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Damsel Movie Review

Damsel Movie Review
Mar 29, 2024 by HL Bernabe

The movie Damsel, featuring Millie Bobby Brown as the lead character Elodie, released March 8th on Netflix. It's a hoot!

A Little Serenity

A Little Serenity
Mar 28, 2024 by HL Bernabe

I originally wrote this post back in July 2013. I was trucking through Colorado, and stopped at a rest area with some really unusual-looking rock formations. Honestly, they looked like so much fun to climb that I really struggled to force myself to get back in the truck. I had a delivery, after all, and couldn't lolly-gag.

My 12-year-old son, when he got to go with me for several weeks of one summer, had a very succinct way of describing trucking after his experience. "It's all go and no stop." I suppose it's more accurate to say it's all go until you have to stop some place completely out of the way with nothing interesting to do for three days. 

Anyway, the story is about my struggle between my inner child and my responsible grown-up self.

Inspiration and Ideas

Inspiration and Ideas
Mar 15, 2024 by HL Bernabe

For writing, success = ass in the chair. For inspiration, sometimes it's the same.

When Did I Become a Troglodyte?

When Did I Become a Troglodyte?
Feb 09, 2024 by HL Bernabe

There is no arguing that computers have made our lives so much better. Yet, I think in some ways, technology has also made our lives harder. If a person (me—that person is me) can't keep up with the changes, it is really easy to fall behind.

24 Hour Writing Contest and Short Stories Are My New Jam

24 Hour Writing Contest and Short Stories Are My New Jam
Jan 19, 2024 by HL Bernabe

I participated in a story writing contest over the weekend, and discovered I actually enjoyed writing a short story with a small word count. (Small as in less than 1000 words or less.) What a novel idea! (pun intended)

Capping Off the Year With a Little Inadvertent B&E

Capping Off the Year With a Little Inadvertent B&E
Jan 04, 2024 by HL Bernabe

Back in 2013, I was a long-haul truck driver. This is the story of how I broke into a big box chain store on New Year's Eve. (Edited for spelling/grammar/clarity.)

Misfits of Carnt Book Series

Misfits of Carnt Book Series
Dec 15, 2023 by HL Bernabe

Check out the Misfits of Carnt series by Aaron Frale. They're humorous fantasy, and a lot of fun! In this blog post, I review the first two books in the series.

From NaNo to NoNo!

From NaNo to NoNo!
Dec 08, 2023 by HL Bernabe

National Novel Writing Month is over, and I have never been so glad. The last two NaNo’s I managed to win, one of which was by the hair of my teeth. I completed last year’s novel, though it was very, very rough and still needs to be torn apart and re-written, LOL. But at least I got my ideas on the page and wrote something that was very difficult for me to write.

This year, however… This year started off really well. I had an outline and everything. I stumbled on the first night, falling asleep at my computer after only typing 55 words, but I more than made up for it in the following days and weeks. By the end of week two, however, I was in trouble.

Going Silent Until December

Going Silent Until December
Oct 21, 2023 by HL Bernabe

NaNoWriMo is right around the corner! I plan on participating, do you?

December Tales II

December Tales II
Oct 13, 2023 by HL Bernabe
December Tales II from Curious Blue Press is available to preorder from Amazon.

Progress and NaNoWriMo Plans

Progress and NaNoWriMo Plans
Oct 06, 2023 by HL Bernabe

Progress on Cooking Up Magick and plans for NaNoWriMo. Are you participating in National Novel Writing Month this year? 

I'm a Terrible Mother

I'm a Terrible Mother
Sep 28, 2023 by HL Bernabe
Here is another blog I wrote circa 2013. It's all about The Shining and my kiddo. For some reason, they didn't think the movie would be scary. Mom knew otherwise... It's a fun memory to look back on. 

(To prep this blog for current consumption, I proofread it a little and updated my kiddo's pronouns and their name.)
 


 

A Baby and a Wedding

A Baby and a Wedding
Sep 22, 2023 by HL Bernabe

No, I'm not writing about a shotgun wedding...

Gruncheys

Gruncheys
Sep 15, 2023 by HL Bernabe

Today is National Cheese Toast Day. My family called them grilled cheese sandwiches when I was growing up, and I always loved them. But my kiddo and I call them gruncheys.

Audiobook Review of Sweet Dreams by Beth Dolgner

Audiobook Review of Sweet Dreams by Beth Dolgner
Sep 08, 2023 by HL Bernabe

I love to listen to audiobooks while I work. It occurred to me that as an independent author, I should do more to support my fellow indie authors, especially for their audiobook productions, because they are so expensive to make! So I took to my writing groups to ask for suggestions on good audiobooks to listen to. Beth Dolgner suggested I try out her audiobook series.

I’m not usually into cozy mysteries, but sometimes they are fun to read. Her series has the added benefit of ghosts, and I love ghostie anything, really. I especially loved the book title and title of the series--Sweet Dreams: Eternal Rest Bed and Breakfast Cozy Mysteries, Book 1.

Picture a rainy day, curling up in an easy chair with a mug of hot chocolate and a lovely book. Perfection. Except that I live in the high desert. It’s summer, and hotter than Satan’s asshole. Smoke from the fires of hell fills the sky (technically from the forested mountains around us), so… what I’m envisioning in my mind is a much nicer scenario. Instead, I grabbed a large mug of iced mocha, pulled down my blinds, blasted the A/C and used my writer’s imagination to pretend it was fall weather already. Then I jumped on her book.

World Letter Writing Day

World Letter Writing Day
Sep 01, 2023 by HL Bernabe

World Letter Writing Day is September 1st.


In honor of World Letter Writing Day, I thought I would include a letter from Paisley Dell to her Aunt Higgie back home. It’s funny how when we write to our loved ones, we don’t want them to worry about us, so we send sanitized versions of our lives, putting the best possible light and spin on our activities. Paisley is no different here.

New Kitty Bed

New Kitty Bed
Aug 25, 2023 by HL Bernabe

Last month I showed you all the La Croix box the kitties liked to share on my desk. Well, I got a new little cozy catcave for them, and they both squeeze in there all the time now. They love it!

Character Driven Stories

Character Driven Stories
Aug 18, 2023 by HL Bernabe
Do you prefer plot-driven or character-driven stories? For me, it’s always about the characters. When I’m reading a character driven story, I’m more invested. I identify more with them; I want them to succeed (or not, depending). So it seems only natural that when I create my stories, they are character driven, too.

I Sold a Short Story!

I Sold a Short Story!
Aug 11, 2023 by HL Bernabe

Great News!

In July, I submitted my short story “Black Velvet Ghost” to December Tales II, an anthology of ghost stories set to be published by Curious Blue Press in November. The very next day after I sent the email, the editor contacted me and told me he wanted it! Woohoo! A few days later, we signed the contract.

Here There Be Spiders--Or, Sometimes I Wish I Had A Penis

Here There Be Spiders--Or, Sometimes I Wish I Had A Penis
Aug 03, 2023 by HL Bernabe

I just came across some of my old writings, and I thought it would be fun to share them. Some are funny as hell, and are experiences based on when I was a truck driver. Others are about life in general, our obligations, and some pretty deep thoughts. I figured I’d post them on the occasional Thursday as Throwback Thursdays.

For this Thursday, I thought I would share something I wrote this back in September of 2013, when I was a long haul truck driver. One of my favorite lines in this piece is, "Death by urine. How cool is that?"