Write Writing Written

Marion, Virginia seemed like a nice place to live a normal life, but she is not a normal girl. Laney has special abilities that keep her looking over her shoulder as she makes her escape from the men who had kidnapped her. A young doctor's interest is piqued when he witnesses her mysteriously curing a young child's illness. He befriends her due to his growing fascination with uncovering the true nature of her abilities, but not without harboring secrets of his own. Laney's budding relationship with a local boy puts both of them in danger when the men she was hiding from find her. All of their lives will change forever as ancient secrets become unearthed.

Laney is used and abused from the time she was little. She runs away but is caught and pays for her escapes. The people who help her also pay, usually by dying.
This time she escapes she is careful, gets a new identity and moves to a small town, hoping for a 'normal' life.
Right away, normal…

What are your goals for 2011?
Have you made any? Or thought about them yet?

I had a friend in high school who made one GINORMOUS New Year's Resolution every year. Sometimes I did it with her (we went without gum for the year) and sometimes I looked at her like she was insane (no sugar for a year??). One time we vowed to go without soda for the year; I was successful! Okay. I hate soda so it wasn't so hard to do. 
But that made me think.
Why can't we work on easy goals too?
For instance:
I will make my bed everyday (except Sunday because I will, at some point, crawl back into it for a nap).I will eat at least one salad a week :)I will finish AND send out my query letter. Wait. That one is really hard...You understand what I mean, right?
Make a few easy goals that you can accomplish. It will empower you to move to the next goal.
Make the next one a little harder. And harder. And harder.
A funny thing will happen. Your goals won't be as hard as you thought.

What is an ea…

Live Creche At Morgan Farm, Nibley from Kimberly Slade on Vimeo.
Thanks to Kimberly Slade!

Give yourself a gift today.
Read a good article.
Sit for thirty minutes and read a book.
Snuggle with your child and listen to him read to you.

A gift.
For real.
Reality.
Really you.
Authenticity.
You are real, authentic.
You can live with failure because you are strong. And failing makes you stronger.
You can see beauty, even when it's not evident.
You feel the truth. Sometimes the truth sets you free. Sometimes it make you unpopular.
You can be alone with yourself and like the company you keep.

Success!You are amazing.
You can reach your goals.
You can realize your dreams.
*HUGS*

Don't know what to get the book lover/reader for Christmas?
Never fear! I'm here.
I found the perfect gift.

A Page Book Wreath. 


Living With Lindsay has instructions and a video on how to turn a trashy paperback into a lovely wreath.

We are always looking for creative and inexpensive gift ideas for our neighbors and friends. We found clever sayings on everyday items a fun way to spread holiday cheer.
Many of the gifts we bought the day after Christmas for even more savings.

Stuck on what to get your friends and/or neighbors? Here's a few ideas:

"Here's to a REaDing Christmas!"-Give a Christmas book or bookmarks. "Hope your holidays are wrap up in love!"- Give a throw or roll of wrapping paper."May your holidays sparkle!"-Give a box of tinsel."May the light of Christmas shine on you!"-Give a box of lights."We Whisk you a Merry Kissmas!"-Give a whisk with a bag of kisses"Our friends are our angels"-Give a tree topper angel or a small one for a nativity"Remember the Reason for the Season"-Give a baby Jesus or a nativity."Merry Kissmas"-Give mistletoe."A baby changes everything"-Give baby Jesus or something for a new b…

Query Letters

Query Letter-First letter sent is one page-an intro to your book and self
Cover Letter-Sent with requested manuscript & reminder of you and your book
Summary Letter-Two pages of outline of whole book.

Query is a professional, business letter of three paragraphs.
1st paragraph is the hook. When the character encounters difficulty, chaos ensues
2nd paragraph is the mini summary
3rd paragraph is who you are

I give you peace.
Writers can use a little time off to refocus, recenter themselves.
Sometimes I need nothing more than beautiful music and photos.
I give you seven minutes of beauty.
If you don't have time to look at the pictures, turn up your speakers and listen to the soothing music.
Enjoy!

First of all: The goods!
Someone will win Tamara's book.
And another person will get to win a KINDLE!

Book giveaway: The winner of this contest will be randomly chosen. Every
person who comments on any post during the blogtour will be entered into
a random drawing for a book.
The
contest begins on Nov. 16 and ends on Dec. 15.

Kindle giveaway: This contest is point-based and begins Oct. 15 and ends
Dec. 15. Whoever has the most points wins the Kindle. There will only be
one Kindle given away. Here are the points:

1 point: blog comment (can comment on all the blogs, multiple times, on
the tour)
1 point: follow Tamara's blog (http://tamarahartheiner.blogspot.com)
1 point: retweet
2 points: blog about the blogtour
5 points: purchase the book (ebook or paperback, must email Tamara the
confirmation email).
Add up all their points as well as their proof (links, etc).
People can earn an infinite number of points!

Here is the ebook link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0045JLQCI

Here are t…

Readers need to feel your characters.
Bring your characters to life!


Relationships
Relationships matter. Friends, family, schoolmates, rivals, pets, all matter.
Stories should be full of relationships.

Trouble
Change, problems, conflict, danger, murder, being lonely etc, are all trouble.
Story is interesting because of the trouble characters get into. The action has to be earned.

Decisions
As characters face trouble they make decisions.

Consequences
The character meets trouble, makes decisions, then deals with consequences, which may lead to more trouble and/or decisions.

Create characters we care about in relationships with trouble that intrigues us and decisions and consequences that satisfy us.

Have any of you been over to the League of Extraordinary Writers? Great authors with great advice!

From their blog: "The League of Extraordinary Writers is a group of debut YA authors who write science fiction and dystopian works. The five of us have works that run the gamut of near-future mind control to far-future space travel, but they do have one thing in common: a future where the Earth we know now is twisted, gone."


AND NOW! They are having an amazing giveaway. Click here and find out more.

I was walking a few months ago and found this gem:


Can you tell it's ski season here?? Where's the snow?

What caption would you give this photo? Leave your ideas in the comments along w/ your email.
I'll pick a winner on the 9th. If I chicken out and can't pick a winner for fear of virtual tomatoes and such, I'll draw the names from a hat.
And I'll send a Christmas book to the winner!