Dead Mouse and New Book Cover Art

Living here in Mineral Point has been interesting what with The Red Rooster and Gray Dog cafes and people who actually write Haiku and/or Renku and tales of vampires jumping out of trees and up from under a boat dock on the only lake in the county.

But this picture says it all. From the middle or late 1800's I would think?

And can you find the mouse in the picture? Not a computer one. A dead, real one?

Maybe these are early vampires? Not too many of us like to dangle dead mice at the camera. Perhaps that mouse was breakfast?

Anyway, Liffey Rivers will figure Mineral Point out when she moves here after her latest adventures in The Alaskan Sun. (February)

Here is a sneak preview of the cover art by Cian Flynn,Sligo,Ireland.

Brenna Briggs is the author of the Liffey Rivers Irish Dancer Mysteries

Can Solo Dresses Cause Epileptic Siezures?

I do not pretend to have anything close to what fashionable people might call "good taste." However, I do have a few internal alarm systems. One concern I have is:"How far can solo dresses go with geometrical designs and neon colors before the adjudicators, who must sit still and watch dresses like the above flash by hour after hour at Irish dance competitions--feiseanna, develop some serious Post Traumatic Bling Disorders? Or epileptic seizures?"

The following is research I lifted about the correlation between seizures and too many geometric-like shapes:

"Most patients experiencing subjective symptoms describe visual phenomena as the initial ictal manifestation. These are usually reported as bright, multicolored, or occasionally manifesting dark rings, spots, or simple geometric forms, which are continuous or flashing. These are usually, but not necessarily, in the periphery of the visual field, crossing to the opposite side while rotating or moving slowly. Ictal amaurosis, blindness or severe blurring of vision, limited to one hemifield, quadrant, or involving the entire visual field, may follow..."

So perhaps the Irish dancing community ought to think about the health risks the judges they employ at their competitions face? Maybe the adjudicators should be able to get some kind of insurance coverage along with their feis fees if they develop a seizure condition after a feis? Worker's Comp?

Brenna Briggs is the author of THE LIFFEY RIVERS IRISH DANCER MYSTERIES.

Are There Vampires In Mineral Point?

I have now lived in Mineral Point since September 17th.
I have to admit that it never entered my mind that there might be vampires here. Haiku authors,yes. Vampires, no.

However, my daughter, Rebecca, who has returned to the States after 8 years from Ireland en route to either NYC or LA, has decided there is more going on here than meets the eye. In fact, she no longer sneaks outside at night for a cigarette because she is afraid of seeing a vampire. So in a way, I am glad that Mineral Point has this built-in 'NO SMOKING' warning due to possible confrontation with a vampire ambiance.

Anyway. Here is the scoop. Rebecca was researching 'ghosts in Wisconsin' for some reason and came across these link:

http://www.hecklerspray.com/awesome-or-off-putting-the-mineral-point-vampire/201158546.php

So I am seriously considering having my Irish Dancer-Girl Detective heroine, Liffey Rivers, meet up with one of the local creatures of the night here in a future mystery.

In the meantime, I am glad this has curbed Rebecca's bad habit.

To further validate the vampire connection here. My husband was told by an usher in the oldest local church this past Sunday that the beautiful, very old refurbished church organ was a result of a generous cash donation to honor the great-great grandfather of....are you ready for this: VINCENT PRICE,

who played the very same church organ many, many years ago.

So. I think that pretty much lends credibility to the vampire thing here. Just tie up the loose ends and there you have it: Vampires in Mineral Point!

I will report more evidence as I dig it up. Or dug ups surface.

Brenna Briggs
On location in Mineral Point, Wisconsin

p.s. The 5th Liffey Rivers book; THE ALASKAN SUN is coming very, very soon. I promise.

Doing The First Southwestern Wisconsin Author And Poet Festival

Next week...no, THIS week! Show up this Saturday from 11-2 at THE FIRST SOUTHWESTERN WISCONSIN AUTHOR AND POET FESTIVAL in Mineral Point, WI, 203 High Street, and you will receive a free good luck spaghetti and meatball charm (from me)....possibly even more.

I am thinking that there will not be too much BLING at this festival thing. But you never know. Maybe all the other authors and some of the poets will have Swarovski crystals all over their otherwise colorless clothing. Maybe the pens they bring to sign their works will have feathers and glue-on sparkles.

I need to get some of those. I have been looking and have been quite disappointed that to date I have not yet seen even one pen or marker that looks like it/they have ever thought about being blingy. So I have been using the drab pens that my sister got in the doctor's office where she worked that the drug reps left behind. If anyone ever actually read my pens,I think that they would worry about me. Most of the drugs advertised on the pens have to do with serious mental conditions I had not heard of prior to asking my sister what the ads were selling. There was one cool pen that was shaped like a leg bone (at least I think it was a leg bone) but it ran out of ink long ago.

Anyway, if you can get to Mineral Point, Wisconsin, this Saturday, there are lots of art galleries and cafes and historical sites. It's worth a look. And we will talk.

Time to watch Castle. I am hoping the writers have finally picked up the romance pace.

RENKU-ING AROUND IN MINERAL POINT

HERE IS MY RENKU WORKSHOP GROUP IN MINERAL POINT, WISCONSIN, AT THE FOUNDRY BOOKS.

Our Sabaki, Melissa Allen, facilitated this workshop and was very helpful and patient. Until this writing event, I have to admit that I had absolutely no idea what a renku was/is. I am still not sure. This was a group writing effort and I was without question, the weakest link. Part of my mental block was related to the formula used to compose a renku. It involves numbers so I immediately panicked. To be honest, I think it is much easier writing a 200 page Liffey Rivers Irish Dancer Mystery.
The Foundry Books is a wonderful place. Anyone within 100 square miles of Mineral Point needs to visit it. Gayle Bull has accumulated hundreds--probably thousands of used books on as many subjects.
To illustrate why perhaps I was not particularly helpful constructing our renku: I purchased one of those used books before leaving: Annette: Sierra Summer. A shiny pink book I had purchased in 1960 and then lost along life's literary highway.

Brenna Briggs is the author of the Liffey Rivers Irish Dancer Mysteries.

The Road Most Traveled

I have zealously devoted many recent blogs to educating the feiseanna public about the perils of Post Traumatic Bling Syndrome. I have been a voice crying in a wilderness of sparkling stressors. Now I am taking the fork in the road leading back to the road most traveled. Back in the fold if you will. The sheep returning to the flock, etc.

I have developed some Liffey Rivers Irish Dancer bling: A 2 1/2 inch pin which can also be altered into a decoration featuring Liffey in her solo dress.

ORDER PIN

Also, for the Pre-Feis ritualistic Spaghetti and Meatballs zealots, there is now a T-Shirt which cautions Irish dancers to eat their 'night before the feis' good luck pasta dinner:

ORDER T-Shirt

I will be presenting at IBAM CHICAGO on November 12th at 2:00 p.m. in the Literary Salon. More importantly, real authors (even famous ones)will be crawling all over the Irish Heritage Center on the 12th and 13th. Food is priced reasonably and there is literally something to do every second you are there. Check out the web site:

Visit IBAM

Brenna Briggs is the author of the Liffey Rivers Irish Dancer Mysteries

Threat of VIMS From Watching Irish Dancers

You have probably all seen a spinning top. Many of you have never, however, seen a spinning Irish dancer in an overly decorated Solo Dress. Both can give you VIMS. Here is the definition from Answers.com:

Motion that is seen but not felt

"In these cases, motion is detected by the visual system and hence the motion is seen, but no motion or little motion is sensed by the vestibular system. Motion sickness arose in such situation has been referred to as Visually Induced Motion Sickness (VIMS)."

I am positive this is what happens to me at feiseanna if I watch Irish dancers jumping around in their bling bedecked solo dresses. Now I know why. My visual system gets out of sync with my vestibular system. I should have thought of this explanation myself. Tops always bothered me when I was little if I stared at one too long.

The really BIG question here is how do the judges look at Irish dance competitions with their endless parade of overly decorated dancers all day long without running to the restroom? I honestly don't know! I turn away when the VIMS hits me.

Brenna Briggs is the author of the Liffey Rivers Irish Dancer Mysteries.