Thanks!
Jun 14, 2010 
So, I’m feeling all kinds of grateful today, and I wanted to thank some people. First, of course, all of ya’ll, for coming and commenting and following. I’ve loved getting to know you all through this whole blogging thing. 🙂
Then, I have been uber lucky to win some contests. And I wanted to thank them for having such great contests!
- I won Lynn’s 100-follower contest at Place to Create. I’m already drooling over the books I’ll choose at Amazon.
- I won some chocolate from Gail at Write From the Soul &Visualeyes. Yumm!
- I won a prize package from Michelle McLean in her WooHoo I’m Finished Grand Give-away.
- And I won an ARC of Nightshade by Andrea Cremer from Shelli at Market My Words. I know you’re all jealous! 😉
In light of all these wins, I’d feel extremely ungrateful if I didn’t take this opportunity to thank random.org. So thank you, random.org, for showing me some love!
And finally, I have to thank my sweet man for supporting me in my craziness, and putting up with my constant stream of questions about what he thinks of my writing. Without him, I wouldn’t be doing this. Thank you Bunches!
Who is the greatest support of your writing?
P.S. And just a quick note, Jessie has hit 101! Hurray for her! So be sure to come back Wednesday, when we’ll host our 101 Followers Giveaway.
Good News All Around
In case you haven’t noticed, I recently crossed the landmark number of 101 followers. Woo hoo!! Thanks everyone! I appreciate your willingness to hang out with me in the cybersphere.
Of course this calls for a give-away of some sort. My blogging friend Jessie Oliveros at Louder Than Noise is on the brink of 101. And since I think this whole blogging things is about connecting and building relationships, we are going to share the love and do a contest together as soon as she hits that magic number, too. We’ll have great prizes, but you’ll have to be a follower of BOTH blogs to enter. So if you don’t follow Jessie, pop on over and make her acquaintance, and you’ll be all set for our soon-to-come giveaway!
So in OTHER good news, I have finished my book! Not just the first draft, but like the 600th (okay, maybe a wee bit of exaggeration there, but it feels like that). Hurray, hurray! Now, if I could just finish that synopsis . . .
Seriously! If I can write this how-many-page book, why can’t I write a stinkin’ synopsis? Does anyone else struggle with this? Suzie Townsend is my new hero because here’s her take on the subject:
“Don’t worry about sending a synopsis – they’re evil.”
How can you help but admire such wisdom?
Dear Grammar Nazi
Dear Grammar Nazi,
I need your help. Your answer will effect a lot of people as we have a little bet going on at the office. See, Bill in Accounting says that ‘affect’ is a verb and ‘effect’ is a noun, but I’ve been using verbs for years now, and I’m certain ‘effect’ is a verb.
Rita in HR says we should ‘just look in a stinkin’ dictionary for crying out loud,’ but I trust you over a guy named “Merri” any day. So who’s right?
Counting on your help to pay off the bowling jersey and matching shoe set I splurged on. Best dressed bowler on the office team, baby!
Mr. Kirk N. Scottie
Dear Mr. Scottie,
- Wearing a bowling jersey will AFFECT people’s opinion of you.
- The special EFFECTS in Star Trek are totally outdated. (I’m just guessing you’re a Star Trek fan)
- HR should effect a change in the office betting policy.
The Grammar Nazi
More Than a Writer
Lately it feels like writing and its appendages (i.e. blogging, reading, plotting, etc.) have taken up so much of my life. It’s so easy to let writing consume me. Doesn’t matter what I’m doing, my mind is with my book: trying to fix that wrinkle in Chapter 13 or wondering if I’ve really caught the essence of the argument between my MC and love interest, or is that first sentence a good enough hook. Well you get the idea.
Every now and then, I have to remind myself that I’m more than a writer. And that believe it or not, I have other talents. So here is my reminder list:
Five Random Talents (not connected to writing)
- I am a pro at Diaper Ball. Seriously. Michael Jordanette. Any angle, any shot, *swoosh!* Two points, in the trash . . . er, I mean basket.
- I can pour 6 oz. in a bottle without measuring. In my sleep, too. I know! Impressive, right?
- I make a mean spaghetti sauce. Mean. You should taste it.
- I can remember the price of every single item in my grocery cart. Yep. About every other shopping trip, I find a mistake, so they get a runner to check the price. Not to brag, but I’m always right. Very useful.
- I can carry a baby, diaper bag, purse, bag full of library books, and ten bags of groceries up 3 flights of stairs, AND unlock the door without dropping anything. Isn’t taking a second trip back down and up an easier option, you ask? That’s besides the point. 🙂
So what are your random talents?
Blink, Blink!
So I’m an adult. Right age and everything. Still, I love cartoons. So much that I drag my kids to the movies under the farce that it’s really for them. 😉
One thing I wonderifically admire are the ‘blink, blink’ moments. You know, that look you’re giving me right now. When one person says something and the other person has no good response for any number of
reasons.
Take Winnie-the-Pooh and Rabbit. In one episode, Rabbit asks: “Pooh, don’t you know what a referee does?”
And Pooh stares back, and you hear “blink, blink,” as he blinks twice. Without saying a word, we KNOW. Pooh has no idea. Zero.
It’s brilliant, I tell you, brilliant!
So I’ve started doing this to my husband (and a select few others who appreciate the nuanced humor). 😉 Here’s how it works. Let’s say your best friend Eddie holds out his finger to you and says, “Wow! Look at
the size of that booger!”
What do you say? You’re kind of speechless. Right?
Just hold up both hands, open and shut your fingers, and say: “Blink. Blink.” And now, with no words, you have conveyed your disgust and/or speechlessness without ever having to say to Eddie: “What a disgusting
behavior! You don’t have the manners of a cow, and I am udderly . . . I mean utterly . . . speechless by what you’ve just done!”
So go on, go out there and spread the blinks! And in the mean time, have a blink, blink moment you care to share?
You Guessed It
Sweet! The car is guessed.
Those of you coming in late, your job was to guess the make, model and color of the car based on the (absolutely real-life) license plate which was:
HER KIWI
Amazingly the same picture came into almost everyone’s mind. Next time will be harder. I promise. 😉
So Nicole Ducleroir got it right first: Lime Green VW Beetle. Lola, if you had said Gecko Green before Nicole, I SO would have given it to you.
I’m sure you’re all wondering what delectable treat Nicole chose . . . a plain Hershey’s Bar. Totally classic. Totally in the mail.
Guess That Car
You know me and personalized license plates. So, . . .
License Plate Game of the Week:
Guess the make, model and color (must be the specific color, and yes, that’s a hint) of the car with the following license plate:
HER KIWI
Definitely do-able. First person to get it, I’ll mail a chocolate bar of their choice. If no one guesses by midnight EDT of Friday, June 4, we’ll try again another week. Okay, and to be fair, one guess per person. Make it a good one!
Good luck!
Awards and a Call for Opinions
Hope you all had a great Memorial Day Weekend (or not for my non-US friends). I didn’t get to visit any gravesides (they’re on the other side of the country), but we had fun swimming and doing a barbecue with friends.
So I am honored to have received a couple of awards. I’m always tickled pink when someone thinks of me.
Laurel at Laurel’s Leaves gave me the Sweet Blogger award. If you haven’t seen her blog, I highly recommend it. I learn so much from her.
I wanted to pass it on to Bethany Elizabeth at Ink-Splattered. Her posts are always so upbeat. I always leave her blog feeling lifted.
And the other person I wanted to pass it on to is Kasie West. She shares all her useless advice. Seriously hilarious. And a lot of really good stuff like what she’s learned about agents. Go check both these blogs out!
I was also given the Sunshine Blog Award by Lynn at Place to Create. She has so much heart in her posts. You can’t help feeling like you just visited your best friend when you stop by.
I wanted to pass this on to Lola Sharp at Sharp Pen/Dull Sword. Her blog is helpful and full of uplifting thoughts like the 5 random things she loves (including cupcakes!).
Also to Sandy Shin who obviously has great taste in books since she just reviewed one of my favorites, and who is not only a talented writer, but an artist, AND in the process of working toward Med School (definitely capitalized)
And also to Reb at Reb’s Photos. Okay, okay, she’s my sister, but she has some great photos of the southern Utah area, and she is one of the sunniest people I know.
As for these awards, I’m with Laurel. These are low stress awards. Pass them on or don’t. But just wanted to share some of the sites I like to visit. And thank you again to Lynn and Laurel for thinking of me. 🙂
So, I’m slowly crawling towards the 101-follower mark (woo hoo!), and of course who needs any better excuse for a contest? I’m still in the planning stages, and I’d love to hear from all of you what you most like to win in these contests. Obviously I won’t be giving away a car, or whatever, but I’d love to hear your ideas. And do you prefer the sign-up and be done? Or do you prefer that some effort be involved . . . i.e. writing? 🙂
Telling Actions
So I went to this concert. I won’t drop names, but here’s a picture I took. 🙂
We had fabulous seats (not to brag or anything), so we had a great view. Both my husband and I love his music. I already know he’s married with kids. Said to be a devoted husband. He’s handsome. An amazing guitar player. And a great sense of humor.
How could I possible like him more? I found out at the concert.
He singled out all the kids near the stage and made a point of getting them one of his guitar picks. How awesome is that?
So what does this have to do with writing? Everything. When we create our characters, how do we show that our MC is who we say he is?
Something as simple as giving a kid some attention can add depth to make them believable and real. What have you done in your book to show your readers who your MC is?
Dear Grammar Nazi
Dear Grammar Nazi,
I am your biggest fan! I’m starting a fan club because you speak English so good. . . . or is it well? No wait, good, right? I think . . .
Dangit! Now I forgot my question.
You’re 4ever Fan!
Johnny B. Good
P.S. Upon reflection, I wish to modify my response. When a language is invented that is called “Good,” then you may say “you speak Good.” Until that time, please refrain.