Janette Rallison's Blog, page 58

Cathy W come on down!

Okay, this isn't the Price is Right, but I've always wanted to say that anyway. Cathy W, you won, so email me your address at jrallisonfans at yahoo dot com and I'll send your book to you.

The rest of you, don't despair, I'll be doing another book give away soon.

Win Mother's Daze

One of the funnest parts of going to writers' retreats is meeting new authors and getting their books. Author Jane Still generously donated one of her books to give away on my blog. It's an 82 page Erma-Bombeck style book on the joys of pregnancy and motherhood.

My favorite part was about morning sickness:

I find it ludicrous that some men, including doctors, have the nerve to suppose that throughout the entire span of history, women were so stupid that they couldn't invent a sickness that was a little less repulsive. If I were going to concoct a disease, it would have something to do with eating expensive chocolate. It would not involve sticking my head inside a toilet for a preview of last night's dinner being re-served in the form of warmed-over soup.

So, so true. Do you know who came up with the idea that morning sickness was a psychological phenomena? Freud. Do you know why he thought that? Because he was never pregnant.

Anyway, if you'd like a chance to win Mother's Daze, leave a comment in my blog about your favorite or least favorite part of motherhood. My followers get double chances and if you also happen to be a follower of Jane Still, make sure to mention it and you will get triple chances.

Her blog is at http://janeisfeldstill.blogspot.com/

Editors and Light bulbs

Because I'm still doing revisions (I would be done now if I'd written a 250 page book, but no, I just had to write one that was nearly 400 pages. When will I ever learn?)I thought I would tell an editor joke--but first, here are some writer jokes.

How many science fiction writers does it take to change a light bulb?

Two, but it's actually the same person doing it. He went back in time and met himself in the doorway and then the first one sat on the other one's shoulder so that they were able to reach it. Then a major time paradox occurred and the entire room, light bulb, changer and all was blown out of existence.

How many mystery writers does it take to change a light bulb?

Two. One to screw the bulb almost all the way in, and one to give a surprising twist at the end.

How many editors does it take to change a light bulb?

None. They just find the problems, they don't fix them.

Another book give-away

Angela Fox, who've I've known for years through SCBWI and one of my writing email lists, is doing a Janette Rallison interview and book give-away on her blog. It's a video interview that for some reason (technology hates me) I look like Max Headroom in a couple of places. I must also warn you that I laugh excessively in said video. This is because Angela is hillarious and always makes me laugh.

Here's the link:

http://amusedcritic.com/interviews/sk...

For a chance to win a book, leave a comment in her blog.

The number one reason being an author is a great job

Because you can count reading as work. Here's a 30 second video I did for another author's presentation about why reading is cool.

This cartoon pretty much sums up revisions

Yeah, I'm back to revising . . . and eating cookies . . .

writing gaffes

As I sit here waiting for the UPS man to bring me my latest manuscript so I can wade through my editor's revision comments, I am reminded of the many bloopers I've inadvertently written into early drafts.

I had a nurse who sighed patiently. (Well, how else is she going to sigh?)
I had a guard who looked at the heroine with a guarded expression. (Again, that's a given.)
And of course there is my infamous snake (which you wouldn't want in your mouth) who became a snack during the climax scene. (No...

Random.org has spoken

And today our benefactor of true randomness likes Hall Family. So Hall Family send me your snail mail address at jrallisonfans at yahoo dot com and I'll send you your ARC.

And for the rest of you--I loved all of your wishes and wish I could be fairy godmother and grant them all. But you're probably better off that I'm not. I have a feeling I might be like Chrissy and then instead of having laundry that magically took care of itself, you'd have no clothing.

But never fear, I'll have another give...

My Unfair Godmother ARC giveaway

Now that you've all finished Mockingjay (Do not tell me the ending!!! I'm still not done with it because my teenage daughter got to it first.) I know you're all looking for some other awesome book.

And what could be awesomer (I know that's not a word, but it should be) than catching up with our favorite incompetent fairy godmother, Chrysanthemum Everstar? So here's your chance to win an ARC before they even go to the reviewers.

Just leave a comment telling me what you would do if a fairy godmot...

The difference between hay and straw and why you should know

Actually, you don't need to know the difference between hay and straw, and I'm hoping you think they're interchangeable. That way you won't notice the glaring mistakes in the ARC of My Unfair Godmother.

So call me a city girl—I've never dealt with either plants, and when I was putting my own spin on the story of Rumpelstiltskin I called the straw hay half the time. I even had a couple characters wonder what the horses would eat if all the straw in the kingdom were turned into gold.

About ha...