Spring Into Reading...

GIVE AWAY!!!!! Woohoo!

That's right! My sister in law, Cheri and I have reached 100 followers each. So, as promised, we're having our Spring Into Reading Give Away.

Okay so here is what we're going to do:

1 Entry if you have followed this blog after May 3rd.
2 Entries if you have followed this blog before May 3rd.
2 Entries if you follow both me and Cheri.
1 Entry if you Tweet or post on FaceBook.
1 Entry if you post about it in your blog.

Tally up your entries! Post them in the comments section. (Either hers or mine, no need to do both, we read each other's stuff. ;) ) Then check either of us out on Monday, May 10th to see if you have won!

How easy is that? Easy peasy, right? Right!

Okay, here are the prizes:

First place: Fantasy ~ Three books: The Sapphire Flute by Karen Hoover, The Hourglass Door by Lisa Magnum (autographed) and an ARC of The Golden Spiral by Lisa Magnum (autographed). PLUS Writer's Blocks and a copy of Annette Lyon's book There, Their and They're.

Second place: Romance ~ Three books: I'll Know You by Heart by Kimberly Job (autographed), Summer in Paris by Michele Ashman Bell (autographed) and Loyalty's Web by Joyce Dipastena (autographed). PLUS a $15 gift card (your choice within reason! :D) and a copy of Annette Lyon's book There, Their and They're.

Third Place: Mystery ~ Three books: The first three autographed books in Josi Kilpacks culinary mystery series Lemon Tart, English Trifle and Devil's Food Cake. Guaranteed to make you hungry! PLUS a copy of Annette Lyon's There, Their and They're and a pen set.

*Please Note: While Cheri and I are related, we live states apart. We'd like to give you a choice in the genre, but that's going to be difficult for us, so we apologize in advance. Look on the bright side if you don't like the genre, you have early Christmas presents. ;)

Okay! So there you have it everyone. Again, tally up your entries, post it in the comment section of either her blog or mine and we'll draw names. Check back Monday, May 10th for the winners!

An Overview...

So it is May 3rd. The A-Z challenge is over. Arlee asked us to all join in sharing what this last month, this challenge meant to us.

Wow. I honestly didn't think I could make it through the challenge. I made it even more difficult for myself by adding in my favorite bands and movies to correspond with each letter.

So Arlee asked a few questions, things to help us reflect on this last month.

First, what attracted us to this challenge? For me, it was the opportunity to take on another monthly challenge. I have participated in National Novel Writing Month. Twice now. I have two manuscripts going at once. One is almost finished in its rough draft state. The other is being revised, query at the ready to send out. But to blog every single day, except Sundays and have each day correspond to a different letter of the alphabet? Haven't done it.

I have now!

Did I feel intimidated by the challenge? At first. But with my imagination and my unlimited database for useless trivia... I fell right into it. I even added the favorite band and movie just to spice it up a bit.

Did I ever feel like quitting? No. There were days I thought, what am I going to write about? But something always came up and I had my world to draw off of as well.

In finishing this challenge, would I be apt to do more? Absolutely. This one took up the entire month of April for me, so I was unable to do blogfests and the like. I didn't want to stretch myself too thin while also working on my MS revisions. But yes, I would like to do more challenges.

Did I feel I did my best in this challenge? Yes. I feel like I did. I had tons of support from you guys, I appreciated all of your comments so much! I hope from now on that I can still entertain you as much while not doing a challenge. :D

What did I learn from the challenge? So much! More about the diversity of people. Everyone I followed seemed to have a different topic for the same letter. It was fun reading! I also learned what I want from my blog. I initially wanted to create a following for my world, but now I am thinking I am enjoying this little Writing Support Group. :D

Will you be blogging any more now than you used to? Possibly. Maybe not every day, but I do want to work on at least 4-5 times a week.

So thanks to all of you who joined in this challenge. Who supported and commented and followed. If I am not following your blog yet, by all means, leave me a comment and I will find your blog. I've been sick for the last couple of weeks. The cough as usual hangs on. So I haven't felt much like sitting on the computer for too long. I stopped commenting so much during the last week for the same reason. Doesn't mean I don't love you! Just worn out.

So what about you? I'll be over to your blogs to see what this challenge did for you!

Query Take Two...

Okay, like I promised, I will be posting my revised query for you all to peruse. Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated! And please, don't worry about hurting my feelings. We all know as writers, that I have none. ;)

Take Two:

Dear Agent X,

I am pleased to submit for your consideration my fantasy, LEGEND OF BLACK ROSE.

Black Rose has come a long way from being an adventurer, father, and husband. Chosen above all others as the Champion of Fizanu, goddess of Justice, his battles have left scars on the lands.

The Dourghuun is a magical conjuring gone awry. It is a demon that entered an Elemental host. Now it is bound to the earth by one deity that created the Elemental and one from a seat in the Underworld. Until it collects five hundred souls, it will remain a plague on the world of Eir du'Brusai.

When Black Rose is sent after the King of Relavia to right an injustice, the King makes a pact with the Dourghuun. The soul of one favored by a goddess would outweigh the many souls of simple mortals. To present Rose's soul to the goddess of the Underworld would return Dourghuun to its rightful place and with special honor.

The outcome of this battle will shift the future of this young world. It will change Black Rose's Fate and leave the world trembling.

Based strictly in a fantasy world of the author's creation, LEGEND OF BLACK ROSE will appeal to readers who enjoy such works as from DRAGONLANCE or FORGOTTEN REALMS and even those who enjoyed THE LORD OF THE RINGS.

LEGEND OF BLACK ROSE is complete at 55,600 words. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Best regards,
M. L. Chesley

Alrighty, there you go!

WooT!

Well lookie there... I hit 100 followers! ::Does the happy dance:: So you know what that means...

Cheri and I will be holding our very first contest ever! Spring Into Reading! We'll be posting early next week with all the details and all the prizes, so be sure to keep an eye out.

You guys are awesome!

Oh Look... A Query...

How sad. I don't have a letter to look forward to tomorrow. Now how will I ever entertain you? Just kidding. :D

Well, I want to post a few things. First of all, this week has been horrible for me. Lots of things happening on top of being sick. I won't bore you with my whiny details, though. I will however say I'm glad I thought to schedule a couple of the blogs as I didn't get out of bed some days. If I haven't commented much or responded much, don't take it personally.

I want to thank everyone for stopping by and reading posts this whole month. The drop in comments means you are all taking a well deserved break! I hope you are all patting yourselves on the back, because you should. You all did a great, great job with this challenge!!

I also want to say that don't think me wishy-washy (even though I know I am) about my query letter. I'm going to post it right now, as I had it before I tweaked it. Christi Goddard actually helped me so much! So when I am done ripping it apart, I'll put that up as well and see what you all have to say.

Speaking of Christi, she gave me a wonderful award. I can't pick and choose for this one, guys. I think you are all awesome and I want all of you who comment and follow my blog to please, please take this award. I cannot stress this enough. I will come by your blog and I will check to see if you took it!!!
Kidding.

Maybe. ::Snickers::

Okay, so without further ado (::snorts:: I said 'ado') here is my query letter:

I am pleased to submit for your consideration my fantasy, LEGEND OF BLACK ROSE. In this 55,600 word fantasy, Black Rose is a man chosen above all others as the Champion of Fizanu, goddess of Justice, who finds himself pitted against an Ages old beast.

Rose has come a long way from being an adventurer, father, husband. Even though the world of Eir du'Brusai is young, Rose has watched the twin suns rise and set for hundreds of years. He's witnessed the destruction of a magical city and has seen the creation of a horrible, soul-eating monster. A promise is made to this beast: Lay the soul of Black Rose at the feet of the goddess of the Underworld, Ta'arinuru, and it shall be released from its earth-bound prison.

In a battle that will alter the course of the world, Rose must choose what is best. His death or that of the demon known as the Dourghuun.

Based strictly in a fantasy world of the author's creation, LEGEND OF BLACK ROSE will appeal to readers who enjoy such works as from DRAGONLANCE or FORGOTTEN REALMS and even those who enjoyed THE LORD OF THE RINGS.

If you would like to consider LEGEND OF BLACK ROSE, I would be happy to send the manuscript at your request.

There is one last thing. Okay, two. Again, I have been working on this query. This is the original one. Christi, I sent you one I had already tweaked. But I'm looking at your suggestions! So don't feel you have to respond again.

Second, I'm one follower away from 100! ONE Follower!! I just need ONE more and Cheri and I can hold our awesome Spring Into Reading Give Away!! So spread the word, get me that one last follower so you can all enjoy you some fun stuff. :D

And have I said thanks to all of you lately? Yes. But I'll say it again. Thanks you guys. You are the best!

Zee...

Zebra, zoo, zepplin... Lots of Z words to choose from. Would you believe, though, I have a goddess? Whose name begins with Z?

I do!

Zesial (Zeh see uhl):

There is no mistaking Zesial when she appears on the mortal plane. Her appearance and leaving are marked by a bright, shining aura that surrounds her. Recognizing the harm it can do to mortal eyes, Zesial dims this aura during her visits, and takes the guise of a young human woman with flowing, floor-length, auburn hair and twinkling brown eyes. She has been known to pull a dying creature who has committed great acts of bravery, faith, or compassion from the mortal realm, to place them in the heavens; thus immortalizing them. The constellation known as The Faithful was created by her at the behest of Yizanthia.

And yes, I had Yizanthia (Yeh zan thee uh) and could have used her yesterday (wow now look at the Y's) but actually didn't even think about it. So I will give you Yizanthia as a late post:

Patron Goddess of Travel - Patron Goddess of Pilgrims, Adventurers, and anyone else who travels, Yizanthia appears in the guise of a young woman with flowing red hair and green eyes, wearing a light brown travel cloak. She has been known to break bread with pilgrims who have traveled for many years and has also, according to legends, joined with a few small bands of adventurers who were unsure of their paths or who had lost their way and gotten into situations past their abilities to handle. Yizanthia once appeared before an old couple who were traveling to visit their dying daughter. They had walked beyond their capabilities and were alone and scared in a dangerous wood. The Goddess passed the night with them, working secretly with Erlaynia (Er lay knee uh) to keep the couple safe from animals and bandits. Yizanthia believed that they were unaware of her true self; yet the old woman figured out the secret, and spoke of Yizanthia to everyone she knew, telling them of the kindness of the Goddess.

Zesial is the goddess of the stars and constellations. I have only a few constellations with stories behind them at the moment. I have lots of work to do on the folklore and history of my world, but it all seems to come out when needed and recorded then. I do have a story of a young dragon who, upon being hatched late one night thought that the moon, Merydwen (Mare ee dwen) was his mother. He stretched out his little, leathery wings, breathed fire on them to dry them out and gave a few tentative beats. Lifting himself from the ground, he was pleased he could fly up to his mother and flew towards the moon. The effort was so great on the dear, little thing, that he plummeted towards the earth. Zesial had witnessed his fall and caught him just before he hit the ground and lifted him up into the stars where he could be close to Merydwen. He follows her across the night sky, always a little behind, but always there.

So there is my final alphabet post. Look for my post May 3rd as I join the rest of you, along with Arlee and sum up this month and what it meant to me. And as usual:


Favorite Band: (Person, really) Ziggy Marley. Favorite Movie: Zoolander.

My Query Letter...

Okay so I am going to leave it up to you guys. I'll set up this blog so you can vote.

Year of the Tiger...

Well, I am going to prove my love of research here in this post. Y has been a difficult letter!

So let's get down to it, shall we?

Year of the Tiger. The year 2010 is the Year of the Tiger according the Chinese Zodiac. The Tiger symbolizes bravery. The Tiger is courageous and a fighter, protecting households from the Three Tragedies: Fire, Thieves and Ghosts.

Yawns: Old superstitions believe that when you yawn, it is a sign of danger nearby. Others claim when you yawn, you must cover your mouth or your soul will escape.
Why do you say, "Bless you" when someone sneezes? Same reason. Most used to believe your soul fled with the sneeze and blessing the person brought it back. Or, the Devil would enter and by blessing the person you drove him back out.

Yoga! I love Yoga, I have recently begun doing regular Yoga workouts. Yoga is stretching of the muscles and deep breathing. I'm overweight and Yoga is helping me build a regular exercise routine. But where did Yoga come from? The origins are from India. Yoga is meditative in nature, originating from Buddhism and Hinduism. One who practices Yoga to a high level of attainment is called a Yogi or Yogini.

Yogurt. Just how good is yogurt for you? Well, it has been around for over five thousand years and no one has ever claimed it bad for you. Yogurt is world-wide. The Turks, Greeks and even Americans have enjoyed yogurt over the millenia.

Without progression of languages over the years, we would still be stuck calling each other 'Ye'. A derivative of Old English, ge and pronounced like yea. In the early printing press days, Y took over the thorn (a letter in the Old English and Icelandic alphabets) so instances of Ye Old Shoppe actually referred to 'the' instead of you.

All right, all right enough history for you I suppose. Which, if you didn't know, Queen Elizabeth (1533-1603) was actually killed by her make-up. Talk about looks that kill!
I swear, that was the last! Okay on to...


Favorite Band: (Not really a band) Yankovic, Weird Al. Favorite Movie: Young Guns II

Book Review: Wake...

I'm sick.

I'm bored as hell.

So what do I do? I read. Want to know how long it took me to read 'Wake'? Prolly not. It got devoured in a sickening 7 hours. Yep. There are times I wish I could read a little slower, you know?

Anyway.

Here is the blurb for Wake:
Not all dreams are sweet.

For seventeen-year-old Janie, getting sucked into other people's dreams is getting old. Especially the falling dreams, the naked-but-nobody-notices dreams, and the sex-crazed dreams. Janie's seen enough fantasy booty to last her a lifetime.

She can't tell anybody about what she does -- they'd never believe her, or worse, they'd think she's a freak. So Janie lives on the fringe, cursed with an ability she doesn't want and can't control.

Then she falls into a gruesome nightmare, one that chills her to the bone. For the first time, Janie is more than a witness to someone else's twisted psyche. She is a participant....

And now the review. I absolutely freakin' loved it! It is a YA Fiction by Lisa McMann. It helps she grew up in Michigan, where I grew up. And now lives in Phoenix, Arizona, which I am deeply sorry she does. Hey, I lived in Tucson. Phoenix is horrible. But this isn't about geography, people, this is about her book.

I love Janie. I can see why some teens would connect with Janie. I did as an adult, but that's just me. I also love Cabel. What a doll. Jerk, I thought at first, but an absolute doll. So I understand these books are a series. I will have to read the next one. My daughter sort of dropped this in my lap today, told me she has to take it back to the library.

McMann's style is ... different. I don't know how to explain it. I've never read a book in this style before. I like it, but it is stilted. You'll have to read it to understand what I am trying to say. However the idea that Janie falls into other people's dreams is pretty. Darn. Cool. There are a few bits of slang in there that will end up dating her book horribly. She mentioned NSYNC, which... wow. This book is kinda old with that reference used. I didn't like the boy band personally, but hey. It might throw someone off later on... saying, "Who the hell is N S Y N C?"

While the style is strange, the writing sort of stilted, it flows. Very. Well. I mean, come on. I read it in 7 hours. It takes me around 8 or 9 to read the latest House of Night books by Kristen and P.C. Cast. Sometimes 5. Without interruptions. Would I suggest this book? (Wake. Keep up!) Yes. To teens? Absolutely. Mild language? Yes. F word is slightly prominent, but it is in my household as well. Yeah... well. Sex? Um. Suggestive would be more like it. Hey, it's about dreams! It has to happen and our little Janie remains pure. At least in the first book. But I still would recommend it.

If I have to rate it, I give it three out of four Jolly Rogers.