At a loss for a topic this week I’m going to bore you with….wait for it….me. Total yawner I know right? Feel free to stop reading right now promise I won’t look.

I’ve recently begun attending a womens Bootcamp. What and why?

Why: Because it was a great deal I found on offer.  $20 for 20 classes (and yes I had to call and ensure it wasn’t a scam) Lol But it’s the REAL deal alright. Just ask my body anywhere from below my eyebrows.  It all hurts, but the GOOD hurt.

What: It’s circuit training essentially, but with a twist. We get to drag tires, flip tires, climb ladders, and all kinds of ‘fun’ stuff. The one thing I’ve noticed about this particular camp that is different from anything else I’ve done is that there is no curve to the training. Most places start easy, build up, and slow down. His just gets harder. Did you do sprints with squats at every station for 30secs? Now it’s a minute. Did you do it for a minute? Now it’s a minute with 10lbs of weight. That sort of thing.

After 3 classes I still look alot like this (not really me but easily could be);

But I FEEL like this (definitely not me);

The most valuable thing of all is that I’m learning good things I do later on my own at home.  That is always the best part of any class. Next week I’m taking a hot yoga class (hot cause they crank the heat to add misery) Personally I’ve never been a fan of yoga, I’m a hockey girl dammit! I always thought of yoga as sissy new-age crap. Um, ya, I’m a freaking idiot. You can say it. This is an 83 year old woman I would never want to try and steal a purse from…just sayin’. *runs to yoga class* 

I have two new addicions to share with you!

One is motivational fitness pictures with quotes. I post at least one a day on my FB page. It REALLY works to do this. Start the habit yourselves. If you post it, you must do it, right? It adds accountability and keeps me going. Here’s a couple of my favs.  

The second one is Pinterest. Omigod I love this site! (once I figured out how to use it, TY Shannon!). It’s free, and so awesome! Now whenever I’m surfing and see things I like, books, clothes, paint and décor, I just click the ‘pin it’ button and add it to a board. I’m planning on finishing our basement, I have a whole board full of things that inspire me, and it’s also where I keep all these cool fitness posters that I find. Find something on Etsy you like? Pin it. Check this site out, you’ll love it I swear! 

HOT TIP: Join lots of deal sites like Groupon, Dealfind, Kijiji deals, Social Network etc, you just never know what you’ll find! Just be sure to call the ACTUAL companies/stores to verify, and don’t forget to read the fine print!

I hope you found something here today to take away with you, thank you for stopping in!  

Where you see a couch, I see a life sucking vampire. #tammyism

There is much discussion and debate about social media these days, and no wonder as there are so many varying opinions and so many different uses. That said, since I have become a newly christened twittaholic I have seen things that, for me at least, seem to be big dos, and don’ts.

•  You have yourself a blog, much like this one, but…er, cooler. You want the world to know it, see it, love it.
• You’re an aspiring or published author/writer and you wish to sell your books.
• You’re a crafter and you wish to sell your wares.

DO: Fight your urge too immediately open up a twitter account and tweet the very first thing that pops into your head. Okay, okay so I may have done that *cough cough* and odds are you will to. It’s very exciting stuff!

Really put some thought into the true purpose of having a twitter account, makes sense right? After all, if you’re opening it you must have a purpose. Mine was purely social at the start. I began by following friends, then expanded from there. Find people you like, have things in common with, whose tweets you just simply enjoy. Follow, follow, and then follow some more. If you’re lucky they’ll follow you back, if you’re really lucky some of their followers will opt to follow you back too. THEN hit them with your blog/wares/etc. Once you have some solid relationships the world wide door is open.

Be nice! I know, it sounds silly but we all need to remind ourselves of this overlooked fact once in awhile. It’s very easy to get online and forget that you’re projecting both yourself as a person as well as your brand/image. Easier still sometimes to forget about the fact that twitter, minus all the damn spambots, consists of real people and not merely words on a screen. So be supportive, be kind, be nice. In this day and age, it’ll attract you a lot of attention.

Come up with catchy funny taglines. They shows off your creativity and they do work.

It’s a big big world online and while you might be heading for bed, those across the pond are just waking up, so be sure to tweet your blog/product twice a day at opposite ends to ensure you’re hitting late crown and a morning crowd. NOTE:  Used on an every other day basis this is solid advice. If you promote the same thing in the same way all the time, people won’t even register it.

DON’T:  Abuse your followers. Meaning don’t bombard them and don’t take them for granted. They are the ones who’ll favourite your tweets and RT them, so never think of your followers as just numbers. Interact with them, follow them, RT them too. I’ve truly come to find that for the most part, when I go into twitter thinking “what can I do to help someone else out today?” that’s when everything clicks. It’s very much a two way street so if you support and promote others, they in turn will do the same for you.

Don’t create mutliple accounts thinking we won’t figure it out. And yes, people do it. I know one person who has three accounts and tweets all the same things/links etc. Very nice person, lovely writer…but seriously? UNFOLLOW.

NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER DO THIS: When someone decides to follow you, NEVER EVER TWEET THEM BACK A LINK OR DM THEM A LINK TO YOUR SITE. Just say thanks and move on. We’re on twitter, we’re not idiots, if we decided to follow you it’s safe to assume we know who you are, and what you do. Or at the very least, we can click on your damn profile link IF WE FEEL LIKE IT. I’m sure everyone here can attest to the fact that IF you do this it’s an automatic UNFOLLOW.

This is my own basic take on things and I’m sure there’s LOTS more that I’m missing.

I have to say that for me, personally, twitter has been a very positive experience. I’ve met some truly gifted, talented and caring people.

Hello, my name is Chester, I am owner of the person you call Tammy.  She is, um, busy, shall we say. 

Meanwhile I have taken it upon myself to post a blog in her absence.

Please welcome Doc the Vampire Hunter and his master J. A. Campbell (Julie). 

Amazon
Barnes and Noble  

Doc is a Border Collie who hunts vampires with his human, Kevin. In this adventure they face their first fight and their most dangerous foe. It’s man’s best friend vs. his worst enemy…

I, Chester THE Cat, believe that impressive acts by dogs should be applauded as they happen so rarely. So, please, let us take a moment to get to know Doc.

1.       Doc, please share with us, how hard was it to convince your human that you were capable of taking on a vampire?

Doc: *tilts head* Not hard at all. Why would you think it would be difficult? One got into the house, I helped kill it. End of story. Well, really that was the start.

2.       Do you ever get annoyed with the incompetence of humans in general? Or perhaps that’s just me. *purrs*

Doc: I do wish Kevin would learn to shut the door quietly. Maybe learn to cook. His mate cooked great. Though I find my human quite competent. He kills vampires after all.

3.       According to your novella you and your human suffered a great loss. Do you think your human will ever properly recover from that? 

Doc: I heard him say once that he needed closure. Not sure what exactly that is, but when he finds it, he’ll be okay. I hope. *lays ears flat*

4.       If your human was to bring home a dog hater how would you cope with that? Quite a bit different than dealing with a Vampire I would imagine no?

Doc: Kevin’s not dumb. He only likes people who likes dogs. Though if he did and she tried to sit in my lazy chair, I’d jump in her lap. Then she’d either like dogs, or leave. *grin*

5.       Does your breath always smell like this? Is it genetic? *looks disgusted*

Doc: *huffs* Your breath isn’t any better.

6.       What would you like to share with your new fans? Besides your bad breath….

Doc: It’s great to have a job. Vampires smell funny and should die. Speaking of… *Sniffs* you smell funny too…

7.       If you could be anything else in the world, what would it be and why?

Doc: Why would I want to be anything else? Border Collies are the best. I’d rather be a farm dog than a city dog though. Maybe someday we’ll go back. You should be a Border Collie. Then maybe you’d smell better. 

Miss Julie, why hello and welcome to the blog formerly run by my pris…*looks abashed, coughs* …person.  Eh hem. A few questions my dear if you would be so kind.

1.       Why are you a dog person? Please god WHY??????

There is nothing better than coming home to the enthusiastic greeting of a dog. Or taking one running, or riding, or for a ride in the truck, or just about anything. I love cats to, but dogs… they’re just constant companions and it’s wonderful.

2.       If you could be anything else in the world, what would it be and why?

A full time writer instead of a part time writer. Maybe an adventuring writer. I wouldn’t mind being a star ship captain either. That’d be pretty cool – good story material there.

3.       What would you like people to know about you and what your currently working on?

I’m working on the sequel to Senior Year Bites, an Urban Fantasy that came out last summer. I just need to do edits. I’m also working on a horse Fantasy that should be out soonish, and of course I’m plotting more Doc stories.

4.       What made you think there would be a market for a book written by a lowly dog and not a cat? You know, like a cat like me, for example. *stretches claws*

Would you want to go through the work of hunting a vampire? Think of all the gore you’d have to clean off. *lowers voice* All the baths you’d have to take…

I honestly didn’t consider market when I wrote the story. It was the encouragement of others that kept me going on Doc’s stories. The story itself was inspired by a flash contest.

Thank-you Doc and Miss Campbell for stopping by. I hope you will see more of me around here, perhaps in your next project yes? After all, I AM the King of Cats. *shushes locked basement door*

Well it’s THAT time of year again. You know the one. Where we tell ourselves all about a wonderful fresh clean start until the first of March when we’ve already forgotten our great ideals. Well this year, I’m here for you!

Post your goals here and you can bet I’ll be keeping a log of each person and goal they dare to state so BE WARNED!!!!!! I WILL hound your asses until you achieve it! Or at least until I know you’ve done your bestest to make it happen for yourself.

I will be reposting summaries of the completed list, along with quarterly progress updates, to be sure we’re all on track. So don’t say it if you don’t really mean it, and really don’t say if you don’t want to be kicked in the pants by me on a regular basis. ;P 

Come on, I double dog dare ya!  

My own personal theme for 2012 is ”Self Revitalization” 

-          I’m going back to night school. Starting January I’m going to take two online courses. Before my son was born, I was in night school the better part of the 10yrs while working full time. So in sticking to my theme, I’m going to go back to finding time for things I enjoy, and education is definitely something I enjoy.

-          I’m going to lose 10lbs in January, 5 in February, and 5 in March. And, no, the pounds themselves aren’t really the BIG focus, simply a target to aim for. I used to be a tri-athlete, not a very good one, but I did it damn it. In fact, before my son was born I was up to about 6 to 8 sprint type races a year, even finished an Olympic distance race…once. I’ve been lazy for far too long and now that my son is old enough, I want it to be part of his lifestyle too, for the both of us.

-          I’m going to finally finish my MS and get it submitted. I’ve been procrastinating for far too long, letting myself get distracted with foolish things, like twitter and blogging. lol. So this is going to be the year that I make it happen for myself. 

These big goals are all broken down into smaller ones that will help me to achieve them. For example, I plan to do three tri’s this year and I’ve set a daily word counts for myself, that sort of thing. Small achievable goals will help you reach your overall ones. 

So what’s your theme going to be for 2012? What is it you wish to see accomplished for yourself? Big or small, I hope you join in the fun. 

My ass kicking boots are on, laced, and ready when you are. Be bold, 2012 is YOUR year!

The Question: “What makes your blog so good and how do I do it?” 

My Response: “Surely it must be my rapier wit, solid grasp of grammar, and charming good looks? *grins, clears throat* Um, no? Well then, I’ve no idea.” 

All I can offer to you is what I like and don’t like about blogs in general so here’s my list, I hope you find a gem; 

1. DO NOT OVERSELL YOURSELF. Um, ya, it’s your blog, it’s about you, written by you, and for you, and don’t you think that’s enough YOU in the room? Don’t keep pounding your products/books/gimmicks down our throats with every single post. If we like you, and we’re at your blog, we’re smart enough to find all the pertinent info we need/want about you. Got a special event or new release? Post away! Just avoid the “it’s all me, all the time, and please buy my stuff!’ syndrome. It’s a total groaner and a top ten causer of mini throw-up.
2. MAKE IT PRETTY. Come on, we all know we’re visual creatures by nature, so put some piccy’s in, mix up your font colour, caps, bold etc, it really does help break up all those boring words we love to write.
3. DON’T PREACH. Um, ya, *clears throat* just skip ahead to the next point.
4. KEEP IT SHORT. Remember, you’re not the only busy person in the world. I really try to avoid posting anything over 500 words. If people can see the whole post in a short scroll they’re much more likely to invest the time to read it.
5. BE YOU. Show me who you really are and let me relate to you. Facebook was stated to be one of the greatest depressants because people only post the VERY best parts of their lives. Don’t let your blog be all sparkles and rainbows ALL the time. Be positive sure, but keep it real too. :)
6. BE PASSIONATE.  A blog is not just a tool in the toolkit, so don’t write it that way. Write it like you mean it.  That way, even if you screw it up, or if I don’t agree with your stance, I’ll know you didn’t just splat random words on the page and it was actually something you cared and spoke from the heart about.
7. ALWAYS END WITH A QUESTION. People want to leave their opinion on something. It makes them feel special. Plus, it’s my fav part of writing and reading a blog. So much talent, wisdom, and humour out there, tap it!!!

Well that about sums it up for me, please have at it, I can’t wait to hear your thoughts, it seems we all could use some great tips when it comes to blogging. :)

Keep an eye out for my upcoming follow up blog topics *cackles*  

Okay, okay, seriously though, to all my followers and friends, Merry Christmas! It has been an honour and pleasure to spend this past year with you and I thank-you for allowing me to be a part of your lives. I’m very blessed to have gotten to know so many wonderful writers, authors, and supporters! This one’s for you.  

Twas the night - Hockey style! Cheers!!!!!

Twas the night before the big game, and all through the rink
Not a faucet was dripping, not even the sink.
The flags were all hung upon the rafters with care,
In hopes that screaming crowds soon would be there.
 
The fans were snuggled all warm in their beds,
While visions of triple overtime goals danced in their heads.
Managers and agents lie tucked in their sacks
Dreaming of revenue and extending contracts.
 
When out on the ice surface arose such a clatter,
The zamboni man ran to see what was the matter.
Away to the scorekeepers box he ran like a flash,
Tore open the door and watched unabashed.
 
The spotlight now shining on the freshly laid ice,
Made him rub his eyes, stop, and blink twice.
When what to his wondering eyes should appear,
But teams of famous players sporting shinny gear.
 
With laughter and ribbing, they fought for the puck,
And he could hardly believe how great was his luck!
“Go Howe! Go Hull! Go Lemieux and go Gretzky!
On Sakic, on Orr! On Crosby and Fleury!
From one end and back till you’re in front of the pipes,
Now shoot! Shoot I tell ya, the timing is right!”
 
He sprang from the bench, to the teams gave a whistle,
Immediately they started like they’d been shot with a pistol,
They smiled winning smiles and faded out of sight,
“Happy hockey season to all, and to all a good night!”

Well it’s been awhile, I’ve been busy painting mugs. Don’t ask. But, good news, I’m back! Okay, well good for me anyways.

So this week what’s on my mind is the power of the written word. How many anthologies have you read where there are 50 stories in the thing and yet only two of them really ‘sat’ with you? The rest were good, sure, but not impactful, they left no lasting impression.

Well this is exactly why I’m so excited to be involved in helping to create the Bleeding Ink Anthology.

I mean I don’t know about you, but I’ve read novels that left me with no impression, and yet on the other side I’ve read as few as three or six word sentences that still resonate with me today. It will be an honour to provide a showcase for powerfully dark works of all length and styles. I hope you submit your own work, I hope you spread the word, and I hope that together we can create something very special.

So, in line of my topic for today, which Anthologies have you read that were worth the money and why?

I’ll start things off with my latest and personal fav;

City of Hell Chronicles (Volume 1)

Why? Cause it’s very dark, like all true horror should be. The stories, created by 7 authors from around the globe, will give you all kinds of creepy chills in all the right places. Add to that, the artwork is simply AMAZING.  (damn I want to own those prints!) The format is wonderfully unique as well, with all stories following the same overall theme, but yet so different too. It’s refreshing. If you like dark things like me.

Click here to purchase or learn more!

So there’s mine, what’s yours, and why?

Who the heck are the Ink Babes???? So glad you asked! I was asked if I’d like to team up with two amazing and talented writer pals, Patricia Hollett and Lisa Forget, to create something special. Hence the birth of the Ink Babes. Our mission: to compile an anthology consisting of a mix of pieces in a refreshing format.

Submissions available include;

Short Story – 1,000 – 5,000

Flash Fiction – Under 1,000 words

50 Word Stories

Prose, Poetry & Micropoetry

The catch? Each story must each include either dark, twisted, supernatural, fantasy, frightening, freaky or even shocking and funny elements. But the MOST important factor of all; the piece must give the reader pause. We’re looking for those stories that make us want to tell all our friends about reading it because it was just THAT good! It can be as simple as 6 words, or as complex as you can get using full 5k allowance.

Stop by and check us out, we’re waiting for your words.

Ever yours,

InkBabes

And on a PS, Pill Hill Press is releasing Daily Flash – 366 Leap Year Edition on November 22nd, and I’m in it! And the best part? It features alot of my friends! So stay tuned for an upcoming blog hop on it. 

Cheers and thank-you to all of you for stopping by! Without you, I am nothing. With you, I am grateful.

So, this mess, is mine;

Some things in my life are very organized and compartmentalized (don’t listen to my husband), and other things in my life, like my writing, are messy and all over the place. I still often use a notepad and pen for writing. It travels anywhere, doesn’t need a battery, and will dry when dropped in the tub. *cough, cough* 

Random ideas hit me here and there throughout the day and I need a place to note them so I don’t ‘lose’ them. Plus, what can I say, I love my darling lappy but oldschool rocks. I love seeing pages filled with ink. Makes me freaking giddy. 

Most of my notepads are just spiral bounds, nothing fancy, but then my hubby bought me the lovely fairy journal here and I LOVE it. I write all my poetry and haiku in there. 

Like most writers, we have fetishes for paper and pens. I have at least a couple dozen pens around me at any given time. What colours? Black, pink, and purple seem to be my colours of choice. Especially purple though.  So how about all of you? Do you still use pen and paper? Any preference for colour, texture, 5mm, 7mm, expensive fancy fountain pens you care to share? Fess up, it’s time to air your inky secrets! 

And once you’ve done that, you really mustn’t miss out on these other fellow scribblers and scratchers for a sneak peek into their own weirdly wonderful worlds and processes. Cheers!

Danielle La Paglia

Anne Michaud

Marianne Su

Victoria D Griesdoorn

Ren Warom

J.A. Campbell

Maria Kelly

Chrissey Harrison

Natalie Westgate

Tony Noland

Larry Kollar

Am I the only newbie writer struggling with tense and first/second/third person? God I hope not. Feel free to lie to me and tell me no.

1. She picked up her purse and checked the contents…
2. I picked up my purse and checked the contents….
3. I pick up my purse and check the contents… 

Gah! So many choices, which to choose, and why, and when? It’s all so frustrating. Some books say that writers naturally favour one over the other; I don’t think I’m there yet. I start out in one tense and shift back and forth. It’s a nightmare. I have a whole novel in my head ready to write, but cannot for the life of me decide which option to write it in. Can you believe that? Of all the possible things, THAT is the one stumping me. Have you ever had this dilemma? How did you make a final decision? For those who are pubbed, have you ever submitted a story but been told to resub it switching from first to third? 

NOTE: For more detail on first vs second vs third for noobs like myself, there’s this great blog I found posted on Grammar Girl, it’s worth checking it out as she breaks it down much better than I could ever attempt.

50 Word Story – Haven’t done this in awhile so please enjoy, and if you’re in the mood too, please submit one via comment. It’s trickier than it seems.

Do You See Me?

You make your way toward the stairs, turning off the many lights I’ve left on as you go. You come up and slide into bed muttering, “Always with the lights, why does she always leave them on.” I stifle a sob and mentally respond,  So you’d know I was there.