Jennifer Bray-Weber's Blog, page 52
June 23, 2015
Link Of The Week- Get Paid To Write!
Since earning a paycheck with your novel is hard at times, I thought we could all use a succinct guide on where to get paid for articles! While you’re waiting to be the next published darling, look at this list to see if you can add dollars to your bank account.
http://allindiewriters.com/blogs-pay-writers-100-per-article/
“How would you like to earn $100 per blog post? You can earn that and more writing online if you know where to look. While I often point out that the best gigs are rarely advertised, that doesn’t mean you can’t find some public gems out there.”
June 19, 2015
Friday Fun Facts-Let’s Make A Baby!…Or Not
Sex. It is a mainstay of life and something we all want. What we don’t always want is another baby. This isn’t just a modern truth, but one that’s been around since men and women have gotten together. Obviously the earliest efforts consisted of withdrawal or periods of abstinence. Guess how effective those times were…not very. Women were kept pregnant for a large part of their childbearing years, assuming they survived that period.
Check out the history:
– Around 3000 B.C., the first condoms appeared. They were made out of things like fish bladders. animal intestines or linen sheaths. Wish I knew the failure rate of those!
– A Greek gynecologist named Soranus told women to abstain from sex during their period. He thought that was when they were fertile. He also told them to hold their breath during intercourse and then to sneeze afterwards to prevent the sperm entering the womb. Wow! Epic failure on both counts!!!
– In 1500 a type of spermicide was created. It consisted of the linen sheaths soaked in a chemical solution.
– In 10th century Persia women were told to jump backwards 7 or 9 times to dislodge any sperm. Somehow those were magical numbers guaranteed to take care of it.
– (Get ready to laugh!) The Middle Ages brought a heightened level of science so women were then told to tie the testicles of a weasel to their thighs or around their necks during intercourse.
– In 1838, condoms and diaphragms were made from a type of rubber.
– In China, concubines drank an elixir made from lead and mercury to prevent pregnancy. Hmmm, possible side effect? Sterility, kidney failure, brain damage and death.
– 1873 brought us the Comstock Act which declared it illegal to advertise any kind of birth control and made it legal for items to be confiscated if ordered through the mail.
– Margaret Sanger opened the first birth control clinic in 1916. The following year she was declared guilty of running a public nuisance and sentenced to jail for 30 days. Once she got out, she re-opened and the cycle repeated itself many times.
– The modern day birth control pill got approval from the F.D.A. in 1960.
– It wasn’t until 1965 that the Supreme Court ruled that it was unconstitutional to keep married couples from using birth control. What?!?
June 17, 2015
Hump Day Kick Start – Wet & Yummy Edition
You may have heard there was a tropical storm that came on shore in Southeast Texas yesterday. It has been nothing more than exceptionally rainy in my area. And because of the recent Memorial Day flooding in my city, we do not need more of the same. The upside? Beautiful green grass, vibrant flowers, and today’s prompt.
So tell me about him. Who is he? What or who is he looking at? What is he thinking/feeling? Broody lawman? Bad boy of a fight club? Is he watching his insufferable, yet sexy girlfriend stomp down the road after an argument, letting her think he wasn’t coming after her? Maybe he is reflecting on the life he just took. Was it just, or not? Could he be hell-bent on breaking the wild mustang and the pretty cowgirl who wrangled the horse in the rain?
Grab a slicker and tell me your take, or just “caption this photo”.
June 16, 2015
Link of the Week – Internet Archive
Here’s a nifty site. Internet Archive. I had first heard about this site when a friend’s website disappeared for no discernible reason. But upon further poking around, this site offers so much more. It is essentially an internet library for free books, movies, software, music, images, and more. Cool! I love libraries!
First, my initial reason for checking out the website: reviving dead links
“[…]offer access to archived versions of Web pages when those pages have been removed from the Web. This means that if you get a “404 – Page Not Found” error, you’ll still be able to find a version of the page.”
It’s the Wayback Machine! Plug in the broken link and retrieve earlier versions of that webpage.
More about the site.
The Internet Archive is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that was founded to build an Internet library. Its purposes include offering permanent access for researchers, historians, scholars, people with disabilities, and the general public to historical collections that exist in digital format.
Go. Research. Retrieve.
June 10, 2015
Hump Day Kick Start – Tub Edition
Hump Day Kick Start – for your muse, a writing picture prompt, or just a visual treat.
Here’s a clean prompt for you. Looks fun.
Who are they and what is going on? Cougar and her playmate? A couple on their honeymoon? Is he enraptured? Drugged? Out cold? What if she was holding something behind her back? What would it be? A knife? A syringe? A key to her private room? Maybe she is a seductive spy checking to see if he unconscious so she can search for and make off with intelligence. Or maybe she is just that good that he needed a break and passed out while soaking his sore muscles. :-)
I’d love to hear your take, or just “caption this photo”.
June 9, 2015
Link of the Week – Commonly Misused Words
25 Common Words That You’ve Got Wrong
Came across this item last week on Publication Life and found it interesting. Though I knew most of these, I was surprised by one that I was, in fact, using incorrectly. Fortunately, it is a word I don’t use often at all. Can you guess which one? Were there any that surprised you?
http://publicationlife.com/25-common-words-that-youve-got-wrong/
June 3, 2015
Hump Day Kick Start – Wet Kisses Edition
Hump Day Kick Start – for your muse, a writing picture prompt, or just a visual treat.
As you may or may not have heard, in the last few weeks Texas has gotten hammered with rain and flooding. Though it appears we are drying out, the rains inspired this week’s prompt.
Who is our couple? What is that expression on his face? Are they lovers reunited after devastation? Is she saying goodbye to her warrior before he goes off to battle? Are they reenacting a scene from Spiderman?
You tell me. Love to hear your take, or just “caption this photo”.
June 2, 2015
Link of the Week – Book Report
For those indie authors who use KDP for your Amazon books. Here is a handy-dandy USEFUL tool that reports your book sales data in real-time: Book Report.
It’s packed with features, but the important thing is this: you get the data you need to see if you want to work smart. Find out instantly which books are selling and which are flopping. Find out which of your pen names are the best earners. The business side of writing just got way easier. Now you can focus on the fun part: writing new books!
Check it out for yourself! Scroll down to learn more about it.
https://www.getbookreport.com/
Follow this link to install the bookmarklet to see how it works. It’s pretty awesome.
https://www.getbookreport.com/install
May 29, 2015
Friday Fun Facts- Holy Windstorm Batman!
I woke this morning only to have my hot cup of tea interrupted by an event known as a micro-burst. It’s like a five-minute hurricane and can do immense damage. We lost our entire back fence plus two trees. Sigh. This comes on the heels of having our roof, gutters, and window screens declared a total loss due to hail. **When it rains, it pours and Houston has gotten the pouring!
– They are sudden blasts of wind that have been measured up to 160 mph.
– It is a down burst of air caused by warm and cooler airs coming together in a storm.
– It was a micro-burst that brought down Eastern Airlines 727 flight. They were 2400 ft. from the runway when they were hit. Out of 124 passengers, 113 died.
– It is different from a tornado. Tornadoes draw air into a thunderstorm and a micro-burst is an expulsion.
– They are more common than tornadoes. For every tornado, there are 10 reports of damage from a micro.
That’s it for today, folks. I have an insurance adjuster on the way over.
May 28, 2015
RT Booklovers Convention 2015 in Pictures
Now that I’ve recovered from the Romantic Times Booklovers Convention and the holidays are behind us, I thought I’d share a few pics. Sadly (for you), some photos are filed under the heading “What Happens at RT, stays at RT” and not for public consumption—to protect the guilty. But, if you happen to see me somewhere, ask, I’ll gush all about the details.
The convention was a success. I attended fabulous workshops, met new friends, had fun with old ones, networked, hugged and posed with cover models, loaded up on free books, partied, and had an awesome book signing. I feel like I scored. :-)
Packing is always a challenge.
Pretty sweet view.
The all-important badge.
When in Rome (or Dallas, as it were). First night, Romance Rodeo.
Oh…the cuttin’ up we did this night. Polished silverware, bruised knees, BrokeBack Mountain, Poo-pourri, gambling, half-naked men (both hideous and handsome), and, of course, alcohol were involved this night.
Long lines for reader events were everywhere.
Steampunk one night…
Harlequin-inspired tu-tu-wearing cowgirl the next. (With the fabulous Joanna Grace.)
Got in a little sight-seeing on my way to my publisher’s cocktail party. This is the Sixth Floor Museum, formerly known as the Texas Book Depository from which JFK was assassinated.
Spotted this guy sporting a man bun and thought of all you. Can’t tell from the photo, but he was kinda hunky, wearing a suit, shiny shoes, and listening to music.
Did I mention all the cover models?
Book Signing Bonanza!
My spot among the magical melee.
Had a turn with the Anti-Bullying campaign. It was a great way to round out the week at FANtastic Day.
I’m hoping to have a repeat performance next year when RT goes to Las Vegas! Whoo boy!
