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Now that you have your basic bar set up with the necessary tools, some glassware, and a few bottles, it’s time to add more booze. As I said in the earlier post, start with the alcohol you like. Next, add what your friends like. Within reason. Just because Joel only drinks carrot-beet shrubs doesn’t mean you have to keep some on hand. Nobody likes Joel anyway. Let’s start with vodka. It’s the prime ingredient for Cosmos, Screwdrivers, Black Russians, Bloody Marys, and my personal favorite, Lemon Drops. If these classic cocktails sound good, you’re in luck. Mixing vodka with juice...

Believe it or not, the Three Furies aren’t legends because of us. Nope! They are part of a much older legend. One we knew and wanted to name ourselves after. So let me explain to you who the original Furies were. First, let me just say that it’s complicated. The story is so old and so often retold and revised that not everyone can agree on the origin. In fact, even their parentage is debated. Some stories claim they sprang from the blood of the god of the sky, Uranus, when he was castrated by his son. Doesn’t that sound...

Hi, I’m Lyssa Medana and this is the last in a series of articles with my thoughts on research and the fiction author. (Links to previous articles at bottom of post.) A swift summary of what I have learned from Research The main thing I have learned about research is that I have no self-discipline. I have the attention span of a kitten in a feather factory, I am easily diverted, and I take really bad notes. But I have also found that research is useful.  Any writer of fiction has to understand that research is not confined to the...

Hi, I’m Lyssa Medana and this is a series of articles with my thoughts on research and the fiction author. I hope that you can use them as a starting point for your own writing journey. When to Walk Away from Research When it comes to too much research, I am a bad example. I go down all the rabbit holes. I research obscure things that make no sense. There is such a thing as too much research and I am a living example of it. If you are writing fiction, the most important thing is the story. You want...