Victoria Zigler's Blog: Zigler News, page 40

#MondayMotivation - #Quotes + Words Of #Wisdom 25-05-20

Once the game is over, the king & the pawn go back in the same box.
~Italian Proverb

Have more than you show. Speak less than you know.
~William Shakespeare

What lies behind us & what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.
~Martin Luther King

A wise person speaks first with his actions, second with his mouth.
~Dr. Partha Nandi

There is never a better measure of what a person is than what he does when he's absolutely free to choose.
~William M. Bulger

No one has ever made himself great by showing how small someone else is.
~Irvin Himmel

The only thing that is more expensive than education is ignorance.
~Ben Franklin

Get over the idea that only children should spend their time in study. Be a student so long as you still have something to learn, and this will mean all your life.
~Henry L. Doherty

In a time of drastic change it is the learners who inherit the future.
~Eric Hoffer

Difference between school and life? In school, you're taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, you're given a test that teaches you a lesson.
~Tom Bodett

The quieter you become, the more you are able to hear.
~Rumi

PetKid Pals: Campbell

Hi everyone.  This is Lilie the Westie.

 

I have a new friend for you to meet today.  We haven’t had a friend visit for a while.  It’s not because of that Avirus situation the humans are all talking about either, since Mummy says online friends don’t count in that, since you’re already social distancing from them.  Good thing, since we’re still sort of locked down here, I think.  I hope you understood all that, because I can’t explain, since I don’t fully understand it all myself.

 

Anyway, today’s PetKid Pal is called Campbell.  Or maybe Bubba.  You know what? I’m actually not sure which it is, so let’s ask him, shall we?

 

Hello, friend.  What’s your name? If you have an unusual name, or there’s an interesting story behind it, I’d love to hear about it, and am sure others would too, so please share.

 

“Hi, my name is Bubba, well, Bubba is the nickname m    ade of love that my human mother gave to me. My real name is King Campbell-Lee, Seeing Eye Dog. Something I must tell you though, is that I was not always a king. It wasn’t until my mother loved me that I became s    o.”

 

Well, that explains it.  At least that’s easier to understand than most of what the humans are saying and doing right now.  Anyway, Campbell – I’m going to call you Campbell, since Bubba sounds like a special name between you and your human - what species and breed(s) are you?

 

“I’m a Dog, black Labrador.”

 

Ah, yes, of course.  For those who aren’t familiar with the breed, please describe your appearance.

 

“I am quite long and muscular. I’ve rich, dark, black, shiny, plush fur, and when I stand on all fours, I come almost to my human mother’s knee.

My eyes are a dark brown, and I’ve floppy ears, which my human mother is always kissing because they have little tufts of curls behind them. She calls them her “little curlies.”

*Embarrassed Doggy

#AmReading + #AmWatching + #AmListening - Media Shares And #Reviews 21-05-20

There’s always room for a story that can transport people to another place.
~J.K. Rowling

Welcome to this week's weekly media shares and reviews post!

*Disclaimer: no matter what's being reviewed, all opinions in this post are entirely my own, and I reserve the right to have them, regardless of who may or may not share them. Feel free to express your own in the comments, but please respect my right - and the rights of other commenters - to have opinions that might differ from yours, and to express those opinions too.

Also, please remember that I read/watch/listen to things in a variety of genres, and for all ages, so you should make sure you check that the book/movie/show/song is suitable for the intended audience before reading/watching/listening to it, especially if children are involved. I take no responsibility for anything which may happen as a result of failing to do so.

If you want to know more about the book, or the author, click on whichever it is you want to learn more about, and it will take you to the appropriate page on Goodreads. Clicking on my rating should take you to my actual Goodreads review for the book in question. Please bear in mind that the format I've reviewed on Goodreads may not be the format I actually read.

Alternatively, if it's a movie or TV show you want to know more about, just click on the title to go to a page where you can find out more details about the movie or TV show in question; the title links will usually take you to a page on IMDB.

Unless otherwise stated, all music videos are via YouTube.

OK. Let's see what I've been reading, watching, and listening to, and which song I'm going to share this week, shall we? After all, that's the point of this post, and why you're here today, right?

Reading:This week I read one book. So, here's what I read, along with my book review.

A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is certainly an eventful addition to the series, even if it's still a relatively slow-paced one. If you're interested in the historical and medical aspects of the time period, or simply enough of a fan of the characters to want to know what's happening with them in their daily lives - which I am, thankfully - you'll really enjoy this one. If you're looking for the action-packed adventure the first book was though, you'll likely not enjoy it so much. Personally, I found it to be an excellent read - even if the ending was sad in some ways.

Watching:Since I was focussed on reading, this week I didn't watch anything.  At least, not unless you count snatches of TV shows and movies I caught when I was in and out of the living room doing things, which I don't.

Listening:This week I've been listening to 90s music, since that's what I felt like listening to.  So, here's a song from one of the bands I saw during one of the very few times I've actually gone to a live concert, who were popular starting in the late 90s: Steps.  And I'm sharing their song "Tragedy" with you today.  It's not my favourite of theirs, but it feels right for current circumstances.  Enjoy!

#Pet #Poem: Avirus

Avirus

~A poem written on behalf of Lilie the West Highland White Terrier.

 

As they passed I gave my wiggle dance.

That usually makes them smile.

    But it didn’t work today

(In fact, it hasn’t for a while).

 

I miss when they’d greet me warmly

(Almost everyone we’d meet)

And how they’d pet me and rub my ears

While telling me I’m sweet.

 

Mummy says it’s avirus

Making everyone act strange.

I don’t know what that means,

But I do not like this change.

 

I don’t like how they glare now

As they quickly pass us by,

And how they won’t even take a moment

To say a friendly, “Hi.”

 

I wish I knew what I had done

To make so many people mad;

Whatever it was I did wrong,

I’m real sorry I was bad.

 

Mummy says it’s not my fault,

Daddy agrees I’m not to blame.

But despite their reassurances

I’m worried all the same.

 

 

© 2020 ~ Victoria "Tori Zigler, on behalf of Lilie the West Highland White Terrier.

The Cookie #Book Tag - #AmReading

According to where I got this from, this one came from a blog called Sorry, I'm Booked. Just so you know.

Anyway, I'm not tagging anyone to do this, but if you want to play along, that would be great, because I'd love to read your answers. You can post them in the comments, do a post on your own blog, or whatever. If you post them on your blog though, do make sure you tell me, and give me the link if you can too, so I can come read them. For now though, here are the questions, along with my own answers:

1. Chocolate Chip: A Classic Book That You Love or Really Enjoyed

"Wuthering Heights" by Emily Bronte. I've read it a few times, and could happily do so again.

2. Thin Mints: A Fandom That You Really Want to ‘Join’ AND/OR a Hyped-Up Book You Want To Read

To be honest, I don't really pay all that much attention to the hype surrounding things, or care whether what I'm reading is, "The book everyone's talking about," or whatever.

3. Shortbread: An Author You Can’t Get Enough Of

Wait... What? I have to pick just one? But there are so many!

OK. Fine. Since I do need to pick just one, I'm going with David Estes. I've read all his books, and never once been disappointed, regardless of the genre the book in question happens to be in. I can't wait to see what he writes next!

4. Samoas/ Caramel DeLites: An Emotional Roller-coaster (this cookie was hard … so any book that made you feel more than one emotion, strongly. The choice of emotions is up to you)

A recent one that springs to mind for this one is "Subject A36" by Teri Polen. It was an awesome and gripping read, which had me on an emotional rollercoaster throughout. I'm dying for the rest of the series to be written and released!

5. Oreos: A Book Whose Cover Was Better Than The Story OR Vice Versa, Where The Story Was Better Than Its Cover

Between the fact I mostly read eBooks, and my lack of sight, I don't pay attention to covers. I suppose I could ask someone what's on them, but mostly I just want to read the story, so don't give the covers a thought.

6. Tagalongs/ Peanut Butter Patties: A Book That Wasn’t What You Expected (good, bad, or just different, interpret how you wish)

I'm going with "The Lords Of Terra" by L.J. Goulding, which I read for a book challenge, and enjoyed a lot more than I expected to.

7. Snickerdoodles: A Book You May Never Stop Rereading/ Loving

J K Rowling's "Harry Potter" series.

Yeah... Anyone who knows me well saw that one coming, I'm sure. *wink*

8. Oatmeal Raisin: An Awful Surprise.

There have, unfortunately, been a few that could apply here. But I'm going with "Esmerelda" by Frances Hodgson Burnett, because how much I love "The Secret Garden" and "A Little Princess" made it very surprising to me that I found this story so dull.

#MondayMotivation - #Quotes + Words Of #Wisdom 18-05-20

Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak. Courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.
~Winston Churchill

It's not about having an absence of fear, it's about having dominance over it.
~Steve Maraboli

Hope and fear cannot occupy the same space. Invite one to stay.
~Maya Angelou

The greatest mistake you can make in life is to continually be afraid you will make one.
~Elbert Hubbard

An ounce of action can crush a ton of fear.
~Tim Fargo

The beautiful thing about fear is, when you run to it, it runs away.
~Robin Sharma

Do what you fear and fear disappears.
~David Schwartz

Here’s sage advice:
If you FAIL, never give up because FAIL is First Attempt at Learning.
The End is not the end. End means Effort Never Dies.
If you get NO as an answer, remember NO means Next Opportunity.
~Unknown

You don't need to be an expert in something to try it.
~Michael Bloomberg

We humans have two great problems: The first is knowing when to start. The second is knowing when to stop.
~Paulo Coelho

The most valuable thing you can make is a mistake" – you can’t learn anything from being perfect.
~Adam Osborne

Proverbs are short sentences drawn from long experience.
~Miguel de Cervantes

Lilie Shares The May 2020 #Pet #Photo Shoot And Update - #Westie #Cavapoo #Tortoise #Chinchilla

Hi everyone.  This is Lilie the Westie.
We're all doing OK here healthwise.
Mummy says I'm going to be having my shots in June with Logan instead of at the end of May, since the vet wanted them postponed a bit to give them time to figure out a system for getting things like that done while also observing social distancing rules - whatever that means.
They say it's not a big deal for me to wait a bit, since there's a couple of months wiggle room with booster shots anyhow.  Plus, it means mine and Logan's vet trips will be due at the same time afterwards,  which will make things easier on Mummy, since we can just do the vet trips together, instead of her and Daddy taking it in turns to do vet trips with a dog.  Personally I kind of like the individual vet trips, since I'm then center of attention.  But never mind.

Anyway, Logan and I have appointments for shots and a checkup on June 23rd at 10:45am and 11:00am.  Mummy says we have the two slots to give time for us both to get a proper checkup without other people waiting for us to be done.  Something about how social distancing rules mean they want as few people at the vet as possible.  Shame... I like making friends during vet visits.

Mummy says the new rules may also mean she and Daddy have to wait in the waiting room while the vets take us dogs in to the examination room.  Daddy says he wishes them the best of luck in getting Logan to go along with that plan, and I'm with him on that one, since Logan's usual behaviour on realizing Mummy isn't with him is to sit down and refuse to move.  If he does that, I expect they'll just pick him up though.  He might be bigger than me now, but he's still small enough to be picked up.  Even Mummy can do it, and she can't even throw a ball very far.

Mummy also spoke to someone called an, "Exotic vet," and made an appointment for Artemis to see him.  She says the one who saw the degus is back, so she made the appointment with him, because she likes him.  The tortoise has an appointment for July 21st at 2:30pm.  Only Mummy will go to that appointment with her though, and Logan will have to put up with staying home with me and Daddy, whether he likes it or not.

Mummy brought a special box for Artemis to ride to the vet in.  It's plastic with a bit that lifts up on the top where Mummy can put the tortoise in to it before locking Artemis inside, and has handles so Mummy can carry it easily.  It's loads better than the cardboard box with holes in Artemis came home in.  Mummy says it's meant for rodents, but it looks like it will work just fine for the tortoise.  Mummy's going to put some hay in it so it's a bit more comfortable for Artemis.  I didn't know they made pet carriers for rodents.  Mummy didn't either until she found this by accident.  Maybe she should also get one for Mollie? I'd show you what it looks like, but I don't have a photo of it.

I do have some new photos of us to share with you today though.  Mummy took photos of us with the flashy thing on her phone while she was playing with us on the sofa last week.  Well, me, Logan, and Artemis (who thinks the sofa is a good napping place, so decided to nap instead of playing).  Mollie was sleeping in her cage at the time, but Mummy felt bad she wasn't included, so Daddy took one of her afterwards, when she got up in the evening.  They were all taken on May 8th though.

Mummy thought some new photos of us would be appreciated right now, especially with everything going on - whatever that means - so here they are:


Lots of licks,Lilie

#AmReading + #AmWatching + #AmListening - Media Shares And #Reviews 14-05-20

A good library will never be too neat, or dusty. Somebody will always be in it ,staying up late and reading.
~Lemony Snicket

Welcome to this week's weekly media shares and reviews post!

*Disclaimer: no matter what's being reviewed, all opinions in this post are entirely my own, and I reserve the right to have them, regardless of who may or may not share them. Feel free to express your own in the comments, but please respect my right - and the rights of other commenters - to have opinions that might differ from yours, and to express those opinions too.

Also, please remember that I read/watch/listen to things in a variety of genres, and for all ages, so you should make sure you check that the book/movie/show/song is suitable for the intended audience before reading/watching/listening to it, especially if children are involved. I take no responsibility for anything which may happen as a result of failing to do so.

If you want to know more about the book, or the author, click on whichever it is you want to learn more about, and it will take you to the appropriate page on Goodreads. Clicking on my rating should take you to my actual Goodreads review for the book in question. Please bear in mind that the format I've reviewed on Goodreads may not be the format I actually read.

Alternatively, if it's a movie or TV show you want to know more about, just click on the title to go to a page where you can find out more details about the movie or TV show in question; the title links will usually take you to a page on IMDB.

Unless otherwise stated, all music videos are via YouTube.

OK. Let's see what I've been reading, watching, and listening to, and which song I'm going to share this week, shall we? After all, that's the point of this post, and why you're here today, right?

Reading:This week I finished reading the fifth "Outlander" book, started the sixth, and read a book I was given to do an advanced review of, which I thought the review was due for this week, but it turns out it's not due until June.  Never mind, at least it's done before the official release date, which is the point of having books for advanced reviews anyhow, so that's OK. Anyway, here are the reviews for the two books I finished.
The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I've seen reviews from friends who haven't been so keen on this one because it's not as action-packed, seems to drag, etc, but I personally found those slower scenes interesting. I was especially interested in all the historical and medical information, which I found fascinating. There were some thought-provoking philosophical questions brought up too. Besides, this book is one of the middle books of the series, and there's usually a bit of a lull in the action somewhere in the middle. So, though this is a slower-paced read than the previous books, I personally feel it was a wonderful addition to the series.

Truth Hunter by Katrina Cope
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
For the most part, I thought this was an excellent addition to the series. I enjoyed reading Ava's story, and loved the ending. I only hesitate to give this book the full five stars because of two plot issues I personally don't agree with: the fact a certain relative of Ava's was so quick to side with her from their very first meeting, even if it meant going against everyone he knows and loves (his being so quick to do so didn't feel right to me) and the fact Ava moved someone as seriously injured as one character was at one point before tending to their wounds (anyone with even the most basic of first aid skills knows you shouldn't do that, especially if it looks like possible neck or spinal injuries might be involved). Those may seem like minor issues - and they are, I suppose - but the first of those influenced parts of the story, and the two combined felt like enough of an issue to prevent me feeling I could give this book the full five stars, despite it being an otherwise excellent read. I still recommend this book though. In fact, if you enjoy the kinds of stories involving angels and demons, witches and shifters, and the like, I recommend that you read this whole series.
*NOTE: I was given a free advanced copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. This fact has in no way influenced either my opinion of the book, or the contents of this review.

Watching:This week I've focussed more on reading than anything else, so the only thing I watched was a couple of "Game Of Thrones" episodes.

Listening:This week I've been listening to a variety of music again.  In particular songs by The Beetles though, since Alexa mentioned one of the songs as part of her random pieces of information for the day (she gives you a random piece of information if you say, "Good morning," to her, and some of them are quite interesting) and it made me want to listen to The Beetles' music.  The song Alexa mentioned was "Let It Be" - it was the anniversary of when that song was released, I believe - so that was the one I was going to share with you today, but I was having trouble finding a decent copy of it to add here.  So, I'm sharing "All You Need Is Love" instead, since it's a favourite of mine.  Enjoy!    

#WriterWednesday: #WritersLife + Writerly #Quotes And Links + A #Sale Reminder - 13-05-20 - #AmWriting

I want to write, but more than that, I want to bring out all kinds of things that lie buried deep in my heart.
~Anne Frank

I wrote a couple of new poems this week, as well as finally finishing the proofing of "Snowlilie's Brother" - the story inspired by Lilie and Logan.  So, now I just need to format the versions of the manuscript I need to publish the various formats, and then it will be ready to publish.  Nicely timed too, since my cover artist sent me the final version of the cover late Monday night (I found it in my inbox yesterday morning).  I might still manage to publish it before the end of May, but it might be early June instead.  I'm only a little behind my planned schedule... Not bad considering how things have been with my writing for the past several months.

As for afterwards: I already have a couple of other stories in various stages of completion from last year - none of them far enough along that I'm ready to tell you about them yet - plus another I ended up starting a couple of weeks ago, so I'll be making one of those my main writing project now that I'm about to publish "Snowlilie's Brother" at last.  Especially now my muse has stopped huddling in the corner sobbing in despair while shaking with terror, so is willing to embrace her creativity, and discuss projects with me again.

"Ask yourself in the stillest hour of the night: Must I write?"
~Rainer Maria Rilke

OK.  On that note, let's move on, and see what I've found to share with you this week.
The writing process, and writing life in general:The benefits of working ahead
12 unofficial internet rules all writers should knowHow to become a better writer in quarantine
2 simple ways to switch in to writer modeYou will release imperfect things in to this voidWhen you just want to be good at writing already12 tips to help writers feel less overwhelmed with... Everything10 great reasons to come back to writing after you've walked away16 reasons you should definitely write today (no matter what)
"You have to simply love writing, and you have to remind yourself often that you love it."~Susan Orlean

Characters:Character archetypes: the shadow
Random writing tips:Escape generic storytelling by asking, "Why?"
It isn't just about the verbPeople need to walk away from your story feeling somethingThe case for chapter titles

"The more specific you get, the more universal it is. It's a special alchemy of storytelling."~Mara Wilson

Publishing:How to publish with KDP: part 8, how to set up your KDP account
7 tips to making book titles that might actually workApple books For Authors launches - with PC accessA new normal for publishing?
The business side of writing:The year ahead... AgainVAT scrapped on e-publicationsCovid-19 enhances Amazon's reliability and credibility

"To survive, you must tell stories."
~Umberto Eco

Tune in to The Merry Writer Podcast on Youtube - also available to listen to elsewhere.

"Every story, every incident, every bit of conversation is raw material for me."
~Sylvia Plath

Don't forget: all my poetry collections and children's stories are still on sale in the Smashwords "Authors Give Back" sale through May 31st 2020.  So, head over to my Smashwords author page and grab yourself - or your kids - some eBooks for $2.00 or less.

Reader Problems #Book Tag - #AmReading

I found this tag on The Sassy Book Geek - just so you know where I got it.

I'm not tagging anyone, but I'd love to read your answers, so if you want to do it too, go for it. You can either post your answers in the comments section of this post, or do it on your own blog. If you do the latter, don't forget to make sure I know where to find it, because I'd hate to miss your answers. For now though, here are the questions, along with my own answers:

1. You have 20,000 books on your TBR. How in the world do you decide what to read next?

It depends. If I have books I got copies of in exchange for a review, I read them, starting with the one I've had longest, and working my way through them in the order I received the copies. If I don't have any review books to worry about, but the book I was just reading is part of a series, I'll read the next one in the series if I have it. If neither of those applies, I'll randomly pick one that appeals to me at the time.

2. You’re halfway through a book and you’re just not loving it. Do you quit or are you committed?

I'm commited. If I start a book, I finish a book.

3. The end of the year is coming and you’re so close, but so far away on your Goodreads reading challenge. Do you try to catch up and how?

I always try to fit in as much reading time as possible. I suppose I try and squeeze in a bit extra if I need to catch up on my reading goal, but mostly I try not to worry about it. Besides, as a general rule I'm ahead on that anyhow. I'm somewhere around 15 books ahead of schedule on my Goodreads reading goal for this year at the time of writing this, for example. So... *shrugs*

4. The covers of a series you love do. not. match. How do you cope?

Quite easily. Even when I could still see I didn't care too much about the covers. I mean, sure, matching covers would be nice. But if not... Well, as long as I have the books, that's what matters at the end of the day. It's what's between the covers that counts.

5. Every one and their mother loves a book you really don’t like. Who do you bond with over shared feelings?  

Nobody. I don't need to. People like and dislike different books. If everyone I know likes something I don't, or the other way around, who cares? I sure don't. I just won't talk about that book with them, even if they try to get me to do so. Or, if they insist on talking about it, I tune them out and don't listen. Problem solved.

6. You’re reading a book and you are about to start crying in public. How do you deal?

If I can keep reading without crying, I will. Otherwise I stop reading, put the book away, and get myself together, finishing reading the book later... When I can cry in private.

7. A sequel of a book you loved just came out, but you’ve forgotten a lot from the prior novel. Will you re-read the book? Skip the sequel? Try to find a synopsis on Goodreads? Cry in frustration?!?!?!  

Re-read the book, and then read the sequel right afterwards.

8. Reading ADD. You’ve picked up and put down 5 books in the last month. How do you get over your reading slump?  

This has literally never happened to me. Yes, there are books it takes me a while to get out of my mind, but that doesn't stop me moving on to the next book. So, to be honest, I don't know what I'd do if it ever did. I don't think it's very likely though, since I'm always commited to finishing a book if I start it, which I think is probably why I don't have this problem: train your mind to know you need to finish what you start reading, and you'll automatically want to. That's my opinion/theory anyhow.

9. There are so many new books coming out that you’re dying to read! How many do you actually buy?

It depends on available funds, and cost of the books in accessable to me formats.

10. After you’ve bought the new books you can’t wait to get to, how long do they sit on your shelf before you get to them?

It depends if I have any review books I need to deal with, if I'm in the middle of reading something else (and whether that something else is part of a series I have more of the books for) and how badly I want to read it. Sometimes I'll start a new book the same day I buy it, and other times it could take me a couple of years to get to it. So, it varies quite a bit.