My Weekly Update – Books and Movies

Published on January 12, 2013 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle16 Comments

“Better to have a little experience and a lot of imagination than vice versa.” – The Daily Writer

The Hobbit

I try not to see the movie until I have read the book. So, I spent the week reading the book and then I saw the movie. I wish someone had told me I didn’t need to read the whole thing, the movie covers only 1/3 of the book. It was a good read. The movie, on the other hand, didn’t really start until Gollum made an appearance. It was all visually beautiful, but it didn’t move until two hours in.

I was pleased to discover that my favorite part of the book was also my favorite scene in the movie; The riddle contest between Bilbo Baggins and Gollum in the Troll Kingdom. Both book and movie version were laugh out loud funny. Come back later this week and read my SQM post on The Hobbit.

I also saw Skyfalls. I went to the movies with my parents and then at dinner learned their first date was a James Bond movie. How romantic. My mom informed me that my dad had taken 2 other girls to see the movie, as well. But, she married him anyway.

What movies have you seen lately? Did you see The Hobbit? What did you think?

Post to Review

Fess Up Friday: I Like Wearing Old Lady Shoes by Cynthia at Read is the New Black – Have you found your niche when it comes to writing?

What Writing Step Are You Afraid Of? by Jami Gold – I am afraid of Writing Query Letters, but I think my reasons are off base, how about you?

17 Signs You’re Actually, gasp, an ADULT by Paul Angone at All Groan Up – I am living #3 right now. But, I haven’t seen it in 5 years.

Appreciating Art by Tasha Seegmiller – Have you ever taken a scene from your favorite piece of art and wrote a scene? I wrote a scene that took place in Van Gogh’s Iris in a Field. It turned out pretty good. Give it a try.

New Followers

Vanessa Wester Writer

Young Hungry and Restless

Next Weeks Highlights

January 16th is the first meeting of the Progressive Book Club. An online book club hosted by M.L. Swift. Click on the badge for more information.

My First Book: Announces The Word Master Challenge. Every month, Misha will present a theme. This month’s Theme:

HOW NOT TO WRITE A NOVEL BEGINNING.

In less than 300 words, I want to see your idea of the WORST beginning you can possibly write. The funnier and more creative you are, the better. To make it easier for me, you have the WHOLE of January to enter, but you must please enter the SPECIFIC entry link into the linky list below. For information, click on the badge.

Both events will occur every month and you can join anytime.

Published on January 11, 2013 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle8 Comments

The Peasant Revolt Flashback Blog Hop – Come back with me to April 2012.

Sydney Aaliyah Michelle

My flashback blog is from April 26, 2012. I choose this post because it was a turning point in my writing and blogging. I was nearing the end of the A to Z Challenge and I came to the realization that this writing thing is work.

The A to Z Challenge has been work!

And I am exhausted. I am new to this blogging/writing thing. I say thing because I am not sure what to call it, yet. It certainly isn’t my job, but it’s not a hobby either. I think for now, I will call it a commitment.

I have committed to writing every day. I have committed to putting my thoughts and ideas and dumb ass moments out there for the world to read about.

Committing to writing every single day is work. Not only do you have to be creative, you have to be funny…

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Why I Love Family-Based Romance Series by Bella Andre

Published on January 10, 2013 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle5 Comments

Please enjoy this guest post by Bella Andre, New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of the contemporary romance series, The Sullivans. Then read on to learn how you can win huge prizes as part of this blog tour, including special romantic swag baskets for each book, an iPad Mini, Kindle Fire, Nook Color, and Kobo eReader, and Amazon and iTunes gift cards!

Why I Love Family-Based Romance Series

A guest post by Bella Andre

I love reading romance (I read one book a day when I can!), and one of my favorite tropes is the family-based series. I absolutely love Julia Quinn’s historical romance Bridgerton series and have loved taking that idea of the big family into present day with my Sullivan contemporary romance series.

What I love when I read – and what I want my readers to get from The Sullivans – is to feel like they’re a part of the family, and to know each of the characters so well that they can begin to know anticipate what the will start saying and doing at family gatherings. I love it when I’m reading a big family scene and I know, “Oh, this character is going to react like this” or “This character will hate this!” I love it even more when the characters surprise me and I learn new things about them.

One of the advantages of writing a series about a large family is that even as the hero and heroine are having conflict with each other, we can see them being loving towards their families, so we know the depth of love they’re capable of.

There are plenty of big family scenes in my Sullivan books for you to get to know each character, what they’re like, and how they feel one another. Just like a real family, every Sullivan has a special relationship with each of the others. Smith and Sophie are extra close, as are Marcus and Lori. Ryan and Zach are so close in age that they spent a lot of time together as kids and have a special bond as adults.

The Sullivans are on tour with Novel Publicity. Follow along for your chance to win amazing prizes. We’ve got special romantic swag baskets for each book, an iPad Mini, Kindle Fire, Nook Color, and Kobo eReader, and Amazon and iTunes gift cards. WOW!

You’ll also get introduced to this amazing contemporary romance series via excerpts as well as interviews with and guest posts from New York Times and USA Today best-selling author, Bella Andre. You’ll definitely want to learn more about the family that has captured the world’s heart.

All the info you need to join the fun and enter to win amazing prizes is RIGHT HERE. Remember, winning is as easy as clicking a button or leaving a blog comment–easy to enter; easy to win!

To Win the Prizes:

Purchase any of the Sullivan ebooks by Bella Andre for just $4.99 (optional)
Enter the Rafflecopter contest on Novel Publicity (go here)
Visit today’s featured social media event (that’s where the HUGE prizes are)

About The Sullivans: In this sexy, emotional and funny contemporary romance series, each member of the Sullivan family will eventually find true love…usually where he or she least expects it.

Get the eBooks via Amazon US, Amazon UK, Barnes & Noble, the iBookStore, or the Kobo Store.

Audiobooks are also available for the first five in the series (with more coming soon). Plus, keep an eye out for paperback editions coming from Harlequin Romance starting Summer 2013.

All Sullivan Covers

About the Author: New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Bella Andre has always been a writer. Songs came first, and then non-fiction books, but as soon as she started writing her first romance novel, she knew she’d found her perfect career. Known for “sensual, empowered stories enveloped in heady romance” (Publishers Weekly) about sizzling alpha heroes and the strong women they’ll love forever, nearly all of her novels have appeared on Top 10 lists at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple and Kobo.

Her books have been Cosmopolitan Magazine “Red Hot Reads” twice and have been translated into nine languages. Winner of the Award of Excellence, The Washington Post has called her “One of the top digital writers in America” and she has been featured by NPR, USA Today, Forbes, and The Wall Street Journal. She has given the keynote speech at Book Expo America on her self-publishing success and has sold more than one million books.

If not behind her computer, you can find her reading her favorite authors, hiking, swimming or laughing. Married with two children, Bella splits her time between the Northern California wine country and a 100 year old log cabin in the Adirondacks.

Sign up for Bella’s newsletter at www.eepurl.com/eXj22
Visit Bella’s website at www.BellaAndre.com
Follow Bella on twitter at www.twitter.com/bellaandre
Join Bella on Faceboook at www.facebook.com/bellaandrefans

SQM – Lincoln

Published on January 8, 2013 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle1 Comment

It was a beautifully written movie. That’s what I keep saying throughout. Beautifully written and well acted. Now, it is unclear whether the words came from the author of the book Doris Kearns Godwin, Tony Kushner the guy who wrote the screen play, or Lincoln himself. I am sure over the course of his life, the book and the movie, things have been added and subtracted from the words. Like a life/literary/film version of the telephone game. But, regardless, the combination created a very well written movie and Steven Spielburg should be proud.

I am going to share with you my favorite parts of the movie, but even repeating them here won’t do them justice.

When a situation got especially serious or uncomfortable, Lincoln was known to sit down, take a deep breath and then go right into a long and most times amusing story that may or may not be related to the topic at hand. And, much to the chigrin of his staff.

Here are a couple of those great stories from the movie:

“Shortly after the peace was signed, the Revolutionary War hero Ethan Allen ‘had occasion to visit England,’ where he was subject to considerable teasing banter. The British would make “fun of the Americans and General Washington in particular and one day they got a picture of General Washington” and displayed it prominently in the water closet so Mr. Allen could not miss it. When he made no mention of it, they finally asked him “Didn’t you see George Washington in there?” they said. “Oh yes,” said Allen. “Perfectly appropriate place for him” “What do you mean?” They said. “Well,” he said, “there is nothing to make an Englishman shit faster than the sight of General George Washington.”

“I heard tell once of a Jefferson City lawyer who had a parrot that’d wake him each morning crying out, “Today is the day the world shall end, as scripture has foretold.” And one day the lawyer shot him for the sake of peace and quiet, I presume, thus fulfilling, for the bird at least, its prophecy!”

“Back when I rode the legal circuit in Illinois I defended a woman from Metamora named Melissa Goings, 77 years old, they said she murdered her husband; he was 83. He was choking her; and, uh, she grabbed ahold of a stick of firewood and fractured his skull, ‘n he died. In his will he wrote “I expect she has killed me. If I get over it, I will have revenge.” No one was keen to see her convicted, he was that kind of husband. I asked the prosecuting attorney if I might have a short conference with my client. And she and I went into a room in the courthouse, but I alone emerged. The window in the room was found to be wide open. It was believed the old lady may have climbed out of it. I told the bailiff right before I left her in the room she asked me where she could get a good drink of water, and I told her Tennessee. Mrs. Goings was seen no more in Metamora. Enough justice had been done; they even forgave the bondsman her bail.”

And, I thoroughly enjoyed Tommy Lee Jones’ portrayal of Thaddeus Stevens.

“Slavery is the only insult to natural law, you fatuous nincompoop!”

“What violates natural law? Slavery, and you, Pendleton, you insult God, you unnatural noise.”

“The modern travesty of Thomas Jefferson’s political organization to which you have attached yourself like a barnacle has the effrontery to call itself The Democratic Party. You are a Dem-o-crat. What’s the matter with you? Are you wicked?”

“How can I hold that all men are created equal, when here before me -(pointing to Pendleton:) stands stinking the moral carcass of the gentleman from Ohio, proof that some men are inferior, endowed by their Maker with dim wits impermeable to reason with cold pallid slime in their veins instead of hot red blood! You are more reptile than man, George, so low and flat that the foot of man is incapable of crushing you!”

“Yet even you, Pendleton, who should

have been gibbetted for treason long before today, even worthless unworthy you ought to be treated equally before the law! And so again, sir, and again and again and

again I say: I DO NOT HOLD WITH EQUALITY IN ALL THINGS. ONLY WITH EQUALITY BEFORE THE LAW.”

Now keep in mind, Steven’s quotes all took place during the debates on the 13 amendment on the floor of the House of Representatives. It was so funny to hear them sling insults like this and in this setting.

But, my favorite quote was so well delivered by Daniel Day Lewis as President Lincoln. “I am the President of the United States of America . . . clothed in immense power.”

Have you seen he movie? What did you think?

Source: Lincoln Movie Script

My Weekly Update – New Stuff

Published on January 6, 2013 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle5 Comments

New Memories

My favorite thing about the holiday season is creating new memories with my family. I haven’t had the chance to do that for a couple of years, so this year was extra special. I met some of the new additions to the extended family. I reconnected with some old friends and bonded with my nephews over, japenese anime, Jake the Pirate and Angry Bird Star Wars Edition Board Game.

Coolest Game Ever and no electricity or batteries needed.

I hope you had a great holiday full of new beginnings.

Awards

Thanks to Amanda for another star. I appreciate it so much. I know we are done with 2012, but it’s nice to still be recognized.

New Post to Praise

The 5 Big Pop Culture Moments I Can’t Wait for in 2013 by Andrew at SparklyPretty Briiiight. Thought you might want to see what to look forward to in 2013. Personally, I can’t wait to see Pink in concert.

12 Tips for Recovering from Writing Burnout by Jami Gold. Jami provided some great tips in order to get back to productive writing.

Words and Phrases that Must be Banned by C.T. Westing. Well C.T., spoiler alert, passion is trending this year in my life. YOLO. 😉

Regrets, Resolutions and Revolutions by A.M. Schultz. A.M. hasn’t posted much lately, but when he does, he has something to say. Most importantly, he has no regrets.

New Followers

Charles Henry Editing Blog

W.J. Rodriguez: writer-at-large

Finazzo380

Susan at Women Making Strides – love that title.

Dream 1 Dancer

Next Week’s Schedule

The Peasant’s Revolt Flashback Blog Hop begins today. There is still time to sign up. Click on the link below to sign up and come back on Friday for my Flashback Post. Congrat’s again to the 1 year anniversary of www.scotzig.com.

Fall in love with The Sullivans Blog Tour beginnings today. They are still looking for host, if you want to participate, click on the badge for more information.