Is it the last weekend of the summer? Or is it the first weekend marking the new school year?
It really depends on your perception, doesn't it?
If you are not out playing or Laboring this Labor Day weekend, why not tell us which it is for you and why.
I'll go first since I'm not shy.
Let's start with my youngest, since our family are all going in different directions this long weekend. For him it is the last camping trip of a busy summer. It is also the last weekend before the excitement of school and football season beginning.
For my daughter, well school hasn't started for her yet, but it is the first weekend in a long run of weekends that she doesn't have anything really planned. Hey she had her fun, don't feel bad for her.
Now for my sweetheart and I. This will be the first weekend in a very long time that it is just the two of us. You know what that means (evil laugh) yeah, we may be older, but not too old! Actually we are staying close to home with nothing major planned except for both of us taking the weekend off.
So what are you planning? A last summer fun trip? The first school filled weekend with last minute shopping? Maybe a romantic get away? Or are you going to let the bordom get to you? Tell us!
September 1, 2012
August 30, 2012
What is the key?
Fantasy books are my favorite to read and write. I love creating worlds for my characters. Once I have the basic outline and characters in my head, the world develops around them. Sometimes I get rapped over the knuckles by the characters as they decide something isn't right and they want it changed. The end result is usually a combined effort.
I learned early on in my writing efforts to listen to my characters. They know themselves better than anyone else, including me, but they don't always know what's best for them. At the end of the day I'm the author and if I feel really strongly about a trait or scene I insist it goes my way. A little sulking follows, but it all comes out fine in the end.
The Sixth Key centers around Riley, a young woman from Earth, who wakes up after an accident to find she's on a world ruled by telepaths. Caught between the man who brought her to Sacral and the leader of the Mutes, Riley must solve the Riddle of the Keys to discover the identity of the real King of Sacral.
I hope you enjoy the excerpt below and don't forget, leave a comment and be in to win an ebook version of "The Sixth Key" at the end of the blog tour.
Buy Link: http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-324/The-Sixth-Key-Sue/Detail.bok
Website: http://www.sueperkinsauthor.com/
Excerpt posted by permission:
A cold drizzle fell on Riley as she left home on Monday morning. The weather matched her mood. Another weekend wasted waiting for Jothur to contact her.
Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. He's gone Riley. Left without a word. He's probably taken up with some fancy woman in another town.
Head down, she pushed her way through the crowds, heading for the bus stop. Riley didn't pay any attention to those around her. Her thoughts were fixed on her time with Jothur.
They met at a party. A casual friend asked her to be nice to the stranger who had only recently arrived in town and didn't know anyone. Riley clutched her drink tightly and gazed unbelievingly at the tall, blond, handsome man. His smile made her insides melt, and when he spoke, the liquid tones of his voice flowed over her as molten chocolate.
Desperate to keep his attention, she offered to show him the around the town. Jothur accepted, and for several weeks they were inseparable. Riley couldn't help herself. She'd fallen hard for this gorgeous man. Did he feel the same way? Of course he did. Her guess proved correct when he talked about their future together. The day after they'd discussed this -- he disappeared.
No explanations. No note. No phone call. Riley's worries surfaced when he didn't turn up for their next date. To make sure nothing had happened to him, she'd grabbed her jacket and opened the front door before realizing she had no idea where Jothur lived. He'd always been pretty vague about his address, but at the time Riley hadn't thought anything of it.
Days passed. None of her crowd knew where Jothur lived either. Her misery increased. This had been her fourth weekend alone and she had to accept Jothur had left with no intention of coming back. It didn't mean she had to like it though.
The drizzle turned into a downpour. Raindrops bounced off the black road surface, but through the noise she could hear a bus approaching.
Great. Miss this one and she'd be late for work. She dashed out into the road, head down, trying to keep the rain from her face. A horn blared and brakes squealed. Riley stopped. Her head jerked up to see a huge yellow truck bearing down on her. The driver's horrified face filled her vision before everything went dark.
August 29, 2012
Childeren's Books with Tina Scott
Today my guest is Tina Scott has written several books including the children’s books listed below:
•When I Grow Up is a faith-based rhyming story suggesting to children that dreams are within their grasp as long as they read their scriptures and obey the commandments. WHEN I GROW UP is beautifully illustrated and written by Tina Scott. Scott gently opens the world of possibilities and encourages children and the parents who read to them to explore available options while choosing the right.
•How young is too young to teach a child the important principle of faith? What is faith? What does it feel like, and how can a child make their faith grow? Faith Is believing, feeling, trusting, and following. Our faith is like an invisible seed, if we take care of it, it will grow. Tina Scott is both author and illustrator for this elegant and strait-forward children’s picture book description: FAITH IS . . . Her illustrations are multicultural in nature, her language is easy to understand, her explanations are non-denominational and inclusive.
•In COYOTE'S GRAND ADVENTURE Coyote dreams of flying, but although he tries hard, he doesn’t know how to achieve his goal—until Buzzard accidentally gives him and idea. As a child I grew up watching Wylie Coyote get bested by Roadrunner time after time, but never give up. In Coyote’s Grand Adventure, Coyote dreams of flying and his nemesis is a buzzard and his side-kick is a lizard. The story is fresh and entertaining, illustrated in cartoon style, and sure to evoke smiles from all ages.
Let's talk with Tina.
How long have you been writing?
Writing essays and short stories was always my favorite part of school, and as a young girl, I wanted to be a writer/illustrator. It wasn’t until after I took creative writing in college that I remembered my dream and started working toward it as a goal.
What genre do you write and why?
I took Kid’s Lit in college, and therefore started writing children’s picture books first. I have seven kids of my own, a growing number of grandchildren, and twenty years of experience in the Cub Scout program and working with young children, so writing picture books is a natural pursuit. However, I enjoy writing contemporary YA, as well as historical. My current project is a fantasy written for “mature” women.
Do you ever get writer’s block? What helps you to overcome it?
My favorite thing to do is to alternate between writing and painting. When I get stuck on one, I move to the other. It seems to clear my head.
What is your next project?
I can’t tell yet. I have two more children’s picture books that I’d like to illustrate and publish. I have a second historical romance in the works, as well as a contemporary ghost story. First, I’m finishing my women’s fantasy.
Okay are you ready for the Power round questions?
Favorite food? I love ice cream. My dad made ice cream on Sundays growing up, and it brings back fond memories.
Favorite dessert? Cheesecake, and apple crisp
Jeans and T-shirt, or designer clothes? I love casual. I also enjoy quality. However, I see no reason to spend a ton of cash on clothes
Guilty pleasure? Sleeping in or staying up late, and being home alone on occasion.
Favorite flower? I love flowers in general. They're so bright and pretty. I have silk ones all over in my house. I love the smell of carnations, and roses.
Favorite sport? I don't do sports. I love to walk, and I enjoyed ice-skating and roller-skating when I was younger. And climbing trees. No tree was safe from me when I was a kid.
Thanks for stopping by. Thanks for having me.
•When I Grow Up is a faith-based rhyming story suggesting to children that dreams are within their grasp as long as they read their scriptures and obey the commandments. WHEN I GROW UP is beautifully illustrated and written by Tina Scott. Scott gently opens the world of possibilities and encourages children and the parents who read to them to explore available options while choosing the right.•How young is too young to teach a child the important principle of faith? What is faith? What does it feel like, and how can a child make their faith grow? Faith Is believing, feeling, trusting, and following. Our faith is like an invisible seed, if we take care of it, it will grow. Tina Scott is both author and illustrator for this elegant and strait-forward children’s picture book description: FAITH IS . . . Her illustrations are multicultural in nature, her language is easy to understand, her explanations are non-denominational and inclusive.•In COYOTE'S GRAND ADVENTURE Coyote dreams of flying, but although he tries hard, he doesn’t know how to achieve his goal—until Buzzard accidentally gives him and idea. As a child I grew up watching Wylie Coyote get bested by Roadrunner time after time, but never give up. In Coyote’s Grand Adventure, Coyote dreams of flying and his nemesis is a buzzard and his side-kick is a lizard. The story is fresh and entertaining, illustrated in cartoon style, and sure to evoke smiles from all ages.Let's talk with Tina.
How long have you been writing?
Writing essays and short stories was always my favorite part of school, and as a young girl, I wanted to be a writer/illustrator. It wasn’t until after I took creative writing in college that I remembered my dream and started working toward it as a goal.
What genre do you write and why?
I took Kid’s Lit in college, and therefore started writing children’s picture books first. I have seven kids of my own, a growing number of grandchildren, and twenty years of experience in the Cub Scout program and working with young children, so writing picture books is a natural pursuit. However, I enjoy writing contemporary YA, as well as historical. My current project is a fantasy written for “mature” women.
Do you ever get writer’s block? What helps you to overcome it?
My favorite thing to do is to alternate between writing and painting. When I get stuck on one, I move to the other. It seems to clear my head.
What is your next project?
I can’t tell yet. I have two more children’s picture books that I’d like to illustrate and publish. I have a second historical romance in the works, as well as a contemporary ghost story. First, I’m finishing my women’s fantasy.
Okay are you ready for the Power round questions?
Favorite food? I love ice cream. My dad made ice cream on Sundays growing up, and it brings back fond memories.
Favorite dessert? Cheesecake, and apple crisp
Jeans and T-shirt, or designer clothes? I love casual. I also enjoy quality. However, I see no reason to spend a ton of cash on clothes
Guilty pleasure? Sleeping in or staying up late, and being home alone on occasion.
Favorite flower? I love flowers in general. They're so bright and pretty. I have silk ones all over in my house. I love the smell of carnations, and roses.
Favorite sport? I don't do sports. I love to walk, and I enjoyed ice-skating and roller-skating when I was younger. And climbing trees. No tree was safe from me when I was a kid.
Thanks for stopping by. Thanks for having me.
August 28, 2012
August 26, 2012
GUEST POST w/ Jennifer Griffith
“Don’t Write What You Know”
Thank you for letting me be your guest blogger today! It’s an honor.
Do you remember those skits by Monty Python, “And Now for Something Completely Different?” You probably wanted something completely different on this blog today, so here’s a post about sumo wrestling!
Sumo. It’s gross, right? Flabby, mostly-naked guys slamming into each other at full speed?
Ah, but my friends, it is much, much more!
Sumo is the national sport of Japan. It’s of ancient origin. Only men are allowed to compete. Foreigners have been part of sumo for almost 100 years, and the current champion is foreign, as was his predecessor. There are about 1000 men who are in the pro ranks, and there are six levels that a competitor must climb through (or shove through, actually!) to get to the top tier. There are six tournaments a year, three in Tokyo, and three at other locations in Japan. The winner of a tournament receives The Emperor’s Cup, a huge silver trophy I couldn’t lift if my life depended on it.
There aren’t any weight classes, so the biggest, heaviest guys compete against everyone else in their level. It pays to put on weight! And having good balance can help a wrestler (rikishi) win, even if he’s lighter than his opponent.
The rules are simple. To win a match, a Rikishi must force his opponent out of the ring or make him touch the ground with any part of his body other than the bottom of his foot. Matches are super intense, but they only last a few seconds. The power of these giants is just incredible.
Lots of matches are available to watch online.
Some of us eat sushi at restaurants called “The Happy Sumo,” but there’s a darker side to the sport. In recent years some incidents of hazing and bout throwing have come to light, and there have been scandals that have rocked the sport and disillusioned some fans.
Now, I did live in Japan for a year and a half (LOVED it!), and I did see a sumo wrestler in a train station one time in Tokyo, but I didn’t know much about the sport until I started researching it for my newly released novel BIG IN JAPAN. It’s the story of an overweight Texan guy who’s a nobody, walked on and invisible in his job and in love, who goes to Japan and accidentally becomes the first blond sumo wrestler.
Anyhow, for this book, I didn’t follow the advice of “write what you know.” Heh heh. I’m a 5’1” girly girl mom of five who lives in the Arizona desert. (Although I do love Japan and wanted to take readers on a virtual tour of it.) Instead I followed the rule “write what you want to know.” I wanted to know more about sumo, thought it was so exotic and readers might want to know about it too.
Robert Frost said in his poem “Maple,” “Name some children some names and see what happens.” I echo that: “Pick an exotic subject for your novel, research it and see what happens.”
It could turn out to be BIG!
Jennifer Griffith is the author of four novels. BIG IN JAPAN is published by Jolly Fish Press and is available at bookstores nationwide and online. It is also available as an ebook. Find her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/AuthorJenniferGriffith
and on Twitter, @GriffithJen.
Thank you for letting me be your guest blogger today! It’s an honor.
Do you remember those skits by Monty Python, “And Now for Something Completely Different?” You probably wanted something completely different on this blog today, so here’s a post about sumo wrestling!
Sumo. It’s gross, right? Flabby, mostly-naked guys slamming into each other at full speed?
Ah, but my friends, it is much, much more!
Sumo is the national sport of Japan. It’s of ancient origin. Only men are allowed to compete. Foreigners have been part of sumo for almost 100 years, and the current champion is foreign, as was his predecessor. There are about 1000 men who are in the pro ranks, and there are six levels that a competitor must climb through (or shove through, actually!) to get to the top tier. There are six tournaments a year, three in Tokyo, and three at other locations in Japan. The winner of a tournament receives The Emperor’s Cup, a huge silver trophy I couldn’t lift if my life depended on it.
There aren’t any weight classes, so the biggest, heaviest guys compete against everyone else in their level. It pays to put on weight! And having good balance can help a wrestler (rikishi) win, even if he’s lighter than his opponent.
The rules are simple. To win a match, a Rikishi must force his opponent out of the ring or make him touch the ground with any part of his body other than the bottom of his foot. Matches are super intense, but they only last a few seconds. The power of these giants is just incredible.
Lots of matches are available to watch online.
Some of us eat sushi at restaurants called “The Happy Sumo,” but there’s a darker side to the sport. In recent years some incidents of hazing and bout throwing have come to light, and there have been scandals that have rocked the sport and disillusioned some fans.
Now, I did live in Japan for a year and a half (LOVED it!), and I did see a sumo wrestler in a train station one time in Tokyo, but I didn’t know much about the sport until I started researching it for my newly released novel BIG IN JAPAN. It’s the story of an overweight Texan guy who’s a nobody, walked on and invisible in his job and in love, who goes to Japan and accidentally becomes the first blond sumo wrestler.
Anyhow, for this book, I didn’t follow the advice of “write what you know.” Heh heh. I’m a 5’1” girly girl mom of five who lives in the Arizona desert. (Although I do love Japan and wanted to take readers on a virtual tour of it.) Instead I followed the rule “write what you want to know.” I wanted to know more about sumo, thought it was so exotic and readers might want to know about it too.
Robert Frost said in his poem “Maple,” “Name some children some names and see what happens.” I echo that: “Pick an exotic subject for your novel, research it and see what happens.”
It could turn out to be BIG!
Jennifer Griffith is the author of four novels. BIG IN JAPAN is published by Jolly Fish Press and is available at bookstores nationwide and online. It is also available as an ebook. Find her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/AuthorJenniferGriffith
and on Twitter, @GriffithJen.
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