Hi All! Your resident storyteller and folktale blogger here. Since not many news sources bother with updating you on upcoming folk- and fairy tale collections, here are a few delicious new books to keep an eye out for if you (or your friends) love tales, legends, and mythology:
The Power of a Tale: Stories from the Israel Folktale Archives
A collection of 53 folktales celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Israel Folktale Archives at the University of Haifa. The stories represent 26 ethnic groups from Israel, 22 of them Jewish:"The narrators of the stories come from a variety of ethnic backgrounds and education levels. They include both men and women of various ages who worked in diverse fields. Some were long settled in Israel while others were recent arrivals when their stories were collected and transcribed. They all shared one conspicuous quality-their talent as storytellers. The stories they tell encompass a myriad of genres and themes, including mythical tales, historical legends, sacred legends, demon legends, realistic legends, märchen of various sorts, novellas, jokes and anecdotes, and personal narratives." The book looks like a very promising collection, and a great example of diversity in the oral tradition.
Tales of the Narts: Ancient Myths and Legends of the Ossetians
The first English edition of the Ossetian Nart corpus (published this summer), this book is full of amazing stories. The Narts are a group of legendary heroes and warriors that go on epic adventures, fight mythical monsters, and live their lives with courage, passion, and a great deal of curiosity. There has been a theory recently that the Nart sagas have been responsible for the beginnings of Arthurian legends, and while the theory is questionable for multiple reasons, they definitely have all the makings of awesome hero stories.
(I will be doing a performance of these tales in California in October, and I love working with them!)
Nart Sagas: Ancient Myths and Legends of the Circassians and Abkhazians
The second edition of this volume is now available, after a long hiatus. Like the stories in the book above, these are also tales of the Nart heroes, collected from the traditions of different Caucasian ethnic groups. Published with ample commentary, footnotes, linguistic appendices, and everything else you always wanted to know about Caucasian mythology but never thought to ask.
George Macpherson: The Old Grey Magician
One of Scotland's most famous living storytellers, George Macpherson has once again created a truly amazing book: He tracks one mysterious figure, the Grey Magician, across time and space, from legend to legend, from tale to tale, trying to find out who he is, what he wants, and how he affects events in some of the most famous Celtic traditions, such as the Fionn Cycle. If you are interested in Scottish lore or Celtic myth at all, this one is a must-read.
Happy reading to all the folklore-lovers out there!
Last year’s contest was science fiction – parallel world/alternate history, and the result was Parallels: Felix Was Here. This year, we have a new theme and invite all members to submit.
Eligibility: Any member of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group is encouraged to enter – blogging or Facebookmember. The story must be previously unpublished. Entry is free.
Word count: 5000-6000
Genre: Fantasy
Theme: Hero Lost. It could be about a hero turned villain, a villain's redemption, a hero's lack of confidence, a hero's lack of smarts, etc. It can be about any kind of hero including superheroes, mythological heroes, unexpected or unlikely heroes, or a whole new kind of hero. This theme has plenty of scope and we’re open to pretty much anything along these lines. No erotica, R-rated language, or graphic violence.
Deadline: November 1st 2016
How to enter: Send your polished, formatted, previously unpublished story to admin @ insecurewriterssupportgroup.com before the deadline passes. Please include your contact details and if you are part of the Blogging or Facebook IWSG group.
Judging: The IWSG admins will create a shortlist of the best stories. The shortlist will then be sent to our official judges.
Prizes: The winning stories will be edited and published by Freedom Fox Press next year in the IWSG anthology. Authors will receive royalties on books sold, both print and eBook. The top story will have the honor of giving the anthology its title.
We’re excited to see the creativity and enthusiasm that’s such a part of this group put into action. So don your creative caps and start writing. And spread the word!
Our amazing judges this year:
Elizabeth S. Craig writes cozy mystery series for Penguin Random House, Midnight Ink, and independently. She curates links on Twitter as @elizabethscraig that are later shared in the free search engine WritersKB.com.
Richard Harland finished his first novel in 1993 and resigned a university lectureship to become a full-time writer. With seventeen fantasy, SF and horror novels published since, he went international with his steampunk fantasies, Worldshaker, Liberator and Song of the Slums. He has won six Aurealis Awards and the A. Bertram Chandler Award in Australia, the Tam Tam Je Bouquine Award in France. Writing Tips
Laura Maisano has an MA in Technical writing and is a Senior Editor at Anaiah Press for their YA/NA Christian Fiction. She’s excited to release her debut YA Urban Fantasy SCHISM, and she’s finishing up the sequel UNITY.
Russell C. Connor has been writing horror since the age of 5, and has been in the self-publishing industry for a decade. He has published 8 novels and 4 novellas in both paperback and eBook, including the Box Office of Terror Trilogy and "Whitney," an epic horror novel about hurricane survivors fighting a washed-ashore sea monster. He also designs books for clients and assists them with self-publishing endeavors.
Dawn Frederick is the founder of Red Sofa Literary, previously of Sebastian Literary Agency, and she brings a broad knowledge of the book business to the table—with multiple years of experience as a bookseller in the independent, chain, and specialty stores; sales, marketing, & book development at a YA publisher, a published nonfiction author, and an agent associate literary agent at Sebastian Literary Agency.
Michelle L. Johnson is a literary agent, the founder of Inklings Literary Agency and has a business administration background in addition to a lifetime of working with books (sales, editing, and writing) and authors (marketing, promoting, event planning), and also has been a script/story consultant for an independent film.
Ion Newcombe is the editor and publisher of AntipodeanSF, Australia's longest running online speculative fiction magazine, regularly issued since January 1998. His qualifications and employment range from horticulture through electronics into literature and communications.
Author, Public Speaker, and Executive Producer,Lynn Tincher was born just outside of Louisville, Kentucky in the beautiful city of La Grange. She has written four books, with the fifth one currently in the making. Her first book, Afterthoughts was optioned for movie production by Kilted Pictures and Dancing Forward Productions in Los Angeles. It is currently in pre-production with plans to shoot in Louisville, Kentucky very soon.
It's been a while since I've stopped in to say hi...so...HI! Hope you're all well.
Are you already planning and plotting for next April?
There is so much you can be doing right now to prepare!
Want to write reviews?
Read books Watch TV show/movies Listen to music Cook new dishes Travel Go to restaurants
Want to share your talents? Take photographs Write Draw/paint/sculpt Sew/knit/crochet Create videos All of these ideas take some time and effort so why not start early?
***
Are you still traveling in the Post A-to-Z Road Trip? Have you found some new blogs that you think we should all know about? Feel free to tell us about them in the comments!
Today we welcome Cherdo on the Flipside and her awesome theme of Favorite Characters, Favorite Lines!
Why did you choose the theme of favorite characters and lines?
As a movie buff, there's nothing I like more than an iconic line that captures the spirit of the movie or the essence of an important character. Even more important, is the instant recognition that comes with a GREAT quote; I'll drop that line in my day-to-day conversations when that happens.
Which character out of the bunch was your favorite?
Tough, tough question. A few names rise to the top: Brad Pitt's Achilles...Robert Downey, Jr.'s Tony Stark...Jack Nicholson's Melvin Udall...all truly great characters with great lines.
But in the end, "I'm your Huckleberry." It's gotta be Val Kilmer's portrayal of Doc Holiday from the movie "Tombstone;" a wonderful fountain of quotables! Val's Doc was elegant, educated, and so snarky - but cool. Doesn't hurt that he knows his way around a gunfight and Latin. " In vino veritas!"
Which letter was the most challenging?
Actually, the challenging part came with the letters that had multiple great choices for quotes. Letters like X or Z that might seem challenging were actually a snap (X-men, Zoolander).
What movie or show got the best response from visitors? (Outside of the letter A, of course.)
If you would have made me guess in advance, I couldn't have picked it: E for Evil, as in Dr. Evil of Austin Powers fame, got the most views of all. Who knew there was an evil fan base lurking on the blog-o-sphere.
How long did it take you to find the quotes and pictures for each letter?
About a month before the A-to-Z, I jotted down the letters and every time I was working at my desk, I'd glance at it and add names. Most of these names popped into my cranium attached to quotes, so the only thing to find was a confirmation that I was remembering it correctly. I probably spent less than fifteen minutes writing a post and adding pictures.
So many great Tony Stark lines – how did you resist the urge to just go crazy with that one?
You mean Stark-raving mad? Oh, that would have been so easy to do! What a perfect pairing of actor and character! At first, I was trying to find one great quote (as in Achilles) and later in the month, I tried to limit myself to five quotes. Basically, I was having too much fun and I always try to squelch fun.
But seriously, I could do a whole month of Tony Stark. Maybe that will be next year's theme: "All Things Tony Stark: The Sequel."
Would you need a little gin after a whole day with Jar-Jar Binks?
No, you'd need a lot of gin. The biggest problem is that you know you'll start doing the Jar-Jar voice after about ten minutes. The gin will only make you snicker while doing so.
If you participate in the Challenge next year, what themes strike your fancy?
Still loving pop culture, music, and humor. I'm pretty sure it will fall somewhere in that neighborhood. I toyed with the idea of "Ear Worms I Can't Kill" to address those songs that stick with you way too long.
All in all, I love the A-to-Z and I think you'll probably see me next year, too. Thanks, Alex, for including me! I think All Things Tony Stark: The Sequel would be a great theme for next year! Thanks, Cherdo.
Co-host Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh is the author of Amazon Best-sellers CassaStar, CassaFire, CassaStorm, and Dragon of the Stars, founder of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group,and his blog can be foundHERE
Our thanks to guest poster and A to Z Challenge veteran Stepheny Forgue Houghtlin who blogs at Stephenyhoughtlin.com and Mainstreetrockymount.com. In this post Stepheny shares her April blogging strategy--some tips you might find helpful in your own blogging.
Reflecting on the A to Z Blog Challenge
“It’s true, with bloggers or a box of chocolates,
you never know what you’re going to get.”
Stepheny Forgue Houghtlin
Everyone comes to the blogging world in their own way with interests that are particular. The Challenge is like taking a class from a plethora of teachers who demonstrate what works, and more importantly, what doesn’t. I know I’m a better blogger for this teaching. After four years of participation, I hope this reflection adds to the consideration of the matter.
There is major agreement that it is important to start early with the research and writing, placing your posts in a queue before April 1. Visit as many blogs as possible, leaving a comment behind will improve your stats as people return the favor. If you didn’t get a lot of comments perhaps the process is too complicated to be worth the effort. When I find a new blog that has my name on it because of content and presentation, I feel rewarded for the time it takes to work through the participation list. I gladly hit the FOLLOW button when the stars align, but I have high standards in that decision. If it isn’t readable, or the site is difficult to navigate, I’m a step away from moving on. An edgy blog does not persuade me either. Clarity: background/font size are essential. I want an uncluttered presentation that does not take away from the point of the post...to be able to READ the information. Short posts work best not only during The Challenge, but all year long. People are too busy to take the time no matter how worthy the content.
The subject matter you pick for the challenge has ramifications. Remember, a visitor might find you on day one or later in the month. You have one shot to intrigue them. A long tale that makes no sense on day 12, or a subject that is heavy, worthy as it may be, isn't great for what I call a "26 day expiration date opportunity." I encourage careful consideration of this goal: posts which demonstrate your blog is easy to read, the writing is your best effort, and that your blog is worth someone's valuable time to return and follow. NEVER start a post with, I don’t know what I’m doing, but here goes. Ask yourself, have I picked a subject that is better published at another time? The time frame of the Challenge should influence these decisions.
Whatever theme I have followed during April, I want people to know that the blog will continue on with content you would expect a writer, gardener, addicted reader and book-alcoholic to write about. I ask them for their company in the coming year. After reading this reflection, do come and find me by the garden gate at Stephenyhoughtlin.com where I’ll be waiting, or visit my 2nd blog about the revitalization of a small southern historic downtown, Rocky Mount, NC. Let’s have sweet tea and talk about blogging.
About Stepheny Forgue Houghtlin
Stepheny grew up in Evanston, IL. and is a graduate of the University of Kentucky. She is an author of two novels: The Greening of a Heart and Facing East available on Amazon. She lives, writes and gardens in NC. Visit her: stephenyhoughtlin.com or Mainstreetrockymount.com If you'd like to contribute a guest post to the A to Z Blog, please let us know. We are happy to consider any topics that might be of interest to the A to Z Blogging community. Contact emails can be found at "Contact" tab at top of the page or you can contact me at ArleeBird@gmail.com
It’s July. Time for beaches, bar-b-ques and planning your A to Z posts! What?
Why so early you ask?
Blogging in the A to Z challenge takes time. If you are not used to blogging every day there is that, but even those of us that do blog everyday there is more time needed for this challenge. Especially to make it successful and more importantly fun.
So for me, July is the time I start planning my posts for next April.
I start off with a simple spreadsheet with letters A to Z going down the rows along with the date and days. Sometimes having a particular letter on a particular day might influence me. Like one year Z appeared on Saturday. Since I did a regular posting every Saturday about the comic book character Zatanna, I knew I was set.
Now for me I love to work with themes. I have been doing the A to Z Challenge since 2011 and been doing it with themes since 2012. Themes give me focus and make me reach as a writer and blogger. Over the years I have done Games, Witches, Demons, Vampires and most recently Adventure. For me a theme helps bring people back. I know there were several blogs I followed because of their interesting themes. I want to choose a theme that first of all my regular readers will enjoy and then one that new readers will also find compelling and want to come back for more. Since I am typing everything into a spreadsheet (a in truth I am using Google Sheets for this) I can actually develop a few themes at a time. Presently I have three I am working on.
I know there is the big theme reveal closer to April so I am kinda stealing my own thunder here, but the themes I am considering are “Undead” (like vampires, ghosts and the like), “OSR Games” (games of the old-school renaissance) and finally “Free Games” (games that you get for free).
Ok. I have my spreadsheet in place. I have an idea of my theme or two (or three). What do I need to do now? Well I have nine months, give or take, to start writing my posts and gathering up what I need to make this all work. Some of the posts of my themes almost write themselves. Most don’t. So I start to fill in the blanks to see what I have for each theme. Some letters, Q, X, Y and Z I know will give me some issues, so I try to figure out what will go there first.
Well for Games and OSR I can use the game “X-plorers” and “Zfers” for X and Z respectively. So that is a good start. For Undead I have “Zombie”, so not quite as good.
And...the search goes on. But you know what? That is OK since I still have some months yet.
A week or so later in July I am much closer to figuring out what I am going to do.
I know there is a big reveal in March, but I am going to give you a spoiler now.
I put down my first post for April 2017. It’s for B and I picked “Basic Fantasy”. I am going to focus on free games that you can download and play right away.
It is set now. I am committed. I just need 25 more posts! But now I know what I am going to do and a pretty good idea what the content of each post will be. Come April I can concentrate on visiting all of your blogs now!
I say this summer spend a couple of extra minutes each day doing your April posts and make your April more enjoyable. Sooner than you think 2017 will be here!
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Tim Brannan is a blogger over at The Other Side a gaming and horror blog. He have been blogging since 2008 and been a participant in the A to Z Challenge since 2011.
He is also up for an ENnie Award (something like the Oscars of Gaming) for Best Blog and he would really like it if you voted for him. http://www.ennie-awards.com/vote/2016/ballot.php?category_id=6
Please click on the link and vote "1" under "The Other Side".
Your theme was old ads – how did you come up with that idea?
Oh, I just completely love this kind of stuff, the early trial and error of the infomercial in written form. Coming up with it was simple, I had been downloading images for years and finally a place to share with people...
Which ad shocked you the most?
Many of the smoking ads, where at the time... putting babies with smoking mothers seemed like a good thing. Yes, the Fight Club soap for people who are heavy using headers “Fat is Folly”... what does that mean anyway?
Were you familiar with any of the odd products in the ads?
Not really, I think as I found them, I was like “what” are you kidding? It's amazing on crazy stuff then, transfers into crazy stuff now. There might have been much more “odd products” then due to there wasn't people look out like now.
Do you think any of the products actually worked?
Scarier thought, some of the corsets and nose products that actually look like they would just crush your bones... some of the products that are still in production today.
Why so many products about noses?
People with them big crooked noses, I am terrified to honestly know this actually work and how long people would keep using it before someone said, “hey stop that crazy thing”!
What was the obsession with the face vibrator? (And give people an idea how it worked. Well, not that it did…)
Well all vibrators work in all different ways, some better for others and in some in the best places... People must really needed them, think it's the early addition of Botox? Body shapes were like a bell or a pear... and coverage from neck to your toes, maybe it's the only thing people really see?
Any products you would be brave enough to try? (Besides the Vicks Vapor Rub of course.)
Honestly I am wearing Hanes underwear right now, though these adds have a body suit of coverage and I am sure I would never play sports showing my goods. I might even be up for using one one of those vibrator thingys for my face, yeah... my face. Lol. If you participate in the Challenge next year, what theme would you run with?
I have always had a love for film score music for as long as I can remember, I might do a best of 26 composers, top 26 soundtracks that I like, best 26 sci-fi scores, best 26 horror scores, 26 scores you should skip or well the list goes on and on.
THANK YOU... for asking me to do this, you know I love talking about myself and it wouldn't be me if I didn't promote something... So here we go... Hey, everyone get the latest edition of our online magazine called “SIX STRINGS” where we share MUSIC, FILM, BOOKS, INTERVIEWS, etc. Some great stuff, it's free and some really cool giveaways. So please do check it out by going to Six Strings.
Co-host Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh is the author of Amazon Best-sellers CassaStar, CassaFire, CassaStorm, and Dragon of the Stars, founder of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group, and his blog can be found HERE
And now for a bit of a confessional with some lessons for all from blogger Amita Gulia who can be found at Amita's Pen and Quotes. Amita was also part of the 2016 Arlee's Ambassadors Team. Don't feel too badly, Amita, at least you did some things right and most importantly you understand what some of your errors were. Read on and enjoy...
Lessons from the Failure
I first heard about the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge in May 2014 and was bit disappointed since I was late. I subscribed to the A to Z Blog and waited patiently for 2015. A to Z challenge 2015 was my first participation in the challenge and I was determined to survive it. I finalized on a theme and did some research. With some hiccups, I managed to complete the challenge and went on to write my reflections post. I was so proud of myself. Posting every day with relevant content on the blog made me feel bravura.
My confidence touched no bounds as I managed to pull it off on two blogs simultaneously. Amita's Pen where I blog more often saw some great Indian women who made the road clear for future ladies in various professions. The other blog - Quotes, made me pen down at least one self-made sentence on Pregnancy. That section is very close to my heart and the words came directly from inside as I was expecting my second baby at that time.
Then came 2016 and I was very confident of completing the challenge again. "If I can do it on two blogs at the same time while being eight months pregnant, nothing's going to stop me now", were my thoughts at the back of mind. I went a step further and went on to be on the team of Arlee Bird's A to Z Challenge Ambassadors. I had a great theme and finalized more great topics for each letter. April 2016 started and so did my challenge. After 10 days, I actually gave up. I knew I had failed it this time. I was sad. I felt embarrassed on not being able to contribute to Arlee's team - I volunteered myself for it and I was not doing anything. Honestly, I still feel bad more about being a non-active helper more than being a non-survivor.
I asked myself, "What went wrong?' 'Where did I lack?” My inner self shouted the following answers:
1. You did not Schedule the Posts
Plan, draft and schedule the posts. This is the top advice or tip anyone would get when it comes to any blogging challenge. And there I was an existing survivor and still ignoring this important advice. Mark it in bold letters: If anyone want to survive the challenge with flying colors along with good content, scheduling the posts is a must.
2. You did not Seek Help
I have never had guest posts on my blog. May be this was the time to let the curtains up. I could have approached my friends and I am sure many of them would have helped even if I gave them the topics. But, I did not even try it. So next time, if you are having a hard time coming up with enough of your own original posts, try calling your friends - bloggers and non-bloggers both might be willing to lend a hand.
3. You were Over-Confident
Remember - success is never guaranteed. Just because I succeeded last time, does not mean I would continue to do so without more effort. Challenges often get tougher with each passing moment. Be prepared for them so they won't become insurmountable.
So, does that mean my failure was all my fault? Actually, I would not be so very harsh to myself. In my defense I had a very, very busy month at work. I was writing programming scripts at work all day long throughout the month of April and each day I when I took time to work on my blog posts, I got more behind at work. The official work pays me and needs to be completed at any cost. Thus, I forgive myself--just this time--for ignoring my dear blog. I would keep the learning in mind and definitely take up the challenge again in 2017. Next year I hope to heed the lessons I learned in 2016 to make my life as a blogger far less stressful and uncomplicated.
PS - I hope I would still be chosen to assist on a team next time - Guilty me! I'll do better next year!
Thanks, Amita! I'd be happy to give you another chance on my team. We're accepting guest post proposals for the A to Z Blog. If you have something that you think might be of interest to the A to Z community of bloggers, contact us with your idea. I'll be happy to work with you on a post for this site.
The following guest post comes to us from Sneha Sasikumar who blogs at Life As A Potpourri!!!Currently she is working on a possible series to appear at the A to Z Blog over the upcoming months, but be sure to visit her site to learn more about her and read more of her fine work.
Key takeaways from the #AtoZChallenge:
1. Preparation is a must : Whether or not you have chosen a theme for your challenge,
deciding it way before the challenge starts makes half the challenge easier. At
least the 26 words or ideas that you would be using should be jotted down before heading into April. This is something you can actually begin now for the 2017 Challenge.
2. Look and Feel of the Blog
Posts: If you have in mind to follow a particular style of font, images
and other cosmetic customization for your posts prepare that well in
advance. Also, consider drafting of all your posts with these basic
things as a framework where all you would be left to do during or prior to the challenge is to post
your content
3. Follow for a follow, comment
for a comment: The #AtoZChallenge is all about collaboration and networking. When
so many people with so many topics have been registered for the challenge there
is no point if you are just focused on your blog alone. Try to reply to all of the comments that have been posted on your blog (if not the same day, as soon as possible). Follow folks who have followed your blog, read their posts and
leave them a comment as to what you liked about their posts. Mutual
encouragement is very important during the challenge. Who doesn’t like the appreciation of the hard work they put into their posts?
4. Stick to the deadline: Ohh yeah, we are all so used to procrastinating things
in life but having a deadline helps you to avoid this bad habit if
you don’t already have your posts scheduled for the challenge way beforehand. There might be times when you’ll face the writer’s block, but don’t let this stop you from
blogging. Just write even if it’s about how the writer’s block is not letting
you come up with ideas but just do it.
5. Read Read and Read: The knowledge base that is formed during each challenge is
immense. One should spend more time in reading other blogs to gain knowledge in
just 26 days and also do a lot of reading for your own topic if required.
Personally the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge has
helped me in many ways:
It helped me organize and plan my posts.
It made me think how unique my next blog post could be and how much better than the
previous one.
Picking up a theme like #Emotions helped me understand each of
these 26 emotions personally as I did research on them.
The challenge helped me
interact with so many old and new friends. <3
I would also like to thank all
the guest bloggers who took time from their blogging challenge to post on my
blog and share their thought and views.
About Sneha
A strong willed Sapiosexual / Cheerful person and a true Cancerian!!! I am a passionate dancer. I enjoy travelling, trying everything possible in life..I don't want to regret when I am about to kick the bucket. Besides cooking and writing, I enjoy all kinds of sports. Sadly none of these are my profession. I am a techie working with a product based firm and for the last six years have been in Bengaluru(aka Bangalore- which is the capital of India's southern Karnataka state).
If you're interested in contributing to the A to Z Blog please email us at one of the links on the Contact Page or shoot me a message at ArleeBird@gmail.com. We are interested in articles about blogging or anything of general interest to the A to Z community.
Are You Ready To Road Trip?
Sign-ups will be closing Friday night (That's tomorrow folks!) so you still have some time to join us on our journey through the A to Z blog list throughout the rest of 2016. It's a great way to pass time on lazy summer days or any old time for that matter. Discover new blogs that you missed in April and make new blogging friends.
If you'd like to get on board the Road Trip Blogging Bus then add your blog link to the list below and then start visiting!
J here of #TeamArlee (the BEST team in the A to Z Challenge— woot woot!).
I've taken over the Debut Author Spotlight at Operation Awesome on Wednesdays.
Here's an A to Z list making this news relevant to YOU!
Authors who take part in the A to Z challenge know it's best to support one another
Blogging has never been more vital for debut authors
Connecting and commenting is the bread& butter of successful debut authors
Entertainment is easily found in the pages of a new book
Friends and family alone are not enough— debut authors need support and reviews from other people
Genres from every shelf are eligible for representation
Heartthrobs, hardships, humanitarian missions... it's hard not to find a good book
Intellectual discussions about books are the cornerstone of culture
Just leaving a nice comment on these posts could encourage the next Agatha Christie, Danielle Steel, J.K. Rowling, Stephen King, John Grisham...
Kindred book spirits are easier to find thanks to my short interviews
Love 'em or leave 'em, you'll learn about the debut authors in just a few short minutes
Maybe you'd find something you never expected
New authors become favorite authors
Only debut once!
Publishing traditionally, small press, or self— all are welcome to be interviewed
Quality or quantitiy— which increases sales more? Come discuss!
Reviews are powerful! Determine if these debut authors will be graced by you giving them such a wonderous gift. A new author EVERY WEDNESDAY!
Social Media and debut authors... The "We live by the sword, we die by the sword" idiom means, basically, what you use shall come around and be used equally on or to you. So when it comes to debut authors, "We live by the Tweet, we die by the Tweet." These are people longing to connect with their audience. Come make a new friend!
Television and movies based on the works of debut authors have made billions. (Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind, Alice Sebold's The Lovely Bones, Nicholas Sparks's The Notebook, Ed Conlons's Blue Blood, etc)
Utopia is a place where we never run out of new books to read
Variety is the spice of life. Check out a debut author today!
Whatever A to Z category you most love, there's a book on the subject
X-treme book reading challenge: Read one book by a debut author every week!
Years ahead of other shippers if you fall in love with the book first!
Zip over to say hello and wish me luck on my new position interviewing debut authors at Operation Awesome.
Interested in being interviewed? Contact @JLenniDorner on Twitter!
If you're interested in submitting a guest post for the A to Z Challenge blog, please contact me at ArleeBird@gmail.com.
Today we welcome author J.A. Scottand his rocking theme of childhood television shows and commercials. Prepare for a trip down memory lane!
What made you select television shows from your childhood?
My theme last year was pet peeves (though I call them rants). Though
mostly they were something everyone could relate to, I was never too
sure everyone found them enjoyable to read. I wanted to do something
nearly everyone would have fun with. And who does not enjoy watching
television? When I was younger, we didn't have cable and video games.
Sure, they were around, but they were in their infancy and expensive.
If not for the TV, I would be outside playing with a stick. Also,
growing up, TV watching was something everyone in the family did
together. So when I wanted to revisit those days, it was in the hopes
it would bring back fond memories not only for me, but for everyone
reading as well.
The bonus commercials from the past were funny. Did you get lost
wandering You-tube looking for them?
If you mean, was there a snowball effect of watching one video,
leading to another and another video, yes. Fortunately, I had a few
tools at my disposal. A 1001 classic TV commercials DVD and an A-Z
Guide to TV Guide book. These tools made it easier to look for the
exact commercial I required. Hard to believe they were all on
you-tube. Thankfully, some people have too much time on their hands.
What was the most obscure show you remember?
The most obscure in my list was most likely 'Quark'. A TV show set in
the future about a crew collecting space garbage. As you might
imagine, it didn't last long. It's so obscure, even I never recall
seeing it. And I've always been into sci.fi.
As for the most obscure I HAVE seen, I noticed there were a few.
'Misfits of Science' was a zany slap-stick super hero series featuring
a young Courtney Cox. Quite easily my favourite of the obscure shows I
featured.
There was also 'It's a Living', a sit-com about waitresses in a swanky
restaurant. The comedy was mediocre, but at the time, it was all I
knew. And Ann Jillian certainly drew me in.
The final one (and I'm sorry I selected more than one), was the Krofft
Supershow. Most people seemed to have no idea what it was. The theme
music included an awkward 70's-ish, annoying theme. Most people did
not recognize the show in question from the theme music. But when fast
forwarded to the last minute, you would realize these were the people
who brought us such children's classics as Electra Woman and Dyna
Girl, Wonderbug and Dr. Shrinker. Incidentally, they also were
responsible for bringing us; Sigmund and the Sea Monster, the Far Out
Space Nuts, the Lost Saucer, Lidsville, the Bugaloos and of course,
the Land of the Lost. (Yes, I watched most of those…)
What was the show everyone remembered?
Whether a person watched it or not, I received many comment on Knight
Rider. This was a classic show which everyone seemed to remember.
There was a talking car and David Hasselhoff. There were even a generous supply of car jumps (to compete with Dukes of Hazard I
guess). Ironically enough, I got almost as many comments for Dukes of
Hazard.
How many of the commercial jingles did you still know by heart?
As long as I was aware of the commercial, 9 times out of 10 I could
recite any jingle the commercials offered.
I can still sing the jingles from Coke, McDonald's, Oscar Mayer, Dr.
Pepper, you name it, I probably remember it. Even the ones without a
jingle, I could most likely recall verbatim most of the lines. (I’d like to teach the world to sing!)
What aspect of this theme was the most fun?
When putting this theme together, I loved searching the
internet/You-tube for those rare gems. I particularly enjoyed
recalling my favourite TV shows through the theme music. As for the
commercials, I loved searching for the ones with early celebrities
appearances or the ones not so PC any more. I found those the most
humorous. After putting this theme together, the most enjoyable part
was reading the comments. Seeing which ones people remembered or how
many fond memories this theme revisited for many was another great
result.
What was the worst commercial you featured? The one that you
watched and wondered what the heck the company was thinking.
There was quite a few which made me scratch my head. The Ultra-Brite
and Xerox commercials were utterly ridiculous. But then again, they
were memorable. For Xerox, they wanted to illustrate the ease of their
equipment and Ultra-Brite, well, sex sells. Essentially (Use our
toothpaste and the girls will finally notice you). So those two get a
pass from me because I see WHAT they were trying to accomplish. The
Jell-O commercial might have been offensive to many, but it also was
long before the PC world we live in now. Then we have the Winston
commercial. It was quite the shock for me to discover Fred Flintstone
and Barney Rubble selling cigarettes. But that wasn't even the worse
commercial as far as I'm concerned. The ultimate winner of the 'Who
Were the Ad Wizards That Came Up With This One' award goes to the
Nabisco Cookie Man Superhero commercial. Or was he Kooky Man? A portly
man donned in a poor excuse for a costume, fights puppet like "greedy"
monsters to rescue stolen cookies. Which, of course, he promptly eats
when recovered. Don't miss the 10 second super extreme close-up of
this super hero's mouth enjoying a cookie. I can only assume this was
a "winner of a competition or something because it looks like a grade
school class put the commercial together. Seriously, I've had
nightmares better directed than this... this.... schlock.
What theme are you considering for next year?
There are a number ideas running through my head for next year. And
like last year, I've already begun preparing a few. Whichever ones I
don't do next year, I may do at some point on my blog as a regular
feature. But what I have been considering are the following (and I
would LOVE input on what others would like to see.)
1. Music - I own over 500 CD's. And yes, I already CAN put together a
list of AtoZ of my favourite CD's.
2. Movies - I've started to amass a large film collection. Not quite
as spectacular as my music collection, but it is starting to grow.
3. Milwaukee - Milwaukee is so much more than beer or Happy Days. But
we have them too. People will truly be amazed at what Milwaukee has to
offer. It's a great place by a great lake, and TONS to do, especially
in summer.
4. Games - I'm a gamer, and I don't mean video games. Since I was
young, games have been a big part of family time. And I have passed
this on to my children. Board games, card games, dice or whatever else
you can think of. I have a large selection, and they are all fun to
play.
5. Story - Though this would be challenging and there were not as many
people interested in this according to my reflections post, I'm still
considering a group participation story. Essentially, it will be a
flash fiction which develops over the course of the month. One
paragraph a day will end with a choice for the readers. Depending on
the majority vote, the story will shift and change according to what
people would like to read. Thanks, Jeffrey! And I won’t tell you how many CD’s and albums I own…
Co-host Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh is the author of Amazon Best-sellers CassaStar, CassaFire, CassaStorm, and Dragon of the Stars, founder of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group, and his blog can be found HERE
