Flashlight Press

Flashlight press publishes picture books, audience is 4-8 years old. Submissions guide on on-line: www.flashlightpress.com.

Email the editor at editor@flashlightpress.com Contact Shari Dash Greenspan.

Good luck!

Writer's Organizations

We, writers, all need a little love--especially considering all the rejection we get. So, join a group, organization or association. Just being with like-minded people will help. You'll see you're not alone.

Here are a few:

Academy of American Poets: www.poets.org
American Crime Writers League: www.acwl.org
Education Writers Association: www.ewa.org

So, click your way to a little love.

Happy Columbus Day

In 1906, Colorado became the first state to recognize Columbus Day. It became a federal holiday in 1937 but people have celebrated Columbus' voyage since 1492.

Remember the poem: In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue...

Well, the holiday should help us remember but did you know that New York City celebrated the 300th anniversary of CC’s landing in the New World in 1792 and so it began. It became a day to celebrate patriotism, loyalty to the nation, and social progress.

Italians celebrate Columbus Day as a day to remember their heritage.

I hope you all have a wonderful Columbus Day and I might even eat a piece of pizza and have an Italian sode to celebrate. ;)

A NO-Carve Pumpkin

It's EZ - all you need to do is go to a craft store, buy a couple of eyeballs-yep, eyeballs, and stick a couple of toothpicks into the pumpkin then stick the eyeballs on the toothpicks. Plop a hat on the pumpkin head and use the handle as a nose. WAH-LAH wonderful Witchy-Pooh pumpkin.

No muss, no fuss, and craftiholic pumpkinizing is definitely looking up :)


You can add a cape or cloth and wrap it around the table to make Witchy look full sized and you'll definitely be getting a"head" ;) in the Halloween decorating department.

10-10-10 - Celebrate Climate Solutions

It's a strange number and feels like it should mean something. And maybe it will because over at this site you can read all about the Global Work Party and taking part in events today as a way to Celebrate Climate Solutions.

It seems apt that I'll be at the airport at 5:00 a.m. seeing my niece head off to Churchill, Canada (also known as the "arctic") to study polar bears with Polar Bears International.

As an ambassador for the polar bear cause, Serena will be learning more about the crisis of possible polar bear extinction and standing up to give the bears a voice.

Part of Polar Bears International motto is: "Save the ice, save the polar bears"
And Zoos with PBI Arctic Ambassador Centers are leading the way.

I'll post more about Serena's journey and her tundra buggy experiences but thought this was an appropriate blog subject for today. And what a perfect day it is to celebrate climate solutions.

Weight Watchers

So I just joined Weight Watchers because it's something I need to do. I need to be watching mine.

There's only one problem: I love to bake, cook and eat. In fact my cake decorating class was scheduled to start on Wednesday night. It was going to be my third level of Fondant and Gum Paste Cake Decorating. It's hard to be around yummy food and not eat it--at least for me. So it's a GOOD thing the class was canceled, at least for now.

I wanted to do this because I want--no--I need to hold myself accountable and this group should help me.

That's why I signed up and started tracking what I eat--online. Weight Watchers is all about eating healthy and getting more exercise. Common sense, I know-but it's not so easy. Still, I'm hoping I'll make some good progress and learn a few things along the way. I'll keep you all posted and let you know how I'm doing. And, it can't hurt that I'm training for a half-marathon in June. :)

Kewl Green Products for Earth-Friendly Friday

I love looking for green products and this bag is a fun one that helps support sustainability while looking chic.

And, if you're looking for something fun and fashionable while still being green, why not check out these guitar string bracelets? I got my daughter a bunch of them last year for Christmas. This year I'm thinking of making my own out of violin strings for my son's gfriend. I'll let you know if it works out.

And I really love these recycled glass bottle earrings. How 'bout you?