Uncategorized
-
Get Ready to Sparkle and Sleuth: A Cozy Mystery Writer’s Guide to 4th of July!
As we gear up for fireworks, barbecues, and perhaps a touch of mystery this 4th of July, it’s time to sharpen our sleuthing skills and sprinkle in a little holiday spirit! Here’s your essential guide to navigating Independence Day like a cozy mystery protagonist with tips for writing a July 4th cozy mystery. 1. Find Your Inspiration: Think sparklers, backyard cookouts, and suspiciously missing potato salad. Every corner of your neighbor’s block party could be hiding a clue! 2. Master the Red, White, and Blue: Your protagonist might uncover clues hidden in patriotic decorations or overhear intriguing conversations amidst the “oohs” and “aahs” of fireworks. 3. Secret Ingredients: What’s in…
-
Hello, Sherlock!
When you think of a detective, odds are, a familiar image comes to mind. Namely, a spindly tall man smoking a pipe and playing the violin. Say hello to Sherlock Holmes. Below you’ll find what I’ve used to introduce my kiddos and students to this investigator that is almost as shady as the villains he stalks and the man who created the legend. I use one of my favorite short stories to invite my students to enter Sherlock’s world. Then, if they want to dig deeper, I pull out the big dogs with The Hound of the Baskervilles. Get to know the Detective on his official site —> https://sherlockholmes.com/ Meet…
-
Say Hello to Edgar Allan Poe
This Building A Mystery Post is all about the author of the very first detective story. Say Hello to Edgar Allan Poe, the sith lord of the macabre and melancholy himself. I believe diving into Poe’s famous detective story is a fabulous place to start when learning how to write a cozy mystery. (Something this writer mom loves to do with her high school students. I’m thrilled to share it with you.) Let’s start with Mr. EAP and his wild biography. Like other famous mystery writers, Mr. Poe leaves us with a tremendous gap in his timeline. It’s a mystery no one has unraveled with certainty. Edgar Allan’s death pulls…
-
4 Weeks on BLE
Have you ever started a new diet/ meal plan and known you were going to give it everything you’ve got- only to have your imaginary naysayer gripe that you won’t make a week? #everydietI’veevertried… But not this time! I’m four weeks in and counting!! Let me share the nitty-gritty of my last 28 days, and maybe you’ll be inspired to give BLE a try. 😉 It’s HARD! The end. You can stop reading!— just kidding, there’s more! It’s worth it! Yes, at times, the little sugar addict in me kicks and whines for a liver of something sweet. Surprisingly it’s been begging for sweet tea and boba instead of cinnamon…
-
Not Just Another Food Tracker
In my first week on Bright Line Eating I scoured the internet for printables and charts. However, I could not find a food tracker that I liked. I wanted it simple and useable and fun (ish). So, I made my own Bright Line Eating food tracker- complete with gratitude and encouragement journal pages. On BLE, foodie freedom fighters are asked to plan their meals before the day begins. This takes all the guesswork out of the next day’s meal prep. Gone are last-minute whimsy-driven decisions. Once I write down my meal plan, unless there’s an emergency, I stick to it. Or I’m supposed. So far so good. We’re also asked…
-
Halfway
School Year 2020-2021 is half over WHOA!!!! For me, the year can’t end soon enough, and at the same time, I want to hold on tightly to every second. For me, my kiddos age two times a year: on their birthdays and again at the school year’s close. This summer, I’ll say goodbye to the loud, hectic, and heartwarming elementary years, as well as the chaotic and curious middle school years. I’ll leave this school year with a Senior and a Freshman living under my roof. This explains my absence from the blogging world more than the pandemic. I’m striving to savor every morsel of the time I have left- all…
-
Help to Be Still
Panic! Fear! Urgency is the state we’re all living in during this trying time. Telling people to stay calm does little more than display how crazed we all feel. If you’re like me you need help relearning how to be still… And Know He is God. When life gets crazier and crazier and this mama can no longer think I get help from the list below… maybe something I use may help you. Christian Meditation Podcast This is a podcast that does just what it says: it guides listeners through mediation sessions focusing on God’s word. For 15 to 25 minutes I can sit, breathe, and inhale the peace God…
-
Bumbling Updates
It’s been a season! Whew! A hard season. I’m certain I’m not the only homeschooling mama to ever walk through a tough season or two. In fact, I’m positive, many have stumbled their way to victory through much rougher seasons than my current one. But for me, it’s been H_A_R_D!!!! Very hard. Been there? Done that? Going through it right now? Well, God Bless You, my friend! Join me as I journey through this trampling time. It may be entertaining. It could be informative. I pray it will at least be encouraging. It starts at this horrible video below!! Even Facebook was against me. 😉 As always I”m cheering you…
-
Christmas Family Fun
Christmas traditions rage throughout December. Ugly sweaters are worn. Cookies are eaten. Elves hide. Pinterest has only fed the banquet of traditions. It’s all too much for a procrastinating parent, like me. There’s been many an early morning I’ve shot violently from my bed, after hearing my youngest using the hall bathroom. I’ve tripped over my feet, stepped on the dog, and staggered haphazardly to reposition a stuffed animal. All before the toilet flushes. I’ve wrapped and rewrapped presents, assuring that “SANTA” wrapped his presents in a different paper than mom and dad’s presents. Hurry to this breakfast. Coat up for that parade. Bake those specific cookies at this…
-
Refilling the Well: Movies
August 21, 2019sarahhualdethewriterEdit”Refilling the Well : Movies” Imagining and formatting imaginary circumstances is hard work. Harder than I ever thought it would be. It doesn’t take much to drain my mental resources, especially after homeschooling, housekeeping, and completing other family-related tasks. I can run dry pretty quickly. Refilling the well on a consistent basis is vital. Below are some movies I use to refill my creative well. Please your favorite ways to refill your well in the comments. I’m always on the lookout for new creative input. Video is probably the easiest and most dangerous way for me to refill the well. Easy because it takes so little brain power. Dangerous…
