White Elephant Blog Hop

Posted on December 18, 2010 by laina

: Image via Wikipedia

To enjoy the spirit of the holiday season as we get into the home stretch before Christmas I wanted to do something fun. A friend of mine had a White Elephant party that I had to miss so I thought I could have my own. Right here on my blog and that way I could get all my friends out in the virtual world to play as well.

Now I’m sure you all know that the traditional White Elephant gift is either really, really cheap or really, really bad. As I looked around I realized I didn’t have any really bad books so instead I thought I would make it silly and fun. An eclectic mix. You can see the pictures below. Now all you need to do get one of these fine gifts is to comment on what was your worst gift ever and do one of the following (or all if you’re feeling frisky). Winners will be chosen Monday Dec. 27th, 2010.

1. subscribe to my rss feed Subscribe in a reader
2. friend me on GFC
3. follow me on networked blogs

Also if you want to participate in my book blog tour in January go to my home page to sign up.

Crazy-for-Book blog hop

Posted on December 10, 2010 by laina

In the spirit of the Twitter Friday Follow, the Book Blogger Hop is a place just for book bloggers and readers to connect and share our love of the written word at Crazy-for-Books.

This week’s question comes from Angela who blogs at Library Girl Reads:

“What is the thing you like most about reading book blogs? Is it the reviews, author guest posts, articles, giveaways, or something else entirely?”

Personally, I enjoy reading book blogs to get other perspectives. It never fails that I learn something new or am exposed to something in a book that I read but just didn’t think about the same or somehow glossed over. It is fun to see how different people view and understand the same words differently.

Fantasy Author Sandy Lender

Posted on December 9, 2010 by laina

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Inspiration Makes it Fabulous
By Fantasy Author Sandy Lender

A lot of folks have asked me about inspiration. It’s a question that accountants and mechanics especially like to ask of creative types like artists and movie stars and writers. (Please notice how I just lumped myself in there with artists and movie stars. Cool, eh?) I don’t like to be glib because anyone asking the question deserves a real answer, but, honestly, everything inspires me.

Duran Duran, baby sea turtles, my companion parrots, sci fi shows/movies, thunderclouds over the Gulf at dawn, short elderly drivers in huge Lincoln town cars, bizarre chicks in L.A. bars, snow in the mountains, etc. At my fancy new website that launched in 2009, my letter to visitors tells of a funky incident from my early teens that inspired a short story in the first Choices-supporting chapbook WHAT CHOICES WE MADE, VOL I. At an earlier blog stop on this tour, I told of a not-so-classy moment from junior high when I called out a friend’s mom on her graying hair, which inspired a short story in the second chapbook WHAT CHOICES WE MADE, VOL II.

Something I know that fires the flames of inspiration for me is setting up my writing space. I participated in the annual 3-Day Novel Contest over Labor Day Weekends in 2009 and 2010, and found myself going through an almost ritual getting everything nice and “set” before the start time both years. What I’m curious about is readers’ “inspiration.” When you pick up a new book and prepare to crack open the front cover, do you need a special setting or a special mindset or some special music softly in the background to inspire you to drop easily into another world?

Thank you for checking in today and for participating in the conversation! “Some days, you just want the dragon to win.”

The second short story chapbook supporting Sandy Lender’s Choices series includes the troubled love story novella: The Influential Love Story of Ella and Rohne. Rated PG for some violence.
Welcome to a world of dragons, magic, sword and sorcery. Dive into the legends that make up the history of the Choices series from established fantasy author Sandy Lender. Both new and familiar characters will enchant you. From families in peril to youth in scrapes, the men and monsters who shaped Onweald politics left epic tales in their wake for you…

As a special treat for Choices readers, this volume includes the love story of Ella and Rohne. She’s a general’s daughter with quite modern ideas about growing old at her father’s side. He’s a moody old god who’s used to getting His way. When they clash, she elects to run away with one of His guards. Catching the fugitives would be easier if the evil Julette’s minions weren’t crashing the party with her poisonous plans.

A stand-alone novella that newcomers to the series can enjoy, The Influential Love Story of Ella and Rohne offers suspense, horror, action, fantasy, and a sweet romance when an opinionated young lady faces her future–and a feisty god.

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A book you can read over and over

Posted on December 8, 2010 by laina

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: Cover of Flowers for Algernon

Yesterday I was listening to the musical score from the Nutcracker Ballet and realized that because I have seen this ballet so many times over the years I was able to follow the music and know what parts of the ballet belonged to what score. It made me think. We all have our favorites. Whether it be music, a TV show, movie, or book. It’s the one or two things that you could listen to or watch over and over for years and never get tired of it. There was Trixie Belden book I read as a kid that I enjoyed so much I would read the last chapter and turn right back to the first and start reading again. I had to think what books I would do that with as an adult and came up with a few. I would love to hear your favorites.

Flowers for Algernon
Gone with the Wind – of course
North and South
Any of the Stephanie Plum books – they make me laugh

These are just to name a few.

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People are interesting

Posted on November 22, 2010 by laina

As I start the second day of my commitment to be a better blogger I came across this appropriately named blog A Good Blog is Hard to Find. I liked it because, well, a good blog is hard to find. As I was perusing this blog by Kathy Patrick, I came across a post written by By T. Lynn Ocean called Pass the Salt, Skip the Lime. Now the blog is about books and writing and all that jazz so T. Lynn Ocean pointed out why was she writing about tequila on a book related blog:

“Nothing, really, other than you might can round up some excellent plot ideas if you’re at a party while sober and observant.”

She went on to give some really interesting information about tequila, which I admit is one of my favs, but I liked her post because of the quote I shared above. Being a writer means being observant. If people are drinking and you can manage to stay sober you will be amazed at what interesting things you can glean.

Like most writers I carry around a notebook, several in fact, that I use to jot down ideas, and descriptions of people, places, and things, that I might want to use someday in my writing. Observing people is one of my favorite pastimes. People are so incredibly interesting and fun to watch.

Back to my point. Another reason I find being observant useful is if I run into a case of writers block I can pull out my notebook of observations and ideas and just pick something to free write about. It may not have any relevancy to what I;m writing and I may never be able to sue it but it keeps me from being frustrated because I am writing. It doesn’t always matter WHAT you are writing about. Just that you are writing.

At Fiction Factor there is a great post about Creating Unforgettable Characters. The writer states:

“Story people emulate real people, though they are actually just the creative genius of the writer who develops them.”

You can’t get that without the whole observation piece. So next time you are at a party maybe it’s worth it to stop at one margarita. Ok, maybe two!

Laina

If you feel like doing me a favor please subscribe to my feed. I am trying to hit 100 by the end of the year.

Pep talk #2, and still suffering from writer’s block – ARG! (sunflowerdiva.wordpress.com)
What to write..what to write… (jesskateer.wordpress.com)
Writer’s Block for the Blogger (atheistrev.com)

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