Nightmares, Inspiration, Austen and a Giveaway
The last two nights have featured some really terrible nightmares, which have meant not much sleep at all, so this morning, I'm lying on a couch moaning softly to myself....but luckily, you can find me being a bit more articulate at different places on the web:
1. First, over at the MG writers' group blog Smack Dab in the Middle, I posted about this month's blog theme, Inspiration. Here's a snippet:
Ever since I was seven years old, I've known I wanted my job to be: writer. But as much as my internal control freak wants to pretend that that's a normal, controllable steady job option, the truth is it's not. Writing as a career takes a ton of hard work, commitment and stubbornness...but also that will-o-the-wisp inspiration...
You can read the full blog entry here (and you guys will not be surprised that it includes not only an ode to the Puzzlewood - which we visited again yesterday - but also a paean to my new obsession, Pinterest). I'd love to read comments from you guys about where you find your own inspiration.
2. And I'm talking about Jane Austen over at the My Jane Austen Book Club blog, with an international giveaway tied into the interview. Maria asked me to talk about my favorite and least favorite Austen novels, Jane Austen herself, and of course the various adaptations...
...and if you leave a comment on the interview, you'll be entered to win a UK paperback copy of A Most Improper Magick!
**
Now I'm off to make my morning latte, cut myself a cold slice of the delicious apple-blackberry pie Patrick made the other day, and dive into my freelance project! But before I even wrote this blog entry today, I'd already finally written down the first three lines of a new short story, which had been swirling around my head ever since I sat in the Puzzlewood yesterday. Mmm, I love that kind of inspiration.
1. First, over at the MG writers' group blog Smack Dab in the Middle, I posted about this month's blog theme, Inspiration. Here's a snippet:
Ever since I was seven years old, I've known I wanted my job to be: writer. But as much as my internal control freak wants to pretend that that's a normal, controllable steady job option, the truth is it's not. Writing as a career takes a ton of hard work, commitment and stubbornness...but also that will-o-the-wisp inspiration...
You can read the full blog entry here (and you guys will not be surprised that it includes not only an ode to the Puzzlewood - which we visited again yesterday - but also a paean to my new obsession, Pinterest). I'd love to read comments from you guys about where you find your own inspiration.
2. And I'm talking about Jane Austen over at the My Jane Austen Book Club blog, with an international giveaway tied into the interview. Maria asked me to talk about my favorite and least favorite Austen novels, Jane Austen herself, and of course the various adaptations...
...and if you leave a comment on the interview, you'll be entered to win a UK paperback copy of A Most Improper Magick!
**
Now I'm off to make my morning latte, cut myself a cold slice of the delicious apple-blackberry pie Patrick made the other day, and dive into my freelance project! But before I even wrote this blog entry today, I'd already finally written down the first three lines of a new short story, which had been swirling around my head ever since I sat in the Puzzlewood yesterday. Mmm, I love that kind of inspiration.