Yes, I have heard some protest already. The final novel in my Wycliff series, really?! Indeed. First of all, I never intended to write a series. I started out with Delicate Dreams, an intended stand-alone with lots of German deli vibes (I had experienced a few wonderful months as a team member at Lakewood’s beloved […]
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Let’s Talk! – A Sail on the Horizon
The above picture couldn’t have caught my first thought better! That’s exactly what my mind pictured when I found this week’s prompt in the book “A Pocket-Sized Jumble of 500+ Writing Prompts” by my author-friend Tyrean Martinson. A seemingly endless sea broken only by the sails of a majestic sailing ship. But to be honest, […]
Across the Fence: Muesli
Muesli – I grew up on this dish for breakfast that is another Germanism in the English language. My mother changed it up with jam sandwiches for us kids (no peanut butter, mind!). The Swiss term Müesli or German Müsli (pronounced fairly similar as you know it) entered my vocabulary only fairly late. We used […]
In the Book Nook with … Michael Engelhard
Author Michael Engelhard lives in a cabin on the outskirts of Fairbanks, Alaska, among porcupines, moose, and lynxes. This freelance writer used to be a wilderness guide and outdoor instructor in Alaska and the canyon country for 25 years. He has been writing for publication since the late 1990s; his first book was published in […]
Let’s Talk! – Common As Mud
I wasn’t sure when I found this topic to be the next to be pondered in my friend Tyrean Martinson’s book about writing prompts. To be honest, the first thought I came up with were the mudflats around Willapa Bay. They are numerous, and I have never seen anything like them before. They would probably […]
Across the Fence: Gesamtkunstwerk
You may have never come across this Germanism in the English language (I know I haven’t), but apparently it is one. Don’t be daunted by the length of the term nor by four consonants in a row. Gesamtkunstwerk is simply a composite of the three words “gesamt” (pronounce: ga’zumpt, meaning overall, cumulative), “Kunst” (pronounce: koonst, […]
Connie Hampton Connally Launches New Novel at King’s Books
Some of you may already have read Tacoma-based author Connie Hampton Connally’s novel The Songs We Hide, published in 2018 by Coffeetown Press and a finalist for the Nancy Pearl Book Award in 2019. After that the former English and music teacher spent her time working on a second novel which has already won the […]
Let’s Talk! – Moss-Grown Trees
Have you switched off your screens? Are you ready to ponder some, either alone or with friends or family? Today’s prompt by author Tyrean Martinson takes us into nature. It might not seem so very outrageously ponderous – but I’m sure, in the end we’ll get there. First off, I LOVE moss. I have been […]
Across the Fence: Erlaubt and Verboten
Because opposites attract, I thought I’d ponder two Germanism in the American/English language that you might have come across over here: erlaubt (pronounce: er-‘loupt, meaning permitted) and verboten (pronounced: ver-‘boh’ten, meaning prohibited). It’s what every German grows up with. Only, I cannot remember any “Erlaubt” signs anywhere. Maybe because once there is no “Verboten” sign, […]