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Monday, April 30, 2007

Writer Tips 101: Synopsis Checklist

FIRST STEPS:

1. Know your characters, their goals, what motivates their actions over the course of the story. Select several precise adjectives that describe the hero and heroine.
2. Know the opening scene—something that immediately puts the two characters into conflict. It starts the action in a ramatic or humorous way and sets the tone for the book.
3. Know the setting of your story. You will need several "teasing" adjectives to "hook" the editor. Editors are always looking for unusual locations for books.
4. List ideas for scenes. These can be detailed or very brief. Through trial and error, arrange these scenes in a tentative chronological order.


STRUCTURE:

5. Opening paragraph: It should set the tone for your story and introduce the main characters and their conflict. Your interesting location can be mentioned here also.
6. Second paragraph: Description of heroine, her past (briefly), her goals, motivations and problems.
7. Third paragraph: Same as #6 for hero.
8. Plot summary, using:

a) Incident
b) Character's reaction to it
c) Decision: what character decides to do about it

9. Make sure you have a CRISIS, BLACK MOMENT, and RESOLUTION. Spend extra time on the resolution, wrapping up the story ends and resolve the conflicts with each character learning something that will allow him/her to find love and happiness.


FINAL REVIEW:

10. Shape this into a smooth, logical, beautifully written text. Cut the unnecessary descriptions. Highlight "feeling" words to determine enough character reaction to
the events that surround them. Separate into chapters (for your own information).
11. Print out a clean copy.
12. Celebrate—you have something to sell!!




posted by Rachelle
at 10:55 PM

0 Comments




Sunday, April 29, 2007

5 Easy Things You Can Do to Promote Your Book Today

It's spring again and that means book season. Many publishers pick spring as the ideal book launching time. It's not quite as busy as fall's book season, but it's not far behind. If you're launching your book this spring, or if you're looking to add some punch to your book promotion campaign, here are some tips from Ink Tree Ltd. that might just help you through your book marketing.

1. Write a new news release. You should never rely on just one news release to promote your book. You should have at least two or three at any given time. You need one release to promote your book to book reviewers and another to promote it to the mainstream media. Get creative. Tap into current events and make your book relevant.

2. Send the news release. You should send your news release out to at least five media contacts every day. With the internet you can seek these contacts out and send the release in a matter of minutes, so there's no excuse. And don't forget to follow up.

3. Make a list of potential corporate buyers and contact them. Cross promotions are a great way to sell books. Make a list of corporate buyers that you think might be interested in your book. Send them your sell sheet and present them with some cross promotion ideas. There's no reason you can't make one of these contacts each day.

4. Pitch an author even to your local bookstore. This is not just your average book signing, this is an event. Make it different. What can you offer the customers? Can you host a talk, put on a show for kids, host a cooking demo? If you can prove to the store that you can draw customers in, they'll invite you back again and again.

5. Add a page to your website. Every time you add relevant content to your website it increases your search engine rankings and therefore makes it easier for buyers to find you. Write a quick article and post it. You can use content from your book as a guideline, and don't forget to always link to the sales page on your site.

These are all things you can do TODAY to give your book promotion campaign the boost it needs. What are you waiting for?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Inspiration

So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then they seem improbable, and then when we summon the will, they soon become inevitable.

-- Christopher Reeve


posted by Rachelle
at 6:46 PM

1 Comments




Friday, April 27, 2007

The Heir by Paul Robertson

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing THE HEIR (Bethany House March 1, 2007) by Paul Robertson.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Paul Robertson is a computer programming consultant, part-time high-school math and science teacher, and former independent bookstore owner in Blacksburg, Virginia. This is his first novel.


ABOUT THE BOOK:

Jason Boyer Just Got an Inheritance to Die For

The fortune wasn't supposed to befall him. Jason Boyer had known all along his father's business empire would pass to different hands. Which suited him just fine. The money was crooked and the power corrupt. But when an accident claims the old man's life, everyone is stunned by the unveiling of the will. With the passing of the Boyer crown, power-hungry politicians and shady business partners all try to force Boyer's hand. Fighting the temptation of influence and riches, he simply wants to be a better man than his father--but attempting to stand for what’s right soon brings murderous consequences. As those closest to him are endangered--and news emerges that his father's accident may be something more sinister--Boyer finds himself fighting for his soul…and his life!

Is There Any Escape for The Heir?

All the money he could ever crave. In the splintering crash of a car plunging through a railing, Jason Boyer's life is changed. All the fame he could ever desire. But the last thing he wanted was the throne of his father's corrupt business empire. All the power he could ever wield.
The estate should have gone elsewhere, but the will was changed. And now everything is Jason's. But gaining the whole world just might cost him his life.

THE HEIR is a Gresham-like tale of intrigue and murder with a lot of humor and well-drawn minor characters.

Endorsement:

"In THE HEIR, Paul Robertson serves up politics, privilege, and murder with a side of acerbic wit. What a fabulous book--a great mix of angst, humor, and ultimately, hope."
-- T.L.HINES--author of Waking Lazarus and The Dead Whisper On

Labels:



posted by Rachelle
at 1:37 PM

0 Comments




Thursday, April 26, 2007

Writer Tips 101 - Things NOT to do...

10.Thou shalt not piss off the readers. Even if one walks up to you and say, "Oh, so you're (insert name here), I really hated your last book, just couldn't finish it" - your response should be pleasant and smiling. "Well that's too bad (insert reader name here), you're going to miss out on this dynamite book where the hero has three penises and the heroine has twelve orgasms a day." At that point you give them a big smile and head for the bar, you're going to need it.

9. Thou shalt not piss of a reviewer. Never post publicly about a bad
review. Ever. Thank the reviewer for taking the time to read your book, then
bitch privately to your friends. But never, EVER take it public, either by
venting or whining. You will always come out looking bad, even if the reviewer IS full of shit.

8. Thou shalt take great care when contacting agents and editors. When sending out e-query letters, NEVER pull up an old email you sent to one agent and edit it for another agent while on-line. You'll accidentally hit the wrong combination of buttons and BAM, you just sent the partially edited query letter to the new agent with the OLD agent's name and contact info on it.

7. Thou shalt not be narcissistic. Don't check your Amazon and EC Ebay store
stats every hour on the hour and in between when you have nothing better to
do. Stabbing yourself in the eye with a fork on a similar schedule *is* a
better thing to do.

6. Thou shalt be very careful with email communications. If you're going tosend an email to your agent or anyone with personal information that may contain your real name or bitching about something - be sure to check the "to" field on your email three times or it might go to say, your author
loop instead. Also, be very, very careful not to hit "Reply All" unless you're certain you really want your bitchy comment going to everybody who got the original message.

5. Thou shalt carry promo materials at all times. New readers around everycorner so keep a few bookmarks in your purse for just those occasions. At the doctor's office? Stick them in the magazines or pamphlets on rectal exams, whatever works.

4. Thou shalt be aware of your surroundings at all times. Always know who your audience is. That can go for your readership...It can also go for who
might be lurking in a chat room, yahoo group, or next to you at the bar.

3. Thou shalt be cagey about your private life. Stalkers are everywhere, even online. Protect yourself and especially your family by not putting up pics of them and giving out their names and where they live, etc. on your website.

2. Thou shalt be careful when sending out manuscripts or proposals. When you
send in a proposal or manuscript, make sure that you don't include your royalty statements or contracts which you'd printed out BEFORE the manuscript and neglected to pick up.

1. Thou shalt smile. When it doubt...go with self -deprecating humor along
with a profuse apology. You CAN do bone-headed things in this business and
still survive.


Copyright 2007, Millionaire Writers Club


posted by Rachelle
at 1:44 PM

1 Comments




Sunday, April 22, 2007

Winner Announcement

I'm surprised to see so many entries for contest 1 -- 113 in total -- arrived so quickly in just a matter of 36 days. I'm also very happy that the subscribers reached 98, albeit some still didn't verify their accounts.

yourstrulee@sasktel.net
tigerlily982000@yahoo.com
savvybookreader@yahoo.com
mizztuts@bellsouth.net
lindahl@rogers.com
kempmonster@yahoo.com
jeetenge@gmail.com
bbikoo1976@yahoo.co.in
adkinsc123@lycos.com

Before I finally announce the winners, I want everyone to know how the drawing works. I utilized an online custom random generator found at
http://www.mathgoodies.com/calculators/random_no_custom.html to generate the winning number. Then I go to the List Randomizer at Random.org and paste the contest entries/names (your name appears as many times as you commented) gathered as comments on my blog. Clicking "Randomize" will re-arrange the names in a numbered list. The name that corresponds the winning number generated is the winner.

The first number generated for the "Post and Win Contest" was number 79 and the corresponding name was... (drumroll pls)
riwel14393!

For Contest 2, the lucky number was 25. So burnapearl@gmail.com wins the hardcover copy of Abiding Darkness!


The third number was 2 and the lucky name was: Dylan!

Congratulations to the three of you! Today is your lucky day! Please email me at raeshylle@yahoo.com and I'll get your prizes out to you!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by, left their comments, signed up, referred a friend or even just lurked about. Get ready for some great new contest announcements coming your way!


posted by Rachelle
at 4:05 PM

3 Comments




Saturday, April 21, 2007

Tips for Authors

If you write clearly, then your readers may understand your mathematics and conclude that it isn't profound. Worse, a referee may find your errors. Here are some tips for avoiding these awful possibilities.

1. Never explain why you need all those weird conditions, or what they mean. For example, simply begin your paper with two pages of notations and conditions without explaining that they mean that the varieties you are considering have zero-dimensional boundary. In fact, never explain what you are doing, or why you are doing it. The best-written paper is one in which the reader will not discover what you have proved until he has read the whole paper, if then.

2. Refer to another obscure paper for all the basic (nonstandard) definitions you use, or never explain them at all. This almost guarantees that no one will understand what you are talking about (and makes it easier to use the next tip). In particular, never explain your sign conventions --- if you do, someone may be able to prove that your signs are wrong.

3. When having difficulties proving a theorem, try the method of "variation of definition"---this involves implicitly using more that one definition for a term in the course of a single proof.

4. Use c, a, b respectively to denote elements of sets A, B, C .

5. When using a result in a proof, don't state the result or give a reference. In fact, try to conceal that you are even making use of a nontrivial result.

6. If, in a moment of weakness, you do refer to a paper or book for a result, never say where in the paper or book the result can be found. In addition to making it difficult for the reader to find the result, this makes it almost impossible for anyone to prove that the result isn't actually there. Alternatively, instead of referring to the correct paper for a result, refer to an earlier paper, which contains only a weaker result.

7. Especially in long articles or books, number your theorems, propositions, corollaries, definitions, remarks, etc. separately. That way, no reader will have the patience to track down your internal references.

8. Write A==>B==>C==>D when you mean (A==>B)==>(C==>D), or (A==>(B==>C))==>D, or .... Also, always muddle your quantifiers.

9. Begin and end sentences with symbols wherever possible. Since periods are almost invisible (and may be mistaken for a mathematical symbol), most readers won't even notice that you've started a new sentence. Also, where possible, attach superscripts signalling footnotes to mathematical symbols rather than words.

10. Write "so that" when you mean "such that" and "which" when you mean "that". Always prefer the ambiguous expression to the unambiguous and the imprecise to the precise. It is the readers task to determine what you mean; it is not yours to express it.

11. If all else fails, write in German.


posted by Rachelle
at 10:41 PM

0 Comments




Friday, April 20, 2007

The Truth About Multitasking

I live for multitasking. I would get nothing done without it. I watch TV while I'm writing, read a story in another window, keep a magazine propped to one side, and answer emails/the phone/the doorbell on the side. And according to a new study this is all going to lead to my ruin.

The New York Times reports on a new study that basically says multitasking actually makes you less efficient than if you concentrated on one thing at a time. I'm not entirely sure that's what it says, though. I was talking on the phone while reading the article. (Kidding!)

To some extent, this is common sense. It's long been known that talking on a cell phone while driving a car is exceedingly dangerous. Some studies say it's just as bad as driving drunk.

But the science of the phenomenon is intriguing. I feel more productive when doing multiple things at once, but maybe I'm not. The key, says the researcher, is that you lose time and focus when you switch between tasks. Try it for yourself. Type half of a sentence. Go check your email. Then come back and try to finish your thought. It's tough to get back in the groove of what you were doing.

The expert advice? Check email once an hour. And turn off outside distractions except, maybe, for soft background music.

As for me, I'm going to experiment with checking my email less frequently and see how that works for my concentration. An hour? No, but I am changing my "check for new messages" setting in Outlook from checking once every two minutes to every five.

So, multitaskers: Still think working on more than one thing at a time makes you more productive? Sound off!


posted by Rachelle
at 10:20 PM

0 Comments




Thursday, April 19, 2007

A Couple of Blogthings...



Are You a Good Girl or a Bad Girl?


What Kind of Girl Are You?


What Modern Bombshell Are You Most Like?


How Much Sex Appeal Do You Have?


How Bitchy Are You?


What's the Part of You That No One Sees?


How Do Men See You?


What Do Guys Like About You?





posted by Rachelle
at 1:50 PM

0 Comments




Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Contest Update!

I was already drawing names for the contest when I realized there were 11 people who subscribed to my blog feed/post but failed to confirm their subscription. The registered email addresses were:

yourstrulee@sasktel.net
tigerlily982000@yahoo.com
savvybookreader@yahoo.com
mizztuts@bellsouth.net
lindahl@rogers.com
kempmonster@yahoo.com
juice_sept30@yahoo.com
jeetenge@gmail.com
booklover69@zoominternet.net
bbikoo1976@yahoo.co.in
adkinsc123@lycos.com

I'd like to give everyone a fair chance in winning Contest 2 so if any of these addresses belong to you, please check your inbox and click on the confirmation link. If you can't find the confirmation link, feel free to subscribe again by entering your email ad at the text box located on the sidebar (upper left) of this blog and don't forget to check your inbox this time to verify that the address is correct. To give you more time to do this, I've decided to extend the three contests (it'd be unfair if I only extend Contest 2) 'til the end of this week. I will announce the contest winners on April 22 at 4:00 pm GMT. Feel free to post between today and April 22 for additional entries. So far, I already gathered 103 entries for Contest 1 and 47 new subscribers for Contest 2. Keep 'em coming!


posted by Rachelle
at 6:11 PM

3 Comments




A Bigger Life by Annette Smith

Navpress Publishing Group (January 15, 2007)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


In 1997, Annette Smith was working as a home health nurse. She traveled the back roads from house to house, caring for ill and injured, homebound people. Because of her unique position in the lives of relative strangers, she often found herself bearing solitary witness to intimate behind-the-scenes situations full of grace and meaning. The desire to honor both a particular patient and a poignant scene involving the woman and her husband prompted Annette to write a fictionalized story, The Anniversary.

That first story appeared as a column in the Houston Chronicle newspaper and as an essay in Today’s Christian Woman magazine. Later it became a chapter in Annette’s first and best-selling book of short stories, The Whispers of Angels, that has sold more than 100,000 copies

Since then, Annette has penned four more books of stories, two volumes on parenting, and the Coming Home to Ruby Prairie trilogy.

Annette and her husband Randy, a High School teacher and coach, make their home on a wooded lot in Quitman, Texas. They are the parents of two young adult children, Russell and Rachel, both out on their own. Wally, a grateful, rescued mutt provides warmth and entertainment and keeps the Smith’s empty nest from feeling too lonely.

In addition to writing, Annette continues to serve part-time as a registered nurse. She finds the people she works with and the patients she cares for provide great inspiration for her fiction.



ABOUT THE BOOK:

Joel Carpenter did not plan for his life to turn out like this. He never meant to be a single dad, working at a hair salon in Eden Plain, Texas. But after making a in high placescareless choice four years ago, his marriage was permanently shattered. Now at twenty-seven, he finds himself juggling custody of his preschool son with Kari, the ex-wife he still loves, and sharing Sunday dinners with a group of other single dads.

Joel regrets the choices that brought him to this place, but it's not until the worst happens that he learns how much he still has to give. In the midst of deep tragedy, he learns that forgiveness is way more important than freedom. Hopefully it's not too late!

A BIGGER LIFE is a story of love in the midst of heartache, and friendship in the midst of real, everyday life.

Labels:



posted by Rachelle
at 5:26 PM

2 Comments




Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Coral Moon by Brandilyn Collins

Zondervan (April 27, 2007)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Brandilyn Collins is the bestselling author of Violet Dawn, Web Of Lies, Dead of Night, Stain of Guilt, Brink of Death, and Eyes of Elisha just to name a few.

Brandilyn and her family divide their time between the California Bay Area and Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. She also maintains an informative blog called Forensics and Faith where she daily dispenses wisdom on writing, life, and the Christian book industry.


ABOUT THE BOOK:

The figure remained still as stone. Leslie couldn't even detect a breath.

Spider fingers teased the back of her neck.

Leslie's feet rooted to the pavement. She dropped her gaze to the driveway, seeking...what? Spatters of blood? Footprints? She saw nothing. Honed through her recent coverage of crime scene evidence, the testimony as last month's trial, the reporter in Leslie spewed warnings: Notice everything, touch nothing...


Leslie Brymes hurries out to her car on a typical workday morning...and discovers a dead body inside.

Why was the corpse left for her to find? And what is the meaning of the message pinned to its chest?

In Coral Moon, the senseless murder of a beloved Kanner Lake citizen spirals the small Idaho town into a terrifying glimpse of spiritual forces beyond our world. What appears true seems impossible.

OR IS IT?

And as Brandilyn would say...



Presently this Kanner Lake Series of books has its own character blog called Scenes and Beans. Stop by and visit the folks from Kanner Lake!


posted by Rachelle
at 3:20 PM

3 Comments




Monday, April 16, 2007

Eye Candy



Hot! hot! hot! We're going to need some April showers to cool things off.


posted by Rachelle
at 12:34 PM

4 Comments




Sunday, April 15, 2007

You're not chicken, are you?

There once was a chicken farmer who was a keen rock climber. One day, climbing a particularly challenging rock face, he came upon a wide ledge. On the ledge was a big nest and in the nest there were three large eggs.

Eagle eggs.

He knew it was very un-ecological, and definitely illegal, however temptation got the better of him and he discreetly put one of the eagle eggs in his rucksack. Then he climbed down and went back to his ranch, and put the egg in the hen house.

That night the mother hen sat on the huge egg, the proudest chicken you've ever seen (and the cock seemed pretty pleased with himself as well!).

In the fullness of time the egg hatched and the baby eagling emerged. It looked around and saw the mother hen.

"Mama!" it squawked.

As time passed the eagle grew up with its brother and sister chicks. It learnt to do all the things that chickens do. It clucked and cackled, it scratched in the dirt for worms, flapping its wings furiously, and flying a few feet into the air before crashing to earth in a pile of dust and feathers.

And believing above all things that it was totally a chicken. Year after year passed, until one bright sunny day the eagle-who-thought-it-was-a-chicken, looked up into the sky.

High overhead, soaring majestically on the thermal currents, flying effortlessly with scarcely a beat of its powerful golden wings, was an eagle.

"What's that?" said the eagle-who-thought-it-was-a-chicken in awe to a farmyard neighbour.

"Its magnificent. So much power and grace. Poetry in motion."

"That's an eagle," said the chicken. "That's the King of the Birds. It's a bird of the air. However we, we're only chickens, we're birds of the earth." And so it was, the eagle lived and died a chicken, because that's all it thought it was.

Now there are very few soaring eagles in this world. Most people listen and look to other chickens and follow their lead. You can never attain the heights of success by having unsuccessful role-models. And following the general flock can only end up in mediocrity.


posted by Rachelle
at 10:26 PM

4 Comments




Saturday, April 14, 2007

10 Tips For Successful Public Speaking

Feeling some nervousness before giving a speech is natural and healthy. It shows you care about doing well. But, too much nervousness can be detrimental. Here's how you can control your nervousness and make effective, memorable presentations:

1. Know the room. Be familiar with the place in which you will speak. Arrive early, walk around the speaking area and practice using the microphone and any visual aids.

2. Know the audience. Greet some of the audience as they arrive. It's easier to speak to a group of friends than to a group of strangers.

3. Know your material. If you're not familiar with your material or are uncomfortable with it, your nervousness will increase. Practice your speech and revise it if necessary.

4. Relax. Ease tension by doing exercises.

5. Visualize yourself giving your speech. Imagine yourself speaking, your voice loud, clear, and assured. When you visualize yourself as successful, you will be successful.

6. Realize that people want you to succeed. Audiences want you to be interesting, stimulating, informative, and entertaining. They don't want you to fail.

7. Don't apologize. If you mention your nervousness or apologize for any problems you think you have with your speech, you may be calling the audience's attention to something they hadn't noticed. Keep silent.

8. Concentrate on the message -- not the medium. Focus your attention away from your own anxieties, and outwardly toward your message and your audience. Your nervousness will dissipate.

9. Turn nervousness into positive energy. Harness your nervous energy and transform it into vitality and enthusiasm.

10. Gain experience. Experience builds confidence, which is the key to effective speaking. A Toastmasters club can provide the experience you need.


posted by Rachelle
at 10:43 PM

1 Comments




Friday, April 13, 2007

Do You Have a Dirty Mind?

How dirty is your mind?

Do You Have a Dirty Mind?


posted by Rachelle
at 10:33 PM

2 Comments




Thursday, April 12, 2007

InkSpotter's 4th Annual Finding the Right Words Flash Fiction Contest

"Give Me Shelter"
http://inkspotter.com/contests.htm

1st Prize: $60 plus publication
2nd Prize: $30 plus publication

Theme: "GIve Me Shelter"
Genre: Fiction
Length: 500 words or fewer
Deadline: July 21, 2007 (postmark)
Entry Fee: $1.50

All dollar figures are quoted in Canadian funds. You may pay via Paypal and submit via e-mail to contests@inkspotter.com or send your entry and payment by postal mail. (No signature items please.)

Betty Dobson
InkSpotter Publishing
163 Main Avenue
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Canada B3M 1B3

PLEASE NOTE: Money orders must be in Canadian funds and negotiable in Canada. Cheques may be drawn on any currency using current exchange rates and must be made payable to Betty Dobson or InkSpotter Publishing.

THE RULES

- Write a self-contained short story that conveys the theme in 500 words or fewer.
- Be original. Be concise. Be spelled correctly.
- Send your story in plain text in the body of an e-mail to contests@inkspotter .com (subject line = "Annual Contest Submission") or to the address above. Do not indent paragraphs. Leave one line space between each paragraph.
- All stories MUST have a title. DO NOT use the theme as your title.
- Be sure to include your full name and e-mail address. If your story wins, we'll contact you for your preferred method of payment.
- Enter as often as you like, but payment must be received for each entry.
- You retain copyright of your story.
- All entries will be acknowledged if an e-mail address is included.


posted by Rachelle
at 5:07 PM

1 Comments




Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Yay! Blue Moon got published!

Well, it happened...again. My first flash fiction "Blue Moon" got published for the fifth time. This time around, it's at Long Story Short Magazine. Read the story here:

http://www.alongstoryshort.net/BLUEMOON.html

It's been 4 months since I last submitted a literary work (been busy trolling for online contests and prizes, ) so this is quite unexpected. The first four homes of my story were:

Here are some comments I got from Salome Magazine:

So, have you read it? What do you think?



CONTEST REMINDER

This month, I'm holding 3 fab contests which will last until April 17, 2007. If you have been following my blog posts, you know that I love to give away FREE stuff. This month I'm giving away more FREE stuff to all of you! Be sure you get yours!

Contest 1
Trackers by Kathryn Mackel
Post and Win Contest -- The usual procedure: Post anytime this month to be entered for this month's giveaway. Leave a comment on any of my blog posts, giving your name and saying you want to enter. Don't forget to leave your email address where I can contact you if you win. Winner will receive a brand new paperback copy of Kathryn Mackel's novel, TRACKERS.

Contest 2
Subscribe to Stifled Squeal -- Win a hardcover copy of Abiding Darkness Abiding Darkness by John Aubrey Anderson by John Aubrey Anderson just for subscribing to my blog. All you have to do is enter your email ad on the box located on the upper left corner of this page to receive notification when posts are updated. I will draw a winner from all new subscribers this month.

Contest 3
Refer a Friend Contest -- Do you know someone who likes to win stuff? bath and body works gift cardTell them about my monthly giveaway and the mechanics of my contests (post and win) and once they comment and mention your name in one of their posts, you get 2 extra entries in the drawing for a $25 Bath and Body Works gift card.

Oh, and I forgot to mention, international readers are welcome to enter. So, what are you waiting for? Comment and spread the word...pronto!


posted by Rachelle
at 8:26 PM

17 Comments




Tuesday, April 10, 2007

The Secret To Making Changes

I used to work as a lifestyle/relationship coach before and clients who come to me often say something like, "Can you make my relationship work", "Can you make me stop eating so much" or something along those lines which basically says "Please, take responsibility for my problem and magically make me change so I don't have to make an effort or suffer any hardship".

Interestingly enough, this is something that is also common in seminars and "self-development" workshops. People come to the seminars expecting the organizers/speakers to make changes in their life...for them!

It may burst someone's bubble, but it really doesn't work like that.

NO ONE ELSE CAN EVER MAKE A CHANGE IN YOUR LIFE!

That's the truth. No one in this world can make you change. There is only one person who can make you change, and that is YOU.

You can decide at any time to make changes in your life and when you've made the decision you follow it through with action, including help from other people if necessary, and you will succeed at making those changes.

When I am talking about making decisions, I'm not talking about making a decision and then doing the opposite, for example deciding to lose weight and then going to sit on the sofa, watch TV and eat pizza.

I'm talking about a DECISION where you burn your bridges and there is no going back. Where you having committed body, soul and mind to following through on the decision. The type of decision where you get results and make powerful changes.

Once you have made this Decision (and yes, it deserves a capital D), you will succeed because you throw all of your resources behind it and take consistent action to achieve it.

Everything you have in your life right now is there because in some shape or form, you've created it. You must take responsibility for these things in your life and accept that you've created them. Once you have done this, as part of deciding you are going to make the change in your life, you will find it much easier to make the changes.

Whether you are in debt, unhappy in your job or relationship or life, you have created it and as such, YOU are the one who can change it.

You'll be interested to know I have another type of client who comes to me. They say something like, "I want to make this change in my life, can you help me to ..."

Between this type of client and the "Make me change" type of client, which do you think gets the best results?

You've got it. The "can you help me" client gets the better and faster results, because they have already decided to make the change in their life and acknowledge the fact that they just need a little bit of external help to make the change happen. These clients also get permanent results, whereas the "make me change" clients often regress back because they didn't really want to make the change anyway.

Look at the areas of your life you want to change and acknowledge how you have created them and brought them about. Then make the decision to change that area of life and really commit to the decision. And then, you will make the change you desire.


posted by Rachelle
at 8:10 PM

3 Comments




Monday, April 09, 2007

Eye Candy Monday

Is it getting hot in here or is it just me?



posted by Rachelle
at 8:21 PM

8 Comments




Sunday, April 08, 2007

Easter Humor

Q: What do you call a duck who plays basketball?
A: A slam duck.

Q: What do you call a bunny with a large brain?
A: An egghead.

Q: Why was the rabbit rubbing his head?
A: Because he had an eggache!

Q: How do bunnies stay healthy?
A: Eggercise

Q: What do you call ten rabbits marching backwards?
A: A receding hareline

Q: What did the rabbit say to the carrot?
A: It's been nice gnawing at you.

Q: Do you know how bunnies stay in shape?
A: Hareobics

Q: Why is the letter A like a flower?
A: A bee comes after it

Q: What type of movie is about water fowl?
A: A duckumentary

Q: What grows between your nose and chin?
A: Tulips

Q: Why are people always tired in April?
A: Because they just finished a march

Q: Why did a fellow rabbit say that the Easter Bunny was self-centered?
A: Because he is eggocentric

Q: What does a rooster say to a hen he likes?
A: You're one hot chick!

Q. Why did the Easter Bunny hide his eggs?
A. He doesn't want the other bunnies to know that he was fooling around with the chickens.


Hoppy Easter!


posted by Rachelle
at 4:00 PM

4 Comments




Things I Learned from the Easter Bunny



Don't put all your eggs in one basket.

Walk softly and carry a big carrot.

Everyone needs a friend who is all ears.

There's no such thing as too much candy.

All work and no play can make you a basket case.

A cute little tail attracts a lot of attention.

Everyone is entitled to a bad hare day.

Let happy thoughts multiply like rabbits.

Some body parts should be floppy.

Keep your paws off other people's jellybeans.

Good things come in small-sugarcoated packages.

The grass is greener in someone else's basket.

An Easter bonnet can cover the wildest hare.

To show your true colors you have to come out of your shell.

The best things in life are still sweet and gooey.




posted by Rachelle
at 3:49 PM

2 Comments




Saturday, April 07, 2007

Abundance Is An Attitude

Do you wish you could live the abundant life? Are there areas of your
life where you are lacking? Some of the most
common areas of “lack” that people experience are health, wealth
and happiness. What if you could have an abundance of these things?

Abundance begins in the mind. Each day begins with a set of choices. Do
we wake up in control of our day? Or do we wake
up dreading the next steps that we have to take? If we recognize that
abundance already exists, and is a natural law, then we can live more
empowered lives.

The Law of Abundance is everywhere. Once you understand this, you can
begin to use it to your advantage. Abundance is a spiritual law, and we
have the right to in abundance.

If abundance is everywhere, how come we don’t all experience the
abundance that is around us all? There is a simple answer. We get
distracted. We all get distracted in the day-to-day tasks that exist in life.
These small tasks weight us down and give us things to think about
besides abundance.

Once we lose sight of the existence of the true abundance of the
universe, we begin to be trapped by the day-to-day tasks. The result is
scarcity, illness, poverty, stress and debt. How many of those conditions
are familiar to you?

It doesn’t have to be that way anymore. If you have been trapped by
the absence of abundance, there is a solution. As stated before,
abundance begins in the mind. To recreate abundance in our lives, we begin
with our thoughts.

Thoughts are the seeds that must be cultivated in order to produce what
we really want in life. Remember that energy follows thoughts. Wherever
your mind focuses on, your life energy will focus on.

Let’s look at a practical example of how energy follows thought.
There are millions of people in financial debt in today’s society. There
are many who look at their bills each month and have no way of knowing
how to take care of them or what to do to get out of this situation.

The thoughts of debt consume them. They spend all of their time
worrying about the amount of debt, and worrying about the debt increasing. The
worry takes over their thoughts, and soon they can think of nothing
else. They may be missing solutions to their problem because they are so
focused on the debt.

Adopting an attitude of abundance means making a subtle shift in the
mind. What if, instead of focusing on debt, a person focused on finding a
way out of debt? Let’s go a step further. What if they focused on
attracting a way to solve their problems? By focusing on the idea that
there is a solution out there, instead of thinking there is no hope, they
can begin to see opportunities to solve their problems.

In order to change our thoughts and increase abundance in our lives
there are three simple steps. We can change what we say to ourselves and
to others. We have to change our language and the way we communicate to
reflect our respect for the Law of Abundance. We can also change our
thoughts by changing our environment. Even if you live in the worst part
of town, you can change your inner environment.

Visualize the life that you want to live and the place you want to live
in. Finally, changing your actions has a big impact on how you think.
When you act like a successful person, the energy around you will
change. You will see abundance coming into your life, and manifesting itself
in ways you never thought possible.

Abundance exists. It’s time for you to use it to your advantage.


posted by Rachelle
at 7:14 PM

1 Comments




Friday, April 06, 2007

In High Places by Tom Morrisey

(Bethany House March 1, 2007)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Tom Morrisey is the author of four previous novels and numerous short stories, a world-renowned adventure-travel writer whose work has appeared in Outside, Sport Diver (where he serves as Executive Editor) and other leading magazines.

He holds an MA in English Language and Literature from the University of Toledo and an MFA in Creative Writing from Bowling Green State University. He lives in Orlando, Florida.



ABOUT THE BOOK:

For Patrick Nolan, every climb tells a story. And now maybe it's his own …. He's right at the rim, staring over the cliff's knife edge and wondering how things went wrong so quickly.

It all started after arriving home from a weekend climbing trip with his father, Kevin. That's when word reached them. In a silent moment, they'd lost in high placesthe person most important to them—her death raising unanswerable questions and dangerous doubts.

Launching a new life in a new town to escape their pain, son and father find themselves in danger of being torn apart forever. As his father seeks a route to solace on the dangerous high face of the rock, Patrick finds a path to hope with the unlikeliest of allies—a pastor's daughter. Together they must discover the one answer that can bring Patrick and Kevin back from the brink of the precipice.

Endorsements:

"It is rare to find a 'man's man' who knows the human heart, much less one who can write with such a well-balanced combination of sensitivity and adrenaline-charged adventure."
Athol Dickson, Christy-Award-winning author of River Rising

"Beautifully exciting, haunting, and satisfying. Morrisey leaves you hanging by your fingertips."
Lisa Samson, award-winning author of The Church Ladies and Straight Up

"Tom Morrisey is a master wordsmith and an expert at weaving gripping stories. If I pick up a book with his name on it, I know I'm going for gold."
Angela Hunt, author of Uncharted


The book link is:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0764203460

Tom can be reached through email at: tom@tommorrisey.com


posted by Rachelle
at 7:32 PM

3 Comments




Thursday, April 05, 2007

Just for Fun: Bury your Old Self Spell

If you are bothered by an aspect of your personality that you would like to let go of, then take a new potato and a knife (or your athame) and carve the potato into an image that represents the aspect to you. At midnight, take the carved potato out into a field (or wherever you can find relatively undisturbed dirt) and bury it in the ground. As you do, repeat these words:

"With this image, I
consign this aspect of
myself to my mother the Earth.
As this image returns to the Earth,
this aspect of my personality
dissolves into my psyche
and is transformed into
new capabilities"


You're done. As the image under the earth dissolves, so will the quality you want to be rid of!



Note: There is no guarantee that this spell actually works. It's still up to you to let/make things happen.


posted by Rachelle
at 2:39 PM

3 Comments




Wednesday, April 04, 2007

Flash Fiction Contests

I've decided to add some contest info/announcements on my blog for readers/writers who are on the lookout for a fast buck, a challenge or just something to occupy their time with.. May you find a home for your baby flashes!

WHIM'S PLACE Flash Fiction Contest
A quarterly contest specializing in 500-word short stories.

Whim's Place Flash Fiction Contest is a quarterly contest specializing in
500-word short stories. Each quarter eight prizes totalling $750 are
awarded. Winners are published on the website and may be included in a
future short story collection with author permission only. All genres and
nationalities accepted. Entry fee: $5 per story. The current contest runs
from April 1 to June 30, 2007.Visit
http://www.whimspla ce.com/contest/ contest.asp for guidelines.


THE WRITER Short Story Contest
www.writermag. com

Prizes: $1,000, first place; $300, second place; $200, third place.
Entry fee: $10.00. For stories up to 2,000 words. Deadline: June 30, 2007.

See all details, along with the entry form at
http://www.writerma g.com/wrt/ default.aspx? c=a&id=3323


READING WRITERS Flash Fiction Contest
http://www.readingw riters.com/ contest.htm

Deadline: May 31, 2007.
Want stories with a beginning, middle, end. Length: up to 500 words. A
bridge must be mentioned in the story. Entry Fee: None. Grand Prize: $100,
and the winning story will be published in The Verb. Winner will also
receive a copy of Flash Fiction: Very Short Stories (edited by James Thomas,
Denise Thomas, and Tom Hazuka. See all details at the web site.


BYLINE MAGAZINE Contests (snips from their web site)
http://www.bylinema g.com/contests. asp

Flash Fiction-- Deadline April 5, 2007. A quick fiction that feels complete
in fewer than 1,000 words. These stories depend on atmosphere, technique,
and a sense of immediacy. Entry fee $5. Prizes: $40, $30, $20.

Personal Memoir-- Deadline May 25, 2007. An incident or reminiscence from
your own life that left a lasting impression. Written in first person, 1,000
words maximum. Entry fee $5. Prizes: $40, $30, $20.

Short-Short Story-- Deadline June 5, 2007. General short story up to 2,000
words. Entry fee $5. Prizes: $40 $30, $20


posted by Rachelle
at 2:12 PM

0 Comments




Tuesday, April 03, 2007

Ideas for a Writer to Make Money

GENERAL WRITING:

1. Copywriting for television commercials
2. Copywriting for radio commercials
3. Copywriting for newspaper and magazine ads
4. Professional letter writing
5. Creating plots for other writers
6. Writing correspondence courses
7. Travelling writer
8. Newspaper feature writing
9. Writing for weekly tabloids
10. Writing humour
11. Writing greeting cards
12. Writing witty sayings for bumper stickers
13. Writing fillers for newspapers and magazines
14. Ghost writing
15. Script writing for movies
16. Scrip writing for television
17. Writing plays
18. Resume service
19. Writing non-fiction

FREELANCE WRITING FOR:

20. Daily newspapers
21. Professional journals
22. Consumer magazines
23. Confessional magazines
24. Poetry magazines
25. Fiction magazines
26. Farming-dairy-poultry- livestock journals
27. Technical journals
28. Manufacturers' trade journals
29. Retail trade journals
30. Sports magazines
31. Teenagers' magazines
32. Children's magazines
33. Gag magazines

WRITING A NEWSPAPER COLUMN ON:

34. Crafts
35. Art
36. Celebrities
37. Street interviews
38. Travelling
39. 25, 50, 100 years ago today
40. Local street names
41. Gossip column
42. Personal problems
43. Gardening
44. Cooking
45. New products
46. Child care
47. For teenagers
48. Children's question-and -answer
49. With humour and jokes
50. Sport
51. Pets
52. Shopping
53. Cars
54. Hunting and fishing
55. Do-it-yourself

PUBLISHING:

56. A newsletter
57. Sportsmen's bulletin
58. Bulletin for people with disabilities
59. Apartment bulletin
60. Club bulletin
61. A tourist guide
62. Restaurant guide
63. A home-business guide
64. Part-time and free-lance help directory
65. Teachers' yearbook
66. Small newspaper
67. Magazine

MISCELLANEOUS

68. Proof reading
69. Free-lance editing
70. Become an author's agent
71. Teaching English


posted by Rachelle
at 2:06 PM

0 Comments




Monday, April 02, 2007

Reclaiming Nick by Susan May Warren

(Tyndale Fiction, 2007)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:



Award winning author SUSAN MAY WARREN recently returned home to her native Minnesota after serving for eight years with her husband and four children as missionaries with SEND International in Far East Russia. She now writes full time from Minnesota's north woods. Visit her Web site at www.susanmaywarren.com


ABOUT THE BOOK:

RECLAIMING NICK is the first of The Noble Legacy series. Book Two, Taming Rafe, will be available January 2008.

A Modern Day Prodigal Comes Home...

NICK NOBLE HADN'T PLANNED ON BEING THE PRODIGAL SON.

But when his father dies and leaves half of Silver Buckle--the Noble family ranch--to Nick’s former best friend, he must return home to face his mistakes, and guarantee that the Silver Buckle stays in the Noble family.
Award-winning journalist Piper Sullivan believes Nick framed her brother for murder, and she’s determined to find justice. But following Nick to the Silver Buckle and posing as a ranch cook proves more challenging than she thinks. So does resisting his charming smile.

As Nick seeks to overturn his father’s will--and Piper digs for answers--family secrets surface that send Nick’s life into a tailspin. But there’s someone who’s out to take the Silver Buckle from the Noble family, and he’ll stop at nothing--even murder--to make it happen.

ENDORSEMENT:

“Susan May Warren once again delivers that perfect combination of heart-pumping suspense and heart-warming romance.”--Tracey Bateman, author of the Claire Everett series

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you would like to hear more about Nick, he has his own blog. Also, the first chapter is there...


Susan can be reached through email: susan@susanmaywarren.com

The book link is:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1597893609


posted by Rachelle
at 9:42 PM

5 Comments




Sunday, April 01, 2007

Motivator of the Day

Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. - Goethe

You and I have feelings - urges, inklings, impulses, etc. Many
times, however, we learn not to trust these feelings. We think
ourselves out of taking action. "What if" turns into "What might have
been, if only". Fear overwhelms our intuition. The mind overrules the
spirit.

Boldness is the result of acting on feelings. Boldness takes
chances and it is in taking chances; standing where other's fear to
stand, that progress occurs and dreams become manifest.

Thinking is not doing. Doing is doing.

Begin it now. Begin it.


posted by Rachelle
at 9:33 PM

1 Comments