The Great Reveal

I know you have all been waiting with baited breath to hear the big lie in my challenge post. Okay, maybe you haven't, but here it is, anyway.

I have never wanted to study culinary arts in any way shape or form. As a matter of fact, I avoid the kitchen at all costs, unless I want something to eat that is already made, and also to scrub it first thing in the morning, because I truly am unfunctionable until it's clean.

The rest is all true, even the wench part.

Have a wonderful day all!

The Crusader Challenge

What I wanted to be when I grew up (after I grew up) —

At first I wanted to study culinary arts so I could brandish sharp blades and serve creamed rabbit and stuffed fuligulines, but I can't function until my kitchen is clean, and the kitchen was always a mess, so I pretty much couldn't function at all. That blew the whole chef idea.

Then I wanted to perform on Broadway, but I'm a horrible liar and couldn't even pull off acting in the community musical. What a flop. They still avert their eyes when they see me.

After that, I figured I'd like to paint and sell my wares at craft shows. I don't mean to bloviate, but I paint a darn good Santa ornament. The crafting went well. Unfortunately, the income didn't. That career choice turned out not to be for me.

I wondered what else I could possibly do since what I'd really like is to be Captain Jack Sparrow's wench, and not just because of the corset to hold in all the flab. But alas, he is only fictional, so I couldn't do that either.

Finally, a friend of mine got me excited about playing around with words. And I started writing. And I couldn't stop. And I never got paid. But I didn't care. Bingo! The correct profession, at last. Best of all, I can read all the books I want and it's considered research.

And now that I've finished my "what I wish I could be list", there is something included in it that isn't altogether true. Can you guess what it is?

Pinterest

I had never heard of this site before until my sister introduced me to it. Thanks Jill!

I have to say, it's AWESOME! It has boards that you can pin pictures to from the web. So, if I were going to renovate my kitchen and I wanted ideas, I would search the web and pin the pictures I liked to my kitchen board. You can also do a search on the Pinterest site.

The reason I have fallen in love with this is because I decided to use the boards for my stories and pin pictures of my characters (and other related story items) on them. I have been having too much fun! It's awesome to look in one place and see everything there about my story—from where they live and what they do, what they like, what they look like. It's so great. One of my characters has a special ring and I can totally post that to my story's board.

It's way cool. If you are interested, go to pinterest.com. You need an invitation to join, but you can get one from their site or if I have your name and e-mail, I can send you one, too. I would be happy to do that, if any of you are interested. Just let me know.

Happy Pinterest-ing!

Beautiful Blogger

Thanks to the wonderful Elizabeth Mueller for this fabulous award. She rocks. You should go check out her blog.

Now, seven things about myself and seven awardees.

1. I have always lived in the windiest cities in the world. Why? Maybe fate dislikes me. I don't know.

2. I love being a mom, even when three of them are teenagers.

3. I miss teaching, but love being at home so I can write!

4. Horses petrify me, yet they're one of my favorite animals. My life is full of oxymorons.

5. I have the best bloggie friends, EVER!

6. My stack of books to read literally touches the ceiling. (If I stacked all of them.)

7. I never leave the house without a book and a notebook with pen.

The seven beautiful bloggers I chose because I really enjoy reading their blogs and they are all really cool people are:

Book Dreaming
Writer's Ally
Checkerboard Squares
Dreams of Quill and Ink
My Life in a Laptop
Pink Ink
My Poetry and Prose Place

Congratulations all and have a wonderful day!

Holy Cow I Want One of These!

Show Your Love Contest

This is an amazing contest. So, this being the day of love, go show it and enter to win a 30-page manuscript review by an amazing agent, Sara Megibow, or a spot at the dinner table with some incredible agents, editors and authors, including Sarah Crowe, James Dashner, Larry Brooks, Marcia Markland and more!

Later this week, Breathless Reads Tour giveaway. You won't want to miss this post, so check back!

Join the Crusade!

Get linked to the writing community and join the platform building Crusade. Check it out here!

A Writer's Conference To Go, Please

Don't you wish you could drive through a fast food writer's conference, pay $5.83, scarf it all up and be on your way?

I kinda do 'cause the three plus days of feeding my brain turns it to mushy soup, yet I feel so motivated to get home and put to work all of the wonderful things I have learned. This way you only have ten minutes of mush before you can go home and get busy.

Alas, it is not possible and it's not that cheap, either. Yet conferences are so worth your time. You learn more about the craft of writing, querying and publishing; you get to hobnob with authors, agents and editors and one of the best parts, hanging out with writing friends.

If you are interested, there is a conference called LDS Storymakers taking place in May. They have great classes, both beginning and advanced. They have special classes where you can workshop with authors. They have pitch sessions with agents and editors, and a contest that gives authorial feedback. And lots of wonderful writers to hang with. Follow the link and check it out!

I Need an Author Photo?

I have been reading Anne Mini's blog recently. She has tons of information about writing and publishing. It's excellent and you should go check it out here. Her posts are really long, but definitely worth it.

She posted about book beginnings and endings, but before she got to that, she wrote about author photos. Something I haven't given much thought about as I don't have an agent or a contract. Yet, she lays out a couple of thoughts that I found interesting and decided to share.

Get your author photo early. You never know when you'll land a contract or an agent and they want a photo of you pronto. Also, who has a photo that they actually want anyone to see? Her advice, get one now.

Choose a shot that matches your book. Is it funny YA? The photo should be light and fun. Is it dark and mysterious? Your photo should reflect that as well. You may also need a photo for an author bio. It should reflect your personality and be book appropriate.

This is her advice. Interesting, huh? So, come on all, get out there and get your photos taken. If you live in the Salt Lake area, I know a good one. Check out Black Pearl Photography. But wait for me to call her first. I am NOT photogenic and I may need an additional session.

Have you got your author photo?

The Lipstick Laws

You do not want to miss this great giveaway!

You get a $25 Amazon Gift Card. a $10 iTunes Gift Card, a signed ARC of The Lipstick Laws (which sounds like a really fun, awesome book), + lots more. Check out the link on my sidebar and go here to enter.