My husband has worked in cardrooms and casinos since age 21. His father owned harness horses that ran in the buggy races at Santa Anita and Bay Meadows racetracks. For many years, my husband worked as a Pit Boss for a well-known casino and befriended old-time craps dealers who worked in Las Vegas when it was owned by the Mafia. His father was a gambler and Teamster who worked as a young man for the Italian Mob in San Jose, CA. My husband is no stranger to gambling. He knows just about everything there is to know about running a casino.
This is his take on casinos and life in general:
Only three things can happen when you pass through the doors of a casino: win, lose, and break even. Players are bound by the House rules. When they leave, everyone knows where they stand.
No matter how much players win, they want more. Most people, however, lose their money to the House. Casinos are built on losers. They depend on winning small amounts of cash from every player.
According to my husband, life is the same. A newborn comes into the world not knowing the rules, but only three things can happen: win, lose, or break even. Unlike a casino, however, people set their own values and rules. Life is far more complicated than a casino.
In a casino, money is the winning factor. In life, money may or may not make someone a winner.
Sam Walton, founder of Wal-Mart, considered himself a winner. But on his deathbed, his last words were, “I blew it.” In the end, Walton’s vast wealth had not brought him happiness.
If someone dies happy, they’re a winner, no matter who they were or how much money they earned. After all, whether it happens in a casino or real life, all winning streaks eventually end.
(In a casino, it’s better to be lucky than the best person.)
(In life, it’s better to be your best and make your own luck.)
Thanks for visiting!
Dawn Pisturino
August 7, 2023
Copyright 2023 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.
(Photo by Dawn Pisturino. (c) 2023. Art print by Sammi Lee (c) 2023. All Rights Reserved.)
My photo doesn’t do it justice, but this is the beautiful art print I recently received from Sammi Lee, artist extraordinaire and the daughter of our own Michele Lee Sefton of My Inspired Life blog.
Back in May, I blogged that I had accepted Michele’s “What Moves You” blog challenge. In my post, Michele Lee’s Motion Challenge, I described how I was in the process of moving ten yards of dirt to repair our damaged driveway. Well, it took me a month, but I installed drainage pipes, moved all that dirt, raked it all out, and ended up with a brand-new driveway that hopefully will not wash away with the first heavy rain. I lost fourteen pounds and toned up muscles I hadn’t used for years. It was hard work but well worth it!
As a consolation prize, Michele sent me a gift certificate for her daughter’s online art store, the Mintaka Collection. I thoroughly enjoyed browsing the amazing collection of original artworks, art prints, and clothing designs.
Sammi Lee is an incredible artist. She tries to reflect a higher consciousness and awareness of eco issues in every creation. Her clothing line uses BPA-free recycled plastic bottles and cotton in the fabric. Her artwork is exquisite. Wearing her designs would make any woman feel beautiful and inspired.
HAPPY MAY 1st! Old Man Winter is gone, and Summer is officially on its way!
~
Recently, I read posts on LinkedIn and Reddit about A.I. and how it seriously impacts freelance writers and content creators. Freelancers sell their services to clients and rely on repeat and new customers to make a living. Content creators may be freelancers or work for a company. The spotlight on A.I. has made customers wary of freelance writers and creators to the point where they are canceling contracts, refusing to pay for work already completed, and questioning the integrity of the writer/creator’s work. To put it bluntly, customers don’t want to pay for content generated by a robot. Since it’s hard for freelance writers/creators to prove they have not used A.I. in some capacity, customers react to the spread of A.I. with paranoid accusations against them. (And some do use A.I. for limited uses.) I see this problem getting worse, not better, as A.I. is used increasingly in the creative arts. I have not seen any articles about how this affects companies using A.I. or the people who work for them.
If you are using A.I. to generate blog posts, artwork, poetry, prose, or any kind of creative effort, revealing it and which A.I. program you are using would be a good idea. If people know this out front, they cannot accuse you of deception.
I use Grammarly to correct my punctuation, spelling, and grammatical errors. Otherwise, my writing is generated by my own brain.
HUMANS RULE!
Dawn Pisturino
May 1, 2023
Copyright 2023 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.
In an interview with the blog SIX QUESTIONS, John Raab, Publisher/CEO/Editor-in-Chief of SuspenseMagazine, answered the following question:
“What can you truly expect to get out of your writing?”
“I feel that many authors have false expectations and think they are writing the next NY Times Bestseller. Here is the problem with that. Just because your book is not high on a list or selling that great, doesn’t mean you can’t write. Authors have to remember that anybody can now publish an EBook on Amazon or Barnes and Noble. What does that mean? That means that readers now have to navigate through thousands of more books to find one they like and readers only have a certain amount of money to spend. If you don’t have thousands of marketing dollars behind your work, then you have to spend triple the amount of time marketing to fans than it took you to write the book. Writing the book is the easy part, getting paid from it is the difficult part. Authors should expect to not retire off their work, but instead write for the love of it, because it is your passion. Writing and music are the same thing, you see a great band in a bar and say ‘They are better than anything I hear on the radio, why aren’t they signed?’ Writing is the same way.”
Is it true? Are there too many books on the market? Writers don’t just write for the love of writing, they write to make a living. But if thousands of self-proclaimed authors are flooding the market with books, how can someone achieve that goal?
For myself, I stopped buying books because I was tired of wasting my money on mediocre crap that was marketed as best-seller material. A slick cover and a wide audience do not a-book-worth-reading make. Extensive marketing will not salvage a poorly crafted commodity. Readers might buy from you once, but they won’t come back again.
The book market is, in fact, overwhelming. Every time I go into Barnes & Noble, the stacks of unread (and unbought) books make me want to swoon. Scanning through Amazon and Goodreads makes me feel the same way.
The books shout in my head: READ ME! READ ME!
It’s the same on Facebook. Thousands of self-proclaimed authors scream at me: BUY MY BOOK! BUY MY BOOK!
Millions of blogs and online publications float around in Internet outer space, vying for attention.
TV, movies, and video games also provide tough competition. And to top it off, a recent poll suggested that only 75% of the population ever reads a book (print or digital.)
So, what’s a writer (and reader) to do in an age of information overload?
1. Write the best damned book you can, using original ideas.
2. Don’t write derivative material because thousands of others are doing the same thing. We don’t need anymore books about vampires and wizards unless the slant is so original, and the characters so unforgettable, that the world just can’t live without them.
3. Define your goals realistically. If you are only writing out of love for the craft, then be content to do so. But if you dream of making a living as a writer, then treat it as a business.
Personally, I think the publishing industry bubble is going to burst, just like the dot.com bubble and the housing bubble. Too many books means too many choices and a flattened market. After all, people don’t have the time or the money to spend on reading all the books out there. And traditional publishing houses depend on blockbuster best-sellers to keep themselves afloat.
I will continue to write because I love to write. But don’t be fooled: I want to make a living off of my writing as much as any other writer. The question is: can I beat the competition?
~
April 26, 2023:
The book industry did, indeed, undergo a massive upheaval. Publishing houses folded or merged, small presses failed, people lost their jobs, authors lost contracts, and writing scams emerged as independent authors sought alternate publishing avenues.
Traditional publishing is a challenging route to pursue. As of 2022, only 64% of the population reads a book in twelve months. Only 1% of books submitted to traditional publishers are lucky enough to get published. Nonfiction generally sells better than fiction. An author will never make big money in niche categories like poetry and short stories. People have shorter attention spans and become more visually-oriented thanks to movies, TV, and social media. Writing screenplays has become “the thing” because that’s where the demand is, a writer can make big money, and it sounds cool. Writing for TV can be incredibly lucrative, although it’s demanding, and living in L.A. is mandatory.
When I wrote my middle-grade children’s mystery novel for a children’s writing class, I spent hours editing, writing the synopsis and query letter, and submitting it to agents. And yes, agents looked at it, turned it down, and encouraged me to edit more and submit it again in two years. I re-wrote the first part of the book because it was too long. But I was so sick of that book I put it away and only recently pulled it out again. I will finish it because I love the characters and the story. I LOVE WRITING! And that’s all that matters.
And yes, I still buy a book occasionally, but it’s more likely to be a used book I haven’t read, a free Kindle pick-of-the-month, a nonfiction book I can use for education and reference, or a poetry book I want to review. I have six bookcases full of books, many not yet read. As I read them, I give them away unless there’s a good reason to keep them. I have always loved to read a good book.
Keep reading because you love it!Keepwriting because you love it!
What are your thoughts?
Dawn Pisturino
January 11, 2013; April 26, 2023
Copyright 2013-2023 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.
(Vintage postcard of our town’s Andrew Carnegie Library, built in 1913)
When I was a child growing up in Southern California, our town’s public library was an Andrew Carnegie Library, built in 1913. I always admired the historic architecture and felt quite heartbroken when the city decided to tear it down and replace it with a more modern structure. Yes, the newer building was easier to navigate and filled with light, but the old, beat-up structure had more character. It reeked of history and days gone by.
Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919) was born in Dunfermline, Scotland, and emigrated with his poverty-stricken family to Pennsylvania, USA in 1848. With only a few years of schooling behind him, this self-made millionaire managed to rise — through hard work and shrewd investments — from a lowly factory boy to a railroad worker to a powerful steel magnate. He sold the Carnegie Steel Company to banker J.P. Morgan in 1901 for $480 million. After retiring, he spent the rest of his life and most of his fortune on philanthropic projects.
Carnegie believed that the wealthy have “a moral obligation to distribute [their wealth] in ways that promote the welfare and happiness of the common man” (The Gospel of Wealth, 1889). He funded the construction of Carnegie Hall in New York City and founded the Carnegie Institution for Science, Carnegie Mellon University, and the Carnegie Foundation.
A devoted bibliophile, Carnegie funded the construction of 2,811 public libraries in America, Europe, and other parts of the world. Some of these buildings are still in public use as libraries or government centers. He is buried in the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in North Tarrytown, New York.
Thanks for stopping by. Have a great day!
Dawn Pisturino
January 11, 2023
Copyright 2023 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.
Wounds I Healed: The Poetry of Strong Women anthology officially launches on Amazon and Kindle on Saturday, June 18, 2022.
Here’s the official Amazon description:
“Award-winning authors, Pushcart nominees, emerging poets, voices of women and men, come to the fore in this stunning, powerful, and unique anthology. Their poems testify to the challenges that women face in our society, and to their power to overcome them. A memorable collection of over 200 poems by more than 100 authors, this anthology is a must-have for anyone. We all can benefit from the poetry of survival, and of healing. We all can benefit from the experiences so beautifully evoked in this book. We can all come together to emerge triumphant from pain.”
The first line of your novel or story can make it or break it. Are your words intriguing? Compelling? Do they make the reader hungry for more? Consider these first lines written by well-known authors. How do they make you feel? What images come into your head? Do you want to read more?
1. “Sometimes Sonny felt like he was the only human creature in the town.” Larry McMurtry, The Last Picture Show
2. “It was about eleven o’clock in the morning, mid October, with the sun not shining and a look of hard wet rain in the clearness of the foothills.” Raymond Chandler, The Big Sleep
3. “When he woke in the woods in the dark and the cold of the night he’d reach out to touch the child sleeping beside him.” Cormac McCarthy, The Road
4. “The alchemist picked up a book that someone in the caravan had brought.” Paul Coelho, The Alchemist
5. “Renowned curator Jacques Sauniere staggered through the vaulted archway of the museum’s Grand Gallery.” Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code
6. “When a traveller in north central Massachusetts takes the wrong fork at the junction of the Aylesbury pike just beyond Dean’s Corners he comes upon a lonely and curious country.” H.P. Lovecraft, The Dunwich Horror
7. “On these cloudy days, Robert Neville was never sure when sunset came, and sometimes they were in the streets before he could get back.” Richard Matheson, I Am Legend
8. “The cat had a party to attend, and went to the baboon to get herself groomed.” David Sedaris, squirrel seeks chipmunk
9. “‘To be born again,’ sang Gibreel Farishta tumbling from the heavens, ‘first you have to die.'” Salman Rushdie, The SatanicVerses
10. “The witnesses standing at the edge of the field were staring in horrified silence, too stunned to speak.” Sidney Sheldon, TheDoomsday Conspiracy
11. “I had this story from one who had no business to tell it to me, or to any other.” Edgar Rice Burroughs, Tarzan of theApes
12. “Amerigo Bonasera sat in New York Criminal Court Number 3 and waited for justice; vengeance on the men who had so cruelly hurt his daughter, who had tried to dishonor her.” Mario Puzo, The Godfather
13. “I see . . .” said the vampire thoughtfully, and slowly he walked across the room towards the window.” Anne Rice, Interviewwiththe Vampire
14. “Almost everyone thought the man and the boy were father and son.” Stephen King, ‘Salem’s Lot
15. “Scarlett O’Hara was not beautiful, but men seldom realized it when caught by her charm as the Tarleton twins were.” Margaret Mitchell, Gone With the Wind
And the list goes on, ad infinitum. But you get the idea.
Dawn Pisturino
April 24, 2012; June 15, 2022
Copyright 2012-2022 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.
(Turn of the 20th century writer’s corner – Bonelli House Museum, Kingman, Arizona. Photo by Dawn Pisturino.)
Adopting the writer’s mantle places us instantly in the spotlight. Everything we say, write, and do is being evaluated and judged by people we don’t even know.
With this in mind, it’s important to display our best writing at every opportunity.
I recently read a blog post by an English writer that was poorly formatted, riddled with errors, and unprofessional-looking. The purpose of the blog was to dispense writing advice to budding young authors. But what can a young author learn from run-on sentences and words that blend into one another with no punctuation or spaces? Needless to say, I no longer follow that blog.
Many self-proclaimed authors haunt Facebook and other social media sites. They promote their books with quickly-composed, ungrammatical sales pitches that reflect poorly on their abilities as writers. My thought is this: if they can’t write a simple post on Facebook, how can they write the next Great American novel? The answer is obvious.
E-mail tends to be a casual form of communication, but some people take it for granted that it’s okay to write in texting jargon and incomplete sentences. Clear, concise communication should be even more important when writing e-mails. I check my grammar and spelling every time I send out an e-mail because I want my readers to see me as a real writer.
My elderly aunt fills her hand-written letters with poetic descriptions of the seasons and countryside where she lives. She’s not a writer, but she knows how to write. She knows how to turn a phrase and color a description so that it sticks in my head. She makes me imagine that once upon a time she wrote poetry in some dark garret. That reminds me–I need to ask her!
Writing is a 24/7 job. And everything we compose should reflect our abilities as a writer. Our readers expect it. Our profession demands it.
Published in the July-August 2012 issue of Working Writer.
Dawn Pisturino
June 13, 2022
Copyright 2012-2022 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.
Due to threats of cybercrime and malware infestations, healthcare organizations all across the world are now forced to upgrade and monitor their cybersecurity systems on a constant basis for the sake of protected patient health information, financial stability, and uninterrupted operations. Money that would normally be spent on patient care is being diverted to IT professionals, who are hired to keep cybersecurity systems intact.
Health Information Technology Security
Protecting patient health information, as mandated by law, has become a priority for healthcare facilities all around the world. From doctors’ offices to medical devices to ransomware, the healthcare industry is under attack by cyber threats that compromise the health, safety, and privacy of patients everywhere.
Nurses are at the forefront in efforts to secure patient and employee information, promote responsible use of computer technology, and report possible threats and violations in a timely manner.
Cybersecurity is Crucial
Almost every day, a news story comes out that a corporation, nonprofit organization, or government agency has been hacked. The healthcare industry is no different, and the attacks are becoming more frequent and more serious. This is such an important issue at the hospital where I work, it seemed pertinent to write a paper on it. Our IT department frequently makes us aware of e-mail threats, blocks blog sites, mandates automatic logoffs and timed reboots, requires frequent password changes, and regularly reminds us to turn off our computers, log off when finished, and to not share passwords. Cybersecurity is crucial to protecting patient health information and network systems.
All Healthcare Organizations are at Risk
Smaller healthcare clinics and doctors’ offices must follow the same mandates as larger organizations when it comes to protecting patient health information. Healthcare personnel divulging protected information to unauthorized people and hackers using stolen information in identity theft scams are huge concerns that must be addressed (Taitsman, Grimm, & Agrawal, 2013). Not only must these smaller organizations take appropriate measures to secure patient health information, but personnel must strictly follow policies and protocols. Simple safeguards, such as screening phone calls, logging off computers, shredding documents, background checks for employees, automatic logouts, and activity audits, protect and safeguard patients and organizations alike (Taitsman, Grimm, & Agrawal, 2013). Insurance companies, too, must safeguard patients against fraudulent claims. Consumers must be educated in ways to protect their own healthcare information (Taitsman, Grimm, & Agrawal, 2013).
Nurses all across the healthcare spectrum are increasingly required to use computer technology, and they must honor patient privacy, confidentiality, and consent while doing so. Use of the Internet opens the doorway to viruses, worms, adware, spyware, and other forms of malware (Damrongsak & Brown, 2008). Something as simple as using a shared address book can infect an entire system. Logging off the computer when the nurse has finished and frequently backing up data can prevent unauthorized intrusions and corrupted data (Damrongsak & Brown, 2008). Most medical facilities use an intranet, or closed system, in addition to the Internet, that restricts data to a smaller group of people. Firewalls, encryption, and the use of virtual private networks provide additional security (Damrongsak & Brown, 2008).
Large government agencies, such as the Veterans Administration, have increased efforts to stave off cyber-attacks, which compromise patient health information and medical devices. IT specialists have removed medical devices from the VA hospital’s main network systems and connected them to virtual-local area networks (VLANs) (Rhea, 2010). Without access to the Internet, these devices can be used without fear of attack. In the past, the main focus has been on identity theft. But with the rise of international terrorism, there is a growing fear that medical devices may be hacked and used to intentionally harm patients (Rhea, 2010). Healthcare IT systems have already been crippled by hackers looking to profit from cybercrime. In 2009, healthcare facilities around the world found medical devices infected with the Conficker virus (Rhea, 2010). Downtime caused by malware is expensive and inconvenient. Hospitals are forced to spend money on security that normally would have gone to patient care (Rhea, 2010). FDA regulations are also a hindrance to quick development of security patches (Rhea, 2010).
According to author W.S. Chee (2007), a member of the Department of Diagnostic Imaging at K.K. Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Singapore, medical devices connected to a hospital’s network system can lead to critical threats and infestations of malware in these devices. Hospitals need to act proactively to prevent intrusions and respond immediately if a system becomes infected (Chee, 2007). Equipment vendors play a huge role because they supply the security measures which protect medical devices (Chee, 2007). But they can be slow in providing updates and patches. The FDA, furthermore, determines when and how changes can be made to biomedical equipment systems. This places the burden on hospitals to protect themselves (Chee, 2007).
Thomas Klein (2014), managing editor of Electronic Medical Device Technology, asserts that intentional sabotage of medical devices is only a matter of time. According to researchers, vulnerabilities have been found in infusion pumps, x-ray machines, cardiac defibrillators, and other devices (Klein, 2014). Since these devices are frequently connected to the Internet, they are vulnerable to malware. If the network systems are not fully protected, the devices are subject to malicious attack. The use of USB ports opens a doorway to security breaches and malware (Klein, 2014). The risk is so great the FDA became involved and now requires that manufacturers consider cybersecurity risks when developing new products (Klein, 2014).
The expansion of healthcare information technology improves profitability while exposing healthcare facilities to greater risks (Elliot, 2005). Facilities must create and enforce policies that secure patient health information across all forms of networks and technology. One solution for managing remote devices is the use of on-demand security services that cease to work once the remote device is no longer in use (Elliot, 2005). The problem, then, is security on the other end, where patient health information can be leaked or accessed by the user. This is called post-delivery security (Elliot, 2005). Solutions include user malware protection, restrictions on use of data, and audits on computer use. Developing and enforcing security policies that protect patient health information, especially information transmitted to remote devices, is tantamount to avoiding security breaches and corrupted data (Elliot, 2005).
The latest, and most serious, threat comes in the form of professional IT criminals who use ransomware to extort money from hospitals (Conn, 2016). One such threat, Locky, acts through ordinary-looking e-mail (Conn, 2016). When opened, a virus activates software that encrypts the hospital’s IT system. Then, a window pops up with a ransom demand. Samas, another threat, uploads encryption ransomware through a hospital’s Web server (Conn, 2016). A more sophisticated ransomware, CryptoLocker, demands bitcoin as payment because it is nearly impossible to trace (Conn, 2016). Once paid, the criminals unlock the data in an infected system. But, should hospitals pay in the first place? Cybersecurity has become a booming business, with medical facilities now being forced to employ their services. There is a major concern that medical devices will be the next systems to be hit by cybercriminals (Conn, 2016).
Topic Availability
This topic, as it relates to Nursing Informatics, is too important to ignore. I used seven resources from scholarly and peer-reviewed publications for this paper. I pulled my resources primarily from CINAHL and ProQuest. I found enough materials to give me a broad overview of the topic, but I was disappointed that more current articles could not be found. Technology changes so rapidly that even a few months can make a difference in security innovations. I used both the basic and advanced search features and the key words “medical device malware security.”
Information Availability
This information is available in scholarly and peer-reviewed journals and other publications. Although the information was geared toward professionals, some publications include short articles that educate the general public about cybersecurity and protecting patient health information. Nurses benefit from all of these resources because many do not understand the extent of the threat.
Personal Views
The information I read shocked me (cyberterrorism), confirmed what I see our IT specialists changing at my hospital, and disturbed me (ransomware cybercrime.) The general public does not seem to be aware of these threats. As a nurse who uses computer technology every day, I was not aware of the seriousness of this problem. It never occurred to me that a glucometer or infusion pump could be infected with a virus or that an unscrupulous person would deliberately sabotage somebody’s pacemaker. When I mention this to other nurses, they are equally dismayed by the possibilities. They always ask, “Why would somebody maliciously hack into a medical device?” For people who devote their lives to saving people, the idea is unthinkable.
The changing landscape in healthcare makes it crucial that ALL medical personnel understand the seriousness of the threats. As technology becomes more sophisticated, so do the means by which cybercriminals hack into and infect network systems. Information is compromised, and patient health and well-being are put at risk.
Conclusion
In conclusion, whether it’s a small private practice or a large healthcare system, the increased use of technology poses significant threats to protected patient health information, medical devices, and cybersecurity systems. Users all across the healthcare spectrum have a duty to behave responsibly when accessing patient records, divulging information, searching the Internet, managing e-mail and faxes, and interacting with colleagues. Nurses should provide feedback and input about vulnerabilities in security policies and protocols for the protection of themselves and their patients. They must educate themselves about current threats so they can adapt their practice to avoid unintentional security breaches. Nurses can also educate their patients in the use of computer technology, accessing patient portals, and protecting patient health information.
Technology will continue to be a driving force in healthcare. Along with the downside comes the possibility of lower costs to facilities and patients, improved outcomes, more accurate measurements, increased research, and greater opportunities for nurses to expand their involvement and role in improving healthcare and healthcare informatics. Requiring nursing students to study nursing informatics increases their awareness of the problems and benefits of technology. Hopefully, our physicians and administrators are being trained in this area, as well. Health information technology specialists are enjoying a surge in employment opportunities as healthcare systems realize the importance of their specialty. Technology is expensive, but the threats of cybercrime and cyber-attacks are more damaging.
References
Chee, W.S. A. (2007). IT security in biomedical imaging informatics: The hidden vulnerability. Journal of Mechanics in Medicine and Biology, 7(1), 101-106.
Conn, J. (2016, April). Ransomware scare: Will hospitals pay for protection. Modern Healthcare, 46(15), 8-8.
Damrongsak, M., & Brown, K.C. (2008). Data security in occupational health. AAOHN
Elliot, M. (2005, September). Securing the healthcare border. Health Management Technology,
26(9), 32-35.
Klein, T. (2014, September). How to protect medical devices against malware. Operating Theatre Journal, 14-14.
Rhea, S. (2010, December). Cyberbattle: Providers work to protect devices, patients. Modern
Healthcare, 40(50), 33-34.
Taitsman, J. K., Grimm, C. M., Agrawal, S. (2013, March). Protecting Patient privacy and data security. The New England Journal of Medicine, 368, 977-979. doi: 10.1056/NEJMp1215258. Retrieved from http://www.NEJM.org.
~
PowerPoint presentation shared at Flagstaff Medical Center in 2016. See it here on Dropbox:
I’m pleased and proud to announce that my poem, Boudica’s Soliloquy, has been accepted for publication in the upcoming Wounds I Healed: The Poetry of Strong Women anthology. I want to thank Gabriela Marie Milton (editor), Ingrid Wilson of Experiments in Fiction (publisher), and Nick Reeves for their hard work and dedication in bringing this project to fruition.
As you may have guessed, the poem is about Boudica, the fierce Celtic Queen of the Iceni tribe who reigned in the East Anglia region of Britain. In 60 C.E., she led a revolt against the Romans. Bravely driving a chariot against Roman forces, she fought for the liberation of her tribe and vengeance for the rape of her two daughters by Roman soldiers. Although defeated, she went down in history as a tragic figure and a British folk hero.
For some reason, when I heard about the anthology, Queen Boudica immediately popped into my head. She was a woman who lost everything but died with dignity and honor.
Dawn Pisturino's Blog 