Showing posts with label blogging. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blogging. Show all posts

Friday, May 15, 2009

Pay it Forward Friday


In following with the theme of Pay it Forward Friday, I would like to suggest some of my favorite blogs for you to check out.

Let me begin by saying since I have been taking the blog book tour class I have discovered the wonderful world of blogging. I mean, I blogged before…sort of…on occasion…okay, I was really bad at doing it consistently. I focused more on my websites and, of course, my work in progress, and then I discovered social networks. I actually started making a list last night of the various social networks I have joined and discovered I really need to learn the art of moderation – does the Betty Ford clinic deal with social networking….? Just a thought… ANYway, my eyes have been opened to the wonderful world of blogging and I have discovered so many wonderful sites out there, I really would like to share some with you.

First up, I would like to suggest a blog that focuses on trends in the world of publication. It is penned by Nathan Bransford, a literary agent from the San Francisco office of the Curtis Brown Agency (New York based). Nathan says he is particularly in literary fiction, mysteries and suspense, historical fiction, narrative nonfiction, business, history, sports, politics, current events, young adult fiction, and science fiction. Of course, he tends to reiterate that sometimes it is hard to know exactly what will capture his attention until he begins to read it, but two things he does not represent are poetry and screenplays. His blog is humorous, and insightful. He offers a lot of great advice for breaking into the publishing world and keeping up with current trends.

Next, I would like to offer Desperately Searching for My Inner Mary Poppins Marybeth has a quirky, humorous outlook on life. She still has not found her own magic carpet bag that would solve all her problems, or learned to dance on the ceiling, but she will do her best to add a smile to your day. She describes her blog as writing about nothing, and everything and something on a regular basis.

I also like to check in from time to time with the One Minute Writer, not a blog, per se, but a way to jump start the creative juices with its writing prompts…and maybe inspire a blog topic or two! I love its tagline: “You have 1,440 minutes a day. Use one of them to write.” It’s a kind of brain calisthenics to get the writing day started! Why not? You exercise your body – why not your creative side too?


Like this post? Tweet it. Go ahead, you know you want to!

TweetIt from HubSpot

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Ask the Cybrarian: Book Reviews


Book Reviews are a great way to spread the word about a new book. Readers are more apt to buy a book from an author they are not familiar with if they see endorsements from other readers and professionals from the writing community.

I have recently started a separate book reviewing blog called Ask the Cybrarian: Book Reviews. It for a review site featuring books intended for the children through young adult age range and is hosted by a character from my current work in progress, a young adult fantasy, The Destineers and the Legend of the Netherscape.

Millicent Prendergild, is the nearly departed Cybrarian at Greenbrier Academy who hosts the blog. Why nearly departed? Well, Ms. Prendergild began working at the Academy when it first opened its doors over 100 years ago. When her time had passed in our world, she could not bear to leave her beloved school behind so she remains overseeing the mortal library as well as the Inter-Realm Cybrarie. The Cybrarie is an Inter-Realm library, a place where the stories from the other Realms are transmitted through cyberspace to our ghost writers for weaving into the appropriate archive. Einstein, HG Wells, and many others from our world have offered theories and suggested stories from the other Realms. Ms. Prendergild oversees a staff of very loyal ghost writers that sort it all out – separating fact from fiction and archiving them appropriately (well, where did you think the term "ghost writers" came from?).

The Cybrarie website is an interactive forum all about exchanging and sharing information. This is a fun place for friends to meet, converse, share and discuss books and ideas in the Fantasy Realm or whatever else happens to come up. Think of it as a virtual coffee house. If you have a book appropriate for children through young adult age that you would like to promote, there is a room called the Cybrarie Exchange that would welcome your contribution (book blurb, copy of the book cover, and of course a link to where the book can be purchased), just send me an email through NetherscapeRealm@aol.com.

The most recent review of a fantasy entitled The Lost Lake Digs by PW Corss (geared towards children aged 9-12) has just been posted by our loyal Cybrarian. Stop over if you get a chance, the Cybrarian would love to meet you.


TweetIt from HubSpot

 
Template by suckmylolly.com