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Just a quick reminder that I am blogging reviews from the 2015 Diversity Reading Challenge. Today’s picture book falls into category #2. I am sure to post more in this category as the year progresses. Title: The King Cake Baby Written … Continue reading →

As many of you know Mardi Gras is normally a few weeks long in New Orleans, and that's all cool and stuff, but normally when Mardi Gras time comes my family and I leave.  It's not that I don't like Mardi Gras, but once you've seen it 20x's or more it does get old...

However, riding in Mardi Gras is something totally different. This year my hubby got to ride in Endymion (which is one of the best parade's to ride in), and he had a blast. I didn't get to see him until the end of the night once his float made into the superdome where the parade ends and the concert and ball begins...

This year the Grand Marshal was Ian Somerhalder! Woot! (He was too far away for me to get a good look at him, but I can at least say I was in the same room with him. LOL (Check out this link to see tons of pictures of Ian from The Vampire Diaries and also Norman from The Walking Dead.)

Here are a few pics of me and some friends (and the hubby), a few before and during the Endymion Ball.

To some it up: If you haven't done Mardi Gras in New Orleans you are missing out! If you live here and you are tired of it - then ride instead. Happy Mardi Gras!

Mardi Gras rabble rousers. (Picture courtesy ElephantJournal.com.)

Lent is the approximately forty day period between Ash Wednesday and Easter. Lent is honored every year in New Orleans, via Mardi Gras season. The intention of Mardi Gras: get as drunk and fat as possible before Ash Wednesday, because then begins the Lenten fast. The idea for Catholics (and many modern Christians) is that Lent is a time of preparation through prayer, repentance, tithing, and self-denial.

During Lent, many of the faithful commit to fasting or giving up certain types of luxuries as a form of penitence in memory of the forty days of fasting Jesus undertook in the New Testament Gospels. In the old days, Lent was serious business and mostly related to food. In some places, all animal products were strictly forbidden. In other places, people wouldn’t eat for days.

We do these crazy things because Easter (contrary to what the media would have you believe) is our big holiday, NOT Christmas. Easter marks the resurrection of Christ—you know, the thing the entire Christian faith is based on. Kind of a big deal. In order to prepare for such a big deal, people like to cleanse themselves and deny themselves something, as God denied Himself His only son.

Our modern version of Lent is somewhat watered down. People nowadays give up things like soda, video games, TV, or sweets (as in the case of my mother and husband this year). Rarely do people get rid of all animal products, and no one I know is planning to carry a cross up Jerusalem’s Mount of Olives.

Because two beers were necessary at once.

I have several idols: books, sleep, reduced fat Cheez-its … but alcohol is one of my favorites. There’s something about Happy Hour that makes me happy. Something about good wine and good bourbon that makes me laugh a little louder and feel a little better. After a long day, it’s nice to know a cold beer is waiting for me—somewhere. Which is why I’m giving up alcohol for Lent.

See, I’m not the cleanest Christian. I drink. I love to cuss, and violent horror movies are my favorites. I don’t go to church enough. I don’t “serve” like I should. I hate volunteering, and the thought of going on a mission trip to a third world country gives me the creeps. However, like all of us, I am a work in progress, and despite my badness, God still loves me. I probably give him a good laugh on my really bad days. We have a tight relationship, filled with laughter, praises, and the occasional righteous shouting match. I feel it is time for me to give something back, and what better than one of my most infamous idols: alcohol?

This could be a rough month with school, work, a new novel, and now, a two-month-old puppy. There will be no breaks for a drink at five. There will be no “drinking lunches.” I will have to find other ways to unwind, like riding my super cool beach cruiser, going to the dog park, and well, reading a TON of books just to keep my hands away from the liquor cabinet at 5:30 PM.

This is my first Lenten fast. I’m prepared to grow closer to God. I’m prepared to give a little back, since He did give me life, after all. He gave me a wonderful family, a wonderful husband, and the perfect job. I owe Him just a little bit, so here you go, Lord. Take my idol. Let the Lenten fast begin!

And before you even ask, no, I’m not pregnant.

So what is Mardi Gras all about?  When will Mardi Gras be next year and the year after that?
What is with the King Cakes and the baby inside of them?
Well, I'm not going to tell you all about it, instead I'm going to be lazy and let you follow this link and dive right into all the wonderful information already posted at this other website.

I love Mardi Gras, however, I stick with 1 or 2 parades a year (maybe that many), and never on Mardi Gras day. Too many people for my taste. I hate huge crowds with not enough restrooms. Yuck.

The first Mardi Gras I remember was when I was around 3 yrs. old, and my parents took me, my brother and sister. (My lil brother wasn't around yet.) I think we were in Grenta on Fourth Street. And all of a sudden I recall these beautiful horses. They were huge! I was standing in front of my mom, aching to get closer to them. Well my Mom was waving to the men on the horses to try and get them to throw beads to us, but instead of throwing them the man on the horse decided to get a closer look at my Mom.

The next thing I recall was my foot hurting real bad. And then my Mom arguing with the man on the horse who happened to be a policeman. Oy. From what I heard, he got an ear full. Luckily, she wasn't arrested. :-)  Ahh, the good ole' days of Mardi Gras. Now all I have to worry about is the kiddo's being flashed. I stay clear of the horses...even though I love them still today...

Oh yeah, you want the link: Mardi Gras New Orleans .

Writers use forums and listings nearly every day for one purpose or another. There are community forums for those in the arts, those unique to writers and critiquing, editing and polishing, and discussions on every aspect of the writing business. Listings come in almost as many flavors and scopes as forums.

Freelancers make the rounds of both communication forms to stay tuned, toned, and in demand. Today I made forays into two separate freelance jobs listings; one within a LinkedIn group of which I’m a member, and another on Elance. I was successful in finding enticing possible job contracts.

If you’ve been around this blog often, you know that I have large projects lined up for the next several months. After the previous paragraph you’re going to ask me why I would be looking for another job of any kind. That’s fair.

I could have my eye on a lovely little boat to use during the summer on our gorgeous Flathead Lake. Or, I could want to travel in Europe next year and want to have plenty in savings to play. Then again, I could simply want a better financial cushion than I have now.

Working on only one large spec project can easily keep me occupied. Having half a dozen doesn’t give me much time to spare, though I still find time for a bit of social networking. Adding a job to the mix right now would be mental suicide, I agree.

Keeping abreast of the market, opportunities, and competition within the freelance writing world, however, is necessary. A plum could present itself at just the right moment to pave the way for bigger success and greater financial security and without stopping by such job sites on a regular basis, the writer can lose out.

Call this activity checking the pulse of the industry. Writers are entrepreneurs. They need to know what’s happening. The market can shift quietly and sneakily as smoke, leaving a writer out of the loop and as adrift as sulfur vapor puffs from a starter’s pistol.

Who could have anticipated the fiction industry shift when Stephanie Meyer’s first Twilight book, or Rowling’s Harry Potter? Those two series set the tone for a major change in the MG and YA children’s book market. Hindsight tells us that vampires come into the light every few decades, their popularity undiminished with time.

Magic and all that it entails has been around since ancient Greece. Fantasy series have been big genre business for decades. The primary component of fantasies is MAGIC. Rowling presented the concept in a slightly different manner and caught the brass ring.

Reading through job listings for writers indicates where the market is moving. Three quarters of what I found on Elance this morning were content writer contracts. The Internet is vacuuming up writers for information dis

BOOK OF THE DAY-February

No need to wait until the end of February for the complete list. Here it is–plan ahead! Click on the link above, and also follows us on Facebook at Litland Reviews http://facebook.com/Litlandreviews

Call it a coincidence that Letting Go is the theme at the Wild Lotus Yoga Studio in New Orleans. When I’m in town, I benefit from blissful moments at Wild Lotus, although yesterday’s class left me slightly crippled (what I get for taking a vacation from exercise as well). During the crazy carnival season, ‘letting go’ is an important reminder. Simple errands, such as making groceries (as they say in New Orleans), can be impossible if you lose a good parking spot or are in a hurry to see the next parade.

I began the carnival season with the intention of forgoing the idea of experiencing carnival in Panama. My sister used last year’s dates for carnival when she booked our airline tickets, an easy mistake if you don’t celebrate Mardi Gras or Easter regularly. I told her that I would be spending Mardi Gras in New Orleans with friends and family. She assured me that Carnival in Panama was different than Carnival in New Orleans or Brazil or the rest of the world celebrating the Catholic festival. The calendar mix-up ensured we had a more authentic experience and enjoyable trip to the Panama. She didn’t realize that Mardi Gras and Easter are dependant on the ever wavering cycles of the moon. The festivities last for weeks on end, before Fat Tuesday and the ensuing fast for lent. However, New Orleans will certainly break the lent fasting shortly after Mardi Gras for the St. Patrick’s Day parade next weekend. Mardi Gras falls on Tuesday, March 8. Mardi Gras can occur as early as February 3 and as late as March 9. This year leaves very little wiggle room for the lent respite of the St. Patick’s Day and St. Joseph Day celebrations.

As someone who has experienced Mardi Gras for seven years, since before Hurricane Katrina, I know that the city’s people population seems to double in size. Dining at a favorite restaurant like Jacques-imo’s can be a challenge, sometimes impossible the weekend before Mardi Gras day. This year HBO has decided to make things on my block a little more interesting. The Episode Manager left a flyer on my doorstep, “Filming Night Parade, Muses, in Your Area.” The all-female krewe has been a favorite parade for over a decade. Add HBO to the mix and I must be homebound and parade bound for the evening. Although the letter assured us the cable show’s “footprint” would be small, I let go of the idea of accomplishing anything other than parading that evening with the cast and crew of Treme, my neighbors, and all the tourists from the North Shore crowding for a chance to catch some girly throws and plastic beads made in China. I had high hopes of going to yoga today, but I let go of that idea as well.

Next week, Mardi Gras gives way to lent and the St. Patrick's Day parades. I will be driving back to California. On Sunday, March 13, I join the Hitched: Writing in Political Oppression Poetry Series at Beyond Baroque, along with Sholeh Wolpe, Alicia Partnoy, Ramon Garcia, and Bilal Shaw, hosted by Xochitl-Julissa Bermeo at 4pm, 681 Venice Blvd, Venice, CA 90291

Thanks to Elana Johnson for throwing this CRAZ-EE PAR-TEE with me!

After the hectic last few weeks preparing for the party, I've decided to not blog this week and focus on my new book. I also want to try and visit some of my new followers during my breaks and we all know how long that takes!

To all my lovely new followers: thank you and don't give up on me just b/c I'm out this week. I will be back on my regular blogging schedule next Monday.

To those who dont know, I give a 30 day money back guarantee. If I don't make you laugh at least three times, go "hmmmm" at least twice, and think "I feel the same way" at least once, you have my permission to UNFOLLOW me :)

Don't forget: Next Monday's Marvelous Marketers are Alyson Noel, Melissa Marr, and Kelley Armstrong talking about how they've been setting up their new group book tour that starts this summer.


Mardi Gras Update!

Wow last week was fun. Right? I think I still have a blog-over from the Marketing Mardi Gras. I met so many great people. Had some really great comments. And most of all, I got to giveaway a bunch of prizes that made people happy.

Al those books will go out by the end of this week (including the ones from the Fabulous 500 Follower Week.)

Now to the part you all have been waiting for....

Grand Prize Winner #1 (unagented). Wins 3 writing craft books and most importantly, a query/3 chapters critique from my agent, Alyssa Henkin at Trident Media Group is...




SHARI BIRD!



Grand prize Winner #2 - (Agented/published) - wins Guerrilla Marketing for Writers, a free two hour consultation with me on marketing, and design on one piece of collateral (bookmarker, business card ext). The winner is...



COREY SCHWARTZ (Thing 1 and Thing 2)!



Winners please email me with your address and for next steps at [email protected]! :)


Hope to see you all back here on Monday and congrads to the winners!!

See you next Monday!

(FYI - all drawings last week were done by assigning each entry a number or numbers for the Scavenger Hunt. They were assigned as the entries came in and I used a random number generator to choose.)

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Mardi Gras Updates

Thanks to everyone who participated and took time to follow my blog and comment. I hope you got alot out of the posts.

The winner for the last Daily Prize Random Drawing is...


Beth Revis! (Go follow her blog, it is a great one!)


Congrads Beth! You win a stack of books: ttly by Lauren Myracle (PB), Princess in Training by Meg Cabot (HB), and The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron (HB).

Congrads and please email me your address!


Fabulous Follower prize

The winner of the Random Drawing from all my Followers is....

Susan Fields

Congratulations! You win a query critique with Jennifer Laughren at Andrea Brown Literary Agency!!! You also win 2 books by the bestselling author Aimee Friedman - French Kiss (PB) and a signed Hardback of Sea Change!

Susan, send me your email and I will hook you up with Jennifer! I will also need your address for the books. Thank you for Following me! :)


Scavenger Hunt for Grand Prize Drawing

Last chance to win a query/critique and free marketing.

Question of the week: What is my main piece of advice for this week? (Hint: Be sure to write down all 4 clues from the posts on Monday - Thursday.)

To enter, you MUST fill in the form below. NOTE: Only those who completely fill in the form will be entered into the Grand prize Drawing - one for Agented Authors and one for Unagented Authors.

Grand prize 1 - (Unagented includes) A query/3 chapter critique with my agent Alyssa Henkin at Trident Media Group. In addition a few books on writing craft.

Grand Prize 2 - (Agented/Published) - A 2 hour free marketing session with me, One free piece of marketing (Bookmarker/postcard/business card), and 45 Comments on Mardi Gras Friday- Enter the Scavenger Hunt for Grand Prizes, last added: 2/22/2010