Wednesday, October 24, 2018

Doctor Who - Season 11 Episode 3 "Rosa"

(Spoilers, sweetie! Don't read on if you haven't seen this yet!)

This episode of Doctor Who had me riveted the entire time. The sense of doom and sadness seemed to be one step out of scene. The Doctor and her companions are brought to America on the eve of Rosa Park's famous bus protest in Montgomery, Alabama 1955. Her bravery is echoed in the performance.

Image result for doctor who season 11 episode 3 rosa
Rosa meets Krasko (Time traveling racist)
Courtesy of BBC

It was brutal to watch Ryan's reaction to his simple act of helping someone. The despair and wonder that come across when all realize they are about to witness such profound history doesn't fall short. Yaz has her own demons to fight as a Pakistani woman. Being called a Mexican and told to go back home, caught her off guard.

The idea that someone had come back to this timeline to disrupt all Rosa Parks had done for civil rights movement made me feel ill at ease. How many times have we thought about something bad that happened and wonder if we had just turned right instead of left or said "no" when we should have said "yes."


Image result for doctor who season 11 episode 3 rosa
Ryan meets Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Courtesy of BBC

This episode shows that making the future better doesn't always mean changing the past.

I'm looking forward to the next adventure the Doctor takes us on!
Write on everyone!
Penny

Getting ready for holiday season shows!

I will be attempting to try my hand at selling my coloring books and novels at an area bazaar in November. I'm hoping my coloring books do well, but don't hold out much hope for the demand of my novels.  We'll see. I have a 8 foot space to use, so I'll have to condense and not use many of my marketing items. Probably just need a big sign that reads $5 for the coloring books - should be a big attention grabber.

I've been trying to work out my winter show schedule, but sadly I don't see much offered. No local book festivals or shopping events. I might go back to the coffee shops since I have new material to present. Also, I have 2 pending publications - a children's book Princess Polliwog & the Swing Thief and A Girl's Guide to Purgatory.

I just finished a 2nd in my Wizards of the Vatican series and have the third started. Also, working on the 3rd installment of my Girl's Guide series. So busy, busy, busy!

Tuesday, October 23, 2018

What happens when your festival tent meets 40 mph wind?


So… I had a festival this past weekend in Clarksville, IN and the day looked like it was going to turn out awesome. I'd been checking the weather forecast all week and rain chances had diminished down to nothing. I thought I was home free. Saturday we wake up and head out to be at ClarkFest by 8am (after getting donuts, of course). It was sunny and warming up nicely.

My husband helped with setting up the new 10x10 tent we bought and I must say it was very easy! The book set up went smoothly, once I worked out where I wanted each book, table sign, floor sign, candy container, book mark, business card, Greek helmet (yes, you read that right), and model horse. I had my first sale not ten minutes after the festival opened.

Everything was going great... until the wind started picking up. When I mentioned it, the person in the tent next to mine informed me we had a wind advisory with 40 mile an hour gusts coming. Boy howdy, did the weather people call that!

The wind broke something glass and expensive sounding from another vendor, knocked over shelving units, moved tents. Soon people were holding on to their tents for dear life. But that didn't work. My tent had a back wall and it acted like a sail, sending my tent marching forward. One by one, tents were taken down.

The event was to run until 6pm. At 4pm, I decided to cut my losses. I was the second to last vendor still there, no festival goers were arriving, and I knew no more sales were in my future. I had been reduced to one 6 foot table, stripped completely bare. I had a copy of each book on the table and nothing else, other than the gallon water jugs used to hold down my coloring books.

This wind event definitely made things exciting! I was glad I had a great start to the day and look forward to ClarkFest next year. My next event will be indoors, but it's in November, so who knows what the weather will bring!

Okay, until next time!
Write on!
Penny

Wednesday, October 17, 2018

The “Proper Awesome” Doctor Who - 2nd episode review


SPOILERS, Sweetie! So if you haven’t seen this yet, please don’t read on and spoil the fun!

 “The Ghost Monument” opens with the Doctor and her new companions floating in space… without a ship (or spacesuits, for that matter). The Tardis is nowhere to be seen. Ryan and Graham get scooped up by one ship and the Doctor and Yaz are scooped up by another. Both ship captains are competing in a race that will earn them money and safety for their families.
 
This episode was action packed and the storyline tight and fast-paced. I appreciated the Doctor's sentiment of "No guns." She was adamant guns never solved anything, and when Ryan decided to disagree and play the hero, it didn't turn out as he expected.
 
I also appreciated that none of the main "supporting" characters were killed. I grew used to the various people around the Doctor not making it, so this was a pleasant surprise.
 
Image result for jodie whittaker doctor who episode 2
Courtesy of BBC
 
 
We were introduced to the new Tardis, and I'm really liking it. Similar to the theme song, it seems a bit industrial... and right up my alley.
 
I thoroughly enjoyed the 2nd installment of Doctor Who and look forward to where the writers are going to take us.
 
Okay, write on, friends!
Penny

Sunday, October 14, 2018

Jodie Whittaker makes one awesome Doctor!

(SPOILERS!! So if you don't want to know, don't read any further!!)

I cannot tell you (well, actually I am) how excited I am over our new Doctor. Jodie Whittaker is off to a wonderful start in "The Woman Who Fell to Earth." Just in time, the Doctor takes aim and saves people from an alien in Sheffield. We are introduced to several individuals that will stay by her side to battle a scary, murderous, tooth-pulling Tzim-Sha. At first, it seemed like there were a lot of extra people, and I knew at least one wouldn't make it (based on early sneak peeks). But as each "companion" went about their business, I started liking them more and more.

Image result for new doctor who 

The first episode barely touched on the fact the  new Doctor is female. No big deal. I love the fact she just rolled with it. All things considered, I loved the first episode and can't wait to watch the second one. Leaving them floating in space was quite an ending. We need the Tardis stat!!

Okay, until next time!
Penny