Seven--the Magical Number

Okay, I've been dying to do this one. I think this is one of the funnest memes going around. Sarah Pearson over at Empty White Pages sent this my way.

Source

I'm sure you all know the rules by now but just in case:

1. Go to page 77 of your current MS/WiP
2. Go to line 7
3. Copy down the next 7 lines, sentences or paragraphs, and post them as they're written.
4. Tag 7 authors.

This is from my current WIP that was my Nano project and is the reason for my frenzy as March fades.

Siena sat for a moment, considering, before her eyes widened. “Does that mean I can do magic?”

Her great grandmother shrugged.

Light headed with the possibilities and angry at the lack of information, Siena reached up and grabbed Helene’s wrist. “What does that shrug mean?”

Helene pulled her hand loose, her eyes flashing. “It means I don’t know.  You’re my direct descendent, but you’ve also got a lot of nonmagical blood.”

With a frown, Siena let out a deep breath, her anger leaving as quickly as it had come. 

Anyone who'd like to share a part of your WIP,
consider yourself tagged!

Tag!

Source

I thought I was better at ducking, but perhaps this cold has slowed me down--it can't be my advanced years!

Anyway, Eve Gaal over at The Desert Rocks got me.

The Tag rules:
1. You must post the rules!
2. Answer the questions and then create eleven new questions to ask the people you’ve tagged.
3. Tag eleven seven (because it's a magical number) people and link to them.
4. Let them know you’ve tagged them.

Eve's Questions - My Answers
1.    Have you written a book?

Yes. I've got two completed books and two partials. One of the completed manuscripts I'm currently querying, and the other (that needs to be edited still) replaced one of the partials when it morphed from MG to YA. The other partial really needs to be told in more than one book, and I'll be outlining it as a trilogy later this year. 

2.    Were you a participant in the famous Underwear Challenge of 2010? 

No. But I did get sucked into it in 2011.

3.    What is your favorite children’s book?

Charlotte's Web 

4.    Tell us about the last time you went to the library. Alone or with someone else?

Last week, when I met some friends there. I work for my city and the library is attached to my building. I LOVE my library. 

5.    Do you prefer the internet for research?

I love doing research using the Internet. I let my fingers do the walking. 

6.    What’s your favorite flower?

I love the smell of carnations. 

7.    Do have a distaste for used cook books?

No, I just don't use them much anymore. 

8.    Have you ever used a book to repair a bed or to hold up the leg of a table? 

Nope. I have a very handy hubby. 

9.    If you could enter a certain scene in a book, which one would it be?

It would so be when Kaladin saves Dalinar in The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson. Those two men ROCK! 

10. What book is on your nightstand now?

Become by Ali Cross. 

11. Do you read to your pet?

Nope. My little doggy died last summer, but I didn't read to her anyway. Now, ask me about reading to my grandkids . . .

Okay, here are my questions:

1. If Abe Lincoln and George Washington got into a fight who’d win--and why?
2. What was your favorite book in 2011?
3. If you had a magical snail that could grant wishes, what would you ask for?
4. What would your last meal be if you were on death row?
5. Who is your favorite, Bill or Ted?  Why?
6. What will your weapon of choice be for the coming zombie apocalypse? Why?
7. Who is your favorite literary stalker?
8. If people were thrown in jail for bad habits, what would you be thrown in jail for?
9. What is the most distant place you've visited or lived?
10. If a spaceship were to land outside your house right now, would you get in it? If yes, where would you ask it to take you--and it could be anywhere you wanted to go.
11. Who is your favorite author?

And these are the poor suckers lucky people who get to answer them--go visit the blogs and check our their answers--though they may answer this at a time that best fits their schedules:

Laura Josephsen
Robin Weeks
Suzie F.
Far Away Eyes
Nancy Thompson
JeffO
Shelly Brown

Tag

Abby Fowers over at Something to Write About tagged me. Since I needed a break, I've decided to play. Though, perhaps I shouldn't have. You decide. I think you'll know which question made me a little nuts.

If you could go back in time and relive one moment, what would it be?
This one is easy for me. My mom died when I was fourteen. With the arrogance and ignorance of youth, I didn't visit her in the hospital as often as I should have (and would have if I'd realized she wasn't coming home). I'd go back and relive the visit I missed (I'd actually accompanied my father to the hospital--and sat in the car while he visited her because I thought the hospital was creepy).

Now don't worry about me. I don't beat myself up over this. I happen to be one of those people who believe in what Dumbledore called "the next, great adventure". I believe I will see her again, and I don't think she'll hold it against me. But still, I'd have liked to have had another memory to look upon, one that could have helped to get me through those tough times when I was growing up and having to get along without my mom. One more time to tell that I love her.

What movie/TV character do you most resemble in personality?
I'm guessing this means physically. So I went to a celebrity look alike generator.

I submitted this one.

Really? Really?
You should have seen the first picture I used! It was almost all guys.

Shut up!

If you could push one person off a cliff and get away with it, who would you choose?

Um, no one. I have a more eternal view of justice.

*grins evilly*

Name one habit you want to change with yourself?
I bite my nails. Even when I'm not "technically" biting them, I'm worrying them to death.

And after watching that movie Contagion, I so should not bite my nails. Or touch my face. Or touch anything or anyone. Or eat anything that anyone else has touched.



Why do you blog? (Answer in one sentence.) 
It began as a way to stay up to date with family members and when I started writing it morphed in making friends and learning tons.

So, who do I pass this on to?

Barbara Jean Byrem over at Far Away Series
Angie Cothran over at Live to Write ...Edit when Necessary
Joanne over at Whole Latte Life

Tag and Book Soundtracks

Tag

I like to be sure to mention when I'm aware of a shoutout. It's just so dang nice that people even think of me, so thanks to Scott Stillwell over at Just a Few Lines who tagged me. I'm supposed to tell you random things about me, but I've done that so many times already (like here, here, and here to name a few).

Book Soundtracks

Source

John Ferguson posed the following question to our writer's group on Friday:

I don't think I'd be a fan of this, but Elana was pining for book soundtracks in one of her recent blog posts, so who knows, maybe they'd be cool.

http://tech.slashdot.org/story/11/09/08/2220245/Booktrack-Adds-Music-and-Sound-Effects-To-Ebooks

When I first read about this, I thought, "Heck, yes!"

I remember as a girl reading an anthology of short stories compiled by Alfred Hitchcock--so you can imagine some of them were creepy (seriously creepy for this girl, let me tell you)--at the same time my older brother got the new (for him) Simon and Garfunkle album.

My brother played this album over and over and over again, all while I was reading this book. One particular story hit particularly close to home with me. It took place on a cruise ship, and we'd just spend three weeks sailing from Manila to San Francisco. Three weeks.

It wasn't until some time later that I discovered how that song and that short story were forever connected in my brain. All because I'd been listening to it (over and over and over again) Even now, when I hear The Sounds of Silence a shiver runs up my spine, and I'm taken back to that haunted cruise ship.

So on one hand, a book soundtrack intrigues me. I have playlists for my WIPs, and I choose music that fits the section of the book. When I hear a particular song, it takes me back to my tale.

But do I want someone else determining what music I associate with the books I read?

Hmmm ... I'll have to give that one some thought.

ETA: I prepared this post on the 10th, unaware that Paul Simon would be singing The Sounds of Silence at the 9/11 Tenth Anniversary Commemoration. I switched out the version I had in here with his. Paul Simon, in my opinion, is one of the 20th Century's greatest poets with the lyrics he's written.




What about you? Does the idea of soundtracks accompanying your ebooks appeal to you?

Another Tag!

I know. I seem to be posting about being tagged at lot this week. But speaking of yesterday’s post, don’t forget to check out amazing Elana Johnson’s Possession bloghop. Check here for details.

Tag

Today is actually to thank Donea Lee for tagging me. You should go check her out if you don't know her already.

I’m supposed to answer some questions and then tag some others. Here are my answers to the questions posed:

1.  Do you think you're hot? 

2.  Upload a picture or wallpaper you are using at the moment: 

From my trip to Kaua'i last June. That's one of my grandsons on the right at Lydgate Park.

3.  When was the last time you ate chicken? 

Lunch yesterday (grilled in a mesquite with lime marinate—SO good!).

4.  The Song/Songs you listened to recently.

I listen to Pandora.com or stream a local radio station. What’s playing as I write this is Secrets by OneRepublic, Break Your Heart by Taio Cruz, and Rhythm of Love by Plain White Ts (love these guys).

5.  What were you thinking while doing this? 

Can I get this done in time to work on my ms?

6.  Do you have nicknames?  What are they?

Mom and Nana

7.  Tag 8 blogger friends:

Canda Mortensen  http://candamortensen.blogspot.com/

Ellie Garrett  http://elliegarratt.blogspot.com/

Everett Powers http://everettpowers.blogspot.com/

Laura Josephsen  http://laurajosephsen.blogspot.com/

L.G. Smith  http://bardsandprophets.blogspot.com/

Stephanie Black http://stephanieblackink.blogspot.com/

Melanie Macek  http://featherpenstartandreams.wordpress.com/

Robin Weeks  http://robinweeks.blogspot.com/

Tara Tyler  http://taratylertalks.blogspot.com/

Who are these people?

#1  Canda is a new blog friend. She’s got a month of giveaways going on in June on her blog, so you should check it out.

#2  Ellie is an awesome SciFi writer from the UK and always posts fun and interesting stuff about writing and about her projects. I think she groks Spock.

#3  Everett is a writer I met on Twitter, who’s been very kind and supportive. He’s pleasant to chat with and more than willing for retweet tweets. Twits. Uh, whatever they’re called. =D

#4  Laura is an author, who also does writing craft posts including fun digital drawings for visual effect. You ought to check out her blog and see what she has there for you.

#5  L.G. is another writer I’ve met around the blogospere. Not only does she post interesting and fun things (and has an awesome blog name—Bards and Prophets—that just makes me want to sit down and talk to her in person), she adds great comments.

#6  Stephanie must be a nerdfighter because she has awesome in her genes. She’s an author (I’m reading her Whitney Award winner ‘Cold as Ice’ right now and loving it) AND she used to live in Ireland! Having just returned from a trip there last April, all I can ask is how lucky is that?

#7  Melanie is in one of my critique groups on David Farland’s Writers groups. She’s another very supportive online friend and said the most touching thing anyone has ever said about my firstborn (book, not child—he lives in China right now).

#8  Robin is our illustrious group leader in my other critique group at David Farland’s . She stayed at my house and dragged me around with her (talk about sociable) at LTUE last February. Better move fast to keep up with her. She writes wonderful, insightful, challenging posts on her blog, and she cohosts Farlands’s Authors Advisory. If you haven’t checked her out yet, you should do it.