OF MIST AND MAGIC -- THE EBOOK AND ALBUM

Cover design by Daniel Pennystone

I entered a writing contest on Writerlysam's blog.  I did an earlier post about it.

It was to take the song Eternal Rest For a Ronin from Of Mist and Magic album and retell a fairy tale.  The winners of the competition would be published in the Of Mist and Magic ebook.

GUESS WHAT!?  My flash fiction is published in it!

Okay, okay.  That is not the most worthwhile thing about it.  I had to gush . . . just a smidge.

Nope, the best thing about this book that it will support Elevate Life and Art studios, a youth organization in Asheville, NC through full donation of all proceeds.

What is so amazing about this collaborative book besides some awesome authors? There are stories from the kids from Elevate Life and Art!

So clicky clicky the links or the pretty pretty book cover on the side panel and get an awesome book as well as helping others achieve their dreams!

NANO FINISHED, REUTSWAY DONE, AND SO AM I

Hey.  How is everyone on this fine freezing (here at least) day?

I'm fantastic.  NaNo is officially over.  I did not make my 15k but I was dang close.  14k and change.

Not bad considering I was using only an iPad and my work computer for it.  I sent in two of the four stories for Reuts.

To brag, I did make the top picks of the week.  SQUEE!  You can see it here:  Week Three Top Picks  Now it a waiting game to see if I get chosen as a finalist.  Then it's the wait for the final picks for the book.  Edit: Date is January 31st.

Last year, I was a finalist but didn't make the book.  So, I'm going to forget about it completely and enjoy reading some random things.

My friend made the 50k, but the story is not complete.  She will continue on and finish it.

Now, I will get back to normalcy and reading.  I've missed reading.  My poor Goodreads pile is scary.

OOO!  The Of Mist and Magic contest is going until December 15th.  Here is the link to the music: Eternal Rest of a Ronin

NANO UPDATE 2014

And so the end of NaNo is near.  One more week of writing madness to go through.

For those of you who do not know what NaNo stands for; it's NaNoWriMo or in long version, National Novel Writing Month.  It is where writers strive and most succeed to write 50,000 words in one month.

That's the goal anyway.  I do not do that.  I would hurt myself badly if I tried.  My inner editor is an evil witch and will not shut up no matter what I do to her.  Chains.  Whips.  Torture.  Drowning.  You name it I've done it, and she laughs in the face and comes back with a vengance.

Ahem.

So, instead I strive for the lofty goal of 15k or there about, which is somewhere where four short stories for Reuts Publications.

I have already expounded on their theme of Mythology this year.

As to the update itself.

I did not finish the Egyptian short story on time.  It did not get sent to them.
Sent in the Celtic and the Asian one.
Waiting for the parameters for the Eastern European one
Did a flash fiction for a site.
And have been plucking away at my own Mythological creation.

So far that brings my word total to 13.7k plus some change.  

And that my friends puts me right on my personal target.

YAY!!!!

FAIRY TALE TO MUSIC

My lovely blogging buddy, writing pal, and all-around fabulous lady, Samantha Redstreake Geary is having another writing contest!!!

SQUEE!!!

Really Slow Motion has a new album coming out.  It's called Of Mist and Magic.  I've listened to one of the songs and it is beautiful.

The prompt is a piece from the album.  In 500 words or less, retell a classic fairy tale and post it to her blog.

It's due before December 1st, peeps.

Not only can you win a digital copy of the album, but there is a chance to be published in companion anthology!!!  That's right, peeps.  Published.  That lovely magic word any writer aspires to have in their bio.

So, go forth and write.

HERE IS THE YOUTUBE LINK TO THE SONG:  THE ETERNAL REST OF A RONIN

IT IS LIVE!!! TREE OFLIFE: THE EBOOK!

Tree of Life is now live.  This is for a truly great cause.  Please check out Samantha's gorgeous blog post with the amazing art work.

TREE OF LIFE -- CELEBRATING A LIFE

Tree of Life

In the celebration of a life that has touched the lives of so many bloggers from around the globe, Samantha Redstreake Geary is creating a tribute to the life of Tina Downey.

This ebook is the collaborated efforts of 26 authors Tina included.  Each individual work from Tree of Life: Branching Out is connected to one of the beautiful pieces music from Audiomachine's album Tree of Life.

The stunning cover was created by Ryo Ishido.

The ebooks's proceeds will go to an education fund for her two boys.

I will add links when the book is available.  Let's celebrate this wonderful life together.

NEW WRITING CONTEST!!

There is a new writing contest as well as a slew of other awesome contests on Sam'sblog.

There is a new contest on Sam's blog.  It has a piece of music to inspire you.

Not only that there are three other contests too!  The first is an audiomachine one where you design a t-shirt using the logos and tags.  The second is creating a book trailer for the book Colin Frake.  The third is cover art for an album for Really Slow Motion.

The writing one is blipping epic.  Steampunk Vikings!!!  I know.  Too cool, huh?  All ya have to do is write a 500 word flash fiction and post it to the page.

The due date is August 9th, peeps.  So get on the ball and let that imagination shine!

REFLECTING

This odyssey began last year when I found out about the challenge.  I declined that year.  This year I took up the challenge and entered in February and decided that I would do a story.  Crazy, huh?

How crazy was I?  Let me tell you: Pretty blipping crazy!

I thought I would do maybe a page for each entry, but the story took over.  Luckily I had up to M done by the end of March.  April was a scramble to keep up with my posts.  I started with a two week lead.  By the end of the month, I had only two days to finish Y.

On top of that, I got a head cold.  Woot!  10% alcohol chugged at 6 hr. intervals.  Let's just say I was a little high as a kite when writing Y.

Heck, Z was written and scheduled back when I was supposed to be writing S.  Heh heh heh.  In hindsight, that was a good thing.  Non-linear writing.  My forte.  Know what happens afterward and you can write what happens before that.

And then I chapter!  Insert Expletives and Curse Words here!  Oh my giddy goodness!  This chapter had me.  I could not figure out how to write it.  It was crap-tastic the three other times I tried.  I was ready to bang my head against a brick wall.  (I have access to one, and I would have done it too!)  Then Lo and Behold!  I HAD A DREAM!  No, I mean that literally.  I had a dream about it.  And there it was.  Completely change the p.o.v. and tense. Who the heck cares how random it is!  It worked. 

So thinking on it, I don't write A to Z.  What the hell was I doing when I signed up for a challenge that required it!

On to the mushy and heart-wrenching stuff.

As I look back on the last month, I have to grin.  I found some wonderful new blogs and learned so many new things that didn't know about mythology, monsters, fairy tales, morbidity, and grammar.

I have to thank the PTBs that make the annual Blogging from A to Z Challenge possible.  THANK YOU! 

I also want to thank the wonderful peeps that popped up on my blog every day and commented.  I felt the love!

First off, to the lovely lady that pointed out this awesome challenge to me, Sam.  Thank you for believing me so much. 

Sara, you were my first comment on the first day.  Not only that you were with me the entire way.  Yggdrasil will never be forgotten!  Your posts were fantastic.

Patricia, I have to say wow!  You kept me entertained with your fantastic flash fictions with those terrifying words!  Thanks for sticking with me!

Li, I had fun with all those neat posts about character development and all those links to the tests.  The results were kinda scary . . . 

Mina, those posts on monsters were fantastic.  I had a blast reliving some of them from childhood and reading about ones I never saw.  Btw, love the monster links for the social websites.  Where did you get those? 

S. L. Hennessy, those fairy tale posts were dark and loved every minute of the creepyness.  The pics of the zombies . . . LOVE THEM!  

Natasha,  I had an amazing journey with all those different vampires.  I didn't know that there were so many species of them.  Talk about terrifying.  


Marlene, those grammar lessons came in handy.  I realize I need to have remedial grammar lessons! =D

Then there are all those fantastic blogs I found that also had stories, recipes, ghosts, fictional characters.  I had a great time reading each day.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by during the challenge.

IT'S A BIRD! IT'S A PLANE! NO! IT'S A SUPERHERO!

Audiomachine’s PHENOMENA: Epic Heroes Event

Did you ever want fly like Superman? Kick butt like Batman? Or have one of the thousands of abilities that make up the superhero world?

Have you ever thought that I can create a superhero as cool as them?

Well, guess what?  NOW YOU CAN!

Right now on Writerlysam's blog  there is a short story event happening Right Now!

In 1200 words or less, create your own superhero story, and post that puppy in the comments.  Only it's for a limited time.  So hop on the wagon fast. 

And not only that!  This is a two for one deal, folks!  They also have a contest for ARTISTS!  Get out those supplies and draw like mad.  All you have to do is place the link to the piece in the little box.  (Okay, I had to channel the Hat from Labyrinth.  It's apropos though since Brian Froud [awesome artist that he is] did the art design for the movie.)

Seriously, peeps, how can you miss out on this?

All you have to do is follow the link above or HERE and you can see for yourself how much fun you can have delving into the world of superheroes.

OH MY GOODNESS! ISN'T IT BEAUTIFUL!

This is the cover that will have my first published piece.  It was created by a talented artist named Jennifer Redstreake Geary. 

This book will have all the stories from Composers of Relief collaboration in one volume.  All the proceeds go to these charities:  Gawad Kalinga (“give care”) and GVSP (Gualandi Volunteer Service Program).

Ebook Available at Amazon, UK, Smashwords, B&N  *soon* from iTunes, Kobo, Sony, & Diesel .

The album is available at iTunes, Amazon, CDbaby, and Spotify. 

LE SIGH. AND WOO HOO!

As you know I was a first cut finalist in the Reuts Publications short story contest, Reutsway.  I found out on the 31st that I didn't make the final cut.  Neither did my friend, Sam.  And there be the le sigh in my post's title.

 You're wondering what the woo hoo is, aren't you?  Well, some time around the 5th of this month, I will still become a published writer.  The story for charity on my post  A WORTHY CHARITY, MUSIC, AND STORIES.  COME ON.   YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO . . . will be published as an ebook with all the others!

I will give out the order links for the book when they become available.

TOTALLY FREAKING EPIC! REUTS FINALIST!

I did the Reuts Publications Nanowrimo's four story challenge.  I had fun rewriting fairy tales.

This morning I found out I am a finalist!  Out of all those amazing stories they received, They chose me!  They announced the finalists on their blog. 

  I'm so stoked it doesn't even matter if I actually get published.  I'm just ecstatic they liked at least one of my stories.

SQUEE!!

Oh, and just for the awesomeness of it all, Sam made it too!  Yeppers!  Yay!  So happy! (as you can tell by the extensive usage of exclamation points)  =D

CONGRATULATIONS SAM!!!

A WORTHY CHARITY, MUSIC, AND STORIES. COME ON. YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO . . .

http://writerlysam.wordpress.com/composers-for-relief-supporting-the-philippines/

A blog within a blog.  That is the question I know you are asking yourself.  Ah, this blog is special.  This blog has the ability to change lives.

I had the privilege to be invited to write a piece for a wonderful charity to help the Philippines. All proceeds go to Gawad Kalinga to support the victims of Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan).

Here is my piece.  Inspired by Requiem for a Queen - M² feat. Dina Fanai [M² consists of Michael A. Levine & Man Parrish]  Please go to the sidebar in the link above and listen to the gorgeous music as you read.

Check out the album Composers for Relief: Supporting the Philippines on both itunes and amazon. 

*****