Bizarre News You Never Wanted to Know

The disadvantage of posting only once a week is the build up of exciting things happening on the web, like:





A new UFO sighting in Paris.

The hunt for the serial-toe-sucker in Arkansas. 

120 donkeys making the flight from Hawaii to LA WITHOUT jet lag. (I know, right?)

And AC/DC getting their own wine label. (I don't drink, but everyone says you're supposed to have wine with your cheese...)

Of course, while all of this is terribly exciting and productive *ahem* I have some news of my own. One of my fantabulous bloggy friends has awarded me a blog award. *jumping for joy*

Thank you to Claire Hennessy for the Leibster blog award! What a great, funny, spunky writer she is. Her flash fiction piece won a people's choice award in a recent contest--a well deserved award. Check her out!

And now to business.

THE RULES:
1. Show your appreciation to the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them.
2. Reveal your five picks with 200 or less followers and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.
3. Post the award on your blog.
4. Bask in the camaraderie of the most supportive peo­ple on the internet other writers.
5. And best of all have bloggity fun and spread the love.

My five are:

1. Barbara V. Evers: such a motherly heart, and I love, love, LOVE reading her blog.  

2. Jaleta Clegg: Jaleta writes Sci-fi. We've been rubbing shoulders for a while now, and when her inner science nerd comes out to play (which is all the the time) I can't help but giggle. You rock Jaleta!

3. Larissa: We Floridians have to stick together, you know. =) She hangs out more on twitter, and I very much enjoy her tweets. 

4. Leisha Maw: Such a fresh and honest voice. Her stories make me smile.

5. Loralie Hall: For not only having such a cute blog, but filling it with worthy content. 

So, what news do you have to report? Tried any new cheeses this week? And will you be riding a non-jet-lagged donkey out to buy the new AC/DC brand wine? 

Bizarre or Vindicated?

Ever receive an evaluation of your work that left you scratching your head?


Goodreads is not my favorite forum. It's clumsy and out-dated, but there are some incredible writers there. Recently I faced the challenge in one of my groups to write a piece of flash fiction. Not my forte. It was a fun venture, and I felt really pleased with the outcome. Of course the test is in the response. How will people receive your work?


The authors didn't hate it. That's the good news, but my family did. They kept complaining about advanced "vocabulary" diminishing their appreciation of the work. ADVANCE VOCABULARY?!? Is clambered such a strange word? Or absconded? Or reiterated? It's one thing if I had been writing for a teenage audience, but this was aimed for adults. Was I asking too much by way of comprehension? (Please! Give me your opinion? Where is the line?)


I sometimes think when we ask for "edits" what we get is a nit-picking according-to-me response, unless it comes from an unbiased source. (One with experience separating personal preference from literary value.) It then becomes incumbent for us to interpret what we receive from what matters. Unless I hear the same thing from 3 + readers I don't give it much weight. The problem is when those 3 readers occupy the same room and act as a bouncing board for one another. 


And now the wrap up: No one can tell you what is wrong or right for your works. They may offer suggestions. They may tell you what rubbed them wrong. They may even make a valid point! It's important to listen, but it's also important to lend credence only where it applies.