WWFC updated: Mimi gets published, sort of

Will Write For Chocolate has been updated; click the image above to see a bigger version.

If you missed the first strip about Mimi's publishing adventure, see Mimi gets a publishing contract.

Chocolate from Franklin

My friend Franklin sent this hat full of chocolates as a St. Nicholas gift from Germany! He also sent chocolate-filled hats for Jodi and Allison. What a sweetie.



The celebration of St. Nicholas, by the way, isn't the same as the role of Santa Claus in North America, at least as it's practiced in European countries. In the Netherlands, for instance, Sinterklaas (Dutch name for St. Nicholas) will give gifts and candy to good children, but bad children might be taken back to Spain with him. His helper is Zwarte Piet (Black Pete).



The names and roles vary slightly, depending the country. Sometimes St. Nick leaves the punishments to his helper. In France, Pere Fouettard disciplines bad children with a spanking while Pere Noel (Father Christmas) just leaves gifts.

Apparently there really was a St. Nicholas. He was born in 271 AD and died around December 6, 342 or 343 AD in Turkey. His reputation for doing good deeds and helping the helpless blossomed into long-lasting mythology after his death. (Source: Kaboose.)

I can't help but be curious, though, whether his nasty little helper was also based on a real person...



Anyway, I'll be giving Allison's and Jodi's chocolates to them this Thursday. Thank you, Franklin!

Illustration Friday: "Similar"

For Illustration Friday. This week's theme: "Similar."

Will Write For Chocolate (from last week)

Forgot to post this last week, sorry. You can see a bigger version here.

Instructables and Gifts For Writers

I just discovered Instructables, a site where you can find out how to make or do all kinds of interesting things with community-contributed instructions. Try typing something into the search field -- be warned that this site is a potential HUGE timesink!

I spent the weekend working on gifts for our nieces and nephews. Anyone who (like me) is hoping to make as many Christmas presents as possible instead of buying them should definitely check out this site. Continuing on the theme of scaling back Christmas, Julie has posted instructions in response to a recent Blathering about how she made 30 "make your own cookies" gift bags in two hours.

Also, if you're looking for affordable gift ideas for a writer friend, please do check out my Holiday Gift Ideas For Writers, Librarians and Bibliophiles list.