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. :)

Blog Challenge Accepted

I keep falling off the blogging wagon. I did pretty well there for awhile, blogging every time I worked out (I forget who on LJ suggested that, but thanks!) and I was successful with that for a long time. Then I went on some trips and the blog posts just fell away. I've been wanting to get back into it, I've done a few posts lately (have you noticed?!) and then I came across Julie Issac's Online Blog Challenge.

I LOVE A CHALLENGE!!


Julie is an award winning author, Content Creation Coach and the founder of the website WritingSpirit.com. She's on twitter as @WritingSpirit and hosts #WriteChat. The purpose is to make your blog "shine" by posting on a regular schedule for 100 days, beginning today and ending at the end of the year.



Julie tells us: "Blogging is an essential part of your platform. It helps you build an audience and connect with them, be seen as an expert and establish your credibility, test ideas and get feedback, create content that can be repurposed and gain visibility on the web, and above all, promote your books, brand, services, and other products."

From Julie's website:

Why S.H.I.N.E. Online? Because your blog is your home base, it's where people get to know you. In creating an online presence, your blog is your best opportunity to shine online! Every single blog post gives you another opportunity to S.H.I.N.E. To:

        Stand out
        Help
        Inspire
        Navigate
        Engage

I signed up and committed to blogging three times a week for the next 100 days. According to Julie's first blog today, three posts a week will be 42 posts. Forty-two posts! She encourages us to think about applying some structure to our 100 days of posts. I'm still thinking it over, but I think I'd like to try to do one post a week that's a "Tips from the Pros" topic, writing about the things I've learned from conventions, conferences and conversations with Professional authors. The other two times a week? I think I might just let myself be me, since that's what I'm best at, and blog about whatever I want to share that day. There's a mailing list for blog tips, articles and blog challenge updates to keep everyone on track.

So if you're like me and need a kick in the pants when it comes to blogging, why not join me? It's easy. Sign up here: http://blog.writingspirit.com/2011/09/2011-shine-online-blogging-challenge.html