tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44290893266026177962024-03-17T01:19:23.794-07:00KidbitsTonja Dreckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07683717853264134466noreply@blogger.comBlogger371125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4429089326602617796.post-22313228817159283982022-01-05T07:50:00.003-08:002022-01-05T07:50:53.511-08:00Review: A Change but not Goodbye!<p style="text-align: center;"> Due to time reasons, I've had to accept that it's not possible for me to run Bookworm for Kids AND Kidbits. So, I'm discontinuing this blog and shifting everything (incl. IWSG posts) to</p><p style="text-align: center;">www.bookwormforkids.com</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Would love to see you there!</p>Tonja Dreckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07683717853264134466noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4429089326602617796.post-8566877004740730472021-08-04T07:54:00.001-07:002021-08-04T07:54:08.463-07:00IWSG August - Where did the summer go?<div style="text-align: center;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.alexjcavanaugh.com/p/the-insecure-writers-support-group.html" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="320" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ujhCp2vRSK6OC0aRsiPpLyJSwUi2nYTae9QAi3euvWFctbN3Fmwkjy9gYSiPxE14utdmyANGnTdm72WcoRXdDMnOEyz4Lbr26XjINjfuWywfzhur69mVzZ9HsFDnYIwUu35eqftQ0aPP/w214-h211/Insecure+Writers+Support+Group+Badge.jpg" width="214" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It's IWSG time! What is that? For you who don't know, it's a writer's support group and the brainchild of <a href="https://www.alexjcavanaugh.com/p/the-insecure-writers-support-group.html">Alex J. Cavanaugh</a>.</div><div style="text-align: left;">On the first Wednesday of every month, this group gets together and posts anything and everything about writing...the troubles, the dreams, the support, the thoughts, the drama.... well, about anything.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">After all, writing is better when not done alone.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This month's co-hosts are: <span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: times;"><b style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><a _blank="" href="http://www.pkhrezo.com/blog%E2%80%9Dtarget=">PK Hrezo,</a> <a _blank="" href="http://cathrinaconstantine.blogspot.xn--comtarget%3D-c59f/" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Cathrina Constantine,</a> <a href="http://www.pjcolando.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">PJ Colando,</a> <a href="http://kimlajevardi.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Kim Lajevardi,</a></b><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"> and </span><b style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sandracox.blogspot.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Sandra Cox!</a> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I came to post today and realized I haven't posted on here since May!!!! Oh wow! Okay, I knew that I'd skipped one month, but the whole summer? Yeah, I'm a little out of it this time, aren't I?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Usually, I'd answer the month's question, but I'm going to skip that due to greater things (hmmm...or not so great).</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">While my posting is horrid, awful, terrible....seriously, it's been bad... my writing is actually going better than it has in the last couple years. (Yay!!!!) I actually wrote and completed a short story last week and entered it into a little contest. That's the first story I've written from beginning to end in...ummm...2 years. (To say I've been in a writer's slump is an understatement.)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But I'm rolling along on several manuscripts because while I haven't completed anything in 2 years, I have started a few which I love. Now, I'm going to get them done.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Here are the reasons my writing has been off (just to show that writers are humans, after all):</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">1) Time and stress—with my husband gone all week on the road for the last years, that leaves everything in life on me. We love our lives, at the moment, but I've become a plumber, car mechanic, tractor guru, craftswoman, and electrician...and that while still running the kids around, volunteering, running the review blog, doing the animals, house hold stuff and...and...and... When I get time, I'm often too tired to write. But we're getting that back on track!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">2) Self-doubt monster—I have a huge one of these. Even the short story I turned in is being mutilated by this beast. I liked my story, sent it off, reread it, and now think it's a piece of trash. I hate it. Still, that story is off into the world. So, that's good. Keeping this monster at bay is tough because it also makes the 'inner editor' a tyrant. Nothing is ever good enough. Never.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">3) Co-authoring—I've been working on a series with someone....which because of circumstances has ended up switching gears to another manuscript first. This one is now on round two of edits, although this manuscript isn't so much as co-authored as 'being heavily supported and edited' from my end. Which I am loving and very glad to be doing, but it shoves my own work on the very back burner.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So, that's my life. Do you have some similar problems in yours which keep your writing down? How do you keep pace when 'life' gets in the way? </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I'm actually very satisfied with everything. Just busy and not blogging. And trying my best to fix that.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Tonja Dreckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07683717853264134466noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4429089326602617796.post-70739866985955933402021-05-05T01:00:00.001-07:002021-05-05T01:00:00.224-07:00IWSG Goodness for May!<div style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.alexjcavanaugh.com/p/the-insecure-writers-support-group.html" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="320" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMIMJcVB0ovj5SA2g-rjcqRCq1VKM6Fua7gUimTKKJWZ3xt5AbeQwEjhj-inzD3W5Nb-Y6grn1FsxaOaFAhsziEo1e4o2kXdAFHIxrZ93fU9M8Fl-H7Jrj1iPZcd3epr1lwvwKTBhy34A/w200-h197/Insecure+Writers+Support+Group+Badge.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It's IWSG time!!!!</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;">What is that?</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span face=""arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.85px;">In the words of the founder, <a href="https://www.alexjcavanaugh.com/p/the-insecure-writers-support-group.html" style="color: #336699; text-decoration-line: none;">Alex J Cavanaugh</a>, the IWSG is here '</span><span style="color: #191919; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;">To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!'</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="color: #191919; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #191919;">The first Wednesday of every month is the time we post our woes, hopes, dreams, concerns, ideas, chit-chats, or whatever else moves us.</span><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: black; font-size: 13px;"> </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="yiv8706981783MsoNormal" style="color: #1d2228;"><span style="font-family: times;">(Founded by author Alex J. Cavanaugh, the Insecure Writer’s Support Group offers support for writers and authors alike. It provides an online database; articles; monthly blog posting; Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram groups; #IWSGPit, and a newsletter. <a href="https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #0563c1;" target="_blank">https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/</a>)</span></p></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #191919;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #191919; font-size: 14.85px;">I'm co-hosting this month, right along with </span><span style="color: #134f5c;"><b><a _blank="" href="https://erikabeebe.com/%E2%80%9Dtarget=">Erika Beebe,</a> <a _blank="" href="http://www.pjcolando.com/%E2%80%9Dtarget=" style="text-decoration-line: none;">PJ Colando</a>, </b><a href="http://sadirastone.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><b>Sadira Stone</b>,</a> and<b> <a href="http://cathrinaconstantine.blogspot.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Cathrina Constantine</a>. </b></span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: left;">Stop by and give them a 'hello', too.</span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Today's a special day for IWSG because it's the first day after the release of the latest anthology!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4kxKM2bxjM1k3y_QAFdHVxFSG7WWLoMr6sfgsdzQWjBq1KOrfvbGqakm6Yg28FawTSVd6MuR0YQj1xjSXLrUZiXX_WaB6Xm95K50EuBZbrCrkah9fZvBN5uiho1bUmQFplbDwpztRRPc/s608/Dark+Matter+Artificial.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="608" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4kxKM2bxjM1k3y_QAFdHVxFSG7WWLoMr6sfgsdzQWjBq1KOrfvbGqakm6Yg28FawTSVd6MuR0YQj1xjSXLrUZiXX_WaB6Xm95K50EuBZbrCrkah9fZvBN5uiho1bUmQFplbDwpztRRPc/s320/Dark+Matter+Artificial.jpg" /></a></div><p align="center" class="yiv8706981783MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><br /></p></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p align="center" class="yiv8706981783MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 26pt;">Dark Matter: Artificial</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 26pt;"></span></b></p><p align="center" class="yiv8706981783MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">An Insecure Writer’s Support Group Anthology</span></b></p><p align="center" class="yiv8706981783MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b></p><p align="center" class="yiv8706981783MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><b>Discover dark matter’s secrets…</b></p><p align="center" class="yiv8706981783MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"> </p><p align="center" class="yiv8706981783MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; text-align: center;"><a name="_Hlk4686885" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer"><span style="font-family: times;">What is an AI’s true role? Will bumbling siblings find their way home from deep space? Dark matter is judging us—are we worthy of existence? Would you step through a portal into another reality? Can the discoverer of dark matter uncover its secrets?</span></a></p><p align="center" class="yiv8706981783MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; text-align: center;"><a name="_Hlk65829316" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="font-family: times;">Ten authors explore dark matter, unraveling its secrets and revealing its mysterious nature. Featuring the talents of </a><span style="color: black; font-family: times;">Stephanie Espinoza Villamor, C.D. Gallant-King, Tara Tyler, Mark Alpert, Olga Godim, Steph Wolmarans, Charles Kowalski, Kim Mannix, Elizabeth Mueller, and Deniz Bevan</span><span style="color: black; font-family: times;">.</span></p><p align="center" class="yiv8706981783MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: times;">Hand-picked by a panel of agents, authors, and editors, these ten tales </span><span style="color: black; font-family: times;">will take readers on a journey across time and space. Prepare for ignition!</span></p><p align="center" class="yiv8706981783MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; text-align: left;">Print ISBN 9781939844828 $14.95 </span><span style="font-family: times; text-align: left;">EBook ISBN 9781939844835 $4.99</span></p><p class="yiv8706981783MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; text-align: center;"><a name="_Hlk60053039" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer"><span style="font-family: times;">Science Fiction: Collections & Anthologies / Space Exploration / Genetic Engineering</span></a></p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;"></span></span><p class="yiv8706981783MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08S7LP369">Amazon</a> / <a href="https://books.apple.com/ca/book/dark-matter-artificial/id1548059392"> </a></span><span class="yiv8706981783MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; font-family: times;"><span color="windowtext"><a href="https://books.apple.com/ca/book/dark-matter-artificial/id1548059392" style="text-decoration-line: none;">iTunes</a> / </span></span><span class="yiv8706981783MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; font-family: times; text-decoration-line: underline;"><span color="windowtext" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><a href="https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/dark-matter-artificial">Kobo</a> </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: times;"> / <a href=" https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dark-matter-insecure-writers-support-group/1138581452?ean=2940164777661">Barnes & Noble</a> / </span><span style="color: black; font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56632113-dark-matter">Goodreads </a></span></p></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw3ZAxHU7QzlT0LR8bsGqiqLKCqmRpzFVuCrc7_UoWGMas4G2acSoBsQROeOtp7NRy2nIlyJ_3vnoQfkXUun47753K1Y8_wV9385M6vmr-_ObNMMKz9kh9mIKqkj-1soiupgvk6-6kzD8/s932/IWSG+Anthology+Contest+2021.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="932" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw3ZAxHU7QzlT0LR8bsGqiqLKCqmRpzFVuCrc7_UoWGMas4G2acSoBsQROeOtp7NRy2nIlyJ_3vnoQfkXUun47753K1Y8_wV9385M6vmr-_ObNMMKz9kh9mIKqkj-1soiupgvk6-6kzD8/w200-h197/IWSG+Anthology+Contest+2021.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Also, the new contest is being announced today! Head on over <a href="https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/">here</a> to learn all about it...</div><div style="text-align: left;">because you aren't going to miss that, either!</div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Now, that we've gotten the announcements out of the way, it's time for this month's question!!!</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #e69138; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="color: #e69138; font-size: medium;">Has any of your readers ever responded to your writing in a way that you didn't expect? If so, did it surprise you?</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The first answer, which pops into my head is...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Some people actually claimed they enjoyed my writing!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Now, this might sound like a silly statement, but I'm more than willing to bet that I'm not the only one who was and is seriously shocked by this, at times. Of course, we hope for it and dream about people saying, "Wow. That was good!" But if you're anything like me, there's always that huge voice inside, which really isn't convinced this will ever be the case. So, hearing that for the first time is a shocker. Very unexpected (even if that sounds crazy). And even now, part of me whispers a little doubt, wondering if they're just saying it to be nice or maybe didn't read correctly? </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">That self-doubt monster is ruthless. Always has been. Always will be.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But here's my other answer: When Music Boxes came out, I did have a person in my family, who was disappointed I went into 'darker magic'. Since it's an evil witch, who's spinning her most sinister magic in the last scenes, I didn't think this was any worse than the usual, run-of-the-mill fairy tale. But my aunt was frustrated by the unsuitable dark tones, and that surprised me. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Another piece I wrote received feedback that I'd opened up the reader's eyes to a new-for-them genre...which was unexpected and nice. And then another, never printed tale shocked a reader with it's 'brutality and twisted-ness', which they later admitted wasn't really that bad, since they discovered I'd only based it on facts from history. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So, what odd or surprising remarks have you received? What response weren't you expecting and made you take a think-pause?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Tonja Dreckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07683717853264134466noreply@blogger.com35tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4429089326602617796.post-47849571545416965522021-03-03T01:00:00.001-08:002021-03-03T01:00:01.846-08:00IWSG: My Escape<div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="197" data-original-width="200" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirXi6OaV37r0swweI9l6I7g6yDasFJ6p3j4S_yEio8NX9moM1jA-rq9s0UdanVhPeRxzMxwkO4A7ICHOXjiXYzCmA8xQ5eSSC3VA8EvhjNS-3VoGNTclb0zshNzmjWx8RR5wy3MOg-Eoo/s200/Insecure+Writers+Support+Group+Badge.jpg" width="200" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It's IWSG time!!!!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">What is that?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span face=""arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.85px;">In the words of the founder, <a href="https://www.alexjcavanaugh.com/p/the-insecure-writers-support-group.html" style="color: #336699; text-decoration-line: none;">Alex J Cavanaugh</a>, the IWSG is there '</span><span style="color: #191919; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;">To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!'</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="color: #191919; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #191919;">The first Wednesday of every month is the time we post our woes, hopes, dreams, concerns, ideas, chit-chats, or whatever else moves us. </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #191919;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #191919;">Special thanks goes to this month's co-hosts: </span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span><b><a href="http://thefauxfountainpen.blogspot.com/" style="color: #38761d; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Sarah - The Faux Fountain Pen</a><span style="color: #38761d;"> </span><a href="https://worddreams.wordpress.com/" style="color: #38761d; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Jacqui Murray,</a><span style="color: #38761d;"> </span><a href="http://hogwartssabbatical.blogspot.com/" style="color: #38761d; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Chemist Ken,</a><span style="color: #38761d;"> </span><a href="http://victoriamarielees.blogspot.com/" style="color: #38761d; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Victoria Marie Lees,</a><span style="color: #38761d;"> </span><a href="http://www.literaryrambles.com/" style="color: #38761d; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Natalie Aguirre,</a><span style="color: #38761d;"> </span>and<span style="color: #38761d;"> </span><a href="http://www.jqrose.com/" style="color: #38761d; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">JQ Rose!</a></b></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span>I'm going to be boring this month because I, honestly, don't have much to report. Life is calm, moving along, I've done some writing (could always do more) and all is good. I hope that many of you can say the same. </span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span>So, let's just go right to this month's question, shall we?</span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #6aa84f;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><b>Everyone has a favorite genre or genres to write. But what about your reading preferences? Do you read widely or only within the genre(s) you create stories for? What motivates your reading choice?</b></span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span>Most of my reading is influenced by the reviews I do for Bookworm for Kids. Obviously. And I honestly try to keep this list fairly broad, since I'm also trying to provide a wide-ranged reading source for audiences ages 18 and under.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span>That said...</span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span>My secret reading desires...yep, I call them secret (shhhh)...do tend to lean in the fantasy and science fiction directions. And with that I mean lighter reads, which buzz along with the pure intention to hit adventures and take me to other worlds. No strong messages, please. Just sheer entertainment. But I also grab up books, which dive into science facts or historical fiction or historical facts or cozy mysteries or thrillers or graphic novels or almost anything.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span>Except drama. Please, not sheer drama. And I'm definitely not a fan of contemporary or literary fiction. It's simply too serious. </span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span>Reading is, in most cases, an escape for me, and a chance to let my imagination free. Real life is serious enough, and the people I deal with often have more than enough 'deep thought' discussions about everything from philosophy to culture to science to medicine to politics to religion and beyond. So, I steer clear of that in my hours of relaxation (aka reading). But sometimes the most entertaining reads have more depth than anyone might expect...just delivered in a different way.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span>And what about you? What do you like to read most?</span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span><br /></span></div></div>Tonja Dreckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07683717853264134466noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4429089326602617796.post-4320807383109668032021-02-03T06:27:00.006-08:002021-02-03T06:35:23.688-08:00IWSG - Blogging, friends and the universe<div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="197" data-original-width="200" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirXi6OaV37r0swweI9l6I7g6yDasFJ6p3j4S_yEio8NX9moM1jA-rq9s0UdanVhPeRxzMxwkO4A7ICHOXjiXYzCmA8xQ5eSSC3VA8EvhjNS-3VoGNTclb0zshNzmjWx8RR5wy3MOg-Eoo/s200/Insecure+Writers+Support+Group+Badge.jpg" width="200" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It's IWSG time!!!!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Even if I'm a little late today.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span face=""arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.85px;">In the words of the founder, <a href="https://www.alexjcavanaugh.com/p/the-insecure-writers-support-group.html" style="color: #336699; text-decoration-line: none;">Alex J Cavanaugh</a>, the IWSG is there '</span><span style="color: #191919; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;">To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!'</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="color: #191919; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #191919;">The first Wednesday of every month is the time we post our woes, hopes, dreams, concerns, ideas, chit-chats, or whatever else moves us. </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #191919;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #191919;">Special thanks goes to the co-hosts this month: </span><b style="color: #191919; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: left;"> <a href="http://selkiegrey4.blogspot.com/" style="color: #990000; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Louise - Fundy Blue ,</a> <a href="http://jenniferlanebooks.com/" style="color: #990000; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Jennifer Lane,</a> <a href="http://playoffthepage.com/" style="color: #990000; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Mary Aalgaard,</a> <a href="https://womagwriter.blogspot.com/" style="color: #990000; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Patsy Collins at Womagwriter,</a></b><span style="color: #191919; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: left;"> and </span><b style="color: #191919; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://nancygideon.blogspot.com/" style="color: #990000; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Nancy Gideon!</a></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Actually, I've been thinking all the last days... "Wednesday is IWSG! This month, I'm going to get that post ready more than a few minutes beforehand. I even know what I want to say!" And then, this morning hit and.... </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Yep, I'd forgotten to do it.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But at least, I know what I want to say! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #f1c232;">First:</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Bookworm for Kids has its own domain! You can now type www.bookwormforkids.com and be taken right to the site. Awesome? I think so.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>Second:</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This month's question:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-size: 14.85px;"><b>Blogging is often more than just sharing stories. It’s often the start of special friendships and relationships. Have you made any friends through the blogosphere?</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Gosh, yes. I can't even begin to count the amount of super, amazing people I've met because of blogging. Honestly, it's changed my world on that end, and I count every single one of them as a blessing. There are tons and tons of great people out there, and blogging has given me a way to meet some of them. Each one is really dear to me... even if I have time issues and don't reach out to all of them nearly often enough. And some have even fallen by the way-side, which makes me feel so terrible...but I can't keep up with all of them even if I wished I could. Is there any way just to reach out and give all of you a huge hug?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Not being able to keep up with everyone is probably one of my biggest regrets in life. All of you are really that wonderful.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><b>Third: (and this one does have to do with some of those amazing friends I've made on through blogging)</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">I'm just going to quickly mention this now because I'm actually saving the announcement for a later date, but I received an email Sunday which offered to have <i>Music Boxes </i>included in a time capsule that's being sent to the moon through Writers on the Moon. (Super cool, right?) This also involved writing a small note to future 'readers'. I hate these things because I never have any idea what I should say. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Well, a few hours after I received that email, my brother called to tell me about a package my parents received from the cousin of my grandfather (who lived to be a week short of 99 and passed away about 10 years ago). She was cleaning out her house and found a box of old papers from my great, great, great grandfather. Not only does it include perfectly preserved love letters and postcards from the 1890s, but there was a manuscript, which was published in 1956 by my great, great, great grandfather. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Turns out that he was a writer and a poet. He was commissioned to write the town's history of where he lived...oh, it's not a gripping read and really only done for someone who knows the area well. Which I do not. But the poem was neat and actually, fit the moon idea very, very well. Or at least, the last half of his poem did.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Now, some of his poem is heading to the moon, and I can't help but wonder what he might have thought of that if he had known. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So, I'll just leave you with the last bit of his poem, too.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>"Then let us pause
a spell to write<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>that future youth
may know,<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>Those valiant men
who strove with might<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>to lay the forest
low.”</i><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div>Tonja Dreckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07683717853264134466noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4429089326602617796.post-5615188374474499412021-01-06T01:00:00.015-08:002021-01-06T01:00:03.926-08:00IWSG - Writer What-haves and What-nots<div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.alexjcavanaugh.com/p/the-insecure-writers-support-group.htmljDd05b9rloW0l564FuclRhejI1asdcxQCLcBGAsYHQ/s200/Insecure%2BWriters%2BSupport%2BGroup%2BBadge.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="197" data-original-width="200" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirXi6OaV37r0swweI9l6I7g6yDasFJ6p3j4S_yEio8NX9moM1jA-rq9s0UdanVhPeRxzMxwkO4A7ICHOXjiXYzCmA8xQ5eSSC3VA8EvhjNS-3VoGNTclb0zshNzmjWx8RR5wy3MOg-Eoo/s200/Insecure+Writers+Support+Group+Badge.jpg" width="200" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14.85px;">Welcome to 2021 and another year of IWSG! </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14.85px;">In the words of the founder, <a href="https://www.alexjcavanaugh.com/p/the-insecure-writers-support-group.html">Alex J Cavanaugh</a>, the IWSG is there '</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;">To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!'</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #191919; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14.85px;">The first Wednesday of every month is the time we post our woes, hopes, dreams, concerns, ideas, chit-chats, or whatever else moves us. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #191919; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #191919; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14.85px;">Special thanks goes to the co-hosts this month: </span></span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><a href="http://www.ronelthemythmaker.com/blog/" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Ronel Janse van Vuuren ,</a> <a href="https://jlennidorner.blogspot.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">J Lenni Dorner,</a> <a href="http://gwengardner.blogspot.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Gwen Gardner</a> <a href="http://sandracox.blogspot.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Sandra Cox,</a> and <a href="http://selkiegrey4.blogspot.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Louise - Fundy Blue!</a></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14.85px;"> I'm going to forgo this month's question and head into writer what-haves and what-nots.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14.85px;">The last 8 months or so, I slipped away from my connection to the blog-o-sphere and even struggled to halfway keep up with IWSG. The reason—life simply got busy. And my preferred browser doesn't let me post comments on Blogger, which doesn't make things any easier (Evil computer). But I'm determined to get all of that back underway, stop by and say 'hi' to all of you...I have missed you...and force myself to make time for writing, too. (Seriously, isn't cloning possible, yet?)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14.85px;">Writing has suffered, but with all of the COVID shut-downs, I don't feel so guilty on that front. I'm impressed with those authors, who have had releases the last year and are forced to deal with the much tighter marketing front (as if being a writer isn't hard enough). So, I see this as time for me to get my story ideas tightened up and refined. No time pressure...more because I haven't had the time....but that's neither her nor there. Right?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14.85px;">I have thought about closing myself in my little writing office and ignoring the world to finally let those words flow, but the kids and my husband weren't huge fans of that idea (go figure)...and my cows and chickens might complain, too (yeah, they want to eat).</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">Oh, and I might have spent a little too much time binging shows on Netflix and Youtube. I consider that research for my writing brain...which it might not be, but I'm not convinced of that, yet.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Add over 300 reviews I did on Bookworm for Kids (*aehm* is that too much?), and yep, writing has fallen by the wayside.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But that's going to get better now. Right?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">(A magic wand might be better than cloning, but I haven't found that one yet, either.)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">And what about all of you? Are you filled with writer what-haves, what-nots, or what-evers?</div><div style="text-align: left;">Or have you been indulging in 'writer research' as well?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Tonja Dreckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07683717853264134466noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4429089326602617796.post-33384366287188634552020-11-26T08:16:00.001-08:002020-11-26T08:16:08.177-08:00Happy Thanksgiving!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDlAqapp3UWZkimRa-3vxMhM4NAy-ZHcqPzxZyP9Hd9lMcb1NDk9pw4XesAO0mCwagTo6xn6D6T6NqT0SLFKy1LPbzb1iu7WYVn35WzMMX-x6dxsskgWKmNy_JLRvi8Z3jl_nyEcEdku4/s390/thans.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="335" data-original-width="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDlAqapp3UWZkimRa-3vxMhM4NAy-ZHcqPzxZyP9Hd9lMcb1NDk9pw4XesAO0mCwagTo6xn6D6T6NqT0SLFKy1LPbzb1iu7WYVn35WzMMX-x6dxsskgWKmNy_JLRvi8Z3jl_nyEcEdku4/s320/thans.gif" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;"><b>Here's wishing everyone a very happy and blessed</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;"><b>Thanksgiving!!!</b></span></p>Tonja Dreckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07683717853264134466noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4429089326602617796.post-46546873933173073642020-11-05T04:21:00.005-08:002020-11-05T04:21:56.555-08:00IWSG - Better Late Than Never<div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirXi6OaV37r0swweI9l6I7g6yDasFJ6p3j4S_yEio8NX9moM1jA-rq9s0UdanVhPeRxzMxwkO4A7ICHOXjiXYzCmA8xQ5eSSC3VA8EvhjNS-3VoGNTclb0zshNzmjWx8RR5wy3MOg-Eoo/s200/Insecure+Writers+Support+Group+Badge.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="197" data-original-width="200" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirXi6OaV37r0swweI9l6I7g6yDasFJ6p3j4S_yEio8NX9moM1jA-rq9s0UdanVhPeRxzMxwkO4A7ICHOXjiXYzCmA8xQ5eSSC3VA8EvhjNS-3VoGNTclb0zshNzmjWx8RR5wy3MOg-Eoo/s200/Insecure+Writers+Support+Group+Badge.jpg" width="200" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14.85px;">Hello! And welcome to another round of IWSG! For those of you who don't know, this group meets every month on the first Wednesday of the month to share frustrations, inspiration, tips, kind words, problems, or anything else that hits a writer's world. Being a writer is not always a path non-writers understand. Plus, this is simply a fun, amazing group.</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;" /><span face=""arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14.85px;">This blog-hop was started by the very amazing </span><a href="https://www.alexjcavanaugh.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #6699cc; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-decoration-line: none;">Alex J. Cavanaugh</a><span face=""arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14.85px;"> and has since grown into quite the community with anthology contests, lots of advice on the website, a Facebook group, pitch opportunities and so much more!</span><br /><br />A special thanks to this month's co-hosts: <a href="https://jemifraser.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #e50000; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;" target="_blank">Jemi Fraser,</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"> </span><a href="http://kimlajevardi.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Kim Lajevardi,</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"> </span><a href="http://lgkeltner.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">L.G Keltner,</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"> </span><a href="http://tyreanswritingspot.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Tyrean Martinson,</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"> and </span><a href="http://rachnachhabria.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Rachna Chhabria!</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I'm late!!! But here...the story of my life this year.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Anyway, Happy November, everyone. Can you believe Thanksgiving is just around the corner? I have seen turkeys running around in the pastures and fields. If I were them, I'd run, too.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: medium;"><b>This Month's Question</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #b45f06;">I'll start with today's question: <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"> Albert Camus once said, “The purpose of a writer is to keep civilization from destroying itself.” Flannery O’Conner said, “I write to discover what I know.” Authors across time and distance have had many reasons to write. Why do you write what you write?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />My reason for writing isn't that deep. I write because I enjoy it. I write because it's something I've done since I learned my ABC's. If I don't write for publishing purposes, I'll still write stories for myself. It's simply something I enjoy doing. Some people like to cook, others like to rebuild cars, others like to run... it's a part of who I am. Sometimes, my writing reflects my concerns; sometimes, it's to share experiences or thoughts; sometimes, it's to release anger or frustration; sometimes, it's to explore ideas and broaden horizons; sometimes, it's to try something new; and sometimes, it's simply to have fun and hope others are simply entertained.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Now...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">...if I could find time to write. This year, the farm has been keeping me on my toes much more than usual. I've been a bit stressed with ridiculous projects like finishing painting the house before the cold temperatures settle in, digging and trying to figure out how to renovate our many-year-neglected sewer system, replacing skylights on the barns, treating cows for pink-eye, switching to home schooling with my daughter, driving my son's truck to him to Virginia (an 18 hour run)... pfffffffff...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Yep, writing hasn't only taken a back seat, I've shoved it into the trunk, at the moment. My blogging and social media arenas aren't far behind. That's why I haven't been haunting any of you nearly as much as I'd like to and hope you can forgive me for being a little silent lately.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But I haven't forgotten anyone and can't wait to jump into the writing chair again. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">And now, off to easier and more organizational thoughts...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: medium;"><b>My publisher is running a holiday special:</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.dancinglemurpressllc.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="404" data-original-width="800" height="323" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5479f2c9e4b030244ba1acba/1603713912765-X6UIYZNNMO2TJ24260HM/ke17ZwdGBToddI8pDm48kFj6O_TsbtEjA3fN_L5dUdgUqsxRUqqbr1mOJYKfIPR7LoDQ9mXPOjoJoqy81S2I8N_N4V1vUb5AoIIIbLZhVYxCRW4BPu10St3TBAUQYVKc2WB3CTUrYCVrKgsVLK7WM4cmQt8BuBYS4kNYQ49xTgMWNCmiMnSrcew4lDIYvOxM/Holiday+Special+2020.jpg?format=1000w" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: center;">Buy 1 print book, get 1 print book free</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: center;">Buy 1 eBook, get 1 eBook free</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: center;">Buy 1 audio book, get 1 audio book free</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: center;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: center;">Print & eBooks – must be purchased directly from Dancing Lemur Press’ website; free book must be same price or lower; when paying, note your desired free book in the comments section; free swag provided with print orders</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: center;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: center;">Audio books – purchase from Audible, iTunes, or Amazon and send us your receipt stating your desired free audio book and we will send you a code for a free audio book; free audio book must be same price or lower</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: center;">Inquiries AT dancinglemurpressllc DOTcom</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: center;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: center;">Offer good through December 10, 2020</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: center;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: center;">Visit </span><a href="http://dancinglemurpress.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #3636f2; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Dancing Lemur Press</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: center;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">A Literary Benefit Reading Series!!!</b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">I'm taking part in this fund raiser for authors around the world, who've especially been hard hit by COVID-19. I'll be joining two other children books authors, reading an excerpt from <i>Music Boxes,</i> and answering questions in a live meeting on November 16th at 5:00pm EST. This was actually scheduled to be on November 2nd, but at the last minute, was changed. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Tickets are on a 'what-you-want-to-donate' basis, and you can find more information here:https://www.eventbrite.com/e/share-words-share-love-a-literary-benefit-reading-series-tickets-118383860313</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;"><b>Looking for ways to get reviews???</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">I ran across a wonderful author and her even more amazing idea several months ago, and really wanted to share this with you because getting reviews can be a really battle sometimes. I've tried this one out in so far that I've already read a few and reviewed them, and I know more than a couple authors who have been collecting reviews. It's free, easy and works.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimnlV3SJoW5LwxQFJOiolPl9U0pMeAffImmiaM0tPTtIOk6wvdMD0bTo9MTQJ_I1VkH89V4ZAKIEs7K4nxBSmZD_1U5t9gNlV2-reZlzyDMf3gjpSfjHzjmV39r3zeFxCzE4gLmpo80i4/s680/Need+a+Book+Review.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="680" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimnlV3SJoW5LwxQFJOiolPl9U0pMeAffImmiaM0tPTtIOk6wvdMD0bTo9MTQJ_I1VkH89V4ZAKIEs7K4nxBSmZD_1U5t9gNlV2-reZlzyDMf3gjpSfjHzjmV39r3zeFxCzE4gLmpo80i4/s320/Need+a+Book+Review.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">One simply signs up, has three possibilities to join in on the book reviews, and tadah! That's it. This is simply a bunch of authors...created by an author...who need reviews and are willing to review. <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://sandrasbookclub.blogspot.com/2015/02/submission-guidelines.html&source=gmail&ust=1604662393055000&usg=AFQjCNHDILhKGBcm9qzv8y7nWDJeHB4enQ" href="https://sandrasbookclub.blogspot.com/2015/02/submission-guidelines.html" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;" target="_blank">https://sandrasbookclub.<wbr></wbr>blogspot.com/2015/02/<wbr></wbr>submission-guidelines.html</a></div><br /></div>Tonja Dreckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07683717853264134466noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4429089326602617796.post-52767260631352088612020-09-02T06:57:00.002-07:002020-09-02T07:02:51.130-07:00Why...hello there, IWSG!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirXi6OaV37r0swweI9l6I7g6yDasFJ6p3j4S_yEio8NX9moM1jA-rq9s0UdanVhPeRxzMxwkO4A7ICHOXjiXYzCmA8xQ5eSSC3VA8EvhjNS-3VoGNTclb0zshNzmjWx8RR5wy3MOg-Eoo/s200/Insecure+Writers+Support+Group+Badge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="197" data-original-width="200" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirXi6OaV37r0swweI9l6I7g6yDasFJ6p3j4S_yEio8NX9moM1jA-rq9s0UdanVhPeRxzMxwkO4A7ICHOXjiXYzCmA8xQ5eSSC3VA8EvhjNS-3VoGNTclb0zshNzmjWx8RR5wy3MOg-Eoo/s200/Insecure+Writers+Support+Group+Badge.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">Hello! And welcome to another round of IWSG! For those of you who don't know, this group meets every month on the first Wednesday of the month to share frustrations, inspiration, tips, kind words, problems, or anything else that hits a writer's world. Being a writer is not always a path non-writers understand. Plus, this is simply a fun, amazing group.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">This blog-hop was started by the very amazing </span><a href="https://www.alexjcavanaugh.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #6699cc; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-decoration-line: none;">Alex J. Cavanaugh</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"> and has since grown into quite the community with anthology contests, lots of advice on the website, a Facebook group, pitch opportunities and so much more!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">This month's co-hosts are: </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><a href="https://pjcolandoblog.com/" style="color: #e50000;" target="_blank">PJ Colando,</a> <a href="https://jlennidorner.blogspot.com/" style="color: #990000; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">J Lenni Dorner,</a> <a href="http://thegirdleofmelian.blogspot.com/" style="color: #990000; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Deniz Bevan,</a> <a href="http://kimlajevardi.com/" style="color: #990000; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Kim Lajevardi,</a> <a href="http://www.literaryrambles.com/" style="color: #990000; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Natalie Aguirre,</a></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"> and </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><a href="http://selkiegrey4.blogspot.com/" style="color: #990000; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Louise - Fundy Blue!</a> </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">Stop by and say hi to these wonderful bloggers because I know they are a great bunch!</span><br />
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Good morning, everyone! (Or noon or evening or night.)<br />
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I'm skipping over this month's question because I actually have quite a bit bumbling through my head right now.<br />
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><b>On the <span style="color: #674ea7;">writing</span> front: </b></span><br />
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Things are finally beginning to flow again. I've started my WIP and have the first 1000 words down (which is a mammoth amount compared to the big, fat zero I've been getting for months and months). I'm struggling a bit in trying to figure out how to pace the first chapter: what to reveal, how much background to add, how to slip enough world building... that kind of stuff. But I'll get it figured out.<br />
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The funny thing is that the writing started to flow as life jerked into gear.<br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">On the<span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span><span style="color: #cc0000;">life</span> front:</span></b><br />
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My oldest son suddenly and finally got word from the army that they're accepting his move from the National Guard into active duty (it took them 5 months to get back to him but that's the army). So in two weeks, he's shipping off for training as a helicopter mechanic (isn't that cool?), and then will be stationed who knows where.<br />
<br />
So, what does he do with his new found news? He decides to get married! Within one week.<br />
<br />
Yep, my oldest got married yesterday!!! We're having a reception this coming Saturday because he decided to have it done in Colorado (it's all very confusing and hectic and no worries, I totally understand why he did it this way. And we're all very fine with it).<br />
<br />
Oh, and school started...which is always a change of pace again.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #38761d;">On the blogging/marketing/whatnot front: </span></b><br />
<br />
I was going to shut Bookworm for Kids down as of the end of October for several reasons. It's outgrown my small blogger platform, and I feel like it's stagnated. And I wasn't sure it was worth my time anymore. It eats up SO many hours to do a review every single day, post, write emails, do scheduling! I just wasn't sure I should do it anymore.<br />
<br />
Just as I made my decision to shut down and started spreading the news, I received an invitation to join a blogger panel as the children book blogger at the AWP this coming March. Bookworm for Kids might be small, but it has gotten quite a bit of attention over the years. And free marketing? Can't say no to that!<br />
<br />
So after more thinking and consideration, Bookworm for Kids is going to be getting a new look, platform and purpose. I'm going to expand and offer several new aspects... interviews, children book publishing news, and who knows what. I'm going to let it grow as it wants. After all, there aren't many blogs which feature kidlit...and kids do need to read. Since time is always an issue, I'm hoping to get several other reviewers involved to help lighten the load, but we'll see what happens and where it all leads. Right now, I'm aiming for January 2nd as the 'opening' day, but there's a lot to do until then. And I have no clue what I'm doing. Absolutely, not a single clue.<br />
<br />
<br />
So, that's it for me!<br />
<br />
What's up on your front? Tons of writing to do? Is life keeping you hopping or bogging you down? Does this entire blogging thing make your head want to explode sometimes, too?<br />
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<br />
What's up in your world?Tonja Dreckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07683717853264134466noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4429089326602617796.post-64188402068287221402020-08-05T07:49:00.001-07:002020-08-05T07:49:25.985-07:00IWSG<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirXi6OaV37r0swweI9l6I7g6yDasFJ6p3j4S_yEio8NX9moM1jA-rq9s0UdanVhPeRxzMxwkO4A7ICHOXjiXYzCmA8xQ5eSSC3VA8EvhjNS-3VoGNTclb0zshNzmjWx8RR5wy3MOg-Eoo/s200/Insecure+Writers+Support+Group+Badge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="197" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirXi6OaV37r0swweI9l6I7g6yDasFJ6p3j4S_yEio8NX9moM1jA-rq9s0UdanVhPeRxzMxwkO4A7ICHOXjiXYzCmA8xQ5eSSC3VA8EvhjNS-3VoGNTclb0zshNzmjWx8RR5wy3MOg-Eoo/s200/Insecure+Writers+Support+Group+Badge.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">Welcome to another round of IWSG! For those of you who don't know, this group meets every month on the first Wednesday of the month to share frustrations, inspiration, tips, kind words, problems, or anything else that hits a writer's world. Being a writer is not always a path non-writers understand. Plus, this is simply a fun, amazing group.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">This blog-hop was started by the very amazing </span><a href="https://www.alexjcavanaugh.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #6699cc; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-decoration-line: none;">Alex J. Cavanaugh</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"> and has since grown into quite the community with anthology contests, lots of advice on the website, a Facebook group, pitch opportunities and so much more!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">This month's co-hosts are: </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><a href="https://writingsusanb-rouch.blogspot.com/" style="color: #e50000;" target="_blank">Susan Baury Rouchard,</a> <a href="https://nancygideon.blogspot.com/" style="color: #990000; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Nancy Gideon,</a> <a href="http://jenniferlanebooks.com/" style="color: #990000; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Jennifer Lane,</a> <a href="https://jenniferswritingrevolution.blogspot.com/" style="color: #990000; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Jennifer Hawes,</a> <a href="http://hogwartssabbatical.blogspot.com/" style="color: #990000; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Chemist Ken,</a> </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">and </span><a href="http://writewithfey.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><b>Chrys Fey</b>!</a><br />
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<span style="color: #e06666;"><b>Question:</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #e06666;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">Quote: "Although I have written a short story collection, the form found me and not the other way around. Don't write short stories, novels or poems. Just write your truth and your stories will mold into the shapes they need to be."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">Have you ever written a piece that became a form, or even a genre, you hadn't planned on writing in? Or do you choose a form/genre in advance?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">Yep. I have. I know the general genre in advance, but that's about it. And my stories can slide genres a little (small shifts). While I try to know my story fairly well before writing, the characters tend to do what they will, which can have all sorts of impact on the plot.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">But isn't that the fun of writing?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">Hope everyone's doing well! I'm keeping this month very short due to craziness on my end of things. BUT I should have some big announcements come September...</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">if everything runs as it seems it will. But how often does that happen????</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">Until then, have a great August!</span>Tonja Dreckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07683717853264134466noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4429089326602617796.post-24659900346916082252020-06-03T09:39:00.002-07:002020-06-03T09:39:44.098-07:00IWSG - Searching for Calm<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.alexjcavanaugh.com/p/the-insecure-writers-support-group.html"><img border="0" data-original-height="197" data-original-width="200" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirXi6OaV37r0swweI9l6I7g6yDasFJ6p3j4S_yEio8NX9moM1jA-rq9s0UdanVhPeRxzMxwkO4A7ICHOXjiXYzCmA8xQ5eSSC3VA8EvhjNS-3VoGNTclb0zshNzmjWx8RR5wy3MOg-Eoo/s200/Insecure+Writers+Support+Group+Badge.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
Welcome to another round of IWSG! For those of you who don't know, this group meets every month on the first Wednesday of the month to share frustrations, inspiration, tips, kind words, problems, or anything else that hits a writer's world. Being a writer is not always a path non-writers understand. Plus, this is simply a fun, amazing group.<br />
<br />
This blog-hop was started by the very amazing <a href="https://www.alexjcavanaugh.com/">Alex J. Cavanaugh</a> and has since grown into quite the community with anthology contests, lots of advice on the website, a Facebook group, pitch opportunities and so much more!<br />
<br />
This month's co-hosts are: <span style="color: #45818e;"><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><a href="http://www.patgarciaandeverythingmustchange.com/" target="_blank">Pat Garcia,</a> </b><a href="http://www.jqrose.com/" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><b>J.Q. Rose</b>,</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"> and </span><a href="http://www.literaryrambles.com/" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><b>Natalie Aguirre</b>!</a></span><br />
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<br />
I made it!!!! Although I was hoping to have this post up earlier today, I did hit my goal of getting it up and saying 'hi' to everyone! Ever since the COVID-19 shut-downs started, and also Spring hit, life has shifted into high-gear and seems to only be getting more and more hectic.<br />
<br />
So, writing....ummm....what's that?<br />
<br />
Actually, I have been working on the co-authored project as the chapters come back from him. And I've dibbled a few words here and there on my own project. But it's so hard to concentrate with so many other things going on!<br />
<br />
Since this is IWSG and that means I have a chance to moan and groan...<br />
Yep, I'm going to pour my heart out! Because I desperately want to write and am simply not finding the time.<br />
<br />
Ready?<br />
<br />
<br />
Not only do I have more than several dozen things to get done on the farm now that warm weather...without rain...has hit, but there are all of the house repairs, too—deck painting, house painting, several floors need to be re-done. (We'll just ignore the usual laundry, mowing, cooking, weeding, mopping and such right now). Then, my older kids have been popping in and out (Awesome! And I love every minute, but it does strip hours from the day). My 2nd son and biggest helper broke his tibia bone without us realizing it, and now, is on crutches for quite awhile (and will be). My oldest son graduated with his B.A., and we were going to celebrate this weekend, but he's National Guard and was just activated and sent to a more unsettled protest area. (Prayers appreciated.) AND to help keep my daughter's youngest passion alive (she loves gymnastics), I'm volunteering every day over at the local gym-studio, since the COVID hit them hard, and they can't afford to hire back all of their help yet. So, I'm doing what I can to help keep their doors open.<br />
Add that the transmission in my pick-up went out and the brake drums in my 2nd vehicle died at the same time (because yeah, everything happens at once) and....WHEW! Is it time for winter yet??????<br />
<br />
And one more thing, I messed up something on my browser, so I'm having a ton of trouble leaving comments on other blogs. I'm hoping to finally get that figured out this morning, but please, bear with me if I don't hear from me right away.<br />
<br />
Pfffff.<br />
<br />
Things aren't really bad. I'll admit that, in general, all is wonderful, and we're very blessed.<br />
If only things would slow down just a tiny bit.<br />
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<br />
What about you? How's life and the writing end of things treating you lately?<br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-size: large;"><b>Anthology Contest now open!!!</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv0lLA5ksRMEfQLj_krnABAs2xFivz7VdwpXwOEzJsxjEQj9jAnv36txi0GDusIGdFpATDMa91JAHi20vUjvaft_pfqvZl4qiUAA_jfBX-px-I-vHumwWGLwsmfUbvXE_k7i9Jp1BipFI/s200/IWSG+Anthology+Contest+2020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="197" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv0lLA5ksRMEfQLj_krnABAs2xFivz7VdwpXwOEzJsxjEQj9jAnv36txi0GDusIGdFpATDMa91JAHi20vUjvaft_pfqvZl4qiUAA_jfBX-px-I-vHumwWGLwsmfUbvXE_k7i9Jp1BipFI/s200/IWSG+Anthology+Contest+2020.jpg" /></a></div>
<b style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">Guidelines and rules:</b><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">Word count: </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">4500-6000</span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">Genre:</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"> Science Fiction</span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">Theme:</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"> Dark Matter</span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">Submissions accepted:</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"> May 6 - September 2, 2020</span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">How to enter:</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"> Send your polished, formatted (double-spaced, no footers or headers), previously unpublished story to admin @ insecurewriterssupportgroup.com before the deadline passes. Please include your full contact details, your social links, and if you are part of the Blogging, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter IWSG group.</span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">Judging:</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"> The IWSG admins will create a shortlist of the best stories. The shortlist will then be sent to our official judges.</span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">Our judges:</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"> Dan Koboldt, Lynda R. Young, Colleen Oefelein, Damien Larkin, Ion Newcombe, Julie Gwinn, and David Powers King</span><br />
<br />Tonja Dreckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07683717853264134466noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4429089326602617796.post-57405995069106164612020-04-23T02:00:00.000-07:002020-04-23T02:00:07.172-07:00Celebrating World Book Day, Promo Tips and Webinars<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">It's World Book Day!!! </span></b></div>
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And nope, we're not going to let the COVID-19 get us down. For authors...especially those who need to actively promote right now (don't we always need to promote?)... this means difficult times. PR by the Book's <a href="https://www.authortoinfluencer.com/" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank">Author to Influencer Accelerator</a> reached out to me with 5-Tips they have for authors during this time.</div>
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So, I thought I'd help them spread the word and share.</div>
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<strong><span style="color: #45818e; font-size: large;">5 Tips for Authors to Promote during COVID-19 </span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #45818e; font-size: large;"><br /></span></strong></div>
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<strong>Pitch to media strategically</strong></div>
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Despite the total saturation of the media, there are still ways that you can break through the noise with your pitches. People are looking for distractions from the scary hard news and many will spend extra time at home reading books, getting caught up on their wishlist of titles, so play to this need.</div>
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<strong>Engage with your fans on social media</strong></div>
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People are spending much more time on social media. This creates an opportunity for social media promotions with lots of “lives” since people at home will be scrolling through Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. </div>
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<strong>Audit content that you have put out in the past</strong></div>
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Most people have never heard of a social media audit. But, how can you know what content to post if you don’t know how your content is performing? Most social media platforms make it easy to look at metrics, so you shouldn’t have to spend too much time tracking down numbers. </div>
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Once you know which types of content are performing the best, then you can tailor your future content and post more of what resonates with your audience. </div>
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<strong>Take time to develop new content</strong></div>
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When you have extra time on your hands – like now, one of the best things you can do is create content that you can release in the future. Consider breaking down your book’s major points into bite size pieces. You shouldn’t give away all your book’s secrets, but you can share important bits of information to entice readers into wanting more and positioning yourself as an authority in those areas.</div>
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<strong>Build out a content calendar</strong></div>
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Once you have content ready to go, it’s best to organize it by using a content calendar. If you plan out what you are posting in advance, releasing content on a daily basis won’t be nearly as overwhelming.<br /></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #1d2228; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="color: purple; font-size: large;">Are you in Texas? </span>Ah, neither am I... BUT if you are...<br /></strong></div>
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You can join<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span>in celebrating <strong>Texas Writers Month</strong> this May. Texas Writer’s Month began in 1994 as an effort to get Texas bookstores and media outlets to feature their local authors more prominently and a way for the community at large to celebrate the craft of writing and the work that goes into publishing books. </div>
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They've also launched the <strong><a href="http://mailer.prbythebook.com/link.php?M=16745&N=150&L=73&F=H" rel="nofollow" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank">Author to Influencer Accelerator</a></strong>, a DIY membership community for authors who don’t have the budget to hire a professional to take them from preparation through promotion on their book journey. The Author to Influencer Accelerator offers an ideal way for authors to tap into what they need to do during this time of quarantine. These tips are based on lessons that our members are learning in the accelerator to promote their books. </div>
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<strong>About the Author to Influencer Accelerator: </strong></div>
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Doing their part to promote a digital learning platform and community during this time of sheltering-in-place, PR by the Book has launched a DIY membership community for authors who don’t have the budget to hire a professional to take them from preparation through promotion on their book journey. Due to folks being at home, able to spend more time online, learning and applying those skills, PR by the Book cut the price in half for the month of April. </div>
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<span style="color: purple;"><b>AND THERE'S MORE...</b></span></div>
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My publisher, Dancing Lemur Press LLC's own Diane L. Wolfe, is offering a How To Publish Your Book Now Webinar!</div>
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You can find out more information about this one<a href="http://circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com/2020/04/how-to-publish-your-book-now-webinar.html" target="_blank"> here!</a></div>
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So, how's this entire 'stay-at-home' period treating you and your writing? I hope you're getting more done that I am (I've written an entire 500 words in 3 weeks.) Are you trying to promote right now? Have you heard any great tips lately or had a few ideas yourself?</div>
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Tonja Dreckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07683717853264134466noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4429089326602617796.post-37367656615590835842020-04-01T07:56:00.003-07:002020-04-01T08:05:27.789-07:00IWSG - Always Positive!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ujhCp2vRSK6OC0aRsiPpLyJSwUi2nYTae9QAi3euvWFctbN3Fmwkjy9gYSiPxE14utdmyANGnTdm72WcoRXdDMnOEyz4Lbr26XjINjfuWywfzhur69mVzZ9HsFDnYIwUu35eqftQ0aPP/s320/Insecure+Writers+Support+Group+Badge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ujhCp2vRSK6OC0aRsiPpLyJSwUi2nYTae9QAi3euvWFctbN3Fmwkjy9gYSiPxE14utdmyANGnTdm72WcoRXdDMnOEyz4Lbr26XjINjfuWywfzhur69mVzZ9HsFDnYIwUu35eqftQ0aPP/s320/Insecure+Writers+Support+Group+Badge.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;">The first Wednesday of every month is when this group of awesome writers comes together to offer support, advice, encouragement or simply to let frustrations and woes flow. Writing is a tough journey, and we don't have to go it alone.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;">Thanks goes to the brain behind this group, </span><a href="http://www.alexjcavanaugh.com/p/the-insecure-writers-support-group.html" style="background-color: white; color: #6699cc; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: none;">Alex J. Cavanaugh</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;">! If you want to join in or find out more (because there is so much more to this group), then head on over </span><a href="http://www.alexjcavanaugh.com/p/the-insecure-writers-support-group.html" style="background-color: white; color: #6699cc; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: none;">here</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;">.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;">Twitter is @TheIWSG and hashtag #IWSG. They can also be found on Facebook or on the IWSG blog.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #191919; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14.85px;">Special thanks to this month's co-hosts:</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta;"><a href="http://dianeburton.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: start;" target="_blank">Diane Burton,</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"> </span><a href="http://www.jhmoncrieff.com/" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: start; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">JH Moncrieff,</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"> </span><a href="https://emaginette.wordpress.com/" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: start; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Anna @ Emaginette,</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"> </span><a href="https://erikabeebe.com/" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: start; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Erika Beebe,</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"> </span><a href="http://reprobatetypewriter.com/blog/" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: start; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Karen @ Reprobate Typewriter,</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"> and </span><a href="http://www.lisabuiecollard.com/" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: start; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Lisa Buie-Collard!</a></span></div>
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How is everyone hanging in there???<br />
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That's just happens to run along the theme of today's question too.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: lime; font-size: large;"><b>How are things in your world?</b></span></span></div>
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As many of you know, we live in our own little valley, with no other houses in sight. The tiny dirt road leading to our house is pretty rough...to put it lightly. So, we're isolated year around. (Well, if you count my chickens and cows, we do have quite the party going on here)</div>
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The kids are home from school, but then, they had so many snow days this year, it felt like they were home most of the time anyway. And we're very blessed in so far that my husband's job is essential even when many others should still fall away or close their doors. </div>
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Of course, when the virus hits our area, it will be harsh. The population hangs toward the older end, and medical facilities aren't exactly huge or plentiful. </div>
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But then, the small town near us is suffering already. Unlike 'city folk', office jobs that can be done from home are far and few between in small towns. Most people live pay check to pay check, and few earn over minimum wage. (Even bank tellers earn only around $10-$12 an hour here.) So, the closures have hit super hard, and I'm not sure how many will survive holding out for another entire month. Luckily, people wear quite a tough skin and tend to keep a positive attitude. This isn't the first hard time they've weathered.</div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>SALE!!!</b></span></div>
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On a happy note, my publisher informed me yesterday that<i> Music Boxes</i> is going on sale on Amazon!</div>
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The Kindle version is now available for....</div>
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$2.99 !!!!</div>
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Here - <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Music-Boxes-Tonja-Drecker-ebook/dp/B07N7HZFHT" target="_blank">Amazon!</a></div>
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Add the fact that Amazon's been keeping the paperback at a low price around $6 too (I just peeked in to make sure), and it's a great time to pick up a copy! It's been getting lots of wonderful reviews and still is. So, if you know of some kids stuck at home, this might make a lovely treat.</div>
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Oh, and the audio book version is also available...nice and cheap when purchased along with the paperback. (So, I'm told)</div>
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There's a lovely, new image too! (Tons going on!)</div>
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Stay safe and healthy!!!</div>
Tonja Dreckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07683717853264134466noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4429089326602617796.post-52425407666285314922020-03-13T02:00:00.000-07:002020-03-13T02:00:02.532-07:00Friday the 13th....and celebrating a new release from Shannon LawrenceA wonderful blogger friend, Shannon Lawrence, is celebrating the release of her new short story collection today!<br />
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On Friday the 13th????<br />
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But of course!<br />
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If you happen to know Shannon Lawrence, it's clear that today is perfect for her tales. She swims in all things spooky, dark, suspenseful, and tension-filled.<br />
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To help celebrate, we're to tell our own spooky tales, reveal our favorite urban myths or even gallop into the world of dark mythology. Every time, I think of spooky things I've run across during my life so far, I can't help but think of Dvigrad. I'm going to cheat a little here because there isn't really a ghost story surrounding this little-known place in Croatia. It's simply the town (or what remains of it) and it's history, which left a mark on me... in their own, chilling way.<br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b>DVIGRAD</b></span></div>
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This isn't a place usually found on most people's 'top tourist sights' lists. It's an abandoned, midieval town in central Istrian, Croatia, in the Draga Valley. Translated, Dvigrad means two towns. These settlements were around before the Romans moved in and lived in normal conditions until the Venetians took them over. Around 1345, war broke out between the Patriarchs, and it was besieged and conquered. In 1383, the Venetians won power again, took Dvigrad over, slaughtered the citizens, stole the riches from the church and remained in control. In 1616, it was devastated again during the war between Venice and Austria. The real downfall started in 1631 with the plague. By 1714, the last building occupied, the church, was abandoned. </div>
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Now, none of this is really creepy in a ghostly way...or scary. But you have to picture the ruins of over 220 buildings, including a high, surrounding wall, all grown in by trees, bushes and vines. No one goes there. The supposed parking place to stop there and view it is a small, dirt area where weeds are somewhat kept at bay. We wandered the place for over two hours and not another soul was there the entire time.</div>
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It's so strange, walking down the streets of an ancient, abandoned town, while the buildings...although in ruins...still stand enough to be recognized with doors and windows and walls. The population wasn't small when the the town was occupied...it was a main trading place, thriving with life. And yet, all of it stands empty and forgotten. It's said almost all of them died of the plague.</div>
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And that abandoned, sad atmosphere rings with every step one takes.</div>
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No one has tried to keep back nature. No one has tried to put up signs or even make it friendly for anyone to walk through. Even walking through it is very dangerous. We followed a small path, which found itself more and more thickly grown on both sides. Suddenly, we realized the bushes had mutated to treetops and that we were walking along a path maybe 3 feet wide with over a 15 foot drop-off on both sides...and that on an ancient stone wall. (Noticing this while walking around with two young kids, who might have accidentally stepped off the side, was a real heart-stopper.)</div>
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So, is this a scary story? Maybe not. But walking down these streets left an odd feeling of strangeness I doubt I'll ever experience again. And it left a mark, I'll remember for life.</div>
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If you want to see some pictures (because I have no idea what pile my husband put ours into), head on over <a href="https://secretcroatia.blog/2010/05/01/ghosts-of-dvigrad/" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Bruised Souls & Other Torments</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"> Short Stories</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">by Shannon Lawrence</span></b></div>
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<i style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Fear resides in the soul.</i></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">A welcoming widow with a twisted appetite; a war-time evil lurking behind the face of a child; a father’s love gone horribly wrong; a deadly government solution; a new job with a demonic pay scale; a woman trapped in a mysterious house with no memory of who she is or how she got there. These are a mere glimpse of the terrors that lie in wait in this collection of horror short stories, sure to grip the psyche and torment the soul.</span> </div>
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<span style="text-align: start;"><b>Amazon pre-order link:</b></span></div>
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<b><span style="text-align: start;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.com/dp/B085N7YCZ3&source=gmail&ust=1584131102842000&usg=AFQjCNHoO8eOaOYUmx36o0560n7-YSyl4g" href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B085N7YCZ3" style="color: #1155cc; text-align: start;" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/<wbr></wbr>dp/B085N7YCZ3</a></b></div>
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<span style="color: purple;"><b>You can stalk Shannon Lawrence...</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: purple;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbGKNyrA5JNyvIJ30lYxnkKIWu1C5x_4dpt7MnnxVD3JXl9H_jynK28GIkbgatLVYaW8g4ZEfpTwI1xAdTP-Xb1gyOWps11Og0W87d0WD4WAsPBn1GfOQjMnYmqCmVuaD2ayRCKNw3U34/s1600/LAWRENCE+%252812%2529+c+%2528compromise%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbGKNyrA5JNyvIJ30lYxnkKIWu1C5x_4dpt7MnnxVD3JXl9H_jynK28GIkbgatLVYaW8g4ZEfpTwI1xAdTP-Xb1gyOWps11Og0W87d0WD4WAsPBn1GfOQjMnYmqCmVuaD2ayRCKNw3U34/s320/LAWRENCE+%252812%2529+c+%2528compromise%2529.jpg" width="213" /></a></b></span></div>
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Website: <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.thewarriormuse.com&source=gmail&ust=1584131102842000&usg=AFQjCNHkHhgRLQJ-JVLd8otjjkHpMFEknA" href="http://www.thewarriormuse.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">www.thewarriormuse.com</a></div>
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Facebook: <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.facebook.com/thewarriormuse/&source=gmail&ust=1584131102842000&usg=AFQjCNEaKhvYme6m2Wg1aBGmkDJtDlEgOQ" href="https://www.facebook.com/thewarriormuse/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://www.<wbr></wbr>facebook.com/thewarriormuse/</a></div>
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Twitter: <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://twitter.com/thewarriormuse&source=gmail&ust=1584131102842000&usg=AFQjCNEySTksYqLZaCC9kHUYIcdMrMEmQA" href="https://twitter.com/thewarriormuse" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/<wbr></wbr>thewarriormuse</a></div>
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Pinterest: <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.pinterest.com/thewarriormuse/&source=gmail&ust=1584131102842000&usg=AFQjCNGO5qgQ-kqmk5x46vHrBjSqKto4Dw" href="https://www.pinterest.com/thewarriormuse/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://www.<wbr></wbr>pinterest.com/thewarriormuse/</a></div>
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Instagram: <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.instagram.com/thewarriormuse/&source=gmail&ust=1584131102842000&usg=AFQjCNFt6N-L_LeXlphg1dSfZbB9zgbSyA" href="https://www.instagram.com/thewarriormuse/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://www.<wbr></wbr>instagram.com/thewarriormuse/</a></div>
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Bookbub: <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.bookbub.com/profile/shannon-lawrence&source=gmail&ust=1584131102842000&usg=AFQjCNEwj4Wg7yATM9WsVIdxDMa-rK6izA" href="https://www.bookbub.com/profile/shannon-lawrence" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://www.bookbub.<wbr></wbr>com/profile/shannon-lawrence</a></div>
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Goodreads: <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13836289.Shannon_Lawrence&source=gmail&ust=1584131102842000&usg=AFQjCNHg5mLfHo0uEHngXDTaYxhjY-u-SQ" href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13836289.Shannon_Lawrence" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://www.<wbr></wbr>goodreads.com/author/show/<wbr></wbr>13836289.Shannon_Lawrence</a></div>
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Amazon Author Page: <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.com/Shannon-Lawrence/e/B00TDKPOAO/ref%3Dntt_dp_epwbk_5&source=gmail&ust=1584131102842000&usg=AFQjCNFY6YYQSxIzqbUKuPpyxxAWqeV75A" href="https://www.amazon.com/Shannon-Lawrence/e/B00TDKPOAO/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_5" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/<wbr></wbr>Shannon-Lawrence/e/B00TDKPOAO/<wbr></wbr>ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_5</a></div>
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<br />Tonja Dreckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07683717853264134466noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4429089326602617796.post-57866249106824305962020-03-04T05:22:00.000-08:002020-03-04T05:22:13.656-08:00IWSG—Writing Healthy Into the Spring?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="197" data-original-width="200" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ujhCp2vRSK6OC0aRsiPpLyJSwUi2nYTae9QAi3euvWFctbN3Fmwkjy9gYSiPxE14utdmyANGnTdm72WcoRXdDMnOEyz4Lbr26XjINjfuWywfzhur69mVzZ9HsFDnYIwUu35eqftQ0aPP/s320/Insecure+Writers+Support+Group+Badge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; text-align: center;">The first Wednesday of every month is when this group of awesome writers comes together to offer support, advice, encouragement or simply to let frustrations and woes flow. Writing is a tough journey, and we don't have to go it alone.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; text-align: center;">Thanks goes to the brain behind this group, </span><a href="http://www.alexjcavanaugh.com/p/the-insecure-writers-support-group.html" style="background-color: white; color: #6699cc; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: none;">Alex J. Cavanaugh</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; text-align: center;">! If you want to join in or find out more (because there is so much more to this group), then head on over </span><a href="http://www.alexjcavanaugh.com/p/the-insecure-writers-support-group.html" style="background-color: white; color: #6699cc; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: none;">here</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; text-align: center;">.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; text-align: center;">Twitter is @TheIWSG and hashtag #IWSG. They can also be found on Facebook or on the IWSG blog.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;">Super, special thanks goes to this month's co-hosts:</span><span style="color: #45818e;"><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><a href="https://worddreams.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Jacqui Murray,</a> <a href="http://www.lisabuiecollard.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Lisa Buie-Collard,</a> <a href="http://thefauxfountainpen.blogspot.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Sarah Foster,</a> </b><a _blank="" href="http://www.literaryrambles.com/" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><b>Natalie Aguirre</b>,</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"> and </span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><a href="http://thewarriormuse.blogspot.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Shannon Lawrence!</a></b></span><br />
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(<span style="color: red;"><b>WARNING: </b></span>I'm babbling this month!)<br />
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Happy March!!!<br />
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I don't know about you, but I'm not really ready for it. Not at all.<br />
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Here on my little farm, March means the beginning of all sorts of outside work. Now, don't get me wrong. I love to work outdoors (otherwise, what am I doing on a farm?). BUT that also means double the workload. I wasn't even keeping up with things this winter!<br />
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My list has gotten huge: firewood to split, fence line to clean, fence line to move (build), house to be painted, weeds to be pulled, seeds to be planted, brush hogging, re-setting the pool, rebuilding railing around the deck...and...and...and...<br />
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If I stop and let myself think about it, I get a little overwhelmed. You know that sense of panic which pulls at the chest and makes it hard to breathe, while you squeal through clenched teeth??? Yep, that's what happens. So, I don't think about. Nope.<br />
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But there's a bright side! (*cough*cough* Sure there is.) The bright side? It's time to lose some weight, get fit, and suck in nature's pure air! (Yay???)<br />
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As a writer, spending way too many hours sitting behind a keyboard can be a problem, and I'm not just talking about that extra cushion around the hips and waist. A stiff neck, aching wrists and forearms...and let's not forget the back. I mean, who really sits with the perfect posture while typing away? (Okay, the work on the farm also makes me ache....BUT....)<br />
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I don't always sit when I write. That's a biggie for me. I tend to move around with my laptop. While my favorite spot is a chair at the dining room table, you'll find me standing at the kitchen island or in front of the living room windows at my small, rolling-standing desk. Seriously, that standing desk on wheels was the best Christmas present ever!<br />
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I also 'schedule' small tasks in between writing time as breaks...if I'm going to be writing for several hours at a time. (Which doesn't happen very often, but let's ignore that.) For example, I'll wash a window or two, or take out the garbage...something every half hour of writing or so. There are always small jobs to get done, and instead of doing them all before or after my writing hours, I sprinkle them in between.<br />
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Too bad the bigger farm work can't be sprinkled in between. (I wish I could build a fence line in five/ten minutes!) But I'll take what I can get.<br />
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What do you do to keep yourself from sitting too long? Or do you just give up and enjoy that chair?<br />
<br />Tonja Dreckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07683717853264134466noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4429089326602617796.post-60068012026141511932020-02-28T05:34:00.000-08:002020-02-28T05:34:02.809-08:00About Us by Elizabeth Seckman<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I'm so excited today to help out a fellow writer/author/blogger friend announce her new book to the world...</div>
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and it's one you won't want to miss out on.</div>
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<span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: "inherit" , serif;">Hayden Matthews isn’t looking for love—she’s trying to get as
far from it as possible. She's already wasted eight years in a failed marriage
and is ready for a good life. A peaceful life. One where she can raise her
daughter to be strong, independent, and happy. But to make that happen, she
must fix her own life first. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: "inherit" , serif;">Cam Vorelli has loved Hayden since he was in grade school.
Always in the friend-zone, he stood on the sidelines, his heart breaking, as
she said I do to the wrong man. A man he knew didn’t deserve her, who could
never love her as he did. But what could he say? She was marrying into his
family. Cam would never break a holy vow much less be disloyal to his kin. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: "inherit" , serif;">Until he sees the bruises on Hayden. Abuse is a game changer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: "inherit" , serif;">Leaving a husband like Tag, who has a hot temper, a badge, and a
gun is tricky. When Hayden calls Cam for help, she isn’t trying to lure him
into any romantic webs. She needs someone she can trust and knowing her
soon-to-be ex fears his former NFL cousin is a bonus. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: "inherit" , serif;">When Cam comes to her rescue, he isn’t doing it to win her love.
He does it because it’s the right thing to do. But if she starts to feel the
same for him…couldn’t it be fate?<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "inherit" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>SNEAK PEEK</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Was she a monster for wanting to be happy? Screw happy. She
didn't start the divorce process so she could be <i>happy</i>. She
wasn't a child. She knew <i>happy</i> was an elusive, often selfish goal.
Being happy was Tag's thing. He wanted every day of his life to be some sort of
party. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">She hadn't asked for anything so impressive. She didn't ask for
a big house or a new car. Hell, she didn't even expect vacations. All she
wanted was a simple life, a peaceful life. A life where she knew when her
husband said he had to work late that he truly was working late, not diddling
the bartender or dropping the grocery money into a slot machine. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She'd have been content with a marriage that simply wasn't
miserable. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b>Kobo: FREE</b></div>
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<a href="https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/about-us-a-second-chance-novel">https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/about-us-a-second-chance-novel</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Smashwords FREE</b><br />
<a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1004700">https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1004700</a><br />
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Amazon: <b>99 cents </b><br />
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<b style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">https://tinyurl.com/u6xcrob</b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>And here's....Elizabeth!!!</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOZFQsTML-ec-BMZgdwGRXuUMi8-cj_xTEHNDWTQZej3TahZXZd8N6vA2e5easr9_kzLWb8oRvCDn5QLvikUxxq-AlPnwuAHtU2aRwldadhpJfMiO4ybtzjtlctIYSFaFveNmVUyGWf6o/s1600/author+photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="250" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOZFQsTML-ec-BMZgdwGRXuUMi8-cj_xTEHNDWTQZej3TahZXZd8N6vA2e5easr9_kzLWb8oRvCDn5QLvikUxxq-AlPnwuAHtU2aRwldadhpJfMiO4ybtzjtlctIYSFaFveNmVUyGWf6o/s200/author+photo.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
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Elizabeth is a multi-published author of books for people who are believers in happily-ever- after, true love, and stories with a bit of fun and twists with their plots. The mother of four young men, she tackles laundry daily and is the keeper of the kitchen. She lives along the shores of the Ohio River in West Virginia, but dreams daily of the beach.<br />
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Elizabeth-Seckman-Author-361427683923220/manager/">Facebook</a>/ <a href="http://eseckman.blogspot.com/">Blog</a>/ <a href="http://www.elizabethseckman.com/">Website</a><br />
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<br />Tonja Dreckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07683717853264134466noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4429089326602617796.post-78428878727352575952020-02-17T01:30:00.000-08:002020-02-17T01:30:05.550-08:00A review today of Escape Galapagos by Ellen Prager<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Usually, I place these reviews over on Bookworm for Kids but had a mix-up today. So, I'm double posting this one here and there. Just hit the tab up above or read this one. </div>
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Think of it as twice the fun!!!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoye6PrLJu4FDCnXYc5yj6FGA277rU4POsJHPSeEwAKa15qhqSCi_UVJbthWG4ltSDUsGhpKLYTiHoXcUSFZK130upEmIOumnx9D5SJlAFFgFppDx4Rhq4_xgcr095kaA5KBGZTvxHTOs/s1600/Celebrate+Darwin+Day+February+12-18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="312" data-original-width="820" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoye6PrLJu4FDCnXYc5yj6FGA277rU4POsJHPSeEwAKa15qhqSCi_UVJbthWG4ltSDUsGhpKLYTiHoXcUSFZK130upEmIOumnx9D5SJlAFFgFppDx4Rhq4_xgcr095kaA5KBGZTvxHTOs/s400/Celebrate+Darwin+Day+February+12-18.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>ESCAPE GALAPAGOS</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Wonder List Adventures, #1</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>by Ellen Prager</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Tumblehome Inc.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Middle Grade Adventure</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>180 pages</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>ages 8 to 12</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">As Ezzy Skylar's mother lay dying, her father promised to take Ezzy and her younger brother, Luke, to all of the places on his wife's wonder-list, starting with the Galápagos Islands. There's just one problem: while Luke loves all living things, Ezzy freaks out around wild animals. For her family, Ezzy must face her fears and walk with iguanas, swim with sea lions and sharks, and pretend to dance among blue-footed boobies. Things take a dangerous turn when hijackers take over their cruise ship. Ezzy, Luke, and Aiden, a teen they meet on the ship, are stranded on remote and wild Isabela Island, where an erupting volcano adds to the action and adventure. Ezzy must find bravery she never knew she had and rely on her little brother's help to make their way across the island in an attempt to rescue a ship full of tourists and the animals of the Galápagos.</span><br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Escape-Gal%C3%A1pagos-Wonderlist-Adventures-Prager/dp/1943431558"><img border="0" data-original-height="48" data-original-width="48" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLswHEYEcBdCDCwjgsHiVTcDWD97RIyRsIjX3Nq28y56hPiuMdu_DzZjBrHZIvLExTJOTDF-SFov1aGpYeZNn7KXuz2LlQnRdX34f9yLr0rSbbvleMt54xRtjE2eApMH3_2XC8B-uZqvk/s1600/amazonpic.png" /></a><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/escape-galapagos-ellen-prager/1130902586"><img border="0" data-original-height="80" data-original-width="80" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjieTP4hD9Z0Lg6GVBLn0X1JMbNzkn2zdqyTRpgObtvV-mUmD9xogvAODYRcIci6PEioG1jYUYDlyTqzP2srv-xvM1jUjm0kHxODmjLPiENr1eAYCIyaJUhoG3os6f6L9OOefD-YyjPIt8/s1600/barnesandnoble.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-size: large;"><b>MY TIDBITS</b></span></div>
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This book packs kid-appropriate adventure on every page and mixes it with some interesting facts about animals and more along the way to create a fun read.<br />
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Following a last wish from her deceased mother, Ezzy's father take her and her brother on a trip to the Galapagos islands. Her brother is thrilled, but then he's and animal friend. Ezzy isn't so sure they're as neat as her brother believes. when a hike on Isabela Island ends with them stranded and their cruise ship in the hands of hijackers, Ezzy not only has to learn to conquer her fear of the animals but save them and an entire ship.<br />
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Any readers who love animals...especially more exotic ones...and adventure is sure to enjoy this tale. The first pages already dive right in as Ezzy faces her first 'mini-dragon' and is told there is so much more to come. Her fear is understandable, as is her irritation with her younger brother, who can't understand her reaction. But then, their entire, little family carries a nice atmosphere, and it's clear they care for each other quite a bit.<br />
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The adventure itself is quick-paced and packs enough tension to keep the reader hooked. At the same time, it stays with the realm of kid friendly and is even appropriate for more sensitive readers. This, along with the information about various animals and the islands, makes it a wonderful read for school groups or homeschoolers, too. Add the wonderful mix of sibling relationships, friendship, and learning to step beyond ones fears...and this makes a lovely read.<br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-size: large;"><b>And here she is...</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuyTFTJFmGUz-sqa3AQAPyJKirlM18t1u2S3CLYlIJNOfHcyKhkxw0Pr9rwjLd27VKvEp27c41GE03bWG5kjot2AoNBnieduZy4AKL2_UTAudBGUmJtqKJGcr0Hb72RoswBXdlF_iBDAY/s1600/Headshot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuyTFTJFmGUz-sqa3AQAPyJKirlM18t1u2S3CLYlIJNOfHcyKhkxw0Pr9rwjLd27VKvEp27c41GE03bWG5kjot2AoNBnieduZy4AKL2_UTAudBGUmJtqKJGcr0Hb72RoswBXdlF_iBDAY/s200/Headshot.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>Dr. Prager</b> is a marine scientist and author, widely recognized for her expertise and ability to make science entertaining and understandable for people of all ages. She currently works as a freelance writer, consultant, and science advisor to <b>Celebrity Cruises</b> in the Galapagos Islands. She was previously the Chief Scientist for the <b>Aquarius Reef Base program</b> in Key Largo, FL, which includes the world’s only undersea research station, and at one time the Assistant Dean at the <b>University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science.</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.earth2ocean.net/" rel="nofollow" style="color: #196ad4;" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">www.earth2ocean.net</span></b></a><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ellen.prager.1" id="yiv5815171904LPlnk197035" rel="nofollow" style="color: #196ad4; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/ellen.prager.1</a></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "calibri" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Read an article from Ellen in</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "calibri" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> Children's Writer's Guild: </span><a href="http://www.childrenswritersguild.com/escape-galapagos-creating-a-family-adventure-in-reading/" id="yiv5815171904LPlnk368233" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: white; color: #196ad4; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" target="_blank">http://www.childrenswritersguild.com/escape-galapagos-creating-a-family-adventure-in-reading/</a><br />
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<span style="color: purple;"><b>Here's the tour if you'd like to follow along!</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d;">2/12 <a href="https://pagesforthoughts.blogspot.com/" id="yiv3013443334LPNoLP507080" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://pagesforthoughts.blogspot.com/</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">2/12: </span><a href="http://kidsbookshelf.com/" rel="nofollow" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" target="_blank">http://kidsbookshelf.com</a><br style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">2/17: </span><a href="http://tonjadrecker.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" target="_blank">http://tonjadrecker.blogspot.com/</a><br style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">2/18: </span><a href="http://bookread2day.wordpress.com/" rel="nofollow" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" target="_blank">http://bookread2day.wordpress.com</a><br style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">2/18: </span><a href="http://deborahkalbbooks.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" target="_blank">http://deborahkalbbooks.blogspot.com/</a></span></div>
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Tonja Dreckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07683717853264134466noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4429089326602617796.post-85475740729109304702020-02-14T02:00:00.000-08:002020-02-14T07:16:28.618-08:00Help! I've Been Abducted by Aliens Blog Hop<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitjcHsz2AJrKjRAWanDmWFcUIEvflTIeHRnd_vCq9zw6HiYsWqmo8B73sGl1RknuP7mMjDFTkI2HXw6f7NdhCwxELdGR2UuUWtX22FXdTSMpNHYp_UfRBRsmM-njyoRuOz27RQe3YF3F8/s1600/Abducted+Life+Blog+Hop+Pin.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1102" data-original-width="735" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitjcHsz2AJrKjRAWanDmWFcUIEvflTIeHRnd_vCq9zw6HiYsWqmo8B73sGl1RknuP7mMjDFTkI2HXw6f7NdhCwxELdGR2UuUWtX22FXdTSMpNHYp_UfRBRsmM-njyoRuOz27RQe3YF3F8/s320/Abducted+Life+Blog+Hop+Pin.png" width="213" /></a></div>
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Today, I'm taking part in a super-duper blog hop for the release of Patricia Josephine's new book! And from the title, you're probably able to guess what her book is about. </div>
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Since this is such a fun topic to contemplate.... </div>
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What would an alien abduction look like? </div>
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What do aliens look like? </div>
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What in the world would happen to me if I were abducted???</div>
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See...</div>
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it's fun. </div>
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So, she's asked everyone taking part in the hop to write a short story about an alien abduction. You'll find my attempt below! But first...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2_OeQBd2vG_UahiDqpGlWAxjSw5S8BGrrQ0Raf8UqEXn9RFpX2HcaNEkUN0V72H4aMJ6w5CMggk4pAPH1o_AOriFgXCaj1X3j9zzTXlfOEf7tUNUhCPxtcXzjKBHRmlsa2CX_YKdriZQ/s1600/Abducted+Life+Ecover.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="739" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2_OeQBd2vG_UahiDqpGlWAxjSw5S8BGrrQ0Raf8UqEXn9RFpX2HcaNEkUN0V72H4aMJ6w5CMggk4pAPH1o_AOriFgXCaj1X3j9zzTXlfOEf7tUNUhCPxtcXzjKBHRmlsa2CX_YKdriZQ/s400/Abducted+Life+Ecover.png" style="cursor: move;" width="295" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Savannah Janowitz’s perfect life was destroyed the night she and her boyfriend vanished without a trace. A year later she reappears—alone. With no memory of what happened and strange, new abilities manifesting, Savannah struggles to rebuild her life.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Evan Sullivan never gave aliens much thought until the night he and Savannah were abducted. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Now, changed by the horrifying experiments that made him less than human, Evan hides in the </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">shadows and watches Savannah rebuild her life without him.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">But neither can let the other go. Reunited, Savannah and Evan finally see a glimmer of their </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">old lives return. As they face what happened to them together, they realize aliens aren’t the </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">only danger out there.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Someone closer to home is watching, waiting for the right moment to tear them apart.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: purple; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre;">You can find it here! (as of today!)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Amazon: http://mybook.to/AbductedLife</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/747693</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/abducted-life/id1282655088?mt=11</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/abducted-life-1</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/abducted-life-patricia-josephine/1127096809</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<span style="color: purple; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">And here she is...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVJoRlwYeuCUbUM63JCYHoLgUx5JAKzV935gqk1GXLcMofXo2NixyxJ8YZy-UX_gkCLi8Khc4J8jWw1o6tKoZ-Iw5pUqakrLzQr1otPgwas2RwNQWJ3vDSuOHDhFmq0cteEz_UPjARTYo/s1600/PatriciaLynneAuthorPic.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1079" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVJoRlwYeuCUbUM63JCYHoLgUx5JAKzV935gqk1GXLcMofXo2NixyxJ8YZy-UX_gkCLi8Khc4J8jWw1o6tKoZ-Iw5pUqakrLzQr1otPgwas2RwNQWJ3vDSuOHDhFmq0cteEz_UPjARTYo/s200/PatriciaLynneAuthorPic.JPG" width="134" /></a></div>
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<b><br /></b>
<b>PatriciaJosephine </b><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre;">is a writer of Urban Fantasy and Sci-Fi Romance books. She actually never </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre;">set out to become a writer, and in fact, she was more interested in art and band in high school </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre;">and college. Her dreams were of becoming an artist like Picasso. On a whim, she wrote down </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre;">a story bouncing in her head for fun. That was the start of her writing journey, and she hasn't </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre;">regretted a moment. When she's not writing, she's watching Doctor Who or reading about </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre;">serial killers. She's an avid knitter. One can never have too much yarn. She writes Young Adult </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre;">Paranormal, Science Fiction, and Fantasy under the name Patricia Lynne.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Patricia lives with her husband in Michigan, hopes one day to have what will resemble a small </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">petting zoo, and has a fondness for dying her hair the colors of the rainbow. </span><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: purple; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">You can stalk her (not abduct her!) at...</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #45342e; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Website: - https://www.patriciajosephine.com</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #45342e; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Patreon - http://bit.ly/2sHZ3Vr</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #45342e; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Twitter - https://twitter.com/pattyauthor07</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #45342e; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pattyauthor07</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #45342e; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/pattyauthor07/</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #45342e; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Newsletter - http://bit.ly/2qOsvbm</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #45342e; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13460894.Patricia_Josephine</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #45342e; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Amazon Author Page - https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00UH7GAK0</span></div>
<br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #45342e; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Smashwords - https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/patriciajosephine</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">And here's my contribution to the Alien Abduction Short Story.</span></b></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"><b>Oh, How Sweet Valentine's Day Is</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(In celebration of Valentine's Day, I decided to take an odd twist)</div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Three dozen red roses, one giant box of chocolates, and a
large teddy bear. Tara blinked against the glitter sprinkling down from the hat
perched on her head and rang the doorbell. Hopefully, the person didn’t take
too long to answer the door. She’d been lugging chocolates, balloons, bears and
roses all over town the entire day and hadn’t even had time for lunch. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Love. </i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">It was such a wonderful, magical thing…
especially when the day finally ended.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As she shifted her arms under the weight, the clunk of a
lock made her jerk into position. She plastered a super friendly smile on her
face. Again. Smiles were so overrated.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I have a delivery for Lilly Bean.” <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
From the spicy smell of cologne coming on the breeze, this
was probably not Lilly. But then, one never knew.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Oh, great! Come in.” The guy’s voice rang pleasant as he
moved to the side and lead her into the entryway. “She’s in the living room. Do
you want me to help carry some of that?” <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tara nudged the teddy bear toward him. “Go ahead and take
this into her first. I’ll follow a few seconds later with the rest. She’ll love
the extra surprise.” She added a wink, wishing he’d take the bear faster so she
could get the last delivery over with and finally head home. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He went through what must have been the door to the living
room. In less than two seconds, a high-pitched squeal hit. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“And that must be Lilly,” Tara mumbled. Forcing her smile wider
than before, she stepped into the living room to find the two lovebirds wrapped
in a sweet embrace. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The sight was sheer bliss. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Shoving the roses along with the chocolates underneath her
arm, she tapped a button on her bracelet. A beam of light burst out from the
teddy bear and encased the loving couple in a ball of shimmering blue. Neither
noticed as a portal opened around them to transport them off to the mother
ship. But then, once transported, they’d never notice anything again. The
preservation process had to be carried out immediately to ensure the fresh
aroma of lust, love and desire wasn’t ruined by a sudden influx of adrenaline
and fear. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Forty-four</i> <i>couples.</i> It was her best harvest so
far, but then, she planned to top it next year.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sucking in the aroma of love still lingering in the air, she
licked her lips and stepped toward the bear now lying on the floor. One push of
the button on her bracelet and the portal’s light engulfed her in a warm
embrace. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now, her Valentine’s
Day could truly begin…and what a feast it’d be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span>
</div>
<b></b></div>
Tonja Dreckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07683717853264134466noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4429089326602617796.post-92152229948712060592020-02-05T09:42:00.001-08:002020-02-05T09:42:46.384-08:00IWSG - Oh, Inspiration... Where do you come from?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ujhCp2vRSK6OC0aRsiPpLyJSwUi2nYTae9QAi3euvWFctbN3Fmwkjy9gYSiPxE14utdmyANGnTdm72WcoRXdDMnOEyz4Lbr26XjINjfuWywfzhur69mVzZ9HsFDnYIwUu35eqftQ0aPP/s200/Insecure+Writers+Support+Group+Badge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="197" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ujhCp2vRSK6OC0aRsiPpLyJSwUi2nYTae9QAi3euvWFctbN3Fmwkjy9gYSiPxE14utdmyANGnTdm72WcoRXdDMnOEyz4Lbr26XjINjfuWywfzhur69mVzZ9HsFDnYIwUu35eqftQ0aPP/s200/Insecure+Writers+Support+Group+Badge.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;">Every first Wednesday of the month, this group of writers comes together to offer support, advice, encouragement or simply to let frustrations and woes flow. Writing is a tough journey, and we don't have to go it alone.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;">Thanks goes to the brain behind this group, </span><a href="http://www.alexjcavanaugh.com/p/the-insecure-writers-support-group.html" style="background-color: white; color: #6699cc; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: none;">Alex J. Cavanaugh</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;">! If you want to join in or find out more (because there is so much more to this group), then head on over </span><a href="http://www.alexjcavanaugh.com/p/the-insecure-writers-support-group.html" style="background-color: white; color: #6699cc; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: none;">here</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;">.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;">Twitter is @TheIWSG and hashtag #IWSG . They can also be found on Facebook or on the IWSG blog.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">Super, special thanks goes to this month's co-hosts:</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"> </span><a href="http://leelowery.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Lee Lowery,</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"> </span><a href="http://www.ronelthemythmaker.com/blog/" style="background-color: white; color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Ronel Janse van Vuuren,</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"> </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/jenniferswritingrevolution.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Jennifer Hawes,</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"> </span><a _blank="" href="http://cathrinaconstantine.blogspot.com/%E2%80%9Dtarget=" style="background-color: white; color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-decoration-line: none;">Cathrina Constantine,</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"> and </span><a href="http://tyreanswritingspot.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Tyrean Martinson</a>.<br />
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<br />
This month's question: <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><b>Has a single photo or work of art ever inspired a story? What was it and did you finish it?</b></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">Nope. It hasn't. </span>But it could happen.<br />
<br />
My stories have been inspired, so far, by a range of different things. One was thanks to the recounts I'd heard from my relatives in Germany (<i>A Glowworm</i>). Another was due to a myth about a castle I'd once visited (<i>Petals on a Rose</i>). And there was one that came from my daughter's love of that show 'Cupcake Wars', <i>Meringue, Murder and Marzipan. </i>The last one is very, very, very loosely connected to the original inspiration.<br />
<br />
Other story ideas seem to pop out of no where. Like <i>Music Boxes </i>or <i>In the Shadow of the Eagle's Eye</i>. I have one MS I'm reworking for submission, <i>A Crimson Rose, </i>which does involve a painting. But I never saw a painting to inspire it.<br />
<br />
My current WIP (no, not the co-authored one because that didn't originate in my head) was inspired, at least in part, from my jobbing days during high school at Burger King. (Didn't everyone have one of those jobs?) But even that plot has so little to do with reality that calling it inspired is quite the stretch...I can promise I wasn't going to die thanks to a blood moon and never dreamed of searching for ancient slippers. I did, however, have an old man crash the cash register in front of me with his cane because we didn't serve hamburgers during breakfast hours. Got to love those years!<br />
<br />
What about you? What inspired your tales?<br />
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********</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>It's time to celebrate!!!</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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A writer/blogger friend of mine is celebrating her 2nd Blogging Anniversary...</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and she's doing it big!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjeLs3NotYHhhj-JDwJUaoTtg3SewIucNqQ4eStCm0VNTipe5Gt_uRRLEQfTwK-cQqqb8vIvETG2tX-Sw-Ipki1D1pD8WOlwDKuDhPCjkzj9XemlhiZG64n1LVfmHVsnvpr75Y7yUn810/s400/BLOG+ANNIVERSARY+GRAPHIC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="335" data-original-width="400" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjeLs3NotYHhhj-JDwJUaoTtg3SewIucNqQ4eStCm0VNTipe5Gt_uRRLEQfTwK-cQqqb8vIvETG2tX-Sw-Ipki1D1pD8WOlwDKuDhPCjkzj9XemlhiZG64n1LVfmHVsnvpr75Y7yUn810/s320/BLOG+ANNIVERSARY+GRAPHIC.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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There are several prizes....lots of ebooks...</div>
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<b><span style="color: purple;">An Ebook copy as well as an AUDIOBOOK copy of</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1R2TdPCMo6twsIJUeblWLySNhsUJae1r57Pbar0d_IL4NPo29jK2VP0xIxmhWpnLzA_9R9tTcG4DrenSnyLjJFjL_3iO-2U8C2taohvnGlsuy24uE-Xt9ENcJAeeWBGyNHwks_htDzpg/s400/Number+1--Music+Boxes+by+Tonja+Drecker--final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="267" data-original-width="400" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1R2TdPCMo6twsIJUeblWLySNhsUJae1r57Pbar0d_IL4NPo29jK2VP0xIxmhWpnLzA_9R9tTcG4DrenSnyLjJFjL_3iO-2U8C2taohvnGlsuy24uE-Xt9ENcJAeeWBGyNHwks_htDzpg/s320/Number+1--Music+Boxes+by+Tonja+Drecker--final.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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And as far as I saw... there aren't many entries so far!!! (Means that your chances of winning are good)<br />
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<a href="http://authorjunemccraryjacobs.blogspot.com/2020/02/mmgm-2nd-blog-birthday-celebration.html">http://authorjunemccraryjacobs.blogspot.com/2020/02/mmgm-2nd-blog-birthday-celebration.html</a></div>
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<br />Tonja Dreckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07683717853264134466noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4429089326602617796.post-19362827822715892312020-01-08T05:14:00.000-08:002020-01-08T05:14:00.898-08:00IWSG - Starting the New Year without a bang<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.alexjcavanaugh.com/p/the-insecure-writers-support-group.html" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="197" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ujhCp2vRSK6OC0aRsiPpLyJSwUi2nYTae9QAi3euvWFctbN3Fmwkjy9gYSiPxE14utdmyANGnTdm72WcoRXdDMnOEyz4Lbr26XjINjfuWywfzhur69mVzZ9HsFDnYIwUu35eqftQ0aPP/s200/Insecure+Writers+Support+Group+Badge.jpg" /></a></div>
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Happy New Year!!! And what better way to start off the blog this year than with IWSG?<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;">Every first Wednesday of the month, this group of writers comes together to offer support, advice, encouragement or simply to let frustrations and woes flow. Writing is a tough journey, and we don't have to go it alone.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;">Thanks goes to the brain behind this group, </span><a href="http://www.alexjcavanaugh.com/p/the-insecure-writers-support-group.html" style="background-color: white; color: #6699cc; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: none;">Alex J. Cavanaugh</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;">! If you want to join in or find out more (because there is so much more to this group), then head on over </span><a href="http://www.alexjcavanaugh.com/p/the-insecure-writers-support-group.html" style="background-color: white; color: #6699cc; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: none;">here</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;">.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;">Twitter is @TheIWSG and hashtag #IWSG . They can also be found on Facebook or on the IWSG blog.</span><br />
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Super, special thanks goes to this month's co-hosts: <b style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #45818e;"><a href="http://journalingwoman.blogspot.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">T. Powell Coltrin,</a> <a href="http://victoriamarielees.blogspot.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Victoria Marie Lees,</a> <a href="http://authorstephentremp.blogspot.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Stephen Tremp,</a> <a _blank="" href="https://reneescattergood.com/%E2%80%9Dtarget=" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Renee Scattergood,</a> and <a href="http://www.jhmoncrieff.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">J.H. Moncrieff!</a></span></b><br />
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With a brand new year comes new energy and swing on the writing front! Right? Well, not in this writer's head. While the dreams mount and goals overflow, I'll admit...I feel slumpy.<br />
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And yes, 'slumpy' is a word in my world.<br />
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You know those moments... every word is trash. Every sentence forms such a mess that the entire literary world would be aghast if they even caught a glimpse of it. Nobody's writing has ever stunk as much as what's hitting my manuscripts.<br />
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That's me, at the moment. And that voice in my head is bouncing up and down, screaming that I should just give up because I definitely have no right to think that anyone would ever like my garbage. The short stories I've published are a laughing stock. People say they like them and they were published...but, come on, I know they stink to high heaven. And Music Boxes...a sheer accident. I haven't even completed another book since that one.<br />
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Sure. I have hundreds of story ideas floating through my head. I'm pretty sure several of them are dazzlers too. Which is all good and well...until I try to write them. Let's face it, those stories don't have a chance with my pathetic skills.<br />
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Sound familiar? If not, I'm amazed at your confidence and wouldn't mind having a dusting every now and then.<br />
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Will I listen and give up? It's tempting, but...not a chance. It's just that stupid, little doubt monster, who managed to squiggle his way out of whatever hole he was hiding in. Again. The best way to shut him up is to ignore him and keep plugging away. Because he does get tired of it, at one point. I just hope it doesn't take a few months...years? Luckily, I'm in for that even if it does. I'll just have to make sure my supply of chocolate never runs out.<br />
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What are your 'secret' ways of dealing with your self-destructive, writer's voice?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWmASvRmqJzrgpSbDEAo1oU6CzXIzbxrHPHzf3tOxseRM-3tBA7bdqkLtG4v27pUy5cAHb_zcZxyuCTyvGOyJmJUnO-5XaUXRS3YK-tf-srPbrvMezpoNwxv9AQd1djvPUFvMhSaVX5b0/s320/IWSGPit+2020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="192" data-original-width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWmASvRmqJzrgpSbDEAo1oU6CzXIzbxrHPHzf3tOxseRM-3tBA7bdqkLtG4v27pUy5cAHb_zcZxyuCTyvGOyJmJUnO-5XaUXRS3YK-tf-srPbrvMezpoNwxv9AQd1djvPUFvMhSaVX5b0/s320/IWSGPit+2020.jpg" /></a></div>
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This is coming up next week! Don't miss out because it's a ton of fun. </div>
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Tonja Dreckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07683717853264134466noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4429089326602617796.post-47095024272659854292019-12-04T02:00:00.000-08:002019-12-04T02:00:02.699-08:00IWSG...Keeping it fun<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.alexjcavanaugh.com/p/the-insecure-writers-support-group.html" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="197" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ujhCp2vRSK6OC0aRsiPpLyJSwUi2nYTae9QAi3euvWFctbN3Fmwkjy9gYSiPxE14utdmyANGnTdm72WcoRXdDMnOEyz4Lbr26XjINjfuWywfzhur69mVzZ9HsFDnYIwUu35eqftQ0aPP/s200/Insecure+Writers+Support+Group+Badge.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;">Every first Wednesday of the month, this group of writers comes together to offer support, advice, encouragement or simply to let frustrations and woes flow. Writing is a tough journey, and we don't have to go it alone.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;">Thanks goes to the brain behind this group, </span><a href="http://www.alexjcavanaugh.com/p/the-insecure-writers-support-group.html" style="background-color: white; color: #6699cc; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: none;">Alex J. Cavanaugh</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;">! If you want to join in or find out more (because there is so much more to this group), then head on over </span><a href="http://www.alexjcavanaugh.com/p/the-insecure-writers-support-group.html" style="background-color: white; color: #6699cc; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: none;">here</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;">.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"></span><span style="color: #191919; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;">Twitter is @</span>TheIWSG<span style="background-color: white;"> and </span>hashtag<span style="background-color: white;"> #</span>IWSG . They can also be found on Facebook or on the IWSG blog.</span><br />
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Not only am I thrilled to help co-host today (because that's always tons of fun), but the winners of the anthology contest are being announced, too! I was lucky enough to be one of the judges, and wow! The stories were terrific! This anthology is going to be a real treat and probably not what you expected. Adventurous? Yep. But each story is so much more than that.<br />
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The winners can be found <a href="https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/" target="_blank">HERE</a> ... the IWSG blog (after 5am EST)! Congratulations to all of them!<br />
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Don't put down those pens, yet! January is just around the corner, which means it's almost time for...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY9HKlATtqJcJXv3JZ4Vk1mOxB_UwtbC8dLW_ElTsi6nACE1CsYjMrB28KB8jwl655pzRPqn2ntnn4G4GhcrdEvTtJlxar8bUA2EnWZWiuD_GMmZGDSJIxV4Skn1pNuQ4-tXktdQ98saE/s320/IWSGPit+2020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="192" data-original-width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY9HKlATtqJcJXv3JZ4Vk1mOxB_UwtbC8dLW_ElTsi6nACE1CsYjMrB28KB8jwl655pzRPqn2ntnn4G4GhcrdEvTtJlxar8bUA2EnWZWiuD_GMmZGDSJIxV4Skn1pNuQ4-tXktdQ98saE/s320/IWSGPit+2020.jpg" /></a></div>
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From 8am to 8pm EST, you can tweet a pitch of your finished and polished manuscript (with genre, audience age group, and #IWSGPit ). If you receive a like/heart from a publisher or agent, then check out their submission guidelines, send in the desired materials, and Wa-La! Your story will get at least a glance.</div>
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I, personally, love peeking in on these just to see all of the awesome stories. The ideas are always amazing!</div>
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I'm skipping over today's question because I wanted to share something with you, instead.<br />
My co-author loves to whittle and has been creating the characters from our WIP. We<span style="text-align: center;"> have quite the cast, and the ones I'm showing you aren't necessarily the main characters. At least, not in the first book. Let's just say that someone is going to be whittleing for many moons to come. </span><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">The first two figures are still in the making, but I couldn't resist giving you a glimpse anyway (hope Mr. Co-Author forgives me.) </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ_NSAvF448MFXSHvwQs7RTyKjNaO9jM4SXW73gIVMUfyyXiQTmVg07DWW_-8gwP35YfZpSwQ61zAXl_WGoE74QR6dSGlGdi3-qPFCMYLYyMd0y6BDc8rPVGppj-1_ASk5nrzo2BzI1GY/s1600/IMG_20191030_154038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ_NSAvF448MFXSHvwQs7RTyKjNaO9jM4SXW73gIVMUfyyXiQTmVg07DWW_-8gwP35YfZpSwQ61zAXl_WGoE74QR6dSGlGdi3-qPFCMYLYyMd0y6BDc8rPVGppj-1_ASk5nrzo2BzI1GY/s320/IMG_20191030_154038.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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This is Niles, a fifteen-year-old, who is trying to support himself and his sick, little brother. He works as a janitor at the castle. Later, he needs to learn how to fight... the scenes from which this figure originates. On his back are the arrows, and he's holding a bow. (I can't wait to see it when it's sanded.)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5n4NGhomVJaxM0ddzxv7VMy3DkWKi0pBXNtsp2yrjDK28TVk3n8f2RNH5Ty59dJBvCQ0D8BIXGoGlvLAXBrZTS6l7QlRqHxUIcP8t-Ek9wsKb5g5pnFinozkgE7nqfdjFQVDSBAZphek/s1600/IMG_20191030_154054.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5n4NGhomVJaxM0ddzxv7VMy3DkWKi0pBXNtsp2yrjDK28TVk3n8f2RNH5Ty59dJBvCQ0D8BIXGoGlvLAXBrZTS6l7QlRqHxUIcP8t-Ek9wsKb5g5pnFinozkgE7nqfdjFQVDSBAZphek/s320/IMG_20191030_154054.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Meet Anglia (oh, I hope I spelled her name right!). She's nine/ten-years-old and a bit of a handful. She's extremely playful and has a rich imagination...maybe a little too much so? Niles becomes a big brother figure for her (that's why he's currently standing at her back). I'm super excited about where her story will take her during the series (yep, we're writing a series!) She packs tons of surprises! And yep, this is definitely a YA read...take that as a very slight and impossible-to-know-where-it's-going hint at what her future holds.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoX4eLTWuRzvmTFra22Xz8OGjShblURNRsjoHdFdW_0YWopEEECu7Mjj6c0UolAx1LMZ0tEah1lBcN5s4nv9fyIJXz7iUTPrYvYl5ogZBH9o7gs8o4YM_deEOlwjk8xITF1Gdz4wCZ5DM/s1600/IMG_20191111_073241.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoX4eLTWuRzvmTFra22Xz8OGjShblURNRsjoHdFdW_0YWopEEECu7Mjj6c0UolAx1LMZ0tEah1lBcN5s4nv9fyIJXz7iUTPrYvYl5ogZBH9o7gs8o4YM_deEOlwjk8xITF1Gdz4wCZ5DM/s320/IMG_20191111_073241.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Meet Midnight. She's not a character in this first book and is a very, very tinsy-tiny side-character, whose name might or might not be mentioned in the series (We're still working on book one and although the basic plot stands for the series, who knows what surprises will pop up!). But her best friend, Fay, is definitely a force to be reckoned with in the first book. Fay carries so much spunk that her little body can hardly contain it. Since I can't find my Fay photo (and I'm sure Mr. Co-Author emailed it to me..hmmm), I decided Midnight was too interesting to ignore. Her wings are iridescent, and you can kind of see that in the photo if you squint. She's still drying in this image...perhaps, that explains her scowl? But then, she does have a bit of a dark side.</div>
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As you can tell, Mr. Co-Author and I are having fun. Considering how much rewriting and editing is involved, fun is a vital element and keeps the excitement level high.<br />
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So, does chocolate.<br />
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Tons of chocolate.<br />
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Have a Happy Holidays! And see all of you next month!!!Tonja Dreckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07683717853264134466noreply@blogger.com49tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4429089326602617796.post-18252993264646769062019-10-23T07:37:00.000-07:002019-10-23T07:37:27.943-07:00Wednesday Whittleings...and where those whittleings wander.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">Wednesdays are my day to randomly babble. Sometimes about children's books, others about writing, and whatever else strikes my mind. Random thoughts...random whittleings.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">I'm a horrible whittler. Honestly, I've never done much whittleing outside of creating pointed sticks to roast marshmallows on...(if that's not a worthy whittleing activity, though, then I don't know what would be!) My co-author, however, is a whittler and is creating some of the characters from our book. I'll be sure to post pictures soon, so stay tuned for that! (See, I'm getting you hyped for later! ...ummm...and I haven't told him I'd like him to take pictures of them yet. So, if he's reading this, now he knows.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px;">In other news, an awesome writing friend is celebrating the release of her new book in just TWO DAYS!!! I haven't read it yet...my 'to-be-read' pile has been getting the best of me lately...but I've heard so many good things about it and will be reading it. I'm a fan of her writing. So, I'm going to say...This Is A Must Read!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>NOT GUILTY</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>by C. Lee McKenzie</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Evernight Teen</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>YA Contemporary / Thriller / Mystery</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">A bloodied knife. One young man's word against another. A lifetime dream shattered.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">B&N </span><a data-ft="{"tn":"-U"}" data-lynx-mode="async" data-lynx-uri="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.barnesandnoble.com%2Fw%2Fnot-guilty-c-lee-mckenzie%2F1133757423%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR3KPH1Z6VAIKSal73QujyAM8SrffoywbGvkE8ZUfAHBQEV_sxnjSe1I6iI&h=AT0jK3rLjsOkSFAMM8rKPr7btC25_KfMtqViGX0iFNTdItcO5v1UcmJw50c1NiO7H1JYqhxI1KTSR59QBHOTanakqMye_OBjvVmR5jX6WIPfq8H9SMaL1ZdJehYWu1CEv3sStkqlWCbCI62iccLaPoNBATw48YFhPgAKM_RPnFWiiv0b0u7pi7mUENX9GmZ3AjkLXODaKe6VZSMxmHXex41LxCxKCFuS-SJjzsFSbstDOlWf_YoHF9Kj1Ch3davvde2cTRgW2ToxLieqvKIPp9Y_4OBnb45yb3nQqmtxUT_KVqzErQWWe3KbBfarIKE-LHR7KnK_AavobuevhgBwtTCg-jvVNlolZ5VzaAgDXEGrsAg3_zAOCOlg37BGEGgQKgsxwi9nOoOwFg_jkshRC6Swbj63uNaKk-6EEaQmabPw7fuTCRIum3AxejRoLCMfcv7tCL8txYUulOk" href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/not-guilty-c-lee-mckenzie/1133757423?fbclid=IwAR3KPH1Z6VAIKSal73QujyAM8SrffoywbGvkE8ZUfAHBQEV_sxnjSe1I6iI" rel="noopener nofollow" style="background-color: white; color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/not-guilty-c-le…/1133757423</a><br style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">KOBO </span><a data-ft="{"tn":"-U"}" data-lynx-mode="async" data-lynx-uri="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.kobo.com%2Fus%2Fen%2Febook%2Fnot-guilty-19%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR1hacTi4gH2FAiC1Gbo5i43ShvV-ShYM5sAGWvmdqH06chfa4LpJGQl3rc&h=AT1QtQW_QYfib6X-QwGdK2-sNJJoeusCgnd_P_KYYLZBnhy3SA6A2Ylx3edOUNAFN4lIs-VU_i2QuNFJ4Dz_n0ue15OLJ6iD54vMrt68xAK5L8XttOd2QJPP-m-AqHPe4B3tOrMZSwmgqR8tmxypNpXIqWYjUXvmPrk9ZidwuAiRDxIqbVW9jgUZOW68lyHnvvgRtOmuyU8v_4TKwqekWrzZen4Zhl04OX5Ugftqzsuz_M4FzzCWN68xSE7A-wLB3MAPdNIdnsk40ViwAI_9dEnnlq96CDbfV1AweCzIapENP8AsslXk8oDrv0WSYW8I65DK4qMHg0z7XOZpoZBfhlcsSOpLZ_NQkdIaDnIAbVLWFzDcI5ozPW2jzmnZGHZmHkvGs2g2bjHWO6gAg7N_-LKhzqhBejiyYAtF5wpA13cjOuWvGVvcLDLJpLWHdbvYDFnXq0IXeMN5Cc8" href="https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/not-guilty-19?fbclid=IwAR1hacTi4gH2FAiC1Gbo5i43ShvV-ShYM5sAGWvmdqH06chfa4LpJGQl3rc" rel="noopener nofollow" style="background-color: white; color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/not-guilty-19</a><br style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">SMASHWORDS </span><a data-ft="{"tn":"-U"}" data-lynx-mode="async" data-lynx-uri="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.smashwords.com%2Fbooks%2Fview%2F959648%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR24YyOys2bBmy4m81e6U6EFIbG7BWpStHdxbXH2UY4LKko2Xo02i2wPr70&h=AT1ZekeHS_H8h-xxHZ2LAShI-KPTnigz0Qj8VimUOT9UZIZLNJslLCAZbP-RzLxZuwfKn6IyNFfX0wPtl7Zk_mdU8sT1KoLx45CauYe3bv9qcKwDgyZXWJSF7osMx4eAM3W81DKy05zkqDkXJI6w8gDQ7i3Mg530kAO8gWMQg-_f84Pxdicd2rfEpFmZi_wDp4McMvbPcuhOuKe6SY6dVECTs43GPIfuU1Z5KTa4ImUtm618OqZ6w0OQli7wHkSDZIa9ZJ4H6sFKq29_BFbTUKMZETEYpSIe7Dji_DnMNI9l6CRhyg3TIh-R8wCnyL6pIjECCxZBxWlnfqy2OKMK-HYagOJdqs5uqKkZRE8AzSafm-3pB79Z4aBp2SQD7lJvO1avhx8yN97coms9tXmkV1QNBugG_1tvGAIXVw0_zCthDY3wleL7ainJlIKpn9VM555qfExFIXPbVTY" href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/959648?fbclid=IwAR24YyOys2bBmy4m81e6U6EFIbG7BWpStHdxbXH2UY4LKko2Xo02i2wPr70" rel="noopener nofollow" style="background-color: white; color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/959648</a><br />
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Also, in the world of writing (is there another world?)<br />
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I'm going to be at the Barnes & Noble in St. Peters, Missouri from 12 to 3 pm this coming Saturday (October 26th.) They're planning quite the Halloween event (I've heard), and there will be an adult horror/thriller/spooky author there as well.<br />
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I've been told to come dressed for the celebration. I might have the perfect outfit.<br />
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So, stop by if you can. Plus, it's supposed to be yucky weather—a terrific time for a visit to the book store!<br />
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The super-awesome, amazing narrator, Nance Weber, put together a short video to help tease the audio book version of Music Boxes. I'm still over the moon about this and love listening to how she reads the characters.</div>
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/U8C8JuCOFmQ/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/U8C8JuCOFmQ?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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And lastly...but not leastly...</div>
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Here's the on-going Tour line-up for the next week's stops and Music Boxes, conducted through <a href="https://www.silverdaggertours.com/" target="_blank">Silver Dagger Book Tours</a>.</div>
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There's a giveaway for a Music Box + Swag AND a $20 Amazon GC (2 separate prizes). Plus, there are guest posts, where I babble and babble and babble. Is there a prize for babbling?</div>
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Today, Wednesday:</div>
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<a href="https://bookreviewsbyjasmine.blogspot.com/">https://bookreviewsbyjasmine.blogspot.com/</a></div>
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<a href="http://tometender.blogspot.com/">http://tometender.blogspot.com/</a></div>
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Thursday: </div>
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<a href="https://4covert2overt.blogspot.com/">https://4covert2overt.blogspot.com/</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ebookaddictsuk">https://www.facebook.com/ebookaddictsuk</a></div>
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Friday:</div>
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<a href="http://snoopydoosbookreviews.com/">http://snoopydoosbookreviews.com/</a></div>
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Saturday:</div>
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<a href="https://www.drakosden.com/blog">https://www.drakosden.com/blog</a></div>
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Sunday:</div>
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<a href="https://mariacatalinaegan.com/">https://mariacatalinaegan.com/</a></div>
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Monday:<br />
<a href="https://introspectivepress.blogspot.com/">https://introspectivepress.blogspot.com/</a><br />
<a href="https://eileentroemel.com/category/book-tour/">https://eileentroemel.com/category/book-tour/</a><br />
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Tuesday:<br />
<a href="http://diaryofawannabewriter.blogspot.com/?m=1">http://diaryofawannabewriter.blogspot.com/?m=1</a><br />
<a href="https://cravinglovelybooks.blogspot.com/">https://cravinglovelybooks.blogspot.com/</a><br />
<br />Tonja Dreckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07683717853264134466noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4429089326602617796.post-50291775625163337762019-10-02T05:13:00.002-07:002019-10-02T05:42:38.085-07:00IWSG and a ton of other stuff!<br />
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<a href="https://www.alexjcavanaugh.com/p/the-insecure-writers-support-group.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="197" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ujhCp2vRSK6OC0aRsiPpLyJSwUi2nYTae9QAi3euvWFctbN3Fmwkjy9gYSiPxE14utdmyANGnTdm72WcoRXdDMnOEyz4Lbr26XjINjfuWywfzhur69mVzZ9HsFDnYIwUu35eqftQ0aPP/s200/Insecure+Writers+Support+Group+Badge.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;">Every first Wednesday of the month, this group of writers come together to offer support, advice, encouragement or simply to let out frustrations and woes. Writing is a tough journey, and we don't have to go it alone.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;">Thanks goes to the brain behind this group, </span><a href="http://www.alexjcavanaugh.com/p/the-insecure-writers-support-group.html" style="background-color: white; color: #6699cc; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: none;">Alex J. Cavanaugh</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;">! If you want to join in or find out more (because there is so much more to this group) then head on over </span><a href="http://www.alexjcavanaugh.com/p/the-insecure-writers-support-group.html" style="background-color: white; color: #6699cc; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: none;">here</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;">.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;">Twitter is @TheIWSG and hashtag #IWSG</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;">Special thanks goes to this month's co-hosts (and these are awesome co-hosts!): </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://gwengardner.blogspot.com/" style="color: #33aaff;" target="_blank">Gwen Gardner,</a> <a href="http://doreenmcgettigan.com/" style="color: #6699cc; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Doreen McGettigan,</a> <a _blank="" href="http://tyreanswritingspot.blogspot.com/%E2%80%9Dtarget=" style="color: #6699cc; text-decoration-line: none;">Tyrean Martinson,</a> <a href="http://hogwartssabbatical.blogspot.com/" style="color: #6699cc; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Chemist Ken,</a> and <a href="http://cathrinaconstantine.blogspot.com/" style="color: #6699cc; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Cathrina Constantine!</a></span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"> </span><br />
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Hello, October! I'm a huge Fall/Winter fan. So, I'm all smiles this time of year...taking walks in the leaves...enjoying mums and pumpkins...eating apples...apple cider...the cool breeze...<br />
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*sigh* Yep, life is good. (Well, as of tomorrow. We've been stuck in this weird heat wave the last few weeks).<br />
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Anyway....<br />
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I've got a lot to hit today, but I'll start with the question:<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"> It's been said that the benefits of becoming a writer who does not read is that all your ideas are new and original. Everything you do is an extension of yourself, instead of a mixture of you and another author. On the other hand, how can you expect other people to want your writing, if you don't enjoy reading? What are your thoughts?</span></span><br />
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Can a baker who's never tasted or smelled or touched bread bake? Maybe. But how are they to know if it tastes right, has the right consistency, or even resembles bread? Writing is a learned craft like everything else. You need to know how to write and see writing to become a writer.<br />
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Otherwise, I'm in the deep, dark editing cave right now and probably will be there until November or longer. I hope I brought along enough candles and snacks.<br />
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And now, off to everything else!!!</div>
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I didn't have internet the last two weeks. So, not only did I disappear, but so much happened during that time!</div>
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First, I was blessed enough to meet two authors during my last signing. This is the first time I've actually come face-to-face with some of you, and wow! What amazing people, too!</div>
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Erika Beeba (<a href="https://erikabeebe.com/">https://erikabeebe.com/</a>) stopped by. Some of you might know her as CloudNineGirl. And what a bright person she is!</div>
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I also met the talented Rosie Russell, who's not only brought out more than a few amazing childrens books but is also an amazing person to chat with.<br />
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The audio version of Music Boxes is about to be released...</div>
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any day now!!!</div>
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To help spread the word and celebrate, Silver Dagger Book Tours is helping me run a month long blog tour. I have several guest posts going up (more secrets revealed about me?) and a giveaway for a music box as well as a $20 Amazon GC. So, if you get a chance, you might want to stop by and join in.<br />
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A list of stops can be found <a href="https://www.silverdaggertours.com/sdsxx-tours/music-boxes-book-tour-and-giveaway" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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This is where to go this week:<br />
Oct. 2 - A guest post and excerpt at <a href="https://www.silverdaggertours.com/sdsxx-tours/music-boxes-book-tour-and-giveaway" style="background-color: white; color: #65e114; font-family: "crimson text"; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.4px; text-align: center; transition: all 0.5s ease 0s;">Silver Dagger Book Tours</a>, <a href="https://twistedbookrambling.wordpress.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #65e114; font-family: "crimson text"; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.4px; text-align: center; transition: all 0.5s ease 0s;">Twisted Book Ramblings</a><br />
Oct. 3 - <a href="https://www.thesexynerdrevue.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #65e114; font-family: "crimson text"; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.4px; text-align: center; transition: all 0.5s ease 0s;">The Sexy Nerd 'Revue'</a>, <a href="https://the-bookshelf-fairy.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #65e114; font-family: "crimson text"; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.4px; text-align: center; transition: all 0.5s ease 0s;">The Bookshelf Fairy</a><br />
Oct. 4 - <span style="color: #65e114; font-family: "crimson text"; font-size: small; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.4px; text-align: center; transition: all 0.5s ease 0s;"><a href="https://thespookybookshelf.com/" style="color: #65e114; font-family: "crimson text"; font-size: 17px; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.4px; text-align: center; transition: all 0.5s ease 0s;">The Spooky Bookshelf</a>, </span><a href="http://javajohnz.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #65e114; font-family: "crimson text"; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.4px; text-align: center; transition: all 0.5s ease 0s;">Java John Z's</a><br />
Oct. 5 - <a href="https://apinchofbookdust.wordpress.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #65e114; font-family: "crimson text"; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.4px; text-align: center; transition: all 0.5s ease 0s;">A Pinch of Bookdust</a>, <a href="https://www.bookcornernewsandreviews.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #65e114; font-family: "crimson text"; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.4px; text-align: center; transition: all 0.5s ease 0s;">Book Corner News and Reviews</a><br />
Oct. 6 - A guest post at <a href="http://readeropolis.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #65e114; font-family: "crimson text"; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.4px; text-align: center; transition: all 0.5s ease 0s;">Readeropolis</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "crimson text"; letter-spacing: 0.4px; text-align: center;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "crimson text"; letter-spacing: 0.4px; text-align: center;">Oct. 7- </span><a href="https://www.literaryau.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #65e114; font-family: "crimson text"; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.4px; text-align: center; transition: all 0.5s ease 0s;">Literary Gold</a>, <a href="https://dragonofbooks.wordpress.com/" style="background-color: white; color: rgb(101, 225, 20) !important; font-family: "Crimson Text"; font-size: 17px; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.4px; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.5s ease 0s;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Book Dragon</span></a><br />
Oct. 8 - <a href="https://specfictionspot.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #65e114; font-family: "crimson text"; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.4px; text-align: center; transition: all 0.5s ease 0s;">Speculative Fiction Spot</a>, <a href="https://scrupulous-dreams.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white; color: rgb(101, 225, 20) !important; font-family: "Crimson Text"; font-size: 17px; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.4px; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.5s ease 0s;"><span style="font-size: small;">Scrupulous Dreams</span></a><br />
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I have another book signing this month!</div>
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I'll be at the Barnes and Noble in St. Peters (St. Louis area) on October 18th from 10 am to 2 pm.</div>
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If you're in the area, feel free to stop by!</div>
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What about you? Do you think reading makes it difficult to come up with original tales of your own? What do you take with you into the editing cave? Are you also suffering 90 degree temperatures when it's supposed to be cooling down???</div>
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How's your writing life going?</div>
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Tonja Dreckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07683717853264134466noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4429089326602617796.post-86290467014877078762019-09-03T15:40:00.002-07:002019-09-03T15:40:40.861-07:00IWSG - Breezes, News, Chicken Mysteries and a Ship to the Stars!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="197" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ujhCp2vRSK6OC0aRsiPpLyJSwUi2nYTae9QAi3euvWFctbN3Fmwkjy9gYSiPxE14utdmyANGnTdm72WcoRXdDMnOEyz4Lbr26XjINjfuWywfzhur69mVzZ9HsFDnYIwUu35eqftQ0aPP/s200/Insecure+Writers+Support+Group+Badge.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;">Every first Wednesday of the month, this group of writers come together to offer support, advice, encouragement or simply to let out frustrations and woes. Writing is a tough journey, and we don't have to go it alone.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;">Thanks goes to the brain behind this group, </span><a href="http://www.alexjcavanaugh.com/p/the-insecure-writers-support-group.html" style="background-color: white; color: #6699cc; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: none;">Alex J. Cavanaugh</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;">! If you want to join in or find out more (because there is so much more to this group) then head on over </span><a href="http://www.alexjcavanaugh.com/p/the-insecure-writers-support-group.html" style="background-color: white; color: #6699cc; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: none;">here</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;">.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;">Special thanks goes to this month's co-hosts: </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #191919; font-size: x-small;"> </span></b><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://gwengardner.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Gwen Gardner,</a> <a href="http://doreenmcgettigan.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Doreen McGettigan,</a> <a _blank="" href="http://tyreanswritingspot.blogspot.com/%E2%80%9Dtarget=" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Tyrean Martinson,</a> <a href="http://hogwartssabbatical.blogspot.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Chemist Ken,</a> and <a href="http://cathrinaconstantine.blogspot.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Cathrina Constantine!</a></span></b><br />
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September is here!!! I love this time of year. Not only do the cooler temperatures make me smile, but the work outside starts to slow down. Yippee! Which means more writing time for me!<br />
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I have a lot planned on that front, but then, I have high hopes every year at this time. (Let's not admit how much writing really gets done in the end, though, because I'm staying positive.) <br />
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Before heading into this month's question, there are a few tidbits, dates, and surprises I want to mention...<br />
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Bookworm for Kids was placed at #14 in the top 50 Children Book Blogs according to Ranked Blogs. So yay!</div>
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I'm honored to be September's featured author over at the Society for Children Book Writers and Illustrators for the KS/MO district and have an interview up on their website.</div>
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I'll be up in northern Kansas City at the Barnes and Noble on September 28th for their 'Campfire Chills' event and will be signing books, handing out SWAG and simply having fun chatting with everyone who stops by. (So mark those calendars!)</div>
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And on the farm front....<br />
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A calf was born this last week. So cute! It's black and bouncy, and I'm not sure if it's a boy or girl yet, but I'll figure that out as soon as it (or its mother) lets me get close enough to take a peek.<br />
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I also had a chicken coop murder mystery, which took longer to solve and cost more feathered lives than I would have liked. We lost our proud, majestic rooster...and two hens.<br />
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Did you know that raccoons are smart enough to lift doors and enter the coop? I didn't. <br />
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But we caught the villain, and now, there's peace in the realm of eggs again.<br />
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Before things start popping up again, here's this month's question!</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #8e7cc3;">If you could pick one place in the world to sit and write your next story, where would it be and why?</span></b></span><br />
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THIS is a question which could take an entire novel to answer. There are so many places I'd love to write. I'm open to so many things!<br />
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On a cliff overlooking the Irish shore.<br />
On a raft floating down the Amazon river.<br />
On a branch in a tall tree with a great view of a rain forest.<br />
In front of the fireplace, curled up in a blanket.<br />
Next to a waterfall.<br />
In an igloo.<br />
Sitting in front of a dinosaur bone display in a museum.<br />
Riding a gondola in the Alps.<br />
Sitting on the side of the Himalayas.<br />
In a chair on the moon.<br />
In a dungeon of an ancient castle.<br />
The list goes on...and on... and on...<br />
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See? I'm not even picky? Especially if I'm allowed to bring snacks.<br />
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And where would you like to sit and write your next novel? Do you have any news or tidbits to share? Does September put a smile on your face or are you sad to see Summer go?<br />
<br />Tonja Dreckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07683717853264134466noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4429089326602617796.post-59943790195236182072019-08-28T05:41:00.001-07:002019-08-28T05:42:11.984-07:00Wednesday Whittleings — Fantasy Building Silliness and Dr. Dolittle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">Wednesdays are my day to randomly babble. Sometimes about children's books, others about writing, and whatever else strikes my mind. Random thoughts...random whittleings.</span></div>
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As some of you know, I'm currently hitting new ground (for me) in writing and am working on a co-authored project. If you want to know the truth, it's a ton of fun. Not only is it great to finally bounce ideas back and forth without having to deal with eye rolls and disinterest...</div>
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...my family members don't need to listen to my non-stop babbling about whatever I'm writing on at the moment. </div>
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But it's a blast to play around in a fantasy world with someone else. I thought I'd share an email from my co-author, when I had a question about the magic building he'd set up (just to give you a hint at how crazy and hilarious this process is). And this is the email.</div>
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"All right! So first off, I want to thank you all for coming here today...if this is your first visit to my head, don't forget to fill out the new personality form back there on the table as you enter. As always, snacks are free, but the bar is cash only."<br />
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*audible grumble*</div>
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"First order of business. Necromancy. Now, I know this is old news for some of you, but we have a visitor, so please, be respectful.Necromancy is an off shoot of witchcraft, which is a religion, and therefore, anyone can partake in. Now of course, we're not talking Harry Potter here."</div>
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*chuckles from the peanut gallery*</div>
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"So I'll turn it over to an expert in the subject. Lady Dolethea?"</div>
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*applause*</div>
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A pale thin dark haired personality with bright violet eyes steps behind the podium. She sweeps a gaze across the crowd with a mixture of arrogance and disdain.</div>
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"Fools. You know nothing!" Her face softens. "Ahem. So, let's start with the basics...</div>
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One doesn't need any special abilities to become a witch. You simply have to understand the flow of energies binding the universe together. Inviting a spirit guide to help you through the process is an important initiation ritual dating back before recorded history. As you progress in your journey to enlightenment—assuming, of course, you please your spirit guide—he, she or it will open new doors to abilities you never thought possible."</div>
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"Excuse me."</div>
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Dolethea squints into the crowd, shielding her eyes from the lights. "Yes, we have a question?"</div>
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A man in black clerical robes stands up. "Forgive me, but I'd like to point out that this is completely against our religious beliefs..."</div>
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Dolethea points at him, and he sits back down. "Yes, well... This process is defiantly one used by Satan throughout the ages. Hinduism, Taoism, Zoroastrian and many others employ the same..." She coughs. "We're not converting...just covering how things work where I'm from. Where was I? Oh yes. The spirit guide demands payment. In fact, even accepting the guide's assistance requires surrendering some aspect of yourself to it. Other abilities require greater sacrifices. As Necromancy lies a the far end of the dark path, this tends to involve some rather nasty business."</div>
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Gandalf rises leaning on his staff. "And how does this differ from wizardry?"</div>
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Dolethea nods. "So glad you asked." She leans in close to the microphone with a barely vocalized whisper. "It doesn't."</div>
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Galdalf chuckles. "I never summoned a spirit guide."</div>
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Dolethea smiles. "No? Maybe not consciously, and maybe you don't walk the dark path, but when you speak a spell, who are you talking to?"</div>
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Gandalf works his lips nervously.</div>
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Dolethea smiles. "Exactly. The natives of every culture on the planet believed, and still do, that spirits inhabit everything. Air, rocks, literally everything. Magic is nothing more than convincing these spirits to give a darn about what you want and getting them to act accordingly. Wizards placate, as do some witches, but necromancers deal with the spirits beyond this world. Our influence among the living is...more forceful." Her face falls and she shudders slightly. "And comes with great cost."</div>
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She leaves the podium much more shaken and desperate than before.</div>
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I return to the microphone applauding. "Well, I must say...I hope you all enjoyed Dolethea's exposé. And let's hope she gets the help she needs after that speech. Next week, Dr. Dolittle will give a talk on the art of sitting on your hands. Thanks for coming!"</div>
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And that's a glimpse into our world...or my co-author's head...which is a very interesting place to visit. Believe me. Oh, and it took me awhile to get his Dr. Dolittle joke.</div>
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<br />Tonja Dreckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07683717853264134466noreply@blogger.com9