Thursday, September 29, 2022

October 2022 Reading Challenge: Dem Bones

October Reading Challenge
Skulls and/or Bones on the Cover

October is upon us, and I know I'm ready for some cozy reads. With an anthology called Black as Death in hand, a book with the Jolly Rogers symbol on the cover, I thought I'd make this the theme for the month: skull and crossbones, dry bones, noisy bones, whichever kind of bones. It's looking to be a month of rattling skeletons and good reads!


Book Back Bones

Need some inspiration? Here's a list of books I cobbled together:

1.) Black as Death: A Collection of Cafe Cozy Mysteries by Kate Swenson et al. (Mysteries)

2.) Skeleton Tree by Kim Ventrella (Middle Grade)

3.) Little Bird by Tiffany Meuret (Contemporary Fantasy)

4.) Human Body Theater by Maris Wicks (Childrens Graphic Novel)

5.) The Curse of Madame "C" by Gary Larson (Cartoon)

6.) Vengeance Road by Erin Bowman (YA Western)

A Western eBook
Beautiful Cover!

Still looking for the right read? Check out these links:

1.) Twelve Books With Bones on the Cover – Top Ten Tuesday – Books, Bones & Buffy

2.) Goodreads List: Skull and Bones Book Covers

3.) Scholastics: 10 Skeleton-Themed Stories for Every Age

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James Weldon Johnson
Unknown Photographer, Public Domain

Dry Bones by James Weldon Johnson

Ezekiel cried, "Dem dry bones!"
Ezekiel cried, "Dem dry bones!
Ezekiel cried, "Dem dry bones!"
"Oh, hear the word of the Lord."

The foot bone connected to the leg bone,
The leg bone connected to the knee bone,
The knee bone connected to the thigh bone,
The thigh bone connected to the back bone,
The back bone connected to the neck bone,
The neck bone connected to the head bone,
Oh, hear the word of the Lord!

Dem bones, dem bones, gonna walk aroun'
Dem bones, dem bones, gonna walk aroun'
Dem bones, dem bones, gonna walk aroun'
Oh, hear the word of the Lord.

The head bone connected to the neck bone,
The neck bone connected to the back bone,
The back bone connected to the thigh bone,
The thigh bone connected to the knee bone,
The knee bone connected to the leg bone,
The leg bone connected to the foot bone,
Oh, hear the word of the Lord!

Sunday, September 25, 2022

First Place!

Short Story

After my dad passed away, I hunched over my writing desk and wrote a fiction short story to process my grief. What was happening to my dad? What was he thinking in those last days? Where did he go? This story touched my heart. I cried while writing it...I cried while editing it...I cried again after taking first place at the Pacific Northwest Writers Association 2022 Conference.

I could feel my dad with me in spirit at the awards dinner last night, and if I could have, I would've hugged him. Thank you, Dad, for the love and the inspiration.