 |
| Pepper Pot stew, slow-simmered with diced tomatoes, black beans, and seasonings. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
With the cold weather of winter coming upon us (or already upon you depending on where you are), some of us may be thinking of a nice comforting bowl of hot stew. Even those in the southern parts of the sphere might not mind a dish of stew. Perhaps not what your belly might be craving, I offer now some mental stew blog-style with some meat to greet your week-end.
Say It Again!
The Deja Vu Blogfest is being revived this year by D.L. Hammons and Nicole Zoltack. This is when you can repeat one of your blog posts from the past year that you felt was neglected and give it new life. Even better to my thinking is that this is a great way for an underperforming blog to give readers a taste of the best of what your blog has to offer. One day of content with minimal effort can be a win-win situation for you and your readers. I've already signed up all four of my blogs and have 3 of the posts ready to go. It all happens on Friday December 19th. Sign up now! You can find the Linky List at D.L.'s blog. Play It Again!
.jpeg)
Sleepy Sheepy Update
I'm still helping my friend Dan Holom promote his children's book Sleepy Sheepy and Daniel. I previously blogged about it here, here, and here. In short, this is a clever retelling of the popular Bible story of Daniel in the Lions Den. Dan's partner in this endeavor is illustrator and Disney animator Mark Henn. In the few weeks since its release, their book has gotten over 40 rave reviews on Amazon. They're still looking for reviews for the book so if you'd like to help please get a copy and add your own review. I talked to Dan just the other day and he told me that the second book of the series should be coming soon. An informative radio interview with Dan and Mark about the process of creating their book can be found at Shine FM Chicago. All writers--and especially writers of children's books--will find this interview very helpful. Listen and get inspired.
Haunting Time Is Nigh
I caught part of Tui Snider's interview on BlogTalkRadio this past Wednesday night. What a bubbly dynamo of energy she is! Tui's 2nd book was released at the first of October in time for the Halloween haunting season. It appeared on the Amazon Best Seller's list soon after its release. This book is called Paranormal Texas. It is a travel guide to haunted places near Dallas and Fort Worth. For more information about Tui you can visit her blog.
Get Ready to Write!
With NANO around the corner many minds will be turning to thoughts of writing and many of those writers will be consulting books for ideas, practical advice, and inspiration to write the novel they will be laboring over. You might want to check out Story Sprouts: Voice from the Children's Book Writers of Los Angeles. On Monday I'll tell you about the launch party that was held October 11, 2014 with a few photos for your' enjoyment. In the meantime I hope you'll check out the book on Amazon and maybe even buy a copy for you NANO November.
Be watching the A to Z Blog for a special announcement soon to come.
Are you planning to do NANO in November? Are you interesting in exploring paranormal locations? If you stay away from Battle of the Bands is there any certain reason why?
I'll participate in BOTB whenever it falls on one of my posting days. If I could cheat and post the next one on Monday instead of this Saturday, I would.
ReplyDeleteCertainly a mixed offering today. I listen to BOTB entries now and again. Not really my kind of music though. I write so many blogs that I wouldn't know which ones were more underappreciated. Isn't that the nature of the beast. Unless you are Alex of course.
ReplyDeleteI'm still thinking about doing Don's Deja Vu blogfest.
ReplyDeleteI just never remember the Battle of the Bands.
I stay away from "BATTLE OF THE BANDS" because all you participants use the same kind of music, which doesn't really appeal to me.
ReplyDeleteI mean, it's always Hard Rock, Soft Rock, Jazz, Blues, Christmas songs, and Standards such as Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, Bobby Darin, Duke Ellington, and Louis Armstrong sang and/or played.
If y'all would branch out a little bit and use a greater variety of music I might actually listen and vote once in awhile.
~ D-FensDogg
'Loyal American Underground'
Alex-- I have often cheated with IWSG by posting early combined with a BOTB post, but I will go off my schedule to do BOTB. It's a strategy that has been working okay for me. Lately I haven't been as locked into any schedule as I used to be. It goes against the traditional grain of blogging advice, but I guess that's blogging.
ReplyDeleteJo-- BOTB is so many different kinds of music that we've pretty well covered the gamut of western music at least. As far as Deja Vu, you don't have to pick a post with scientific precision but just pick on that you'd like readers to have a chance at again. It took me about 5 minutes for each repost that I put up. Pretty quick blogging I think and with some residual benefits in the end.
L.Diane -- I've gone through months ahead and set up all of my 1st's and 15th's to be BOTB days. No forgetting like that and since I do my own BOTB posts it's easy to remember to visit all of the others.
Karen W-- I can understand that decision. I'm not ready to devote time this year for NANO either.
StMC-- I guess we really need to expand to a wider range of music. In months to come I'll be using songs from the Chinese classical tradition, Senegalese work songs, and Tuvaluvian nose flute tunes. I'm sure they'll be beloved songs that everyone will know and appreciate.
Lee
I haven't participated in the BOTB b/c generally I just don't have time to watch/listen to videos. I will vote if I recognize the song title and artist, but your posts have been pretty obscure. lol I'm really, really picky about the music I listen to and i've always been somewhat reluctant to try out new stuff. I can't tell you how many records/CDs I own where I've only listened to the hit and not a single track more. Or I'd listen to Side A but not Side B. I'm weird that way.
ReplyDeleteLEE ~
ReplyDeleteThat's good news! I'd be interested in hearing more music like THAT used in BOTB posts. Now that's music more up my alley!
Just so long as nobody uses any more Country songs I'll be a happy-enough camper.
But all that Rock, Blues, Jazz, Folk, Christmas, Standards and (especially!) Country music starts to get tiresome after awhile.
Gimme more Tuvaluvian nose flute tunes!
~ D-FensDogg
'Loyal American Underground'
I'll have to resurrect that deleted blog to participate in the Deja Vu blogfest. Might be good for my new site.
ReplyDeleteI think I'll post for Nov 1 BotB. Haven't had much time to research new battle music. And I really don't know much about music, just know what I like to listen to. Doesn't make for an informative post.
I'm not participating in NaNo this month - although I thought I would if I ever became unemployed in this month. I decided to spend my time working on some unfinished short stories that have been languishing in the hard drive for a few years. Good luck with your own writing adventures.
Have a good weekend Lee.
I enjoy some of the BOTB more than others, depending on the song. Those of you who participate do a lot of work for it.
ReplyDeleteTHANKS Lee!!! We sure are lucky to have you in our corner. :)
ReplyDelete~Alana
I'll think about the Deja Vu hop. Nano is so close and I'm very excited.
ReplyDeleteThis year I am thinking of doing the NANO (gulp). I have a good story line, have done research, and written the prologue. Whether or not I follow through, it is amazing to me that I am even thinking of taking on this challenge.
ReplyDeleteJoJo-- I'm kind of the opposite. I'm fixated on listening to an entire album from beginning to end. When I used to buy 45's I often preferred the B side to the hit.
ReplyDeleteStMC-- I'll have to start looking for music absolutely everyone loves. Has a cover been done yet for "Who Let the Dogs Out"?
Dolorah -- I recommend Deja Vu for promoting a new blog even if the post is from the old one. You can explain everything in the lead in to your post. After all you're still the author.
Susan GK - BOTB has become my favorite blogging activity. I've dug up songs for many Battles to come and am still thinking of new ones to use.
Alana-- More than happy to help!
Sheena-kay-- Not much to the Deja Vu post and it can help you get some new visitors to your blog.
Susan Kane-- If you've never tried it NANO is worth taking a stab at one time at least. I did it twice and it was indeed a challenge.
Lee
The Deja Vu blogfest sounds fun. There are definitely a few blog posts that I wish had seen more traffic. I'm definitely going to participate. Thanks for letting us know about that.
ReplyDeleteAs for BOTB, I have to go back to your most recent one. I want to give it another listen. I think Marilyn Manson is so freaky but so was that song!!
Another 'thank you' for the Deja Vu Blogfest alert!
ReplyDeleteI am doing NaNoWriMo this year. Thinking about doing Deja Vu. As for BOTB, I don't get to them every time they are posted. I seem to have certain types of music I like to listen to. I do try to keep an open mind when listening to something new. : )
ReplyDeleteI love BOTB whenever it is.
ReplyDeleteSorry for late comment.
As a rule, I do not do NaNo. If I'm gonna write, I don't need any kind of pseudo stress that a fake contest inflicts.
ReplyDeleteWhile I do dabble in the paranormal with my writing, almost all of it takes place on the planet earth, specifically, New England.
Father Nature's Corner
Thanks for the Deja Vu Blogfest mention! Not only is it a great way to give exposure to an under-appreciated post...but from a readers perspective you have access to the best of the best on one day. :)
ReplyDeleteWon't be doing NANO this year, though I've used it several times to get projects off the ground. Now that I write full time, it seems less essential. Will certainly support all the writers that do participate.
ReplyDeleteGreat info Lee! I've just signed up for DL's Deja Vu fest..that sounds like a good time.
ReplyDeleteAs for BOTB, I've really enjoyed the few that I've voted on, but, truth be told, it would be highly unlikely that I would ever listen to anything called 'Tuvaluvian nose flute'. I mean...I may listen to it for a couple seconds, but I would never put it on my stereo, or buy the CD, or even download it ... I think that most people feel that way. There are just certain things that I know I will never, ever listen to on a regular basis. Those include Gregorian Chants, Country music, anything in Swahili, and Tuvaluvian nose flute. They are a curiosity at best.
Michele-- A lot of songs used in musical stage productions can be pretty freaky I think. Heard in context of the Mahagonny opera it may not be as freaky as it seemed standing on its own.
ReplyDeleteJemima-- I like spreading the word on Deja Vu.
Susanne-- An open mind is the gateway to enlightenment.
Yvonne-- You are a music lover I know.
GB-- Is New England on this planet Earth? Seriously, I'm with you on this, but I can get into otherworldly stuff if well written.
DL-- It's a great idea and I'm glad you thought of it.
Kelly-- When you're writing for real you don't have time for things like NANO.
Eva-- I'm amused that you lumped country into those other weird categories. There are some good country songs. I eventually acquired a taste for the genre and now I like a lot of it.
Lee
I won't be doing NaNoWriMo this year (I'm still ducking the story idea I vowed to write last year during NaNo) but I'm happy to cheer on other participants. That Deja Vu blog fest sounds interesting and I love the cover for Sleepy Sheepy and Daniel. Too cute!
ReplyDeleteLots of mental stew here Lee thank you!
ReplyDeleteQuanie -- You don't need NANO to do a novel--you've shown that.
ReplyDeleteSusan Scott-- A minor feast for an October day.
Lee
I like mental stew, I like to stew on a few things but i don't like stew, stew-lol. OK Love the Battle of the Bands and go to each one-it's fun
ReplyDeleteBirgit-- Thank you for your support of my BOTB posts and I hope you keep voting. I enjoy hearing what people have to say about my song picks.
ReplyDeleteLee
Hey, Lee!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun surprise to see myself mentioned on your blog and to find out that you tuned in for that radio show last week!
I'm a bit new to this whole "radio interview" thing, but it turns out they are a lot of fun!
That Deja Vu bloghop sounds like a great idea. I'm sure I have a few blog posts I could dust off. *ah choo*
Thank you again for the kind comments. :)
~Tui
Tui-- You did a great job on the interview. I was getting ready to call in but something came up that called me away from the phone/computer. Fortunately I heard most of the first hour of the show.
ReplyDeleteLee