P.J. MacLayne

Some events are burned into our memories. The moon landings. The Kennedy assignations. We use them to mark the passage of time. For me, one of those was 9/11.

The day started out normally at the state agency where I was employed. The beginning of the day paperwork and barrage of phone calls. The smell of a plethora of cups of coffee in the air and the chatter of coworkers as they settled into workday echoed in the hallways.

And then, the mood changed and the whispers started. Something about a plane crash in New York City. Into a building. Our boss pulled a TV out of his office and moved it into an empty room where any staff member could stop by and catch up on what was going on.

Then a second place crashed into a nearby skyscraper. All pretense of work ended as we tried to keep up with the rapid flow of incoming news.

When a plane crashed into the Pentagon, I couldn’t believe it. I’d always thought of the Pentagon as indestructible. But then, I’d never imagined anyone crashing a plane into it.

Unlike some of my coworkers, I hadn’t started crying yet. I was too stunned to process my emotions. And then the South Tower collapsed.

When word came of another plane being hijacked, we were all sent outside. Not that our small office was a likely target, but all the government facilities in the state were being evacuated as a precaution. Some of us sat in our vehicles and turned on the radio to listen to the news.

And that’s when I panicked. All they knew was the fourth plane had crashed into a rural area in Western Pennsylvania. And that was all they knew. My family lived on Western Pennsylvania in a rural area. I couldn’t even go back inside the building to call them. Luckily, one of the other employees had a cell phone and she allowed me to borrow it. (Daytime calls were limited back in those days!) I was able to get through to my mother and check in. All of my siblings were safe—including the one that worked in the DC area— although she was still waiting to hear from some nieces and nephews.

We did get to go back inside after awhile. I don’t remember much work getting done that day. Not that anyone cared.

The images of people covered in ashes walking away from the disaster site will forever stay with me. I feel blessed that no one I knew was killed in the attack.

Let’s find out what the other authors remember about the day.

P.S. To all my friends and acquaintances throughout Florida—may you stay safe and may your electricity come back soon!

September 11, 2017 – Where were you and what did you do when you heard about the 911 attacks? What did you do to move on?
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There’s a lot of things I’m forgiving of when it comes to reading books. The occasional typo. (Like one or two in an entire book. Not one per page! ) As an author, I know how hard it is to track those things down and I’m willing to overlook the occasional slip.

I’ll forgive a slight slip in logic especially in fantasy and science-fiction. After all, you have to be able to suspend reality to read those stories.

There are a few things I can’t forgive.

Many years ago, when I wasn’t working out of the house, I’d watch a soap opera—more to have noise in the house than to follow the story line—and then I realized that one night in soap opera time had eaten up over a week in real life. That was the last time I watched the show. Time slips in books do the same thing to me.

The beginning of the page it’s morning? And by the bottom of the page the characters are eating supper? And there’s been no break in the conversation in between? Imaginary points deducted. Depending upon the story, it may be what drives me to close the book and never finish reading it. Sorry, I can’t tell you what book that was so you can avoid it. I’ve driven it out of my memory.

Another thing I despise are books for teenagers that try way too hard to sound cool. (See what I did there?) Sure, teenagers use slang, but I’ve never talked to one that every word that came out of their mouth was a fad. I’ve talked to a lot of teenagers and guess what? Most of them use the same words as you and I.

One more. If you are going to write a series, you must have a different plot for each book. Don’t rehash the same story over and over. The heroine gets kidnapped in book one? She’d better not get abducted in book two. The dashing hero overcomes his past trauma and rescues the lady and falls in love with her all in one book? Maybe book two the heroine should rescue the hero!

And please, even if you are writing a series, don’t write a cliffhanger at the end of the story. Give us closure at the end of the book. You can leave enough open questions to make us want to read the next book without leaving us dangling. I’ll refuse to by the next book out of sheer orneryness.  (That’s not a word, I know! It should be.)

‘Nuff said. Let’s find out what everyone else has to pick on!

September 4, 2017 – As writers, we’re also readers. What is a common mistake you see in many books? Offer suggestions for making a change. You can even share a paragraph from a book and correct it.
Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.
Wordpress:

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An InLinkz Link-up

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There’s a lot of things I’m forgiving of when it comes to reading books. The occasional typo. (Like one or two in an entire book. Not one per page! ) As an author, I know how hard it is to track those things down and I’m willing to overlook the occasional slip.

I’ll forgive a slight slip in logic especially in fantasy and science-fiction. After all, you have to be able to suspend reality to read those stories.

There are a few things I can’t forgive.

Many years ago, when I wasn’t working out of the house, I’d watch a soap opera—more to have noise in the house than to follow the story line—and then I realized that one night in soap opera time had eaten up over a week in real life. That was the last time I watched the show. Time slips in books do the same thing to me.

The beginning of the page it’s morning? And by the bottom of the page the characters are eating supper? And there’s been no break in the conversation in between? Imaginary points deducted. Depending upon the story, it may be what drives me to close the book and never finish reading it. Sorry, I can’t tell you what book that was so you can avoid it. I’ve driven it out of my memory.

Another thing I despise are books for teenagers that try way too hard to sound cool. (See what I did there?) Sure, teenagers use slang, but I’ve never talked to one that every word that came out of their mouth was a fad. I’ve talked to a lot of teenagers and guess what? Most of them use the same words as you and I.

One more. If you are going to write a series, you must have a different plot for each book. Don’t rehash the same story over and over. The heroine gets kidnapped in book one? She’d better not get abducted in book two. The dashing hero overcomes his past trauma and rescues the lady and falls in love with her all in one book? Maybe book two the heroine should rescue the hero!

And please, even if you are writing a series, don’t write a cliffhanger at the end of the story. Give us closure at the end of the book. You can leave enough open questions to make us want to read the next book without leaving us dangling. I’ll refuse to by the next book out of sheer orneryness.  (That’s not a word, I know! It should be.)

‘Nuff said. Let’s find out what everyone else has to pick on!

September 4, 2017 – As writers, we’re also readers. What is a common mistake you see in many books? Offer suggestions for making a change. You can even share a paragraph from a book and correct it.
Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.
WordPress:



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An InLinkz Link-up

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Food—one of my favorite topics. There’s a running joke that I should have been born Italian because my favorite food is just that—anything Italian. Spaghetti, pizza, lasagna, fettuccine alfredo, you name it.

What I don’t claim is to be a good Italian cook. I don’t make my own sauce or pasta. It always tastes better when someone else cooks it.

But I’m also a fan of comfort food. Old-fashioned cooking that clings to your ribs and fills your tummy. Chicken and Dumplings. Beef Stew. And I’ve got some great recipes. Granted, some of them are better suited to a cold winter’s day rather than the log days of summer, but it’s almost September already, and snow isn’t too far off in these parts.

Here’s my take on Hamburger stew:

Hamburger Soup

Ingredients

1 ½ lbs lean ground beef (or substitute ½ lb hot Italian sausage for an extra kick)
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cups shredded cabbage (I buy the pre-shredded cabbage. It cuts down on the preparation time.)
1 sweet bell pepper, chopped
1 tbls minced garlic
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
4 cups beef stock ( I usually use more)
½ tsp seasoning salt
½ tsb basil
¼ tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet, brown the beef, onions celery, garlic and pepper until the meat is no longer pink. Add the cabbage and cook together for a couple of minutes. Drain. (I find it easier to add most of the vegetables after draining the fully cooked meat.) Add the seasoning.

Transfer the meat and vegetable mixture to a stock pot, add the beef stock and tomato sauce. Mix. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 30-45 minutes and serve. (I like it with shredded cheese on top.)

I’ve used both yellow and green peppers at the same time to give it some added color. I also like to add sliced carrots.

Serve with some freshly baked bread and you have a real treat. (Don’t make your own bread? Me either. I hit up my favorite grocery store bakery and warm up a loaf for a few minutes before serving.)

This is just as good as leftovers as it is the day you make it, but you may need to add some additional beef stock.

I wonder what our other authors are eating. Let’s go find out!

August 28, 2017 – Favorite Foods. What are your favorites, something you could eat weekly or more often. Feel free to share a recipe.
Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.
Wordpress:

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An InLinkz Link-up

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Food—one of my favorite topics. There’s a running joke that I should have been born Italian because my favorite food is just that—anything Italian. Spaghetti, pizza, lasagna, fettuccine alfredo, you name it.

What I don’t claim is to be a good Italian cook. I don’t make my own sauce or pasta. It always tastes better when someone else cooks it.

But I’m also a fan of comfort food. Old-fashioned cooking that clings to your ribs and fills your tummy. Chicken and Dumplings. Beef Stew. And I’ve got some great recipes. Granted, some of them are better suited to a cold winter’s day rather than the log days of summer, but it’s almost September already, and snow isn’t too far off in these parts.

Here’s my take on Hamburger stew:

Hamburger Soup

Ingredients

1 ½ lbs lean ground beef (or substitute ½ lb hot Italian sausage for an extra kick)
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cups shredded cabbage (I buy the pre-shredded cabbage. It cuts down on the preparation time.)
1 sweet bell pepper, chopped
1 tbls minced garlic
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
4 cups beef stock ( I usually use more)
½ tsp seasoning salt
½ tsb basil
¼ tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet, brown the beef, onions celery, garlic and pepper until the meat is no longer pink. Add the cabbage and cook together for a couple of minutes. Drain. (I find it easier to add most of the vegetables after draining the fully cooked meat.) Add the seasoning.

Transfer the meat and vegetable mixture to a stock pot, add the beef stock and tomato sauce. Mix. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 30-45 minutes and serve. (I like it with shredded cheese on top.)

I’ve used both yellow and green peppers at the same time to give it some added color. I also like to add sliced carrots.

Serve with some freshly baked bread and you have a real treat. (Don’t make your own bread? Me either. I hit up my favorite grocery store bakery and warm up a loaf for a few minutes before serving.)

This is just as good as leftovers as it is the day you make it, but you may need to add some additional beef stock.

I wonder what our other authors are eating. Let’s go find out!

August 28, 2017 – Favorite Foods. What are your favorites, something you could eat weekly or more often. Feel free to share a recipe.
Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.
WordPress:



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An InLinkz Link-up

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I laughed when I saw the subject for this week’s blog, because my workplace is one of those that “encourages” employees to take measures to be healthy. And even though I know it’s supposed to be caring and help reduce insurance costs, it feels intrusive. I participate, but only in ways that I self-report.

And no one ever counts everyday activities as workouts. Cleaning house? You bet that burns calories. Ditto for doing yard work. You burn as many calories shoveling snow as you do when running, but I bet your fitness app doesn’t tell you that.

So I’m probably not the best expert on “official” ways to stay healthy. But there are a few things I do.

Watch your eating. No, I’m not saying to give up all the things that taste good but are “unhealthy.” Just eat smaller portions. Leave half of your french fries on your plate. You don’t need to finish off the huge pile of spaghetti. Eating it won’t help the starving children in Africa.  But like your mother told you, eat more fruit and vegetables.

Walk. As simple as that. Going down a few floors? Don’t take the elevator. Going up a few floors? Same deal. If five flights of stairs is too many, work up to it. Start with one or two, then add another. And another. You’ll get there. Is there one of those moving walkways in your path? It’s okay to take it, but don’t stand there and let it do all the work. Walk (stay to your left!) and you’ll get to the end twice as fast. Better yet, walk around it.

Do you have a desk job? I suggest you fidget. I realize it may annoy your neighbors in the cube farm, so do it quietly. Tap your foot on carpet instead of tapping your pen. Play with your spinner while talking on the  phone. Studies have shown that you can burn up to 350 calories in a day if you fidget, and every little bit helps.

Last but not least. Watch out for the goodies that your co-workers love to bring and share. One piece of birthday cake a month isn’t bad, but five or six start to add up. And, if possible, avoid the desks where people keep a bowl of candy. The temptation is real.

It’s all very common sense, but sometimes hard to do. I know. I’m not the poster child for health and fitness movement. Some days I do good and other days we won’t talk about. But I don’t let my small failures discourage me from trying again.

I wonder what tips I can pick up from everyone else. Let’s go find out by following the links below!

August 21, 2017 – Health & Fitness for Busy People – What little things do you do to stay healthy? Food, exercise, special vitamins, clothing, shoes, etc. What do you do that could help someone else.
Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.
Wordpress:

Custom Blog:

An InLinkz Link-up

get the InLinkz code

I laughed when I saw the subject for this week’s blog, because my workplace is one of those that “encourages” employees to take measures to be healthy. And even though I know it’s supposed to be caring and help reduce insurance costs, it feels intrusive. I participate, but only in ways that I self-report.

And no one ever counts everyday activities as workouts. Cleaning house? You bet that burns calories. Ditto for doing yard work. You burn as many calories shoveling snow as you do when running, but I bet your fitness app doesn’t tell you that.

So I’m probably not the best expert on “official” ways to stay healthy. But there are a few things I do.

Watch your eating. No, I’m not saying to give up all the things that taste good but are “unhealthy.” Just eat smaller portions. Leave half of your french fries on your plate. You don’t need to finish off the huge pile of spaghetti. Eating it won’t help the starving children in Africa.  But like your mother told you, eat more fruit and vegetables.

Walk. As simple as that. Going down a few floors? Don’t take the elevator. Going up a few floors? Same deal. If five flights of stairs is too many, work up to it. Start with one or two, then add another. And another. You’ll get there. Is there one of those moving walkways in your path? It’s okay to take it, but don’t stand there and let it do all the work. Walk (stay to your left!) and you’ll get to the end twice as fast. Better yet, walk around it.

Do you have a desk job? I suggest you fidget. I realize it may annoy your neighbors in the cube farm, so do it quietly. Tap your foot on carpet instead of tapping your pen. Play with your spinner while talking on the  phone. Studies have shown that you can burn up to 350 calories in a day if you fidget, and every little bit helps.

Last but not least. Watch out for the goodies that your co-workers love to bring and share. One piece of birthday cake a month isn’t bad, but five or six start to add up. And, if possible, avoid the desks where people keep a bowl of candy. The temptation is real.

It’s all very common sense, but sometimes hard to do. I know. I’m not the poster child for health and fitness movement. Some days I do good and other days we won’t talk about. But I don’t let my small failures discourage me from trying again.

I wonder what tips I can pick up from everyone else. Let’s go find out by following the links below!

August 21, 2017 – Health & Fitness for Busy People – What little things do you do to stay healthy? Food, exercise, special vitamins, clothing, shoes, etc. What do you do that could help someone else.
Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.
WordPress:



Custom Blog:

An InLinkz Link-up

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“Guess who’s here.” Lando elbowed Aiden in the ribs. “The girls from yesterday. And they’re
both in normal clothing.”
“Huh.” The girl from the shop had exchanged her store smock for a nicely-fitting T-shirt. A
camera nestled between her breasts, accentuating them. Well, if fate was insistent about pushing them
together, maybe it was time he helped fate out. “Stay here with Grandma for a minute. I’ll be right
back.”
He jogged towards the pair, trying to look cool. Not as easy as he’d hoped and he suspected zigzagging to dodge the rotting seaweed and other obstacles in his path made him appear drunk. Still, he’d take his chances.

From Love on The Rocks, part of the Stories of Sun, Sand, and Sea collection.

Stories of Sun, Sand, and Sea is 99¢ and available only on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Stories-Sun-Sand-Sea-Anything-ebook/dp/B01FL1F1EM

“Guess who’s here.” Lando elbowed Aiden in the ribs. “The girls from yesterday. And they’re
both in normal clothing.”
“Huh.” The girl from the shop had exchanged her store smock for a nicely-fitting T-shirt. A
camera nestled between her breasts, accentuating them. Well, if fate was insistent about pushing them
together, maybe it was time he helped fate out. “Stay here with Grandma for a minute. I’ll be right
back.”
He jogged towards the pair, trying to look cool. Not as easy as he’d hoped and he suspected zigzagging to dodge the rotting seaweed and other obstacles in his path made him appear drunk. Still, he’d take his chances.

From Love on The Rocks, part of the Stories of Sun, Sand, and Sea collection.

Stories of Sun, Sand, and Sea is 99¢ and available only on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Stories-Sun-Sand-Sea-Anything-ebook/dp/B01FL1F1EM

As many of you know, my paying job is in IT, a very male-dominated field. How male dominated? Let me give you some stats.

According to a 2014 article in Tech Republic, women make up 26% of the computing workforce. That’s only a quarter, folks. I will give my employer credit where credit is due, because we’re closer to, but not quite at 50/50.

In the mid-1980’s, 37% of computer science majors were women, in 2012, only 18%. So despite all the talk of encouraging women in technology fields, it’s not working.

In May of 2014, only 30% of the Google workforce was female. Other big tech companies had similar stats.

A study done by the Harvard Business school showed only 7% of venture capitol funding goes to women-owned businesses.

Yet a 2012 study by Intel showed that women are the lead adapters of new technology.

According to the Department of Labor, 20% of software developers are female. But a study of Silicon Valley startups says that only 12% of engineers are women.

And yes, women are paid less. A study showed, on the average, women in computer related fields earn 84¢ for each dollar a man earns.

And one good one to finish the list out, In the fall of 2014, for the first time, more women than men enrolled in an intro computer science course. Not by much- 106 to 104- but it’s a start. The article didn’t track how many stayed in the field of study.

Here’s a bonus stat. The average age of computer programmers in 2015 was 42.4. I won’t tell you where I would fall in that survey, although I don’t do programming. If I do a quick analysis of my coworkers, I’d say the age average is closer to 37.

Now that I’ve managed to depress myself, let’s move along and find out what the other authors on the hop are talking about!

August 14, 2017 – Make a list of interesting stats in your niche – Want to blow your reader’s minds? Create a useful resource of stats in your niche.
Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.
Wordpress:

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