#outofthepenaltybox – Creole Bayou

The Importance of Hugging

Posted on May 1, 2024May 1, 2024 by Genevive Chamblee

Open arms!

In 2018, I wrote a post about kissing. (Kissing Smooch Smooch) To my surprise and interestingly enough, I did not (at least, I could not find where I had) write a post about hugging. In my defense, I thought I had, and perhaps I did and accidentally deleted it before posting. Or maybe I researched it but never uploaded it. Then again, maybe I wrote it in an alternative timeline and it’s floating somewhere in space. I kid you not, I have memories of writing a post about this. It’s a mystery, I intend to correct it now. So, today’s post is about hugging. (Psst…if you find where I’ve posted this topic before, please clue a girl in.)

International Hugging Day (or National Hugging Day) is celebrated in January. (So, I’m just a few months late.) According to research information, this “holiday” was created by Kevin Zaborney because he noticed that many people appeared to feel downtrodden during the winter months and post the holiday season. For this reason, he selected January 21 as the date of celebration. The first documented celebration occurred in Clio, Michigan, in 1986. A day set aside for celebrating hugging may sound silly to celebrate, but who couldn’t use a hug?

Research has indicated that hugging has several positive benefits. For example, hugging may reduce stress and anxiety. When a person engages in hugging, the brain releases oxytocin. Oxytocin (also known as the “love hormone”) is the brain neurotransmitter that helps regulate cortisol levels. Cortisol is one chemical in the body related to feeling stress and anxiety. Additionally, hugs may reduce the risk of heart attack, heart disease, and/or stroke by lowering blood pressure. Other help benefits include boosting immunity, reducing inflammation, fighting off infections, and increasing happiness.

By definition, a hug is an act of holding/squeezing someone tightly in his arms as an expression of affection. But, of course, not all hugs are affectionate, welcomed, or appreciated. Here are 7 types of hugs.

Bear hug. This is perhaps the most common type of hug. Usually, it is one of intimacy and/or between people who know each other well. It is performed by both people wrapping their arms around each other and pulling each other chest-to-chest (relatively, depending on height) in a long, tight embrace.
Eye-to-Eye hug. This is a bear hug on eye level. Usually, in a bear hug, the person involved isn’t looking at each other. Either one person has his/her head on the other’s shoulder or chest or a person’s chin on the other’s head. An eye-to-eye hug often involves one person lifting another, but not always. When two people are approximately the same height (or even if not), they may have their foreheads pressed together. Either way, it is a long, tight, and loving embrace. Out of all of the hugs, this may be the most intimate of all of them.
Patting hug. A patting hug also is a bear hug, but it involves patting the other person on the upper arms or back while hugging. It may be long or brief in duration and may occur between loved ones or colleagues. In general, this type of hug is engaged in when the involved one or both parties involved are offering comfort and/or support. These types of hugs are often seen between parents and children when the child has injured himself/herself or is feeling scared and in times of tragedy (e.g., funerals/death, receiving heartbreaking/disappointing news, etc.)
Side hug. This is a one-limb embrace, performed by placing one arm around another person’s shoulder or waist. This is a preferred gesture when an adult wishes to show affection to a minor who isn’t his/her child but wants to avoid any misperceptions of inappropriate touching, grooming, or sexual misconduct. It also may frequently be the preferred hugging method in workplace situations to prevent allegations of favoritism or sexual harassment. In this day and age, even the best-intended hugs may be reported as something clandestine.
Back hug. This hug is just what it sounds like. It is when one person wraps his/her arms around another person’s waist or torso from behind. This is almost always either a demonstration of a close friendship or a romantic instance. Rarely is the hug exhibited between people who do not know each other well.
London-Bridge hug. I don’t know if this hug has another name. To be honest, my first time learning about this hug was while researching types of hugs. While I may not have known the appropriate name for this hug, I certainly have seen people engage in this. I have even engaged in this. These hugs are most often seen when two people are uncertain if they should hug each other or when they do not know each other well. Personally, I think a better name for this hug would be a teepee hug. It is performed with the upper torso of two people who are in contact but their lower bodies have a fair amount of distance between them.
Polite hug. Last, but not least, a polite hug may be expressed in several ways (bear, side, back, waist, pickpocket, etc.) The difference between a polite hug and all the previously mentioned hugs is that it is extremely brief. It’s always non-romantic. This hug is common among colleagues, associates, first-time meeting greetings (for the touchy-feely types), and/or distant relatives.

And this is it for my list of hugs. Which one is your favorite? What did you think? What is your take on the subject? Did you find this information helpful or informative? Did you learn anything new, or did it change your opinion? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section. Also, let me know if you would like me to cover more of these types of topics or dive deeper into this one.

If you like this post, please click the “Like” button and share it. Your feedback allows me to know the content that you want to read. If you’re not following me on Creole Bayou blog, what are you waiting for? There’s always room at the bayou.

Get ready. It’s time to hit the ice again. Future Goals has arrived and is available.

When a college hockey player needs the help of an attractive older attorney, he gets more than he bargained for when trying to sort out the troubles in his career. Falling in love was never part of either man’s plan, especially as Corrigan’s and Sacha’s lives should never have collided. Now they’re left questioning if they’re standing in the way of the other’s future goals, or if there’s room for redirection.

Order your copy at:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3RjPYb9

Other booksellers: https://bit.ly/3CI8d5W

Did you miss the first four books in my hockey romance series? No frets.

Out of the Penalty Box (book #1), where it is one minute in the box or a lifetime out, is available at http://amzn.to/2Bhnngw. It also can be ordered on iTunes, Nook, or Kobo. For more links on where to purchase or to read the blurb, please visit http://bit.ly/2i9SqpH.

Defending the Net (book #2) can be ordered at https://amzn.to/2N7fj8q or www.books2read.com/defending. Crossing the line could cost the game.

Ice Gladiators (book #3) is the third book in my Locker Room Love series. When the gloves come off, the games begin. Available at https://amzn.to/2TGFsyD or www.books2read.com/icegladiators.

Penalty Kill (book #4) retakes the ice. Get a copy at https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p or https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p and let the pucker begin.

For more of my stories, shenanigans, giveaways, and more, check out my blog, Creole Bayou, www.genevivechambleeconnect.wordpress.com. New posts are made on Wednesdays, and everything is raw and unscathed. Climb on in a pirogue and join me on the bayou.

If you have any questions or suggestions about this post or any others, feel free to comment below or X (formerly tweet) me at @dolynesaidso. You also can follow me on Instagram at genevivechambleeauthor or search for me on Goodreads, Amazon Authors, BookBub, Bluesky, Threads, or TikTok.

NEWSLETTER! Want to get the latest information and updates about my writing projects, giveaways, contests, and reveals first? Click https://genevivechambleeconnect.wordpress.com/newsletter/ and sign up today.

Until next time, happy reading and much romance. Laissez le bon temps rouler.

Author Bio

Genevive Chamblee resides in the Bayou country where sweet tea and SEC football reign supreme. She is known for being witty (or so she thinks), getting lost anywhere beyond her front yard (the back is pushing it as she’s very geographically challenged), falling in love with shelter animals (and she adopts them), asking off-the-beaten-path questions that make one go “hmm,” and preparing home-cooked Creole meals that are as spicy as her writing. Genevive specializes in spinning steamy, romantic tales with humorous flair, diverse characters, and quirky views of love and human behavior. She also is not afraid to delve into darker romances as well.

How to Manage Time When You Have None

Posted on April 24, 2024April 15, 2024 by Genevive Chamblee

Generally, it’s my cohorts and their shenanigans that inspire the topics that I write about. However, this one, I’m ashamed to admit, is all on me. I fell into the pit that so many others have. Because sometimes even when one knows what is required and where the dips in the sidewalks are, he/she still trips.

Procrastination is not unfamiliar to me. Although I realize that more times than not procrastination will lead nowhere sunny, I still do it. And it would be reasonable that is what is happened in this instance. But in my self-evaluation of where my life slid sideways, I realized procrastination wasn’t the culprit—at least, not alone. It did show up for a visit a time or two, but again, it wasn’t the main problem. It was in this self-evaluation that it dawned on me other people may be experiencing the same issues. So, in an effort to get myself back on track, I pulled out my handy dandy laptop and got to researching. Some of the things I discovered were surprising.

The following are six ways to effectively manage time that you may not have considered.

Pride. Set it aside. Now, if you’re wondering what pride has to do with anything, then you’re not alone. I was right in this boat with you. As it turned out, pride was my fiercest nemesis and snuck in without my noticing. See, I was so wrapped up in how “glorious” the outcome would be that it caused me to overlook small but important details and emphasized less essential ones. One way to effectively manage time is by focusing on the immediate tasks instead of anticipating outcomes. In other words, focus on the individual trees in the forest.
Food. How many commercial or social media ads promoting healthy eating are aired in a day? And who hasn’t been warned not to feed kids foods or sodas containing loads of sugar to avoid hyping them up? Well, for adults, that initial bump in energy may be beneficial. It’s the crash that is may be knotty. How this affected me was as follows. Having a busy schedule means waking early and staying up late. Fatigue lurked around every corner. I would find myself ready to pass out around seven or eight in the evening. Partially, this was related to getting up at 4:00 AM. But it had more to do with the high carbs and sugar I would consume at lunch. Where I would be during the day, food options were limited, and packing a lunch wasn’t always something I could do. Frequently, I’d grab something at a greasy spoon with a soft drink. (Soft drinks aren’t something I normally consume, and I dislike the diet versions.) By the evening, the crash would begin, and I’d not have the energy to do much. This wasted precious time in the evenings. And this would occur day after day. Thus, I would go for weeks being unproductive in the afternoons.
Fatigue. Getting adequate rest is imperative. As I mentioned previously, I wasted so much time to not having energy. And fatigue is something that can lag over. I was tired at times I shouldn’t have been. Not being a person who is accustomed to taking naps, if I fell asleep early, I would wake feeling more fatigue than before the nap. Not to mention, I would often doze off in places other than a bed or sofa. My muscles did not appreciate it. So, atop of feeling tired, I was also sore. The battle against fatigue begins with taking breaks, even if you think you can’t afford to or are “on a roll”/“in the zone.” Take the break anyway. It doesn’t have to be a long break.
Sprints. Work in sprints. This relates to the previous point. Set a time for how long you will work before taking a break. Most people consider a sprint to be something short in duration. They aren’t wrong since the definition of a sprint is an act or short spell of running at full speed. However, work sprints allow a person to set the pace and duration. For example, a person may decide to work for two hours and then take a break. During that time, the person works as hard and fast as he/she can. That may not sound like a sprint, but it could be if the person is working a sixteen-hour shift. a person may decide on a twenty-minute sprint but works slowly but diligently during that time because the work is tediously detailed. Speeding through that type of task may not be beneficial. Work sprints aren’t about speed. They are about productivity. What good is finishing a task quickly if is incorrect and has to be redone?
Rabbit holes. Avoid these at all cost. Sometimes, I found myself getting lost in the purpose of the task. I’d begin one place, and before I knew it, would be on the other side of the earth with a whole lot of uselessness. You may think wandering down one of those dark tunnels is worth it, but really consider it before jumping in. I was given a simple task of determining if certain forms were located in a certain area. Upon looking around, I discovered several other issues. Instead of remaining focused on the forms, I added all the other stuff to the to do list—meaning, I was attempting to solve multiple issue simultaneously. And the more problems I attempted to resolve, the more that popped up. It became overwhelming, and nothing was getting done. Well, that wasn’t true. Things were getting done, but the progress was so slight that it was barely noticeable.
Negative people. Oh gosh, could I say a lot about this, but I’ll keep it simple. There are people who are going to do, and everyone else who are going to run their mouths with worthless criticisms and opinions and not do jack. Tune them out. I invested in a new pair of earbuds. A stellar playlist can work wonders.

With that said, that’s all that I have for today. What did you think? What is your take on the subject? Did you find this information helpful or informative? Did you learn anything new, or did it change your opinion? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section. Also, let me know if you would like me to cover more of these types of topics or dive deeper into this one. If you like this post, please click the “Like” button and share it. Your feedback allows me to know the content that you want to read. If you’re not following me on Creole Bayou blog, what are you waiting for? There’s always room at the bayou.

Get ready. It’s time to hit the ice again. Future Goals has arrived and is available.

Order your copy at:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3RjPYb9

Other booksellers: https://bit.ly/3CI8d5W

Did you miss the first four books in my hockey romance series? No frets.

Defending the Net (book #2) can be ordered at https://amzn.to/2N7fj8q or www.books2read.com/defending. Crossing the line could cost the game.

Ice Gladiators (book #3) is the third book in my Locker Room Love series. When the gloves come off, the games begin. Available at https://amzn.to/2TGFsyD or www.books2read.com/icegladiators.

Penalty Kill (book #4) retakes the ice. Get a copy at https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p or https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p and let the pucker begin.

Until next time, happy reading and much romance. Laissez le bon temps rouler.

Author Bio

World Book Day

Posted on April 17, 2024April 17, 2024 by Genevive Chamblee

April 23 is World Book Day. (Note: World Book Day is celebrated on the first Thursday in March in the U.K.) Reportedly, the date of April 23 was selected as the day of recognition because many famous authors have died on that date, which is a little unsettling for writers when one thinks about it. Authors who have death dates of April 23 include Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (1547-1569), William Shakespeare (1564-1616), William Wordsworth (1770-1850), Rupert Brooke (1887-1915), Tim Keefe (1857-1933), Karl Polanyi (1886-1964), P.L. Travers (1899-1996), Harold Arlen (1905-1986), James Earl Ray (1928-1998), and Boris Yeltsin (1931-2007). It was created by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), an organization whose mission is to promote the opportunity for learning for everyone. The first World Book Day was celebrated in 1995.

The purpose of World Book Day is to promote pleasure reading. It’s interesting to hear so many people are turned off by reading when there was a time in history when people begged to learn to read. In fact, some groups of people were denied an opportunity to learn and would have been severely disciplined or even killed in some instances for attempting to learn. And even when reading became more common amongst larger groups, books were too expensive. There was a time in history when owning books was a display of wealth. Much of this had to do with the tedious process required to print a book.

Before television, the internet, social media, and the likes, books/reading was a main source of entertainment. Book reading and book clubs were popular. In a book, the reader can go anywhere or do anything. Books are truly another world. When I hear someone declare they dislike reading, I often wonder why and if they realize how much they are missing. A coworker once confided in me that she disliked reading because it made her think. Of course, the only books she’d ever read were the ones required in grammar and high school. I don’t even know if school book reports are a thing anymore. I remember back in my day (making myself sound ancient) that most of the books on the required reading list found dull and boring. But those just weren’t my jam. The beauty was there were thousands and thousands of other books for me to choose from.

However, perhaps what I found the most interesting was hearing a coworker rave about a book that was a media darling at the time. I won’t name the book, but it was controversial which is why it was trending. However, many writers and critics pointed out how poorly written the book was. This wasn’t a commentary or criticism about content. The author had not done research and elements of the story were just wrong, not to mention the poor grammar. And many people didn’t notice because they hadn’t read any other books. If one is starving, bitter herbs may taste sweet.

That’s all I have on this subject other than to say grab a book and enjoy World Book Day. If you’re looking for a read, I have a few.

What did you think? What is your take on the subject? Did you find this information helpful or informative? Did you learn anything new, or did it change your opinion? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section. Also, let me know if you would like me to cover more of these types of topics or dive deeper into this one. If you like this post, please click the like button and share it. Your feedback allows me to know the content that you want to read. If you’re not following me on Creole Bayou blog, what are you waiting for? There’s always room at the bayou.

Get ready. It’s time to hit the ice again. Future Goals has arrived and is available.

Order your copy at:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3RjPYb9

Other booksellers: https://bit.ly/3CI8d5W

Did you miss the first four books in my hockey romance series? No frets.

Defending the Net (book #2) can be ordered at https://amzn.to/2N7fj8q or www.books2read.com/defending. Crossing the line could cost the game.

Ice Gladiators (book #3) is the third book in my Locker Room Love series. When the gloves come off, the games begin. Available at https://amzn.to/2TGFsyD or www.books2read.com/icegladiators.

Penalty Kill (book #4) retakes the ice. Get a copy at https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p or https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p and let the pucker begin.

Until next time, happy reading and much romance. Laissez le bon temps rouler.

Author Bio

What is Creole? Culture verse Race

Posted on April 3, 2024April 3, 2024 by Genevive Chamblee

Today’s topic is coming hot, and I do mean steaming. Thus, let me start off straight away with a disclaimer.

DISCLAIMER: This post is not intended to inflame, spark, generate, condone, or otherwise support any hate, bigotry, discord, animosity, bias, insensitivity, or negativity. That being said, some readers may find the topic, subject matter, or language herein triggering, offensive, and/or highly sensitive.

So, let me set the stage for how this post came to be. It began innocent enough, and honestly, most people involved had no idea it would even become a “thing.” Lest, it did, and here we are.

A friend—yes, once again one of my friends have created yet another interesting…situation—wanted to have lunch at a rooftop restaurant. This restaurant has been in business for years and has a good reputation. Yet, no one in my group had ever gone. It’s one of those places that if it’s not on your radar, it’s just not on your radar. The location is in the middle of a town hotspot and in the middle of nowhere simetaneously. What I mean is that the restaurant physically is located in the downtown area where most of the businesses close after 6:00 PM. The first floor of the restaurant is a bank, and the next several floors are descendant condos. Anyone walking past could easily overlook a restaurant perched atop of the old building. It’s a “if you know, you know” type of establishment.

Now, that’s no shade to the business. There’s nothing clandestine about it. They don’t intentionally make themselves obscure. In fact, they advertise regularly. However, they tend to blend in but not so much that they don’t have regular customers or do good business. In my opinion, it is fair to say that they generate the majority of their business by word of mouth, but don’t quote me on that. I could be wrong.

So, we’re in town, and my friend remembers this place. We all agreed to go. It’s been a long time since any of us have walked this area in the evening, and we decide it would be a nonlogic stroll down memory lane. Not surprisingly, there are a decent number of people (mostly couples) taking in the ambiance, and it’s a beautiful night for it. The weather is great.

My friends and I stop at a lookoutpoint to take photos and reminisce. We were laughing, posing, and minding our own business when another small group approached us. Now, before this goes any further, let me quickly say nothing terrible happened, but there’s always going to be that one person who puts a damper on the night. Overall, the people in the other group are really nice, and they join in on the merriment. As it turned out, they were looking for a place to dine, and we told them about the rooftop restaurant. They decide to join us, and our two groups merge. One can never have too many friends.

Throughout dinner, my friend mentions being Creole, and this is where the difference in opinions emerged. Out of all of the people there, one person took offense to my friend using Creole as an identifier. According to this person, Creole is a term used to deny race. I think everyone at the table was a little stunned by this statement, but it isn’t one that I’ve not heard before. In fact, it is a subject that borders on the subject of colorism which is always a sticky topic but is a conversation in and of itself. But I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Creole isn’t an avoidance of acknowledging race. I suppose for some people it could be and is used that way. However, no one net will catch all fish. There will always be outliers. So, while using the term Creole a standard for denying race, it can’t be argued that there is a small number of people who use it for that purpose. But no, acknowledging being Creole is generally a person being proud (for the lack of a better word) of his/her culture.

So, that prompted the following dinner conversation.

Culture is defined as achievements, arts, beliefs, customs, social institution, traditions, values, and ways of life of a particular people, population, nation, or social group through the generations. Culture may include (but is not limited to) art, dress, codes of manners, language, religion, rituals, and symbols.

Race is defined as groups that people are divided into based on physical and/or heredity traits regarded as common among people of shared ancestry. Race is mainly the concept of diving people based on their physical characteristics and by ascribing social meaning to those groups.

And while we’re at it, we might as well define ethnicity.

Ethnicity is the grouping of people who identify with each other on the basics of perceived shared attributes, cultural characteristics, backgrounds, and/or shared experiences that distinguishes them from other groups. These may include ancestry, art, beliefs, behaviors, cuisine, cultural heritage, dialect, dress, folklore, history, homeland, language, mythology, national origin, physical appearance, religion, ritual, or values that are passed down through generations. Ethnicity differs from race in that it labels the culture of people in a given geographical region.

Here’s the rub. People of different races can still share the same culture. Acknowledging one’s culture does not mean that a person is denying his/her race. It in no way signifies or denotes that a person is ashamed of his/her race or ethnicity. The three are not mutually exclusive. Additionally, some people treat Creole as a “race” and attempt to exclude others based on physical characteristics.

But the term Creole in itself is complicated and has an extensive history. The word Creole derives from the Portuguese word crioulo. Crioulo means a slave born in the master’s household. In the United States, the term Creole originally was used to describe a person born in or indigenous to Louisiana. This included both white colonists and African slaves who were “native-born.” Over time, the term has been used to refer to persons of mixed European and black descent. To further muddy the water, more distinctions were made: French Creole (European ancestry), Black Creole (primarily African ancestry), Creole of Color (mixed race ancestry), and to describe persons whose ancestry are from Francophone and Hispanic communities. The term is also used to refer to as blended French, African, Russian, Italian, German, Chinese, Spanish, and Native American. Then, others used the term to refer to only free people of color. Sometimes, the term is used to refer to anything “about New Orleans.”

In conclusion, people can argue all day long about the use of the word Creole as a self-identifier. But isn’t it up to the person to determine how they identify? Can’t a person be proud of his/her race, ethnicity, and culture all at the same time?

So, that is all that I have. What did you think? What is your take on the subject? Did you find this information helpful or informative? Did you learn anything new, or did it change your opinion? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section. Also, let me know if you would like me to cover more of these types of topics or dive deeper into this one. If you like this post, please click the like button and share it. Your feedback allows me to know the content that you want to read. If you’re not following me on Creole Bayou blog, what are you waiting for? There’s always room at the bayou.

Get ready. It’s time to hit the ice again. Future Goals has arrived and is available.

Order your copy at:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3RjPYb9

Other booksellers: https://bit.ly/3CI8d5W

Did you miss the first four books in my hockey romance series? No frets.

Defending the Net (book #2) can be ordered at https://amzn.to/2N7fj8q or www.books2read.com/defending. Crossing the line could cost the game.

Ice Gladiators (book #3) is the third book in my Locker Room Love series. When the gloves come off, the games begin. Available at https://amzn.to/2TGFsyD or www.books2read.com/icegladiators.

Penalty Kill (book #4) retakes the ice. Get a copy at https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p or https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p and let the pucker begin.

Until next time, happy reading and much romance. Laissez le bon temps rouler.

Author Bio

Writing Sports Romance

Posted on March 13, 2024March 13, 2024 by Genevive Chamblee

Today’s discussion is about sports romance. I know this is a topic that I’ve covered a couple of times before, but I feel that it also is a topic that does not receive much attention. Chances are if one were to conduct an internet search on the subject, a list of book titles would generate but very little on what exactly sports romance is and/or how to write it. As I learn and discover, I like to share with others. As per my norm, I’ll begin by briefly reviewing why I was prompted to blog about this subject today.

I enjoy participating in online writing discussions. One such discussion inquired about beginning the writing journey. Specifically, the topic focused on what authors wrote about in their youth or when they first began writing. As I began to answer this question, I was shocked by my response. The younger me thought I was writing short stories about cooky teen shenanigans. If one had asked me the genre, I would have confidently declared: Adventure. And I would have been so wrong.

Looking back, I now realize that I was in the early stages of writing sports romance. My “adventure” consisted of running through mazes of woods and demonstrating athletic abilities. Maybe there were no balls or nets specified, but there were goals, rules, and sometimes even teams. And while there was no kissing or cuddling, there certainly were some googly eyes being made.

Even when I began writing professionally, I didn’t lean into writing sports romance. For one, I didn’t realize that sports romance was a thing. I know that sounds silly because there were plenty of sports romance books out there. It’s not like sports romance is a new genre or subgenre. However, at the time, I was a member of several subscription book clubs, and the books that I was being sent each week didn’t include sports romance. Over time, I started to become less and less fulfilled by the books I was receiving, and I began to write what I thought I wanted to read. And when I say thought, it is because I wrote partially what I wanted but followed the formula of what I was instructed I needed to follow.

This is no criticism to anyone, but sometimes, creative writing courses aren’t creative. Yes, one purpose is to provide feedback and criticism. After all, that is how writers grow—by learning what they are doing that is well-received and that which doesn’t quite hit the mark. All of that is fine. The issue erupts when creative writing instructors insist that writing must occur in a specific way, and that way is generally what is popular or selling at the time. For example, some instructors would wig out if an adverb was used. A student using one would all but be struck by a bolt of lightning from Zeus. They claimed it was a form of lazy and weak writing and argued that stronger verbs were needed. Well, I’m a Southerner, and if one has ever listened to a Southern storyteller, adverbs are what give stories color. Well, I could deal with foregoing adverbs, but the character profiles were what knotted me up like bad clams.

So, there is definitely a way to write alpha males. What I was reading at the time, these alpha males came across as first-class buttholes. And the “strong heroines” were mostly spoiled, willful brats who at the end of the day needed saving by a man because they had been too hardheaded to follow logical requests. I fell into this pit of doing as told. While these stories achieved passing grades for the course, I was left feeling frustrated. For some people, these types of stories are awesome, and this is no shade to anyone. However, the idioms, “diversity is the spice of life” and “different strokes for different folks” exist for a reason. No one story will satisfy everyone.

There are very few rights and wrongs in storytelling. Some people would argue that there are none, but there are some. For example, writing must be coherent. Even with an unreliable narrator, the story must be comprehensible to readers. There must be a plot. Without a plot, it is a bunch of rambling and not a story. Seinfeld is described as “a show about nothing,” but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Seinfeld’s plots were well-crafted. And that’s the thing about good storytelling. When it’s done properly, the audience may get so lost in the story that they aren’t noticing the individual parts.

So, what does any of this have to do with sports romance?

Well, for one, sports romance defining sports romance may not be as straightforward as it sounds. For example, many books that have large elements of mountain climbing or hiking may be classified as “adventure” stories instead of sports stories. But aren’t mountain climbing and hiking sports? What about stories about bungee jumping, safari hunting, or underwater exploration? Are these not sports as well? Even Jaws was about deep-sea fishing. Are there more stories of sports romance than are being labeled?

Let’s take this one step further. For some, having an athlete as a main character is enough to classify the story as a sports romance even if the story contains no additional sports elements. I call this the Ward Clever Effect. In the 1957-1963 sitcom, Leave It To Beaver, the patriarch of the family was Ward Clever (played by actor Hugh Beaumont). Ward was a dutiful head of household who loved and provided for his family. However, what Ward did for a living was a bit of a mystery. It wasn’t like he had some clandestine job or was part of a secretive operative group—although he could have been. It’s just that the show never put much emphasis or clarified what he did for a living. He wore a suit and tie, carried a briefcase, and drove to work during the week, seemingly from 9:00 to 5:00. It’s presumed that he worked a white-collared job. Hints throughout the series indicate that he works for a “big company” and works in an office. It is known that he has a secretary. Other than that, what Ward does is unclear, but it also is not important to the series.

Having a main character who is an athlete but whose job is not a part of the story, in my opinion, diminishes the legitimacy of a sports romance. For example, suppose Ward was the owner of a professional basketball team or an MLB shortstop. Would knowing this information in any way affect the plots of any of the episodes? No. Thus, that none of the episodes would be considered “sports comedy” based on Ward’s job.

In short, to be considered a sports romance, sports must play a significant role in some way in the story. It can’t just be mentioned and then forgotten. The sport can’t be thrown in as an afterthought. Or even if the athletics are purposeful but tossed in the background, the genre/subgenre should be classified as something other than “sports romance.” What’s interesting is that some authors are held accountable for this standard while others aren’t.

By significant, does that mean the story must be only about athletics? No. First, sports romance has two components. In a sports romance, the romance must be front and center. If the romance is removed, the story will fall apart. Additionally, being too technical with the writing may turn off some readers.

Sports is a world of its own, and frequently, people who roam in that world forget that the language is not always common knowledge. I recall the time I was outside talking to a male neighbor about college football. Another male neighbor whom I did not know (he’d recently moved into the neighborhood) but who was a mutual friend of the first neighbor approached. He was beyond floored when I mentioned the team that he was rooting to go all the way to the championship had no depth. His eyes grew wide, and he said, “Listen at you.” The first neighbor interjected, “Man, she knows her stuff.” There’s a general presumption that women can’t talk sports, which isn’t true. But also, when I said something similar to a female coworker, she was clueless as to what I meant by “depth.” Erroneously, I assumed that it was a term that most would be familiar with. Thus, there is a tricky balance to maintain in sports romance. While some readers may enjoy reading sports romance, they may not be as knowledgeable about sports to follow the technical terms. Yet, if it’s too watered down, diehard sports fans will be repelled. Yet, within any given discipline there exists a certain amount of jargon and purposefully omitting it would leave the story lacking.

Another important area of sports romance is handling the number of characters as well as the subject matter within a team. What I mean here is that it’s okay to have one or two athletes as main or supporting characters. But many times, a writer may need to include numerous other characters. For example, if an author is writing about a basketball game and what is happening in the locker room during intermission, the chances are more than one or two players are present. Therefore, the main characters may need to interact with many additional characters. Adding teammates can quickly grow a list of characters, and this can sometimes become confusing to readers. Plenty of experts will argue against having a large cast. However, if in sports romance is needed, then it should be done. The key is managing them so that readers aren’t overwhelmed.

Furthermore, if writing a series surrounding one team, it is wise for authors to remember only so much would happen on that given team. For example, if a storyline is about players who are bullied by other players, not every player on that team will be bullied. Only so many stories can be written about this subject before readers will tire of the series. A simple fix to keep the topic fresh if the author wishes to continue with the plot is to create a different team with different players. Otherwise, readers may think that it is “too much drama” for one team. Consider the downfall of daytime soap operas. Viewers grew bored of the same characters getting married and divorced, and the repetitiveness failed to attract new viewers.

Another thought to keep in mind when writing sports romance is that sports change. The rules change. The terminology changes. For example, the NFL changed its playoff overtime rule to fifteen-minute periods instead of ten minutes. If a writer uses dates in his/her story, keen sports readers may call the author out for having dated or misinformation. This means it is important for sports romance writers to keep abreast of what is happening in athletics.

Any writer is free to write anything he/she desires. However avid niche readers will quickly see when an author has not done his/her research. I’m a huge sports fan, and in my going between writing two stories (which is why I focus on one at a time now), I mixed up my characters’ ages. This caused me to make a faux pas in that character’s eligibility. My beta readers quickly called me out and showed me no mercy. I thank them for it because I didn’t catch it. Mistakes such as those open an author to criticisms of credibility. Negative reviews for not being competent can destroy a writer’s career, especially one just beginning.

With that said, that’s all that I have for today. What did you think? What is your take on the subject? Did you find this information helpful or informative? Did you learn anything new, or did it change your opinion? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section. Also, let me know if you would like me to cover more of these types of topics or dive deeper into this one. If you like this post, please click the like button and share it. Your feedback allows me to know the content that you want to read. If you’re not following me on Creole Bayou blog, what are you waiting for? There’s always room at the bayou.

Get ready. It’s time to hit the ice again. Future Goals has arrived and is available.

Order your copy at:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3RjPYb9

Other booksellers: https://bit.ly/3CI8d5W

Did you miss the first four books in my hockey romance series? No frets.

Defending the Net (book #2) can be ordered at https://amzn.to/2N7fj8q or www.books2read.com/defending. Crossing the line could cost the game.

Ice Gladiators (book #3) is the third book in my Locker Room Love series. When the gloves come off, the games begin. Available at https://amzn.to/2TGFsyD or www.books2read.com/icegladiators.

Penalty Kill (book #4) retakes the ice. Get a copy at https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p or https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p and let the pucker begin.

Until next time, happy reading and much romance. Laissez le bon temps rouler.

Author Bio

How to Cope With Burnout

Posted on March 6, 2024March 6, 2024 by Genevive Chamblee

Today’s topic is a topic near to my heart, as it is something I recently experienced. It wasn’t the typical burnout where I was exhausted, bored, or frustrated with doing something I loved. On the contrary, I found myself with not enough time to accomplish all that I wanted or needed. Each day, my to-do list grew, and I felt myself being buried. I became overwhelmed to the point of practically shutting down on all levels. I could have stayed buried for years but knew that I needed to resurrect myself. The problem with feeling buried is an inability to see light. In these instances, one has no choice but to claw his/her way out in the dark. Here are some ways to begin that journey.

Pick a course to either weed the flowerbed or mow the lawn. This concept is simple. It begins with choosing one task to focus on. The task can be small (flowerbed) or large (lawn). The path chosen is what one feels most comfortable with and confident of achieving. Some people like to start with a small task that can be resolved quickly and without much effort. Knocking smaller projects out of the way means having fewer to resolve in the long haul. Others prefer to begin with a large project and chip it away. Consider this in terms of paying bills to get out of debt. Some people prefer to pay off all the smaller bills first because it may be more difficult to pay off larger debts. Others may prefer to start with the larger debt to have it become more manageable before focusing on the smaller one. Again, the method is a matter of personal choice. What is important is not which path to select but picking a path.
Effort and energy. Once the choice is made, make a conscious decision to invest adequate effort and energy into tackling the issue. It’s one thing to “say” and another to “do.” One motivator is setting goals with a partner or positioning oneself to be accountable to others. As part of a health plan, workers scheduled a weekly weigh-in. The knowledge that others would be seeing their progress motivated workers to exercise even on days they didn’t feel like it. Additionally, some workers became exercise partners. According to them, this made working out not only more encouraging but also fun.
Identification of stumbling blocks. Sometimes, we trip over obstacles that we don’t know or acknowledge are in our paths. If a person is unmotivated to go to work, it’s important to comprehend why. Is it a particular coworker that is making the work environment toxic? Is it a lack of light in the office that makes the space seem depressing? Are there smells or odors that are triggered by a past traumatic event that is causing the worker to be avoidant? Dealing with the source of the trigger can go a long way.
Finding options and alternatives. Frequently, there are multiple ways to resolve problems and work through dilemmas. However, it is not uncommon to become so focused in one direction that alternatives are missed or overlooked. When dealing with burnout, one should remain open to all options. What may on the surface seem unlikely or undoable may be the answer. When a person is experiencing burnout, usually, it means that the person has utilized all known coping mechanisms. But just because a resolution is unknown does not mean it isn’t available or doesn’t exist. Tapping into these underutilized resources broadens one ability to effectively cope with stressors and manage taxing situations.
Organization. Chaos is the child of angst. Why is it so nerve-wracking to cross a swinging bridge over a river of hungry crocodiles? Because the swaying may make the bridge seem like it has no structure and will give away at any moment. Similarly, attempting to tackle a mountain of tasks without a plan may leave a person feeling shaky and on the verge of plunging to his/her death. The starting point of reeling things into a manageable form is to develop a plan of action. It doesn’t matter if the plan isn’t completely developed or is unsuccessful. Development must begin somewhere. In failure, one can learn from the mistakes to advance. Sometimes, it is the mistakes that provide the most useful information. One cannot be afraid to fail.
Eliminating distractions. How many of us fall prey to spending hours on our phones watching videos or surfing the net? One of my biggest enemies is streaming services, especially bingeable series. What I think will be a thirty-minute watch can easily turn into a three-hour curl-up on the couch with a cozy blanket and my favorite snack. “Just five more minutes,” is my enemy, and “One more episode” is my nemesis. I am more productive when I do not have access to these devices. Thus, if I know I need to complete a blog post, I may elect to set up on a patio with sketchy WiFi and leave my cell inside.
Balance. All work and no play make Jim a dull boy. One of the quickest routes to burnout is having no relief. To avoid burnout, it is critical to have outlets. Create an atmosphere of fun that balances with unpleasant or unwanted tasks. Allow the mind time to rest and breathe between tasks. This may mean scheduling breaks or switching tasks. Breaking up unpleasant tasks with enjoyable ones isn’t cheating or slacking. It’s an opportunity to regroup and revitalize.
Giving oneself grace. This is perhaps the most important. A person who is constantly beating up or belittling himself/herself for not getting tasks accomplished will inevitably sink deeper into the black hole of burnout. One can’t move forward if he/she is constantly looking behind and focusing on the negative. Believing in oneself is half the battle.
Ask for help. This is self-explanatory. If feeling overwhelmed reach out to others for assistance. This could be for emotional support or physical help. It may be to friends/family, a spiritual leader/minister, or a mental health professional or support group. Whatever kind of help one feels is needed, seek that help. Seeking help is not a weakness, and there are many ways to receive assistance. If cost is a factor, many places offer mental health services on a sliding scale. Also, many insurances will cover costs. Some businesses even offer free services. Although the stigma of going to therapy/counseling is still hanging around some, it is rapidly vanishing as people are becoming more aware of the benefits of such services. Furthermore, these services are protected under HIPAA and confidentiality laws. No one has to know if a person receives any type of mental health services.
Moving on. Sometimes, it is necessary to realize that a time has passed, and the time has come to move on to newer pastures. Sometimes what one may initially consider to be burnout actually may be a change in interest or growth. As a youth, I remember enjoying watching certain television shows. As an adult, I do not find them enjoyable. In fact, I now find some of them to be quite offensive and insensitive. Do not consider moving on to be a failure.

That wraps up today’s post. What did you think? What is your take on the subject? Did you find this information helpful or informative? Did you learn anything new, or did it change your opinion? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section. Also, let me know if you would like me to cover more of these types of topics or dive deeper into this one. If you like this post, please click the like button and share it. Your feedback allows me to know the content that you want to read. If you’re not following me on Creole Bayou blog, what are you waiting for? There’s always room at the bayou.

Get ready. It’s time to hit the ice again. Future Goals has arrived and is available.

Order your copy at:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3RjPYb9

Other booksellers: https://bit.ly/3CI8d5W

Did you miss the first four books in my hockey romance series? No frets.

Defending the Net (book #2) can be ordered at https://amzn.to/2N7fj8q or www.books2read.com/defending. Crossing the line could cost the game.

Ice Gladiators (book #3) is the third book in my Locker Room Love series. When the gloves come off, the games begin. Available at https://amzn.to/2TGFsyD or www.books2read.com/icegladiators.

Penalty Kill (book #4) retakes the ice. Get a copy at https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p or https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p and let the pucker begin.

Until next time, happy reading and much romance. Laissez le bon temps rouler.

Author Bio

How to Be Tolerant of Others’ Offensiveness

Posted on November 8, 2023November 1, 2023 by Genevive Chamblee

“Wait just a cotton-picking minute.”

I was born and raised in the Deep South. I’ve heard and used that expression my entire life. Only recently, as of a few months ago, I learned that this expression was offensive due to its connection with slavery. And while I don’t argue the validity of this, honestly, it is something that I had no awareness of. Some people won’t believe that, but it’s the truth. They will ask, “How could you not have known?” Or “Well, you should have known.” But, see, I’ve heard people of all colors and races use it, and no one I know has knowingly associated it with a slavery relic. Partially, this may be due to the passage of time and younger generations having a larger gap between that period in history and now. Another, and I suspect this is a cause for many people, is that after the abolishment of slavery, during the sharecropping era, people of various races picked cotton. It was a poor person’s trade that became common work throughout the South.

Picking cotton is a slow and tedious task. A cotton-picking minute basic means “slow down” or to take time to reconsider. Cotton for a long time was the most popular and abundant crop grown in the South. Would it mean the same thing to say “orange-picking minute” or “tobacco-picking minute?” It wouldn’t be a “sugar cane picking” minute because the sugar can is chopped and not picked. I suppose it could be a “sugar-chopping” minute. Tobacco is kind of picked but only after the entire plant is cut from the ground. Both sugar cane and tobacco were also plantation crops and would have ties to slavery and sharecropping.

I believe—and this is only my opinion and I’m subject to being wrong—the term cotton-picking became popular due to the process/method of picking cotton as opposed to who was doing the picking.

Now, I’m not taking the position that people shouldn’t be offended by this term. However, what I am saying is that there is a large portion of people who do not know that they should be or are expected to be offended by it. When I initially heard that this term was considered offensive, I began polling coworkers to ask if any of them had heard of this. Out of the sixty people asked, zero people had any idea the term had been relegated to being offensive. I was like what, “Are we living under a rock?” How did the rest of the world know and we didn’t—the very people who live in an area where slavery and racism were/are so prominent?

One coworker expressed it this way. “It sounds like the administration of this place. They don’t work in the trenches. They work off in some fancy offices away from the commonfolk, make a bunch of changes that they want but don’t affect them, and then don’t pass the memo that the changes have been made. Then, the rest of us are strung up for not knowing, and the administration will take no responsibility for not sharing. We shouldn’t be expected to do what no one tells us. It’s not a resistance on our part. It’s not that we are too set in our ways, stubborn, or stupid to understand. We’re not clairvoyant. Children do not learn to read without being first being taught the alphabet. A parent who doesn’t teach their child the alphabet but hands them a copy of War and Peace to read is knowing setting that child up for failure, confusion, and embarrassment. It is a type of neglect and a means of suppression. By not sharing this information, it makes the people still using this term scapegoat—people to pass judgment upon as being bigoted and racist when it is simply a matter of being not informed.”

I began asking myself if other terms had made the naughty list that I didn’t know about. Turns out the answer to that is yes—The Global North and The Global South. I only learned of this one while listening to a video rant. One of the people used the now politically incorrect term “Third World County,” and it all hit the fan. The other commentaries began ripping her a new one. I didn’t know what was going on. Then, I thought maybe the person was just a weirdo who was overreacting. (Sorry. I didn’t know.) I started searching on the internet, and sure enough The Global North and Global South were a thing. So, I shared it at work the next day, and all of my coworkers stared at me as if I’d grown a second head. They’d not heard it, either. Again, I questioned if we were living under a rock.

These experiences made me realize something. Not every person who says something offensive is saying it to be offensive. The “Well, you should have known” response doesn’t work. You can’t know what you don’t know. “That’s no excuse because everyone has access to the internet.” Again, you don’t know what you don’t know. If a person doesn’t know there’s an issue, how does he/she know to search the internet for an answer? Furthermore, just because it is on the internet does not mean it is accurate information. How about instead of blasting someone for offensive language without considering if they are intentionally doing so, educating them so they can do better?

Here’s another one: falling off the back of a turnip truck. I was blindsided that this expression is now considered offensive as well. Would it be less offensive if it was a potato truck or a pumpkin truck? What bothered me most about this term is that the person who was ranting about it is older than me and insisted this expression has been mainstream offensive for more than twenty years.

How often do we consider the origins of the words and terms we use?

Here’s a final example from a worker in the healthcare field. She explained that in report writing employees are not allowed to refer to persons they serve as “clients” or write that they are “ambulatory” or “verbal.” Instead, they must write that the person moves through his/her environment by walking and communicates using spoken language.” While this substitution seems inconsequential in the larger scheme of things, many substitutions of multiple terms throughout a document can cause reports to become lengthy, bulky, and convoluted. However, the reason the words “ambulatory” and “verbal” were stricken from report use is because apparently many years ago, persons who were diagnosed with intellectual disabilities who were ambulatory and verbal were referred to as “walkie-talkies.” Somewhere in history, this had occurred. However, current employees (as well as previous ones) had never heard of this. However, the one person who was in a position of power and dictated an administrative change without communicating the reason behind the change.

What difference does that make, one may ask? Well, while the report writing has changed and has been changed for over ten years, the language of staff when speaking has not. When speaking with each other, the terms “client,” “ambulatory,” and “verbal” remain frequently used. People often will not change their behavior unless they have a reason to change. If smoking hadn’t been determined by the Surgeon General, FDA, and other medical experts to be hazardous to one’s health, would smoking as a recreational activity decreased? As a reference, take a look at movies of the 30s, 40s, and 50s and observe how many glamorized smoking. Today, there are warnings on movies that contain smoking content. Information was shared, and attitudes changed as a result. And that is what entire point of this article.

If society expects language to change, then there needs to be more of an effort to explain the specific changes to be made and the reason for those changes. It is not acceptable to expect people just to “know” the answer. What may appear to be “obvious” may not be.

The expiration date on milk is a “best used by” date. It is an estimation and not a definitive. It does not mean that milk will automatically spoil on the date listed on the carton. I once had milk to spoil days before the expiration date. Because I only considered the date, I didn’t sniff the milk before adding it to the cereal. The result was a mouthful of nasty. Having that experience taught me to change my behavior—to always sniff my milk before using it. Had I not had that experience, I likely would have continued only considering the expiration date as a measurement to use. Language is not much different. As time changes, it appears language has expiration dates of acceptability. If this date isn’t highlighted, people will continue using it without thought.

That’s all I got. Now, it’s your turn to sound off. What did you think? What is your take on the subject? Do you agree or disagree? Did you find this information helpful or informative? Did you learn anything new, or did it change your opinion? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section. Also, let me know if you would like me to cover more of these types of topics or dive deeper into this one. If you like this post, please click the like button and share it. Your feedback allows me to know the content that you want to read. If you’re not following me on Creole Bayou blog, what are you waiting for? There’s always room at the bayou.

Get ready. It’s time to hit the ice again. Future Goals has arrived and is available.

Order your copy at:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3RjPYb9

Other booksellers: https://bit.ly/3CI8d5W

Did you miss the first four books in my hockey romance series? No frets.

Defending the Net (book #2) can be ordered at https://amzn.to/2N7fj8q or www.books2read.com/defending. Crossing the line could cost the game.

Ice Gladiators (book #3) is the third book in my Locker Room Love series. When the gloves come off, the games begin. Available at https://amzn.to/2TGFsyD or www.books2read.com/icegladiators.

Penalty Kill (book #4) retakes the ice. Get a copy at https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p or https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p and let the pucker begin.

For more of my stories, shenanigans, giveaways, and more, check out my blog, Creole Bayou, at www.genevivechambleeconnect.wordpress.com. New posts are made on Wednesdays, and everything is raw and unscathed. Climb on in a pirogue and join me on the bayou.

Until next time, happy reading and much romance. Laissez le bon temps rouler.

Author Bio

How to Set Goals for NaNoWriMo

Posted on November 1, 2023November 1, 2023 by Genevive Chamblee

November is finally here, and the season of NaNo has begun. NaNo or NaNoWriMo is an abbreviation for National Novel Writing Month—an annual event that begins November 1 and ends November 30. It is a writing challenge in which writers attempt to complete a novel in 30 days. That, of course, is an oversimplification of what NaNo is. It is so much more. Anyone interested in learning about NaNo should visit the NaNoWriMo site.

Most participants in NaNo aim to write 50,000 words in 30 days. That is because that is the default goal of NaNo. However, this challenge is not set in stone, and writers can change it to be what they need it to be. For example, a writer may have completed a novel, and his/her challenge is to edit it in 30 days. Other writers may not be writing a novel but wish to complete several writing projects. For example, a weekly blogger may challenge himself/herself to write a blog daily. Thus, writers interested in participating in NaNo shouldn’t limit themselves to a 50,000-word goal. NaNo goals are intended to be personalized and to encourage creativity. Therefore, writers should set goals that meet their needs.

The first step in doing this is to identify goals. Does the writer have a singular goal or multiple goals? What does the writer want to achieve?

The second would be to determine if the goals are realistic. For example, if a weekly blogger wishes to increase his/her output to daily, he/she needs to consider if he/she has the time to make this possible. If he/she only has an hour to write per week and is a slow typist, then, this goal may not be one the writer can reasonably achieve without finding a way to add increase his/her amount of time for writing. Another example (and this may step on some people’s toes), is if a writer wishes to write his/her story in a language he/she is not proficient in, thirty days may not be enough time to achieve this if the writer is constantly having to look up words and phrases. Are either of these situations impossible? No. However, both would require a solid plan to make them durable.

The third would be to identify how the goals will be measured. Word-count goals are simple. Just count the words. However, other goals may be more complicated to measure. For example, a person who has an editing goal may need to wish to measure progress by having a designated number of chapters to complete editing. A weekly blogger who wants to blog daily may measure progress by the number of completed blogs. A writer who is focused on completing projects necessary for publication may measure progress by the number of completed projects. However, if a project is sizeable with a number of steps, the writer may focus on the percentage of completion of the overall project or the number of completed steps. In any case, the writer should have a way to measure progress objectively and concretely.

Likely, if a person is participating in NaNo, by this stage, he/she has already identified the previous. However, if he/she hasn’t, it isn’t too late to do so now. Yet, one may wish to go beyond the writing for set goals. Here are some other goals to consider.

Have you pushed yourself beyond your usual or attempted something new?
Have you expanded your creativity?
Have you improved your writing?
Have you told the story you wanted to tell?
Are you satisfied with what you are accomplishing?
Will the end result be something that you want?
After NaNo has ended, if you haven’t achieved your goals, is the project something that you will want to continue?
Will participating in NaNo alter how one feels about writing?

Several years ago, a writer stated that she does not participate in NaNo because she feels that every month for writers should be writing months with goals and not designated to a single month of a year. She is not alone in this sentiment, and there are many writers who do not participate in NaNo. I mention this because there is much chatter about NaNo hitting the internet. Writers should only participate if they want to and not because they feel pressured because so many others are.

With that said, that’s all that I have for today. What did you think? What is your take on the subject? Did you find this information helpful or informative? Did you learn anything new, or did it change your opinion? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section. Also, let me know if you would like me to cover more of these types of topics or dive deeper into this one. If you like this post, please click the like button and share it. Your feedback allows me to know the content that you want to read. If you’re not following me on Creole Bayou blog, what are you waiting for? There’s always room at the bayou.

Get ready. It’s time to hit the ice again. Future Goals has arrived and is available.

Order your copy at:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3RjPYb9

Other booksellers: https://bit.ly/3CI8d5W

Did you miss the first four books in my hockey romance series? No frets.

Defending the Net (book #2) can be ordered at https://amzn.to/2N7fj8q or www.books2read.com/defending. Crossing the line could cost the game.

Ice Gladiators (book #3) is the third book in my Locker Room Love series. When the gloves come off, the games begin. Available at https://amzn.to/2TGFsyD or www.books2read.com/icegladiators.

Penalty Kill (book #4) retakes the ice. Get a copy at https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p or https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p and let the pucker begin.

Until next time, happy reading and much romance. Laissez le bon temps rouler.

Author Bio

How to Not Be Shortsighted

Posted on October 25, 2023September 21, 2023 by Genevive Chamblee

This post stems from a conversation that occurred several years ago but a recent conversation catapulted it to the forefront of my brain. Turns out, it is just as relevant today as it was back then. So, let me rewind with the background.

Several years ago, I attended a band booster meeting. As with many booster meetings, the topic du jour was fundraising. Now, the reason for the need for fundraising was slightly complicated but important to understanding the situation fully. Therefore, I need to explain the makeup of the band boosters. The booster officers were primarily teachers at the school who had children in the band. The two notable exceptions to this were the treasurer who was a certified and bonded accountant. The other exception was a parent who owned a trailer that was large enough to haul the band equipment. The parents who weren’t teachers were the “worker bees” who took orders from the officers—or so they thought. I’ll get into that in a bit.

There is another key player who is critical to this story. This was “The Band Mom” who I’ll refer to as Jane in this post. “The Band Mom” wasn’t a real title or office position but, rather, a title that had been bestowed upon Jane by the band members. See, Jane became active with the band when her son joined. However, Jane wasn’t a sit-on-the-sidelines type of band parent. Jane jumped in and took charge without being asked. She became a valuable asset to the band. For example, Jane created “The Crisis Backpack.” For just about any conceivable band emergency one could imagine, Jane had a solution in her backpack. For example, she carried extra socks for students who forgot their required black ones. She had wipes and Tide stain remover pens to clean spots off the uniforms for spills and smudges that occurred on the bus or in the stands. She packed sanitary supplies for the female members and hair ties to help keep long hair beneath the band helmets.

But Jane didn’t stop at a backpack. Jane formed connections with the community to have food donated to feed the band on all trips. And not just PB&J sandwiches—real food. She convinced churches to bring out their rolling grills and cook on sight for the band. She persuaded local restaurants to not only prepare trays of food but to come to the games and serve it as well. Truly, Jane was the band’s rock star, and the band had very few needs until…

Yes, all good things must come to an end, but in this instance, it didn’t have to. See, Jane’s son graduated, and it was written in the bylaws that only parents could be booster members. (Remember this, because this will be important.) However, because the band was a school activity, teachers could be a part of boosters. It just so happened that all the teachers who wanted to be involved also had children who were members of the band, with the exception of the color guard instructor whose daughter quit. Although Jane wasn’t a teacher, she was a school employee. She worked in the school cafeteria as a server and had worked there for years. And here is where things get messed up.

The teachers at this school are known to be cliquish with a mean girl vibe. Several of them felt that Jane was “beneath” them because of her position as a food server. These teachers banded together and proposed that Jane be disqualified from being a part of boosters. They argued that she was bound by the bylaws that prohibited anyone who did not have a child in the band from being a part of boosters. They said, “What adult would want to hang out with children?” Well, Jane interacted with these kids daily at school. They called her “Mom.” She got things done. She had the same background checks as the teachers. When other parents pointed out that there were teachers involved with boosters who did not have children in the band, it was argued that “teachers” were exempt from this band status. And because the band director and assistant band director worked with these people, Jane was unceremoniously ousted.

Jane’s absence was immediately felt. See, Jane made what she did look easy. And because she was so adored by the students and had such influence over parents, the mean girl teachers (and some of these teachers were men) had become jealous. But just because Jane made everything look easy didn’t mean it was. Swiftly, these mean girl teachers learned this lesson. They were unable to secure parent volunteers for band tasks (e.g., washing band uniforms) and/or monetary and food donations from local businesses. The bottled water suddenly disappeared, and in the Deep South during football season, no one can deny the appreciation for a bottle of water. Within weeks, band fees had to be increased, and still, the budget was short to meet all the needs—hence, the meeting for fundraising.

Now, at one of these fundraising meetings, there was a parent (I’ll call her Patty) eager to be in charge—not because she held any great skill in leadership and/or organization, but because she just wanted to be in a position of perceived power. She wanted to be in charge and tell others what to do. And just like the mean girl teachers, she fell flat on her face almost instantaneously. In fact, she increased the deficit instead of decreasing it.

During the breaks at a meeting to discuss another horribly conceived fundraising idea, I said to Patty that the band boosters vote on the bylaws and had the ability to change or amend any bylaw that was dated or not functional. All it would take would be a vote and completing the necessary paperwork to be submitted to the school. I even volunteered to do the paperwork if they needed someone. This stupid (yes, I did call her stupid) woman said to me, “It makes no sense to invest in these kids when they are only going to be here for four years.” I never thought I would have to teach math to another adult, but life is surprising.

So, I responded to Patty. “You know if you have fewer students joining the band (which was the trend at the time) than you do leaving the band either by graduating or quitting, you’re going to eventually create a negative number. But the one number that is consistently rising is all graduates become alumni. It is the alumni who are the backbone of most booster organizations.” I then went on to tell her the story of how my college to this day gets plenty of money for me. No, it wasn’t enough that I paid them thousands of dollars in tuition. I still attend games, buy merchandise, and pay into the alumni fund. Why? Because I love them and will support them to the end of the earth. My high school, on the other hand, is a different story. I’ve not returned since November of the year I graduated to collect my senior yearbook.

The yearbooks didn’t arrive prior to my graduation, and one of my former classmates organized that we all should meet at the school during the holiday break for a mini yearbook signing party. Had I not paid for that yearbook, I wouldn’t have gone. But prior to my graduation—around April—there was an incident that has never left my memory that illustrated my point to Patty.

It had been a long-standing tradition of the school to in the spring invite the graduating class from the elementary school to visit the high school. The point of the visit was to entice these students to enroll in the fall. See, the population of the elementary school (K-6) was almost always double that of the high school (7-12). I’m not sure why that was the case, but that was how it was. The hypothesis was if the elementary students saw the high schoolers in action and having a good time that they would be encouraged to enroll. The high schoolers they trotted out to do the convincing were the seniors—the happy-go-lucky bunch who were excited to be graduating in a couple of weeks. Good hypothesis. Solid actually. There was only one hitch. The seniors weren’t keen on putting on a dog and pony show.

At some point during the day, a social studies teacher corralled all of the seniors into a classroom for a butt-chewing. He said (and I remember his exact words), “Y’all don’t care because y’all are leaving. We’re trying to get students to come here.” I was in the rear of the classroom sitting on the top of a desk because there were no vacant seats. Typically quiet when a teacher was ripping us a new one, I had a revelation. I could say what I wanted freely without fear of consequence. The graduation roster had been finalized. There were no more tests or assignments. Literally, the seniors were in attendance to comply with the number of required days by the school board. Our time was being spent saying our goodbyes, making those final memories, and passing the torch to the juniors. So, I stood on the desk in order for the teacher to see me in the overcrowded room. I responded, “You should have thought of that six years ago before you treated us the way you did.” The room grew silent and then erupted in cheers. My words had hit home.

That day, I said nothing to badmouth the school. I didn’t try to discourage the elementary students from enrolling. I wasn’t acting ugly. What I was was silent. I smiled and spoke, but none of my actions attempted to sell the school as a utopia. I didn’t seek out students to give them a pitch. I simply carried on about my normal day as I did every day. I felt no loyalty or passion. I only wanted to quietly pass the time until the final bell rang. The fact that my entire graduating class had been rounded up and herded into the tiny math classroom to all be verbally bashed for the questionable actions of a few (the ones that were always causing issues) irritated me more that day than it had previously. Likely this was due to knowing I had one and a half feet out the door. I wasn’t required to do anyone’s bidding. I didn’t have to suppress my thoughts or feelings due to fear of reprimands and detentions.

That teacher’s face dropped. I told no lies. He, along with many other teachers at the school at the time, had been shortsighted on the commodity they had in us. Thus, they never thought twice about their mistreatment of us as people—like all the winter days with temperatures below 40 and he insisted that all the class windows be open because that would keep us awake. No, it kept us cold and miserable. Or all the times he decided to give me a low “conduct” grade in my social studies class for talking during study hall—an ungraded class where conduct could not be scored. I made As and Bs in social studies, yet, my social studies conduct grade was basically an F.

BTW, conduct grades didn’t count toward GPA. They were a way to snitch to parents when students were cutting up in class. The only cutting up I did was running my mouth during study hall, and the reason I did that was because I usually didn’t have anything to study. And no, I didn’t elect study hall. It was mandatory, and usually at odd times in the day—like second or third period. And sleeping or listening to music with headphones wasn’t allowed, either. Although I attempted to explain to my parents that I wasn’t some hooligan in class, they didn’t understand. They thought I was lying about my behavior and that hurt my feelings to the point that it damaged my relationship with my parents. They chose to believe a teacher over me. And if they didn’t trust me, I felt I couldn’t trust them. Now, maybe that was unfair of me to think that way. But in my defense, I was a child. I had an adolescent brain. But this adult teacher never considered that his looseness of the truth could disrupt the family lives of students. Shortsightedness.

Just as the parent didn’t view the graduating seniors as future alumni who would one day have jobs and could be donors to the band program. Shortsightedness.

Just like the mean girl teachers that ran off The Band Mom due to jealousy. Say it with me. Shortsightedness.

So, how does one prevent from becoming shortsighted?

When approaching any situation, ask if what you want is best for the group or more beneficial to your personal agenda.
Ask what are all the options. List them in a brain dump.
Consider other people’s cultures and traditions. How do these things affect a person’s behavior and influence the outcome of situations?
As the opinions of other people who are likely to be objective. Asking your bestie or someone who always agrees with you will yield an answer but probably not the best answer.
Think before speaking. Pause before throwing a thought into the world and listen to others around you. Read the room.
Consider more than the immediate outcome and how actions will play out over time. Ask how decisions will look in a week, a month, a year, five years.
Don’t rely solely on what worked in the past. This is huge because becoming content is easy. However, things change. Only considering the past will limit options and prevent one from considering actions that may be better solutions.

That’s all I’ve got. Now, it’s your turn to sound off. What did you think? What is your take on the subject? Do you agree or disagree? Did you find this information helpful or informative? Did you learn anything new, or did it change your opinion? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section. Also, let me know if you would like me to cover more of these types of topics or dive deeper into this one. If you like this post, please click the like button and share it. Your feedback allows me to know the content that you want to read. If you’re not following me on Creole Bayou blog, what are you waiting for? There’s always room at the bayou.

Get ready. It’s time to hit the ice again. Future Goals has arrived and is available.

Order your copy at:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3RjPYb9

Other booksellers: https://bit.ly/3CI8d5W

Did you miss the first four books in my hockey romance series? No frets.

Defending the Net (book #2) can be ordered at https://amzn.to/2N7fj8q or www.books2read.com/defending. Crossing the line could cost the game.

Ice Gladiators (book #3) is the third book in my Locker Room Love series. When the gloves come off, the games begin. Available at https://amzn.to/2TGFsyD or www.books2read.com/icegladiators.

Penalty Kill (book #4) retakes the ice. Get a copy at https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p or https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p and let the pucker begin.

Until next time, happy reading and much romance. Laissez le bon temps rouler.

Author Bio

How to Halloween in Louisiana

Posted on October 18, 2023September 21, 2023 by Genevive Chamblee

Some places are the perfect destination for Halloween. Louisiana is one such location to get your spook on.

The Walking Dead has nothing on New Orleans. On October 21, 2023, prepare to run for your life in the New Orleans Zombie Run. Yes, you read that correctly. At 9:00 AM, the streets will fill with zombies for a two-mile race through the Warehouse District. Participants dress up like zombies and are chased by the Big Easy Roller Derby who are the official Zombie exterminators. For registration information, visit the link.
The Krewe of Boo Parade is an annual celebration that takes place in the French Quarter in New Orleans. Like Mardi Gras, this parade consists of ornate floats and celebrants decked in extravagant costumes. The parade route will begin at Elysian Fields in the Marigny District (i.e., Frenchmen Street and Washington Square area) and continue to North Peters Street, Decatur Street, Jackson Square, the Warehouse District, and ending around the Convention Center. The route is lined with jazz clubs, bohemian bars, bistros, and street entertainers to keep visitors occupied while waiting for the parade to begin. The Krewe of Boo parade will happen on Saturday, October 21, 2023.
But maybe running isn’t your thing. Perhaps you prefer to sleep among ghosts, goblins, ghouls, and other spirits and witness paranormal activity. The Hotel Monteleone has you covered. Book a stay at this haunted hotel and request a room on the thirteenth floor to encounter some of the permanent free-loading (and free-floating) guests.
If the Hotel Monteleone is too real for you or you don’t fancy spending the night with supernatural houseguests, try visiting one of the haunted houses. The Mortuary is located on Canal Street, and, big shocker, it really is a mortuary. Well, it used to be, at least. For approximately eighty years, it was. So, it’s not a stretch to think that some “guests” may still be lingering around. It’s not like they are dying to get out. (Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.) In any case, The Mortuary is a resplendent mansion that was constructed in 1872 and is one of the niftiest haunted houses to tour.
Another option for a haunted house is the New Orleans Nightmare located at 319 Butterworth Street in Jefferson is described as an “intense haunted experience” and includes a completely dark maze that visitors will need to depend on their senses (i.e., auditory, olfactory, and tactile) to navigate their path through physical challenges. There is also a fully interactive escape room and three main attraction events (Midnight Mortuary Blood Ritual, Repossessed, and The Deadlines. Don’t worry. There’s also a bar for visitors to grab a drink to calm their nerves. Granted, it’s also horror-themed. The New Orleans Nightmare is a must-see/must-do experience. However, this haunted house does come with a warning that its experience may not be suitable for children twelve and under.
Speaking of escape rooms, if you would like to experience one but aren’t in the New Orleans area or can’t get tickets, visit the 13^th Gate in Baton Rouge (832 Saint Philip Street in the old Steinberg’s Sporting Goods building). This attraction also comes with a disclaimer that it may not be suitable for children twelve and under and also adds that it may be questionable for those with a weak bladder. Interpret that how you will.
Who can talk about Halloween and New Orleans without mentioning the cemeteries? Perhaps the most famous cemetery in the world is the Saint Louis Cemetery Number 1. It is one of the oldest cemeteries (officially consecrated in 1789) in The Big Easy and is the resting place to Barthelemy Lafon (pirate), Madame Delphine LaLaurie (serial killer), Marie Laveau (voodoo queen), and Nicolas Cage. No, that wasn’t a typo, and yes, Nicolas Cage is very much alive and healthy. However, the actor preemptively commissioned his tomb in this cemetery.
Sticking with a similar theme is the Creole Death and Mourning Tours. This one-hour tour is a time-limited exhibition, running from September 20th through November 13^th. It highlights the mourning rituals of 19th-century Catholic Creoles residing in New Orleans. The tour is hosted at the Gallier House (1132 Royal St), a Victorian townhouse and former slave quarters, built in 1860 by architect James Gallier that now serves as a museum.
For lighthearted but amazing seasonal décor sightseeing visit the Buckner Mansion, Ghost Manor, The Kraken House, and/or The Skeleton House. Many people are likely familiar with the image of Buckner Mansion but not the name. That is because Buckner Mansion has been featured in both American Horror Story on FX and in Disney’s Haunted Mansion. It is located at 1410 Jackson Avenue. Next on the list is Ghost Manor located at 2502 Magazine Street. Ghost Manor is known for its specular electronic light show that is synced to spooky music. On 6574 Memphis Street, visitors will find a house that looks as if it’s been dragged out of the sea. The Kraken House’s legendary feature is its large-scale tentacles. Finally, the Skeleton House at 6000 St. Charles Avenue is as the name suggests, decorated with skeletons (not real ones, of course) in all manners of dress… and well, it’s easier to see than to explain. And while in the neighborhood, why not stroll down the rest of Saint Charles Avenue and check out all the other incredibly stunning decorations?
If you fancy a bit of music and dance, head over to the New Orleans Vampire Ball: Temple of The Dark Goddess at the House of Blues on Decatur on October 28. Doors open at 9:00 PM CST.
Or experience The Rocky Horror Picture Show at The Mahalia Jackson Theater or relax listening to Candlelight: A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics at the Sazerac House. And let’s not forget Get Out being performed by the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra.
Thanksgiving and Christmas are the holidays most frequently associated with giving and charity. However, the Halloween New Orleans (HNO) is an annual extravaganza in acknowledgment of the LGBTQIA+ community and is hosted by Project Lazarus. Over its 39 years in existence, the HNO has raised over five million dollars for the HIV/AIDS cause. The HNO’s parties are iconic.
This next comes with a seriously strong warning. It is only for mature audiences and may be triggering. I’m talking about The Museums of Death. It doesn’t get more real, graphic, and grave than this. If you’re easily triggered, I suggest skipping reading this description. This is why I have reserved to list it last. It’s a lot. Displays in the museum may include artwork created by serial killers, body bags, caskets/coffins, coroners’ and mortician’s tools, crime scene photographs, documents and depictions of various forms of execution and torture, images and depictions of suicide, a history of cannibalism, memorabilia from Charles Manson and the Manson Family, photographs of deceased individuals (including some of young children) prior to their burial, preserved and/or mummified human remains, and skulls. Cell phones and mobile devices are not allowed to be used inside the museum, and no photographing of the displays is prohibited.

Get ready. It’s time to hit the ice again. Future Goals has arrived and is available.

Order your copy at:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3RjPYb9

Other booksellers: https://bit.ly/3CI8d5W

Did you miss the first four books in my hockey romance series? No frets.

Defending the Net (book #2) can be ordered at https://amzn.to/2N7fj8q or www.books2read.com/defending. Crossing the line could cost the game.

Ice Gladiators (book #3) is the third book in my Locker Room Love series. When the gloves come off, the games begin. Available at https://amzn.to/2TGFsyD or www.books2read.com/icegladiators.

Penalty Kill (book #4) retakes the ice. Get a copy at https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p or https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p and let the pucker begin.

Until next time, happy reading and much romance. Laissez le bon temps rouler.

Author Bio