Category: My Weekly Update

My Weekly Update – Merry Every Day and Happy Last Year

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle7 Comments

Blog of the Year

Blog of the Year Award 1 star jpeg Blog of the Year Award 2 star jpeg

Thanks to Vikki at The View Outside and Kitt at Inner Wild Kat for nominating me for Blog of the Year.  From what I understand I need to collect six stars, but I am thrilled with just the two.

The Blog of the Year rules, you can find here.

My Nominations are: 
Innerwildkat
Michael J. Holley
The Peasants Revolt
Amanda Fanger
Chris Stocking
 

#TBSU – The Blog Scratchers Union

I am honored to be a member. Thanks so much to Seumas Gallacher. Seumas is a bloggers blogger. A great supporter to the every day blogger and I am happy to have meet him.  Please visit Seumas and other members of the Union. You won’t be sorry.

Other Cool Awards

20121204-112624

liebaward

Big thanks to Vikki and Karen by best blog buddies on the world wide web.

You both have been amazing to me and I appreciate all the support and encouragement and the quality content you both create on your blogs.  Great example for any new writer.

Answers to a few of their questions:

  1.  Bucket List #1 – Publish a Novel
  2. Favorite Sport to watch – Football; Favorite Sport to play – Golf
  3. Dancing or Bowling – Dancing
  4. Favorite Holiday – Christmas
  5. Eye color – Brown
  6. TV Time – 3 hours per day, but I am on the computer through 2 of those hours
  7. Wear to bed – tank top and shorts (not too sexy, right)
  8. First things I do when I wake up – read emails on my phone, then twitter, then blog post, then I am late.
  9. Pet peeves – dishonesty for no reason, inconsistency and people who smack when they eat
  10. Pairs of shoes – to many to count
Post to Review
Why Becoming an Author is not for the Faint of Heart! by Author Kimberly T. Matthews
What Romance?  Get Your Beat Sheet Here! by Jami Gold
Blog Tour Ideas:  Getting into Character by Felicia Scotzig
New Year’s Resolution for All Writers – The Patient Edit by Author Donya Lynne
Why You MUST Keep Your Eye on the Prize by Shelli Johnson
5 Keys to Starting Over with Style at All Groan Up
Kiss it Off by Angi Black
 
New Followers
Stephanie Hurt
The Vagabond Filmaker
Daniel Abram
The Mind of RD Revilo
L.Leander Books
Jumeira James at iNation
Radaronelson at Seasons of Insanity 
Stephanie Hurt
The Vagabond Filmmaker 
Daniel Abram
The Mind of RD Revilo
 
Next Weeks Schedule
Tuesday – Merry Christmas – SQM – The Christmas Story
Thursday – SQM – It’s a Wonderful Life
Sunday – My Weekly Update – 2013 Goals

My Weekly Update – I Love New York

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle7 Comments

I have been in New York for 4 days, now. Thanks to Ava J. Easterby.  Her post Location, Location, Location (For your Novel) got my mind thinking, I need to visit some of the spots in my last few projects to make sure I have the locations correct. This is also my first time in the US in 2 years.

I love food. I love shopping with my mom. I love walking the streets with a latte in my hand in the cool crisp air. I love winter and I love New York.  Some things never change.

I will warn you right now, I see several New York/New Jersey related post in the future.

But, I will tease you with this for starters.

IMG_0015

Blog Award

inspiring-bloggerThank you so much EM Castellan for this beautiful award.  I am a rebel award winner, I am going to refer to my And You Are? Bloghop post in lieu of sharing another 7 things about myself.

I would like to nominate the people in the Posts to Read below. They all inspire me to no end.

Flashback Blog Hop – The Peasant Revolt

909406_83318260-2-1-300x213The Peasants and Felicia Scotzig are celebrating her first blogoversary! To join in on the fun, the rules are simple:

  • Sign up at Flashback Blog Hop.
  • Look back at your work from January 2012–blog posts, stories, poetry, etc.–and find something you’d like to share. Whether you wonder, “What was I thinking?” or find something that you’re still proud of and want to share with a larger audience, I’d like everyone to share a piece of their work or a short reflection.
  • Hop around to the other blogs and meet all of the great folks participating.
  • At the end of the week, everyone who participates will be eligible to enter a giveaway for a $20 Amazon gift card.
  • You can also earn additional entries, by answering questions about some of the sponsoring blogs (questions will be released here on January 4, 2012).
 
Posts to Read
Update on the Plan from Angi Black – Haters need to lay off Angi, she is doing her thing. 
Go Deep! Deeper! YES! Deep POV Rules in Fiction from Donya Lynne – great lessons on writing
Adding Humour in our Stories from Rachna – if you want to be funny
Fake It ‘Til You Make It from R.C. Lewis – i had to do this, too.
What Type of Writer are You from Philip Overby – i am a combo of all of these
Write Romance?  Get Your Beat Sheet Here! from Jami Gold – for the organized romance writer
 
Post Inspired by our Great Writers
Vonnegut on Creating Characters
J.R.R. Tolkien’s Top 10 Tips for Writers
 
New Followers
The Fitzroy
Muags
Beyond the Hill 45
Rhonda Albom
 
Next Weeks Schedule
Monday – Book Club Blog Hop
Tuesday – Tattoo Tuesday – Jennifer 
Wednesday -Jennifer George Guest Post
Friday – E – Book Challenge
Sunday – My Weekly Update
 
Banner

My Weekly Update – I’m Back

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle2 Comments

Did you miss me? I know, I was only gone a week and you barely noticed I was gone. That’s ok.  I wasn’t completely gone.  I had an interview posted and a guest post on a couple of great sites.  Check them out and let me know what you think.

Blogging from A to Z Challenge: Sydney Aaliyah & Australia Interview – thanks Alex and the rest of the A to Z Crew
Is My Blog a Success? Guest post at My First Book – thanks so much Misha
 

NaNoWriMo Thank You I was thinking about doing a NaNo debriefing, but everyone is doing that. I am just going to send out a few thank you’s and leave it at that.

Felicia Scotzig, Amanda Fanger, Vikki, AM Schultz, Sevastian Winters, Donna McNicols, Shah Wharton, Audrey Austin, Jami Gold, Mark Ethridge, Anna Howard, Rebecca H. Campbell, Andrew F. Butters, Jennifer Gracen, Angela Goff, Sarah Thayer, Jeff Tsuruoka, Tia Siverthorne Bach, Meg McNulty, Miranda Gammella, Sarah Nicholson, Ruth Long, Cara Michaels, Bethany Miller, Candy Sparks, Molly Ahola, Alberta Ross, Artemis Leaena, Shan Jeniah Burton, David Swensen, all my tweeple, all my FB friends, all my blog followers, my WanaTribe and my Tribe Mates.

I could do this without you, but it wouldn’t be near as much fun.

And, if I forgot anyone, if you have ever writing anything, anywhere, anytime, in any form what so ever, thank you, too.

Congrats to all the NaNoWriMo Winners!

The last of the great NaNoWriMo Posts

New Followers
From Page to Screen
Gabriel Lucatero
Through Crystal Clear Waters
Fabulous Realms
Hristina H. Vasileva
Matthew Blake
Michael at Vive la Rock n Roll
Ahamin
 
Next Weeks Schedule
Monday – And You Are Blog Hop
Tuesday – Tattoo Tuesday – Amsterdam Tattoo Museum Needs our Help
Wednesday – A Good Kind of Knowing Blog Tour – My Road to Publication by Kathy Lynn Harris
Friday – The Fitzroy – An Update
Sunday – My Weekly Update 
 
 
And You Are?
 

My Weekly Update – NaNoWriMo Won, but Far From Done

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle12 Comments

I wanted to start this update with my favorite post of the week.  I just love Tameri and if you haven’t visited her blog, here is your chance.

Be Amazing with a Little Swagger – I read a quote recently that said “You control the way the world perceives you.” (It was Dr. Phil, but a good quote nonetheless), which is how I am going to approach returning to America in 17 days, 21 hours and 36 minutes, but’s whose counting.  Not that I plan to create some persona that’s not me, but what I have learned most from my adventures in Asia is not be afraid to show people how cool, weird, happy, strange, passionate, funny, different and gorgeous (haha) I am.  This article speaks to that and so much more.

NaNoWriMo Daily Updates – The best of the week

This was a no brainer.

NaNo Notes

The Point of NaNo by Amanda Fanger
10 Tips to Help You Finish YourNovel and/or ‘Win’ NaNoWriMo by Jenny Hansen
When the Going Got Tough, I kept Going. And it Worked! by Misha at My First Book – I am so proud of Misha. If you remember her post from last week: NaNo Doubts, it is so great to see her back on track.
Must. Stop. The Voices. Nanowrimo Internal Dialog by Suddenly Jamie
I was featured in not one, but two NaNoWriMo related interviews, check them out at  Change the World with Words and Donna McNicol’s My Write Spot.
New Followers
Holly Elizabeth Music
Jaimie at Be the Spark
Ravena Guron
Sergio Bastante
And Then There Was One
Iniriba’s Blog
Kirsty at The Last Word From Me
Tracy Constantine
Thomas at OnTopic Reviews
C.T. Westing
Sage Doyle
Lleighh at Hello World!
The Living Notebook
Sean Sandulak
Ink and Page
 
Next Weeks Schedule – extended version
Monday, November 19th – The Fitzroy – come check it out with me. 
Tuesday, November 20th – Tattoo Tuesday – Ava Esterby
November 21st – 28th – Blog Break
Thursday – November 29th – SQM (Sydney Quotes the Movies) – Anna Karenina and my celebration of the Love Triangle
Friday – November 31th – Guest Post on My First Book
Sunday – December 2nd – My Weekly Update – December is going to be fun. 
 
*I may do some random post if time permits, but my goal is to finish my NaNoWriMo (20,000 words) novel, finish my Camp NaNo novel (15,000 words) and then prepare for my big move.

I would love to hear how everyone else is doing on NaNoWriMo. I want everyone to win.  So, keep writing. I will be, too.  

My Weekly Update – Nano, Next and New

Published on by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle7 Comments

The alliterations are back ladies and gentleman.

NaNoWriMoDaily Update – Best of the week

Today’s Date:  November 8, 2012
Word Count:  2,132
Observations:  Spent 2 – 4 in my new writing spot; Baker & Spice.  I believe carrot cake is my preferred writing fuel.  Coffee helps, too.  I was writing  a scene today where my female MC and her father who abandoned her when she was a baby get it all out in the open.  It was a powerful scene and I love the way it turned out.  Great mix of back story, but told in a way that the MC was asking specific questions about it so it flowed well.  Then at the end of the scene, my MC and her father kind of take over and I end up talking about another character in the present story that actually put all this in motion 20 something years ago. What? Wait a minute. That wasn’t in the outline.  Where the hell did that come from?  It pissed me off, but then I continued to write it and I couldn’t be mad because it turned out to be really good.  Good plot twist I think is what you would call it. But, some rewrites in an earlier scene are going to be necessary for it to make sense.  Everyone say it with me, “That is what editing is for.” ;-)
I am pleased with how 2,000 words a day is a great pace for me in real life.  I have been pretty busy with work and preparing for an event.  My hope is that I continue to write 2,000 per day most days until I run out of words to say when I am like 80. 
Quick Hits:  Wreck-It Ralph is playing in the theater in the mall under my place.  I see a NaNoWriMo break in my near future. It’s for character research, really it is. 

 

NaNoWriMo Need to Know

Next 4 Years – It’s hard to pay attention to politics in America living in China, so I have to rely on my blog friends to inform me of the reality of the political landscape in America.  *The views expressed are not necessary shared by Sydney Aaliyah, but on the other hand, they are damn funny.  I always support funny.

New Followers
Kristina at The Bitter Sweet – A Writer’s Journey
Roxanne Crouse at Crouse Photography
 
Next Weeks Schedule
Monday – The Next Big Thing
Tuesday – Tattoo Tuesday 
Thursday – Guest Post by Sevastian Winters – Ten Things Every Aspiring Writer Should KNow about Writing as a Profession – Part #1
Saturday – Guest Post by Sevastian Winters – Ten Things Every Aspiring Writer Should Know about Writing as a Profession – Part #2  *It’s that good, I had to split it into two post.
Sunday – My Weekly Update

 

Everyone still on track for NaNoWriMo?   Do your characters every take you to places you didn’t intend to go?