Hodge Podge

Since I've been on vacation this week, I've had a little more time to flit around the web. Following are a few posts I found interesting.

Author Marsha Ward's suggestions for some last-minute gifts for writers.
Funny, but my family never thinks to get me writerly gifts for my birthday or holidays. I wonder what that means.

Deb Vanasse's post over at Self-Made Writer, about how and where to get your book reviewed.

She also has a post about the etiquette and ethics of book reviews. 

I took this picture.

My daughter is a professional photographer on the island of Kaua'i. She had a shoot Friday night at the gorgeous Hanalei Bay (which is a good hour's drive from where she lives). Grampa and I went to keep her company for the long drive there and back. We walked the beach while she worked. Gorgeous sunset, wasn't it?

The water was warm too. Kind of made me feel guilty when I saw the news report for home. Snow.

All right. Not guilty. But I am going to stop thinking about how muggy and humid it is here. There will be plenty of cold winter waiting for me when I return home.

I tried to capture the big waves breaking at the mouth of the bay. I had to blow this up several times. Those waves are much farther away than they appear. Unlike my daughter, I'm not a professional photographer. I even forgot the recharger for my camera so I'm stuck with my cell phone.

The beach at Hanalei has fine, two-colored sand. It makes for an interesting pattern when the waves crash in and out.

So, what would you want as a writerly gift?

What are your thoughts on exchanging book reviews with other writers?

Ever been to Hawaii?