Wednesday, November 2, 2016

IWSG and CTST (Nov. 2 and 4)



Good morning, insecure writers! Are you having a candy hangover from Halloween? Are you frantically typing to meet your NaNo word count yet? Well, it's time to vent our frustrations and/or accomplishments with our illustrious host, Ninja El Capitan, Alex J. Cavanaugh, and his industrious co-hosts: Joylene Novell Butler, Jen Chandler, Mary Aalgaard, Lisa Buie Collard, Tamara Narayan, Tyrean Martinson, and Christine Rains!

This month's question: What is your favorite aspect of being a writer?

I like being lost in my writing, particularly a long novel where I have to think carefully about how to make a character come alive or how to incorporate symbolism or how to create an shocking plot twist. The art of creating is the best part. 

So that's what I hope to get back to this month. So far, 2016 has been a blur of getting Heart Stopper and Other Stories published and the blog tour. The help I received from other author/bloggers inspired me to give back by reading their work, writing reviews (but I have a list of 14 still to go), and hosting their cover reveals and guest blogs. I finally set up my KDP five freebie days to run Oct. 31 through Nov. 4 to coincide with Halloween and The Day of the Dead, both of which are prominent features in Heart Stopper's plot. (Click here if you'd like a copy.)

It's time to cut back on blogging (maybe post once a week) so I can get back into the creative process. (Whoops. I'd better find a huge block of wood to knock, because whenever I think I'm about to have time to write, someone gets sick.)

_____________



Since it's an IWSG week in which I'm co-hosting, I'm going to go ahead and post this now. Big shout out to the amazing author of Bloodwalker, Lexa Cain, and her cohosts, L.G. Keltner and Tonya Drecker.

This week, it was all about Halloween, so here's some pictures:



First, the pumpkin carving. We have (clockwise) a wolf, a scary scarecrow, an owl, and a drooly face.




Bunnicula statue




Once scary, but incredibly fluffy wolf. Best tail ever!




The Cheshire Cat from the updated Alice in Wonderland. Love those stumpy legs.




Here's the back.





The cutest little pumpkin's goggling each other.




Our ghouly, ghosty friends and/or yard decorations.


Hope you had a wonderful Halloween and enjoy the November IWSG! (I can finally put my sewing kit away! Whew. No more homemade costumes for me.)


68 comments:

  1. I love your googly eyed pumpkins - I may have to pinch that idea next year!
    Here's hoping that your children remain chipper and well, allowing you to get lots of writing and blog-hopping done ;)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Those costumes are so cute! Good luck on your release!

    ReplyDelete
  3. As soon as IWSG is done, back to NaNo-land I go. :)

    Those googly-eyed pumpkin are adorable!

    ReplyDelete
  4. What great costumes and pumpkins! I love getting lost in my writing too. The stories do take a life of their own. It's a pleasure co-hosting with you today. :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Great costumes and decorations! I always mean to decorate for Hallowe'en and then never do. I'm too lazy! I wish I could say I was spending all that time writing, but it's just life... Hoping to get back into the swing this month with NaNo.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Nice job on the pumpkin carving and costumes. That's some serious talent going on in your household.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Cute costumes! Getting lost in writing is a treat. :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh, you're one of those moms who make costumes and carve really cool pumpkins. My kids needed one of those when they were little. Good on you.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Wonderful post - Thanks so much for co-hosting this month! And I just downloaded Heart Stopper - LOVE the cover! I'll try to get a review done by the end of November :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Love the Cheshire Cat! And I also always appreciate a writer who is willing to read and review other writers works. I believe in artists supporting artists.

    ReplyDelete
  11. What wonderful costumes and pumpkins. I am never that creative. I got my copy of your story! I tried to share from the Amazon page to Facebook and it crashed, so I'll have to give your sale a tweet. Good luck with it!!

    ReplyDelete
  12. GREAT costumes!! I especially love the Cheshire Cat. He's one of my favorite characters. One of my goals for next year is to read and promote more writers from the IWSG. Thanks for the inspiration to do just that!!

    Thanks for helping us co-host this month!
    Cheers,
    Jen

    ReplyDelete
  13. Looks like everyone had a great Halloween holiday! My husband was opening the door this year and dishing out sweets to the neighbourhood kiddies - as I was ill. He did a great job! Wishing you lots of fun in your creative zone over the coming weeks.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Those costumes were awesome!
    Once a week sounds good. It's all I can manage anymore.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Cute costumes and gorgeous pumpkins!

    I like your view of the best of writing. I joke a lot about it (working in my PJs!), but you're right--there's nothing like that feeling when it's really going and the words are pouring out, the plot is coming together, and the characters are staying in character!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Great costumes and pumpkins!
    I love getting lost in my writing too and having the words fly. It doesn't happen enough thanks to life.

    ReplyDelete
  17. What great costumes! Loved those carved pumpkins, too! You've been on busy pre-Halloween person. Thanks for taking on the co-host today on top of all that.

    ReplyDelete
  18. The pumpkin carvings are very creative!
    Due to time constraints, I think lots of bloggers have cut back.
    I also believe in reading and writing reviews as a way to give back to the community.
    Thanks for co-hosting the IWSG this month.
    Happy IWSG Day!

    ReplyDelete
  19. My kids were never abducted by aliens. I must have done something wrong, eh? Thanks for co-hosting, Tamara!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Great pumpkins! Once I have my own home, instead of an apartment, I'll so be getting lots of pumpkins to display, both carved and painted.

    I've noticed a number of bloggers cutting back on their schedule. There's really no need to post several times a week if you only have time or inspiration for one really good post each week.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Wow have you been busy! I, too, am back to work on my current WIP. Good luck with yours. Also, LOVE those costumes!! I loved doing that with my kids when they were young. Now they do it themselves...

    ReplyDelete
  22. PS, thanks for co-hosting with me this month!

    ReplyDelete
  23. 2016 has blown by. I can barely keep up. Sounds like you've made some great accomplishments with writing so Congrats!

    The pumpkins look killer! And costumes look fabulous too. Way to go!

    ReplyDelete
  24. The past few years have been a blur to me.

    I love your pumpkins. We used to carve ones like that. Plus the costumes are adorable.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Good luck with NaNo. I've not done that. Maybe next year.

    Hope everyone in your house stays well so you can get some writing in. :)

    ReplyDelete
  26. I've been thinking about cutting back my blogging to twice a week, but I do find that blogging is a different sort of writing from my novel--and I like it. It's almost more creative, more open, more off-the-cuff. I sometimes surprise myself with what I say.

    Good luck with your new schedule!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Cool costumes! I cut my blogging down to once or twice a week a while back, it's hard to keep up and write and live life, too. :)

    ReplyDelete
  28. Bunnicula! I loved those books as a kid. =) Looks like you guys had a great time celebrating Halloween!

    ReplyDelete
  29. I love the kids costumes!!! And your pumpkin carving is awesome!

    Congrats on your book! I agree, I love plot twists and surprises too!!

    ReplyDelete
  30. I'm finding that many of us find that our favorite thing is to get lost in our writing. Congrats on the busy, productive year! And you can never go wrong by putting adorable kids in the post.

    ReplyDelete
  31. I enjoy getting lost in my characters' worlds too. Love the Halloween pics. Happy autumn and thanks for co-hosting.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Thank you for co-hosting. It looks like you had a fun Halloween! I love getting wrapped up in my character's worlds too. I write self-help books, so for me the fiction is a way to de-stress from that. Getting lost in their world helps big time! ;)

    ReplyDelete
  33. Great costumes, Tamara. And I LOVE the Bunnicula.
    Thanks for co-hosting this month.

    ReplyDelete
  34. 2016 has been a blur for me too. Just when I thought I would have time, one thing or another invariably popped up.
    That really sucks.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Those are some awesome carved pumpkins. Must have taken a while to carve. 2016 just went by too quickly.

    Thanks for co-hosting this month's IWSG!

    ReplyDelete
  36. Love the Halloween pictures. Thanks for co-hosting this month.

    ReplyDelete
  37. When I answered the question, I completely forgot about getting lost in my writing. Thank you for reminding of that altered space. I just realized I haven't used symbolism. I'm gonna have to add that. Isn't it fun to create a shocking plot twist and leave an impression that hangs on for days?

    ReplyDelete
  38. Thanks for co-hosting the IWSG Blog question for November. I LOVE the costumes and decorations. Oooo shocking plot twists. All the best to you. I've joined your blog!

    ReplyDelete
  39. Thanks for co-hosting the IWSG this month, Tamara! Fourteen reviews to go ~ OMG! You're braver than I am! I loved all your fun Halloween photos! Thanks for including them, Happy writing in November!

    ReplyDelete
  40. I hope no one gets sick and you get plenty of writing time in!

    ReplyDelete
  41. Hi Tamara, they say when you don't find anything to which you can say touchwood, touch your head and say it :) Hope no one falls sick. Happy writing and getting lost in your novel! (Visiting from ISWG)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Found your entry for IWSG and I have to agree. Curiosity is much stronger about all sorts of things now that I am a writer.

      Delete
  42. Great costumes and pumpkin carving. All best to you as you dive back into your creative writing. Thanks for co-hosting IWSG! Mary at Play off the Page

    ReplyDelete
  43. What great Halloween costumes! That last one makes me think of the famous painting, "The Scream." Yes, getting deeply immersed in a world and characters you are bringing to life is so satisfying! Best of luck with your next project, and I hope no one interrupts it with getting sick. Have a great day.

    ReplyDelete
  44. Sometimes, I am afraid when I get lost in my writing because it is difficult to come back to the normal routine. Yet, I wouldn't change getting lost for nothing in the world.
    Thank you for co-hosting.
    Shalom aleichem,
    Pat

    ReplyDelete
  45. Great costumes and decorations. Good luck with your NANO project!

    ReplyDelete
  46. Love those Halloween costumes and decorations. Good luck with focusing on your writing, and I'll my fingers crossed for you that no illness or other emergencies impeded your progress.

    ReplyDelete
  47. Good luck on getting back into the creative process. Hopefully you won't get sick this time. :)

    ReplyDelete
  48. Such CUTE costumes...and I love the graveyard! I wish we weren't so far off the road. I miss decorating where people can actually see the decorations. You just jump right back into writing! The world awaits your next book.

    ReplyDelete
  49. Not a lot of candy for me this year: Halloween fell on the day I have Zumba. lol

    Thanks for co-hosting! I love those pumpkins!

    ReplyDelete
  50. Great pictures. Looks like a fun Halloween.
    Good luck with your writing.
    Thank you for do-hosting this month.

    ReplyDelete
  51. Tamara, WOW, fantastic pumpkin carving job! We don't carve pumpkins now that the kids are all gone but when we did it was a simple happy jack-o-lantern design. It was always so cute, though. Your kiddos look fabulous dressed in their Halloween garb. I remember how much fun it was for ours to do this and then go door-to-door. We always limited ourselves to neighbors we knew very well and out of the handful we visited they got more than enough candy. I'm always amazed how some families trick or treat in huge subdivisions where they get a grocery bag full of candy. That's crazy ridiculous! lol Oh well, thank you for visiting and here's hoping you get back to your creative process soon. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  52. I love the pictures. We had a wonderful Halloween, thank you! You seem to have had one as well, and I adore your pumpkins. We haven't done pumpkins for a while since they melt in Florida and you can't put them out until the day before. (As if there isn't enough of a time crunch to get costumes done.) But we did them this year! So much fun--and nowhere near as cool as yours.

    ReplyDelete
  53. Wow - your family is so much more creative than mine ever was. We could barely manage the basic pumpkin face and Mom's old dress and some scarves made me a gypsy on more than one year. LOL Your kids look fab and I'm glad everyone had a great Halloween! Like you, I put my WIP on hold for months because of Bloodwalker. Now, finally, I'm getting back to it. Good luck to us both!

    ReplyDelete
  54. Love the costumes and pumpkin carving. Keeping my fingers crossed no one gets sick. For me as well, since my youngest currently has a virus and they just love passing it on to me. It's the quickest way for them to get better. Thanks for co-hosting. ��

    ReplyDelete
  55. Wonderful photos - how busy you have been this Halloween and your pumpkin carvings are amazing!! Have a great weekend and thanks for stopping by my blog :) Special Teaching at Pempi’s Palace

    ReplyDelete
  56. Your punkins and costumes are so cute. Great job. Glad things went well with your blog tour and glad to hear you are paying it forward. Thanks so much for co-hosting this month.

    ReplyDelete
  57. Your pumpkins look great and the costumes too. Sorry I didn't get to post for IWSG this month, I ran out of time and sometimes blogging has to take a back seat! Hope you enjoyed your co-hosting and thanks for stopping by my blog.

    ReplyDelete
  58. Cute costumes and I love your pumpkins!

    ReplyDelete
  59. Great job with the pumpkins. Keep the word count high and the deleting low this month.

    ReplyDelete
  60. I need to get lost in some writing. I probably need to cut back on blogging as well--it can be rather time consuming even now that I've already cut back from what I used to do.

    Arlee Bird
    Tossing It Out

    ReplyDelete
  61. Wow, those are amazing costumes, Tamara! You did a great job. Love all your decorations too. Where on earth did you find a Bunnicula statue?

    ReplyDelete
  62. find more information c0o58i2j34 replica bags online replica bags supplier v6n02c8e63 company website i9n26i1e69 replica louis vuitton bag replica bags joy l7n69m9t10 replica bags in gaffar market more j4t45m5c44 replica bags hong kong

    ReplyDelete

I will do everything in my power to visit commenter's blogs unless I've been abducted by aliens or my children get sick. (If my children get abducted by aliens, I will be very busy, of course, catching up on my sleep.)