Pot-O-Gold #21: "I Write for Apples"

It's been a year since I posted an award. I think you guys deserve another great blog recommendation. If you teach, you'll definitely love it! If you write, you'll absolutely love it! Go ahead, dig for the GOLD.

About this award: 
I created this award for excellent blogs based on... 

• interesting and helpful content AND
• visually appealing and easy-to-navigate design. 

It's an award that says, "Look at this awesome blog! There's a wealth of information here! If you visit once, you'll want to return again and again." In other words, it's like discovering a pot of gold. 

January 2014 goes out to...

Dee

of

  

I Write for Apples

"A mom, a writer, and always a teacher."

I Write for Apples just reached another awesome milestone: they surpassed the 100,000 page view mark! It's been around for 3 years, has 326 members on Google Friend Connect, and only posted 75 or less blog posts each year. That's absolutely amazing! Want to know how she did it? It's by posting such high quality content!

She has a series to help you learn more about Scrivener, Write a Book.

And the one I love the most? Her Query.Sign.Submit. series. 

These are wonderful interviews with agents that tell you more about the process and how they work, not just what they're looking for. It's awesome stuff, folks! Go check it out and see the rainbow for yourself. It's not just a mirage. It's the real deal, people. Enjoy!

Congratulations, Dee! To forward the love onto 4 of your favorite blogs, just follow the instructions below:

1. Say thank you to the person who gave it to you.
2. Write a post and include the image of the award, a link to the person's blog who gave it to you, and a link to my blog, WRITE WILD. (Copy and paste the rules in your post.)
3. Award four bloggers this award and tell why each is a Pot-O-Gold! (If you receive this award more than once, you only have to forward it the first time.)
4. Share four simple things about yourself: 1-a time you had to exercise FAITH, 2-something you HOPE for, 3-something (or someone) you LOVE, and 4-a time when you felt LUCK.

Keep on keepin' on...

Writers Who Run: Starting It Up

It's a new year. Out with the old, in with the new. I haven't ran since Thanksgiving, until yesterday, kind of.

I haven't written anything new since...? Hmmm... That's an embarrassing fact to admit. I'm writing this blog post right now. Yesterday, I actually exercised and got my heart rate up. It felt GREAT!

Here's the thing, I've always had this pull on my time. Not so much between work and family. But more between sleep, writing, and running. I only share this with you in case some of you may be suffering from the same challenge. If I get up early to run and stay up late to write, I don't get enough sleep.

Working a 40-hour week job, I absolutely must get enough sleep. Seven and a half hours is ideal, but I can occasionally get by on six hours. So, when I get enough sleep, then I feel like I only have enough time to run OR to write, but not both. It's this constant battle within me.

Anyone feel the same way about something else? Not enough to time to do BOTH of your passions? Writing and gardening, or writing and scrap booking?

So, I'm starting my own journey of drawing parallels between the two and hopefully they will help inspire us all to write more, run more, and do both better. In some small way, at least.

I will blog about my running and how it relates to writing on my new blog feature: Writers Who Run. There's also a YouTube channel now! Speaking of writers who run, just yesterday (2014) I started a Facebook group for us folk called Writers Who Run. We had 13 members join in less than 24 hours. Three years later (2017), there are 200+ members!

I am also planning have planned something awesomely HUGE for you fellow writers who also like to go for the occasional run. I am oh, so excited. Hope some of you will be just as excited as I am.

In the mean time, here are some of my older posts that include the tag "running." If you have the time, check them out. 

1. Running with a Grammar Slinger
2. Q is for Quality vs. Quantity
3. J is for Just Do It
4. From Walking to Jogging in Four Weeks Flat
5. Pacing
6. Story of a Cockroach, with a running epiphany
7. H is for Hard Work
8. V is for Visualization

See you next week! And keep on keepin' on...

Up Next: Another Pot-O-Gold Award to give away...

Winner Announced for Lucky Clover Picture Book Contest

Wikipedia image

I ended up combining the submissions for Summer and Fall 2013 for the Lucky Clover Picture Book Contest. And it's high time I finally announced the winner (hey it's only 3 days late, really). So without further ado, the winner is...

Out of My House! 

by 

Barbara N. Kupetz 

Mr. B finds a mouse in his house, but he can't stand the thought of hurting it. How will he ever rid his house of the pesky pest?

Congratulations, Barbara! Your critique will be arriving in your inbox within two weeks.

NOW ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS FOR THE WINTER 2014 LUCKY CLOVER PICTURE BOOK CONTEST! DEADLINE IS MARCH 31 AT MIDNIGHT. GET THOSE ENTRIES IN!

Next up? New Facebook Group announcement!

Keep on keepin' on...

The Lovely Prizes for PB 14:14

Hello, everyone! I've gathered together a basket of goodies for you today. They could even become yours! On February 1st, I'm opening the registration for my new blogging event, PB 14:14, a Blog Hop with PRIZES. The hop will begin on 2.14.2014. It will last for 14 days. I will give more details later. In the meantime, read more picture books! Check them out from the library. Borrow your neighbor's. Here's WHAT and WHO I have in store for you.

WHO is involved?

Tara Lazar
Lori Degman
Kristy Dempsy
Deb Lund
Susanna Leonard Hill
Alayne Christian
Kristi Holl
Julie Hedlund
Me
and hopefully YOU!!!

WHAT are the prizes?

TWO guest bloggers
TWO picture book giveaways
THREE picture book critique giveaways
TWO writer inspiration books
ONE market guide book
ONE 30-minute phone consultation

HOW many *WINNERS?

FOUR winners of something
ONE grand prize winner of something BIG

*eligibility is based on participation...

Next up? The winners of the Summer/Fall Lucky Clover Picture Book Contest!

Keep on keepin' on...

Picture Books 14:14 (i.e. PB 14:14)

A new blogging event is entering our writing community this February. It's a 2-week blogging challenge during the last 2 weeks of February. Also see my badge, banner, and countdown timer above. More info to follow very soon. Prizes too!!! Here's a little picture, for now...

There are so many great online events for picture book authors, and here's one more contender to place in the ring. Some are for writing, some are for ideas, and some are for sharing. Mine is...

1. not as stupendous as Susanna Leonard Hill's Perfect Picture Book Friday (PPBF) reviews
• (every Friday)
2. not as purpose-driven as Mandy Robek's August Picture Books 10 for 10 
• (every August 10th)
3. not as momentous as Tara Lazar's PiBoIdMo (Picture Book Idea Month)
• (every November)
4. not as profound as Paula Yoo's NaPiBoWriWee (National Picture Book Writing Week)
• (first week of every May )
5. not as intense as Lora Koehler's and Jean Reagan's  Picture Book Marathon
• (every February)
6. not as ambitious as Julie Hedlund's 12 x 12
• (each month, all year long)
7. not as influential as Dianne de Las Casas' Picture Book Month
• (every November)

...but PB 14:14 will be COSMIC nonetheless. Goodies from 10 different authors will be given away, including two guest bloggers and prizes for 5 amazing winners. More details will be posted Saturday, February 1, right after the High Five interview. You might want to go ahead and gear up now by re-reading several of your favorite picture books. Start checking out stacks of picture books from your library. Get ready to BLAST OFF!

UPDATE: And here are the PRIZES...

Happy New Year and a fun little challenge

Hello, big bad writing world and fellow blogging buddies!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I know it's been three months since I last posted, but I was busy wrapping up my 4th (and last) semester of school to receive my Graduate-level Certificate as a Web Developer. Everything was due December 4th. Then I took the month of December off to focus on family and the holidays. It's been a long journey. I've learned a lot. And I still have a long journey ahead of me. There are always new things to learn. This year, I plan on unveiling a lot of fun, new exciting things related to writing, including my new web design company coming soon.

But first, a fun little challenge for New Year's. I just want to see if I can create my own linky list. If you want to help me test it out, it will be fun. The challenge is twofold: 1) to see if we can all make the technology work properly, and 2) to see who can make the cutest, most colorful "Happy New Year!" phrase. Mine above, is quite plain. Or how about this one:

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Anyway, it's mostly something for a little bit of fun while testing out technology. Thanks to all who feel like participating!

Here's the linky. Just type your name, blog, etc. below as prompted, and create a blogpost with your creative New Year's post, then link it to the linky below. Thanks!