David M. Brown's Blog, page 92

#BlogFlash2012: 30 Days, 30 Prompts, 30 Posts: #21 – Night

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This month Mr B and I are taking part in #BlogFlash2012, run by Terri Giuliano Long, and – every Friday – #FlashFiveFriday at The Indie Exchange.

The idea behind #BlogFlash2012 is simple: 30 Days, 30 Prompts, 30 Posts. Every day there’s a new visual prompt and you have to produce 50-100 words on the theme. The beauty of it is, you can produce anything from a simple anecdote to a piece of flash fiction.

There’s also a Facebook page so you can follow along and swap links.

I am also taking part in NaBloPoMo August.

 

#BlogFlash2012: #21 Night

Dave

I prefer night to day. Not only do I work better at night, I’m not an early bird but a night owl, I imagine sprawling cities such as New York and Tokyo and compare them by day and by night. There is something more beautiful in our architecture when it is lit up against the night sky.

The cosmos competes well with the glittering stars of course but a city illuminated and rich in colour is always a tremendous sight to behold. A symbol of what we are capable of as a species.

 

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Donna

I cannot sleep at night right now.

I was never a great sleeper but thankfully now I can sleep – just not at night. As it begins to lighten, I start to relax, ready for sleep at around 5-6 a.m. I think it’s since our hideous neighbours arrived. Knowing that Mr B will be ever vigilant during the day, perhaps I feel it is my duty to take the night watch and keep an ear out. As the sun rises, I relinquish my hold on my tension and trust in Mr B to keep us safe.

I miss sleeping at night. I miss mornings with my husband. I miss feeling safe.

 

NaBloPoMo
Talk about your home, sweet home.

How appropriate to get this prompt today because – as you’ll see from my entry for ‘night’ above – my home feels far from sweet these days. Noisy neighbours have turned our sweet safe haven into a frustrating box to sleep in. Visiting my mum the other day, I realised how quiet it was. No loud music, no banging so ferocious that doors in our own cabinets rattle. My cats, once settled and happy, now seem anxious and edgy. I wonder if it is time to look for a new home, sweet home. For now we hope that they will find a new stomping ground…

 

Related articles (external)

Jump On Board For #BlogFlash2012: 30 Days, 30 Prompts, 30 Posts
Day 11 “Fireworks” (#BlogFlash2012 #Haiku No.10)
#BlogFlash2012: Day Nineteen – Fireworks
Day 7: Sunset #BlogFlash2012
#blogflash2012 Day 12 Forest

#BlogFlash2012: 30 Days, 30 Prompts, 30 Posts: #21 – Night | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave

#BlogFlash2012: 30 Days, 30 Prompts, 30 Posts: #20 – Sports

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This month Mr B and I are taking part in #BlogFlash2012, run by Terri Giuliano Long, and – every Friday – #FlashFiveFriday at The Indie Exchange.

The idea behind #BlogFlash2012 is simple: 30 Days, 30 Prompts, 30 Posts. Every day there’s a new visual prompt and you have to produce 50-100 words on the theme. The beauty of it is, you can produce anything from a simple anecdote to a piece of flash fiction.

There’s also a Facebook page so you can follow along and swap links.

I am also taking part in NaBloPoMo August.

 

#BlogFlash2012: #20 Sports

Dave

I remember waiting to be picked for one of the school football teams. I was one of the last to be chosen and preferred as a goalkeeper, the scapegoat for whenever our team lost which, with me in goal, was often!

It wasn’t all bad though. When it came to running I could compete with the best of them. 100m and 200m races were my specialties and I have fond memories of winning the odd race. Of course, my opponents put it down to me having long legs and striding rather than proper running!

 

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Donna

Sumo wrestling

Polo

Orienteering

Rugby

Tennis

Sport skills elude me

NaBloPoMo
What is the best thing you ever had for dessert?

I used to visit a pub that did an amazing caramel apple crumble with a toffee sauce. It was absolutely delicious. Sadly, the quality of the food and service started to deteriorate (change in management) and we stopped going but I do miss that dessert!

 

Related articles (external)

#BlogFlash2012: Day Twenty – Sports
Sports #BlogFlash2012 Day 20
#blogflash2012 Day 20 Sports
DAY 20- SPORTS – #BlogFlash2012
Once Upon A Time, I spent fifteen seconds of my life without feeling completely uncoordinated

#BlogFlash2012: 30 Days, 30 Prompts, 30 Posts: #20 – Sports | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave

What Do You Look for in a Book Review?

Today I’m taking part in Reading Romances’ “Review Blog Hop”, inviting book bloggers to talk about what they look for in a review. I’ve decided to talk about book reviews specifically because what I’m looking for in these can vary considerably from what I’d look for in a music, game or film review. I don’t want to keep you here all day discussing every one! I’m also focusing more on reviews on blogs – read on to find out why…

What Do You Look for in a Book Review?

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I know there is a lot of debate about what makes a good review. Some people feel it should strip down all aspects of the book: everything from plot, characters, grammar, structure, length, cover, formatting. Others feel a review should just be a quick, easy to read summary – after all, we’re all busy!

For me, I think that both styles of review are valid. What I’m looking for in a good review is one thing: an honest response. Ideally I like to see a quick summary of the book. I don’t need a blow by blow account but I like to see how the reviewer would summarise the book: an honest response. Blurbs are great but a blurb is effectively a mini-sales pitch. Did the sheen come off when the reviewer delved in? Or did it live up to the hype?

Although I believe that editing and formatting are hugely important, I tend to only talk about these things myself if they actually made it difficult for me to read a book. A typo here or there or a page break in the wrong place? I can live with those. Mistakes happen. It’s a rare book that has nothing wrong with it, so if it seems to me that care has been taken overall, I’m usually happy. So I’m on the fence about whether or not a good review needs to discuss those aspects if the problems are minor.

Beyond the summary of the book as the reviewer sees it, what I really really want to see is whether or not it made the reviewer feel something. Did they laugh? Cry? Feel anger or frustration? Did it make them desperate to get in a few more pages at every opportunity or was it hard to pick up again once they’d put it down?

Why do I want to know these things? After all, we are all so different. We all have different responses to books. Their reaction is surely no indication of my own potential response. No… but then again, if I just want a break down of a book, I may as well stick with the blurb. Instead, I find reviews – certainly on blogs – interesting, entertaining and feel they offer great insight into the reader. I want to know about the reader, as much as the book. If a book has elicited a reaction – be it good or bad – that will get me intrigued. Intrigued about the book. Intrigued about the blog. Intrigued about the blogger.

A good review creates as many questions as it answered. That alone will be the biggest incentive to me to find out more…

What are you looking for in a review?Other Hoppers

Related articles (external) #OBSummer #Books – Orangeberry Big Bang Are You Looking For Books to Review? TGIF – Pimp Your Review A. Yamina Collins: 3 Effective Ways To Get Bloggers To Love You And Your Book Inspiring Friday

What Do You Look for in a Book Review? | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave

#BlogFlash2012: 30 Days, 30 Prompts, 30 Posts: #19 – Fireworks

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This month Mr B and I are taking part in #BlogFlash2012, run by Terri Giuliano Long, and – every Friday – #FlashFiveFriday at The Indie Exchange.

The idea behind #BlogFlash2012 is simple: 30 Days, 30 Prompts, 30 Posts. Every day there’s a new visual prompt and you have to produce 50-100 words on the theme. The beauty of it is, you can produce anything from a simple anecdote to a piece of flash fiction.

There’s also a Facebook page so you can follow along and swap links.

I am also taking part in NaBloPoMo August.

 

#BlogFlash2012: #19 Fireworks

Dave

I used to love watching the fireworks on Bonfire Night in the UK. My best and most destructive memory was when someone (not me, so don’t go there!) left a box of fireworks in an armchair outside (it’s a long story!). This in itself wouldn’t have been a problem but the armchair wasn’t far from the fire itself!

Consequently, a stray spark landed in the box, those babies went off in unison and the armchair did its best impression of The Towering Inferno. No one was hurt thankfully and I can smile about it today.

 

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Donna

As pretty as I found fireworks when I was younger, your perspective changes considerably when you become a pet owner. Now, when I think of fireworks, I think of ways in which to keep my cats calm, to shield them from the worst of the bangs and flashes. I think – with dread – that we will have to keep Kain (the only cat we have who likes going outdoors) in for several days prior to Bonfire Night and New Year’s Eve. I curse when the fireworks start weeks before they have any logical reason to and continue long after the event. Call me miserable, lacking in a spirit of fun – the safety of my cats trumps pretty colours any day.

Related articles (external) Day 11 “Fireworks” (#BlogFlash2012 #Haiku No.10) Fireworks #BlogFlash2012 Day 19 #BlogFlash2012: Day Nineteen – Fireworks #blogflash2012 Day 19 Fireworks How to keep your pets safe and sound during fireworks

#BlogFlash2012: 30 Days, 30 Prompts, 30 Posts: #19 – Fireworks | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave

Celebrating Community: How Do You Share Happiness?

I’m writing this post as part of Pavarti K. Tyler’s fantastic Celebrating Community Blog Hop, which has looked at everything from what community means, to favourite recipes, to community/family snaps. Today, it’s all about sharing happiness.

How Do You Share Happiness?

For me the most effective way of sharing happiness has always been one simple action: smiling. I’ve been told off for smiling too much. My parents worried when they saw me smiling/waving at passing cars:

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“Please tell us you don’t do that when you’re on your own?”

“Yes, I like waving and smiling at people.”

Well, sadly we live in a world where it’s nice to share a smile but perhaps not entirely appropriate to do it on every occasion.

A former boyfriend:

“Why did you smile at that man on the bus? Did you know him?”

“No – I just like to smile at people. It spreads a little joy.”

“There are people who could take that completely the wrong way!”

My habit of smiling at people as they board a bus has not been broken I’m afraid!

The truth is, a smile connects people; however briefly, two people share something uncomplicated, a moment of happiness. You may never see that person again but for a fraction of a second, their life was a little brighter. Who knows – you might have turned around a bad day. You might have made someone realise they weren’t alone.

Or you might just be the strange lady on the bus, always smiling, smiling, smiling…

 

Celebrating Community: How Do You Share Happiness? | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave

Guest Post & Giveaway: Dare to be Indie – Laxmi Hariharan

Today I’m welcoming Laxmi Hariharan, author of Destiny of Shaitan, to the blog. Laxmi is sharing a guest post – Dare to be Indie – and has also set up a giveaway!

Dare to be Indie – Laxmi Hariharan

“So are you going to self-pub?” I asked a friend who has spent years polishing her manuscript, collecting rejection slips and looking out for that long awaited email which asks for the entire novel. “I don’t know, how do you know when you should, and what happens if I were to do so only to have an agent interested in my work?” To go Indie or not, that is the question. A hotly debated issue which has kept many a writer—with a burning need to be read—up many nights.  My take: If Indie movies are accepted, why not Indie books? Rob Kroese, author of the self-published, bestselling Mercury Falls and its sequel, Mercury Rises has a great analogy: he likens the league of published authors to an elite night club, with gatekeepers, who decide who gets in and who does not. It struck a chord with me, and I suspect with many of the other ‘waiting to be discovered’ wannabes.  So taking a cue from Rob, I have put together a quiz, to help you determine whether you should give Indie Publishing a go or not. Please answer “yes” or “no” to each of the following questions.

Are you waiting to be discovered or somewhere along the way have you discovered yourself?Do you write to be read? Is your novel unclassifiable? It spans so many genres that you know you will have lost traditional agents within the first line of the pitch, for your writing and you cannot be pigeon-holed.  My book The Destiny of Shaitan is YA epic fantasy inspired by Indian mythology, for exampleAre you an entrepreneur, at heart? Do you normally jump in and think of the consequences later. Are you pragmatic about failure—enough to pick yourself up and move on swiftly to the next?Do you like to experiment, and cannot resist a challenge? Do you thrive under pressure, and when the odds are stacked against you?Are you impatient, probably a control freak? In fact, you want to control your own destiny, so keep checking in with the stars to find out what’s going to happen in your life, so you can steer it along the way you want.Are you a technophile?  Do you secretly indulge your inner geek? On a practical level are you at least on Facebook and twitter?Are you social and love debating with tweet-friends around the world? Really, you adore your virtual home and obsess over getting your gravatar just right! Do you have the courage of conviction, the doggedness of determination? Is the power of persistence strong within you?10.  Perhaps, like me you had a near death experience, and realized that life is too short. You just have to get your voice out there for tomorrow you may be too late.

If you said yes to at least eight of the above ten, then I believe the force is strong in you. You may be among the fortunate few able to take a punt on yourself. But wait! Before you press that enter button and send the words skimming out over the electronic waves, pause. Have you been true to yourself in your text—really? If you are still standing upright, then there is more to tell. Go back, revisit, revise, rewrite, until hand on heart, you can say you have stripped yourself bare. When you have died a few deaths getting the novel to that place where exhaustion weeps in the arms of elation, then, you know you have nothing more to say. Now you have one last thing to do. Make sure your baby is perfect—every infinitesimal millimetre brushed to its Sunday best—for once it is out there you will be reborn, as your Author Avatar. People will actually read you. Many will love your prose; some will hate it and tell you so. Can you deal with that too?  If the answer is still yes, then what are you waiting for?

About The Destiny of Shaitan (2012)
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Inspired by Indian mythology, The Destiny of Shaitan is a coming of age story, painted against the backdrop of a post-apocalyptic world. 

When Tiina accompanies Yudi on a mission to save the universe from the ruthless Shaitan, she seeks more than the end of the tyrant; she seeks herself. Driven by greed and fear for his own survival, Shaitan bulldozes his way through the galaxy, destroying everything in his path.  Tiina wants Yudi to destroy Shaitan, thus fulfilling the prophecy of Shaitan being killed by his son. But she finds that Yudi is hesitant to do so. The final showdown between Tiina, Yudi, and Shaitan has unexpected consequences, for Shaitan will do anything in his power to win the fight.  The stakes are high and the combatants determined. Will Shaitan’s ultimate destiny be fulfilled?

Amazon USAmazon USAbout Laxmi Hariharan
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A proud Londoner, and a Bombayite at heart, Laxmi Hariharan, was born in India. She has lived in Singapore and Hong Kong and is now based in London. Indian mythology inspires her work. When not writing, this chai-swigging technophile enjoys long walks in the woods, growing eye-catching flowers and indulging her inner geek. Laxmi has written for various publications including The Times of India, The Independent, Inside Singapore, Inside Hongkong & Asian Age.GiveawayPlease note this giveaway is being run by Laxmi Hariharan and The Indie Exchange, not Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Guest Post & Giveaway: Dare to be Indie – Laxmi Hariharan | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave

#BlogFlash2012: 30 Days, 30 Prompts, 30 Posts: #18 – Wild at Heart

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This month Mr B and I are taking part in #BlogFlash2012, run by Terri Giuliano Long, and – every Friday – #FlashFiveFriday at The Indie Exchange.

The idea behind #BlogFlash2012 is simple: 30 Days, 30 Prompts, 30 Posts. Every day there’s a new visual prompt and you have to produce 50-100 words on the theme. The beauty of it is, you can produce anything from a simple anecdote to a piece of flash fiction.

There’s also a Facebook page so you can follow along and swap links.

I am also taking part in NaBloPoMo August.

 

#BlogFlash2012: #18 Wild at Heart

Dave

I prefer to live on the periphery of normal. Let’s face it, normal is a generic term and always open to debate but throughout life I’ve never shied from such tags as geek, nor do I regret not being popular. I’ve always chosen just to be me.

I think that stance filters through into my writing. I’m a fantasy author but again on the very edge of the genre, searching for ways to do something different rather than just being like everyone else. I’d rather be different in many aspects of my life whether I’m embraced for that or not.

 

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Donna

Some people believe that cats are aloof. You don’t own a cat – they own you. To a certain degree, it’s true. A cat doesn’t give unconditional loyalty and trust like a dog – until you earn it. Once you earn it, they are loyal beyond measure.
I have had my cat, Kain, sit by me watching over me when I’m ill. When I didn’t feel able to connect with anyone, he was there ensuring I was never totally cut off from the world.

And yet, this is the same creature who will disappear for hours hunting. I guess he’ll always be a little wild at heart.

Related articles (external) #BlogFlash2012: Day Eighteen – Wild At Heart Wild at Heart – The Indianapolis Zoo #BlogFlash 2012 Day 18 DAY 18- WILD AT HEART – #BlogFlash2012 So You Think You’ve Got Me All Figured Out, Don’t You? – Blog Flash, Day 18 #blogflash2012 Day 18

#BlogFlash2012: 30 Days, 30 Prompts, 30 Posts: #18 – Wild at Heart | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave

Game News: Fable: The Journey – Video Documentary and Screenshots

Microsoft have unveiled a new video documentary and screenshots of upcoming title Fable: The Journey, due for release in late 2012 on Xbox360.

Video Documentary: Fable: The Journey (Xbox360)

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About Fable: The Journey (2012)

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“Fable: The Journey” immerses players in the tale of a young dweller named Gabriel and follows him on a journey to change his fate and become the hero that battles the corruption that plagues Albion. Fans will have a chance to play “Fable: The Journey” before global availability in the first “Fable” Xbox LIVE demo on Kinect for Xbox 360 launching on September 17 worldwide. As the first “Fable” title built from the ground up on Kinect for Xbox 360, “Fable: The Journey” features new territories of an expanded Albion alongside bigger and badder enemies. The game also marks the return of Theresa in her fourth “Fable” game and greatest role as the spark that fuels Gabriel’s magical evolution.

Amazon USAmazon UKRelated articles (external)Grab the reins of Fable: The Journey’s demo on September 17Fable: The Journey: The Documentary: The TrailerSample the trip with Fable: The Journey’s September demo‘Fable: The Journey’ Story Trailer & Forthcoming Demo‘Fable: The Journey’ demo coming in September

Game News: Fable: The Journey – Video Documentary and Screenshots | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave

#BlogFlash2012: 30 Days, 30 Prompts, 30 Posts: #17 – Graveyard

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This month Mr B and I are taking part in #BlogFlash2012, run by Terri Giuliano Long, and – every Friday – #FlashFiveFriday at The Indie Exchange.

The idea behind #BlogFlash2012 is simple: 30 Days, 30 Prompts, 30 Posts. Every day there’s a new visual prompt and you have to produce 50-100 words on the theme. The beauty of it is, you can produce anything from a simple anecdote to a piece of flash fiction.

There’s also a Facebook page so you can follow along and swap links.

I am also taking part in NaBloPoMo August.

 

#BlogFlash2012: #17 Graveyard

Dave

There’s something eerie about graveyards at night. Like woodland, they’re not a place I’d want to be when the sun has set but by day there are fewer places that are so poignant and emotional. The lives of others, their names immortalised in gravestones, flowers laid on their resting places by those that have loved and lost them.

Any graveyard is a moving place but something about war memorials hits even harder – the alarming numbers of our brave men and women, all dying far too young and not always for a justifiable conflict.

 

 

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Donna

from Old English graf ”pit”; yairden ”garden, open place”

Graveyards are special places. They are places of loss and sadness but also remembrance and respect. They are the gardens of the dead and the dead deserve peace and tranquility.

NaBloPoMoDo you have dessert every night?

Not every night, though we do usually try and round off a meal with something, even if it’s only fruit. Of course, it’s hard to be satisfied with an apple when you have a huge chocolate cake waiting…

 

Related articles #BlogFlash2012: Day Seventeen – Graveyard #FlashFiveFriday: #2 – Graveyard #FlashFiveFriday: #2 – Graveyard Graveyard #BlogFlash2012 Day 17 FlashFiveFriday: Success

#BlogFlash2012: 30 Days, 30 Prompts, 30 Posts: #17 – Graveyard | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave

Game News: The Sims 3 Special: Supernatural and Seasons

Tweedle Dave has never been big on The Sims but I love the franchise. So enamoured was I with The Sims that it took me some time to be willing to relinquish it in favour of The Sims 2 but having seen how they could step it up a gear, I was excited when The Sims 3 came out. If some of the expansion packs for The Sims 2 seemed a little lacking, I feel that the more recent ones for The Sims 3 have more than made up for it. As I result this Tweedler is excited about these upcoming expansions.

Strange as it is to want to escape the mad rush of daily life with… um… a simulated mad rush of daily life, over a decade of playing The Sims has done little to diminish my love of these strangely spoken little people.

Trailer: The Sims 3 – Seasons (PC)

EA Games actually released this trailer earlier this month but as we’re posting the various new screenshots it seemed only right to post it.

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About The Sims 3 – Seasons
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Play with the change of seasons! With The Sims 3 Seasons Expansion Pack, you can let your Sims swim in the ocean on a hot summer day, bob for apples in the autumn leaves, test their snowboarding skill on the half pipe or welcome spring showers with a walk in the rain and a colorful umbrella. All-new activities, like soccer, and big seasonal festivals and celebrations bring the spirit of each season to life. Your Sims can pucker up at the kissing booth at the spring festival or see what Halloween surprises await in the haunted house. Dress for the weather with seasonal fashions ranging from raincoats to snow gear. With new foods, décor and weather effects, your Sims can enjoy the bounty and beauty of the ever-changing seasons and play with life like never before!

Format: PC

Amazon USAmazon UKTrailer: The Sims 3 – Supernatural (PC)

EA Games also released some additional Supernatural snapshots to go alongside the ones released last month. As we’re posting the full set of screenshots (some from July and some from August) , we threw in the trailer too!

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About The Sims 3 – Supernatural
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Play with the change of seasons! With The Sims 3 Seasons Expansion Pack, you can let your Sims swim in the ocean on a hot summer day, bob for apples in the autumn leaves, test their snowboarding skill on the half pipe or welcome spring showers with a walk in the rain and a colorful umbrella. All-new activities, like soccer, and big seasonal festivals and celebrations bring the spirit of each season to life. Your Sims can pucker up at the kissing booth at the spring festival or see what Halloween surprises await in the haunted house. Dress for the weather with seasonal fashions ranging from raincoats to snow gear. With new foods, décor and weather effects, your Sims can enjoy the bounty and beauty of the ever-changing seasons and play with life like never before!

Format: PC

Amazon USAmazon UKRelated articles (external)The Sims 3 Seasons looks like a walk in the park (and in the rain)Embrace the Dark Side in The Sims 3: SupernaturalNew Sims 3 Expansion Adds Snowball Fights, Fireworks, UFOsExclusive Interview: Assistant Producer Megan Myers Talks Sims 3 SupernaturalLive Out Your Teen Wolf and Twilight Fanfic with ‘The Sims 3: Supernatural’

Game News: The Sims 3 Special: Supernatural and Seasons | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave