Hailey Rose's Blog, page 5

The Christmas Blogging Break

It seems like almost everyone in the blogosphere is taking a break for Christmas. I wasn’t going to do it this year….my plan was to have a few guest posters to take the load off me while still recovering from surgery. But I think it will be best if I take a short break from blogging over the holidays. Everyone is so busy and hardly has time for reading blogs, anyway!  ;-)

 

So, dear friends, I will see you again in January! Merry Christmas!!!

The post The Christmas Blogging Break appeared first on Lakeside Publications.

The Official Guide to Writing a Left-Handed Character

Today I welcome my wonderful friend, Abigayle Claire! As most of you already know, she’s an awesome person, an incredible writer, and one of the most amazing friends ever! Writing unique characters is a challenge for anyone, so today, Abi is going to give us some insight on writing left handed characters.

~~~~

 

 

If you know that I blog at The Left-Handed Typist, then you can probably guess: I’m left-handed (and proud of it).

 

Anytime I’m writing a new book, I create characters who go through something or have some attribute that I know nothing about! And that leads me to think of people I know who could provide some inside information.

 

Well, today’s your lucky day, because I’m here to provide you with a firsthand account of being left-handed. (See what I did there?) Consider this the official guide.

 

First, the insight:

it makes eating more difficult (leftie + rightie = elbow wars)
“watch me” doesn’t work; they have to reverse any directional demonstration
lefties have to pay more for sports equipment, or just make do (I have a left-handed gun)
they will always be the odd one out as left is their directional preference for everything
scissors actually don’t work with a left hand no matter what
old-fashioned school desks don’t work (trust me, I had one)
lefties crochet in the opposite direction to form their rows
they have to wear watches and bracelets on their right hand
mouses and numerical keypads are on the wrong side of the computer

I also have a few “facts” that even right-handed people can research, but I’ll save you the trouble. :)

teachers may force you to use your right hand because it’s “normal”
“your way” of doing anything will be considered backward
in certain foreign countries, using your left hand (handshake, waving) is offensive
lefties only make up about 10% of the population
but up to 40% of the mentally ill (uh-oh … left-handed villain perhaps?)
International Left-Handers’ Day is August 13
sometimes the odds aren’t even (2-3/7 kids in my family)
right-handed parents can have left-handed children (lots of them, apparently)
lefties are that much more unique!

Now I’m curious! With all the demands for diversity today, I bet it’s never even crossed your mind to create a left-handed character. ;) How many of these facts were new to you? If you have any questions, I’ll be happy to dispel some myths for you.

The post The Official Guide to Writing a Left-Handed Character appeared first on Lakeside Publications.

In 6 Days…

(welp, I did it again. Scheduled a blog post that wasn’t finished yet. -_- MANY APOLOGIES!!!!)

 

 

In six days, I’m having surgery. Again. It’s the same surgery I had in May of this year, but on my other leg. And instead of rewriting everything again, here are the posts I wrote a few months ago that are still 100% relevant. #lazy ;-)

This post explains my Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome:

What Few Ever Know

 

 

 

And this post describes the surgery:

Second Chances

 

Just as with my first surgery, I will be keeping my Instagram updated. The blog won’t go completely silent, either–I have a few awesome guest posters lined up that I hope you will all enjoy!

 

A lot of people have been asking me if I’m excited for this surgery knowing what it’s like. Or if I’m scared to do it again. My answer is BOTH. I really don’t want to do this again, but I’m so grateful for the opportunity to have straight legs, less pain, and a more active life. Such a strange mix of emotions. XD

 

I’ll be stalking all of your blogs in my downtime after surgery, which I’m super excited for!!!! There never seems to be enough time to read all the blogs I want to, and now, I have that time! Mwahahaha.

 

 

(Happy Early Thanksgiving!!!)

 

The post In 6 Days… appeared first on Lakeside Publications.

In 7 Days…

In seven days, I’m having surgery. Again. It’s the same surgery I had in May of this year, but on my other leg. And instead of rewriting everything again, here are the posts I wrote a few months ago that are still 100% relevent. #lazy ;-)

This post explains my Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome:

What Few Ever Know

 

 

 

And this post describes the surgery:

Second Chances

 

Just as with my first surgery, I will be keeping my Instagram updated

 

The post In 7 Days… appeared first on Lakeside Publications.

BOUND Book Release Blog Tour

 

My sweet friend, Victoria, is releasing a new book!!! I’m so excited to be spreading the word about this sweet story.

 

-About the Book-

 

Two souls don’t find each other by simple accident. ~Jorge Luis Borges~

Levi thought he was making this journey alone. But when he meets an eight-year-old girl at the train station, that plan is turned on its head.

Casey is running away and finds out that Levi is too. They decide to journey together and their lives are suddenly bound together in a journey they will not soon forget.

Both children come from abusive situations and are running from the dangers of their previous life. Levi is confident he can handle this on his own, but when Casey is injured on the journey, he must seek help from the first person that comes into his path, or rather people. Mr. and Mrs. Bellworth are simple farm folk with a heart for kids and a passion for serving God. When their unconditional love and gentle care surrounds Levi and Casey, the troubles of their previous lives melt away and they start to flourish. But when Casey is dragged back into the abusive world she came from, the emotional trauma, pain and distrust resurfaces. Will they be forever bound by their past? Or will God answer their prayers?

 

Get it on AMAZON

 

-My Review-

BOUND is a sweet book full of “awwwww!!!” moments as well as tear-jerker moments. The simplicity and power of the writing style makes this story pack a punch. Casey is absolutely adorable, and I feel like the author did a fantastic job of capturing the emotional trauma of a child in and out of foster care and abusive situations. Levi, also, is soooo sweet and precious. He needs a hug. Something I didn’t care for so much was the extreme speed in which Casey was transferred in and out of foster care. Having firsthand experience with foster care, I’ve seen just how painfully slow the system works, and that aspect didn’t seem entirely accurate. Also, the homestudy for Casey’s parents would likely not have been conducted in the way it was. However, I understand that these things had to happen for the sake of the story, and I applaud the author for her accuracy in everything else. :) The epilogue at the end of the book was so adorable and sweet and precious and I loved it!!! This book is a fast, sweet read that I think everyone will enjoy.

 

-Interview with Victoria-

What’s your #1 go-to beverage when writing?

Tea right now. I also enjoy a good Spritzer water. Cran-Raspberry is my favorite.

What do you feel sets your writing apart?

I am a very emotional writer and that channels heavily into my writing. I don’t usually find a book that has the same heavy hand on the emotions and the way the character feels.

What is the emotion when you see a positive review on your books?

I honestly feel blessed. That someone else enjoyed my book really makes me feel so honored that I could have touched someone’s life that way. I have cried over good reviews before. :D

What scene(s) did you edit out of Bound and why?

I actually didn’t edit any out. It was a very strange experience. Bound was a very complete novel from the start. Very little came out and very little was added. I never added or took an entire scene out.

When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Lots of things. LOL! The top options were an EMT, Midwife, NICU nurse, and I also had an interest in Massage Therapy. Wow. I didn’t realize how focused I was on the medical profession! I also was interested in being a cosmetologist. All of those things are still huge interests of mine and if God led that direction, I would willingly and gladly jump on board any of those. :D

Thank you so much for having me Ivy! It has been a pleasure!

 

 

-Giveaway-

 

Giveaway Link

 

 

-About the Author-

 

Victoria Lynn is in her 20s and if she’s not writing, she is probably sewing, singing, playing the piano, washing dishes, creating something with her hands, or learning something new. She has a passion for serving her Creator, encouraging others and being creative. She blogs at www.rufflesandgrace.com about writing, fashion, modesty, her walk with God and life. She lives in Michigan with her parents and 8 siblings.

Blog – Website – Facebook – Goodreads – Pinterest

 

The post BOUND Book Release Blog Tour appeared first on Lakeside Publications.

What’s Happening in November? (vlog)

 

It’s that time again! This vlog felt a lot more rambly and disorganized; I do apologize.

Also, the impending blog break I speak of will not be as dramatic as I make it out to be. ;) My posting schedule may be a little more sparse toward the end of the month, especially right after surgery, but it won’t be down for long.

 

 

~~~~

How was your October?
Are you doing NaNo?

The post What’s Happening in November? (vlog) appeared first on Lakeside Publications.

How to NOT Write Yourself into a Hole

 

I’ll admit it.

I frequently write myself into a hole and can’t get out.

It’s miserable.

Some people call this Writer’s Block. Others call it Lack of Inspiration/Motivation. Sometimes, it stems from needing to take a break.

Whatever you call it, the issue is the same: getting stuck. It happens to seasoned writers as well as newbies, so you’d think someone would have found a way around this, right?

Wrong.

Because the solution is different for everyone.

These are a three ways that help me not write myself into the bottomless pit of doom:

 

//// Rest

This didn’t use to be my first go-to, but recently, I’ve had to start being more in-tune with how much energy I have. When mental or physical exhaustion are present, it’s pretty easy to get “stuck” when the “stuck-ness” is really just tiredness. It’s okay to take a rest. Watch a movie. Walk the dog. Take a nap. Resting is just as important as writing itself.

 

//// Source

Identify the source of the issue. What’s causing you to slow down? Has the story lost it’s joy? Is something in life sapping your strength and passion for writing? Whatever the cause for the delay is, it’s important to identify the problem so you can better know what the solution may be.

 

//// Outline

As a recovering panster, this one is tough for me. I just can’t spend hours upon hours upon hours pre-writing my story before sitting down to draft it. I would die of boredom or from falling asleep on the pointy part of my pencil.

But I still need to outline. I use what I call a skeleton outline, which is a combination of the Snowflake Method and my own method (blog post forthcoming on the matter). However, sometimes my skeleton is a little too dry. Sometimes, in the middle of the story, I need to go back and re-work the outline, add more to it, or if I’ve been really naughty, actually write an outline. (Sometimes I skip this step and greatly regret it.)

 

 

A commonly used solution for getting out of pits is to keep writing, this has proved to be more harmful for me than helpful. It is important to push through the tough stuff and keep going. Sometimes. Often, forcing yourself to do something you don’t want to do will make you hate writing. And none of us want that to happen.

Think of writing as a kind of training game. You enjoy writing, therefore, your brain associates writing with happiness. But when it gets hard, starts to drag, and the joy drains away–yet you still force yourself, you brain begins to associate writing with frustration and anger.

Take your least favorite food. (Mine are cooked beets. >.

There is definitely a time and a place to just keep writing. It isn’t the way to climb out of every hole, though.

 

~~~~

 

What are some ways you get yourself out of holes?

 

 

 

 

The post How to NOT Write Yourself into a Hole appeared first on Lakeside Publications.

Yeah so…

You know those weeks where you literally have no ideas what to post about and there are no legible posts in the drafts folder and the deadline monster eats all well-intentioned hopes of ever having a decent schedule and the entire week pretty much blows up in your face?

That’s what happened last week.

And this week.

I do apologize for my accidental hiatus, but I digress. I’m not perfect (GASP) or anywhere close so I’m here to say that I’m not really here.

This is a pathetic excuse for a blog post, yes, I know. I’m so sorry. I wish I had something of substance to say, but alas … NOPE.

Deadline ate my brain.

More posts coming soon!!! :)

The post Yeah so… appeared first on Lakeside Publications.

What’s Happening in October? (vlog)

 

HELLOOOOO world. I’m feeling rather exuberant right now. :D Mostly because this is my 200th blog post. WHAT?!?!? Can you believe it???? I can’t. I don’t even remember how long I’ve been blogging because I’ve switched blog hosts like three times, but I’m pretty sure this is my third year. (And the dates on my first posts on this blog aren’t right…I copied them all over from my previous blog.)

Also, did ya’ll notice I cleaned up the blog? If not, go notice. I cleaned up the blog. *nodnod*. And my favorite feature–the new header!!! It’s not amazing but I really like it.

About this new vlog series:

Since I’m lazy and didn’t want to write all this out, I took inspiration from Abbiee’s last post and decided that 1) vlogs are awesome and 2) I love them.

So. Here is my What’s Happening in October video. Featuring a very disorganized ME, what’s going on in LIFE, how I’m almost done with another book, and how I’m getting ready for surgery round two.

 

 

In other exciting news, the sweet Livy Jarmusch interviewed me yesterday! You can watch our longgggg, awesome interview here, and be sure to subscribe to Livy and follow her blog!

 

 

 

 

~~~~

What did you think? Should I make monthly looking-ahead videos a thing?

The post What’s Happening in October? (vlog) appeared first on Lakeside Publications.

Short, Sweet Book Reviews

 

The Requests

Everyone knows that authors are pretty much broken records when it comes to book reviews. “Please review my book!” “Reviews are awesome!” “Reviews totally make my day!”

Yeah yeah yeah. We’re all guilty of it. And we all have our own reason for asking.

But even us author admit that writing reviews isn’t fun, especially when you didn’t like the book so much. No one wants to leave a negative review! Aside from that, reviewing books takes time.

 

Quick and Easy–REALLY?

Typical me, I wanted to find the quickest, easiest way possible to write reviews, because of course I want to help my writer friends. This all started clicking in my brain just about the time a fellow blogger friend, Kate Willis, posted this post. I loved reading Kate’s reviews on Goodreads, because they were short, yet told me everything important that I would want to know about the book before reading it (or to decide if I wanted to read it.)

Kate linked back to this post:

 

The Quick and Dirty Guide to Easy Book Reviews

 

It wasn’t immediate, but taking my own spin from both of these posts, I kinda developed my own method of writing reviews. The formula is simple:

What I loved — what I didn’t love — another thing I liked — content warnings

Pretty easy, right? Some people call this the sandwich method, and I think it works beautifully. And it’s easy. That’s four sentences minimum, and I usually max out a six sentences.

 

The Dreaded Star Ratings

I greatly dislike rating books with stars. Seriously. It’s complicated. And because I’ve made the decision not to rate any book lower than 4 stars (author etiquette decision), it raises a challenge. There are some books I just don’t feel right about giving a 4 star rating.

If I can’t give a 4 star rating, I won’t rate it at all. I may still review the book, but I don’t want my opinion to ding an author’s overall rating because my opinion is my opinion. Of course, everyone has to make their own decision about this, and I’m not saying you should do what I do. That’s just what I’ve chosen to do.

 

Writing book reviews doesn’t have to be hard. I made them so hard in the begining that I hated reviewing books. Now, though, with just four or six sentences per review, it doesn’t take much time out of my day AND I can help my author friends out. Win-win, right? :)

 

~~~~

 

Do you have a method of writing book reviews? What was your last 5 star book?

The post Short, Sweet Book Reviews appeared first on Lakeside Publications.