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Now for October. Officially and unofficially...here are some things on my calendar that you might be interested in.

*Wednesday, October 14, 8pm EST / 5pm Pacific
Chatting online with Mundie Moms!

Immediately after that at 7pm Pacific, I'm heading out to my local indie, Changing Hands, to listen to fellow S&S author Scott Westerfeld talk about his new awesome book, Leviathan.


*Saturday, October 17, 5pm Pacific, I'll be attending Robin Brande's launch party for her second book, FAT CAT, again at Changing Hands. You should totally come -- Robin is an awesome speaker and both of her books are terrific. Her fist is called Evolution, Me, and Other Freaks of Nature, and it recently was optioned for film.


*Wednesday, Oct 21, 6pm Pacific / 9pm EST, I'll be chatting online with Readergirlz for Teen Read Week. Everyone is invited! Please stop in!
And immediately after that, I'll be driving back to Changing Hands for the bazillionth time this month to see author James Dashner talk about his new book, The Mazerunner! (7pm)


*Thursday, Oct 22, 7pm Pacific, I'll be attending The Secret Garden, a musical by Actor's Youth Theatre at the Mesa Arts Center. My kid is in it! And it's going to be awesome. If you live in the valley, please come and support this excellent organization -- shows run Tuesday thru Friday that week. And hey, if you've got money burning a hole in your pocket but you aren't near enough to attend a show, consider dropping them a small donation -- tax deductible (they are a 501C3). Times are tough all over, especially for self-funded arts programs like these that add so much to the community and the lives of our creative teens.

(I am also getting my hair done that day by the amazing Lori, hairdresser to the stars. More red stripes please!)


*Saturday, October 24, all day -- I'll be in Austin, TX at the Teen Book Festival! Just to clarify, this is not just for teens -- all lovers of teen books are invited! This is my first author visit to Texas and I've been dying to get down there, so I'm very excited. If you live anywhere near Austin (or even if you don't), come on out for an awesome day filled with authors and panels and book buying and signings and I'm sure tons of laughs. With that many teen authors in one place, it could get a little dangerous.


*Coming up in November -- Kalamazoo Youth Lit Seminar!

It's a beautiful day and I'm going to see U2--or maybe it's a beautiful day because I'm going to see U2.

Boy, am I excited! We bought our tickets as soon as Internet pre-sales opened months ago. Farthest away ticket--$75! We're talking a huge, outdoor arena in St. Pete--you know, elevation so high you could get vertigo, don't get too close to the edge--look out! So the sweetest thing my husband did was take over the ticket buying. Now we have good seats. Don't ask me how much they cost.

Even so, this day in October will be out of control! I can't wait to see Bono! I'll probably have to use binoculars or look at those huge screens; some people think that's even better than the real thing because you can see their faces, but I prefer to watch the specks on stage because they are the real thing.

We don't have a GPS, so we'll use the old map. But parts of it are tiny, where the streets have no name. Guess if we get lost, we'll have to walk on. Hubby will navigate; I will follow.

I cannot wait!

Bono! I'm wearing my purple shirt!

Halloween is getting close. You’ve selected your costume, decorated, made party plans and you’ve possibly already aquired that all important stash of candy to hand out. Or have you? There is always that last minute run to the local Walmart. Perhaps you’ve eaten half of your stash, unable to resist that sugar rush, or the candy issue completely slipped your mind this year. Maybe you just didn’t anticipate seeing quite so many kids at your door this year. Here are a few ideas about what you might be able to find in your house to offer as a token gesture honoring the kiddies requests.

Take the opportunity to clean under your couch cushions. Everyone expects at least one guy in the neighborhood to give out his loose change. It’s not a bad idea. Halloween pennies add up and the kid can go out and buy the candy of his or her choosing later.

Forage through your pantry. See that old can of beets that you know you’ll never eat? What about the eight hundred packages of Ramen that you’ve horded against the day that you run out of food? Packages of instant oatmeal are okay, too. You can also unload odd packages of spices for marinades you’ll never make. All those fast food packets of ketchup, mustard and soy sauce that have been languishing unloved in that refrigerator compartment reserved for eggs may finally experience some movement.

All those pairless socks in the bottom of your drawer have been suffering from loneliness for far too long. Throw one of those into that yawning pillowcase and tell the kid it’s a one of a kind sock puppet.

Halloween is getting close. You’ve selected your costume, decorated, made party plans and you’ve possibly already aquired that all important stash of candy to hand out. Or have you? There is always that last minute run to the local Walmart. Perhaps you’ve eaten half of your stash, unable to resist that sugar rush, or the candy issue completely slipped your mind this year. Maybe you just didn’t anticipate seeing quite so many kids at your door this year. Here are a few ideas about what you might be able to find in your house to offer as a token gesture honoring the kiddies requests.

Take the opportunity to clean under your couch cushions. Everyone expects at least one guy in the neighborhood to give out his loose change. It’s not a bad idea. Halloween pennies add up and the kid can go out and buy the candy of his or her choosing later.

Forage through your pantry. See that old can of beets that you know you’ll never eat? What about the eight hundred packages of Ramen that you’ve horded against the day that you run out of food? Packages of instant oatmeal are okay, too. You can also unload odd packages of spices for marinades you’ll never make. All those fast food packets of ketchup, mustard and soy sauce that have been languishing unloved in that refrigerator compartment reserved for eggs may finally experience some movement.

All those pairless socks in the bottom of your drawer have been suffering from loneliness for far too long. Throw one of those into that yawning pillowcase and tell the kid it’s a one of a kind sock puppet.

Image via Wikipedia

We all know Halloween is celebrated at the end of October, but what other interesting facts do you know about the Fall Month that begins to usher in the change of seasons? Sure some people also realize Columbus Day is in October and many cities across America hold big celebrations and parades.

But what trivial, yet interesting facts do you know about October?

DO you know some of the folk lore saying about October? For example:

“Rain in October
Means wind in December”…..

“If the October moon comes without frost,
expect no frost till the moon of November”.

Here are some really weird facts concerning the month of October —

•  October is the tenth month in the Gregorian calendar. It received its name from the Latin numeral “octo” meaning “eight”, because in the first Roman calendar it was the eighth month.
• Did you realize Dayight Savings Time ends every year at 2:00 A.M. local time on the last Sunday of October?
• The German Oktoberfest celebration (now held around the world) originally began on October 17, 1810, the wedding day of King Ludwig I.
• In merry old England during olden times the month of October was once named “Winmonth”, which meant wine month. It has also been called ‘Teo-monath’ (Tenth month) and ‘Winter-fylleth’ (Winter full moon) in the Old Saxon traditions.
• Did you know Canada celebrates their Thanksgiving on the second Monday of October?
• The Franciscan Order of the Catholic Church celebrates St. Francis Feast Day on October 4th.
• On October 18th, 1867, Alaska became an American territory.
• The founder of the Girl Scouts of America, Juliette Gordon Lowe was born on Halloween day – October 31st, 1860.

October is:

• October is Adopt-A-Shelter Dog Month, Children’s Health Month,
• Class Reunion Month, Frugal Fun Month, National Crime Prevention Month, Family Health Month, National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, National Positive Attitude Month, National Cookie Month, National Seafood Month – National Dessert & Cookie Month – National Popcorn & Popcorn Poppin’ Month – National Pretzel Month – National Pork Month – National Stamp Collecting Month and National Chili Month.
• In October 1903, the first game of the first baseball World Series was played between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Boston Pilgrims. Cy Young was the first losing pitcher, in a world Series Baseball Game, but Boston did win the series.
• In October 1962: Johnny Carson became host of “The Tonight Show”.
• On October 1st, 1968: the now cult horror movie “Night of the Living Dead” had its world premiere in Pittsburgh, Pa.
• On October 1st, 1971, Walt Disney World opened in Orlando, Florida.
• More American Presidents were born in the month of October than any other month (6). They are:
•  1735 – John Adams …1822 – Rutherford B. Hayes…1829 – Chester Arthur, 5th, 1829…Theodore Roosevelt, 27th, 1858… 1890 – Dwight Eisenhower – … 1924 – Jimmy Carter.
• Both John Lennon (famous Beatles member) and Bill Gates (Microsoft) were born in October.
• The Moon in the month of October is called  “A Hunter’s Moon”.
• National Magic Week is celebrated from – October 25 to October 31.
• Are you ready to celebrate Mule Day on October 26?

• In October 1683, a huge amount of toads fell at Acle, a village in Norfolk, England. The villagers fearing witchcraft was at work, swept them into piles and burned them.
• October is National Domestic Violence Month.
• The first Model T Ford was introduced by Henry Ford, on October 1, 1908.
• On the 13th of October, 1884, Greenwich Mean Time began.
• On 14th October, 1926, Winnie-the-Pooh was first published: Written by A.A. Milne.
• On 14th, October 1979, Sony invents the first Walkman, over 3 billion sold in the first 20 years.
• Did you know that on 25th October, St Crispin’s Day, Patron Saint of Shoemakers, is celebrated?

Enough…..enough information for now!!! There is plenty more.

Aries (March 21 – April 19) – Your Aries lava lamp shall be turned on more than usual this month, and in reward for all of the extra attention, it will make extra funky globular shapes for your viewing enjoyment.

Taurus (Apr 20 – May 20) – Taurus faucets will be overzealous in their spending and will tend to leak unless carefully tightened.

Gemini (May 21 – June 20) – That locally crafted salt and pepper shaker set will turn on each other when pepper starts to show a crack and salt remains flawlessly smooth. You may want to keep them apart or retire them for another set of twins until they calm down.

Cancer (June 21 – July 22) – Make sure to monitor that Cancer born deep freezer out in the garage. In its eagerness to please, the ice could build-up and create problems when trying to unearth last seasons deer meat.

Leo (July 23 – Aug 22) – Keep that red leather Leo wallet close or it may be “promoted” to the pocket of another.

Virgo (Aug 23 – Sept 22) – No, you are not gaining that much weight. Your Virgo couch is just feeling overemotional this month and being extra vocal with loud squeaks and sighs every time you sit.

Libra (Sept 23 – Oct 22) – The lid of that perfectly-sized lovely lilac Libra tupperware container will be reticent about closure. Be gentle and it will all work out.

Scorpio (Oct 23 – Nov 21) – That restless Scorpio every-day silverware is getting restless. You may find it wandering about in strange places and behaving inapropriately with the guest silverware.

Sagittarius (Nov 22 – Dec 21) – That Sagittarian candelabra that has been hiding in the attic until this month is feeling uncertain and wobbly. You will have to brace it with something so it doesn’t fall into the bean dip at your Halloween party.

Capricorn (Dec 22 – Jan 19) – Listen, that weird yellow stain on the wall behind your bathroom door is a Capricorn and it will not budge. Give up and paint over it before your mother comes to visit you at your college apartment. If she sees it, she might deny you that huge bag of candy-corn.

Aquarius (Jan 20 – Feb 18) – The Aquarian miniature Statuette of Liberty is getting extremely annoyed by the miniature replica of Stonehenge within her eyeline. You may want to move her because Stonehenge has been around a lot longer and if they get into it, Liberty could lose a spike or two.

Pisces (Feb 19 – March 20) The Piscean ping-pong table you keep in the basement will hold up well under pressure. It might be a good place to inspect your Halloween loot. Also, the neighbor kids you stole it from won’t find you in there.

Aries (March 21 – April 19) – Your Aries lava lamp shall be turned on more than usual this month, and in reward for all of the extra attention, it will make extra funky globular shapes for your viewing enjoyment.

Taurus (Apr 20 – May 20) – Taurus faucets will be overzealous in their spending and will tend to leak unless carefully tightened.

Gemini (May 21 – June 20) – That locally crafted salt and pepper shaker set will turn on each other when pepper starts to show a crack and salt remains flawlessly smooth. You may want to keep them apart or retire them for another set of twins until they calm down.

Cancer (June 21 – July 22) – Make sure to monitor that Cancer born deep freezer out in the garage. In its eagerness to please, the ice could build-up and create problems when trying to unearth last seasons deer meat.

Leo (July 23 – Aug 22) – Keep that red leather Leo wallet close or it may be “promoted” to the pocket of another.

Virgo (Aug 23 – Sept 22) – No, you are not gaining that much weight. Your Virgo couch is just feeling overemotional this month and being extra vocal with loud squeaks and sighs every time you sit.

Libra (Sept 23 – Oct 22) – The lid of that perfectly-sized lovely lilac Libra tupperware container will be reticent about closure. Be gentle and it will all work out.

Scorpio (Oct 23 – Nov 21) – That restless Scorpio every-day silverware is getting restless. You may find it wandering about in strange places and behaving inapropriately with the guest silverware.

Sagittarius (Nov 22 – Dec 21) – That Sagittarian candelabra that has been hiding in the attic until this month is feeling uncertain and wobbly. You will have to brace it with something so it doesn’t fall into the bean dip at your Halloween party.

Capricorn (Dec 22 – Jan 19) – Listen, that weird yellow stain on the wall behind your bathroom door is a Capricorn and it will not budge. Give up and paint over it before your mother comes to visit you at your college apartment. If she sees it, she might deny you that huge bag of candy-corn.

Aquarius (Jan 20 – Feb 18) – The Aquarian miniature Statuette of Liberty is getting extremely annoyed by the miniature replica of Stonehenge within her eyeline. You may want to move her because Stonehenge has been around a lot longer and if they get into it, Liberty could lose a spike or two.

Pisces (Feb 19 – March 20) The Piscean ping-pong table you keep in the basement will hold up well under pressure. It might be a good place to inspect your Halloween loot. Also, the neighbor kids you stole it from won’t find you in there.

Yay extending the weekly theme another week!

This piece is a recent painting I did for Girls Drawin Girls for our 2010 Pin-Up art calendar. She's the month of October!  She's currently on view at the Girls Drawin Girls group show at Meltdown Comics in Los Angeles.

Is this cat waiting for a huge spider?

Mums, lots and lots of beautiful mums!

The colors of this front porch are just delicious, don't you agree?

This home is a favorite for both my husband and I. Unfortunately I didn't get the photo I wanted but will try again when the lighting is better.


Some ghoulish twists...freakish!


More posts later on in the week, feel free to check back...