Gander are enjoying the colorful autumn weather. Leaves are changing and so do their clothes on a daily basis. Pictures to come soon…but you can check them out on Twitter @USAWriter355

     

     

     

    FIND ME ON…

    Twitter: Chrissy Hartmann @USAWriter355 (Chrissy Hartmann)

     

    Prickle Forrest Creations, LLC 2019 ©

  • The Apprentice Stone…Book Review

    Another  page from The Prickle Forrest Chronicles…

    A Prickle Forrest Book Review

     

    BOOK:             The Apprentice Stone

    (Shadows of Time Book 1)

    AUTHOR:       Darrell Newton

    PUBLISHED:  October 2017

    PUBLISHER:   Fire Smyth  Press

    FORMAT:       Digital

    PRICE:            $4.99

    AVAILABLE:  https://www.amazon.com/Darrell-Newton/e/B006OD3A0Y

    Book Trailer:    https://www.amazon.com/Darrell-Newton/e/B006OD3A0Y

     

     

    Do you love  Star Wars? How about  Guardians of the Galaxy? Then my guess is you’ll love THE APPRENTICE STONE.

     

    The one unique  thing that sets  this book apart from the others is the element of time travel. A major factor  in this tale…but there’s a twist. You can no longer travel back in time, only forward. The adventure begins with Francisco, a young medieval  Spanish boy whose inherited  a healing stone…only to be used for good  otherwise you chance damaging the stone.

    Francisco   is challenged  with living on the streets of Toledo Spain and hiding  from his uncle.  As if this weren’t enough for the young  healer to deal with he’s now tempted to join  up with the  Sittiri or KEY’ARI to help  save the world by  full filling an ancient prophecy   or taking a different path  and becoming powerful creating a new destiny for all those involved.

     

    The author has crafted  a very believable world  with sticking to true life events  and detail of setting. How one wouldn’t believe they were not running with Francisco and a group of teens  in medieval Spain , fighting in the battle  of Las Navas de Tolosa, or being sold  in a 14th century   slave market, I couldn’t comprehend after reading these pages.

     

    The authors use of historical facts and Sci-Fi blend beautifully. The aspect of Sci-Fi works well especially  the time travel.  I’ll be honest. Time travel baffles  me…the concept and mechanics of it all, but after reading  the Apprentice Stone  I’ve got a better handle on it. It’s the fact that the author’s approach is not  overbearing and so far out there that it helps make it more understandable and believable. You’ll wish you had your  own oclocks  or  Plexus bed.

     

    All I can say is Wow! Wow! Wow!

    If all Sci-Fi were written this well and entertaining  my bookshelves  would be filled with them.

     

    My only problem seemed to be  picking a favorite character. All had a unique voice. All had a unique story of their own. All  created a unique  problem for me to root for just one. So I took a unique  approach and  am rooting for all of them! From our hero, Francisco  to the  bad guy, Ceowolf  I can guarantee  there won’t be a character  to dislike. Each are written  with their own    Joie de vis.

     

    I highly recommend this book and look forward  to the next edition to this series.

     

    The only question I have for the author and his well crafted novel…Aare you in any way related to Sir Isaac Newton?

    Lucky if you are, wonderfully written  if not, but all in all, brilliantly done!

     

    Kudos to Mr. Newton!

     

    My Rating:  4.5 stars. 4.5 Douglas Firs. 9 Oreo Muses Review.  This book is highly recommended .

     

    Author Info:    Darrell Newton

    SciFi & Historical Fiction Author website:         http://darrellnewton.com/

    amazon author’s page    http://www.amazon.com/Justin-Tyme/e/B006OD3A0Y/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

    twitter         https://twitter.com/DarrellAlNewton

     

    ChrissyHartmann ©October2017

    PrickleForrestChronicles ©October2017

     

  • Back to the Movies…

    BACK TO THE MOVIES…

    It’s been some time since I visited the movie theater. I hadn’t wanted to go not because of the movies out there of little quality, that’s a whole different story, but I hated being a bother to my fellow moviegoers.
    No one likes the constant questions to describe what’s going on in the scene and I detest over explanation. So what got me back into a theater seat?

    I’d heard movie goers with disabilities were having much success and actual enjoyment because theaters now equipped themselves with the latest adaptive technology for everyone to participate in a night out at the movies.

    Thrilled at this possibility of returning to the movies I was game to try it out.
    But on a side note, I’m a fan of great tunes and I’d heard this sequel’s sound track was as fabulous as the first one.

    So wanting to witness volume 2 gave me the extra umph I needed to justify to shell out the cash for the overly priced tickets and possible disappointment that this new technology for the disabled was not up to par.

    Prepared to just listen to the dialogue and sing along to the sound track, I was shocked at the quality of the narration and how well everything worked. There was no extra cost for the use of the head set which was a pure bonus then when the movie came on, after the trailer previews, the narration started.
    Able to follow along with the plot needing no assistance from my fellow watchers all I could think was, It works! I’m back to the movies. “Hallelujah!”

    The movie was a real treat. The clear narration explained all of the high adventure in space. The spectacular soundtrack that could make any star dance to its beat had me doing just that.

    I loved it! The whole experience brought about a rebirth of venturing out to the movies.
    Normally I stick to books, audio books, some e-books if I can find a tolerable narrating voice, but now with this discovery that movie theaters are now carrying devices for the hearing and visually impaired to better enjoy the movie experience it means the purse strings will get quite the stretching.
    Honestly, I doubted the experience would prompt me to mark Saturdays off as movie night but it has.

    I could say it’s the screen writers or the sound track for the reason but in all reality it’s probably the fact I can walk in to a theater, unfold my seat, sit down with my tub of popcorn and gallon of overpriced soda and finally slide on some earphones, sit back and actually watch the movie through my ears. What a fantastic treat.

    And if you’re interested…Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 gets the soft fuzzy prickles of a Douglas Fir,2 thumbs up, *****, and 10 Oreo review rating from the muses.
    Sound Track is fabulous like the original and I’m looking forward to downloading the tunes to my iPhone.

    And since its Saturday, Johnny Depp’s new amazing pirate tale is now inked onto the calendar for the 8 o’clock showing tonight.

    So stay tuned…more coming from the Prickle Forrest Chronicles!

    As an added bonus check out:
    AMC Assisted Movie going
    https://www.amctheatres.com/assistive-moviegoing

    Movie Popcorn Nutrition Facts:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/nutrition-facts-calories/movie-theater-popcorn

    Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 Movie Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEpsPXUt4R0

    Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 Soundtrack Facts:
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guardians_of_the_Galaxy_Vol._2_(soundtrack)

    Follow me on Twitter: @ usawriter355

    Chrissy Hartmann 4CRHB 2017©
    Prickle Forrest Chronicles 2017©