Mason is Sick! Is It Coronavirus…or the Flu???
That changed around 3:00 in the afternoon. His temp quickly spiked to 101.2...…
From The Home Office
Why Being a Freelance Writer (or Author) is the PERFECT Job During a Pandemic
I expect to receive a few snickers about me being an alarmist but, in my opinion,…
Mason and I Were Cast in ANOTHER Musical – and we didn’t even have to audition!
She said they really want Mason and he won't even need to come to rehearsals (because he already has rehearsals for Annie scheduled on those days). She said I could work with him at home because he'll be the first one killed off. You should have seen Mason's face when I said that! …
Nope. NO Way. NOT Gonna Do It and They CAN’T MAKE ME!
She turned to me, put her hand on my arm, smiled, and said, "Well, actually, yes. We're going to need..."…
The Walmart Receipt Nazi Stopped Me, and Found a Suspicious Item!
She twisted up her face, and said, "This item was not paid for." Great. Now I was being accused of stealing something I did NOT, in front of other shoppers!!!…
Our Son, Frank, Got His White Coat!
Coming soon: Free fillings, root canals, and happy gas for us! Whoop!!!…
Maternal Guilt and Mason’s New Off-Off-Off-Broadway Roles!
To be completely honest with all of you, I've never been keen on parents who get their kids into show business. Could the money be great for his future? Sure. But, shouldn't kids be allowed to be kids? To have a "normal" childhood? …
How to Know if Your Kid will Be an Entrepreneur!
Does your child have some or all of these 9 entrepreneurial characteristics? …
When People Become Emotionally Attached to Their Vehicle…and Their Books
I took all three of them to their very first days of Kindergarten in that car! Our daughter got car sick for the first time in that vehicle (I didn't tell the woman that part). And, at age 28, she still gets queasy when she sits in a back seat. Our son spilled chocolate milk on the floor in the back that I swear stank for two years (I left that part out during the sale, too)...…
Did YOU receive an ebook reading device for Christmas? Neither did most other people!
And, the Winter 24-Hour Short Story Contest is ONLY 8 DAYS AWAY!…
JAIL MAIL! JAIL MAIL!! If You’re a Convicted Sex Offender or Murderer, Do NOT Ask Me to Publish Your Book!
Several times each year, I receive what we call "jail mail." The envelopes are pretty easy to spot...…
Brian Shares Another Cheesy Holiday Sing-a-long! Come Sing and Laugh With Us to the Tune of Jingle Bell Rock!
Bet you guys and gals didn't know that WritersWeekly has amazingly talented songwriters in-house, didja? Ha ha ha... Introducing "Life on a Dock" (Sing to the tune of Jingle Bell Rock)! You do NOT want to miss this one!!!…
Local Restaurant Poisons Actors an Hour Before Their Final Performance
About an hour after lunch, one of our lead actors was puking. The play had just begun and there were no understudies. He had several scenes, including a solo and a fast and challenging dance number...…
The Fire Department Comes for a Surprise Visit!
Last night was our final dress rehearsal. They put the smoke machines in the entryway and that's when it happened... BEEP! BEEP!! BEEP!!!…
Crowds, Cops, and a Family Holiday Squabble!
Police were there and one woman was shouting...…
Food Poisoning Can REALLY Kill Your Productivity!
I have food poisoning for the second time in three weeks. I'm starting to think local restaurants are trying to kill me...…
Going Cold Turkey!!
On that Thanksgiving Day in Florida, eight years ago, it was probably in the 60's outside and we Mainers were LOVING it! Our southern family members, however, were NOT. As the day progressed, after they bundled up in sweaters, and wiped their running noses...…
There Are 5 Ways to Relieve Yourself on a Boat…and One of Them Can be VERY Expensive!
I opened the door, and whined, "Briiiiiiian! The toilet is broken AGAIN!" After a slew of profanity punctuated the atmosphere of the floating home office, Brian came up behind me to look. I said, "I think it was a cotton ball." He replied, "A cotton ball?! Why were you wiping with a COTTON BALL?!"…
Max’s Hilarious (or Disturbing???) Halloween Costume!
It's not so much the costume (which is adorable), nor the Mr. Bean mask (which is kinda creepy). It's the sheer size of it. That is one a GIGANTIC Teletubby! And, how does a velveteen costume wearer fare in Florida's 86-degree heat???…
Did That Psychic Chick Put a Spell on Us?!
This week, we had fun blaming every mishap in life on The Scam Psychic!…
What Does it Mean When Your Quiet Neighbor Gives You THIS as a Gift?!?!
I admit I've been avoiding Andrea since receiving this gift. I'm not sure whether I should make it into a necklace, or turn it into the cops...…
What Happens When You Drink and Drive…a Boat
We were pretty shocked this morning when woke up to find this!!!…
The Guy Who Got Bit by One Snake SIX TIMES!
We took Max (now 18) and Mason (13) to Reptile World Serpentarium in St. Cloud and, man oh man, did we get an education we weren't expecting!…
The EXACT Moment I Knew I Wanted to Be a Writer…
I am often asked by readers, and even friends, when and why I decided to become a writer. It came very early to me! You can read exactly what happened here...…
What in the World Makes a Boat Smell Like THAT?!
I'm desperately appealing to all you mariners out there (or anyone mechanically inclined) for your expertise in this manner. There is a boat on our dock that has a HORRIBLE odor. To be very specific, it smells like...…
My Clumsiness Causes an Oil Explosion
When I returned from the doctor, Capt. Brian was on the floor in the galley, meticulously washing and wiping all of our canned goods, which are stowed on a shelf under the stove. I cocked an eyebrow at him, wondering why he felt the need to clean the canned goods...…
Playing Dodgeball with Hurricane Dorian Has Been EXHAUSTING!!
We’ve been through this before and it never gets fun, let me tell ya. A little…
The Nice, Polite, BLEEDING Guy on the Street… And, we’re gettin’ a tropical storm this weekend! Whoo hoo!!
The man got closer and, when he emerged under a streetlight, we discovered he had blood all over him. He seemed okay health-wise. And, as he passed, he smiled, and said...…
We’re Fixing the Big Hole in the Boat!
The boys literally have to "walk the plank" each time they need to use the bathroom...…
Our Managing Editor Said “No More Storm Photos.” So, I changed his password…
Last night, one of the boats on our dock got struck by lightning. I was looking outside when it hit and, man oh man, those lightning bolts look REALLY big when they strike that close! The instant thunder aftershock made me jump about a foot off the bed. Then, I had to go change my underwear...…
First Guitar Lesson Injury!
Mason taught me how to slice a finger WIDE OPEN with his newly learned guitar playing technique!…
Anchor Crash!!!
For about half an hour, Tanny was beaten up pretty good. It felt like it had when we had the mast out. Then, Max yelled, "We're hitting something!"…
I Caught a Shark! A SHARK!!
He ran once. I could tell it was big! He was a fighter! Oh, MAN! I was SO EXCITED!!! Was this the trophy fish I'd been dreaming about my entire life? Would I be able to land him all by myself?! How many dinners would this monster make?!…
She smiled! SMILED!!!
Well, okay...not in THIS picture but I swear she did! And, then I told her she's now old enough to...…
THAR SHE (I mean he) BLOWS!! Excitement on the Dock as We All Prepare for a Tropical Storm…that is now heading elsewhere.
We haven't escaped all of it. We've had heavy rain and wind all week. Even if we didn't have modern weather forecasting and satellites, we'd have known something was brewing. Here's how...…
BUSTED! ARRGGHHH!! I (did not) Break the Law…But the Law Still Won!
Let me preface this post by saying we are extremely respectful of, and thankful for, police officers...…
ONLY TWO WEEKS AWAY! The Summer 24-Hour Short Story Contest – Don’t miss out!! It’s TONS of fun!!!
Why simmer and sweat outside when you can sit in the nice, cool air conditioning, and…
Mackenzie’s VERY Stressful Entry into the World
Ali was determined to not have a c-section. She'd had a very long recovery time after the previous one almost two years prior...and we would find out later why. The facts were VERY disturbing, to say the least.…
Baby Mackenzie is FINALLY HERE! And, it was a VERY rough ride for her mommy!
We had more entries for the “guess when Mackenzie is going to be born” contest than any contest we’ve ever held! See more pictures of the newest member of the WritersWeekly and BookLocker family, and see who won a book publishing package from BookLocker! …
Correctly Guess When Ali Will Have Her Baby – AND WIN A FREE BOOK PUBLISHING PACKAGE FROM BOOKLOCKER!
Our wee little grand daughter is 5 days past due and our daughter's doctor is threatening a c-section. Induction would be dangerous because she's having a VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean). To keep our impatient minds occupied, we decided to hold a FUN contest! …
Aaaaand, Still No Grand Baby! But, here’s what I’m doing to stay ready!!
And, we still found time to go FISHING!…
A Night in the Hospital but No Grand Baby Yet!
Earlier this week, we all headed for the hospital when her contractions were 3-4 minutes apart. She labored all night and then...…
My Foot Found the Hole in the Boat Floor!
Falling in the bilge can be very dangerous. There is metal, potentially some dirty, stinky, tetanus-laden water (after rain), and even rust. So, I am always hyper-vigilant. Except, apparently, when I am carrying groceries...…
I “Fired” an Adult Bully and Big Brother is Watching Me?!
A man who has written for us in the past sent an email last week boldly criticizing one of my children...…
Another Falling ON the Boat Accident! (Yes, really…)
I was pulling with all my might on a line to stop Tanny from going too far forward and I tripped on the boom, which was on the port side deck. Brian had warned us all to watch out for the boom. Heck, I'd been tip-toeing over it for three months. But, down I went and...…
