"The Least" -- A New Story in a New Magazine

If you or someone you know is on the hunt for clean fiction that is appropriate for teen reads, then you definitely need to check out Sparkler, a brand-new online magazine!  Sparkler is devoted to connecting readers in search of clean YA fiction with authors who write exactly that.

Authors like me :-)

In fact, I have a flash-fiction story in their debut issue, which dropped today!  It's all about a young man striking out on his own who has taken what he was told is a shortcut, and he finds something unexpected along his chosen trail... something that forces him to make a difficult decision.  It's called "The Least," and you can read it right here.  It's historical fiction, a cozy Christian western just like you'd expect from me :-)

Guest Appearance on the Tumbleweeds and TV Cowboys Podcast

As you may or may not recall, The Big Valley (1965-69) is my favorite TV western.  Today, I get to be the guest star on the podcast Tumbleweeds and TV Cowboys, in which we discuss my two favorite Big Valley episodes: "A Time to Kill" (1966) and "Showdown in Limbo" (1967).

You can listen to this episode on Spotify or on Apple Podcasts.  

I never really got into podcasts, but Tumbleweeds and TV Cowboys has changed that for me -- at least, for this particular podcast!  Might be the only one I ever listen to more than a couple episodes of, but that's okay.  I'm very much enjoying it!  It's like sitting down and chatting with western film-obsessed friends :-)

Upcoming Blogathons

There are so many cool blogathons coming up!  I'm all set to participate in four over the next couple of months, and I wanted to share those with you in case you're interested in any of them too.

First up, May 4-8, is the Classic Movie Blog Association's spring event, the Make 'Em Laugh Blogathon.  I plan to review Blackbeard's Ghost (1968) for this one.  It's a newer favorite of mine, and one I simply don't get tired of!

CMBA blogathons are only open to members of the association -- but if you are a classic movie blogger and not a member, applications are open this month!  Check out this page for further info.

At the end of May, and extending for a whole week, Quiggy is hosting a celebration of drive-in movies at his blog, the Midnite Drive-In.  So far, he only has a brief announcement post up, but more details will be coming soon.  I already plan to review The Outsiders (1983) because it has a pretty pivotal scene that takes place at a drive-in movie.

Even though I usually try to stick to one blog event a month, I couldn't resist signing up for the Marilyn Monroe -- 100th Birthday Anniversary Blogathon hosted by Hoofers and Honeys May 29-June 1.  I plan to review The Prince and the Showgirl (1957), which I have been meaning to see for years now.  I have a copy on my TBW shelves, and this will be a good reason to make time for it.

And I'll be participating in the Robert Duvall Tribute Blogathon hosted by Taking Up Room, too.  That one takes place June 5-7, and I plan to review Newsies (1992) for it.  My daughters are a teensy bit obsessed with that movie right now, so I've seen it a lot lately and am glad to have a reason to sit down and review it.

You can always find a list of all the blog events I'm planning to participate in on my Upcoming Blog Events page.

Also, just a little teaser for you: Legends of Western Cinema Week will return this summer!!!  Stay tuned for details...