Author Archives: Val

Toddler Tuesday: British-isms

Posted on October 16, 2018 by Val

Last week, the Toddler Tuesday post featured words the toddler makes up or combines to make sense of the world. Here is a video she helped me make to demonstrate the word “fluffly.” My daughter’s first television show—at least, the … Continue reading →

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Flash Fiction: Downtown Meetings by Cathy MacKenzie

Posted on October 11, 2018 by Val

Welcome to The Spot Writers. This month’s prompt: Newspapers and news sites show a plethora of depressing stuff from floods and wildfires and other environmental problems, to mass shootings, to refugee problems and other political and social crises. Write a … Continue reading →

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Toddler Tuesday: Like Shakespeare

Posted on October 9, 2018 by Val

I remember in school, English teachers loved to tout the fact that Shakespeare made up words when he couldn’t find one to suit his needs. Some used it to argue for Shakespeare’s genius. Others seemed to want to make students … Continue reading →

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Flash Fiction: The Cabin by Val Muller

Posted on October 4, 2018 by Val

Welcome to the Spot Writers. Today’s post comes to us from Val Muller. She’s the author of the Corgi Capers mystery series (www.CorgiCapers.com) among other works. The prompt: News these days contain a plethora of depressing stuff from floods and … Continue reading →

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Flash Fiction: Mrs Florence and Mr Becco by Chiara De Giorgi

Posted on September 27, 2018 by Val

Welcome to the Spot Writers. This month’s prompt is to use these five words in a story/poem – esophagus, carrot, pigeon, lily, moustache. This week’s story comes from Chiara De Giorgi. Chiara dreams, reads, edits texts, translates, and occasionally writes … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman

Posted on September 24, 2018 by Val

A few years ago, this was a “1book1community” pick. I had picked up a copy but forgot about it until recently. By the time I picked it up again, I forgot the premise and didn’t bother to read the description. … Continue reading →

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Fantastic Friday: In Memory of Bob

Posted on September 21, 2018 by Val

It seems not too long ago I wrote of the death of my uncle. Today, I learned of another death. Bob Bonitz, who wrote under the pen name R. C. Bonitz, was a founding member of The Spot Writers, a … Continue reading →

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Flash Fiction: Pigeon Phobia by Cathy MacKenzie

Posted on September 20, 2018 by Val

Welcome to The Spot Writers. The September prompt is to use these five words in a writing: carrot, lily, moustache, esophagus, pigeon. This week’s story comes from Cathy MacKenzie. Cathy’s novel, WOLVES DON’T KNOCK, is available from her locally or … Continue reading →

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Flash Fiction: The Unpopular Prompt by Phil Yeats

Posted on September 20, 2018 by Val

Welcome to The Spot Writers. The September prompt is to use these five words in a writing: carrot, lily, moustache, esophagus, pigeon. This week’s story comes from Phil Yeats. Phil (using his Alan Kemister pen name) recently published his first … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Invitation to a Beheading by Vladimir Nabokov

Posted on September 10, 2018 by Val

A former student of mine left me this book at winter break a year or two ago. Its absurdist nature is reminiscent of The Stranger and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, two works we read the previous year in our … Continue reading →

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