Photo by Pixbay It’s that time of year when the temperature is cooler, trees turn from green to vivid colors, and holidays line up one by one. Autumn is one of my favorite times of the year, there’s something in the air (most likely allergies). But there’s something else, something magical, maybe it’s anticipation, maybe it’s memories, maybe it’s just the shift in seasons. The time of year when afternoon shadows grow longer, leaves crunch underfoot, and curling under a blanket provides extra comfort. Some years ago, I wrote a very short short story about a walk under a Harvest Moon. Although it was a work of fiction, there was a lot of truth in the words, as I told of an actual personal experience. No, it wasn’t a story of self-revelation or a life-changing epiphany; it was a simple story with a simple message. I hope you will take the time to read it. (It’s a free PDF download ) Harvest Moon https://www.dalethele.com/books#harvestmoon I would like to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment in the Comment Box at the bottom of the page. Dale Thele Bestselling Fiction Author Stories with an LGBTQ+ Twist corrupting readers since 2008 Don't miss another blog post! Get new blog post notifications and new book/story releases sent directly to your email. Click here to subscribe .

1939 Parker Parkette Mechanical Pencil and Fountain Pen Set In September of this year, friends gifted me with a vintage fountain pen and mechanical pencil set, which once belonged to their mother. What little they knew of the set’s history was that their mother purchased the set before starting nursing school. Other than that little bit of knowledge, they knew nothing else. I'm proud of the small collection of restored vintage fountain pens (Sheaffer, Parker, and other brands). My favorite are the original Esterbrooks. Since I’ve only been a collector/user for about five years, I don’t have a great deal of expertise in vintage pen history. The pen/pencil set did not come with the original box so I had to do some research on the set. Luckily there was some etched information on the pen barrel. With the aid of a lighted loupe, I was able to gather enough details to research the manufacturer's details. Turns out, the fountain pen is a 1938 Parker “Parkette” (type 3B) lever-filler, made of gray, black, and red celluloid. It is fitted with a 1939 Rador Point Steel Fine Nib. According to Parker’s 1939 retailers catalog, the Suggested Retail Selling Price was $1.95. Decades have passed since the pen had probably last been used, so it was not in working condition. First, I had to remove the dried ink and deteriorated ink sac from inside the barrel. Once it was clean, I replaced the J-Bar and rubber ink sac, then polished the barrel and brass trim with a jeweler’s polishing cloth. Filling the pen with Parker Blue Ink, I was able to test the pen. It’s a smooth writer with light feedback and is quite enjoyable to use. The mechanical pencil is in working order just required some cleaning and polishing. After a modest investment in restoration supplies, a couple of YouTube instructional videos, and my personal time, the Parkette pen and pencil set are now valued pieces in my vintage pen collection. Words can’t convey the extraordinary feeling of history while writing with a restored eighty-year-old fountain pen. Then, of course, it may be because I’m a fountain pen nerd. I would like to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment in the Comment Box at the bottom of the page. Dale Thele Bestselling Fiction Author Stories with an LGBTQ+ Twist corrupting readers since 2008 Don't miss another blog post! Get new blog post notifications and new book/story releases sent directly to your email. Click here to subscribe .

Photo by Craig Adderley from Pexels The condition of being unable to think of what to write or how to proceed with writing has plagued writers for eons and will continue to do so in the future. It’s an occupational hazard. So, what is the underlying cause of such a disabling condition? Here’s my take on Writer’s Block. 1. Procrastination. Writers are the worst procrastinators. Admit it, writers use some of the most creative excuses to delay writing. Checking email, browsing social media, watching television, or daydreaming all in the guise of finding inspiration, or waiting for the Muse to speak to them. When actually, the writer is simply making excuses to delay the deed of writing. 2. Mentally stuck. Writing requires an open mind for the thoughts to flow. The mind can get bogged down with life details such as overdue bills, car repairs, what to make for dinner, and tens of thousands of other thoughts. These life details build up in the brain, building a damn so new thoughts can not flow freely. The brain becomes constipated and literally stops the creative writing process from occurring. It is said we have between 50,000-70,000 thoughts per day, this means between 35 and 48 thoughts per minute per person. Neuroscientist and philosopher Dr. Deepak Chopra agrees, although–being a rigorous, skeptical scientist, he acknowledged some error in his measurements and said “60,000 to 80,000”. That’s a lot of neurons working overtime, creating massive amounts of chatter inside the head. With all that mental noise, how would one hear the voice of the Muse? To clear my head of the chatter, I write a to-do list. This helps to reduce some of the static trapped inside my brain. It also helps to focus my thoughts, to prioritize details, and it reduces mental stress. A mind can not function at peak performance when one attempts to remember every single thought banging around inside the head. I’m not a huge fan of multitasking, so I try to focus on one thought. When the brain tries to do two things at once, it divides and conquers, dedicating one-half of our gray matter to each task, new research shows. But forget about adding another mentally taxing task: The work also reveals that the brain can’t effectively handle more than two complex, related activities at once. Multitasking Splits the Brain by Gisela Telis. The whole point of writing is to get your thoughts down on paper or on a word processor. If the thoughts aren’t yet formed or I’m not sure of the direction the writing should take, I don’t seek out things to keep me busy until inspiration strikes. I begin writing about the chatter inside my head. With 3 to 4 dozen thoughts per minute, there’s plenty to write about. I just let the words flow. I don’t try to direct the ideas, I simply record the thoughts that are in my head. This exercise has nothing to do with the writing I should be doing, but I’m also not sitting around waiting for inspiration, If anything, I force inspiration by documenting the static in my mind. Once I begin writing, thoughts begin to gel and peculate and within no time, I’m humming along with the muse and back on track with my primary writing. As for the dribble I wrote while clearing my head, that’s filed away as a reference for future writing projects. I don’t truly believe there is a thing called Writer’s Block. It’s simply a term writers tack onto those occasions when their brain is constipated, filled with too many thoughts. I don’t give myself permission to get bogged down in a counterproductive concept. Writer’s Block is real, I know cause I have a wooden block that sits on my desk. It’s etched with “Writer’s Block” on the side. For me, that’s Writer’s Block. I would like to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment in the Comment Box at the bottom of the page. Dale Thele Bestselling Fiction Author Stories with an LGBTQ+ Twist corrupting readers since 2008 Don't miss another blog post! Get new blog post notifications and new book/story releases sent directly to your email. Click here to subscribe .

Photo by Pixabay Picture, if you will, a spotless expansive lobby, void of chairs and tables, only the lingering pungent scent of disinfectant hangs precariously in the air. Where only last week folks laughed and told jokes around tables of lively dominoes and friendly card games. What a stark difference one week makes. I’m referring to a 164-unit downtown high-rise apartment building where most of the residents are single senior citizens living on meager monthly social security benefits. A community of aging folks who gather daily in the lobby to socialize with their neighbors, in most cases, the only social interaction they have. A community setting where they claim a complimentary morning cup of joe, play weekly Bingo, or other games, participate in on-site Sunday church services complete with a continental breakfast, activities these folks look forward to each week. Then the Novel Coronavirus put an end to all of that for these folks, as they are banned from gathering in the lobby. Today. the lobby sits empty, with no chairs, no tables, no residents, and even the often-played upright piano is gone. Only ghostly echos of bygone laughter and fading memories of neighbors enjoying each other's company haunt the deserted lobby. What will become of these forgotten folks who are living out what are supposed to be their golden years? Cooped up in their modest apartments, they’ve been robbed of their social support system. Isolated and afraid of their own shadows, they huddle behind securely bolted doors, waiting, wondering what’s to become of them. They have nothing to look forward to, no one comes to visit, and many do not own a television or even a radio to keep them company. Some own cell phones, but they never ring. They stare blankly out of windows that separate them from the outside world where a menacing virus lurks, waiting to pounce—if contracted, it could put them in the hospital—or worse. What do they have to look forward to? Before you lament about how challenging it is to be confined to your home—complete with your computers and laptops, cell phone, television, video games, friends and family you text and chat with daily—imagine what life is like for the less fortunate, the vulnerable, the lonely who have little to nothing. Social distancing has proven to slow the spread of the coronavirus, but at what cost to our forgotten elderly? In these uncertain times, reach out to your elderly and vulnerable neighbors with a weekly (or daily) phone call or anonymously hang a frequent care package on their door. Find a way to let them know they have not been forgotten. Just remember—one day in the future—you too could be in their shoes. Be safe. Be kind. Be patient. But most of all, show compassion for your neighbors. Don't make them suffer this temporary storm alone. I would like to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment in the Comment Box at the bottom of the page. Dale Thele Bestselling Fiction Author Stories with an LGBTQ+ Twist corrupting readers since 2008 Don't miss another blog post! Get new blog post notifications and new book/story releases sent directly to your email. Click here to subscribe .

Photo by Pixabay You've probably heard of beta testers before. These are real folks who test products, like new consumer products for marketing research. Similarly, beta readers “test read” a manuscript before publication. A beta reader’s purpose is to assume the role of an average reader. They’ll read a manuscript and provide actionable feedback. I've often mentioned beta readers in my social media posts. Beta readers typically read a manuscript during an early stage of the writing process. Beta readers’ feedback is considered when revising a manuscript. A revised manuscript may be sent to a second set of beta readers to gather new feedback. If the manuscript is ready to advance beyond beta readers, then it is submitted to an editing service for a professional manuscript critique. I prefer my beta readers to evaluate a very early manuscript. The feedback allows me to get a handle on what works and doesn't early on in the writing process. I always select from 3-5 readers. Always an odd number for when there is a common issue brought up by the beta's I will lean heavily toward whatever the majority says. Beta Readers Vs. Critique Groups A critique group is a band of writers who share their work. The best critique groups are small and filled with fellow writers of the same genre. Critique groups can be supportive and are essential for any writer who wishes to improve their work quickly. However, critique groups are not the same as beta readers. The first distinction is that a critique group is made up of writers. Beta readers are readers . Most beta readers don’t write and won’t approach a manuscript from a writer’s perspective. They may not get all of the nuances that a fellow writer will see. And that’s the point. I want to see how an actual reader will experience my manuscript. The second difference is that critique groups are a mixed bag. Not everyone in a critique group may be on the same level. Some may be experienced writers with several published books. Others may still be in high school and working on their first novel. It can be challenging to account for the different levels of experience when absorbing feedback. It’s better to cherry-pick who will read the manuscript instead of submitting it to the entire group. Finally, a critique group may not accept full, unedited manuscripts for review. Different groups have different rules when it comes to what can be submitted. Beta Readers Vs. Alpha Readers Oh yes, there’s such a thing as an alpha reader. Alpha readers are people who see a manuscript before it’s completed. They may even get to see the first draft before it is spell-checked. Alpha readers are likely to be close loved ones, like spouses or best friends, who see the manuscript in its early stages. They may provide a pat on the back and a cheer of encouragement, but they can never take the place of beta readers. By contrast, beta readers aren’t usually close friends/family and will usually evaluate a manuscript after it is self-edited. The selected beta readers are chosen by different criteria and the kind of evaluation I require. Why are Beta Readers Necessary? Why even bother with beta readers if the manuscript will be submitted to a professional editing service? Are both necessary? A writer absolutely needs both. Here’s why: Beta readers aren’t editors and do not replace them. Editors are professionals who review and revise manuscripts. An editor may perform several types of tasks. They can offer manuscript critiques where they evaluate the structure of the author's work. This includes plot, theme, character, consistency, and voice. An editor may provide a comprehensive edit where they go line-by-line and analyze prose for revision opportunities. Then, of course, an editor can provide a copy edit where they check on spelling, punctuation, grammar, and continuity errors. Beta readers are everyday people who read books because they have a passion for the subject matter and/or the genre. That’s not to say that editors aren’t passionate readers. The distinction is that editors are professionals who approach critique from a technical perspective. Not only can they spot when something doesn’t work in the manuscript, but a professional editor can also explain exactly why it doesn’t work, and how to fix it. Beta readers provide me with early feedback in the writing process which guides me to what and where I should focus to better my manuscript. I value beta readers' opinions and suggestions, after all, they are a small sampling of the readers who will read my finished work. I would like to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment in the Comment Box at the bottom of the page. Dale Thele Bestselling Fiction Author Stories with an LGBTQ+ Twist corrupting readers since 2008 Don't miss another blog post! Get new blog post notifications and new book/story releases sent directly to your email. Click here to subscribe .

Graphic Created by Dale Thele The original concept of what would eventually become the novel titled CLIPPED WINGS began in 2011 with a rough draft entitled "OUTED BY ANGER". In the draft, Shane (the main character) was an angry and vengeful teenager. The story wasn’t what I’d originally anticipated. Below is an early video book trailer made in 2011. Video Trailer for OUTED BY ANGER which would later become CLIPPED WINGS The draft was shelved for several years while I battled with AIDS. In 2016, I resurrected the rough draft, realizing that "OUTED BY ANGER" would be the ideal vehicle to introduce Shane as the protagonist of a six-book series. Off and on during the next few years, I scribbled out various possibilities for a book series. I had nothing concrete until 2019 when I finally completed the entire 6-book series outline. That same year, I re-titled the original rough draft first novel: CLIPPED WINGS . Everything fell into place and the novel practically wrote itself. The novel was completed in December 2020. The first paperback was released on February 11, 2021, on Amazon. Three weeks later, the novel became an Amazon Best Seller. Video Trailer for CLIPPED WINGS The second novel of the Shane Davison Chronicle Series ( BLURRED LINES ) is scheduled to launch in 2022. CLIPPED WINGS: https://www.dalethele.com/clippedwings BLURRED LINES: https://www.dalethele.com/blurredlines I would like to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment in the Comment Box at the bottom of the page. Dale Thele Bestselling Fiction Author Stories with an LGBTQ+ Twist corrupting readers since 2008 Don't miss another blog post! Get new blog post notifications and new book/story releases sent directly to your email. Click here to subscribe .

Photo by Pixabay Southern Literature is oftentimes considered one of the most challenging genres to write. To be a true southern author, one must be born and raised in the South. There's no way to get around this requirement. You are either born a Southerner or you're not. Packing up your s**t and moving to the south does not make one an honest-to-goodness Southern Author. Myself, I was born and raised in the South and I've lived all but one year of my life in the South. That one exceptional year was spent in Southern California. The rest of my life has been lived in Oklahoma and Texas. (Yes, Oklahoma is considered the South by the US Census Bureau.) Wikipedia states: Southern literature consists of writing about the American South. Often, "the South" is defined, for historical as well as geographical reasons, as the states of South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Arkansas.* Writing southern literature doesn't only come easy for me, but I’m also claiming my heritage by writing in a genre that I’m uniquely qualified for. Instead of running away from my heritage, I’m embracing my authentic self and celebrating who I am and where I’ve come from. In doing so, I write authentically without pretense. Below are nine characteristics that must be present to be authentic Southern Literature. 13 Characteristics of Southern Literature The author must be born and raised in the South. The South is a way of thinking and being, a characteristic that only a native Southerner experiences. It's a characteristic that can't be imitated or copied. Strong sense of tradition. Strong sense of the past. Importance of family and community. The family is a huge presence in Southern literature. Often the family members have to come to terms with each other as part of the plot; sometimes these connections are important way after the siblings grow up and go their separate ways. It is hard for most Southerners, even now, to understand how a brother could move away and never be heard of again. Importance of place (setting) in a physical sense. Emphasis on concrete imagery. Southern literature is usually quite descriptive, and the best writers use very strong imagery as one of the important tools for creating the story in all its power. Importance of ownership, of things and/or land. The revelation of unique or unstable relatives. Self-importance. Language of the South. The distinctive dialect, phrases, and delivery of those phrases are unique to the South. Politics and/or political views. Importance of a parental figure. A mother or grandmother is oftentimes prevalent as the patriarch of the Southern family. Use of religious imagery and backdrop of the Christian church in the setting of many of the stories. Religion and Christian beliefs are strong themes in Southern literature. In my most recent Southern novel entitled CLIPPED WINGS , Shane reveals a poignant coming-of-age narrative of growing up in ultra-conservative, north-central Oklahoma in the early 1970s, told entirely from Shane’s teenage perspective. From triumphs to disappointments, his story unravels a tapestry of secrets and lies, exposing deeply hidden skeletons in closets that should never see the light of day. A fictional novel, inspired by actual events. ​ Clipped Wings is the first novel of the Shane Davison Chronicles Series in which Shane shares his life experiences. From childhood through adulthood, he shows the similarities and challenges he faces as an out, gay man in a predominately straight world. No matter, if you are gay, bi, straight, or anything in between, you will certainly relate to his experiences. Maybe not identical experiences, but those that are similar. As Shane demonstrates, all of us live on the same earth and share many related challenges, triumphs, and obstacles as we forge through this journey we call life . Paperback & Kindle available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578836637 Official Author website: https://www.dalethele.com * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_United_States_literature Note: This blog post was revised on September 18, 2021. I would like to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment in the Comment Box at the bottom of the page. Dale Thele Bestselling Fiction Author Stories with an LGBTQ+ Twist corrupting readers since 2008 Don't miss another blog post! Get new blog post notifications and new book/story releases sent directly to your email. Click here to subscribe .

Book #2 of the Shane Davison Chronicles Series entitled BLURRED LINES was released on March 23, 2022. Within the first hour, the new release jumped to Amazon Bestseller status. Last year Book #1 entitled CLIPPED WINGS became an Amazon Bestseller within hours of its release. It appears Shane Davison and his adventures are gaining a following. BLURRED LINES picks up several hours after we left Shane waiting for a bus to take him to Oklahoma City (conclusion of Book #1 CLIPPED WINGS ). If you recall, he’d had one really crappy day. It started in the early morning hours when the police came to his house and took him into custody. After that ordeal resolved itself, he went home, where he and Mr. Davison got into a major altercation. This resulted in Shane unintentionally outing himself. In turn, Mr. Davison kicked Shane out of the house, leaving Shane without a family or a place to call home. But his day wasn’t over yet. He then had a huge argument with his best friend. Friendless and homeless, Shane bought a one-way bus ticket to Oklahoma City. BLURRED LINES resumes two hours later after Shane arrives at OKC. A new adventure begins... Video book trailer for BLURRED LINES Order BLURRED LINES from Amazon in Paperback or Kindle. https://www.amazon.com/BLURRED-LINES-Shane.../dp/B09SNSNR4C/ BLURRED LINES is Rated: ADULT - profanity, smoking, drug & alcohol use, implied sexual relations, homosexuality, homophobia, and violence. For additional information, visit: https://www.dalethele.com/blurredlines The first book in the Shane Davison Chronicles Series , CLIPPED WINGS , is a 2021 Amazon Bestselling Novel. https://www.dalethele.com/clippedwings Book #3 entitled CHASING UNICORNS is scheduled to release in the spring of 2023. I would like to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment in the Comment Box at the bottom of the page. Dale Thele Bestselling Fiction Author Stories with an LGBTQ+ Twist corrupting readers since 2008 Don't miss another blog post! Get new blog post notifications and new book/story releases sent directly to your email. Click here to subscribe .

Brooke thought she had read every book in Grandad's collection of fiction until she stumbled upon an unfamiliar title. Curious, she delves into the book, realizing her relationship with her boyfriend of four years parallels the story she is reading of Ezra and Christian. Can a Victorian tale of forbidden love between two men provide the answers to salvage her floundering relationship? This unusual novella is a period tale wrapped in a contemporary storyline. The interior tale follows the relationship of two men in 1890 Victorian London, and the outer story follows Brooke and Chase in upstate New York in a present-day setting. The manuscript crosses genre-specific lines; gay/hetero and period/contemporary. Definitely not a traditional run-of-the-mill read, but a journey into alternative fiction. Video book trailer for Masked Identities Note: The book cover pictured in the video has been redesigned since this video was made. The history behind Masked Identities I originally published Masked Identities in 2009 (by a pen name I wrote under during that time). Readers balked at the choice of the two alternate endings, feeling slighted by my not providing a single ending. In 2019, I revised the manuscript; replacing the alternate endings by combining elements of both to make one ending. After publishing the novella in that same year, readers again made their voices heard by demanding a conclusion to the interior historical short story. The 2019 version left the Victorian men (Christian & Ezra from the interior story) hanging, as their story wasn’t central to the wrap-around main plot. To my surprise, readers connected with Christian & Ezra and wanted more. In 2020, I wrote and published the conclusion of Christian & Ezra’s story and published it as a short story (Masked Identities-The Reveal). In February of 2021, I combined both the novella and the completed short story into one book. On March 2, 2021, I quietly released the revised Masked Identities novella featuring the bonus short story: Masked Identities-The Reveal, so as not to compete with the upcoming launch of my mega-novel Clipped Wings on March 4, 2021. Both the interior story within Masked Identities and Masked Identities-The Reveal (originals of each are no longer available to purchase separately) are two halves of the same fictional historical short story, both refer to actual places, businesses, verbiage, and events of the exact time frame of the two historical tales. More than eight months of online research went into creating historically authentic short stories. Christian, Ezra, and a few secondary characters are the only fictional additions to the interior story and the accompanying follow-up. Other than that, everything else in the historical manuscripts actually occurred as written and has been verified by the London Historical Society as historically accurate. Not a bad feat for a Yank from the States who has never set foot in the UK, let alone lived during the Victorian era. Masked Identities is available in Kindle and paperback from Amazon. I would like to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment in the Comment Box at the bottom of the page. Dale Thele Bestselling Fiction Author Stories with an LGBTQ+ Twist corrupting readers since 2008 Don't miss another blog post! Get new blog post notifications and new book/story releases sent directly to your email. Click here to subscribe .

Photo by Pixabay “Mobile is not the future, it is the now. Meet your customers in the environment of their choice, not where it is convenient for you.” - Cyndie Shaffstall, Founder of Spider Trainers The world around us is in constant change, flux, evolving, and becoming; if we don’t adapt, we fall behind and become extinct like the dinosaurs, fossils in today's social environment. I remember in grade school, we communicated private matters to others in our class by folding and passing paper notes. Today, we think nothing of sending a text or an email. Before my time, my grandparents used to huddle around a radio for entertainment. I grew up sitting in front of a television screen. The kids today watch movies on iPads and cell phones. I remember as a kid, the excitement of going to the public library to check out a book to read. Today, one simply taps on a cell phone and instantly a digital book is available to read on the phone screen. We’ve come a long way from those simpler times. With cell phones and iPads, the world is at our fingertips. As a writer/author, I’ve drug my feet in embracing the move to mobile. I’ve held onto my desktop formatted author website as if by doing so, I wouldn’t have to make the dreaded move to mobile. But, I must face the reality that new and old readers are now using cell phones more than desktops or laptops to search the web, get news, shop, and read “books”. So, not to lag too far behind, I’ve launched my author website for mobile devices. The URL ( https://www.dalethele.com ) remains the same, but it can be viewed either on a mobile device or a tabletop or laptop. When you type in the URL, your device will determine which format (mobile or desktop) is best for viewing on your device. How about that for advanced technology? So, no matter if you prefer a desktop, laptop, notebook, or cell phone, you can view and shop my books directly from any digital device of your choosing. Most of my “books” are available in digital format (ebooks) or paperback (for us old-timers who still enjoy the feel of a real book in our hands). Should you prefer not to type in my website URL ( https://www.dalethele.com ) into your digital device, you now have the option of simply scanning this QR Code with your iPad or cell phone: I would like to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment in the Comment Box at the bottom of the page. Dale Thele Bestselling Fiction Author Stories with an LGBTQ+ Twist corrupting readers since 2008 Don't miss another blog post! Get new blog post notifications and new book/story releases sent directly to your email. Click here to subscribe .

Mr. Postman delivered my Conklin Limited Edition Golden Walnut ALL AMERICAN™ fountain pen with rose gold trim. Personally, I'd have preferred the optional gunmetal trim, but the retailer was out of stock. The pen I received is engraved as #209 out of 1898 total units made. The pen is outfitted with a smooth black extra fine JoWo nib, displaying the brand name and marked with special crescent-shaped breathing holes unique to Conklin®. The pen itself is heavy and bulky, and the cap is postable. It won't be one of my favorite go-to fountain pens but is a nice addition to my collection. Conklin All American™ Golden Walnut Fountain Pen Specifications Limited Edition of 1898 pieces Body Material: Golden Walnut Wood Trim: Rose Gold Nib: Stainless Steel #6 JoWo Nib Filling System: International Cartridge/Converter Length Capped: 5.7 in. / 144mm Length Uncapped: 5.0 in. / 126mm Length Posted: 6.6 in. / 168mm Cap Diameter: 0.7 in. / 17mm Barrel Diameter: 0.6 in. / 15mm Section Diameter: 0.4 in. / 11mm Luxury Gift Boxed Conklin is a US brand and is based out of Toledo, Ohio. I would like to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment in the Comment Box at the bottom of the page. Dale Thele Bestselling Fiction Author Stories with an LGBTQ+ Twist corrupting readers since 2008 Don't miss another blog post! Get new blog post notifications and new book/story releases sent directly to your email. Click here to subscribe .

Gilded Vintage/Antique Mustache Cup and Saucer Set If you are one of the lucky men to have a handlebar or walrus mustache, you already know the challenges of maintaining a mustache: drinks dribbling into your stache, not to mention hair in one’s mouth while eating. These are just a few of the “advantages” of extra facial hair. Did you know that back in the late 1800s, a British potter by the name of Harvey Adams invented the first known mustache cup? The mustache cup (or moustache cup ) is a drinking cup with a semicircular ledge inside. The ledge, called a mustache guard, has a half-moon-shaped opening to allow the passage of liquids and serves as a guard to keep mustaches dry. It is generally acknowledged to have been invented in the 1870s by British potter Harvey Adams (1835–?). Wikipedia In this post, I’m sharing with you one of my vintage mustache cup and saucer sets. Gilded Vintage/Antique Mustache Cup Guard This particular set is made of crisp, clean white porcelain china and decorated with lots of gold gilding around the entire cup. The central, highly textured gold flower is highlighted with a fuchsia-colored background. The rest of the cup exterior is highlighted with gold gilding and gold accents on the interior portion of the cup. The saucer is made of the same bright white china and is decorated with splashes of gold gilding around the outer edge of the saucer. Both pieces are marked with the same unintelligible gold mark on the bottom. It’s hard to tell how old this set is. It could be the turn of the century Victorian, or possibly early to mid-century German made for export. [according to the USA Etsy seller] The condition of this lovely vintage pair is excellent. There are no nicks, chips, cracks, hairlines, stains, or discoloration. The gold gilding is intact around the outer edges of the cup. The saucer is also in excellent condition. Gilded Vintage/Antique Mustache Cup and Saucer Set Cup Dimensions - 3-3/8” tall - 3-1/2" diameter (at the rim) - 4-1/2" across the rim when including the handle - 2" diameter (at the base) - 10 oz. capacity Saucer Dimensions - 6-1/4" diameter - 3-1/2" diameter (at the base) - 1" tall So concludes this little ditty about one of my vintage mustache cup and saucer sets. I must add that the built-in mustache guard helps to keep liquids from dribbling and soaking my stache. I would like to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment in the Comment Box at the bottom of the page. Dale Thele Bestselling Fiction Author Stories with an LGBTQ+ Twist corrupting readers since 2008 Don't miss another blog post! Get new blog post notifications and new book/story releases sent directly to your email. Click here to subscribe .