"Check out this "NEW BLOG" and "CREEPY COOL CONTEST!"

We have a new blogger in our midst, and it is none other than Stephanie Boman, YA writer extraordinaire. You can find Stephanie's blog, which uses her name as the title, right here. Stephanie is holding a "Creepy-Cool" contest to get the word out about her new site. Also, her new book, "FADING", has creepy paranormal wraiths in it, so she thought she'd celebrate the new blog by giving away the creepy-cool pendant (pictured,left) made by an Etsy artist (includes ball chain).





Stephanie writes young adult fiction and is now represented by Alyssa Reuben at Paradigm Talent Agency. Congratulations, Stephanie!






IMPORTANT:

All the details for entering the contest are listed here,

so be sure to enter!




Until next time...stay safe, stay well, and may the Lord bless you all.

Cynde


Please visit my other blogs:
Cynde's Daybook ~and~ Usurper Exposed. Thank you!

"Cynde's "New-Story-Idea" Folder!"

Last night, I was thinking about a couple of the little things that I do to organize myself and keep track of all the story ideas that I have floating around in my head, so I thought: "Hmmm...why not share the ideas with my friends? They might be able to use them!"

So...here goes:

1. First of all, I never go anywhere without a notebook! You never know when a great idea is going to "pop!" into your head...and as quickly as it came, it can disappear. If you have your handy-dandy notebook with you, all you have to do is "jot" a rough draft of your idea down, and then you won't forget it.





2. Secondly, I alway carry my digital camera with me. The reasoning behind this is pretty much the same as my first idea, but with some extra zip. You never know when you might come across the most amazing photo opportunity, which in turn could lead to a great publishable "story idea".
   
   (Tip: It is at this point that you would normally edit you work, but this is when you actually have some decisions to make:
   
   Do you want to work on coming up with a story that you might be able to publish? (That is entirely feasible. If the story is very good/great and the photo to go along with it is also great, then go for it!)
   ~OR~
   Should you file the picture along with the "free-written" story, and wait for an opportunity when you can write a tailor-made story that will fit the request? (I have two folders: one on my computer & one in my desk, for just those type of stories. If they're in there too long, I pluck them out & work on them. Hopefully someday, I'll get lucky!)





3. Next, when I get ready to go to sleep at night, I always make sure I have my notebook, a pen, and my mini-cassette recorder on the shelf next to my bed. That way, if I wake up from dreaming—because everybody knows that all the "great ideas" come to you in the middle of the night—I'll have a way to "record" them before they totally escape my mind.
   
   (Tip: At times like these, I have found that using the mini-cassette recorder saves a lot of time and aggravation because it takes a while for my eyes to focus properly after I've been asleep. So, if I whisper the idea into the recorder, I don't have to worry about turning the lights on and waking up my husband.)





4. I have always loved going through photos and pictures, whether they be from magazines, the Internet, antique stores or even someone's photo albums. After selecting the ones I think are the best, I save them for "writing prompts". I study the photos and get the story pretty much worked out the way I want it in my mind, then set my trusty little timer for ten minutes. Then I "free write", which means I keep writing, non-stop, not worrying about punctuation or anything. Just words, and the story—whatever comes to mind—simply easy, free-flowing words.
   
   (Tip: The same "tips" that were used for my second idea, above, would apply here.)





5. I have several other ideas, but I think I'll close with this last one, which I think is my favorite because it's fun (for me, anyway). Go to the mall, a restaurant, the library, or wherever there are people and it won't appear too strange if you're sitting around, watching and writing. I'm sure you've probably heard of this, or even done this before— my husband calls it "people watching" or "eye-balling". Pick out some people that you think are interesting or "catch your eye", then write a story about them. Write a whole background for each person, trying to pay particular attention to detail, as if you were a reporter. (It will help you in the future when you need to write decriptions.)
   
   (Tip: If I have found someone really interesting, I have gone up to them and asked them if I could take their photo and explained why. The only thing I have not done yet is found out where I can get one of those "release forms" that people are supposed to sign for that purpose.
   Does anyone know where I can get one of those "release forms"?

I hope you enjoyed my article today. If you have some ideas that you would like to share, please
"comment". Thank you so much for stopping by & please come back & visit again soon!






Until next time...stay safe, stay well, and may the Lord bless you all.

Cynde


Please visit my other blogs:
Cynde's Daybook ~and~ Usurper Exposed. Thank you!

"What's-Up-Wednesday Book Review and Other Things!"

While I was out visiting the blogs on my Bloglist, I came across the following blog (logo below) which is called Today's Flowers:



It is loaded with photos of gorgeous, breathtaking flowers that you really must see. Here is a photo that is comparable to the ones on that site:




After visiting that site, I visited another site and noticed that the site owner had posted a photo of a new reading lamp that she had just purchased for her bedroom. I bought one for myself and hadn't even thought of posting a photo. What a fantastic idea! So...here's the photo of our new reading lamp. It's nothing expensive or spectacular, but we really do love it because it has made such a big difference in our lives. Well...what do you think?

In case you're wondering what the story behind the horse with the spidery-looking thing on its head is, here goes: About ten years ago, when our son Jon was about seven and our other son Josh was around 11 years old, they gave me that stuffed horse (together) as a present. I stood it up behind the headboard of the queensize bed that my mother gave my husband and I for a wedding gift and I put my hairclip on it (that's the spidery-looking thing!)so my clip would always be handy. I love that little horse!

My husband and I bought a new (to us) car last week, and while it was definitely a thrill for me that we got it, I was mostly thrilled for Dion because he will be the one to get the most use out of it, by driving it back and forth to work, etc. In addition to that, it will save on gas money because the truck really "eats that gas", plus it will be easier for me to get in and out of. But the thing that tickled me the most was that when we were checking the car over, Dion found a brand new book hidden in the recess area where the back seat arm rests tuck in! It was "The Choice" by Nicholas Sparks. We asked the man that was selling us the car if I could read the book and then return it when I was done and he said that since I had been honest about it that he wanted me to have the book as a gift. How sweet of him. What a blessing that was to me! Here's my review of that awesome book:

This novel entitled "The Choice" by Nicholas Sparks, which is available from Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble, ultimately confronts us with the most heartwrenching question of all: "How far would you go to keep the hope of love alive?"

Travis Parker had everything. He was successful; handsome; healthy; he had a great career; he had loyal friends; a loving family; a faithful dog; and a nice, water-front home in his small hometown in North Carolina. He lived an active life; he loved skiing; waterboarding; boating; swimming; and barbequeing with his friends. Sometimes he'd even try to include a woman in the fun, but none ever measured up to the wives of his friends, so he decided that he was fine without one in his life.

But that was until Gabby Holland moved into the house next door. He knew she had a long-time boyfriend and that meant she was "off limits", but there was something special about her that he couldn't resist. He tried to be a good neighbor, but she's not having it. He's very patient, and this intrigues her. Their back and forth "dance" is so captivating that you won't want to put the book down.

The characters are so "real" that you automatically identify with them. When the characters experience the range of feelings that they are going through—confusion; guilt; excitement; anger; happiness; exhilaration; sadness; peace and love—you feel as if you are experiencing them for yourself.

The entire story centers around the choices that are made during their lifetimes, and then, in answering the question that was asked at the beginning of this review. This is definitely a "must-read" book. If I were asked how many stars out of five I would like to give the book based on its readability, quality, content and plot, I would give it a five out of five. Nicholas Sparks never disappoints us!

Until next time...stay safe, stay well, and may God bless you all.

Cynde

Please visit my other blogs:
Cynde's Daybook ~and~ Usurper Exposed. Thank you!

"Upcoming Events: Guest Author Interview and Contest for FREE, Autographed-Book GIVEAWAYS!"

Don't miss tomorrow's segment of the "What's-Up-Wednesday Guest Interview" where I will be interviewing the exciting fiction author known as "Aylerion".

We will be discussing things like: what he is currently working on, and even some of the television shows that he is "hooked on."

It's an entertaining interview that you won't want to miss!



Don't miss the CONTEST that is going to be announced at the conclusion of the interview tomorrow (22 July 2009). It will be for THREE chances to win a FREE, AUTOGRAPHED-COPY of Aylerion's book entitled, "Daughter of New York".











recap:CONTEST


A Chance To Win
THREE, FREE
Autographed-
Copies Of:


"Daughter of
New York"




Stay tuned and watch for all the details TOMORROW!

"The 'What's-Up-Wednesday' Short Story Review!"

When I was first told the title of my friend Suzette Saxton’s short story, and that it had been published in the fantasy and science fiction magazine, Mindflights, I thought surely there must be some mistake.

The title, “The Bone Setter,” conjured in my mind, visions of a muscular man twisting, punching and pulling at the half-naked, horizontally-inclined body of a weak woman needing joint manipulation. I couldn’t have been more wrong.

From the start of this enchanting, speculative fiction tale, the relationship between the orphan girls and their sovereign drew me in. I marveled at how well Ms. Saxton had described the scenes; it was almost as if I were there myself. And the characters seemed so believable, so real. How had she done that to such perfection? I felt compelled to read further. As I did, somewhere along the way, I had forgotten that I was reading. The journey had become mine as well. I was with “The Bone Setter.”

Visit Mindflights magazine so that you, too, can be lost in the wonder that is: "The Bone Setter" by Suzette Saxton. ”When ancient bones speak to an orphan girl, she struggles to free them from their mortal bounds while Monsignor, her sovereign from birth, strives to overpower her."

My overall rating: excellent!

Until next time...stay safe, stay well, and may God bless you all.

Cynde

Please visit my other blogs:
Cynde's Daybook ~and~ Usurper Exposed. Thank you!

"Official Teddy Bear Book Announcement!"

According to the "Official Teddy Bear Book," something of momentous importance has occurred in the world of Teddy bears and babies! Would you like to hear what it is?

It's so exciting! Are you ready?

Well, here is what happened:

At 3:15 a.m. on Saturday, 02 May 2009, our grandson, Noah Christian Hammond, was born! He weighed 7 lbs. 9 ozs.; he was 20 inches long; and he has a head full of medium-dark brown hair. He is a perfect cross between his beautiful mom and his handsome dad, plus he also looks just like his grandpa, Dion, too. He's a "Hammond," through and through! We're so blessed and happy!

Noah is one of the most beautiful babies that I have ever seen in my entire life! Here, take a look and judge for yourself:


I fell in love with him the moment I laid eyes on him! He is so precious, don't you agree?

He's such a cutie pie!

I'll be posting more photos as soon as I get them. You know how fast these little guys grow up. I just hope he doesn't grow up too fast because I'd like the chance to enjoy some time with him before he goes off to college!

Until next time...stay safe, stay well, and may God bless you all.

Cynde

Please check out my other blogs:
Cynde's Daybook ~and~ Usurper Exposed. Thank you!