Monday, November 29, 2010

I hope you had a DELICIOUS  Thanksgiving. :) I know I did.

 “A blank sheet of paper.” That was Ernest Hemingway's answer when someone asked him what was the most frightening thing he had ever encountered.

Agree?

I do. The time before I write the novel is the scariest time of all. Now I know some writers believe that ideas are the easiest part. For them I guess it's the implementation of those ideas that scares them the most.

How do you face the empty page? 

This is how I do it. I read and write and then I read and write some more.

John Grisham tells writers to experience some things, see some of the world, go through things–love, heartbreak, and so on, because you need to have something to say. Agree?

He says he always tells young aspiring writers to write a page a day. It quickly becomes a habit. I know there is some truth to that.

Ernest Hemingway also said "each day’s work should only be interrupted when one knows where to begin again the next day"

 I know that is true. That's how I write. I don't stop until I'm sure I know where to start when I pick back up the next day. I've even written myself a note in the MS in case I forget.


The only way I've found to defeat the empty page is to read and write and read and write some more. 

How do you defeat the empty page? :)

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Candy's J2W Part Two

That girl is at it again. She's raising money for women, children and families in need. And all you have to give is a dollar. A buck. Four quarters. Ten dimes. Twenty nickels. (Yeah, I counted on my fingers.) One hundred pennies. Come on! Let's help. Let's do our part. Click over to Candy's house and make yourself feel good. You'll feel all warm and fuzzy and you know how you like to feel all warm and fuzzy.

Saturday, November 20, 2010


 I'm thankful for all my blogging pals. I love y'all so very much. My prayer is that God shower blessings on all of you.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU ALL. I hope you all have an awesome time with family and friends. I'll be back on Monday, November 29th. BE THANKFUL AND EAT LOTS. :)

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Cool, cool contest over at Sharon's house.

Click over to Random Thoughts and enter to win an AWESOME book and meet author Steve Swinburne. Contest ends on November 30th. Good luck. :)

Friday, November 12, 2010

Awesome giveaway

Click over to Karen's house and enter the awesome giveaway she's having. Win a writers package. A most awesome writers package. :) http://karenelange.blogspot.com/  But hurry over and follow. It ends November 17th.  :)

Amazon

As most of you know, Amazon pulled the hideous book from their site. After receiving the many emails and phone calls , I guess they figured out what they had to do. My question is this. The book was self-published on kindle. Doesn't that make Amazon the publisher? Why would they do that? We know it wasn't a disgruntled ex-employee with a grudge, because they pulled it once yesterday (where it was 99 on the bestseller list) and then put it back up (and it was 80 on the bestseller list).

I need answers. And this isn't the only book like this that Amazon sells. WHERE DO THEY DRAW THE LINE? Have they NO shame?

The Christmas season is closer than they think. I'll be buying my books at B&N and my local bookstore. In the past, I've regularly bought books at Amazon. NO MORE. I can't support a company like this. Maybe sometime in the future, if I am reassured that their morals have improved, maybe then. But Amazon, I wouldn't hold my breath.


I'll post regularly again on Monday. Today is my wedding anniversary (notice how I said MY? Like the hubby had nothing to do with it.)

It is also the one year anniversary of the death of my beloved cat Blue. A whole lotta tears will be shed.



Have a lovely, safe weekend.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Huge Amazon Controversy--Go Weigh In!

I KNOW I said I'd be back yesterday, but our derned internet was out. No bad weather. Pleasant sunny day and NO internet. MAN, ain't technology sweet? :)

Please email Amazon and voice your displeasure over the pedophile book (the pedophile's guide to love and pleasure) (capitals left out on purpose.) that is on their site. It was reported that they had pulled the book, but that isn't true. They have NOT pulled this book. (It made their bestsellers list.) Amazon says that “Amazon believes it is censorship not to sell certain books simply because we or others believe their message is objectionable. Amazon does not support or promote hatred or criminal acts, however, we do support the right of every individual to make their own purchasing decisions. HELLLLLOOOOO! By selling this book they are MOST CERTAINLY SUPPORTING CRIMINAL ACTS.

Question for you. Should a book like this be censored? Banned? I'm TOTALLY against censorship, however, this book (though it has no pictures) clearly explains how to harm a child in this very disgusting way. So I have to say "BURN THE BOOK."

Please click over and voice your displeasure with the powers that be. Amazon has to know where we stand on this issue. TOGETHER! WITH OUR CHILDREN!

Monday, November 8, 2010

Won't post until Wednesday

I'm writing a lot these next two days, but I'll see you on Wednesday. :)

Friday, November 5, 2010

What Can Betas Do For You?



Betas give you that extra punch you need. That extra idea, that extra force you need to make your story THE BEST FRICKIN' STORY EVER! They give us the critical eye we need. My betas read my story like a book. From cover to cover. Then they go back and show me areas where they were confused, places that need more or less. Things I'm showing instead of telling. (Yes, I said what you think I said. There are places like that in your book.)

Let's face it, we all need 'em. They make us better writers. Not only from critiquing our stories, but when we BECOME betas, we learn a lot from critiquing their words. It's a give, get thing people.  We give? We get back.

How did you come to know your betas? I got to know mine through the blogging world. And they ROCK! 

We all need each other. I have become a better writer, because of them. I love writing and reading awesome novels.

Do you have beta readers?

How did you meet them?

Wednesday, November 3, 2010


Have you read this book? I believe it came out in 2009. But I loved it. The book centers around Thomas, who finds himself at the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.

Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. The only thing  they know for sure  is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them open up. Every night the doors are closed tight. And every 30 days a new boy has been delivered in the lift. All boys are sent up until a girl arrives. Thomas needs to unlock the secrets that are buried inside his mind in order to figure out what is going on. The part where Thomas has to rescue his grouchy friend Alby, while the grievers(part man, part machine) were getting closer, pretty much had me on the edge of my seat.

Have you read any books you'd love to share?

Monday, November 1, 2010

Time for Writing Prompts

At times we need a little push to sharpen our writing skills or take us away from the dreaded WRITERS BLOCK. (Which I have never had.) *knock on wood*

Here are a some good ones that I thought you'd like to try. I got them from the Writers Digest list of Writing Prompts  There are literally hundreds.

1. Get out a photo album. Pick out number 14. Count anyway you like, but make sure to stop on number 14. Look at the photo for 2  minutes. Then for 10 minutes write all the ways that photo made you feel.

2. Pick out ten words from the dictionary. Create your own meanings for these words. What do the words make you think of?

3. Pick a fairy tale and write your own ending. Feeling sinister? Funny? Make it YOUR way. Actually this is a great exercise for any book you loved reading or hated.

4. Pick your favorite poem and write a new one.Make the last line of the favorite poem the first line of the new one.

5. Write down all the cliches you can think of. Choose the one you're most familiar with and make it the first line of a poem.

We all need exercises every so often. Whether it be our physical selves or our writing selves.

Add to these in the comments. What works for you? :)