Isn't the Lettuce Brave?
Welcome to the inside of my mind... I hope you brought snacks.
08 April 2026
Appearance Alert: SC Comicon!
06 April 2026
Music Monday: Arís is arís for...reasons.
I'm not going to pretend that y'all don't know what is going on in the world right now. We all do, especially those of us in the US as we watch the juxtaposition of reports out of Iran and its neighbors and the rhetoric coming from the White House. Again and again...and it's only been a year and a half.
This song is not about that, but it feels like the entire world is crying arís is arís (again and again) every time a new atrocity happens. Also, this past weekend was the 110th anniversary of the Easter Rising, and I would imagine that the ancestors are looking at us in amazement and horror that we have not yet learned those lessons. Cén uair a chríochaíonn sé? (When does it end?)
Hopefully before the Dorchadas, Dorchadas, Dorchadas sa chroí (Darkness, Darkness Darkness in the heart)...
30 March 2026
Music Monday: Ruaghéim
I've been listening to a lot of Irish music this spring, and finding that I can pick up more Gaeilge (Irish) that way than I am on Duolingo or by just looking up words and sentences. While waiting for Chasing Abbey to put out Saoirse, I'm sharing a song from the Irish Kings. Enjoy...and ROAR.
Lyrics:
Fair auld pride for the county IWas called upon to lead
Was born and bred with a braisened head
By a wild Atlantic sea
Through fear we ride and death we stride
And face a life of toil
We're marching on where we belong
On Ireland's rugged soil
So run and power on and power on
And follow me
I'll bring you to the light
In through the fight
As men we live and bleed
So fear be gone and blood be on
Our tweed and garments wore
And men will pray and rue the day
They hear the Irish roar
Ireland
Bleed Ireland
Live Ireland
Breathe Ireland
Lift Ireland
Lead Ireland
Be I.R.E.L.A.N.D.
(Glóir, Croí, Grá, Éire)
Ireland
Bleed Ireland
Live Ireland
Breathe Ireland
Lift Ireland
Lead Ireland
Be I.R.E.L.A.N.D.
(Glóir, Croí, Grá, Éire)
We are but land and grit and sand
And bog and stone and flame
Our spirits wake through crashing lakes
And songs without a name
From Clare to Down, from hill to town
The bloodline runs afar
And every grave where good men lay
Shall guide us through the dark
So rise and power on and power on
And follow me
I'll lead you through the light, into the fight
As men we shall but lead
Our mothers weep, their sorrows deep
But know the cause is true
For every son that bears a gun
A thousand more will do
Ireland
Bleed Ireland
Live Ireland
Breathe Ireland
Lift Ireland
Lead Ireland
Be I.R.E.L.A.N.D.
(Glóir, Croí, Grá, Éire)
Ireland
Bleed Ireland
Live Ireland
Breathe Ireland
Lift Ireland
Lead Ireland
Be I.R.E.L.A.N.D.
(Glóir, Croí, Grá, Éire)
Ireland
Bleed Ireland
Live Ireland
Breathe Ireland
Lift Ireland
Lead Ireland
Be I.R.E.L.A.N.D.
(Glóir, Croí, Grá, Éire)
Ireland
Bleed Ireland
Live Ireland
Breathe Ireland
Lift Ireland
Lead Ireland
Be I.R.E.L.A.N.D.
(Glóir, Croí, Grá, Éire)
(Glóir, Croí, Grá, Éire)
(Glóir, Croí, Grá, Éire)
(Glóir, Croí, Grá, Éire)
(Glóir, Croí, Grá, Éire)
Ireland
Bleed Ireland
Live Ireland
Breathe Ireland
Lift Ireland
Lead Ireland
Be I.R.E.L.A.N.D.
Ireland
Bleed Ireland
Live Ireland
Breathe Ireland
Lift Ireland
Lead Ireland
Be I.R.E.L.A.N.D.
Ireland
Bleed Ireland
Live Ireland
Breathe Ireland
Lift Ireland
Lead Ireland
Be I.R.E.L.A.N.D.
Ireland
Bleed Ireland
Live Ireland
Breathe Ireland
Lift Ireland
Lead Ireland
Be I.R.E.L.A.N.D.
(Glóir, Croí, Grá, Éire)
(Glóir, Croí, Grá, Éire)
23 March 2026
Music Monday: 7 reasons why (I love this song)...
When I was living in the UK this song was in an advert for The Sarah Silverman Show and it was one of my favorites...the show and the song. I can't get it on Spotify now, but it came up in my social media memories yesterday and I had to listen to it and smile. Also, the lyrics make me think of some of my couples...specifically Luke and Scarlet, whom y'all haven't met yet. Enjoy. {The lyrics are in the captions.}
16 March 2026
Music Monday: The Statues are...Golden...
I watched the Oscars last night, and while I was really hoping that Sinners would win all 16 categories for which it was nominated, I was also holding hope for "Golden" from K-Pop Demon Hunters as the best original song. Not just because that bop is a total earworm, but because it's been a first. The first KPop song nominated for an Oscar (I think). And as it happens, the first one to win an Oscar...and before they could say much, they were played off. But they won...and here is the lyric video for the song. It speaks to me as me as well as my characters, with the theme of working through obstacles to get to who you are meant to be. 즐기다 (pronounced jeulgida...Enjoy.)
12 March 2026
On the most magical of dogs...🍀
| Bryn (L) and Ciaragh (R) |
| Ciaragh at GARF |
09 March 2026
Music Monday: Féile Éireannach
02 March 2026
Music Monday: Zombie
(No, Tony, I am not making the turn into writing horror...)
This is my latest hyperfixation, partially because he is from West Yorks and his accent makes me homesick but also because he was so close with Ozzy. That makes someone A-OK in my book. But this song took my breath away a little bit, and then more when he said it was for nurses. I remember hearing him say in an interview that it was about his grandparents. For me...it's about me. I'm in a phase right now where the differences Eugene left in me are in the forefront. Not just the weirdly curly hair or the pain in my joints, but the brain fog and the fatigue and everything left by the efforts to yeet Eugene. The lines:
If I was to talk about the words
They would hurt, they would hurt
So if you were to ask about the pain
I would lie, I would lie
To fix my mind, I need time
I want me back, but I am forced to get to know this new me...and I don't always like her. Don't worry...I will make peace with her, it's just taking a longer time than I'd thought.Enjoy. The lyrics are in TEENY captions on the screen.
23 February 2026
Music Monday: Meet me at the...South Korea?
It's a total earworm, y'all, and since I need something these days to keep my mind off all of the EVERYTHING that is going on, both in my personal life and the world at large, I find myself singing this more than I'd really care to admit. Just don't ask Willow-Pickle or Stanley, they will tell you how much...
Next thing you know it will be the soundtrack to K Pop Demon Hunters...aw man, now it's a medley of this and Golden. *bops away in Old Lady*
Apparently this song is based on a drinking game in Korea. I don't know from that, and my drinking game days are WELL behind me, but here's my latest...comfort song? Good gracious. Enjoy--lyrics are on the video.
16 February 2026
Music Monday: Once More, into D&D
It is true, what the memes say, that one of the worst of the big bads in Dungeons and Dragons when you play as an adult is scheduling. Take the schedules of 6-8 grown humans and try to make them fit into a single weekend day where everyone is available and let me know what you come up with, please?
Pure chaos, that's what you will come up with...but somehow, my group (Lorem Ipsum) seems to manage even when it has been several months between sessions. So today's Music Monday is for them...and for Barb, DK, Annet, Sloane, Rei, Widow, and Maera, our characters who were left in a pretty precarious situation yesterday. Huzzah! Chaotic Social Worker Wombat Wranglers Assemble! (It's cooler than it sounds, I promise.)
10 February 2026
Another Day, Another Scammy Email
The other category is "I can legit do something for you as an author but you have to pay me loads of money that you shouldn't have to pay under normal circumstances." I will get to that one in a minute.
Over the weekend while at a book signing event, I received another of the first category of scams. It was pretty obvious from the subject line: Podcast & Radio Opportunities for "My Name Is Resolute: A Novel by the Author of Sarah's Quilt " This Quarter Nancy E. Dunne, Writer
09 February 2026
Music Monday: Generational Wars
Quick one today...I saw this in a meme on social media and I've internalized it now so...Congrats, Gen Alpha. You poked the GenX bear and here we go.
(8, 8, I FORGET WHAT 8 WAS FOR is the answer to 6 7.)
02 February 2026
Music Monday: What Dreams May...Be Wild
Back to the beginning here...we didn't lose power during the storm, and we've had another one since then--just snow this time--and during all this time with nowhere to go and plenty of time to write...I haven't.
By write, I mean put words on a page. I have, though, had some of the craziest dreams and I've been taking notes and I may have a second book in the steampunk adjacent series in the bare bones stage. It's the wildest dreams phase.
This song first came to my attention on what I lovingly call the clock app, in a series of videos describing the MMC in a rom com, but even though I don't write those I can use the descriptions from the videos and the general feel of the song. Hang on, Elys and Hack, your story is developing.
26 January 2026
Music Monday: If you're seeing this...
19 January 2026
Music Monday: MLK Day, 2026
Appearance Alert: SC Comicon!
For my second signing event in 2026, I'm over the moon (with Artemis II) to get to tell you I will be at SC Comicon this weekend! Saturd...
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"Do not love the world." How disturbing is THAT? I know what they are getting at, being the good preacher's daughter that I am...
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Y'all, I am scared of guns. I will admit that right here and now. Scared Stupid Of Guns. Before you ask, I have fired two guns in my lif...
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Well, not exactly...this morning on one of my message boards there was a discussion brewing about who was voting for whom, something that NE...

