Back to the Scene of the Crime

Tomorrow we leave for another trip to Las Vegas, this time to celebrate our wedding anniversary. We got married in Vegas..in a helicopter..flying over the strip at night, so it seems appropriate for us to head back there to celebrate the fact we're still together and both of us are still in one piece. We're planning to go out for dinner, catch a show (this time we're going to go to the Penn and Teller show at the Rio) and while Ross enters a big poker tournament at the Venetian, I'll be visiting the spa. Yes, indeed, we are looking forward to this trip. Happy Anniversary to us! :)

Mexicats and Mexikitties (must love cats)

I really have to get back to blogging so I thought I'd kick off 2012 with pictures of kittens to melt your hearts. If it doesn't melt your heart, you need to get that checked.

Before leaving on our trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, we arranged to visit a cat shelter there called the Purr Project. One of their volunteers, David, goes out once a week to visit the cats and agreed to take us on the twenty-five minute drive to the shelter. Once there, we were immediately mobbed by friendly kittens! They have two hundred cats at this shelter which runs on donations and they do their best to get as many cats adopted out to good homes as they can. They have a vet clinic on site to make sure no more little kitties are being born and to look after any sick animals. It's a really great organization and we're so glad we were able to spend some time with these adorable cats. We took them a bag of crochet blankets I made, some toys and some treats. Here's some photos from our visit.

David who drove us out and gave us a tour of the shelter:



Ross and a little kitten that couldn't get enough attention:



Ross set his backpack on a chair and this little guy really wanted to come back with us!



We didn't find out this one's name, but stuck out his tongue when you pet him and he loved to give head butts.



Treat time!!! (I should've brought a bigger bag!)





One of the blankets I made:



A few potraits of the Purr Project residents waiting for a good home:











How's that heart holding up? Go hug your pets, or better yet, visit a local shelter asap!

Dan Wells Interview

My interview with Dan Wells is up on Adventures in Sci Fi Publishing! Dan is the author of the three part series, I Am Not A Serial Killer, Mr Monster and I Don't Want to Kill You. He also has a YA novel called Partials coming out next year, an ebook called A Night of Blacker Darkness and another book coming out next July called The Hollow City.

I'm a big fan of Dan's work so I was thrilled when Shaun agreed to let me interview him for the podcast. It's probably redundant to say I highly recommend his books, but listen to the podcast and I know you'll want to check out Dan's books for yourself!

You can hear the podcast on the AISFP website HERE or download it from itunes.

Purple Knitted Caps Campaign

My Creative Geeks took on yet another charity project, this time for the PURPLE Program, to Prevent Shaken Baby Syndrome via BC Children's hospital. The program supplies new parents with knitted (and crocheted!) purple baby hats to raise awareness of Shaken Baby Syndrome, providing "edicuational information about the properties of normal infant crying and appropriate action steps that caregivers need to know. Inconsolable infant crying is the number one trigger that precedes a shaking event."

So, I recruited my Mom as well, we got ourselves some purple yarn and started making baby hats. My mom ended up making TWELVE, while I came in at a mere eight. It was a lot of fun to try new patterns and great to know it was for a good cause.

There is still time to make hats and hand them in! For more information on the PURPLE Program, visit Dontshake.ca

Sound Bites Podcast Interview with Mark Teppo

My Sound Bites podcast interview with author Mark Teppo is live at Bitten By Books! Stop by, listen to the podcast episode and leave comments to win copies of Mark's Codex of Souls books, Lightbreaker and Heartland. There are three sets to be won! Thanks for your support, I hope you enjoy the podcast and be sure to check out Mark's books!

Bitten by Books » Author Mark Teppo Sound Bites Podcast and Contest LIVE Here!

RSVP at Bitten By Books

My Sound Bites interview with Mark Teppo will be airing tomorrow, October 14th. If you head on over to Bitten By Books today and RSVP, you'll get entries to win Mark's books! Here's the info from Bitten By Books and you can RSVP HERE.

Join us on 10/14 with author Mark Teppo for a Sound Bites Podcast, chat and contest. This event post goes up at noon Central and runs into the evening. Mark will start answering questions around 12:00 pm Central Daylight Time. For those visiting from outside of the US, here is the time conversion link. We are in the Chicago time zone: http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/

He will be talking about his books and other things.

CONTEST INFO:  Open to readers in the US.

Prizes: 3 sets of the Codex of Souls series includes Lightbreaker and Heartland

RSVP and get 25 entries to the prize portion of the contest when you show up on the day of the event. If you don’t show up and mention your RSVP AND ask a question, your points won’t be entered into the contest.

Cross Post: A Year in the Inkpunks

To help with my goal of blogging three times a week, I'm totally cheating and posting my Inkpunks blog entry I posted today. Stop on by INKPUNKS.COM anytime, there are ten of us emerging authors, editors and artists that blog together. We have two blog posts a week about all aspects of writing, from creation to publication and all things inbetween, as well as some fantastic guest blog posts. Today was my turn, and here's my entry:

It’s been a year since I proposed the idea for this blog and the Inkpunks were formed. A whole year and while the time has flown by, we also can’t believe how much has happened for all us within that year.

We thought we’d take some time to reflect back on the year with the Inkpunks. The most obvious change is that we’ve grown and we’re now at ten members, but that’s not all. We’ve also grown an astounding amount in publishing, editing and slush reading credits, we have increased our readership, have had people asking us if they could guest blog (crazy, right?) and most of all we’ve grown as a group dynamic and as individuals. It’s amazing what can be accomplished by the uplifting force of positive, encouraging people come together to support each other and the writing community. I have learned so much from my Inkpunks, not just about the writing world, but about life in general, that I feel blessed to know each and every one of them.

In the last year, I’ve sold two stories, polished and queried a novel and written another one. Throughout the process, the Inkpunks have been there, to bounce ideas off of, to give critiques and most of all to provide encouragement along the way.

I attended so many great conferences and conventions over the past year, all of them highlights for different reasons, too many to go into in this blog post. I’ve gotten to be on panels at World Horror, World Fantasy and VCon, which I love. The absolute best part was this year I DID get to meet every single Inkpunk in person and give them real hugs instead of virtual ones. Every Inpunk is now the proud (or embarrassed) owners of a handmade scarf from me. I decided to make scarves to match their personalities because we’re all so unique and I love that about us.

Speaking of personalities, I split mine into two. I took my sandrawickham.com website and devoted it to writing and started a new one at sandrawickhamfitness.com that deals with my fitness career. I take this as a good sign, that I have enough going on with both that I needed two websites.

What else? This past year I’ve joined the Functional Nerds as the Fitness Nerd columnist, along with several other Inkpunks who also double as Functional Nerds. I started a podcast series for Bitten By Books where I interview my favourite urban fantasy authors and I’ve been interviewed myself for several podcasts. I’ve also become a slush reader for Lightspeed Magazine.

Another thing I’m proud of is that I’ve stuck with martial arts training. Last year at this time I would’ve been a gold belt, and now I’ve just promoted to my high purple belt. It’s helped me in my writing, I’ve sat on panels about writing about fighting and I can’t wait to keep moving up the ranks.

It truly has been a great year. I know I am probably forgetting things to highlight (we had TWO Inkpunk weddings this year!) but that’s the great thing about having a group behind you, whatever I’ve forgotten, someone else will be sure to point out in their post.

I keep a picture on my fridge that a friend’s daughter, Stephanie coloured. I keep it because it strikes me as an excellent example of how to live life every time I see it. At the top of the picture of a kitten, it clearly states, “Color all the spaces with a C gray. Color all the spaces with a c pink.” Stephanie has proceeded to colour the kitten with all the colours of the rainbow, blue, purple, red, orange, green and I love it. I think the kitten looks much more original, interesting and happy for its multi-coloured fur. That’s also how I think of the Inkpunks. Without them being such a big part of my life, I probably would still be colouring the proper sections with gray and pink. My Inkpunks make me want to colour with blue, purple, red, orange and green, in my writing and in my life and I know I’m a better person for it.

Thanks to the Inkpunks and all of those who support us. We look forward to another great year.

Friday Five - Oct 7th, 2011

Last week's Friday Five was fun, so I'm going to do it again. This is also kind of like the flash round I do at the end of my Sound Bites podcast episodes for Bitten By Books. Always a lot of fun and informative! 

1. Coffee or tea?

2. Morning person or night person?

3. Favourite TV show when you were a kid. A teenager/twenty something? Now? (ok, that's kind of more than one question)

4. What movie did you see when you were young, before you should have? (content or fear factor)

5. Weirdest thing sitting on your desk? (or around it)

My Answers:

1. Coffee or tea?
Tea!
2. Morning person or night person?
I used to be a morning person, till I turned into a Vampire, I guess. Now I seem to be a night person.

3. Favourite TV show when you were a kid. A teenager/twenty something? Now? (ok, that's kind of more than one question)

Ack, why do I ask these tough questions? I really should think about having to answer them when I write them down..When I was little I really liked normal kid shows but I think Mr Dressup was my favourite. Let's see, I watched Xena, young hercules (yeah, I did), then later, Friends, and for some reason in university we watched the Price is Right a lot. Now, I am into the Amazing Race, Law and Order SVU, the Deadliest Catch, Supernatural, Fringe..wow. I watch too much TV. I'm also catching up on shows I missed because I either didn't get the channels or I was too busy partying and travelling. (ahem)

4. What movie did you see when you were young, before you should have? (content or fear factor)
WATERSHIP DOWN! I'm still traumatized. I don't want to say how old I was because that will hint my age, but, I saw it in the THEATER on the huge screen when I was just a wee one. Had nightmares forEVER. Watched it again several years ago, it still creeps me out.

5. Weirdest thing sitting on your desk? (or around it)
Hunh. What a weird question to ask. :P Might be the spray bottle I have for shooting at boy cat when he scratches my writing chair.

Why Write Short Stories?

At the 2011 World Horror Convention, I went to a panel called Why We Write Short Stories. I consider myself more of a "novelist" even though I've sold short stories and haven't sold a novel yet. Author Guest of Honour, Joe Hill was on this panel as well as some other great short story writers. This was an interesting panel for me, and I thought I'd share what I learned there with you.

Suzanne Church, a Canadian author said it was a way for her to build a brand and said, "I want people to know my name." This has been true for me. Being published in Evolve and Evolve 2 has led to many opportunities to do appearances, signings and readings, that I wouldn't have yet if I'd only be focused on writing my novels. I now can call myself a published author! (I'm still working on the novelist part)

Brad Sinor said short stories are a great way to teach ourselves about making a deadline. He also said the longest distance for a writer is from the brain to the page, which I thought was a fantastic line. Just get it down, he told us. He also told us that Roger Zelazny would always write a short story about his main character to get to know them. I think that's a great reason to write a short story, to improve your novel!

Joe Hill said for him, the short story form is the "great classroom." He told us he spent three years writing an epic fantasy that didn't sell, and then wrote short stories because he needed to learn the skills of writing (dialogue, etc) faster. If you haven't read Joe Hill's short stories I highly recommend them. They are incredible.

Do you have your own reasons for writing short stories?

Vamping at VCon

I'm really tired, which is a good sign that I had a great time this past weekend at VCon 36! I got to dress up as a vampire for the Book Launch to read from Evolve, I sat on six panels, spent time talking to some great authors and enjoyed a few (ahem) drinks with friends. Larry Niven was this year's author Guest of Honour and I got to be on two panels with him. To say that was crazy is an understatement. I can't wait to brag about it to my oldest brother, Wes. ;)

Here's some quick highlights and pictures. (I never take enough pictures!)

I am so glad I had the opportunity to attend and be on a panel with Phoebe Kitanidis, pronounced "kitten eat us." What? Don't give me that look, that's what she told us. Pheobe is the author of the YA novel Whisper. She's simply fabulous! I can't wait to read her book and I'm hoping to run into her at some cons in the future. You can learn more about her here: Phoebe Kitanidis and follow her on twitter here: @phoebekitanidis.

I got to chat with some awesome authors like Rhea Rose, Mary Choo, Linda Demeulemeester (still can't pronounce her name), Casey Wolf, Donna McMahon, Lynda Williams, and Eileen Kernaghan as well as EDGE publishers Brian and Anita Hades and Ian Alexander Martin from Atomic Fez. I also got to hang out and have a few drinks with Joseph Picard who I met last year at VCon and we've continued to stay in touch online. Joe is a writer and all around hilarious dude. You can find his books and other shannanigens, here at Ozero.ca. You have to check out "Ozero versus The Ninjas," which he describes as "The epic tale of a guy stuck in a wheelchair (me), and one of many struggles against the ninjas which attack me frequently, and how my wife refuses to believe."

The book launch was fun, we got to hear a lot of great authors and I took full advantage of the occassion to dress up in my new vampire costume. Unfortunately, I didn't think to get a full shot of the whole costume!!





With my friends and writing partners, Leanne (also in Evolve2!) and Kristi (also on panels at VCon).


By wonderful coincidence, the Vampire panel I was on was scheduled for after the Book Launch so I stayed in my costume while we went to get a drink at the bar, here's my Inkpunk Erika Holt, all the way from Calgary, and Leanne and Kristi absorbed in conversation.



Here's I am on the vampire panel, I don't know what the heck I'm saying, but I just thought they were funny pics.





Here's Kristi on her VERY first panel at a convention, The Science Flaw! I was like a proud mom. She did a GREAT job and I did notice on both her panels, even the panelists were asking her questions. That's how hard she rocks!



Overall, a great con and I look forward to VCon 37 next year!

Blog Experiment: Friday Five

To stick with my goal of blogging three times a week, I thought I might occassionally try doing a "Friday Five." Someone used to do this on a forum I belonged to and I always thought it was fun. I ask five random (or themed, if I'm feeling smart) questions and anyone can answer them. Let's see what happens. It's fun and it has a "let's get to know each other feel." I'll start out nice and simple for the first one. ;)

1. What's your favourite time of year and why?

2. Favourite book you've read in the last 6 months?

3. What's your dream vacation spot? (staying home counts)

4. Dragons or dragonslayers?

5. What movie do you most often quote?

My answers:

1. What's your favourite time of year and why?

My answer used to be summer, but now I love fall because of all the great conventions!!

2. Favourite book you've read in the last 6 months?

Ack, why did I ask this one? LOL. I read Kim Harrison's latest, I love all her stuff, but I think I'd have to say Pat Rothfuss, The Wise Man's Fear.

3. What's your dream vacation spot? (staying home counts)

The Cove at the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas. Went there for a poker tournament, can't wait to go back.

4. Dragons or dragonslayers?

Dragons!!

5. What movie do you most often quote?

The Hangover

VCON 36

This weekend, September 30th to October 2nd, is VCON, Vancouver's premier science fiction and fantasy convention. I'm excited to be even more involved this year, with six panels, a book launch (for which I will be dressing up as a vampire and reading from Evolve 2!) and an official reading time slot all to myself! I'm on some interesting panels, I'm really looking forward to "Old School Vampires," "Strong in Body, Stronger in Mind," (the fitness for creative people panel I introduced last year), "Food in SF," and "Writing About Fighting."

VCON was the first convention I attended back in 2008 and they happened to have two author guests of honour that year, Kelley Armstrong and Patrick Rothfuss. I learned SO much from both of them and had such a great overall experience at the convention, it sparked my love of conventions where I have met some of my closest friends and writing partners.

If you happen to be in the Vancouver area, come join us! Here's a link to the VCON website. If you are going to be there, come visit me at the book launch on Friday night or stop in for my reading on Saturday! I will be giving out candies and chocolate. That's right. I'm not above giving out bribes to have people come listen to me read, though I might make us all go to the hotel gym after. (kidding!) I promise you a sugar high and lots of laughs. Hope to see you there!

Cat Shelter Trip

I belong to a fabulous group of people, called the Creative Geeks. We meet up to do crafty projects together and we decided to make cat blankets for Katie's Place cat shelter where one of our Geeks volunteers. A few of us headed out to the shelter with the blankets, donations and strict pacts between us that we wouldn't bring any cats home. No, I didn't bring any home, though I desperately wanted to!

Since I've committed to blogging three times a week, I thought I'd share the day with you. If you're a cat lover, I apologize in advance for the adorable shelter kitten pics. I'll warn you, you're going to want to go rescue them all!!

I made five blankets for this trip, here are the last three. My blanket tester was being a diva and didn't want her picture taken.



All blankets and donations ready to go! My mom gave me some old towels and cat food to take as well, I donated some of our old cats toys that certain cats turn their noses up at, some food and cleaning supplies. :)



Here's Margaret, our Geek connection at the shelter (she volunteers there!), one of the kitties and the organizer of the Creative Geeks, our Borg Queen, Serena.



This is kind of a long shot showing the different rooms for the cats and the set up they have.



I wanted to take pictures of every single cat but my memory card filled up while I was there because it's full of pictures of our cats. Figures. Here's the ones I did get.

This guy I just thought was gorgeous and as soon as I got close, he started purring. A lot of them did that and it makes me want to go back and pet them every day, poor little things.



Cat in a box!!!



One of the volunteers brought out a toy I'd brought and gave it to this little girl. She played with it and immediately claimed it. When I walked away, they were trying to see if she would give it up and she wouldn't!



They're definitely well fed there. This big boy came up to me and flopped right down for a belly rub and wasn't shy about enjoy it!

I

I didn't even find out the name of this guy or girl, but we definitely bonded.



Of all the cats, these were the ones that got to me the most. They have one room that's all cats with FIV (feline Immunodeficiency Virus) and FeLV (feline leukemia virus), meaning they probably don't have long to live. They were the sweetest, cuddliest bunch, who, according to one of the volunteers, always get along without any hissing or fighting. 



I sat down and the two of them each took a turn on my lap.



This guy was also super friendly inside. When I went out to the open air room to see the other FIV/FeLV cats, all three of them followed me out and stuck close. When I put my purse down, he curled right up against it. The black cat laid at my feet. If I didn't already have two cats, I wouldn't taken these three home to give them the best possible home for the time they had left.





This girl was out in the open part of the shelter with the volunteers on a big cushy chair. The reason? She has stomach cancer, so she was being spoiled. Margaret told us one person brought her chicken nuggets that day and that a couple of people were bringing her smoked salmon. Sounds like she'll continue to be spoiled until the last possible second.



I'm going to start making new blankets and I'm going to go back out to visit the cats as soon as I can. I hope I'll get to see my FIV and FeLV friends again.

Thanks for sharing this with me and if you get a chance, pop in to your local pet shelter! They always need help, donations and if you can't adopt a pet, they'd love someone to visit them. :)