Oh, How I Miss You Blogfest

 

It’s that time of year again! Hosted by Andrew Leon, Alex J. Cavanaugh, and Matthew MacNish

For the bloggers you miss and the ones you would miss.

List one to three bloggers you really miss.

List one to three bloggers you would really miss if they stopped blogging.

And then go let them know!

Click here to sign up!

 

List 1-3 bloggers you really miss:

 

1. Jeremy @ Geeky Tendencies - Some of you might know about him; Jeremy didn't blog for very long but he left a little hole in my heart where his funny banter and charming personality burrowed in. He had health issues which him and I used to talk about, then one day it all stopped. I really miss him!

 

2. Kristin @ GrowingUp YA - I miss this girl like crazy! I know you're out there, please come back to us!

 

 

List 1-3 bloggers you would really miss if they stopped blogging (this is just downright cruel to make us pick no more than 3):

 

I'm sure everyone thinks I'm gonna list Jackie @ Bouquet of Books... well heck yeah I would miss her but we are also family so she has to live with me regardless! And I'd hurt her if she quit blogging. So I'm picking bloggers who I can't bribe with batting eyelashes (and chocolate & coffee).

 

1. Suzi @ Literary Engineer - She cracks me up and she is just as random as I am and I love it. Outside of blogging she has become a really great email, FB, Instagram pal! I would visit ND just to meet up with her for sure!

 

2. Morgan @ Morgan Shamy - I can relate to this babe! She is down to earth, has heart, always has the prefect things to say, and really loves life! After ND I'd travel to UT and stalk Morgan around but with her permission of course!

 

3. Giselle @ XpressoReads - When G first started out she was running the site by herself, now she has added two new (and cool) chicks. Xpresso goes thru books like my household goes thru undergarments... A LOT! She has all the new and current insight in the publications coming out and she has the 411 on ARC's and tours.

 

I am SO thankful to have met everyone one of them/you and so many more. I joined blogging to learn more about writing and books but I ended up learning more about myself thru others.

 

Is there anyone you are missing or would miss in the blogosphere?

 

 

SPOOKTOBERFEST Winners, Runner-Ups, & the Lot

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!
It's a bloody bummer this fest has come, once again, to an end. Seriously guys, the talent that came from all of you is remarkable and outstanding! I loved every entry for their own uniqueness and voice! To make a choice was like picking out my favorite kid... it was hard but it had to be done. ;)

 

 

My WINNER is...

"12 past 2" by DRC @ Writing Through Fiction

Some say putting children in the center of horror is bad juju, but I find it exuberating and real. In the real world children are not exempt from paranormal activity, in fact, they are more open to it, being so innocent and open-minded to the world. DRC, in my opinion, took a risk to some but did it in a tasteful way. Kudos and congrats DRC from WTF!!  #CeilingFansKill

 My RUNNER-UPS are...

 

First up...

"Under the Glass" by Sarah @ Sarah Marsh Writes

From the beginning I was hooked. Kids walking home from school in the dark is terrifying anyways, but then you go and add a spooky ass house... FREAKY! (Another reason this got to me... I HATE being outside in the dark)
And then the twist!! Can I just say... GENIOUS!
Never saw it coming. And the picture topped it off and set the mood for sure!
You rock Sarah! 
#NeverLookAtADollHouseTheSameWayAgain

And then...

"Infection" by L.G. Keltner @ Writing Off the Edge

LG is no newbie to this fest and she has always delivered amazing pieces! "Carving", "Subscribe", and now "Infection". A faithful fester for sure and I know she will always have something great when it comes to her writing! FYI, I've always had a recurring dream about drowning so this is really not something I would like to have done to me.  #NeedlesArePricks

And don't forget...

 

Entry #4) “The Church” by Laura @ My Baffling Brain – I LOVED the dialogue between these devious kids. And the ending leaves you wanting more!  #FearlessKids

Entry #5) “A Warm Meal” by Sheena-kay Graham @ Queendsheena – We would all like to know what goes on inside of a zombies head; their thoughts and inner dialogue, since their moaning does nothing for us. This is the perfect portrayal of it.  #DeadHeadThoughts

Entry #6) dolorah @ Book Lover – This is a true taking on trickery. To think you know someone and them to turn out to be the enemy. Perfect!  #Frenemy

Entry #8) “The Newbie” by cleemckenzie @ The Write Game – Makes you wonder how, such a little thing could bring so much turmoil! “I think we should ask them to give it back.” Duh people, just ask.  #EasyPeasy

Entry #9) “Vanilla Virus” by J. Lenni Dorner – So where is that bloody vanilla pod? So creative and entertaining to say the least, I think I was holding my breath the entire time I was reading.  #NowWhereDidIPutThat

Entry #10) Tiffany @ For the Love of Books and Writing – I REALLY like how this pulled me in from the start and left me wanting to be there next to her. Of course I would have opened it for her cause I’m a curious soul.  #CuriosityKilledTheCat

Entry #12) “Revenge” by Felicity @ It’s a Book Nerd Thing – OK Felicity, can I just say how much I enjoyed this? I can? Good. Another zombie piece but this one is from a teenage badass who brings her own weapons to prom. So cool!  #SatisfactionKills

Entry #13) “Home by the Sea” by Debra @ The Write Mage – Ahhhhh! “Sit down. Listen to our stories.” Uhh, no thanks! Not with what I was imagining their true forms to look like. Chilling and eerie to say the least!  #ListenToTheShadow

Entry #14) “Masquerade Ball” by Patricia Lynne – Short, sweet, and to the damn point! I loved how in so few words and with using all the mandatory words, this perfect bone chilling tale was told flawlessly. There is a real talent, one I could not pull off, in telling such a story in less than 100 words!  #FlawlessAxWielder

Entry #15) “The Cure” by Claudia @ Avalon – Wow, makes you think twice about your neighbors. Another short piece that brought a big punch!  #LousyNeighbors

Entry #16) “I Am” by Lily @ lilicasplace – Ooooo, so haunting; to let go of you inner evil, to let it consume you.  Talk about inner turmoil of the darkest kind!  #ToBeOrNotToBeEvil

Go here to see who Jax picked!

And the winners... we will be in contact soon to get your info on where to send the ecards!
Also, the badges above are yours to copy and keep!

Thanks a bunch and can't wait to read your submissions next year!

Zombie Apocalypse: Survival Kit & Crew Blogfest

Today is the day! In honour of The Walking Dead premiere on Sunday, we...

Jackie @Bouquet of Books
 

Mina @Some Dark Romantic
 

and myself...

Dani @Entertaining Interests

... are celebrating by hosting:



Zombie Apocalypse: Survival Kit & Crew!

(Since this bloghop is all about having fun, if you have kiddos, we can assume they are safely tucked away in a safe haven somewhere while we’re out in the world fighting off zombies so do not worry.)

Crew:

1 TWD character: Daryl Dixon (crossbow)

1 book character: John Snow; A Song of Ice & Fire/GoT (sword)

1 movie character: Alice; Resident Evil (massive firearms)

1 TV character (other than TWD): Ragnar Lothbrok; Vikings (sword/axe)

1 loved one: Justin; my husband (firearms)

1 friend: Jackie; soultwin, cousin (spiked baseball bat – cause she’s badass enough to pull it off)

1 freebie: 10k from Z Nation (sniper/slingshot)

Items:

1 comfort item: Picture of kids/family; to keep me going

1 weapon: Pickaxe; my other crew members have plenty of the other stuff

1 luxury item: My glasses

1 food item: Beef Jerky

1 medicine/first aid item: Inhaler

1 hygiene item: Deodorant

1 freebie: LifeStraw; water purifying straw

 

Background:

Outpost: My parents house. they have a stockpile of weapons and on a small lake. Also close to a distribution center. That is the meeting spot decided in our family. (Yes, we have a plan!)

Outbreak: Methuselah Virus(copyright)
Cause of the apocalypse: Scientists created a parasitic host to slow down the aging process when it went horribly wrong, creating mindless humanoids with only one thing on their minds – warm-blooded creatures. The virus spreads when host bites another victim, allowing parasite to inject eggs into the blood stream. Depending on the health of the new host, the eggs can take up to a couple of days to hatch and attack hosts system, slowly turning them.
Cure: N/A – temporary cures; destroy the heart and/or brain

1 item you NEED to find:  Pharmaceuticals/Pharmacy; yanno, for illnesses & an inhaler

1 item you WANT to find: Chocolate factory; What? Chocolate lasts forever, provides energy, and I LOVE it!

Method of travel: Sturdy vehicles and a surplus of gas/diesel from the air force base. If it’s been tapped out then we are screwed and on foot we will go until we can find vehicles to siphon.

 

It's never too late to join! Click here to find out how you can participate!

 

 

3rd Annual Spooktoberfest Hosted by Cover Girls

Are you feeling spookerific?

It’s baaaaack! 

 

Welcome to the 3^rd annual  SPOOKTOBERFEST hosted by Cover Girls!

This year we are doing a bit of a rewind and using the original Spooktoberfest requirements.

 
Requirements:

1. Follow Cover Girls blog if you don’t already. It will be reciprocated!
          And on Twitter: @covergirlsdj
You can also follow our individual accounts: @jackiefel & @danibertrand
If you have a Twitter account, please feel free to use the hashtag #spooktoberfest14

2. Your Flash Fiction piece cannot be any longer than 300 words. Sorry… that’s part of the challenge.

3. You must use the MANDATORY 5 words listed below…
      (You may use any variation of these words as you like.)

            chill
            cocoon
            commotion
            curse
            virus

4. Post your Flash Fiction piece any day from Friday Oct 24^th thru Tuesday, Oct. 28^th.

5. It’s a blog hop, so… hop around to other participating blogs and leave them some awesome comments.

6. Have fun.

Your flash fiction piece can be scary, comical, romantic, or whatever you choose, just be creative! You can use pictures to set the scene and/or a song to set the mood.

The winners will be posted on HALLOWEEN, Oct. 31st!

Jackie and I will each choose a winner. That’s right – two winners!

 

PRIZES: This year I will be giving away a $25 giftcard of your choice! Check out Jackie's page to see what she's giving away!

 

Oh, and yes, this blogfest is international. So what are you ghouls waiting for? Sign up using the Linkie Thing below and please, help spread the word!

 

Follow Fest - A Little Bit About Moi

Follow Fest is hosted by Melissa Maygrove!

Name: Dani Bertrand

 

Fiction or nonfiction?

Fiction

 

What genres do you write?

Paranormal, Fantasy

 

 

 

Are you published?

Not yet; I have taken a break from writing until my muse decides to visit again. However, I still jot down ideas which inspire me for later.

Do you do anything in addition to writing?

I co-blog over at Cover Girls

Tell us a little about yourself.
Check out my About Me section, that will give you a good idea. I enjoy running/obstacle 5k challenges, post-apocalyptic topics, reading, watching movies, listening to music, crafting, Halloween, & the outdoors. I'm a wife and a mother of 4. FYI, High-Schoolers are drama!

What are you reading right now?

In The End by Demitria Lunetta

Which authors influenced you the most?

Lots! Neal Shusterman, Scott Westerfeld, Clive Barker, J.K. Rowling, Gail Carriger, and more.

 

Where can people connect with you?

Blog: Entertaining Interests

Co-Blog: Cover Girls

Twitter: @danibertrand

Pinterest

Goodreads

Google+

 

Is there anything else you'd like us to know?

**Currently my co-blogger and I are hosting a Walking Dead inspired blogfest you can find here in the Zombie Apocalypse:Survival Kit & Crew tab!

**Also, coming this Friday, a post about the 3rd Annual Spooktoberfest, hosted by Cover Girls, will be posted!!

 

 

EYM, Underrated Treasures Blogfest, ZA:SKC Blogfest

Express Yourself

Sept. 22-26: What did you want to be when you grew up?

For the longest time I wanted to be a Vet Tech. But once I did my internship… I discovered I didn’t have it in me. I couldn't hold an animal down to put it down. Broke my heart.

So instead I decided I wanted to be a Correctional Therapist. However, sadly, I never finished college. It would be nice to go back and finish tho… maybe when my husband is done with his manufacturing degree.

 

Underrated Treasures Blogfest

Everyone has a favorite movie or band that no one else has ever heard about. For whatever reason, they remain undiscovered and underrated. Now is your chance to tell the world about this obscure treasure!

On Monday, September 22, post about your favorite unknown

MOVIE – BAND/ARTIST – TV SHOW – BOOK


Post about one or all four – dealer’s choice!

**Movie:
Ginger Snaps
 

**Band:

Fever Ray aka Karin Elisabeth Dreijer Andersson
I know I have mentioned her before and I’m sure some people have heard about it, especially if you watch Vikings. She is part of an Electronic Pop Swedish duo The Knife.
 

**TV Show:

Dracula
This show was only on for one season last year and then cancelled. I’m totally bummed about it!
 

**Book:

Sick by Tom Leveeen

 

ALERT    *     BLOGFEST    *    ALERT!!!

Zombie Apocalypse: Survival kit & Crew

Post date: Friday, October 10^th

 

Build a zombie apocalypse dream team and survival kit:

~ 7 crew members

~ 7 items for the survival kit

~ 7 background facts

For more information click here: http://danibertrand.blogspot.com/p/twd-blogfest.html

 

 

August EYM, Sept EYM, & Blogfest

Aug. 18-22: If you could go back in time and bring back one item, what era would you visit and what item would bring back?

 

I would go back to the night of Elizabeth I coronation and swipe her robes patterned with Tudor roses and cropped with stout. How marvelous would that be!!??

 

Aug. 25-29: Name ONE cancelled/retired TV show you would love to see back on your boob tube with NEW episodes?

 

This one is easy: LOST

I REALLY loved that show even though it felt like a complete mind eff at times. I think the confusion of it all made it really interesting for me.

Sept 1-5: What books do you have lined up to read for Sept?

 

Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts

Cress by Marissa Meyer

The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness

Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor

 

On Hold

In A Handful of Dust by Mindy McGinnis (9/23/14)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

And don’t forget to sign up for the Zombie Apocalypse: Survival Kit and Crew by clicking on the link below…

http://danibertrand.blogspot.com/2014/08/zombie-survival-kit-crew-blogfest_29.html?m=1

It’s super easy and better yet… it’ll be a blast. There is nothing wrong with having a plan now!

Zombie Survival Kit & Crew Blogfest

Our joyous excitement for The Walking Dead premiere on October 12^th has reanimated another blogfest idea for the vivacious trio:

Jackie @Bouquet of Books

Dani @Entertaining Interests

Mina @Some Dark Romantic

Zombie Apocalypse: Survival kit & Crew

Post date: Friday, October 10^th (cause no one wants to post on show day!)

To help build your zombie apocalypse dream team and survival kit, you will need to pick ONE person and/or ONE item for each of the topics listed in the below categories.

(Items you already have on your person: undergarments, shirt, bottoms, socks, tennis shoes & a backpack. If you want special shoes and/or boots, jackets, belt, etc.; those are extra and will need to be listed for one of your items below.)

And since this bloghop is all about having fun, if you have kiddos, we can assume they are safely tucked away in a safe haven somewhere while we’re out in the world fighting off zombies so do not worry.

*The Walking Dead character is the only one that needs to be from a zombie themed entertainment outlet, but please feel free to choose characters from your other favorite books/movies/tv. They may or may not be zombie related. It's all up to you. Just let your imagination flow!

With the characters below, please include the book, movie & TV show your characters are from.

Crew:

1 TWD character

1 book character

1 movie character

1 TV character (other than TWD)

1 loved one

1 friend

1 freebie

Backpack:

1 comfort item

1 weapon

1 luxury item

1 food item

1 medicine/first aid item

1 hygiene item

1 freebie

Background:

Outpost

Outbreak

Cause of it

Cure (if applicable)

1 item you NEED to find

1 item you WANT to find

Method of travel

Please display the badge on your blog and join us on Friday, October 10^th to build your zombie apocalypse dream team and kit.

And most of all HAVE FUN and BE CREATIVE as you want!

Spooktoberfest Begins Today!

TODAY IS THE DAY! Spooktoberfest has arrived and will continue on through the weekend and until midnight, Monday the 28th.

Yes, that means you are not too late to sign up and enter. As long as you do it before midnight of the 28th.

To read more on Spooktoberfest and hopefully enter for fun and prizes, please click here!

Let's get on with it shall we...




Rumplstiltskin and the Baby



the Dark Forest



The night was chilled with the impeding storm. She sat by the fire, swaying and chanting. Even before he forced open the door, his arrival was known.

“You wretched girl! What have you done to me?” His belly gorged with life.

“Did you not say, Mr. Stiltskin, you wanted my first born?” A wicked smile burned across the face of the girl who spun straw into gold.

She sauntered over to the old tramp who now rested his hands upon his belly. “This is not what I meant!” He bellowed.

“I recently summoned a man-caller,” the burn of her smile grew, “and oh what a man.” She paused at his ear. “You get my meaning?”

Her breath sent shivers down his spine. “You have to help me get it out you witch! After all – I did do you a favor once.”

“A favor? Ha! You blackmailed me you silly little troll. Next time make sure you know which devil you’re making a deal with.”

Mr. Rumpelstiltskin felt the pang of her baby kick his womb. “Oh!” he moaned as he ran out in to the cold and in to the Dark Forest.

She laughed her way to the door watching him waddle as he loped. “Grimm!” She called.

Her large mastiff bounded to her side. “Grimm, follow.” She commanded.

                                                            *****

Stiltskin ran as hard as he could, knowing he wouldn’t make it very far. The girl he once knew was not a little girl anymore.

Stupid him. He knew one day his trickery on others would be his undoing. He never thought it would be like this. He needed help. There was no way this baby could be delivered – naturally. Bile rose in his throat from the thought.

Another kick from the creature inside sent him to his knees.

He knew what he had to do.

His knife felt familiar yet alien in his hands. “I have to do this. I can do this,” he mumbled.

“No need,” the girl’s voice purred from the shadows.

His back stiffened with fear, the hair on his neck like needles.

“Grimm, lay him down please.” Grimm pulled Stiltskin to the ground by his collar, his bare belly praying to the sky.

“No please!” Rumple begged. Grimm slammed his paw down on the old man’s face, shutting him up for the last time.

He squirmed as only the meager troll could but the girl was determined to get that which she desired. He felt the tug of the knife and then the wail of a baby.

“There, there,” the girl crooned. “Why, Stiltskin, you’re the surrogate of a beautiful baby girl.”

The world was slipping from him now, but not before he heard –

“Grimm, eat.”

                                                            *****

Finally the girl had her child as expected. Her daughter will grow up strong and wise and no man will take her from her mother like her own father did.

“I think I’ll call you Maleficent.”

Hope everyone has a wonderful Friday and and even better weekend!