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Showing posts from 2009

Image: Prague, Czech Republic

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Images Photo by Jason Jack Miller This tilt shift photo of a Prague trolley was taken by my husband when we visited the Czech Republic two years ago.

Book: Red Ranger Came Calling

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Books Red Ranger Came Calling by Berkeley Breathed Damsels in Regress had a recent poll about favorite Christmas books. Red Ranger Came Calling by Berkeley Breathed is mine. My husband and I read it every year. If you've never read it, it's a guaranteed true Christmas story.

EVENT: Official Kissing Day Blogfest - The Excerpt

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Events Official Kissing Day Blogfest The following is an excerpt from the spy thriller I'll be finishing by New Year's called Sin City Zion : Phoebe stood in front of the highrise window looking out over the strip. She hugged her arms around her as much from the air conditioning as from the chill of fear. Nick came up behind her and rubbed the goosebumps from her arms. “How are you doing?” “I don’t know,” she said, surprised by the honesty of her response. Her stiff upper lip was failing her. She put her head on his chest. “Do you think they’re all right?” “Sure. Don’s probably got the Detsois holed up in a place even swankier than this.” His voice managed an upbeat tone, but Phoebe felt the hard thumping of his heart. “What are we going to do, Nick?” “I don’t know yet.” He always knew. She felt tears welling. To push them away she did the first thing that came to mind. She kissed him. To find the other writers participating in this blog carnival, visit

Event: Official Kissing Day Blogfest

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Events From Sherrinda"s blog: WHAT: Official Kissing Day Blogfest WHEN: Monday, December 21st WHY: A Writer’s Tribute to Mistletoe HOW: Here is what to do if you want to participate in the Official Kissing Day Blogfest: 1. Write a post telling about the Official Kissing Day Blogfest. This way more writer/bloggers will get the word and be able to participate on Monday, Dec. 21st. 2. Tweet about it, using the hash tag: #kissingdayblogfest (I don’t know if this will help get the word out, but I thought it might be fun to try). 3. On Monday, December 21st, post on your blog an excerpt from your current WIP, or write a new scene that spotlights a kiss or an “almost kiss.” 4. If you are not a writer, or are uncomfortable sharing your work online, post your favorite kissing scene or almost-kissing scene from any book or movie. **Please note that you do NOT have to do #1 or #2 to participate. I was trying to think of a way to get more writers to join in on t

News: Seton Hill and Mike Arnzen in The Writer

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News The Writer (January 2010) In the January 2010 issue of The Writer , which is on stands now, Seton Hill mentor and Humanities Chair Michael A. Arnzen has an article about writing horror, something the four-time Bram Stoker Award winner certainly knows about, plus Seton Hill's WPF Program is featured in an article titled "10 MFA programs that offer a specialty focus" by Melissa Hart . And, mentor Randall Silvis , also an award-winner (Drue Heinz Literature Prize and three National Playwrights Showcase Awards) penned an article in this issue as well.

Event: 2009 Light Up Night in Uniontown

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Events Light Up Night 2009 in Downtown Uniontown PHOTO BY Jason Jack Miller We ate popcorn and drank hot chocolate with our friend Laura Tebbitt as the Holiday Parade went by on Main Street in downtown Uniontown . Though a rainy night, the large crowd still seemed full of spirit. Afterward, we had dinner at J. Pauls and won the trivia contest. Very enjoyable evening and a great way to kick off the Christmas season.

Appearance: Women's College Club of Pittsburgh

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Appearances College Club of Pittsburgh inside the Pittsburgh Athletic Association I recently had the honor to lunch with the Women's College Club of Pittsburgh . The meal was incredible: roast pork with porcini mushrooms, wild rice, and green beans, and for dessert, a generous piece of apple pie. Diane Owen gave me this opportunity to share a meal and a slideshow presentation about Kentuck Knob with these gracious ladies and gentlemen. I took Diane and her husband, Dave, on a private tour of the house and grounds at Kentuck Knob in September. Both retired educators, she from a Pittsburgh high school and he from Carnegie Mellon University , they have that lifelong learner attitude that I subscribe to myself, one of the reasons I head a continuing education program at a Frank Lloyd Wright house. I was able to share a bit of Kentuck Knob with the club through a wonderful photo slideshow provided by Jason Jack Miller . The group was so enchanted by the home and Sculpture Meadow t

Event: 2010 Pennwriters Conference

Events The 2010 Pennwriters Conference is scheduled for May 14-16 at the Best Western Eden Resort in Lancaster PA . Prior to the conference, on May 13 , they'll be hosting four preconference classes specifically designed to give attendees an in-depth, interactive experience. Details on these classes are now posted on the Pennwriters Web site . Follow these tiny URLs to go directly to each class, or go to www.pennwriters.com and click on Conference then Intensives to browse the categories. Plotting and Subplotting with Loree Lough For all writers who need hands-on experience with plotting; no class limit. May 13, 2010, 1 pm to 4 pm http://tiny.cc/PHoF1 Crafting a Fiction Query Package with CJ Lyons For writers who have a finished draft; class limit 16. May 13, 2010, 9 am to noon http://tiny.cc/M5WEY Fiction Writing with Tim Esaias For writers who have a finished draft; class limit 15 May 13, 2010, 9 am to 4 pm http://tiny.cc/w4CK4 Nonfiction Writing with Jonathan Maberry For wr

Celebration: 20th Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall

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Celebrations One would say I am lucky enough as it is to work at a Frank Lloyd Wright house, but Kentuck Knob is also home to two pieces of the Berlin Wall . We have had recent guests visiting just to catch a glimpse of this history, so I try never to take it for granted. Berlin Wall at Frank Lloyd Wright's House on Kentuck Knob - PHOTO BY Jason Jack Miller

Shows: RAIN and The StepCrew

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Shows This season Jason and I subscribed to the University Arts Series at WVU . Last month we saw RAIN: A Tribute to the Beatles which was so exciting since we bought The Beatles Rock Band as soon as it came out. Sitting further away from the stage allowed me to imagine I was seeing Paul, John, George, and Ringo up there. RAIN's multimedia stroll through the ages completed the illusion for me. If you ever have the opportunity, I recommend seeing RAIN. This is a tribute band which goes the extra mile for a memorable show. Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles Just last week we saw The StepCrew , a Canadian troupe featuring dancers, musicians, and vocalists: some of the troupe had a combination of these talents. I loved the dancing best, probably because I took thirteen years of tap as a child and teenager. Jason, of course, loved the music, probably because he has been playing guitar for over twenty years. Certainly something there for us both. The StepCrew

Article: Uniontown in PA Pursuits Spring 2010

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Articles I sold an article about my hometown of Uniontown, PA . You'll be able to read it in the Spring 2010 issue of PA Pursuits magazine . I also have a large lay out about the Pennsylvania Wilds in the 2009 PA Insiders Guide .

Event: Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau Annual Dinner

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Events BACK: Patricia Coyle, Laurie Bryner, Heidi Ruby Miller , Marianne Skvarla; FRONT: Robin and Monica Jackson The Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau held its annual dinner on Thursday, October 22, 2009, at the Fred M. Rogers Center on the St. Vincent College campus. The theme IT'S A WONDERFUL DAY IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD played not only on the meeting's locale, but also the bureau's new tourism campaign: Laurel Highlands Pennsylvania - A Place of Wonder . As most of you know, I am a huge proponent for pride of place, so I smiled the entire evening, being among hundreds of like-minded people from Fayette , Somerset , and Westmoreland counties, all working toward the same goal as defined in the LHVB mission statement: "To promote and support tourism, tourism development, and the interests of the travel and hospitality industries in Pennsylvania's Laurel Highlands region..., thereby contributing to the economic growth and quality of life for the area."

Celebration: Uniontown Arts and Heritage Festival 2009

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Celebrations Our friends Dave and Kris Buchanan had a booth at the 2009 Uniontown Arts and Heritage Festival . Dave was showcasing his Windy Hill Honey and his gorgeous pottery. Dave and Kris Buchanan Photo by Heidi Ruby Miller If you are looking for some new dinnerware or a wonderful gift, you can contact Dave at claydavey@yahoo.com .

Research: Frank Lloyd Wright by Bruce Brooks Pfeiffer

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Research My job as Educational Marketing Director at Frank Lloyd Wright's House on Kentuck Knob provides me access to myriad sources regarding architecture, art, history, and especially Mr. Wright . No surprise I've used those sources to research my next novel. Here's what I'm reading now to brush up on some general Wright knowledge and specifically information on the prairie style of architecture, which I need for a scene in my fourth chapter. For those of you with an interest in architecture, you'll recognize the publisher Taschen , and if your interest is specific to Frank Lloyd Wright, you'll certainly recognize author Bruce Brooks Pfeiffer .

Celebration: Uniontown Italian Heritage Festival

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Celebrations Storey Square in Uniontown, PA Photo by Jason Jack Miller The ethnic diversity in our home town of Uniontown, Pennsylvania , allows for wonderful multicultural experiences such as the First Annual Uniontown Italian Heritage Festival . The celebration was held downtown from August 28 -29, 2009. Thousands of visitors enjoyed food and craft vendors along Main Street, as well as live performances, which ran both days on the beautiful Storey Square stage. As we walked home Saturday evening the fireworks were just beginning. Watching them from our own porch reminded us of when we lived in Orlando and could watch fireworks several times each night. The little things always inspire pride of place. That's what it's all about.

News: Kentuck Knob on Pittsburgh G20 Summit Site

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News My article about Frank Lloyd Wright's House on Kentuck Knob is now up on the Pittsburgh G20 Summit website: http://www.g20pittsburghsummit.org/quality-of-life/cultural-phenomenon/house-on-kentuck-knob/ The photo below was originally supposed to accompany the article. Entrance to Kentuck Knob as seen through the carport Photo by Jason Jack Miller

Event: Kentuck Knob Teacher Training Session

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Valerie Cortis and Heidi Ruby Miller in the Kentuck Knob Greenhouse Cafe Photo by Rich Miller Events This summer I hosted teachers from all over the state of Pennsylvania for the Educational Outreach Program I created at Frank Lloyd Wright's House on Kentuck Knob . Among them was my good friend Valerie Cortis , with whom I taught on the same floor at Uniontown Area High School for seven years. During the six-hour training days, I gave teachers an in-depth, private tour of the Hagan House and the Sculpture Meadow , then they created lesson plans to take back to their classrooms based on the touring experience and our discussions. And, best of all, each participant received 6 free PDE-Approved ACT 48 Continuing Education Hours. It was so successful, we are going to expand the 2010 teacher training dates . You can find more information about it on the Educational Events Page of the Official Kentuck Knob Website or the Kentuck Knob Blog .

News: Seton Hill Switches to MFA

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News The Writer September 2009 An ad for Seton Hill University's new MFA Program is in the September 2009 issue of The Writer , and I'm honored that my face is a part of it! ;) If you haven't heard about Seton Hill's switch from MA to MFA in Writing Popular Fiction , you can find out the details here: http://www.setonhill.edu/academics/fiction/index.cfm

Event: Uniontown Prom 2009

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Events Heidi Ruby Miller and Jason Jack Miller Jason and I chaperoned the Uniontown Area High School Prom this May. This photo, taken by Principal Tom Colebank, was on the top deck of the Gateway Clipper and shows part of Pittsburgh 's beautiful night skyline in the background.

Signing: Preston and Child in Pittsburgh

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Signings jason jack miller, heidi ruby miller, douglas preston, lincoln child Over the weekend we went to Joseph-Beth Booksellers at Pittsburgh's South Side Works to see Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child . We took several of our books from home and bought their latest Pendergast Novel The Wheel of Darkness , as well as Child's new novel Terminal Freeze . This was special for me because these guys, along with Clive Cussler , Michael Crichton , and Arthur C. Clarke are why I started to write in the first place.

Project: Kentuck Knob Blog

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Photo by Jason Jack Miller Projects Part of my duties as Educational Marketing Director of Frank Lloyd Wright's House on Kentuck Knob are to create and maintain a blog showcasing the culture surrounding the house and sculpture meadow, including the many events and programs offered. Here is the brand new blog: http://kentuckknob.blogspot.com

Image: Salzburg, Austria

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Images Even in the rain, walking around Salzburg is wonderful. July, 2007

Celebration: Eugie Foster's Virtual Book Launch

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Celebrations I'm sipping mimosas in my favorite Kenneth Coles and mingling with guests around the world at Eugie Foster's virtual launch party for her debut short story collection, RETURNING MY SISTER'S FACE: AND OTHER FAR EASTERN TALES OF WHIMSY AND MALICE , co-hosted by Facebook and LiveJournal . And, I brought my Mum with me - that's us in the photo. If champagne isn't your tipple, of course Eugie has sake too. And, she has party prizes. The grand prize is an autographed copy of RETURNING MY SISTER'S FACE , which will be awarded by a random drawing to be held at the end of today. To get your chance to win, either: • Tell others on your blog about RETURNING MY SISTER'S FACE with a link to Eugie's LiveJournal party co-host page (http://eugie.livejournal.com/383110.html); or • Join Eugie's Facebook group . See you here!

Excerpt: Moon Pennsylvania Camping

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Excerpts In the Author's Note to Moon Pennsylvania Camping , Jason and I wrote, "Green plateaus protruding through a dense fog. Pink and white laurel petals falling into a clear, cool stream. Rushing rivers spilling through a mountain gorge. These are the images that welcome us back to Pennsylvania after we've been away for too long. And when we hit the trail again, inhaling the scent of fallen pine needles and air charged with the mists of cascades, we know we are home. A thousand times we've felt the pull of wanderlust, and a thousand times we've driven into the ancient Appalachians and been reminded why we couldn't leave. Our forests and wilderness areas are the fuel that keep us running." Though we offered this sentiment for the entire state, especially after our extensive travels in 2005 throughout Pennsylvania to gather experiences and photographs for our guide, we admit that our small corner of PA with its borders along West Virginia and Maryland w

Musing: Jason Jack Miller Has Paneranoia

Musings Jason Jack Miller got a word accepted at Urban Dictionary - paneranoia . Stop by and give him a thumbs up! (Yes, I'm allowed to campaign for him because he is my husband.)

Beginning: My New Job at Kentuck Knob

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Beginnings I am officially the new Educational Marketing Director at Frank Lloyd Wright's House on Kentuck Knob . This is a dream job for me because it combines my degrees in Anthropology, Geography, and Writing, and my experience as an educator, archaeologist, and travel industry worker. Neil Gaiman once mentioned something about each one of us connecting to certain energy centers around the world: that's how Kentuck feels to me. The photo to the left was taken by my good friend Darlene Martin when I was still a guide in June 2008. Those beautiful white hexagons on the terrace's flagstone floor come from skylights in the cantilevered ceiling. They migrate depending on the season and time of day. In early summer, they make a path straight through the dining room and out to the back patio.

News: 22nd Annual Pennwriters Conference in Pittsburgh

News Online Registration is open for the Pennwriters 22nd Annual Conference A Writer's Tool Chest . WHEN: May 15 - 17, 2009 WHERE: Pittsburgh Airport Marriott KEYNOTE SPEAKER: New York Times bestselling author Lisa Scottoline PENNWRITER SPEAKER: Asimov's Readers' Award winner and Seton Hill mentor Timons Esaias I'll post continuing updates about the conference, guests, and events. Pennwriters , Heidi Ruby Miller , annual conference , A Writer's Tool Chest , Pittsburgh , Lisa Scottoline , Timons Esaias , writing , Seton Hill Writers

Submissions: 2008 Submissions and Responses

Submissions I always like to look back on my submissions record for the previous year right around this time, so here are my statistics for 2008 , along with commentary: 2008 SUBMISSIONS AND RESPONSES: 68 total submissions *The total is 58 less than 2007 and much less than the Buckell 150 I've been striving for annually, but the results of these meager submissions were encouraging. 15 rejections *These are from various sources for a variety of projects, some agented, some freelance (mags, agents, online media, editors). 3 withdrawals *All withdrawals were for online publications, 2 of which turned out to be of questionable integrity. 1 other *I created the "other" category for circumstances which cannot be covered under the usual headings; in this instance, it was a bad e-addy with no way to find an alternate one. 20 non-responders *This isn't as cut and dry as it would seem because either my agent or me are still in direct contact, negotiations,