Reaping The Rewards of Quarantine

I don’t know how long it’s been for you folks, but here at Casa Baer we’ve going into our seventh week of self-isolation. According to our Governor and our Mayor, it looks like we’ve got at least two more to go before “we re-evaluate.” I’m hoping that by the second week of May we’ll be able to enter Phase I and start to see some movement toward “normal,” around here. What that means for my business remains to be seen, but I’m hopeful I’ll be able to welcome guests again in the near future. I’m hoping for June, but only time will tell. Right now I’m an innkeeper with nothing to keep.

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I Wait All Year For This Post

It’s official. 2019 is going, going gone! What a year it has been. I’m looking forward to 2020. Nothing significant happening, just another chance to have the best year of my life. For those of you who do not follow me on Facebook, or who do, but did not see my post from last week, I’m making some changes in 2020. Here’s what I posted:

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“Alright, I’ll go in there for Dorothy.”

“Alright, I’ll go in there for Dorothy. Wicked Witch or no Wicked Witch. Guards or no guards, I’ll tear ’em apart. There’s just one thing I want you guys to do…talk me out of it.”

We’re all familiar with the sweet cowardly lion from the movie, “The Wizard of Oz.” I mean who didn’t smile when he raised his big fluffy paws and said, “Put ’em up, put ’em up?” Or when he said, “I do believe in spooks! I do believe in spooks! I do, I do, I do, I do!” and yet he soldiered on with the rest of his oddball gang. How could you not love his devotion to Dorothy? And didn’t you just melt at the end of the movie when he said, “I never would have found my courage if it hadn’t been for you?”

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Good Things Happen in Springtime

Spring is finally here with warm gentle breezes and blooming flowers everywhere. While the Mighty Mississippi River is still REALLY high here in Vicksburg, things are starting to feel cheery and optimistic. The winter doldrums are waning. Birds are building nests, bees are pollinating and life in general looks bright.

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In With the New

So I’ve been spending a LOT of time lately learning how to market my book. For those of you who are not writers, let me just say that when you write “the end,” you’re only about a third of the way done with that story. Next comes rounds of editing and proofreading to get it exactly right and then comes the selling part. This is the hardest, yet most important part. After all, what good is a really good book with an amazing cover if nobody knows how to get their hands on it?

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Men Are Like Cats

I’ve had a hard couple of weeks. Some of you know, my super sweet, almost 15-year-old Labrador Retriever, Sherlock, had to be put to rest on the 11th of October. It was one of the hardest days of my life. I’ve never had to make THAT decision before. Here’s a picture of him in his glory days.

Sherlock and miniature Thor. Photo by P. Rickrode.

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Independence Day in Vicksburg Mississippi

So here we are on the cusp of another Independence Day holiday. For most folks this simply means a day off with pay. For some it means a full day of work at time and a half wages. For others it means a trip to the lake, the mountains, or the backyard swimming pool. It often includes BBQ, iced cold beer, ice cream and other yummy backyard cuisine.

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The First Impression

About a month ago I blogged about the importance of a good title, in relation to articles and books. A lot of that post was poking fun at embarrassing headlines from newspapers, but the point got made – how something is titled is important. Because I’m on the brink of publishing my first novel, I’m at the point where I need to start making some very important decisions about not only titles, but the items that will make or break someone’s decision to buy my book. The items that create a good first impression. The things that will make my book stand out from the rest on an already crowded shelf.

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Counting The Days

We’ve probably all heard the expression, “Don’t count days, make the days count.” Well, I believe that’s a good motto. It reminds us to be thankful every single day for all of the blessings that happen around us, most of which, sadly, we don’t even pay attention to.

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Writers and Their Implements

It’s no secret that writers love books. Most are book hoarders if you want to know the truth. Books are our crack. My love affair with books began at a very young age. I blame my mother. She used to read to me every single night even after I was more than able to read by myself. It was our nighttime ritual. 

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