Laurel Anne Hill

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Laurel Anne Hill’s Schedule at OryCon 32 (Nov. 12-14, 2010)

Here’s my schedule for OryCon, November 12-14:

Friday:
Writing workshop mentor (closed meeting) 4-5 pm
Can you read my mind?  Ethics and use of psychic abilities (panel), Madison, 5-6 pm
Writing quality work for young adults (panel), Ross/Morr 8-9 pm (Sharyn November will be on this one, too.)

Saturday:
Laurel Anne Hill reading her work,  Lincoln, 11:30 am – 12 noon
Reading for children, Hawthorne, noon – 1 pm
Promotion in the information age (panel), Jefferson/Adams, 7 – 8 pm

Sunday
Gore vs. Terror (panel), Hamilton, 11 am – noon  (Hey, this is NOT a panel about “An Inconvenient Truth.”)

 I hope to see some of you there.  I’ll Twitter my comments.  Follow me on http://twitter.com/#!/LaurelAnneHill. 

 Warm wishes,

Laurel Anne Hill
(Author of “Heroes Arise” and “Thar Be Magic” in the “Rum and Runestones Anthology)

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Wicked Women Writers Challenge and Six Deadly Sins

Select your favorite sin

 
Get ready for those Halloween time-of-the-year tingles down the old spinal column.  The Wicked Women Writers Challenge podcast (Six Stories of Sin) goes live on October 28.  Go to http://www.horroraddicts.net, episode #49.

My contribution is entitled “Beyond Her Reach:  A Tale of Sloth.”  Other contributors are Hollie Snider, Michele Roger, Kimberly Steele, Rhonda R. Carpenter and R.E. Chambliss.  Listen to all six podcasts and vote for your favorite by November 16.

One lucky voter will receive a Horror Addicts prize package.

Warm, chilling wishes,

Laurel Anne Hill, Author of “Heroes Arise”
(http://www.laurelannehill.com)

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Hail Polytechnic! I’m loyal to you. (by Laurel Anne Hill)

Alicia, Frank & Laurel, Class of 1961

How many high school alumni associations can you name that hold annual gatherings for former students regardless of the year of graduation?  Of those gatherings, how many draw hundreds of alumni annually for a school that became extinct over 35 years ago?

San Francisco’s Polytechnic High tops my list of one.  The Polytechnic Athletic Association organizes an annual luncheon and has done so for many years.  In recent years, the event has been held at The Patio Español Hall in San Francisco.  The gathering was on September 18, this time around, with the oldest attendee (age 100) from the Class of 1929.  Wow!

I attended Poly from early 1957 to early 1961.  Poly teachers provided the encouragement and support I needed to discover my own road to success.  I still remain in touch with a number of my former classmates.  An ache forms in the pit of my stomach when I worry about friends who don’t write, email or return for gatherings.  Biological attrition may be a fact of life, but I don’t have to like it.

By the way, the 50th reunion of the Class of 1961 has been scheduled for September 17, 2011.  I hope my former classmates are marking their calendars.  If you are unable to attend, at least send a message.    

Regarding a very brief history of Poly:

According to entries in the 1915 and 1947 school journals, (http://www.sfgenealogy.com/sf/schools/poly.htm) , San Francisco’s Polytechnic High started as the “Commercial School” downtown.   Academic and technical subjects were added to the curriculum by approximately 1885 and the school name changed to Polytechnic.  [The Perennial Parrot Newsletter (http://www.perennialparrot.com/links/links.htm) lists 1884 as Poly’s official first year.]  

Poly moved to Frederick Street in 1908, using shacks that had housed the homeless after the 1906 earthquake and fire.  The new structure was built in 1914 and closed in 1972.  San Francisco demolished Polytechnic High in the mid-1980’s and souvenir bricks were distributed at the Poly High Farewell Party on November 7, 1987.  One of those bricks has a home in my living room bookcase.  Every once in a while I give the brick a hug.  Hail Polytechnic!  I’m loyal to you.

Laurel Anne Hill (Author of “Heroes Arise,” http://www.laurelannehill.com)

Donna
Laurel & June (Sue)
Donna, Priscilla, Bill & Joan
Alicia, Vic & Laurel
Happy Fred
Serious Joe
Alicia, Bob & Laurel
Laurel & Elsie
Gary, Alicia, Laurel & David

 

Three Cheers for Dave!

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CNN World News Posts Great Article about HeroRATs (from Laurel Anne Hill)

Photo From the HeroRAT Website

CNN World News posted a great HeroRAT article, including a dozen photos, on September 8, 2010.  HeroRATs, as you may recall, are the giant pouched African rats used to sniff out land mines and tuberculosis.  The title of the CNN piece is “Giant rats put noses to work on Africa’s land mine epidemic.”   

Although the four-week-old rat (photo 1 in the CNN article) is really cute, I think my favorite picture shows a rat sniffing a tea-infuser ball (photo 8).  How clever to put TNT in low-tech tea balls in order to teach the rats to sniff for the explosive.

For those of you who have not yet read my HeroRAT op-ed published by AOL News on August 17, be sure to check it out, particularly the link to the Parry Gripp  “Hero Rats” video and song on YouTube.

Warm wishes,

Laurel Anne Hill (Author of “Heroes Arise”)

p.s.  In case you wonder why I sometimes refer to HeroRATs and other times Hero Rats, let me explain.  APOPO, the charity running the project, prefers HeroRAT/HeroRATs.  However, people often refer to “Hero Rat” or “Hero Rats” in their articles.

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The Little Engineer who Could (by Laurel Anne Hill)

 

Engine No. 2472, March 2009

My husband, David, and I were steam locomotive “engineers for an hour” on September 2, 2010.  Actually, the time clock registered 1-1/2 hours for me and 30 minutes for David.  “You’re the one writing the novel about the train,” David said.  What a sweet guy!  Running #2472 was a dream come true. 

Golden Gate Railroad Museum (GGRM) offered this unique opportunity, courtesy of the Niles Canyon Railway in California and the Pacific Locomotive Association (PLA).  Steam Engine No. 2472 belongs to GGRM and currently is housed and run on Niles Canyon Railway property.  David and I, avid railfans, are members of both GGRM and PLA.

I’ve spent the summer working on short stories and essays.  Now I’m ready and motivated to get back to work on the rewriting of my unpublished train novel–“A Light from the Mountain.”   At last, I think I can, I think I can…I know I can!  

 Warm regards,

 Laurel Anne Hill  (The Little Engineer Who Could)
http://www.laurelannehill.com

Laurel and David
Laurel reaches for the engine break
David, on the other hand, goes for the throttle
Engineer Don, Fireman John and Laurel