Thursday Thirteen - All About Nothing

Using a line from the show Seinfeld – this week’s T13 is All About Nothing

1. Reading a great book – you know, the one that you can’t put down even though it’s now 3:00AM and you’ve got to get ready for the day job in a few hours.

2. Before the rain – you walk outside and sniff the air. The sweat aroma of moisture tickles your senses as the clouds begin gathering from some distant place.

3. Watching the babies sleep – For me this is my dogs. After they’ve played, torn up the new toy we bought them and aggravated each other to no end. Now you watch as they curl up next to each other, the littlest ones head on the side of the other, sleeping without a care in the world.

4. Flowers on the dinning room table – the day jobs been rough, all you want is to go home and sulk. Then you walk into your house and there they are. Standing proud in your favorite vase. Greeting you with sunshine to your tired soul.

5. Surprises – You’re trying to figure out what to do with the mishmash of food you have left at the end of the week to make dinner. Standing with the freezer door open, you stare at the lone package of frozen chicken. The cool air washing over your face and still nothing comes to mind to cook. That’s when you hear his/her voice. “Honey, lets go out tonight.” The freezer door closes on its own accord and out the door you go. Fun!!!

6. The best scene in the book writing – Your fingers fly across the keys, words hitting the screen so fast in front of you that you’re not truly sure if you’re doing it or some magical force is sending it through you. Gotta love those scenes. :)

7. The worst scene in the book writing – You sit, stare at the blank page, and wait. Nothing. You knew the scene early in the day but didn’t have time to sit down. Now it’s become pulling words from your muse who’s decided she no longer likes this scene. (had to throw that one in since I had the best scene, they usually go hand in hand)

8. The two-hour phone call with your cp who tells you, yes, you are a writer and a damn good one. This of course is after #7 has happened.

9. Birthdays – You either love them or hate them. Me, I love them. I figured out a long time ago that I couldn’t stop them. Besides the alternative is not so great. I celebrate them to the fullest. It may be simple or it may be huge but celebrate them nonetheless.

10. Spring cleaning – the time to throw away or give away the stuff you really don’t need. It’s also the time you revisit old memories as you open that box sitting in the back of the closest. The pictures you’ve not looked at in forever quickly take you back to the moment in time when they were taken. A part of your life frozen to remember with joy.

11. Going to the spa for a day – Yep, this is one of my fav’s. I don’t do it often but love the pampering and just plain feeling good that goes along with it.

12. Finding that perfect birthday, Christmas, or Hanukah gift weeks in advance. Then trying hard not to give it the person before said holiday. :) That’ very hard for me. I love to get things for others but then I want to give them the gift right then.

13. Sunrise, Sunsets, and Moonrises – Any of these works for me. The crisp morning air as the sun begins to peak its sleepy head, the late afternoon sun dipping off the horizon its warmth tucking away for the night, or the moon, bold and bright, shinning the way across the waters a beacon of light brighten the path for ships and giving the outer edges of the sea its nightglow for the rest of us.

There you have it. My Thursday Thirteen all about nothing and yet all about lots of everything.



Don't you love the picture? If you look close you'll see it's a double rainbow.

WW’s and PD’s,
Vicki

Wednesday Funny

Before the Wednesday Funny I can’t believe I forgot to tell you this on Monday. Karen Rose hit the New York Times Best Sellers (#20) and USA Today’s List with Die For Me. WhooHoo!!!! If you haven’t picked up a copy go and get it now. Remember to read it with the lights on though. :)

Now for the funny. And some of us thought the newspaper had lost its fun:


REAL NEWSPAPER ADS

FREE YORKSHIRE TERRIER.
8 years old. Hateful little dog. Bites.

FREE PUPPIES:
1/2 Cocker Spaniel, 1/2 sneaky neighbor's dog.

FREE PUPPIES...
Mother, AKC German Shepherd.
Father, Super Dog...able to leap tall fences in a single bound.

FOUND DIRTY WHITE DOG.
Looks like a rat ... been out a while.
Better be a reward.

COWS, CALVES: NEVER BRED.
Also 1 gay bull for sale.

NORDIC TRACK
$300 Hardly used, call Chubby.

GEORGIA PEACHES
California grown - 89 cents lb.

JOINING NUDIST COLONY!
Must sell washer and dryer $300.

WEDDING DRESS FOR SALE .
WORN ONCE BY MISTAKE.
Call Stephanie.

AND FINALLY:

FOR SALE BY OWNER:
Complete set of Encyclopedia Britannica, 45 volumes
Excellent condition
$1,000 or best offer
No longer needed, got married last month.
Wife knows everything

WW's and PD's,
Vicki

Monday Check In and Contest

Last weeks contest winner is tetewa!! Congrats, I’m sure you’re going to love the book. Email me your snail mail at vickilanewrites at yahoo.com.

My word count for the past week is 3198. Not too bad considering I didn’t write at all this weekend. Saturday I did this huge yard sale at a park. The city does all of the promoting for it, they have a bandstand with music the entire time and a food court type area. I’m not really that big on “doing” yard sales but this ended up being fun and I made some extra cash.

Sunday was a family thing and then Science Guy and I put in a decorative fence in the backyard. Actually the back yard is privacy fenced but I wanted an area for the babies when they didn’t need to run the entire yard.

The instructions looked simply enough. Measure, pound in the stake, put the fence piece on top of said stake and put the pole through it. Yeah, sounds easy. Not so much. It took much much longer than we thought and pulling out the stakes to put them in again even though we measured.

But the results are great. It looks pretty and does the job all in one.



Okay, for the fun part. This week’s contest giveaway is autographed copy of Terri Garey’s new book Dead Girls Are Easy. Click the title to read an excerpt.

And to wet your appetite here’s the back cover blurb:

There's something about almost dying that makes a girl rethink her priorities. Take Nicki Styx—she was strictly goth and vintage, until a brush with the afterlife leaves her with the ability to see dead people.

Before you can say boo, Atlanta's ghosts are knocking at Nicki's door. Now her days consist of reluctantly cleaning up messes left by the dearly departed, leading ghouls to the Light . . . and one-on-one anatomy lessons with Dr. Joe Bascombe, the dreamy surgeon who saved her life. All this catering to the deceased is a real drag, especially for a girl who'd rather be playing hanky-panky with her hunky new boyfriend . . . who's beginning to think she's totally nuts.

But things get even more complicated when a friend foolishly sells her soul to the devil, and Nicki's new gift lands her in some deep voodoo.

As it turns out for Nicki Styx, death was just the beginning.

So, how was your week? Did you reach your goals you’d set in writing? If you’re joining the 75 Sweat or the 100x100 let us know. Did life and things you had to do get in the way this week?

Did you read anything new that you absolutely loved? We always love to hear about new books.

Leave your comments to be entered in this week’s contest.

Writing Wishes and Plotting Dreams,
Vicki

Thursday Thirteen - Random Lines from ATB

Thirteen Random Lines from AT&B

1. Shelves along the far wall, lined with bottles and jars filled with what looked to be the remains of a thousand dead creatures.

2. This is New York and all is fair in love, war, and stealing taxis.

3. What’s next, Leprechauns?

4. Lord, I feel like a peeping tom.

5. Denying the obvious was useless.

6. A small giggle bubbled up inside as thoughts of Mr. Blue eyes, incredibly dark blue eyes, looking at her with disbelief when she told him no.

7. “That didn’t go quite as planned. You didn’t tell me you’d met her already,” The solicitor said.

8. “Aye, Miss I do be looking like Mr. Van Winkle. It’s a curse I’ve carried for a thous…err, years.”

9. Come pluck me, My Lord

10. “Hells bells,” she said, gasping for breath as she ran. “It’s not like I’m ever going to see him again. Get over it and run girl.”

11. “You will die here, and then be forgotten. Like all the others.”

12. Laughter, deep and sick filled the room stopping any thoughts of sleep

13. Someone or something was watching her.



WW's and PD's,
Vicki

Wednesday Fun - Hell: Is it Hot or Cold

Here's funny for your Wednesday.

Is Hell hot or cold?

The following is an actual question given on a University of Liverpool chemistry
final exam.

The answer by one student was so "profound" that the professor shared it with
colleagues via the Internet, which is why we now have the pleasure of enjoying it as well.

Question: Is Hell exothermic (gives off heat) or endothermic (absorbs heat)?

Most of the students wrote proofs of their beliefs using Boyle's law that gas cools when it expands and heats when it is compressed or some variant.

One student, however, wrote the following: First, we need to know how the mass of Hell is changing in time. So we need to know the rate at which souls are moving into Hell and the rate at which they are leaving. I think that we can safely assume that once a soul gets to Hell, it will not leave. Therefore, no souls are leaving.

As for how many souls are entering Hell, let's look at the different religions that exist in the world today. Most of these religions state that, if you are not a member of their religion, you will go to Hell. Since there is more than one of these religions and since people do not belong to more than one religion, we can project that all souls go to Hell.
With birth and death rates as they are, we can expect the number of souls in Hell to increase exponentially. Now, we look at the rate of change of the volume in Hell. Because Boyle's Law states that in order for the temperature and pressure in Hell to
stay constant, the volume of Hell must expand proportionately as souls are added.

This gives two possibilities:

1. If Hell is expanding at a slower rate than the rate at which souls enter Hell, then the temperature and pressure in Hell will increase until all Hell breaks loose.

2. If Hell is expanding at a rate faster than the increase of souls in Hell, then the temperature and pressure will drop until Hell freezes over.

So which is it? If we accept the postulate given to me by Sandra during My freshman year, that "it will be a cold day in Hell before I sleep with you," and take into account the fact that I slept with her last night, then number 2 must be true, and thus I am sure that Hell is endothermic and has already frozen over.

The corollary of this theory is that since Hell has frozen over, it follows that it is not accepting any more souls and is extinct....leaving only Heaven, thereby proving the existence of a divine being - which explains why, last night, Sandra kept shouting "Oh my God."

THIS STUDENT RECEIVED THE ONLY A

Happy Wednesday,
Vicki

Guest Blogger - Karen Lingefelt

I’d like to welcome Karen Lingefelt to Writing with Vicki. Karen is not only an amazing writer, wife, and mom but also the Past President of TARA.

Her book True Pretenses received rave reviews. It’s “fast and furious” read will not only delight you, but is “full of twist and turns on the road to romance”, check out her site for the full reviews.

With out further ado I turn over today’s blog to Karen.


A recent event in the life of our blog hostess inspired me to write about one of the two evils most likely to send couples to divorce court, if not lunging for the kitchen knives.

It’s not sex or money, because really, what is marriage all about, but sex and money? (When pop psychologists go on talk shows to proclaim that, “Most marital issues are about sex or money,” they really mean, “Most marital issues are about—well, marriage.”)

After twenty years of joint insanity with the same person, I can state with absolute certainty that the two greatest menaces to connubial bliss are buying a Christmas tree, and moving. As Vicki (and her marriage) recently survived the latter, that will be the topic of today’s ramblings.

My husband and I are Air Force veterans. He also grew up an Air Force brat. Between us we’ve weathered many moves, from cross-country to halfway around the planet. I’ve often wondered how we made it this far—literally tens of thousands of miles—without killing each other. Somewhere along the way, I must’ve picked up something that kept my murderous instincts in check, but what? (I mean besides chocolate.) Here are a few things I’ve learned about moving that might hold the key:

You can never have too many boxes. Start collecting them well in advance—preferably right after you’ve finished your previous move. Let hubby have his fun stomping them flat, as if they’re flaming pies left on the doorstep Halloween night. But stand your ground afterward. Ignore those whiny entreaties to keep the boxes out of the garage, storage room, tool shed, attic, storm cellar, or any other parts of the new house he’s scheming to convert into one or more of the following just as soon as rerun season starts: Game room, home theater, gymnasium, model railroad empire, laboratory, bowling alley, or mockup of the war room from Dr. Strangelove. Worst case scenario, you may have to bury the boxes in the backyard, or even under the bed if his unopened box of exercise equipment for that future gymnasium leaves enough space.

If you haven’t looked at it since your last move, get rid of it. But there are obvious exceptions. Like old TV guides, because it’s so warm-and-fuzzy nostalgic to thumb through them and marvel at how program grids once took up only half a page, and were still decipherable as recently as 1992. Or my old wardrobe from the 1980’s, because you never know if ruffles and piecrust collars a la Lady Di, big hair bows a la Fergie, or even NFL-approved shoulder pads a la Joan Collins might come back into style. If they do, I’ll be ready—assuming I lose enough weight to fit into those clothes again. My ever-thoughtful husband says he’s been hanging on to his unopened box of exercise equipment all these years for precisely that purpose. Isn’t he a prince?

So, Karen, what DO you get rid of that you haven’t looked at since your last move? There’s no better time to don the hazmat gear, open that refrigerator, and throw out the leftovers and five gallon jar of Dijon mustard the husband bought (along with an entire gross of “irregular” hot dog buns), during his three week “Let’s-Buy-Bulk-At-Wholesale-Grocers-To-Save-Money” kick.

If you can disassemble it yourself (and if you can’t, my youngest son does it every day for relaxation), do so and hand carry the hardware to your new home. If movers disassemble it before removing it from the premises, then they must reassemble it at your destination, but I’m scarred for life by one move where this did not happen. I was still single, and being transferred from stateside to Germany. They disassembled everything after taking it out of my apartment—a bentwood rocker* I’d bought in Spain on a previous overseas tour, bookcases, you name it. When these items were unpacked at my new duty station, not only were they in pieces, but all the hardware was missing—every last nut and bolt and screw and doohickey. Alas, there was no Home Depot where I could buy replacement parts. But even more embarrassing, I couldn’t remember the German word for “doohickey.”

Since then, with every move we disassemble the stuff ourselves—and I hand carry the hardware along with all the other valuables, like my secret emergency chocolate supply and picture of Colin Firth as Darcy giving Elizabeth “The Look.” Besides, I’d much rather watch my husband reassemble everything in our new locale and enjoy his—shall we say, “colorful” commentary—instead of making him drive all over an unfamiliar town looking for a place that sells three-eighths inch Thompson-head doohickeys. For one thing, he might stumble across the local Best Buy and then I’d never see him again till the next move. And for another, he won’t let me break into that unopened box of exercise equipment to harvest it for extra nuts and bolts.

Provide refreshments for the movers. I could be wrong, but had I known this at the time, I might still have a bentwood rocker to commemorate my time in Spain, instead of a useless pile of extra-fancy imported firewood. It was my new husband who, on our first post-nuptial move from Germany to California, bought a case of soft drinks especially for the movers, and put it in the refrigerator to chill the night before. He said it was important to do this.

Didn’t I tell you he was a prince?

I think I just found the answer.

*Bonus Household Tip: Bentwood rocker pieces make interesting wall decorations—or just use them to fill that annoying gap in the family room between your favorite end table and the wall! Woven cane seats and backs not only make great strainers for huge amounts of spaghetti serving twelve or more, but will make you and your dinner party the talk of the town for years to come!

Karen

Monday Check In and Contest

It’s Monday. You know what that means. It’s time to check in with the week’s word count. Word count: 3639. WhooHoo! That’s a bit more like it, for me. :)

As I said in yesterday’s blog (be sure to check it out for last week’s winners), I’m starting a new challenge today. The 100x100 started in our TARA group a hundred days ago. Some joined immediately and some came in later in the challenge. I wrote 58 days out of 100. During that time I added 30,080 words to my current wip. Pretty good, I’m thinking.

Then Julie Leto emails and reminds us in order to have our books completed by the Christmas Party we only have 75 days. OMG, 75 days sounds like plenty of time, to procrastinate and still get it done. Procrastinate: Often my middle name. But it’s not. Not if the needed word count is around 90,000.

She threw out the gauntlet. Anyone who wants to join this challenge has to figure out how many more words needed and then divides by 75. This will give you the amount of words you need each day in order to meet the goal. If you’re not sure of the words needed you can estimate. You can also check out Julie on the Plotmonkeys.

If you are doing the 100x100 and that’s working for you, then by all means stay with it. It’s a great concept and one I’ll go back to when I start working on CI. However, if you want to step it up a notch, add some deadlines, and complete your work in 75 days then this is for you.


Contest for this week:

Whose Number Is Up, Anyway? By Stevi Mittman

This is a signed copy. :) How fun is that. Stevi is an excellent writer, who books are never easy to put down. Make sure you have plenty of time when you sit down to read this book. And to find out more about Teddi and tips check the site. :)

Backcover blurb:

Literally, he's had it for every hour of the day for as long as Teddi's known him. So it's no coincidence that minutes after Teddi stumbles accidentally on a corpse in the deep freeze at King Kullen, Detective Dreamboat is back on the scene. Her supermarket snob (among other things) of a mother will never let her hear the end of it.

Nor will Drew, who has told Teddi time and again she's got to stop messing with murder scenes. Until Teddi goes from material witness to potential next victim…
But the woman whose smarmy ex dubbed her "Long Island's Most Dangerous Decorator" isn't going down without a fight. Or going down alone. Not when she's got an oh-so-irritating, way-too-irresistible cop watching her every move…

Here’s
where you can read an excerpt and check out href=http://www.stevimittman.com>Stevi’s website.

Leave your comments this week to be entered.

Tell us, how did you do this week? Did you find time to write, plot, revise, or set any new goals? We need to know. We’ll cheer with you or encourage you, whatever you need.

Oh, I almost forgot! Tomorrow I have the wonderful and talented Karen Lingefelt as my guest blogger. Be sure to stop by and say hi.

Writing Wishes and Plotting Dreams,
Vicki

And The Winners Are....

Since I said that I would announce on Sunday I had Science Guy choose the random numbers for the winners of this weeks contest. I usually have different people at the day job pick for me.

Remember you will not receive the book until the middle of October. It actually comes out October 3rd but I’m having the author sign it for the following week.

The two of you must write a review for the book and post it on your own blog or email it to me and I’ll post it here. If you post it on your blog please let me know so that I can link to it.

The first one to post the review will win an extra surprise. :) Don’t you just love surprises…:D

Okay, I’ve made you wait/read long enough. The winners are, and in no particular order(I had to add that), Danika and Laurie K.

Please email me your snail mail addy at vickilanewrites at yahoo.com.

Tomorrow I’ll post my writing for the week. Some new info on the 100x100 and the contest for this week.

Hope everyone’s had a great weekend. Congrats Danika and Laurie

WW’s and PD’s,
Vicki

Writing the Book of Your Heart – With Deadlines for the Unpublished Author

Julie Leto has an incredible article on Writing the book of your heart – Ditching the book of your heart for your voice. Check it out when you’re finished here. Or check it out now and come back.

This is actually for the unpublished or not published in a while author. Yes, I do call us authors because that’s what we are. We’re writers who author our books.

Okay, you’re writing your first book, or maybe it’s your fifth. You’ve not yet been published (never say not published but not yet published), or it’s been a while, a long while since your last book sold.

Since you’re not yet published, you’re taking your time, writing as you can fit it in. Rewriting chapter one, oh no less than 10 – 12 times. It’s okay. Lift your chin back up, we’ve all been there and many of us are there right now.

My question to you is this. Have you given yourself deadlines? Deadlines, you asked. Why would I do that? I’m not contracted yet. I don’t have deadlines.

Well you’re right, you don’t. But you will. You’ll finish that book, shine it to perfection, and ship it off to the editor (or to the agent who will then ship to editor).

Guess what? They love it. Not only do they love it, they want to contract you to a two book deal. Those secondary characters that you loved so much? So does the editor. He/She can so see them in their own book.

Now can you guess where this is going? In said contract you’re going to have a deadline for that book. You haven’t even started on Sally and Harry’s book. Heck, you’ve been working on that Historical that you thought you’d never write, instead.

That’s okay; you’re snoopy dancing around the kitchen with a glass of wine in one hand and chocolate in the other. You’ve got a contract and they want a second book. Squeeeee!!! All right, if you are like me, you’re probably dancing all through the house and there are lots of Squeee’s going on. :)

Time to sit down and begin S & H’s book. You’re so excited your fingers fly across the keyboard. This is great! You’re going to have this done in no time at all. Chapter four…you’ve stared at those words for 2 weeks now. Where or where is this going? What happened? Then you decide, heck its fine. I’ve got 4 months to get this done. No worries.

Trust me on this. It is just the beginning of your worries, unless you’re the much loved Nora Roberts. Very few people can spew out a book in less than 3 months, revise and get said book to the editor.

Now is the time to make deadlines and stick to them. Start with something you know you can do and work your way up. But by all means make them. Be accountable to someone (here on Monday’s or to your CP, just someone) for the deadlines. If you don’t make one, that’s okay. Even seasoned writers have to ask their editors for an extension once in a while.

If you can get yourself used to deadlines now when you actually don’t have them, they will be much easier to work with once you do. It’s a lot like exercise. At first you can only go a mile on the treadmill and your leg muscles are dying. Before you know it you’re doing five miles and it’s easier. In fact, if you don’t make your daily five mile treadmill walk you become sort of grouchy. It’s now become your part of you.

So tell us, do you have deadlines when you’re writing? Do you stick to them? Has it helped you?

I’ll announce this week’s winners on Sunday so make sure you check back. Oh and today’s comments count. :)

Writing Wishes and Plotting Dreams,
Vicki

Thursday Thirteen - Telemarketing Calls

This was sent to me by a friend and I thought you’d enjoy it.

1. If they want to loan you money, tell them you just filed for bankruptcy and you could sure use some.

2. If they start out with, “How are you today?” say, “I’m so glad you asked, because no one these days seems to care, and I have all these problems. My arthritis is acting up, my eyelashes are sore, my dog just died…”

3. If they say they’re John Doe from XYZ Company, ask them to spell their name. Then ask them to spell the company name. Then ask them where it’s located, how long it has been in business, how many people work there, how they got into this line of work, if they are married, how many kids they have, etc.

4. Cry out in surprise, “Judy? Is that you? Oh my God! Judy, how have you been?” Hopefully this will give Judy a few brief moments of fear as she tries to figure out where she could know you from.

5. If the company cleans rugs, respond: “Can you get out blood? Can you get out goat blood? How about human blood?”

6. After the Telemarketer gives his or her spiel, ask him or her to marry you. When they get all flustered, tell them that you can’t just give your credit card number to a complete stranger.

7. Tell the Telemarketer you are busy at the moment and ask him/her if he/she will give you his/her home phone number so you can call him/her back. (I love this one. I heard Seinfeld do this on his show)

8. Tell them you are hard of hearing and that they need to speak up…louder..louder…

9. Tell them to talk very slowly, because you want to write every word down

10. Tell them you work for the same company and they can’t sell to employees

11. Tell the Telemarketer you are on “home incarceration” and ask if they could bring you some beer.

12. If a phone company call trying to get you to sign up for the Family and friends Plan, reply, in as sinister a voice as you can, “I don’t have any friends, would you be my friend?”

13. Insist that the caller is really your buddy Leon, playing a joke. “Come on, Leon, cut it out! Seriously, Leon, how’s your momma?”



Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!
#’s 4, 5 and 13 are my favorites. :) What’s yours?

WW’s and PD’s,
Vicki

Wednesday Fun

It’s Wednesday. The official hump day of the week. Two more days and the weekend is here. WhooHoo!

It’s also silly fun day here on the blog. Before I post the questionnaire I wanted to tell you about a couple blogs and remind you of this week’s contest.

Check out Erica’s blog to vote on renaming TATTF. This voting poll link will take you there. It’s fun and she has some great names. You can also email her with other names you might come up with.

Also, remember to check out the Plotmonkeys blog on the Saturdays, where they are doing mini writing workshops. They’ve been great! This is a great daily read blog as well.

Don’t forget to comment as many times as you’d like this week to be entered into the contest. Two of CL Wilson new book will be given away. That’s two winners. The book, Lord of the Fading Lands, won’t be out to you until October, and the winners will need to post a review on their blog or mine. One of those two winners will receive an extra special surprise, when they post their review.

Now for the Wednesday Fun. What’s your taste in music?

Your Taste in Music:

Country: Highest Influence Classic Rock: High Influence Progressive Rock: High Influence R&B: High Influence 80's Rock: Medium Influence

How's Your Taste in Music?

Check it out and let us know what it says about your music taste. Leave your comments for the contest and then go on over to Erica’s site to vote.

Happy Wednesday,
Vicki

Tuesday - 911 Remembrance

First, let me state that is in NO way a political blog. I simply wanted to take a moment to remember the day that changed not only America but the world as a whole.

See America has always been looked to as the country that was invincible when it came to terrorist attacks. That’s not to say that there have never been any prior to 911, but what ever may have been was pretty much explained away as some lone person or persons acting and not that of a larger mass.

On September 11, 2001 that changed. That date forever brought on a multitude of changes in and around the US.

So today I’d like to take a moment and remember those who lost their lives on 911, many in the buildings and planes. Many who went in to try and rescue those in the World Trade Center. And to remember those who are fighting still today, due to the events that happened six years ago. Regardless of your thoughts on the war, we have soldiers fighting who I want to remember and thank them for what they do.

Again, nothing political about the war, just remembrance for those who’ve died and those who still serve. Please feel free to leave comments as long as it's not a political comment. Today is not the day for those.



Vicki

Monday Check In and Contest for the Week

It’s Monday and for most of us that means, back to the ‘day job’. I don’t know about you (those of you who have day jobs), but I’m so looking forward to the day that I can write all day in my pj’s, leaving the weekend for family and friends. Yes, I know, once that day comes and I’m on deadline I’ll still be working day, night, weekends, and whatever other time I can find in the universe to meet said deadline. Insert: When Erica takes over the world one of the first orders of business must be more hours in the day.

I’m checking in with 741 words this week. Not a lot, but they are new words. Words that I think will stay and not hit the cutting floor. Which is always a good thing. The count looks like I did at least 100 words each day. Don’t let it fool you. I wrote twice this past week. That’s it, two times. My goal for this week is too write everyday (again). Even if I end up with the same count, writing everyday is still better.

Now for the fun part. This week’s contest giveaway is not one but two books that will not actually come out until October 2nd. So, whoever the winners are I won’t be able to mail it out to the, until then. The books will, however come to you signed by the author.



There is one catch with this giveaway. The winners must post a review of the book on their blog. If you don’t have a blog, no worries, you can email the review to me and I’ll post it here. Oh, and for a slight twist the first one to post the review will receive an extra surprise. Don’t you just love surprises?

This is the first in a series for CL Wilson. Cheryl is an amazing writer and this is a book you'll not be able to put down. She worked on this series for several years. Her world building is, IMHO, some of the best I’ve ever encountered. Check out her blog, Cheryl’s World Building I promise you’ll be as amazed as I was. No matter what genre you’re writing, you will be able to glean from this. We all world build: whether its fantasy, paranormal, romantic suspense, set in other worlds, or in a very real place. Cheryl clearly understands the importance of this and how to do it.

Here’s the back cover blurb:

Long ago, in the magical holocaust known as the Mage Wars, the immortal Fey and their allies fought to defeat the grasping evil of the Elden Mages and their dark-gifted supporters. During those wars, in a fit of grief-induced madness caused by the death of his mate, Fey shapeshifter Rain Tairen Soul nearly destroyed the world in a blaze of tairen fire.

Now, a thousand years later, the fierce Fey king must fight to save his race from the brink of extinction and once again stop the evil rising in the homeland of his enemies, the Eld. The key to his success lies in the mortal city of Celieria, where the Mage Wars began, and with a young woman whose soul sings to him in ways no woman’s ever has, whose presence reawakens the primal fury of the tairen within his soul, and whose vast, untapped power can either save or destroy him and his people.

To read more check out the excerpt on her site. Lord of the Fading Lands.

If you are not one of the winners you can preorder it here: Lord of The Fading Lands

Just in case you’re new to my blog, all you need to do is comment to be entered into the contest. I’ll take all the comments for the week, throw them into the proverbial hat and two people’s names will be drawn (not by me). On Friday I’ll announce the winners.

So, how was your writing week? Did you accomplish your goals this week? Was it a crazy busy week where trying to find the time to sit down and write didn’t seem possible? Let us know, we’re here to cheer your word counts and encourage you if you need more. Ummm…that would be me this week. :)

As always, Writing Wishes and Plotting Dreams,

Vicki

Friday Contest Winner

This is a little late and next week I promise to be back on track. :)

The winner for this week's contest is...Erica! Congrats and I know you'll love the book. You don't need to email your info since I have yours already.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend. See you tomorrow with the next week's contest and writing updates.

WW's and PD's,
Vicki

Thursday Thirteen - Writing

1. Chocolate – all writers must have a supply of chocolate. We eat it when we celebrate, when we cry, when we’re stuck on a scene, and any other reason you can think of.

2. Pens, pencils, highlighters, sticky notes (in many colors), plotting boards, paper (lot’s of it), and journals. Writers may be the sole reason Office Depot and Staples are in business. Maybe we should open our own store, wait…nix that thought, there’d be no profit. We’d use all the stuff.

3. Research – you must do your research. You can’t have someone driving on the wrong side of the road.

4. Find a critique partner – there are few people who would argue you don’t really have to have a CP. IMHO, they are wrong. Your CP, if he/she is the right one will see things that you don’t, find loop holes that you wouldn’t, and have the guts to tell you to fix it.

5. Join a writers group as in a chapter of a national division such as RWA – I can’t recommend this strongly enough. The encouragement and help you will find in a group is amazing. It’s amazing the help we find on our TARA loop. Just ask the question, be it about guns in the 1100’s or how DNA is found in the fibers of a rug.

6. Build your world – Grab your imagination tool belt cause you have to know where your characters live. I know what you’re thinking, this sounds like research but it’s not. Well, if you pick a real place then parts of it will happen in research. Still you can make up your own roads and such. But when you pick a place that is fictional then you must know the area. What are the shops, the roads, the best areas, the worst…you get the idea.

7. Begin to brand yourself – yep, get out the cattle prod…no, not really. But decide who you are and what you are about. Will you use your real name or pseudonym? Now is the time to start thinking about this. If you decide you want to go with pseudonym then the sooner you begin to use it the better. People will look for the name they know you by. One side note here – you must make sure you own the name in your contract if you use one. Otherwise if you leave your publishing house then they might own the name and you would not be able to take it with you.

8. Time – this is the one thing that can elude writers quite easily. There’s so much that sucks away at our writing time. I mean, hello, we must answer emails, chat on IM’s, and comment on our favorite blogs. Now, I’m not saying that you shouldn’t do those things. Some or most of them actually blend with the marketing theme. What you should do is use a timer. Allow yourself x-amount of time to “play” on the computer. Then shut down the internet and pull up that word doc and write.

9. Writing the dreaded synopsis – Trust me on this one, writing the best novel in the world can sometimes be easier then writing the synopsis (or sucknopsis as my friend and TARA sister Anne-Marie calls it)

10. Which of course leads to the Query Letter – see above, much of the same thing can apply.

11. Depending on the house you are targeting you may need an agent. If this is the case then you must do 3 & 4 to find your agent as well.

12. Edit, revise, write more and Eat More Chocolate – Chocolate is a must when in revision mode.

13. Marketing – Yes, even we write the novel we must also know how to marketing it along with ourselves. Thank you Erica for your wonderful blog on this.



These are just a few things that writers must do along with writing the next great novel. Add any others that I missed in the comments.

Vicki

Wednesday Fun

Happy Wednesday, everyone. I found this over at Diana Peterfreund’s blog, who found it at Heather's (viaCeleste)and thought you might enjoy Simponizing yourself. I like to always give credit/props to where I find something. :)

Here’s me.



I wrote yesterday!!! WhooHoo! Okay, so I only wrote 304 words, but still I wrote. It was great to be back in my story.

Let us know if you Simponizing yourself and how you look. :)

WW's and PD's,
Vicki

Monday Check In (on Tuesday), Fun Friday Contest Winner and New Contest for this Week

Wow, that's a long header. Being out of the loop for this many days means lots of catching up. :)

First things first, last week’s winner of Karen Rose’s book Die For Me, is Terri W.
Congrats Terri, you'll love the book. Just don't read it when you're all alone.

Email me at vickilanewrites at yahoo.com with your snail mail info and I’ll get the book out to you by the end of the week.

We’re in the new house!!! It’s taken us five days but most of our things are unpacked and have found their new home. I must say that the kitchen still does not have enough space. Do they ever? I’m thinking the answer to that is no.

Pictures still need to be hung as well as few boxes still to go but all in all we’re in. Yea!

My office is coming along great. For that I am extremely thankful. I don’t know about you, but I have a hard time working when everything is all over the place.

I’ll post some pictures soon. I’ve missed everyone here as well as everyone who I visit each day.

Also, I know I owe several books to winners and I’ll mail them out this week. With the move I couldn’t seem to find the time to get to the post office. So sorry about that.

No new words to report this week but watch out next Monday. I’ve missed writing and my muse has decided enough is enough.

Now for the fun part. This weeks contest is Cindy Kirk’s new book, When She Was Bad. Don't you love the cover!!!



This just hit the shelves in July. If this is the first time reading any of her books, then you’re in for a real treat. Below is the back cover blurb and if you click the title link above you’ll be able to read the excerpt.

She never knew how good “bad” could be!

Jenny Carman is tired of playing by the rules. It didn’t get her the promotion she so deserved, and it certainly didn’t get her Mr. Right. Or even Mr. Right Now. It’s time for her to do something besides spend Saturday nights at the Laundromat. So she’s letting down her long blonde hair, stepping out of her gray suits and into some sexy stilettos…

Leaning against a bar, dressed in a lacy, curve-hugging red camisole, Jenny’s ready for action--and gorgeous businessman Robert Marshall eagerly takes the bait. She tells him her name is Jasmine, a hairstylist, and gets ready for a mind-blowing evening. Robert, however, is smart, funny, sensitive--worth a lot more than a hot one-night stand. But one lie leads to another, plunging Jenny/Jasmine in way over her head. She can’t keep this double life up forever--but will she still drive the handsome hunk wild if he discovers a good girl hiding inside?

Leave you’re comments this week and on Friday, yes really on Friday, I’ll announce the winner. Things should be back to normal now. Whatever normal means when you’re a writer.

So, what about you. Have you written this week? Thought about your current wip? Did you do anything exciting for Labor Day weekend? Tell us about it. You know it’s that enquiring minds want to know thing. Tell us how you did on writing and anything else fun that you’d like to share.

It’s so good to be back…now I’m off to visit some of my favorite blogs. Then to write!

Writing Wishes and Plotting Dreams,
Vicki