Apples to Apples Contest: Day 10 (Final day!)

For the complete rules on how to play, click here. Otherwise, it's word-association--choose a word (or short phrase) associated with my word:

Pond Scum

And just as a reminder, you have until midnight EDT on Sunday, September 4 to add an entry to any of these 10 posts.

Platform-building Campaign

Hi all! Just a quick pause from the Apples to Apples Contest for a brief public service announcement . . . 

After watching the first two Platform-building Campaigns over at Rachel Harrie's blog, Rach Writes, I've decided to finally join in. They have been amazingly successful under Rach's watchful eye.

You have until August 31st to join, so if you are interested in building your platform and helping others build theirs, head on over to her site to see what it entails. Just click here for the information. :)

And for any other campaigners out there, I look forward to meeting you!

Finally, don't forget, you have until Sunday, 4 September 2011 to enter a response on any of the Apples to Apples Contest days. I'm loving your cleverness!

Apples to Apples Contest: Day 9

For the complete rules on how to play, click here. Otherwise, it's word-association--choose a word (or short phrase) associated with my word:

Absurd

Apples to Apples Contest: Day 8

For the complete rules on how to play, click here. Otherwise, it's word-association--choose a word (or short phrase) associated with my word:

Squeaky Clean

Apples to Apples Contest: Day 7

For the complete rules on how to play, click here. Otherwise, it's word-association--choose a word (or short phrase) associated with my word:

Pigs

Apples to Apples Contest: Day 6

For the complete rules on how to play, click here. Otherwise, it's word-association--choose a word (or short phrase) associated with my word:

License Plates

Apples to Apples Contest: Day 5

For the complete rules on how to play, click here. Otherwise, it's word-association--choose a word (or short phrase) associated with my word:

Phony

Apples to Apples Contest: Day 4

For the complete rules on how to play, click here. Otherwise, it's word-association--choose a word (or short phrase) associated with my word:

Charming

Apples to Apples Contest: Day 3

For the complete rules on how to play, click here. Otherwise, it's word-association--choose a word (or short phrase) associated with my word:

Rubber Gloves

Apples to Apples Contest: Day 2

For the complete rules on how to play, click here. Otherwise, it's word-association--choose a word (or short phrase) associated with my word:

Stereotyped

Apples to Apples Contest: Day 1

For the complete rules on how to play, click here. Otherwise, it's word-association--choose a word (or short phrase) associated with my word:

Darth Vader

Fun Times Ahead: The Rundown

As promised, today I unveil my super fun plans!

With WriteOnCon here this week, PLUS I'll be hosting scads of family for a family reunion, I had this brilliant idea (okay, I stole my brother's brilliant idea) for a fun way to still keep up with my blog.

So here's the deal---ever heard of Apples to Apples? This is just like that, only you don't get to draw cards.  Here are the rules:

1. Beginning Thursday, August 19, I will post a word on my blog each weekday.
2. In the comments, you leave a word associated with my word. It can be funny, serious or whatever. (Just keep in mind that I am the judge, so you want it to be a word you think I would associate with the first word).
3. At the end of two weeks, I will choose my three favorite entries for each post and award 3 pts, 2 pts. and 1pt. respectively. I will add up the points and choose three overall winners.
4. You can vote on any of the posts until midnight EDT on Sunday, September 4. 
5. Anyone can play! If you want to follow or spread the word, great. But not required. However, if you don't think I have a way to contact you otherwise, be sure to leave an e-mail address (or something) just in case you win.
6. I will announce winners sometime that next week. And YES, there will be prizes! Good ones.

To sum up.

-I write a word. Example: Keyboard.

-You write an associated word. Example: Letters; Typing; Music; Piano; Singing; Writing

-I choose my favorites.

-Three someones win a fun prize.

Easy? Easy. But if you have questions, feel free to ask.

During that time, I apologize that I won't be able to visit your blogs (can you say beach house?!!), or respond to your brilliant comments like usual (assuming you have an e-mail address connected to your profile), but thanks for visiting and good luck! I can't wait to read your pithy, hilarious, and overall genius responses!

This vs. That: Beach vs. Mountains

I have been Slacker on getting to this post in part because I hoped more people would vote, and in part, I was pulling a Donkey and enjoying the waffling with melty butter and hot drippy syrup . . . yummm . *wipes drool of her face and continues typing*

This was a surprisingly hard vote for me! So here are the results: 

Total votes: 18

Beach: 10 votes; 56%
Mountains: 8 votes; 44% 

While a few of you expressed love for your reject, and one of you did suggest mountains NEXT to the beach (after voting, so I didn't count a 'both' vote), most people were surprisingly sure of themselves.

And of course, I could have decided to split the vote 50/50, because after all, I grew up among the mountains, and I consider them to be my old friends. In fact, I miss them terribly and have considered starting a petition to rename the grossly misnamed Appalachians.

Hills, people. They are definitely HILLS.

Anyway, back to the subject at hand. When I vacation, do I dream of packing up my tent and enduring the hard ground of a mosquito-infested campsite? No, I do not. So of course, my vote had to go to the beach. But I agree with Missed Periods. I'll take the 75 degree weather and crystal clear water, please. :)

Okay, now on to the next debate:

Winnie-the-Pooh

vs.

Tigger

 

(And don't even try to claim you don't love them both!)!

More Contests!

1) Rachel McClellan over at Blackbird in my Window is hosting a summer writing contest with Lauren Ruth from the BookEnds Agency as the judge. Check out the contest rules here.

You have until August 11th to submit your first 500 words, so polish your work and go check it out.

2) Also, there is an editor-judged contest over at Gabriela Lessa's blog. There are four different editor-judges from Sourcebooks, each one judging a different category from PB through Adult lit. You can enter through Aug. 9th, so go check it out here.

Best of luck!

P.S. I know this isn't much of a post, but I have something super fun planned for the next couple of weeks! Can't wait to tell you all about it next Monday!

Micro Synopsis Contest at YAtopia with agent John Cusick

These contests are suddenly popping up all over! Isn't it great?

This one is open to MG and YA and asks for a three sentence synopsis of your plot. Beginning. Middle. End. 1. 2. 3.

For the record, this is not so easy, but you should definitely take the challenge! You have until Aug. 11th. so follow the link to YAtopia and leave your entry in the comments.

Best of luck!

That's Not Me!

A year ago (or so), I read about Google Alerts on Elana Johnson's blog.

They are pretty cool. You choose something you'd like to google, and once a week (or however often you want to receive them), Google sends you a list of the top-ranked pages for that search term. If you don't know how, you should definitely google it . . .that is, as soon as you're done commenting on my blog. ;)

As a writer and blogger, for example, you can set up an alert for your name just to get an idea of where and how frequently you are mentioned. Does your blog come up when someone searches for your name (ie agents and editors)? Are any other sites referencing you?

I decided to take a leap, and I loved the results. My blog came up consistently. And often, I'd find my name mentioned on other blogs (which was always a fun surprise!). 

Anyway, fast-forward several months, and Google (the stinkers!) changed the way they do something, and suddenly, my blog is gone from the lists. Except occasionally. So instead of seeing my posts proudly displayed, I learn about other Janet Johnsons (because there are a lot of us).

Did you know that in July, a one Janet Johnson of Texas gave birth to a sixteen-pound baby! Wow.

And do you know how often I find links to my obituary? At least once a month.

Still, it is amusing, and it's nice to know I do show up somewhere . . . even if it's a few links down.

So do you do Google Alerts? How does your name fare?

Still Harping on Justin Bieber

"Luck is what happens when Opportunity meets Preparation." -Seneca (Roman dramatist)

I heard this quote today, and it really resonated with me. It's so easy to attribute a person's success to Luck. And perhaps it's true. But that doesn't mean there was no work or effort involved.

Take Stephanie Meyers. I've heard it said that her success is merely luck. And perhaps that's true about the fact that she hit on the next teen craze. But the craze didn't just find her. . . . She spent hours writing a novel and editing it. Then she took the time to write a query and put herself out there. She was prepared when opportunity came knocking.

Another prime example: Justin Bieber. His rise to fame is astounding, and it would be easy to dismiss him as the luckiest kid in the world. But fame didn't just show up on his doorstep one day. He was learning to play the drums when he was two. He was entering contests and putting his performances online for others to view by the time he was ten. Sounds simple, but it takes guts. And work. Opportunity came knocking BECAUSE of his preparation.

So when I heard this quote, my mind translated it into this: "Don't sit around hoping to get published or worry that you'll never be lucky enough. Go out and write. And write. And write. Then don't be afraid to put yourself out there."

Because you never know when Opportunity will come knocking. And if you aren't prepared, it might just pass you by.

What are you doing to be prepared?