Passionate Critters

Here’s your chance to voice your opinions - and we all have opinons on this topic, don’t we?

Abby from Blade Publishing has put the question to all would-be authors sending their submissions to Blade for consideration.

Here’s the link: Blade Blog

Why not go over and read her ideas and post your comments…As for me, I’d like the details so I can strengthen my writing and get contract next time around. How about you?

I signed with Diana Fox! Details here

1. Aspire to be Barbie — the bitch has everything.
2. If the shoe fits, buy one in every color.
3. Take life with a pinch of salt…a wedge of lime, and a shot of tequila.
4. In need of a support group? Cocktail hour with the girls!
5. Go on the 30 day diet. (I’m on it and so far I’ve lost 15 days).
6. When life gets you down, just put on your big girl panties and deal with it.
7. Let your greatest fear be that there is no menopause and this is just your personality.
8. I know I’m in my own little world, but it’s ok. They know me here…
9. Lead me not into temptation; I can find it myself.
10. Don’t get your knickers in a knot; it solves nothing and makes you walk funny.
11. When life gives you lemons in 2008, turn it into lemonade then mix it with vodka.
12. Remember: Every good looking, sweet, single male is someone else’s ex-boyfriend!

Check out Jennifer’s trailer for The Role of Lifetime! It’s quite cute and conveys the tone of the story perfectly.

From Angela James’s Blog

Yesterday was the release day for a really special charity project, Nothing But Red. (Giveaway at the bottom of the post)

The purpose of Nothing But Red is to bring attention to the issue of violence against women worldwide, as well as the continuing need for equality, through art—both written and visual—and by raising money for a charity that strives to help women of all faiths, ethnicities, and socioeconomic backgrounds, with the support of dedicated volunteers who share a desire to promote equality.

From the Press Room section of the Nothing But Red website:

Nothing But Red, the anthology of literary and visual arts inspired by the impassioned plea of Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon in response to the “honor killing” of 17-year-old Du’a Khalil Aswad, is now available for purchase. Sales of the anthology, which is currently available in multiple formats at www.lulu.com/nothingbutred, will benefit the international human rights organization Equality Now.

“I’ve met some amazing people who’ve worked incredibly hard to put this book together over the last year, whether as contributors or volunteers,” said Skyla Dawn Cameron, originator and editor-in-chief of Nothing But Red. “We can’t change Du’a’s fate – but we can let the world know that there are people who still care. That’s where this fight really happens: with each of us, challenging ourselves to do something to make the world better.”

The 313-page collection, which can be purchased as a trade paperback for $15.95 or as a pdf-format e-book for $5.95, is being released on the one-year anniversary of the death of Aswad. An Iraqi adherent of the Yazidi religion, Aswad was stoned to death by family members and neighbors; her brutal beating and murder was captured in a graphic video and spread on the Internet.

Shortly after learning of the murder, Joss Whedon, creator of the television shows Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel and Firefly, penned an emotional response on the website Whedonesque.com. His post, which built from the topic of Aswad’s murder to the contemplation of misogyny’s transcendence of culture, religion and era, ended on an appeal to his fans to do something active to change the cycle.

“True enlightened activism is the only thing that can save humanity from itself…” Whedon wrote. “Her face was nothing but red.”

Taking its title from those words, Nothing But Red is a response to Whedon’s call to action, which is included as an essay in the volume. A full list of contributors can be found at nothingbutred.wordpress.com.

Equality Now was chosen as the recipient of the anthology’s proceeds due to Whedon’s public support of the organization and its mission to “[voice] a worldwide call for justice and equality for women,” as stated on Equality Now’s website.

I had a very (very, very) small part in helping with this anthology–in fact, it might make some of my authors happy to know that I actually missed a deadline. Very frustrating (but I do tell you all that it happens, and now I’m proof of that, unfortunately). But I got to read some of the pieces included in this book and they’re a mix of fiction and non-fiction, but all are moving and powerful.

Please buy a copy of Nothing But Red and help raise awareness for violence against women. Visit www.lulu.com/nothingbutred to purchase your copy! The full colour eBook is $5.95, and the black and white trade paperback is $15.95. All profits (about $4 per book) will go to Equality Now.

The wind is blowing today, and it’s cold. Cold enough to wear a hat, wear mittens, drink hot chocolate. The problem is–it’s Spring, dammit. I know it’s Spring, because the Red Sox are playing.

I think this is a better sign of the season than something like…daffodils.

For one thing, my neighbor across the street has a bedful of them, quivering yellow in the weak April sun that shines on them all day. My daffs, on the other hand, still haven’t poked more than an inch of leaves out of their shadowy spot near my front steps. I know that there’s not more Spring on the other side of the street, just more sun; either way, the flowers are no indication of the season. And up in Maine, where my friend lives, there’s still snow on the ground. There’s nothing Spring-like about snow.

Nope.

But the Sox are playing. They play across the street, they play at my house, they even play in Maine. In fact, they played in Japan a week ago. Whereever you hear or see the game–that’s a sure sign of Spring. Even better, it’s a reminder of Summer days ahead…long, hot summer days. Imagine this: The lazy sound of Joe Castiglione, the sound of the neighbor’s lawn mower and the smell of freshly cut grass…the scent of burgers on the grill. Outside, the air is still, humid. There’s the sound of someone’s air conditioner…birds singing…cicadas whirring, maybe. Kids playing. “That’s a hit and…it’s outta here! A homerun by Manny!”

I can almost taste the tangy lemonade in the sweaty glass, feel the sun on my neck as I rock in the swing on my back deck…it’s Summer.

Or it will be, as soon as we can get through this cold and windy Spring. As long as the Sox are playing, there’s hope!

A year ago, Paul had booked us into the Alan Carr Clinic.
We’d discussed it, and we’d decided to give up smoking.
And that’s the last time you’ll see me refer to this as “Giving up”, because… I didn’t give up smoking.
Yes, you saw that right. I said I didn’t.

One year on, I am still a non smoker.
I stopped smoking. That’s the difference.
If you keep telling yourself that you’re giving up, you’ll never do it. So go and rewire your brain.
You give up strawberries. You give up chocolate.
You stop smoking.
If I told you to eat dirt, would you say you’d stop eating dirt, or you’d give up eating dirt?

Okay that was step 1. Stop giving up. Just stop. Period. You’re going to have to rewire your brain a bit probably, but it’s doable.

Step 2 is simple too. Ignore what everyone tells you. As long as you are comfortable with the way you’ve stopped - keep doing it.
For instance, I used a real cigarette, drenched in peppermint oil, and sucked on that sometimes. Not because I wanted a cigarette, but because the activity helped me to think. Everyone was flapping about it.
I still have that ciggie. I have no desire to smoke it.

Go cold turkey. It might sound hard, but it’s not that bad. Yeah, you get a craving every now and then, but it’s more for the action of smoking than for the nicotine.

Still… I am amazed at myself. I did it. I will keep doing it.

Oh. My. Gosh.

I figured it was worth mentioning.