This post was published on February 3, 2014, by Marie Ann Bailey and me. Since we all are still writing, this may contain some good advice.
Top Ten Things Not to Do When Writing a Novel
10 When writing a novel, do not try to explain what you are doing to anyone. If you do, at best, they will walk away shaking their head. At worst, you might find yourself receiving an intervention by well-meaning friends and family that you didn’t know was being filmed until you saw it on Dr. Phil.
9 When writing a novel, do not assume everyone is waiting for it to be finished. If you do, at best, you may get used to the sound of crickets when it’s done. At worst, people might start avoiding you on purpose without trying to hide that they are.
8 When writing a novel, do not ask your spouse to read parts and provide an opinion on how they like it. If you do, at best, you might end up in an argument over whether you really only used your imagination in writing those sex scenes. At worst, you both might end up paying a lot of money to a divorce lawyer.
7 When writing a novel, do not ask your children to be quiet while you write. If you do, at best, they will make even more noise, and you will have to find a way to soundproof your room. At worst, you might just be investigated by child protective services at the request of neighbors tired of the screaming and crying (mainly from you).
6 When writing a novel, do not think you need a rest by playing a video game or knitting a sweater sleeve. If you do, at best, you’ll lose your focus on your plot. At worst, you will finish the sweater and reach the god level in the game but never finish the book.
5 When writing a novel, do not try to decide whether you should plan the book or just write it. If you do, at best, you may get stalled on starting the novel and have to adjust your publication deadline. At worst, you may end up having an argument with yourself and end up not on speaking terms, which would totally blow your deadline.
4 When writing a novel, do not keep your own counsel on word usage or grammar. If you do, at best, you may get lucky and have only a few mistakes. At worst, you will need to leave town and change your name to avoid the laughter from your peers.
3 When writing a novel, do not do your own editing. If you do, at best, you may be surprised by the number of problems in your book. At worst, you may want to book a trip to a country with no extradition treaty with the US.
2 When writing a novel, do not avoid rich characterizations. If you do, at best, you will have a book filled with pounds of boring material that not even you will want to read. At worst, you will need to find a decent disguise when meeting other authors and readers to avoid being called out by your characterizations of them.
1 When writing a novel, do not skimp on the plot, thinking your literary style will pull you through. If you do, at best, you might have a book you love but no one else does. At worst, you might win the Worst Literary Book of the Year Award in recognition of your achievement.
Today we are visiting the Activity Center where sign-ups are taking place for summer camps. The idea is to give the children an idea of the camp activity and the opportunity to sign up. We are catered by Nervous Charlie’s Bagels of Austin. Our entertainment is Allan Sherman.
Menu
THE CLASSIC – 2 fried eggs and your choice of protein and cheese
BAGEL WITH LOX – Acme lox, sliced red onion, capers, and your choice of cream cheese
PASTRAMI HASH – Pastrami, breakfast potatoes, pepper jack cheese, fried egg, and pickled jalapeños
THE LONGHORN – 2 fried eggs, cheddar cheese, breakfast potatoes, Charlie’s hot sauce (contains dairy), and meat choice
THE ALEXA – Tomato, avocado, and your choice of cream cheese
THE BIG APPLE – Turkey, sliced apple, brie cheese, and honey mustard
THE EMPIRE – Fried chicken cutlet, bacon, coleslaw, mozzarella cheese, and Russian dressing
WILLIE’S HOT PASTRAMI – Pastrami and spicy mustard
THE TREE HUGGER (vegetarian) – Cucumber, spinach, tomato, avocado, alfalfa sprouts, and your choice of cream cheese
THE ULTIMATE ITALIAN – Black forest ham, Genoa salami, hot capocollo, shredded lettuce, tomato, sliced white onion, roasted red pepper blend, provolone cheese, oil & vinegar, and oregano
Time to go.
There’s the signpost.
Ah shaved ice.
Pony rides.
Arggg matey.
A camp for fencing.
Science camp.
Theater camp.
Make-up.
Cooking camp.
Art camp.
A petting zoo.
Baloon twister.
Food chain sponsor.
Computer coding camp.
Camp headquarters.
Lakeway Parks and Recreation
We have seen the camp sign-up so now lets enjoy the food and music.
This morning is cappuccino morning. The machine receives its command, and the grinding, whirring sounds bring joy to the heart. There it is—a beautiful 8 oz cup of frothy goodness. One sip and a wipe of the foam mustache prepare one for the clock. The clock is set for April 11, 1925. The location is Moscow, and the duration is half a day. A pull of the plunger has us standing watching two ceremonies.
The Metropolitan (Bishop) Peter of Krutitsy (Pyotr Fyodorovich Polyansky) was installed as the new Patriarch of Moscow and leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, on the same day as the funeral for his predecessor, Patriarch Tikhon of Moscow. Tikhon’s funeral in Moscow was the last major public Russian Orthodox Church event and the last major religious event in the Soviet Union for over 60 years. Peter, identified in Tikhon’s will as one of three potential successors, was selected by the council of 59 bishops because “the first two were already in prison.” Peter himself was confined to prison in December 1925 by the Bolsheviks and eventually executed on October 10th, 1937.
Our stay in Moscow is beginning to draw some attention, and the alarm saves us from getting into a jam with the NKVD secret police. We are back on the couch with a text message from Linda Hill. Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “jam.’” Use it any way you’d like. Enjoy!
Chase Benoit, who is incarcerated at the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, holds a pair of service dogs in training in San Quentin, Calif., Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
Today’s good news story comes from the Ass0ciated Press
With tears and tail wags, San Quentin inmates reunite with puppies they raised into service dogs
By OLGA R. RODRIGUEZ – Updated 3:17 PM CDT, April 1, 2025
SAN QUENTIN, Calif. (AP) — Hugs, tears, barking, and tail wagging abounded at San Quentin’s prison when two black Labradors reunited with the incarcerated men who helped raise them to be service dogs.
The emotional reunion brought Chase Benoit, Jared Hansen, and the 2-year-old dogs they helped train Wendel and Artemis. It was the men’s first time seeing their former canine companions again and their first time meeting the dogs’ disabled handlers in person.
Jared Hansen, right, who is incarcerated at the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, visits with Artemis as his handler, Benjamin Carter, looks on in San Quentin, Calif., Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
The encounter Friday in San Quentin’s main courtyard brought Benoit and Hansen full circle after helping launch the prison’s puppy training program in April 2023.
“Being in this program, it’s given me something that I think I’ve searched for my whole life,” said Benoit, who is serving 15 years to life for second-degree murder. “And that was meaningful purpose, doing something that’s good, better, bigger than myself and feeling like I’m part of something great.”
“He remembers me, for sure, I could tell when he came in. I’m so happy that you love him and that you have a bond,” Benoit told Quigley through an American Sign Language interpreter.
“He’s with me 24/7. He’s very gentle and good with people,” answered Quigley, a recent college graduate who took Wendel home in November after the black Labrador and golden retriever mix completed another six months of professional training outside prison.
Teaching pups the fundamentals in prison
Benoit and Jensen were part of an initial group of four incarcerated trainers who shared their 4-foot-by-10-foot cells with the 4-month-old puppies. The men divided the responsibility of caring for and teaching the dogs foundational commands for a year.
Canine Companions, a nonprofit based in Santa Rosa, runs the program and provides free service dogs to people with disabilities. It has built the San Quentin program to 16 trainers and two dog sitters who, as of this week, are training eight puppies.
Artemis, a black Labrador, was matched with Benjamin Carter, a veterinarian from Portland, Oregon, who uses a wheelchair and traveled to California for the reunion.
Handler Benjamin Carter looks at his service dog Artemis during a gathering at the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center in San Quentin, Calif., Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
Like proud parents, Carter and Hansen shared notes on Artemis’ calm and loving personality and penchant for cuddles.
“Seeing him in action and actually serving somebody in the community, it’s just … I’m at a loss for words right now. It’s amazing!” said Hansen, who has been in prison for 15 years for bank robbery.
Artemis, a service dog, is seen by the wheelchair of handler Benjamin Carter at the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center in San Quentin, Calif., Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg
Artemis, or Artie, pushes door plates, pulls doors open, fetches things around the house, and does many other tasks that would be hard for Carter alone.
First work, then cuddles
“He is responsive when he’s working. He is cuddly when he is off the clock. He’s an amazing companion. And all that structure, love, and trust was built from these guys here, so I’m just super grateful to them,” Carter said.
The puppies are placed with incarcerated trainers when they are between 2 and 4 months old and stay with them until they are about 16 to 17 months old. Every three months, the puppies are taken out for socialization experiences like interacting with children, riding in cars, or going to the grocery store.
Incarcerated men at the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center pet a service dog in training at the prison in San Quentin, Calif., Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)Jared Hansen, who is incarcerated at the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, is greeted by Artemis, a service dog he helped train, in San Quentin, Calif., Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
The incarcerated men teach the dogs about 20 skills, including fetching, sitting, and walking on a leash. After the dogs leave the prison, they train for several more months with professional trainers.
People incarcerated at San Quentin and who participate in the program have been convicted of crimes that include bank robberies, gun offenses, and murder. Only those in an “earned living unit,” where residents participate in an array of self-help programs, are allowed to apply for puppy training. Inmates with records that include any animal or child cruelty crimes are not allowed to participate, said James Dern, national director of puppy programs for Canine Companions.
The value of time
Dern said dogs trained in their prison programs have a 10% greater success rate at becoming service dogs than other candidates because of the amount of time and care that incarcerated puppy raisers put into their dogs.
Jared Hansen, right, and other incarcerated men at the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center hold up their dog training certificates during a celebration in San Quentin, Calif., Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
“Being given something to care about other than themselves and the opportunity to give back and to sort of start to make amends for the things they have done in their lives can be life-changing,” Dern said.
San Quentin was once home to the largest death row population in the United States. The puppy training program started the year it transformed into a lockup where less-dangerous prisoners receive education, training, and rehabilitation. Since then, another 11 correctional facilities have joined the nonprofit for a total of 24 prison institutions, Dern said.
Speaking to a crowd at the prison chapel gathered to celebrate the program, Benoit credited Canine Companions with bringing out the humanity, love, and caring in the incarcerated community. “Instead of keeping it to themselves within their small community of professional trainers or even volunteer puppy raisers, they shared this with us in prison. I think that’s huge,” he said.
The good news in this story is that people who have made grave mistakes can find a new path by helping others. Today’s JohnKu talks about second chances. I hope you have a delightful weekend.
I randomly opened Detour on the Eternal Road to page 229. Three words were closest to my finger when I pointed at the page with my eyes closed. The words were “him the wedding.” I will give this a try as a prompt.
This post was initially co-authored by Marie Bailey and me in 2014. Since we all still grocery shop, it might still be helpful.
10 When grocery shopping, do not go to the store on an empty stomach. If you do, at best, you will quiet your grumbling stomach with a candy bar or two while waiting in the check-out line. At worst, you will wind up devouring the entire rotisserie chicken that was to be your family’s dinner, guzzling a 64-oz bottle of Coke, and tearing into your kid’s favorite cereal, all before you reach the checkout.
9 When grocery shopping, do not assume that the shortest check-out line is indeed the quickest check-out line. If you do, at best, the person ahead of you with five items will want to use a personal check to pay, and you’ll only have to wait an additional ten minutes while the cashier and store manager figure out a way to finally approve the check. At worst, the person ahead of you with only nine items will question the cashier on each and every item (naturally, all the items were supposed to be on sale, including the ten-gallon water jug, which looks like it came from the employee break area).
8 When grocery shopping, do not assume that all the sale items, especially the 2-for-1 deals, have been entered into the registers. If you do, at best, the cashier will take a few minutes to correct the error. At worst, you’ll be like the guy in #9, having to argue about each item on sale and drawing the ire and ill-will of every other shopper behind you.
7 When grocery shopping, do not assume that your regular grocery store will always and forever maintain the floor layout to which you’ve grown accustomed. If you do, at best, your store might make only subtle changes like moving the eggs from beside the butter to beside the yogurt, but on the same aisle. At worst, one day, you will walk in and become quickly convinced that you’re in the wrong store. You will spend hours trying to find the raisins, which used to be on Aisle 3 among other dried fruits but are now on Aisle 36 next to the juice with the logic that fruit is fruit.
6 When grocery shopping, do not forget to wear noise-reducing earplugs. If you forget your earplugs, at best, you will simply slow your pace and linger longer than planned due to the hypnotic effect of the “music.” At worst, the subliminal messages of “buy more, buy more, buy more” will enter your brain, and you will wind up buying twice as much food as you originally intended, leaving your wallet half as full.
5 When grocery shopping, do not think that by leaving your credit cards and checkbook at home, you can avoid spending over your budget. If you do, at best, the subliminal messages from #6 will cause you some mild embarrassment as you decide to forfeit the bottle of Merlot, Death-by-Chocolate cake, and fancy new plastic wine glasses (all items NOT on your shopping list) because you don’t have enough cash. At worst, either to avoid embarrassment or because you are still prey to the messages of “buy more,” you will leave your items at the register, dash to the ATM, withdraw as much as you can, and then promptly ask for a case of the Merlot (which you may need later when you realize how much you have spent).
4 When grocery shopping, do not think the fresh fruit being offered as a 2-for-1 special is necessarily a great deal. If you do, at best, the fruit will be fine and edible until the following day, when you realize you will have to eat all of it since it is quickly going bad. At worst, after you come home and put all the food away, you decide to have some strawberries and cream only to discover that the 2-for-1 fresh fruit has one layer of fresh fruit atop moldy, squishy fruit, which moves on its own.
3 When grocery shopping, do not think that the baggers are always well-trained. If you do, at best, you will have a bagger who knows enough to put the eggs on top of other items in a bag. At worst, you will get a bagger who either wasn’t trained or doesn’t care and find at home that a large bottle of laundry detergent was packed on top of your package of sushi rolls, which now resemble sushi pancakes.
2 When grocery shopping, do not think that slowly walking down the middle of an aisle with your head down while talking on your cell phone will not annoy anyone. If you do, at best, shoppers trying to get around you may just gently prod your shopping cart and alert you to the need to get out of the way. At worst, you may find yourself pinned between your shopping cart and the cart of the person or persons who finally lost their temper and are now sending you, shopping cart and all, into the egg section.
1 When grocery shopping, do not think being polite to shoppers on cell phones who are oblivious to their surroundings will help you keep your temper. If you do, at best, you will quickly realize that navigating around these people is futile. At worst, you will lose your temper, causing you to crash into the offending shopper with your cart, and the momentum will send you both into the egg section. As with automobile rear-end accidents, you will be the assumed guilty party and the store will charge you for the broken eggs as well as force you to clean up on aisle 6.
Today we have to put on our running shoes since we are going to attend the Lakeway 5K Wilderness run. This is an annual event put on by The Friends of the Park. This year over 200 folks signed up to run. The event is free and open to all ages and running abilities.
We are catered by III Forks in Austin. Our entertainment is Jackson Browne.
Menu
Snake River Farms – American Wagyu, Gold NY Strip*
Served with flamed Jack Daniel’s Bottled-In-Bond Bourbon Infused Maldon Salt
16 oz
Snake River Farms – American Wagyu, Gold Bone-In Ribeye*
Served with flamed Jack Daniel’s Bottled-In-Bond Bourbon Infused Maldon Salt
24 oz
Classics, Filet Mignon*
6 oz or 8 oz
Atlantic Salmon – tarragon chimichurri
Chilean Seabass
Roasted Chicken
Charred Cauliflower Steak
Let’s get rolling
There’s the sign.
The stage.
The Parks and Recreation table.
Registration.
Juice for later.
Race food – fruit and carbs.
Gift bags.
A quiet chess game before the race.
Warm up exercises.
Getting ready to start.
The firetruck will signal the start.
The mayor, Tom Gilgore (Left) has a few words.
The firetruck horn signals the start.
The race is on.
No, I did not run in the race. At my age even using a wheel chair would be risky. It is time to relax and wait for the runners to return. Let’s have some food and listen to the entertainment.
The coffee machine, as has become a familiar pattern, informs me of a malfunction. This time, the cappuccino operation is temporarily disabled for repairs. Since that was not on my mind this morning, the news has no impact on me. The coffee button starts the process. In checking the date for April 5th, 1925, the only thing going on is a tornado striking Dade County, Florida, causing damage of $300,000 ($5,000,000 in today’s dollars). Not wanting to be involved with a tornado, the decision is to relax with a cup of coffee and leave the clock for next week.
One sip and the doorbell goes off. The effect is like a klaxon horn in a submarine. The pups take up their battle stations and get ready to dive while barking in volumes that would cripple normal hearing. Before the windows shatter and the ears explode, a toss of a puppy treats into the soundproof room causes a mass exodus to grab one. A slam of the door ends the Hounds of Baskerville sound effects.
Before opening and addressing the visitor, the security system needs to be deactivated. Before that, though, the SWAT team needs to be put on standby. A quick text to the leader confirms that status. The control panel makes the shutdown of the security system process simpler. The boiling oil vats are put on standby, the Trebuchet on safety, the concertina wire rolled, the Claymore mines reset, the tower Gattling guns disengaged, the moat net dropped, the alligators fed, the IUDs and shoulder-held rockets put away. The locks on the door are thrown. A look at the security camera shows a bird that looks very much like a road runner standing on the porch. Throwing open the door startles the bird, and with a “beep-beep,” it goes off down the driveway. There is an envelope left in the wake of the bird. It is from Linda Hill. Once opened, the message reads:
Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “contains ‘pat.’” Find a word that contains “pat” or use the word “pat” as your prompt. Use it any way you’d like. Have fun!
Plastics are durable and strong, which is great while they’re being used but frustrating when they end up in the environment. Scientists at RIKEN in Japan have developed a new type of plastic that’s just as stable in everyday use but dissolves quickly in saltwater, leaving behind safe compounds.
The benefit of plastics is that they’re made with strong covalent bonds that hold their molecules together, meaning they take a lot of energy to break. This is why they’re so sturdy, long-lasting and perfect for everything from packaging to toys.
But those same strong bonds become a problem after the useful life of a plastic product is over. That cup you used once and threw away will sit in landfill for decades, even centuries, before it fully breaks down. And when it does, it forms microplastic pieces that are turning up in all corners of the natural world, including our own bodies, where they wreak havoc on our health in ways we’re only just beginning to understand.
RIKEN researchers have now developed a new type of plastic that can work just as well as the regular stuff when it’s needed, and break down readily into safe compounds when it’s not. It’s made of what are known as supramolecular polymers, which have reversible bonds that function like sticky notes that can be attached, removed and reattached, according to the team.
The team wanted to make a specific type of supramolecular polymer that would be strong enough for the usual uses of plastic, but could also be made to break down quickly when required, under mild conditions and leaving only non-toxic compounds.
After screening a range of molecules, the researchers identified a particular combination that seemed to have the right properties – sodium hexametaphosphate, which is a common food additive, and monomers based on guanidinium ions, which are used in fertilizers. When these two compounds are mixed together in water, they form a viscous material that can be dried to form plastics.
A reaction between the two ingredients forms “salt bridges” between the molecules that make the material strong and flexible, like conventional plastic. However, when they’re soaked in saltwater, the electrolytes unlock those bonds, and the material dissolves.
An artist’s impression of the new plastic, showing the strong bonds above the water and how they break down when submerged in saltwater – RIKEN
In practice, the team found that the material was just as strong as normal plastic during use, and was non-flammable, colorless and transparent. Immersed in saltwater though, the plastic completely dissolved in about eight and a half hours.
There’s one major hurdle with any degradable plastic material of course: what if it comes into contact with the catalyst for its destruction before you want it to? A plastic cup is no good if certain liquids can dissolve it, after all.
In this case, the team found that applying hydrophobic coatings prevented any early breaking down of the material. When you eventually want to dispose of it, a simple scratch on the surface was enough to let the saltwater back in, allowing the material to dissolve just as quickly as the non-coated sheets.
While some biodegradable plastics can still leave behind harmful microplastics, this material breaks down into nitrogen and phosphorus, which are useful nutrients for plants and microbes. That said, too much of these can be disruptive to the environment as well, so the team suggests the best process might be to do the bulk of the recycling in specialized plants, where the resulting elements can be retrieved for future use.
But if some of it does end up in the ocean, it will be far less harmful, and possibly even beneficial, compared to current plastic waste.
A paper describing the research was published in the journal Science.
The good news in this story is further action is being taken to reduce plastic pollution in our oceans. Today’s JohnKu talks about our oceans. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.
