The Cuckleburr Times

Life Zigs and Writing Zags

When we look back on our lives and think about how we got to where we are, it is never a straight line. That's a good thing! It's the zigs and zags that make us who we are. Whether mine were all necessary is a different matter!

Book Excerpt: Keys to The Kingdom by Senator Bob Graham

July 15 Washington, D.C. At 10:15 Friday morning Tony arrived at the senator’s hideaway in the Capitol, one of seventy offices secreted throughout the Senate wing. Ranging from cubbyholes to ornate suites, they were assigned depending on that truest acknowledgment of status in the upper chamber, seniority. As seventeenth in years of Senate service, Billington [...]

Author Interview: Lin Pardey, Author of Bull Canyon: a Boatbuilder, a Writer and other Wildlife.

Thanks to Maryglenn for sharing this interview with Lin Pardey, author of Bull Canyon: A Boatbuilder, a Writer and other Wildlife. How long did it take you to write Bull Canyon I wrote the bare bones of the first five chapters almost 20 years ago. They languished in a file folder for twelve years. A chance [...]

Book Excerpt: Pitch Uncertain By Maisie Houghton

I was born in 1940, a bad time for the world, but I never did anything bad until the day I cut off my hair and left it on the floor for my mother to find, a bright, hot pool of yellow curls. I was four. It was wartime and we were living in a [...]

How The Ego Co-Opts Feelings

This Be My Guest Article is by Richard Moss, Author of Inside-Out Healing: Transforming Your Life Through the Power of Presence In an evolutionary sense, feeling is a much older mode of consciousness than thinking. The large brain and highly convoluted cortex that supports the thinking of modern human beings is a newer development than [...]

‘Choosing’ to be a writer

Some years ago when I decided to take the plunge and become self-employed I was offered the chance of a little financial help and support from a local small business start-up unit. I had reservations about taking up the offer because most institutions don’t see ‘Writer’ as a career, more as a sign of self-delusion [...]

The Dynamic Duo: Words And Your Imagination

Writing can be a very simple process. You put pen to paper and watch what comes out. For many, it truly is that easy. For others, it’s a little bit more of a struggle. You stare at a blank piece of paper for awhile and wonder how you’re going to get any words on it. [...]

The Power of Intention

This Be My Guest Author Article is by Pascal Marco, Author of IDENTITY:LOST. I’ve had fun quoting Oprah’s “There’s no such thing as a coincidence” mantra and I will tell you I have fully embraced this belief with Lady O. She has been the world’s #1 proponent (besides my own personal life coach and wife, [...]

Video Game Addiction: Five Warning Signs for Assessing Risk

Games are powerfully motivating of deep engagement that can last for hours on end, day after day. The first step to really understanding how to manage gaming in your life (or that of a loved one) -- and to identify when there may be a problem -- is understanding what is really at the root of games strong motivational pull. It's not some mystical force, or a secret desire to blow things up, as many non-gamers might fear.

Unconventional Writing Techniques – A Good or Bad Idea?

Writers are always trying to distinguish themselves to get noticed. And this is especially true for anyone who is vying to gain the attention of an agent or publisher. For this reason they often see unpublished drafts with all sorts of writing anomalies. The question is, does this help or hinder a writer’s chances? [...]

The Good China

This Be My Guest Article is by Eric Poole, Author of Where’s My Wand?: One Boy’s Magical Triumph Over Alienation and Shag Carpeting. A while back, a friend of mine told me that her mother’s aunt used to stand in front of the stove, cooking dinner, wearing a full-length mink coat and her best jewelry. [...]

Book Review: Ain’t No Sunshine by Leslie DuBois (Kindle Edition)

WHITES ONLY. Those words adorned every building in Livingston, Virginia during the summer of 1963 confusing and angering a five-year-old Stephen Phillips. Those words told Stephen that what he felt for his colored neighbor Ruthie was wrong. As he grows older, Ruthie becomes the only ray of sunshine in his abusive life and he is not willing to let her go without a fight, a fight that could lead to murder.

How to Improve your Chances when Applying for Freelancing Jobs

With the recent surge in popularity of freelancing websites like oDesk, vWorker, Elance and Freelancer.com, the potential to earn a full-time living from such sites has now become a reality but, with that, comes some stiff competition. Finding freelance work is not as simple as just joining up and throwing a few words here and [...]

Connecting with Teens in a Small Screen World

We are on vacation in Florida with another family. Three young teenagers are on board, my 13-year-old included. A number of times over the past week, I have peered over to see each of their beautiful faces lost in a 3 ½ inch screen: a Nintendo DS, iPhone, iPod Touch, or any other thing!

Book Excerpt – Rush: Why You Need and Love the Rat Race by Todd Buccholz

In my view, during the twentieth century capitalism became the new original sin. Just as original sin expels human beings from Eden, capitalism becomes the new sin that prevents us from returning to Eden. If we could just expunge the drive to compete, and the desire to acquire, we could finally claw our way back to that noble, leafy, and peaceful place we left behind in Genesis, where we never wanted anything, let alone tried to get it. I will call such believers Edenists. (Note that even atheists can adopt an Edenist mind-set).

10 Common Mistakes that Will Kill Your Online Marketing Efforts

Within the last few years, everyone has practically jumped on the bandwagon and either started a blog or a website. However, many of realize much too late that they are doing everything wrong when it comes to internet marketing. But hopefully, you will not make the same mistakes if you acknowledge these shortcomings: You Don’t [...]

Touching on What We All Share

This Be My Guest Author Article is by Susan Avitzour, author of And Twice the Marrow of Her Bones I recently published a memoir, And Twice the Marrow of Her Bones, about my daughter Timora’s struggle to lead a normal life while battling leukemia, and about my own journey as a mother while [...]

Wile for a while

Poem by C.E. Hart. My vacation flew by Feeling weak all week I came back with the flu I lay pillows behind my head on my bed and laze the days away It doesn’t matter whether the weather is rainy or not because I lay in a daze and dream of days filled with sunshine [...]

Book Excerpt – Spinning The Law: Trying Cases in the Court of Public Opinion by Kendall Coffey

A Media Primer for Spinners For all the fascination with trials in the court of public opinion, no one really knows how much media campaigns actually affect the verdict. Ultimately, what matters is winning the courtroom battle for life and liberty rather than the contest over the next news cycle. No matter how important [...]

7 “Rituals” for Spring Renewal

This Be My Guest Author Article is by Abigail Brenner M.D, Author of Transitions: How Women Embrace Change and Celebrate Life After a very long and harsh winter, spring has officially arrived. The spring or vernal equinox is the day of the year when light and dark are balanced. True or not, it’s said that [...]