Write Writing Written

I went to the Provident Ladies Book Night and meet Rachel Nunes!  I didn't read the book picked for book club, Eyes of a Stranger but I did read her Whitney finalist book, Fields of Home. I gave my daughter another of Rachel's books, Daughter of a King which has sold over 70,000 copies! Rachel told us how she writes a book: FAST!  Her books go through at least 10 revisions/edits before being published.  She filled us in on her next two books...they sound very interesting!  I decided to buy Flying Home and had her sign it.  Rachel is a very nice, funny, down to earth lady!   Go to the Pleasant Grove Library Book Festival to met Rachel and Tristi among other local authors!
PS Karlene, I 'borrowed' your picture.  Mine didn't work out! Hope that's ok!

Here is a great contest from Anne Bradshaw, author of Not Entirely British blog! 
A Celtic Music CD by the Fiddlesticks! Who can't use some new music

Another GREAT post from Nathan Bransford:
CONFLICT
When I said I was going to blog about conflict on Tuesday, I'm sure at least some people assumed that I was going to say that you need conflict everywhere in a book: on every page, from start to finish, in every scene, passage of dialogue, etc. etc. etc.

I don't actually believe this! Sometimes a character needs to just stare at the water and contemplate the meaning of life and other great imponderables, like stock derivatives. Novels have quiet moments where there's not a hint of conflict that are serene and beautifully written and I wouldn't ever urge a writer to rip those out to introduce a gun battle.

But conflict is essential. I think of conflict sort of like a book's oxygen:

1. Your book needs it to survive. It doesn't need it constantly, but a book without conflict is pretty much DOA. It's not even really a book without conflict. It's just paper with words printed on it.

2. If any stretch your book goe…

Another FUN contest courtesy of Anne Bradshaw on her 'Not Entirely British' blog.  This contest ends on March 25th.
Win a copy of Annette Lyon's new book:  "Tower of Strength"
Anne Bradshaw contest

I found this great post on Nathan Bransford blog:
WHAT DO YOUR CHARACTERS WANT??
Motivation. It's the powerful emotion that inspires people to get off the couch and grab a tub of ice cream. It's the only thing that is strong enough to pull me out of a very warm bed when it's still dark and cold outside. And it's what inspires Mario to save the princess, despite all sorts of finely rendered cartoon characters standing in his way.

How does this relate to books? Every good book begins with a protagonist who wants something. 

I know that this kind of seems obvious (and it probably is), but there's a reason you don't generally see books about characters cast about by the whims of fate without any sense of purpose or desire whatsoever. Even Odysseus, essentially a powerless character blown about by the gods, has a rock solid motivation: he wants to get home. 

Now, your character doesn't have to know what he/she wants on page one, but it should be conclusively clear by…

Another contest!  Over on Not Entirely British is a contest to win Children's Tiny Talks
Annette Lyon is in the middle of her contest.  There are many prizes to win at her blog!
Go forth and win, my young padawan readers!

Here is my list for the week...or longer!
When Christmas Comes Again WWI Diary by Beth Seidel Levine The 13th Reality by James Dashner Chalice by Robin McKinley The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (LOVING IT!) by Mary Ann Shaffer Queen Bees & Wannabes by Rosalind Wiseman A Sever Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken Our Only May Amelia by Jennifer L. Holm Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George Sunshine by Robin McKinley The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

Go over to Annette Lyon's blog for a week FULL of giveaways!  She is promoting her newest book release, Tower of Strength.
Link to the contest: Annette Lyon Contest
Link to the book trailer:
Tower of Strength

I will have to write more on the WWI story BECAUSE I do not have enough words!

I have been writing...just not on my books.  
When my laptop bit the dust I was too frustrated to get back on track with the stories but I felt I still needed to write something to keep up with my author spirit. I gave Triond a try and have written an article or two.  It has been fun and a good change from novels or short stories.  And I have made at least $2! :)
I didn't realize how much I used my laptop.  Total portability in 9 lbs of technology.  I could sit on the couch and type away or take it to the library where I wasn't as distracted. Most nights found me cozy in bed with my laptop.  (And most nights my DH had HIS work laptop cozy in bed with him!)
After my laptop broke I tried working on my PC.  Guess what I found out?  I had backed up my most recent revisions on the laptop.  I found two jump drives and found the stories!  But! They were on Microsoft Word which I had used on a trial basis and since the trial expired I couldn't edit or save or copy. DRAT!
So I sort of st…

On July 3, 1936, the First Presidency published this warning to Church members. I quote it in part; I hope you will get a copy of the full statement for your files. In part, the statement reads:

. . . Communism is not a political party, nor a political plan under the Constitution; it is a system of government that is the opposite of our Constitutional government. . . .

Since Communism, established, would destroy our American Constitutional government, to support Communism is treasonable to our free institutions, and no patriotic American citizen may become either a Communist or supporter of Communism.

To our Church members we say, Communism is not the United Order, and bears only the most superficial resemblance thereto. Communism is based upon intolerance and force, the United Order upon love and freedom of conscience and action. . . .

Communists cannot establish the United Order, nor will Communism bring it about. . . .

Communism being thus hostile to loyal American citizenship and incom…