J is for J #AtoZchallenge

"Don't assume that a single letter name is an initial. People do have names that are one letter long." -https://www.w3.org/International/questions/qa-personal-names

Hi from J, 2018 A to Z team captain, debut author interviewer at Operation Awesome, Speculative Fiction writer, blogger, Lenni-Lenape indigenous person, and someone with an unusual name.



Names are tricky monsters. People tend to take it personally when you call them by the wrong name. Interestingly, this applies even to people who haven't chosen their own name. In some cultures, parents select the name for their offspring. Sometimes this even takes place before the person is born! (If that didn't shock you it's because you live in a culture where that's normal.)

Some people do not have the same name their entire life. There's a childhood name, which is generally just a reference to parentage and birth order. At some point, the person distinguishes themselves in some manner and earns a new name. (This is not the same as a nickname.) Occasionally you'll even find cultures that offer a third naming opportunity in the elder stage of life. Religions sometimes add a name in the middle. There are also several cultures where a person retains their given (first) name but changes their surname (last name) after getting married. In some languages, the surname is first and the given name is second.

Around the world, there are cultures where names come from a "name giver" via divine messages. These names are often sacred and not shared with outsiders. Thus, a second name is generally chosen as a means of reference for outsiders.

I'm J. Just J. It was early in my life when I found myself surrounded by outsiders who demanded to know my name. The Name Giver hadn't visited me yet, so I didn't have one to offer. (And couldn't share that one anyway, as I can only share it with one other person.) I didn't know that people sometimes spelled J with a superfluous "ay" tacked on. I didn't understand the questions that resulted in my second, or middle, name (which I chose based on my tribe, and is NOT an indicator of gender). It's also fine to call me by last name (something I discovered people did when I ran cross country).

I love learning about names.

From where did you get your name? 
Do you know anyone else who received their name in a manner different from the one used by your culture?
Does your name indicate your gender and, if so, how do people of other cultures know this? 



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First #AtoZChallenge 2018 #AZChat Recap

Twitter #AZChat recap

Q1 Who are you? What's your blog link? #AtoZChallenge #AZChat

— AtoZChallenge (@AprilA2Z) April 10, 2018

Q2 Why do you do the #AtoZChallenge ? #AZChat

— AtoZChallenge (@AprilA2Z) April 10, 2018

Q3 Random Q: What app do you hate, but use anyway? #AtoZChallenge #AZChat

— AtoZChallenge (@AprilA2Z) April 10, 2018

Q4 What is the funniest name you have actually heard used in the real world? #AtoZChallenge #AZChat

— AtoZChallenge (@AprilA2Z) April 10, 2018

Q5 Recommend a blog that's not getting enough comments so we can all storm the castle! #AtoZChallenge #AZChat

— AtoZChallenge (@AprilA2Z) April 10, 2018

Thanks for joining us on this Twitter Chat. Hope you had fun! Stay tuned to our blog https://t.co/0cXfylQrtm for announcements of future Twitter Chats! #AZChat #AtoZChallenge

— AtoZChallenge (@AprilA2Z) April 10, 2018

Anyone wishing to answer later, you now have all the tweets at your fingertips.

Income Tax ( #AtoZChallenge )

  Imagination is a limitless resource, but it should be used wisely.   But the most important thing is to use it...

      Income tax might be on the minds of at least some of those in the United States.  Our taxes are due in a few days.  Fortunately I got mine done last month so now I can focus on the April Challenge.  If you are still scrambling to finish taxes as well as keep up with your A to Z posts then I'm sorry to hear that.  You've really got a big challenge on your hands.

        Other than the taxes being soon due, my mentioning of income tax is also a reminder about blogging ideas.  I've often read bloggers saying that they are running out of ideas for their regular blogging let alone coming up with an idea that is bloggably sustainable for an entire month.  If you want to be a blogger then you're going to be a writer and as a writer you've got to have ideas and imagination.

          So let's say next year you decide to write about "income tax."  What can you write about?  History of the tax. pro and cons of taxation, how-to hints about tax preparation, or where tax dollars go are some suggestions.   You could write fictional stories related to income tax--a lot of intriguing ideas for that!

         Don't get hung up on trying to come up with ideas.  Look around you.  There are stories within every field of your vision and the limitless expanse of your imagination.  Don't think you're going to throw in the towel for this year's Challenge for any lack of ideas about what to write next.  That's the point of the A to Z Challenge--to tax your mind.  No ideas is no excuse.

          Now start writing your next posts whether they be for tomorrow, next week, or next year.  It's tax season.  Time to tax your brain!



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   Have you ever felt like you were out of ideas?   Where do you go to find new ideas to write about?  When your creativity wanes how do you recharge it?

11pm UTC

H is for our very own Jeremy Hawkins! #AtoZChallenge

As most of the A to Z veterans among you already know, Jeremy Hawkins is the dedicated genius behind the graphics of the Challenge - badges, banners, t-shirts, you name it! Jeremy has been with us right from the start, putting work, energy, and enthusiasm into making A to Z a colorful and fun experience for everyone.

This year, Jeremy is not participating in the daily posting of A to Z, but he still made time to create our graphics. So today, for the letter H, we would like to encourage everyone to go to Jeremy's blog, and say hi! Let's make his day as fun as he made the challenge for us :)

You can also visit his Amazon author page here, and see his designs here. Because he is that versatile a guy!
You can read more about him from previous years here and here.

Have a great day, Jeremy! :)


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G is for Genre #AtoZchallenge

G IS FOR "GENRE"

J Lenni Dorner offered WEP (Write…Edit…Publish) “G” day. The WEP team currently consists of four writers – Denise Covey, Yolanda Renée, Olga Godim and Nilanjana Bose  - who all write in different genres. Every second month the team dreams up a challenge where participants can post in any genre. For today’s collaboration, we chose "GENRE" to write 100-word flashes. For inspiration we used an image of an amazing road sign. Thanks Celia Reaves for permission to use the image.

Here we go...

Olga Godim - Fantasy.

Somewhere in Magic

She glanced in the rearview mirror, expecting the Ford chasing them to appear any second.

“Turn at the sign and stop,” he said calmly, as if the goons in the Ford hadn’t tried to kill him minutes ago.

The sign read “WELCOME TO WEE SHOMER.”

She turned and stopped ten meters in.

He leaped out of the car and put both hands on the sign. The letters on the bottom blurred and re-arranged themselves. The sign now read “WELCOME TO SOMEWHERE.” The road turn disappeared. Only grass grew beneath the sign.

The Ford whizzed past without slowing.

“They didn’t see us.” He grinned. “They are going... somewhere.” 

Olga Godim is a Canadian speculative fiction writer. When she doesn't write fiction, she works as a journalist, designs book covers, and collects toy monkeys. There are over 300 monkeys in her collection.

Nilanjana Bose - Poetry

Homeless in Somewhere

This was home. How strange! the doorknob - I think

as I turn it, still bears your fingerprints,

the steel’s just the same, the roses as pink,

and your yoga mat hasn’t moved an inch;

the curtain’s billowing just as before

your prized ceramics, not one has broken -

whole row’s standing; the rug rucked on the floor

where your foot had pushed it; your  book open

face down on the sofa, dog eared pages

squashed by cushions. Always this careless view

of the physical – those are just cages

for the words. This was home. Now - just a roof.

  

Just a pile of lifeless concrete and wood -

an empty cage, because you’re gone for good.

Nilanjana is a bi-lingual writer, blogger and market researcher. She specialises particularly in poetry, panic and tinkering with bucket lists. Find her online at Madly-in-Verse.

 Yolanda Renée - Horror.

A Concert in Somewhere

She’s wondering, “How did I get turned around? Where are my friends?”

She was with a crowd, and yet I saw her boredom, her desire for genuine excitement.

I had to grant her wish.

The exiting concert horde pushed her closer.

She’s spotted me again and knows I want her. She understands the game we’re playing.

The fear in her eyes, so delicious. And now tears as she realizes her phone has been pinched.

Does she think I’ve stolen it?

Panic, sheer panic. She’s running, down the alley. Right into my waiting arms.

***

CONCERT KILLER STRIKES AGAIN

***

Yolanda Renée, the author of the Detective Quaid Mysteries, writes in multiple genres and loves flash fiction.  Learn more at www.yolandarenee.com or at Defending the Pen.

Denise Covey - Romance.

Death for Someone, Somewhere

The hazy moon hovered in the inky sky, watching the shenanigans below. Two lovers ran hand in hand, weaving through trees and undergrowth in the perfect silence of night. Finally, they reached the soft grasses near the sign.

Someone pulled over, opened the trunk, and slung a body and shovel over his shoulder.

The lovers shadowed him as he staggered to the stack of decomposing trees.

Dig. Dig. Dig.

‘What game’re you playing, Mister?’

Someone dropped the shovel and ran. Right into their waiting arms.

He was no match for two hungry vampires who fed on murderers.

‘Ladies first.’

‘Don’t mind if I do.’

Denise Covey is an Australian writer of novels, flash fiction and short stories with romantic elements. She reads a lot, travels a lot and writes travel articles in her spare time. Her role as an educator allows her to indulge her love of the classics.

  

If you'd like to check out WEP's next challenge, we're already accepting submissions. Go to the website, read all about it, and sign up! Write in any GENRE. We'd love to have you!

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F is for Friday! #AtoZChallenge

TGIF!

Friday is probably my favorite day of the week. Working a Monday-Friday job, Friday marks the end of my work week. For the last ten years, I have celebrated almost every Friday with coworkers. It's a great way to wind down and prepare for an action packed weekend.

This particular Friday is extra special because we are SO close to the end of the first week of the A to Z Challenge! Just one more day and we can all breathe a great big sigh of relief and take a day off. Of course, many of us will likely use that day to catch up on our favorite blogs and find new ones, but at least the pressure of posting is relieved.

The end of the first week is in sight. Hang in there!

What is your favorite way to end your work week?

~Jayden R. Vincente 

jrvincente.wordpress.com (adult content)

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I see the light at the end of the tunnel, so I'm going hard. - Cam Newton

E Is For Everybody And Everything #atozchallenge

There's a lot to remember to do during the A to Z Challenge:

• Write all your blog posts. 
• Schedule all of them for the correct day.
• Respond to everyone's comments.
• Visit other blogs and leave them comments.

It's that last thing that trips up a lot of people. How do you find blogs to visit? 

Here's what I do:

• Visit the blogs of everybody who was kind enough to visit my blog and leave a comment. This should be the first thing you do: acknowledge the comment they left, then go visit their blog and leave a comment there.
• Visit the blogs of everybody who left a comment on my visitors' blogs. As I'm reading and commenting on someone's blog, I look at the other people who left comments there. Some of them are bound to be people who left me a comment, but many others won't be. I give them a visit and leave a comment there.

I can keep iterating through this over and over, or I can refer to the daily lists, the theme reveal list, or the original sign-up list. 

Two things you'll want to remember: you won't be able to visit everybody, and not everything will be interesting to you. There are close to a thousand people who participate in A to Z each year, each with their own interests. If you visit 10% of them over the next month, you're doing really well, and don't feel guilty if the theme isn't all that interesting to you. The goal is to make blog buddies! Remember, you share one interest: you're bloggers. 

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Make new friends and learn new things!

D is for Debut #AtoZchallenge

Among my contibutions to online communities, I volunteer over at Operation Awesome. (A team of writers posting information pertaining to the various stages of book publication.) I run the Debut Author Spotlight.



I've posted an A to Z about this before. If you are a debut author or know about a book coming out soon by a first time author, please let me know.

What's your favorite book by a debut author? When did your blog debut?


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"The difference is winning and losing is most often not quitting." - Walt Disney

Technical Difficulties: Link Has Been Fixed

Hi, John here.

We apologize for any problems those of you who read the simulcast blog have had getting to the daily form to enter your URL. The problem over there has been resolved and we'll make sure it doesn't happen again.

C is for Challenge & Can Do ( #AtoZChallenge )

  Even if you really can't do something, believing that you can't is a sure way to hold you back from progress.  Accept your limitations and adapt to doing the best that you can do...

Yes You Can!

         Here we are at day three!   Hopefully most of you are still filled with enthusiasm and ready to persevere to the end of the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge.  However, I know from the experience of past years a few of you might be wondering why in the world you decided to take on this crazy Challenge.  Each year I've seen bloggers stop way before they've even gotten to the middle of the alphabet.  The excuses are diverse, sometimes totally valid, but usually it's a matter of the unwillingness to believe in oneself and just giving up.  Don't do it!

         You can do this! 




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Are you ready to keep going until the end?   More importantly, are you willing?   What is your best motivator?  

B is for Beginnings #AtoZChallenge

The Challenge has officially begun! Yesterday, we posted our first posts, kicking off a month of exciting things to share and discover. So today, it is time to Begin the other fun part of the challenge: The discovery! Go and visit others. Read their beginnings! Catch the new themes right at the start, so that you can bookmark them, follow them, collect them, and keep coming back for more each day.

For me, personally, the the second day is always the one that feels like the Beginning of the challenge. On Day 1, a flood of visitors comes to my blog to check out the very first post - so the second day is the first one when I visit back all the visitors from the day before (this is how I do it, anyway, feel free to steal the system). On the second day, with post already scheduled, I wander from blog to blog all day, and drink in all the excitement of new beginnings. Some blogs will last all month; some won't. It doesn't matter. The kickoff is full of energy, and it makes my day to be a part of it.

Here is to Beginnings! Go visit each other today!


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A is for Amazing Alphabet Team #AtoZchallenge

For our team A post, we present a brief interview with the 2018 Amazing Alphabet Team!

(The fine folks who volunteer their time, energy, and skills to make this challenge happen for you. There will be a seperate post to honor our Amazing graphics guy, Jeremey, later this month.)

1- What's your passion in life?

Arlee-  One passion that consumes much of my thinking is road tripping.  I hate to think of a time when I wouldn't be able to drive.

J- Writing is my passion. That's how I relate to the world.

Csenge- Storytelling. It is both my passion and my profession, which makes me incredibly lucky.

John- Music. Roughly half of my posts outside the A to Z Challenge are about music, and a couple of years ago I had two themes (quite by accident) and one of them was music.

Jayden-Writing, of course. It's therapeutic. But music is a close second. Singing is like sharing a story through song and I love that.

2- What are your goals during the A to Z Challenge 2018?

Arlee-  To keep a balance in my life between blogging and other stuff around me.  But I do want to get my posts done before April.

J- My goals are to make this year really fun for all participants, to complete the challenge, and to leave comments on 300 blogs. On my own blog, I have a short story told in parts, which my goal is to get people to think about life. (If you do too, check out the stories of A to Z post!)

Csenge- My goal is to write posts that people find both entertaining and informative. Also, to make some new blogging friends! I have found marvelous blogs through the challenge in the past, I am looking forward to more.

John- To have all the posts done by April 1 and do as much visiting of other blogs as I can during April.

Jayden- My goal for this year is to have all of my posts ready to go before April 1st so I can enjoy exploring new blogs! I have found some awesome writers I am excited to catch up with this year and I look forward to finding even more!

3- What was your biggest accomplishment in the last 12 months?

Arlee-  It's become a yearly tradition--driving back east to see family, friends, and especially my grandkids including the newest girl child, Logan Lego.  This past year I made the trip twice.

J- Publishing my debut novel, Fractions of Existence, was my biggest accomplishement in the last 12 months. One of the coolest parts was being interviewed on the Debut Author Spotlight at Operation Awesome. (That's what I usually do on Wednesdays, so it was fun to switch to the hotseat.)

Csenge- Finishing my PhD, and publishing Dancing on Blades, my new folktale collection!

John- Continuing my streak of consecutive days posting to the blog, now close to 1500.

Jayden-Publishing my first Choose Your Own Adventure Erotic Novel: Runaway. I couldn't believe how much fun I had writing it for NaNoWriMo last year. I released one iteration of the novel in last year's A to Z Blog Challenge. Publishing the whole novel April 30th was incredible!

4- What about a blog will catch your eye and turn you into a regular visitor?

Arlee-  Interesting material written in an accessible style--and preferably in black print on a white background.

J- A blog with a subject I enjoy written in captivating manner will always keep me coming back for more.

Csenge- I like blogs with interesting topics or themes. Bonus if they are related to folklore, mythology, or role-playing games.

John- Humor. I like to laugh.

Jayden-I love a well written story. I enjoy characters whose lives are compelling, particularly if it's an ongoing story!

5- Besides your blog, how can you be reached online?

Arlee-  I'm not on social media very much, but I can be found on Twitter @ArleeBird

J- Twitter twitter.com/JLenniDorner is my favorite method of online communication. I'm also on facebook.com/WhatAreThey and most of the other major social media outlets.

Csenge- Twitter (https://twitter.com/TarkabarkaHolgy), and the Facebook page for my "Following folktales around the world" series.

John- I have presences on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/johltonehandtyping), Twitter (https://twitter.com/onehandtyping), Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/onehandtyping/), and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/onehandtyping_/). Probably the best way would be through Instagram, as I don't check the others that frequently.

Jayden- http://twitter.com/jrvincente, https://www.facebook.com/jrvincente,  www.goodreads.com/jrvincente


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"I enjoy challenges. If a challenge is in front of me and it appeals to me, I will go ahead and conquer it." - Conor McGregor