As 2021 begins I’ll return to writing mostly daily entries here. Most will be short. I feel the daily practice helps me. On occasion I’ll review a new tea or a Masterclass or a book. But mostly you’ll just hear from my life.

I have one final duty to carry out before 2020 leaves. (Don’t let the door hit your tush on the way out, 2020!) That is to send out my final quarterly submission to Writers of the Future for the year. At the same time I’ll be sending out a story to Mermaids Quarterly.

If you are a writer of SF, horror, or fantasy, and are not yet making professional rates, you should submit to Writers of the Future. The contest is free to enter and the prizes are truly fabulous. Not just publication, but also a ceremony and a week spent with some of the best writers around as mentors. Even if you never win, the discipline of writing stories and submitting them each quarter is helpful. In addition, their writers’ forum on the site is great! It’s run by past winners Wulf Moon and Brad Torgersen (yes, the SF writer). In particular, check out Wolf Moon’s Super Secrets Workshop & Challenge to learn to write a winning story.

Tea Review: Sweet Orange Tea from Upton Teas This one smells delightful, a combination of orange blossoms, orange candy, and orange peels. The black tea base is comprised of full, long leaves, no cut leaves or fannings used here. It is an unremarkable black tea, but a good companion for the orange peels with just a touch of bitterness and tannins, but no more than you’d expect from the orange pith itself. It pairs well with milk, though is, in truth, a bit overwhelmed by it so less is more when it comes to milk in this tea. I’d buy this again. It’s a nice, soothing breakfast tea.

Hope your year is ending well. Stay strong, friends! We are almost through the door of 2021 and a time of great hope. Let’s go through that door together.

Be well, friends!