Happy St. Patrick's Day!

 They say that, today, everyone is Irish!

I actually am, though Ancestry.com is telling me my ancestors originated in Scotland. I'm okay with that. 

IWSG and Lucky Literacy Night

Click here to find out more and to see a list of other IWSG blogs.

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Do we writers suffer from multiple personalities? I ask because sometimes I feel like there are two people living inside me.

Neither will leave me alone.

When I purposely try to take a break from writing, I get edgy. When I get the idea for a story that grabs me, I can't not write it. The characters scream to be made real, to be given life outside of my head.

Another voice is telling me all that time that I'm fooling myself to think I can do this, that I should just quit. It's not like there aren't plenty of other authors out there. No one would care.

I could just go quietly into the night and play lots of StarCraft and League of Legends. Trade one hobby for another.

All these voices in my head.

Fighting it out.

Am I nuts?

* * * * * * * * * *

On St. Paddy's Day, I'm part of a book signing event. Obviously, I was listening to one voice when I agreed to do it. Kind of excited to spend time with these peeps. They're a fun group. We're having a Rafflecopter giveaway for people who can't come.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And the winner is . . .

The winner

of

Twitterpated

by

 Melanie Jacobson 

is

ilima

Since tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day, the day when anyone in the U.S. can pretend to be Irish (I am, and my two older children are even more so, since they get it from both sides of the family), I thought I'd post a couple of pictures from my trip to Ireland last April. 

This is at the Poulnabrone Dolmen--a portal tomb in County Clare. It's older than Stone Henge.

The Cliffs of Moher

Even their asphalt is green. lol This is in Connemara where they have world famous marble.

Kylemore Abbey - they have beautiful gardens there but we got there a few minutes too late.

The is from the town of Cong, where they filmed a bunch of stuff for The Quiet Man. There're also amazing ruins of an abbey there. They have a gorgeous recreation area where we took a hike.

Cong Abbey

This is the Ross Errilly Friary--they abandoned this place in the 1600s. For an American, where something is old when it's 150-200 years old, this is mind boggling.

We also made it to Dublin and visited St. Patrick's Cathedral and Christ Church, toured Dublinia and tons of other stuff and generally had too much fun.

Now that I've bored you with my travelogue, I have to say that I loved my visit. I SO have to go back. Really. And I have a great excuse. One of my future books is going to take place there, so I'll need to refresh my memory. Right?

Have any of you visited a real location for research for a book? 

Answers to St. Patrick's Day Quiz

1. Who was St. Patrick?
The patron saint of Ireland.

2. What did he do to become associated with Ireland?
Brought Christianity to Ireland & was supposed to have driven the snakes from the island.

3. What is the language in the expression "Erin go bragh"?
Gaelic.

4. What does the expression mean?
Ireland forever!

5. Who was Molly Malone and what was her profession?
A pretty Irish girl who sold fish.

6. What city did she work in?
Dublin.

7. What is another name for the "little people"?
Leprechaun.

8. What happens if you catch one?
You'll have good luck.

9. What is at the end of the rainbow?
A pot of gold.

10. What is the Blarney stone supposed to give?
The gift of flattery/ability to speak well.

11. What must you do to it to receive it?
Kiss it (the Blarney Stone).

12. Why are there so many rock walls in Ireland?
They had to put them somewhere in order to farm. (According to John Wayne in "The Quiet Man.")

13. Who directed “The Quiet Man” in 1952?
John Ford.

14. According to the Irish, what should one do at a wake?
Sing a song.

15. What color must you never wear on St. Patrick's Day?
Orange.

16. What is Ireland’s official color?
Blue—for the color of the field in the Irish coat of arms.

17. What is the capitol of Ireland?
Dublin.

18. What is the predominant religion in Ireland?
Catholism.

19. What disaster in Ireland resulted in so many Irish emigrating to America?
Potato famine.

20. What food did the English purchase from America to help feed the starving Irish?
Indian corn.

21. "You can search everywhere, but none can compare to my ----, ----- ----."
Wild, Irish rose.

22. What is the Irish name for a clover leaf?
Shamrock.

23. Is the potato native to Ireland?.
No. It was originally brought to Ireland from the American Continent.

 24. What percentage of U.S. presidents have had Irish ancestors?
40 %.

25. Is Ireland the only place Gaelic is spoken?
No. It is also spoken on the Isle of Man and in Scotland.

26. Where was Michael Flatley (of Lord of the Dance & Riverdance fame), Irish dancing superstar, born?
Chicago, Illinois

JOKES
Why did St. Patrick drive the snakes from Ireland?
Because they couldn't fly.

What is green and stays out all night?
Patio furniture (Paddy O'Furniture)

Why can't you borrow money from a leprechaun?
Because they're always so short.

Why did God invent whiskey?
So the Irish would never rule the world.

How many Irishmen does it take to change a light bulb?
Five--one to change the bulb and four to remark about how grand the old bulb was.

St. Patrick's Day

I'm of Irish descent on my mother's side, and everyone is Irish on St. Patrick's Day. Aren't the Irish generous?

I submit this quiz, so you can figure out just how Irish you are.

1. Who was St. Patrick?
2. What did he do to become associated with Ireland?
3. What is the language in the expression "Erin go bragh"?
4. What does the expression mean?
5. Who was Molly Malone and what was her profession?
6. What city did she work in?
7. What is another name for the "little people"?
8. What happens if you catch one?
9. What is at the end of the rainbow?
10. What is the Blarney stone supposed to give?
11. What must you do to it to receive it?
12. Why are there so many rock walls in Ireland?
13. Who directed “The Quiet Man” in 1952?
14. According to the Irish, what should one do at a wake?
15. What color must you never wear on St. Patrick's Day?
16. What is Ireland’s official color?
17. What is the capitol of Ireland?
18. What is the predominant religion in Ireland?
19. What disaster in Ireland resulted in so many Irish immigrating to America?
20. What food did the English purchase from America to help feed the starving Irish?
21. "You can search everywhere, but none can compare to my ----, ----- ----."
22. What is the Irish name for a cloverleaf?
23. Is the potato native to Ireland?
24. What percentage of U.S. presidents have had Irish ancestors?
25. Is Ireland the only place Gaelic is spoken?
26. Where was Michael Flatley (of Lord of the Dance & Riverdance fame),Irish dancing superstar born? 

 Jokes

1. Why did St. Patrick drive the snakes from Ireland? (When the Irish say that St. Patrick chased the snakes out of Ireland, what they don't tell you is that he was the only one who saw any snakes!)
2. What is green and stays out all night?
3. Why can't you borrow money from a leprechaun?
4. Why did God invent whiskey?
5. How many Irishmen does it take to change a light bulb?

I'll post the answers tomorrow.