Anthologies, Awards, The Crusade & an Interview-to-Come

Friday, March 25, 2011


I almost forgot to do my Crusade Challenge, but here goes.  I'm written it as a YA story. Haven't written anything YA in a bit, which reminds me I need to get back to the last project I started. 
Fish Spill

The goldfish bowl teetered and then settled on the wooden pedestal.  Eyes wide, the fantail rode the sloshing waves.

Kyle studied the stand, head tipped sideways. “It’s not exactly right. I’ll hold the bowl and you move that thing.”

Dylan glanced over his shoulder at the doorway and then nodded.  “Okay.”

“On three.” Kyle said, hands outstretched. “One…two…three.”

Dylan shifted the stand across the floor.

Kyle moved the bowl into position.  “Great!”

Then their mother’s voice shattered the air. “What are you boys doing?”

Kyle’s hands twitched, and in slow motion the bowl crashed to the tiles.





I got the One Lovely Blog award from Deborah Walker (Thanks Deborah!) and I’m supposed to do the following:

1.) Accept your award and post it on my blog along with a link to the person who has sent it to you. 

2.) Pass the award to 15 other blogs that I have newly discovered. 

3.) Contact the person to let them know that I have chosen them to receive the award.

See below my list of 15 newly discovered blogs.

1.        Creative Burst (not newly discovered, but Courtney deserves this)
2.        The Writing Nut  
3.        Carolina Valdez Miller
4.        Waibel's World
5.        The YA Lit Six 
6.        A Writer's Point of View
7.        Amie Kaufman 
8.        Anne R. Allen
9.        Ciara Knight
10.      Conversations with Self 
11.      Cynthia Chapman Willis
12.      Elizabeth Mueller 
13.      Julie Musil 
14.      Lisa M. Potts
15.      Racquel Writes 



Carol Kilgore gifted me with the Memetastic Award.  Thanks Carole!

For this one, I have to tell four truths and one lie and pass the award to others. Being the person I am, I tried to find out what this award is all about and after checking five blogs to see if I could, I abandoned the search. And then I did another search and came up with the following:-
  
A meme is a unit of social information. It is a relatively newly coined term and identifies ideas or beliefs that are transmitted from one person or group of people to another. The concept comes from an analogy: as genes transmit biological information, memes can be said to transmit idea and belief information.
A meme acts as a unit for carrying ideas, symbols, or practices, which can be transmitted from one mind to another through writing, speech, gestures, rituals, or other imitable phenomena. Supporters of the concept regard memes as cultural analogues to genes, in that they self-replicate, mutate, and respond to selective pressures. 
The word meme is a shortening (modeled on gene) of mimeme (from Ancient Greek μίμημα Greek pronunciation: mimēma, "something imitated", from μιμεῖσθαι mimeisthai, "to imitate", from μῖμος mimos "mime") and it was coined by the British evolutionary biologist in (1976) as a concept for discussion of evolutionary principles in explaining the spread of ideas and cultural phenomena. Examples of memes given in the book included melodies, catch-phrases, fashion, and the technology of building arches.

 The Wikipedia link is here.

So anyway, I figure it’s just a way of passing on tidbits of information about ourselves. It’s pretty to look at, makes me smile, so let’s see if I can make others smile too by passing it on.

1.    I have an out-of-control sweet tooth. Mention sugar and I’ll eat it.
2.    Baking and cake decorating are hobbies I enjoy immensely.
3.    I once wrote a book in six weeks.
4.   Jamaica is my home, and I've only ventured as far as the Cayman Islands.
5.    I write romantic suspense and young adult novels

To keep the Meme going, I’m sending the award on to:

1.    Elizabeth Arroyo
2.    Nicole MacDonald
3.    Doralynn Kennedy 
4.   Courtney Vail 
5.   Jeni Decker
                                   

On another note, a writer friend of mine is compiling an anthology titled The Memory Eaters. The call for submissions is posted here
 
While you’re over there, check out the other helpful articles Matt has compiled at C.P. Anthologies to help us scribblers improve our skills.

Do drop in on Monday for the next Take Five With…interview. Molly Ringle will be sharing thoughts about her books, writing and the current publishing trends. She’ll also be giving away a copy of one of her e-books.

Have a great weekend folks!

35 comments:

  1. Congrats on the awards!

    And, you just had to tell me about a very cool idea for an anthology. *sighs* One more to add to the list. *winks*

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  2. Congratulations on your awards, and thanks so much for the kind mention!

    I have a sweet tooth too...oh how I wish I didn't :D

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  3. Thanks, Michael!

    Cherie, you know how it is. We always have so many things writing going at once.

    Julie, no problem. I like your blog.

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  4. Very cool goldfish fiction! I could feel the hand-in-the-cookie-jar (or, in this case, goldfish bowl) feeling by your characters. The Uh-oh moment. :-)

    And congrats on the awards!

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  5. Great job on the awards! It's very nice to meet you. I have two boys of my own and your story sounds so much like them!

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  6. I remember a number of times when me and my three brothers had the air shattered by our mother's voice. I'm sure that was the cause of all the damage we did as well. :)

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  7. No problem, Elizabeth.

    Liz, it was a hoot to do.

    Thanks, Rebecca. Great to meet another blogger!

    Ben, a mother's voice has that effect for sure.

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  8. Your fishy story was very good - leaving us just at the right moment so we don't have to see the hell that is unleashed. lol

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  9. Fish Spill was great. I guess you were given words to work into the story by the Crusader Challenge... but I'm not sure.

    That's so cool that you're going to interview Molly. Can't wait to read that.

    But, I'm totally confused by the Meme thing... sorry. I'm really pleased that you're including me in that Meme award... but like I said, I'm totally confused. Doralynn

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  10. Nice story and well told. I like the dialogue, simple and effective. You can hear the mother's voice coming through and what's going to happen next. Great job.

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  11. Ooh, what were those boys doing that their mom's voice freaked them out so much?? Great job JL!

    And congrats on the awards!

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  12. Congrats on your awards! Well done!

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  13. Trisha, I agree with you there. The reader can imagine what happens after that.

    Doralynn, the first four words were the prompt for the story. Don't worry about the award. It's one of those fun things to pass along to other bloggers. I think intent of it is to share information about yourself as I couldn't tie it to anything to do with the blog and writing.

    Jeanne, thanks. I suprised myself by telling a whole story in so few words.

    Ali, boys will be boys. :D They shouldn't been messing with the fishbowl at all.

    Thanks, Cass!

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  14. Nice shattering take on the goldfish bowl words. ;o) Good job. And big congrats on the awards!

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  15. Wonderful piece of flash fiction! Congrats on the awards!

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  16. Thanks, Carol and Margo. Glad you enjoyed the story.

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  17. Congratulations on your awards!
    I hope the boys are able to rescue the fish :-)

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  18. Love the ending to your flash fiction piece!

    Congrats on the awards and thanks for passing one along to me.

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  19. And right 'til the very end I thought that fish was going to survive. Nicely done!

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  20. Congrats on your awards. Great entry. I love the "the fantail rode the sloshing waves." Love the imagery.

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  21. Thanks, Deniz. That adventure made me start writing another story.

    No problem, Lisa!

    Adina, well it might have, or maybe not!

    Thanks, Shelley. This was fun to write.

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  22. Awwww this is so sweet, thanks for the award, JL! Congratulations too for receiving such an award. You made me laugh on your first truth - mention sugar and you'll eat it :))) So here's loads of chocolates for you!!! Have a nice Sunday! :)

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  23. Congratulations from a fellow Crusader on your memetastic award! I've never encountered the word "meme" before, fascinating!

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  24. Congrats on the award, JL, and thanks for passing it on to me. I'll post it on my blog Tuesday. :)

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  25. Len, thanks. Chocolate appreciated any time!

    Susan, thanks for stopping in. Glad you learned something here.

    Clara, no problem. Just spreading the words on blogs that deserve the attention.

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  27. Congratulations on your awards and thank you for mine! These are always fun. : )

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  28. Thanks for the award...and CONGRATS to you for yours! YAY!

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  29. Congratulations on your award!
    And the fish...oh...ho the naughty boys!

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  30. Thank you, you're too kind! I'd ove to visit Jamaica one day--if you're ever after blog post material, tell us more about where you live, please!

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  31. Hi JL,

    Did you check out Liz Fielding's post? Congratulations, you won her latest release!

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  32. Cynthia & Stacy, thanks! No worries.

    Thanks, Nas. Gotta check out Liz Fielding's blog. Didn't know that.

    Amie, that's a thought, Jamaica features heavily in my writing. I ought to do something on fact and figment. Maybe next week. Thanks for the idea.

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  33. Thanks so much for the award. It's one of the prettiest ones I've been given. Looks welcoming and friendly--like your blog. I love that it's so elegant without being hard to read.

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  34. Thanks, Anne. I passed it on 'cause I figure you and your blog deserved it.

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