There's a lot of upheaval over which bathroom should allow a transgender person. Some people want to base it on gender at birth while others are okay with basing it on the gender the person best associates with at the present time.
A lot of my Facebook friends who agree with things like North Carolina House Bill 2 (HB2) are of the Christian faith. This bill, as CNN describes:
The law...put in place a statewide policy that bans individuals from using public bathrooms that do not correspond to their biological sex. It also stopped cities from passing anti-discrimination ordinances to protect gay and transgender people.
Here's what I think.
No transgender person has ever caused harm to myself, my husband, or our children. Does that mean they can't or they won't? Nope. It means there's the same for them as there is for anyone else to cause emotional or physical trauma to another human person.
Jesus said to love everyone. He didn't say, "Only love the heterosexual people" or "Only love the people who are born comfortable in their own skin". Part of loving someone is accepting who they are.
Most of my shopping takes place on Amazon. If I have to shop local retail, then I'll happily drive over to the next town so i can shop at Target. As another blogger mentioned, their Dollar Spot is pretty fabulous. And bonus - they also have a built-in Starbucks with a Pizza Hut.
It's okay if you disagree with me on this. I just ask that we disagree in a respectful, grown-up manner.
One of the characters in my Treasure Pines cozy mystery series, which coincidentally takes place in North Carolina, reveals his transgender side in the second book. As I finish writing the first book and wrap up final edits on HAUNTED WOMEN OF THE APPALACHIANS, it will be interesting to see how real life pans out.
Last week a family emergency found me spending several nights at a hospital in a neighboring town. The room had a recliner that, while certainly better than the Flintstones-era char found in rooms at the hospital in town, was no sleep number mattress.
Sleeping in strange places is a good way to have strange dreams, especially when you're already sleep-deprived, forget to eat dinner, and people are in and out of the room at all hours. This unexpected adventure did not disappoint.
The dream started out fairly normal, with my husband and I arriving at the home of one of my clients. The Christmas holiday was in full swing and twinkling fairy lights lit up a large stone patio that greeted us at the end of the driveway.
Our host and my husband found common ground quickly and began discussing guns. Had my husband ever tried the newly modified gun from the NES game, Duck Hunt? My husband had not! Our host immediately invited him to come into the backyard to try it out on his skeet shooting equipment.
I was invited to join other guests in the basement rec room, where our teenage sons had retired to play authentic 1980s arcade games. Upon entering the rec room I was impressed to see it looked more like a hotel lounge with white leather sofas and light fixtures of shiny brass and sparkling crystal.
And who was sitting on the sofa with a glass of bourbon? Gene Simmons! I wasted no time striking up a conversation about an interview of his I'd recently watched, in which he discussed his mother, a holocaust survivor.
Gene Simmons then invited me to play foosball. Every time he got a point, he'd stick out his tongue and wiggled it like a worm. I could feel my cheeks blush as I laughed. "That's what I do when I get a point," he explained. "You want me to do it again? I need to get another point."
When I let him get another point he continued, "This is how I win. I seduce women into letting me win."
Then I woke up.
As the day went on I realized the dream's message. If I want my books to be popular and "win", then I'm going to have to seduce my readers with a fabulous plot, interesting characters, and creative conflicts that will keep them glued to the page.
So tell me what you like in a book and, more importantly, what you don't like. Let's talk about it in the comments section!
Have you seen Naked and Afraid? It's a reality show on the Discovery Channel where two people (one male, one female) strip down to their birthday suits for a three week adventure in the forest.
If you know me outside of the internet, then you know I'm not the type of person who would take part in this type of show. That's exactly how I feel, however, every time I put my writing out there for someone else to read. I click the "submit" button and suddenly my ego is fragile as an egg sitting within a nest built high in the treetops.
I feel both naked and afraid.
I'm not sure how better or worse that would be than cavorting about the woods for three weeks wearing nothing but my birthday suit accessorized with a canvas messenger bag. I can't imagine the awkwardness of that situation.
And yet, I can clearly imagine it for my characters. Here's an overview of how I think the main four characters of my Treasure Pines series might fare on Naked and Afraid:
Sam - He would do fine once he got past the lack of technology. All his Boy Scout training would come right back. Because he's a single dad to a teenage son, he has a bit more modesty than his childhood friend, Ben. I could see him using the canvas sack like a kilt.
Maggie - She has a few pounds to lose and is extremely conscious about her appearance. While she could survive on grubs and plants for three weeks, her self-consciousness would be her downfall.
Ben - Maggie's brother has no inhibitions. He's a man's man and has no problem killing animals to survive, cooking them in the wild, or making a salad of edible flowers. His only complaint would be that having to spend three weeks with another person would just slow him down.
Nell - Maggie's best friend, she's got the body of a personal trainer and the flawless skin of a model. She is very outdoorsy and loves sports. Her downfall would be her taste for fine dining and that bugs make her squeamish.
In the meantime, I won't apply for Naked and Afraid any time soon. I'll be in my home office where I'm happily Clothed and Comfortable.
Would you ever try out for the reality show? Or do you prefer to keep your wobbly bits safely hidden from inquiring minds? Let me know in the comments section!
While you think about it, here's an SNL skit parodying the show which features Peter Dinklage who looks more 'naked and annoyed' than naked and afraid.
April Fool's Day is one of my favorite times of the year, following Christmas, my birthday, and Halloween. It's definitely in my top five.
During my childhood, I was the one putting sugar in the salt shakers and cellophane over the toilet. As a result, the literary characters with mischievous streaks ended up ranking high on my list of most beloved. Here are a few that stand out:
Tom Sawyer - This guy could punk friends like nobody's business. Anyone who could turn a profit from being told to whitewash a fence as punishment is okay by me.
Puck - You can't get more mischievous than turning someone into a donkey - unless you have the Fairy Queen fall in love with the ass! The way Puck treats poor Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream is classic mischief at its finest.
Carrie's Classmates - It's bad enough tricking someone into thinking they're Prom Queen, but dumping pig's blood over their head? It's no wonder the title character of Stephen King's classic horror novel sought revenge.
Gollum & Bilbo - Each half of this pair of Tolkien favorites tries to use riddles to his advantage. I wholly support this type of wordplay.
The Cat in the Hat - “My tricks are not bad,” said the Cat in the Hat. “Why, we can have lots of good fun, if you wish, with a game that I call UP-UP-UP with a fish!” (Enough said!)
Who are your favorite literary mischief makers? Let me know in the comments section below!
When my husband retired, we went from two paychecks per month to one retirement check per month. Although it's about the same amount of money, paying all our bills in one shot really puts in perspective how much we splurged on frivolous things, like fast food, restaurant meals, junk food, and the like.
What were we thinking?
A fast food meal for a family of four costs about $8 per person, or $32 total. For just a couple of dollars more we could have bought enough groceries to last the entire day.
Milk - $2
Eggs - $1
Pancake mix - $2
Bacon - $4
Lunch meat - $3
Cheese - $3
Loaf of bread - $2
Apples - $3
Peanut butter - $3
Hamburger - $5
Spaghetti noodles - $2
Sauce - $2
Garlic bread - $2
Wow, right?
The rigid structure of our incoming finances has not only made us more responsible, but it also holds us more accountable for our choices. Sure we can splurge on Bojangles Fried Chicken, Pizza Hut, and a trip to a restaurant during the first week of the month. We might, however, regret it during those last few days when the finances are scant and the start of the next month seems light years away.
This new budget not only affects how we shop for food, but also how we prepare it. Toward the end of the month every mealtime feels a little like an episode of chopped. I could probably host an episode right now.
a can of chicken, animal crackers, and mandarin oranges
ham slices, Italian dressing, and puffed rice cereal
pizza bagels, microwave popcorn, and two apples that are starting to wither
So what's the point?
The point is sometimes life throws us a curve ball. How we decide to handle it determines what happens next. It's not so different than the plot of a book.
For example, Maggie Sawyer planned to marry a lawyer and spend the rest of her life raising a family in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. Before the family was ever started, life threw her a curve ball when her fiance decided to dally with his cougar of a boss.
She high tailed it home to North Carolina to emotionally recuperate for a few months. Life throws her another curve ball when the local postman winds up murdered and she inherits his golden retriever.
How do you handle curve balls?
Do you catch them? Swing and a miss? If you're an author, how do your characters handle them? Let me know in the comments section!
A few days before Valentine's Day, 2016 my husband asked me to take him to the doctor for what he thought was an incurable gas pain. I snickered and agreed, despite the early hour and my not yet having any coffee. Speaking of coffee, I'll be right back.
Mmm, caffeine. Now where was I?
Oh yeah, gas pains. In my defense, late one night a few years ago my husband had me take him to the emergency room. He was sure his appendix was on the verge of rupturing. The attending physician prescribed him a heavy-duty painkiller, he passed gas (my husband, not the doctor), and we went home. Needless to say, I've had more than a little fun at his expense in the time since.
So imagine my surprise when this time the doctor sent us to the emergency room. The attending physician confirmed what the primary care doctor suspected. That afternoon, they removed his appendix.
You can bet your sea-salted, caramel ribbon Frappuccino this will make its way into a book.
Did you ever write a character based on someone in real life? Psst. Tell about it in the comments. Your secret's safe with me!
In the meantime, check out this video. I'm not sure what's more disturbing, the review or the game. Either way, it's a real gas--pun intended!
After reaching a certain milestone birthday, I decided to start giving myself a present. This present went beyond new yarn that may never unravel from its skein, or boots that I may only wear a handful of times before donating to charity.
One year I decided to be less judgmental. Another year I decided to focus on avoiding gossip. As I get a handle on one thing, I add something else. I never master it completely, because all humans are imperfect, created with an array of flaws which makes them susceptible to free will. I can keep trying, and for the most part I do.
For 2016 I decided I would take on six things that terrify me. (If I'm being perfectly honest, the thought of making this list alone takes me to the outskirts of Anxiety Attack Land.)
Some of these might not seem that scary on the surface. Consider however that with each birthday that creeps up on me, I experience a little more social anxiety. Things that never bothered me before are suddenly problems of epic proportion.
Speaking of terrifying...let me introduce you to my favorite Doctor Who villain, the weeping angels.
What terrifies you? Will you challenge yourself to try something terrifying in 2016? Let's talk about it in the comments section below.
Today is Dr. Seuss's birthday. How are you celebrating? Are you reading a great book? More importantly, are you writing something fabulous?
I've got a stack of books waiting to be read and I'm polishing up the last of the HAUNTED WOMEN OF THE APPALACHIANS stories. Will the edits never end? Maybe the Hemmingway method wasn't such a great idea after all. (I jest.)
Let me know your plans in the comments section, and check in next week when I share my birthday gift to myself: Six Terrifying Things I'll Try in 2016.
A couple of days ago, I read an NPR article about the word girl in book titles. The article discussed how publishers promote books by comparing them to other books. While they were talking about the title, comparing books is a tactic authors should consider using when shopping their books around to agents and publishers.
Jane Friedman, Co-Founder and Editor at The Hot Sheet, Columnist at Publishers Weekly and Instructor, Media Studies at University of Virginia, agrees when it comes to comparing your books to other authors in a query letter, "This can be helpful as long as you do it tastefully, and without self-aggrandizement. It’s usually best to compare the work in terms of style, voice, or theme, rather than in terms of sales, success, or quality."
As you can see, the list covers a wide range of genres including, but certainly not limited to, cozy mystery, horror, historical fiction, and young adult. The use of 'girl' in the title is hardly a new trend (Pioneer Girl, anyone?), so why does it work?
"I have talked to other crime writers that have been urged by various professional people in their life to put the world girl in their title," Crime novelist Megan Abbott said in the NPR interview. She went on to say the use of 'girl' in the title isn't about the content, but instead is a kind of shorthand letting others know what to expect.
Maybe it's because, as Cyndi Lauper said, Girls Just Want to Have Fun?
Over the weekend I revamped one of the stories in my largely unpublished short story collection, Haunted Women of the Appalachians, which is still in an editing loop the size of the High Roller Ferris Wheel in Las Vegas, for the WV Writers annual writing contest. The NPR title has me rethinking the story's title. Maybe I should add "girl" to it and see what happens.
What do you think? I'd love to hear your theories in the comments section, below.
Some of the most curious headlines are listed in MSN Offbeat News. This is my favorite section because these headlines inspire the most unique characters for my books. Here are seven recent selections and how I might choose to use them in a book.
1. Pranksters Block Road with 25-foot Triceratops
The Treasure Pines senior class prank involved blocking main street with the rival high school's mascot, a 25-foot fiberglass triceratops. The problem is the next morning when the principal of Treasure Pines High is found impaled on one of the animal's steel horns.
2. Someone Actually Came Up with a Breakup Cake
When Grandma Opal's boyfriend dumps her for the newcomer at bingo, she fuels her angst into a new home-based bakery business offering cakes for offbeat life situations.
3. Rescue Dog Raises a Paw, Gets Sworn in as Mayor of Reno
Harvey Wallbanger, the town's favorite golden retriever, helps find the mayor's missing toddler granddaughter. To show her thanks, the mayor swears him in as mayor-for-a-day.
4. N.J. Mailman Locks Himself in Truck as Wild Turkeys Attack
A flock of wild turkeys has become a menace in Treasure Pines. When they chase the mailman into his truck, nobody expects to find his corpse there several hours later, with an ace of spades playing card taped to his forehead.
What are some of your favorite offbeat headlines? Do you have any sites like Mental Floss bookmarked that you use as a reference? Let's chat about it in the comments section!
If you met me in real life, you would not accuse me of being an athlete. And you'd be right! Aside from NFL games featuring Peyton Manning as the quarterback, I'm just not a sports fan. Give the choice, I'll almost always select Hallmark Mysteries & Movies over ESPN.
The main characters of my books aren't really into sports, either. If they were, then I'd have to know about the sport, which would mean watching it. No thanks!
Eliminating sports from my books, however means eliminating potential readers. Here are five ways that I have either used or plan to use to introduce sports into my books to add interest.
1. Cheer for the Home Team - Cozy mysteries take place in small towns. Small towns typically have some kind of local sports team or league that requires participation. A local ball field doubles as the perfect venue for looking back at a childhood memory to show more insight into a character. Or finding a dead body.
2. Opportunity to Create New Sports or Teams - My cozy mystery series takes place in the fictional town of Treasure Pines, North Carolina, which was founded by a notorious female pirate. Of course they'd have a pirate for their high school's mascot. I don't have to know much about baseball to include lines like:
The town was abuzz with everyone talking about the Pirates' win over the Martindale Gophers, a victory that put them in the running for a regional title.
This line shows readers that the Treasure Pines Pirates are on a winning streak and the town of Marindale (whose mascot is the gopher) is geographically nearby without blatantly telling them. It's even better to flesh this out with dialogue.
3. Minor Characters as Sports Fans or Athletes - Just because my main character isn't a sports fan doesn't mean she won't have friends and relatives who are. The less they feature in the book, the less I need to know about sports, right? Perhaps, as long as the ski pole Elmer Jones uses as a walking stick doesn't wind up wrapped around the neck of his lifelong enemy, Cam Livingston. Or if Tucker
4. Include Non-Traditional Sports - Maybe my main character dislikes professional sports but she participates on a bowling league. Other sports and activities in this category include:
fishing
archery
martial arts
auto racing
horseback riding
kayaking
yoga
dancing
There are really too many to list in this blog article, but the activities referenced above can help you get started.
5. Create a New Sport - Make up something new. Include rules for playing and other details in the back of your book. You could unknowingly invent the next big pastime.
Do you like reading books that mention sports and athletics? Are you a fan of sports? If you're a writer, then do you incorporate them in your works? Let's talk about it in the comments section!
During the 2015 MAFWI conference, I attended a workshop led by Jim Rada, an author who hails from Pennsylvania. He stressed the importance of research when writing historical novels. This is also important, however, when writing any works that mentions a real person, trademark, or other type of brand.
I knew this would mean quite a bit of rewriting for HAUNTED WOMEN OF THE APPALACHIANS, my collection of 13 strange and inspired by true stories, but surely I'd be smart enough not to let it happen again. Right? Absolutely!
Imagine my dismay at realizing the way I displayed Blackbeard in my book could bring up some serious issues. The fictional character based on the real person didn't show in the best light. There was only one thing to do.
I kissed Blackbeard goodbye.
Then I went in an exploration into the past to find a new pirate. Hours later, when complaining about the dilemma to my husband, he asked, "Why don't you just make up a pirate?"
Excited, I returned to my research. Because I'm only about 1/3 of the way into my book, I don't need to rip it out and start over. And because my new pirate is a fictional female with a sweet back story, I won't feel obligated to force my plot to follow someone else's facts.
I'm more excited about my book every day, and can't wait to share the final product with you all.
Every writer I know wants to be a better writer. Who wouldn't want to write perfectly polished first drafts that go straight from manuscript form to the New York Times bestseller list? It would save a lot of time and heartache.
Unfortunately that is not the case. Whether you're a seasoned pro with a bookshelf of bestsellers or a budding author struggling to finish your inaugural first draft, there is still room for improvement because, like people, our language is always changing.
You don't have to go back to college or attend an online class to improve your writing. Achieving this is rather easy, but it takes discipline and a willingness to follow through. Here are some easy ways to improve your writing, regardless of your skill level.
1. Own Your Style - Grammar and spelling are the two things readers nitpick the most when reading your work. Some contemporary literary types will tell you it's okay to start a sentence with the word "and" or "but" and end a sentence with a preposition such as "for" or "at".
While the narrator in my Treasure Pines series might state something like "And for the most part, it was true.", you will never, ever hear, "But she wasn't sure where she put it at." The only time you should use these things in your novel is in dialogue.
2. Ditch the Passive Voice - Passive voice weakens literary writing. (It also fills it with zombies.) While passive voice is more accepted in conversational writing, like dialogue or blog posts, try to keep it out of your book. A lot of people don't know when they're using passive voice, but this video helps you learn how to recognize it. Don't let the zombies win!
3. Read - The best writers are also readers. Reading helps you know what you want in your own writing. More importantly, it helps you know what you want to avoid.
4. Join a Writing Group - Look for a group on a site like Meetup or search on your social media network of choice. Put the word out there that you're looking for other writers. You could even start your own group. Trust me. If you build a writing group, writers will join.
5. Do You Plot or Pants? - During a Facebook conversation with Chris Bohjalian, New York Times bestselling author of Midwives, I asked him about his outline process. He said he doesn't use one. He's a total "pantser", writing by the seat of his pants from Page 1 until The End. It's okay to be a pantser and for some, like Chris Bohjalian, it works great.
Other authors prefer to outline. I'm one of these people. While I've pants'ed every short story I've ever written (and don't see that changing), I'm a die hard plotter when it comes to writing anything over a couple of thousand words. J. K. Rowling is also a plotter.
If you're a die-hard plotter, change things up and try pantsing. And if you're a pantser, then try a loose outline, such as a mind map or a timeline. You don't have to stick with it, but trying something new can take your writing to the next level.
6. Find an Editor - Finish your first draft and put it through a site like After the Deadline to get initial feedback on your writing. Accept that your first draft is probably 35% total crap that's never going to make it to the final version that goes to print, and find yourself an editor. HAUNTED WOMEN OF THE APPALACHIANS would never have reached the beta reading stage without the help of Sheila from Sage Editing.
7. Ditch Your Laptop - Silence your phone. Go somewhere with horrible cell service and no WiFi. Take a notebook and a couple of ink pens, and write. Write whatever pops into your head. Make lists. Write about what you see, hear, and smell. You'll be surprised at what detail you can add to your writing by doing this. As much as I love my laptop, this is one of my favorite things to do.
What other methods to improve your writing would you add to this list? Is there any you disagree with? I'd love to hear what you have to say in the comments!
The Type A and Type B personality metrics date back to the 1950s, and describes contrasting characteristics among people. Generally speaking, Type A's are the successful go-getters while Type B people are slothful fun seekers. That's not entirely true, however.
My to-do list looks more like many layers of subway graffiti art. My desk is rather messy, covered in piles of things I'll get to...eventually. My schedule is as flexible as any master yogi.
The Type A people in my life ask, often with a look of sheer horror on their faces, "But doesn't that bother you?"
Absolutely not! I am Type B and loving it, and here's why:
According to researchers, Type B people are more laid back and patient. That means less chronic stress and a healthier cardiovascular system. It doesn't get me out of eating my vegetables or going to the gym, but it is a big plus.
Type B people are more fun, and we're great at delegating. It means we're more rested and less over-worked. We're also more diplomatic, and more likely to compromise rather than take sides in disagreements between friends or co-workers.
We look at the big picture. Sure, we might overlook small details, but we Type B folks are looking on down the road, past today's petty frustrations and on ahead to bigger and brighter goals.
Type B's use failure as a learning tool. Don't get me wrong. We love success as much as anyone, but if we have to take a step back then we use what we learned to bounce back and try again.
We are positive people. We try to see the good in everyone. Because of this, we are more likely to give someone a second chance. Or maybe even a third. We're awesome that way.
Type B folks are creative. Look at us. We're comfortable in our chaos and thrive under looming deadlines.
We live in the moment and enjoy every minute of life. There's something about a Type B person that puts other people at ease no matter what their personality types.
I'm pretty content being a Type B, even if my Type A husband and I butt heads now and again. And Maggie Sawyer, the main character of my first Treasure Pines mystery series is fairly Type B as well.
What type are you? Are you a well-organized Type A who loves structure and organization? Are you a creative Type B with a free spirit that goes with the flow? Maybe you're a little bit of both. Let me know in the comments section, below. I'd love to hear your take on it!
I was smack dab in the middle of the first draft of my first full-length cozy mystery when I fell into a rut. This wasn't an "I'll be over here playing Candy Crush for a few days" kind of rut. This was an "I've fallen and I can't get up and I'll be over here until someone comes along with a crowbar to wedge me from this space" kind of rut.
Everywhere I looked, there were problems. The writing seemed stilted. The characters felt flat. And the plot? Boring with a capital "B". Every time I opened the file, I groaned and closed it again. I went on like this for a couple of weeks.
Then I was driving home from my shift at our community center's local volunteer-run library. It was pouring down rain and my oldest son, who is 18 and also a member of my writing group, was with me. As it usually does, our conversation turned to writing and our current projects.
I rounded a corner and the headlights of my truck swept over a cluster of rocky brush at the edge of the woods bordering the road. For a split second, it looked like a body lying there in the rain. Suddenly, I had an idea. And this idea led to so many other ideas.
What if it was raining during the opening scene of my book?
What if it rained that entire weekend?
What if the body was found in the rain?
What if the rain washed away some of the evidence?
What if...?
The ideas rained down until they formed a stream of thought that spilled into the rut and, as a result, ejected me right out of it. I got home and started writing up a storm, making small tweaks that added up to big changes.
Now my characters have a reason to be excited. The story directs the plot. And I can't wait to find out who killed off old...well, you'll have to read it to find out!
What do you do when writer's block hits? Are you likely to sit and wallow in it? Do you have any tried and true tips to share? Let's discuss them in the comments section!
Did you see "The Abominable Bride" episode of Sherlock? My family loved it so much that we saved the DVR'ed episode to watch again on Sunday afternoon with one of the neighborhood kids.
The first time I watch something, I'm almost always multitasking. #TheStruggleIsReal as a dear friend would say. The second time around I pick up on all the details I missed before.
What I Noticed While Watching the Second Time
This time I picked up more details about the relationship between Mycroft and Sherlock. From the introduction of these characters in "A Study in Pink" it is clear they have a love-hate relationship. Despite their snarky barbs directed at each other, we learn Mycroft has his younger brother under surveillance.
During this most recent episode we once again see Mycroft let down his guard about his true feelings for his brother when he says, "I was there for you before. I'll be there for you again. I will always be there for you." Why wouldn't want Mycroft for a big brother? (Okay, fine. There is the surveillance bit.)
5 Sibling Pairs from Fiction
Here is a list of other popular sibling pairs from fictional sources, be it book, film, or some other medium:
Jem and Scout - If you do not love this brother-sister duo from To Kill a Mockingbird, then I am not sure we can be friends. (Fine, we can still be friends. We just won't discuss this.) And to avoid giving away spoilers from Go Set a Watchman, I won't say any more about them.
Luke and Leia - There I was, eleven years old, wondering if Luke and Leia would get married when all of a sudden it's revealed they're brother and sister. What the Ewok? That's a plot twist that will live on for several generations.
Cain and Abel - The original siblings straight from the Biblical tale, these brothers have inspired some of the best sibling rivalries ever to pop up in fiction, whether vintage classics or references from current pop culture.
Zan and Jayna - One Saturday morning during my childhood I was watching Superfriends, when Jayna turned into this giant eagle, and Zan turned into a bucket of water which Gleek carried while riding atop Jayna's back. I guess you had to be there, but it really made me wish I had a wonder twin who shared a super power with me.
Elizabeth and Jane - On the surface, you might think these sisters from Pride & Prejudice, who could not be more opposite, would rival with Mary and Edith from Downton Abbey for the Most Competitive Siblings award. They actually get along well, and meddle in each other's affairs for helpful reasons.
The world has no shortage of siblings. While Sherlock won't return until 2017 (The horrors!) we'll at least see a few more weeks of Downton before it wraps up. Here's one of our first looks at Mycroft Holmes.
Who are your favorite fictional siblings? How do they stand up to your real-life siblings, or the siblings of other people you know? Let's chat about it below!
