Missing Days

Yep, it's the weekend and I haven't done my usual columns. Sorry about that.

Yes, I could have done a Sunday one, but I thought I'd do a combined post. Life is mega busy and I've been sidetracked with home stuff and conference preparation - only a few days to go until we announce release the conference information! How exciting.

Last year on the DarkSiders blog, I had a giveaway of a A Song of Ice and Fire calendar by artist John Picacio. I got myself one at the same time (grin) and I had wanted to show you every month's picture because they so amazingly beautiful, but have totally forgotten about it until now.

So you get a double whammy today...

January.... 

Bran Stark

February...

Jon Snow and Ghost

Truly, just wonderful art. When I walk into my study, I see the calendar and it's an inspiration.

Have a great week!

~yia~

Trailer Thursday

Like you needed me to connect another day to a theme, right? But it works :)) Helps me remember the blog posts too.

I was put onto the trailer of this film by Tracey O'Hara (thanks, Tracey). Looks like my kind of movie.

John Carter


Youtube link


And one I stumbled across this week, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.



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What do you think? Are these movies you would watch?


~yia~

Tuesday Tunes: Adele

Because she's just an amazing artist, here is Adele. Would love to see her live. No lip synching for this gal.



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Enjoy!

~yia~

Manic Monday

Well from the title of the post, you can gather things are rather manic in my life.

As well as study, writing, design work, conference organisation, exercise, trying on occasion to have a social life, there is also the family health problems. This time my mum is in hospital with an ongoing health problem.

It was busy before, it's manic now. So my plan of attack is to do one step at a time. Some things will definitely fall behind, and I doubt I will go to as many exercise sessions this week, but something has to give, and the last couple of days has shown me how much I need to get my sleep.

So excuse me while I do this:

Right, that's now out of my system.


Writing update 

• I have been doing some editing. Have shown my reworked prologue to some CPs and they love the direction it's taken. Huzzah.

• My June release from Musa Publishing, will be called ENCHANTED REALMS, and it will feature my short stories Stormy Divide and Angel Eyes.

• No news on any submissions.

• I got a new chair for my computer and already I feel more comfortable. Yay. 

I've got a couple of blog posts scheduled this week, so you'll still see me here. I haven't been able to get onto Facebook regularly. I'm thinking of getting an Author page, but that's not on the top of the list at the moment. 

~yia~

Super Sunday

Now for a bit of fun....

I stumbled across some artwork of movie stars as super heroes. So many cool ones, I thought it best to link to it.

These all gave me a giggle. Hope they give you one as well.

Have a great week!

~yia~

Stunning Saturday

Some lovely photos/photo art for you today. Most of the images were found on Google + or Facebook

Photo art...

Timing...  

Just awwwww....

Just spectacular

Disclaimer: No claim is made on copyright for any artworks or photos in the Stunning Saturday posts. I stumble across art works and save them for inspiration but can not always find the artist's/photographer's name.

~yia~

Musa Moments

Just a quick post to let you know that I'm up on Musa Publishing's blog. I'm talking about Embracing Your Process. You can find it here.


Also, some Musa authors are doing a blog hop talking about the Musa books they love. You also have a chance to win something. So go ahead and comment.

You can find links to the blog hop here.


And don't forget to check out the Musa site for something to read.
http://musapublishing.com

I've got a few on my eTBR pile and have a few that I want to get as well.

Also there is the speculative fiction magazine by Musa, called Penumbra.

Check out the latest cover. Gorgeous, isn't it?

~yia~

Tuesday Tunes: Giorgos Dalaras

Okay, this is the second time I've had Giorgos, but the man is a legend in the Greek music industry. Also, he follows nicely from last week and Jeff Healey. How so?

I've seen Giorgos live and he has one of the best voices I've heard. He has a gorgeous timbre to his voice that blows you away.

What I admire about Dalaras is that he is a huge collaborator and as a musician who stretches his wings. He doesn't stick to one style of Greek music as you will see from the below clips.




Youtube link




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This one is a fun one called Me Lene Popi - bascially 'My Name is Popi  (Popi comes from Kalliope).
Unfortunately, I couldn't find the original film clip. Listen to his vocals. Amazing.



Youtube link


Have fun.

~yia~

Super Sunday

Instead of a quote this week, I bring you a thought.

Would the world be a happier place if we were congratulated on tasks we did?

What prompted this? Zumba class. At the end of the class, people clap and say 'well done'. Which reminded me of the carry-ons in sports like soccer and football.

So, should all tasks requiring effort be awarded with the same enthusiasm?

At work, would you be more likely to say, add paper into the copy machine, if you were rewarded this way?

Maybe not, because it's usually a matter of doing what needs to be done. But it would be nice if people recognised it, don't you think?

At home, surviving the grocery shopping deserves tremendous high fives, especially if there are children tagging along. After a stint scrubbing the bathroom, wouldn't it be nice to get some 'woohoos'?

Mundane tasks will then be transformed to 'yeah, I did that' with a sense of achievement, instead of 'finally got that done'.

Maybe the point is more we have to congratulate ourselves on jobs well done, no matter how big or small.


Maybe I just think too much. Actually I KNOW I think too much. It's part of being a writer.


Okay, speaking of writers. I just stumbled across this from SF Signal. It's a send up of George R. R. Martin reading a nursery rhyme.



Youtube link


Have a spectacular week and remember to congratulate yourselves.

~yia~

Stunning Saturday

I have been behind this week and also sidelined by a headache, so this is late.


Some amazing artwork by Alexander Jansson

Disclaimer: No claim is made on copyright for any artworks in the Stunning Saturday posts. I stumble across art works and save them for inspiration but can not always find the artist's name.

 ~yia~

Writing Buddy Wednesday: Kylie Griffin

Kylie Griffin writes fantasy romance, is the queen of the competition circuit and just had her debut book released this week.

I've known Kylie for a number years on RWAus loops and have been lucky enough to meet in person at the RWAus conferences I've attended. Kylie is a hard worker, a great inspiration, and is caring and giving person. She shares information about the industry with fellow writers and is always there with a helping hand. Basically, Kylie is not just good people, she's wonderful people.

As a fellow DarkSider, it's been exciting to follow Kylie's progress from winning the rounds in the competition circuit, including the Golden Heart (TM) given by RWAmerica, getting an agent, and then getting 3-book contract.

I've read snippets of Kylie's work online, and have loved what I've read.

Vengeance Born, is the first book in the Light Blade series (and it's winging it's way to me as we speak!)

Here's the blurb:

There is no mercy in the demon realm. No escape. In this place of desperation and conflict, anyone who is not pure bred is virtually powerless. Until an unlikely champion is born…

Annika, half-blood daughter of the Na’Reish King, longs for more than her tormented life among her father’s people. Conceived in hatred and bred as a tool of retribution, she’s gifted with a special talent that can heal as well as destroy.

With the Na’Reish vastly outnumbering them, Kalan, a Light Blade warrior, knows the future of humankind depends on him alone. Incursions into human territory and raids for blood-slaves by the Na’Reish Horde have increased. As Chosen-leader, he faces the task of stopping the demons—and convincing the Council of aging Light Blade warriors that change is necessary for survival.

When Annika learns Kalan is a prisoner in her father’s dungeon, her dream of escape seems within reach. She agrees to free him in exchange for his protection once they reach human territory. Now, marked for death for helping him, Annika must learn to trust Kalan as they face not only the perilous journey to the border but enemies within the Council—and discover a shocking truth that could throw the human race into civil war…

You can find Kylie on her cool blog and her website.

Cover for her second release
due later in the year.

And can I just say, wow, on the gorgeous covers . Any writer would be ecstatic to have these but for your first two books - amazing!

Expect to see big things from Kylie.

~yia~

Tuesday Tunes: The Jeff Healey Band

The first ever concert I went to see was Jeff Healey and his band. And what a fabulous show it had been. Such a talent and I just found out he passed away in 2008 from a fight with cancer. Very sad. RIP Jeff.

Here is Jeff blues-ing it out with See the Light



Youtube link

What a guitar riff.

Angel Eyes



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And here's a link to a great guitar duet with Stevie Ray Vaughn, another rock blues legend. Unfortunately, I can't embed this one but it's great to see them jam together.

~yia~

Remember school?

I don't have to remember it because I'm a student again. I'm going to be studying graphic design on a part time basis and it starts properly this week. So life is going to be more hectic than usual. I'll still be around, but there may be times where I'm quiet.

I've had to reshuffle things and drop a couple of tasks that I did for RWAus. Hard to let go, but I needed to. The great thing about RWAus is the other people involved, who wished me well. They won't get rid of me that easily mind you because I have a long-term project, am a co-moderator of the paranormal group and am involved in this year's conference committee as well as next year's. :D

I've been doing two online courses and both are making me think - one about the senses, and the other about how to structure my time and goal setting. Luckily they don't go beyond mid-Feb or I would have been in big trouble.

Musa is also a publisher who also values it's authors and we have had a couple of Master Classes. I've never heard of a publisher doing that. And this is going to be a regular thing. I applaud them for it. They could so easily do nothing, but they really make us feel like part of the family. I'm publishing a couple of short stories with them in June, so I wasn't expecting this at all, as they are shorter works. Thanks, Musa.

The exercising is still going well. I'm managing about 3 sessions of different exercise a week, so it's an improvement from a few months ago.

Reading has been very slow. With the extra courses, a drawing course, and submitting two short stories, it's the reading that has suffered. Bits and bob reading ATM. I'm sure that will settle down as well.

Writing - I'm happy to say I've submitted two short stories in the past week. I'm happy with that part of things. This leaves me to concentrate on editing for the next couple of months.


That's me for now. Hope you are all going well wherever you are.

~yia~

Super Sunday

"To me, the greatest pleasure of writing is not what it's about, but the inner music that words make."
~Truman Capote

~~~

Stunning Saturday ~ Fantasy Art

Some artwork this week...
and sorry it is late. I had it scheduled for the wrong date!

Artist: Bram Lee Chin

Artist: Chen Wier

Artist: Laura Diehl

Artist: Henning Ludvigsen

Artist: Sandara

Disclaimer: No claim is made on copyright for any artworks in the Stunning Saturday posts. I stumble across art works and save them for inspiration but can not always find the artist's name.

~yia~