Victoria Zigler's Blog: Zigler News, page 145
March 25, 2016
Furkid Friday: red plastic ringing thing
Hellooo everyone! This is Baggins the gerbil.
The Mummy human went away somewhere for lots of days. We don't understand why she would go away and leave us, but that's what she did. She did come back though, so I suppose that counts for something. But that's not the point of this post. This post is to tell you about a strange thing that happened while she was away.
The Daddy human held out this red thing that talked in the Mummy human's voice. My ratty sister, Star, who tried to taste the thing, said it was made of plastic. Why would a plastic thing be talking in the Mummy human's voice?
As I said, my ratty sister, Star, tried to eat it. But my gerbil brother, Bilbo, and I didn't trust it so wouldn't go near it, and neither would our other ratty sister, Skye. All four of my degu brothers crowded close to listen to the Mummy human's voice though.
Maybe they were more eager because they were missing her more? I mean, we were all glad when the Mummy human came back, but the Daddy human was here handing out nibbles and attention, so we gerbils and our ratty sisters weren't too concerned about the Mummy human not being here. We might have been if she'd been gone longer, but as it was, we were more surprised she'd want to leave than anything. On the other hand, before that strange thing got held out to us all by the Daddy human, the degus had been a bit upset, and were huddled together looking sad. Hearing the Mummy human's voice from the red plastic thing seemed to make them feel better, though I can't think why.
We're still not quite sure what the red plastic thing is, but I know I've seen both of the human caretakers talking in to it sometimes, especially after it makes a ringing noise. They did this before the Mummy human went away, and have done it since.
But, to us, it's just a red plastic ringing thing, which somehow sounded like the Mummy human.
Squeak soon,
Baggins
The Mummy human went away somewhere for lots of days. We don't understand why she would go away and leave us, but that's what she did. She did come back though, so I suppose that counts for something. But that's not the point of this post. This post is to tell you about a strange thing that happened while she was away.
The Daddy human held out this red thing that talked in the Mummy human's voice. My ratty sister, Star, who tried to taste the thing, said it was made of plastic. Why would a plastic thing be talking in the Mummy human's voice?
As I said, my ratty sister, Star, tried to eat it. But my gerbil brother, Bilbo, and I didn't trust it so wouldn't go near it, and neither would our other ratty sister, Skye. All four of my degu brothers crowded close to listen to the Mummy human's voice though.
Maybe they were more eager because they were missing her more? I mean, we were all glad when the Mummy human came back, but the Daddy human was here handing out nibbles and attention, so we gerbils and our ratty sisters weren't too concerned about the Mummy human not being here. We might have been if she'd been gone longer, but as it was, we were more surprised she'd want to leave than anything. On the other hand, before that strange thing got held out to us all by the Daddy human, the degus had been a bit upset, and were huddled together looking sad. Hearing the Mummy human's voice from the red plastic thing seemed to make them feel better, though I can't think why.
We're still not quite sure what the red plastic thing is, but I know I've seen both of the human caretakers talking in to it sometimes, especially after it makes a ringing noise. They did this before the Mummy human went away, and have done it since.
But, to us, it's just a red plastic ringing thing, which somehow sounded like the Mummy human.
Squeak soon,
Baggins
March 23, 2016
#Writing Wednesday - March 23rd 2016
The paperback version of "Zeena And The Mermaid" (the third book in my "Zeena Dragon Fae" series) is now available from CreateSpace and Amazon, and will soon be available from Barnes & Noble too.
(Click on the book title for the CreateSpace link).
I plan to upload the files for "Rhubarb The Red-Nosed Rabbit" on the weekend (which is when the eBook version is officially released). So, all being well, that one won't be too long in becoming available in paperback too... As long as it goes through the review process without any trouble. Other than that, it's just those two we're having issues with the covers for, and one that I'm waiting for one of those before requesting the proof for, because I don't want to make book three of a series available in paperback before book two is available, if you know what I mean.
***
Writing a book of your own? Never underestimate the power of perseverance. It takes work to achieve your dream of being a published author, but it's achievable, so keep working on that book.
While you're working on it, here are some tips for writing clear dialogue, as well as some on how to subtly boost your dialogue's power with body language.
Also, remember that it's important to write about what you know, as well as who you know. However, as discussed in the post I just linked to, this doesn't actually mean that you can only write about things and people you know. In fact, in the case of the people, it's probably best not to. What it means is that you need to take the time to learn what you don't know before writing about a particular topic or type of person, otherwise your lack of knowledge will show, and it will spoil the reading experience for your readers.
While getting to know the character(s) in your story, you'll want to ask the question, "What's your motivation?" This will help you to get to know your character's reasons for doing what they do, in order to help you to make them more believable as people.
Plus, if your book is a science fiction one, and you're stuck for ideas for naming your planets, check out this
***
Do you want to publish your book yourself? If so, here are 12 things to consider before you start. Also, if you're going to self-publish, that means deciding which of the four main self-publishing platforms you're going to use. Personally, I use Smashwords for my eBooks, and they distribute to Barnes & Noble, Apple iBooks, Kobo, and a few others on my behalf. For my paperbacks, on the other hand, I use CreateSpace, who distribute to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and a few others on my behalf. Both platforms also make books available to be ordered by libraries too.
Of course, if you're going to be publishing your work, sooner or later you're going to want to try and sell copies of your book(s). That means you need to build up your author platform and interact with people. If you don't, you'll have nobody to try and sell your books to. Well, unless you're one of those lucky people with so many actual friends and family members lined up to buy your books - and actually doing so when you have them published - that you'll be selling piles of books without even trying. However, even then you may want to sell to other people. Besides, most people aren't that lucky, and need to work to get enough interest in their books to get sales. So, since that's the case, you'll probably want to check out these 11 tips for building a successful writer's platform.
Also... In case you don't know... It appears that, even if you're self-published and use a print on demand service, you need to send your books to The British Library (or your country's equivalent). If you're in the UK, here's how to do it.
***
Are you on Twitter? Also, are you suffering from Writers' block? If you answered yes to both of those, you may want to follow WritingPrompt.Com. They have an interesting variety of prompts they post... Some of them are bound to spark ideas. If you're not on Twitter, you can still check out their website.
Or, I suppose, if you're really struggling, you could try this online plot generator.
Speaking of story ideas... Will we ever run out of stories to tell? Have we done so already, and just don't realize it? Is a story apocolypse coming? Or, are we already in one now without knowing it? What are your thoughts on the matter?
(Click on the book title for the CreateSpace link).
I plan to upload the files for "Rhubarb The Red-Nosed Rabbit" on the weekend (which is when the eBook version is officially released). So, all being well, that one won't be too long in becoming available in paperback too... As long as it goes through the review process without any trouble. Other than that, it's just those two we're having issues with the covers for, and one that I'm waiting for one of those before requesting the proof for, because I don't want to make book three of a series available in paperback before book two is available, if you know what I mean.
***
Writing a book of your own? Never underestimate the power of perseverance. It takes work to achieve your dream of being a published author, but it's achievable, so keep working on that book.
While you're working on it, here are some tips for writing clear dialogue, as well as some on how to subtly boost your dialogue's power with body language.
Also, remember that it's important to write about what you know, as well as who you know. However, as discussed in the post I just linked to, this doesn't actually mean that you can only write about things and people you know. In fact, in the case of the people, it's probably best not to. What it means is that you need to take the time to learn what you don't know before writing about a particular topic or type of person, otherwise your lack of knowledge will show, and it will spoil the reading experience for your readers.
While getting to know the character(s) in your story, you'll want to ask the question, "What's your motivation?" This will help you to get to know your character's reasons for doing what they do, in order to help you to make them more believable as people.
Plus, if your book is a science fiction one, and you're stuck for ideas for naming your planets, check out this
***
Do you want to publish your book yourself? If so, here are 12 things to consider before you start. Also, if you're going to self-publish, that means deciding which of the four main self-publishing platforms you're going to use. Personally, I use Smashwords for my eBooks, and they distribute to Barnes & Noble, Apple iBooks, Kobo, and a few others on my behalf. For my paperbacks, on the other hand, I use CreateSpace, who distribute to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and a few others on my behalf. Both platforms also make books available to be ordered by libraries too.
Of course, if you're going to be publishing your work, sooner or later you're going to want to try and sell copies of your book(s). That means you need to build up your author platform and interact with people. If you don't, you'll have nobody to try and sell your books to. Well, unless you're one of those lucky people with so many actual friends and family members lined up to buy your books - and actually doing so when you have them published - that you'll be selling piles of books without even trying. However, even then you may want to sell to other people. Besides, most people aren't that lucky, and need to work to get enough interest in their books to get sales. So, since that's the case, you'll probably want to check out these 11 tips for building a successful writer's platform.
Also... In case you don't know... It appears that, even if you're self-published and use a print on demand service, you need to send your books to The British Library (or your country's equivalent). If you're in the UK, here's how to do it.
***
Are you on Twitter? Also, are you suffering from Writers' block? If you answered yes to both of those, you may want to follow WritingPrompt.Com. They have an interesting variety of prompts they post... Some of them are bound to spark ideas. If you're not on Twitter, you can still check out their website.
Or, I suppose, if you're really struggling, you could try this online plot generator.
Speaking of story ideas... Will we ever run out of stories to tell? Have we done so already, and just don't realize it? Is a story apocolypse coming? Or, are we already in one now without knowing it? What are your thoughts on the matter?
March 21, 2016
Of Munchkin, Trumps, and time with family (FD and kinda LBE)
OK, time for a post about the rest of my trip to Wales...
The original plan, when it was decided a little over a week before I actually went to Wales that I'd be going, was for Kelly to travel with me as far as London, and then put me on the last train, before he headed back to take care of the rodent gang, since he wasn't joining me for the trip to Wales (someone needed to stay home with the rodent gang, after all). It would have meant a train up to London, a cab ride across London, and another train from London to the station closest to where my parents live. Dad was then going to pick both my brother, Carl, and me up from the station, since Carl was travelling from Norwich at the same time. Dad was then going to drop me off with my Mam, where I'd stay until some time on the Saturday (apart from a short while on the Friday afternoon, when Mam was taking me to see my other brother, Wayne, and his dog, Maya... I think she's aStaffordshire Bull Terrier crossed with a Whippet). Carl and I would then both be with Dad until some time on the Sunday - since we were going with him to the party, and the party was the Saturday evening - at which point Carl would go and spend some time with Mam, while I stayed with Dad. We would both be with Dad again Monday evening ready for Dad to be taking us both home on the Tuesday by car.
But it didn't happen like that. Not for me, anyway... Carl's journey went as planned, but mine didn't.
My Mam drove down here on the Wednesday with her English Cocker Spaniel puppy, Ebonie, and stayed here the night. Then Mam, Ebonie and I made what turned out to be a very long car journey back to Wales. It was so long because my Mam ended up getting sick early Thursday morning, so we had to make more stops along the way than we otherwise would have done; the journey back with Dad took maybe half the time. I then went to my Dad's place early on Friday because of my Mam being so sick, and Carl and I both stayed with Dad all weekend. Wayne came up to see us on the Sunday, and Carl and I spoke to Mam with our mobiles a bit, but neither Carl or I saw Mam until Tuesday morning when Dad took us to say "goodbye" as we were heading for home. As it turned out, I didn't get to meet Maya, but at least I got to see both my brothers, as well as my parents and my Nan.
So, yeah... It was a good trip for the most part, but it didn't work out quite as planned, and had parts that didn't go smoothly at all. Plus, it was a shame about Mam being sick, and me and Carl not getting to meet Maya.
Even the plans for food didn't go entirely as planned in the first couple of days.
The original plan had been for me to have some of my Mam's quiche with chips (fries) and baked beans Thursday evening. But I ended up grabbing a vegetable pasty on the way back to Mam's place, and just had the piece of quiche on its own when I woke up Friday morning. Then I had dinner at Dad's instead of Mam's on Friday, and Carl brought us all take-away from a really nice place not too far from where Dad and Nan live. Not only was the food excellent, but the portions were big enough that a large portion of chips was enough for the four of us to have a decent amount. Plus, they not only have a pretty good vegetarian selection, but can also offer a 100% guarantee that the chips aren't cooked with any meat or fish (which you can't guarantee in most chip shops). I had my share of the chips with pea fritters and curry sauce.
After that, things went more to plan with food.
On Saturday we ate party food, and Sunday Dad cooked a roast dinner that consisted of roast potatoes, roasted sweet potatoes, carrot and swede mash, and sprouts (with pork for those who ate meat, which was everyone but me). Then I brought us all take-away on Monday, so we all had Indian food. Mine was a mild vegetable curry with chips. Yes, more chips. I could have had rice, but I didn't want to. I really do love my chips!
Anyway...
My Dad has this drinks machine similar to the ones coffee shops have. It's pretty cool actually. He has loads of different drinks for it (mainly types of coffee, I think) and also uses it to boil just the amount of water needed to fill a cup to make tea. I mainly drank different kinds of teas while I was there, with the odd mug of Wispa hot chocolate thrown in when I fancied some cocoa. But I also had a sample sip of a vanilla latte. I'm not really a coffee person... OK, I actually hate coffee... But Dad offered me a sip to try it, so I figured I would. It tasted a bit better than regular coffee, but I still didn't think too much of it, and plan to stick to my tea and cocoa. At least I can say I tried it though. I've also tried a cappuccino in the past, which I also thought wasn't anything special, though have to admit it tasted better than regular coffee. Not by enough to make me want to drink it on anything close to resembling a regular basis though. But, again, at least I can say I tried it.
***
Carl and Nan (Dad's Mother) often play Knock-Out Whist (also called "Trumps") when they're together. I haven't really played much cards beyond Klondike Solitaire, Go Fish, and Snap, so they taught me how to play.
I got really lucky with it, and ended up winning a lot of the games. Nan won a lot too, but Carl only won once. We all enjoyed playing it though.
Carl also introduced us to the Munchkin card game, which he has the Munchkin Accessability Kit for. We also downloaded the QR reader on to my iPhone, so that I could use it to read my own cards. But since using it is a slow process, and since Carl was showing us how to play it so it was easier if we actually knew each other's cards in this situation, Carl and I allowed others to read the bits of the cards the QR reader is needed for instead of messing about with the app. It's really cool that the option to use the app, and make the game fully accessable to the blind, is there though. So, thanks for that 64 Ounce Games!
My luck wasn't so good with this one, and I didn't win a single game. The first time, Carl, Wayne, Nan and I played, and Carl won. The second time it was Dad instead of Wayne, and Dad won. The third game I didn't play, because I went for a nap instead, and Nan won that one. Anyway, it was a fun and very amusing game. I'm not sure I'd want to play it all the time, but I would play it again, it was certainly a great one, and it was nice for a change of pace.
***
So... That was my visit to Wales.
At least, all that's worth mentioning but isn't covered in other posts, like my post about the party last week, my post about the creative writing app on Wednesday, and the movie and TV shows I plan to tell you about on Monday (when I tell you about others I watched in the past month).
I came back exhausted and not feeling too well, so spent the first week after I got back doing little more than eating, sleeping, and trying to catch up on things online. The second week wasn't much better. After that I was back to what passes for normal for me though. Luckily, I was prepared for the tiredness at least, so had plenty of posts I could fall back on for my blog while I rested and recovered, since I set up some posts before I went away for while I was away, and about a week after I got back.
The original plan, when it was decided a little over a week before I actually went to Wales that I'd be going, was for Kelly to travel with me as far as London, and then put me on the last train, before he headed back to take care of the rodent gang, since he wasn't joining me for the trip to Wales (someone needed to stay home with the rodent gang, after all). It would have meant a train up to London, a cab ride across London, and another train from London to the station closest to where my parents live. Dad was then going to pick both my brother, Carl, and me up from the station, since Carl was travelling from Norwich at the same time. Dad was then going to drop me off with my Mam, where I'd stay until some time on the Saturday (apart from a short while on the Friday afternoon, when Mam was taking me to see my other brother, Wayne, and his dog, Maya... I think she's aStaffordshire Bull Terrier crossed with a Whippet). Carl and I would then both be with Dad until some time on the Sunday - since we were going with him to the party, and the party was the Saturday evening - at which point Carl would go and spend some time with Mam, while I stayed with Dad. We would both be with Dad again Monday evening ready for Dad to be taking us both home on the Tuesday by car.
But it didn't happen like that. Not for me, anyway... Carl's journey went as planned, but mine didn't.
My Mam drove down here on the Wednesday with her English Cocker Spaniel puppy, Ebonie, and stayed here the night. Then Mam, Ebonie and I made what turned out to be a very long car journey back to Wales. It was so long because my Mam ended up getting sick early Thursday morning, so we had to make more stops along the way than we otherwise would have done; the journey back with Dad took maybe half the time. I then went to my Dad's place early on Friday because of my Mam being so sick, and Carl and I both stayed with Dad all weekend. Wayne came up to see us on the Sunday, and Carl and I spoke to Mam with our mobiles a bit, but neither Carl or I saw Mam until Tuesday morning when Dad took us to say "goodbye" as we were heading for home. As it turned out, I didn't get to meet Maya, but at least I got to see both my brothers, as well as my parents and my Nan.
So, yeah... It was a good trip for the most part, but it didn't work out quite as planned, and had parts that didn't go smoothly at all. Plus, it was a shame about Mam being sick, and me and Carl not getting to meet Maya.
Even the plans for food didn't go entirely as planned in the first couple of days.
The original plan had been for me to have some of my Mam's quiche with chips (fries) and baked beans Thursday evening. But I ended up grabbing a vegetable pasty on the way back to Mam's place, and just had the piece of quiche on its own when I woke up Friday morning. Then I had dinner at Dad's instead of Mam's on Friday, and Carl brought us all take-away from a really nice place not too far from where Dad and Nan live. Not only was the food excellent, but the portions were big enough that a large portion of chips was enough for the four of us to have a decent amount. Plus, they not only have a pretty good vegetarian selection, but can also offer a 100% guarantee that the chips aren't cooked with any meat or fish (which you can't guarantee in most chip shops). I had my share of the chips with pea fritters and curry sauce.
After that, things went more to plan with food.
On Saturday we ate party food, and Sunday Dad cooked a roast dinner that consisted of roast potatoes, roasted sweet potatoes, carrot and swede mash, and sprouts (with pork for those who ate meat, which was everyone but me). Then I brought us all take-away on Monday, so we all had Indian food. Mine was a mild vegetable curry with chips. Yes, more chips. I could have had rice, but I didn't want to. I really do love my chips!
Anyway...
My Dad has this drinks machine similar to the ones coffee shops have. It's pretty cool actually. He has loads of different drinks for it (mainly types of coffee, I think) and also uses it to boil just the amount of water needed to fill a cup to make tea. I mainly drank different kinds of teas while I was there, with the odd mug of Wispa hot chocolate thrown in when I fancied some cocoa. But I also had a sample sip of a vanilla latte. I'm not really a coffee person... OK, I actually hate coffee... But Dad offered me a sip to try it, so I figured I would. It tasted a bit better than regular coffee, but I still didn't think too much of it, and plan to stick to my tea and cocoa. At least I can say I tried it though. I've also tried a cappuccino in the past, which I also thought wasn't anything special, though have to admit it tasted better than regular coffee. Not by enough to make me want to drink it on anything close to resembling a regular basis though. But, again, at least I can say I tried it.
***
Carl and Nan (Dad's Mother) often play Knock-Out Whist (also called "Trumps") when they're together. I haven't really played much cards beyond Klondike Solitaire, Go Fish, and Snap, so they taught me how to play.
I got really lucky with it, and ended up winning a lot of the games. Nan won a lot too, but Carl only won once. We all enjoyed playing it though.
Carl also introduced us to the Munchkin card game, which he has the Munchkin Accessability Kit for. We also downloaded the QR reader on to my iPhone, so that I could use it to read my own cards. But since using it is a slow process, and since Carl was showing us how to play it so it was easier if we actually knew each other's cards in this situation, Carl and I allowed others to read the bits of the cards the QR reader is needed for instead of messing about with the app. It's really cool that the option to use the app, and make the game fully accessable to the blind, is there though. So, thanks for that 64 Ounce Games!
My luck wasn't so good with this one, and I didn't win a single game. The first time, Carl, Wayne, Nan and I played, and Carl won. The second time it was Dad instead of Wayne, and Dad won. The third game I didn't play, because I went for a nap instead, and Nan won that one. Anyway, it was a fun and very amusing game. I'm not sure I'd want to play it all the time, but I would play it again, it was certainly a great one, and it was nice for a change of pace.
***
So... That was my visit to Wales.
At least, all that's worth mentioning but isn't covered in other posts, like my post about the party last week, my post about the creative writing app on Wednesday, and the movie and TV shows I plan to tell you about on Monday (when I tell you about others I watched in the past month).
I came back exhausted and not feeling too well, so spent the first week after I got back doing little more than eating, sleeping, and trying to catch up on things online. The second week wasn't much better. After that I was back to what passes for normal for me though. Luckily, I was prepared for the tiredness at least, so had plenty of posts I could fall back on for my blog while I rested and recovered, since I set up some posts before I went away for while I was away, and about a week after I got back.
March 20, 2016
"Lost In The Labyrinth Of My Mind" by Kevin Morris is now in print
An announcement from fellow author, Kevin Morris:
Also, here's some more information on where to buy or borrow "Lost In The Labyrinth Of My Mind" - in case you want to get your hands on a copy.
I am pleased to announce that my collection of poetry, "Lost in the Labyrinth of My Mind" is now available, in print from Moyhill Publishing: http://moyhill.com/lost/.
Lost can also be found, as a Kindle download here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01AF5EPVY?keywords=Lost%20in%20the%20labyrinth%20of%20my%20mind&qid=1452670393&ref_=sr_1_1&s=digital-text&sr=1-1.
The poems in Lost cover a wide spectrum, ranging from the humorous through to musings on nature and our place in life's rich tapestry.
Also, here's some more information on where to buy or borrow "Lost In The Labyrinth Of My Mind" - in case you want to get your hands on a copy.
March 19, 2016
A few #jokes for you (AE&D)
Little Johnny and his family were sat around the table. When dinner was served, Little Johnny immediately started eating.
"Johnny, you have to say your prayers first," his Mother scolded.
"No, I don't," replied Little Johnny.
"Yes, you do," said his Mother. "We always say prayers before eating at our house."
"I know," replied Little Johnny. "But this is Grandma's house, and she knows how to cook."
***~~~***
An old man and his friend were out for a walk in the countryside.
"Look at that group of cows," said the old man.
"Herd," said his friend.
"Heard what?" asked the old man.
"Herd of cows," replied his friend.
"Of course I've heard of cows," the old man replied irritably.
"I mean, the cows are in a herd" his friend explained patiently.
"What do I care what the cows heard?" snapped the old man.
At this point, his friend gave up.
***~~~***
A man had been contemplating the world’s population.
"It’s amazing," he told his friend. "Every time I breathe in and out someone dies."
"Have you tried mouthwash?" asked his friend.
***~~~***
“Doc, I can’t stop singing The Green, Green Grass of Home,” said the patient.
“That sounds like Tom Jones syndrome,” replied the doctor.
“Is it common? ” the patient asked.
“It’s not unusual,” the doctor said.
***~~~***
Q: How many programmers does it take to change a light bulb?
A: None, that’s a hardware problem.
***~~~***
The three stages of life:
Youth: plenty of time and energy, but no money.
Adulthood: plenty of energy and money, but no time.
Old age: plenty of time and money, but no energy.
"Johnny, you have to say your prayers first," his Mother scolded.
"No, I don't," replied Little Johnny.
"Yes, you do," said his Mother. "We always say prayers before eating at our house."
"I know," replied Little Johnny. "But this is Grandma's house, and she knows how to cook."
***~~~***
An old man and his friend were out for a walk in the countryside.
"Look at that group of cows," said the old man.
"Herd," said his friend.
"Heard what?" asked the old man.
"Herd of cows," replied his friend.
"Of course I've heard of cows," the old man replied irritably.
"I mean, the cows are in a herd" his friend explained patiently.
"What do I care what the cows heard?" snapped the old man.
At this point, his friend gave up.
***~~~***
A man had been contemplating the world’s population.
"It’s amazing," he told his friend. "Every time I breathe in and out someone dies."
"Have you tried mouthwash?" asked his friend.
***~~~***
“Doc, I can’t stop singing The Green, Green Grass of Home,” said the patient.
“That sounds like Tom Jones syndrome,” replied the doctor.
“Is it common? ” the patient asked.
“It’s not unusual,” the doctor said.
***~~~***
Q: How many programmers does it take to change a light bulb?
A: None, that’s a hardware problem.
***~~~***
The three stages of life:
Youth: plenty of time and energy, but no money.
Adulthood: plenty of energy and money, but no time.
Old age: plenty of time and money, but no energy.
March 18, 2016
Furkid Friday - March 18th 2016
Hello humans, rodents, and anyone else reading this.
This is Bilbo the gerbil.
I don't have much to say today, but here are a few photos of me and my brother, Baggins, that were taken recently.
These ones were taken back in February...
And this one was taken about a week and a half ago...
Enjoy!
Squeak soon,
Bilbo
This is Bilbo the gerbil.
I don't have much to say today, but here are a few photos of me and my brother, Baggins, that were taken recently.
These ones were taken back in February...
And this one was taken about a week and a half ago...
Enjoy!
Squeak soon,
Bilbo
March 16, 2016
#Writing Wednesday: story dice
While I was in Wales at the end of February, my brother, Carl, introduced me to a fun - yet also useful - app for the iPhone. Which, by the way, is also available for other tablets and similar devices.
Anyway, the app wasstory dice, and I mention it in a writing post because... As it says on the app store...
It's worth noting that, though the "dice" show up as pictograms, it works so well with Apple's voiceover software that the app is still accessable to the blind without any assistance being required from a sighted person, making this a great tool for those who can't read well (such as young children) or those who rely on screen reader technology to read what's on the screen for them (such as the visually impaired) as well.
Most importantly though, this is a potentially fun way of helping someone struggling with writers' block to get their creative juices flowing.
Carl and I used it to entertain each other by making up flash fiction on the spot, when we had an hour spare to mess around on the Sunday evening. Most of our stories weren't that great, but it was good fun.
I did make a note of one of mine though, because I was quite pleased with it - and Carl seemed to like it too - so I plan to expand on it in the future, as well as take the time to iron out the rough edges, if you know what I mean. I'm not sure if Carl plans to work with any of his in the future... I didn't ask, to be honest.
Are you thinking this isn't for you because you don't write flash fiction? Think again! For one thing, the app doesn't have to be used for flash fiction. For another thing, there are 5 smart reasons to write flash fiction, even if it's only from time to time.
Anyway...
I happen to think it's a fun and useful app, and Carl obviously thinks so too, since he recommended it to me. We also both grabbed the spooky story dice version, since it contains some "dice" that the other version doesn't.
Oh, and... If you're wondering... No. I did not get asked by anyone to tell you how totally awesome I think the app is, and I'm not being paid for it either (which is a real shame, but there you go). I'm writing this post because I want to, and telling you about how awesome the app is because it's how I feel, and I want you to know about it... Especially those of you reading this who are writers too.
Anyway, the app wasstory dice, and I mention it in a writing post because... As it says on the app store...
Story Dice is a creative writing prompt tool to come up with ideas for plot, character, and setting. It can be used for both written and oral storytelling.
It's worth noting that, though the "dice" show up as pictograms, it works so well with Apple's voiceover software that the app is still accessable to the blind without any assistance being required from a sighted person, making this a great tool for those who can't read well (such as young children) or those who rely on screen reader technology to read what's on the screen for them (such as the visually impaired) as well.
Most importantly though, this is a potentially fun way of helping someone struggling with writers' block to get their creative juices flowing.
Carl and I used it to entertain each other by making up flash fiction on the spot, when we had an hour spare to mess around on the Sunday evening. Most of our stories weren't that great, but it was good fun.
I did make a note of one of mine though, because I was quite pleased with it - and Carl seemed to like it too - so I plan to expand on it in the future, as well as take the time to iron out the rough edges, if you know what I mean. I'm not sure if Carl plans to work with any of his in the future... I didn't ask, to be honest.
Are you thinking this isn't for you because you don't write flash fiction? Think again! For one thing, the app doesn't have to be used for flash fiction. For another thing, there are 5 smart reasons to write flash fiction, even if it's only from time to time.
Anyway...
I happen to think it's a fun and useful app, and Carl obviously thinks so too, since he recommended it to me. We also both grabbed the spooky story dice version, since it contains some "dice" that the other version doesn't.
Oh, and... If you're wondering... No. I did not get asked by anyone to tell you how totally awesome I think the app is, and I'm not being paid for it either (which is a real shame, but there you go). I'm writing this post because I want to, and telling you about how awesome the app is because it's how I feel, and I want you to know about it... Especially those of you reading this who are writers too.
March 14, 2016
Eight birthdays and one steampunk party (LBE and FD)
First, the birthdays...
There were four birthdays I know about in February: Rita's cat, Karma, turned 11 on February 5th.
My Dad's girlfriend, Cath, turned 50 on February 16th. Our nephew, Devon, turned 17 on February 25th. And, last but not least, my brother (Carl)'s girlfriend, Tory, turned 25 on February 27th.
So, a belated happy birthday to you all, Karma, Cath, Devon, and Tory.
While I'm mentioning birthdays, I'll mention the March ones too, since there has already been one of those, and will be a couple more really soon: our friend, and one of my cover artists, Jacob, had his birthday on March 12th. My brother Wayne, will turn 36 tomorrow (March 15th). My honorary niece, Emma, will turn 6 on March 18th. And my friend, Rita, will be celebrating her birthday on March 28th (I'll let her tell you how old she'll be, if she wants to share that information)
So, a belated happy birthday to Jacob, and an early happy birthday to you all, Wayne, Emma, and Rita.
Also, thanks to Rita and Karma for this great card they sent me to thank me for Karma's birthday treats:
***
My Dad's girlfriend, Cath, celebrated her 50th birthday with a steampunk fancy dress party.
Now, I'm sure at least some of you are wondering what steampunk is, so...
Or, to put it another way...
If you want more information... Go here.
Anyway, the reason I mention it is because I went for a visit to Wales towards the end of February to go to the party. I'm only getting around to posting about it now, because I had some other stuff I wanted to post about first.
Anyway...
I only decided to go quite close to the party date, so my costume wasn't as good as most would have been, since limitations in time, funds, and availability of suitable items that would fit me made things difficult. I did what I could with the time, resources and funds available to me though. But, hey, that's what happens when you only give yourself just over a week to make the arrangements for a costume party, and don't already have a costume in your posession.
Anyway, the costume turned out OK, I think. I was meant to be an old style cook, since we decided it was appropriate for my... Well... Slightly rounded body shape, if you know what I mean. Also, we hoped it would be easy to get pieces that would at least make a costume of some sort.
You may have already seen the photos on Facebook. But, for those who missed them... Or who aren't on Facebook... Here they are:
First, here's my Dad with his girlfriend, Cath:
And here's my brother, Carl:
Here's me:
And here are a few shots of me and Carl together:
No. I'm not picking my nose in one of those photos... I was thinking. Carl and I didn't really know anyone beyond Dad and Cath, so we were keeping ourselves entertained with games while they were socializing, and I was thinking about my answer to the question he'd just asked me, unaware that Dad had the camera pointed in our direction. We were playing the game where you have to pick a certain amount of things you'd save or want to take with you in certain situations, but with the added complication of having to provide valid reasons for doing so, rather than just giving a list. For example, one of our questions was "if you were stranded on a desert island, and had to pick eight books to have with you, which would they be? And why, out of all the books in the world, would you pick those particular books?"
OK, back to the party and costumes...
There were loads of other photos taken while we were at the party, but I'm only sharing these ones, because they're the only ones involving me and my family. At least, the only ones I have access to, since I know we showed up in at least one of the photos taken by someone else at the party, and I dare say we showed up in others too.
Anyway...
I should have had a white apron, but I couldn't find a big enough one that I could get to me in time, so I had to make do with the blue one (my choice was blue, green, or red; I'm not 100% certain, but I would think blue would have been a more likely alternative to white than red or green in the 1800s, and Kelly, my Mam, and my Grandma all agreed with me when I asked their opinions). I also should have had a bit more of a girly outfit, if you know what I mean. But, again, I had to work with what I could find, and at least I wasn't in joggers (sweats) and a t-shirt, which is what I usually wear. ;)
I didn't have any of the gadgets or accessories, since I had neither the time or funds to arrange any that would work alongside my costume. But, hey, I was an old fashioned cook with an iPhone in my apron pocket... Which you can't see, but it is in there with the rolling pin... So I suppose that would count. It was the best I could manage on short notice at least, and Dad and Cath just appreciated that I made the effort, so it's all good, and everyone's happy enough. Although, I'm hoping if I do this again - or anything similar - I'll have the time to do a better job with the costume for it.
It was a pretty good party. Plus, I was very impressed with the selection of vegetarian friendly options available. At most parties you'll have one or two things that are vegetarian friendly, but this party had a lot. I learned later that one of Cath's best friends is vegetarian, so that may account for it. But, regardless of the reason, I was impressed. I was able to have a full plate of food, while still only having a small sample of each item. There was everything from cheese and pineapple to curried sweet potatoes and vegetable quiche. Not to mention salad items and fresh bread rolls. The only thing I was disappointed about with the food was the lack of cake. I can't help it... I think there should be cake at a party, so I was extremely disappointed that there wasn't. My Dad kind of made up for it with the Toblerone cake and raspberry pavlova he served for tea on Sunday, but I still think the food on offer at the party should have included some cake. Sorry, but I do!
OK... This post is long enough, so... I'll tell you about the rest of my trip to Wales another day... Probably next week.
There were four birthdays I know about in February: Rita's cat, Karma, turned 11 on February 5th.
My Dad's girlfriend, Cath, turned 50 on February 16th. Our nephew, Devon, turned 17 on February 25th. And, last but not least, my brother (Carl)'s girlfriend, Tory, turned 25 on February 27th.
So, a belated happy birthday to you all, Karma, Cath, Devon, and Tory.
While I'm mentioning birthdays, I'll mention the March ones too, since there has already been one of those, and will be a couple more really soon: our friend, and one of my cover artists, Jacob, had his birthday on March 12th. My brother Wayne, will turn 36 tomorrow (March 15th). My honorary niece, Emma, will turn 6 on March 18th. And my friend, Rita, will be celebrating her birthday on March 28th (I'll let her tell you how old she'll be, if she wants to share that information)
So, a belated happy birthday to Jacob, and an early happy birthday to you all, Wayne, Emma, and Rita.
Also, thanks to Rita and Karma for this great card they sent me to thank me for Karma's birthday treats:
***
My Dad's girlfriend, Cath, celebrated her 50th birthday with a steampunk fancy dress party.
Now, I'm sure at least some of you are wondering what steampunk is, so...
Steampunk is modern technology—iPads, computers, robotics, air travel—powered by steam and set in the 1800’s.
Or, to put it another way...
Steampunk is an inspired movement of creativity and imagination. With a backdrop of either Victorian England or America’s Wild West at hand, modern technologies are re-imagined and realized as elaborate works of art, fashion, and mechanics. If Jules Verne or H.G. Wells were writing their science fiction today, it would be considered “steampunk.”
If you want more information... Go here.
Anyway, the reason I mention it is because I went for a visit to Wales towards the end of February to go to the party. I'm only getting around to posting about it now, because I had some other stuff I wanted to post about first.
Anyway...
I only decided to go quite close to the party date, so my costume wasn't as good as most would have been, since limitations in time, funds, and availability of suitable items that would fit me made things difficult. I did what I could with the time, resources and funds available to me though. But, hey, that's what happens when you only give yourself just over a week to make the arrangements for a costume party, and don't already have a costume in your posession.
Anyway, the costume turned out OK, I think. I was meant to be an old style cook, since we decided it was appropriate for my... Well... Slightly rounded body shape, if you know what I mean. Also, we hoped it would be easy to get pieces that would at least make a costume of some sort.
You may have already seen the photos on Facebook. But, for those who missed them... Or who aren't on Facebook... Here they are:
First, here's my Dad with his girlfriend, Cath:
And here's my brother, Carl:
Here's me:
And here are a few shots of me and Carl together:
No. I'm not picking my nose in one of those photos... I was thinking. Carl and I didn't really know anyone beyond Dad and Cath, so we were keeping ourselves entertained with games while they were socializing, and I was thinking about my answer to the question he'd just asked me, unaware that Dad had the camera pointed in our direction. We were playing the game where you have to pick a certain amount of things you'd save or want to take with you in certain situations, but with the added complication of having to provide valid reasons for doing so, rather than just giving a list. For example, one of our questions was "if you were stranded on a desert island, and had to pick eight books to have with you, which would they be? And why, out of all the books in the world, would you pick those particular books?"
OK, back to the party and costumes...
There were loads of other photos taken while we were at the party, but I'm only sharing these ones, because they're the only ones involving me and my family. At least, the only ones I have access to, since I know we showed up in at least one of the photos taken by someone else at the party, and I dare say we showed up in others too.
Anyway...
I should have had a white apron, but I couldn't find a big enough one that I could get to me in time, so I had to make do with the blue one (my choice was blue, green, or red; I'm not 100% certain, but I would think blue would have been a more likely alternative to white than red or green in the 1800s, and Kelly, my Mam, and my Grandma all agreed with me when I asked their opinions). I also should have had a bit more of a girly outfit, if you know what I mean. But, again, I had to work with what I could find, and at least I wasn't in joggers (sweats) and a t-shirt, which is what I usually wear. ;)
I didn't have any of the gadgets or accessories, since I had neither the time or funds to arrange any that would work alongside my costume. But, hey, I was an old fashioned cook with an iPhone in my apron pocket... Which you can't see, but it is in there with the rolling pin... So I suppose that would count. It was the best I could manage on short notice at least, and Dad and Cath just appreciated that I made the effort, so it's all good, and everyone's happy enough. Although, I'm hoping if I do this again - or anything similar - I'll have the time to do a better job with the costume for it.
It was a pretty good party. Plus, I was very impressed with the selection of vegetarian friendly options available. At most parties you'll have one or two things that are vegetarian friendly, but this party had a lot. I learned later that one of Cath's best friends is vegetarian, so that may account for it. But, regardless of the reason, I was impressed. I was able to have a full plate of food, while still only having a small sample of each item. There was everything from cheese and pineapple to curried sweet potatoes and vegetable quiche. Not to mention salad items and fresh bread rolls. The only thing I was disappointed about with the food was the lack of cake. I can't help it... I think there should be cake at a party, so I was extremely disappointed that there wasn't. My Dad kind of made up for it with the Toblerone cake and raspberry pavlova he served for tea on Sunday, but I still think the food on offer at the party should have included some cake. Sorry, but I do!
OK... This post is long enough, so... I'll tell you about the rest of my trip to Wales another day... Probably next week.
March 13, 2016
Valentine's pizza and Okami (FD)
We did our Valentine's celebrations late this year. They happened after I was back from Wales. We didn't do much even then though... Just ate Pizza. Pizza Hut delivers where we are, so we had Pizza Hut pizza... I love Pizza Hut pizza!
Kelly got me a late Valentine's gift though, which is the reason I'm writing this post.
The gift was this Timber Wolf teddy:
I've named him Okami, which is Japenese for wolf (or a Japenese name that means wolf... It's one of the two... That kind of thing is a grey area when you're not familiar with more than the odd word of a language).
Kelly got me a late Valentine's gift though, which is the reason I'm writing this post.
The gift was this Timber Wolf teddy:
I've named him Okami, which is Japenese for wolf (or a Japenese name that means wolf... It's one of the two... That kind of thing is a grey area when you're not familiar with more than the odd word of a language).
March 12, 2016
Giveaway: win a #free signed print copy of "Lost In The Labyrinth Of My Mind" by K Morris - act NOW!
Fellow author, Kevin Morris, is running a contest for you to win a free signed print copy of his latest book of poetry "Lost In The Labyrinth Of My Mind" via his blog.
Here are the details:
Good luck!
Here are the details:
I am offering the chance to win a print copy of my recently released collection of poetry, “Lost in the Labyrinth of My Mind”.The original post can be found at http://newauthoronline.com/2016/03/12/your-chance-to-win-a-free-copy-of-lost-in-the-labyrinth-of-my-mind/.
“Lost” is currently only available as a Kindle download
I am, however in the final stages of producing a print copy (the book is with the printer and should be available for sale at a cost of £11.45 by late March.
If you would like to win a free signed copy of “Lost in the Labyrinth” please answer the following question
What is the title of my first collection of poetry?
Please send your entries via email to newauthoronline (at) gmail dot com, putting “Competition” in the subject line.
Rules:
1. Only one print copy of “Lost in the Labyrinth of My Mind” is being offered.
2. The first person to email me with the correct answer wins a free copy of “Lost”.
3. The winner will be contacted by email with a request that they provide their full postal address so the book can be posted.
4. Your personal data will be deleted once the competition closes. It will not be shared with anyone.
If, having read “Lost” you would like to write a review, this would be very much appreciated. You are, however under absolutely no obligation to do so.
Good luck.
Kevin
Good luck!
Zigler News
Author and book news for children's author and poet, Victoria Zigler, as well as general news from the life of the Zigler family; furry and otherwise!
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