L.A. Sartor's Blog, page 9

October 17, 2019

Sky Builder ~ My Graphic Product Of The Week

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Product of the week from DesignCuts
Hi Creatives, this product from DesignCuts really caught my eye.  Perfect for making the perfect sky/season/time of day for book covers, for any graphic, poster or meme.


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And remember, all of DesignCuts products come with a commercial license.
It's not on sale, but it is its own bundle of 5 products and a great deal at $28.00 (it would cost about triple if you bought them separately). I'm getting it for sure. 
All of the 5 graphic sets included in this bundle
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Published on October 17, 2019 11:18

October 13, 2019

R&R: Raves & Rants With Amanda Cabot


Rants and Raves Banner Me, Myself, and II know that I promised you another lesson on commas this month, but when I saw what felt like an egregious error in a writer’s magazine, I decided it was time to rant again. I won’t identify the magazine, nor will I give you a direct quote, because I don’t want to embarrass anyone, but the essence of the sentence that made me want to crumple the page and toss it into the wastebasket was, “Members of the audience asked myself many questions.”
Did that bother you? If you’re a grammar purist, it should have.
Wood doll with a bothered face

Why? Myself is a reflexive pronoun. So, too, are yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, and themselves.
Are you rolling your eyes at the term “reflexive pronoun”? Yes, I know this is grammar-speak, but a brief definition may help you understand the reason for my rant. According to my dictionary, “reflexive” means “directed or turned back on itself.” The same dictionary defines “reflexive pronoun” as “a pronoun referring to the subject of the sentence, clause, or verbal phrase in which it stands.” The key element in this definition is “referring to the subject.”
Green polka dot circle turning back on itself Reflexive pronouns can be used in a sentence as either direct or indirect objects, to indicate aloneness, or for emphasis. Let’s look at an example of each.
·         When I finished the chapter, I decided to reward myself with a chocolate milkshake. In this case, “myself” is a direct object. Although it would, in theory, be grammatically correct to say “to reward me,” the reflexive pronoun is infinitely preferable.
·         When I finished the chapter, I made myself a chocolate milkshake.Here, “myself” is the indirect object. I (subject) made the milkshake (direct object) for myself (indirect object.)
·         When I finished the chapter, I made a chocolate milkshake by myself.Do you see the difference between this example and the previous ones? I haven’t told you whether the milkshake is for me or someone else. Instead, by saying “by myself,” I’ve made the point that I did this alone rather than having help.
·         I made the milkshake myself.While this is similar to the previous example, there’s a subtle difference. In this case, I’ve used “myself” for emphasis. If I’m accustomed to either buying milkshakes or asking someone else to make one, the addition of “myself” tells you this is a big deal.
What do these examples have in common? In each case, “myself” refers back to the subject, which is “I.” These are all correct uses of a reflexive pronoun.
Now, let’s examine the sentence that started this whole discussion, “Members of the audience asked myself many questions.” ·         What is the subject of this sentence? If you answered “members of the audience,” you get a gold star. ·         What role does “myself” play? The correct answer is “object.” ·         So, what’s wrong with the sentence? Very simply, “myself” is the reflexive form of “I”, but since the subject of the sentence is not “I,” it’s misused here. Perhaps the author thought she was using “myself” for emphasis or to make herself seem important. In my opinion, she sounded a bit pompous by substituting the incorrect “myself” for the simple and correct “me.” The only way to make this sentence correct and still use a reflexive pronoun would be to say, “Members of the audience asked themselves many questions.” That, of course, changes the meaning of the sentence.
Let’s look at another erroneous use of a reflexive pronoun. ·         Susan and myself will answer questions after the lecture.Do you see the problem? “Myself” is being used as part of a compound subject. If you return to the original definition, a reflexive pronoun refers to the subject; it is not the subject. This sentence should have been “Susan and I will answer questions after the lecture.”
Me, myself, and I. The rules are simple. ·         “I” is the subject of a sentence.·         “Me” is the object, either direct or indirect.·         “Myself” is a reflexive pronoun and can only be used when the subject of the sentence is “I.”
A chart for the rules of using Me, Myself, I
Clear? I hope so.~Amanda
Headshot Of Amanda Cabot  A lifetime of reading and writing, not to mention a host of teachers who believed that good grammar was one of the essentials of life, have given Amanda Cabot such firm opinions about the printed word that I asked her to share some with us in her Raves and Rants posts.  
Cover Of A Tender Hope by Amanda Cabot Although her working career was in Information Technology, Amanda achieved her dream of selling her first novel before her thirtieth birthday and is now the author of more than thirty novels as well as a number of books and articles for Information Technology professionals.  
Her most recent book, A Tender Hope, is the final book of the Cimarron Creek trilogy.
Find all of Amanda's books, newsletter info and social media links here.





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Published on October 13, 2019 23:30

October 10, 2019

The Hungry Jpeg Freebie Of The Week


Why am I making such a big deal on freebies to you, my blog readers?Because everyone can use high quality free creative material.  And my hope is you'll fall in love with my trusted partners as much as I have and feel confident enough to buy when I present a new bundle deal. Truly, a win/win.(Honesty here, I am an affiliate, but it costs you nothing to buy from me.)

And who doesn't love free?
Image of freebie from The Hungry Jpeg

The Hungry Jpeg Freebie Of The Week
Wreath image 2 from the Hungry Jpeg Freebie of the week
Wreath image 3 from the Hungry Jpeg Freebie of the week
Enjoy!





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Published on October 10, 2019 11:30

October 9, 2019

Class Flash ~ Laurie Schenbly Campbell's Classes

These are some of the best writing classes out there. Why? Because Laurie gives you individual help ... if you do the homework and turn them in.  Which to me is worth every penny I've spent on her classes.  Hey, Santa....are you listening?
online: PLAUSIBLE PROBLEMS
(Nov. 4-15)
heartsthroughhistory.com
Writers who discover the versatility of enneagrams, the nine personality types and subtypes, are fascinated by how easy it is to identify their existing characters and create new ones -- each with uniquely heroic and distinctive traits, as well as a fatal (or not so fatal) flaw that naturally brings them into conflict with other characters AND with themselves.

online: HIS PERSONALITY LADDER
(Jan. 6-18, 2020)
heartsthroughhistory.com
Track your hero’s arc through the seven core steps he’ll need to climb during his journey from a not-yet-heroic character to one who’s fully earned his victory by the end. Of course, the heroine has her OWN ladder to climb, often in parallel stages...until the finale, when they reach their ultimate triumph. (There’s even a ladder for the villain, although he seldom makes it to the top.)

online: PROMOTION FOR YOUR PERSONALITY
(Feb. 3-14, 2020)
sinc-guppies.org There are so many ways for writers to promote their books, nobody should have to do something that feels uncomfortable for the kind of person they are. Looking at the five birth-order positions, three subtypes, and nine personality types shows which style best reflects you — AND which kinds of promotion will come more naturally, so you won’t have to dread all the activity that comes with releasing a new title or building a brand.
online: PLOTTING VIA MOTIVATION
(March 2-27)
writeruniv.wordpress.com/ classes
Here’s what writers have said about the course in previous years: “I never thought I could plot my entire book from start to finish, but here it is. This is AWESOME.” / “This month has truly changed the way I think about writing. I wish I’d taken Plotting Via Motivation before giving up on my earlier novels.” / “Now that I look back in the notebook where I wrote all my homework, I realize I’ve got my book right here!”

Laurie's  Bio:


Laurie Schnebly Campbell published half a dozen romances with Harlequin, including one that beat out Nora Roberts for “Best Special Edition of the Year,” before discovering the only thing she loves more than writing is working with other writers. So she started giving workshops every month, online and in person, and now has a special area on her bookshelf full of books with acknowledgments from authors who’ve loved her classes.




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Published on October 09, 2019 15:48

October 2, 2019

My First Audio Book Is Now Available


The image below says it all.

Well, it doesn't quite say it all. But it is exciting news. The reality is that creating an audiobook is a labor of love.
First, I had to find a narrator and lucky for me, one basically fell in my lap.  Thank you, Diane Egge, for recommending James Angell.
Then comes the trial and error with voicing the characters. I'm not keen on dramatic vocal changes from heroine to hero. No squeaky high pitched voices for Annie or Jen. But for the young boys, Josh and Peter, higher was perfect.
So Jim and I worked hard on getting them just right. He'd narrate a chapter and I'd proof it. If necessary he'd fix it and if he thought it was important, he'd send it back to me to make sure it was just as I wanted.  Gmail's servers were burning up with our emails. But let me tell you, e's a dream to work with.
Now we're working on Forever Yours This New Year's Night , Book Two in the Star Light ~ Star Bright Series. Jim has some great new voices and I can't wait.


Let me introduce you to Jim;
James Angell is a former reporter who spent 40 years in the newspaper and wire service world before getting into voiceover work. 

In addition to L.A. Sartor’s “Star Light-Star Bright” series, his voice can be heard narrating a children’s book about the K9 unit of a police department. In his spare time, he plays poker, golf, and guitar — all badly, but with great enthusiasm. 

A native of the Pacific Northwest, James moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming, in 1985, where he lives with his wife. 

Find Jim:
Website | Facebook

Buy Links: 
Amazon  (for Kindle/KindleUnlimited/Print/Audiobook)



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Published on October 02, 2019 23:30

September 8, 2019

Pamela Jaye Smith's Romantic Comedies A Movie Guide for Your Every Mood



I will be giving away a print copy of Pamela Jaye's book to one newsletter subscriber.  If you'd like to join my mailing list, click here
And a little history, I met PJS at the 2012 RWA Conference, where she presented a workshop on Making Your Story Sizzle with Symbolism. One of the best workshops I've ever taken.

ROMANTIC COMEDIES A Movie Guide for Your Every Mood
Are you sure you mean me?

Cover of Romantic Comedies Book When my publisher Ken Lee of Michael Wiese Productions first approached me to do a book on Romantic Comedies I reminded him that I was the mythology, military, metaphysics writer. But Ingram Distribution had approached MWP about having one of their authors do the book, and they thought I’d be the best person. Okay….
The genesis of it was an article in Vanity Fair about a study that showed when couples watched Romantic Comedies and talked about them together they had a better stay-together rate than couples who only went to couples therapy. So – proof once again that media can affect us, and in this case, in positive ways.
We decided to make it a movie guidebook to Rom-Coms for lots of different situations, problems, or questions people have about romance.
How did we decide how to structure the movie guide?

Though not considering myself a huge fan of Rom-Coms at that time, I did have my favorites: Roman Holiday, Sabrina, Love Actually, In and Out, Down with Love, and such.
Coming at the categories as situations quickly gave me twenty-five different chapters, from Am I Good Enough to be Loved, to Young Love, to Should You Reconnect With Your Ex, to Crazy Love, to Finding Love Where You Least Expect It, and so on.
Then it was time to start selecting the right four movies for each of the 25 different situations people come up against when searching for romantic love and fulfillment. 
Image of Lots Of Hearts Lots of Romantic Comedies address more than one situation; in fact, the best often have two or more. So what got included and why?
It was fun to confab with my friends, including the guys and individuals all along the spectrum, about which movies meant something special to them. Or sometimes, just the ones they found most entertaining. Before long there was an embarrassment of riches for the choosing.
Part of the criteria for inclusion was they had to be entertaining, relatively popular, teach us something important about love and romance, and in some way be memorable. After all, you don’t put every film within a genre into a guide book, so they had to stand out among the hundreds of Rom-Coms made over the years.
Image of Movie Scene Clapper Board What did a movie have to have to make the cut?
One or more of the following qualities: Idealism, Joy, Passion, Dignity. There’s nothing wrong with just being entertaining, and sometimes we just want a simple no-brainer with laughs and a happy ending. But since the prime directive was to address sometimes problematic situations lovers and potential lovers face, it was essential that these films hold to higher Ideals.
After all, one of the main tenets of the best Romantic Comedies is that they are about Chivalric Love – the kind of love that makes us want to be better people, to become in reality how the other person sees us.
In a world too often shredded by strife and discord, with people operating from fear and separatism, it is even more important that we focus on the ideals that bring us together, that bring peace, that instill us to better behavior, and to better our world. Image of Girl Reading Print Book  Print or Kindle?
The publishers did such excellent design work, I would suggest adding the print copy to your library. The cover is bright and Rom-Com-y, but inside are images from the various films, often featuring the sad, the hopeful, the heartbroken, the comedic, and the joyous parts of the stories.
Most of us can find ourselves and those we love in the Lover Types, and our experiences in the Love Lessons. These films remind us of how exhilarating love can be, even amongst the trepidations and turmoils that often accompany it.
Mostly, it’s a guide to films that remind us in fun ways that Love is worth it.
Image of Book Cover for Romantic Comedies BUY: Amazon

Image of Pamela Jaye Smith BIO:Pamela Jaye Smith loves both romance and adventure in myths and movies. This book is her tribute to love and the movies that show us how to find, hold, and relish it in our romantic relationships.
Pamela is a mythologist, author, international consultant-speaker, and award-winning writer-producer-director with thirty+ years in the media industry, in Hollywood and around the world.
Credits include Fox, Disney, Paramount, Microsoft, Universal, RAI-TV Rome, Romance Writers of America, UCLA, USC Film School, American Film Institute, Women in Film, Natl. Film Institute of Denmark, LA and Marseille WebFests, and many film festi­vals and story conferences. Others are American Assoc. of University Women, Junior ROTC, GM, Boeing, Hyundai, Hughes Space & Comm., the FBI, and the U.S. Army.
Ms. Smith has served on think tanks for the Entertainment Industries Council – The Art of Making a Difference, the U.S. Army’s Advanced Warfighting Working Group giving presentations on the Warrior Archetype, and Boeing’s Workforce Development. She is on the Board of Advisors for the LAWebFest, the Center for Conscious Creativity, and the Orpheus Project.
She is the founder of MYTHWORKS, co-founder of Alpha Babe Academy and Mythic Challenges: Create Stories that Change the World. 
Find Pamela Jaye:Mythworks | Alpha Babe Academy | Mythic Challenges | Email





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Published on September 08, 2019 23:30

September 2, 2019

Semi-Annual Big Sale At Digital Scrapper


Do you want to learn techniques that will allow you to create memes, ads, book covers, scrap pages?  Then now is the time to sign up for classes.  

You learn at your pace.  You can go back review lessons (a biggie for me) and they never expire.


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Digital Scrapper | QwikLearn Semi-annual BIG Sale Sept 3 - Sept 10, 2019, Midnight Eastern SAVE 45% off Classes (excludes Mastery 2 & Passion For Paper)Questions? Email info@DigitalScrapper.com

THE SEMI-ANNUAL SALE IS HAPPENING NOW
Digital Scrapper, a trusted partner. And as an affiliate, I may earn a small commission which costs you nothing. 



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Published on September 02, 2019 23:30

August 30, 2019

Prism Book Tour For The Cover Reveal by Melissa Wright's Feather and Bone

On Tour with Prism Book Tours
Welcome to the Cover Reveal for Feather and Bone (Frey Saga #6) By Melissa Wright

The newest addition to this New Adult/Young Adult Fantasy series is coming July 21, 2020...





Goodreads iBooks

Other Books in the Series


About the Author
Melissa is the author of the Frey Saga, Descendants Series, and KING OF ASH AND BONE. She is currently working on the next book, but when not writing can be spotted collecting the things she loves at Goodreads and Pinterest. Contact her through the web at www.melissa-wright.com or follow her blog at authormelissawright.blogspot.com.
For info on contests and new releases, sign up for the newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/zbisj.
WebsiteBlogGoodreadsBookBubTwitterPinterestInstagram
Cover Reveal Giveaway

One winner will receive the Frey Saga eBook Set of books one through three and a $20 Amazon eGift Card (winner may also choose to receive a print book of Frey in place of the ebook set if in the US).
Open internationallyEnds September 1, 2019
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Published on August 30, 2019 11:51

August 26, 2019

WOW, A $9.90 Class From Digital Scrapper (Limited Time)

Get Class Here
$9.90 until August 31st!!
Learn the Secrets and Harvest the Possibilities of using Adobe Create Magazine's Watercolor Artist Action Set along with your selection tools.

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• 7 professionally assembled videos to guide you through the entire process
• Precise manuals to assure you never miss a step and let you scratch things off as you go
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• 3 bonus tutorials to triple the usefulness of your Summer Harvest results
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Your Instructor:
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Digital Scrapper (QwikLearn) has been my home since 2007. It's here that I learned the basics of digital scrapbooking and then starting teaching it to others. In 2018 I acquired Digital Scrapper from Linda Sattgast. I consider myself blessed to have this platform for sharing my skills and often find that I learn as much from my students as they do from me.

When I’m not meandering through the pages of Digital Scrapper, I am making a home in northern Indiana with my hunk and our three 10 lb Miniature Schnauzers. We are super proud of our three grown children, their spouses, and our amazing grandchildren.

So as you wander through the pages of this class, picture me happily sitting at my library desk and inviting you to share with me in this fantastic hobby of Photoshop. I’m so glad to have you along for the ride!

This class is for Photoshop Elements and Adobe Photoshop.

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Photoshop Elements -- This class relies heavily on grouping layers. Grouping layers was first introduced in Photoshop Elements 15. If you have Photoshop Elements v14 or earlier, you will not be able to complete this class.

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In review, Summer Harvest Mini includes:• 7 professionally assembled videos
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Get started now!Remember these techniques can be used in ANYTHING you create digitally.
(Digital Scrapper is a trusted partner.  Yes, I earn a small commission if you sign up for this class, it helps me continue to bring you amazing deals, classes, and digital information. Thank you.)

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Published on August 26, 2019 17:37

August 13, 2019

Unreal BIG Deal~ $2 From Design Cuts


Design Cuts usually has two deals a year, summer and winter.  Well, it's summer and the $2 deal is here. Imagine getting all of this for less than a cup of coffee. 
$2 SUMMER DEAL

Celebrate A Spectacular Summer With Our $2 BundleThis summer has been a scorcher so far with some of the hottest weather ever recorded in the UK. With temperatures rising, the Design Cuts team wanted to share some of the coolest design resources around with you! This is our massive thank you to you, our community for being so amazing this year!We have worked with some of our incredibly talented design partners to bring you this collection of wonderful fonts, backgrounds, illustrations and so much more! Our incredibly talented design partners have kindly offered these popular products as their gift to the Design Cuts community. The $2 bundle price helps us to cover the cost of hosting this bundle. These resources will have you creating for seasons to come and all at 99% off the original price!
$2 SUMMER DEAL
(Thanks for checking out this deal, I'm an affiliate of DC and may recieve a small commission. As always there is no extra charge to you
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Published on August 13, 2019 16:06