Getting to Know You: Games and Toys

As we head into the season for Christmas, Hanukkah, and other gift-giving holidays, let's take a moment to recall the toys and games that made our childhood holidays fun.

What was on your childhood wish list?












What kinds of games did you most like to play?











Are any of these toys and games the sorts of things you'd enjoy today, if no one were watching?

First Line Challenge

Are you ready to get your creative juices flowing!  I will give you a sentence (or part of a sentence) from the opening of a famous book.  Your job is to turn it into a paragraph that is totally unique, and totally you!

Authors and characters are all welcome to try this little exercise.  Let's see how many different perspectives we can create.

Bonus points for anyone who can identify the book the sentence(s) are from.  Last week's line was from Eragon. 

Okay, are you ready? Here we go...

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a...

Social Weekday: Happy Thanksgiving!

Although not everyone here recognizes Thanksgiving – officially, an American holiday that stretches back to the Pilgrim days – I thought it might be pleasant to come together for a celebration of our own. After all, we don’t really need to use an official holiday as an excuse to be merry, eat yummy treats, and show gratitude for all the people, creatures, places, and things that we hold dear.

So, pass around the turkey and stuffing – or whatever delicacies you treasure – and let’s have a party!

As always, all are welcome – including busy authors and sun-challenged characters alike!

Getting to Know You: Valuable Experiences

Since it's Thanksgiving weekend in the United States, let's start thinking about experiences we're thankful to have had!

What have you done that was exciting, fulfilling, or left cherished memories?










What experiences shaped you in valuable ways that make you a better individual today?










Let's all start this week off right by sharing our most valued (and valuable) life experiences!

First Line Challenge

Today we are going to start a feature designed to get your creative juices flowing!  I will give you a sentence (or part of a sentence) that is the opening line from a famous book.  Your job is to turn it into a paragraph that is totally unique, and totally you!

Authors and characters are all welcome to try this little exercise.  Let's see how many different perspectives we can create.

Bonus points for anyone who can identify the book the sentence(s) are from.  Okay, are you ready? Here we go...

Wind howled through the night, carrying a scent that...

A Forum Game: 2012

You might have heard the news... Earth (as we know it) is coming to an end by the winter solstice of 2012. That’s at least according to ancient cultures such as the Mayans, who had remarkably accurate lunar and solar calendars – or so say some historians.

Why just tonight, my husband and I watched Hollywood’s version of the world’s catastrophic end in the obviously titled film 2012, and I must admit that witnessing all those destructive earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tidal waves on a larger-than-life screen was unsettling and thought-provoking indeed.

So, just out of curiosity, I thought we could play a “game” of sorts. Of course, if you believe in the 2012 predictions, consider this not a game, but a chance to prepare for the worst.

Well, here we go... If the end of the world was nigh, what would you do? Where would you go? Who would you want to spend your last moments with? Or, better still, do you have a survival plan in mind?

All authors and characters are welcome to share. And who knows? Perhaps in the sharing, we’ll even hatch a group plan. Stranger things have certainly happened.

Getting to Know You: Old Age

None of us is getting any younger...















Do you dread the passage of time? Do you fear growing old? Why or why not?

If you're already old, is it what you expected? What advice would you give to those who are younger?

Getting older can also mean getting better, so lets discuss how we feel about aging!