Sunshine blogger award for me and for You

Can you believe that I got nominated for another Sunshine blogger award? I can't believe it. Mostly because I thought my blog posts were too depressing and because I have had emails from blog visitors asking me to lighten things up a bit. But I am really happy to receive this award again.




I have to say a big Thank You to Deanie Humphrys-Dunne for nominating me for this award. Deanie is a children's author of many books, including Tails of Sweetbrier and has a world of knowledge with regards to writing, horses and staying positive.

To accept the Sunshine Award, I have to:

• Acknowledge the nominating blogger with a link to the website. 
• Share 11 random facts about myself by answering the questions the nominating blogger has created for me.
• List 11 bloggers I believe deserve some recognition. 
• Let the 11 bloggers know I nominated them.
• Post 11 questions for the bloggers I nominate to answer.

11 Questions for me: 

• What is your favorite vacation place?

I like being at home by myself. When I am away, I tend to worry too much about whether my dogs and cat are properly taken care of or not. 

• What is your favorite dessert?

I love cake! 

• What's your favorite season of the year?

I love winter. It is cold, but I can snuggle up in front of the fire with a great book and hot chocolate.

• What's your favorite thing to do in your spare time?

I love being a writer. I love creating new worlds and hanging out with new characters. 

• Where would you most like to live if you could choose anywhere?

Somewhere quiet with a very low human population. I live in a very busy street, surrounded by noisy neighbours, which is why the quiet appeals to me. 

• What's your favorite color?

I like black. I think it is more flattering to my fuller figure. 

• What's the most exciting thing that happened to you this year?

I had gotten rid of a bad literary agent and now I am free again to make my own decisions. 

• Tell us something about yourself that we might not already know?

I am a tattoo enthusiast. I only have one, but would like at least two more.  

• Do you have a pet?

Three energetic dogs and a moody cat. 

• What's your favorite kind of pet?

I love all kinds of animals, but not reptiles. I am sorry, but they make my skin crawl. 

• What did you like doing most when you were little?

I loved the fact that it was okay to be playful and that make believe was allowed. 

Who do I nominate?
I am sorry, but I hate picking and choosing who gets this award. If you follow my blog you are amazing and you make me feel grateful for all the visits and comments you provide. If you follow my blog, please claim this award. You guys are all just so awesome!


11 Questions for you: 

1. What is your favorite food?

2. What is your favorite color?

3. What is your favorite TV series?

4. What kind of music do you like?

5. What is your favorite movie of all time?

6. What is the name of your favorite book?

7. Do you believe in aliens?

8. Do you believe in running, unless you are chased?

9. Do you love nature?

10. What is the name of your favorite author?

11. Do you know how to cook?

That is it from me. I hope that you guys won't be shy and will accept this award. Thank you for always being my friends and for being there for me when I need you guys most. 

Reality check

Every now and then one needs a reality check. I recently had one myself, with regards to my writing and I am feeling a little deflated. I had somehow fooled myself into thinking that my writing was better than it was. I am just so mad at myself though. How could I not have known?

The upside is that I could always learn more writing techniques and read more “How to” books on writing. The downside is that I might just be an awful writer and no matter how many books I read about technique and about writing, I could just be a wanne-be that might never be.

I am looking into buying a few good “how to” books on writing and start working on a short story or two. I find it a lot more difficult to write a short story. You really have to plan and think things through and have a great idea with a short story or flash fiction. I definitely have to practice with the short story and flash fiction writing. It is tough!

I have not found a new job yet and I actually started thinking about freelancing again. I had tried it before and it had not gone well, but I am willing to try it again. Why? Simply because I refuse to believe that unemployment is my fate at the moment. I was thinking of trying oDesk this time. Anyone use oDesk before? 

The Faerie War is here!

It's party time!!! 

Today is the official online release of Rachel Morgan's third Creepy Hollow novel, The Faerie War. After that cliffhanger at the end of the second book, fans can finally find out what happens to Violet and everyone else in Creepy Hollow. If you'd like to get your copy, you can find it at the following online stores, plus a few others:

Amazon US | Amazon UK

Barnes & Noble

iTunes

CreateSpace (print)

There are seven other teaser images displayed on various blogs today. If you'd like to see them, you can visit the following fabulous bloggers:

And there's a major giveaway going on!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

One of my favorite authors Gena Showalter

I have always liked books about immortals and about the dark belly of the underworld. So naturally I had taken a liking to Gena Showalter’s Lords of the Underworld. I just love the Lords of the Underworld books and they are probably one of the biggest inspirations for me writing my own Undying series. If you haven’t already, you should try these books. You will soon be longing for a sexy Lord of the Underworld to call your own.

Books by fellow bloggers out now

Maguire's Corner by Heather M. Gardner is finally out in paperback.

Purchase link: Amazon

Secrets of the Ash Tree by Siv Maria Ottem

Purchase link: Amazon

Under construction

It is that time of the year again, the time when my family feels like taking on some type of DIY project that everyone of us has to get involved in. So what are we up to you ask? We are painting the inside of the entire house. That sounds easy you might say, but I am afraid of heights and our ceilings are very high, so any ladder work is out for me. But I still do my bit. Right now my hands are covered with speckles of paint of various colours and I am awaiting my siblings arrival from work so that it can all start again.

I have also decided to work on my writing resume. I am trying hard to come up with some good short story or even flash fiction ideas. Perhaps I need to start small first, before seeking publication for my novel. Who knows, maybe I can better my writing in the process.

I can taste my lung

Man—oh—man, am I unfit. I decided to start exercising again and it was brutal. All I had to do was move to the music of my favourite songs for 20 minutes, but it was tough. You know that awful feeling where your legs start to burn, your chest starts to heave and your lungs are crying for more oxygen? Well, that was me.


Do you know the more depressing part? When I looked in the mirror my love handles and puffy tummy were still there. Wouldn't it be great if you could start losing the pounds after every strenuous work-out? If you walk for an hour, than you see a pound of fat just fall off or if you did aerobics for two hours, you can see your love handles just melt away? It is so easy picking up those damn pounds, but taking them off...very hard work.

What is your fitness level like?

Things to do when you are unemployed

There comes a time in everyone’s life when they will find out what it is like to be unemployed. I have felt like this many times, as I have only ever had temp jobs and then the task of finding a new job ensues, boo hoo, who cares. Anyway, I have come up with a few ideas and things to do when you are unemployed and you have the need to fill your day, or just keep busy.

Of course there are the obvious things to do like:

• Update your CV or resume.
• Applying for new jobs.

If however you have done all that and you still have extra time left, you can do this:

• Watch all the movies you have missed out on the past few months and in my case, even years.

• Read all the books in your book pile that you have promised to get to, but never did.

• Write that great novel you have had bubbling inside you for years.

• Get a hobby like gardening, learn to play guitar or even start a blog or in my case learn to be a better blogger.

• Catch up with friends and family you haven’t spoken to in ages, in my case I avoid all of them because they are far more successful than me and my ego needs a break.

• Watch a few new series or catch up with the old ones you have missed.

• Do tons of window shopping.

• Learn to actually cook or bake.

• Take on those DIY jobs you have been putting off.

• Get some exercise. Something I really need to start doing. My love handles are telling me so.

• Actually start caring about what you are eating, so taking on healthier eating habits.

What would you add to this list as something to do when you are unemployed and looking for something to do?

When the doubt monster steps in (IWSG)

Thank you to Alex and his wonderful team of co-hosts for all that they do. You guys are super amazing. 

As artistic individuals, we live a tortured life. We create wonderful pieces of art, composed of the written word and most of us are at our happiest doing that. But then…there comes a time when we need to share our work with others, to get the exposure we require to give our work the attention it deserves. That of course is the most difficult part, when we start comparing our work to that of others, wondering whether our creations are good enough and we end up seeking the approval of our peers to validate the success of our creations.

The life of a writer is never easy. We go through this rollercoaster of emotions, feeling happy about what we created, doubting ourselves and feeling insecure and then we start hating what we had created. It is a vicious cycle that most of us are always on, sometimes all in a matter of days.

My cure? I think we should have a great support system. Whether it is a family member, a good friend or a fellow writer that will step in when you are on the negative side of that emotional rollercoaster. It should be someone that will keep you on course and focused on what matters most. Someone who can make you smile even when you want to cry. Find one of those people and your creative journey could be a lot less lonely and stressful and who knows, maybe it could even be more fun.

The Insecure Writers Support Group was created by the wonderfully talented Mr Alex J. Cavanaugh, so that writers could talk and communicate to others about the fears and insecurities that they might have. You can visit Alex Here, or if you want to join us in discussing our insecurities on the first Wednesday of each month, you are welcome to join by going Here.