Melissa Getting Published

What I Love About You Wednesday

2011-04-13T07:00:00.002-05:00

Suzi McGowen

Suzi's a great gal who always has fun things to say on her blog. She's written some great books, including one called A Troll's Wife's Tale. How cool is that.

Suzi has a great blog that mixes fun writing stuff, with personal tidbits that make her feel like a friend.

Thanks for checking out Suzi's blog.

Zoosday Tuesday

2011-04-12T07:00:00.001-05:00

Arctic Fox

Powder puff anyone?

The arctic fox is another animal that is beautifully adapted to life in the cold, cold north. The bushy tail, shorter nose, and small ears. Their fur is thick with a dense double coat, and they even have fur on the bottom of their feet. All these adaptations help them survive in the harsh cold of the Arctic Circle.

The blue represents the area where the Artic Fox lives

These little puff balls are opportunistic feeders. They eat small mammals such as lemmings, arctic hares, ringed seal pups, and eggs. They also eat any scraps left behind by polar bears.

My summer coat

During the summer, they grow a brown or grey coat, which they trade for a solid white coat when thick snow covers their territory.

Changing my coat

Arctic foxes form monogomous pairs that share the duties of raising and feeding the young. Litter size is typically from five -eight, but can be up to twenty-five (what! that's just crazy.) The kits stay with the parents for up to two years and may stay with the parents to help raise their younger siblings. When it's time to move on, the females head out while the males stay with the family. The kits are born brown, grey, or blue/grey, and turn white as winter approaches.

Babies at the Den

Arctic Foxes are doing well so far in the wild. They use all of their resources to survive. They are successful hunters, good parents, and ideally adapted to make their way in the harshest environment on earth.

What I Love About You Wednesday

2011-04-06T07:00:00.001-05:00

Meet Caz Williams

I was so glad to see Caz Williams back on the blogosphere when I returned from hiatus. She's from, check it out, Perth, Austrailia. Meeting bloggers from places like Perth just makes me want to pee my pants with excitement. (Not that you folks from the US don't make me want to tinkle, but seriously, I never thought I'd know someone from Perth, Austrailia.

And Caz is a writer who's in a similar place to me, so I can really relate to her. Last summer she visited the US and spent part of her time at the SCBWI Summer Conference in LA. (Society of Childrens Book Writers and Illustrators.) She shared so much of what she learned from that experience with her followers.

Check out Caz's blog to see everything she has to say about that wonderful and educational experience.

Zoosday Tuesday

2011-04-05T07:00:00.000-05:00

Ringed Seal

I'm coming back to Zoosday Tuesday by picking up where we left off in February, in the Artic.

Isn't I cute?

These chubby little guys are the smallest of the seal species. They get their name from the lighter colored rings on the dark grey or black background.

They are the main food source of polar bears, but before you feel too sorry for them, keep in mind that they are super fast and sleek under the water. They stay close to the water at all times, by either floating along on ice floes, or digging holes in the ice that they can slip into when a big white bear comes prowling around.

During the winter, when the ice freezes solid the ringed seals are able to dig out holes deep under ice that other seals can't reach. They use their sharp front claws to dig 5-8 holes that they pop out of every 15-30 minutes when they need air. They blow bubbles out of the hole before surfacing in the hopes that a waiting polar bear will give away his position.

Hope there aren't any polar bears around

They pack on the pounds by eating up to 62 different types of fish and shrimp.

whoops I'm not a ringed seal, but I do have blubber

Anyway they need the extra weight they pack on to get through the molting season. Every May and June ringed seals shed all of their fur and skin so they can grow a new coat. During this time, they don't eat because they can't go in the water without thier protective coats. Pupping females add two months to their fast because they don't eat or swim while their nursing their pups. But pups are weaned after only two months and after four months they are able to fend for themselves.

Ringed seal pups are born with a white coat

They molt this first coat during their first months of life to be replaced by the grey rings.

I is molting, yuck!

These speedy little seals spend most of their life in the water; swimming, fishing, and breeding. They manage to evade their arch enemy the polar bears more times than not.

What I Learned on Hiatus aka I'm Better With You

2011-04-04T09:34:00.000-05:00

I decided to take a blog hiatus from the end of February - March. I needed to make some major progress on my new WIP, and felt that if I took some time off from blogging, I'd be able to focus on writing. So how did that work out? Not so hot!

I did manage to get around 5000 words written during the month, but considering I wrote 45,000 words during November while blogging, I was less than pleased.

What I found out was that even though blogging takes up time, I'm better with you.

When I'm blogging:
1) Writing is front and center every day. I'm hearing about your writing projects, and it motivates and inspires me to work on my own.
2) I'm part of a great group of people, who all share my goals and keep me motivated.
3) I'm able to chase away the "I'm never going to be a writer" self-doubt that plagues me. I hear about your successes and failures and realize that I'm not alone.
4) I'm getting new ideas and tips on ways to improve my own writing.
5) I'm avoiding other distractions, like the "Game of Thrones" obsession I picked up while on hiatus. (I really did not need to get hooked on new book series. But hey, I only have about 4000 more pages to read!)

So I'm going back to blogging three days a week. I'm going to pick up where I left off on Zoosday Tuesday, Why I Love You Wednesday, and Foenteic Friday. I'm going to focus on moderation and balance between writing, reading, and blogging.

I look forward to seeing all of you soon.

We Interrupt This Blog

2011-02-21T20:51:00.000-06:00

I made an important decision last week. As much as I love my current WIP, I don't think I can sell it. But I have an idea for a MS that I think will be great. So to stay on track for my goals for this year, I need to put in some really focused time on my new idea. So I'll be taking a break from blogging through the end of March.

I'll miss all of you, but I plan to use my time well, and be back either April 1st, or mid-April.

Have a good month.

Melissa

Fixtureless Friday

2011-02-18T07:00:00.001-06:00

"Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away."

- Antoine de Saint Exupery

Someone e-mailed me this quote today, and it's perfect for what I want to post about.

(I'm taking a break from foenetic friday again.)

I've always read that as a writer we shouldn't be afraid to "kill our darlings." And I totally agreed with that. My philosophy is that a great book is XX,000 perfect words, in the perfect order, with nothing added and nothing left out. So when people asked if I would be willing to "kill my darlings," I said, "sure, if they aren't part of the XX,000 perfect words, they've got to go.

I never had any real darlings, but what I did find was a scene that had become a "fixture." You know, that ugly light fixture that you've just gotten used too. The one you don't even notice anymore, until the realator asks, "Are you going to replace that before we list the house?"

I finished reading the great book "Save the Cat," and after reading it, went through one of my older manuscripts. I found a glaring "fixture," a scene that wasn't terrible, but it was just sitting there taking up space. It was one of the few scenes that hadn't changed much from the earliest version. It just stuck around, doing less and less as the rest of the manuscript changed. Even after multiple revisions, it was the scene that I always just skimmed, not really looking too closely at it. After reading "Save the Cat" it was so clear that the scene was unneccesary. I had no trouble relegating it to the delete file. I'm just sorry it took me so long to recognize it as a "fixture."

So what about you, have you ever found a scene that has become a "fixture?"

What I Love About You Wednesday

2011-02-16T07:00:00.001-06:00

P V Lundqvist was another one of my early followers. He's the author of the hillarious "It's Not Just For Breakfast Anymore." It's a Middle Grade story about a boy who gets a pet pig, instead of a dog or cat. It's right at the top of my too read list, and it looks great.

He has a wife and three darling kids, one of which is a two year old red-head. Can you get any cuter than that I ask you?

As always I want to thank PV and all my followers.

Zoosday Tuesday

2011-02-15T07:00:00.163-06:00

***All opinions expressed on this blog are mine exclusively and are not endorsed by the Kansas City Zoo.

POLAR BEAR

Polar Bear- Ursus maritimus is the worlds largest land carnivore. Male polar bears can weigh up to 1300lbs, but females are only half that size.

Polar Bear Range

The polar bear lives exclusively in the Artic (which means with bear.) Polar Bears do not live in the Antartic (without bear). That means that polar bears and penguins could never be friends, because they live on opposite poles. (besides polar bears would eat a blubbery penguin in a second if they could catch them.)

Mother With Two Cubs

Polar bears are solitary in the wild, they only come together to mate, or occasionally when they are isolated in small areas during summer months when the ice has melted. The other time when they spend time in groups is a mother with her cubs. The mother ususally has one - three cubs. Singletons are becoming more and more common as food/ice becomes more scarce. The cubs are born in November in a den that the mother scrapes out of the snow and ice. The cubs weigh less than 2 pounds at birth, but they grow fast on the mothers rich milk. In February - April they all leave the den. Mom finally gets to eat again after 3-5 months of fasting and feeding her young. Unfortunately she only has a few short months to rebuild her fat stores before the sea ice dissappears and she has to fast again.

The black tongue and nose match all his skin under his fur

The polar bear is well adapted to life in the artic. They have four inches of blubber covered by black skin which absorbs any available sunlight. They also have hollow guard hairs that appear white, but are actually clear. The guard hairs do not conduct sunlight, but they trap warm air radiating off the bear and help conserve energy. Polar bears are far more likely to overheat than they are to freeze.

A dinner plate covered in tire tread

They are also well adapted to walking across ice. The feet of a male polar bear can be 12" in diameter (about the size of a dinner plate). The bottoms of their paw have black pads which are covered with papillae, tiny bumps that act like the tread on a snow tire. They also have thick fur that gives them excellent traction. This makes it possible for them to creep along the ice to sneak up on a ringed seal. Two inch long claws top off these formidable paws and can be used for traction, to dig in thick ice, and to kill or disable prey. The broad paws also act like paddles to help the "sea bear" swim through artic waters.

The nose knows

The polar bears eye site is good, and his hearing is equal to a humans, but his nose puts a humans nose, and even a dogs in the... ~~dust~~ snow. The polar bear can smell a seal from a mile away under three feet of ice. They can smell a dead whale or wallrus on the ice from 20 miles away. ( Manhattan Island is only 13.4 miles long!) Their nose is attached to a long narrow head and neck that's good for swooping into seal's breathing holes, and makes them an aerodynamic swimmer.

Ice Bears

Polar bears depend on thick pack ice to hunt. The thick blubber and fur that keeps them warm, also makes them overheat when they try to chase prey over land for long distances. Even the sea bear can't swim fast enough or deep enough to catch a seal or fish in the water. The only way for them to get a meal is to hunt from the ice.

Ringed Seal Just Under the Ice

Seals spend the icy months swimming from air hole to air hole in the pack ice. When they have to haul out, they dig caves and tunnels in the ice. They are never far from a hole in the ice that they can slip into and disappear. On land they're essentially a darling little tub of lard with flippers, but in the water they're like Michael Phelps.

Seal Comes Up For Air

Bear Waits Patiently for Seal to Surface

During the summer months when there is no ice, the bears can't hunt for seals. They have to be fat enough to survive until the ice returns. The ice has started to form later and melt earlier every year. This means that polar bears have less time to feed and more and more bears are dying of starvation. Mother polar bears are having more and more single births due to food shortages.

for more information on Polar Bears, check out the Polar Bears International Web Site.

Here's the video I took of our polar bear, Nikita at the Kansas City Zoo. He's a four year old bundle of energy, who already weighs 830lbs. He'll keep growing for another two years or more. He loves to swim up to the visitors at the window and push off.

Fonetic Friday: Word of the Day

2011-02-11T08:20:00.000-06:00

I'm bored with Fonetic Friday so I decided to do something different today.

For some reason I just can't seem to get New Orleans out of my head lately. I dream of being able to pack up my stuff every winter and move down there for January and February. I've even started looking at houses for sale, (even though I can't in anyway shape or form afford it, let alone get off work for two months every year.)

So what about you? Do you dream of having a house in a warmer climate during the winter, if so where? Do you already have one? What about people in other countries, Do people have winter homes/summer homes? What are the "hot spots"?

What I Love about You Wednesday

2011-02-09T07:00:00.001-06:00

Happy Wednesday. It's my pleasure to introduce you all to one of earliest followers, Sharon Kirk Clifton.

This lovely lady is from Indiana. Not only is she a writer, she's also a storyteller. This is a skill that I'd love to develop myself, so I'm always interested in the art of oral interpretations of literature.

She's written two middle-grade novels, and teaches eight graders. I always tip my hat to teachers, they're the foundation of our society.

She infuses her blog with her love for Christ, writing, storytelling, kids, and Indiana.

Thank you Sharon for being a follower. Check out her blog here.

Zoosday Tuesday

2011-02-07T21:37:00.000-06:00

My planned Zoosday Tuesday post is going to have to be postponed until next Tuesday. I'm having technical difficulties with my computer. I went to the zoo and got some great video of our polar bear, I'm going to get it transferred to my computer and get it posted for next week.

Thanks for visiting. Stop back next Tuesday for a post about polar bears.

Fonetic Friday: Word of the Day

2011-02-04T07:34:00.000-06:00

Hey, you know those cool words they make you type when you comment on a blog, the ones that prevent spammers from commenting? If they were real words, what would they mean? See if you can come up with a definition and use it in a sentence.

Today’s word is: Herymor

This is a fabulous new hair replacement product. You just cover the desired area with the thick foam substance, let it dry, and within 24 hours you will have 5 inches of new hair growth.

I accidentally put my husbands herymor on my legs, now I have to french braid my leg hairs.

Have fun! HAPPY FRIDAY!

What I Love About You Wednesday

2011-02-02T07:00:00.001-06:00

Happy Wednesday!

I'm sending Love to Lynda R Young whose blog WIP It is totally amazing. Lynda is a marvelous woman from down under! I was so excited that one of my very first followers was from Sydney Austrailia! It's so cool to me that someone in Kansas has a blogging buddy in Austrailia. (And now I have several).

Anyway, Lynda is a fabulous writer, but also an artist and photographer. Check out her blog, not only does she always have great advice, she also takes great pictures and posts them. Read
her story, I know you'll find you have a lot in common with Lynda.

So check out Lynda's blog if you haven't already. And Thank You Lynda for being a follower.

Zoosday Tuesday

2011-02-01T07:00:00.000-06:00

***Any opinions expressed on this blog are mine alone, and do not reflect the opinions of the Kansas City Zoo.***

MALAYAN SUN BEAR

I decided to do one last animal from Indonesia before moving to a different region of the world. The Malayan Sun Bear is the smallest of the eight bear species, with males weighing up to 140lbs. and females around 120lbs. They lie mainly in the Maylay peninsula, and the Indonesian islands of Sumatra and Borneo, but there are some small pockets of Sun Bears as far away as India.

Sun Shaped Crest on Chest

The Sun Bear gets it's name from the white or golden sun shaped crest on it's chest. These can vary in size and shape. They also have golden coloring around their eyes and muzzle.

Check out that tongue

Like all bears the sun bear's sense of smell is very powerful, but this bear also has a very impressive tongue. They use their super long tongue to scoop tasty food like termites and larve out of trees. But they also use it to lap up their favorite food, HONEY. They are also known as the Honey Bear.

Oversized Canines

Sickle-shaped claws

The sun bear uses his claws to dig into trees and fallen logs to extract insects and honey. They also eat fruit, leaves, and small animals like lizards and amphibians. The sickle shaped claws and over sized canines of the sun bear make them a formidable opponent for even the largest predators like tigers. They also have loose skin around their neck and upper back that make it possible for them to turn, even in the clutches of a predator and strike with their teeth and claws.

I'm sure you won't be surprised to find that these bears number one predator is man. They have have all of the same issues that plague the other Indonesian animals we've discussed, namely habitat destruction. But like the tiger, these bears are also hunted for body parts used in ancient Chinese medecine. Namely the bile, from the gall bladder of bears is believed to have medicinal properties, used to treat rheumatism.

Mother cradling baby

Sun bears don't hibernate like their cousins to the north, so they can reproduce at any time of the year. (Although they're difficult to study in the wild, there is some evidence that they may be monogomous, but the father is not involved in rearing the cubs.) The mother gives birth to one to two cubs after a 3 month gestation. The cubs weigh just under a pound at birth, and are blind and hairless. Within 3 months they are able to follow their mom around. Unlike most bears, the sun bear has been known to carry her cub by cradling it in her arms and walking upright.

Sun bears are primarily nocturnal and like to spend their nights foraging in trees. During the day, the spend most of their time sleeping in the trees.

Sun Bear Cub

Fonetic Friday: Word of the Day

2011-01-28T07:42:00.000-06:00

Fonetic Friday: Word of the Day

Hey, you know those cool words they make you type when you comment on a blog, the ones that prevent spammers from commenting? If they were real words, what would they mean? See if you can come up with a definition and use it in a sentence.

Today’s word is: Scrulty

This is how I've been feeling all week, rather scrulty, Sick, Crummy, and that's about the best I can do for today. But it's Friday, so hey, what's the worst that can happen?

HAVE FUN! AND HAPPY FRIDAY?

What I Love About You Wednesday

2011-01-26T07:00:00.018-06:00

My new feature for 2011 is called "What I Love About You Wednesday". Each and every one of my followers has added something unique and wonderful to my life, and I want to reach out to each of you and share what I love about you and your blogs.

My plan is to go in order starting with my very first followers, and each week, highlight someone new. If you're a follower of my blog but haven't been blogging for a while, I'm going to wait until you get back into it. If for some reason you are following my blog, but I'm not following yours, please let me know. I tried to make sure I was reciprocating, but there were a few people I couldn't find.

This week I'm sending LOVE to Jody Hedlund.

Jody's blog was one of the first I ever visited. Her debut novel, The Preacher's Bride, was published on 10/1/2010 . She shared every step of the process she went through to get her debut on the shelves. She has amazing insight into the publishing industry, and a heart of gold.

If you haven't checked out Jody's blog, I encourage you to do so. I get something amazing out of every post. And that's why I love Jody.

Zoosday Tuesday

2011-01-24T22:42:00.000-06:00

***The opinions expressed on this blog are mine alone and are not endorsed by the Kansas City Zoo***

PROBOSCIS MONKEY

This is another one of the amazing animals found exclusively in Indonesia, and only on the island of Borneo. Although their nose is the most prominent feature, take a look at this guys eyes. And how about that tummy.

No, I'm not pregnant

This is a fairly large species of monkey, with the males weighing 53 lbs and females about half their size. The females also have much smaller noses. The male's nose can be up to 7 inches long and are used to attract females and amplify warning calls through the forest. (Yes, in the proboscis world size matters, the bigger the nose, the bigger the... harem for the male.) One male usually controls a harem of 2-6 females and their offspring. They live in social groups in the mango forests of Borneo.

A male and his harem

The babies are born much darker in color than the adults. They start out a blue/black color and gradually change to the rusty red color of the adults.

Baby Proboscis

The Indonesian people once called this monkey Orang Belanda which means The Dutchman, because the primates long nose and round belly reminded them of European colonists.

Toxic Leaves

The round belly of the proboscis monkey is a result of it's digestive system which consists of multiple chambers that contain various bacteria, allowing them to consume toxic leaves and other plants high in cellulose.

30" tail

They also have a long non-prehensile tail which is used mainly for balance. They are equally at home in the trees or in water, being able to swim long distances, as well as leap long distances in the trees.

But sadly even though they are a versatile species, they are severely endangered. There are only an estimated 1000 left in the wild. They are threatened by the same problems that plague other Indonesian species like Orangutans, Elephants, Rhinos, etc. Habitat loss due to the inefficient management of palm oil production is driving more and more species toward extinction. So look for Orangutan safe palm oil, and you'll be helping their cousins the proboscis monkey's too.

Fonetic Friday: Word of the Day

2011-01-21T07:44:00.000-06:00

Fonetic Friday: Word of the Day

Hey, you know those cool words they make you type when you comment on a blog, the ones that prevent spammers from commenting? If they were real words, what would they mean? See if you can come up with a definition and use it in a sentence.

Today’s word is: biblifang

HAVE FUN! AND HAPPY FRIDAY?

Biblifang- The retractable set of canine teeth grown by people who want to suck the words out of a book.

The librarian caught me with my biblifangs exposed and almost threw me out of the library.

What I Love About You Wednesday

2011-01-19T07:00:00.046-06:00

My new feature for 2011 is called "What I Love About You Wednesday". Each and every one of my followers has added something unique and wonderful to my life, and I want to reach out to each of you and share what I love about you and your blogs.

My plan is to go in order starting with my very first followers, and each week, highlight someone new. If you're a follower of my blog but haven't been blogging for a while, I'm going to wait until you get back into it. If for some reason you are following my blog, but I'm not following yours, please let me know. I tried to make sure I was reciprocating, but there were a few people I couldn't find.

For this week I'm sharing the LOVE with:

ANGELA ACKERMAN

I was lucky enough to have Angela Ackerman as one of my very first followers. I was new to blogging at the time, and she became sort of a role model for me. Her blog The Bookshelf Muse is an amazing resource for writers.

She has several "Thesaurus" that she updates on a regular basis. The Emotion Thesaurus, The Setting Thesaurus , The Color Shape and Texture Thesaurus, The Symbolism Thesaurus.

These are just a few of the amazing resources on Angela's blog, which is also hosted by Becca Puglici.

So if you aren't one of their 1430+++ followers already, you need to be.

They are also have a great contest this week, so if you haven't already done so, check it out!

Thanks again Angela for being a great resource for writers.

Zoosday Tuesday

2011-01-18T07:00:00.001-06:00

KOMODO DRAGON

In Low Land Habitat

I admit that I'm more of a mammal person, than a reptile lover, but I thought it would be interesting to look at a famous reptile species from the Indonesian islands. The Komodo Dragon is native to only a handful of small Indonesian islands, Komodo, Rinca, Flores, and Gili Montag. They are the largest lizard and part of the monitor lizard family.

Komodo Dragon Distribution

People are fascinated by their large size, and fearsome reputation. They can grow up to 6 feet long, with a muscular tail capable of knocking down large deer, and claws several inches long that are used to defend itself as well as disabling prey.

Toxic Slober

Although they often feed on carrion, Komodo Dragon's have been known to ambush live animals, using teeth and claws to disable their prey. It was once believed that the Komodo Dragon's live prey died from infection delivered through the saliva, but it has recently been proven that although their saliva does contain numerous bacteria and pathogens, they also have venom glands which deliver a hemotoxin to the victim.

Using it's tongue to locate prey

They locate their prey by capturing scent particles on their tongue and passing them over the jacobsen's organ on the roof of their mouth. Using their tongue, they can "smell" prey up to six miles away. Luckily, like most reptiles they eat about 40% of their body weight at a time, but only eat about once per month.

I think one of the most fascinating things about these animals is their reproduction. Unlike most reptiles, Komodo Dragons are capable of forming bonded pairs that mate for life. On the other hand, if no males are available, female dragons are able to use parthenogenesis to reproduce. This means that a female can produce eggs which can hatch, even without the presence of a male. In this case all of the offspring will be male.

Hiding from Mom and Dad in the Trees

However, they're not the best parents. Although the mother incubates her clutch of 20 eggs for 6-7 months, when the infants hatch she allows them to fend for themselves. Young Komodo Dragons, make up about 10% of the diet of the adults. For this reason, the young spend most of their early years in the trees eating birds eggs, insects, and smaller lizards.

Emerging From the Egg

Keeping The Plates Spinning

2011-01-17T07:00:00.001-06:00

I've been thinking a lot about how to keep all the plates in my life spinning, which one's to let fall, which ones to spin faster. I came to the conclusion that one plate I'm going to have to manage more effectively is my blogging life. I've let it get quite out of control; and while I maintain, that blogging actually helps me focus more on my writing, I also believe that I need to cut back.

So one plate I'm going to let fall is my Monday blog post about revision. I need to revise, not write a blog post about revising. From now on I'll be doing three posts per week Zoosday Tuesday, What I Love About You Wednesday, and Foenetic Friday.

On the days that I'm not posting, I will be working on other aspects of my writing, such as revising my newest WIP, preparing querys for my completed MS, reading books on the craft of writing, and researching my next MS. I probably won't be reading any blogs on M, Th, Sat, Sun. So I'll have to catch up on Tues, Wed, and Fri.

I hope to find more balance and make more progess this way. What about you, does anyone have any advice?

Fonetic Friday: Word of the Day

2011-01-14T07:00:00.001-06:00

What I Love About You Wednesday

2011-01-12T07:00:00.001-06:00

My new feature for 2011 is called "What I Love About You Wednesday". As of today 1/9/11, I have 87 wonderful followers. Each and every one of you has added something unique and wonderful to my life, and I want to reach out to each of you and share what I love about you and your blogs.

My plan is to go in order starting with my very first followers, and each week, highlight someone new. If you're a follower of my blog but haven't blogging for a while, I'm going to wait until you get back into it. If for some reason you are following my blog, but I'm not following yours, please let me know. I tried to make sure I was reciprocating, but there were a few people I couldn't find.

So without further ado, I'll introduce my very first follower:

Lisa Maliga: Notes From Nadir She also has a blog for her new book Leaving Nadir.
Lisa started following me when I was a baby in the blogging world and didn't even know what a follower was. She is a writer who has the courage to put her work on the internet. And now she's followed up Notes From Nadir with Leaving Nadir.

Thank you Lisa for being my first follower. Stop by and check out her blog, I dare you not to get hooked.

Zoosday Tuesday

2011-01-11T07:00:00.002-06:00

The Clouded Leopard

Bornean Clouded Leopard

Clouded Leopard

The Clouded Leopard and the Bornean Clouded Leopard are two distinct species of cat that live in Southeast Asia. Until 2007 it was believed that the Bornean Clouded Leopard was a subspecies, but DNA testing has proven them to be distinct species.

Both species of clouded leopard live in the jungles of Southeast Asia and like their distant cousing the spotted leopard, they are highly arboreal.

They got the name "clouded" from the large cloud like elipses of black over a tawny coat. This provides excellent camophlage in the dense forest. They also have a tail that is as long as thier body which gives them excellent balance in the trees. They have been observed hanging upside down in trees, and can decend trees head first.

Clouded Leopards are solitary, nocturnal cats who only interact when breeding or rearing young. Mother leopards give birth the 2-4 young who are blind and deaf at birth.

Clouded Leopards and Bornean Clouded Leopards are considered endangered in the wild. They are also fairly rare in zoos. But if you live near any one of the following zoos, you should be able to see these beautiful animals.

Melissa's Revision Mondays

2011-01-10T07:00:00.001-06:00

As always, my revision tips are posted in the hopes that new or beginning writers will discover the tools they need to do a thorough revision of their work, before sending it to agents or publishers. I am far from an expert on the subject of revision, and am learning as I go through the process myself. I call upon my more experienced collegues to offer up their wisdom and tips.

This week, I've been working on organizing my manuscript. Being a died-in-the-wool pantser, I wrote 80,000 words, with only the barest outline to guide me. Now it's time to take what I wrote and try to make some sense out of it. To uncover those plot holes that need to be filled in. To address changes to plot, setting, and character that evolved as the story unfolded.

I turned to one of my favorite reference books to help me bring some sanity to my crazy manuscript. It's called "Thanks, But This Isn't For Us." By Jessica Page Morrell. In it she suggests creating a blueprint of your story. So I deconstructed my MS scene by scene and put together a blueprint, that I can use to illuminate stuctural issues that need to be addressed. I have a long way to go on this, but hope to have a solid blueprint by next week.

http://www.amazon.com/Thanks-But-This-Isnt-Compassionate/dp/1585427217/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1294602017&sr=8-5

Another great post that addresses this issue is Elana Johnson's post from Friday which talks about where to start your book. She has some awesome things to share about revision, so if you haven't seen it, check it out.

Do you have any tips for creating organization and structure in you manuscript?

Fonetic Friday: Word of the Day

2011-01-07T08:31:00.000-06:00

Hey, you know those cool words they make you type when you comment on a blog, the ones that prevent spammers from commenting? If they were real words, what would they mean? See if you can come up with a definition and use it in a sentence.

Today’s word is: Zable

HAVE FUN! AND HAPPY FRIDAY?
Zable: a new forest dwelling animal, found deep in the jungles of Africa. It was once believed to be a relative of the elusive Okapi, but is now thought to be the sterile offspring of zebra and sable antelope.

I'm sure you guys can do better than that.

Zoosday Tuesday

2011-01-04T07:00:00.002-06:00

***The opinions expressed on this blog are mine alone and are not endorsed by the Kansas City Zoo***

Asian Small Clawed Otter

I've always loved otters. They are fun and playful, they like to swim around in the water and cavort on land. As their name suggests, these are the smallest of the otter species, and live in Southeast Asia. Unlike other otter species, their feet are only paritally webbed and they have...you guessed it small claws. Their claws don't extend past their fingers, making their front paws very dexterous.

This picuture gives a very good illustration of the paws that give the animal its name. Their main food is molluscs, crabs, and other crustaceans. They use their dexterous front paws to break and pull apart their food.

Another thing I love about otters is their social nature and close family ties. This species of otter lives in family groups that include the ranking couple and several generations of offspring.

The ranking pair mate for life and ususally produce two litters of 1-6 cubs per year. The older siblings assist in raising the young pups.

When they're not hunting and eating they spend most of their time grooming their luxurious double coated fur. Because they spend so much time in the water, they have to keep their fur neatly groomed to retain its water-proofing. But at least these guys don't have to deal with the cold, like thier North American counterparts.

We have three young male Asian Small Clawed Otters at the KC Zoo. They share a inter-species exhibit with the gibbons. While the gibbons swing overhead, the otters swim and splash in their waterfall. They are all a lot of fun to watch.

Melissa's Revision Mondays

2011-01-03T07:00:00.002-06:00

I don’t claim to be an expert on the revision process, but I came across a series of blog posts last year that really changed my thoughts about revising. Mary Kole’s series on revision from December is no doubt more helpful than anything I could share, (see Revision O-Rama) but I’m going to invite you to join me on my revision process anyway.

I finished my WIP during NaNoWriMo, and after dutifully putting it away for one full month, I’m ready to begin revising. A lot of people dislike the revision process, but not me. Now that I’m finished with my WIP I feel like I have a raw lump of clay in my hands, ready to be shaped into something beautiful. But first I have to push out all of the air. If I don't, there will be holes in my manuscript, or the whole thing might blow up when I put it in the fire.

The very first thing I have to get rid of is my first chapter. I don’t even want to read it first. When I wrote it, I had no real sense of my character, my setting, etc… (this comes from being a pantster, what can I say?) So the whole thing has to go.

What about you? Have you ever banished a whole chapter from your manuscript? Do read it first to see what can be salvaged, or just let it go?

Fonetic Friday: Word of the Day

2010-12-30T09:07:00.001-06:00

Hey, you know those cool words they make you type when you comment on a blog, the ones that prevent spammers from commenting? If they were real words, what would they mean? See if you can come up with a definition and use it in a sentence.

Today’s word is: Boffiati

HAVE FUN! AND HAPPY FRIDAY? (and Thursday)

I saw this word and knew I had to use it right away. Boffiati- How do I put this? This is what a British/Italian couple call "fooling around".

Hey Cara mia, let's leave this boring opera and head home for a little boffiati.

Hope this gave you a New Years Eve laugh.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Zoosday Tuesday

2010-12-28T07:00:00.001-06:00

***The opinions expressed on this blog are mine alone and are not endorsed by the Kansas City Zoo***

The White Cheeked Gibbon

What's the deal? I see one animal with white cheeks, but what's up with the blond? These are both white cheeked gibbons, the black one is the male and the blond is the female. These amazing animals change colors throughout their life. They all start out blond, regardless of sex, this helps them camouflage with the mother. Then at about two years old they all change to black. When they reach sexual maturity at about 6-8 years the females will go back to blond.

Gibbons are the only primates that are monogamous and mate for life. They form duets, that each have their own individual song. At the Kansas City Zoo we have a young couple. The female is not quite sexually mature, she still has her black coloring, but in the next few years she will be ready to mate.

Gibbons are apes (but unlike orangutans, gorillas, chimps, and bonobos, they are called lesser apes.) This is only due to their size! Like great apes, they don't have tails, and they are highly intelligent.

Like orangutans, gibbons are arboreal, meaning that they spend all of their time high in the trees. They brachiate through the trees (meaning they swing by their arms from tree to tree.) Their arms are extremely long, their hands are hook shaped, and they have a ball-and-socket in their wrists. All of these features help them swing through the trees at up to 35mph.

There are 15 species of gibbon. They range all over South East Asia. The white cheeked gibbons are mainly found in Viet Nam and Cambodia.

Melissa's Myths for Mondays

2010-12-27T07:00:00.001-06:00

There Are an Unlimited Number of Myths That Melissa Can Blog About

Sadly, I've run out of myths. I could probably think of more, and you probably know of many that I haven't even touched on, but since this is the last Monday of 2010, I thought it would be a good time to say bye bye to Melissa's Myths for Mondays.

Starting in the New Year, I'm going to be revising my Nano WIP and so I'll be blogging about revisions on Monday. I know there are a lot of great posts about revision, but this subject is too important not to hammer over and over.

Last year about this time, I was new to blogging and found Mary Kole's blog on revision. http://kidlit.com/category/revision/page/2/. I changed the way I view the whole process. I hope to be able to offer some tips for newer writers, and get all of your fabulous input as well.

So any last Myths for 2010?

EVERYONE HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Fonetic Friday: Word of the Day

2010-12-24T07:00:00.001-06:00

What Would Your Character Do/Say Wednesday

2010-12-22T07:00:00.004-06:00

As the year comes to a close, so will this feature. This will be the last What would your character do/say Wednesday? In the New Year, Wednesday will have a brand new feature, but it's a surprise.

So for my last What Would Your Character Do/Say, lets talk about the Holidays.

1) Does your character celebrate any kind of holiday?

2) If so, what are their holiday traditions?

3) What about your holiday traditions? Tell us all about them.

My character William, lived in a suburb of Kansas City until the world fell apart when he was ten. His favorite holiday memory was going to see the Plaza Lights when he was six. (This happens to be one of my favorite holiday memories too.) The family drove to the Country Club Plaza and looked at the brightly colored lights, and the shop windows. Then they visited Santa Clause.

Zoosday Tuesday

2010-12-21T07:00:00.001-06:00

***The opinions shared on this blog are mine alone and are not endorsed by the Kansas City Zoo

The Sumatran Elephant

I could go on and on about elephants. They are some of the worlds most fascinating and intelligent creatures. We don't have any Sumatran Elephants at the KC Zoo, we only have African Elephants.

Sumatran Elephants are the smallest of the Asiatic Elephant subspecies. They weigh from 6,000 - 10,000lbs. In contrast, African Elephants weigh 9,000-15,000lbs.

I hate to be a downer on these posts, but unfortunately these guys are highly endangered too, only around 2000 left in the wild. Just like the Orangutans and Tigers, they are threatened by deforestation. But elephants are eliminated mainly because they're considered so destructive by humans. WWF has a great article about using domesticated elephants to drive wild elephants away from populated areas, keeping everyone happy. http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/finder/sumatranelephant/sumatranelephant.html.

Female elephants are very social. They live in family groups lead by a matriarch who keeps the herd moving from place to place to find food. Elephants are strictly herbivores, eating leaves, fruit, bamboo, ginger. But they eat about 200lbs per day. That's a lot of bananas. The matriarch knows where the fruit is going to be ripe, based on season, sunlight, elevation, etc. and leads the family to the best food.

Elephant's have the most amazing trunks. They are so articulate that they can pick up a single blade of grass but so strong they can lift a heavy log. At the Kansas City Zoo, our elephants have learned to paint. This is a form of enrichment that stimulates their minds and allows them to exercise their trunks.

If you have any questions about elephants, just ask.

Melissa's Myths for Mondays

2010-12-20T07:00:00.001-06:00

Once You Have an Agent Your Home Free

I used to think that if I could only get an agent, I'd be home free. They'd sell my book, it would be published, everyone would live happily ever after. Imagine my chagrin, when I found out that even people with agents still have to worry.

What if the book doesn't sell?
What if the book sells to a publisher, but then doesn't sell at the stores?
What if a publisher buys your book, but never publishes it?
What if you agent decides to leave the business, and you have to start all over?
What if ...

So, just like with most careers, job security is very hard to come by for writers. Oh well, another hope dashed. It wasn't the first and it won't be the last.

What about you, do you have an agent? What are some of the great things your agent does? We all know the horror stories, let's hear the good stuff.

Fonetic Friday: Word of the Day

2010-12-17T07:00:00.002-06:00

What Would Your Character Do or Say Wednesday

2010-12-15T07:00:00.003-06:00

I’m always looking for questions to ask my characters; anything to pull them out of their shell and see how they act in foreign territory. I wondered what it would be like if my characters participated in other Middle Grade and Young Adult stories. How would they act in Narnia, or at Hogwarts? It’s interesting to see how your characters act in a completely different setting. .

Questions Based on Operation Redwoods:
Waking up alone in an abandoned office, Julian Carter-Li intercepts an angry e-mail message meant for his high-powered uncle:

SIBLEY CARTER IS A MORON AND A WORLD-CLASS JERK!!!
With that, OPERATION REDWOOD is set in motion as Julian discovers his Uncle Sibley's plan to log an ancient redwood grove in Northern California. Will there be "consequences" when Sibley discovers Julian's been tampering with his e-mail? Can Julian find out more about Robin, the intriguing girl who sent the message? Can he escape math camp for the summer and help save Big Tree Grove? Is Operation Redwood doomed to failure . . . or is there hope?

1) Does your character have a cause that he/she is passionate about?

2) What would your character be willing to risk for a cause that they believe in?

3) Does your character have a best friend?

4) How would your character handle the relationship with his/her best friend when a new friend enters into the picture, (especially if that new friend is the opposite sex.)

Zoosday Tuesday

2010-12-14T07:00:00.003-06:00

***Any views expressed on this blog are mine alone and are not endorsed by the Kansas City Zoo.

The Sumatran Tiger

I'm going to continue with animals that are specifically from Indonesia, for the next couple of posts. The big islands like Sumatra, Borneo, and Java, and even many of the smaller Indonesian islands have these wonderfully unique eco-systems, where unique species have adapted in isolation.

The Sumatran Tiger is one of those animals. They are the smallest of all the remaining tiger breeds, weighing only about 280lbs for males and 220 for females. They live in the dense forest of Sumatra. They have heavier stripes than other tigers species, which provides good camouflage.

It is estimated that there are less than 400 tigers left in Sumatra. When they are gone they will be like their neighbors the Javanese and Balinese tigers, extinct. They face the same threats as the orangutans, deforestation. But while orangutans are killed so that infants can be sold to the pet trade, tigers are killed for their pelts and other body parts which are used in traditional medicine.

The WWF has a great web site and really good information about Sumatran Tigers. http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/finder/sumatrantiger/sumatrantiger.html. The good news on this site is that they "captured" pictures of a mother and two cubs on a camera trap in Sumatra! Yeah, maybe that means 402 tigers.

At the KC Zoo we have two Sumatran tigers, who are brothers Manis and Lanka. They are part of the Species Survival Program, but so far neither brother has been sent out for breeding. We don't have the facility to breed tigers at our zoo. The brothers get along pretty well, and like all cats are content to sleep the day away. They enjoy their enrichment activities like getting pinatas filled with meatballs, pumpkins on Halloween, bones, and cow hooves to chew on. They are truly beautiful boys.

Melissa's Myths for Mondays

2010-12-13T07:00:00.001-06:00

Any Agent You Can Get Is A Good Agent

I used to think that if I could just get anyone to agree to represent me, that I wouldn't even hesitate before saying yes. But I've come to realize that agents come in different "sizes" just like writers.

The main things I'm looking for in an agent are:
#1 Someone who LOVES my book. Someone who's as passionate about my book as I am.
#2 Someone who is going to be in this with me for the long haul.

#1 is one of the reasons that I care less now if I get feedback on my rejections. If you don't love my book, fine, I get that. But I'm not going to change my book based on the feedback of someone who's not hoping to represent it.

#2 is why I've been more discerning about whom I send my work to. It seems like there are some agents out there who are just doing this as a part time gig while their own writing careers take off. That's fine, I don't have a problem with it, but it's just not for me. For one thing, I think the agents skill sets and the writers skill sets are so different, it makes me wonder how anyone can do both well. I'm sure some people can, but that's not what I'm looking for.

So what do you think? What things do you look for in an agent? Are there any characteristics that would make you turn down an agent, even if they were the only one to make you an offer?

Zoosday Tuesday

2010-12-07T07:00:00.001-06:00

Kalijon's Special Story

***The opinions shared on this blog are mine alone, and are not endorsed by the Kanas City Zoo.

As promised last week I am going to share the story of Kalijon, a very special orangutan who was born at the Kansas City Zoo on April 24, 2009.

When Kali was born, the staff at the zoo was prepared for the possibility that she would have to be hand reared. Her mother TK had refused to nurture her infants in the past, and while we all hoped that things would be different with Kali, we had to be prepared to take over.

TK was not interested in being a mother to Kali, and since she had not nursed after 30 hours, she was taken from TK and given to keepers and docents to hand raise. (TK was not in the least upset by this. She got to go back with Kali's father Berani, who she's crazy about.)

Now it was up to the zoo staff and volunteers to hand raise baby Kalijon with the goal of getting her back with her own kind as soon as possible. We had an experienced mother orangutan, Jill, just waiting in the wings to take over when she was old enough. So instead of treating her like a human baby (which is easy to do becasue the size and anotomy are so similar), the "orangutan mamas" acted like orangutans.

They wore a special vest that opened in the back and was made out of synthetic fur a very shaggy, curly variety that baby Kali could grasp on to. They would support her to some extent, but it was important for her to develop her arm and leg muscles by grasping and pulling on the vest with both her hands and feet.

Kali didn't wear a diaper so the mamas just had to try to get out of the way when she eliminated, and I'm sure it was quite messy, but I wouldn't have minded. (I couldn't participate because of the dreaded day job.)

She was fed a bottle just like a human baby, and even drank human infant formula, (infamil).

During the five month hand rearing period the mamas and Kali stayed in an empty orangutan stall inside the orangutan building right next to the stall that Jill, the experience mother orangutan was in. She had to be held and cared for 24/7 so the mama would bring in bedding and make a "nest" at night and sleep with Kali.

There were about 15 mamas (both men and women, some staff and some docents) who took turns with Kali. By changing mamas so often, she never over-bonded with any one human, the one constant was Jill the orangutan mother in the next stall. Jill was always willing to share her opinion on the mamas orangutan raising abilities, whenever Kali cried she would gesture that the baby should be handed over to her, now.

The only thing standing between Jill and Kali was the fact that Jill wasn't lactating, and the keepers needed to continue to feed the baby to make sure they could acurately monitor how much she was eating. Jill's a great mom, but no one doubted that she would drink some of Kali's milk if she was given the bottle. So they had to come up with another solution.

Kali learned to take her bottle through the 2" x 2" mesh opening that separates the keepers from the animals, but what's really impressive is that Jill learned to present the baby for bottle feeding. The trainers used a stuffed orangutan to teach Jill that when they gave a command she was supposed to bring the baby to the mesh, hold her up and the keeper would give the bottle through the mesh.

On September 24th when Kali was just 5 months old, she was given to Jill to raise. This is the youngest any orangutan infant has ever been paired with an orangutan surrogate. Jill has been taking great care of Kali ever since. They kept up the bottle feeding through the mesh until Kali was one and had enough teeth to eat solid food.

Today, Kali lives in a group with Jill and her older daughter Josie. Josie is 8 1/2 now and in a couple of years will be ready to have a baby of her own. She has learned a lot about how to raise a baby from watching her mother and Kali. She also "babysits" and the two girls play more and more the older Kali gets. The other member of their group is Rufus a 23 year old, 303lb male orangutan. Rufus was part of Jill and Josie's group before Kali was born, and all four are now very happy together.

Orangutan's don't normally form social groups like this mainly because resources are too scarce in their native environment to allow them to live and travel in social groups. But in the zoo where resources are pleantiful their social nature comes out. As for TK and Birani who are Kali's natural parents, they are still crazy about each other. The two "groups" are kept in separate parts of the orangutan exhibit.

Melissa's Myths for Mondays

2010-12-06T07:00:00.001-06:00

You Should Write What You Know

I think this depends on how you define the word know. Do you have to be an expert on a subject to write about it? I hope not, because I enjoy writing about many things which are completely unfamiliar to me, zombie rabbits for instance. But I do know animals. I volunteer as a docent at the zoo and have come to appreciate animals in a whole knew way.

On the other hand, when people know too much about their subject it can stifle the action and the tension of a scene. I’ve read several manuscripts (none of them published) where the writer spent so much time trying to teach and inform us about his favorite topic, that the story was drowned.

Lynda Young did a great post about this on her site a couple months ago. http://lyndaryoung.blogspot.com/2010/10/write-what-you-dont-know-part-1.html

Do you only write what you know, or do you like to explore the unfamiliar?

Fonetic Friday: Word of the Day

2010-12-03T07:00:00.001-06:00

My NaNo Journey

2010-12-02T09:14:00.000-06:00

Oh boy. I'm so glad it's December.

This was my first year to participate in NaNo and overall, it was a pretty good experience. I developed a habit of writing everyday, which I hope will stick with me.

But did I write 50,000 words, the answer is not quite. It's the wierdest thing, I was going strong had about 3500 words to finish on Monday, and a big chunk of time to get it almost done, and I ran out of steam. Right at the end of the race. This is really strange for me, because usually when I set a goal I comlete it.

I really don't know what happened, maybe it was getting to the end of my story (I hate endings), maybe it was my total mental exhaustion (from a combo of things NaNo being only one), maybe it was having to host book club the following night. I don't know, but I wound up at around 46,578 words.

Oh well, I also have a MS around 79,000 words that needs a lot of revision. So I'm counting it as a success even if I stalled at the last lap.

What about you guys. Did you complete your NaNo goal for this year? How was it for you?

What Would Your Character Do/Say Wednesday

2010-12-01T07:00:00.001-06:00

Zoosday Tuesday

2010-11-30T07:00:00.001-06:00

THE ORANGUTAN

I decided to add a new weekly feature to my blog called Zoosday Tuesday. This feature has absolutely nothing to do with writing. But since my love of animals was first inspired by my volunteer work at the zoo and in turn inspired my writing, I decided to share some of the wonderful things I've learned about animals as a volunteer docent at the Kansas City Zoo.

***The opinions shared on this blog are mine alone, and are not endorsed by the Kanas City Zoo.

This is one of my all time favorite animals. Not only are the intelligent and gentle, they are some of our closest relatives. They are part of the Hominidae family which includes great apes and yes, us, humans. The way to tell an ape from a monkey is that apes don't have tails. There are four great apes: Gorilla, Chimpanzee, Bonobo, and of course Orangutan.

Orangutans are the only great apes found in Asia. They are only found on the Indonesian islands of Borneo and Sumatra and are divided into two su\b-classes named for the islands they originate from. They are the only completely arboreal ape, they spend their lives high in the trees, rarely coming down to the ground. They eat fruits, leaves, insects, and must travel miles through the trees to find the ripest fruits.

Female orangutans devote seven years to raising a single infant. This makes their reproductive rate extremely slow, which is one of the things that have led to their endangered status. But it's not the only thing.
Currently there are fewer than 6000 Sumatran Orangutan's in the wild and fewer than 50,000 Bornean Orangutan's in the wild.

The greatest threat to wild orangutans is the palm oil trade. Palm oil is used in many of the food we eat, and the makeup and lotions we use. Unfortunately if it't not grown in a sustainable manner, orangutans will continue to die, and could be extinct in the wild in the next twenty years. This is a good article about orangutans and palm oil. http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/about_forests/deforestation/forest_conversion_agriculture/orang_utans_palm_oil/

We have six amazing orangutans at the Kansas City zoo. They are incredibly intelligent and throughtful creatures. Next week, I'll tell you the very special story of our youngest Bornean Orangutan, Kali Jon.

Melissa's Myths for Mondays

2010-11-29T07:00:00.003-06:00

You Have to Have a Blog to Get an Agent

I heard at a conference that you needed a blog and a web site plus faceblook and twitter to get an agent, so I got on the bandwagon and started my blog. As I said last week, I’ve found this very beneficial, but I don’t think it’s going to get me an agent.

I hear mixed reviews about whether agents even look at blogs before deciding to offer representation. I think one of the most comprehensive posts I’ve seen on the subject was on Mary Cole’s blog: http://kidlit.com/2010/07/21/should-unpublished-writers-blog/

What about you. How much weight do you think blogs have in the publishing world?

Fonetic Friday: Word of the Day

2010-11-26T07:00:00.001-06:00

What Would Your Character Do/Say Wednesday

2010-11-24T07:00:00.001-06:00

Zoosday Tuesday

2010-11-23T07:00:00.002-06:00

I decided to add a new weekly feature to my blog called Zoosday Tuesday. This feature has absolutely nothing to do with writing. But since my love of animals was first inspired by my volunteer work at the zoo and in turn inspired my writing, I decided to share some of the wonderful things I've learned about animals as a volunteer docent at the Kansas City Zoo.

***The opinions shared on this blog are mine alone, and are not endorsed by the Kanas City Zoo.

The Giant Panda

To follow up last weeks post about the Red Panda, I'm going to talk about the Giant Panda. We don't have Giant Pandas at the Kansas City Zoo, only four zoos in the US are home to Giant Pandas, (the National Zoo in DC, Zoo Atlanta, The Memphis Zoo, and The San Diego Zoo.)

Giant Pandas live exclusively in China and are considered a Chinese national treasure. But there are believed to be only about 1700 left in the wild. The primary threat to these bears is overpopulation and deforestation. But the Giant Panda also has a very difficult reproductive cycle. Females only come into estrus for about 24 hours every year. If the males are unable to locate the females in that short time frame, they won't have a cub that year. (Also because they get so little practice, they often are unsuccessful when they do get together).

Researchers around the world have been working for decades to find the best ways to breed Giant Panda's in captivity. They use artificial insemintaion, ultrasound, and hand-rearing when necessary to help produce cubs. Only one panda cub was born in the US this year. You can see footage of the birth, and pictures of the tiny, hairless cub at : http://www.zooatlanta.org/home/animals/mammals/giant_panda/giant_panda_cub_gallery

These cuties are another bamboo eating species, and they have to eat a lot of the low nutrition, high cellulous plant to get enough nourishment. (Ulike the Red Panda who eats mostly the leaves, these pandas eat everything including the culm and stalk.)

They have the smallest mother to cub ratio at birth of any placental mammal. A 225lb female panda gives birth to a 4oz cub. She doesn't eat, drink, or defecate for up to a week after birth, so she can hold the cub constantly to keep it warm.

Have you ever seen a Giant Panda in a zoo? If you have any questions about Giant Pandas, feel free to ask.

Melissa's Myths for Mondays

2010-11-22T07:00:00.000-06:00

Blogging Is Nothing But a Big Time Suck

I went through a time where I thought blogging was just a big time suck. But although I spend a fair amount of time writing blogs, reading blogs, and commenting on blogs, I’ve decided that I get much more out of it than I put into it. Here are just a few of the fabulous benefits of blogging.

It’s great to connect with other writers. I’ve connected with people who are unpublished, recently agented, recently sold, preparing for debut, debuting their books, and long published. It’s great to know so many people in the writing community. I feel far less lonely.

I’ve learned a lot about what to do and what not to do in ever aspect of writing.

I’ve stayed connected with my writing everyday because of blogging. Before starting my blog I used to allow days and sometimes weeks to pass without writing or doing anything related to writing. Now I’m connected everyday, working everyday, and I’ve made more progress on my writing in the last year than I ever could have without blogging.

What about you? Do you think blogging sucks down more time than it’s worth?

Fonetic Friday: Word of the Day

2010-11-19T07:00:00.001-06:00

Hey, you know those cool words they make you type when you comment on a blog, the ones that prevent spammers from commenting? If they were real words, what would they mean? See if you can come up with a definition and use it in a sentence.

Today’s word is:

HAVE FUN! AND HAPPY FRIDAY?
Attlatal: A new drug for ADD.

Attlatal may cause impaired judgment, hives, hypersensitivity to sound and light, bladder incontinence, heart palpitations, irregular breathing, flushing, diarrhea, sleeplessness, erratic behavior, headache, stomach cramps, drooling, excessive underarm sweating. Do not take if you have ever been pregnant, hope to get pregnant, or thought about becoming pregnant. Do not use if you have a peanut allergy, blue eyes, brown hair, or fingernails.

What Would Your Character Do/Say Wednesday

2010-11-17T07:00:00.001-06:00

I’m always looking for questions to ask my characters; anything to pull them out of their shell and see how they act in foreign territory. I wondered what it would be like if my characters participated in other Middle Grade and Young Adult stories. How would they act in Narnia, or at Hogwarts? It’s interesting to see how your characters act in a completely different setting.

Forgiveness, light, love, and soup. These essential ingredients combine into a tale that is as soul-stirring as it is delicious." — BOOKLIST (starred review)

Welcome to the story of Despereaux Tilling, a mouse who is in love with music, stories, and a princess named Pea. It is also the story of a rat called Roscuro, who lives in the darkness and covets a world filled with light. And it is the story of Miggery Sow, a slow-witted serving girl who harbors a simple, impossible wish. These three characters are about to embark on a journey that will lead them down into a horrible dungeon, up into a glittering castle, and, ultimately, into each other's lives. What happens then? As Kate DiCamillo would say: Reader, it is your destiny to find out.

The Tale of Despereaux

1) What kind of soup would your character make?

2) Does your character believe in him/herself? Do they listen to people who try to bring them down?

3) Would your character fall in love with someone from another species?

4) Would your character want to repent for bad deeds?

5) Is your character envious of any other characters in your story?

Zoosday Tuesday

2010-11-16T07:00:00.001-06:00

I decided to add a new weekly feature to my blog called Zoosday Tuesday. This feature has absolutely nothing to do with writing. But since my love of animals was first inspired by my volunteer work at the zoo and in turn inspired my writing, I decided to share some of the wonderful things I've learned about animals as a volunteer docent at the Kansas City Zoo.

***The opinions shared on this blog are mine alone, and are not endorsed by the Kanas City Zoo.

International Red Panda Day 11/13/10
Have you ever seen a more adorable animal?
This is a Red Panda. We are lucky enough to have two darling red pandas at the Kansas City Zoo, Fagan a 10 year old male, and Wen Dee an 11 year old female. (We hope that they do what males and females do sometime next month, and that Wen Dee will have a cub ot two in June.)

When I'm interpreting about these animal's I often find that people have no idea what a Red Panda is. That's not surprising, since for it wasn't until recently that science knew what they were. They were at one time considered a cousin of the Giant Panda and part of the Ursidae (bear) family. They have been also been called "firefox" which would make them Canidae (dog) family. Bearcat (Felidae) cat family. And many people think they are a relative of the racoon, (Procyonidae) family. But DNA testing showed that they are in a family all by themselves. The family Ailuridae.

The trouble is that they are endangered mainly by deforestation in their natural environment. If they become extinct then a whole family will be wiped out. That's why Saturday 11/13/10 was the first International Red Panda Day. Sponsored by The Red Panda Network http://redpandanetwork.org/redpanda/red-panda-ranger/. Zoos around the world participated and children had a chance to become Red Panda Rangers. Your kids might find these activities too.

I could go on forever about the wonders of this precious little animal that's about the same size as a cat. They are so secretive that for years naturalists had difficulty studying them. But they have been found in the foot hills of the Himalayas in Myanman, Nepal, Bhutan, and China. They eat almost exclusively bamboo leaves (up to 200,000 per day), and spend the rest of their time sleeping in the trees.

Their dense coat is so thick, even covering the inside of their ears and the soles of their feet, they can suffer heat stroke in temperatures above 80 degrees. (In Kansas City they have an air conditioned exhibit in summer and an outdoor exhibit in winter.)

I could go on and on, but they sure are cute aren't they. I hope you like my new feature, and if you have any questions about Red Pandas don't hesitate to ask.

Melissa's Myths for Mondays

2010-11-15T07:00:00.001-06:00

You Need to Copyright Your MS before You Send It Out

This was one of the things that held me back for years. I hate little niggling detail things like this. I thought, if I write a book, I’ll have to get it copyrighted. Ha, little did I know.

I’m glad to know that this is not a detail I have to worry about. But I still dream of one day having my work copyrighted.

What about you?

Fonetic Friday: Word of the Day

2010-11-12T07:00:00.000-06:00

What Would Your Character Do/Say Wednesday

2010-11-10T07:00:00.001-06:00

I’m always looking for questions to ask my characters; anything to pull them out of their shell and see how they act in foreign territory. I wondered what it would be like if my characters participated in other Middle Grade and Young Adult stories. How would they act in Narnia, or at Hogwarts? It’s interesting to see how your characters act in a completely different setting.

It's the year 2140 and Longevity drugs have all but eradicated old age. A never-aging society can't sustain population growth, however…which means Anna should never have been born. Nor should any of the children she lives with at Grange Hall. The facility is full of boys and girls whose parents chose to have kids—called surpluses—despite a law forbidding them from doing so. These children are raised as servants, and brought up to believe they must atone for their very existence. Then one day a boy named Peter appears at the Hall, bringing with him news of the world outside, a place where people are starting to say that Longevity is bad, and that maybe people shouldn't live forever. Peter begs Anna to escape with him, but Anna's not sure who to trust: the strange new boy whose version of life sounds like a dangerous fairy tale, or the familiar walls of Grange Hall and the head mistress who has controlled her every waking thought?

Chilling, poignant, and endlessly though-provoking, The Declaration is a powerful debut that will have readers agonizing over Anna's fate until the very last page.

The Declaration

1) Would your character want to live forever? What if it meant that no one else could ever be born?

2) Would your character risk imprisonment to rescue someone, even if they had never met that person?

3) Does your character believe what they are told by the authorities, or do they rebel?

4) Would your character keep a journal even if they could get in trouble for it?

5) Does your character have a low sense of self worth?

What A Prize

2010-11-09T07:00:00.001-06:00

About a month ago I won a fabulous prize on Justine Dell's blog (come back Justine, we miss you.) The prize was a FULL, yes, I said FULL MS line edit. How cool is that. Especially for someone as comma challenged as I am.

The wonderful editor was Katie Knish http://katieknish.tumblr.com/ . She is starting her career as a copyeditor and I can tell you she has a wonderful career ahead of her. She was a total pro. And so fast! Within a couple of days of getting my MS to her, she had it half finished. Then when I e-mailed her and said, "crisis, crisis, I got a request for a full MS can you finish by the end of the week?" she said no problem.

Katie is looking for fiction that she can copy edit. Here's what she said in an e-mail communication about what she's looking for. "What I'm most interested in editing is fiction, and my passion lies with children's, middle-grade and young adult literature. Even now I'm in awe of the impact what I read as a child had on the person I became, and to be a part of creating those works would be, in all seriousness, a dream come true."

She's got a real passion for books and reading, and it is evident in the professional job she does. I encourage you to contact Katie if you have any projects that you would like her to look at.

Thanks again Katie.

Melissa's Myths for Mondays

2010-11-08T07:00:00.001-06:00

If Other Writers or Agents Read Your Work They Will Steal It

I used to worry like crazy that if someone read my work, they would see my brilliant idea and think, ah ha, that’s a great idea, I’m going to write a book just like that. For the most part I’ve let go of that idea. While obviously no one can write the same story I would, or even really steal my plots, there are a few things I like to keep close to the vest. Because let’s face it, there’s nothing worse than having a flash of brilliance and then seeing it show up in someone else’s book, even if you never made your idea public.

Anyway, I’ve gotten over the idea that people are going to steal my ideas.

Do you ever worry that someone will steal your ideas and use them in their books? Have you ever found your sparks of brilliance in someone else’s published book?.

Fonetic Friday: Word of the Day

2010-11-05T07:00:00.001-05:00

Hey, you know those cool words they make you type when you comment on a blog, the ones that prevent spammers from commenting? If they were real words, what would they mean? See if you can come up with a definition and use it in a sentence.

Today’s word is: Pingso

This is a new game that’s all the rage in nursing homes. It’s a combination of bingo and ping-pong. The balls are bounced off of a ping-pong table and the players have to catch the necessary ball to get PINGSO..

I woulda had PINGSO if Wanda Lou hadn’t knocked over my wheel chair and snatched that last ball.

NaNo Rhino

2010-11-04T07:00:00.000-05:00

Okay, I'm going crazy tyring to keep up on everything and doing NaNo. I got this darling picture from the widly talented Kate Higgins. Check out her blog and this darling picture. http://kathleenhiggins.blogspot.com/2010/11/my-nanowrimo-mascot-nano-rhino.html

How are all of you doing with your NaNo projects?

What Would Your Character Do/Say Wednesday?

2010-11-03T07:00:00.001-05:00

Synopsis

There were no surprises in GatlinCounty.

We were pretty much the epicenter of the middle of nowhere.

At least, that's what I thought.

Turns out, I couldn't have been more wrong.

There was a curse.

There was a girl.

And in the end, there was a grave.

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power, and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

Queestions for your character inspired by Beautiful Creatures:

1) How would you’re character feel about living in the same place their whole life?

2) How would your character feel about moving to a small town where everyone knew everyone else and they felt like an outsider?

3) Does your character have any family members that are seen as outcasts? If so, how do to respond to the family member?

4) Does your character believe in a love that was meant to be?

5) Would your character be with someone, even if everyone in their life told them to stay away from that person?

Melissa's Myths for Mondays

2010-11-01T07:00:00.001-05:00

There Are a Set of Rules You Must Follow

I’m still trying to figure this one out. For every rule, there are stories of people who break them and still get published. I often hear that people who are published can break the rules, but debut authors need to follow them to the letter. Then I read a debut author who broke all the rules.

So what’s up with this? I’m what my mother calls a “first born rule follower” so if I know there is a rule for something, I’m going to try to follow it. But I don’t want my writing to feel boxed in. On the other hand, I can be totally scatter brained and I am not detail oriented at all, so I often “break rules” simply because I just forgot there was a darned rule. Maybe I should make that my number one rule, to remember all the rules.

What about you guys. What rules do you think are important, and what rules do you think can be broken?

Fonetic Friday: Word of the Day

2010-10-29T08:00:00.002-05:00

Ashes: Are you kidding me. This isn’t even a made up word. How can they do this to me. How are we supposed to play a make up a definition game, with a word like ashes????

Okay, since ashes is such a lame word, I decided to make up one of my own. Booge-This is what you call a Halloween Scrooge. (I had to make up a word to describe myself, since if been bi#@%ing about dressing up all day.

What Would Your Character Say/Do Wednesday

2010-10-27T08:00:00.000-05:00

Lovely News From Lola

2010-10-26T11:24:00.000-05:00

The lovely Lola at Sharp Pen, Dull Sword http://sharppendullsword.blogspot.com/2010 has given me this award. Isn't it beautiful. You MUST check out Lola's blog, if you aren't following already. She has a way of combining pictures and words that is awe inspiring. Plus her blog is just down right fun.

Thank you so much Lola

Melissa’s Myths For Mondays

2010-10-25T08:00:00.001-05:00

Myth #10:

It Should Take No More Than a Year To Finish a Book and Sell It

I actually thought it would be much faster than this. I thought I’d dash of a book, give it a thorough going over to pick up any spelling errors that the computer missed. (Since I’m the worlds worst speller, I’m not sure how I thought this was going to work.) Then I’d send if off to an agent who would take one look, fall in love, and pounce on my manuscript. Within weeks I’d have a contract, and my book would be on the shelves within six months of that time.

Boy did I have a lot to learn. I had no idea that agents might take weeks or months just to look at your query, and then if you’re super super duper lucky they might ask to see a partial or full and take months or more to look at that. And that’s just to get to step one.

Does anyone have any tales of woe or triumph about submission times?

Fonetic Friday: Word of the Day

2010-10-22T08:00:00.001-05:00

Hey, you know those cool words they make you type when you comment on a blog, the ones that prevent spammers from commenting? If they were real words, what would they mean? See if you can come up with a definition and use it in a sentence.

Today’s word is: Herknorf
HAVE FUN! AND HAPPY FRIDAY?

This is a little know, highly endangered animal that lives high in the andes mountains. It's about the size of a normal house cat, (ie. smaller than Mitchell Lafayette!). It has the hooves of a goat, but the trunk and ears of an elephant. It lives in tiny crevaces high in the mountains and only comes out at night. It eats mainly rocks and branches that grow high on the mountain walls.

No one has ever taken a picture of the herknorf. Only a few natives have seen the animal.

What Would Your Character Say/Do Wednesday

2010-10-20T08:00:00.001-05:00

Melissa's Myths for Mondays

2010-10-18T08:00:00.001-05:00

Myth #9

There’s a Magic Formula for Query Letter’s

One thing I did not do when I started writing was to mass query agents with one query letter. Why didn’t I? Because I was too freakin’ scared to query anyone. I let them trickle out like the last few drops of blood available after the vampire holocaust. (Okay, the truth is, I still do.) I have to space my rejection out in small doses.

But I also learned through lagging, that every agent/agency has a different set of requirements and desires when it comes to query letters. Some agents want you to just cut the crap and tell them what your story is about. Some agents want to know why you think they would be a good match. None of them wants to feel like they’re just one of the crowd.

So how do you know? One of my best resources is Query Tracker.com. You can set up a database of agents you want to query, make notes, attach query letters, keep stats. It’s the database I wanted to set up for myself, but couldn’t figure out how, and didn’t have the right software even if I knew. You can also link to interviews with agents, and their social networking sites as well. It’s a huge help finding out what you need to know about the individual agents.

Do you try to customize query letters to each agent you query? What sites do you find most helpful for researching and customizing query letters?

Fonetic Friday: Word of the Day

2010-10-15T08:00:00.001-05:00

Fonetic Friday: Word of the Day

Hey, you know those cool words they make you type when you comment on a blog, the ones that prevent spammers from commenting? If they were real words, what would they mean? See if you can come up with a definition and use it in a sentence.

Today’s word is: Smshang

HAVE FUN! AND HAPPY FRIDAY?

Smshang: This is my new favorite curse word. I use it in place of a combination of filthy words I used to spew out, usually when I stubbed my toe, or when the cat chewed up a pair of shoes. FYI: I have no idea how to pronounce this. I just spew out a bunch of mashed up letters.

“Smshang, Mitchell Lafayette, no fancy feast for you, you #@!$. Mommy loves you though, fat boy.”

What Would Your Character Say/Do Wednesday

2010-10-13T08:00:00.001-05:00

Melissa's Myths for Mondays

2010-10-11T08:00:00.003-05:00

Myth # 8

Anyone Can Be a Writer

This is a tough one. I absolutely believe that anyone can write a book. I also believe that having written a book you are a writer. However, when most people dream of being a writer, they don’t usually imagine themselves with a completed manuscript sitting in a box, in a drawer, behind lock and key… Most people imagine being a writer with a hard bound book that rapidly makes its way from the shelf in a bookstore, to the hands of an eager reader, up to the sales counter, where cha ching, money will change hands, and you will be paid for your writing.

So while anyone can write a book, it takes a lot of hard work to make it to the bookstore shelf. That’s where a lot of people fall short when it comes to their writing. They happily write the book, what fun afterall to bring your imagination to life. But they don’t want to make the effort to do the real work that comes after the book is written. That’s what separates writers who get paid to write, and those whose books moulder away in the drawer. My goal is to be published by a reputable publisher. I’ll keep trying whatever I need to try to make that possible.

What do you think separates people who have written a book and given up on getting published, and those who have been published or are working toward being published?

Fonetic Friday: Word of the Day

2010-10-08T08:00:00.001-05:00

An Award to Acknowlege New Friends

2010-10-07T11:52:00.001-05:00

A Grey from Grey places. http://greyplaces.blogspot.com/ awarded me the "One Lovely Blog Award".

Thank you so much. It's fun to recieve an award and even more fun to pay it forward. I get to pass this award on to some of the new friends I've made in the blogosphere. Check out their blogs. Then pass this on to 10 new friends.

Jolene Perry : http://jolenesbeenwriting.blogspot.com/
Katie Mills: http://creepyquerygirl.blogspot.com/
Emily White: http://emilytwhite.blogspot.com/
Kate Higgins: http://kathleenhiggins.blogspot.com/
Patti Nelson: http://pattinielson.blogspot.com/
Rachel Harrie: http://rachaelharrie.blogspot.com/
Stina Lindenblatt: http://www.stinalindenblatt.com/
Janna Qualman http://somethingshewrote.blogspot.com/
Christina Lee: http://www.write-brained.com/
Lola Sharp: http://sharppendullsword.blogspot.com/

What Would Your Character Say/Do Wednesday

2010-10-06T08:00:00.001-05:00

Last Weeks Writing Hours Tally

2010-10-05T08:00:00.001-05:00

Last week, Patti Nelson http://pattinielson.blogspot.com/ challenged her followers to keep track of the number of hours we spent either writing, or revising. I just started a new WIP so I also had some character development to do, so I included that time as well.

Monday:
Monday I was so fired up about my new WIP and the character I was writing that I couldn't do anything hardly but write. I did still have to do my job, work out, eat, pee, etc. But I spent 5 hours and 30 minutes writing.

Tuesday:
I usually cook all my meals for the week on Tuesday night, and since this can be quite time consuming, I only got 3 and a half hours in.

Wednesday:
I had several things going on and was only able to get 2 hours in.

Thursday:
I realized that I had less than 4 days to read my book for book club. I went and bought it and when I saw how dense it was, I knew I'd have to put writing on the back burner to focus on reading this book. But I still got in 2 hours.

Friday:
I was frantically trying to read the book, but took out a couple of hours to write

Total for Monday-Friday: 14 hours.

I like the idea of keeping track and being accountable for my writing. I'm going to try to find a way to post this on a regular basis.

So how did you do on your writing? Do you ever have days when you just can't stop writing? What about days when you can't seem to get started?

Melissa's Myths for Mondays

2010-10-04T08:00:00.003-05:00

Myth #7

Editors Must Have an Easy Job Because All They Have To Do Is Fix Our Comma and Spelling Errors.

I swear, I’m really putting it out there now. Yes, I actually believed that the job of an editor was to go through your manuscript and fix any spelling errors or commas that you didn’t catch before you sent in your MS. I know, I know, but actually I get this question often from non-writing friends.

It took me a while to realize that the job of an editor has very little to do with spotting comma splices. This was quite an epiphany for me. I think I finally caught on to this after attending a couple of conferences where the editors talked about what they did. But understanding the role of the editor really changed my perspective on the revision process that I needed to engage in.

Have you had learned anything about editors or the editing process that you didn’t expect?

***Also, check back tomorrow, I'll give you my tally of hours spent writing. ***

Thank You for the Award

2010-10-03T20:20:00.000-05:00

Thank you Pretty Writer http://pettywitter.blogspot.com/ for giving me the Cherry on Top Award

The award includes the opportunity to Thank Pretty Writer, who has a great blog with all sorts of fun book reviews and interesting news from the UK that I love reading about.

Also to tell anser the question: If I had the chance to go back and change one thing in my life what would it be.

that's a hard question, I've found that if you just wait around long enough your decisions, choices, mistakes, usually reveal themselves to be for the best. I definately would not be where I am now, if I hadn't made a few good decisions and many many decisions that seemed crappy at the time. But since I'm very happy with where I am now, I have no regrets.

I'm passing this along to several other bloggers that I have gotten to know and enjoy:
http://louderthannoise.blogspot.com/
http://greyplaces.blogspot.com/
http://tessyquin.blogspot.com/

Now my computer is acting up so I'm going to stop here for now.

Fonetic Fridays: Word of the Day

2010-10-01T08:00:00.000-05:00

What Would Your Character Say/Do Wednesday

2010-09-29T08:00:00.001-05:00

Melissa's Myths for Mondays

2010-09-27T08:00:00.001-05:00

Myth #6

Revision Is A Necessary Evil Because Your Word Processor Doesn’t Always Find All Your Mistakes.

I’m really hanging my head over this one. I remember with great chagrin thinking that the revision process was a matter of looking for any misplaced commas or misspelled words that my word processor didn’t catch.

What else was there? I was a true neophyte. I watched an interview that Diane Sawyer did with JK Rowling right before the 7th Harry Potter was due to hit the shelves. In it, Diane visited Joanne in her London hotel room while she wrote the last lines of The Deathly Hallows. Cameras peered over her shoulder as she typed the final words. Then she printed it out, bundled it up, and off to the printer it went. Isn’t that how it’s supposed to work? Surely she didn’t have to revise anything, right?

Since then, I’ve learned a lot about the revision process and all the work that goes into it. It took me less than three months to write my last novel, and six months to revise it. True, I’m not the fastest reviser in the world. I have trouble looking for multiple things. If I’m focus on POV, I’m lible to miss repitition. If I’m looking for show vs tell, I’m likely to miss characterizations. I know that most people can concentrate on multiple issues at once, but not me. Oh well.

What is your revision process like? How many times do you usually revise a manuscript before you consider it “finished”.

The Quintessentially Questionable Query Experiment

2010-09-24T14:43:00.000-05:00

Matt has kindly featured my query for Zombie Rabbit on his blog:http://theqqqe.blogspot.com/

Matt's blog is really great. It focuses a lot on the madness that is the query process. So if your in the thick of that, you should check it out. If you're not there yet, check it out to get prepared for the future fun. If you've been there, done that, check it out to rejoice or commisserate with others who've been in your shoes.

He also has some other fun features such as his 12 step program for blog-aholics.

Fonetic Fridays: Word of the Day

2010-09-24T08:00:00.002-05:00

Hey, you know those cool words they make you type when you comment on a blog, the ones that prevent spammers from commenting? If they were real words, what would they mean? See if you can come up with a definition and use it in a sentence.

Today’s word is: Snuncli:

HAVE FUN! AND HAPPY FRIDAY?

Snuncli: This is the latest accessory to wear with you snuggy. It goes over your head, and flows down your back, sort of like a nuns wimple. That way, every inch of your body can be covered by micro-fleece.

“The amazing new Snuncli comes in dozens of fashion colors to match your Snuggy. If you order in the next 20 minutes, we’ll throw in an additional Snuncli FREE.”

Check Out the Great Contest

2010-09-23T19:14:00.000-05:00

Checkout the awesome 250 follower contest of Justine Dell's site. Justine's blog is great, she always has funny and informative posts for writers.

http://justine-dell.blogspot.com/2010/09/jds-250th-follower-contest-come-enter.html

What Would Your Character Say/Do Wednesday

2010-09-22T08:00:00.001-05:00

I'm It

2010-09-21T07:00:00.003-05:00

That title sounds like a bit conceited, What I mean to say is that I've been tagged, to give answers to eight questions. Thanks so much for the tag.

see http://greyplaces.blogspot.com/2010/09/eight-questions.html

So here are all the hot goods on yours truly.

If you could have any superpower, what would you have? Why?

I had to look to see what my options were. Who knew there were so many super powers. Trouble was, the one I wanted wasn’t’ listed. I’d like the ability to talk to animals. To really know what’s going on in their heads. I’m calling that a super power even if it’s not on the list.

Who is your style icon?

My sister. She picks out all my clothes.

What is your favorite quote?

If man could be crossed with the cat, it would improve man but deteriorate the cat.- Mark Twain.

Yeah, sorry guys.

What is the best compliment you’ve ever received?

I’m sure I’ve been given compliments but I’m modest.

What playlist/cd is in your CD player/iPod right now?

I know this is going to sound totally nerdy, but ever since

America

’s Got Talent, I’ve been obsessed with Opera. I even got a great story idea from Turondot. I’m very excited. I’ve been listening to Opera Arias for days now.

Are you a night owl or a morning person?

In my heart I’m a night owl, but I have to be at work at 7:00am. I have to admit that it’s great to be done with my work day early.

7. Do you prefer dogs or cats?

I love all animals, but I’ve never really had the time or space for a dog. I love my cats, and can’t imagine life without at least one cat. Of course I love my mice too.

8. What is the meaning behind your blog name.

Pretty simple, it’s just my journey toward getting published.

So now I tag three more people to give us their answers to the eight questions: http://sarahblackstock.blogspot.com/
http://suzimcgowen.blogspot.com/
http://lyndaryoung.blogspot.com/

Melissa's Myths for Mondays

2010-09-20T08:00:00.000-05:00

Myth #5

Once You Have a Good Book on Craft, Stick With It
To go along with all books being created equal, I also thought that one book would serve all my needs forever.

In fact, things change so rapidly in this industry, (not to mention the world in general), that even books written five or ten years ago can seem hopelessly out of date. Especially when it comes to dynamic things like getting an agent, or trends in publishing. Not that books written several years ago can’t have value, it’s just important to make sure you understand the context and relevance of the publication. It’s important to keep reading new things every year. If updates or 2nd additions to your favorites come out, to see what’s been added that might be significant for your current WIP.

How many books on craft do you read every year. If a book has a sequel or 2nd addition would you invest time reading it?

Fonetic Friday: Word of the Day

2010-09-17T08:00:00.001-05:00

What Would Your Character Say/Do Wednesday

2010-09-15T08:00:00.002-05:00

Melissa's Myths for Mondays

2010-09-13T08:00:00.001-05:00

Myth #4

All Books About Writing Are Created Equal.

My first thought was to find the quintessential book on writing, and make that my bible. Surely if I chose the “best book” on writing, I could use that as my life long guide.

Not all books on writing are created equal. Writers who write about writing have to find a hook, just like the rest of us. There are some fundamentals that every book on craft will explore, Show Vs Tell, POV, Voice, etc… It’s the added information that makes reading a variety of books valuable. It’s those precious nuggets of fresh information that can add a layer to your story that will set it apart from the crowd.

What books on craft have you found that have an unusual slant, or different approach?

I Need Help From My Brilliant Blogging Friends

2010-09-11T11:02:00.000-05:00

Help!

I entered a contest on Adventures in Children's Publishing: http://childrenspublishing.blogspot.com/.

The contest is to 1) write a synopsis, that will become part of the query and 2) write a one sentence pitch. These are reiewed by debut authors who provide feedback, and other followers who also provide feedback.
Ultimately the two pieces will be put together into what becomes your query. There are prizes, etc.. But what I'm really interested in is getting a really good solid query and log-line.

It's a great contest, the only problem is that once you get the feedback, you can make changes and additions, but rarely will people come back and critique those. Understandable, most people don't have time to visit the same posts over and over.

So now I need feedback on my changes. My query synopsis was a complete disaster at first. I wasn't clear on what they were looking for, so I submitted something that seemed more like a synopsis, but anyway, you can see what I did here. EM Kokie is the expert. I added my normal query which is what I really need help with. http://childrenspublishing.blogspot.com/2010/08/pitch-entry-5-melissa-gill.html

My log-line was a little better, but I used the x meets y format. I was very deliberate in the choices I made, Watership Down meets Zombieland. I chose Watership Down, because my story is about the journey of a rabbit who faces dangers and challenges as he grows into an inspiring leader. Unlike Watership Down, my story is humorous. So I chose Zombieland because that's a funny movie, with a lot of physical comedy which equals my book.

The problems with these choices are, Watership Down may not be considered a children's book??? I find this hard to believe because it was one of my favorite books as a child, but then I enjoy it just as much today so maybe I'm wrong. But really in spite of the difference in humor (and Richard Adams writing skills) I really think Watership Down is a solid choice.

As for Zombieland, of course this is a movie, not a book, and it's definately for adults, but again it has the physical comedy, inspired by zombies.

Another book I thought of was Bunnicula, because many people have made that comparison. So I might go with Watershipdown meets Bunnicula.

This is where all my wonderful bloggin friends come in. Here's a link to my log-line. http://childrenspublishing.blogspot.com/2010/09/pitch-entry-5-melissa-gill.html

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Melissa

Fonetic Friday: Word of the Day

2010-09-10T08:00:00.001-05:00

Hey, you know those cool words they make you type when you comment on a blog, the ones that prevent spammers from commenting? If they were real words, what would they mean? See if you can come up with a definition and use it in a sentence.

Today’s word is:Hyptati

HAVE FUN! AND HAPPY FRIDAY?

My definition is: A slang term, familiarized by the residents of the remote island, Beerabonga, to describe the reaction to the local fire water.

That gelloshota (their term for tourist) is so hyptati he can’t get his big white hairy behind off the beach.

What Would Your Character Say/Do Wednesday

2010-09-08T08:00:00.001-05:00

Melissa's Myths for Mondays

2010-09-06T08:00:00.005-05:00

Myth # 3

Reading Books About Writing Will Kill Your Creativity

To go along with the notion that real writers don’t need to read books about writing, I was convinced that they would squash my creativity. I’d be filled up with other peoples ideas about how to write, and I’d lose my own way. If I read “On Writing” by Steven King, I’d wind up sounding like a “copy” of him. (Yeah righ, I wish).

Another ridiculous notion that was quickly proved false when I started reading books on craft. What I discovered as I learned more about the craft of writing was a whole new level of creativity.

What new tools have you discovered about craft that have enhanced your creativity?

Fonetic Friday: Word of the Day

2010-09-03T08:00:00.002-05:00

Three Things Thursday

2010-09-02T12:18:00.000-05:00

http://iamalivephotos.blogspot.com/2010/09/three-things-thursday.html

Amie at I am Alive wants to know How I Sleep for Three Things Thursday. This is a sore subject for me, because my bed is made of solid granite with railroad spikes protruding from it. Therefore it's very difficult to get comfortable, and a good night's sleep is out of the question.

1) How do I sleep. Answer: However Mitchell Lafayette (see 25lb cat) will let me. I usually start out on my stomach and ML jumps on the backs of my legs and wedges his fat goo gut between my knees. I'm pinned to the bed-of-nails like a bug. When I inevitably have to turn over, he dumps off and winds up in the very middle of my bed. Then I spend the rest of the night trying to work my way around him.

2) I have no idea what I might say at night, because Mitchell never tells me anything. I do wake up frequently to the sound of him snoring, or my mice fighting with each other. Luckily, I've never woken up to Mitchell fighting with the mice, that would be bad.

3) Somehow, despite my discomfort, I do manage to dream. I don't have a lot of nightmares, but I often visit the same places night after night. I've used some of these dreamscapes as settings in my writing.

2010-09-02T09:20:00.000-05:00

I was overjoyed to win two very special awards from Tessa Quinn who is not only an awesome blog buddy, but a great writer, and a native of Iceland. http://tessyquin.blogspot.com/

The Rules for The Versatile Blogger Award:

1)Thank and link back to the person that gave you the award.
2)Share seven things about yourself.
3)Pass the award to fifteen bloggers that you think deserve it.
4)Lastly, contact all of the bloggers that you’ve picked for the award.

One Lovely Blog Award Rules:
1)Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award and his or her blog link.
2)Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you’ve newly discovered.
3)Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

Seven Things About Myself:
1) I live in the great state of Kansas, outside of Kansas City, MO. It's almost as cool as living in Iceland, but not quite. (Especially when it's 100 degrees with 100 percent humidity.)
2) I'm very sarcastic. (Maybe you already picked up on that though.)
3) I am a docent at the KC Zoo. I volunteer as part of the Education Department to educate zoo guests about the animals that we are privileged to care for.
4) I have two cats (Margaret and Mitchell) and two mice (Laura and Louisa). I name all of my pets after my favorite authors. (I had to give Mitchell a middle name because his behavior is so bad, I needed two names to really yell at him in an impactful way. His middle name is Lafayette after my Grandfather.)
5) I have three nieces and one nephew. I see them every weekend, and love them like crazy.
6) I knit for fun and relaxation, and every year I attempt to make 50 pairs of slippers which I donate to my church. The slippers are given to nursing home patients as Christmas gifts.
7) I sponsor two sisters in Uganda whose parents died of AIDS. They are like daughters to me, and I hope to go to Uganda sometime in the next year to visit them.
Here are the people I'm passing the awards on to:
http://iamalivephotos.blogspot.com/
http://www.mbwcreates.com/
http://rosetranspose.blogspot.com/
http://sarahblackstock.blogspot.com/
http://jodyhedlund.blogspot.com/
http://lyndaryoung.blogspot.com/
http://greyplaces.blogspot.com/
http://kzupancic.blogspot.com/
http://hemingwayheroine.blogspot.com/
http://claudiadelbalso.blogspot.com/
http://cazwilliams.blogspot.com/
http://lunathetypewriter.blogspot.com/
http://louderthannoise.blogspot.com/
http://mywritingandresearchnotebook.blogspot.com/
http://thebookshelfmuse.blogspot.com/

You have probably all figured out how "technology challenged" I am, so I hope this works out they way I wanted it to. Anyway, Thanks again Tessa, and Thanks to all the wonderful bloggers out there who make everyday a new creative experience.

Melissa

What Would Your Character Say/Do Wednesday:

2010-09-01T08:00:00.002-05:00

Melissa's Myths for Mondays

2010-08-30T08:00:00.001-05:00

Myth # 2

Real Writers Don’t Need to Read Books About Writing

When I want to learn to do something, the first thing I always do is grab a book. I wanted to learn to knit, I grabbed a book, easy peasy. I wanted to learn about orangutans, I picked up a book. But because I believed that writing was a God given talent, I echewed books about writing. Why on earth would someone read about writing. Surely you can’t “learn to write” from reading a book. If I’m a writer I can write, and I don’t need no stinkin’ book. If I have to resort to a book to become a writer, then I’d failed.

Well clearly that was rediculous. Sure I could write a book, nothing to it. But to become a better writer, I needed to read a lot of books on craft. And I’m still reading them, and re-reading them.

Do you have any favorite books on the craft of writing?