Helen Haught Fanick's Blog: My Writing Life, page 8
June 3, 2012
My Writing Life
I'm excited this morning! Moon Signs is free this weekend as part of the Kindle Select program, and when I checked just now, it's #6 on the Amazon list of top 100 free books.
June 2, 2012
My Writing Life
Another oops! I posted the wrong link for Moon Signs on Amazon - free this weekend, June 2-3. Here's the correct one:
http://www.amazon.com/Moon-Signs-Myst...
http://www.amazon.com/Moon-Signs-Myst...
My Writing Life
Cozy lovers - Moon Signs is free this weekend!
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May 30, 2012
My Writing Life
This inspiring summer article was written by my brother, Jim Haught, an excellent writer and editor of The Charleston Gazette:
Serene beauty: floating down the scenic Elk River
Charleston Gazette - 5/30/12
By James A. Haught
A lovely recreation jewel is available free to the Charleston region’s quarter-million people, but few of them notice it.
The tranquil Elk River is clean and clear, shady and scenic -- a perfect place for canoes, kayaks, rubber rafts, john-boats, innertubes, paddle boats or anything that floats, as they used to say at the Sternwheel Regatta.
The only thing missing is easy public access. If more user-friendly roadside pulloffs enabled launching of lightweight craft, the Elk could be a summer playground for fishing and swim parties. How about one at Coonskin Park, the Elk Valley’s best retreat?
Coonskin already has a canoe-sliding chute, but it’s neglected and covered by flood silt. Across the river, the state Division of Natural Resources maintains a better chute beside U.S. 119 at Mink Shoals. But the river needs more water-edge parking and public piers for families and kids. Could Coonskin install a community river-access facility?
Thousands of Charleston-area folks have small boats. They just need handy places to use them.
On Memorial Day, my son Jake took me river-running in his swivel-seated pontoon boat with an electric trolling motor. We left my car at the somewhat primitive Slack Street boat ramp just past the recycling center. Then we took his boat in his pickup to an even-more-primitive access lane off Rena Mae Drive above the Big Chimney bridge.
The Elk was beautiful, so clear we could see every pebble on the bottom. Arching sycamores made a shade canopy over half the river. Sunlit trees on the other side cast sparkling reflections. Clusters of vines hung from trees like long chandeliers. Geese and ducks were everywhere.
Various riffles, such as at Mink Shoals, provided safe thrills (minor, compared to whitewater hurtling in the mountains). Fishing with plastic “wacky worms,” Jake caught and released a dozen bass as we meandered downstream, steering around islands. Although houses and roads fill Elk Valley behind riverbank trees, we were unaware, lost in nature.
About a mile below Coonskin Park, riffles cease and the Elk is full of powerboats. Water recreation is different from that point downstream. (In that section, Jake’s battery died and we paddled to the Slack Street ramp.)
The Elk is a remarkable river. At 172 miles, it’s the longest solely within West Virginia. It begins where two creeks merge at Slatyfork, Pocahontas County. After a few miles, it disappears underground into limestone caverns for more than five miles in a section called “The Dries.” Then it resurfaces and flows through Randolph, Webster, Braxton, Clay and Kanawha counties. It passes Webster Springs, Sutton (where a large dam turns it into Sutton Lake), Gassaway, Clay, Clendenin and Elkview, before entering the Kanawha at Charleston. Major branches are Holly and Birch rivers, which join it in Braxton.
Far upstream, various outfitters serve boating and fishing along the Elk, but there’s little organized usage near Charleston, the state’s population hub. The exquisite Elk is too attractive to neglect. It’s a shame to waste much of its potential for the state capital. Public planners should create more easy access points and let Elk River blossom into another recreation treasure for the Charleston region.
@tag: Haught, the Gazette’s editor, can be reached by phone at 304-348-5199 or e-mail at [email protected].
Serene beauty: floating down the scenic Elk River
Charleston Gazette - 5/30/12
By James A. Haught
A lovely recreation jewel is available free to the Charleston region’s quarter-million people, but few of them notice it.
The tranquil Elk River is clean and clear, shady and scenic -- a perfect place for canoes, kayaks, rubber rafts, john-boats, innertubes, paddle boats or anything that floats, as they used to say at the Sternwheel Regatta.
The only thing missing is easy public access. If more user-friendly roadside pulloffs enabled launching of lightweight craft, the Elk could be a summer playground for fishing and swim parties. How about one at Coonskin Park, the Elk Valley’s best retreat?
Coonskin already has a canoe-sliding chute, but it’s neglected and covered by flood silt. Across the river, the state Division of Natural Resources maintains a better chute beside U.S. 119 at Mink Shoals. But the river needs more water-edge parking and public piers for families and kids. Could Coonskin install a community river-access facility?
Thousands of Charleston-area folks have small boats. They just need handy places to use them.
On Memorial Day, my son Jake took me river-running in his swivel-seated pontoon boat with an electric trolling motor. We left my car at the somewhat primitive Slack Street boat ramp just past the recycling center. Then we took his boat in his pickup to an even-more-primitive access lane off Rena Mae Drive above the Big Chimney bridge.
The Elk was beautiful, so clear we could see every pebble on the bottom. Arching sycamores made a shade canopy over half the river. Sunlit trees on the other side cast sparkling reflections. Clusters of vines hung from trees like long chandeliers. Geese and ducks were everywhere.
Various riffles, such as at Mink Shoals, provided safe thrills (minor, compared to whitewater hurtling in the mountains). Fishing with plastic “wacky worms,” Jake caught and released a dozen bass as we meandered downstream, steering around islands. Although houses and roads fill Elk Valley behind riverbank trees, we were unaware, lost in nature.
About a mile below Coonskin Park, riffles cease and the Elk is full of powerboats. Water recreation is different from that point downstream. (In that section, Jake’s battery died and we paddled to the Slack Street ramp.)
The Elk is a remarkable river. At 172 miles, it’s the longest solely within West Virginia. It begins where two creeks merge at Slatyfork, Pocahontas County. After a few miles, it disappears underground into limestone caverns for more than five miles in a section called “The Dries.” Then it resurfaces and flows through Randolph, Webster, Braxton, Clay and Kanawha counties. It passes Webster Springs, Sutton (where a large dam turns it into Sutton Lake), Gassaway, Clay, Clendenin and Elkview, before entering the Kanawha at Charleston. Major branches are Holly and Birch rivers, which join it in Braxton.
Far upstream, various outfitters serve boating and fishing along the Elk, but there’s little organized usage near Charleston, the state’s population hub. The exquisite Elk is too attractive to neglect. It’s a shame to waste much of its potential for the state capital. Public planners should create more easy access points and let Elk River blossom into another recreation treasure for the Charleston region.
@tag: Haught, the Gazette’s editor, can be reached by phone at 304-348-5199 or e-mail at [email protected].
May 26, 2012
My Writing Life
I was in the middle of printing my World War II spy novel, Assignment Prague, when my black ink cartridge gave out. I'm really happy with my printer - Canon Pixma MP 280, $29.00 at Walmart - but I wasn't so happy when I went to buy an ink cartridge for it. I paid $21.00 for one black cartridge! Almost as much as the printer. I'm going to follow my son's advice and start buying ink and filling my own cartridges.
I was printing Assignment Prague for two reasons. First, I like to have a hard copy of everything I write, just in case. Second, I have a good friend who loves spy novels as much as I do, and I'm having him critique it for me. He's not a writer, but people who read a lot are usually good at evaluating books.
Now that I got my ink and got my spy novel printed, I'm starting another project - assembling a collection of short stories set in Appalachia to offer on Amazon.
I was printing Assignment Prague for two reasons. First, I like to have a hard copy of everything I write, just in case. Second, I have a good friend who loves spy novels as much as I do, and I'm having him critique it for me. He's not a writer, but people who read a lot are usually good at evaluating books.
Now that I got my ink and got my spy novel printed, I'm starting another project - assembling a collection of short stories set in Appalachia to offer on Amazon.
May 20, 2012
The Writing Life
Ben Rehder's outstanding book, The Driving Lesson, is free today! I got the book and loved it. It's for young adults and adults.
I think I got my Kindle Fire set up today after much stress talking to the D-Link people and having a period of time when I couldn't get my computer to turn on! Scary! Anyway, both the Fire and my Mac are up and running at the moment. Keeping fingers crossed!
I think I got my Kindle Fire set up today after much stress talking to the D-Link people and having a period of time when I couldn't get my computer to turn on! Scary! Anyway, both the Fire and my Mac are up and running at the moment. Keeping fingers crossed!
May 19, 2012
The Writing Life
My brother Jim's book, Amazon Moon, is free right now and finding a lot of takers. It's a fascinating story that blends modern-day archeologists with ancient Greeks.
As for me, I got a new Kindle Fire and I'm working at understanding all the complexities of getting my wifi router going. I wish I had a grandson next door!
As for me, I got a new Kindle Fire and I'm working at understanding all the complexities of getting my wifi router going. I wish I had a grandson next door!
May 17, 2012
The Writing Life
Good news! My brother, Jim Haught, has made his fascinating historical novel, Amazon Moon, available free for Kindle beginning tomorrow, May 18, through May 22.
http://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Moon-ebo...
http://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Moon-ebo...
The Writing Life
I've always wanted to have a blog, and now that I have the perfect opportunity through Goodreads, I can't seem to find the time. I'm determined to do better!
I'm a member of a writing family. My son, Ben Rehder, is the author of six Blanco County Mysteries, originally published by Minotaur. They're available through Amazon, or course. My brother, Jim Haught, is editor of the Charleston (WV) Gazette and a prolific writer. More about his recent publication later. My mother wrote primarily children's stories and had many published. Various other relatives were poets, and we treasure their work.
Just wanted you to know a little about me and my family. More to come!
I'm a member of a writing family. My son, Ben Rehder, is the author of six Blanco County Mysteries, originally published by Minotaur. They're available through Amazon, or course. My brother, Jim Haught, is editor of the Charleston (WV) Gazette and a prolific writer. More about his recent publication later. My mother wrote primarily children's stories and had many published. Various other relatives were poets, and we treasure their work.
Just wanted you to know a little about me and my family. More to come!
April 28, 2012
My Writing Life
This is my blog about my life as a writer, which includes, in addition to writing -- editing, publicizing, critiquing the work of others, photography, cover design, and establishing my indie books wit
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