Places that Need Your Money--ProPublica

If you're disgusted by biased media or frustrated that no one seems to be covering actual news, support non-partisan journalism with a donation to ProPublica. Their motto is, "Journalism in the public interest" and they take their mandate seriously. On their website you won't just see news of the day, they dig deep. Right now there's a story about the water crisis in the west that hits home to me. the last few years I lived in L.A. were lived under severe drought conditions. And the pictures are scary. They've also teamed up with the Virginian-Pilot (a newspaper from Norkfolk, VA) to report on Agent Orange's continuing effects and the ongoing fght for veterans to get their benefits.

30 Days of Etsy--Skyline Vintage

There are a lot of reasons for buying vintage. For one thing, you can find a lot of clothes made in America--remember the old commercial, "Look for the Union label?"--and if you're trying to make a stand against some of the more unsavory practices that keep "fast-fashion" cheap, buying vintage is a great option. There are a bazillion fashion shops on Etsy. Skyline Vintage is one of the newer ones. It's only been in business since this year, but if your taste is boho or retro grunge, you should definitely check it out. Prices aren't quite as enticing as in some other shops, but as the holidays approach, almost all the sellers offer great deals. I wear a lot of black and white (who doesn't?), so I'm always looking for ways to jazz things up. I'm particularly fond of graphicly interesting cardigan sweaters like this one. The color makes it particularly interesting.

A Magical Book Series to Embrace

Victor Kloss, author if The Royal Institute of Magic series, died last week after a bout of cancer. If you're a fan of books in the Harry Potter, Percy and the Olympians vein, you should definitely check out the series. (The first book has 511 reviews, with an average of 4.6 stars.)

Day 5 of the Resistance

I've voted for candidates who've lost elections before--John Kerry, for example. I've voted for candidates who won the popular vote but lost the election. In the very first election I was eligible to cast a ballot, I voted for George McGovern. McGovern ran on an anti-war platform but was handicapped by his "outsider" status and also by the scandal surrounding his VP pick, Thomas Eagleton. Nixon carried all but one state (and the District of Columbia, my birhplace). It was a spectcaular landslide.

This year, "outsider" turned out to be the keyword for voters. The idea of someone coning from outside the political system to  champion those who have felt dismissed by the Washington insiders, was appealing. But the problem is that Trump may not be part of the Washington power structure but he very much IS a part of the power structure that has contributed to income inequality. He is a membe rof the class that can exploit loopholes in order to avoid taxes. (I guarantee you that as a self-employed writer, I pay more taxes than Donald Trump after I've paid my self-employment tax, that double-tax penalty people get for being entrepreneurial without actually having an enterprise.)

30 Days of Etsy--JNH5855

So the holidays are coming up, but so is colder weather, unless you live in California, where you are still sweating out the long, hot summer. I've been stocking up on warm clothes via Etsy and found this awesome shop run by Jamilla Harris, jnh5855. Sweaters? She's got them, in sizes ranging fromextra small to 2X, and men's clothing as well.

She also has a large array of cool accessories and more than 1600 reviews with a 5--star rating. Her prices are excellent. And check out this (so on trend) mustard yellow baby doll coat that's only $20.. I couldn't get my big toe into it, but I have about six items "in the cart" waiting for me.

The shop  also features lots and lots of really cute bathing suits, belts, and purses. She also has hats, both summery and wintry. All in all, she has nearly 3000 items for sale and there's something there you WILL want. I love this adorable cardinal-embellished jacket (just $13). There are also a lot of different shoes, mostly size 6.5. Check out the shop here.

Safety pins--not just for punk rockers!

You may have seen people wearing safety pins in the last few days. Here's what it signifies. It boils down to the golden rule. It means you're an ally. It means you will not stand by as someone else is victimized. It's a solemn pledge that people are taking in hopes of making this post-election world a safer place for those who don't feel safe. It's a symbol, but it's a start.

Coming at the end of the month--A bite-sized psychological thriller

I've been wanting to play around with the psychological thriller genre for a while and even though I'm working on A Woman Presumed, the idea for this one popped into my head and just wouldn't leave. It seems to me that Love Note is going to be short, probably not more than about 12,000 words, so it's yet another not-novel I've written during NaNoWriMo.
Sigh.
The cover was designed by bukovero of the Book Cover Designer, whose website is here. What I like about this cover--other than the great font--is the electric blue of the background. I found it really striking.