*Don't forget to enter our Kissing Contest here! Win the YA book of choice!! You have until Wednesday, Feb. 16th!*
Today, for Valentine's Day, I thought I'd share one of my favorite romantic moments in all film. It's not a kissing scene, but it makes me melt Every. Time.
So watch! And you're welcome. ;)
Monday, February 14, 2011
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Revised Rules!! EASIER CONTEST!
So due to the overwhelming number of entries for our Kissing Contest . . . (*cough*) (Or maybe due to the fact that we feel like the kid who threw the party that no one came to . . . /sad clown)
We're changing the rules to our contest! And making it much easier to enter!!! So . . . enter! Don't you want that YA book you've been dreaming of to show up on your doorstep?! Well it's never been easier!
New Rules:
1. Write a 15 page kissing scene, with at least three metaphors per page, and at least fifty lines of clever, but poignant dialogue
wait a minute . . . Strike that. Reverse it. (*wipes a tear* Gotta love Gene Wilder.)
The *Real* NEW, IMPROVED, EASIER Rules (plus more gratuitous kissing pics!):
You can enter in three ways:
1. Suggest a Literary Love Mashup in the comments section! Who should be together this Valentine's Day, and why?
2. Or you can still write a Literary Love Mashup kissing scene for extra Bonus points. :) (Either post in the comments section or email to Renee: 1wrenbird AT gmail DOT com)
3. Share your favorite KISS from a book or movie in the comments section.
Also:
1. You need to be a follower of the blog.
2. Bonus points if you tweet or blog about the contest!
3. Only U.S. residents eligible for book prize, but we're working on an alternate prize to those outside the U.S.
So there it is! Enter! You have until Wednesday, February 16th! And before you go, here's one more kiss picture.
(har har har)
We're changing the rules to our contest! And making it much easier to enter!!! So . . . enter! Don't you want that YA book you've been dreaming of to show up on your doorstep?! Well it's never been easier!
New Rules:
1. Write a 15 page kissing scene, with at least three metaphors per page, and at least fifty lines of clever, but poignant dialogue
wait a minute . . . Strike that. Reverse it. (*wipes a tear* Gotta love Gene Wilder.)
The *Real* NEW, IMPROVED, EASIER Rules (plus more gratuitous kissing pics!):
You can enter in three ways:
1. Suggest a Literary Love Mashup in the comments section! Who should be together this Valentine's Day, and why?
2. Or you can still write a Literary Love Mashup kissing scene for extra Bonus points. :) (Either post in the comments section or email to Renee: 1wrenbird AT gmail DOT com)
3. Share your favorite KISS from a book or movie in the comments section.
Also:1. You need to be a follower of the blog.
2. Bonus points if you tweet or blog about the contest!
3. Only U.S. residents eligible for book prize, but we're working on an alternate prize to those outside the U.S.
So there it is! Enter! You have until Wednesday, February 16th! And before you go, here's one more kiss picture.
(har har har)
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Our First Contest!
Yes! That day has finally come. A contest on Midnight Meditations. Just in time for Valentine's Day! And here's the best part, it's a . . .
KISSING CONTEST!
That's right, we are having a contest to celebrate the favored pastime of February 14th: Kissing. Smooching. Snogging. Macking. Frenching. Sucking Face. Making out. Hot n' Heavy. Tonsil Hockey. Gettin' it on. Going at it. (Have I left anything out?)
Now before you get all excited, no, we are not hiring a squad of Latin Lovers to visit the homes of our blog readers. My apologies. We tried, but there was a snafu with paperwork from the Latin Lovers League, and long story short, no can do.
So we thought instead we'd do what writers do best: make up fun kissing scenes! Yep, we want you to write us an awesome kissing scene. It can be funny. Romantic. Tragic. Or even the ever-taunting "almost kiss."
And what would a contest be without a PRIZE?
The winner of this contest will get to select any currently on the shelves YA romance novel they want!! Because I think YA does romance right. And have the BEST kisses! :) (Note: By romance novel, I mean the story has to be YA, and it should have at least SOME romance. Because why would you want to read a book with no romance? /judging)
The Contest:
Write a short kissing scene (Min. 50 words, Max. 300 words)
You must use existing characters in literature or film. And they CANNOT be from the same book or movie. We're going for a Literary Love Mashup Vibe. See HERE for inspiration. You are welcome to use the couples we created, but feel free to make your own! The more creative the better. (Bonus points if a picture is included!)
Post the scene in the comment section of this post, or email to Renee. 1wrenbird AT gmail DOT com.
Contest ends Wednesday, February 16th. Diana and I will pick our favorite as the winner. (And then email you to see which AMAZING YA love story you want!)
The Rules:
1. Bonus points if you are a follower of the blog.
2. Extra bonus points if you tweet about the contest!
3. PG-13 ratings por favor. (But a tasteful boob grab might be overlooked. . . )
4. U.S residents only (Sorry!! Truly. :( It's a shipping thing, yo.)
KISSING CONTEST!
That's right, we are having a contest to celebrate the favored pastime of February 14th: Kissing. Smooching. Snogging. Macking. Frenching. Sucking Face. Making out. Hot n' Heavy. Tonsil Hockey. Gettin' it on. Going at it. (Have I left anything out?)
Now before you get all excited, no, we are not hiring a squad of Latin Lovers to visit the homes of our blog readers. My apologies. We tried, but there was a snafu with paperwork from the Latin Lovers League, and long story short, no can do.So we thought instead we'd do what writers do best: make up fun kissing scenes! Yep, we want you to write us an awesome kissing scene. It can be funny. Romantic. Tragic. Or even the ever-taunting "almost kiss."
And what would a contest be without a PRIZE?
The winner of this contest will get to select any currently on the shelves YA romance novel they want!! Because I think YA does romance right. And have the BEST kisses! :) (Note: By romance novel, I mean the story has to be YA, and it should have at least SOME romance. Because why would you want to read a book with no romance? /judging)
The Contest:
Write a short kissing scene (Min. 50 words, Max. 300 words)
You must use existing characters in literature or film. And they CANNOT be from the same book or movie. We're going for a Literary Love Mashup Vibe. See HERE for inspiration. You are welcome to use the couples we created, but feel free to make your own! The more creative the better. (Bonus points if a picture is included!)
Post the scene in the comment section of this post, or email to Renee. 1wrenbird AT gmail DOT com.
Contest ends Wednesday, February 16th. Diana and I will pick our favorite as the winner. (And then email you to see which AMAZING YA love story you want!)
The Rules:
1. Bonus points if you are a follower of the blog.
2. Extra bonus points if you tweet about the contest!
3. PG-13 ratings por favor. (But a tasteful boob grab might be overlooked. . . )
4. U.S residents only (Sorry!! Truly. :( It's a shipping thing, yo.)
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Timing
The very first thing I did when we found out I was pregnant with our second child was to call Renee, then my parents, then all my friends. I couldn't help it. I know some people wait for months to tell others, and we did wait with our first, but this time I was just too darn excited.
I am the same way with my writing. The minute I get a new idea, I feel the urge to tell someone. And as soon as I begin writing the first magical pages, I am dying to have someone read them. Lately, however, I have been feeling that, at least with writing, that may not be the best move.
With my last two stories, I started out with so much excitement and was writing up a storm, only to have the momentum mysteriously die soon after someone had read the first pages. So I am beginning to wonder, am I letting my fledgling idea out into the world too soon?
What do you think?
I am the same way with my writing. The minute I get a new idea, I feel the urge to tell someone. And as soon as I begin writing the first magical pages, I am dying to have someone read them. Lately, however, I have been feeling that, at least with writing, that may not be the best move.
With my last two stories, I started out with so much excitement and was writing up a storm, only to have the momentum mysteriously die soon after someone had read the first pages. So I am beginning to wonder, am I letting my fledgling idea out into the world too soon?
What do you think?
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Photoshop Friday
(As you've probably already deduced, we rarely actually get to Photoshop Friday on Friday . . . But better whenever than never, right?)
As a new writer, just starting to explore the advice and camaraderie available in the online writing community, it's easy to fall victim to information overload. We hear certain ideas again and again, and something starts to happen . . .
The new writer reads between the lines of this usually well-intentioned advice and determines new, INDISPUTABLE TRUTHS. Truths that fill us with both fear and the hearty determination of the proletariat. But the new writer isn't the only one to feel the fear. Who among us has not pondered these "facts" at one point or another?
The Party is Always Right
The first "truth" that haunts every writer is the that of Publishing's TICKING CLOCK. Time is running out. If you don't finish this book, edit it, get an agent, and go on submission soon, you'll miss your chance! Publishing will be over! No one reads books now! And no one will print paper books anyway! You'll spend the rest of your miserable life mourning the DREAM THAT DIED BECAUSE YOU WERE TOO SLOW!!!
Work! Work! FASTER!
So you finish your book on time? It's not going to help unless you're doing everything you should. No publisher will touch you unless you've built up your platform! Do you have a blog? You'd better. Does it have a good following? (You call that good?) What about Twitter? If your follow-to-following ratio isn't impressive, no publisher will touch you. Are you networking? Kissing all the right butts? If not, you'll never get that awesome blurb, and (you guessed it) NO PUBLISHER WILL TOUCH YOU.
The Party says: Social Media is the only way . . .
Look, in the end, there's no point doing any of this if your book isn't amazing. Right? The Party demands perfect characters, snappy voice, and a flawlessly flowing plot. Don't have that? No? What do you think your chances are? Why bother trying? I mean, for realz.
Fact: if editors don't weep with happiness while reading your book, it's over.
Don't you want foreign rights? They'd better feel this way about your book.
I'll repeat the question I asked at the beginning: who among us hasn't had the words of The Party ring in our ears from time to time? I know I have. In fact, I'd say I'm visited by the Party two to three times a week.
But we all know what the real truth is, right? Let's all hold hands and repeat after me: The Party is always WRONG.
How about you? Any other slogans echoing in your mind?
As a new writer, just starting to explore the advice and camaraderie available in the online writing community, it's easy to fall victim to information overload. We hear certain ideas again and again, and something starts to happen . . .
The new writer reads between the lines of this usually well-intentioned advice and determines new, INDISPUTABLE TRUTHS. Truths that fill us with both fear and the hearty determination of the proletariat. But the new writer isn't the only one to feel the fear. Who among us has not pondered these "facts" at one point or another?
The Party is Always Right
The first "truth" that haunts every writer is the that of Publishing's TICKING CLOCK. Time is running out. If you don't finish this book, edit it, get an agent, and go on submission soon, you'll miss your chance! Publishing will be over! No one reads books now! And no one will print paper books anyway! You'll spend the rest of your miserable life mourning the DREAM THAT DIED BECAUSE YOU WERE TOO SLOW!!!
Work! Work! FASTER!So you finish your book on time? It's not going to help unless you're doing everything you should. No publisher will touch you unless you've built up your platform! Do you have a blog? You'd better. Does it have a good following? (You call that good?) What about Twitter? If your follow-to-following ratio isn't impressive, no publisher will touch you. Are you networking? Kissing all the right butts? If not, you'll never get that awesome blurb, and (you guessed it) NO PUBLISHER WILL TOUCH YOU.
The Party says: Social Media is the only way . . .Look, in the end, there's no point doing any of this if your book isn't amazing. Right? The Party demands perfect characters, snappy voice, and a flawlessly flowing plot. Don't have that? No? What do you think your chances are? Why bother trying? I mean, for realz.
Fact: if editors don't weep with happiness while reading your book, it's over.
Don't you want foreign rights? They'd better feel this way about your book.I'll repeat the question I asked at the beginning: who among us hasn't had the words of The Party ring in our ears from time to time? I know I have. In fact, I'd say I'm visited by the Party two to three times a week.
But we all know what the real truth is, right? Let's all hold hands and repeat after me: The Party is always WRONG.
How about you? Any other slogans echoing in your mind?
Friday, January 28, 2011
Photoshop Friday
Or will it be just a link? *evil laugh*
But before you boo me off the stage, let me tell you that this link leads to my good friend Natalie Whipple's blog. Now you're all cheering. Because Natalie rocks. And given the HUGE amount of followers she has to her blog, you probably already know and love her.
Anyway, Natalie has this awesome weekly feature called Happy Writer's Society, and she asked me to guest post. So I did, with a Photoshop Friday. Yes, I do love hitting two birds with one stone.
Actually . . . I'd never hit a bird with a stone. That's just mean.
But before you boo me off the stage, let me tell you that this link leads to my good friend Natalie Whipple's blog. Now you're all cheering. Because Natalie rocks. And given the HUGE amount of followers she has to her blog, you probably already know and love her.
Anyway, Natalie has this awesome weekly feature called Happy Writer's Society, and she asked me to guest post. So I did, with a Photoshop Friday. Yes, I do love hitting two birds with one stone.
Actually . . . I'd never hit a bird with a stone. That's just mean.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Twin Talk Tuesday
Today we thought about discussing some important topics in writing. Something powerful. Meaningful. Something that people would always remember.
And then we decided that was too much pressure, so instead we're going to talk about something fun.
So without further ado, I present to you our topic of the week. Character Pet Peeves. Or rather, characters that encapsulate our pet peeves.
Diana: So, the other day I watched this movie ( Which will remain unnamed lest it is your fave flix) Anyways, one of the characters totally bugged me. She was a super hot, Butt Kicking™ computer genius . . .working for the Pentagon of course!
Renee: She's Super Woman.
Diana: I was like, Really? Can't she just be smart and work for the Pentagon? Isn't that cool enough?
Renee: That bugs me too. Where are the slacker chicks?
Diana: And its not enough that she is smart and awesome. She also has to be HOT— perfect hair, perfect bod, sassy stilettos.
Renee: And BTW, she's not just "smart," she has a genius IQ.
Diana: Natch.
Renee: But she's also quick with the hilarious and sassy one liners! She's no nerd!
Diana: Sidenote: If my husband reads this he'll think I'm being catty :)
Renee: HA. Men. But you see, it's not necessarily the character we're mad at. It's the writer!
Diana: True.
Renee: Speaking of sassy one liners, my pet peeve is the precocious, but adorable, and Infinitely Wise kid brother/sister. The kind of character that makes me wonder if the writer has ever met actual children.
Diana: Seriously.
Renee: There's also the opposite, which bothers me as well. The child as an obnoxious terror—there to read the MC's diary, embarrass them in front of the Love Interest, or run away in the last act of the book, and cause everyone to evaluate their motivations
Diana: I don't know . . . I can relate to the whole "pesky sibling" problem.
Renee: *glares*
Diana: I kid because I love!
To be fair, those characters can be good and interesting as long as they are believable—
Renee: No-no-no. This post isn't about being fair. I just want to talk trash.
Diana: Oh I can talk trash.
Renee: Bring it.
Diana: Okay. Here's pet peeve number two: The meathead jock. Recognizable in the letterman's jacket, the Meathead can be found: throwing scrawny kids against lockers, strutting down the halls surrounded by several other nameless jocks, and pulling crazy pranks
Renee: Yep. And he's always getting drunk at parties. And sleeping with the drunk cheerleaders.
Diana: Yes, yes How could I forget?
Renee: This one is similar to my other pet peeve: The Lovable Lothario.
I know I'm going to annoy a lot of people, but I didn't like Iron Man. Why? Tony Stark. He's the "endearingly" cocky bad boy, who beds women left and right, but never remembers their names. He recklessly spends his gobs of cash, and drives a motorcycle or flashy car. He's full of himself, but ya can't hate him, cuz he's witty and OH-SO-COOL. He's got "swagger" as Ke$ha would say.
Diana: Never doubt the wisdom of Ke$sha.
Renee: *nods obediently*
Diana: Remember Ren, "Boys will be boys!" ;)
Renee: Ha! That's exactly why men like the Lovable Lothario. Because they wish they WERE him. And women, well they fantasize about being The One to Tame Him.
Diana: *envisions herself taming Robert Downey Jr....*
Renee: You see?!! You're as bad as the rest. I'm disappointed in you, sis.
Diana: *hangs head in shame*
Renee: haha. Ah, this has been fun.
Diana: Nothing like starting the day with some good old fashioned trash talk...
Renee: MM-hm
Diana: Though, I think we need a picture of Care Bears hugging or something. In case we offended anyone..:)
Renee: Done. And remember, one person's pet peeve is another persons favorite, yadda yadda yadda.
What about you? What kind of character gets under your skin?
And then we decided that was too much pressure, so instead we're going to talk about something fun.
So without further ado, I present to you our topic of the week. Character Pet Peeves. Or rather, characters that encapsulate our pet peeves.
Diana: So, the other day I watched this movie ( Which will remain unnamed lest it is your fave flix) Anyways, one of the characters totally bugged me. She was a super hot, Butt Kicking™ computer genius . . .working for the Pentagon of course!
Renee: She's Super Woman.
Diana: I was like, Really? Can't she just be smart and work for the Pentagon? Isn't that cool enough?
Renee: That bugs me too. Where are the slacker chicks?
Diana: And its not enough that she is smart and awesome. She also has to be HOT— perfect hair, perfect bod, sassy stilettos.
Renee: And BTW, she's not just "smart," she has a genius IQ.
Diana: Natch.
Renee: But she's also quick with the hilarious and sassy one liners! She's no nerd!
Diana: Sidenote: If my husband reads this he'll think I'm being catty :)
Renee: HA. Men. But you see, it's not necessarily the character we're mad at. It's the writer!
Diana: True.
Renee: Speaking of sassy one liners, my pet peeve is the precocious, but adorable, and Infinitely Wise kid brother/sister. The kind of character that makes me wonder if the writer has ever met actual children.
Diana: Seriously.
Renee: There's also the opposite, which bothers me as well. The child as an obnoxious terror—there to read the MC's diary, embarrass them in front of the Love Interest, or run away in the last act of the book, and cause everyone to evaluate their motivations
Diana: I don't know . . . I can relate to the whole "pesky sibling" problem.
Renee: *glares*
Diana: I kid because I love!
To be fair, those characters can be good and interesting as long as they are believable—
Renee: No-no-no. This post isn't about being fair. I just want to talk trash.
Diana: Oh I can talk trash.
Renee: Bring it.
Diana: Okay. Here's pet peeve number two: The meathead jock. Recognizable in the letterman's jacket, the Meathead can be found: throwing scrawny kids against lockers, strutting down the halls surrounded by several other nameless jocks, and pulling crazy pranks
Renee: Yep. And he's always getting drunk at parties. And sleeping with the drunk cheerleaders.
Diana: Yes, yes How could I forget?
Renee: This one is similar to my other pet peeve: The Lovable Lothario.
I know I'm going to annoy a lot of people, but I didn't like Iron Man. Why? Tony Stark. He's the "endearingly" cocky bad boy, who beds women left and right, but never remembers their names. He recklessly spends his gobs of cash, and drives a motorcycle or flashy car. He's full of himself, but ya can't hate him, cuz he's witty and OH-SO-COOL. He's got "swagger" as Ke$ha would say.
Diana: Never doubt the wisdom of Ke$sha.
Renee: *nods obediently*
Diana: Remember Ren, "Boys will be boys!" ;)
Renee: Ha! That's exactly why men like the Lovable Lothario. Because they wish they WERE him. And women, well they fantasize about being The One to Tame Him.
Diana: *envisions herself taming Robert Downey Jr....*
Renee: You see?!! You're as bad as the rest. I'm disappointed in you, sis.
Diana: *hangs head in shame*
Renee: haha. Ah, this has been fun.
Diana: Nothing like starting the day with some good old fashioned trash talk...
Renee: MM-hm
Diana: Though, I think we need a picture of Care Bears hugging or something. In case we offended anyone..:)
Renee: Done. And remember, one person's pet peeve is another persons favorite, yadda yadda yadda.
What about you? What kind of character gets under your skin?
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