tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35720196671073956822024-03-13T12:11:47.137-07:00One Magic Bean BuyerA fun place to hang out, talk about writing, books and book-related craftsTamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070551912944266954noreply@blogger.comBlogger94125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572019667107395682.post-259691029188715682013-03-31T18:16:00.001-07:002013-03-31T18:18:24.921-07:00Goodbye and Hello...and A-Z Challenge...<br />
Hi Guys,<br />
<br />
This is my final post on this site. If you are here for the A-Z challenge I am still taking part on my new site!!<br />
<br />
Please visit me and my CP, Karen Denise, at:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="http://www.behindthesepages2.blogspot.com/"> www.behindthesepages2@blogspot.com</a></b></span></div>
<br />
I'd love it if all my old followers would come follow me and I'll be following you as well, under the new blog. Thanks guys!! Hope we see you!!<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070551912944266954noreply@blogger.com62tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572019667107395682.post-3581066404577790422013-03-21T12:52:00.002-07:002013-03-21T12:52:29.262-07:00Hi again...Announcement! :)Hi everyone!!<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMrp4_AWT9XIvhTT4P_bPM9QVgLAW0nlWBYy05g6Kn5BkSBlk2a_MULlYCwZrTzSbsdqjj7WMxFegUcO7-lWBd78qGevFWvRoEtdwbOrWsyOYW-nxvOmxbfj8rQIeEX5vn-iUVtQw_YEse/s1600/moving.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMrp4_AWT9XIvhTT4P_bPM9QVgLAW0nlWBYy05g6Kn5BkSBlk2a_MULlYCwZrTzSbsdqjj7WMxFegUcO7-lWBd78qGevFWvRoEtdwbOrWsyOYW-nxvOmxbfj8rQIeEX5vn-iUVtQw_YEse/s320/moving.jpg" width="291" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>MOVING</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I'm back. Well, sort of anyway. The two weeks off stretched into a month, but things have calmed down a bit. In the meantime, I talked to my critique partner, and we decided to run a blog together in order to:<br />
<br />
One: Make it more interesting.<br />
<br />
Two: Visit more people.<br />
<br />
Three: Split the work<br />
<br />
So, with that in mind, I'd like to just announce that I will be moving!! (Please insert appropriate applause and fireworks)<br />
<br />
I'll have the new blog address up here in about a week. In the meantime, hope you guys are all good. It's awesome to be back in the "real" world. haha<br />
<br />
<br />Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070551912944266954noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572019667107395682.post-83601094606819284192013-02-19T22:59:00.004-08:002013-02-19T22:59:53.914-08:00Forced to take a break...Hi Guys,<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsc___VlGNNtusHbo71vF7-Ck84ZKok55kD8G1y-XthuK1LkIgmewoGjd01aTLF7IU4z7uvXGrsFlVo3XkNh71B3g809i6Rufa08bFpsV85FGg5cM5KMl8U6syBo1AS36olfIZA2jZIhce/s1600/0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsc___VlGNNtusHbo71vF7-Ck84ZKok55kD8G1y-XthuK1LkIgmewoGjd01aTLF7IU4z7uvXGrsFlVo3XkNh71B3g809i6Rufa08bFpsV85FGg5cM5KMl8U6syBo1AS36olfIZA2jZIhce/s1600/0.jpg" /></a></div>
So, I feel super bad cause I'm signed up for a blog-hop today and Alex's cover reveal in a couple days but, for a variety of reasons that are much too long and complicated to explain, I have to take a break from blogging for the next couple weeks.<br />
<br />
I'll still come and visit everyone whenever I'm able. And I want to reiterate, I'm <i>really</i> sorry about missing some things I signed up for!!<br />
<br />
I will definitely be back in about two weeks or so--by then a lot of the stuff that is currently happening will have calmed down.<br />
<br />
Thanks so much for understanding!! Hope everyone has a great week. :)Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070551912944266954noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572019667107395682.post-67367140099184173262013-02-13T21:00:00.000-08:002013-02-13T21:14:53.591-08:00Thursdays Children...Love<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7BCSqgUgXlJkgDGJOXVyXNovieSXPSavvlybB5clN45sNnxvxY2vWL4a5fpxyJ_8z-x1RyZ9b9EACeeVybkk16QB6WEXuHMZtqhvR0NznpBO98raGUxDpG5mBz6p2AoAgQvGrtYFMI8A6/s1600/Thursdays+Children.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7BCSqgUgXlJkgDGJOXVyXNovieSXPSavvlybB5clN45sNnxvxY2vWL4a5fpxyJ_8z-x1RyZ9b9EACeeVybkk16QB6WEXuHMZtqhvR0NznpBO98raGUxDpG5mBz6p2AoAgQvGrtYFMI8A6/s200/Thursdays+Children.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
It's time for Thursday's Children, a weekly bloghop where writers can share their sources of inspiration. It's hosted by Rhiann Wynn-Nolet at <a href="http://rhiannwynnnolet.com/" style="background-color: red; font-weight: bold;">A Nest of Words</a><span style="background-color: white;"><b> </b>and </span><span style="background-color: red; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.kristinaperez.com/">Kristina Perez</a></span><br />
<br />
So, my topic for today is love. What is more inspiring than love, in all its many forms? And, since today is Valentines Day, it seems even more fitting. So, here is a poem I wanted to share with you guys. I can't take credit for this one. It was written by my son, Chance.<br />
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<b>A QUESTION OF LOVE...</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<i>What is love? <o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>Is it something we buy?<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>Is it a potion? An
antidote?<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB_xyJgzc-hBy0xn8WTurmOXvHIeUMbimQAM3_TjSAe3JbH1ZgFpG5QCDiChY-WKqgxx88jaZmX-FXiiMH7hiH-qqpnzMHtOEdVevzbLYHhrwowA5MvFxuLdjpBuHCFCfcJFv22Kw1L6dc/s1600/o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB_xyJgzc-hBy0xn8WTurmOXvHIeUMbimQAM3_TjSAe3JbH1ZgFpG5QCDiChY-WKqgxx88jaZmX-FXiiMH7hiH-qqpnzMHtOEdVevzbLYHhrwowA5MvFxuLdjpBuHCFCfcJFv22Kw1L6dc/s200/o.jpg" width="200" /></a><i>Is it a drug? A hallucinogenic?
<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>A lie we tell ourselves? <o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>Maybe a lie other’s tell us. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>Sometimes it’s only a dream. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>A hope of a different life. A better world. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i>We search, never knowing where we’ll find it.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>Maybe hiding behind that girl’s eyes</i></div>
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<i>or waiting in that boy’s
arms. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>Its comfort can rest in your mothers and fathers.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>Sisters and brothers. Sons and daughters. <o:p></o:p></i><br />
<i><br /></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZfw4IdG-0Slzbr73UDK1dPNnUos-vjoX_6kAMYshj6jF6vEvS649TZxQOLCprvgvk2I321OxY2rS_3NPDqSMRDnNB46whXYzgN7lG3n0vUvnd9kLUTmAABnp-Yi8EInPuZfw7dPhlVz9f/s1600/0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><i><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZfw4IdG-0Slzbr73UDK1dPNnUos-vjoX_6kAMYshj6jF6vEvS649TZxQOLCprvgvk2I321OxY2rS_3NPDqSMRDnNB46whXYzgN7lG3n0vUvnd9kLUTmAABnp-Yi8EInPuZfw7dPhlVz9f/s200/0.jpg" width="159" /></i></a></div>
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<i> But sometimes it
dances--a sprite just out of reach--tempting you to leap forward. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Will you fly? Or fall?<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i> Is that a chance
you’re willing take? <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Love can be deadly or brilliant.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Love can drive you to the edge of insanity <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Or be the one thing yanks you back.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>You can chase it--try
to hold it.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i> I dare you and I warn
you,</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Because it’s a wild fire that can burn your world away,<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Or warm it in the
years to come.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i> Never has there been and
never will there be such a dangerous light as love. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>So what is love?</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Love is chaotic perfection.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i>
<i><br /></i>
Thursdays children is a weekly bloghop, so feel free to jump in anytime! I'll be damned if I can make the linky list work even with the code Rhiann so kindly provided. I feel like an idiot, but I'm always trying to put up posts when it's super late at night and my brain is too fried to mess with anything. haha. So, if you're interested in joining, click <b style="background-color: red;"><a href="http://www.linkytools.com/basic_link_entry_form.aspx?id=184403">HERE</a></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Also, quick writer question! The third to last line of the poem is: "Never has there been and never will there by such a dangerous light as love" Can someone tell me if that line needs a comma somewhere? For a writer, my punctuation skills can be sadly lacking. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And, I wanted to end this post by asking you guys for some of your favorite love stories. They can be in the form of a book, movie, song...whatever. What love inspires you?<br />
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070551912944266954noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572019667107395682.post-32044161298115838682013-02-11T22:48:00.006-08:002013-02-12T13:10:48.396-08:00Flash Fiction...So, Shannon Lawrence at <b><a href="http://thewarriormuse.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: red;">The Warrior Muse</a></b> posted some really great links with <a href="http://thewarriormuse.blogspot.com/2013/02/iwsg-literary-fiction-vs-genre-fiction.html"><b style="background-color: red;">her IWSG post</b></a> last week. One was to <b style="background-color: red;"><a href="http://www.everydayfiction.com/">Flash Fiction Chronicles</a>,</b> which I hadn't heard of before. I got in on the last day of a contest they'd been running for a couple weeks. Thanks for posting the links, Sharon!! It's always fun hearing about contests/bloghops/giveaways I'm not aware of.<br />
<br />
Since this<i> is</i> a writing blog and I rarely share any stories I've written, I figured I'd post what I wrote for the challenge. I was hoping some more experienced flash writers would tell me what they thought of this. Honest opinions! Please don't worry about hurting my feelings, I really would like the truth!! I was worried that it was a little cliche maybe? Or too heavy on sensationalism? What do you guys think?<br />
<br />
Okay--so this was called the String-of-10 Five Prompt: We had to use at least four words out of the ten in our stories and, if we could, also integrate the prompt. The word-count could be no higher than 250.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<br />
<h3 style="color: #29303b; font-family: Georgia, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', lucida, Verdana, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">PROMPT WORDS:</span></h3>
<h3 style="color: #29303b; font-family: Georgia, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', lucida, Verdana, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">EVENING-QUARRY-ACCENT-ROSE-TEAR-MINUTE-GRAVE-CLOSE-ENTRANCE-BOW </span></h3>
<h3 style="color: #29303b; font-family: Georgia, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', lucida, Verdana, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
</h3>
<div style="color: #29303b; font-family: Georgia, Verdana, Arial, serif; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">
<em style="font-family: Georgia, 'Lucida Sans Unicode', lucida, Verdana, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 1px;">I want to put a ding in the universe. –Steve Jobs </em></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, Verdana, Arial, serif; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px;">
</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="color: #29303b; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 15.5pt; letter-spacing: 0.75pt;">Beautiful Stranger</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgh1YeHM7Mv9LaCJmTYDkCU8Na0p9mRuNfk9ejGB3MN1k5Exx3R-8uo6jKv3CAV3BjgeF0uHUBvuhUsJl4DrDQBQ9Y0pS1mhf2KZple-zH241MLeBc2XF_ijJ_bq29UqPzxfHMKU1t-hsD/s1600/0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgh1YeHM7Mv9LaCJmTYDkCU8Na0p9mRuNfk9ejGB3MN1k5Exx3R-8uo6jKv3CAV3BjgeF0uHUBvuhUsJl4DrDQBQ9Y0pS1mhf2KZple-zH241MLeBc2XF_ijJ_bq29UqPzxfHMKU1t-hsD/s200/0.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><b><span style="color: #29303b;">The first time I saw him I was at the florist, buying daisies to leave on my mama's </span><span style="background-color: lime;">grave</span><span style="color: #29303b;">. He was buying <span style="background-color: lime;">roses</span>. Our eyes met and his held something strange--like a warning. It left me shivering for a full <span style="background-color: lime;">minute </span>after he left. </span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #29303b;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>I noticed him again at the hardware store, where I bought
rope and he bought duck-tape. Then at the liquor store where I paid eighteen
dollars for some Bud and he paid eighty dollars for some scotch. <o:p></o:p></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>He seemed smooth. Polished. Sophisticated. The kind
of guy who’d have women chasing him. I didn’t envy him. I didn’t want women chasing
me. My mama had only been dead for five years. I was mourning. <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvaKPfoYUxjzVMjXN4f8azJhR5mLrnrNwIZ950Rg7Irdius1nSLkQZs7_0P8Hj2qC_uxpK2OhdybhYWvrCcrVb9j24zLCo5H-GKDhI5u1KjtFD7H33PtreLX7txuSFbKomeHP-O9YxSjXH/s1600/00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvaKPfoYUxjzVMjXN4f8azJhR5mLrnrNwIZ950Rg7Irdius1nSLkQZs7_0P8Hj2qC_uxpK2OhdybhYWvrCcrVb9j24zLCo5H-GKDhI5u1KjtFD7H33PtreLX7txuSFbKomeHP-O9YxSjXH/s320/00.jpg" width="241" /></b></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #29303b;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>Still, he fascinated me. I seemed to see him everywhere.
Whenever he caught me watching, he’d respond with a mocking smile that filled
me with both longing and revulsion. I became so caught up in him that I barely noticed
the murders tearing apart my town. <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #29303b;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>At least until they arrested me. <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #29303b;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>He was there my whole trial. At night, he’d come in
my cell and whisper the details of his killings. When they found me guilty, he
bragged about how he’d <i>made</i> me honor
mama’s wishes. He’d forced me to leave my mark. <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Slowly, the days passed. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Slowly, I learned to </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="background-color: lime;">close</span> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">my eyes and become one with him. </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">He’s no longer everything I’m not. Together, we’re charming.
Cultured. </span><i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Smart.</i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> Together, we planned
our escape. We’re gonna make our mama proud. </span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #29303b;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #29303b;">P.S. Both pics were found through Google Images. Since the second is someone's artwork, I'm including the link to the page </span><a href="http://www.gregtariff.com/Split-Personality"><b><span style="color: red;">HERE</span></b></a><span style="color: #29303b;"> if anyone wants to check it out. </span></i></div>
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Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070551912944266954noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572019667107395682.post-31771490020439017542013-02-11T00:22:00.001-08:002013-02-11T11:12:10.471-08:00EXPRESS YOURSELF--FAVORITE COUPLES...Hey guys,<br />
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I've been meaning to participate in <a href="http://jackiefelger.blogspot.com/p/express-yourself-weekly-meme.html"><b><span style="background-color: red; color: black;">Express Yourself </span></b></a>for awhile now, but I kept getting sidetracked. Anyway, I finally managed to get my act together and remember this week! haha. If you guys are interested<span style="background-color: red;"> <span style="color: red;"><b><a href="http://jackiefelger.blogspot.com/p/express-yourself-weekly-meme.html">Express Yourself</a></b> </span></span>is a weekly meme hosted by Jackie Felger at <b><span style="color: red;"><a href="http://jackiefelger.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: red;">Bouquet of Books</a></span></b> and Dani at <b style="background-color: red;"><a href="http://www.danibertrand.blogspot.com/">Entertaining Interests.</a> </b><br />
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As you can see by the picture, each week they ask a different fun and interesting question.<br />
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This weeks question is: <b><i>Who is your favorite couple? They can be fictional, historical or even present day.</i></b><br />
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Being a bit of a romance junkie, I think this is an awesome question. Since I read mostly YA, the first couples to come to mind were both from my favorite YA books: The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices, by Cassandra Clare.<br />
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Let me start by saying I absolutely adore Jace and Clary from The Mortal Instruments. They are just so damn in love, but nothing is <i>ever</i> easy for them. Every time they start to catch a break, fate chucks another monkey-wrench right at their heads. It's always a blast to read about their struggle to remain true to each other while fighting the forces of evil. :) Plus, Jace is your classic bad boy saved by the love of a good woman, and I can never seem to resist that.<br />
<i style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 17.99715805053711px;"><b>“There is no pretending,” Jace said with absolute clarity. “I love you, and I will love you until I die and if there’s a life after that, I’ll love you then.”</b></i><br />
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Tied with them for my favorite couple are Will and Tessa from Infernal Devices. Or do I mean Jem and Tessa? Crap! I can never choose!!</div>
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Although I normally don't really enjoy love triangles, this particular one is so well done I'm totally captivated. The fact that Will and Jem love <i>each other</i> just as much as they love Tessa gives this "love triangle" an added dimension that I haven't seen done before--or at least not done anywhere near this well.<br />
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Plus, normally, in these situations, it's disgustingly clear who the girl will choose. This isn't like a Twilight thing where everyone always knew that Bella would choose creepy-ass sparkly-icicle Edward over fun-loving, hot-as-hell Jacob. hehe...sorry...I digress...<br />
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In this particular triangle, it's impossible to see what choice Tessa will make. I honestly believe she's in love with both these boys. (And I'm highly impressed that Cassandra Clare somehow made a situation I wouldn't normally believe possible seem perfectly feasible.) Plus, no matter <i>who</i> Tessa chooses, nobody is walking away in one piece. The whole tragedy of it all makes for irresistible reading.<br />
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Honestly, now that I've been forced to really think about this...I've decided my second choice for favorite "couple" is Jem and Will. I'm fully aware that these two are not <i>romantically </i>in love. But the friendship and brotherhood between them is just as compelling as any love story I've ever read. In fact, it's Jem and Will's friendship, even more than their love for Tessa, that keeps me fully invested in these books.<br />
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<b><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 17.99715805053711px;">“But—but...” Will sputtered.</span></i></b><br />
<b><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 17.99715805053711px;">“Oh, leave it,” said Jem, kicking Will, not without affection, lightly on the ankle.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 17.99715805053711px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 17.99715805053711px;">“She annexed my plan!”</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 17.99715805053711px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 17.99715805053711px;">“Will,” Tessa said firmly. “Do you care more about the plan being enacted or about getting credit for it?”</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 17.99715805053711px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 17.99715805053711px;">Will pointed a finger at her. “That,” he said. “The second one.” </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 17.99715805053711px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 17.99715805053711px;">― </span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/150038.Cassandra_Clare" style="background-color: white; color: #666600; font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 17.99715805053711px; text-decoration: initial;">Cassandra Clare</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 17.99715805053711px;">, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 17.99715805053711px;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/6674845" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: initial;">Clockwork Prince</a></span></i></b><br />
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So, what about you guys? Who are some other great couples you love?<br />
<br />Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070551912944266954noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572019667107395682.post-89008853067055423212013-02-07T23:42:00.001-08:002013-02-08T00:10:10.227-08:00Celebrate and Spunk on a Stick...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Okay, so I want to post about a couple things today. One is the <span style="color: red;"><b style="background-color: red;"><a href="http://viklit.blogspot.com/2013/01/celebrate-small-things-join-me.html">Celebrate the Small Things Bloghop</a> </b></span>hosted by <span style="background-color: red; color: blue;"><a href="http://viklit.blogspot.com/" style="font-weight: bold;">VikLit</a><b> </b></span>and the other is a book promotion for Diane Wolfe at<span style="background-color: red;"> <span style="color: red;"><b><a href="http://circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com/">Spunk on a Stick</a></b> </span></span>which I signed up for and then somehow stupidly missed. I'm sorry Diane!!<br />
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So, I'll start out with the<span style="background-color: red; color: blue;"> <b><a href="http://viklit.blogspot.com/2013/02/celebrate-small-things-1feb.html">Celebrate </a></b></span> bloghop. For anyone interested in joining, we post every Friday about whatever we want to celebrate that week.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjceTvyYonKqcwZxO0tNYcNa2M2DXw11yHu0WGgLrdK2jAqjNJEUrk8aed1IcVoF4iJNLJo7wCtzxV0IU8F_0estqjkTmHeE_rMB_ATOmQ6XDMF_-Obd095-FTfKVU7xtCqhHDTQ2bxMzkI/s1600/KASS2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjceTvyYonKqcwZxO0tNYcNa2M2DXw11yHu0WGgLrdK2jAqjNJEUrk8aed1IcVoF4iJNLJo7wCtzxV0IU8F_0estqjkTmHeE_rMB_ATOmQ6XDMF_-Obd095-FTfKVU7xtCqhHDTQ2bxMzkI/s200/KASS2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6HprwOHaIztmHY6mZj_-LUieu0RC-7KEjPF0M8RIobpF9EoLgdEQb0a_wqnL2ci1ZPABGINcPx2ogJMTy1YFFvc7-LilpDfGM_O0RcLx4m8aFKY281ZmLnTnRIlWVnFCncIGUXa6BKRzQ/s1600/KASS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6HprwOHaIztmHY6mZj_-LUieu0RC-7KEjPF0M8RIobpF9EoLgdEQb0a_wqnL2ci1ZPABGINcPx2ogJMTy1YFFvc7-LilpDfGM_O0RcLx4m8aFKY281ZmLnTnRIlWVnFCncIGUXa6BKRzQ/s400/KASS.jpg" width="301" /></a>I have some awesome stuff to celebrate!! The first and absolutely biggest, most important thing is that my youngest daughter, Kassidy Rose, won first place in a young adult playwright competition. The contest was open to all eighth graders in our county, including homeschoolers like Kass. She will receive $500.00 and on top of that, get to cast, direct and put on the play at our local community theater. This is the <i>second </i>year in a row Kassidy has won first place and I'm so proud of her!! And yes, I felt the need to post two pictures of my beautiful girl, cause I couldn't decide which one to use to show her off. :)<br />
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My other things are much smaller--but they still made me happy. One is a beautiful dragon shield my daughter, Meggie, got me for my birthday. I wish I could've captured the sheen of light on the silver parts, but my iPhone wouldn't pick that up. Still, I managed to get a pretty good shot of it. :)<br />
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The other is this adorable dragon incense burner my husband bought me. I named him Rhaegal after one of the dragon babies on Game of Thrones. Please note the smoke coming out of Rhaegal's nose. I think this is one of my favorite b'day presents ever!<br />
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And, sticking with the theme of dragon's, Al Diaz at <a href="http://fatherdragon.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: red;">Father Dragon Writes</span> </a>awarded me the Cutie Pie award. Yay! I was very honored, cause Al has one of my all time favorite blogs. For anyone who hasn't checked it out, I highly suggest you stop by Father Dragon's blog to hear the wisdom and humor he dispenses on a daily basis. </div>
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And, to make it even better, I get to pass the award on to five other people! So, I nominate: Jaybird at <span style="background-color: red;"><b><a href="http://jabirdsnest.blogspot.com/">The Birds Nest</a>,</b></span> Sus at <span style="background-color: red;"><b><a href="http://susreviews.blogspot.com/">Book Reviews by Sus</a>, <a href="http://chrisallenriley.blogspot.com/">Chris Allen-Riley</a>, <a href="http://davidpowersking.blogspot.com/">David Powers King</a></b></span> and Ella at <span style="background-color: red;"><b><a href="http://ellasedge.blogspot.com/">Ella's Edge</a>.</b> </span>These are all excellent blogs and I really hope you guys take a minute to check them out if you aren't already following. :)</div>
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And, even though I'm late posting for Diane, here is the information on her awesome book, you guys should definitely check it out!!<br />
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<br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;" />
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<b>By L. Diane Wolfe</b></div>
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• Traditional publishing</div>
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• Self-publishing</div>
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• Print and e-book setup, formatting, and distribution</div>
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• Finding your target audience</div>
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• Generating reviews and media interest</div>
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• Networking and developing an online presence</div>
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• Promotional materials and appearances</div>
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Uncover your ideal publishing path and numerous marketing options before you begin. Writing is your dream. Give it the best chance for success!</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">$14.95 Trade paperback ISBN 978-0-9827139-5-2</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">$4.99 Ebook ISBN 978-0-9827139-9-0</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">Publishing/Marketing, 210 pages, Dancing Lemur Press LLC</span><br />
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<b style="background-color: red; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">Purchase at <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/">Barnes & Noble</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/">Amazon,</a> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Publish-Promote-Your-Book-ebook/dp/B00B8X5WEM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1360309122&sr=8-2&keywords=publish+and+promote+your+book+now">Amazon Kindle</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Publish-Promote-Your-Book-ebook/dp/B00B8X5WEM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1360309122&sr=8-2&keywords=publish+and+promote+your+book+now">Amazon Kindle UK</a>, and<a href="http://www.powells.com/biblio/61-9780982713952-0"> Powell’s</a>.</b><br />
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<i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">“She gives an unbiased take on the advantages and disadvantages of traditional publishing and self-publishing and publishing paths that combine the two… It's the perfect book for those who want an overview to begin the decision-making process.” </i><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">- </span><a href="http://howtodoitfrugally.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #000995; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-decoration: initial;" target="_blank">Carolyn Howard-Johnson,</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"> author of the multi award-winning series of how-to books for writers </span><br />
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<i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">“A must-read for writers planning on self-publishing or any writer who wants the ultimate how-to on promoting. Tons of links, advice, and how-to, whether you're going for print or e-publication.” </i><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">- </span><a href="http://helenginger.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #000995; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-decoration: initial;" target="_blank">Helen Ginger,</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"> author of Angel Sometimes </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">May it help you on your journey!</span>Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070551912944266954noreply@blogger.com44tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572019667107395682.post-71102726725980972912013-02-06T08:56:00.001-08:002013-02-06T08:58:17.953-08:00IWSG<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So, it's Insecure Writer's Support Group, and I almost missed it!! I'm posting a twinge late, but I'm getting it done. :)<br />
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For those of you who don't know <b><a href="http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/p/the-insecure-writers-support-group.html"><span style="color: red;">IWSG</span> </a></b>is hosted by the awesome <a href="http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/"><b><span style="color: red;">Alex Cavanaugh</span></b></a>. It's a place where, on the first Wed. of every month, insecure writers everywhere come together to cheer each other on or just commiserate about our trials. If you haven't signed up, make sure to add your name to the list!!<br />
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Also, be sure to visit this month's co-hosts, <span style="color: red; font-weight: bold;">Stephen Tremp </span>and <b><a href="http://julieflanders.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: red;">Julie Flanders!</span></a></b><br />
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Since I'm posting a bit late and, since my last post before this was pretty heavy, I decided to go with the path of cheering up anyone who might be feeling a little down/insecure today. Just remember, at one point, JK Rowling, Stephanie Meyer and Suzanne Collins were all just beginner writers--the same as you and me!<br />
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And now they are big enough that the whole world knows what this means....</div>
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And this:</div>
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This:</div>
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Haha...you guys know I had to include extra Harry Potter stuff, right? Hope this made you smile. Have a great day!! </div>
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Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070551912944266954noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572019667107395682.post-49480141706791494162013-02-03T22:23:00.001-08:002013-02-04T12:34:12.318-08:00Overcoming Adversity...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">Today is the <a href="http://nickwilford.blogspot.com/2013/01/overcoming-adversity-blogfest.html"><span style="color: red;"><b>Adversity Bloghop,</b></span></a> hosted by Nick Wilford at <a href="http://nickwilford.blogspot.com/2013/01/overcoming-adversity-blogfest.html"><b><span style="color: red;">Scattergun Scribblings</span></b>.</a> This bloghop is to raise money for college for Nick's stepson, Andrew, who has cerebral palsy. I think it's an excellent cause and would highly encourage anyone reading this to check out Nick's blog to learn more about it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">P.S. As a quick addendum, I've been looking around at other people's stuff and realized I did this wrong. My apologies. I guess it was supposed to be a short story--more like a fiction kind of piece. I thought we were supposed to talk about actual adversities we'd overcome. So, I guess I messed up the rules a bit, but I'm still leaving this up cause I wrote it and I tried but, fair warning for anyone reading, that this is not like the other stories on this bloghop. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">I thought a lot about what to write for this. We all have our things in life to overcome and I've definitely had my share of adversity. There are a lot of things that would've been much easier to talk about than what I ended up choosing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">But, in the end, I decided to write the story you're about to read. I wanted to write about this because, at the time that it happened, there were days I didn't think I'd get through it. There were days when all I wanted was to never wake up again. But, after a long, long time, I came out the other side of it and maybe somebody will read this and will know that, no matter how horrible something is, there can still be a life beyond it--just maybe not the life you thought you'd have.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I was only eighteen when I married my husband. Twenty-one when I gave birth to our first daughter, Caitlyn. Twenty-two when our second little girl, Meggie, was born. Twenty-four when I had our first son, little Marc--dubbed Quick at some point during the pregnancy and known to everyone as such.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Looking back, it's so crazy. We were little more than kids ourselves. We were still young enough to believe we were indestructible and, by extension, so were our babies. And yeah, other people had bad things happen to them--but me and Marc had both already lived tough lives. We'd already overcome so much adversity that it never occurred to me how much worse there could be on the horizon...We were young and in love and life seemed kinda like one of those country songs--the one where the washing machine breaks and the bills don't get paid, but you know it's all gonna work out in the end. We had these beautiful kids and we had each other and we had our whole lives stretched out in front of us like an endless summer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">And then, when Quick was three and a half months old, he died on Christmas day. We all laid down for a nap, only our little boy never woke back up. I won't ever forget the sound of my husband's screams when he found him. It took a really long time for me to hear any music in my life again, because all I could hear for a lot of years were those screams.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">There are probably people reading this who are wondering why I would write about something as horrific as a baby dying. But I'm writing about it because it happened. We lost our son and, in losing him, lost our hope and our faith and our youth and <i>ourselves</i>. And it took a long time to find those things again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">And during that time, we wanted to give up. We both wanted to die...but we didn't. Because we still had two little girls to live for. We still had each other. And those things are worth fighting for.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">It's been nineteen years now. Long enough to look back and know that, if Quick had never died, our whole lives would have been different. I wouldn't have ever had any more kids, which means Chance and Kassidy would've never been born. The person I was before I lost my son would've never considered something like homeschooling--a choice that radically changed the people all four of my children grew into.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Looking back, the person I was before Quick is almost a stranger to me. I have to believe that he came along to touch my heart and touch my life and force me--through the heartbreaking loss of him--to become the person I was <i>meant</i> to be.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Sometimes I look at Chance (that's where we got the name, he was our second Chance) and I wonder if he looks like his brother. I wonder if Quick would've liked to write? Or would he have been more into sports? Would he have had the same sense of humor as Chance or would he have been more serious? Those are questions I'll never be able to answer. But I was <i>meant </i>to have Chance. I cannot regret having him. Having Kassidy. I cannot regret having the life the loss of Quick lead to.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">But I will always regret that I didn't get to watch my first little boy grow up. I will always miss him. I will always love him. And I will always hope that someday, somehow, I get to hold him in my arms again. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Until then, I will tell him thank you for coming into my life for as long as he did. For making me a better person and a better parent. For giving me his little brother and sister. For all of it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Thank you, son. </span>Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070551912944266954noreply@blogger.com49tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572019667107395682.post-39982308070202607352013-01-31T20:40:00.001-08:002013-01-31T20:43:50.116-08:00Celebrate the Small Things<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhU84BkLXAOMxin6s2RRUPGx-q8f0F-OpHIpIv1uoEM8_gaWPaGQLa7NFUiUEfBk0e4nomAYySo5_Y-qQwd3NX8i6G0X5mNReAkGcvdp-SgrBySshgh9L32tkZXsT4Bt3P_OQ-UdwqAoU_/s1600/000000000002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhU84BkLXAOMxin6s2RRUPGx-q8f0F-OpHIpIv1uoEM8_gaWPaGQLa7NFUiUEfBk0e4nomAYySo5_Y-qQwd3NX8i6G0X5mNReAkGcvdp-SgrBySshgh9L32tkZXsT4Bt3P_OQ-UdwqAoU_/s1600/000000000002.jpg" /></a></div>
It's Friday again, which means it's time for the<b> </b><span style="color: red;"><b>Celebrate the Small Things Bloghop</b>,</span> hosted by VicLit at <a href="http://viklit.blogspot.co.uk/"><b><span style="color: red;">Scribblings of an Aspiring Writer</span></b></a>. Make sure to pop over to say hi and sign up to celebrate with us!<br />
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So, I was thinking of things to be grateful for and the first thing that popped into my head is one of the first things that <i>always </i>pops into my head when I remember what I have to be thankful for--my husband.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpHa5lI0Nf9ymoGsP4_Hc0nz5NNo843MQNVsIwVMOIkjaW3SUnMk8CYUCvjIkyjiWj-DOpFBJAVLNUB_fnuibomKHA5T3wchKK9arlBMagxwtOQWSaosp_3-hkNI47vfx55HJzqREHDcnW/s1600/me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpHa5lI0Nf9ymoGsP4_Hc0nz5NNo843MQNVsIwVMOIkjaW3SUnMk8CYUCvjIkyjiWj-DOpFBJAVLNUB_fnuibomKHA5T3wchKK9arlBMagxwtOQWSaosp_3-hkNI47vfx55HJzqREHDcnW/s320/me.jpg" width="278" /></a>He is the best, most-supportive, awesome husband in the world. We've been married for twenty-five years last June, and I wouldn't be who I am without him. He has been the single-most defining force in my life, the one person I can always count on, no matter what. He is also a great father who is always there for our four kids.<br />
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I've been in love with him since I was fifteen and I only love him more now than I did all those years ago.<br />
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What about you guys? Married? Single? What are you grateful for this week?Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070551912944266954noreply@blogger.com39tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572019667107395682.post-37565584119406182762013-01-30T23:26:00.000-08:002013-01-30T23:26:00.341-08:00Thursdays Children...Inspiration...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2_ZBHqt0zJdtRYDAYvi0iLnpEDFbYheI8EJQ5n1lK2BVsl79doO1_b3OmBL7ZzTqGoPnn4ufQ0lIK8KUBVKTcUL-y5NWRM-l6L9NcdqVowouRPz7GQMc-CUTxfBSVaNiOysIXx1hw36QD/s1600/Thursdays+Children.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2_ZBHqt0zJdtRYDAYvi0iLnpEDFbYheI8EJQ5n1lK2BVsl79doO1_b3OmBL7ZzTqGoPnn4ufQ0lIK8KUBVKTcUL-y5NWRM-l6L9NcdqVowouRPz7GQMc-CUTxfBSVaNiOysIXx1hw36QD/s1600/Thursdays+Children.jpg" /></a></div>
So, it's Thursday again. Boy these weeks are going fast! That means it's time for Thursday's Children, hosted by the lovely <a href="http://rhiannwynnnolet.com/"><b><span style="color: red;">Rhiann Wynn-Nolet </span></b></a>and <b><a href="http://www.kristinaperez.com/"><span style="color: red;">Kristina Perez.</span></a></b><br />
<br />
I spent a lot of tonight reading over what me and Chance, (my son) have written so far in our book. We're now 55,000 words in--so 2/3 of the way there. It was past due to see if the chapters were flowing together as a whole. And...they are. Yay! Haha...<br />
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And that's one of the things that inspires me the most about writing. Taking an idea and a character (or set of characters) and watching as, bit by bit, they transform into something new under your fingers. The whole thing really takes on a life of it's own, to where I'm almost looking back and going, "Wow. Did we really write this?"<br />
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And I don't mean that in a conceited way--the book is still in it's first draft, so obviously it will need a lot of refining. I mean it more in the way of just being surprised to see how completely real the characters are and how our ideas translate from our head to the page and somehow, on the journey in between, turn into something so unexpectedly <i>alive.</i><br />
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I used to think if I plotted a book out the whole, "coming to life" thing wouldn't happen. It seemed like that would be something strictly obtained by just flying by the seat of my pants and letting the story do what it would. Turns out I was wrong...<br />
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How about you? Do you plot things out or let your characters choose their own paths? Do you feel that your characters/their stories seem to flow from somewhere else when you're really in the zone? Somewhere so far inside of yourself that it almost doesn't seem like <i>you</i> at all? Or is it more of a methodical process?<br />
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P.S. Sorry for not putting the linky list up. Go <b><span style="color: red;"><a href="http://www.linkytools.com/wordpress_list.aspx?id=182630&type=basic">HERE </a></span></b>for it! John told me how to post it but it's two in the morning and I have a headache, so I didn't feel like messing with it. haha<br />
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Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070551912944266954noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572019667107395682.post-80633002460052044982013-01-27T20:07:00.002-08:002013-01-27T20:07:23.213-08:00Reintroduce Yourself...<span style="font-size: large;">Hi guys! Monday again after an awesome weekend. And today is a fun day, cause it's the reintroduce yourself blogfest, hosted by the awesome <a href="http://markkoopmans.blogspot.mx/"><b><span style="color: red;">Mark Koopman</span></b></a>, <a href="http://cmbrown-books.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: red;"><b>C.M. Brown</b></span></a>, <a href="http://elisefallson.blogspot.com/"><b><span style="color: red;">Elise Fallson</span></b></a> and <a href="http://breakthroughblogs.blogspot.com/"><b><span style="color: red;">Stephen Tremp.</span></b></a> Make sure to stop by all their sites to say hi!! </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">In the meantime, things about myself: </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfCOE1e8bqa1vxts5X1JNN9SSAdNSB0v0rM7waTQDSoEhobkr9AsmVU0NeF6H54HWSgKVY-2INuhKvPD19sDD4RmhVQhUncoRpYpH09oEzQXmVfosa1sx4Fc8Myxbrq9c0pS1a8izs7IRQ/s1600/0.0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfCOE1e8bqa1vxts5X1JNN9SSAdNSB0v0rM7waTQDSoEhobkr9AsmVU0NeF6H54HWSgKVY-2INuhKvPD19sDD4RmhVQhUncoRpYpH09oEzQXmVfosa1sx4Fc8Myxbrq9c0pS1a8izs7IRQ/s400/0.0.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">My
favorite place is Disneyworld. My second favorite place is the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
Because of the two above-mentioned things, my house looks sort of like an
ambitious thirteen year old decorated it. Tons of Disney figurines everywhere,
a dragon shield in the dining room, and wind-chimes hanging in almost every
corner. I don't know what the wind-chimes have to do with anything but I
thought I'd mention them. I love it though. It goes with my family, which is loud, irreverent and about as unconventional as someone could get. My four kids, husband, rotten grandson and four doggies are all my favorite parts of being me. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070551912944266954noreply@blogger.com60tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572019667107395682.post-85116551575451056772013-01-24T22:51:00.003-08:002013-01-24T23:02:53.665-08:00Small Things...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjKPPaMS5IJPB0dzt0PBsmtFEKIVeQhJyhMZjbudJZKzG82L1ppYVOo4DPr48OJS15IUDKdCkF7o-BQy4Uw-4n6MSSWdgxGSnOtWBdj1UEWHygOu7eJqEShAVv5OE5stsMOtfbMayNerxU/s1600/000000000002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjKPPaMS5IJPB0dzt0PBsmtFEKIVeQhJyhMZjbudJZKzG82L1ppYVOo4DPr48OJS15IUDKdCkF7o-BQy4Uw-4n6MSSWdgxGSnOtWBdj1UEWHygOu7eJqEShAVv5OE5stsMOtfbMayNerxU/s1600/000000000002.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">So, today is my first week of the weekly <b>"celebrate the small things blog-hop," </b>hosted by <a href="http://viklit.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/celebrate-small-things-join-me.html"><span style="color: red;"><b>VikLit's Writing Blog</b></span></a>. I love the idea of celebrating small things that I've achieved and I'm happy about every week. It's always easy to think of things to be down about--particularly during the querying/contest process, but it's not as often that I get a reminder to give myself a pat on the back.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">This week it's really easy for me to think of what I'm happy about because I'm a little over 40K in to my new book. It was pretty hard for me to get invested in a whole new story/new characters after working on the last book for over a year. And then, earlier this week, it all clicked and, suddenly, I had this book just pouring out of me like the easiest thing in the world--you guys know what I mean--when the characters start talking so loud you can barely sleep at night for listening to them and you can't wait to get up in the morning to get back to them.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Honestly, I really like the last book I wrote--but it didn't feel like this. I haven't felt this level of inspiration since the very first year I was writing. It's the first time in a really long time that the process isn't cluttered up with doubts and rejections and blah blah blah...None of that matters right now. Right now the story is the most important thing--and the story feels like magic.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">And, so you guys can be happy too, here's something for you:</span><br />
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<br />Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070551912944266954noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572019667107395682.post-69995498361707659312013-01-20T21:33:00.000-08:002013-01-21T23:35:38.994-08:0018 things...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga7ezsGDQh6pDy8fwQOKmdEDiwiIhdXYPkK3G5uvF6sOmIDEPeRECRRutBFTTImqoUSUXQW8AmgSXJiVVloB0tN_7NLJuOu6CJx6HS07Yg8Xw1AwNqxIzG7UyTtmiYrvvWgvN5PbpiFIZB/s1600/12345sm18-things.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga7ezsGDQh6pDy8fwQOKmdEDiwiIhdXYPkK3G5uvF6sOmIDEPeRECRRutBFTTImqoUSUXQW8AmgSXJiVVloB0tN_7NLJuOu6CJx6HS07Yg8Xw1AwNqxIzG7UyTtmiYrvvWgvN5PbpiFIZB/s200/12345sm18-things.gif" width="140" /></a></div>
In order to celebrate the release of her first book, <b>18 Things</b>, which is coming out in 2 DAYS!!! <b><a href="http://jamieayres.com/2013/01/14/what-are-your-18-things-blogfest-kinda-signup-not-just-for-bloggers-anymore/"><span style="color: red;">JAMIE AYRES </span></a><span style="color: white;"> </span></b>is hosting the <a href="http://jamieayres.com/2013/01/14/what-are-your-18-things-blogfest-kinda-signup-not-just-for-bloggers-anymore/"><b><span style="color: red;">18 THINGS BLOGFEST</span></b></a><br />
<br />
I love the idea Jamie came up with for her blogfest! Cause everyone likes goals, right? Everyone loves a bucket list!! I haven't looked at my list in a couple years and it really hit home how much more I have to accomplish and that I better stop being cowardly and get my ass in gear with the querying. So, thank you, Jamie. If you guys haven't signed up yet, you have till the end of January, and Jamie is giving away some awesome prizes. Make sure to go check out her<a href="http://jamieayres.com/2013/01/14/what-are-your-18-things-blogfest-kinda-signup-not-just-for-bloggers-anymore/"><span style="color: red;"><b> SITE</b></span></a>.<br />
<br />
Here is my 18 things...<br />
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<b><span style="color: blue;">Get published</span></b> Technically<b>,</b> I already accomplished this one, so it should really read publish an actual book.<br />
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<b><span style="color: blue;">Go to a writer’s conference</span> </b> Funny that I will never have the money to do this unless I make it writing, at which point maybe it won't seem as important anymore? But I still think it would be fun to meet a ton of people who are passionate about writing!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEObCCIyJkFhmt_O5i5B3q2iUU_Zz6wIm4ojAVsfjp_YfsJXxpX3hqEyAqCddK1npPdS_Ykh4B4vc7g_0qNPovdYhOfFA_W26sMiiKvO5JstM6xPjSfiGHyHDsfwEiFt9rp04iwmMH5avg/s1600/000001111111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEObCCIyJkFhmt_O5i5B3q2iUU_Zz6wIm4ojAVsfjp_YfsJXxpX3hqEyAqCddK1npPdS_Ykh4B4vc7g_0qNPovdYhOfFA_W26sMiiKvO5JstM6xPjSfiGHyHDsfwEiFt9rp04iwmMH5avg/s200/000001111111.jpg" width="162" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><b>Swim with dolpins</b>.</span> Cause who <i>doesn't </i>want to swim with dolphins? </div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><b>Be an extra in a movie</b> </span>My son was in a Nickelodeon commercial when he was three. I can't have him being the only famous person in the family--it's just not right for him to one-up me like that. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9sUvndiFVGSs03TijHCjncIOo-dICqfrtt5VdeDn9eKfzxAa_AXO0kmRyQbm3qR54bQc0DI1rV-DR3W0Rwl0uquwGWVTELYq5mMBHZrgrHdIgDFTAc-LQODV20wdEfEf-rZEstl42xjLw/s1600/new+spiderman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9sUvndiFVGSs03TijHCjncIOo-dICqfrtt5VdeDn9eKfzxAa_AXO0kmRyQbm3qR54bQc0DI1rV-DR3W0Rwl0uquwGWVTELYq5mMBHZrgrHdIgDFTAc-LQODV20wdEfEf-rZEstl42xjLw/s1600/new+spiderman.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of my most popular faces</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b><span style="color: blue;">Get a canvas I made hung in an art gallery.</span></b> It would probably help this goal immensely to actually <i>make</i> said canvas. </div>
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<b><span style="color: blue;">Volunteer face-paint at a children’s hospital </span></b>I've volunteered for a million other things with my face-painting skills, but never in a hospital. One of these days...</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrjqWPuTNF-LuD3BLtfqqpJ0neBXamyCZJ1AFsGRqkfksS4RDi25tXvdN5jVlvSLxrQYTLHhfYWBAjmlVQxTfmRq8Kb4B-9Vtq1BDTe4EilLxL3aExt7nwR87ffEGdXYeuNKx5mcGarQ_Z/s1600/00000000000000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrjqWPuTNF-LuD3BLtfqqpJ0neBXamyCZJ1AFsGRqkfksS4RDi25tXvdN5jVlvSLxrQYTLHhfYWBAjmlVQxTfmRq8Kb4B-9Vtq1BDTe4EilLxL3aExt7nwR87ffEGdXYeuNKx5mcGarQ_Z/s1600/00000000000000.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">aaaaawww...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b><span style="color: blue;">Go snorkeling in Key West </span></b>I only live eight hours from here. A hop, skip and jump. </div>
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<b><span style="color: blue;">Work at a monkey rescue for a weekend..</span> </b>Again, who <i>wouldn't </i>want to take care of orphaned primates???</div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><b>Speak on some sort of panel about writing</b> </span>Unlike most people, I like speaking in public. I generally just like running my mouth. Having a room-full of people who have to listen to me would be awesome. </div>
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<b><span style="color: blue;">Start business making/selling handcrafted mirrors and stuff </span></b>This is one that requires my husband's help. He seems to need a swift kick in the ass for motivation.</div>
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<b><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue;">Write/publish a book with my son</span> </b>Enough said.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCO8rHQvGekxDpbsMZMK17oGqmln5Q6aTc_KZZNgdbNYC9AV2kcnL-xmrNWOz-SsG_dQDRLinr5ZDkP-fwT2ipB8Z6bdqBoB9OQ8A2vFTnL3RAQRBq_kj2jKKGLQFooFwFN6DNnPVkIvhO/s1600/BCirqueDuSoleilOVO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCO8rHQvGekxDpbsMZMK17oGqmln5Q6aTc_KZZNgdbNYC9AV2kcnL-xmrNWOz-SsG_dQDRLinr5ZDkP-fwT2ipB8Z6bdqBoB9OQ8A2vFTnL3RAQRBq_kj2jKKGLQFooFwFN6DNnPVkIvhO/s200/BCirqueDuSoleilOVO.jpg" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I need to see the person who can do this<br />
and not snap their body in half like a<br />
matchstick. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="color: blue;"><b>See Cirque Du Soleil</b> </span>I've always been fascinated with this, but the tickets are horrendously expensive. I might just settle for watching the movie when it comes out. Does that count?</div>
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<b><span style="color: blue;">Go to California </span></b>The geography fascinates me. CA has everything, if you're willing to drive around the state to find it. Mountains, deserts, oceans, snow, beautiful weather. Literally any landscape you could want. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKrujOGymQTv54M6DTizFsdJepxNeZv93epT6iRxxtwWADoREZlajQDjr6FV_MENL1P3V5mq2XomxA3kQ_RlBUlvE_-s1wbIhmzMYKhcRNmufTVCVfTK6fWPgn4yv_7GF_cG_NWKJx2SGM/s1600/16Prague.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKrujOGymQTv54M6DTizFsdJepxNeZv93epT6iRxxtwWADoREZlajQDjr6FV_MENL1P3V5mq2XomxA3kQ_RlBUlvE_-s1wbIhmzMYKhcRNmufTVCVfTK6fWPgn4yv_7GF_cG_NWKJx2SGM/s1600/16Prague.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prague</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="color: blue;"><b>Visit somewhere outside the U.S</b>. </span>Preferrably Venice or Prague. Between Cassie Clare and Laini Taylor, I'm dying to see both these places. </div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><b>Take my family on a Disney Cruise</b> </span>There is nothing Disney that I don't like. Except their prices, of course.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk22tf9cNT-58ec_p7ESzzMg3Xnkd7kweOwbzAF9rxhn_8W3XV9kgifnq_mXKsRgR6coNEDs8hyphenhyphenuv6O-RgDfdZujykGsYfwyWWPk5b92mqLcxVDQQ28-h2LwXNohRGxc-MCp0y9kZHWgGK/s1600/bambi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk22tf9cNT-58ec_p7ESzzMg3Xnkd7kweOwbzAF9rxhn_8W3XV9kgifnq_mXKsRgR6coNEDs8hyphenhyphenuv6O-RgDfdZujykGsYfwyWWPk5b92mqLcxVDQQ28-h2LwXNohRGxc-MCp0y9kZHWgGK/s400/bambi.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue;">Buy at least one of the beautiful Disney paintings they sell
in the awesome gallery in Downtown Disney </span></b>Again, pricey, but sooooo pretty. I love the oil paintings the most. </div>
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<b><span style="color: blue;">Take my husband to a UFC fight! </span></b>He's a huge UFC fan and I'd love to do this for him. </div>
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<b><span style="color: blue;">This one kind of goes with the first but, since it’s my
biggest dream by far; I get to say it twice. Walk into a bookstore and see my
book on the shelf.</span></b> Everyone reading understands this one completely...</div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" />
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In order to participate in this blogfest, I decided to forego my normal Teaser Tuesday post this week--but I'll be back next week! </div>
Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070551912944266954noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572019667107395682.post-31892127911260611732013-01-18T19:05:00.000-08:002013-01-18T19:09:03.552-08:00The Worst Beginning Ever...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbZZ_pjmFUqjLMe8q5Vht-Ysr6Jnrts7jlMra-o_cuMEUKuWKaqBssesUBfox-QN1zBmXRMOEZ3hW3Qvv1Lmo8sVmxIi0wDg5TqYKFnQ2NUZ2K4kY1mHS3tmMX6xfkdom1qg920MmEjFfr/s1600/1234.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbZZ_pjmFUqjLMe8q5Vht-Ysr6Jnrts7jlMra-o_cuMEUKuWKaqBssesUBfox-QN1zBmXRMOEZ3hW3Qvv1Lmo8sVmxIi0wDg5TqYKFnQ2NUZ2K4kY1mHS3tmMX6xfkdom1qg920MmEjFfr/s1600/1234.png" /></a></div>
So, <a href="http://sylmion.blogspot.com/"><b><span style="color: red;">MISHA GERRICK</span></b></a> is hosting the <a href="http://sylmion.blogspot.com/2013/01/announcing-word-master-challenge.html"><span style="color: red;"><b>WORD MASTER CHALLENGE</b></span></a>. You can click on the link to get the details. Her challenge for this month is to write a horrible beginning to a novel, in less than 300 words. That was a challenge I couldn't resist and I had a ton of fun with it, so thanks, Misha, for coming up with this one!!<br />
<br />
Can't wait to see next month's challenge! And, here is my try at the worst beginning ever:<br />
<br />
I am running, my feet sinking into the drenched, grimy
earth! The moist texture of the terrane reminds me of the ambrosial chocolate
pudding with crumbling towers of Oreo cookies that my sweet mama used to make. <i>“Mama, can I stir?” “be careful, honey.” “I
will be, mama”</i> Stirring the pudding I am humming as warmth embraces me in
it’s silky busom.<br />
<br />
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<br /></div>
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My breath bounces from my lungs as I look behind myself, <i>wretchedly</i> wishing I was stirring pudding and singing beautiful songs,
instead of in this ebony coppice, that’s just like the forest from Snow
White, in that part where the trees blaze to jagged life and grasp with emaciated arms! Only, in Snow White, it was her imagination. I only<i> wish</i> this is my imagination, but the
undulating wailing of the hounds hunting behind me <i>demolishes</i> my hopes to shredded tatters of dreams.</div>
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<br /></div>
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If the dogs <i>capture </i>me
they will<i> slash</i> me to shreds as I
shriek my last torn-apart howls of agony!! But still, I would slaughter that Lord
again, even <i>knowing</i> that I would be dashing through this atramentous forest. The Lord was <i>wrong </i>to do what he did and somebody <i>had</i> to halt the evil that gushes from him like a river splashing
into a gargantuan waterfall!</div>
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Someone <i>had</i> to be <i>lionhearted</i>!</div>
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And that someone was <i>me</i>!
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And I was <i>glad</i>, even
as I flee with my heart now bashing against the stockade of my chest, trying to pulse
itself free with it’s steady punching pulse.
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<br /></div>
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It pumps faster and I am <i>panicking
</i>now, wondering what to do, but just then my eyes pop open as I bolt upright in bed, drinking in razor-sharp whoops of oxygen. It was a dream. </div>
Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070551912944266954noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572019667107395682.post-57677060874245122342013-01-17T01:01:00.001-08:002013-01-17T01:04:35.178-08:00CHANCE...<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEbYMac9zW2yvd2MgYmiIlZPnqi-LbaPReDb-6WhtagYAMgyMx-l7QdHw3F3m36EUqaqK_JEdLn1XkLVW-9BJ-raZZW4a1fGXjQH6xKWsGgNUuAQr9pWILAdSAX8E6MIyJ0Kq7wP3pS_U3/s1600/1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEbYMac9zW2yvd2MgYmiIlZPnqi-LbaPReDb-6WhtagYAMgyMx-l7QdHw3F3m36EUqaqK_JEdLn1XkLVW-9BJ-raZZW4a1fGXjQH6xKWsGgNUuAQr9pWILAdSAX8E6MIyJ0Kq7wP3pS_U3/s320/1a.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and Chance face-painted in Gryffindor colors<br />
for Harry Potter</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So, really quickly, I'd like to start by saying to everyone that I'm sorry if I haven't been around on your blogs as much lately. I do my very best to keep up with everyone, but I am also hard at work on a new book and it's taking up a lot of my time. You guys all know how that is!!<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI01Vaw9w3jgFaIeV1co-qzcKUso27kDc7B67LxarV6cTHeyqWQ7bFeBUFGOBc7feM-y-TFgqM3Cc9WGfjaRVvlTsaeDNqGP6cqbZyVta6XHDm9qZH3UY4n9fjITRaI1Kp6-iWYvb7bYMG/s1600/00.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI01Vaw9w3jgFaIeV1co-qzcKUso27kDc7B67LxarV6cTHeyqWQ7bFeBUFGOBc7feM-y-TFgqM3Cc9WGfjaRVvlTsaeDNqGP6cqbZyVta6XHDm9qZH3UY4n9fjITRaI1Kp6-iWYvb7bYMG/s320/00.bmp" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and Chance being ridiculous together<br />
at Target. I love how silly he is!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Which leads me right into what I wanted to talk about for this weeks Thursday's Children Post. For those of you who don't know, Thursday's Children is a weekly bloghop hosted by Rhiann Wynn-Nolet at <a href="http://rhiannwynnnolet.com/"><b><span style="color: red;">NEST OF WORDS</span></b> </a> and <a href="http://www.kristinaperez.com/"><b><span style="color: red;">KRISTINA PEREZ</span></b></a>. It's a really fun bloghop, all about what inspires us as writers. I'm always surprised that more people don't join in, the linky-list is open and you guys can hop on board any week!!<br />
<br />
So, lately I've been finding my inspiration sitting directly beside me, kicking my butt to write faster. haha...His name is Chance and he's my sixteen year old son. We're almost 30K into a book we are writing together and it has been an awesome experience.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyMVnqnUXBlBb5jBHz3zp-z9izaG22s5pHF2ApK-0p9YVLH_hR8W8vkoiGtRGKBshz5Y5CP22wllkENpuvBAtYtPWo1DQwC-zWIvnoWtecfp4OxdUjbNcKFV2QqHCyEcN-8IM6MpiQsY0r/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyMVnqnUXBlBb5jBHz3zp-z9izaG22s5pHF2ApK-0p9YVLH_hR8W8vkoiGtRGKBshz5Y5CP22wllkENpuvBAtYtPWo1DQwC-zWIvnoWtecfp4OxdUjbNcKFV2QqHCyEcN-8IM6MpiQsY0r/s320/1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He looked so cute here I had to include this one. This is<br />
him and his oldest sister, Cait.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I was the one who got Chance interested in writing. As I've learned and grown as a writer, I've tried to pass those lessons onto him. Because I'm the one who taught him (my kids are homeschooled) his writing style is close enough to mine that we mesh really well. We also tend to think similarly, especially when it comes to making up crazy stories. In fact, I'd venture to say that, out of all my four kids, Chance is the one whose thought process is the most like mine.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHmGqqMpi1dscXlaJnNEXfE8fRJEjuq4o0WiQtz0_OWIjwyy2Qdjqb9fOF5okyZGmgqtT9pWD514uAyh-KJ5FV6DsNyRU_C_CgdWOjKc-zUxL-Fhw4FNo92la1tkL4UC-jWgwhUEJgVzAb/s1600/00000.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHmGqqMpi1dscXlaJnNEXfE8fRJEjuq4o0WiQtz0_OWIjwyy2Qdjqb9fOF5okyZGmgqtT9pWD514uAyh-KJ5FV6DsNyRU_C_CgdWOjKc-zUxL-Fhw4FNo92la1tkL4UC-jWgwhUEJgVzAb/s320/00000.bmp" width="214" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chance and his best buddy Jace,<br />
just hanging out like guys do</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
BUT--having said all that, he's <b><i>not</i></b> me. haha. He's far, far from me. And having his input into this book has taken it in directions that I would've never thought of going. This is--by far--the most action-packed thing I've tried to write. I'd say it's the first of my books that's equally plot and character-driven. It's much more raw than my last two books, and I love the grittier feel to it.<br />
<br />
It's also the first book I've written where the romance is strictly sub-plot, and that's been cool as well--venturing out of my comfort zone. Plus, Chance brings in the perfect authentic viewpoint of a teenage boy. Since the book is told in dual view-points of two teenage boys, that's a really handy thing to have.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCW6J8EYYSx5HjC-FrxlEK5VW13ZIuNE76VJPtp6CmcF3glu5YCkdL-g5vQRW-KFCiks8HkE4o2SIcl6ag9fR5H-9Gq1R9WLlBibeO-X2ZwLKYuZXohtkHIVVv3WMIZ6dveyLBL8hi0uVS/s1600/1.2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCW6J8EYYSx5HjC-FrxlEK5VW13ZIuNE76VJPtp6CmcF3glu5YCkdL-g5vQRW-KFCiks8HkE4o2SIcl6ag9fR5H-9Gq1R9WLlBibeO-X2ZwLKYuZXohtkHIVVv3WMIZ6dveyLBL8hi0uVS/s320/1.2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chance stealing my horse right in the middle<br />
of the ride!! He just got on and pushed me out<br />
of the way!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbef9K3IZ8rC0IfkTsz6OwJis_gtWpZwR6PQC8xhyUogSQPXSgWCjQPFIZSZ_-AiQhOZiwJHCzlrn46NGumpyyQvlf6NlGbg7oJ7mffIEvT2EMoYawCjoQmsULgQnINtDu_yelSQ8VZmuX/s1600/000.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbef9K3IZ8rC0IfkTsz6OwJis_gtWpZwR6PQC8xhyUogSQPXSgWCjQPFIZSZ_-AiQhOZiwJHCzlrn46NGumpyyQvlf6NlGbg7oJ7mffIEvT2EMoYawCjoQmsULgQnINtDu_yelSQ8VZmuX/s320/000.bmp" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I had to include this one, just cause it's so cool.<br />
Chance takes his Halloween costumes very<br />
seriously. This is an amalgamation of<br />
the Steampunk Giraffe Band Members</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Having Chance as my partner has been a truly amazing, inspiring experience. If any of you ever get the opportunity to write with someone else, I would highly recommend it. There's nothing like having someone else who loves your stories and characters as passionately as you do, who can help you plan when you get stuck, who can bounce ideas off you and dig you out of plot holes!!<br />
<br />
And, if you can find a writer who you happen to love more than anything else under the sun, I'd definitely say that's icing on the cake!! Can you tell this guy is my best friend? :)<br />
<br />
And, for anyone who's curiosity is peaked, I got tagged (again!) in the Next Big Thing bloghop, so I'll be posting more about me and Chance's book sometime this weekend.<br />
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Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070551912944266954noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572019667107395682.post-63014351063415662262013-01-15T00:20:00.005-08:002013-01-15T00:22:22.946-08:00Teaser TuesdaySo, it's time for Teaser Tuesday, hosted by Miz Biz at <b><a href="http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/"><span style="color: red;">SHOULD BE READING</span></a></b>. If you'd like to play, just grab the book you're currently reading, open to a random page, share 2 teaser sentences from somewhere on that page.<b> Make sure not to include spoilers!!!</b> Share the title and the author too, so other TT participants can add the book to their TBR pile!!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi2aldjsQEa6_XWSfSQ5DLMNvTyjxlMg7gz-gRpzFM8o9KwgMWwHB3UJnWeFwKrUHemOI3xemJrLJ3KrARuWa7vm3EI5cx1fyG2yNmixYnzHD7B1BzO7st5RSRNU1jf9QHUgDjpAxvKQom/s1600/aaaaaaaa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi2aldjsQEa6_XWSfSQ5DLMNvTyjxlMg7gz-gRpzFM8o9KwgMWwHB3UJnWeFwKrUHemOI3xemJrLJ3KrARuWa7vm3EI5cx1fyG2yNmixYnzHD7B1BzO7st5RSRNU1jf9QHUgDjpAxvKQom/s400/aaaaaaaa.jpg" width="266" /></a><span style="font-family: Chewy;"><span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 22.366666793823242px;">My book this week,<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12109772-paper-valentine"> <b><span style="color: red;">Paper Valentine</span></b></a><b><span style="color: red;">,</span></b> is by one of my favorite authors, <b><span style="color: red;">Brenna Yovanoff.</span></b><span style="color: #bf9000;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Chewy; font-size: 19px; line-height: 22.366666793823242px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Chewy; font-size: 19px; line-height: 22.366666793823242px;">This is her third book--following </span><b style="font-family: Chewy; font-size: 19px; line-height: 22.366666793823242px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Replacement-Brenna-Yovanoff/dp/1595143378/"><span style="color: red;">The Replacement</span></a></b><span style="font-family: Chewy; font-size: 19px; line-height: 22.366666793823242px;"> and </span><b style="font-family: Chewy; font-size: 19px; line-height: 22.366666793823242px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Space-Between-Brenna-Yovanoff/dp/1595144838/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1358237589&sr=1-1&keywords=the+space+between"><span style="color: red;">The Space Between</span></a></b><span style="font-family: Chewy; font-size: 19px; line-height: 22.366666793823242px;">. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Chewy; font-size: 19px; line-height: 22.366666793823242px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Chewy; font-size: 19px; line-height: 22.366666793823242px;">All three are excellent and I'd highly recommend them to anyone--but I think this might've been my favorite so far. It was deep and thoughtful and poetic and sweet and frightening and morbid and true. All at once. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Chewy;"><span style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 22.366666793823242px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Chewy;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 22.366666793823242px;"><i>The afternoon is still fresh like a slap, and Finny Boone is probably a sociopath. A big, lighter-stealing sociopath. But his eyes are steady and complicated, and I haven't really taken the time to notice boys since before Lillian died. </i></span></span><br />
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Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070551912944266954noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572019667107395682.post-59794803974400668472013-01-13T19:25:00.003-08:002013-01-13T19:28:50.214-08:00ABNA AND CUPID'S LIT AND PITCH WARS OH MY<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Who doesn't love a good contest???</td></tr>
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So, with the holidays over it seems like the contest season is starting up. I'm entering whatever ones I can because contests offer so much more than just the chance at an agent. I've met amazing people in almost every one I entered and that alone is reason enough to keep trying my luck with them.<br />
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Also, speaking of contests, I got a lot of really helpful answers on my <a href="http://onemagicbeanbuyer.blogspot.com/2013/01/quick-question-about-abna.html"><b><span style="color: red;">POST</span></b></a> about <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Breakthrough-Novel-Award-Books/b?ie=UTF8&node=332264011"><b><span style="color: red;">ABNA</span></b></a>. I'd like to go on record as saying I wasn't asking because I have some overblown idea that I'm like a shoo-in for the finalist round or something... haha. It was just curiosity, which was well satisfied by the answers I received.<br />
I am psyched about entering though! I know it's a huge long shot, but it's exciting in the same sort of way as playing the lottery. There's always that chance. :)<br />
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I'm also going to try to submit to the Blind Speed Dating contest going on over at <a href="http://cupidslitconnection.blogspot.com/2013/01/contests-and-critiques.html"><b><span style="color: red;">CUPID'S LIT</span></b> </a>right now. If you haven't checked it out, make sure to head over!! It's really amazing. There's going to be an auction, a kissing scene contest and even some sort of conference. Details <a href="http://cupidslitconnection.blogspot.com/2013/01/blind-speed-dating-event-information.html"><b><span style="color: red;">HERE!</span></b></a><br />
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And, my entry is already for Pitch Wars. For anyone who is interested in pitching on Twitter, there will be a Twitter Pitch Party during Pitch Wars. Details are on <b><a href="http://kimberlypchase.com/index.html"><span style="color: red;">Kimberly P. Chase's</span></a></b> site. Even if you aren't interested in that, you should visit Kim's site anyway, just because she is awesome!!! People like her are the reason I enter contests. She is my Pitch Wars mentor (I am one of her alternates) and she has done SO much to help me. I'm really, really lucky she chose me as an alternate and I know, whatever happens with the contest, I will stay in touch with Kim.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exactly how I feel as I reach for the submit button</td></tr>
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So, I'm buckling myself in tightly as I get ready to hit the roller coaster ride again. Anyone know of any other contests coming up? Are you guys entering any of these?<br />
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Best of luck to everyone!!<br />
<br />Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070551912944266954noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572019667107395682.post-67344186651089083342013-01-11T22:12:00.000-08:002013-01-11T22:12:11.799-08:00Quick Question about ABNA<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Okay...so, I never blog on Saturdays, but I have a question for you guys. I am entering the <span style="color: magenta;"><b><a href="https://www.createspace.com/abna#cta2">Amazon Breakout Novel Award</a></b> </span>in two days--as I'm sure a lot of you are. I was reading the rules tonight and I noticed that, when you get to the higher level (or maybe it was just the highest level--I'm not sure) that the winner is determined by popular vote.<br />
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I know there are no names/contact info. allowed on the entries, but--if someone got that high up--what is to stop them from telling all their friends/family to vote for them? Some people have a TON of friends and family. That could conceivably tip the vote. And, it seems like a lot of contests that are determined by "popular vote" turn into nothing but popularity contests.<br />
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Still, I understand that I'm talking about the biggest writing contest in the industry. So, I'm assuming they have some kind of safeguard in place for that? This cannot possibly be all on the good ole' fashioned honor system? Somebody please tell me it's not.<br />
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You guys might remember the Kissing Scene contest I was in a few months ago. I talked about it a <i>lot</i>. And, in the end, someone cheated so much that the whole thing ended up going in front of an impartial judge and the "popular" vote was discounted.<br />
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I was really happy I won, but it sort of tainted the experience. And made me a little wary about entering anything where the popular vote determines the winner. And that was for a three chapter critique by an agent. This is for a fifty-thousand dollar prize!!! <b>Fifty thousand dollars. </b>Hell, even the four first place winners get fifteen thousand dollars. People WILL cheat for that kind of money, if given <b>any </b>opportunity to do so. I'm sorry to sound all jaded and such--but it's the truth.<br />
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So, am I missing something here???<br />
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Does anyone out there have any information on how this is run, or any thoughts about it?<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The motto of too many people</td></tr>
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Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070551912944266954noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572019667107395682.post-64462424177086843412013-01-11T07:49:00.002-08:002013-01-11T07:49:57.278-08:00UghSo, anyone who read my blog yesterday knows I was asking how long I should leave a partial with an agent (the LAST partial I had out, I might add) before giving her a nudge to remind her of my existence. A lot of people very kindly responded to give it another month or two.<br />
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BUT by some cosmic coincidence she got back to me last night. Again--weird, since I just put the post up yesterday morning and I'd been waiting three months.<br />
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Rejection. All very subjective, they can only take on so many people, wishes me the best of luck elsewhere blah blah blah<br />
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I took it well. Really well. But only if you compare how I took it to how my two-year old grandson takes being told he has to go stand in the corner. In <i>that </i>contest, I think (I hope) I came out marginally better. I mean...I wouldn't put any money on it, but I can hope, right?<br />
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I just...wish I could curse on my blog. haha. There are certain things that only a lot of cursing conveys. But I'll refrain. I wouldn't have last night--which is why I didn't post about this last night. I did, however, find myself wishing that I happened to get rejected on the first Tues. of February, so I could at least cry about it in an IWSG post today.<br />
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But it wasn't--and I need to do some crying anyway. Sorry. I promise to try and keep it to a minimum. I just really wish they wouldn't make you wait three months to hear a rejection. There has to be a better system than that. It's like...the longer it takes, the more my hopes raise, and the more crushed I am when they're knocked back down. Again.<br />
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There were (for the first time, I might add) serious thoughts last night about quitting this whole game. I don't know. People have different make-ups. It's not like I want to be a quitter--I just don't know how many more rejections--especially on things like partials and fulls--I have in me. Pouring your whole heart and months and months of you life into something, only to be repeatedly told it isn't good enough...sometimes I wonder what the hell I was thinking starting this whole thing.<br />
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But then I've got five years into this. Five YEARS. Ugh. I really want to curse. Oh well. I'll curse out loud, and, for those of you that don't mind, just interject a lot of it as you read along. So I can't quit. Cause then I just wasted five years and, on top of that, this is the only thing I've ever been good at. Although, jury is out on that too--cause apparently I'm not <i>that</i> good. Not even good enough to get someone to read past fifty pages.<br />
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So, bottom line is, I don't feel like I can quit--as of today I am forging on-- but I don't know how many more times I'll be knocked down again before that changes. Maybe a lot. Maybe I'm tougher than I think--or stubborn enough to not want to lose the game I've been playing with my life. Or, maybe not. Maybe one of these days I'm gonna open my email, see a rejection, and that's just gonna be it. Game over. You lose. Better luck next time.<br />
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I don't know. And that's where I guess I'll leave it right now.Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070551912944266954noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572019667107395682.post-4595956534662409302013-01-10T01:13:00.004-08:002013-01-10T01:18:49.590-08:00Funny story and Writer questions...Okay...first things first. If you are still looking at the posts from the Beginners Blogfest (I know I am, I didn't get to read nearly enough of them) mine is <a href="http://onemagicbeanbuyer.blogspot.com/2013/01/new-beginnings-blogfest-sorry-im-late.html?showComment=1357807123513#c1388132239836579225"><span style="color: red;"><b>HERE</b></span></a>. Secondly, I'm going to forego my Thursdays Children post on Inspiration just for this one week, because I forgot about it and it is four in the morning, so I'm too sleepy to figure out what is inspiring me. haha BUT...I had to post for two reasons. One, I have a funny story I have to tell. I guarantee ninety-nine percent of the people who follow this blog will get it and laugh.<br />
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Okay...so yesterday, I was late putting up my post for the Beginner Blogfest. I'd forgotten, so I was determined to get it up once I remembered--but it was somewhere around two in the afternoon and I had a doctor's appointment I needed to get to. So, I was writing <i>quickly</i>. After finishing the post (which ended up being way longer than I planned, so now I'm running <i>really</i> late) I hit Publish.<br />
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The little hourglass thingy on my computer started spinning like it does when it's loading. But it spins too long and the computer ends up telling me there has been an error and the post can't publish. Meanwhile, in the thirty seconds or so it this takes, I open another window and find three perfect pictures which I decide MUST be part of the post, even if I <i>am</i> running late.<br />
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So, I go to add them but, as it turns out, the computer lied and the post IS published. I immediately hit "revert to draft," add my pictures, and hit publish again. This time it instantly works but, as the post pops up I see that somehow it already has a comment. That means the comment was put up on the <i>original</i> post, in the MAYBE thirty seconds it was online. Can anyone guess who the comment was from???<br />
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If you guessed Alex, you get a cookie. I burst out laughing and just shook my head. I now have this image of Alex, in his ninja cave, with a bazillion computers lining the walls, so he is never more than a footstep away from any of them, even if he is eating, sleeping or using the restroom. Whenever anyone post a blog, there is an alarm system that blares through the ninja-cave, alerting Alex. It HAS to be. How else does he do it? Is he magical??? Aaaah...the many mysteries of Alex Cavanaugh. I guess we'll never know his tricks...<br />
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Okay...so that is my funny story and I hope you liked it!<br />
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One other quick thing. I have a writerly question for all you awesome people out there. I had a partial requested from a contest back on October 26th. By December 2nd I still hadn't heard back. In the intervening months--even though I thought I was done when I entered the contest--I ended up totally changing the beginning. So, I wrote to the agent, explained the situation, apologized and politely asked if she hadn't read the partial yet, would she mind if I sent her the revised version. I explained I was attaching it just in case. She got back to me the next day, (Dec.3) thanking me for updating her on the status of my manuscript. She said she'd only read ten pages of the original and had no problem disregarding that and reading the revised version. She said she'd get back to me as soon as possible.<br />
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That was the last I heard. It's now Jan. 10th--but, technically, she's had my partial since Oct. 26th. Should I be getting worried or assuming this is a rejection? Or--since it's a partial, not just a query--would I definitely hear back if it was a rejection? When would it be okay to drop her a line and remind her that I'm here? I know this whole process takes a long time, so I definitely don't want to seem like a nudge and I don't mind waiting longer. I am just getting antsy and wanted to know what you guys think I should do? Just wait? Assume I'm rejected? Drop her a note? HELP!!!<br />
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And now, before my husband divorces me for refusing to come to bed, I must go....Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070551912944266954noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572019667107395682.post-37955668917017144502013-01-09T11:22:00.004-08:002013-01-09T14:48:46.247-08:00New Beginnings Blogfest--sorry I'm Late!!Oops. Dammit. I can't believe I forgot to put this up earlier. My excuse is that I was working on my 35 word Pitch for Pitch Wars last night and that got me so thoroughly aggravated I shut down my computer and went to bed. haha...(But, I did manage to write a pitch my mentor likes, so YAY)<br />
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Okay...beginnings. Fair warning that this is long, but--if you can read it--I promise its a good story. :) I thought I'd write about one of my favorite beginnings--the beginning of my life with Jace, my grandson. My daughter Cait was a horrible teenager. I mean, really awful. And yes--she could've been worse. No hard drugs--thank God. BUT--that doesn't seem like a huge blessing when your seventeen year old is staggering home at three in the morning, so drunk that you have to call the friggin paramedics because your afraid she's given herself alcohol poisoning this time.<br />
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And yes---there are people who are going to read that and think I'm crazy for putting it on a blog or think it must've been something my hubs and I did. And who knows? Maybe it was. But I tried. I mean, bending-over-backwards, reading parenting books out the wazoo, talking to people, counseling...everything.<br />
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I tried my best to be a good mom. Growing up, my kids had one--thousand percent of my time/attention. There was never an opportunity they needed to turn down. People thought I was like...supermom. And yet...my older two hit those teen year, got in with the wrong crowd, and years of family fun nights, camping vacations, trips to Disney....all down the drain for my oldest. Suddenly she wanted nothing to do with anything that didn't come in a bottle.<br />
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And that's how it continued for a long time. Tumultuous is not the word. And, everytime she seemed to be getting better, she'd backslide. And my husband and I just kept waiting, cause you can't live a life full of huge mistakes and not eventually make one that you can't bounce back from. And when she came home pregnant at nineteen, it FELT like she'd finally hit the motherload.<br />
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As far as I was concerned, there went her life. Down the drain. My daughter is a beautiful girl--seriously, it's not just because she's mine. She could be a model, no problem. I mention this because, in our society, looks matter. Sad, but true. And looks like hers open doors. People respond to her stupidly. Honest to God, when I was trying to get her HELP, none of the counselors really believed she had a problem. (She did) She'd smile sweetly at them, talk a little (she's also very articulate and smart) and they would tell me not to worry, that she'd be fine. I'm not going to say how many times this happened. It was ridiculous. I had more than one counselor point out, "She's so pretty." Like THAT mattered. At any rate, fair or unfair, the bottom line is that people naturally want to help girls who look like Cait. And that's a gift--a cosmic, not-earned gift that could really help her in life.<br />
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And, get the alcohol out of the equation and she's really sweet. Smart. Driven. Talented (she plays guitar and sings) And all those dreams I had for her...traveling, having an exciting life, trying to pursue some kind of career with music, all those dreams I nursed and sheltered and fertilized for nineteen years felt like they ended in one shrieking, crashing explosion. Suddenly her life was going to be that of a single mom, struggling to get by, having to put her own dreams on hold because, when you have kids--that's what you do. THEY come first. And I didn't want that for her.<br />
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And then she had Jace. My little grandson. And everything that I thought was true changed in one perfect shining moment of holding that baby in my arms. Cait straightened out. Got a good job. Got an apartment. Went back to school. And, while my worries over the drinking/partying aren't completely erased, they've eased considerably. <i>Cait</i> has eased considerably. Jace has grown her up. I think he is her second chance. I think, without him, whatever life-changing mistake she made could've been something really bad--something she'd have never come back from.<br />
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And that is my story. Much too long, I know. Sorry. But it's not the first time that something in my life that seemed horrible, that seemed like a huge ENDING, turned out to be a new and beautiful beginning. And I want everyone out there going through something tough to remember that. Life spins on a dime--and, even when the changes seem bad, you never know if the groundwork is being laid for something amazing...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsNB0HgPtjqoFrwcElSzRBmSM_hxaJSYC_jSSZNdvWAWcmj4r1m1Fj_aahAtuiVUz3Z_H87fUx0w-qU2lVY0TfMY-qhZCDSowVcJ1uxjNaq2sJOYhPfMA4_GyqqTu-cjo0yv00n9gpfvn1/s1600/aaa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsNB0HgPtjqoFrwcElSzRBmSM_hxaJSYC_jSSZNdvWAWcmj4r1m1Fj_aahAtuiVUz3Z_H87fUx0w-qU2lVY0TfMY-qhZCDSowVcJ1uxjNaq2sJOYhPfMA4_GyqqTu-cjo0yv00n9gpfvn1/s320/aaa.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070551912944266954noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572019667107395682.post-69419435649631162642013-01-07T23:26:00.000-08:002013-01-07T23:34:53.203-08:00The Pledge and Teaser Tuesday...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBTk-OM9wDG48hccYd4ARmjtwlAHuN5GiHbq-Y5_hvmf__rnoiyRGzUzUZaUv3FS_ba7vJCZRALo-an3Nm4amoHnn23YCdkAtbTn1xiiY52odcVbqyx9MriP-FuJ-jZfhypfFPJxTu-CDG/s1600/a+writers+creed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBTk-OM9wDG48hccYd4ARmjtwlAHuN5GiHbq-Y5_hvmf__rnoiyRGzUzUZaUv3FS_ba7vJCZRALo-an3Nm4amoHnn23YCdkAtbTn1xiiY52odcVbqyx9MriP-FuJ-jZfhypfFPJxTu-CDG/s200/a+writers+creed.jpg" width="148" /></a>So, I came across this on <a href="http://www.writersally.blogspot.com/2013/01/a-writers-creed.html"><span style="color: blue;"><b>WRITER'S ALLEY</b></span></a>-- Sherri Lawson's site, and I thought it was really cool. I like the idea of it and would love to hook up with other people who have taken the pledge as 2013 continues.<br />
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If <i>you'd</i> like to take the pledge, go<span style="color: blue;"> <a href="http://www.writersally.blogspot.com/2013/01/a-writers-creed.html"><b><span style="color: blue;">HERE</span></b></a></span> for the details.<br />
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Also, today is Teaser Tuesday hosted by<b> <a href="http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/"><span style="color: blue;">SHOULD BE READING</span></a></b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZw3ljgKn9WEbidJIVqdu_uktx8jrA10HaOSZsVBpoO7u_H2xz6yG-LzK8fSQCX-qAi_lA-qOHoQ4ppmcErHvwFwZoVGITyFyFMQy4FDrPH3JdLTna58uqKjI3PMzkFB07Dj6Mi0qB5cvV/s1600/a+dreamcatcher.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZw3ljgKn9WEbidJIVqdu_uktx8jrA10HaOSZsVBpoO7u_H2xz6yG-LzK8fSQCX-qAi_lA-qOHoQ4ppmcErHvwFwZoVGITyFyFMQy4FDrPH3JdLTna58uqKjI3PMzkFB07Dj6Mi0qB5cvV/s1600/a+dreamcatcher.jpg" /></a><b>If you'd like to play just grab the book your currently reading, open to a random page, share 2 teaser sentences from somewhere on that page.<span style="color: red;"> Make sure not to include spoilers!!! </span>Share the title and author too, so other TT participants can add the book to their TBR pile!! :)</b><br />
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My teaser this week is from an old Stephen King book. I have a million books on my TBR pile and this wasn't one of them, but I picked it up to see if it contained a scene I remembered from the first time I read it, which was about ten years ago. Next thing I knew, I was sucked in. King has a way of doing that to me!<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">We're not running, Jonesy said grimly. "This is our place, and we're not running" which sounded noble but left out at least one aspect of the situation: he was mostly just afraid the thing that was now in the toilet might be able to run faster than they could. </span></i><br />
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Just as a quick aside--this was made into a movie back in 2003. From what I recall (and it was ten years ago, so that's not much) it was a really bad movie. Not surprising, since most of the King book to movie adaptations have been crap. However, if you saw this movie, don't discount the book. I promise it's way better on the page than on the big screen!!Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070551912944266954noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572019667107395682.post-26948676868596552672013-01-06T20:53:00.000-08:002013-01-06T21:06:06.310-08:00Unwarranted Praise...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3TTiZNVSpqDSshaicd8vpuf4gPPr-1P5NtPZDrVPQXcTVSTsLEahcgDuG4XKoIO71zPSbXBpDwAWUSoO0MEd9-0me0mNfIhfwa24QIhLQSYV123XQ9CyTE1hXHMmcWeUmU-bZ_zsXvrOE/s1600/a+pinochio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3TTiZNVSpqDSshaicd8vpuf4gPPr-1P5NtPZDrVPQXcTVSTsLEahcgDuG4XKoIO71zPSbXBpDwAWUSoO0MEd9-0me0mNfIhfwa24QIhLQSYV123XQ9CyTE1hXHMmcWeUmU-bZ_zsXvrOE/s1600/a+pinochio.jpg" /></a></div>
So, something has been bugging me for awhile now. I debated on whether or not to blog about it, but I finally decided I needed to.<br />
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Here's the situation. At one point, while visiting various blogs, I came across one with a writing sample. It was something from the person's WIP--I'll call them Smith. And Smith's writing had a lot of problems. Too put it bluntly, it was bad. Not bad in a subjective kind of way, either--to where maybe<i> I</i> thought it was bad but someone else might like it. No. It was riddled with mistakes that anyone could see--abundant overuse of adjectives. Empty phrases. Lack of character development, unbelievable expository dialogue, a lot of purple prose, a confusing set-up that made it impossible to envision where the scene was taking place etc...etc...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPHwFAE30ZeVNIQ5LuIu6ohRdUVt0R2Dq2iOmfvaszYW5260FZzmbGy9oU9sbeUGXgpdr4GP3IsAMH0GVCkJqm1CYBaLgoKNwyBXUNbtAFIsqZKLECJsWmsIC1WddyhqQwCk7NIiO4Sj1I/s1600/a+lie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPHwFAE30ZeVNIQ5LuIu6ohRdUVt0R2Dq2iOmfvaszYW5260FZzmbGy9oU9sbeUGXgpdr4GP3IsAMH0GVCkJqm1CYBaLgoKNwyBXUNbtAFIsqZKLECJsWmsIC1WddyhqQwCk7NIiO4Sj1I/s320/a+lie.jpg" width="291" /></a>Every mistake was something that would've been easy to correct. Every mistake was the same kind of thing almost all beginner writers do. Despite the amount of mistakes it was easy to see that Smith has talent. What Smith needed was someone to go over that writing sample and give an honest opinion on exactly what was wrong with it. Because, how else do we learn, right?<br />
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Yet, Smith got over thirty comments on this particular sample--and every one of them said how great it was. People talked about how well Smith writes. People said the scene was emotional. Intensely moving. There was raving. There was gushing.<br />
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And nobody--not one single person--pointed out any mistakes. I thought about pointing them out myself and decided against it. The way I saw it, Smith just had thirty comments saying how great the writing was. If I came along, said it <i>wasn't </i>great and started pointing out all the things wrong with it, I'd have looked crazy. After all, everyone else <i>loved</i> it. <br />
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Except for that they didn't. They couldn't have. There is absolutely no way thirty or so writers read this sample and not one of them picked up on the amount of blatant mistakes in it. So, basically--they lied.<br />
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And I don't understand why. I assume they're trying to be kind. Everyone is so worried about offending people nowadays. And I understand that nobody wants to hurt someone's feelings. But being honest should never be offensive. And it's not a kindness to make someone think that what they're doing is good when it's not. Smith just lost a chance to learn. Worse, all Smith's mistakes were reinforced as the <i>right</i> thing to do. And I just don't get it.<br />
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So, if someone can explain it to me--please do. Have you ever said nice things about someone's writing, just because you couldn't stand the idea of hurting their feelings? Have you ever had people say things about your writing that you later found out weren't truthful? And how do you think I should've handled this situation when I came across it? Any opinions here would be great...<br />
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<br />Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070551912944266954noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3572019667107395682.post-14686279094662049652013-01-03T01:25:00.002-08:002013-01-03T12:25:33.651-08:00I Need to WRITE!! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: small;">So, it’s Thursday again—which means it’s time for my
first Thursday’s Children post of the New Year. For anyone who doesn’t know,
Thursdays Children is all about inspiration. It’s hosted by </span><a href="http://rhiannwynnnolet.com/"><span style="font-size: large;">Rhiann Wynn-Nolet</span></a><span style="font-size: small;">
and </span><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.kristinaperez.com/">Kristina Perez</a>.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> The linky list is open and we’re always looking for new
people to jump onboard!!</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>This post is easy enough to write for me, because I
just posted in IWSG (Insecure Writer’s Support Group) about not feeling
inspired with my new WIP. The gist of my post yesterday was that I’m powering through
it. </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLlpadk7n1kXUF0C27EFZ-ReAh3enipb0reaMOpfcQPSZwKTUMR-wN8Cy9m9uT_FnLuQpy_apo6netRyy2ffzIOphyl0ougOkkMaFBl3UWOORCnWRfS6tSBoirLUcjP7015KZa2xQ7dOPd/s1600/calvin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLlpadk7n1kXUF0C27EFZ-ReAh3enipb0reaMOpfcQPSZwKTUMR-wN8Cy9m9uT_FnLuQpy_apo6netRyy2ffzIOphyl0ougOkkMaFBl3UWOORCnWRfS6tSBoirLUcjP7015KZa2xQ7dOPd/s1600/calvin.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>Honestly, I've never dealt with writer's block, so</b></span><br />
<b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">when I sat down to work a few days ago, I was mildly horrified that the
words seemed to be super-glued to the back of my brain. Unsticking them long
enough to drag them all the way to the keyboard had me breaking a sweat.</b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrEdmAhomNrnprJfofD3ltW510BG__N_SAzblA2SV4HBcsxKN-MdF4QLzgKBoxzLsdtQVmRL_0R8qfrvr6Hj4D6elucVKRY8DKgybCT3GgX45yxilzuLD78j2AqXNj1UpGrWGdV9K-hYol/s1600/a+rut1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrEdmAhomNrnprJfofD3ltW510BG__N_SAzblA2SV4HBcsxKN-MdF4QLzgKBoxzLsdtQVmRL_0R8qfrvr6Hj4D6elucVKRY8DKgybCT3GgX45yxilzuLD78j2AqXNj1UpGrWGdV9K-hYol/s200/a+rut1.jpg" width="200" /></b></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Do you ever feel in a rut?</b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>But I did it, mostly because I’m working with my son
on this book and—after putting off writing the entire holiday season—I’d
promised him we’d start on the first. So, I told myself I had to get to 1,000 words. And guess what? Having the goal made it easier. And, the next time I sat down to
do my thousand, the words came a little faster. And today, they came as fast as I could
type them and I didn't have to set a goal. Just those two days of having a reachable objective was enough. </b></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">I think the problem was that I'd just gotten in a rut. I was doing revisions for months--which both is and isn't writing. I mean, it is--but it's not using the part of your brain it takes to create something NEW. And then I took a month off. Between the two things, my brain wasn’t
sure what the hell I wanted it to do when I asked it to come up with something fresh.
So, now I’ve learned my lesson. </b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>I'm trying not to let this be me!! :)</b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24px; text-align: center;"><b>The plan from now on, is to always make sure I'm writing. Flash fiction. Short stories. Poetry. Whatever it takes to stay fresh. </b></span><b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24px; text-align: center;"> </b><br />
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<b style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24px; text-align: center;">How about you guys? Have you ever dealt with writer’s block? Do you think revising keeps the mind as fresh as writing? Any tips on staying sharp?</b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>Also, while I have you here--I'm curious. What is the one thing you have to have in order to write? For me it's either a frappe or some coffee/tea. I mean, it's not a have it or die thing...but it's close. haha You guys?</b></span></div>
Tamarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04070551912944266954noreply@blogger.com14