Margo Kelly's Blog, page 15

National Cyber Security Awareness Month Launches With a Call to STOP. THINK. CONNECT.™ Online

Large-Scale Awareness Effort Highlights Our Shared Responsibility to Be Safer and More Secure Online at Home, at Work and School, and in the Community
This October marks the 14th annual National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) – a far-reaching online safety awareness and education initiative co-founded and led by the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Each week’s awareness efforts will focus on a specific theme; topics highlighted include simple steps to online safety, cybersecurity in the workplace, securing new and emerging technologies, building the cyber workforce and promoting cybersecurity in critical infrastructure.

All efforts fall under the month’s overarching theme, “Our Shared Responsibility,” which recognizes that we all need to do our part to be safer online and, when we do, we make the internet more secure for everyone. Young people across the globe share this sentiment. A recent international survey of adults ages 18 to 26 – conducted by Raytheon and Forcepoint in partnership with NCSA – reveals that 84 percent of young adults worldwide think keeping the internet safe and secure is a responsibility we all share.

NCSAM 2017 kicks off with a focus on STOP. THINK. CONNECT.™, the global online safety education and awareness campaign co-founded by NCSA and the Anti-Phishing Working Group; DHS leads the federal engagement of the campaign. STOP. THINK. CONNECT.™, launched in October 2010, is simple, actionable advice all digital citizens can follow – STOP: make sure security measures are in place. THINK: about the consequences of your online actions. CONNECT: and enjoy the internet. There are more than 140 STOP. THINK. CONNECT.™ resources, including videos, tip sheets, infographics and memes, that are available for free to download and share at home, at work and in the community.

View the full press release – and learn more about NCSAM 2017 – here


And be sure to check out Who R U Really?, a novel inspired by real-life events when my daughter was nearly abducted by an online predator. For more information, click here.

Upcoming Presentation at Barnes & Noble, Boise ID

I'm excited to be a part of B-Fest, the annual Teen Book Festival, at Barnes & Noble on September 23, 2017. I'll be giving a presentation at 5pm. There's no charge to attend, and it's open to everyone. Bring a friend, bring your creativity, and join the fun!

Book Review: THE HATE U GIVE by Angie Thomas

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


There has been so much hype about this book and so many people recommending it, I was worried it wouldn't live up to the expectations . . . but it did . . . and more.

By pure coincidence, I had read STRENGTH TO LOVE by Martin Luther King, Jr., right before reading this book. Doing so, created a much richer experience for me. I encourage other readers to do the same.

There is harsh language (a lot of f-words) in THE HATE U GIVE, but in my opinion the language was justified. It was not used gratuitously.

I was SO involved in this book that I wished the climax of the story had been given more details to ground me in the scenes more, but other than that, this book was flawless. And that's why it's been on the NYT-Bestseller list for many weeks.

THE HATE U GIVE by Angie Thomas was an amazing roller-coaster ride of emotions, and I was very moved. I highly recommend this book.



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Book Review: THE HAZEL WOOD by Melissa Albert

The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


With the extensive pre-publication marketing for this title (which is due to release January 2018), my expectations were high.

The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert grabbed me from page one and kept me coming back for more. I absolutely loved the first half of the book and found myself thinking about the story when I wasn’t reading it. I craved it, wanting to know what was going to happen next.

Things slowed down at the halfway point, and I found myself tiring of all the similes and metaphors. As I became hyperaware of every time the word “like” was used, I also started to notice every time the word “felt” was used. According to my Kindle, the word “like” was used over 500 times in the book. (The Kindle stopped counting at 500.) Granted, some of those “likes” were in dialogue, but most were similes. The word “felt” was used 120 times in the story.

Additionally, some of the metaphors seemed quite mixed to me, and I didn’t understand them. For example, “I felt stunned and flayed, a nerve ending exposed to cold sun.” (location 1299 in Kindle)

There were also descriptions I absolutely loved. Here are a few of my favorites:

“His tie was a loud yellow, his suit an exhausted brown.” (location 1307 in Kindle)

“A boy whose eyes were the alert, shiny color of sunlight through Coke …” (location 1086 in Kindle)

“A the moment she let go her last breath, the white light shuddered and went green. The green of infected wounds, of nightmares, of the rind of mold that crawled over week-old bread.” (location 1836 in Kindle)

“… a gray sky pressed against winter-crisped grass.” (location 2565 in Kindle)

The Hazel Wood is an adventure-filled story with constant unanswered story questions that will keep readers turning the pages to discover how the story will end.

I look forward to Melissa Albert’s next book.

{I received an advance reader copy from the publisher through Net Galley, which in no way influenced by review of the book.}


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#IWSG: Has Your Writing Ever Surprised You?

http://www.insecurewriterssupportgrou...
"The Insecure Writer’s Support Group is a home for writers in all stages; from unpublished to bestsellers. Our goal is to offer assistance and guidance. We want to help writers overcome their insecurities, and by offering encouragement we are creating a community of support."

"The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time - and return comments. This group is all about connecting!"

Join the group: http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html



Question for September:
Have you ever surprised yourself with your writing? (For example, by trying a new genre you didn't think you'd be comfortable in?)

My Answer:
I absolutely love writing thrillers and mysteries, but I also love reading books on the craft of writing. Occasionally, I'll surprise myself while writing content for an upcoming presentation on writing, and I think, oh, did I come up with that? Here are a couple of examples:





What about you? 

Has your writing ever surprised you?

IMAGINE (peace) - Pentatonix

I love Pentatonix, and this is a beautiful rendition of Imagine. Listen:

6 Inspiring Quotes to Help Develop Your Story Idea

Today, I'm teaching a writing workshop at the Nampa, Idaho, Public Library. We're talking about ways to develop a story idea into a well-rounded concept. Here are some the major ideas we'll be addressing (as usual, you're welcome to copy and share these images as long as you give proper credit and link back to this site):













If you'd like me to come and present this one-hour, hands-on workshop for your school, writers' group, or conference, email me for more information at margokelly1 @ outlook . com (without the spaces, and using the number one after my name).

Happy writing!

#IWSG: Pet Peeves

The first Wednesday of the month is Insecure Writer's Support Group!


www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com
"The Insecure Writer’s Support Group is a home for writers in all stages; from unpublished to bestsellers. Our goal is to offer assistance and guidance. We want to help writers overcome their insecurities, and by offering encouragement we are creating a community of support."

For more information about the group, visit: http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/


IWSG Question of the Month: What are your pet peeves when reading/writing/editing?


Hmm.

My pet peeves - - -

When reading, my pet peeves are being interrupted or accidentally falling asleep.
When writing, my pet peeves are struggling to find the perfect word or being distracted by noises.
When editing, my pet peeves are discovering I overused certain words and running out of chocolate.

haha

What are your pet peeves when it comes to reading/writing/editing?
(Dog hair is not a valid answer to this question.)

4 More Inspirational Writing Quotes (and Pretty Pictures)

Photo credit goes to David Purse. He was very generous to let me use his beautiful pictures to create these graphics. As usual, if you copy any of these for any reason, please give proper credit back to this site. Thank you.






Do you have a favorite writing quote to share?

Book Review: BIG MAGIC: CREATIVE LIVING BEYOND FEAR by Elizabeth Gilbert

Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


If you are a creative person, I highly recommend this book! I found it so inspiring that when I finished the last page, I wanted to turn back to page one and start reading all it over again.

Prior to this book, I had never read anything written by Elizabeth Gilbert. After attending multiple writing conferences where agents and editors recommended this book, I had to buy it and read it. My expectations were high, and Gilbert did not disappoint.

BIG MAGIC, by far, is one of the best books I've read in years.

Some of my favorite passages:

"Pure creativity is something better than a necessity; it's a gift. It's the frosting. Our creativity is a wild and unexpected bonus from the universe. It's as if all our gods and angels gathered together and said, "It's tough down there as a human being, we know. Here--have some delights." (Page 127)

"Over the years ... I found that if I just stayed with the process and didn't panic, I could pass safely through each stage of anxiety and on to the next level. I heartened myself with reminders that these fears were completely natural human reactions to interaction with the unknown." (page 145)

"A good-enough novel violently written now is better than a perfect novel meticulously written never." (page 176)

"You will have the satisfaction of knowing that you passed your entire existence in devotion to the noble human virtue of inquisitiveness. And that should be more than enough for anyone to say that they lived a rich and splendid life." (page 239)

Oh, I could quote many more passages, but instead, I encourage you to read the book.



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