Christmas Means Giving (As In Free Stuff Here and Elsewhere)

I'm totally in a Christmas spirit today. Which may crash and burn once people start realizing I'm at work, but I don't think so. One more day of work and then I can go CHRISTMAS SHOPPING. WOOT! But, it also means I want to give something away.

For those of you who wonder if Loki really allows me to celebrate a Christian holiday, keep in mind that he's from an entire pantheon and Odin is like one of the original Father Christmas's. Except he would have been called something else (Woden is what Wiki is telling me). And I'm not actually a true believer, I just like to spout random crap, so we're just going to say that the Pagan precursor to this spectacular season of gift-giving is completley acceptable in my bizzare self-invented delusion religion. Besides, Loki likes presents as much as the next diety, especially when they have his name on them.

So, in case I haven't pimped people enough yet, everyone should know that Kate Larkindale is hosting a fabulous give away over on her blog. So go say hi to Kate, follow her because she has some wise and interesting things to say, and cross your fingers that you win. Because she's giving away critiques of your writing, and in case you didn't know, she's the awesome critique partner who I tend to go on about, who totally has a great way of helping polish off a story.

My Contest
And I'm giving away stuff too, because I like giving gifts, and this is an awesome excuse. What I have up for grabs:

Winner

A fantastic book for any writer

Runner-up

The final time this publication will release a print edition: A Thousand Faces Signed by one of the contributing authors (me ^_^).

How It Works

• Enter any time up through December 24 (contest closes at 11:59 pm MDT December 24). And on December 25 I'll announce who Santa visited
• Post below to enter. It would make me feel warm and fuzzy if you followed me, too, but honestly I won't require it.
• If you feel so inclined, use the pretty image to link back to the contest and tell your friends. Post again and let me know (or make it all the same post) and that will count as another entry.
• I'll assign each entry a number, and use a random number generator to pick the winner.
• I don't have problems shipping to other countries, so regardless of where you live, as long as someone delivers there, you can enter.

I'm looking forward to meeting all of you, or talking again to those of you I already know. What did you ask for Santa to bring you for Christmas?


UPDATE: If you're looking for a third epic contest to add the cherry to the top of the sundae above, check this out from Beth Revis. She's giving away 100 prizes, including tons of copies (if tons is less than 100) of her new, gorgeous, amazing book.

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Lots Of Plugs (But Not Hair Plugs)

First of all, welcome to post #100. WOO! I can't believe I talk so much ^_^

This morning I decided I could treat myself to Starbucks. It's been a few weeks because money has been tight. But things are getting back to normal now, so I indulged. Caramel Brule Latte...my new awesomest addiction. For the next day or two. Until I have a craving for the peppermint mocha that always eventually calls my name this time of year.

Just got done with a total tangent with the boss. Something I love about this job - brainstorming. Actually being able to think. No, really. At my last job, thinking was not encouraged. Or if it was, it was hurried and impossible to sort through properly. And my brain is still totally screaming with my newest novel idea. I just finished one, but it wants me to write another one (or rather, pick up where i left off).

And how do I tie this all into writing? Go follow an awesome writer friend of mine who blogs with insight into the writing process. She'll sum up my thoughts for today since now that I've read her entry I can only think about inspiration and I've already droned on and on about music in writing before. Breanna R. Teintze. Not only does she write a good blog post, she also writes some good short stories, balances a hectic family life that I can't fathom, and has time to don virtual pom-poms whenever the need arises.

Read any good writing blogs lately? (Yes, your own counts. Plug it below. Give us somthing to read during our breaks and lunch hours.)

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I Want A Brilliant Fight Scene

The guy who sits in the cube next to mine is talking to the guy who sits in the cube across from us. They're whispering. Which is so not subtle. Especially when the conversation opened with something like 'she needed to be put in her place. I hope I was direct enough'. If you're still whispering about it, my guess is you don't think you were. I can't hear all of what they're saying. I admit I'm not listening too hard.

I doubt it will turn into an all-out rumble. That just wouldn't be professional. And honestly, I'd be frightened if people started throwing punches in the vacinity of my desk. Unless I was already at home taking care of an exploded hot water heater and only had to hear about it later, but that's not really the same as witnessing it.

But that's one of the reasons to write and read, right? To experience things you think would be fascinating, but know would terrify/damage/cause physical harm to you in real life. And ever since this amazing revelation I had the other night, I'm dying to write a full-blown, all-out, awesomeness frosted fight scene. Complete with explosions, and magic, and gods, and heroes.

And all I have to do is turn four millenia of apathy into pent-up passion and frustration released on an unwitting god that reads more like a Scooby Doo villian and can't really hold his own amongst Loki, Lucifer, etc.

Ought to be a blast :-D

What do you enjoy writing/reading that you would never do in real life?

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It Tickles My Brain and Makes Me Giggle

The following is an unintentional tribute to the fact that another of my short stories is now available in print. This is the big one for me because it's Apathy's Hero, the story that started it all. The story that breathed life into the two characters who haunt me night and day and make my daydreams vivid and fun again.

So if you're Christmas or other holiday shopping and need the perfect gift for that comic book fan in your family, or a stocking stuffer for yourself, go pick up Issue #13 of A Thosaund Faces. With Apathy's Hero by Loralie Hall. (And other stories by other people.)

/commercial break

On Saturday night I got hit with this huge wave of exhaustion. Just *whoosh* and suddenly at eight pm I thought I was going to pass out on my keyboard. No, not on the couch in front of the tv, or at the dinner table, because I'm part gamer (only one game, but I'm still addicted hard core), and I was sitting at my computer gaming.

And this wave of tired rocked my skull and I crawled up to bed far earlier than anyone should on any night, especially a Saturday night. And I passed out. And at about two am I woke up. I woke up a lot before that, but I think I had a fever and wasn't really thinking straight. Nothing made any sense.

But I woke up at about two am and my brain started talking to me. The kind of talking that a lot of insomnia sufferers complain about. Which I've suffered from in the past, but doesn't really impact me any more. But it did that night. And my brain was like "Hey, wanna hear a story?"

And I was like "Yes. In the morning. If it's good you'll still remember it."

My brain: Oh, come on, it's the story of how Apathy's Hero goes

Me: I already know that story. It kicked my butt in November, and every month before for the last two years. It's not fleshed out. It sucks.

MB: No, really. This will be good. I'm going to tell you the entire plot. Start to finish. You'll love it.

Me: Mmm...no. Sleepy.

MB: Okay, bed time story then. Listen up.

So I did. Mostly because I didn't have a choice. And my brain outlined the plot to me in more rich vivid detail than it ever has before. And I was hooked and then...

MB: Okay...wanna hear out it ends?

Me: Duh?

MB: The big final battle between Conner and Hades? The all out epic struggle that puts any John Woo movie to shame?

Me: Yes, yes already!

MB: *snore*

Me: *snore*

And that was when we both fell asleep.

So I know how the story goes now. I know what it was missing and why it didn't work any other time I wrote it. I don't know what's wrong with the new plot, because this is SNI syndrome. But I know I love it. Because it's the best of everything I've tried to write in the past, but re-ordered and pieced together and it all makes so much more sense. And it has lots of Lexi and Prometheus (who I may or may not call Theo at some points in time), who are the only people in my multi-millennium universe who can keep Conner on his toes.

I don't know the details of the ending, except epic battle. How can I walk away from epic battle? With Hades of all people? Not Lucifer, or Loki. Not the antagonists I created almost specifically to screw with my characters' heads. Because they're too smart to be sucked into something so primal. But Hades.

So once I finish editing God's Girl Friday for my critique partner and groups to tear to shreds (it's on its fourth or so heavy revision), I can go back and write this other story.

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