I got a mention in this podcast this week, done by my oldest and most creative friend, who has now published piles of novels. I also get some good advice for the literary problem I posed to her.

Packing Heat: Erotica Writing Tips and Techniques: Packing Heat 080: Switcheroo

Source: packingheat.net

Do your sex scenes sizzle? Are your readers on the edge of their seats wondering what your characters are gonna do next? Is the biggest complaint you get that you need to write more stories?Let's get to work on that! Or at least get your butt in the chair with inspiration to keep writing!

November Writing Releases

Here are some stories for you....cheap and free!

Poetry

Letter, Poems by Celia White

This collection of poems is emotional, sensual, and deeply felt. $13

17

My mother brushes me aside while I'm cooking dinner.
She thinks I don't know how quickly things burn.

She doesn't know
about you.

Short Stories

The Story of a Girl, in which Josie deals with family, identity, and changes in her relationship with her best friend. $2



Natalie and God in the Locked Room, $2

" We played. We played poison. We’d play that there was poison in our bodies, and then we’d touch each other with it. Nat would touch my toe and say here's poison, and I would touch my toe to her knee and say, there's poison, she would put her knee to my arm and say now there's poison. I don't really know why I liked this game, but we played it a lot. We never squealed or tried to get away from the poison. I think it was just fun to pass something back and forth, to share something with somebody. "



Living Color, $2

A day in the life of a family.

Free Downloads

Vamp, a story by Celia White
Micro-fiction with a vampire perspecgtive. FREE

Plenty Salty Pumpkin Seeds

scoop, clean
boil in saltwater, 10 min
canola, sesame oil, tamari
400, then 300
10-20min

light, crisp, roasty, addictive.

***

I worked 6 days in a row at my various jobs and I too am crispy.

I got HEAP!

I have plans to go to NYC in January. There are few things as cheering as plans.

According to my Blogger Dashboard, I have made 420 posts.

Nostalgia

This is the soundtrack to the ride to the trailer and beach at Guenther's Grove, Port Colborne, Ontario. This is in my DNA. It IS my father's voice and psychology, for me. I have heard it over and over...

My version was taped from TV on early 70s metal cassette. I can't find it today, though it is a thing I'd never discard. I'm glad these exist. Heck, the sound quality is equivalent if not better...

Part 1
Part 2. (Just watch this one if you are only vaguely interested. at 2:25, there's "Typically English"...)

11:11 PM

Stories and Poems for Sale!

Celia White is a poet and fiction writer living in Buffalo, New York.

 

Hello, readers! I am offering a selection of poetry collections and short stories for download. There's always something free! Check back soon for a new set of selections, or email me at celia dot white at gmail dot com. Thank you for looking!

Poetry

Letter, Poems by Celia White



This collection of poems is emotional, sensual, and deeply felt. $13

17



My mother brushes me aside while I'm cooking dinner.

She thinks I don't know how quickly things burn.



She doesn't know

about you.

Short Stories

Right On Red, a story by Celia White



Set partly in San Francisco and partly in imagination, "Right On Red" is a story about an intriguing encounter between a cab driver and a young woman with an agenda of her own. $2



 




Green Apple Cut With Swiss Army Knife



The story of a young girl and her older lover, and the poetry of their experience. $2








What to Do



A child's perspective on the breakup of a family, both sad and magical. $2

Free Downloads

Housesitting, a story by Celia White

Micro-fiction with a poetic twist. FREE



Download PDF

Three Way Action

3WA has been my home on the internet for at least 8 years. It is a place I give and get advice, share recipes, tears, laughs, and one of the truest senses of community I've ever known.

3WA is nearly ten years old, but as membership waxes and wanes, so does subscribership. Are you looking for a literature, funny, caring community to call home? Come and explore, and sign up for benefits like chat, access to the Member's Lounge, and other perks.

Please sign up, so that my community can last another decade.

Origin Poem

First, the seed grew

inside the eggplant:

moist, dark, potent.

Knifed into light, dried

on the sill,

tucked away a year.

In Spring, into soil,

moist and dark and potent,

life truly began again.

From the inside out,

the seed grew

a whole new world.

(Response to Poetry prompts for April.)

Goons Ply

It's 2AM. The other night I was up until 3 watching American Masters on Jonestown--fascinating, but not good to sleep after. There's nothing on tonight; I've been watching Jill Scott videos and reading about Blurb.com.

Now I'm listening to the Metatalk podcast. Matt and cortex talk over and ignore jessamyn, to my ear. She sounds exasperated & I totally relate. It aint right.

It was a pretty beautiful day, though, an afternoon of warmth in the midst of a cold, wet thud of a weather pattern.

The Musician and I woke up early enough to catch all of Wait Wait, and then we went to Sweetness7Cafe at Grant and Lafayette, my first visit, though it has been open a few months. They have food now, and a full coffee menu, wood cabinets, tin ceiling, good volume (meaning, quiet in music and vibe) and the feel of a Seattle coffee room. I liked it very much.



I started seeds: Turkish eggplant, cilantro, green onion, broccoli. Wish I had some spinach seeds! I am really looking forward to gardening this summer. My sweet potatoes are going gangbusters, too.

TM went off to see his fanily for an early Easter celebration. I took a hot bath in the hour remaining, read some of the Dylan book, packed an orange and beef stew and the last bit of brownie and some tea and went to work for 6 hours. Tears on the laptop, the girl who saved her paper on the desktop before the thing shut down. It's really not the time to learn what "deep freeze" is and why you should read the message on the screen about saving to the college server right away. (Save early and often, dear ones!)

I am finding it a sad truth that part-time work at several jobs is often more exhausting and less well-paying than one full time job. Which I have long avoided. (I have my reasons, all of them poetic and personal.) I am opening it up the Universe, though. How shall I make a living, a real living; how shall I live?

Yes, yes they do.

I got to play the word "quim" today, too. Hee!

My Adventures with Book Woman

When I was in college, I bought a Book-Woman (by Kiki) t-shirt (probably at Beyond Words in Northampton--a terrible name for a book store, we all agreed). Everyone said of it: "That's you, all right. Look, the hair, and her diaries..." After some years, the shirt got ruined or old, and went on its way.

When I moved back to Buffalo in 2002, I found a woven blanket of the Book Woman image at Amvets. Book Woman, on the scene again! I loved it. I had it on my couch always until wear and tear and dog busted up enough of the threads that it was no longer suitable to be displayed.

A few days ago, I got a package from my pal in Queens. She had visited me and I think saw my destroyed blanket. She sent me one she had in her closet, in absolutely pristine condition.


***

In It Might as Well Be Spring news

I went to a gorgeous wedding, never wore my coat.

I ordered some red sandals.

Crocuses are up!

Passover, Bonita's night, the premiere of John Bacon's musical take on my poem "This is the Kali Yuga" at SUNY Buffalo, a cousin's wedding, and my 40th birthday. All of these are ahead.

I am burning three candles: yellow, red, green.

Sweet Potatoes Anna

Sweet Potatoes Anna

Thinly slice 3 or so large, peeled sweet potatoes. You want little rounds. Using a vegetable peeler is not a bad idea. Submerge these in cold water if they start to go black on you too quickly. Melt butter, about half a cup. Brush a little of this on the bottom of a pie pan--springform is best if you've got it. then create a nice spiraling layer of potato on the bottom. Atop this, brush more butter, a little nutmeg, and some freshly grated parmesan. I only use parmagiano reggiano, which is exqusite in this. Salt and pepper, if you like. Then do another layer of potato, and repeat until all ingredients are utilized.

Bake, covered in foil, for 45 minutes in a 425 degree oven, then uncover and bake about a half-hour, or till crusty and delicious looking.

Names

The Meme

1.YOUR REAL NAME
Celia Marie White

2.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME:(mother and fathers middle names)
Ann Patrick

3.NASCAR NAME:(first name of your mother's dad, father's dad)
Amos Charles

4.STAR WARS NAME:(the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first name)
Whice

5.DETECTIVE NAME:(favorite color, favorite animal)
Purple Camel

6.SOAP OPERA NAME:(middle name, town where you were born)
Marie Kenmore

7.SUPERHERO NAME: (2nd fav color, fav drink, add "THE" to the beginning)
The Black Cabernet

8.FLY NAME:(first 2 letters of 1st name, last 2 letters of your last name)
Cete

9.STREET NAME:(fav ice cream flavor, fav cookie)
Mint Tollhouse

10.ROCK STAR NAME:(current pets name, current street name)
Mariah Norwood

11. PORN NAME: (1st pet, street you grew up on)
Goldie Royal (I love this name)

12.YOUR GANGSTA NAME:(first 3 letters of real name plus izzle)
Celizzle

13.YOUR IRAQI.. NAME:(2nd letter of your first name, 3rd letter of your last name, first two letters of your middle name, last two letters of your first name then last three letters of your last name) [What is the logic of this one??]
Ceeimaiaite

14.YOUR GOTH NAME:(black, and the name of one of your pets)
Black Mariah

15. STRIPPER NAME: (name of your fav perfume/cologne, fav candy)
Karma Reese

Consumption Update

Eating

BLT at Ambrosia--excellent!
Cold-warding soup: fire cider, miso, lemon juice, honey, ginger
Mighty Taco chips & cheese

Reading

Son of the Circus- John Irving
The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Neffenegger
Word Comix - Charlie Smith

Watching

Oprah on frugality
Desperate Man Blues

Inauguration Day

I watched the Inauguration, of course. Truly a glorious day.



Domestic-minded me wondered what they got for lunch.


Seafood stew en croute

Brace of American birds – duck and pheasants on a bed of vegetables: brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrots and spinach – and a wild cherry chutney.

Corn muffins baked in a corn husk

Apple cinnamon sponge cake and sweet cream glace

And the kids had:

Hot dogs
Cheeseburgers
Macaroni and cheese
French fries
Grilled cheese sandwiches
Cheese pizza
Chocolate chip cookies
Apple and orange juices


(from here.)

***

I watched the inauguration, remembering the last time I paid attention to one (by marching in a protest against Bush, in San Francisco.)

Then I made In Honor of Obama Onion Soup. It's done with attention, good ingredients, and additions which make it thoroughly delicious and profoundly good for you. It will also warm you after a long walk in the January day.

This recipe is from The Whole Foods Market Cookbook (which is really good, by the way). It's called French Onion Soup for Everyone.

1/8 c olive oil
3 large onions, thinly sliced
1 large portabello mushroom cap, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried thyme, or 1 tbsp fresh
1/4 cup tomato paste (I like less, actually)
1 cup dry red wine
4 cups vegetable stock
1/4 cup tamari or soy sauce
1/8 c dark miso dissolved in 1 cup warm water or vegetable stock
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, saute the onions for at least 3 minutes before stirring. The onions should start to brown before you move them around with a spoon. Continue to cook the onions, stirring occasionally in order for the natural sugar to brown. Cook for 20 minutes (or longer), until the onions are well browned.

Add the mushroom, garlic, thyme, and tomato paste. Continue to cook for 5 minutes, until the tomato paste turns brown.

Add the wine, and scrape the pan bottom, removing all the brown bits that are sticking to it. This is called deglazing. Reduce the wine as you simmer for another 2 minutes. Add the stock, tamari, dissolved miso, and nutritional yeast. Continue to simmer uncovered for 10 minutes longer, season with pepper.

This goes perfectly with homemade croutons.

Listen Up For the Partyin' Feet

A little dance music for your Saturday night...

Intimate Faves

Tell me you want to play, and:

1. I'll respond with something random about you.
2. I'll tell you which song or movie you remind me of.
3. I'll pick a flavor of jello to eat with you.
4. I'll say something that only makes sense to you and me.
(if possible. If not, I'll say something that only makes sense to me.)
5. I'll tell you my first memory of you.
6. I'll tell you what animal you remind me of.
7. I'll ask you something I've always wondered about you.
8. I'll tell you my favorite thing about you.
9. I'll tell you my least favorite thing about you.
10. If you play, you MUST post this on yours.

Numbers from Last Year

Books read: 75
Savings account interest earned: about $200
Children babysat: 5, multiple times
Children taught: approximately 841, many 3 or more times
Percent of retirement account lost: 40
Number of baths taken: at least 330
Inches cut off hair: 4
Weddings attended: 3
Friends who died: 3
Published works: 8
Babies born in my world: 4 (Audrey, Augustus, Maria, Nicholson)
Places visited: 3--North Carolina, Toronto, Michigan