Day: August 28, 2016

Snarky Sunday

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Back in June my mom took a bad spill and broke her ankle in three places. She was wheelchair-bound for several weeks. No weight at all on that ankle. She is not a young woman. My dad is not a young man, and while he could do a lot of caretaking she needed, he couldn’t do all.

So my brother called their house of worship and made arrangements for meals to be delivered twice a week. My folks eat like birds, so these meals lasted several days (and we froze portions, too). My sibs and I, along with my children, nieces, and nephew, started a Parent Patrol, and took turns going to my folks house every day to make sure they had a hot meal and everything was okay (my dad really can’t manage hot meals, but he can do cereal and sandwiches). One or more persons was on hand every single day to feed them and clean up afterward, plus deal with other stuff, if only to keep Mom company while Dad puttered around outdoors.

Whenever I was there and the meals were delivered, my parents’ friends continually commented on how wonderful it was that we were all taking care of our parents. Which confused me. I mean, what were we supposed to do? Put rocks in their pockets and toss them in the creek?

Snarky Sunday: Carole Ann Moleti

Thanks for having me on Snarky Sunday. I am from the capitol of snark, so this is a nice opportunity to showcase a more refined side than what would normally be exhibited on New York City streets or subways. But we’re really a nice bunch of people who believe in getting to the point, getting on with it, and not wasting anyone’s time. Here’s my new home voicemail message:

You’ve reached a number I only have because it’s part of the cable package. If you don’t know how to pronounce my name, hang up and dial another sucker. If you are calling on behalf of the Republican Party, you are peeing on the wrong tree. If it’s Sunday, before or after 9 a.m. or pm, I will return your call at 2 a.m.

I don’t need chimney cleaning, home repair, a subscription, or a membership to anything. I didn’t enter any contests for cars or trips, and only respond to an invitation to discuss my Class One Felony charge if I get a subpoena, written in grammatically correct English–and a lawyer.

If you are a charity, the amount of my donation will be inversely related to the number of calls, letters, calendars, or emails I receive in any given year. If you are a real friend or family member, you know a better way to get in touch with me. If you are returning a call, I apologize and invite you to leave a message after the tone.

 

Carole Ann Moleti lives and works as nurse-midwife in New York City, so she is often awake to return calls a 2 a.m. Her memoir excerpts range from the sweet and sentimental in This Path and Shifts to the edgy and irreverent in the Not Your Mother’s Books: On Being a Parent and On Being a Woman.

NYMB woman newFinalwidowswalk_Moleti_200 Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000038_00066]

Carole’s writes fiction in the speculative genres. Breakwater Beach, the second book Her Cape Cod paranormal romance series, is forthcoming from Soulmate Publishing. Her gritty urban fantasies have been published in the Toil, Trouble and Temptation and Ten Tales anthologies.

Check out these free reads, both excerpts from her memoir Karma, Kickbacks, and Kids.

Concrete  http://www.noneuclideancafe.com/issues/vol3_issue2_WinterSpring2008/moleti.htm

Going on Pointe http://www.noneuclideancafe.com/issues/vol2_issue4_Summer2007/moleti.htm

Contact/connect:

http://caroleannmoleti.com

http://amazon.com/author/carolemoleti

 

Creating Characters

Creating believable characters takes a lot of work. There are so many resources to help a writer that choosing a method borders on a brain drain.

Still, I have to wonder: did Thomas Hardy know Tess of the D’Ubervilles’ astrological sign?

Did Charles Dickens plot Oliver Twist‘s archetype before he penned the novel?

I’m pretty sure Jane Austin didn’t read Elizabeth Bennet’s tarot cards before she wrote Pride and Prejudice.

And Charlotte Bronte certainly didn’t define Jane Eyre by her Enneagram type or her Myers-Briggs classification.

So why am I surrounded by books, decks of cards, and charts?

Dessert & Discussion

 

ocpl flyerThe public library system in the city in which I live recently reached out to me to kick off their adult summer reading program, Dessert & Discussion. I was thrilled to accept. The first program is on the topic of romance. Not only am I a romance author, but I am current president of Central New York Romance Writers, a chapter of Romance Writers of America.

So, if you’re in the Central New York area on Tuesday, June 30, I’ll be hosting a discussion on the romance genre at the Paine Branch Library on Nichols Ave in Eastwood. We’ll be starting at 6pm. Stop by to share your favorite romance titles and hear what other readers enjoy!

 

Month End Goal Check

Time to check my goals progress for 2015. I won’t bore you with my whole goals list, just the high and low points.

Progress:

  • I went on the first of two planned writing retreats.
  • I’m working on revisions for my February release.
  • I joined Weight Watchers
  • I started my promo campaign for my February release.
  • I launched my Twitter campaign, #TastingNotesTuesday.
  • I went on a date with my husband.

Need to work on:

  • Yoga once a week (my DVD player crapped out on me, but I did get in some cardio.)
  • 30 minutes “in the book” five days a week.

How are your 2015 goals/resolutions coming along?