We Got WINNERS!!

I'm still on my holiday break, spending wonderful time catching up with family, friends, and of course, attending numerous ice hockey games. That's what a hockey family does during Christmas break. :)


But I do have something for you. Yup, I'm here to announce the winners of my Mid-Winters Eve Blog Hop. So with no more blabber from me, the winners are:

Chandra Haun

wins a copy of LEVIATHAN! 

&

Angela

wins a copy of LINGER!

CONGRATS!! I'll email you both.

I want to thank everyone for participating. I had over 109 entries accumulating over 310 chances to win! WAY TO GO, Alleywalkers! To my new followers, I'm so thankful that you are here and I hope to chat with you often. Stay tuned, coming in January: review of Janet Gurlter's NOT TO TELL-plus her interview, a new Rebel Writer's Pledge for 2012, answers to Q&A with a YA, CeleryTree Promo, & more pageant updates!

Enjoy your various New Year's celebrations and stay safe!!

Hearts,

S~ 

A Holiday Break...

Firstly, for entry into my blog hop, running until Dec. 27th, CLICK on the photo. 

Thanks for entering!!

My gift of inspiration to you over this holiday break: a few wintry photos from my home.

I make Christmas wreaths.

I HEART snowman.

I've decided to leave you with a few surprises and reminders. I can't believe I've forgotten to post about the release of the anthology my short story is in. DUH. Here it is, and you'll see it and where to purchase it in my right side bar.

Don't forget to ENTER my giveaway and donation blog hop HERE, until Dec. 31st, and my team blog's Mid-Winters-Eve Blog Hop. SEE ABOVE.

***Also, to the right, just beneath my picture and brief profile, you'll see a link to my youngest son's website for Apraxia of Speech. I plan on blogging more about his site and this neurological disorder in the coming months. My platform for the Mrs. Maine 2012 pageant, where I'd like to make the most difference, is spreading the word about the importance of children, not only reading but writing about what they've read. OR simply writing to exercise those priceless brain muscles. Through my message, I also want to raise awareness for Apraxia of Speech, a disorder which is often misunderstood.

Although I will miss you, it's time for me to take a blogging break to spend time with my family. I wish each of you many blessings and much laughter during this holiday season, and I'll see you when I return on Jan. 3rd. I will, however, post the winners of my Mid-Winters-Eve Blog Hop on the 28th, so stay tuned...

Mid-Winters-Eve Blog Hop!!

Quick SPLAT:  The winner of Rick Daley's fabulous book, The Man in the Cinder Clouds, is Matt MacNish!!
And the winner of I'm Not Her by Janet Gurtler is Shannon O'Donnell!
CONGRATS to you both!!

Today is the day my team blog, Oasis for YA, teams up with I Am A Reader, Not A Writer, and The Daily Harrell to host yet another giveaway! (This is my fourth giveaway this month. It's been fun.)

Are you in need of some last minute Christmas gifts? Well, look no further. There are over 250 bloggers joining this giveaway geared especially for you last minute shoppers. Or maybe you'll just need a pick-me-up after the holiday hoopla has passed. Please visit the other generous participants HERE.

The hop technically runs from the 21st until the 27th, but I don't post on Wednesdays so I've released my post a little early. Curious as to what you're entering to win? Two books, both hardcovers:

The first book in the Leviathan series, by Scott Westerfeld

Linger, by Maggie Stiefvater

To ENTER, simply fill out the form below! TWO WINNERS will be announced on Dec. 28th!

I'm On TV!!

There are many ways I could intro this piece, but I'm going to leave it simple. As I mentioned on Friday, there was a reason I wasn't around to blog during Cruising Altitudes fabulous Deja Vu Blogfest.

Most of you know that I entered the Meegenuis Picture Book contest. I'm not a big fan of writing contests via public vote, because they feel more like popularity contests than writing ones; however, when I discovered that one of the main prizes would be the entire Meegenuis Library donated to my local elementary school I just had to enter. Though the contest is over and I didn't make it into the top five, I ended up in the 32nd slot out of 300 other writers. Not bad for a little girl from a small northern town.

What this contest has brought me is just as valuable. The outpouring of support for me and my teeny picture book manuscript has been amazing. I am confident, now, that this story will find a published home. I want to thank all of YOU who voted and have shared encouraging comments with me. Participating in this contest has also enriched my pageant experience. I was interviewed about the pageant and my book via internet TV in between periods at one of my two oldest sons' hockey games. I've also been asked to speak about writing at three different schools in Maine.

This all led me to Friday and the reason I wasn't able to blog. I had to travel an hour and a half from my home to one of Maine's television stations - a FOX station. There, I was interviewed live-on air about my picture book, the contest, and my candidacy for Mrs. Maine 2012. The experience was surreal yet amazing. I guess I'll let you be the judge of that, though. Feel free to pass on watching my clip. I've yet to watch it. *shivers*  

So much for simple.

Deja Vu Blogfest: Inspiration

Do-over.
Repeat.
Second chance.

Three terms which can mean the same.

Today is a cool day. Bloggers all over the blogosphere are posting past posts that either were loved by their readers, or they felt didn't get the attention deserved. Thanks for this brain child goes out to Cruising Altitude, Katie Mills, Lydia Kang, Nicole Ducleroir.

I could have chosen many posts, but I thought this one could double as a Christmas message of being thankful and recognizing our blessings, hopefully putting a smile on your faces. I heart you all.

Originally posted December 8, 2010, R U an Inspiration?


Have you ever noticed how much we writers discuss what inspires us? I read post after post, as I'm sure you do. Inspiration can be found anywhere ~ while at a stop light or in the grocery store, in music and nature, or in the genuine smile of a child.



But are you an inspiration? Do you inspire others? I want to share a personal experience I recently had with my newly-turned seven-year-old son, CJ.


(Yeah, that was him this past Halloween. He was originally supposed to be a zombie, but everywhere he went people kept calling him Edward. Hah... He was like, "Ma, who's Edward?" Oh my little Cullen boy.)


The hubs and I went to CJ's parent/teacher's conference. Granted, we were LATE...Uh-hum...a week late. Yup, I completely spaced out the Wednesday we were originally scheduled. His teacher is wonderful, and let us reschedule. For the sake of this little story, let's call her Mrs. P.


When we first arrived for the conference, Mrs. P. looks at me and says, "Man, is he a reader! And wow, we have quite the little writer on our hands."


I acted a bit surprised, but not fully. He'd recently been using more paper in our house than usually, and had been asking me how to spell this word and that word. Of course, he seemed to always ask while I was writing, so I'd answer him but never inquired what he was doing.


Mrs. P. proceeded to tell us about a conversation she recently had with CJ.


Mrs. P. said, "CJ, I just found out something about your mom."


"What?" CJ asked.


"Your mom's a writer."


A bright smile broke through his blush. He said, "Yup."


"Is that why you like to write so much during class?" Mrs. P. asked.


He nodded his little head, and said, "Ah-huh, want to see?"


CJ then rushed to his cubby and pulled out his backpack. He ambled back to Mrs. P's desk with a handful of papers, which he laid out for her to see. He'd been writing little stories and lots of them. One or two sentences, but to him they were the world.


Here's a few:


Giraffes - by CJ Giraffes have long necks. They eat leaves off the trees.


The Monkey - by CJ The monkey likes bananas because they are yummy.


The Cat - by CJ The cat was licking his paws because his paws were dirty.


Seals - by CJ The seals go to get food. It takes over 3 months.


The Cows - by CJ The cow helps people survive because they produce milk.


The Fox - by CJ Where is the Fox? He is in the cave. (Illustration)


Now by reading those, you can tell he's a reader. (I typed them just how he wrote them.) I have no idea how he's such a good reader. I used to sit with my older three kids and read every night. I'm lucky to get two times a week to read with CJ, and one of those times is probably off the cereal box. 


BUT...this one did me in. Mrs. P. displayed this story on the wall of his classroom. It made me cry.

Yeah, Mom writes about werewolves.

I hadn't even noticed how my time, energy, and hard work had been noticed by my seven year old. I only new my older three kids noticed my work when it interfered with taking them to a practice or running around for project supplies - (or when I forgot to buy more school snacks - Bad Mom). 


I surely didn't realize how deeply I was influencing my youngest guy. (Yeah, I'm crying right now.)


It's all good. I am so blessed. AND a quick 'SHOUT-OUT' to my new followers!! Thank you!


Have you paid attention to how your writing might inspire others around you? Share with me, so I'm not the only sap out here. ";-D


December 16, 2011
PS: I won't be blogging much today. I, well...I'll tell you on Monday. Just wish me luck. THX!

Book Spotlight & Giveaway: I'M NOT HER

Title: I'm Not Her
Author: Janet Gurtler
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Release Date: May 2011
Pages: 304

I'd like to thank the publisher for supplying me with a copy of this book for review.

Favorite Line/Passage: I hold my breath and have a tiny out-of-body experience.

Description: "For the first time in my life, I didn't feel envy..."

Tess is the exact opposite of her beautiful, athletic sister. And that's okay. Kristina is the sporty one, Tess is the smart one, and they each have their place. Until Kristina is diagnosed with cancer. Suddenly Tess is the center of the popular crowd, everyone eager for updates. There are senior boys flirting with her. Yet the smiles of her picture-perfect family are cracking and her sister could be dying. Now Tess has to fill a new role: the strong one. Because if she doesn't hold it together, who will?

COVETED!!

My Splats: Firstly, I LOVE the cover! Some might think it's simple, but it fits. There's something about the image of broken petals on the grass that speaks to me. The color palette is also very inviting. 

I'M NOT HER gives the reader a real glimpse into the realities of cancer. The story is sincere and delicate at times, but deals with the harshness and fear a serious disease or illness can reek on a family. And utilizing the point of view from the youngest in this family was a thing of beauty.

Gurtler opens with a scene far away from any sickness. Well, that's as long as you don't categorize the ails of sibling differences as an infection. Tess is the younger of the sibling pair portrayed in this story. To her, her older sister, Kristina, is a beauty queen with the popularity, pose, and even athletic ability to match. Catching a ball let alone following in her footsteps is not even in Tess' realm of possibilities.

But when cancer hits her untouchable older sister, Tess finds more inside herself than she thought was there. She is strong, like an athlete, and can carry on conversations with the so-called populars. Slowly, she finds her own identity. 

It's a story about exploring what's inside each of us; for teens, that is paramount, but also very difficult at times. Conflicts and different views between family characters heightens the tension and moves the plot along nicely. The pace was very good, and frankly, I was surprised at how quickly Gurtler introduced the issue of cancer. That was a great choice, though.

I'm more of a paranormal junkie, but Gurtler has converted me into a contemporary reader. (I've just finished her second book, which I'll share with you shortly.) Any teen or adult who's dealt with illness of any kind will appreciate this book. Any teen or adult, who's had to grow up in a not-so-perfect world with a seemingly perfect sibling, relative, or friend shadowing their light, will enjoy this read.

To WIN copy of I'M NOT HER just leave a comment below. If you share via social media or blogging, let me know that too! Each will be worth an extra entry. The winner will be announced during my interview with Janet on the 19th!

Best of luck!!

Christmas Giveaway & Author Spotlight: Rick Daley

The Graffiti Wall is pleased to welcome a wonderful MG writer, who's taken the story of Santa Claus and turned it up on its head. This is a fantastic Christmas read and a MUST purchase for any reader, lover of the holidays, and family peep! Truly. I'll release my review soon, but I've included a review below from another reader on Amazon. Also, Rick's been gracious enough to offer up a copy of his book! You can enter below.

Meet Rick Daley, writer with over 15 years experience, husband, and father. 

 Author of The Man in the Cinder Clouds

Today, we're going to chat with Jason, Rick's main character. He's really excited to be here, so let's give Jason a warm Alleyway welcome.

Hi Jason!

Alleywalkers cheer and wave frantically.

I know you had quite the adventure when you went to the North Pole with your scientist dad. It didn't start out that way, though. It was boring. And cold. 

What did you first think when your dad found that very old book?

When Rebecca first came into my dad’s office and told him they found a book in an ice core, my first thought was, “Great, now he’ll disappear back into the lab and I won’t see him until we leave to go home.”  But then he actually let me go into the lab to see the book. I knew it would be something special.

When we started reading the book, it was so cool!  The words can change languages automatically, so when Juan read it, the words were Spanish, and when Professsor Nara read the same page, it was in Japanese…and all I saw was English.  It turns out it was written by an Elf, and it tells how Kris Kringle became Santa Claus. It wasn’t easy, I can tell you that! 

On the outset, you and your brother had different views of Santa and the possibility of his existence. Can you tell your readers what it felt like when you decided to give up hope that Santa really did exist?

My brother Justin had told me there was no Santa Claus, and I knew he was wrong.  He lies about everything.  Justin’s always trying to tease me, like the time he got me to drink a big gulp of Tabasco sauce by telling me it’s what they use to make Cherry Coke.

Haha!

I thought the North Pole would be like the movies…Santa would have a big city, with trees everywhere and lights and bells.  I brought a camera to take pictures to prove Justin was wrong, but when I got there, it was just snow and ice.  No Christmas village, no fields of reindeer games…not even a single Christmas tree!  I thought it would be impossible for anyone to live there.  Boy was I wrong! 

I don’t know what was worse, thinking there was no Santa, or thinking Justin was telling the truth for once. 

Could you briefly explain Elf Rules, and then tell us why you were so concerned about anyone violating those rules? Where you afraid to get Kris in trouble?

The Elfs are really old.  I don’t know how old, but they’ve been around a lot longer than humans, that’s for sure.  They have all sorts of laws, and one of the most important ones says Elfs can’t make contact with humans.

When Kris Kringle got the High Council to agree to let him deliver presents to people, they were afraid he would lead the humans back to the Elf’s Glens, so they made a list of thousands of Rules he had to follow, and the first one was that he had to leave his home and could never come back.  But there was a loophole in the Rules: if Kris could prove that humans were not all wicked and evil, and that true virtue could be found in the human heart, then he could return.

My dad’s research team all wanted to use the book to get rich, and they wanted to use it to track down Santa and find the Great Northern Glen (that’s what the Elfs call Christmas Village).  No human’s ever been there.  I thought that the Great Northern Glen had stayed hidden for so long, it must be hidden for a reason. 

Kris has an amazing story. As you, your dad, and the other crew members read the story, what did it feel like to begin to understand it?

It was frustrating, because none of the grown-ups were getting it!  All they could think about was getting rich, selling the book to a museum and making people pay to see it.  They didn’t understand that the real treasure was what the story said. 

How did you feel about meeting the Reindeer? I thought they were fascinating.

I know, right?!  Before Kris met the reindeer, I thought it was hopeless. The kids he found in Oldenton were both in danger and Kris was the only one who could save them.  I always wondered how Santa met up with a bunch of flying reindeer, now I know!  That was one of the coolest parts of the story.

What did you see about the old book that the adults missed, at least on the onset? You seemed to see something much deeper right off.

The adults always thought the book was theirs, you know, finders keepers.  But I knew it belonged to Kris Kringle, and we needed to find a way to get it back to him.  The adults couldn’t stop thinking about being rich, but there’s more to life than money isn’t there?  My dad got all wrapped up in the details, and his research team kept trying to find out where the entrance to Great Northern Glen is, but I came up with a way to return the book to its rightful owner.

What is the greatest lesson you learned from Kris' story?

If I had to pick the most important thing it’s something Thomas learned: sometimes giving something away feels just as good as getting a present.  What was really cool was how Thomas learned that lesson.  I really want to tell you more about that, but I think you’re better off just reading the book and finding out about Thomas for yourself!

Awesome, right?

To ENTER for a chance to WIN a copy of The Man in the Cinder clouds, leave a comment and a way to get in touch with you when you win! Share a favorite Christmas memory, please!! Winner will be announced Dec. 19th. 


Check the other MMGM posts, highlighting MG books today! Shannon Whitney Messenger, Shannon O'Donnell. 

The Man in the Cinder Clouds

By Rick Daley

A young boy and his scientist father made an incredible discovery at the North Pole—an ancient book embedded deep within an ice core.  Even more incredible is the story the book tells: the long-lost history of Santa Claus you never knew…and will never forget. 

This origins-of-Santa story is a great holiday read for the whole family.  Its mix of action, humor, and Christmas spirit keeps younger readers turning the pages, but The Man in the Cinder Clouds is not just a kids’ book. 

As one Amazon.com reviewer puts it, “THE MAN IN THE CINDER CLOUDS is one of those middle grade books that the grown-ups get sucked into along with their kids. You think you bought if for your young reader but after you browse chapter one you just sort of... can't stop.”

This story-within-a-story reveals the origins of our most familiar Christmas traditions: from Christmas trees, stockings, and lumps of coal to jingle bells, the North Pole, and flying reindeer.  Highly original and thoroughly entertaining, The Man in the Cinder Clouds will show you how Kris Kringle came to be known as Santa Claus.  It wasn’t easy.

Visit Rick at his Blog or the official Cinder Clouds Website.

PiBoIdMo Results & Four WINNERS!!

Participating in Tara Lazar's PiBoIdMo was a blast, which was no surprise to me. I participated last year and was totally reeled in as a PB writer. I knew I just had to devote some time to crafting these books for the youngest of our readers. But one might think taking Tara's oath to focus intently on PB ideas for the riggers of an entire month sounds tough. To be honest, I thought the same thing last year when I considered signing up. But the total opposite happens.

Prodding my brain to constantly brew new ideas is stimulating! It this case, it not only gave me a ton of new picture book ideas, but my creative flow tightened in the other arenas where I write, too. What I needed to change within my YA novel to make it unique suddenly appeared. The art of writing two new query letters seemed clearer. And the bio and personal page I needed to write for the Mrs. Maine America pageant finally came together.

To top it off, I got to read amazing posts by amazing PB authors and illustrators all month long! And Tara even served icing on the cake: a handy-dandy new WINNERS badge.

Isn't it cute??

Last year, I shared all 33 of my new PB ideas with you. I won't do that here. I went back and read that post and it felt a bit tedious. Instead, I'll share five of those ideas.

But before I do I must announce the four WINNERS of my Book LOVERS Holiday Hop.

White Cat goes to

BECCA!

The Lovely Bones goes to

THERESA JANKE!

Fade goes to

LATISHA DEPOORTERE!

Across the Universe goes to

NATALIE AGUIRRE!

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE WINNERS!

Thank you for participating.

Now, for those ideas.

1. The Lonely Shrimp (a story about bullying)
2. Webbie and The Fly (a story about differences and how important it is to be yourself)
3. Sam & Cam, the Baseball Hams (a story about the life of two baseballs in Little League)
4. Socks Came From Outer Space (a fun mystery about exploration and where socks really disappear to.)
5. Mingy and Onk - The Tale of the Disappearing Blob (I'm leaving the plot of this story a mystery to you. But I will tell you that it's based on humor and it's my favorite one!)

I want to thank Tara for once again hosting such an amazing event, as well as all the participants. I've met some amazing picture book authors and even joined a group on rhyming!

If you haven't read my picture book story that was entered in the Meegenuis Publisher's Contest, head over HERE to read it and help me win books for my local elementary school! I have until the 18th to raise my votes, putting me in the top five. Thank you for all your help!

Want FREE Books?

Well, here's your opportunity to scratch off a few of those 'need to buys' from your Christmas shopping list.

Hop over to my team blog, OASIS FOR YA, and add your name to the list of over 200+ bloggers!! 

Oasis for YA is teaming up with I Am A Reader, Not A Writer, and The Daily Harrell (Jessie's blog) to host the second annual Mid-Winters Eve Blog Hop. The dates for the hop are December 21st through December 27th. What better way to keep your blog occupied while you celebrate the holidays with your family than to have an opportunity to win books posted on your blog?

Each participating blog can give away whatever they'd like and there's no minimum requirements. You do whatever you'd like and link to all the other participating bloggers!! Easy as that! We'd be very grateful if you'd spread the word. TY!!

BTW - I designed that logo. Do you like it??

Click HERE to ENTER.

Splatter: Today's the last day to ENTER my Holiday Book Giveaway!! And if you need an instructional writing book, I'm giving away one HERE!

Season for Reading GIVEAWAY!!

Ever received a book that made you go ooh? What about a book on writing that gave you that 'ah-ha!' moment?

I'm sure if we got together we could put one heck of a list together. We probably should at some point, but that's for another time.

Today, I'm highlighting a book that impacted me, sent my head spinning, and for me, a book that pushed me over the ledge, convincing me to get serious about my writing.

As a young child, I loved picture books. I'd read the words but use the illustrations to take myself on my own journey. I should have known I'd write them someday. Then during my awkward junior high days, I basically read what was assigned during class, spending the rest of my precious 'kid' time learning how to socialize. (I was horrible at that for some time, let me tell you.)

Moving forward to high school, I did learn how to 'be one with the crowd.' So, yeah, independent reading for pleasure basically disappeared. During my turbulent college years, I mostly took refuge in Stephen King's books or any story on dance. It wasn't until I began having children and read favorites like I Love You with All My Heart that I started really reading. And when I did, some of the stories I'd been forced to read during my school years came to life.

Blood and Chocolate had been an old favorite of mine, yet I'd forgotten that. Then there's the major classics of Pride & Prejudice, Wuthering Heights, and Emma. Soon I moved to reads like the Vampire Kisses series, Vampire Diary series, Heather Brewer and her fabulous MC Vlad, and then Melissa Marr's series, Wicked Lovely. And yes, I read every word of Harry Potter as well as the Twilight series.

Little did I know, all of the was slowly forging my road to writing and publication.

Then I found more gems. And not just books with stories in them, but books on instruction.

So today, I'm giving away to my followers Hooked, by Les Edgerton, and donating I'm Not Here, by Janet Gurtler, to my local high school library. To ENTER, simply leave me a comment telling me that you're a follower. You can receive extra entries for sharing via social media, voting for my picture book HERE, or donating your choice of book to a library near you. Each will receive an extra entry as long as you let me know what you did.

Thank you for participating and spreading the word. Click on the icon above to visit the other participating authors. Don't forget to enter my Book Lover's Holiday Giveaway HERE!!
(This post will stay up tomorrow, so I'll see you again on Tuesday. I will blog on Monday, though.)

Book LOVERS Holiday Giveaway!!

Sparkling lights.
Warm coco.
Music with might.
Family, friends, with all the hype.
And the infamous departure of our dough because of a little ho-ho.

I totally HEART the Holiday Season. For me, it's the Christmas Season. And this past year has brought me many blessings, one being all of YOU. To show my gratitude, I'm giving away books!!!! Books that you can either keep for yourself or give as a gift to someone you care about.

Thanks to I Am A Reader, Not A Writer & Kid Lit Frenzy, I've found the perfect avenue to give the books away.

The Book Lover's Holiday Giveaway Hop will run from Dec. 2nd to 6th.  

Along with over 270 other writers/bloggers, I've linked up with over 270 other writers/bloggers, allowing you an easy way to hop through the blogosphere and enter as many giveaways as you'd like. What a great way to do some holiday shopping!

And just think. You might find a few new blogs to follow. If you are new to Writers' Ally, I'd love to know it! 

Nice to meet you. *nods head and smiles*

My only requirements are that you leave a comment and fill out the form below. I made the form simple.  (This giveaway is US only.)

I'm giving away one copy of the following:

The four WINNERS will be announced on Friday, December 9th.

Don't forget to CLICK HERE to hop over to my other friends who are hosting their own giveaways!! If you look real closely, I'm number 217.

WELL, I Never....

Normally, I don't blog on Thursdays, but I could not resist playing this little game. And with Vicki Rocho, no doubt. My measly brain is supposed to come up with a few lines about something I'd never do, never think of doing, and/or do not understand. Now, I could chatter on about some of the ideas the crept into my mind like sky diving, using mousse instead of hair gel, or becoming a contestant on X-Factor--the one where the players eat really gross stuff.

But I won't. To scary, and I haven't had breakfast yet.

But there is one thing, and it's a beauty aid mind you, that I simply DO NOT understand, would never do or think of doing.

Body Piercing.

I'm not talking about your average ear, navel, or wherever (slamming eyelids shut) piercing. I'm referring to those native traditions we've all seen on the Discovery or the History Channel. Use your imagination. You know what I'm talking about: 

• a plate in the bottom lip
• a rock or some cylindrical object in the earlobe
• a stick you-know-where with twine folding the little sucker up toward the torso.

Yeah. I'm shivering, too.

There have it. My WELL, I NEVER.... For more, check out the other participants HERE!!