Examining George Washington’s False Teeth and Other Oddities to Remember by Traci Kenworth

Examining George Washington’s False Teeth and Other Oddities to Remember

Traci Kenworth

You come across them in your research: examining George Washington’s false teeth and other oddities to remember. It’s funny the things that history books are lined with that you don’t expect. Like those bells the Victorians used to put in their graves just in case the deceased wasn’t really all that deceased. Yeah, it happened back then. I’m sure future generations will find things we did today odd as well.

After all, who can tell what they’re looking for in research until they discover it? Little tidbits like these oddities serve to make things more realistic in your fiction. They give insight into how things were done back then. It’s like a little peek over the shoulders of people who lived during that time.

Do you know that one pioneer woman who was pregnant at the time by the way, was so determined to walk across the frozen Lake Erie to get to the new Western Reserve Lands that were open for settlement that she carried her toddler along with her and led another child by hand. What a spirit and strength she must’ve possessed!

There was also a man who camped not far from where I live now which at the time was swamp land, in a cave for the night during a blizzard and disturbed a huge rattlesnake (yes, rattlesnakes used to be common to the northeastern, Ohio region in those days) as well as a bear. Like I said, the things you discover with research. Both awesome and a little frightening, lol.

Most research can be tedious. Going over the same facts again and again. However, sometimes when you dig deeper, you discover gold. The more personal the detail the better. I’m not talking affairs or crimes here but day-to-day details that show how people lived, how they survived at those times. It wasn’t all the glamour we view on the movie screen. Those were hard, bloody times and the people that lived then went through some personal hell.

Bringing out what made them strong, what gave them steel helps humanize them and the times. It helps us identify with them more and builds that bridge across time into understanding them and how they lived. We can never understand what it was like to be Abraham Lincoln, but we might be able to identify with one of his servants, or one of the soldiers that served under him and that’s how bringing bits and pieces of those times into our fiction works to our advantage.

Happenings: The car has to go back in the shop Thursday for four new tires. This morning when I tried to start it, it wouldn’t turn over the first couple times. About the fourth try it lit up with no sound then a bunch of lights came on ending with the engine light coming on. It ran okay. No roughness to its speed, no trouble with anything else so I’m thinking possibly sensor or maybe sparks? Have to run it by the garage and see if I need a separate apt. for that or if they can look it over with the tires.

The insurance said they have the report for the damage to the home during the heavy storms a couple weeks back. It was mostly to the bottom skirting and underneath so we’ll see.

More trouble with the car. Now, it’s not starting at all. There is gunk coming out of the new battery. Not sure if that alone is the issue or if something more is going on. We’re checking a code with AutoZone and then going to contact the garage tomorrow where we bought the battery to get it replaced.

Some links around the web you might be interested in, check them out!

1. Entertaining Stories https://coldhandboyack.wordpress.com/2023/04/22/opps-i-did-it-again-newbook/ Well, I’ve gone and done it again. This has been a weird year for me. We had a small family emergency, and my workplace kind of went crazy, along with the need to dedicate some time to my daughter. There hasn’t been much time for writing in the mix. Fortunately, for me, I had three finished manuscripts to deal with. One of these is book-one of an intended trilogy, so I’m holding it back for now. One is a new story about Lizzie and the hat, that might come out near Halloween. This brings me to one of my solo titles. This book is called “Once Upon a Time in the Swamp.” The teaser book sounds like something I’d enjoy so I picked up a copy of it. It reminds me of another of his books that I really liked. It was about a traveler that had to learn how to survive again in a new world and was torn between two tribes. Wish I could think of the title. It’s almost there. Sorry. I find my mind tends to forget a bit more these days.
2. Writers Helping Writers https://writershelpingwriters.net/2023/04/character-type-trope-thesaurus-entry-hero/ In 1959, Carl Jung first popularized the idea of archetypes—” universal images that have existed since the remotest times.” He posited that every person is a blend of these 12 basic personalities. Ever since then, authors have been applying this idea to fictional characters, combining the different archetypes to come up with interesting new versions. The result is a sizable pool of character tropes that we see from one story to another. Archetypes and tropes are popular storytelling elements because of their familiarity. Upon seeing them, readers know immediately who they’re dealing with and what role the nerd, dark lord, femme fatale, or monster hunter will play. As authors, we need to recognize the commonalities for each trope so we can write them in a recognizable way and create a rudimentary sketch for any character we want to create. But when it comes to characters, no one wants just a sketch; we want a vibrant and striking cast full of color, depth, and contrast. Diving deeper into character creation is especially important when starting with tropes because the blessing of their familiarity is also a curse; without differentiation, the characters begin to look the same from story to story. But no more. The Character Type and Trope Thesaurus allow you to outline the foundational elements of each trope while also exploring how to individualize them. In this way, you’ll be able to use historically tried-and-true character types to create a cast for your story that is anything but traditional.
3. Roberta Writes https://roberta-writes.com/2023/04/21/roberta-writes-thursday-doors-cffc-anything-large-featuring-welgevonden-private-game-reserve-and-vocal-a-poem-welgevondengamereserve-poetry-wildanimals/ A few days before we were due to fly to the UK for Christmas in December, we decided to cancel our trip. The weather was terrible and there were lots of strikes happening. The most crucial of those strike actions for us was the NHS as Michael had just recovered for three months of chronic illness and two operations. My mother is also 84 and I didn’t want to risk going somewhere where healthcare could be an issue in a crisis. Instead, we went to Welgevonden Private Game Reserve from 19 December to 22 December. It was all planned so I would be home in time to host Christmas Eve at our home. I haven’t written about this trip, although it was amazing. The reason is that Terence started getting sick with headaches on 23 December, the day after we got home. His illness, which culminated in him being admitted into intensive care in hospital on 4 January with meningitis, put a huge shadow over this holiday. I just didn’t feel like revisiting anything in the lead up to that dreadful few weeks when he was in such a bad way in the hospital. The doctor says he’s made a full recovery and finally I am able to share a bit about this trip. This post is for three challenges: Thursday Doors hosted by Dan here: https://nofacilities.com/2023/04/20/running-around/ Wow. Some interesting sights here!
4. Library of Erana https://libraryoferana.wordpress.com/2023/04/21/scandalous-brides-historicalromance-blog-tour/ Born female, but living the whole of her life as a male, Dane Winston has stumbled into the employ of Lord Stratford, youngest brother of the Duke of Ravenswood. As his valet, she can barely keep the chatty lord on schedule…nor can she keep his hands off her person, once he discovers her true gender. The only thing more surprising than his attention is how much Winston enjoys it. But their dalliance must be short-lived. As she navigates a house party where certain guests are keen to cause trouble for the duke, she discovers trouble of her own in the form of jealous servants…and someone from her past she hoped never to meet again. Lord Stratford Sweet has returned home to find his deceased father has left the duchy in dire financial straits. As he scrambles to help his eldest brother, the new duke, hide the extent of their insolvency from a houseful of guests, he certainly needs no further distractions. But he finds one in the form of his new valet, a man who looks too young, too soft…too good in a pair of breeches. When Stratford discovers her secret, keeping Win in his employ could cause a scandal the likes of which the estate can scarcely afford. But the more he learns about Win, and the uncanny connection they share, it may be a scandal he’s willing to endure…forever.
5. Meeka’s Mind https://acflory.wordpress.com/2023/04/22/tukti-family-portrait/ Say ‘Cheese’! I know you must all be heartily sick of the Tukti so I promise this will be the last, at least for a while. My eyes feel as if they’re permanently crossed, and I’m all graphicked out! The only thing left to do is to make the image, and some kind of background, big enough to use as a jigsaw puzzle on Redbubble. I may also post the jigsaw puzzle to jigsawplanet.com, my favourite site for online puzzles. Anyway, that’s for tomorrow. For the rest of today I’m going to shovel some shyte [of the alpaca variety], play ESO, and generally just relax. I hope your weekend is as relaxing as mine is going to be! How amazing these turned out to be!
6. Angel Messages https://annetterochelleaben.wordpress.com/2023/04/22/angel-messages-apr-22-2023/
7. Syl’s 65 blog https://syl65.wordpress.com/2023/04/22/saturdaymusic-%f0%9f%8e%b8-jeff-beck-band-a-day-in-the-life-instrumental/
8. A Dalectable Life https://adelectablelife.com/2023/04/22/weekend-writing-prompt-308-confession/#like-13085 I have to say I agree with this! The weather is a pain sometimes but I think I would miss the patterns if they changed. They’re getting shorter and shorter in-between as it is it seems.
9. Smorgasbord Magazine https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2023/04/23/smorgasbord-blog-magazine-podcast-poetry-irish-springtime-medley-by-sally-cronin/ Some more poetry and flash fiction from one of my collections. Here in Ireland after some very wet and windy weeks, spring is making itself known.n Another reading that sounds right up my alley! Unfortunately, I have to wait till Thursday to purchase it as that is payday.
10. Fiction Favorites https://johnwhowell.com/2023/04/22/stream-of-consciousness-saturday-prompt-scene/ After hanging up from the oxymoronic customer care representative of the coffee machine company, it is apparent the next scene would be me screaming for help. It seems the machine needs a reboot which will take two hours to completely reset. Two painful hours before the first cup of the day. Thoughts turn to grinding beans in the blender and boiling water. Maybe even chewing a few while the clock moves as if it were invented by a tortoise. As luck would have it, The Producer plans for such a disaster and produces a mug of hot steaming ersatz Columbian from a jar. Any port in the storm is my motto, and after a sip, the worry over caffeine availability is dispelled. A mental note on the purchase of cold brew is recorded to avoid this scene in the future. Now that the head is clear, the subject of the monolith on the porch must be resolved. The security shutdown process is begun. The claymore mines disarmed. The tower machine guns are placed on standby. The boiling oil vat is secured. The moat net retracted. The concertina wire rolled back. The trebuchet secured. The gate lifted. The locks and deadbolts reset. The front door opened. The tall box is still there. Walking around, it gives no clue as to its contents. An ear placed on it reveals no sound. Turning toward the porch once again, the sides of the box suddenly drop to unveil a statue in the likeness of Roger Rabbit. He is standing with a defiant expression and his finger pointing toward my front door. Moving closer, a small sign hangs on the finger that says, “Pull me.” Having had a bunch of Wiseacre friends, I know that direction will never be followed. Further observation of the stature reveals little tiny words etched in Roger’s overalls. The words became clear with the help of a magnifier (which was in my robe pocket). They were from Linda Hill and stated, Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “scene.” Use it any way you like. Have fun! I just enjoy these bits by John! They are fun to think of in the morning and a joy to have over your favorite brew. Come along and enjoy!
11. Chris the Story Reading Ape https://thestoryreadingapeblog.com/2023/04/23/why-readers-love-anti-heroes-by-sue-coletta/ To understand why readers love anti-heroes, we first need to define what they are. An anti-hero is a flawed, complicated character who thrives in shades of gray. They play the hero of the story, but rarely, if ever, follow conventional expectations of heroism. Anti-heroes aren’t new. One of the first to emerge was the deeply flawed Huckleberry Finn. Marvel’s Wolverine and Hulk also are deeply flawed anti-heroes. Then came vigilante anti-heroes like Dexter Morgan, who lives by a code. Even though he’s a serial killer, he only murders other killers who’ve escaped justice. Modern media has grown tired of idealized heroes. Pop culture fell in love with characters who have less-than-heroic traits since they are more relatable. We can’t see ourselves in a hero who stands on a pedestal of perfection. Beloved characters like Jack Sparrow constantly challenge the line between good and bad. Which makes him more relatable than, say, Superman. Thus, our adoration of the anti-hero is rooted in self-identification with their characteristics and backstories. When characters reflect versions of ourselves, we connect on a deeper level. Our love for these characters stem from empathy. Empathizing with a character immerses us in the fictional world. Great discussion! I haven’t written an anti-hero yet but I’ve enjoyed some books that had them!
12. Middle Grade Mojo https://middlegrademojo.com/2023/04/21/3-must-read-middle-grade-books-for-earth-day-2023/ Join Mojo in celebrating Earth Day April 22nd with these amazing releases—Turtles of The Midnight Moon by Maria Jose Fitzgerald (March 14, 2023). When poachers threaten the turtles in a coastal village in Honduras, two girls join forces to save them, finding friendship, community, and more. Dear Earth by Isabel Otter author and Clara Anganuzzi illustrator (February 7, 2023). Tessa writes a love letter to our planet that reminds us that Earth is special and worth saving. Global: One fragile world. An epic fight for survival by Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin (April 11, 2023) Experience the devastating effects of climate change with two young fictional protagonists in this middle-grade graphic novel. Sami’s family’s future in fishing is threatened by the rising Indian Ocean. Yuki’s Arctic town faces melting ice.
13. Writers in the Storm https://writersinthestormblog.com/2023/04/the-difference-between-character-archetypes-and-tropes/ What exactly is a character archetype? How many are there? And how are they different from character tropes? These are the questions that were keeping me up at night as Angela and I started research for the newest thesaurus at our blog. So, as I often do when I’m confused by terminology, I started with a generic definition. Ok, so a character archetype is a common kind of character that others are fashioned after. That led to my next question: if there are certain prototypes off which other characters are patterned, what are those original archetypes? I went looking and immediately got buried in a deluge of contradictory information. So many lists, each with its own variety of characters. Some people called them archetypes, others called them tropes, and there was very little documentation or references to verify what I was seeing. As a truth-seeker, the lack of consensus was driving me a little crazy. So I armed myself with chocolate and did a deep dive into psychology—directly to the source of where character archetypes began and how they evolved. I’m clear on this now, and I’m excited to share what I’ve learned with you.
14. Books and Such https://teripolen.com/2023/04/20/missing-clarissa-by-ripley-jones-bookreview-mystery-ya/ In a gripping novel perfect for fans of Sadie and A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, two best friends start a true crime podcast—only to realize they may have helped a killer in the process. In August of 1999, dazzlingly popular cheerleader Clarissa Campbell disappears from a party in the woods outside the rural town of Oreville, Washington and is never seen again. The police question her friends, teachers, and the adults who knew her—who all have something to hide. And thanks to Clarissa’s beauty, the mystery captures the attention of the nation. But with no leads and no body, the case soon grows cold. Despite the efforts of internet sleuths and true-crime aficionados, Clarissa is never found—dead or alive. Over twenty years later, Oreville high-school juniors and best friends Blair and Cameron start a true crime podcast, determined to unravel the story of what—or who—happened to this rural-urban legend. In the process they uncover a nest of dirty small-town secrets, the sordid truth of Clarissa’s relationship with her charismatic boyfriend, and a high school art teacher turned small-town figurehead who had a very good reason for wanting Clarissa dead. Such a good reason, in fact, that they might have to make him the highlight of their next episode… But does an ugly history with a missing girl make him guilty of murder? Or are two