Today is National Trivia Day. Trivia is a noun that means “unimportant matters, facts, or details.” In other words, useless and pointless information. Trivia games have been popular for more than a century. In 1902, Logan Pearsall Smith used the title Trivia for his collections of epigrams and aphorisms. That publication became popular in the … Continue reading Trivia about Trivia
Creative Writing
Dawn of a New Decade
(C) 2019 JJ Shaun Today is New Year’s Eve. We are at the cusp of a new year and a new decade. A lot of us make resolutions that might last a week, sometimes more, rarely long enough to make an impact. So, what are my resolutions for the new year? Well, because I’m not … Continue reading Dawn of a New Decade
Polishing Your Prose
(C) 2019 JJ Shaun I went back to look at one of the stories that I’d written a while ago. For all that I know better, I had to cringe at the wordiness as I read. I can see that I still have a ton of work to do on my own writing. So, I … Continue reading Polishing Your Prose
Writing and the Winter Blues
Writing has been hard for the last few weeks. With the holidays looming and First Reader still recovering, I’ve had a hard time staying motivated. I’m not a big fan of winter, I’m a summer baby. I prefer long, warm days over long, cold nights. Don’t get me wrong, I prefer living in a region … Continue reading Writing and the Winter Blues
Trip of a Lifetime, Part I
The day started out warm and sunny, a typical August day. Three of us loaded our iron ponies, mounted up, and headed north toward Rapid City, South Dakota. (C) 2014 JJ ShaunLeaving for Sturgis, South Dakota.L to R: First Reader, Best Riding Friend, me. The ride was uneventful until the weather near Torrington, Wyoming, turned … Continue reading Trip of a Lifetime, Part I
Friday the 13th
(C) 2019 JJ Shaun Today is Friday, the thirteenth day of December. Many in Western cultures consider this day to be unlucky, and some people suffer from triskaidekaphobia, or fear of the number 13. Many theories exist as to why Friday the 13th is considered a day of misfortune. Some folks regard the number of … Continue reading Friday the 13th
Wednesday Word for December 11, 2019
WednesdayWordDay Today’s words come from the newspaper. Follow me on Facebook: @jjshaunauthor. Today’s Word (C) 2019 JJ Shaun Part of Speech adjective Definition Tending or serving to clear from alleged fault or guilt.Applied to evidence that might justify or excuse an accused defendant’s actions, and which will tend to show the defendant is not guilty … Continue reading Wednesday Word for December 11, 2019
Bringing Tales to Life
(C) 2019 JJ Shaun Life has a way of redirecting us when we least expect it. The loss of a job, a home, or a loved one can change life as we know it. The same applies to your characters. I reached a place in my novel where one of my characters is injured but … Continue reading Bringing Tales to Life
Random Quote for December 5, 2019
It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.Aristotle
Wednesday Word for November 27, 2019
Today’s word comes from a random word generator. Follow me on Facebook: @jjshaunauthor. Today’s Word Part of Speech adjective Definition Governed or characterized by caprice: Impulsive, unpredictable.Subject to, led by, or indicative of a sudden, odd notion or unpredictable change; erratic. History According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary: The noun caprice, which first appeared in English … Continue reading Wednesday Word for November 27, 2019
J.J. Shaun 