Category Archives: Uncategorized

FARO DEALING AND CHUCK-A-LUCK SUPPLIES FOR FRONTIERADO

FaroThe Frontierado Holiday, coming up Friday, August 2nd is about celebrating the myth of the Old West, not the grinding reality.

For reasonably authentic and affordable Faro and Chuck-A-Luck supplies for Frontierado get-togethers I often use River Junction Trade Company and others.

Chuck a LuckSites like theirs will also sell plenty of other supplies that will suit your needs for making your deck or party room look like a Wild West saloon or casino. Clothing, saloon chairs, era-appropriate whiskey glasses, you name it. Continue reading

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LATEST FICTION CONTEST WITH $3,000.00 AWARD

Award

Submit to the Masters Review Summer Short Story Award! The winning story will be awarded $3000 and publication online. Second and third place stories will be awarded publication and $300 and $200 respectively. All winners and honorable mentions will receive agency review. We want you to succeed, and we want your writing to be read. It’s been our mission to support emerging writers since day one.

<< view FAQ here >>

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TOP TEN UNDERRATED TIPS ON HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR WRITING SKILLS

article pic 1Read Books
It sounds very simple, but many people ignore this advice. The more books you read, the more lexicon you get. You learn new expressions and constructions. In the future, you will notice how your writing becomes better. This will help not only to improve your skills but also make texts simpler and more enjoyable. Do not force yourself to read what you do not want. Choose your favorite authors and enjoy the process.
Continue reading

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FIRST CHAPTERS CONTEST – SUBMIT THROUGH JULY 31st

OPEN FOR SUBMISSIONS 

Just over one month left to submit to the inaugural CRAFT First Chapters Contest! The award will be $2800, manuscript critique, and agency review to the top three first chapters of unpublished book-length fiction projects. The contest is open from June 1 to July 31, 2019 and is judged by Naomi Huffman of MCDxFSG and FSG Originals. The first chapters must be excerpted from unpublished novels or novellas, which can be complete or works in progress.

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$3,000.00 PRIZE IN FLASH FICTION CONTEST

Yes, it’s that time again! The deadline this time around is May 31st. 

Flash fiction contest

There are other contests being run as well, and the outfits running them encourage one and all to collect and dust off your work, and send it off to one of these great contests!

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COLLEGE BASEBALL RANKINGS

Per the Glitternight Index:

Warner Royals logo 2NCCAA

*** 1. WARNER UNIVERSITY ROYALS     ###      2. CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY (MI) CARDINALS     ###     3. CAMPBELLSVILLE UNIVERSITY TIGERS     ###     4. SOUTHWESTERN CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY EAGLES (Should be the Aguilas)     ###    

Oakland City University Mighty Oaks better5. OAKLAND CITY UNIVERSITY MIGHTY OAKS     ###     6. ERSKINE COLLEGE FLYING FLEET     ###     7. HIWASSEE COLLEGE TIGERS (Should be the Blue Grass Tigers)     ###     8. BIOLA (CA) UNIVERSITY EAGLES (Should be the Condors)     ###     Continue reading

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WRITING AWARD OF $5,000.00 PLUS MORE

The Masters Review presents a list of even more writing contests, including their own which offers a First Prize of $5,000.00. For the entire list click below. 

They say March comes in like a lion, and clearly they’re referring to the sheer amount of writing competitions this month! We’re happy to lend you a hand, though, and present a carefully curated list of the best contests around. Included is our $5000 Anthology Prize in its eighth year. Let’s get started! Continue reading

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SHORT STORY AWARD OF $3,000.00

Yes, it’s that time again! The Master’s Review is running their Winter Short Story Contest and the deadline is January 31st. 

The Winter Short Story Award, a prize that recognizes the best fiction from today’s emerging writers, closes in less than a month. The winning story will be judged by Aimee Bender and awarded $3000 and publication online. All winning stories and any notable honorable mentions will receive agency review. Continue reading

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ELVIS MOVIES FOR JANUARY 8th

Mascot new lookJanuary 8th is the combined marking of Elvis Presley’s birthday and the Battle of New Orleans, in which General Andrew Jackson and French Pirate Jean Lafitte defeated the British in the final battle of the War of 1812.

In the past Balladeer’s Blog has observed this date with looks at the musical Rock ‘N’ Roll vs The Red Coats and with an article on the whole Orion/Elvis situation. This time I’m taking a quick look at some early Elvis movies.

love me tenderLOVE ME TENDER (1956) – Elvis was the latest reason that the saga of the Reno Gang/ Reno Brothers got distorted on the big screen. The need to turn the Reno story into a vehicle for Elvis Presley made this attempt the most unintentionally funny of them all.

Favorite Part: A scene between Elvis, playing Clint Reno, and Richard Egan, playing Vance Reno. Despite the fact that the long-missing Vance was given up for dead and Elvis married his mourning girlfriend in the meantime the Side-Burned One actually asks “What’s troublin’ you, Vance?”  That question has been a catch-phrase for me ever since I first saw this flick on late-night tv.

Favorite Weirdass Song: Let Me  Continue reading

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PITTSBURGH STEELERS SUPER BOWLS

Steelers infographPITTSBURGH STEELERS SUPER BOWLS 

With college football season closing in on its end here’s a look at the Pittsburgh Steelers and their trips to the Super Bowl. This will include all eight of their appearances, not just their six victories. For game by game odds and other info on the Steelers click HERE or HERE

SUPER BOWL IX

Date: January 12th, 1975

City: New Orleans, LA

Opponents: Minnesota Vikings 

The Game: Back in those days when the saying went “Offense wins games, but DEFENSE wins Championships” this Super Bowl lived up to that particular piece of conventional wisdom. By Halftime the only points had come from a Safety in the 2nd Quarter, giving the Steelers a 2-0 edge at the break.

Pittsburgh added 7 more points in the 3rd and 4th Quarters while the Vikings could muster a mere 6 total and those in the final frame. The Steelers won the game 16-6.

SUPER BOWL X

Date: January 18th, 1976 

City: Miami, FL

Opponents: Dallas Cowboys

The Game: A 7-7 tie in the opening Quarter became a 10-7 lead for the Cowboys come Halftime. After a scoreless 3rd Quarter the Steelers outscored Dallas 14-7 in the 4th to win back to back Super Bowls. The final score was 21-17.

SUPER BOWL XIII

Date: January 21st, 1979 Continue reading

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