Are you ready to switch off your screens and ponder or discuss another writing/conversation prompt from my friend Tyrean Martinson’s book? Here’s my take on it. What a fun prompt today – or not, depending on where you parse the compound noun. To me, it holds a lot of memories of an auditorium-style classroom, back […]
About Susanne Bacon
Across the Fence: O Tannenbaum
Of course, with so many German immigrants in the U.S. population almost from the very beginning, quite a few cultural items have been adopted into American traditions that are undoubtedly German. Among them is the carol O Tannenbaum (pronounce: O ‘tunnen-bowm, meaning o fir tree). Next to Silent Night, it might be one of the […]
In the Book Nook with … T.J. Fier
Author T.J. Fier from Fargo, North Dakota, works as an Associate Professor of Set Design at NDSU. Her first book, The Bright One, was initially published through Three Little Sisters. She recently regained the rights and re-released the book herself. There will be more books coming out in 2025. T.J. credits Moorhead Friends Writing Group […]
Let’s Talk! – Back in Black
Are you ready to switch off your screens and ponder or discuss another writing/conversation prompt from my friend Tyrean Martinson’s book? Here’s my take on it. To be honest, I have heard this word combination before and you may want to laugh or cry that I didn’t even connect it with a specific AC/DC album […]
Across the Fence: Kipferl and Pfeffernuss
It’s that time of year when everything is about family traditions, and I bet that the love for specific German cookies simply made its way into the English language by way of flavor. How else would you explain that Kipferl (pronounce exactly like this) and Pfeffernuss (pronounce: ‘pfeffer-nooss) have been adopted so easily? They are […]
In the Book Nook with … Lelina Durrette
Author Lelina Durette just moved from Dickinson, Texas to Evansville, Indiana, where she will work as a case manager for IPMG. She has been writing since childhood, but her first book wasn’t published until 2023. She is an active member of the writing communities on Instagram, Threads, Facebook and X; her website is https://lelinad.wixsite.com/lelinadurrettewrites. When […]
Let’s Talk! – Folding a Map
Are you ready to switch off your screens and ponder or discuss another writing/conversation prompt from my friend Tyrean Martinson’s book? Here’s my take on it. Do you like maps as much as my husband and I do? We have dozens of maps decorating walls, folded in our cars, on shelves, single ones on specific […]
Across the Fence: Zeitnot
I had no idea that the German term Zeitnot (pronounce: ‘tsite-note, meaning time trouble) is one used in the English language when playing chess with a time control. Of course, if you have to create more and more complex moves in order to outwit your opponent, playing against a clock causes additional nervosity. And that, […]
In the Book Nook with … Bryan J. Mason
Author Bryan J. Mason lives in Bristol, England. He used to work as a tax investigator, a mediator, made sound effects for radio, and was also a rent collector, but now he is a full-time writer. Bryan wrote his first novel, Shaking Hands with the Devil, around 1990, but despite having a literary agent, failed […]