​Salad Days: Raymond Carver on his father, Raymond Carver.
By: Reagan Greenwood
 
His teeth were crooked and yellow,
the kind a dentist never sees
because he never went to a dentist
because he, and by he, I mean we,
couldn’t afford a dentist.
 
His hands were grimy and calloused
from a day of work or perhaps
from a morning spent fishing
rather than staying home with my mother
before he went to his shift.
 
My baby bonnet was untied
and covered half my red face.
Still, he held me - the son who shared his name -
up proudly under his yellow grin.
That day was a salad day.
​
Edited by: Emily Chance

The Bookworm’s Holiday Gift Guide
By Elizabeth Dubos
 
Thanksgiving may be over, but the holiday season is not! We are still in the gift giving season. Whether you celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa or more, here is a gift guide for the book lover in your life. Before I start the list I wanted to divert your attention to Dreaming Big Publication books: http://www.dreamingbigpublications.com/our-books-282130.html because more books will always make a bookworm happy.
 
1. Literary socks. Bookworms often enjoy snuggling in a cozy spot, so enhance their reading experience with literary socks! Also, when they need a snack or bathroom break their feet won’t be cold. Here is a link to literary socks options on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=literary+themed+socks&ref=nb_sb_noss_2 Amazon has great literary socks because they come in different sizes, colors, and themes.
​
2. A literary themed bag. Bookworms will always be carrying books around whether they’re traveling or coming home from the bookstore or library. A literary themed tote bag will make it easier for them to transport the books. Here is a link to tote bag options that you can purchase online or in stores from Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/b/gift-home-office/bags-totes/totes/_/N-8qgZ1h3b

3. A literary keychain. It can be disenchanting when a bookworm has to leave their book and return to reality. A literary keychain will help remind them that they will return to their adventurous book soon! Here is a link to literary keychains on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/search?q=book%20keychain&ref=auto-1&as_prefix=book%20key
Etsy is a great shopping destination for bookworms because you can purchase unique literary gifts.

4. Literary stickers. If you’re sticking to a strict budget this holiday season, then I would recommend literary stickers because they’re affordable. Here is a link to literary stickers: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/book+themed+stickers Redbubble is a great website to obtain literary stickers because artists use various colors, themes, sizes, and quotes.

5. A personal library kit. This kit will enhance your bookworm’s reading experience because they can track their reading and where their books go if anyone borrows them. Here is a link to the personal library kit that I found on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Knock-Personal-Library-Kit-15000/dp/1601060726/ref=sr_1_4?crid=EKSXMCHXGNGD&keywords=personal+library+kit&qid=1575303047&sprefix=personal+librar%2Caps%2C153&sr=8-4

6. A literary themed mug. Bookworms love drinking tea, coffee, or hot chocolate when they’re reading. I recommend purchasing packets of their favorite drinks too to make it a gift set. Here is a link to mug options that you can purchase online or in stores from Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/mug?_requestid=1583994

7. Bookends. Bookends make excellent presents for bookworms because they can keep books organized. Here is a link to bookend options on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/market/bookends Etsy offers personalized bookends that can be tailored to your bookworms favorite author, book, or genre.

8. The Book Lover’s Journal. Not all bookworms use Goodreads to track their reading progress, wish lists, or favorites. The Book Lover’s Journal is a portable literary organizer for bookworms. It features books you’d like to read, a reading wish list, book you’re currently reading and more!

Here is a link to the Book Lover’s Journal on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Book-Lovers-Journal-Reading-Organizer/dp/1441304827

9. Literary pajamas. This is the gift for bookworms who enjoy reading right before bed. The literary pajamas will allow them to keep snuggled up and cozy while reading late into the night. Here is a link to Café Press where you can purchase literary themed pajamas: https://www.cafepress.com/+literary+pajamas

10. Book Light. It can be hard to read in the dark, so a book light could come in handy. Here is a link to book light options on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/s?k=book+light&ref=nb_sb_noss_1
 
If the book lover in your life already has most of these options, then ask them what their favorite bookstore is and go purchase a gift card for them. It’s the thought that counts during the holiday season. Plus, they will appreciate the effort that you wanted to get something they liked.
 
Edited by Emily Chance

Don’t Turn Down an Invite
By Reagan Greenwood

I’ve attended the same college for the entirety of my Bachelor’s degree and recently started the Master’s program at the same university. It’s not a large university. The class sizes are well under 100 students, especially in the English department. Over the last five years, I have spent numerous hours with the same classmates, getting to know them and slowly developing friendships. However, I did not feel like I was really included in the group until the past weekend.

I’m not an outgoing person. I’m quiet and reserved. I always have been, but the thing is, I don’t particularly enjoy being alone all the time. I like being around others and simply watching TV or sharing past experiences or memories. I looked at the other people in the department. They all seemed to get along so well. Some were roommates or best friends and spent time outside of the classroom together. I was jealous to say the least. I wanted to have that type of relationship, especially since I had spent so much time with them.

This past weekend, one of my fellow Graduate Teaching Assistants invited me to watch It: Chapter 2 with him. I hesitated. I wanted to go and I was so happy to be invited, but I hated scary movies, especially if they involved clowns. I used the excuse of not seeing the first one to get out of it, but then I ended up getting invited the night before to watch the first one in order to prep for Friday night. I couldn’t say no, and I am so glad that I didn’t.

Even though I was stressed out through both movies and threw popcorn at every jump scare, I thoroughly enjoyed myself. In fact, it was some of the best nights I had ever had. I got to talk with my colleagues and get to know them better outside of the classroom, and they got to see another side of me. I stayed up until two in the morning after the movie watching comedy shows in order to calm myself down and help clear my mind, but the whole time, I couldn’t help but think about when we were all going to get together again.

I think it’s important to get to know the people you will be spending a lot of time with, whether it’s classmates or co-workers. So, take the initiative. Organize an outing and invite everyone, even the people that you think will say no. And if you are the one receiving the invite, don’t turn it down, even if it involves going out of your comfort zone because you never know how big of impact it will have on you or those around you.
​
Edited by Emily Chance

Yeah I know Halloween has passed already, but this was a fun video to make and I hope you enjoy it! Maybe you'll get inspired for next year.

AUTHOR: Macario Hernadez
Ebook Price: $2.99 or free with Kindle Unlimited
Paperbook Price: $5.75
Amazon Link:
https://www.amazon.com/Beware-Clowns-Mac-Hernandez-ebook/dp/B081M7PHDW/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=beware+the+clowns&qid=1576042921&s=digital-text&sr=1-1

About the Book:  When nine-year-old Rainy Day moves with her family to the mysterious Danvers, MA, she can’t help but think that her life has become boring. However, all of that changes when Rainy learns about the true and creepy history of Danvers: it was once a part of the Salem Witch Trials!

As Rainy and her two new friends, Kinsey and Haley, dive deeper into Danvers’s history. They receive a mysterious note that reads Beware the Clowns.

Will Rainy and new friends be able to get to the bottom of this newest mystery? Or will Danvers become too scary?

MY REVIEW: I found this to be a wonderfully delightful book! From a publishing perspective, I think the author did everything right. I can't find any errors, which is saying a lot! It's well written and nicely formatted. Very professional looking. I can tell a lot of hard work went into this, and it definitely shows. The story is such a fun read. In my Kindle it says the estimated read time is approximately 30 minutes, so it's a short read. Perfect for a children's book.  The story was fast paced and kept me interested in it.  Excellently done. I hope to see more from this author soon. He has a real gift! Oh, and he did all of the artwork himself as well. Truly talented! I can honestly say I highly recommend this book.

​Things to do When the Power’s Out
By Elizabeth Dubos
 
Just about all of us has experienced a time where the power has gone out. Most of the time Mother Nature is the culprit due to dangerous weather. Before the storm, people are racing around gathering bread, water, or gasoline. Often, they don’t think about what to do after the storm has passed and the power is out. The electricians are working long, hard hours to restore power, but it can take time due to the amount of damage the storm has done. After a few hours, you start to get bored or antsy because you’re without TV, computers, phones, tablets, and video games. Here are a few suggestions to help keep you busy when the power goes out.
 
1. Make a Lego creation.
2. Crossword puzzle.
3. Word search.
4. Write a story.
5. Draw or paint.
6. Mad Libs.
7. Paint your nails.
8. Re-arrange furniture.
9. Clean out your closet, bureau, or nightstand.
10. Yoga.
12. Meditation.
12. Exercise. (I recommend checking out Cassie from Blogilates because of their helpful and fun.)
13. Knit, crochet, or embroider. 
14. Play a board game.
15. Play a card game like War, Solitaire, or Cards Against Humanity.
16. Have a fashion show.
17. Play charades.
18. Adult coloring book.
19. Play “Never Have I Ever.”
20. Play “Truth or Dare.”
21. Tell Ghost Stories.
22. Read a book out loud to friends, family, pets, or stuffed animals.
23. Re-arrange your bookshelves.
24. Read a book on your TBR (to-be-read) list.
25. Re-Read your favorite book.
26. Write down your favorite quotes.
27. Write down your review, so you can put it on Goodreads when the power returns.
28. Read a magazine.
29. Read a graphic novel.
30. Journal your power outage experience.
 
Edited by Emily Chance

For any WoW players out there, I've recorded some quest walk throughs for you in case you get stuck.