· Writing Prompts · Today I have some "icebreakers" to share with you. You might find them valuable and fun as a tool in "breaking the ice" in a group of people who need a reason or excuse to start talking to one another. Or, they can be used as writing prompts for your students in a writing class. Each index card has a different question laminated on each side. I pass them out, one card per person, and have individuals "partner up." It always works! These questions are self-starters … [Read more...] about Icebreakers
Archives for February 2018
Law Enforcement 101
· General Law Enforcement Terms · Having worked in law enforcement for over three decades, I tend to take some things for granted when it comes to terminology and police procedure. This blog entry will be the first to focus on law enforcement, with the idea that it may be helpful to some writers who occasionally create stories about "cops and robbers" in their fiction. In your writing it's important to get the details correct because they're important to the reader. When you're setting a … [Read more...] about Law Enforcement 101
Black and White TV without Color
· US Marshal Bass Reeves · I grew up watching black and white TV. Actually, it was more like white TV in the sense that people of color rarely appeared. In the early days of television, until the last half of the 1960s during the push for civil rights, the little screen showed very few African American faces. There were a lot of westerns on the tube back in the late 50s and 60s, including Hopalong Cassidy, Gunsmoke, Wagon Train, and Have Gun Will Travel. My favorite show was The Lone … [Read more...] about Black and White TV without Color
Disrupted Childhood
· Bridge Out · Recently I posted a blog about a family who had been evicted from their home. I wondered about the short and long term consequences on children, especially to their psychological well-being. One friend contacted me and recommended the book Childhood Disrupted: How Your Biography Becomes Your Biology, and How You Can Heal, by Donna Jackson Nakazawa. She told me about an active community group making a difference in this area. Another friend called me and informed me that he … [Read more...] about Disrupted Childhood
