SHARK WEEK HAS BEGUN!
Okay, maybe, I’m just really geeky, but I look forward to Shark Week all year along. Anyone else with me?
A clip from one of the new documentaries. Its short and pretty interesting.*
*ITS THE ULTIMATE FIGHT BETWEEN THE WORLD’S TOP PREDATORS: SHARKS AND ZOMBIES!!!!
…I’ve never seen empire waisted underwear, but its apparently what a ‘getting-around guy needs.’
Hey, doesn’t the guy in the tightie-whities look like Mr. Big from Sex in the City? Weird.
My deep thoughts are rather simple today. With all the annual crazy bitterness of the RWA national conference, I was thinking that we could all use a pick me up. When something like this happens in fandom, the thing that I always try to do is pass some good on. I try to give feedback to writers and say thanks to the readers. Maybe that is something that would be good for Romancelandia.
Say thanks to your readers. Write to your favorite author or even an author whose books you enjoy and tell them why you like their books. Leave a comment on some blogs to let them know that you always get a laugh when you go to their site. These are the people who turn writing and reading from a solitary activity into a community effort.
My Big Props Go To: (more…)
I have a new series of blog entries called Vintage Ad Thursday. Gee, I feel a little like Conan O’Brien. If you read the fine print you’ll notice that Mrs. Ruth Long wants your picture and in exchange she’ll send you these miniature mammals. Obviously, this woman is a marketing genius. I think this would be the best promotion for a new writer because who doesn’t want a monkey or a tea cup Chihuahua? And, with limited supplies, you’ll have the readers rushing for it like its 1996 and you have the last Tickle Me Elmo! I wonder why magazines today don’t try to give you tiny creatures in exchange for your picture and address?
I’m thinking about getting this haircut, but I want it a little longer, like, at the shoulders. Isn’t Rihanna gorgeous? She may be our only hope is breaking the R&B juggernaut, Beyonce, hold on the pop charts.
Cathy Clamp gives the “straight scoop about the RWA changes”
I’m alive! Hey, ya’ll! I haven’t posted here for awhile, but I have posted vaguely incoherent posts and replies at Romance Divas. I blame the painkillers the doctors put me on.
Anyway, I’ve been reading during my convalescence. I’ve given the Nocturne Silhouette category a try and have enjoyed the hell out of them. Another thing I’ve read is the Phaze Fantasies 3 anthology which is a m/m book. That was a fun read. My two favorite stories were by Selah March and James Buchanan. They were both so unique. Selah’s was a hardboiled noir-y tale with grit and darkness and a lot of wit. James’ was different because it was a romance in the magical realism genre which suited the historical Mexican time frame. Both stories had a good romance with complex characters and really brought something new to the table. Great reads both.
The RWA is having its national conference so, of course, drama is on the horizon. All the RWA recognized epublishers have lost recognition in a stunning change of policy which equates epublishing and vanity press because epublishers tend to sell most of their books through their websites. Ouch. Naturally, Romancelandia is up in arms.
I’m going to be out for a bit because I’m getting my tonsils taken out and I am a whim about pain. The doctor told me that it hurts worse for adults than children so I am preemptively worrying.
Anyway, I wrote a nice juicy blog about anorexia and its online culture to keep ya’ll busy while I am gone.
*disclaimer: I’m not any kind of medical professional. This is just an article born of my own experiences, opinions, and what I have found on the net. This is about education. I encourage everyone who reads this is continue on to the links at the bottom to get more information.
I don’t care if it hurts,
I want to have control.
I want a perfect body[Creep by Radiohead]
Ana and Mia aren’t people, but they are extremely popular. Ana and Mia are codewords for two mental illnesses that get a lot of attention, but the same understanding that other mental illnesses get– none. Ana and Mia are internet codewords for anorexia and bulimia. Google them and you’ll see sites that will sicken you from seeing what vulnerable, depressed, and anguished girls are doing to themselves. You will see sites like the Pro-Anorexia livejournal which boasts that its the largest pro-anorexia site on the net and House of Thin and PAM(Pro Ana & Mia).
I spent the Fourth of July weekend floating down the Salt River. Nothing like tubing with the cooler tube tied to yours and a screwdiver in hand. The Salt River is a major destination for folks wanting to escape the heat of Phoenix. You could tell the people who went there a lot from the custom made stereos that had flags (my favorite was the pirate flag with ‘Surrender Your Booty’ on it) and flashing lights on them. I had a good time, but my skin did not. Let me show you.
These are my thighs. Yes, my thighmaster does collect dust, but notice the almost pepto bismol tint of them.
Can you see the patchiness of the burn on my lower legs where the sunscreen was better rubbed in?
The pictures can’t really show the vividness of the redness. I’ve been clinging to my aloe vera in between bites of hot dogs and potato salad. So, remember your sunscreen everyone! Happy Fourth of July and Happy belated Canada Day!
Blogging is freaking difficult. What should you say? Will you be interesting? Are you words being heard or are you just shouting into space? Add writing a writerly sort of blog and you have trouble.
Here are a few of my deep thoughts on the subject:
Why? Constant promos can make a blog, well, just listen to author Imogen Howson: “If a blog is all promos, either for the blogger’s books or for all her friends’ books, I simply don’t read it because it’s totally boring. But I do like to know when the author has a new book releasing, or when she’s just got a contract, or that sort of thing. And I do want a blurb, cover art, and the link to buy her book if I decide I like the look of it.” Ouch! You never want a blog to be boring. If you are doing promos then you might want to do what she says and slap up the blurb and the cover art. I read promos, but I tend to skim promos if every entry seems to be one. I’m not the only one. I made a poll on Romance Divas and almost two-thirds polled admitted to skimming promos. If you are going to do it then make it a big post of promos and don’t do it regularly. Also they ought to be promos that are relevant to your blog. If you love paranormals then why have a bunch of promos for inspirations? Thats not what your readers are looking for. Unless the inspirations are about vampires who find Jesus or Buddha or whatever deity. That way your blog stays interesting and you don’t sound like an infomercial.
Why? Because if people think that you aren’t going to be blogging then they won’t come to your blog. Common sense, no?
Why? So, when time becomes an issue and you can’t spare a minute to blogging then you can just post one of your pre-written blogs and keep on schedule. Though, you have to make sure that they aren’t topical ones. If you write a blog post on some recent news event then you ought to put it to the presses as soon as possible or else you’ll have people wondering why you wrote such a touching tribute to a late celebrity about three months after their death.
Why? You want people to understand what you are saying, right? Then why would you write like this: i LuV dis nu authr. Sh is soooooooooo!!!! great!!!! evey1 commont on meh blooooooggge? The translation is that I love this new author, she is so great, everyone comment on my blog. No one says that you have to be perfect, but we got to understand what you are saying, babes.
Why? Because a blog that is oozing with personality is a memorable blog. That keeps them coming back for more. Its like crack, I tell you, crack! It doesn’t matter if you are snarky, funny, serious, or morbid. Just be yourself and you will find that people will want to read you.
Why? If you want people to read you then you have to read others. Find other people with similar interests and comment on their blogs. I’m not saying that you should comment with stuff like, ‘Wow, great post. GO TO MY BLOG NOW!’ I’m saying that you ought to read around, link to people, and comment a lot. You’ll find some interesting people out there who will inspire you in your own blogging and your life.
Why? If you don’t enjoy blogging then don’t. Everyone can tell if you don’t like to. We can tell from infrequent postings, whining about posting, and short posts about the weather. Unless its a tornado and you have just posted that a cow has come zooming by your window. That’s pretty interesting.
Those are my deep thoughts. Take them. Leave them. Whatever. I’m, by no means, a great blogger, but I have read enough fantastic bloggers to know what they are like and they do all the things that I have listed above. You don’t have to take my advice, but if you aren’t reading other blogs, only blogging sporadically, hate blogging, or are posting in tongues, and when you do post you post promos then don’t be surprised that you don’t have people commenting.
Happy blogging!
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