The Benefits of Tea

As my blog title suggests, I'm a big fan of tea. I drink it constantly. I always carry a teabag in my purse. (Several, actually).

A few years ago, someone gave me a small book called 365 Things Every Tea Lover Should Know. I pick it up once in awhile to see what new thing I can learn about my favorite drink.

Here's a few I thought I'd share.

1. Tea is a natural astringent. The tannic acid helps kill bacteria. So if you want your feet to smell fresh, soak them in black tea. No clue how long we should do this. And it also doesn't specify the temperature of the tea. Warm sounds good to me.

2. Black tea usually has about 40 to 45 milligrams of caffeine per bag. This is less than half of the caffeine in a cup of coffee. I didn't know this. I'd always heard that tea had more caffeine than coffee. Good to know.

Mysteries of the Ozarks Anthology

Mysteries of The Ozarks, Volume IV is now available. I'm happy to announce that my short story SPACED OUT is one of the selections you will find in this anthology.

This is an ongoing publication, showcasing some of Missouri's best authors. Other authors included in this anthology include Ellen Gray Massey, Brenda Brinkley, Debbie Blades, Larry Woods, and a host of others.

If you're in the market for a good read, please check it out. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Character Names - Where Do You Find Them?

I have a great part-time job. I work in a hospital setting, visiting with families whose loved ones are going into surgery. It takes no talent on my part. All I have to do is show up, visit with people, and direct them into a room so the doctor can talk to them when surgery is complete.

There are several things about this type of job that makes it perfect for a writer. One of those is that I see all kinds of names I'd never heard before.  I always keep a notebook by my computer. Whenever a story idea hits me (and they do when we're not busy), I'm able to jot it down on my notebook before I forget. I also write down any interesting names I come across. A few are listed below.

Miracle. Definitely an unusual name. I was sure the patient had been appropriately named because of something that had happened. I assumed she was a miracle baby the parents hadn't expected to happen. That's my conclusion. I'll let you draw your own.

Treasure. Another unusual name. So unusual that I asked the family if it was a nickname. It wasn't. Treasure was her birth name. No doubt Treasure had been raised with a lot of love.

My all-time favorite so far is Ann E. Quaintance. I've only seen that once, but the name just stuck with me all these years. Someone had a sense of humor.

I'm still looking and writing down names I come across. I'm sure this post will be continued....