The Sisters Dance Down Memory Lane

                                                                       

                                                                    Frankie & The Fashions
                                                                    
                                                               

Last night, the sisters (Lucy and I) made it to the dinner and dance show put on by Frankie & the Fashions.  We danced all night.

                                                                         

                                                                      Lucy and me                    

Before I go any further with the story, I need to do a bit of time traveling back to when I was a teenager. No, smarty pants, I’m not talking about the Paleolithic era.

                                                                          

                                                                

Back then, in the late 50’s and early 60’s, if you lived in South Philadelphia, you hung on the street corner with your gang (friends). It wasn’t unusual to find groups ranging in size from as little as five to as large as twenty teenagers hanging on corners all throughout the city.

                                                                           

                                                                      The Bowery Boys
Some gangs were into fighting. They fought other gangs. Yeah just like West Side Story, but without the music. My uncle Mike belonged to a gang like that, but their fights were fists only; no weapons; they were the tough guys.

                                                                         

                                                                         Marlon Brando
Our gang was the other type; we sang. My Cousin Jerry and several of his friends would sing Doo Wop all night, while we girls danced. We hung on 16^th and Wolf in South Philly.
                                                                             

                                              
                                                     
Every Saturday night, we would all head over to Bishop Newman or Wagner’s Ballroom, or the Chez Vous and dance the night away. When I look back on this, I guess our gang was more like a West Side Story type of gang, but without the fighting.

                                                                 

                                                            Scene from West Side Story
We were a group of kids who needed a place to hang out. Most of the time, the neighbors tolerated our singing, laughing, and just being chatty, but sometimes the police were called and we had to move from the corner into my Aunt Helen’s basement. Sometimes, the police would only tell us to keep it quiet; we were good kids, and therefore, not a nuisance in their eyes.

Cousin Jerry had a terrific voice and still does. He continued to sing before and after his tours in Vietnam and through his earning two Purple Hearts. I’ll save that story for a later time, when I interview our family's war hero.

                                                                         

                                                         Cousin Jerry on the far left

Last night, my sister Lucy, Cousin Donny and I were at Galdo’s Catering Hall to hear my cousin Jerry and the other members of Frankie & The Fashions, rock the house.
                                                                         

                                                                                                                                                                                

Frankie & the Fashions is an Acapulco group who performs songs from the 5o’s and 60’s. When the group took a break, everyone danced to music provided by DJ Jimmy K.  What an awesome night.

                                                                     

                                                            

One more thing: when I was young; no one went to the gym to get into shape; we danced. I bet you can lose more weight dancing the Bristol Stump then you can with push-ups. Don’t think so? Try it!

News from the Dark Side 9/6/2013

                                                                        

Another week of strange news,  and one that includes a clueless politician. Enjoy!




My husband sent me this link. This is so good.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/Ai4tPe80S6Q?rel=0



 After watching this video, I'm wondering what's hidden under my ice trays.

http://spacecoastdaily.com/2013/09/nasa-data-reveals-mega-canyon/


Do you think you can pay attention there, John? We're paying you; do your damn job! Put the freaking game away!

http://www.thedailyshow.com/?xrs=eml_tds_090513



I think Pope Francis might be "right on" about our going to Syria.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/05/pope-francis-syria_n_3872435.html



And you get Swedish meatballs, too.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/julien-smith/ikea-zombie-movie_b_3867185.html?utm_hp_ref=weird-news&ir=Weird%20News

Hope you enjoyed the news. See you next week

An Interview with the Ladies of LITERATIPOP

                                                                   

                        


I have very talented grandchildren; nine of them, and each one amazing. Okay, I know what you'll say, "All grandmothers think that their grandkids are amazing." True, but this post is not only about my granddaughter Kitty Bergeron, but her equally talented and amazing friends and co-creators of LITERATIPOP.

Kitty not only led me to a great writing group South Jersey Writers Group, but she's published in the groups' first anthology, Tall Tales and Short Stories from South Jersey...yeah, I'm going to brag a bit about her and her friends.

This past weekend was the big launch party of  LITERATIPOP. So join me now as I interview these lovely and talented ladies, Kitty Bergeron, Lynn Bee, Kylee Justine, and  Lyzzy Redd

Q: What is LITERATIPOP?

                                                                 

Kitty Bergeron: LITERATIPOP does two things. The first thing we have is a boot camp for writers, which is a cycle of giving and receiving constructive criticism on writing done by members. The second thing we do is take something usually academic – substantial literature – and making it more relatable and accessible to more people but putting it in a more familiar context with the likes of music, movies, fashion, photography, and other art forms, and how they are all in the same category.  We also encourage writers to experiment with other art forms, not only for the joy of doing something creative, but how it improves their writing.

                                                                        

K. Lynn Bee: “LITERATIPOP is about making literature a part of the art cycle of inspiration. We often see other art forms interact and inspire each other, but literature is never a part of that. So we're here to change that.” I absolutely love the way that [Kitty and Kylee] worded it—I seriously can’t put it better myself. LITERATIPOP is all about merging the arts.

                                                                       

Kylee Justine: LITERATIPOP is an intense writing website that encourages authors to use other art forms to inspire their writing. Members can swap critiques on each other's stories, improve their writing, chat with other serious authors, and learn about the influences of other art. We also have a monthly Artist Ambassador, which is an artist who can post their work to the site for a select month. They can comment on members' stories to give an opinion from a different point of view.

                                                                    

Lyzzy Redd: LITERATIPOP is an art and literature-inspired website that draws on these inspirations in order to critique budding writers. Its focus is to stimulate creative senses and show how art and literature go hand-in-hand with each other.

Q: Who are the people behind LITERATIPOP? Tell us something about each one of you and how you all met.

Kitty Bergeron: LITERATIPOP was initially my idea, but I built it with the help of Kylee, Lyzzy, and K. Lynn. We all had met on another site together where Lyzzy and I were moderators. Kylee and K. Lynn Bee were just members, but they worked very hard, whether it was writing constructive criticism on other people’s writing, or for the magazine, Literati Quarterly, and the quality of was always high. I saw a lot of leadership potential in both off them, so I asked them if they were interested, and both said yes. I’m so lucky to have such a hard-working, talented team to help this happen.

As for myself, I write mostly realistic fiction, but with something darker or twisted. The horrors of reality are my biggest inspiration – I couldn’t make up some of that stuff of if I tried.

K. Lynn Bee: My name is Karalynn Blatchford but my pen name to K. Lynn Bee. I have big dreams that seem to always be unstable. But there are two constant things in my life; my love for Jesus and my passion for writing. By His will, I’m able to intertwine both. I met Kitty, Lyzzy and Kylee on another writing website where things didn’t quite work out. Not long after Kitty approached me with her fabulous idea. I’m ever so grateful to be a part of it!

Kylee Justine: Hi, my name is Kylee Justine. I write general fiction, fantasy and adventure stories. In my spare time I love to read, run, play basketball and pick apart people's brains. I can't live without my laptop and my favorite books include the Harry Potter series by JK Rowling, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, and Looking for Alaska by John Green.

I met the other admins on a website originally named Literati Sedition. After the website closed down, we wanted to start a new website, which would involve the intense critiquing factor but also bring other forms of art into the creative process.  

Lyzzy Redd: Hey, I'm Lyzzy Redd! I'm primarily a fantasy writer (who occasionally delves into other genres). I write to uncover my unconscious thoughts and desires and maybe reflect on those to help others perceive their own. On a lighter note, I'm a huge Harry Potter fan, and that's what got me interested in writing! As for all of us meeting, we all used to be members on another writing website. Sadly, that one fell through. We reconnected when Kitty brought forth the idea of LITERATIPOP and have been working together on it ever since then. 

Q: What type of stories do you feature on your site?

Kitty Bergeron: If you’re looking for a formal list of what we do/don’t allow to post, you can visit this page. But I’ll let the other admins elaborate more.

K. Lynn Bee: Fiction of all colors shapes and sizes. Science fiction, realistic fiction, fantasy, horror, romance, mystery, and so forth.

Kylee Justine: All genres are accepted! Also, both short stories and novels are welcomed.

Lyzzy Redd: Fiction! So give us your insane fantasies, your deep science fiction, your touching realism, and more! As long as it's not for too young of an audience or too "mature" of an audience, you're set. 

Q: What are your long term goals with this site?

Kitty Bergeron: LITERTATIPOP is something very special to me, and I hope it inspires a new period in literature. The next era in history is always a reaction to the previous. This is my reaction to how the writing world responds to outside influences.  I understand coming from just a nobody on the internet it’s quite a statement, but you can watch other creative fields have done this. The most well-known examples of today are probably Lady Gaga and her ARTPOP app, Jay-Z’s art film Picasso Baby and Kanye West on his latest album, Yeezus.  While it’s certainly debatable if they’re original, substantial, or if they’re simply being pretentious, it’s important to see other art forms interacting with each other. We hope to ignite something similar, but with more inclusion, clarity, and joy! 

K. Lynn Bee: For varieties of artists to express themselves in varieties of art.

Kylee Justine:  We hope to encourage other writers to draw influences in from other artists. We want to create a website where authors can improve their writing with help from other authors.

Lyzzy Redd: We all hope LITERATIPOP will be around for a long time. We want to help others and ourselves continually find new ways to connect art with literature and put that in our own prose.

Q: And finally, what does LITERATIPOP look for in applying members?

Kitty Bergeron: I was going to write an answer, but I saw Lyzzy’s response and it was all I would have said. Have it, honey.

Lyzzy Redd: Dedication, good work ethic, someone who's willing to learn and share their knowledge and won't put others down for not being as competent as they may be. That being said, we strive for a positive environment, something people can look forward to when they log on to review each other!

I want to thank all four of you lovely ladies for being a guest on my blog and I'm sure that all my followers will now be following you.
For all my friends out there, take a few minutes to check out LITERTATIPOP

Interview with the Amazing Patti O'Brien, Editor

                                                                                

Besides being a fellow member of the South Jersey Writers Group and a friend, Patti is also my editor. Patti has a few other feathers in her cap including: journalist for The Courier-Post, South Jersey's largest newspaper; columnist for The Newsweekly in Moorestown, N.J.; technical writer for the Navy; taught creative writing to hundreds of high school students as a Honors English teacher, and as an instructor at the Summer Institute for the Gifted (SIG).

In her role as journalist, Patti interviewed professional athletes Michelle Kwon and Tara Lipinski right after they won Gold, along with actors, such as, Vanessa Redgrave, Donald O'Connor and Dawn Wells. But the night she spent at the Philadelphia Art Gallery at the request of Joseph Barbera (The Flintstones) was very special. She not only got her interview, but also saw his original cels from the cartoons.
                                                                                

If that wasn't enough, Patti worked in Public Relations and Marketing, and for a short time was Kelly Ripa's boss.


So with great admiration, let me introduce you to Patti O'Brien. Patti tell us a little bit about yourself

Well, I am a mother, a teacher, a writer, an editor and a friend. Oh, and a pretty good chorus girl when I put my mind to it!! I used to do Community Theater and made many great friends onstage. Now, I sing karaoke and my new passion is Flash Mob dancing! I just participated in my first one at a wedding in Philly—and I’m hooked.

When did you discover your love of writing and who was your inspiration?

I don’t actually love writing, I’ve just always been able to do it easily. I won my first award—a big trophy with my name engraved on it—when I was in first grade; the contest was mandatory for all the first, second AND third graders, so it was pretty exciting to win over the bigger kids.  I got to attend the PTA meeting—at night!—and had to walk up through the whole room (the cafeteria) to get the trophy. When I turned around, my mother’s entire table, which included several nuns, was crying because I was so small they couldn’t even see me walking up. Of course, I started to cry, too, even though I had no idea why!

At the 2012 Philadelphia Writers’ Conference, I was a top winner with three awards, and that was just as exciting! It’s nice to be acknowledged for your work.

I didn’t grow up thinking about being a writer, but as soon as I read JD Salinger, I knew that I would never be as good as he was, but I could try. Today, Pat Conroy is my go-to writer: like Salinger, he knows how to write an exquisite sentence and just drop it into a paragraph like it’s nothing special. No italics, no bolds, no pull-out quotes for emphasis. I don’t know any other writers who do it as well.

If I could pick what I was good at, it would be singing. I’d rather be Barbra than Hemingway. True story.

 When did you begin editing and what do you offer your clients?

I have been editing as long as I’ve been writing. I believe I’ve gotten A’s on every essay test I’ve ever taken because I write clearly, succinctly and correctly. It’s just the way my mind works: I see mistakes and I know how to fix them. It’s a blessing and a curse, of course, because not everyone wants to know about his mistakes! I try hard to hold my tongue when I can, but it’s tough.

Now, I edit other people’s work and I have to tell you, it’s an honor when someone trusts me with her manuscript or web content. I can help anyone write anything, but my passion and joy is to help writers achieve their dreams…it’s an awesome job. I follow my clients and support them in making their pieces clean and polished; it’s a long, sometimes arduous task, but I love working with the writers. I also do freelance work; I know I can help any writer make his work better, I always do. It’s a point of pride for me: go ahead, make a mistake. I’ll find it, I promise. And along the way, I will suggest how to make your dialogue ring true, your prose flow, your characters interesting and real. As Stephen King wrote in On Writing: “When you write a book, you spend day after day scanning and identifying the trees. When you’re done, you have to step back and look at the forest.”  

I look at the forest and chop away the dead trees. I’m a lumberjack.

What are some of the common traps that new writers fall into and how does giving their manuscript to an editor help a writer succeed in getting their book published?

There are many, many rules for writing. Too many. And I think writers spend an awful lot of time trying to make their stories fit those rules. Look, rules are fine to be used as guidelines, but we’ve all read the classics that, if they were to be pitched today, wouldn’t make it past the agent’s desk. There are all kinds of ways to write a book; in fact, I suggest finding a new way! Do it brilliantly and you’ll get noticed. But as everyone knows, you can’t really edit your own work; you just don’t have the objectivity needed. Get an editor and she will show you what you may already know, but don’t have the heart to admit. She will show you where the problems are and make you go back and fix them, even when you don’t want to. Think of it this way: if your editor doesn’t think it’s good, neither will an agent or publisher. Your editor is your first professional reader and she has nothing but your interests at heart. Although critique groups can be helpful, getting a dozen opinions from other fledgling writers is not always the best way to go. Pay a professional, you’ll get what you need.

What is the difference between proof reading and the developmental editing that you offer?

Good question! A good editor cannot help but edit as they proof, but a proofreader is really just looking for mistakes: typos, incorrect punctuation, misspelled words. An editor looks at the whole story: plot, dialogue, flow, truth…as well as mistakes. I recently changed a large company’s motto on its brochure because I thought it could be better. A good editor sees everything and tells you about it so you can decide what to do. A proofreader fixes errors. When I have my way, I edit, then hand it back to the author who fixes it and hands it back to me for a final proof. Editors don’t always get to see what’s done after they work on it, but I like to have that last look.

What advice can you give a new writer?

Listen to your heart. Write what you know. Get an editor. Enjoy the ride.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thank you so much Patti for visiting my blog. Everyone can find Patti O'Brien on these sites:

http://www.editingiseverything.com  (for info and testimonials)

                                                                

http://www.pattiobrien.wordpress.com  (This is for A Broad Abroad)
 

                                                                      

that pic is my first night in Dublin with my first ever Guinness! The other pic is my "brand" photo, lol.

www.toopoopedtopop.wordpress.com  (about Salicylate Sensitivity)

 

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/patricia-o-brien/37/4b8/235/  

  (good place to go for my experience and recommendations)

 

http://pinterest.com/pattiob/

  
(I have 72 boards and lots of great pins!)

 

Searching for Gems At The Wissahickon Creek

                                                                        

I wrote a blog about a good friend of mine, Cathy Young, who runs the Mid-Atlantic Fossil and Nature Adventures. She has the most amazing trips and if you want to learn about nature, geology, fossils and minerals, then this is the site for you.

                                                                              

This past Saturday and the last day of August, my two ghost hunting buddies and I joined several other people in the parking lot of the Valley Green Inn at Wissahickon Creek in Philadelphia. This area is part of the larger Fairmount Park System. The Wissahickon Creek is known for its unique rock formation called Wissahickon schist. This is the predominant bedrock underlying the Philadelphia region. This is a Precambrian and Cambrian stone that has flecks of mica and small garnets. The creek is also known for its Triassic sandstone and shale along with layers of quartzite and metamorphic rocks. What’s really neat is that these rocks were all pushed up when the continent of Africa was colliding into North America. 

                                                               

Okay, we’re done with the science lesson and now back to the trip. Karenne Snow, who is a Geologist and author of New Jersey Wildlife Viewing Guide and the  co-author of, Gem Trails of Pa and NJ started off the adventure by showing us the different types of rocks we would be looking for. We headed out on the first leg of the hike, all excited and geared to gathered as many garnets and maybe some kyanites as we could carry.

                                                                              

The trail started off easy, but then got steeper… for me at least. This was how the hill appeared to me and my friends:
                                                                                      

                                                                                  
                                                                  
                                                                           Actual hill size

                                     This was going to be harder than tackling wayward spirits.

                        We stopped to look for garnets, which were all over the site.
                                                                                

                                                Rita, Karenne, and the group looking for garnets
                              

                                     Rita and I huffing and puffing after reaching the top of the hill
                                                                         

                                                     Rita and Jean planning our escape
 The other members of the group had to practically carry us down the hill, brave souls. Thank you Sue and Don and Karenne!

                                                                 

Did I mention that Rita had a bad knee and I can’t walk and chew gum at the same time?  Even Jean, who is sure-footed like a mountain goat, was wiped out by the time the group made their way  down to level ground. Maybe it was because I kept knocking Jean down as I tripped over every pebble in the trail.  I'm so out of shape!

                                                                          

When the group broke for lunch, and before heading to the other side of the bridge for the second leg of the expedition, Rita, Jean and I escaped!
                                                                              

We were scruffy looking, dirty, sweaty, and in need of sustenance. We decided to have lunch at the Inn; a liquid lunch.
                                                                           

                                                                          
You had to see the expression of the hostess and waiters' faces as we entered the restaurant.
                                                                      

                                                                          
                          I hope the others aren’t still looking for us, but thankfully, the drinks did help. 

                                                                              

There will be more trips coming up and we intend to go to the next one, but if there are hills to climb, we have two choices; get into shape, or....wait for them at the bar. Only kidding, I love hiking. Below you'll find information on our illustrious and knowledgeable guide.


Karenne Snow became interested in geology in High School in Oklahoma, where she took her first class.  She majored in geology in college at Rutgers.  She worked in Malacology at The Academy of Natural Sciences, then went to the Museum side and became a Teacher/Naturalist, and then Public Programs Coordinator.  While with the Academy, she led many trips – “Expeditions for Everyone.”  She mainly ran birding and canoe trips for them at that time.

Karenne also ran programs and trips for the Pinelands Commission of NJ, and the Nature Conservancy.  She’s the Past President of the Burlington County Natural Sciences Club.  She has run programs for the Burlington County Earth Fair and the Burlington County Park System.

 With Cathy Young, with both The Academy of Natural Sciences and for Med-Atlantic Fossil and Nature Adventures, she has led many mineral and fossil collecting trips, and birding and canoe trips.  She’s even leading a mineral and gem trip for Cathy in NC this summer.


Karenne is the Past President of the Philadelphia Mineralogical Society, Author of NJ Wildlife Viewing Guide, and Co-Author of Gem Trails of PA and NJ.

Hope to see you on the next trip!!!!