M.J. Scott's Blog, page 46

30 Day Song Challenge – Day 25

Day 25 – A song that makes you laugh

Here's a song that's sweet and funny and reminds me of singing it and giggling with a friend who lives too far away!

The Barenaked Ladies – If I had a Million Dollars

30 Day Song Challenge – Day 24

Day 24 – A song that you want to play at your funeral

Hmmm, not sure *want* is the right word.  After all, we all want to live forever, right.  But here's a song about passing on that I have loved since I first heard it.

Annie Lennox – Into the West (with bonus Aragorn!)

30 Day Song Challenge – Day 23

Day 23 – A song that you would want to play at your wedding.

I love this song and I think it feels how you should feel on your wedding day….

Patty Griffin – Heavenly Day

May contest

Sorry for the lateness this month, I have been in indecisive mode and couldn't quite decide on a book. But today I have given myself a talking to and picked one!

I was going to say that we were swinging back to contemporary but it's not really, it's actually futuristic romantic suspense. Now this author doesn't need any particular introduction, she's prolific (so prolific they made her take a second name for this series) and her books sell bazillions and rightly so because she is very very good at what she does. This series is, imho at least, a really good example of how to do an ongoing series with the same characters. And Eve is one of my favourite heroines. She kicks ass, she scores herself a seriously hot dude and she's intriguing to say the least. To be fair, I'm going to take you back to the start (as I'm one of those people who almost has to read a series in order or my brain will explode!)

So the prize in this month's contest is Naked In Death by J.D. Robb aka Nora Roberts

To be in the running, just comment on any blog post this month (simple, really). The history of why I'm giving away my favourite books is here.

30 Day Song Challenge – Day 22

Day 22 – A song that you listen to when you're sad

Apparently I like big voiced Irish gals when I'm gloomy…the first three songs that sprang to mind for this were the Cranberries, Sinead O'Connor and the Cranberries. So here's two of them and you can guess what the other Cranberries song may be if you wish.

The Cranberries – When You're Gone

Sinead O'Connor – Nothing Compares 2U (which, apropos of nothing, I do believe was the first thing I ever bought on CD. Before I even owned a CD player, that's how much I liked the song)

30 Day Song Challenge – Day 21

Day 21 – A song that you play when you're happy

Well, I've already had a couple of those but really, as a true child of the seventies, it wouldn't be a complete list if I couldn't get some ABBA in here somewhere and when I'm in a silly dancing around the house type mood, quite often ABBA will feature in the playlist. I'm not entirely sure which ABBA album it was that Mum and Dad had on cassette when I was little but Waterloo was one of the songs on it that I've always loved. And at least I didn't get the lyrics wrong (for quite some time I thought the "there's a fire within my soul" line in Mamma Mia was "there's a fire in my big toe"…don't ask, strange are the ways of children's brains)…

ABBA – Waterloo

April contest winners

The winner of the April contest – a copy of Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones is Mary Preston.

The winner of the Aussie Author Month contest – A copy of Mercy Burns by Keri Arthur is also, Mary Preston (who has good contest karma this month!)

Mary, please email me at mel @ mjscott dot net with your details and I'll get the books out to you.

May contest details tonight, hopefully after I stop being indecisive about the book!

30 Day Song Challenge – Day 20

Day 20 – A song that you play when you're angry

Gotta love an angry chick with a guitar!

Melissa Etheridge – Like The Way I Do

The return of the dreaded metrics

Well, it had to happen sooner or later. We have reached the point of both needing to kick along the word count, keep ourselves honest and expose ourselves to potential internet taunting if we daunt. Therefore, some writing metrics:

Progress – Fen (aka Half-Light 3)

New pages goal today - Eight

New pages achieved today – Ten (yay for me!)

Intriguing things - Secrets

Annoyances - Low annoyance factor today.

Linear/non-linear – Linear

Music - Adele – Set Fire to the Rain on repeat

Location - At home, at the desk with Write or Die and Think

Taking care of Mel - Er, um, perhaps a fail…bit of a walk at lunch?

Muse food - Glee coming right up.

30 Day Song Challenge – Day 19

Day 19 – A song from your favourite album

Well, my favourite album does change from time to time but The Joshua Tree is definitely frequently number one. And because I can't pick just one favourite, here have two.

U2 – Running to Stand Still

U2 – With or Without You