robinmaderich

Challenge accepted!

Recently, my post regarding the interview with Karen Katchur was liked by, among others, an author named Elske Howeler. I went over and looked at some of her blogs and was quite intrigued by a task she had assigned herself, writing a blog a day using the letters of the alphabet, in order. I commented and told her I wished I’d thought of it myself. She responded with a suggestion I do one as well (not using her alphabetical topics, of course).

Well, Elske, the gauntlet has been thrown and I have picked it up! This should be a lot of fun. Thanks so much for the idea. I’ll begin with A in March. Fresh month, fresh start.

Unlike Elske’s posts, each of mine will not be confined to a writing related topic. I’m going to go for a broader scope, because I definitely don’t think I could stick to the writing topics the way she has. Check back to find out if I see this challenge through or fail in the attempt!

I’d Like My Crayons Back Episode 4 – Author Karen Katchur

I had a wonderful afternoon interviewing crime thriller author, Karen Katchur, and am posting a YouTube link to her interview below. I originally interviewed her on my blog back when her first book came out in 2015. Enjoy!

Karen is the author of two women’s fiction/mysteries set in the Pocono area, The Secrets of Lake Road and The Sisters of Blue Mountain. Her crime thriller series set in Northampton County consist of River Bodies, Cold Woods and Spring Girls. Her most recent, and somewhat darker novel (complete with some very dark humor) is entitled The Greedy Three, which is her personal favorite.

To learn more about Karen, go to her website, karenkatchur.com or look her up on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok, using karenkatchurauthor.

Here is the blog interview from 2015 with Karen Katchur.

I’d Like My Crayons Back – Episode 1 – Ron Probst of IHR Studios

I did say I’d post as new interviews for I’d Like My Crayons Back came out, but also that I’d post about the prior ones. Some of you may know that Ron is my brother, a very talented Mastering Engineer with his own studio, IHR Studios. I did interview him twice before but, you know, things change over time. Technique, information, goals. Life.

The first interview (blog post) can be found here.

The second was for my former podcast, Life As It Comes, which was audio only, and can be listened to on Spotify here.

As for the most recent video podcast, you can both watch and listen if you so desire, here:

And again, if you would like to be interviewed, please contact me with your name, email address, and a brief description of your creative endeavors using the form on the I’d Like My Crayons Back Contact Page in the dropdown menu above under “About”.

I’d Like My Crayons Back

“Everyone is born creative; everyone is given a box of crayons in kindergarten. Then when you hit puberty, they take the crayons away… I’d like my crayons back, please.”
Hugh MacLeod – Ignore Everybody: and 39 Other Keys to Creativity

Last year (and after being a guest on several video podcasts myself), I decided I wanted to start a video podcast of my own. I’d already done a regular podcast (audio only) for a little while, but a face-to-face conversation seemed so much better. I wanted a podcast, I decided, to celebrate creativity in all its forms. I struggled with a name for it but finally settled on “I’d Like My Crayons Back.”

Recycle, reuse, craft!

I’m always looking for ways to reuse and recycle. I came across this article and thought I’d pass it on. Me? I use toilet paper rolls as toys for the dog and cats. The dog, because she destroys any other kind of toy–toilet paper rolls, too, but at least they don’t cost $14 a pop! The cats, because they love to roll them around and wrestle with them.

So, anyway, read, learn, enjoy!

Don’t Throw Away Those Empty Paper Towel Rolls

What the Dickens.

This isn’t actually a blog about Dickens, although, yes, I love his works. At least all that I have read. This blog is about a particular gift I received.

My youngest son’s fiancée, Lauren, gave me a beautiful wooden advent calendar several years back. The days leading up to Christmas are numbered on the front on twenty-four little drawers. She has filled the drawers in the past with chocolate and themed objects, the first year being Winnie-the-Pooh, which included snippets and quotes on small, rolled papers as well as adorable Winnie, Tigger, Eeyore and Piglet charms and erasers. The next year was a Charlie Brown theme. Plenty of Snoopy and Woodstock, as well as Charlie and his friends. Each year’s efforts have reflected an obvious labor of love. Opening those little drawers to find out the items secreted inside has been a great pleasure.

‘Tis the season

I know, Christmas is still more than a week away. However, I made my video greeting a little early and posted it on YouTube, am getting ready to post it on Facebook shortly, and I have embedded it above. The video is (subtly, I think?) about how special Christmas is to me and for all who celebrate it, no matter who they are, where they come from, gender, age, skin color, background. It’s about respect, too, because even though the message is Merry Christmas, it doesn’t mean people who do not share the same faith are excluded from the significance of that message. It means we all care about humanity. Or should.

Holiday “feels,” anyone?

It’s that time of year and, as an author, I do have to try to sell my books, but it’s much more than a monetary thing. I believe in these stories and their ability to lift the spirits, and that’s what the holidays are all about, yes?

Connor Falls Christmas is a family-friendly–indeed, family-oriented–series with a touch of light romance, a healthy dose of holiday “feels” and set in the fictional small town of Connor Falls, Pennsylvania. If you read any of them, let me know what you think. I love feedback!

And while we’re on the subject of Christmas, is that moose/tree/heart garland in the picture at the top not the cutest? I’m going to have figure out how to make that and post about it!

Off to a quirky start

Okay, I did make a list of my ten favorite Christmas movies last year (wait…no, it was 2020! WHAT?), but I’m starting off with a different bunch in 2023. I will, however, leave a link to my former list below, just in case you are mildly curious, or need a little inspiration.

So far, I’ve watched:

Make this lovely wreath!

This is one of the simplest wreaths I’ve made (especially since I make ones from real greens closer to the holidays), but I absolutely love it. The grapevine wreath I used is 30 inches across, but you don’t need to go that big. This project can be made with grapevine wreaths of any dimension, as long as you adapt your greens and ribbon to the proper size. You certainly wouldn’t want to use three-inch wide ribbon on a six-inch wreath–unless you’re going for a different sort of look, of course.