Lydia Kang's Blog, page 18
November 15, 2012
Beta Crits, Weetabix, Chicken 'n grits
I've had the title for this blog post in my draft folder for over a year and a half. After all this time, I've forgotten why I titled the post like this.
(I know, I know. This is probably a sign that I ought to be sleeping more. Or that I need an MRI of my brain. Or some vitamin CS (common sense).)
But anyway, onto Beta Crits, or having your writing critically reviewed by someone else before it can be seen by special someones--agents, editors, the money-spending public. I think the funnest thing about having Beta readers is that it means, by definition, I am the Alpha reader. Makes me want to bark and howl, just a tiny bit.
Because I'm not really Alpha-ish about anything. On bad hair and zit days, I do feel Alpo-ish, though.
Next:
Weetabix.
Nekkid Weetabix above; cooked Scrapple below. (Notice how the parsley makes the dish so much more...socially acceptable.)
What can I say about Weetabix? I have never met a Weetabix in person, but if I did, I would have this enormous urge to chuck it at someone. It would be a great food of the Apocalypse. You could eat it, use it as bricks to rebuild whole cities, or throw it at mutant zombie LOLCats.
Notice how much it resembles Scrapple (a mid-Atlantic food item consisting of filler, shunned pork bits, and more filler. I have eaten this many times. It tastes like some sort of low-brow paté mixed with already-been-chewed tortilla chips.)
So yeah, I think fried Scrapple and Weetabix might be long lost BFFs. Just my take on it.
Chicken 'n grits. I have very little to say about this last one except that it need to get into my stomach, and fast.
(Was this post random? Maybe. I did play "Let's say non sequiturs while we eat breakfast today" with my kids, so I think I kind of got infected like that.)
(I know, I know. This is probably a sign that I ought to be sleeping more. Or that I need an MRI of my brain. Or some vitamin CS (common sense).)
But anyway, onto Beta Crits, or having your writing critically reviewed by someone else before it can be seen by special someones--agents, editors, the money-spending public. I think the funnest thing about having Beta readers is that it means, by definition, I am the Alpha reader. Makes me want to bark and howl, just a tiny bit.
Because I'm not really Alpha-ish about anything. On bad hair and zit days, I do feel Alpo-ish, though.
Next:
Weetabix.
Nekkid Weetabix above; cooked Scrapple below. (Notice how the parsley makes the dish so much more...socially acceptable.)
What can I say about Weetabix? I have never met a Weetabix in person, but if I did, I would have this enormous urge to chuck it at someone. It would be a great food of the Apocalypse. You could eat it, use it as bricks to rebuild whole cities, or throw it at mutant zombie LOLCats.
Notice how much it resembles Scrapple (a mid-Atlantic food item consisting of filler, shunned pork bits, and more filler. I have eaten this many times. It tastes like some sort of low-brow paté mixed with already-been-chewed tortilla chips.)
So yeah, I think fried Scrapple and Weetabix might be long lost BFFs. Just my take on it.
Chicken 'n grits. I have very little to say about this last one except that it need to get into my stomach, and fast.
(Was this post random? Maybe. I did play "Let's say non sequiturs while we eat breakfast today" with my kids, so I think I kind of got infected like that.)
November 13, 2012
Interview with Elizabeth Richards: BLACK CITY releases today!
Hey guys, I'm over at the Lucky 13s blog interviewing the lovely Elizabeth Richards on her release day for BLACK CITY! Check it out. :D
November 12, 2012
Medical Mondays: Common Symptoms of NaNoWriMo
I've never done NaNo. Every single year, I've been in the midst of revisions in the fall, and end up joining the smaller group of writers revising their WIPs, who have no fancy banner, only the BIG RED PEN. The NaNoRevMo-ers.
But anyway. NaNo is in the air, and with it, the usual symptoms. How do you know someone is doing NaNo?
vertiginous crazy eyes inspired by trademark ALZ eyes found here.
1. Check heart rate.
Last week of October: It's running uber-fast, with all the last minute plotting and the "I haven't written it yet but it's going to be AWESOME" ecstatic inner voices screaming all over the world. First week of November: Mega-fast. New words! New worlds! Getting those word counts in!Second week of November: Skippity skip. The caffeine consumption steadily increases. Third week of November: Sluggish, often due to the the post-apocalyptic-turkey-consumption crash. Fourth week of November: Unable to assess. Writers keep smacking away anyone who gets near them, or their laptops.2. Check bathroom breaks.
Frequent breaks = procrastination or too much coffee/tea/sodaInfrequent breaks = writer is either asleep on laptop or is in such writing nirvana that bodily functions are no longer necessary. 3. Insomnia
This is both voluntary (from writing) and involuntary (from thinking about writing) 4. NaNoer makes criteria for ICD-9 code 780.4 : DIZZINESS AND GIDDINESS
No kidding, this is a real disease code used in medical billing and disease classification. Generally, people make criteria either at the onset of November, because NaNo is beginning, or at the end of November, because NaNo is almost done and the possibility of normal, human functioning is nearly within their grasp.So. Do you have any of these symptoms? Doing NaNoWriMo? NaNoRevMo? Or just...being normal?
If you've got a fictional medical question, let me know! Post below or email me at
All I ask is that you become a follower and post a link on your blog when I post your answer. This is for fictional scenarios, only. Please check out the boring but necessary disclaimer on my sidebar --> Also, don't forget to stop by Laura Diamond's Mental Health Mondays and Sarah Fine's The Strangest Situation for great psychiatric and psychological viewpoints on all things literary. :)
But anyway. NaNo is in the air, and with it, the usual symptoms. How do you know someone is doing NaNo?
vertiginous crazy eyes inspired by trademark ALZ eyes found here.1. Check heart rate.
Last week of October: It's running uber-fast, with all the last minute plotting and the "I haven't written it yet but it's going to be AWESOME" ecstatic inner voices screaming all over the world. First week of November: Mega-fast. New words! New worlds! Getting those word counts in!Second week of November: Skippity skip. The caffeine consumption steadily increases. Third week of November: Sluggish, often due to the the post-apocalyptic-turkey-consumption crash. Fourth week of November: Unable to assess. Writers keep smacking away anyone who gets near them, or their laptops.2. Check bathroom breaks.
Frequent breaks = procrastination or too much coffee/tea/sodaInfrequent breaks = writer is either asleep on laptop or is in such writing nirvana that bodily functions are no longer necessary. 3. Insomnia
This is both voluntary (from writing) and involuntary (from thinking about writing) 4. NaNoer makes criteria for ICD-9 code 780.4 : DIZZINESS AND GIDDINESS
No kidding, this is a real disease code used in medical billing and disease classification. Generally, people make criteria either at the onset of November, because NaNo is beginning, or at the end of November, because NaNo is almost done and the possibility of normal, human functioning is nearly within their grasp.So. Do you have any of these symptoms? Doing NaNoWriMo? NaNoRevMo? Or just...being normal?
If you've got a fictional medical question, let me know! Post below or email me at
All I ask is that you become a follower and post a link on your blog when I post your answer. This is for fictional scenarios, only. Please check out the boring but necessary disclaimer on my sidebar --> Also, don't forget to stop by Laura Diamond's Mental Health Mondays and Sarah Fine's The Strangest Situation for great psychiatric and psychological viewpoints on all things literary. :)
November 8, 2012
Just can't say no. Or can I?
I'm going to complain and then get off my pity potty right after, I swear.
Man, has hit been a crazy few months. I've had long but lovely visits from family. I've gone on trips myself. I've had other visits from dearly missed friends (six houseguests at a time). I've been helping to teach a weekly writing workshop and mentoring three wonderful students. I've got deadlines on my writing that are looming ever nearer. The kids have been busy and my doctor work has been busy. There's the blogging, and also helping to keep other online stuff up and running. As for sleep? Ha! I laugh in your face! (until I pass out at 8 PM and wake up 12 hours later.) My home life in general has resembled...lemme see. You know how right when a tornado touches down in a field, it looks like a dirt bomb went off?
Yeah. That's been my life lately.
There have been no true disasters in my own life (Hello Sandy!) but as a very wise psychologist once told me (Hello Sarah Fine!) sometimes you don't need a Sandy to make your life go nuts. Sometimes it's the little things. Each one by itself is something you can handle, but they're like sandpaper, rubbing away at you until you find that you're worn so thin, it takes very little to break through.
So I've been thinking about the "no" thing. I used to be horrible at saying no. I'm still not great at it. I'm better now. I turned down an offer to teach a college literature course on young adult fiction, for example. I mean, that would be a dream come true for me. Teaching about YA? Awesome! But teaching it de novo, making up a course by myself and dealing with homework and prepping two hour classes?
So I had to say no. For now.
Right now, if you ask anything of me beyond a "hey, how are you?" I'm not going to be able to give much. Sometimes, life gets like that.
What about you? Can you say "no" when you need to?
November 5, 2012
Hurricane Relief, Writing Updates, Mood Music
Hey guys,
What a weird week it's been. There's been good news (congrats to Laura Diamond on her release!) and horrible news (I hate you Sandy, you made me cry) and somehow, my writing has trudged onward.
So a few things.
First, if you are looking for ways to help with the disaster relief for Sandy victims, here are some places you can donate.
Red Cross
Mayor's Fund to Advance NYC (Hurricane Relief)
Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund
Salvation Army Disaster Relief
Second, thank you all for your support on getting me through the end of the first draft of my WIP. I have finally finished it, and now in the pulling-teeth stages of my first revision.
Third, good luck to all my friends who are writing a new NaNoWriMo novel. The idea of all these people collectively creating worlds makes me very happy. Go Nanoers! As usual, my NaNo timing is totally of and I'm doing NaNoRevMo instead.
Finally, a little music. I'm sure you've all heard this because it's on the Hunger Games soundtrack, but right now there seems to be too many similarities between a dystopian war and Sandy, so here you go.
Safe and Sound by Taylor Swift and the Civil Wars
If you know of other ways to help with the relief effort, please say so in the comments. And if you're doing NaNoRevMo like me, then thank you for the company!
What a weird week it's been. There's been good news (congrats to Laura Diamond on her release!) and horrible news (I hate you Sandy, you made me cry) and somehow, my writing has trudged onward.
So a few things.
First, if you are looking for ways to help with the disaster relief for Sandy victims, here are some places you can donate.
Red Cross
Mayor's Fund to Advance NYC (Hurricane Relief)
Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund
Salvation Army Disaster Relief
Second, thank you all for your support on getting me through the end of the first draft of my WIP. I have finally finished it, and now in the pulling-teeth stages of my first revision.
Third, good luck to all my friends who are writing a new NaNoWriMo novel. The idea of all these people collectively creating worlds makes me very happy. Go Nanoers! As usual, my NaNo timing is totally of and I'm doing NaNoRevMo instead.
Finally, a little music. I'm sure you've all heard this because it's on the Hunger Games soundtrack, but right now there seems to be too many similarities between a dystopian war and Sandy, so here you go.
Safe and Sound by Taylor Swift and the Civil Wars
If you know of other ways to help with the relief effort, please say so in the comments. And if you're doing NaNoRevMo like me, then thank you for the company!
November 2, 2012
Laura Diamond's NEW PRIDE release day!
Hi guys,
After all the craziness of Superstorm Sandy (thank you for your kind comments on my post yesterday!) it's so nice to have something wonderful to celebrate.
Laura Diamond--writer, psychiatrist, crit partner, cat lover--is releasing her book today! Congrats Laura!
<!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-charset:128; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-format:other; mso-font-pitch:fixed; mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;} @font-face {font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-charset:128; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-format:other; mso-font-pitch:fixed; mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;} @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} a:link, span.MsoHyperlink {mso-style-priority:99; color:blue; mso-themecolor:hyperlink; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed {mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; color:purple; mso-themecolor:followedhyperlink; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;} </style> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L7h9U6UZU7E..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L7h9U6UZU7E..." width="411" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>New town, new love, new terror.</b><br /><br /> It’s here! My prequel novelette, NEW PRIDE, releases today. I’m SO stoked for it to run wild in the world.<br /><br /> NEW PRIDE was born from my upcoming novel, SHIFTING PRIDE (coming December 7, 2012!). In SHIFTING PRIDE, the main character, Nickie, searches for her missing father, Richard…and NEW PRIDE is all about Richard’s journey to independence and new love. <br /><br /> <b>NEW PRIDE Blurb:</b><br /><br /> <i>A shape-shifter without a pride, Richard Leone strikes a tenuous friendship with power hungry, Derek, from an unstable, rogue group. On a hunt in the forest, they encounter a gorgeous brunette, Molly, partying with friends around a campfire. Derek tells the rogue pride and they bristle at humans trespassing on their territory. Richard risks life and tail to protect his secret and the humans—especially Molly—while simultaneously trying to win her heart. When Molly is kidnapped, he faces taking on the rogue pride alone, but quickly finds he has to put his trust in Derek, not only to rescue his new love, but to ensure the rogue pride doesn’t wreak havoc on his new town.</i><br /><br /> <b>Author Laura Diamond:</b><br /><br /> Laura Diamond is a board certified psychiatrist and author of all things young adult paranormal, dystopian, horror, and middle grade. Her short story, City of Lights and Stone, is in the Day of Demons anthology by Anachron Press (April 2012) and her apocalyptic short story, Begging Death is in the Carnage: Life After the End anthology by Sirens Call Publication (coming late 2012). Her debut young adult paranormal romance, SHIFTING PRIDE, is coming December 2012 by Etopia Press. When she's not writing, she is working at the hospital, blogging at <a href="http://lbdiamond.wordpress.com/"... Laura Diamond--Lucid Dreamer</a> , and renovating her 225+ year old fixer-upper mansion. She is also full-time staff member for her four cats and a Pembroke Corgi named Katie. <br /><br /> <b>How to find Laura Diamond on the web:</b></div><span style="color: #0b5394;"> </span><br />Blog: <a href="http://lbdiamond.wordpress.com/"... /> Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/diamondlb">... />Facebook: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/laura.diamond... />Facebook Author Page: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/AuthorLauraDi... />Amazon.com Author Page: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Laura-Diamond/e... />Website: <a href="http://www.authorlauradiamond.com/&qu... /><br /> <b>YouTube interview: </b>In The DM Zone—Talking about NEW PRIDE: <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/sh..." data-thumbnail-src="http://2.gvt0.com/vi/TSoavea6gbo/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/TSoavea6gbo&..." /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/TSoavea6gbo&..." type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div><br /><br />Hooray! Laura has a great imagination. You will definitely want to check out this book for an exciting, fun read. :D<br /><br />Click <a href="http://www.amazon.com/New-Pride-Shift..." target="_blank">HERE</a> to purchase! <div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com...' alt='' /></div>
After all the craziness of Superstorm Sandy (thank you for your kind comments on my post yesterday!) it's so nice to have something wonderful to celebrate.
Laura Diamond--writer, psychiatrist, crit partner, cat lover--is releasing her book today! Congrats Laura!
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My prequel novelette, NEW PRIDE, releases today. I’m SO stoked for it to run wild in the world.<br /><br /> NEW PRIDE was born from my upcoming novel, SHIFTING PRIDE (coming December 7, 2012!). In SHIFTING PRIDE, the main character, Nickie, searches for her missing father, Richard…and NEW PRIDE is all about Richard’s journey to independence and new love. <br /><br /> <b>NEW PRIDE Blurb:</b><br /><br /> <i>A shape-shifter without a pride, Richard Leone strikes a tenuous friendship with power hungry, Derek, from an unstable, rogue group. On a hunt in the forest, they encounter a gorgeous brunette, Molly, partying with friends around a campfire. Derek tells the rogue pride and they bristle at humans trespassing on their territory. Richard risks life and tail to protect his secret and the humans—especially Molly—while simultaneously trying to win her heart. When Molly is kidnapped, he faces taking on the rogue pride alone, but quickly finds he has to put his trust in Derek, not only to rescue his new love, but to ensure the rogue pride doesn’t wreak havoc on his new town.</i><br /><br /> <b>Author Laura Diamond:</b><br /><br /> Laura Diamond is a board certified psychiatrist and author of all things young adult paranormal, dystopian, horror, and middle grade. Her short story, City of Lights and Stone, is in the Day of Demons anthology by Anachron Press (April 2012) and her apocalyptic short story, Begging Death is in the Carnage: Life After the End anthology by Sirens Call Publication (coming late 2012). Her debut young adult paranormal romance, SHIFTING PRIDE, is coming December 2012 by Etopia Press. When she's not writing, she is working at the hospital, blogging at <a href="http://lbdiamond.wordpress.com/"... Laura Diamond--Lucid Dreamer</a> , and renovating her 225+ year old fixer-upper mansion. She is also full-time staff member for her four cats and a Pembroke Corgi named Katie. <br /><br /> <b>How to find Laura Diamond on the web:</b></div><span style="color: #0b5394;"> </span><br />Blog: <a href="http://lbdiamond.wordpress.com/"... /> Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/diamondlb">... />Facebook: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/laura.diamond... />Facebook Author Page: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/AuthorLauraDi... />Amazon.com Author Page: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Laura-Diamond/e... />Website: <a href="http://www.authorlauradiamond.com/&qu... /><br /> <b>YouTube interview: </b>In The DM Zone—Talking about NEW PRIDE: <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/sh..." data-thumbnail-src="http://2.gvt0.com/vi/TSoavea6gbo/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/TSoavea6gbo&..." /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/TSoavea6gbo&..." type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div><br /><br />Hooray! Laura has a great imagination. You will definitely want to check out this book for an exciting, fun read. :D<br /><br />Click <a href="http://www.amazon.com/New-Pride-Shift..." target="_blank">HERE</a> to purchase! <div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com...' alt='' /></div>
November 1, 2012
Bellevue runs in my veins, so I cry.
This is an impromptu post, mostly because I need to vent. Not anger, but other things.
Sandy rolled in and knocked my second hometown off its feet. I spent over 16 years in New York, and still have family and many friends there. I've been anxiously watching the news, emailing, calling. It's a little like seeing someone punch your best friend in the face, but you're actually watching a video monitor the whole time.
I went to NYU School of Medicine and did my training at NYU Langone Center (back then we called it Tisch) and Bellevue hospital. I was an attending physician at Bellevue for five years before I relocated. With good and bad memories (but mostly good), I still collectively think of these hospitals as the place where I grew up. And not just as a doctor.
So to see them going through this devastation hurts me in a way that is so hard to describe.
This is where I fell in love, and found my future husband.
This is where my first child was born.
This is where I made friendships that are steely-strong, to this very day.
This is where we stood together in a silent scream, on 9/11.
This is where I saved some lives, and some lives saved me.
Maybe I'm being overly emotional. Maybe it's the distance, because I'm here and there's nothing I can do.
My friends and colleagues at Bellevue and NYU are dealing with the aftermath of Sandy, and countless underserved, poor, at-risk patients who rely on Bellevue for their healthcare just lost their hospital for who knows how long.
My heart aches. I will keep watching the news, waiting for my friend's emails, and hoping that they will slowly erase the effects of Sandy. I'm looking to see what I can do to help, besides this. This utter helplessness I feel.
October 29, 2012
If you like____, you'll like CONTROL
Hey guys! I'm doing a post over at the Class of 2k13 blog about what YA books might lead you to read CONTROL.
(and there's an unexpected surprise in the list!)
Also, there's a giveaway and I'm giving away my Class of 2k12 mentor's book, A BREATH OF EYRE! Steph Kuehn is giving away IF I LIE, by Corinne Jackson. Wanna win these two books? Then enter! a Rafflecopter giveaway
(and there's an unexpected surprise in the list!)
Also, there's a giveaway and I'm giving away my Class of 2k12 mentor's book, A BREATH OF EYRE! Steph Kuehn is giving away IF I LIE, by Corinne Jackson. Wanna win these two books? Then enter! a Rafflecopter giveaway
October 25, 2012
End-of-Draft Turkey Distractions
So I'm finally nearing the endity-end of my WIP. It's a first draft. Sort of.
I wrote 75% of it before a crit partner smacked my literary cheeks and said. "No. Start over."
I don't know why, but at the climactic end of my books I have SO much trouble getting AIC (ass-in-chair) and just writing the darn thing. Maybe because there's so much on the line.
Maybe because I allow myself to be so distractable. Like, "Look! Another turkey in my backyard! Let's Google wild turkeys again!"
Oh, and just so you know I'm not making up the turkey thing, here's one from the other day that was roaming my neighborhood.
teeny, tiny turkeySo anyway, here I am. Writing and trying not to look for more wild turkeys.
What about you guys? What's the hardest part of writing a first draft for you?
I wrote 75% of it before a crit partner smacked my literary cheeks and said. "No. Start over."
I don't know why, but at the climactic end of my books I have SO much trouble getting AIC (ass-in-chair) and just writing the darn thing. Maybe because there's so much on the line.
Maybe because I allow myself to be so distractable. Like, "Look! Another turkey in my backyard! Let's Google wild turkeys again!"
Oh, and just so you know I'm not making up the turkey thing, here's one from the other day that was roaming my neighborhood.
teeny, tiny turkeySo anyway, here I am. Writing and trying not to look for more wild turkeys.What about you guys? What's the hardest part of writing a first draft for you?
October 22, 2012
Medical Mondays: Poll results and Sassafras
Well the poll results are in. Looks like you guys are interested in weird diseases, fictional medical questions (yay!), and herbal remedies, among other things. I was surprised but pleased to see that many of you want to know how to be healthier writers. Excellent! Thanks for polling!
So today I'm going to talk a little about Sassafras.
From WikipediaI've had an affection for this weedy tree my whole life. It grew wild everywhere in Maryland where I grew up. The leaves are trimorphic, in that they can be unilobular, bilobed (resembling a mitten) and trilobed. The cut end of a leaf has the most amazing fragrance, like root beer mixed with citrus and perfume. I used to break off a leaf at every opportunity to smell its deliciousness.
I'd heard that sassafras root was used for tea and for medicinal uses, but I was shocked to find out how deadly this plant can be.
Traditional Uses:
Constituent in root beer and sarsparillaTreatment for gonorrhea and syphilis For pain relief and antisepsis and as an anticoagulant (prevents blood from clotting)To treat a variety of sicknesses, such as scruvy, menstrual problems, fevers, joint problems, for tooth problems, among many other things.To ward off evil spirits Why it's dangerous:
Sassfrass root tea and oil containing the compound safrole can cause permanent liver damage and different types of cancer. Some of the effects build over time and aren't apparent, to say, root tea drinkers.Other factoids (and why you shouldn't panic if you see it in your beer):
Safrole can be used to produce MDMA (Ecstasy)Sassafras extracts without safrole are still used in making root beer, teas, and to flavor microbrewsSassafrass leaves, bark, and fruit are eaten by a lot of wildlife, including deer, groundhogs, turkeys, bears and woodpeckers. Living in the midwest, I miss my sassafras trees. I never knew it was toxic until I did this post.
Do you guys know sassafras?
References: Here and here and here.
If you've got a fictional medical question, let me know! Post below or email me at
All I ask is that you become a follower and post a link on your blog when I post your answer. This is for fictional scenarios, only. Please check out the boring but necessary disclaimer on my sidebar --> Also, don't forget to stop by Laura Diamond's Mental Health Mondays and Sarah Fine's The Strangest Situation for great psychiatric and psychological viewpoints on all things literary. :)
So today I'm going to talk a little about Sassafras.
From WikipediaI've had an affection for this weedy tree my whole life. It grew wild everywhere in Maryland where I grew up. The leaves are trimorphic, in that they can be unilobular, bilobed (resembling a mitten) and trilobed. The cut end of a leaf has the most amazing fragrance, like root beer mixed with citrus and perfume. I used to break off a leaf at every opportunity to smell its deliciousness.I'd heard that sassafras root was used for tea and for medicinal uses, but I was shocked to find out how deadly this plant can be.
Traditional Uses:
Constituent in root beer and sarsparillaTreatment for gonorrhea and syphilis For pain relief and antisepsis and as an anticoagulant (prevents blood from clotting)To treat a variety of sicknesses, such as scruvy, menstrual problems, fevers, joint problems, for tooth problems, among many other things.To ward off evil spirits Why it's dangerous:
Sassfrass root tea and oil containing the compound safrole can cause permanent liver damage and different types of cancer. Some of the effects build over time and aren't apparent, to say, root tea drinkers.Other factoids (and why you shouldn't panic if you see it in your beer):
Safrole can be used to produce MDMA (Ecstasy)Sassafras extracts without safrole are still used in making root beer, teas, and to flavor microbrewsSassafrass leaves, bark, and fruit are eaten by a lot of wildlife, including deer, groundhogs, turkeys, bears and woodpeckers. Living in the midwest, I miss my sassafras trees. I never knew it was toxic until I did this post.
Do you guys know sassafras?
References: Here and here and here.
If you've got a fictional medical question, let me know! Post below or email me at
All I ask is that you become a follower and post a link on your blog when I post your answer. This is for fictional scenarios, only. Please check out the boring but necessary disclaimer on my sidebar --> Also, don't forget to stop by Laura Diamond's Mental Health Mondays and Sarah Fine's The Strangest Situation for great psychiatric and psychological viewpoints on all things literary. :)
