tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69132233088357607832024-03-12T16:11:52.092-07:00Conda's Creative Center - Tips, Hints & SecretsA place about writing, editing and marketing for all creative people.Here's where there's recipes for success from a well published author, film editor and e-talent scout for Barbarian Books.Conda Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12972790965426924941noreply@blogger.comBlogger393125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913223308835760783.post-39774320097874658022018-03-09T16:56:00.000-08:002018-03-09T16:56:05.540-08:00Creative Being, a Bonus Taste of 5 Easy Ways to Kickstart Creativity class.<br />
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Following is a bonus post for a taste of my upcoming class <a href="https://www.boiselearns.org/wconnect/CourseStatus.awp?&course=18W-ART-017" target="_blank">5 EASY WAYS TO KICKSTART CREATIVITY,</a> which will be held Tuesday, March 13th, 2018. If you attend you'll discover 5 quick and easy ways to be creative. Hope to see you <a href="https://www.boiselearns.org/wconnect/CourseStatus.awp?&course=18W-ART-017" target="_blank">there</a>.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWUHHgl3vPlHAXf2rJ4yTiYQnvRlKU8_M5VHVRzPFvrv8zbuD8tccDTn4aluYNDvtx9eDY2fuleHECQilW60QF6uiJS-EEwIibu_YEzzWnUR0H_DKHG0R26W_az1FdCoxmU65R6sl5mbk/s1600/PUNT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWUHHgl3vPlHAXf2rJ4yTiYQnvRlKU8_M5VHVRzPFvrv8zbuD8tccDTn4aluYNDvtx9eDY2fuleHECQilW60QF6uiJS-EEwIibu_YEzzWnUR0H_DKHG0R26W_az1FdCoxmU65R6sl5mbk/s320/PUNT.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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A tumbler I made when I was rested and relaxed.</div>
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HOW TO BE A CREATIVE BEING INSTEAD OF A CREATIVE DOING</div>
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The title is a bit of a twist on
the saying, “Be a human being instead of a human doing.” A too-true and
too-common piece of advice. <o:p></o:p></div>
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It’s even truer with being
creative or a creative being. We creators tend to be perpetual doings. We work,
work, create, create, create—to the point of exhaustion. Then, too often,
completely deleted of inspiration, discipline and energy, we crash. Sometimes
that destroys our creating for way too long. Often when we’re on the brink of
collapsing the work we manage to do is awful, or at least not useful. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Why are we doings instead of
beings? It’s not just that our culture supports and encourages workaholics.
Many people take breaks and vacations and really <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">take </i>them. They lay on a beach instead of attending a workshop or
conference. So why?<o:p></o:p></div>
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One reason is that we can imagine
creating a ton of stuff, because being creative is being imaginative. And part
of that imagining is believing we can do it all quickly. And all of it all at
once. It’s possible!<o:p></o:p></div>
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It’s not.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Our time and energy are
limitless!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Nope. Our time and energy are
short and limited.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Another reason is that we <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">do</i> know that life and time <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">are</i> short, which means that our creation
time is short. The desire to do as much as possible is understandable. Adding
to the problem is we can imagine all sorts of creative things we ache to
accomplish. <o:p></o:p></div>
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We enjoy creating. We enjoy the
activity, the work. We enjoy doing a lot of it. So that’s what we do, to the
point that we’re so depleted we can begin to hate our creative work. Or at
least no longer feel the joy. Instead creating can become a guilt-fueled
obligation (“I said I was a writer and I have to flog myself to write more to
prove it!).<o:p></o:p></div>
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Perhaps the biggest reason to be
a Doing is fear. Fear of failure, fear of not being quite good enough, maybe
even fear of success (I’d better work hard now. When I’m successful, I’ll have
to work twice as hard and I’m already working as hard as I can!).<o:p></o:p></div>
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With these reasons, what are some
of the things we creative types can do to become a creative being?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Accept
that working is a habit.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Overworking is part cultural
(especially in the puritanical U.S.). Some of doing is habit. We’re not
supposed to “goof off,” that’s lazy and makes us a bad person. We’re not
supposed to “veg out” with a book, or watching TV, or playing on the internet,
or taking a nap, or worse, just sitting still. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Teach yourself to catch when you’re
working because that’s what you always do. Stop. Be. Exist. Breathe. Take a
break. Watch TV. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Make
a habit of taking breaks. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Accept that you’ve worked hard enough,
perhaps too hard, and take breaks. Work (heh, heh) to schedule breaks
throughout your hours. If possible, at your job take your lunch break as a
break. Do something fun for a few minutes. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Or do what I used to do when I worked
for a physically and mentally tiring job. I’d bring my lunch, eat it, and then
go out to my car for a 20 minute nap. It <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">worked</i>
great!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Forgive
yourself.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We’re all human. No matter how much we
want to work all the time, it’s not possible. So forgive yourself for those
times when you’re not effective and focused. Forgive yourself for those times
when you’re too tired to work—especially when it’s not for a reason you can
find. Sometimes we need a break for no reason.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->List
the benefits of breaks.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I know that for myself, when I take a
break or even a vacation from my work, I return invigorated and energized. I
work faster, with more focus. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Also, in the hour to hour scheme of
creating, I tend to make far fewer mistakes when I take breaks and relax and
rest. When I push past the time to quit for the day, that’s when I accidently
delete a day’s work from my laptop! Too tired.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Listen
to your body. <o:p></o:p></div>
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There’s nothing better than your body
for yelling at you when it’s time to take a break. Sore neck? Back ache? Or just
a general ick feeling? Time to relax a bit.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Listen
to your emotions.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Are you in a cranky, crabby mood? It
might be a strong signal that you’re overdoing. Or are you fuzzy, dull headed,
maybe disconnected from the world? Again, take a break. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->List
what you enjoy for a break.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This can be the hardest thing for us
Doings. We’re so unused to not working, or thinking about working, or feeling
guilty about not working, or being too tired and depleted from working that we
struggle to rest and relax. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Make a list of fun for you things. No
judgment! If it’s take a nap, sure. One of my favorites is lying in a hot bath
and reading. Another is watching TV. Of course, it can be more active than that—I
love walking my dog, or going for a swim (not with my dog, he hates water).<o:p></o:p></div>
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Try these seven ways and become a
Being not a Doing!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />Conda Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12972790965426924941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913223308835760783.post-54095039488648184232017-11-22T16:04:00.000-08:002017-11-22T16:04:35.522-08:00Gluten Free Dairy Free Pumpkin Bars for Thanksgiving!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg6HNXlZQTbzXR32vcPFmJhTuRmgq-_B_9bVTKg5iC3xTQTKmDdjCPii_YxJWUC90nPa_qlzQuZWts4582yMsHyX4RUhSh0rH6n5C_-hZoAuMdiCIE1VhvrWJz6lweqoZR8jUQ_XC1d0Y/s1600/mall-fairies+cookbook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1060" data-original-width="663" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg6HNXlZQTbzXR32vcPFmJhTuRmgq-_B_9bVTKg5iC3xTQTKmDdjCPii_YxJWUC90nPa_qlzQuZWts4582yMsHyX4RUhSh0rH6n5C_-hZoAuMdiCIE1VhvrWJz6lweqoZR8jUQ_XC1d0Y/s320/mall-fairies+cookbook.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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The Mall Fairies Sweet Tooth Cookbook will be launched during the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/533059527041444/permalink/541879429492787/" target="_blank">Cookies & Books Holiday Sale</a> at a special price, yum!</div>
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To celebrate and get your taste buds flowing, here's a recipe from the cookbook, modified to be gluten and dairy free. Can also be nut, soy and egg free. </div>
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<b>PUMPKIN BARS</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">NOTE: I
halved this recipe because it makes a lot and we were a few for Thanksgiving.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Ingredients:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">2 cups
flour: I use a mixture of 3-4 gluten free, high fiber and protein flours. These include oatmeal, garbanzo bean, coconut, sweet sorghum, and buckwheat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">2
teaspoons baking powder <b>and</b> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">2
teaspoons baking soda: Gluten free flours don't rise as well. Having both baking powder and baking soda helps.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">2
teaspoons cinnamon<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">½
teaspoon nutmeg <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">¼
teaspoon cloves (can be omitted, but why?)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">½
teaspoon ginger (also can be omitted, again, why?)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">1
teaspoon salt<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">1 scant teaspoon xanthum gum: This helps the flours stick together. May be omitted.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">2 tablespoons potato starch: This helps the flours stick together too. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">4 eggs OR egg substitute. If you use egg substitute, bars will be denser in texture.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">1 ⅔ cups
sugar (I use dark brown sugar, and a little less.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">1 cup
vegetable oil (I use canola)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">1
teaspoon vanilla<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">1 large
can (15oz) pureed pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Sift
dry ingredients and set aside. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In a
large bowl, combine eggs, sugar, oil, vanilla and pumpkin. Add the dry
ingredients, gradually. Mix well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Spread
batter in a greased <span style="letter-spacing: -.2pt;">13”x 9”x 2”</span> <span style="letter-spacing: .1pt;">baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for</span> 25<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;"> – </span>30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted
comes out clean. Cool completely.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Variations: <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Add
nuts, walnuts and pecans work well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Add
chocolate bits. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Add
both chocolate bits and nuts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Be careful not to make the batter too "full" as it will fall apart. I've done this.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Enjoy</span></div>
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Conda Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12972790965426924941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913223308835760783.post-1865786759062762072017-10-15T16:40:00.001-07:002017-10-15T16:40:22.442-07:00How to List Right<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://online.flipbuilder.com/BoiseSchools/bbbk/mobile/index.html#p=1" target="_blank">Boise Community Education</a> presents my class <a href="https://www.boiselearns.org/wconnect/CourseStatus.awp?&course=17F-ART-029" target="_blank">Creating Creativity</a>, a one hour class Tuesday October 17th at Timberline High School. Come and learn 5 easy, fast, and fun ways to kickstart your creativity. Sign up here: <a href="https://www.boiselearns.org/wconnect/CourseStatus.awp?&course=17F-ART-029" target="_blank">Creating Creativity</a>.<br />
<br />
Strange title, eh? No, I'm not talking about participating in some sort of strange walk competition. I'm talking about how creative people can use to-do lists as a useful tool to get creating.<br />
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Much of the time we creative folks fall into a few traps when making lists. This turns a tool for clearing your mind so it can focus on creating into a whip. A whip us creative types use for flogging ourselves, destroying our energy and creativity.<br />
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What are some things you can do to turn the whip of a list into a gentle prod, a discouraging thing into an encouraging one? How can you list right?<br />
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One: Make your lists before you start creating. This clears your mind.<br />
Two: Set a time limit on your list. For a day to day list, don't include a month's worth of stuff. Or a year's worth of stuff. Or a lifetime. At most, have a couple of weeks.<br />
Three: Recognize that everything takes longer than any of us would like. Remember that sometimes you have to sleep and eat and goof off . Work to expand the time it'll take to do the things on your list. For me, a rule of three times as long is often correct.<br />
Four: Leave off your goals for your creative work. Listing how many pages you want to write, or how much you want to practice your musical instrument, or...you get the idea, turns the creative work into a job.<br />
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NOTE: If all of the above makes you crazed, about to scream at your computer, wanting to write me a nasty review/comment/letter/FB post, then...ignore it all. Maybe you're not one of those people who can not make, much less use, a list. Or: try just writing list-type stuff down to get it away from nibbling on your focus. Write in a notebook or keep it even less formal: scraps of paper. In a pinch, on your hand.<br />
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Remember: a list is only a tool, don't use it to beat yourself up! Use it to increase your creativity!<br />
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<br />Conda Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12972790965426924941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913223308835760783.post-66692699861402127612017-08-16T07:05:00.002-07:002017-08-16T07:05:25.405-07:00A Pratfall to Avoid When Writing Short and a BOOK FREE through Friday!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEGd9sNamutamYREgan1HVTxyG_xWhDZImMdckYfEAXGS1LDrp8qL2Hn9w38zWdwhTpxpgRhjnz_a5a1DjckATytq9G3pRKMIoftdnF8F8R4fQBb7Y1Xk0v0kwgW2NUtOm6hEoCGCU11A/s1600/AUDIO+COVER+WriteShortToSucceed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEGd9sNamutamYREgan1HVTxyG_xWhDZImMdckYfEAXGS1LDrp8qL2Hn9w38zWdwhTpxpgRhjnz_a5a1DjckATytq9G3pRKMIoftdnF8F8R4fQBb7Y1Xk0v0kwgW2NUtOm6hEoCGCU11A/s320/AUDIO+COVER+WriteShortToSucceed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Write-Short-Succeed-Writing-Articles/dp/B073SBDPXL" target="_blank">Write Short to Succeed </a>Just Released in Audio! Read on for how to get a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Write-Short-Succeed-Writing-Articles-ebook/dp/B071X5SLV6/" target="_blank">FREE EBOOK</a><span id="goog_953145595"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_953145596"></span> or AUDIO BOOK copy!</div>
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Much of the reason for my success in writing short stories comes from my avid reading of short stories. Recently, I've noticed a disturbing and major flaw in many of the short stories I read. </div>
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They're too long. They're padded. This is bad for a novel and much worse for a short story. This happens most often in anthologies or collections from a number of authors.</div>
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I've wondered about why this might be occurring so often and come up with a possible explanation. In this era of eBooks, publishers of anthologies, whether they be traditional or authors in a collective, sometimes focus on word count of the individual stories to the detriment of the collection.<br />
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Now I've submitted and published in many anthologies over, um, a number of years. Since I'm now focused on several other writing projects, I don't submit as often as I used to. However, I still check anthology calls.<br />
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A number of them now have strict limits on words. No <i>less </i>than 3500 words is common. In romance, often the short stories must be longer, no less than say 5000 or 6000 words.<br />
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Why? I believe it may be because the publishers are attempting to have a large number of pages. Because of eBooks, readers expect a lot of reading for their money. In order for a publisher to be able to set a good price for an eBook, there have to be quite a few pages. Or so many of the publishers seem to think.<br />
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I may be wrong in this, if so please mention it in the comments! Whether I'm wrong or right, there's an easy solution: have your stories the length they're meant to be. Resist the urge to pad to be able to submit. Realize that a satisfactory read is far better than one that slogs. Remember that a well written story will sell.<br />
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Now: FREEBIES! Today through this Friday <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Write-Short-Succeed-Writing-Articles-ebook/dp/B071X5SLV6" target="_blank">Write Short to Succeed</a> </i>is <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Write-Short-Succeed-Writing-Articles-ebook/dp/B071X5SLV6" target="_blank">FREE</a> on Amazon!<br />
AND: If you comment and give me your email address I will send you a code for a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Write-Short-Succeed-Writing-Articles/dp/B073SBDPXL" target="_blank">FREE</a> download of the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Write-Short-Succeed-Writing-Articles/dp/B073SBDPXL" target="_blank"><i>Write Short to Succeed</i></a> from Audible. (Comments with addresses will not be published.)<br />
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ENJOY!<br />
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Conda Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12972790965426924941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913223308835760783.post-18555870892836741462017-06-20T17:37:00.002-07:002017-06-20T17:37:14.188-07:00How to Fail Perfectly and FREE EBOOK!Perfectionism is a sneaky, underhanded destroyer of creativity. A powerful energy suck.<br />
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Now, I can hear all you creative people out in Creative Land shouting: "I know all about the pitfalls of perfectionism! I've read the articles! I don't do that anymore. I'm perfect at not doing that anymore!"<br />
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Re-read my last exclamation. That's why I called perfectionism sneaky and underhanded. Even if we recognize how attempting to be perfect in any endeavor leads to frustration and failure, still we struggle. An example? I just rewrote the last sentence five times. In a first draft.<br />
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If you're an artist, do you find yourself starting a project over again before you finish? As a dancer do you find yourself practicing a step even after you know you're doing it "well enough" to move on? For a musician, do you get stuck on a piece?<br />
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And of course, for myself as an author, I rewrite and rewrite before I finish the draft.<br />
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Why? Why does this happen?<br />
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The simple answer: perfectionism sneaking in, that little monster.<br />
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For one simple reason: creative people want to be the best ever with their creations.<br />
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That's a good and powerful thing. That is to be commended. Celebrated. We work at our craft. We know we must try and try again to improve our craft.<br />
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Except. Except. Perfectionism rears its ugly, ugly head--as in, look, a cliche! In writers, it crawls in under the guise of the all-powerful editor. "That's an awkward sentence..," the editor whispers.<br />
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So, what to do?<br />
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One trick: recognize and gently, gently escort the critic out of your mind. Recognize that the impulse to perfectionism is only the impulse to improve--gone a little wild. Accept the gift of the impulse without giving in to it.<br />
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When you catch yourself in perfectionism mode, work to not beat yourself up about it. Instead see the steps above and exercises below.<br />
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Exercises:<br />
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1. Keep a list of what sets you off into perfectionism. Jot down when it happens. Are you tired? Are you trying to force the work? Is it a new work? An old one you haven't been able to finish? Don't try to change/fix/judge the list as in "I'll finish the old work or die trying!" Just observe.<br />
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2. When perfectionism is whispering or even shouting, answer it, gently, with reasons. "Yes, that is an awkward sentence. They happen. I'm not perfect." And then move on.<br />
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3. OR: shout at it, argue with it, be totally ridiculous with it. "I love my awkward sentences! They're perfect!"<br />
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3. If the perfectionism blocks you completely, it's okay to let it win, for that moment. Switch projects. Go play on another project. Take a total break and walk away.<br />
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Now for some FREEBIE fun! Through Thursday, June 22, 2017,<a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Mild-West-Mysteries-Murder-Mayhem-ebook/dp/B016SDH1KE" target="_blank"> Mild West Mysteries: 13 Idaho Tales of Murder and Mayhem</a> is FREE! Enjoy!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Te_S8ly6OqhusSCOPV_jCwZG5TJTudYBBNvGJppgrMRQ81IrOqqXrmKN5lTWXKygNJnjWUw5Gxkud6tScYc-CDj0uk5ddf1oUqTl6qFfuEFbzQn8K3PaIKL_37YasdWO7XxgdXcruh4/s1600/Mild+West_900x1200+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Te_S8ly6OqhusSCOPV_jCwZG5TJTudYBBNvGJppgrMRQ81IrOqqXrmKN5lTWXKygNJnjWUw5Gxkud6tScYc-CDj0uk5ddf1oUqTl6qFfuEFbzQn8K3PaIKL_37YasdWO7XxgdXcruh4/s320/Mild+West_900x1200+%25282%2529.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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FREE now in <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Mild-West-Mysteries-Murder-Mayhem-ebook/dp/B016SDH1KE" target="_blank">eBook</a>! Go here:<a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Mild-West-Mysteries-Murder-Mayhem-ebook/dp/B016SDH1KE" target="_blank"> Mild West Mysteries</a>. </div>
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<br />Conda Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12972790965426924941noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913223308835760783.post-64314184706762532552017-05-20T12:30:00.001-07:002017-05-20T12:30:35.097-07:00Create More, Succeed, Make Money Being Creative with NO Blame!<div style="text-align: center;">
FOR GAIN, NO BLAME</div>
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This post is about a problem that has been bugging me for, well, forever. In this world of social media, it appears to be growing every day, a monstrous cancer destroying creativity.</div>
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Okay, maybe not that bad. Except...when we blame ourselves, it destroys our creativity. </div>
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I'm not talking about refusing to take responsibility for our own personal stumbles as in "I drank too much today to create." Also, there are tons of helpful advice available I'm talking about the insidious, continual "blame game" that some "experts" use to sell their books, podcasts, seminars, classes online and off, even life coaching.</div>
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The blame game goes like this (for writing, I'm sure it's similar for other types of creativity):</div>
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Your published writing isn't selling? Then you must be blamed because:</div>
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Your cover isn't good enough. (Buy this and we'll show you how to have a great cover!)</div>
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Your content isn't good enough. (Let us show you how, buy this!)</div>
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Your social media marketing isn't good enough. (buy...) </div>
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To be more specific:</div>
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You don't have a good enough website. (On sale now! How to have a great website!)</div>
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You don't have a good enough email list. (Buy now! Learn how to have a great email list!)</div>
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You don't have a platform. (Pay here!)</div>
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You don't have a brand.</div>
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You're not tweeting enough.</div>
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You're not posting enough on Facebook.</div>
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You're not doing enough ads on social-media-site.</div>
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You're not posting enough and/or posting correctly on your website.</div>
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And one more example: You're not posting on your blog enough!</div>
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Or even the dreaded shoulds:</div>
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You <i>should</i> be only traditionally published.</div>
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You <i>should</i> be only self-published.</div>
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You <i>should</i> be a hybrid author.</div>
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Then there's the more insidious blaming:</div>
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You have to do the newest online-whatever right now to sell, whatever it is.</div>
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You have to spend a certain amount of time every day selling.</div>
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You have to not spend too much time selling. Instead spend your time creating more and more, as quickly as possible. Make sure your creations are fabulous. </div>
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You have to be exactly like the successful people that are used as examples. </div>
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Can you feel your will to create evaporating? Depression setting in? Blaming sucks the life energy out of our creativity. </div>
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Add to all of this one DIRTY ENORMOUS SECRET:</div>
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Most creative people are not successful at selling their creations. </div>
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Most books don't sell. Most actors don't have a big career. Most artists never sell their paintings/sculptures/art. Most bands never make it big. It doesn't matter if you're a jewelry designer or a singer or a clay-embedded-fingernails potter, chances are you won't "make it big and make tons of money." </div>
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Does this mean never take a class or read a book about selling your work? No, of course not! Many books, videos, podcasts, classes, etc. are very useful for tips and ways to sell. Ideas that may save you time and money. My only caveat: avoid blame! Realize and remember that you are doing the work. If you're not...give yourself a break. You're only human. </div>
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Make your creative life a no-blame zone and discover energy, time and inspiration!</div>
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Conda Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12972790965426924941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913223308835760783.post-25271283439682664452017-01-06T10:32:00.000-08:002017-01-06T10:32:26.714-08:00Mild West Mysteries on SALE 3 days only! .99! Audio out too! And a GF, dairy free, egg free easy recipe!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzKJOMzpyOB2cS48re8MPOEnFY5gUDyumvQmlRWqb8gv-_60LhGZFa8u_HaeyeJn-tYyUBQJkiKWLMxaGmYQkugR5SkPHoRFVr0-I9plfokc2gh_fAHFUopJSyjjL0iLFNIMZdmfwybEU/s1600/MildWestMysteries.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzKJOMzpyOB2cS48re8MPOEnFY5gUDyumvQmlRWqb8gv-_60LhGZFa8u_HaeyeJn-tYyUBQJkiKWLMxaGmYQkugR5SkPHoRFVr0-I9plfokc2gh_fAHFUopJSyjjL0iLFNIMZdmfwybEU/s320/MildWestMysteries.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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In honor of the release of the audio book version of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mild-West-Mysteries-Murder-Mayhem/dp/B01N1X81UY/" target="_blank"><i>Mild West Mysteries</i></a>, the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mild-West-Mysteries-Murder-Mayhem-ebook/dp/B016SDH1KE/" target="_blank"><i>eBook version</i></a> is on sale, only .99, through January 8th!</div>
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Woot! Now <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mild-West-Mysteries-Murder-Mayhem-ebook/dp/B016SDH1KE/" target="_blank"><i>Mild West Mysteries</i></a> is out in all formats! Enjoy!</div>
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And here are some cookies to munch on while you read/listen to <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mild-West-Mysteries-Murder-Mayhem/dp/B01N1X81UY/" target="_blank"><i>Mild West Mysterie</i>s</a>. These are gluten, dairy and egg free!</div>
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EASY QUICK CAKE COOKIES (mildly sweet and nutty)</div>
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Ingredients:</div>
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1 cup cashew, almond or peanut butter</div>
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1 cup sugar</div>
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1/3 cup oatmeal flour + 1/2 cup oatmeal flour</div>
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1/4 cup potato starch</div>
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3 teaspoons Xanthum gum</div>
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1 tablespoon vanilla</div>
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2 tablespoons Vegan Egg in 1/3 cup cold water</div>
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Nutmeg and/or cinnamon to sprinkle on top</div>
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Directions: </div>
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Place rack in center of oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix flour, potato starch, sugar and Xanthum gum together. Add liquids and stir well. Dough will be stiff. Roll into balls and press on cookie sheet until 1 to 1/2 inch depth. Sprinkle with nutmeg and/or cinnamon. Bake 15 to 20 minutes depending on thickness of cookies (thinner cookies will be crunchier, thicker more cake like). Flip cookies half way through baking. Cookies should be lightly brown both sides.</div>
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Again, enjoy! And pick up your on sale copy of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mild-West-Mysteries-Murder-Mayhem-ebook/dp/B016SDH1KE/" target="_blank"><i>Mild West Mysteries</i>,</a> just .99 through January 8th.</div>
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Conda Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12972790965426924941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913223308835760783.post-88841933584688391542016-12-23T14:05:00.001-08:002016-12-23T14:05:26.193-08:00Sweet Hints for How to Bake GF, egg and diary free and a dessert cookbook to try the hints on!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4PDWoeVlw2vrbYEAkMX2Ukg7cL66zFC9hQhcUBMKjfIDSaIhh7N5LLEqFQ94RSaV8yfuDrM-5YXmIIpIJoKVZGm0Um8vsuCD2CrbNfjjPM9U484CioH2jwQkQZoUdH9RFcNYjVZgnA6A/s1600/mall-fairies+cookbook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4PDWoeVlw2vrbYEAkMX2Ukg7cL66zFC9hQhcUBMKjfIDSaIhh7N5LLEqFQ94RSaV8yfuDrM-5YXmIIpIJoKVZGm0Um8vsuCD2CrbNfjjPM9U484CioH2jwQkQZoUdH9RFcNYjVZgnA6A/s320/mall-fairies+cookbook.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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For only .99 you'll get <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mall-Fairies-Sweet-Tooth-Cookbook-ebook/dp/B00BF6KQF2/" target="_blank">The Mall Fairies Sweet Tooth Cookbook</a>, full of fun fairy tales and delicious dessert recipes!</div>
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Like many other people, I've developed a few food sensitivities over the years. Not full blown allergies, still I feel better when I avoid eggs, gluten and dairy. This turned out to be quite a challenge to make baked goods. At least until I began to use these tips! </div>
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Do these tips make baked goods identical to those made with traditional ingredients? No. It does make edible and delicious baked goods. But a different consistency, usually a bit denser and more moist than regular baked goods. If you use real eggs, that will help with a fluffier consistency. However, I've gotten used to and now prefer the gluten free, egg free and dairy free.<br />
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Tips:<br />
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Use high protein, high fiber flours. Oatmeal, garbanzo bean or other bean, sweet sorghum and teff are a few examples. Rice and coconut can be used, but these are drier flours with little fiber, so can make the baked goods tough or crumbly and very dry if used alone.<br />
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Use more than one flour for a recipe, preferably at least three. I always use four different flours.<br />
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Double the amount of baking powder or baking soda used in the recipe.<br />
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Always use both baking powder and baking soda in every recipe. Double the amounts as above.<br />
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Add a tablespoon or two of <i>potato starch</i> to the flour mix.<br />
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Add 1 and 1/2 to two times the amount of liquid to the flour mix. If the result is a sweet, use "liquid" that has a lot of fiber. I often use applesauce or liquefied bananas instead of a milk substitute. I even use applesauce when making cornbread and then don't add sugar.<br />
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Always add a generous amount of oil to the flour mix. I usually add a scant 1/4 cup of canola oil or melted coconut oil. Olive oil has too strong of a taste for most things.<br />
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For egg replacement I use EnerG Egg Replacer or VeganEgg, sometimes both! Both need to be dissolved in liquid. EnerG I dissolve in the applesauce. VeganEgg I use less water for baking, as they suggest.<br />
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Let the mix set for five minutes.<br />
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Finally, bake for longer in a lower temperature oven. I bake most recipes 15 to 20 minutes at 325 to 350 degrees.<br />
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Now give these tips a try and tell me what happens!<br />
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Conda Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12972790965426924941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913223308835760783.post-71570231914108909352016-12-15T17:29:00.001-08:002016-12-15T17:29:38.277-08:00Christmas Romance Audio Novella Giveaway! Free! While supplies last! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPfgo-BKSW2QICDxgIBMdZ9PpRScFcHPqUC_CHO9LjM2-eXSg5vZh3aorUGuPttSGQBhrGZ25ty6tPUMxCxGMKNR2h3DN1KiQIjyObLICSSJ-MtVOM7nnXBRYFbTLivU6gKn5jHjW9oS8/s1600/Xmas+tree+CU.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPfgo-BKSW2QICDxgIBMdZ9PpRScFcHPqUC_CHO9LjM2-eXSg5vZh3aorUGuPttSGQBhrGZ25ty6tPUMxCxGMKNR2h3DN1KiQIjyObLICSSJ-MtVOM7nnXBRYFbTLivU6gKn5jHjW9oS8/s320/Xmas+tree+CU.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Some of this year's Christmas Decorations</div>
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To get you off in a festive mood, here's a gift to get you into the holiday spirit. While supplies last you can have a code for an audio book download of <a href="http://www.audible.com/pd/Romance/A-Crispy-Rice-Christmas-Audiobook/B00HDYP2A4" target="_blank">A Crispy Rice Christmas</a> FREE.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVQ8ZU4sv0K__0i8pFzKuOVrBHLcD21VM_OlKMx43KaDUEt3Q7BA63OAgwaKWq4-kDMkTscX37DZ_pQa8GhwMb9COSX0DKCoHn1WJjPrzomSfvFfciDzV0lPKA6JPbFwtuzrACvDzYMgY/s1600/A+Crispy+Rice+Christmas+Audio+Book+by+Conda+V+Douglas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVQ8ZU4sv0K__0i8pFzKuOVrBHLcD21VM_OlKMx43KaDUEt3Q7BA63OAgwaKWq4-kDMkTscX37DZ_pQa8GhwMb9COSX0DKCoHn1WJjPrzomSfvFfciDzV0lPKA6JPbFwtuzrACvDzYMgY/s320/A+Crispy+Rice+Christmas+Audio+Book+by+Conda+V+Douglas.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Fun, clean Christmas romance! <a href="http://www.audible.com/pd/Romance/A-Crispy-Rice-Christmas-Audiobook/B00HDYP2A4" target="_blank">A Crispy Rice Christmas</a>!</div>
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This will be a download from Audible, the audio book arm of Amazon. You will have to go onto Audible.com and sign in (no membership required) to redeem. Yes, they'll send you a few emails asking you to become a member, those can be ignored. And yes, I would love an honest review IF you have time! But mostly I really loved writing this story and want to share the Christmas joy!<br />
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So COMMENT (with your email written out as in: name dot yahoo dot com and I won't publish your comment either) for your free audio book!<br />
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MERRY CHRISTMAS! </div>
Conda Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12972790965426924941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913223308835760783.post-2507870836764243622016-10-26T11:25:00.002-07:002016-10-26T11:25:47.722-07:00Conflict: Shortcut to Great Writing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtdDnlv9xmPTtbzj9U6ayLirGs6jKDo62aFu5SsLbQbGjYKcpjsUAJNBbmvaSpNyVhlsuacIf3Olo8I1EKnMRZT8Uw_gk5WIawfRgRzGXppmfXNfHlTopwK3MXEqiDa6EIqy2JzodSnnk/s1600/Write+Short+to+Succeed+-+Conda+V+Douglas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtdDnlv9xmPTtbzj9U6ayLirGs6jKDo62aFu5SsLbQbGjYKcpjsUAJNBbmvaSpNyVhlsuacIf3Olo8I1EKnMRZT8Uw_gk5WIawfRgRzGXppmfXNfHlTopwK3MXEqiDa6EIqy2JzodSnnk/s320/Write+Short+to+Succeed+-+Conda+V+Douglas.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Join me on November 5th for a fun workshop on <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Write-Short-Succeed-Writing-Articles/dp/1622060512/" target="_blank">Write Short to Succeed</a></i>.</div>
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(<a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/treasure-valley-writers-fest-writing-contest-2016-tickets-24444492134" target="_blank">Details below</a>)</div>
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Here’s a possible
exercise we might be doing in my workshop at ICAN’s upcoming <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/treasure-valley-writers-fest-writing-contest-2016-tickets-24444492134" target="_blank">Second AnnualTreasure Valley Writers' Fest</a> at the Cloverdale Reception Center, Boise, Idaho,
Saturday, November 5, 2016, from 1:00 pm to 7:30 pm.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This exercise is
inspired by the newest title in my <i>Hows
and Whys </i>series, <i>Writing Conflict</i>,
to be released soon.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Conflict is the
key to unlock great writing. Finding the conflict is also the easiest way to
write <i>anything</i>. Every good piece of
writing comes from the conflict in the story, article, whatever.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Examples: an
article about fixing your toilet yourself, what’s the conflict? The conflict is
in you need your toilet fixed! Can you fix it yourself? Even a recipe has
inherent conflict. Will you be able to replicate the dish? In a romance story,
girl lost boy, will she get him back?<o:p></o:p></div>
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In fiction,
people often confuse conflict with other elements in the story. Conflict is not
a fight between two people. Conflict is what led to the fight. <o:p></o:p></div>
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To find the
conflict ask these questions:<o:p></o:p></div>
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What’s the
problem? (Sewage all over the floor, need something new for dinner—not the
sewage, broken heart that might never be fixed)<o:p></o:p></div>
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What’s the goal?
(Fix the toilet, make dinner, get the guy back)<o:p></o:p></div>
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What’s the
need/desire? (To have a working toilet, to eat, to be with the man you love)<o:p></o:p></div>
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What’s the
emotion? (Frustration at the broken toilet, hunger, grief/anger at losing the
boyfriend)<o:p></o:p></div>
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What gets in the
way of obtaining this goal? (Can you fix the toilet yourself? Do you have the ingredients
to make the dish? How does the woman get the guy back?)<o:p></o:p></div>
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An argument in a
romance story between the girl and her boyfriend is the end result of
conflicting emotions: she’s mad at him, but loves him, but hates him, but wants
him to be/do/act like....you get the idea. During the argument, there needs to
be conflict. Does she really want to get him back? Is it impossible to get him
back? In fixing the toilet, do you have the proper tools? In a recipe, do you
have the right ingredients, or can ingredients be substituted? Conflict raises
more questions.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Here are some
scenarios for you to find the conflict in:<o:p></o:p></div>
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A weight loss
article<o:p></o:p></div>
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Two women in a
bar, co-workers after work on a Friday night<o:p></o:p></div>
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An article about
travel <o:p></o:p></div>
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A person visiting
his/her grandmother in a nursing home<o:p></o:p></div>
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A memoir about a
relative born during a time of war<o:p></o:p></div>
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Have fun with
this and remember there are lots of ways to add conflict to your writing.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Questions? Please
comment and I’ll do my best to answer (and hope I can answer, hmmm...more
conflict?).<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipSL6xIVPQva5vQndIcUF-m2WrPJTycNGaVk4CvzFKRoAO0lM47QJLjCo1Ef9LNY05xv8RoKaGztE76gfCe11e3q4brYdS_f_9q4m7nMIUw_dcpNS8MxhUZP-2zq-pZSvNAl8R9USdItc/s1600/Mild+West_900x1200+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipSL6xIVPQva5vQndIcUF-m2WrPJTycNGaVk4CvzFKRoAO0lM47QJLjCo1Ef9LNY05xv8RoKaGztE76gfCe11e3q4brYdS_f_9q4m7nMIUw_dcpNS8MxhUZP-2zq-pZSvNAl8R9USdItc/s320/Mild+West_900x1200+%25282%2529.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<o:p> One successful result of writing short, <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mild-West-Mysteries-Murder-Mayhem-ebook/dp/B016SDH1KE" target="_blank">Mild West Mysteries</a></i>.</o:p></div>
Conda Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12972790965426924941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913223308835760783.post-18066384973044111232016-08-04T11:02:00.002-07:002016-08-04T11:02:38.681-07:00 Three Awesome Books for a teaser of Book Sale coming August 6th!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijQtZzEHwSCauwTcunSn4WE9_GmLlDpunFu0pSh1x_oDHrrMD01dZ3Vad94Fq6zbjKEGG7OL6LuoY9nbDpFoA0ZMoCMmbxZXmUg51GAd_RABGTkeW-nWTMaXmAZTAlm2hrLgVAfrfWh-s/s1600/Book+Extravaganza+flyer+aug+6+2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijQtZzEHwSCauwTcunSn4WE9_GmLlDpunFu0pSh1x_oDHrrMD01dZ3Vad94Fq6zbjKEGG7OL6LuoY9nbDpFoA0ZMoCMmbxZXmUg51GAd_RABGTkeW-nWTMaXmAZTAlm2hrLgVAfrfWh-s/s320/Book+Extravaganza+flyer+aug+6+2016.jpg" width="247" /></a></div>
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Fun, Fun, Fun!</div>
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There will be over 20! authors selling their books at the Book Extravaganza this August 6th. A wide range of genres and styles will be represented, enough for any reader to find much to read! </div>
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Many will be on sale or offering other specials. Here's three to tease.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhphML5MSOXfACwkn9Gj3mnDs6rvGiP30CBTo8_PDHfrIBnqkNPPZFXhcRZSfQBdpiR-fWheCl1r9JGFbIW2MDN7Ve56C-klRv3e5bKlo6UaieFBbAz_ltFiyoImHhs5Ix2teOpUXcG0xA/s1600/WOC+front+cover+final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhphML5MSOXfACwkn9Gj3mnDs6rvGiP30CBTo8_PDHfrIBnqkNPPZFXhcRZSfQBdpiR-fWheCl1r9JGFbIW2MDN7Ve56C-klRv3e5bKlo6UaieFBbAz_ltFiyoImHhs5Ix2teOpUXcG0xA/s320/WOC+front+cover+final.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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Register to win a FREE copy!</div>
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<i>Finding hope in all the wrong places.</i></div>
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Rebecca is a well published author. In her Christian romances she demonstrates why. </div>
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And all her titles at the book sale will be ON SALE for only $10 each! Plus you can register to win a free copy of her latest work, Winds of Change. Find out more about Rebecca and her wonderful writing at her<i> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Rebecca-Carey-Lyles/e/B005EJ8LP8/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1470321388&sr=1-2-ent" target="_blank">Amazon author page</a>.</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAML6xaQxLZdo7L5T1v2M8Vm6nTYawlbllg83J7u3fL_66iBxSiDJ2JBiq8m_11CnTncGGYf9cnubb4dfBtwaL5PejTHvzDXDaYjOgwXLmB2Or54I8E8a7q-zafbHh48obBNTt8v-I8eA/s1600/Elaine+oostra+one+brick+at+a+time.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAML6xaQxLZdo7L5T1v2M8Vm6nTYawlbllg83J7u3fL_66iBxSiDJ2JBiq8m_11CnTncGGYf9cnubb4dfBtwaL5PejTHvzDXDaYjOgwXLmB2Or54I8E8a7q-zafbHh48obBNTt8v-I8eA/s320/Elaine+oostra+one+brick+at+a+time.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/One-Brick-Time-Breaking-Bitterness-ebook/dp/B01FYT5NBC/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1470331982&sr=1-1&keywords=one+brick+at+a+time#nav-subnav" target="_blank">One Brick at a Time</a></i>, a heart wrenching and heart warming biography you won't want to put down.</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"><i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/One-Brick-Time-Breaking-Bitterness-ebook/dp/B01FYT5NBC/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1470331982&sr=1-1&keywords=one+brick+at+a+time#nav-subnav" target="_blank">One Brick at a Time</a></i> is Elaine Oostra's life story. She shares her fond and sometimes humorous memories of childhood as well as the struggles and pain of growing up with a mom who suffered from mental illness. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP4SW6-i-6vhrD87-jcLZ7YEUxjUye7YrvyjAE8d1qgB3iwMkuA8UfZHk6PH0glJGJZiGx31veML92NCRgONi_Un7fVDnVDIAU8COeq91F-Y13v6nVDyk6CBcLtSSm_g8EPvbO8OVYBdw/s1600/Mild+West_900x1200+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP4SW6-i-6vhrD87-jcLZ7YEUxjUye7YrvyjAE8d1qgB3iwMkuA8UfZHk6PH0glJGJZiGx31veML92NCRgONi_Un7fVDnVDIAU8COeq91F-Y13v6nVDyk6CBcLtSSm_g8EPvbO8OVYBdw/s320/Mild+West_900x1200+%25282%2529.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-align: start;">Want some fun, fast reading? <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mild-West-Mysteries-Murder-Mayhem-ebook/dp/B016SDH1KE/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1470331814&sr=1-1&keywords=mild+west+mysteries#nav-subnav" target="_blank"><i>Mild West Mysteries</i></a> abounds in thirteen cozy mystery short stories of the West as never seen before. </span></div>
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Also, I'll be running a Buy One Get One of Same or Lesser Price HALF OFF with all my four titles: <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Starke-Naked-Dead-Conda-Douglas/dp/1603184600/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1470332187&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Starke Naked Dead</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mild-West-Mysteries-Murder-Mayhem/dp/1622060466/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1470331814&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Mild West Mysteries,</a></i> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mall-Fairies-Exile-1/dp/1500126705/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1470332323&sr=1-1" target="_blank"><i>The Mall Fairies: Exile</i> </a>and <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Write-Short-Succeed-Writing-Articles/dp/1622060512/ref=sr_1_1_twi_pap_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1470332495&sr=1-1&keywords=write+short+to+succeed" target="_blank">Write Short to Succeed</a></i>. </div>
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For more about me and my wacky Idaho adventures, visit my <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Conda-V-Douglas/e/B004FSEHG6/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1" target="_blank">Amazon author page</a></i>.</div>
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Hope to see you Saturday!</div>
Conda Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12972790965426924941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913223308835760783.post-58112161681439306392016-07-18T15:10:00.003-07:002016-07-18T15:10:29.129-07:00FREE Workshop Writing Conflict and a writing tip!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS0TS2W1ico5D2paLsDGCxfF4PbseNiaES1FR8sI6xoBzIaB4CFSScEvTFz5dLMX680CXHKssQAaEkbQqAecv9ciqwSqPpvUVQh7f0HJejKNj786rFQDFP-bdAPJfv_H1UTLyzbrut5bA/s1600/conda%2527s+program+WRITING+CONFLICT+Victory+Library.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS0TS2W1ico5D2paLsDGCxfF4PbseNiaES1FR8sI6xoBzIaB4CFSScEvTFz5dLMX680CXHKssQAaEkbQqAecv9ciqwSqPpvUVQh7f0HJejKNj786rFQDFP-bdAPJfv_H1UTLyzbrut5bA/s320/conda%2527s+program+WRITING+CONFLICT+Victory+Library.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Yup, you heard right, FREE workshop on <i>Writing Conflict: Hows and Whys</i>. And a FREE workshop <i>one time only</i>. At the Victory Branch Library,10664 W Victory Road, Boise, ID 83709 on Wednesday July 20th from 6:30-7:30 pm.<br />
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Why a workshop on writing conflict? In teaching my <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Write-Short-Succeed-Writing-Articles/dp/1622060512?ie=UTF8&qid=1468878192&ref_=la_B004FSEHG6_1_11&s=books&sr=1-11" target="_blank"><i>Write Short to Succeed </i></a>workshop, I noticed a major struggle among newer writers. What was the difference between an anecdote, vignette and a short story or article or memoir? How to create a work that readers want to read? The answer is simple: conflict. Conflict creates the scene, the characters, the story arc, why a reader should read an article, and more. Without conflict, the writing fails.<br />
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Why a free workshop? Because <i>Writing Conflict</i> will be the second in my Hows and Whys series, the first being <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Write-Short-Succeed-Writing-Articles/dp/1622060512?ie=UTF8&qid=1468878192&ref_=la_B004FSEHG6_1_11&s=books&sr=1-11" target="_blank"><i>Write Short to Succeed</i></a>. So the authors who attend will "pay" for the workshop by giving me honest feedback.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-7YUOKr2Lp6XwN2Q8zVrUmBbyeyrABGy09G3GTHyTq_nwAjsERZUM0yeUGhU6SBjNckrc6APqSJ-sleicITfBrdROViakmreYgY84fCQkcQtvkjIo95naf9kfxXDd4xi1AdeXgzMuATY/s1600/Write+Short+to+Succeed+-+Conda+V+Douglas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-7YUOKr2Lp6XwN2Q8zVrUmBbyeyrABGy09G3GTHyTq_nwAjsERZUM0yeUGhU6SBjNckrc6APqSJ-sleicITfBrdROViakmreYgY84fCQkcQtvkjIo95naf9kfxXDd4xi1AdeXgzMuATY/s320/Write+Short+to+Succeed+-+Conda+V+Douglas.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Write-Short-Succeed-Writing-Articles/dp/1622060512?ie=UTF8&qid=1468878192&ref_=la_B004FSEHG6_1_11&s=books&sr=1-11" target="_blank"><i>Write Short to Succeed </i></a>out now!</div>
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Here's a tip about conflict:<br />
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In any writing, whether it be fiction or nonfiction, short or long, ask yourself: What is the problem? Where is the problem? Is the problem obvious? Can you state, "The problem is...." or not? If you can't answer at least a couple of these questions you don't have conflict. And you have a problem.<br />
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How to have conflict in every word, sentence and paragraph of your writing will be covered in the workshop. Hope to see you there!<br />
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And authors out there in blog land: how do you see conflict? How do you use it? Abuse it?<br />
<br />Conda Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12972790965426924941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913223308835760783.post-57347835367047123062016-04-29T14:23:00.000-07:002016-04-29T14:23:24.181-07:00Successful Writing Secret: Conflict in Description<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7FXZ6QIE5ZW0XKiDq4qEISkSrLqpOV_ajmUe_oU_pF0dADVny-QnqxoV5Y6lyjpWLmdfJSfdN9I_Nf7II8jaeZfBQruZa0v3qoa9xhgcvOwHXZ_f7l164TJ8ixs08Kwj3fqcY7VP35M8/s1600/Write+Short+to+Succeed+-+Conda+V+Douglas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7FXZ6QIE5ZW0XKiDq4qEISkSrLqpOV_ajmUe_oU_pF0dADVny-QnqxoV5Y6lyjpWLmdfJSfdN9I_Nf7II8jaeZfBQruZa0v3qoa9xhgcvOwHXZ_f7l164TJ8ixs08Kwj3fqcY7VP35M8/s320/Write+Short+to+Succeed+-+Conda+V+Douglas.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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My newest title, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Write-Short-Succeed-Writing-Articles/dp/1622060512/" target="_blank"><i>Write Short to Succeed</i></a> inspired by my class: <a href="https://www.boiselearns.org/wconnect/CourseStatus.awp?&course=16S-ART-001" target="_blank">Hows and Whys of Writing Short</a>, click on the link above to sign up for the next one night class on May 3, 2016. </div>
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We authors are always learning and stretching our writing muscles. So when I attended a conference recently, I was surprised by how many new authors struggled with a particular concept:</div>
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<b>Conflict.</b></div>
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Conflict needs to be in every part of an author's work. This includes description. Description? Yes, description. Ummm, I can hear new writers saying, isn't description just describing stuff? Nope. Or at least it's full of conflict if it's a success for the author.</div>
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Easiest way to explain this is to provide an example using a very well known cliche: </div>
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It was a dark and stormy night.<br />
Okay where is the conflict here? Well, in the fact that dark and stormy nights are difficult and dangerous. However, it's much better to not rely on such obvious elements to create the conflict. Instead, how about:<br />
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It was a warm, bright, sunny and horrid day.<br />
The twist with "horrid" creates a conflict. It raises the question of why the day is horrid.<br />
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It was a warm, bright and sunny day. Despite the warmth, she couldn't stop shivering.<br />
Can you spot the conflict? That "she can't stop shivering" is a contrast that raises questions?<br />
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Or how about:<br />
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It was a warm, bright and sunny day. She hated such days. Too pleasant by far.<br />
Her emotional response creates conflict. And perhaps a touch of characterization.<br />
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Or a different type of description:<br />
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No conflict:<br />
She was a pretty woman. Everyone always told her so.<br />
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Conflict:<br />
She never knew how pretty she was. When people told her how lovely her face, she never believed them. <br />
Again, her emotional response raises questions, why won't she believe how pretty she is? This creates conflict and some characterization.<br />
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Conflict raises questions, makes the reader wonder why there is this conflict and makes the reader wonder how the conflict will be resolved. Conflict keeps the reader reading!<br />
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An exercise:<br />
Spot the descriptions in other author's writing. Read through them with an eye to whether or not they possess conflict. If not, why not? How could a description have more conflict? Or if it does have conflict, how?<br />
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Authors, questions? Answers? Are you conflicted? <br />
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<br />Conda Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12972790965426924941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913223308835760783.post-5996684065012133552015-12-09T10:17:00.001-08:002015-12-09T10:26:57.839-08:00Christmas romance short story on sale until December 13th! And a recipe!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGmlpcBsHWwskRk4Q46workM-FkG3JbfeTSIOmZimKke63Ok0TVkX0ZjzleqJd7EVfg91nMMhzQld3YgI3HPdQoboYV7EtYpuoQT7qdcDD-yYtxtmhbA9ZjvYPjhvP7ASYY_nvi-BPXvQ/s1600/ACrispyRiceChristmasebook+cover%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGmlpcBsHWwskRk4Q46workM-FkG3JbfeTSIOmZimKke63Ok0TVkX0ZjzleqJd7EVfg91nMMhzQld3YgI3HPdQoboYV7EtYpuoQT7qdcDD-yYtxtmhbA9ZjvYPjhvP7ASYY_nvi-BPXvQ/s320/ACrispyRiceChristmasebook+cover%25282%2529.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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On Sale for only 99 cents until 12/13/15 from <a href="https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore/index.php/museitup/a-crispy-rice-christmas-detail" target="_blank">Muse It Up Publishing</a>!</div>
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Yes, it's that time of the year, Christmas reads! My novelette Christmas romance <a href="https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore/index.php/museitup/a-crispy-rice-christmas-detail" target="_blank">A Crispy Rice Christmas</a> is on sale until the 13th! It tells the tale of a gal whose culinary skills are worse than lacking...</div>
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And for more Christmas great reads all on sale visit <a href="https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore/index.php/component/content/article/3-about/about-us/504-december-1-specials" target="_blank">Muse It Up Publishing</a>! Romance, mystery and more!<br />
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Now for the easy childhood recipe we all remember. This recipe was the inspiration for <a href="https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore/index.php/museitup/a-crispy-rice-christmas-detail" target="_blank">A Crispy Rice Christmas</a>, because one Christmas I decided to use red food coloring and here were the results.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8W5EPHiaSSp_09aVnyN5eGKNB5Td5L4uQIIZWRpGY4TWL40x5UcyBMih5FwuB9dFfhTBPIVHu6lXsW1mA-vyK_9BtY-hc-5AIyIzcKJEJdUNtvHFvVfjCADkm39sc_KJ6EdMKyk7S6dw/s1600/treats+cut+up.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8W5EPHiaSSp_09aVnyN5eGKNB5Td5L4uQIIZWRpGY4TWL40x5UcyBMih5FwuB9dFfhTBPIVHu6lXsW1mA-vyK_9BtY-hc-5AIyIzcKJEJdUNtvHFvVfjCADkm39sc_KJ6EdMKyk7S6dw/s320/treats+cut+up.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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No one would touch them. And a recipe my main character...well read the story to find out!<br />
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Crispy Rice Bars<br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Readers do you have any tales of Christmas cookery disasters to share? </span></div>
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Conda Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12972790965426924941noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913223308835760783.post-77296789186210715632015-11-18T21:43:00.000-08:002015-11-18T21:43:01.662-08:00JQ Rose on Cliches and Deadly Undertaking on my blog today!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglB1-sQ9QuKmQKSuYaMO3kCxS1-rOzsZyfQBVi4JWDOYLqSiN-F-M6_n3iasr1acRi6C2izxQrckVjiE2teL_js925Jbfn_-QgQMOfiWC-UlbbgKkKPjGzcwv8k-fpeyQlqNw7iudfN-o/s1600/DeadlyUNDERTAKING+Blog+tour+poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglB1-sQ9QuKmQKSuYaMO3kCxS1-rOzsZyfQBVi4JWDOYLqSiN-F-M6_n3iasr1acRi6C2izxQrckVjiE2teL_js925Jbfn_-QgQMOfiWC-UlbbgKkKPjGzcwv8k-fpeyQlqNw7iudfN-o/s320/DeadlyUNDERTAKING+Blog+tour+poster.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Hi Conda, Thanks so much for hosting me today. I’m
expressing annoyance with my bad habit of using clichés in my writing.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Writing and Removing Clichés by J.Q. Rose</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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For some reason clichés are not approved by editors when
checking my stories. I don’t know why. It makes writing as easy as pie. These
familiar expressions are as good as gold when it comes to taking a short cut in
your storytelling.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Instead of writing a paragraph about how bad the storm is, I
can just say the rain is coming down in buckets. The reader knows exactly how
bad that is. However, after sending this in to the editor, the phrase will
appear red-lined in the manuscript and a comment will show up in the margin
gently reminding me that is a cliché. But seriously, if you have to describe how
hot the weather is in a story, why can’t you say it was hot enough to fry an
egg on the sidewalk? That really does explain the heat factor!</div>
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When push comes to shove, a cliché is the way to go for me.
For instance, when the coroner arrives at the death scene, why can’t he say the
victim kicked the bucket? That’s so much more colorful than saying he’s dead. </div>
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<br /></div>
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It makes me madder than a wet hen when I realize I have used
clichés in my writing. For Pete’s sake, I KNOW the editors won’t let me use
them, so I try to be conscious about it when I write and re-visit the chapters.
</div>
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<br /></div>
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When I was writing my mystery, Deadly Undertaking, I combed
through every word, every paragraph, and every page trying to ferret out the
clichés. Still and all, once in a while a cliché is missed and once they’re out
there, you can’t put the toothpaste back in the tube. To tell you the truth, I
don’t always recognize them. So I submit the manuscript for editing on a wing
and a prayer that I have caught every cliché and I won’t have the editor
tearing her hair out when she reads it.</div>
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<br /></div>
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There’s no time like the present to change and recognize
clichés in my writing. How about you? I plan to be as sharp as a tack when
putting words down on paper so I can make it easier for me and my editor to get
through the manuscript. </div>
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<br /></div>
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I’m not trying to pull the wool over your eyes. I am vowing
to do better on using clichés. Just notice how much I’ve improved already!</div>
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# # # #</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6rivmHWhz6-ngLJvrk04U15dcx8ltvCUvI4758qn4LFmy3vfBoxd13_WZtQMnNmauzRHZYV0TM_2Ztrp4uJ8Hhewr714hGqt-kG7U2sLu43jf_JAgINTwwLSG3tbAaQ3wMWM6pzIsJB0/s1600/400x600+Rose-DeadlyUndertaking-Payloadz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6rivmHWhz6-ngLJvrk04U15dcx8ltvCUvI4758qn4LFmy3vfBoxd13_WZtQMnNmauzRHZYV0TM_2Ztrp4uJ8Hhewr714hGqt-kG7U2sLu43jf_JAgINTwwLSG3tbAaQ3wMWM6pzIsJB0/s320/400x600+Rose-DeadlyUndertaking-Payloadz.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Deadly Undertaking</b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Tagline: </b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #1f497d;">A
handsome detective, a shadow man, and a murder victim kill Lauren’s plan for a
simple life.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Back of the Book:</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Lauren Staab knew there would be dead bodies around when she
returned home. After all, her family is in the funeral business, Staab and
Blood Funeral Home. Still, finding an extra body on the floor of the garage
between the hearse and the flower car shocked her. Lauren’s plan to return to
her hometown to help care for her mother and keep the books for the funeral
home suddenly turns upside down in a struggle to prove she and her family are
not guilty of murdering the man. <span style="color: black;">But will the real
killer return for her, her dad, her brother? </span>Her mother’s secrets, a
killer, a handsome policeman, and a shadow man muddle up her intention to have
a simple life. Welcome home, Lauren!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Amazon </b><a href="http://amzn.to/1Lu6GxI">http://amzn.to/1Lu6GxI</a><span class="MsoHyperlink"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="MsoHyperlink">Amazon
UK </span><a href="http://amzn.to/1Gz1utF">http://amzn.to/1Gz1utF</a><span class="MsoHyperlink"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="MsoHyperlink">Barnes
and Noble </span><a href="http://bit.ly/1H72tvV">http://bit.ly/1H72tvV</a><span class="MsoHyperlink"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Books We Love
Bookstore </b><a href="http://store.payloadz.com/go/?id=2395820"><span style="background: white; color: #2a629d;">http://store.payloadz.com/go/?id=2395820</span></a><span class="MsoHyperlink"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #2a629d;"></span></b></span></div>
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<span class="MsoHyperlink"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: windowtext;">Kobo </span></b></span><span class="MsoHyperlink"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #2a629d;">https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/deadly-undertaking</span></b></span></div>
<h3 style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Amazon <span style="color: #111111;">Biography</span></span></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 14.25pt;">
<span style="color: #111111;">J Q Rose is an avid reader, photographer, and blogger
with blogs about writing and growing a vegetable garden. Janet and her husband
are snow birds who spend winters in Florida allowing them to garden twelve
months out of the year. Summer finds her up north camping and hunting toads,
frogs, and salamanders with her grandchildren.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNNAjUi4NxRUR8OZS_884iXmvQnd9XyGRqE8UQrMFFTIFsnF4Y6GSsnbcCR9NMnTqeNh41JpiD9FBFhTEoOArahpZx9UZBWKThHDNmLfUTbLvoKx73gHUzR1qLuA7OdcBDbP-8xNawEMY/s1600/Close+up+800x600+JQ+Rose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNNAjUi4NxRUR8OZS_884iXmvQnd9XyGRqE8UQrMFFTIFsnF4Y6GSsnbcCR9NMnTqeNh41JpiD9FBFhTEoOArahpZx9UZBWKThHDNmLfUTbLvoKx73gHUzR1qLuA7OdcBDbP-8xNawEMY/s320/Close+up+800x600+JQ+Rose.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Bio:</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.6pt;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After writing feature articles in magazines,
newspapers, and online magazines for over fifteen years, J.Q. Rose entered the
world of fiction. Her published mysteries are <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sunshine Boulevard</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Coda to
Murder</i>, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Deadly Undertaking</i>.
Blogging, photography, Pegs and Jokers board games, and travel are the things
that keep her out of trouble. She and her husband, Gardener Ted spend winters
in Florida and summers up north camping and hunting toads, frogs, and
salamanders with her four grandsons and granddaughter.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Connect with J.Q.
Rose online at</b></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">J.Q. Rose blog <a href="http://www.jqrose.com/">http://www.jqrose.com/</a></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Facebook <a href="http://facebook.com/jqroseauthor">http://facebook.com/jqroseauthor</a></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Google+ <a href="https://www.google.com/+JQRose" target="_blank"><span style="background: white; color: #427fed;">google.com/+JQRose</span></a></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">J. Q. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rose Amazon Author Page <a href="http://tinyurl.com/aeuv4m4"><span style="background: white;">http://tinyurl.com/aeuv4m4</span></a><span style="background: white; color: black; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Goodreads- <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/jqrose"><span style="background: white;">http://www.goodreads.com/jqrose</span></a><span style="background: white;"></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pinterest <a href="http://pinterest.com/janetglaser/">http://pinterest.com/janetglaser/</a></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Rafflecopter
Information:</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thank you so much for hosting me on the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Deadly Undertaking</i> Blog Tour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Readers, you’re invited to enter the Rafflecopter drawing for prizes
during the tour November 12-25. Find the Rafflecopter and the blog tour
schedule at the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Contest page on the J.Q.
Rose blog. <a href="http://www.jqrose.com/p/get-in-on-fun-j.html">http://www.jqrose.com/p/get-in-on-fun-j.html</a>
Good luck!</b></div>
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Conda Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12972790965426924941noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913223308835760783.post-2762446318415046652015-10-15T13:33:00.001-07:002015-10-15T13:33:03.799-07:00Write Short to Succeed: Quick, easy tips from my upcoming class!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinBynoyrDkuYwfHvbQnU0INzW6Xjj3kGCjA_5ZUAzI_W4P1I_Tl2QmjznHWOX25b1LJup39kl6vA1Hvgu1nelSrt37jC0DSA3qNda0Tkt5sktDFahbLOOWvUKZK2QIbIMnGxgD2UUKdmo/s1600/CommEd+Catalog+Fall+15+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinBynoyrDkuYwfHvbQnU0INzW6Xjj3kGCjA_5ZUAzI_W4P1I_Tl2QmjznHWOX25b1LJup39kl6vA1Hvgu1nelSrt37jC0DSA3qNda0Tkt5sktDFahbLOOWvUKZK2QIbIMnGxgD2UUKdmo/s320/CommEd+Catalog+Fall+15+cover.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Register <a href="https://www.boiselearns.org/wconnect/CourseStatus.awp?&course=15F-PEN-014" target="_blank">here</a> for my <a href="https://www.boiselearns.org/wconnect/CourseStatus.awp?&course=15F-PEN-014" target="_blank">The Hows and Whys of Writing Short,</a> Tuesday, October 20th, 7-8 p.m. Or go to www.boiselearns.org and the Personal Enrichment classes for more.<br />
<br />
A couple of tips for a sweet taste of my class:<br />
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span>Why write short? Because
it's a free class in editing and writing.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span> </span></div>
It's an excellent way to learn to write fiction and nonfiction, both.
Because ever short story and article are…short. Which means you can focus on all the
elements of the writing, plot, description, characterization, the senses and how, where, who, why etc. You can
experiment and play with different genres, ideas, formats, without committing
to 400 pages of writing before realizing something doesn’t work. And
most of the time it does work and gives you a finished piece to sell. It’s a
writing course you’ll get paid for!<br />
<br />
How to learn to write short?<span> READ </span><span>short stories and articles.</span><span> </span><br />
<br />
The major way to learn how to write short is to read short. Read a lot, they're short, after all. Read stories in
publications you want to be in.<span> </span><span>Read a lot in your genre, but not exclusively
so. Read magazines, anthologies, etc and published stand alones. Read the
classics and the brand new releases. </span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
</div>
Want to know more? Attend my <a href="https://www.boiselearns.org/wconnect/CourseStatus.awp?&course=15F-PEN-014" target="_blank">class</a>! <br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
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<br />Conda Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12972790965426924941noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913223308835760783.post-36572471808289469402015-09-23T09:06:00.000-07:002015-09-23T09:06:11.733-07:00Back to School Deals: The Mall Fairies series! (Why you should go direct to publishers)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH13y8PFApyffEpXIAnCUwH2h5w1qUe2AbJuDaObvJCwxwrpOPhBiylQb_sEhu7tFjwR1rx2TEwp_gxgzmKeVvVhkU6QejjlLyZHqeikXapNDOPggKsLJ1iUL0loWPdPRl9ZJCJWUAWkg/s1600/mall+faries+exile+200x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH13y8PFApyffEpXIAnCUwH2h5w1qUe2AbJuDaObvJCwxwrpOPhBiylQb_sEhu7tFjwR1rx2TEwp_gxgzmKeVvVhkU6QejjlLyZHqeikXapNDOPggKsLJ1iUL0loWPdPRl9ZJCJWUAWkg/s1600/mall+faries+exile+200x300.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Get <i><a href="https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore/index.php/new-releases/series/the-mall-fairies-exile-detail" target="_blank">The Mall Fairies: Exile</a> </i>and my other Mall Fairies titles for 30% off through September 30th!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
Here's one reason why I'm a hybrid author. My publisher, <a href="https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore/index.php/new-releases/series/the-mall-fairies-exile-detail" target="_blank">Muse It Up Publishing</a>, is having a great Back to School Deal. What did I have to do? Write my Mall Fairies series as well as I could.<br />
<br />
And <i><a href="https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore/index.php/new-releases/series/the-mall-fairies-exile-detail" target="_blank">The Mall Fairies: Exile</a>, <a href="https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore/index.php/coming-soon/the-mall-fairies-war-detail" target="_blank">The Mall Fairies: War</a> </i>and the stand alone short story, <a href="https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore/index.php/new-releases/series/a-foodie-fairy-s-first-foray-detail" target="_blank">A foodie Fairy's First Foray</a> are not the only Middle Grade, Tween and YA reads you'll find for sale, there's lots more (and having read several, I can say these are often great reads for adults too!). </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The reason to go direct to publishers? Two reasons are here: you get an additional 30% off the eBook already discounted sale price and the authors get a bigger royalty percentage of the sales (as the publisher doesn't have to pay vendors).</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Here's the directions and links (or just click on my titles). Enjoy!</div>
</div>
<br />
<a href="https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore/index.php/new-releases/series/the-mall-fairies-exile-detail" target="_blank">The Mall Fairies: Exile</a> by Conda V. Douglas<br />
<br />
<b>Save 30% this month during our BACK TO SCHOOL Event</b><br />
<br />
<b>Use discount code MUSEITYOUNG2015 in your Muse cart, save, then finalize the order.</b><br />
<br />
<b>Perfect time to stock up your child’s eReader for the holiday season or
begin your pre-holiday shopping before the hustle and bustle begins.</b><br />
<br />
<b>Special exclusive at MuseItUp Publishing $2.99 plus an additional 30% off with code</b><br />
<b>MUSEITYOUNG2015 until end of September</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://bit.ly/TheMallFairiesExile" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/TheMallFairiesExile</a><br />
<br />
Conda Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12972790965426924941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913223308835760783.post-22007059812703905112015-09-10T19:19:00.000-07:002015-09-10T19:19:16.956-07:00One Reason Amazon Rules the Book Publishing World and an Opportunity for Great Free Reads!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWpBA_aC2q1PRylwJSA502YzPuWAo3wW6JDcrugthmmTFPi_z3rXCm3v747txspyeU-HWmk95PNx1U6dxlDPi0p2wNeMuD6Sqwh1WalKh2QinXTLMNxMeuVaDxpzO6nsSK2ZrrM2wLWF0/s1600/kathymc_cover+foul+wind.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWpBA_aC2q1PRylwJSA502YzPuWAo3wW6JDcrugthmmTFPi_z3rXCm3v747txspyeU-HWmk95PNx1U6dxlDPi0p2wNeMuD6Sqwh1WalKh2QinXTLMNxMeuVaDxpzO6nsSK2ZrrM2wLWF0/s320/kathymc_cover+foul+wind.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://kindlescout.amazon.com/p/3VDS86RNJSQOE" target="_blank">Foul Wind by Kathy McIntosh</a> is a humorous mystery set in wacky North Idaho. Want an
opportunity to read it for free? Then read on!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The publishing world keeps changing and Amazon keeps coming up with excellent ideas that are part of that change. One of Amazon's newest publishing ventures is <a href="http://kindlescout.amazon.com/" target="_blank">KindleScout</a>, in which the readers act as acquiring editors and pick the titles to be published! I think this is a brilliant idea. Who better to pick books they want to read than the readers? And Amazon came up with a great idea to "pay" those readers, if a title you nominate is bought and published by Amazon, you get that title for FREE when it's published! Woot! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Plus, it's easy to do. Just head over to <a href="http://kindlescout.amazon.com/" target="_blank">KindleScout</a> and sign in with your Amazon account. The site is easy to navigate and each book has a cover, a blurb and the first three chapters for you to peruse. You can only nominate three books at a time and they are only up on <a href="http://kindlescout.amazon.com/" target="_blank">KindleScout</a> for 30 days so I usually go to "Ending Soon" first and take a look.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Except when I know the book is something I want to read! <a href="https://kindlescout.amazon.com/p/3VDS86RNJSQOE" target="_blank"><i>Foul Wind</i> by Kathy McIntosh</a> is such a book! Here's the blurb: </span><br />
<br />Noses wrinkle in Hancock, Idaho, when a foul wind blows from the new
wind turbine at a nearby hog farm. When a blackmailer threatens to
reveal secrets about the development and its investors, suspicion falls
on Feather Sullivan and her sister, compelling their mother to meddle.
Interfering moms on a hog farm get messy—and deadly—fast!
When the blackmailer ends up murdered, Feather and a mouth-watering PI
seek answers while she tries to keep her snooping mother from becoming
another victim.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Just my type of humorous mystery, perfect for an cup of tea and cozy chair afternoon. If it's your cup of tea too, head over to <a href="https://kindlescout.amazon.com/p/3VDS86RNJSQOE" target="_blank"><i>Foul Wind</i></a> soon as there is only 8 days left to nominate this title!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Dear readers, what do you think of <a href="http://kindlescout.amazon.com/" target="_blank">KindleScout</a>? Love it? Hate it? Or?</span><br />
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Conda Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12972790965426924941noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913223308835760783.post-79337408009858485462015-07-01T11:10:00.001-07:002015-07-01T11:10:18.654-07:00Wedding Horror Stories and a Bridesmaid Short Story on sale!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJryhY0Yh5yWFmy4poaVKETxmXyw07G2D0xyEFSRNdCrSRaRpQhZS_sZlg8KMnfsbLVbdRiF0oaa5MsD1aVLIm__yiJ9b0bhCHqZBkMX31H_soeqX5SciC7QXSBcyQOfrS3BtCrfYXOi8/s1600/Bruce+and+Conda+at+viks+party.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJryhY0Yh5yWFmy4poaVKETxmXyw07G2D0xyEFSRNdCrSRaRpQhZS_sZlg8KMnfsbLVbdRiF0oaa5MsD1aVLIm__yiJ9b0bhCHqZBkMX31H_soeqX5SciC7QXSBcyQOfrS3BtCrfYXOi8/s320/Bruce+and+Conda+at+viks+party.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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My honey Bruce and I at our niece's ceremony, fun, but a little damp!</div>
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June, the month of brides and weddings, just ended. Whew. We attended my niece's ceremony in a tiny town outside of Austin. A delightful time, although my niece worried because of what happened while the minister was giving the vows. We were out in a large tent and an enormous thunderstorm blew through, emphasizing the minister's words with thunderclaps and great rumblings, as if the skies objected. The rain managed to find every single crack and hole in that tent, dousing a number of people, including the groom! Upsetting to the bride until Bruce mentioned that this would be a memorable occasion and a great story.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4tbZN23453GPAg8Y4YVIM73JxeSJ3-H4WkTIXIBjG5y7GlD4vLqPbKBlI_2pTFxL89Jc04sQqVO7-IHyxcbW__2-coNHcMUvimtRzryxeWSNxviyz231EqQNrWPS9CLIhbPebOHYR6Xw/s1600/BRIDESMAIDWORESTAINS+on+sale.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4tbZN23453GPAg8Y4YVIM73JxeSJ3-H4WkTIXIBjG5y7GlD4vLqPbKBlI_2pTFxL89Jc04sQqVO7-IHyxcbW__2-coNHcMUvimtRzryxeWSNxviyz231EqQNrWPS9CLIhbPebOHYR6Xw/s320/BRIDESMAIDWORESTAINS+on+sale.png" width="225" /></a></div>
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In honor of all those June wedding disasters, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bridesmaid-Wore-Stains-Conda-Douglas-ebook/dp/B00GYZJ5HE/ref=tmm_kin_title_0" target="_blank"><i>The Bridesmaid Wore Stains</i></a> is on sale for only<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bridesmaid-Wore-Stains-Conda-Douglas-ebook/dp/B00GYZJ5HE/ref=tmm_kin_title_0" target="_blank"> <i>99 cents</i> </a>until July 4th! Get your copy <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bridesmaid-Wore-Stains-Conda-Douglas-ebook/dp/B00GYZJ5HE/ref=tmm_kin_title_0" target="_blank"><i>here</i></a>.</div>
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So dear readers, let me know in the comments your tales of weddings past, present and maybe future?</div>
Conda Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12972790965426924941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913223308835760783.post-25016531367888877452015-06-15T07:17:00.000-07:002015-06-15T07:17:12.181-07:00Carrot Cake Muffin Recipe, A Free Cookbook, and a Link to Bottlecap Jewelry Making! Summer Fun!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilZq_qPJlinaiaVt3jFKc7p2G4D_QqTVVrDKV1gMbgu7GYWSkCJEQM04VuuY78mN7VXXhanjiPEdUCz4yfttZkr6MbrC9_w-1CXzksJH77TCs2hKtQdTrockKrytnYxg4kskDmL6emzwk/s1600/Carrot+Cake+Muffin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilZq_qPJlinaiaVt3jFKc7p2G4D_QqTVVrDKV1gMbgu7GYWSkCJEQM04VuuY78mN7VXXhanjiPEdUCz4yfttZkr6MbrC9_w-1CXzksJH77TCs2hKtQdTrockKrytnYxg4kskDmL6emzwk/s320/Carrot+Cake+Muffin.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Hopefully this kinda unappetizing photo of a Carrot Cake Muffin will give you a smile, for this Smile Power Day! Recipe follows.<br />
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It's time for summer fun, so let's start out with what to take on a picnic. These muffins are gluten, soy, egg and dairy free and delicious, I promise! They also travel and freeze well.</div>
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Gluten Free, Egg
Free, Soy Free, Dairy Free Carrot Cake Muffins</div>
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Crusty outside,
moist inside</div>
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Makes 6 good
sized muffins</div>
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<br /></div>
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Ingredients:</div>
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1 ½ cups gluten free
flour mix (consistency will differ a little depending on mix)</div>
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¼ cup dark brown
sugar or molasses (muffins will not be very sweet, can add more sugar if you
prefer, molasses will make a bit sticky)</div>
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2 teas
bicarbonate of soda</div>
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2 teas baking
powder</div>
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2-3 teaspoon
ground cinnamon</div>
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1 ½ teaspoon
ground nutmeg</div>
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¾<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to 1 cup food processed until fine carrots</div>
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½ cup sultana
raisins (may be omitted, I always omit these because I don’t like raisins in
food)</div>
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1 cup nuts,
walnuts or pecans (may be omitted)</div>
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¼ cup vegetable
oil (coconut oil works best)</div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>2 teas apple cider vinegar or white vinegar</div>
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1 cup applesauce
plus ¼ cup coconut, almond, cashew or rice milk</div>
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2-3 teas vanilla</div>
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Directions:</div>
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ingredients into a mixing bowl in the same order as listed.</div>
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Mix well. Mixture
will not be terribly thin, if it is add flour</div>
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Place muffin
papers in a large muffin pan.</div>
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Scoop mixture
into papers until well filled. Gently tap down until you have a imperfect “muffin
top.”</div>
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Bake at 350
degrees for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFCkl-P3QtQaJZ8ZQupcMuKYqR2k9PKdxJOv7mSLygQHbh6KamdOvJu0WHHstdhLjOWxx27GgXnlF9SLKj3lV-fr-wZvls9AL5ee4HUL5SUJledY116ZVeQMMfmLYTfLe1Ko1Cxb4NBHo/s1600/mall-fairies+cookbook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFCkl-P3QtQaJZ8ZQupcMuKYqR2k9PKdxJOv7mSLygQHbh6KamdOvJu0WHHstdhLjOWxx27GgXnlF9SLKj3lV-fr-wZvls9AL5ee4HUL5SUJledY116ZVeQMMfmLYTfLe1Ko1Cxb4NBHo/s320/mall-fairies+cookbook.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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More easy, cheap and "regular" dessert recipes can be found in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mall-Fairies-Sweet-Tooth-Cookbook-ebook/dp/B00BF6KQF2/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1434224860&sr=1-1&keywords=The+Mall+Fairies+Sweet+Tooth+Cookbook" target="_blank"><i>The Mall Fairies Sweet Tooth Recipes</i>,</a> along with short stories of the fairies from my Mall Fairies series <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mall-Fairies-Sweet-Tooth-Cookbook-ebook/dp/B00BF6KQF2/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1434224860&sr=1-1&keywords=The+Mall+Fairies+Sweet+Tooth+Cookbook" target="_blank">FREE</a> today only<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mall-Fairies-Sweet-Tooth-Cookbook-ebook/dp/B00BF6KQF2/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1434224860&sr=1-1&keywords=The+Mall+Fairies+Sweet+Tooth+Cookbook" target="_blank"> here</a>.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXXVwbJI896gSHktiCKfdcj6Cuy1LTZVayABfA9OEMb49BmFn6IxilgvRuc4bVD72YdGR97Erm6Ey8a3Cfrd2IrS38QCdQqPQ180_NMnLM1Aq9yWX-3f2rGeCP2gS7U459nXOf3Yiq-YI/s1600/Xmas+bottle+cap+2+best.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXXVwbJI896gSHktiCKfdcj6Cuy1LTZVayABfA9OEMb49BmFn6IxilgvRuc4bVD72YdGR97Erm6Ey8a3Cfrd2IrS38QCdQqPQ180_NMnLM1Aq9yWX-3f2rGeCP2gS7U459nXOf3Yiq-YI/s320/Xmas+bottle+cap+2+best.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Bottle Cap Jewelry are fast, cheap and easy to make gifts, here are a few ideas for Christmas ones.</div>
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Visit my post on Lois Winston's blog <a href="http://www.anastasiapollack.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Killer Crafts and Crafty Killers</a> for how to make cheap, easy bottle cap jewelry, great for summer fun for kids and adults alike! Lois is the editor of <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bake-Love-Write-Authors-Dessert-ebook/dp/B00NO2DPTY/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8" target="_blank">Bake, Love, Write: 105 Authors Share Dessert Recipes and Advice on Love and Writing</a></i>. On page 99, you'll find my recipe for Soda Cracker Pie, another easy recipe and cool and delicious for those long hot summer nights!<br />
<br />
Enjoy! Celebrate! And what's your favorite thing about summer?<br />
.</div>
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Conda Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12972790965426924941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913223308835760783.post-35369629425905923582015-06-06T19:09:00.000-07:002015-06-06T19:09:25.478-07:00Rejections, Schmections, They Often Don't Mean a Thing!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhft0xiIKFbHPz0rmzovxXql6lA3MGCd3HXmNIjaa2wi0pGCCxuWmwOCzdu6TwydVsfQvDrwqVKpRNwTBjVlDi9YbvdqARPvM_i8j-_x39exdyEwvq9RJo0xaM5VWfAJw4EZrZhndrlSsQ/s1600/BarbarianBooks+logo+2x2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhft0xiIKFbHPz0rmzovxXql6lA3MGCd3HXmNIjaa2wi0pGCCxuWmwOCzdu6TwydVsfQvDrwqVKpRNwTBjVlDi9YbvdqARPvM_i8j-_x39exdyEwvq9RJo0xaM5VWfAJw4EZrZhndrlSsQ/s320/BarbarianBooks+logo+2x2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The logo for our publishing company, <a href="http://www.barbarianbooks.com/" target="_blank">Barbarian Books</a>.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
When my partner and I first opened our publishing company, I figured I wouldn't learn all that much about the publishing world. After all, my career spanned decades and I've sold to/dealt with all sorts/levels of publishers.<br />
<br />
Wrong, so wrong. It's different being on the other side, especially in terms of truly understanding what publishers actually mean when they say things like, "Rejections shouldn't be taken too seriously." As an author, I'd think, "Yeah, right." As a publisher I think, "Yeah right."<br />
<br />
After recently teaching a class about the publishing world, I realized how seriously most authors take those horrid "sorry, but we won't take it," and how desperate they were for "feedback from the publisher so that they can fix the problem."<br />
<br />
There's three reasons authors don't get feedback from publishers. I've loosely ranked them from least important to most important (and you may disagree):<br />
<br />
1. Publishers simply don't have time for personal rejections.<br />
Barbarian Books is a quite small publisher, with a very limited focus as we publish genre fiction in eBook format only. We still get 100 to 200 submissions a month, with about 10 percent of those worth consideration, which is a lovely high percentage, but means we're considering as many as 240 manuscripts a year. <br />
All submissions, 1200 to 2400 a year, must be processed and responded to as well. As one of my author friends noted, "That's a full time job in and of itself." We don't have an employee who only does this job.<br />
We don't have time for personal rejections. There are a few exceptions when we'll send a rejection with some notes about the manuscript. This is always when the submission needs, <i>in our opinion </i>(see the most important #3), a little tweaking, just has minor problems, because... <br />
<br />
2. It's not the publisher's job to teach authors how to write.<br />
This is a hard one for newbie authors because of the belief that the publishers are a resource in the process of writing, instead of being where an author <i>sells their finished product</i>. Publishers are businesses, not writing instructors. They are only looking for well-written, well-edited manuscripts to <i>sell</i>. <br />
I think part of the confusion is from the oft quoted, "When you have learned how to write, written, edited, and had beta readers critique your manuscript, then submit it. If several publishers comment on the same problem then perhaps you should address that as a problem in your work." Many new authors only hear: <i>If several publishers comment on the same problem then perhaps you should address that as a problem in your novel.</i><br />
Now, this doesn't mean that you, as an author, should obsess and try to make your work perfect. (The difference between perfect and done is the subject for another post.) It will never be perfect, even when published. And there are a great many pitfalls to even attempting to do so, of which one of the biggest is...<br />
<br />
3. <b>Often, it's a completely subjective rejection and there's nothing to fix</b>. <br />
This harkens back to rejections not being taken seriously. If a manuscript is at the level of being well-written, with a writer who knows all the basics and beyond, then most if not all of a rejection is subjective.<br />
For example, I love mysteries. I've always been a reader of mysteries and now write a mystery series. I have very strong likes and dislikes when it comes to mysteries that are completely personal and totally eccentric. So I have "rejected" some mysteries simply because they are not to my taste! <br />
<br />
So dear authors, please try to avoid endless angst over the rejections you receive.<br />
<br />
Questions? Comments? I'd love to hear what you think!</div>
Conda Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12972790965426924941noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913223308835760783.post-59171283375907863592015-06-02T06:03:00.001-07:002015-06-02T06:03:25.848-07:00My Bridesmaid Romance Story on SALE, Plus Happy Rocky Road Day with a recipe!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNGIiG-_3Nx4u3u83skcdinIy2mgjGGHz84NyPHWH4lYgE9F5QS9yMzMLPEDYUlQSMOAeZQ43iZfjeHGpHP7tF6fzUw2c9RWi3CCTLdzRqom313vhDWQdnoMwJnLL59W3q9GfJxvfrF10/s1600/The+Bridesmaid+Wore+Stains200x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNGIiG-_3Nx4u3u83skcdinIy2mgjGGHz84NyPHWH4lYgE9F5QS9yMzMLPEDYUlQSMOAeZQ43iZfjeHGpHP7tF6fzUw2c9RWi3CCTLdzRqom313vhDWQdnoMwJnLL59W3q9GfJxvfrF10/s1600/The+Bridesmaid+Wore+Stains200x300.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Now on sale for 99 cents for a limited time only! Get my humorous romance, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bridesmaid-Wore-Stains-Conda-Douglas-ebook/dp/B00GYZJ5HE/ref=tmm_kin_title_0" target="_blank"><i>The Bridesmaid Wore Stains</i>,</a> now <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bridesmaid-Wore-Stains-Conda-Douglas-ebook/dp/B00GYZJ5HE/ref=tmm_kin_title_0" target="_blank">here</a>!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
My publisher and I, in honor of June brides, has placed <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bridesmaid-Wore-Stains-Conda-Douglas-ebook/dp/B00GYZJ5HE/ref=tmm_kin_title_0" target="_blank"><i>The Bridesmaid Wore Stains</i></a> on sale, in which will Kat's trademark clumsiness condemn her to a bridesmaid's worst nightmare? Enjoy!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
But wait, there's more...in honor of today, Rocky Road Day, here's an easy, fast and cheap recipe for Rocky Road Bites, with how to make it dairy, soy and egg free as well. Who knows, the bride of The Bridesmaid Wore Stains may very well have served this at her wedding! She's that kind of gal.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvgmUgF3rYmKg2V6gp-CCpiMct9rXoD_VF-u3fg8MUWq6lsTSuGCM46fGVaObGlihgvu25w2phMX7ciJ24CK9O3RkaT5ymc8SkkY-DSRllss_nTB7OeoOPUXNZUbITLw9_6KWRmtf34IY/s1600/Rocky+Road+cups+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvgmUgF3rYmKg2V6gp-CCpiMct9rXoD_VF-u3fg8MUWq6lsTSuGCM46fGVaObGlihgvu25w2phMX7ciJ24CK9O3RkaT5ymc8SkkY-DSRllss_nTB7OeoOPUXNZUbITLw9_6KWRmtf34IY/s320/Rocky+Road+cups+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Rocky Road Cups</div>
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<br /></div>
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These Rocky Road
Cups are ooey-gooey delicious and for that reason work best in cupcake or
muffin papers. Although licking your fingers is not only allowed but encouraged.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Makes six, may be
doubled.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Ingredients:</div>
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1 cup milk
chocolate morsels or dairy and soy free chocolate morsels</div>
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1 cup mini
marshmallows, check to make sure they are egg, dairy and soy free</div>
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1/2 cup walnuts
<i>or</i> pecans, coarsely chopped with fairly big pieces</div>
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<br /></div>
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Directions:</div>
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Place large
cupcake papers into a large muffin tin.</div>
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In a saucepan,
slowly melt chocolate on low heat. Or place in a microwave bowl and melt slowly
by microwaving for 30 seconds at a time for about a minute and a half, stirring
between times. Do not overcook. If in a saucepan, stir constantly to avoid
scorching and burning the chocolate. It will turn grainy and nasty if
overcooked. Trust me, I’ve done it.</div>
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When melted beat
until smooth.</div>
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Stir in
marshmallows and walnuts or pecans.</div>
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Spoon by generous
tablespoons into cupcake papers. The Rocky Road mixture will be irregular in
shape—that’s part of the fun.</div>
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Chill to harden.
I leave the cups in the fridge or freezer and take out one by one and let
soften for a few minutes before eating. Will last for a week to 10 days, I
think, in the fridge and longer in the freezer. I say <i>I think</i> because they
never last that long! Sometimes it's difficult to wait until they set up!<br />
<br />
And everyone, what are some other holidays you enjoy celebrating?<br />
<br /></div>
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Conda Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12972790965426924941noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913223308835760783.post-77531401412950111632015-05-24T21:58:00.000-07:002015-05-24T21:58:39.990-07:00Memorial Day Memories and a New Recipe Book with Old Fashioned Recipes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8AXjzTZoP1LPMIaaHlb9Mvl5YLkGFnkSrfHBlL4RYCZ1JFlxA3IfHJ-Iqv1VfScAp9NbBJOgtqQDudspCb3ziQdvcqakmYqWUE5v-NwO2vg_aeRS1svVgEbXuZkq-bfB7bGo6sUebcDc/s1600/bouquet+with+daisies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8AXjzTZoP1LPMIaaHlb9Mvl5YLkGFnkSrfHBlL4RYCZ1JFlxA3IfHJ-Iqv1VfScAp9NbBJOgtqQDudspCb3ziQdvcqakmYqWUE5v-NwO2vg_aeRS1svVgEbXuZkq-bfB7bGo6sUebcDc/s320/bouquet+with+daisies.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
A Virtual Bouquet for Memorial Day</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Memorial Day, a perfect time to remember...and here's one of my favorite memories and the recipe that came from it!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
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My mom was raised during the Great Depression by her British-born mom. So growing up, I got used to many of her recipes being from cheap ingredients. And quick and easy to prepare, as my mom worked full time and then some in our art gallery, the first in Sun Valley. Slumgullion, the Scots-Irish word for mixed up leftovers, was my mom’s favorite dish to prepare, despite
inedible disaster often being a result. She hated to “waste” food, no matter what
the state the food happened to be in, including that of waste. This is why my
dad always said that nothing ever came out of our refrigerator unless it
crawled out on its own. In self defense, I learned very early on how to cook and bake. Nowadays I often thank Mom for her terrible cooking. </div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>One of the things I learned early on is that there
are several ways to make slumgullion without it tasting (and immediately being)
garbage. If you just follow a few simple rules then you might find yourself
making a delicious slumgullion often and well! And saving food, time and money!</div>
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Dear Readers, what are your Memorial Day memories?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFp1lMBq5IFPkaWdCcFjeTdLpIgsA21FurWz1qJvH_Zs4keAsPapzaW1eH414cwBuQhP1VeCpM816HxMOd-xyvX9srus5hhPGGu3Rz2lxmYbm2aHXHdru-Go3iK59SiBIxFOFo8EmlkpI/s1600/slumgullion+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFp1lMBq5IFPkaWdCcFjeTdLpIgsA21FurWz1qJvH_Zs4keAsPapzaW1eH414cwBuQhP1VeCpM816HxMOd-xyvX9srus5hhPGGu3Rz2lxmYbm2aHXHdru-Go3iK59SiBIxFOFo8EmlkpI/s200/slumgullion+1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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Yummy Slumguillion!</div>
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<br />SLUMGULLION RULES <br /><br />Think of like with like and ingredients you'd use together in dishes. For example, I often take leftover chili (steak, chili sauce, and tomatoes), leftover Mexican casserole (hamburger, corn, chilies and carrots) and leftover pasta and combine. I promise it’s yummy, although may look odd...as illustrated above.</div>
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<br />If you have a lot of one leftover and a little of another, but not quite enough to make a meal, consider another item that would combine well with your ingredients. I might add beans or some spaghetti squash to the recipe above. Or add a side dish too, a salad perhaps. <br /><br />Avoid mixing too strong of flavors, sweets and sours, for example. If my character from my Starke Dead mystery series, Aunt Maddie, was making the chili/Mexican/pasta slumgullion above, she'd add apple pie! Okay, an extreme example, but Aunt Maddie is pretty extreme herself. Also avoid too many different added spices. Both these mistakes will make the food taste strange and murky and possibly not like food at all. <br /><br />If you have "simple" leftovers, such as cooked vegetables and chicken, consider which spices to use and try different ones for a "refreshed" dish. (I might use coriander, thyme and pepper for the vegetables and chicken, for example.) <br /><br />Avoid mixing tomatoes, vinegar or lemon juice with peas, green beans and/or broccoli as the green vegetables will turn brown and bitter. <br /><br />One last trick: You can always pour gravy over everything, yum, or use the gravy as a base for a refreshed slumgullion soup, yum!</div>
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Readers, questions, suggestions, tales of culinary disaster? </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSZ4e_qA6nJT4ZHTdg7Z41MXu_IZCDbcv0piV4eZ2eFkUuG6I9pjYOmBBML_LFm0xiS89QR1bKMg0qhrCBUapFVSGiUFaHmwdCa1_CtpKKNgzNd9ZGEZhUyiIaTbTVKf3Z61mqQt_J1IM/s1600/booklaunch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSZ4e_qA6nJT4ZHTdg7Z41MXu_IZCDbcv0piV4eZ2eFkUuG6I9pjYOmBBML_LFm0xiS89QR1bKMg0qhrCBUapFVSGiUFaHmwdCa1_CtpKKNgzNd9ZGEZhUyiIaTbTVKf3Z61mqQt_J1IM/s320/booklaunch.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
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A flyer for a booksigning of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Family-Recipes-Snake-River-Plain/dp/0692429085/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1432529822&sr=1-1&keywords=recipes+from+the+snake+river+plain" target="_blank"><i>Family Recipes from the Snake River Plain</i>,</a> which includes my slumguillion recipe and other great recipes from great cooks, fry sauce, dream cake, zucchini rounds, but you can get a copy today <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Family-Recipes-Snake-River-Plain/dp/0692429085/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1432529822&sr=1-1&keywords=recipes+from+the+snake+river+plain" target="_blank"><i>here</i></a>! Enjoy!</div>
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Conda Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12972790965426924941noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913223308835760783.post-78479498794998340152015-05-04T08:12:00.000-07:002015-05-04T08:12:02.958-07:00Leave Politics, Agendas and Rants Out of Your Public Social Media: A Rant<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPsPSi5qhAPJbqPAzYYOQ63lT4zFjmrsAW7977nZgAApWtxPCSpLrgao00e-2SBKnnzTKXiPC71ECiQP5QCxsvbOqiO_s4ORXJLcKtFpb5b_qG2DDZDg6JjJA4n5If916e4ITi-D-NeCA/s1600/WRITING+TIP+BOOK+COVER+picmonkey+40915.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPsPSi5qhAPJbqPAzYYOQ63lT4zFjmrsAW7977nZgAApWtxPCSpLrgao00e-2SBKnnzTKXiPC71ECiQP5QCxsvbOqiO_s4ORXJLcKtFpb5b_qG2DDZDg6JjJA4n5If916e4ITi-D-NeCA/s1600/WRITING+TIP+BOOK+COVER+picmonkey+40915.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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All proceeds from sales of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Romance-Mystery-Authors-Writing-Publishing-ebook/dp/B00WFFO716/ref=cm_rdp_product" target="_blank"><i>Romance and Mystery Authors on Writing</i></a> go to libraries! </div>
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The newest publication I'm in, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Romance-Mystery-Authors-Writing-Publishing-ebook/dp/B00WFFO716/ref=cm_rdp_product" target="_blank"><i>Romance and Mystery Authors on Writing</i></a>, inspired me to this rant.<br />
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Nowadays if you're an author selling titles you have to be on social media. But there are some guidelines if you want to have a good effect, i.e. have people buy your books, when you are using Facebook, Twitter, Google+, etc.<br />
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A major one: be professional and share only content that would be interesting/funny/informative to your public audience. Or at least not annoying.<br />
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Or to put it another way: if you are using social media in an "I'm an author" public way then no proselytizing of any kind about politics, religion or any agenda. No rants, she says ranting.<br />
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There's one simple reason for this. It turns potential readers off.<br />
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How can you know what the impact of any post will be? It turns readers off quickly if they don't agree with whatever. You're assuming your audience agrees with you in all ways. Or that you can change their minds by floggings by social media--which almost never if ever happens.<br />
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The surprising thing is that it turns potential readers off even if they agree with whatever it is you're ranting about. This is because of several things. The first is that there's a certain air of smugness, an "everybody thinks/believes as I do because I'm right and I know it" about those sort of posts. There's also sometimes an implied mild threat of "you'd better hop on board with this or else..." Or else what? You won't let them read your work?<br />
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Most of all, writers with an agenda can push that agenda to all exclusion of everything else, including good writing. Readers know this. Sure it's possible to write a powerful, award winning agenda driven manuscript, but it's very difficult to do. Most are rants.<br />
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If you have Facebook or Pinterest or whatever just for family and friends then go ahead and post those rabid political cartoons, get into a comment fight with your granddaughter about some news item, or whatever. It's a personal page and therefore limited, not an author page with a public persona.<br />
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There's one sorta/kinda exception and that is if the issue is part and piecemeal of what you write. For example, if you have a character who struggles with a disability, than news items about something particular to that disability might be okay to post. Or personal stories around the issue. Same might be true around a subject in your nonfiction titles, new nutrition facts if you write cookbooks--if you keep it specific and/or personal. The line between okay and annoying is thin.<br />
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So, dear readers, do you agree? Disagree? Rant away in the comments! <br />
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<br />Conda Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12972790965426924941noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6913223308835760783.post-57941010506191956442015-04-21T15:56:00.002-07:002015-04-21T19:30:23.010-07:00Truth Doesn't Suspend Disbelief, A Writer's TipOn Tuesday, May 5th, I'm teaching another of my one night classes on <a href="https://www.boiselearns.org/wconnect/CourseStatus.awp?&course=15S-PEN-012" target="_blank"><i>Navigating the New Publishing World</i></a> which will be held through Boise Community Education at <a href="http://boiselearns.org/">Boiselearns.org</a>. Since the last class went over for 45 minutes! I'm writing a few blog posts about questions that come up often in my classes and workshops that are not really on topic but that many new authors struggle with.<br />
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New author when told that her fiction is unbelievable: "But it's a true story that I wrote as fiction! It really happened! That person really did that! That coincidence was real!" Etc.<br />
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Here's the hard, awful truth when writing fiction: Truth doesn't suspend disbelief, ever. Unbelievable things happen all the time. Huge coincidences occur constantly. If you are writing nonfiction, no problem. With fiction it doesn't matter if it's true, it only matters if it's believable. If a reader doesn't suspend disbelief, even for the tiniest true detail, it's all over for the piece of fiction. Bumping a reader out of a story, even for an instant, is the kiss of death.<br />
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Now, I hear you all saying that we authors take inspiration from real life all the time. There's the rub. Inspiration only, not the true event/coincidence/whatever that is unbelievable.<br />
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Readers, do you have any examples of when you stopped reading because it was "Oh come on" moment?<br />
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<br />Conda Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12972790965426924941noreply@blogger.com0