Find the Story Friday!!! TAG!

Happy Friday, all!!  First ~ your pic of the week:

~

~~

~~~

~~~~

~~~~~

~~~~~~

~~~~~~~

~~~~~~

~~~~~

~~~~

~~~

~~

~

little snafu with my pic this week - but, I found this worthy one here.

Did you play TAG as a kid?  I remember playing kissing tag in 3rd grade... ;)  One of my first kisses came from a friend who found me huddled and hiding inside a big blue tractor tire on the playground.  I remember it seemed wet and sandy and, let's face it.  A little awkward.  3rd grade boys just don't quite know what to do with their mouths...yet (thank goodness!!).

Which reminds me - I've been TAGGED!!  Michael @ In Time tagged me first.  If you don't know Michael, he's seriously one of the nicest, most supportive, just darn awesome bloggers out there!  Go visit him NOW!  Pretty please?  And if you're in the mood for pics of some lovely beaches, please go visit my second very lovely tagger, Danette over at There's A Place I Dream About.

Ok - so a few questions to answer:

1.  Do you think you're hot?  HAHAHAHA!!  Oh, I'm not sure I can type an answer to this with a straight face...  unless you mean heat hot and then, yes.  Summer is not always my friend...

2.  Upload a picture or wallpaper you are using at the moment:  Ok - this if from my work PC: 

3. When was the last time you ate chicken?  Yesterday - chicken and black bean burrito from Taco Time, yummmmmm.

4. The Song/Songs you listened to recently?  I can't seem to get enough of Ke$ha's Blow.  (ok, sorry.  that just sounds wrong...)

5.  What were you thinking while doing this?  Quit lolly-gagging!

6.  Do you have nicknames?  What are they?  The acceptable nicknames are Done (as in condone), my Dad calls me Ea (ee-uh), or when he thinks he's being funny - Flea (flee-uh).  I had an 8th grade PE teacher call me Donut, because she never could pronounce my name.

7.  Tag 8 blogger friends:

I'm sure by now - all of these people have been tagged.  And I hate to pick just 8 - because you're ALL fabulous!!  But, if you don't know any of these wonderful bloggers - I encourage you to visit them:

Jess at Falling Leaflets

Alex J. Cavanaugh

Colene Murphy

Abby Minard

Donna K. Weaver

Kari Marie

Meredith at Fairy Tales and Cappucino

Amy Richardson (a newbie to blogging and my cousin!!)

Who's listed as #1:  Jess!!  She's frawesome!!  If you need a writing tip, or link, or editor blog, or info on anything writerly related - Jess is your gal.  Her links are as amazing as she is!!

Say something about #5:  My sister from another Mister!!  :)  Change one little letter and Donna could be me!!  And she's from UT to boot ~ crazy!

How did you get to know #3:  Colene is a blogging buddy from way back!  (Ok, last fall...but still)  She's easy to get to know, so personable, edgy, tells it like it is and just cool.  Plus we share a secret love for Xena. :)

How about #4:  Abby was one of my very first followers and a fellow BtVS lover!  And also another mother to an awesome only girl.  She's an awesome blogger buddy to have.

Leave a message for #6:  Hey, Kari!  What's up, girl?  I hope someone has told you today that You Rock!

Leave a lovey-dovey message for #2:  Alex, how did you end up there??  Hmm...well, something to do with "frakking" came to mind, but as we're both married...that just seemed inappropriate.  :p  So, I'll go with, "Love long and prosper!"

Do #7 and #8 have similarities?  Meredith and Amy?  They're both kick-a writers who share a dream.  They both know me (to some extent).  They're both seriously talented and awesome!  Three's good, right?

Have a great weekend!!

Writerly Wednesday!! Presence and Presents ~ :)

First of all, I want to thank my wonderful blogger friends who checked out my aspiring author interview over at Abby Minard's.  I love getting to know you all through interviews, tag-lists, I-got-an-award-and-must-now-list-seven-things-about-myselfs type stuff!  I hope you enjoyed getting to know a little bit more about me!! :)  And if you missed it...feel free to click HERE.

My writing advice today is simple.  At the Pike's Peak Conference, Deb Dixon (CEO of Belle Books) was a keynote speaker at one of our lunches and she said something that really kind of hit it home for me and for a lot of the other attendees:

"You must be present to win."

This adage applies to many areas of life, but for writing specifically - I took it to mean that you have to be in the now, you have to be actively present, writing, editing, networking, getting out there and working on your craft.  You also need to be present at conferences, online, and in the slush piles.  You must be present to win!

Case and point:  (in a round about sort of way...)

I don't usually consider myself a "winner".  Raffles, drawings, games, stuff like that?  Nada.  However, the company I work for is a HUGE supporter of Primary Children's Hospital and every year we have a slotted time-frame to hold as many fundraising events as possible.  I usually try to hit as many as my budget allows, but this year my schedule wasn't working with me.  I'm also leery to go to these events by myself.  Sure, I "know" the people hosting them.  But, I'm a shy gal and feel more comfortable if I have my daughter, one of my sisters or friends to go with me.  Well, this wasn't an event for my daughter...and beg as I did, none of my friends were available to go.  I almost didn't go.  But, yesterday morning I read a blog post (tee hee!) about the rewards of pushing yourself out of your comfort zone sometimes.  So, I picked up the phone and RSVP'd and went by myself.

And guess what?  I WON!!!  Not the game, mind you.  I still can't win at those.  But, I bought extra raffle tickets and CLEANED HOUSE on prizes!!  Check this out:

WOO HOO!!  Fancy perfumed soap, free hair cut, free deep conditioning treatment, candle, basket full of chocolate, spatulas, gourmet cooking mixes...BAKED GOODS mixes!!

And these super cute Emory boards!!  SOOO cute, right???

WINE!!

 I'm hauling this into my house last night, remembering I need to come up with a writing post today, and Deb Dixon's words came to mind.  Perfectly apt.  Had I stayed home, stayed comfortable, sat on my tush and watched tv all night...well.  To top it all off ~ I ate one piece of chocolate last night after I'd decided on the subject of today's blogpost and the message inside the wrapper was this:

Now, if that's NOT a sign, I don't know what is.  :)  You must be present to win.  Presence = Presents!!  What do you think?  Are Deb and I on to something here?  Put yourself out there, my friends!!  Hammer out that first draft, edit the crap out of it, revise, revamp and QUERY!  And I hope to see some winners very soon!

WOO HOO!! My FIRST Aspiring Author Interview with Abby Minard!

Hello, my friends! 

The lovely Abby Minard is interviewing me over on her site today.  I would be ever so happy if you'd pop over and take a look.  Abby was one of my first followers and she's interviewed a LOT of wonderful aspiring authors.  It's quite an honor to now be listed among them.  You can link to the interview by clicking "HERE".

And if you're not following Abby - you should be!  She's awesome.  I interviewed her a while back in a kind of 3-person mashup interview.  Search "AbCoJen" and you'll get it.

Thanks, all!  Have a HAPPY MONDAY!

The AbCoJen Interview - Part II....

Part II

Welcome back!  Or...for the first time.  Either way, welcome, welcome!  Glad to have you here.  :)  And if  you missed Part I of this interview, you can find it here.

These 3 ladies obviously have a lot of fans out there.  And as you read even more of their wonderful answers, I'm sure you'll see why.  So, I'll quit jabbering and get you to it!  Without further ado - Abby Minard, Colene Murphy and Jen Daiker ----------->

Question 8:  What motivated you to start blogging?
Abby:  I always thought I'd wait to start blogging until I got an actual book deal. But my crit partner encouraged me, and the blogs I read kept saying to build a presence. So I started and absolutely love it. I love making friends with the amazing people in the writing community. I never thought we'd be so tight!

Colene:  I started because of the need to. You know, unless you're already a big name, you have to have a blog or die or something like that? But after a few months I fell completely in love. I love the people I have gotten to know through emails and comments and blogs. I love every bit of it.
 
Jen:  Watching Julie & Julia I realized what a great idea it was and decided to dive in. Haven't regretted it.

Question 9:  What do you attribute your blogging success to?
Abby:  Ignoring my child. No, just kidding (a little). I think when I started I just wanted to meet people who experience the same feelings I do with writing books. I found that I liked meeting new people online (I'm horrible at it in real life...seriously, if you meet me in person, I'm really rather dull) and I try to keep up with reading other's blogs and making connections.

Colene:  Ha! I'm not at all a success! Not to me anyway. I still feel like a very small fish. But the only thing I can give any credit to are the people who come back 3 days a week to "see" me. Without an ear to hear I'm talking to myself, you know?
 
Jen:  Time. It takes time to build, time to manage, and time to keep it going.

Question 10:  One blog you don't go a day without missing?
Abby:  Colene Murphy's- The Journey (she's my crit partner and one of my online besties) (*link at the top!)

Colene:  Just one!? I can't pick just one...fine...but it isn't easy. TheGreenBeanTeenQueen blog is my every time blog. Granted, I can't stay away from SO MANY blogs, it is a tough pick but hers and Jenny B. Jones blogs were two of ones I checked religiously long before I had a blog of my own.

Jen:  Oooo. Tough. Can I say my own? hehe. Really I'd say Candyland... she's my girl.

Question 11:  Favorite TV show?  (It's all about the writing, after all...)
Abby:  If it's all about the writing, it's got to be Castle. The dialogue is funny and witty, and the mysteries are wonderful. I'd have to throw How I Met Your Mother in there too- again, AWESOME dialogue.

Colene:  Eep. Um. It changes! I love the Thursday night shows (The Middle, Modern Family, Cougar Town)  The hubs and I are tv people. We aren't the creepy, zoned out, do nothing but drool at the screen kind,  but it is our way to relax after long work days and be together, chatting and laughing while the tv is on. But I did recently fall in love with Firefly. So, maybe that is my favorite right now?
 
Jen:  Criminal Minds
 
Question 12:  Favorite movie?  (same here...)
Abby:  Back to the Future: I can probably recite the whole thing on the spot.  I think the acting has something to do with it, because if you listen to the writing, it's pretty darn cheesy.  But seriously...BEST MOVIE EVER.  Anyone that can pull off cheesy writing and dialogue and still smash it out of the park, they're number one in my book.
 
Colene:  Garg! These are harder than the writer questions! Ha! Umm... I really can't pick one. I have a favorite for MOODS. Boondock Saints, Princess Mononoke, Interview with the Vampire, Mean Girls, Avatar, Moulin Rouge, Donnie Darko, Planet Terror, Evil Dead, Auntie Mame, The Sound of Music. My movie loves are varied for moods, as you can tell!

Jen:  Love Potion No. 9 (love me some Sandra Bullock)

Question 13:  Do you wish on stars?
Abby:  Yes- I love to look at the stars and envision us going out into the depths of space and time to find a new world. The sci fi in me, I guess..
 
Colene:  Nope.
 
Jen:  Every night
 
Question 14:  Team Harry, Team Edward/Jacob or Team Peeta?
Abby:  Oh that's hard. Peeta as a lifelong companion and lover, Harry as a best friend.

Colene:  HARRY!! I adore The Hunger Games and Peeta (woot) BUT my loyalty will always fall with my dear, tragic, brave, wonderful Harry.

Jen:  Team Harward (Harry & Edward)

(Ok - since ALL three of them included Harry, just have to throw him in...)

Here he is - any way you like him!

So there you have it, my friends: 2 parts, 3 girls, 14 questions and 42 answers!  I hope you enjoyed getting to know Abby, Colene and Jen a little bit better?  I know I did!  And...extra bonus?  This interview has pushed me over the edge to 3 digits!  Yes - that's right!  I'm over that 100-follower hump!  Woo hoo!!  Thanks, ladies!  I know if was your large following of fans that did it (I attribute nothing to my blogging prowess, of course...). 

So, please know - there WILL be celebrating!!!  Feel free to check back with me on Sunday to see just how much celebrating I plan to do for reaching this first great blog-follower milestone.  Thanks, again, for stopping by - thank you new followers and HAPPY WRITING!!

The AbCoJen Interview!!! Part I...

Happy Sunday, Friends!

Today, I have the pleasure of posting part 1 of the AbCoJen interview:



 I'm giving you some AWESOME times 3!!  Love me?  Thought so ~ :)

If you don't know them already - settle in, read, follow the links to some great blogs.  If you do know them - settle in, read, learn a little more about some great fellow bloggers/writers/friends.

I give you Abby Minard of Above Water, Colene Murphy of The Journey, and Jen Daiker of Unedited.  (clicking on their names will link you with merely one of my favorite posts from each lovely lady!)

Question # 1:  What genre do you write and why?
Abby:  I write YA fantasy. I've loved reading the genre since I was in elementary school, and have been stuck ever since. I honestly don't really read anything else. I've always wanted to make teens feel the way I did reading books like Sabriel, The Golden Compass, or the Dragonriders series. I can't picture myself writing anything other than YA fantasy.

Colene:  I write YA. And the reason makes me sound like a complete moron so I wont say WHY I started writing YA. But I will say that I continue because you can do SO much in that genre where others might be more restricted. And I love teens. They are so full of potential stories.

Jen:  I'm not set to one. I adore Young Adult, the ability to shape the world and have it be anything. Teens allow you to really be creative. I also love writing women's fiction (comedy), just love writing about women in different situations. I've also been known to write thrillers (complete with serial killers).

Question #2:  Favorite writing website?
Abby:  I get updates from Writers Digest and I love those. Also I love writeoncon.com- their chats and blogs are just great.

Colene: Writersdigest.com. There are so many awesome writing websites! But this seems to have a bit of everything.

Jen: I don't avidly follow any. Sorry!

Question# 3:  If you could go on a writing retreat with 3 of your favorite authors, who would they be and where would you go?
Abby: Sharon Shinn, Garth Nix and Kristin Cashore. I would love to go to New York City or maybe somewhere warm- like the Caribbean (so we can just lounge around in the sun and talk fantasy writing and books, maybe even do an anthology together...sigh...).

Colene: I would love to just chat up JK Rowling (of course), Laura Whitcomb, and Garth Nix on a sunshiney, warm beach somewhere tropical.

Jen: Susan Elizabeth Phillips (for romance), JK Rowling (for world building) and; Lisa & Laura Roecker (a duo - it counts - because they'll make me laugh). As far as where we'd go... Umm since they aren't from the same mold I'd say one in New York (cuz I've always wanted to visit).

Question # 4: Best writing advice you ever got?
Abby:  Don't get distracted by all the little threads of ideas you get for other books while you are writing your current one. Write them down when you get them, and then it's back to your current work. You'll never get anything completely written if you stop and start writing new books all the time.

Colene:  I think I will repeat the same thing on this question until the day I die! Back up your sh*t! Sometimes I unvulgarize(made up word ftw) it but truly, you can know all the rules and get everything right and be the best author the world has ever seen...until your computer crashes and the only copy you ever made is now gone forever. Then what? Yea, start again. Write it over. BUT what a crushing feeling that is!


Jen:  A blank sheet of paper doesn't write itself.

Question #5:  Where do your writing ideas usually come from?
Abby:  I get inspiration from songs, tv shows, books- anything, really. Dreams even. I honestly can't tell you how I came up with my book, except that I wanted an ensemble cast like Sharon Shinn's in the 12 Houses Series, where you really feel like they are your best friends. And I wanted a love story like Sabriel's.

Colene:  Pft. If I knew, I would never get writer's block. Tap into that junk all the time!

Jen: My dreams, thoughts, etc.

Question #6:  Favorite character name?
Abby:  Serafina Pekkala from The Golden Compass.  And Ender from Ender's Game

Colene:  Ky. I just finished reading Matched and am in love with that name for some reason. Don't know if it's my all time favorite name but right now it is.

Jen:  Tully

Question #7:  What character role are you destined to play?
Abby:  The shy intimidated heroine (gorgeous, of course) who overcomes her mental obstacles to save the world and get the guy.

Colene:  Anyone who gets to make out with: Johnny Depp, Ryan Reynolds, Riddick(not necessarily Vin Diesel...just Riddick...), Alexander Skarsgard, LL Cool J, or James Franco is fine with me.

Jen:  MC finding herself

(*Ok - have to add this for Colene...you can thank me later!)

Intriguing, no?  :)  In following the suggested good-blog-tip of brevity, I'm cutting this post in two, so if you'd like to learn even MORE about these fabulous gals - you'll need to come back on Wednesday for Part II of the AbCoJen interview.  I really just want to thank Abby, Colene and Jen for answering my questions and for being some of my first followers and blogging friends.  I want all three of you to know that you're a big part of the reason that I keep blogging and that I'm truly inspired by each of you every day!

And for my visitors today - I so hope you enjoyed getting to know these three a little better.  Thanks so much for stopping by and happy writing/reading/whatnot!