Kara Cerise's Zombie Writing

My talented blogging partner, Kara Cerise, alerted me to this phenomenon. According to her message on: http://writerswhokill.blogspot.com/2013/10/zombie-writing.html, Carolyn Book Chick City, a book review site of urban fantasy and romance, declared a new genre called, Zombie-Apocalyptic Romance.

Kara took this concept to a different level. After learning that “a zombie is an undead person incapable of fatigue who will persist at any cost; a rote automaton powered by a supernatural force,” Kara embraced “zombie writing.” She pledged to give up distractions and concentrate on finishing the stories languishing on her computer. I congratulate Kara and attempt to follow her footsteps!

State of the Heart

State of the Heart, an essay anthology written by South Carolina authors about the places they love, is published by USC Press and edited by Aida Rogers (who spent hours researching and compiling appropriate photographs to enhance the text). This volume offers a love letter to the Palmetto State, a remembrance of past traditions, and a testament to what makes the people of South Carolina so strong, resilient, formidable, and unique. Last Saturday, at the Ernest F. Hollings Library Program Room in USC’s Thomas Cooper Library, I thoroughly enjoyed hearing from contributors, including Pat Conroy and my friend Sam Morton. 

   

More from the State Fair

The South Carolina State Fair continues. My former law clerk, Kathleen McDaniel, entered an Italian Creme cake with pecan cream cheese frosting. Here are the before: 

 

and after shots, including her prize ribbon.

She made a note to herself to include more icing between the layers next year. I’m sure it tastes as fabulous as it looks.

 

With the website, the winners are listed online with the amounts awarded. Mrs. Pat Wilson, who used to play the calliope at the Fair, won again for her vanilla pound cake. One year, her grandson Nick placed ahead of her with her recipe!

Kate Heald's Painting at the State Fair

Kate Heald and I met in elementary school. I remember the most delightful afternoon when her parents took us out on their pontoon boat. Her father even let me drive. Over the years, we had drifted apart, then last April, at the Big Nosh, an annual celebration held at the Tree of Life Synagogue, we reconnected while waiting for our lunches. This week, as our State Fair is readying to open, I see on Facebook that Kate has a wildlife painting hanging among the juried exhibits. Congratulations to Kate. May you continue to thrive in this endeavor and all others!