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Friday, May 20, 2011

Follow Friday and my first attempt at poetry in almost thirty years

Hey, welcome! Let's take care of some business, then I have some stuff for you to laugh at.
This week's question is:
If you could spend a day with any author, dead or alive, who would it be and why?

Please join me in welcoming MG Ainsworth of  Writing After Nine with this week's answer:

I consider myself fortunate that I've had an entire week to think about this because it's a difficult decision. There are many wonderful authors I admire and would like to meet. I considered Jane Austen, Dr. Seuss, Edgar Allan Poe and J.R.R. Tolkien as deceased authors and living authors included J.K. Rowling, Charlaine Harris, Nora Roberts and Chelsea Handler who would provide a most entertaining day, I'm sure.
After much deliberation Nora Roberts is the winner. Not only are her books in the Three Sisters Island, Key, Born In, In the Garden and Circle trilogies amongst my favorites, I also admire her work ethic and dedication to writing as a profession. While I don't read all of her books since I am more interested in those with an urban fantasy or paranormal vibe I admire her ability to write books across multiple genres and for different audiences.
She embodies being an Author as a profession. She once stated "you don't find time to write. You make time. It's my job." She spends her weekdays in an office writing and releases several novels a year with great reviews. I dream of being at the point where I am not finding time to write but making time, and I find I am make much more progress when I take this approach carving out hours dedicated to writing.
She has also uttered the words that have inspired me most as a writer both to start writing and to continue despite obstacles from self doubt to exhaustion:
"You can fix anything but a blank page"
I would like to spend a day with her not only because I admire her works but because she has some real insight into the writing process and inspires me as an Author to keep writing.
My answer to the question would probably be Kris Rusch. In science fiction circles, she writes under Kristine Katheryn Rusch, ran Pulphouse Publishing, edited The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction and her romances are published under Kristine Grayson. We had her as a Guest of Honor at a science fiction my husband and I ran several years ago and I think we were sisters with other parents. Her blog and webpage (
She's married to Dean Wesley Smith and his is extremely helpful too.) are brilliant in alerting writers, new and established of what is going on now in the industry. She also loves kitties and cross-stitch, so there you go. It would be a fun and informative day!
Now, the rules:
Follow this blog. Please and thank you.
Answer the question on your blog and post the featured author’s response.
Follow, follow, follow! This is about networking, so if someone stops by your site, return the favor and check out their blog to say hi back with a comment. You might find a new follower or two.
Follow Elizabeth Sharp, the originator of this hop. This is also where you get the image code for the blog hop and add your name to the link at the bottom of her post while you’re there. http://somesharpwords.blogspot.com/2011/05/yay-blog-hops-back.html
Follow the featured author of the week:MG Ainsworth
So, Bad News Poetry Contest! at
Rant and Ramblings from a Literary Agent, Rachelle Gardner, has a
Here is my entry:

Abject depression
From your rejection.
What's an author to do?
It's not what you need.
Did you even read?
My heart and head are blue.

So I'll wallpaper my bathroom
With what doesn't belong in a classroom
Since it was a form letter you sent.

And go back to revising
My work and reprising
The rejection on my blog where I vent.


Not bad for less than ten minutes, huh?

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Yet Another Learning Experience

Over the past few weeks, I've been working with Rhapsody and eMusic to try to buy some songs I haven't been able to get individually, either by buying the CD or at the library. I had a bunch of eMusic coupons from different flash drives purchased and I bought a $10 Rhapsody gift card for $7.50 at Big Lots the other day. I have my music list sorted and printed out, so I tackled Rhapsody today.

The website isn't really user friendly for those of us who weren't born with a mouse in our hands. To be honest, my first computer class was over thirty years ago (I'm *cough* old!), but years of teaching skills for a previous job, I've got some game. Our HP we got late last year had the software installed, though there were no instructions that you had to go to a separate log in to enter your credit card information and the gift card number. "Peggy" from tech support was very helpful and I only had to ask him to repeat a few things.

In my efforts to try to get things correct, I didn't take advantage of the "listen free for 30 seconds" deal and paid/downloaded a live version of "Couldn't Get It Right" by Climax Blues Band. It wasn't heinous, like Head East's "Never Been Any Reason" I bought in error last year (really, there are times retro bands should NOT go on tour), but still it pissed me off. Won't be doing that again, right? And I got two versions of "Firework" by Katy Perry, one "unedited." Can't tell the difference, but there you go.

So, some old, some new, some country, some, well, blue. Let's see if these YouTube links work--I think you have to hit Ctrl+Enter or it will give you the link to cut and paste. Let me know. And let me know what you think of my diverse interests.  Pretty good for an old fart, huh?  Next time, eMusic!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBzC7p1ZOnA  Gretchen Wilson “Here for the Party”