Wednesday, October 4, 2017

IWSG and Celebrate the Small Things



Good morning, IWSG! How is everyone today? We've got a lot of ground to cover, so let's get to it. First and foremost, let's give a deafening shout-out to the man-with-the-plan, the one, the only Alex. J. Cavanaugh! And don't forget those co-hosts, diligently clicking and commenting away: Olga Godim, Chemist Ken, Jennifer Hawes, and Tamara Narayan! (That last one sounds a little shady. Who has so many "a" letters in their name?)

First off, a contest. Today's the day to enter the Show Us Your Writer Insecurity Contest. Here are the rules and prizes:

On Wednesday, October 4 (IWSG Day), post a photo of yourself (or your alter ego) with any of the IWSG swag or with the IWSG logo. Then leave a comment that day at either the IWSG website’s post or the IWSG Facebook post directing us to your photo. (All blog, Facebook, Goodreads, and newsletter members welcome, but photo must be posted on a blog or Facebook to qualify.) 

The IWSG site admins will visit each one and pick the top three. Why? Because there are cool prizes involved: 

Third place – EBook of A Change of Mind and Other Stories by Nick Wilford, eBook of The Remnant by William Michael Davidson, eBook of Cling to God by Lynda R. Young, eBook of Already Home by Heather M. Gardner, and eBook of Dragon of the Stars by Alex. J. Cavanaugh. 

Second place – The entire eBook collection of the Totem series by Christine Rains, eBooks of Princess of Las Pulgas by C. Lee McKenzie, audio book of CassaSeries by Alex J. Cavanaugh, eBook of Black and White by Nick Wilford, and your choice eBook from J.L. Campbell. 

Grand prize winner
 - IWSG website interview, IWSG newsletter spotlight, IWSG pinned tweet for one week, C. Lee McKenzie's Featured Follower for the month, the IWSG Goodreads book club eBook for October/November, a short chapter critique, and a pair of IWSG erasers.

And here is my entry:






This will be especially embarrassing considering her latest chapter, seen here in a screen shot. And yes, she had the nerve to type over my short story description for Heart Stopper



So now I know exactly who's been leaving all those nasty, little typos in my manuscripts. Et tu, Dove?



Manuscript Gremlin caught after midnight.

(I've heard staring at a computer screen for too long is bad for your eyes, but this is ridiculous!)


Next up, a question:

Have you ever slipped any of your personal information into your characters, either by accident or on purpose?

I probably did when I first started writing, but I can't remember the details. Another fun thing I like to do is put myself in scenes. The short story Ghosts of a Beneficial Place was set along my bike route, so I had the main character almost hit me with her mini-van. In Heart Stopper, a worried father in the waiting room of a hospital spies (with envy) a very pregnant lady sleeping on a couch. When I was pregnant with my second daughter, I actually fell asleep during my husband's surgery. (He's fine, btw.)

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Since I'll (hopefully) be busy Friday returning comments and waiting on my children hand-and-foot for the start of a four-day Columbus Weekend Break Blow-Out, I'm going to get this blog hop out there a few days in advance. Thank you to our host, Lexa Cain and cohosts: L.G. Keltner and Tonja Drecker.

Today, I'll celebrate cheese because without cheese, we wouldn't have some of the best, darn foods on the planet including cheddar cheese fondue, pizza, grilled cheese sandwiches...AND I would have had a much tougher time getting that picture of Dove at my computer for today's contest. 

Anyone know how to get cheese crumbs out of your keyboard? 

I'd also like to acknowledge my husband for coming up with the words for Dove's thought bubble and formatting the whole shebang in less than five minutes. You rock. (So if I win, I guess I'll have to share the prize.) Here are some earlier takes:



Or should I have gone with: "Call me Ishmael"?



"Steal one word and I'll sue for plagiarism" would be snappier, don't you think?

I'm editing you, husband. Always editing. Always. (Bonus points if you know what movie character I'm paraphrasing here.)

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Did you enter today's Writer Insecurity Contest? Does you pet ever take over your computer? Have a favorite opening line?


67 comments:

  1. How can you write WITHOUT a cat? Mine are my sternest editors . . . unless it's their dinnertime. LOVE your graphics. Dove certainly has a way with a clever phrase. Happy IWSG Day and thanks for hosting, Tamara! (with just the right number of "a"s!)

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  2. I need a cat - just so I can blame them for my typos! D'you think an imaginary cat would do?

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  3. That is hilarious! I bet your cat does add all the typos.
    Thanks for co-hosting today. Although that last host does sound a little suspicious...

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  4. I really enjoyed the photos of your cat and the nice comments that you wrote. Thank you for co-hosting.
    All the best.
    Shalom aleichem,
    Pat G @ EverythingMustChange

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  5. That's so funny. Awesome that your husband helped you with it. Good luck waiting on your children this weekend. Maybe they should have to wait on you too!

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  6. Love the pics! Creative and funny!

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  7. Thanks for co-hosting today! Wow, you wrote yiur character hitting you with their minivan? You sure don't pull your punches.
    Loving the cat photos.Dove is such a gremlin.
    My favorite food with cheese are pizza, New York style when the cheese stretches when you bite into a slice. Bacon, egg and cheese breakfast sandwich. And a hot ham and cheese sandwich.

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  8. I love how you put yourself in scenes - I'm tempted to try it too now.
    Love the cat pics too, I can imagine mine having similar evil thoughts ;)

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  9. Hilarious pics! Love them! Although the one with glowing eyes is kind of creepy...maybe Dove is writing a horror story? :)

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  10. fun challnege. I wish I had a pic ready! haha you cat is adorable!!! and yes sometimes I feel my cactus is going to be publish before me even though he can't type like your cat but he seems to be on my writing desk more than I!!! I NEED TIME TO WRITE UGH!!! my keyboard has had some questionable materials stuck to it too, especially when my kids were younger :)

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  11. Ha! Love those pics of your cat. She's a plotter that one. And mmm, cheese. Now I want pizza! :) Thanks for co-hosting today.

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  12. I love your kitty photos. Husbands are just awesome that way. Mine does almost every single one of my graphics.

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  13. Awesome cat photos and captions.
    Thanks for co-hosting IWSG this month!
    Mary at Play off the Page

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  14. Okay, I have two black kitties that I love dearly, but they LOVE to sleep on my laptop. UGH. I can never leave it unattended. Thanks for co-hosting with me!

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  15. Oh my gosh, your kitties! I LOVE those pictures and thought bubbles. I have four felines myself. And yay for cheese! I wonder how people get their cats to pose for pictures like this....

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  16. I love that you're in your novels as a little hidden surprise, you're like an Easter egg! That cat photo is great. My daughter recently shared the first chapter of the novel she's working on. I read it and thought, "well, maybe people will want to read my book after she makes it big time." As you can see, I'm quite self-centered. I think your kitty might provide you the same bounce though, so keep cheesing that keyboard!

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  17. My cat isn't that much for my computer, but he gets very enthusiastic about my tablet when I'm reading news stories that involve a lot of scrolling.

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  18. Cute cat! I totally forgot about the contest. Doh!

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  19. Love the cat memes. They rock! I think having a cat sit on my laptop would make me nuts though.

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  20. Is your cat a Russian Blue?

    I frequently work in aspects of my life and people I've known, though there's a line to walk between drawing inspiration from real life and making a story little more than a thinly-fictionalized memoir.

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  21. I think my cat is going to eventually fully take over my laptop someday too. I showed her your cat's writing and she said it's an excellent story, so keep at it, Dove! ;)

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  22. Hubby often talks about getting a cat, maybe for my writing's sake, we shouldn't. I don't need more typos. LOL

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  23. Those cat photos are precious. I'm trying to figure out how you Photoshopped the big guy to work the keyboard.

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  24. Those are definitely some fun ways to include yourself in your writing. ^_^

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  25. Tamara, I love your coat. Very smooth and grey. Looks good against your eyes. And it matches your laptop. Thanks for co-hosting, eh! Happy IWSG.

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  26. Love the cat picture. Mine barely acknowledges that I exist, until he wants the door opened to go out. He doesn't get a cameo in my books, just for being a stinker.

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  27. My cat is all over me, all the time! She is a bit spoiled, but hey, I love her face. She loves pressing buttons on the computer, thank goodness I know how to fix her silliness. She appears on the blog at times. She likes to be in pictures while she eats chicken nuggets.

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  28. "We'll see who the curiosity kills" <---LOVE IT!!

    Love your cat's excerpt, too. She's quite the talent. My cat just likes to walk across the keyboard when I'm trying to work, but it never produces anything cool. :)

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  29. What a delightful post! It does remind me of how long it's been since I've had a cat chew the eraser of the pencil as I used it, or pounced on the printwheel of my old Selectric. Good times ;-)

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  30. I do not and never have had the pleasure of owning a cat, but it seems (from my limited observations) that they are oddly attracted to computer screens. The scientist in me wonders why? Can their eyes detect something flickering in the light that we cannot?

    Anyway, I love that you insert add authorial cameos to your stories. What fun! Thanks for the post, and happy writing to you!

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  31. That last co-host does sound very shady :-)

    Love, love, love your IWSG photo and different captions! Very creative, clever and adorable.

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  32. If you find out how to get the cheese crumbs out of your keyboard, let me know. I'm currently snacking on some Cheese Nips. *ahem* Your pictures are too cute! Thanks for co-hosting today!

    Enjoy the rest of your week!
    Elsie

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  33. I love that you put yourself in your work - so Hitchcock-ian. That first caption is priceless! I've always believed that our cats are plotting to kill us in our sleep and now we have proof. My Hemingway likes to sit with me when I'm typing. Not sure how I could manage without his "help." Thanks for co-hosting today.

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  34. Great picture! I adore it.
    And cheese - food of the gods. Couldn't live without cheese.

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  35. I do believe most writers put themselves into their work. It's almost impossible not too!! I love your kitty pics!! Thank you for co-hosting this month.

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  36. Even your cats put themselves in to your work! I love it. Great post pics, and thanks for co-hosting.

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  37. The pictures are great. Clever cat you have there. Thanks for co-hosting, Tamara.

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  38. Thanks for co-hosting. Your cat is cute and seems to enjoy writing.
    Ah, cheese!

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  39. Love the pics of your cat! I wanted my cat to have a cameo in my swag pic but he's not feeling well :(

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  40. Dove is beautiful and I can't wait to read their book.

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  41. Nothing wrong with falling asleep during your husband's surgery. You were probably worn out from all the stress.

    You cat wants top billing now.

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  42. Love your cat ! LOL that is hilarious!!!

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  43. LOL This is why I love cats. I'm not sure she'll get through critiques, though. ;) Thanks for co-hosting!

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  44. I love your anxiety pictures! Well done :)
    —Rebecca
    My IWSG Post

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  45. You win for best way to slip yourself into your stories. You're the Hitchcock of the literary world.

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  46. Awe, she's gorgeous. She looks like our cat, Anakin, except that he has 4 white paws. It's so cute...looks like he's wearing socks. Good luck with the contest. :-D

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  47. Hilarious with the cat--she looks just like my kitty, Izzie. Her early work appears quite promising! But she'll probably be too stoned from catnip to finish her manuscript. You got this! :-D

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  48. Oh you are too funny, Tamara. Now that I see the talent, I think I'll just wait and see what everyone else does. I misread the instructions, but it will be fun seeing the winners. My vote is you so far. Cat's are my favorite pet. Thanks for co hosting this month!

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  49. Your contest entry and runners-up were great, Tamara! Really funny! Thanks for co-hosting today. I hope that you had a blast visiting around!

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  50. I must be one of the few writers around not to have a cat. Or a dog, or a bird. Oh, well. I've never written anything with personal information in it, but I have done some stories with my suburb in them. A couple of times I have used people's names, but only their names. One friend complained I had misspelled it. ;-)

    Translation and info: Who'd Have Thought?

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  51. This is a great post, Tamara! I love your picture with the cat. I need to close and hide my laptop so the kids won't get into it. I take it with me when I use the bathroom during the day. Oh, and to get crumbs out of the keyboard, I turn my laptop or keyboard over and tap gently. Hopefully the crumbs come out. Thanks for co-hosting the October question for IWSG. All best to you.

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  52. Love your photo for the contest! I am surprised that your cat typed NNNNNs instead of RRRRRRRs, since they sleep so much. On keyboards. :-)

    When I had a cat, she was always on top of the project I was working on. Or, on my face when I was trying to sleep. Dogs are more agreeable. Although, once I pet sat a dog, who kept putting her head on my lap or arm, so I couldn't type anything.

    Thanks for co-hosting! I really enjoy your sense of humor.

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  53. Tamara, thanks for hosting this month! Aw, creepy computer-hoarding kitty eyes. =D I'm sure she was just trying to help edit and it will all make sense once day.
    Anne from annehiga.com

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  54. It sounds kind of fun to directly insert yourself into a story. I should try that sometime. Or maybe I've done it already?

    Lee
    Tossing It Out

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  55. Ha, ha! I love your kitty. It's a winner for me. Good luck.
    Thank you for co-hosting today. Great post.

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  56. What a great idea to place yourself in a scene in your novel/story! Steven King actually starred in his movies, as a small walk-on role. Love the kitty photos! Your cat is quite talented with the computer. Does he/she take dictation? Good luck with your writing! www.dianeweidenbenner.com

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  57. Love the pic of your cat. That is so awesome you got that shot. So perrrrrfect... Thanks for co-hosting.
    Juneta @ Writer's Gambit

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  58. Love the pics.
    Thank you for co-hosting the IWSG this month.
    Happy October!

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  59. Great idea those photos! What a talented hubby you have... I like to put pieces of my character into my novels, but not me myself. Thanks for co-hosting!

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  60. Haha! He's so cute! I love it. :)

    I'm a little sad though. Totally forgot about the contest due to a number of things on my side. Always too distracted. ~_~

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  61. He is very cute. Reminds me of my cat when I was little, Pierre. My dog jumps on my laptop, but so far hasn't damaged it.

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  62. Love the kitty! Can't believe that didn't win...it's so cute.

    I'm with you on cheese. Can't imagine life without it.

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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.)