Mystery Driver
May 25, 2010 
Okay, okay, for all my old followers (like 10 of you), you know I have this fascination with personalized license plates. I keep seeing ones I’m dying to share with ya’ll.
So I had this fabulous idea for a blog game. I will post a license plate, and we, the literary bloggers of the world, are going to solve the mystery of why they put that on their car. Build a characterization and back story. Fun, no?
The rules:
- Only post ONE bit of information per comment (so the story can grow)
- Try to build off previous posts where possible
- Keep it clean (children’s lit, right?)
- HAVE FUN!
I’ll try to pull it all together in a posting later in the week.
So here’s an example: WYLD ELF
1st comment: This is a girl. For sure!
2nd comment: She watched Lord of the Rings and developed an unhealthy fascination with Orlando Bloom.
3rd comment: Is there such a thing as an “unhealthy” fascination with Orlando Bloom? *sigh* Okay, okay, she has pointed ears.
4th comment: Her mother read “Where the Wild Things Are” to her as a child.
Well you get the idea.
So we’ll see how it goes, and maybe this will fizzle, but all I have to say is CHINESE TAKE-OUT, baby!
(And yes, 100% authentic)
Pay it Forward
So Friday, I got this amazing wonderful surprise. Here’s the story:
A week ago, B. Miller started this fabulous Pay It Forward Giveaway (that I so totally wish I had come up with). Go check it out if you haven’t heard about it.
ANYWAY, Courtney, the Southern Princess, as a break-off from that, honored me with a Pay It Forward post. She listed 3 bloggers she would love to hang out with in a non-virtual way, and I was one of them! For those of you who haven’t read my profile, she and I are fellow princesses after all. And royalty must stick together what with the paparazzi and everything. But what a lift in my day. So much more than honored. *insert cheesy grin.*
So I wanted to spread the love and choose three people that I would love to spend time with in a non-virtual way. Normally, I would list you all, but that would be a long post that no one would finish reading, so here we go with three:
Jenny Matlock: I have been rolling at her garage sale posts, and her big heart just shines through. Though we’ve never met, I wanted to pull up a lawn chair, pour a tall glass of lemonade with one of those little umbrellas in it, and chat about all the interesting people who stopped in. And she refers to her husband as Mr. Jenny. How can you not want to meet someone who does that?
Lydia Kang at The Word is My Oyster: When I found out she’s an Internal Medicine Doctor, I felt that instant she-knows-what-I’m-going-through connection because my husband is on his first year of his Internal Medicine Residency. She does this fabulous post called Medical Mondays, and her posts are always thought-provoking and fun. I’m never disappointed when I visit her blog. Plus, she’s working on the secret to getting 25 hours out of a day. I so intend to be around when she learns it as I’m sure she will!
Vicki Dixon at Ron Empress: Okay, maybe I’m cheating a little on this one because we have met before, but she is that wonderful. First, her writing is beautiful. Like, I’m-green-with-jealousy-because-my-writing-will-never-be-that-beautiful beautiful. Next, I always hear about the coolest contests from her. And finally, It’s from her encouragement that I started a blog at all. She has been a huge support to me in this endeavor we’re on. Go visit!
So what catches your attention on a blog and makes you want to go back? What makes you feel connected to a blogger you’ve never met?
“Oops!” in Context
A single word can say a lot. Take the word “oops.” By itself, we know that somewhere a mistake was made. Something happened that the speaker didn’t want to have happen.
But add a little context to that single word, and OHHH the meaning that can result. For example, I was cutting my husbands hair last night. “Oops!” What do you think the word says now?
I’m handwashing my finest china. “Oops!” Have a picture in your head?
A doctor in the middle of bypass surgery. “Oops!”
A circus performer on the tightrope. “Oops!”
The possibilities are endless. The word never changes, but give a little context and you hardly need to say anything else. The reader gets it.
Go on . . . share your own “oops” context.
Note: My husband’s hair grows fast, so no worries!
Dear Grammar Nazi
I always have trouble deciding when to use lay vs. lie. I’ve almost given up on the issue. Please help me!
Yours truly,
[name redacted]
P.S. You would LOVE Larry the Cableguy. Git R Done!
Dear [name redacted],
As far as ‘lay vs. lie’ goes, I would be lying if I said the misuse of these didn’t concern me. I have lain awake many a night worrying about it. When I received your question, I lay there for hours wondering how best to lay down the law. I laid my pen and paper next to me in case inspiration hit. It didn’t.
Lucky for me, Grammar Girl already laid out the rules. In the end, I highly recommend you purchase “Grammar for Dummies” as even Grammar Girl confesses to looking these words up every time she uses them. Tonight, I can lie down in peace, knowing there is one less person in the world misusing these words.
Sincerely,
The Grammar Nazi
P.S. Larry the Cableguy is a favorite of mine . . . an unending source of material!
Do you have a question for The Grammar Nazi? Send them to rjljohnson [dot] janet [at] gmail [dot] com.
Chinese Take-out
I have this thing about Chinese. When I love it, I LOVE it. And when I don’t, buy yourself some earplugs, because I am not afraid to express my opinion. Needless to say, I’m always a little reticent to try new places. More often than not, I’m disappointed. So instead of eating Chinese, I dream of the good stuff from where I grew up.
The thing is, my husband doesn’t have my reservations. To him, it’s all more or less the same. He’s happy with whatever, he’d just like something.
So, tonight, I gave in. Called a few friends, got a few recommendations. And gross. Blah. Blah. Blah.Yicky. Picky. Snort.
“I’m sorry I even suggested it,” my husband said.
And then the epiphany came. From my own mouth even: “Well, you never know if you don’t try.”
I know, you’re all probably thinking, ‘Well duh!’
I wonder how many things I’ve not tried because I didn’t want to be disappointed. Learning a new skill. Sending off the next query. Taking risks with my characters. Bidding on that full manuscript critique over at Do The Write Thing. Whatever.
How about you? Is fear of disappointment holding you back?
Winners!
I want to thank everyone for stopping in and entering my Kick-off Fiesta, and especially those of you who spread the word. Hey, twenty entries is a GREAT start for my first week! And wow, who knew that a guilt complex came with choosing a winner (even when I didn’t do the actual choosing)?
So, according to random.org, here are the winners:
1st Prize: One copy of Children’s Writer’s and Illustrator’s Market.
2nd Prize: One copy of Janette Rallison’s book Fame, Glory, and Other Things on My To Do List.
3rd Prize: Two Willy Wonka Chocolate Bars with, count them, TWO chances to win a Golden Ticket.
Congratulations! And come back soon ya’ll, ya hear?
Awards, Tags, and Stuff
Last Chance to enter my Kick-off Fiesta is today! Easy peasy contest . . . just go leave a comment on that post. You don’t want to miss your chance to win some Willy Wonka chocolate which might hold a Golden Ticket! Entries end tonight, Wednesday, May 12 at midnight EDT.
So in other news, I have been inaugurated into the blogging world with my first award. Woo hoo! Lydia Kang gave me the Beautiful Blogger Award. Go check out her blog. She’s a lot of fun, and she does a Medical Monday where she describes bizarre medical disorders (she’s also a doctor). One of my favorite features!
So in the spirit of the award, I pass it on to:
Jessie Oliveros
B.J Anderson
Stephanie Thornton
Beth Revis
Laurel
And I was also tagged by Laurel to answer some questions. So here goes:
Where were you five years ago?
-Living in Kansas City where my husband had just finished his first year of medical school.
-One child (and I thought THAT was hard!)
-Attending my first SCBWI conference and getting my first manuscript critique from an editor (Let’s just say that I haven’t touched that ms since then).
-Joining my first critique group.
Where would you like to be in five years?
-Living closer to family with my husband OUT of residency and fellowships.
-Agented, published, and able to spend more time on writing.
What is on your to-do list today?
-Write this blog.
-Pick up my oldest from kindergarten.
-Take care of two cuties.
-Edit my almost-ready WIP.
-Critique some chapters for my critique group.
What snacks do you enjoy?
-Little Debbie’s Oatmeal Cream Pies
-Cereal
-Cereal
-Cereal
-And wait, did I say cereal?
What five things would you do if you were a billionaire?
-Pay off student loans.
-Buy a house.
-Start a scholarship fund for my kids and extended family.
-Start a publishing company.
-Spend some time traveling and doing charitable work abroad.
-Boy, there’s too many things to list, but I’d love to do payback within the writing community.
I pass this on to the following bloggers:
Tricia J. O’Brien
Noelle Nolan
Lynne
Becca Rogers
Karen Zupancic
So just looking at my crazy days . . . what would you do with a full day to yourself? And since we’re most of us writers, let’s assume we’re NOT going to write. I think I’d go for a long walk. Maybe go visit some museums. Find a partner to play some tennis. Go shopping!
Another Give-away!
The Ron Empress, Victoria, is having a giveaway over at her blog. Go check it out! She’s giving away Guy Gavriel Kay’s latest novel, “Under Heaven.” The novel got a starred review from Publisher’s Weekly and looks to be a good one.
Don’t forget to enter my own give-away. You have until midnight EDT on Wednesday, May 12!
And a thanks to Kirsten Hubbard at Wandergirl. I won the book Hold Still by Nina LaCour AND a moleskine sketchbook in the epic Spread the Awesome event! It feels awesome to win guys. Seriously, go enter!
Salad Dressing Faux Pas
Anything drive you up the wall? What are your pet peeves?
Beginner’s Blunder
Don’t forget to enter my CONTEST! You can enter until Wednesday, May 12, midnight EDT .
Warning: This is a scary story. Readers with weak stomachs, or who cringe easily might want to stop reading now.
So a good hard four months of writing, and it was done. My very own, very first book! It was beautiful. A classic. Destined for greatness. I just knew it.
My darling husband gave me The Children’s Writer’s and Illustrator’s Market so I could learn all about the submission process. And boy did I do my homework. I picked just the right agent, and sent off my perfectly-written and copy-edited query, and can you believe it!? She requested a partial!!!
If only I had spent so much time on my book. Seriously, are you ready for this? I’m more than embarrassed to admit it.
I sent my first draft.
No, not by accident. Just because I really thought my book was that wonderful. *blush*
I guess my first hint that my book needed work should have been the pained look on my mother’s face whenever I asked what she thought of it. That was 8 years ago, and I think I’ve learned a little bit since then, but I still look back and wonder, WHAT WAS I THINKING!?!
Anyone else out there make a now-laughable beginner’s blunder? I mean, surely I’m not the only one. . . . right? . . . RIGHT?! I’d love to hear your stories.