Amazon Scholarships Available

I just happened to stumble upon this today–Amazon is offering $250,000 in college scholarships and book money to eligible current college students and high school seniors. All you have to do is join Amazon Student, which is free, and fill out the scholarship application. It’s a merit-based scholarship, so if you’re a hard worker, take a shot! The deadline for the application is November 20th.
 

Native American Indians be like “Columbus Who?”

So I’m working on my next book. It’s the second in The Gifted Ones series, and deals with a mystery from the American pre-Colonial era and has a couple major characters who are Native American Indians. As a result, I’ve been brushing up on the history of that period and Indian cultures of North Carolina. In the process, I came across this meme. Had to share.
 
via: I discovered America
 

Yes, I’m an Introvert

I saw this on Pinterest today and just had to share. It’s so-o-o me! I live in my head. People often remark that my husband and I seem to have the reverse relationship of most couples—when we’re in public, he is the social one, chattering away with everyone he meets, while I am hiding out, talking to one or two people that I already know well. And I’m fine with that. I think it also describes a lot of writers. Many, if not most, of us are classic introverts. We’re not weird or shy or socially maladjusted; we just prefer to think more than we speak, and particularly before we speak. Some of you extroverted types might want to try that sometime 😉 .
 
via: Pinterest
 

Johnny Depp Redux

The Disgraceful Entrapment of Jesse Snodgrass: Keep the Narcs Out of Our Schools
Just read this piece by Darcia Helle. It’s amazing, and it’s just what she says: disgraceful. This is an example of law enforcement at its absolute worst—using our children to further their own agendas and budgets, and having nothing whatsoever to do with keeping people safe from serious threats. This school district and police department should be embarrassed and ashamed of themselves. Is this what they call service? Is this what we taxpayers are getting in return for our money? They should be the ones serving time.
 

Make up your own words!


But the difference between Shakespeare and the rest of us is that his made-up words got added to the dictionary, and then we had to learn them! His additions to our vocabulary include zany, generous, frugal, courtship, undress, and one of my personal favorites, rant. Read more about it here: 13 Words You Probably Didn’t Know Were Invented By Shakespeare.
 

Halloween Pumpkin Stuffed Peppers Recipe

Halloween Pumpkin Stuffed PeppersThis fun little treat will entice your whole family to eat their meat and veggies before they dig into the Halloween candy!
 
Halloween Pumpkin Stuffed Peppers
 
Ingredients:
  • 2 cups cooked brown or white rice
  • 4 large orange bell peppers with stems intact
  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1/2 diced onion
  • 1 – 15 oz can tomato sauce
  • garlic powder, salt, and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Cut the top inch off the peppers and clean the insides, saving the tops for later.
  2. Using a small paring knife, fashion eyes and mouth on the widest, flattest side of each pepper.
  3. Place the empty peppers in a baking dish.
  4. Mix ground beef, tomato sauce, onion, cooked rice, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.
  5. Spoon the meat mixture into each pepper, then replace the tops, using toothpicks to hold them in place.
  6. Bake for one hour at 350 degrees or until meat is cooked through.