tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post7804401319947937003..comments2024-03-28T06:20:48.661-04:00Comments on Jungle Red Writers: One Moment in Time Makes the DifferenceJungle Red Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16646429819267618412noreply@blogger.comBlogger86125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-43624665016965347732018-03-30T09:23:44.060-04:002018-03-30T09:23:44.060-04:00Shivers. So glad you stayed clear of the incident,...Shivers. So glad you stayed clear of the incident, Jim. Karen in Ohiohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13846039203123720312noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-12692391829739257552018-03-29T23:36:12.173-04:002018-03-29T23:36:12.173-04:00Thanks Lucy/Roberta. And thanks to all the Reds fo...Thanks Lucy/Roberta. And thanks to all the Reds for having me back.Jim Jacksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-71512509217507846782018-03-29T23:33:07.827-04:002018-03-29T23:33:07.827-04:00Well, I have one of those stories, too. Fortunatel...Well, I have one of those stories, too. Fortunately this more recent version has made me realize that too may have been necessary to get to where I am today.Jim Jacksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-30262915262757926432018-03-29T23:31:03.492-04:002018-03-29T23:31:03.492-04:00Wow, Maggie. Such a powerful story on so many leve...Wow, Maggie. Such a powerful story on so many levels. Making the change you wanted in a way that was more meaningful and keeping your connections. Just wow.Jim Jacksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-46202614322824805752018-03-29T23:29:06.417-04:002018-03-29T23:29:06.417-04:00Thanks, Ingrid - and I'm still just about as s...Thanks, Ingrid - and I'm still just about as shy as I was then, except for asking for directions. For some unknown reason, after fifty-plus years of literally wandering in the wilderness, I now have not problems with stopping anyone and asking for directions. Wonders never cease.Jim Jacksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-2170969340560284272018-03-29T23:26:46.378-04:002018-03-29T23:26:46.378-04:00We say "what are the chances" and the ma...We say "what are the chances" and the math major in me, knowing it actually happened says, "100%!" Thanks for sharing another terrific story.Jim Jacksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-75414752311090603872018-03-29T23:24:14.014-04:002018-03-29T23:24:14.014-04:00Kathy, what a terrific story, and if any one of th...Kathy, what a terrific story, and if any one of those things hadn't happened just as it did, the parallel universe would be so different.Jim Jacksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-2202091678127847452018-03-29T23:21:07.200-04:002018-03-29T23:21:07.200-04:00Jim -- and even years later we wonder what it was ...Jim -- and even years later we wonder what it was that made us do something that turned out to be so great in ways we could not possibly have known when we changed our mind.<br /><br />Some people always like to start with the first in the series and watch the characters grow, and for them I would say there is benefit to doing that with Seamus McCree.<br /><br />Each of the books in the series is a standalone story, but I have a suspicion that Empty Promises may not be the best book to first read in the series. Reading Doubtful Relations (the one before Empty Promises) would provide sufficient background so there should be no issues.<br /><br />Maybe I'm not giving myself or readers enough credit.Jim Jacksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-18180209662694239382018-03-29T23:10:46.158-04:002018-03-29T23:10:46.158-04:00So true -- and sometimes realizing that by saying ...So true -- and sometimes realizing that by saying "no" to something you can say "yes" to something else is equally important, although sometimes hard to realize.Jim Jacksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-25911196439760859232018-03-29T23:09:40.433-04:002018-03-29T23:09:40.433-04:00And as Hank says -- it takes only a moment to show...And as Hank says -- it takes only a moment to show a little bit of kindness.Jim Jacksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-14316188728053538612018-03-29T23:08:28.765-04:002018-03-29T23:08:28.765-04:00Terrific you have reached such a great spot -- and...Terrific you have reached such a great spot -- and we can never quite be sure how much was choice and how much fate.Jim Jacksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-87366915130273882392018-03-29T23:07:17.508-04:002018-03-29T23:07:17.508-04:00Hallie -- I wish I were better at making others fe...Hallie -- I wish I were better at making others feel welcome in person as you do so well, because I know that feeling of semi-rejection. One of the things I instituted for the Guppy Chapter of Sisters in Crime was a "Newbie" group that I moderate -- a safe place to ask questions and learn the ropes and become integrated with the larger group. Even we extreme introverts can find ways to be welcoming. :)Jim Jacksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-35415086511733609002018-03-29T23:01:35.770-04:002018-03-29T23:01:35.770-04:00Coralee -- That was a heck of a three months and c...Coralee -- That was a heck of a three months and congratulations for the road taken.Jim Jacksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-52663038383734307312018-03-29T23:00:10.501-04:002018-03-29T23:00:10.501-04:00Sorry everyone for not getting back on until nearl...Sorry everyone for not getting back on until nearly 11 pm. Here's the scoop and it relates to what we've been talking about today. On our way back from Tybee Island we ended up in a traffic jam. As it turns out the cause was a fatal three-car crash that occurred about 250 yards ahead of us. One other person was helicoptered out and two more transported by ambulance.<br /><br />Because of the fatalities, it was a crime scene, and the Georgia State Police shut down the highway (and only way on and off the island) for four hours. (Since I own a Subaru with high clearance we eventually crossed up and over the median and went back into town for a nice dinner.)<br /><br />A minute less time looking at birds at the beach or at lunch and we would have been home on time. Thirty seconds less and we might not have gotten home. So, sorry to have been absent longer than expected, but very glad to finally be home.Jim Jacksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-11863368240210137992018-03-29T20:44:11.119-04:002018-03-29T20:44:11.119-04:00Exactly! XxExactly! XxHank Phillippi Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07630366214207785339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-19000592784968580892018-03-29T20:43:58.022-04:002018-03-29T20:43:58.022-04:00Oh—that’s the tip of the iceberg.... xxxxOh—that’s the tip of the iceberg.... xxxxHank Phillippi Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07630366214207785339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-8987405708980157552018-03-29T20:41:51.841-04:002018-03-29T20:41:51.841-04:00Fascinating! Next time she’s in town, talk to her...Fascinating! Next time she’s in town, talk to her about it! She has a wonderfully compelling thought process… Hank Phillippi Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17420701704169428286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-40896675968575221282018-03-29T20:41:21.897-04:002018-03-29T20:41:21.897-04:00Maggie! You bring tears to my eyes! XxxMaggie! You bring tears to my eyes! XxxHank Phillippi Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17420701704169428286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-6406265873342076302018-03-29T17:55:04.848-04:002018-03-29T17:55:04.848-04:00Welcome back Jim--i loved this essay! So much of l...Welcome back Jim--i loved this essay! So much of life is serendipity, isn't it? It totally makes sense that this would spill over into our novels. Looking forward to reading your new one.Lucy Burdette aka Roberta Isleibhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04660402177299546055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-1351628561523722322018-03-29T17:02:37.950-04:002018-03-29T17:02:37.950-04:00I did have one of those moments which led directly...I did have one of those moments which led directly to my marrying the wrong man! I've wondered and wondered too many times about "what if".Judihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06777683026890358953noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-82030342724477299472018-03-29T15:56:04.203-04:002018-03-29T15:56:04.203-04:00On the Elizabeth George thing, I minded losing the...On the Elizabeth George thing, I minded losing the character because we readers had been through so much in the previous books to get the couple together. And she was pregnant so the author killed the baby, too. I dropped that series but I've stayed with others that made major changes. I've dropped some series that got really boring, also.Sally from PAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03649707016754971847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-34747196235568367992018-03-29T15:05:23.483-04:002018-03-29T15:05:23.483-04:00In the mid 80s we were in the ER with a very sick ...In the mid 80s we were in the ER with a very sick child. We were also on the verge of leaving our traditional church for one with more modern music. However, the ER nurse was from our church and she quickly phoned the minister and soon all of us stood around that child in prayer. Those familiar words brought tears to my eyes and clarity to my thoughts. Our daughter recovered and we stayed firmly rooted in our home church and helped to "modernize" the music program. It was a life-changing moment for sure because it grounded me in faith and love and hope. Interestingly, the ER nurse went on to another church and ended up drifting and uprooted... How easily that could've been me.Maggie Toussainthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12011893139722870283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-14292569906029365362018-03-29T14:54:33.730-04:002018-03-29T14:54:33.730-04:00Isn't it great? Agree, Ingrid. xxx .Isn't it great? Agree, Ingrid. xxx . Hank Phillippi Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07630366214207785339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-66232286570454239172018-03-29T14:41:25.829-04:002018-03-29T14:41:25.829-04:00Thank goodness you were too shy to ask the church ...Thank goodness you were too shy to ask the church ladies, Jim! You never would have met your foxy Alto! That phrase alone has made my day. Congrats on the new book, and I always think it's more interesting to read about characters who stumble at times. Isn't that what life's all about, after all?Ingrid Thofthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04063912686011336076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-68813912628177118442018-03-29T14:28:34.850-04:002018-03-29T14:28:34.850-04:00This is incredible--how often does this happen? It...This is incredible--how often does this happen? It seems like-a lot! Not what you'd predict, huh? Hank Phillippi Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07630366214207785339noreply@blogger.com