Around lunchtime, in the year 79 of the Christian Era, on the coast of what is now modern-day Italy, a once-dormant volcano rumbled. Ash rained down on the first day as residents of the nearby city of Pompeii gathered their belongings and debated whether to leave or stay. A day later, Mount Vesuvius erupted in … Continue reading Packing to Perfection in Pompeii
Recent Posts
Breakfast Serial
The English language is resplendent with homophones—words which are spelled differently but pronounced alike. By some estimates, there are more than four hundred such conundrums. Examples are the words ail and ale, bate and bait, cheap and cheep, and so on. My favorite pair is cereal and serial. A misuse of this duo gives a … Continue reading Breakfast Serial
One Finger or the Wave?
I live in a rural community where it’s common practice to acknowledge a passing motorist. If the acquaintance is a casual one or even a complete stranger, lifting a single index finger will suffice. If the relationship is closer, a purposeful wave is best. When creating a character, I apply the passing motorist test. Meeting … Continue reading One Finger or the Wave?
My Presidental Platform
A few years back, I found myself on the Arizona primary ballot as a candidate for President of the United States. No kidding. In order to qualify for candidacy, I had to create a formal platform. I'm reproducing it here in hopes that current candidates will read the details and perhaps modify their own platforms … Continue reading My Presidental Platform
A guy named Joe
Every author should know a guy named Joe In 2021, my wife and I closed on our new home in the village of Cedaredge on the wild Western Slope of Colorado. It’s a beautiful place with mature landscaping and spectacular views. Deer pass by, birds fill the trees, and the tumbling waters of Surface Creek … Continue reading A guy named Joe
Book Ends
The title of this blog reflects two themes: 1) It's been twelve months since I last posted on my author webpage. Thus, my January and December posts can be thought of as forming literal and figurative 'bookends.' 2) When writing, I begin each new novel by composing the last chapter first. Thus, I have a … Continue reading Book Ends
CROSSWORDS
A passion for word games and puzzles can serve as a bridge to creative and expository writing. Letters and sounds are the building-blocks of words. Words form sentences and sentences convey meaning to inform readers, evoke emotions, and stimulate thinking. Working crosswords, playing scrabble, and completing word search exercises can pay dividends. Even the taking … Continue reading CROSSWORDS
What can I teach anybody about writing?
I am scheduled to teach a class next week at New Dimensions Lifelong Learning Institute in Grand Junction, Colorado. It's a continuing education program for people, like myself, who are in their golden years. The class is entitled "Writing Your First Book or Writing Family Stories." Looks like 15-20 people may be attending. The question … Continue reading What can I teach anybody about writing?
How real is your fiction?
I've now published two novels in my Mountain Mystery Series. Book One is "The Road to Lavender" and Book Two is "A Lavender Wedding." Both novels take place in the mythical town of Lavender, Colorado, on the wild Western Slope of Colorado. And both works chronicle the adventures of my handsome detective/lavender farmer, Trinidad Sands, … Continue reading How real is your fiction?
So, you want to be a blogger?
My professional writers' organization, Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers (RMFW) has invited me to write a monthly blog to share with members. I joined the group in 2017 and managed to attend two in-person conventions before COVID-19 reared its ugly... I was going to say "head," but I somehow doubt if a virus has what most … Continue reading So, you want to be a blogger?
d.p. BENJAMIN 