Posts
One of my favorite blogs to visit is The Magical Buffet. Blogger Rebecca Elson is interested in lots of things, from Paganism (which is how I got met her), to ghost hunting, to Buddhism, to reading...just about everything. Her blog is always interesting and never predictable, which is one of the things I love about it.
Today's blog post is extra interesting to me, because it is a guest post by author Nancy Holzner. Nancy wrote a wonderful and original urban fantasy called DEADTOWN (which you should run right out and buy, if you haven't read it yet). I'll let you go to The Magical Buffet and read all about it, in Nancy's own words.
http://themagicalbuffet.com/blog1/2010/10/21/the-origin-of-deadtown/
What--you're still here? GO! Go read!
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
YAY! Great review for Witchcraft on a Shoestring
The New Age Retailer printed a great review of the new book! I am doing the dance of joy, author version!
Witchcraft on a Shoestring: Practicing the Craft without Breaking Your Budget
Deborah Blake
$15.95 P, 9780738721361, Llewellyn Publications, www.Llewellyn.com
In a struggling economy, the cost of witchcraft supplies can be a roadblock for many aspiring Pagans. Finding imaginative ways to use what you have, tracking down free supplies, and focusing on the principles of the craft, rather than its trappings, are all ways she and the members of her beloved Blue Moon Coven hone their skills. All that is truly required for the practice of witchcraft is a belief in natural law, fueled by the power of will and focused on a specific outcome. Of course, the tools, costumes, settings, and feasts all add significantly to the experience.
Blake doesn’t try to tell readers to do without; instead, she shares ways to have it all on a budget. The book includes simple instructions for craft projects (such as making your own clay runes and creating magical candles), dollar-stretching recipes (such as “grown-up” hot chocolate and Magikal Moussaka), and low-cost/no-cost things to add to a Pagan practice. One of the things she does suggest spending money on is books, and she includes an eight-page list of suggestions for a starter library.
Blake’s enthusiastic personality comes through on every information-laden page of this fun-to-read book. The lively cover completes the package and makes it a terrific item for both holiday and post-holiday sales. --Anna Jedrziewski, www.SpiritConnectionNewYork.org, New York, N.Y.
Witchcraft on a Shoestring: Practicing the Craft without Breaking Your Budget
Deborah Blake
$15.95 P, 9780738721361, Llewellyn Publications, www.Llewellyn.com
In a struggling economy, the cost of witchcraft supplies can be a roadblock for many aspiring Pagans. Finding imaginative ways to use what you have, tracking down free supplies, and focusing on the principles of the craft, rather than its trappings, are all ways she and the members of her beloved Blue Moon Coven hone their skills. All that is truly required for the practice of witchcraft is a belief in natural law, fueled by the power of will and focused on a specific outcome. Of course, the tools, costumes, settings, and feasts all add significantly to the experience.
Blake doesn’t try to tell readers to do without; instead, she shares ways to have it all on a budget. The book includes simple instructions for craft projects (such as making your own clay runes and creating magical candles), dollar-stretching recipes (such as “grown-up” hot chocolate and Magikal Moussaka), and low-cost/no-cost things to add to a Pagan practice. One of the things she does suggest spending money on is books, and she includes an eight-page list of suggestions for a starter library.
Blake’s enthusiastic personality comes through on every information-laden page of this fun-to-read book. The lively cover completes the package and makes it a terrific item for both holiday and post-holiday sales. --Anna Jedrziewski, www.SpiritConnectionNewYork.org, New York, N.Y.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
WORKSHOP: Edit As You Go: How and Why to Edit as You Write Your First Draft (Nov 1 - Nov 6)
WORKSHOP: Edit As You Go: How and Why to Edit as You Write Your First Draft (Nov 1 - Nov 6)
Just in time for NANOWRIMO! I'll be giving my mini-workshop on "Editing as You Go" -- I hope you'll join me!
Just in time for NANOWRIMO! I'll be giving my mini-workshop on "Editing as You Go" -- I hope you'll join me!
Sunday, October 10, 2010
A day in the life of an author--"What's on my desk"
I have a (free) subscription to an online magazine devoted to writers and writing, The Verb. Once a month it lands in my email inbox, full of tips, interesting info, and a contest.
One of my favorite sections is called "What's on My Desk," in which a featured author shows you their work space and a glimpse into how they write.
So you can imagine how tickled I was when Elizabeth Guy, who writes The Verb, asked me if I wanted to be the (spook-ish) guest author for October! If you are curious about what's on MY desk, go take a look!
http://postlink.www.listbox.com/780950/083e96a11c20f2093ae661ae696a3bdc/9772774/56559a9d?uri=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5yZWFkaW5nd3JpdGVycy5jb20vVGhlVkVSQmhvdHAuaHRt
One of my favorite sections is called "What's on My Desk," in which a featured author shows you their work space and a glimpse into how they write.
So you can imagine how tickled I was when Elizabeth Guy, who writes The Verb, asked me if I wanted to be the (spook-ish) guest author for October! If you are curious about what's on MY desk, go take a look!
http://postlink.www.listbox.com/780950/083e96a11c20f2093ae661ae696a3bdc/9772774/56559a9d?uri=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5yZWFkaW5nd3JpdGVycy5jb20vVGhlVkVSQmhvdHAuaHRt
Monday, October 4, 2010
Music for the New Project
Found this accidentally and fell in love with it. Now it's the musical theme for the New Project
Sunday, October 3, 2010
A reminder and a funny video
Friday, October 1, 2010
Can I get an ark?
We had torrential downpours here starting last night and going through this afternoon. My road was okay this morning when I left, although the creek across the street had massively overflowed its banks and flooded the fields next to it, creating a lake (not uncommon, but not usually to this extent).
When I was halfway to work, I heard an announcement on the radio saying that they'd declared a state of emergency in my county, but by then I was over the border into the next county (where the store is located) and besides, it is the FIRST, which means I have to go in and do everybody's checks and masses of paperwork. Or there are riots.
I was getting ready to leave the shop around twelve-thirty, because I had a friend from Albany and her hubby coming in for Fabulous First Friday (and some energy healing work from me before hand) when my friend Jess called to say, "Just thought you should know: they've closed down your road due to flooding. You can't get home."
Oh, grand.
She did say that she thought I could get to her place, which is about a mile away from mine, and park my car there. So I sweet-talked my way past the guys blocking off the road and raced to Jess's. She let me borrow a pair of her husband's Wellies (theoretically waterproof boots, which, as it turns out, weren't even remotely waterproof--but did keep me from wrecking my regular shoes, or having to walk barefoot on the road, which had been my original plan), and I slung my shoes into my bag and set off down the road.
I had to wade through fairly high water (above my ankles in all cases, and once up to my shins) in three places, but thankfully, I made it home okay. Then I frantically called my pal Rebecca just in time to stop her and her husband right before they walked out the door. I would have hated for them to have driven all the way here (an hour and a half), just to find out that they couldn't make it the last three mile to my house.
I was grateful to be home, and even more grateful to discover that my phone and TV were back on (all my cable services were out when I woke up this morning, probably because of the severe winds that came with the storm). I ended up missing the last Fabulous First Friday, which was too bad, since I was one of the people who arranged it all, but at least I was home and safe.
Whew.
And on the bright side, that meant I got to work on the ms, and I did 1,200 words so far this evening. I may give my arms a rest and try and do some more later.
I hope everyone is home, safe and dry!
When I was halfway to work, I heard an announcement on the radio saying that they'd declared a state of emergency in my county, but by then I was over the border into the next county (where the store is located) and besides, it is the FIRST, which means I have to go in and do everybody's checks and masses of paperwork. Or there are riots.
I was getting ready to leave the shop around twelve-thirty, because I had a friend from Albany and her hubby coming in for Fabulous First Friday (and some energy healing work from me before hand) when my friend Jess called to say, "Just thought you should know: they've closed down your road due to flooding. You can't get home."
Oh, grand.
She did say that she thought I could get to her place, which is about a mile away from mine, and park my car there. So I sweet-talked my way past the guys blocking off the road and raced to Jess's. She let me borrow a pair of her husband's Wellies (theoretically waterproof boots, which, as it turns out, weren't even remotely waterproof--but did keep me from wrecking my regular shoes, or having to walk barefoot on the road, which had been my original plan), and I slung my shoes into my bag and set off down the road.
I had to wade through fairly high water (above my ankles in all cases, and once up to my shins) in three places, but thankfully, I made it home okay. Then I frantically called my pal Rebecca just in time to stop her and her husband right before they walked out the door. I would have hated for them to have driven all the way here (an hour and a half), just to find out that they couldn't make it the last three mile to my house.
I was grateful to be home, and even more grateful to discover that my phone and TV were back on (all my cable services were out when I woke up this morning, probably because of the severe winds that came with the storm). I ended up missing the last Fabulous First Friday, which was too bad, since I was one of the people who arranged it all, but at least I was home and safe.
Whew.
And on the bright side, that meant I got to work on the ms, and I did 1,200 words so far this evening. I may give my arms a rest and try and do some more later.
I hope everyone is home, safe and dry!
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