Music Monday #2

Music Mondays is a brand new weekly meme by ENTERTAINING INTERESTS. The meme created to share what song || band || musician inspires you throughout your week. A verse || picture || video || lyrics will be posted every Monday, so it may inspire creativity, conversation, or motivation the rest of your week.

The music that inspired me over the weekend and hopefully throughout the rest of the week...

ORGY (Blue Monday)

Blogspiration (3)

Blogspiration is a brand-new weekly meme hosted by GrowingUpYA and Saz101. The meme was created to help spark inspiration among bloggers, readers and writers alike. An inspirational quote/picture/video  is posted weekly, on the day of the author's choosing, so that it may inspire creativity, conversation or just a little SOMETHING.

Maybe someday my dream will come true...

Happy Blogspiration my fellow bloggers!

1000 Miles for Words

Seen this and had to re-post... is there a book that you would want written on a pair of shoes? And then would you parade around in them and why?

Well besides my own WIP and of course the BIBLE, I'd have to say that Max Brooks' The Zombie Survival Guide is the book I'd have tattooed on my pair of Zombie battling shit-kickers.

You'll never know when you'll be in a pickle or an undead-death-grip when your mind hiccups and you can't remember what blunt-force-trama weapon would be best to use for your close encounter. One with the least splattering please.

Music Challenge

This awesome Music Challenge was sparked by Jani @ Life Debatable .

Her request: My challenge to you.  Blog about a song that reflects one of your main character's characteristics.  I want to get to know your MC and what better way than to have some fun with it, right?  Just an fyi, this MC has been the most challenging one I've written to date.  She's a fighter on all levels.  And weird, but good weird. I hope. 

I might be a day late and a buck short but I thought this was a great way to express ONE of my main protagonists or MC's in my WIP.

Reese - Is not your average 18 year old. She harbors her own powers and where does she get her life force from? And how many of them are there? She lives deep in the forest where she senses she's not alone. In fact she can sense more than the average human.

This song only represents Reese in the beginning of her journey, as most, when she evolves, so does her song.

Forest by System of the Down

Walk with me my little child
To the forest of denial
Speak with me, my only mind
Walk with me until the time
Make the forest turn to wine
You take the legend for a fall
You saw the product

CHORUS:
Why can't you see that you are my child
Why don't you know that you are my mind
Tell everyone in the world that I'm you
Take this promise to the end of you

Walk with me my little friend
Take this promise to the end
Speak with me my only mind
Walk with me until the end
Make the forest turn to sand
You take the legend for a fall
You saw the product

CHORUS:
Why can't you see that you are my child
Why don't you know that you are my mind
Tell everyone in the world that I'm you
Take this promise to the end of you

Take this promise for a ride
You saw the forest, now come inside
You took the legend for its fall
You saw the product of it all
No televisions in the air
No circumcisions on the chair
You made the weapons for us all
Just look at us now!

CHORUS:
Why can't you see that you are my child
Why don't you know that you are my mind
Tell everyone in the world that I'm you
Take this promise to the end of you

Music Mondays #1

Music Mondays is a brand new weekly meme by ENTERTAINING INTERESTS. The meme created to share what song|band|musician inspires you throughout your week. A verse|picture|video|lyrics will be posted every Monday, so it may inspire creativity, conversation, or motivation the rest of your week.

Right now, I'm at a fight scene for my WIP. My favorite music during a fighting scene is usually Heavy, and it's no different this time and my music of choice is...

Tool Ænima

Blogspiration (2)

Blogspiration is a brand-new weekly meme hosted by GrowingUpYA and Saz101. The meme was created to help spark inspiration among bloggers, readers and writers alike. An inspirational quote/picture/video  is posted weekly, on the day of the author's choosing, so that it may inspire creativity, conversation or just a little SOMETHING.

 

I love this! Only because my family, friends, and the people that past in and out of my life inspires my characters I write about. And even though I might not know the plot in real life; I do know it in my wip's and ms's thanks to the loved ones I'm surrounded by. Enjoy! Happy Blogspiration my fellow bloggers.

 

 

 

My Creative Side

A post I did on my second Versitle Blogger Award post, I mentioned that I made frames and some of you have asked to see them via Blogger or Twitter. Soooo, I have a taken only a few picstures of some of the frames I have made. My best ones I gave away for presents this year and didn't have time to take their pics but here is what I have...

This is a shadow box. The yellow lining, butterflies, and background I did using paper.

This picture frame border was covered in pictures of my late brother and the center piece I made using a stamp and cutout borders. Yes the borders are purposely off-center.

I love little frames that a adorned with adorable saying. Not every frame has to have a picture in it.

My second non-picture frame. 

One of my first collages of my kids around the border with a saying in the frame itself.

(Sorry about the glare)

These two frames sit on my desk at work. Left is cluttered with leaves and the right is me and my bestie surrounded my a map, cutouts, and our heart ying - yang sign.

This is a present I gave to a co-worker for Christmas so that's how I got a picture of it. These are my favorites. I did a whole series of these frames. From busy ones like this, to mod (simple) ones like I gave to my mother-in-law.

Necropocalypse & Ammo

So you are planning to survive the necropocalypse, huh? Do you have enough ammo? Are you tough enough to carry it? If you want to keep your thoughts from being food for zombies, here is some food for thought:

Ultimately, the game plan for anyone in the zombie apocalypse is pretty simple: Keep from joining the undead. So when it comes to planning the ammo in your field pack, there are a few main considerations that must be weighed when loading up your zombie backpack…

1. Weight - you need to make sure that you are not wearing yourself out carrying huge loads of ammo that may wear you out faster than you can shoot it- making your cadaver a looter’s ammo cache. (Cause we know the only use a zombie has for a bullet is through its frontal lobe, and that can’t happen if you’re too heavy to run away to safety.

2. Quantity - On the other hand, you want to make sure that you have enough ammunition so that you don’t make the classic ‘last man standing’ move that is so popular in Hollywood zombie movies.

3. Quality - Lastly, you want to make sure that you have the firepower to stop any large game or cleanly remove the medulla oblongata of any walking dead that may be thinking of inviting you for dinner.

I have compiled a small list of ammunition that you are most likely to use and encounter in your struggle for survival, so here is a simple table of rounds per weight ranging from lightest to heaviest with a few observations to help you on your way to better packing:

138rds/lb 22LR – lightest
38.25 rd/lb .223
38.25 rd/lb 9mm
28rds/lb 7.62×39
28 rds/lb .40 S&W
21rds/lb 45ACP
21 rds/lb .308
11 rd/lb 12 Ga OO –heaviest

Here are some interesting observations: You may have noticed that each rifle cartridge generally had a corresponding weight in a pistol cartridge. So according to this, .223 and 9mm may be the best value in what is considered combat loads for weight/round count.

As you will also notice, the larger shells are not taking you as far, with 12 Ga buckshot being your least weight-effective round with lethal ability. More on that later. So here is where the hard questions start coming in. How much weight can you realistically carry, or should carry in your time of need?

To answer for that, keep in mind that most soldiers in field operations in Iraq carry 6 loaded mags into combat. That is 180rds of 5.56, and approximately 4.5lbs. Less than you thought? Well, you also need to keep in mind that they are carrying at minimum 40lbs of other gear with them including food and water, and that you likely will be too- so while carrying more than 10lbs of ammo with you at any given time is not impossible, it may reduce your ability to outrun a horde of hungry brain-eaters.

Make sure that you choose wisely in your decisions on how much of what ammo to carry, and hopefully we will see you on the other side of the Necropocalypse. Maybe? Maybe not?

The Versatile Blogger Award

Kristin at GrowingUp YA has just awarded me the Versatile Blogger Award!!
Bodacious! Thanks Kristin!!!!

I'm so excited! Can you tell? I shall find a chain big enough to hang this from and wear it proudly around my neck. "Feels like a midget is hangin' from my necklace" Ludacris's words, not mine. Hehehe

So here are the rules:

1. Thank and link the blogger who awarded you (Thanks again Kristin!)

2. Share 7 random facts about yourself

3. Spread the love by passing the award to five other bloggers, and be sure to let them know

7 Random Facts:

1.  I love me some Zombie's. Not to coddle but I do obsess about them. (I live by the "Shot 'em in the head, their dead!" policy)

2.  I cried during the last episode of Wizards of Waverly Place. (I know, I know)

3.  I make picture frames and other crafty things. (I have a craft “party” once a month)

4.  David Henry from Wizards of Waverly Place is my “Cougar moment” addiction!

5.  I consider Red Hot’s Buffalo sauce a “side dish”. (Love spicy foods)

6.  I was 28 when I stepped on my first plane. (It was for my honeymoon)

7.  I’m obsessed with trees. (Pictures, tattoos, leaves… I love it all)

The Versatile Blogger Award Goes To...

Literary Rambles - Hosted by Casey and Natalie. They have the some of the best Agent Spotlights and Giveaways! Never boring and ALWAYS enlighting. You NEED to follow them!

Don't Pet Me, I'm Writing -  Tawna is cute and querky. I heart reading her posts, reviews and she has me laughing out loud, often. She too great not to follow. GO!

Fangs Wands and Fairydust - This does contain some adult content and before you can fully enter the site you need to accept that you are over the age of 18 but to worry, it is up to classy standards. I'm into anything Fang Wang and Fairydust, and this is right up my alley. Go see what Steph is all about! They also have a sibling blog!

Yelena Casale - Yelena delivers the best Art blogs and highlights. I mean, who remembers Bob Ross! And her Tuesday Teasers are great! Why are you still reading? Go check her out and come back to finish!

My Overstuffed Bookshelf - You want book reviews? DO YOU WANT BOOK REVIEWS? Amy goes into deal about how the book read, how it could be better, whether she loved it or hated it. There are a lot of good reviewers out there and I like them all, but if you want to experience a good review... follow her... Go! I'll wait... wait no I won't I've got other amazing blogs to read...

Here I come fellow bloggers.

Literary Rambles 2000 Giveaway

Hello everyone. Today Casey and Natalie are so excited to celebrate their 2000 follower milestone. They want to thank you all so much for following them and spreading the word about their blog. Their blog has grown by over 900 followers in the year since Natalie has been blogging.

So Casey and Natalie have planned a special giveaway to celebrate. And to say thanks to you all. There's two parts to the giveaway.
Go to the link below to see what the excitment is all about! I did!

http://caseylmccormick.blogspot.com/2012/01/2000-follower-awesome-giveaway.html

Question's That Make You Go Hmmmm...

Can you cry under water?

How important does a person have to be before they are considered assassinated instead of just murdered?

Once you're in heaven, do you get stuck wearing the clothes you were buried in for eternity?

Why does a round pizza come in a square box?

What disease did cured ham actually have?

How is it that we put man on the moon before we figured out it would be a good idea to put wheels on luggage?

Why is it that people say they 'slept like a baby' when babies wake up like every two hours?  

Why are you IN a movie, but you're ON TV?

Why do people pay to go up tall buildings and then put money in binoculars to look at things on the ground?

Why do doctors leave the room while you change?

They're going to see you naked anyway...

Why is 'bra' singular and 'panties' plural?

Why do toasters always have a setting that burns the toast to a horrible crisp, which no decent human being would eat?

If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares, why is there a stupid song about him?  

Why does Goofy stand erect while Pluto remains on all fours? They're both dogs!

If corn oil is  made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables, what is baby oil made from?

Do the Alphabet song and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star have the same tune?

Why did you just try singing the two songs above?

Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog's

face, he gets mad at you, but when you take him for a car ride, he sticks his head out the window?

Why, Why, Why

do we press harder on a remote control when we know the batteries are getting dead?

Why do banks charge a fee on 'insufficient funds' when they know there is not enough money?

Why does someone believe you when you say there are four

billion stars, but check when you say the paint is wet?

Why do they use sterilized needles

for death by lethal injection?

Why doesn't Tarzan have a beard?

Why does Superman stop bullets with his chest, but ducks when you throw a revolver at him?

Why do Kamikaze pilots wear helmets?

If people evolved from apes, why are there still  apes?

Why is it that no matter what colour bubble bath you use the bubbles are always white?

Is there ever a day that mattresses  

are not on sale?

Why do people constantly return to the refrigerator with hopes that something new to eat will have materialized?

Why do people keep running over a thread a dozen times with their vacuum cleaner, then reach down, pick it up, examine it, then put it down to give the

vacuum one more chance?

Why is it that no plastic bag will open from the end on your first try?

How do those dead bugs get into those enclosed light

fixtures?

Why is it that  whenever you attempt to catch something that's falling off the table you always manage to knock something else over?

In winter why do we try to keep the house as warm as it was in summer when we complained about the heat?

How come you never hear father-in-law jokes?

And my

FAVORITE.........  

The statistics on sanity is that one out of every four persons is suffering from some sort of mental illness. Think of your three best friends -- if they're okay, then it's you.

Which MidSeason TV Show are You Most Exicited About?

EW POLL:

With a fresh crop of television joining the prime-time rotation, we wondered: Which NEW or RETURNING series tops your must-see list? The Broadway lovers out there declare a Smash hit.

21% SMASH (Feb. 6 series premiere, NBC)

14% ALCATRAZ (Jan. 16 series premiere, FOX)

10% 30 ROCK (Jan. 12 season premiere, NBC)

8% JUSTIFIED (Jan. 17 season premiere, FX)

7% THE WALKING DEAD (Feb. 12 midseason premiere, AMC)

6% AMERICAN IDOL (Jan. 18 season premiere, FOX)

4% CELEBRITY APPRENTICE (Feb. 12 season premiere, NBC)

3% PRETTY LITTLE LIARS (returned Jan. 2, ABC Family)

27% OTHER

What are some of the shows you are excited about? Maybe they end up in the 27%!

Blogspiration #1

Blogspiration is a Brand Spankin' New weekly meme hosted by both GrowingUp YA and Saz101. The meme was created to help spark inspiration among bloggers, readers and writers alike. An inspirational quote/picture/video  is posted weekly, on the day of the author's choosing, so that it may inspire creativity, conversation or just a little SOMETHING.

Ink and paper are sometimes passionate lovers, oftentimes brother and sister, and occasionally mortal enemies.  ~Terri Guillemets

I love this quote! When I'm in the throws of my WIP's, I'm either in love with what is happening between my screen and fingers, sometimes I just like what happens, and sometimes I want to chuck my laptop across the room.

Tebowing

I love football! Now-a-days more and more females do. We are a tougher breed from the Real Housewives of America. Barefoot and pregnant doesn't fly in my house but when this new guys, this, Tim Tebow showed up, I about died. Here this Neanderthal gets down on one knee and does what he has to do to make the world right again. Showboating? Idk, but what I would love to know is why. Every time my husband says, “It’s Tebow time!” I want to chuck the nearest pillow or remote into the back of his head. Really? What does the world see in him? And then I get this emailed to me from a co-worker…

By Rick Reilly ESPN.com   published January 13, 2012  

I've come to believe in Tim Tebow, but not for what he does on a football field, which is still three parts Dr. Jekyll and two parts Mr. Hyde.

No, I've come to believe in Tim Tebow for what he does off a football field, which is represent the best parts of us, the parts I want to be and so rarely am

Who among us is this selfless?

Every week, Tebow picks out someone who is suffering, or who is dying, or who is injured, flies them and their families to the Broncos game, rents them a car, puts them up in a nice hotel, buys them dinner (usually at a Dave and Buster's), gets them and their families pregame passes, visits with them just before kickoff (!), gets them 30-yard line tickets down low, visits with them after the game (sometimes for an hour), has them walk him to his car, and sends them off with a basket of gifts.

Home or road, win or lose, hero or goat.

Remember last week, when the world was pulling its hair out in the hour after Tebow had stunned the Pittsburgh Steelers with an 80-yard OT touchdown pass to Demaryius Thomas in the playoffs? And Twitter was exploding with 9,420 tweets about Tebow per second? When an ESPN poll was naming him the most popular athlete in America?

Tebow was spending that hour talking to 16-year-old Bailey Knaub about her 73 surgeries so far and what TV shows she likes.

"Here he'd just played the game of his life," recalls Bailey's mother, Kathy, of Loveland, Colo., "and the first thing he does after his press conference is come find Bailey and ask, 'Did you get anything to eat?' He acted like what he'd just done wasn't anything, like it was all about Bailey."

More than that, Tebow kept corralling people into the room for Bailey to meet. Hey, Demaryius, come in here a minute. Hey, Mr. Elway. Hey, Coach Fox.

Even though sometimes-fatal Wegener's granulomatosis has left Bailey with only one lung, the attention took her breath away.

"It was the best day of my life," she emailed. "It was a bright star among very gloomy and difficult days. Tim Tebow gave me the greatest gift I could ever imagine. He gave me the strength for the future. I know now that I can face any obstacle placed in front of me. Tim taught me to never give up because at the end of the day, today might seem bleak but it can't rain forever and tomorrow is a new day, with new promises."

I read that email to Tebow and he was honestly floored.

"Why me? Why should I inspire her?" he said. "I just don't feel, I don't know, adequate. Really, hearing her story inspires me."

It's not just NFL defenses that get Tebowed. It's kids who will die soon. It's adults who can hardly stand. It's high school girls who don't know if they'll ever go to a prom.

For the game at Buffalo, it was Charlottesville, Va., blue-chip high school QB Jacob Rainey, who lost his leg after a freak tackle in a scrimmage. Tebow threw three interceptions in that Buffalo game and the Broncos were crushed, 40-14.

"He walked in and took a big sigh and said, 'Well, that didn't go as planned,'" remembers Rainey. "Where I'm from, people wonder how sincere and genuine he is. But I think he's the most genuine person I've ever met."

There's not an ounce of artifice or phoniness or Hollywood in this kid Tebow and I've looked everywhere for it.

Take 9-year-old Zac Taylor, a child who lives in constant pain. Immediately after Tebow shocked the Chicago Bears with a 13-10 comeback win, Tebow spent an hour with Zac and his family. At one point, Zac, who has 10 doctors, asked Tebow if he has a secret prayer for hospital visits. Tebow whispered it in his ear. And since Tebow still needed to be checked out by the Broncos' team doctor, he took Zac in with him, but only after they'd whispered it together.

And it's not always kids. Tom Driscoll, a 55-year-old who is dying of brain cancer at a hospice in Denver, was Tebow's guest for the Cincinnati game. "The doctors took some of my brain," Driscoll says, "so my short-term memory is kind of shot. But that day I'll never forget. Tim is such a good man."

This whole thing makes no football sense, of course. Most NFL players hardly talk to teammates before a game, much less visit with the sick and dying.

Isn't that a huge distraction?

"Just the opposite," Tebow says. "It's by far the best thing I do to get myself ready. Here you are, about to play a game that the world says is the most important thing in the world. Win and they praise you. Lose and they crush you. And here I have a chance to talk to the coolest, most courageous people. It puts it all into perspective. The game doesn't really matter. I mean, I'll give 100 percent of my heart to win it, but in the end, the thing I most want to do is not win championships or make a lot of money, it's to invest in people's lives, to make a difference."

So that's it. I've given up giving up on him. I'm a 100 percent believer. Not in his arm. Not in his skills. I believe in his heart, his there-will-definitely-be-a-pony-under-the-tree optimism, the way his love pours into people, right up to their eyeballs, until they believe they can master the hopeless comeback, too.

Remember the QB who lost his leg, Jacob Rainey? He got his prosthetic leg a few weeks ago and he wants to play high school football next season. Yes, tackle football. He'd be the first to do that on an above-the-knee amputation.

Hmmm. Wonder where he got that crazy idea?

"Tim told me to keep fighting, no matter what," Rainey says. "I am."

Now what do I have to say for myself? Nothing, nothing at all except "It's Tebow Time!"

The Indelibles - Spreading the Word

So I keep seeing these posts about a new blog group for The Indelibles. So I had to go check it out right?

New Group Blog - The Indelibles

If you're a fan of YA fiction, you've probably heard of the Tenners, the Elevensies, the Apocalypsies, and the Lucky 13s. Now marketing guru Shelli Johannes Wells has teamed up with twenty-four other indie and small press authors to bring you the Indelibles.

Who are the Indelibles?

“We are indie authors who write middle grade and young adult fiction. We are dedicated to leaving a permanent mark on the world with our stories and words. We are The Indelibles.”

Each week, they'll explore fun, fabulous, and fierce topics for today's teens, drawing on pop culture and themes from the books they write. Check them out at http://indeliblewriters.blogspot.com/. They’ll also be having a writer/author chat on January 18th to answer questions about self and indie pubbing. See their blog for details.

Jenny Pox Review

Jenny Pox by JL Bryan *some spoilers*


Geeks of Doom: Top 10 Urban Fantasy and Horror Books of 2010
Winner of a Red Adept Indie Award: #1 in horror for 2010.
Bewitched Bookworms: Top Books of 2010

Jenny's touch spreads a deadly supernatural plague. She can't control her power, so she devotes her life to avoiding contact with other people in her small Southern town. Her senior year of high school, she meets the one boy she can touch...but if she's going to be with him, Jenny must learn to use the horrific power inside her to survive his devious, manipulative girlfriend, who secretly wields the most dangerous power of all.


My Review:
Jenny Pox started off slow. I wanted to be hit with something that made me NOT put the book down. Unfortunately it took me a few times to open it. My bad, once I actually sunk my teeth into it... the rest is history. I was hooked.

Jenny Pox gives the reader everything; from sex, drugs, "mean girl" cheerleaders, death, love, forbidden touches, all at the hands of three teenagers; Jenny, Seth, and Ashleigh. Each wielding their own powers through touching.

Jenny and Seth are polar opposites, and this works for them. If that's the case; does Ashleigh have an opposite? *shrugs*

My favorite part of the book? The last few chapters. After all the teasing, Jenny gets her revenge in a horrific way. Horror, vengeance, massacre, only to end it all by plunging herself into the dark waters and in return finding out that Jenny, Seth, and Ashleigh have been around, in many forms, for centuries.

I give it two thumbs up! Needing book 2, Tommy Nightmare of The Paranormals

2012 Tag Time

Tag! Crap I hated tag growning up. But, yet, I always wanted to play. There wasn’t Nintendo, Gameboys, DSi’s, Playstations, PSP’s, Cell phones, iPods, iPads, Nooks, Kindles, etc. We had to use our imagination, even though now, I myself have at least one of everything I listed, except for the iPad, but really? Do I need it? I think not.

Tag, jumping rope, swimming in the nearest pond, swinging, pretending to be stranded one an island in the middle of nowhere, while my brother risk is life to save me, by pulling me up with his hand. My island – a piece of the tin roof from our old barn after a storm.

So I wasn’t thrilled when my blog was tagged. As long as I’m not running from the boogieman, or play ghost-in-the-graveyard, this tag is right up my isle. And so, the fun begins. Ready, set, GO!

WHAT HAS BEEN THE HAPPIEST EVENT OF 2011?

In general, or what affected my life?

General – I finally “discovered” True Blood. Even watched the last 4 seasons in a weekend. AND the second season (part 1) of The Walking Dead lwft us with hearts on the floor.

Affected my life – My husband and I made it through 5 years of blissful marriage (Well as blissful as a marriage can be.) Also, I am officially a mother of a teenager. Yikes!

WHAT HAS BEEN THE SADDEST?

General – That I now have to wait an entire year to lay my eyes on Alcide! AND now I have to wait until part 2 of Walking Dead come to a TV near me in February.

My life – Lost a long-time friend over stupid words spoken.

ONE UNLIKELY THING YOU WENT AHEAD WITH AND DID?

Started writing 6 ms’s at once.

WHO LET YOU DOWN?

Said “friend” above.

WHAT MADE YOU LAUGH?

Everything from what my kids so, dumb shit things I do myself, family and friends, to TV, movie and books.

WHAT MADE YOU CRY?

Migraines, migraines, migraines!

TELL US ONE THING THAT MADE YOU PROUD OF YOURSELF.

Getting one of my MS’s done!

TELL US ONE CHALLENGE YOU OVERCAME.

Letting my romantic wall down.

IS THERE ANYTHING YOU’D LIKE TO CHANGE IN YOUR LIFE IN 2012?

­I’m looking forward to lots of vampires, zombies, and fun in 2012.  Reading, movies, and my favorite shows. Good times with the kids and hubby. Long vacations and holidays. And the two week vaca out west!

Who am I going to tag? -- Anyone who reads this and likes tag more than I do.