Feels like time for a new pinned post explaining who the heck I am. So here we go:

I'm Samantha. I write. I seek small beauties in daily life. I walk. I read. I bake. I watch old movies.

I'm a "sunny side up, look on the bright side" girl who values comfortable shoes and pretty dresses with pockets.

I started reading spooky stuff in October and I haven’t really stopped. I think I’ll be staying here in horror and dark fiction for a while. The current read is another Grady Hendrix: how to sell a haunted house. Have you read this one? What did you think? #CoSoReaders

#CoSoWriters Have you ever killed off a character? How did you feel about it? How did you decide that was right for your story? https://samanthadunawaybryant.blogspot.com/2024/11/when-to-kill-character-open-book-blog.html

Do you ever buy yourself flowers? I couldn’t resist these.

Something that is still weird to me about my move from teaching to corporate life is how impressed folks seem to be with basic competence. I went from being under-appreciated for miracle working, to over-praised for creating functional things under supportive circumstances. It's so…soft.

Went to a concert with my youngest last night. Baby metal. It’s been a long time since I really listened to metal and this combination of cute and fierce was amazing. Have you listened to them? #CoSoMusic

I love the movie Streets of Fire and I hadn’t seen it on the big screen ever. But this year it was part of the retro series and Sweetman and I sponsored it. And oh my God it was a wonderful! It’s a difficult movie to explain to anybody who hasn’t seen it though. Have you seen it? Can you explain it?

Doing my best to hold on to hope. It's harder than usual, but I'm tougher than I look.

Hey, creative sorts. Are you creative in one particular way or does it show in more than area of your life? We're talking creativity in the non-writing parts of our lives for the Insecure Writers Support Group today. https://samanthadunawaybryant.blogspot.com/2024/11/creativity-in-kitchen.html #CoSoWriters

Do you have any favorite quotes about writing ? I'm fond of this one by EM Forster #CoSoWriters https://samanthadunawaybryant.blogspot.com/2024/11/can-i-quote-you-on-that-open-book-blog.html

Enjoying having an adult daughter by getting cocktails together. I’m 53 and she’s 25. The tall drink is a pineapple coconut and the short one is an old-fashioned. Whose do you think is whose?

My view and my breakfast companions today. I think I’ve hit that age where I’m so ready to be retired, but couldn’t possibly afford to do it and may never get to do it. I’ll just be glad I can afford a taste of it here and there.

Spent my Halloween passing out candy with a couple of Monster High dolls. So much fun! How was yours?

Very excited about my new release. Keep an eye out for this an anthology of mushroom themed horror from Crone Girls Press, a feminist horror press. This will be my fourth appearance in one of their anthologies and I continue to love everything they produce. #CoSoWriters #CoSoReaders

My current favorite Halloween joke.

Last night’s shenanigans. I judged a horror writing contest with these two guys and the culminating event where the prizes were awarded was last night. Horror writers are such goofballs. #CoSoWriters

Went to vote with my girl. Seems an especially good mother-daughter activity this year.

What do you think ghosts read? https://samanthadunawaybryant.blogspot.com/2024/10/what-do-ghosts-read-open-book-blog-hop.html #CoSoReaders

Just finished book number 58 of the year. I usually shoot for 52 books a year (one a week), so I'm officially an overachiever this year. How's your reading year going? #CoSoReaders

I recently had the ego flattering invitation to blurb another writer’s book! How fun! I don’t know if I’m famous enough to help Stella sell her how to write a romance book, but I do think it has some great advice and inspirational exercises. #CoSoWriters

Just finished another T. Kingfisher. Lucky for me she’s prolific, because each of her books makes me want another. Anybody else read this one? #CoSoReaders