Carnival of The Storytellers 2nd Edition

Here we are at the Carnival of the Storytellers 2nd Edition, and I am pleased at the increase in submissions.

My goal for the first edition was to get 5, and while technically I met that number, I had to eliminate one due to some very graphic language and had to throw in one of my own to get to a final count of 4. This edition my goal was 10 and I got 12 without having to pull out one of my own. Cool!

I hope you enjoy the work of these fine bloggers- be sure to stop by and leave a comment.

*****C*A*R*N*I*V*A*L***OF***T*H*E***S*T*O*R*Y*T*E*L*L*E*R*S*****

I love to read things that make me think. That challenge me. That point out inconsistencies and problems in my life that maybe I hadn’t noticed before (or more likely, noticed and then quickly forgot). Charles H. Green's Trust, Freedom and Resentment posted at Trust Matters is a great post that reminds us that we can- we must- control anger. Anger is always a choice, and one that more often than not brings no life or benefit to it's owner. His post is reflective and though provoking, and he set's it up by asking this simple rhetorical question: "Trust requires the ability to get outside oneself. Why do I find that so hard to do?"

Andrea Dickson opens the kimono in a brutally honest soul searching way. A twenty-something struggling with growing up and the challenges that cause us all to ponder our long term financial security. Read her post Bourgeoisie Guilt: Can I Conquer My Vanity for the Sake of My Sanity? posted at Wisebread, and have fun- I enjoyed her writing style. I do have two pieces of advice for Andrea, even though she didn’t ask for any: 1) Check out http://www.freemoneyfinance.com/ - it is one of the best free sites around for building wealth and making good financial decisions. A friend of mine writes it, and he's not out to get anything from his readers except their respect. 2) Marry your boyfriend. From the brief description you gave, I predict he will be a millionaire in less than 10 years. If he doesn’t propose to you, then you go ahead and ask him. Trust me.

CabSav presents What do you do if you know the novel you are writing is already out-of-date? posted at A novel idea. So- it seems I've found someone else that thinks out loud through their typing. Get inside CabSav's head by reading his short post as he ponders how he should either save or kill his online novel.

I loved this post! Madeleine Begun Kane talked about heading down the river in a ‘tube’ in Tubing Blues posted at Mad Kane's Humor Blog. As a man, husband of a wife that does not enjoy life-threatening activities, and a dad of four girls, I can empathize with her husband and totally understand why he egged Madeline into the journey. The hope- the big payoff- is if at the end, at least a couple members of the family had a good time and want to do it again- the wife is the key of course. Too bad for Madeleine's husband. I'm not sure he is aware that nevermore will he head down the rapids with his wife.

Just this morning someone mentioned a quote to me that ties in with Karen Lynch's presentation If You Can Breathe You Can Do Anything. He said "encouragement is the oxygen of the soul." Karen has jumped into a long lost hobby thanks to her child, and is finding a new passion that you can tell she is quite excited about. Posted at LivethePower.

Everywhere around us are people that could inspire and challenge us if we just took the time to ask them about their life and their most challenging or rewarding experiences. Nael C. Robes in Women who inspire me - part 2 posted at Another Door Opens finds just such a person right in her own family – her grandmother.

Dr. Jane Chin presents What Moves Us posted at Jane Chin PhD, saying, "We do not always know what moves people. This is why it is important to share what you are inspired to share, even when in retrospect you wonder how what you wrote would make any difference." In the post, Jane says "Ignore your assumptions and your self doubt when it comes to sharing your creativity with others." That reminded me of a friend who took up oil painting a few years back. She had never done anything like it before. And I will admit now, the first few months she did it and showed off her work, I didn’t think she should have picked it up. Now, years later, her work is wonderful. Great colors, shapes, concepts. What would have happened if she wasn’t brave enough to have opened up and shared her creativity?

Karen Shanley's story of her relationship with her father is incredibly touching. So much of who we are, what we believe, what we think about our own value and abilities stems from our relationship with our father. In Painting the Air posted at Karen Shanley, she gives us a glimpse into her personal life, her father's heart, and how well-chosen words backed by actions can give a child a foundation that enables them to change the world- or simply change another's life. The only thing bad I can say about her post is that it's just one more pressure point to add to the arguments from my four daughters to get a dog. Ugh.

This next post is a very well written exploration of the power of the mind to limit us. I do think Craig Harper should connect with Karen Shanley and Karen Lynch (see their posts above)- they might provide some good positive stories to counter the sad one's he presents in Beliefs posted at Renovate your life with Craig. He says "We handicap ourselves if we're not regularly re-assessing all, or some, of our beliefs. Don't believe something just because your dad did. Maybe your dad was wrong! Too many people struggle through life, crippled by their destructive beliefs and self-imposed (totally unnecessary) limitations." Proof again of the power of parents to build up or tear down their children.

Maureen presents Marching to the Internet · Empty Nest posted at Empty Nest, saying, "How the youth of two generations changed society." I enjoyed reading her post, and respect her opinion, but I don't agree with her at all. But that's ok- it's cool to have differing opinions expressed, and I encourage you to stop by and check out what's on her mind.

Laura Young presents More on Life Purpose: Sometimes You Leave Clues posted at Dragon Slayer, saying, "Ever wonder what your purpose is and who you really are? Me too. Seems I'm always the last to know but if I look at the stories I tell in my photography, my poetry and even how I ate soup as a kid, the clues are everywhere!"

Mark A. Rayner presents Fiction Fridays: Any Port in a Storm posted at the skwib. It's a creepy and very violent tale of Sam and his wife Linda, and how their life was dramatically changed over drinks while sitting at a quiet neighborhood Irish Pub.


That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of Carnival of the Storytellers using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

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