Archives

Home > Archives

‘Twas the Night Before Christmas

December 24, 2018 by marianne h donley in category Apples & Oranges by Marianne H. Donley tagged as 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, Christmas, The Night Before Christmas

For your Christmas Eve listening pleasure a selection of readings of The Night Before Christmas. First up Stephen Fry.

Next up is Stan Lee:

LeVar Burton reads the poem with illustrations from Tomie DePaola.

Elton John!

I was surprised to find Bob Dylan in my list, but here he is:

Even William Shatner had a version:

The Learning Station’s animated version with music:

This one is NOT the traditional version of the poem but John Cleese’s version in which Santa gets captured and the reindeer eaten and . . .well I won’t spoil the ending. It made me laugh, but if the ideas of capturing Santa or eating reindeer makes your blood boil don’t listen.

Which one was your favorite?

0 0 Read more

Charmed Connection Halloween Event

October 27, 2018 by marianne h donley in category Charmed Writer by Tari Lynn Jewett tagged as charmer connection, charmer writers, flash Fiction, Halloween

Halloween Event | Charmed Writers | A Slice of Orange

The Charmed Connection Halloween Event

Starts Saturday October 27 and continues through October 31

Features

Halloween Flash Fiction Stories
Recipes
Games
And yes THERE WILL BE PRIZES!
It’s free!

Takes place in The Charmed Connection on Facebook

Hope to see you there.

Invite your friends to join us too.

0 0 Read more

Spotlight on Bethlehem Writers Group, LLC

October 17, 2018 by marianne h donley in category Apples & Oranges by Marianne H. Donley, Spotlight tagged as Bethlehem Writers Group, new releases, paranormal tales, Short Stories, Spotlight

Spotlight on Bethlehem Writers Group, LLC

The Bethlehem Writers Group, LLC (BWG), founded in 2006, is a community of mutually supportive, fiction and nonfiction authors based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The members are as different from each other as their stories, spanning a range of genres including: children’s, fantasy, humor, inspiration, literary, memoir, mystery, paranormal, romance, science fiction, women’s fiction, and young adult.

BWG has published five anthologies. Each anthology has an overall theme—broadly interpreted—but includes a variety of genres, and all but the first anthology include stories from the winner(s) of The Bethlehem Writers Short Story Award. Their first anthology, A Christmas Sampler: Sweet, Funny, and Strange Holiday Tales (2009), won two Next Generation Indie Book Awards: Best Anthology and Best Short Fiction.

Once Around the Sun: Sweet, Funny, and Strange Tales for All Seasons, came out on November 5, 2013, and was a Finalist for Best Anthology in the 2014 Next Generation Indie Book Awards.

The third anthology, A Readable Feast: Sweet, Funny, and Strange Tales for Every Taste (2015), was a Finalist in Food Stories in the 2016 Next Generation Indie Book Awards.

Anthology number four, Once Upon a Time: Sweet, Funny, and Strange Tales for All Ages is a collection of twenty-one stories for children—ages preschool through middle school.

UNTETHERED: Sweet, Funny, & Strange Tails of the Paranormal is a collection of 27 paranormal tales. UNTETHERED was released October 14th and is the fifth volume in their Sweet, Funny, and Strange Tales series.

Next up for BWG

BWG is currently working on their sixth anthology, Fur, Feathers, & Scales: Sweet, Funny, and Strange Animal Tales.

In connection with this anthology, they are hosting The Bethlehem Writers 2019 Short Story Award. The 2019 Short Story Award will open on January 1, 2019 the theme will be Animal Stories,broadly interpreted. Stories of 2,000 words or fewer about WILD ANIMALS, PETS, or IMAGINARY BEASTS will be welcome (so long as an animal is an important character or element of the story). The winner will receive $200 and may be offered publication in the above mentioned upcoming anthology. The 2019 guest judge will be John Grogan, best-selling author of Marley & Me.

In addition to anthologies and yearly writing contests, the group publishes a quarterly literary journal, The Bethlehem Writers Roundtable, and hosts twice monthly writing workshops and a critique groups for local members. You can see the schedule of BWG meetings and events, including author signings here.

Just released, UNTETHERED: SWEET, FUNNY, & STRANGE TALES OF THE PARANORMAL

UNTETHERED: SWEET, FUNNY, AND STRANGE TALES OF THE PARANORMAL

About Untethered

Stoke the campfire and get ready for some chills and goosebumps when you open this paranormal addition to the award-winning Bethlehem Writers Group’s “Sweet, Funny, and Strange” anthologies. Among our twenty-seven stories, we bring you Jeff Baird’s “Bailey’s Mountain” which shows a romp with man’s best friend through Mother Nature morph into a visit to the supernatural. Dianna Sinovic’s “Point of View” describes a mysterious shifting painting and its sinister effects on its new owner. Jodi Bogert brings us “Old Man Omar,” and shows us that sometimes those we consider crazy might just know some things we don’t. In DT Krippene’s “Hell of a Deal,” a man buys a house for a price that’s too good to be true—until he discovers the bizarre strings attached. Kidd Wadsworth’s “The Beast” brings a ghost story to life—but can her characters escape with theirs?

In addition, we have new stories of the unexplained from favorite authors Courtney Annicchiarico, Walter Bego, A. E. Decker, Marianne H. Donley, Headley Hauser, Ralph Hieb, Jerome W. McFadden, Stanley W. McFarland, Emily P. W. Murphy, Christopher D. Ochs, Paul Weidknecht, and Carol L. Wright. Also included are the winning stories from the 2017 and 2018 Bethlehem Writers Roundtable Short Story Award by Suzanne Purvis and Christine Eskilson respectively.

So sit back to enjoy a drift through the paranormal—but don’t let the fire go out!

0 0 Read more

Featuring Marianne H. Donley

October 14, 2018 by marianne h donley in category Apples & Oranges by Marianne H. Donley, Featured Author of the Month tagged as October Featured Author of the Month

Featuring Marianne H. Donley | October Featured Author | A Slice of Orange

Marianne H. Donley makes her home in Tennessee with her husband, son and a very active puppy. She is a member of Bethlehem Writers Group, The Charmed Connection, Romance Writers of America, and Music City Romance Writers. When Marianne isn’t working on A Slice of Orange, she might be writing short stories, funny romances, or quirky murder mysteries, but this could be a rumor.

A READABLE FEAST: Sweet, Funny, and Strange Tales for Every Taste

About A READABLE FEAST

Whatever your taste, this collection of food-related stories from the multiple award-winning Bethlehem Writers Group has all the ingredients to satisfy your reading palate. Our menu includes twenty-seven appetizing stories, from light-fare and sides of fantasy to sweet romance and savory bites of mystery. Jeff Baird’s “The Pickle Promenade” provides an amuse bouche. Try a spicy entree prepared by Diane Sismour in “Bump and Run.” Prefer a yarn with zing? Enjoy “Rightful Prey” by A. E. Decker. Jerry McFadden’s tart “Hard Times,” should tickle your taste buds. On the sweeter side, there’s Sally Paradysz’s “Our Town is Different” or the bittersweet “Breakfast for One” by Geoffrey Mehl.

Enjoy these and other delectable tales from our talented authors including: Courtney Annicchiarico, Terrie Daugherty, Bernadette De Courcey, Marianne H. Donley, Headley Hauser, Ralph Hieb, Judith Mehl, Emily P. W. Murphy, E. L. Ryan, Paul Weidknecht, and Carol L. Wright. To complete today’s specials, we offer tasty tales from Tracy Falenwolfe and C. A. Rowland, winners of Bethlehem Writers Roundtable’s Short Story Awards in 2014 and 2015 respectively. All honed their recipes to write sweet, funny, and strange stories to remember.

Bon Appetit

Marianne’s story “The Widow Next Door” features a tired chef in search of sleep, the noisy kids of the food critic who could kill his new cookbook , and an evil twin brother.

0 0 Read more

Marianne H. Donley: October Featured Author

October 7, 2018 by marianne h donley in category Featured Author of the Month tagged as anthology, Bethlehem Writers Group, Children's stories, Marianne H. Donley, October Featured Author of the Month

marianne h donley | Featured Author | A Slice of Orange

Marianne H. Donley taught mathematics to a variety of students from middle school to university level. She now writes fiction from short stories and quirky murder mysteries to humorous romances fueled by her life as a mom and a teacher. Marianne makes her home in Tennessee with her husband, son and a new puppy with very sharp teeth. She is a member of Bethlehem Writers Group, Romance Writers of America, and Music City Romance Writers. Her story in ONCE UPON A TIME, “The Ghosts in Grandma’s Closet,” was written for pre-school age children.

ONCE UPON A TIME

Step through our castle doors into a world of imagination!

At long last, the Bethlehem Writers Group, known for its award-winning anthologies, has published a book especially for children. ONCE UPON A TIME is a collection of twenty-one sweet, funny, and yes, strange stories for kids from preschool through middle school.

This anthology is designed to grow with your child.

First, stories such as “GG and Teddy and the Dream Willow” by Will Wright, “The Princess of Booray” by Emily P. W. Murphy, and “A Nutty Adventure” by Judith Mehl, will enchant those who enjoy being read to while sitting on a grown-up’s lap. Others, including “A Harmonious Secret” by Josie Myers, “Bird Boy” by Russell Uhler, and “Bring-Your-Monster-to-School Day” by Kidd Wadsworth, allow young readers to immerse themselves in the fantasy and adventure of reading on their own. Finally, for older kids, such stories as “Book Worm” by Christopher D. Ochs and “Coot” by Anne Hamilton complete the collection with the tween or early teen in mind.

Enjoy these and other entertaining stories from our award-winning authors including: Jeff Baird, Marianne H. Donley, Ralph Hieb, Diane Sismour, Paul Weidknecht, and Carol L. Wright. In addition, we are happy to present “Stick to the Bypathings,” an imaginative fantasy from Eleanor Ingbretson, the winner of the 2016 Bethlehem Writers Roundtable Short Story Award. And charming illustrations from Agy Wilson enhance each story.

All together, this collection will captivate and delight children of all ages–even if they’re grownups!

“Once Upon a Time is a readable treat . . . the perfect book to snuggle up with before bedtime or share over milk and cookies. . . . [S]ure to delight both youngsters and the young at heart.” A. E. Decker, author of Moonfall Mayhem, the highly praised young adult fantasy series.