kick start monday - spring is on the horizon!

Now for the news.

Exciting weekend of basketball - all three boys did extremely well in their tournaments! Yay!

And here's some announcements to get us up to speed in the blogosphere!
In February it seems that being cooped up led to extensive need to blogfest!
I am glad March will bring a more normal schedule, especially gearing up for A to Z insanity in April!

There are a few fests this month and I am excited about them! How do you all keep coming up with new ideas to inspire us?!

March 9 - Kyra and Rachel have come up with the WIP - The Movie blogfest where we pick movie stars for our WIP! I love this!


March 12-17th, Mr Hawaii Koopmans is hosting a Got Green? blogfest sounds like quite a shenanigan!

March 26-28 - Charity from Unicorn Bell (awesome crit group site) gives us several inspiring scenes to choose from and write about for the A Picture Paints 1000 Words blogfest. The pictures are gorgeous! I already have an idea for a couple!

And don't forget Auntie Tara! Tomorrow's writing prompt is for submission to an anthology for a great cause.

Two last things!

• My Spaced Out title is to remind you about Alex's CassaFire book launch - one more week of touring!
• And it will be up until I announce the winners of my 350+ followers blurb contest on Friday 3/9!

Writing a Book - Crit Partnership

Hey! Happy March!

First a big heart-shaped chocolate chip cookie from Auntie Tara to Manda Pepper and Nicki Elson for their great short stories! This month's prompt will make you howl for a good cause. Tune in Tuesday!


I'm glad things have settled down somewhat, even though the next Campaign challenge is around the corner. After all those February fests, I finally get to post about writing! Not that I didn't have a great time!

So, I have come to that phase of writing where I have edited my MS several times and my brain is tired of reading it. I know this story inside, outside, upside down (thank you Dr. Suess!) I must take a break from it and let someone else advise me on what it needs, or doesn't need. I have found a sweet CP willing to do it and I'm excited to read her MS as well - give and take!

Many of you have done this before and even if you haven't, you will soon! So I have a few questions for you, like:

1. How many crit partners have you had? How many is a good number?
2. Do you crit the same genre you write?
3. What do you look for when critting? Are you a line by line or a broader, general critter?
4. What is most helpful to you?

Whatever stage you are in on your WIP, I hope you are writing like mad! Because April and the A to Z challenge will be upon us like Tom on Jerry (pic source) - then Jerry will outsmart Tom and Aunt Jemima will scold him for wrecking the kitchen... What was I saying?

Oh well. Write on! and have a great weekend!

Yay you, Yay me!

(Did you think of Lionel Richie? Bet you are now! ha!)

Today is LEAP DAY! (anyone see 30 Rock? so funny! not a bad concept to "take a leap" to try something and "nothing counts on Leap Day") Happy bday to anyone born on this special day which always reminds me of Pirates of Penznance ("He is a little boy of 5!") That's all I have for Leap Day. Anyone do anything special for it?

Now on to my

300/350+ Follower Celebration!

I want to thank you guys so much for paying me some attention! I also want to know you all better. So whoever leaves me a blurb (35-50 words) about their WIP or themselves on this post will be entered in a random draw to receive:

• a hardcover copy of DIVERGENT by Veronica Roth (a thrilling YA dystopian - the sequel INSURGENT comes out so soon!)

but since I got 50+ more since my first announcement, I wanted to add another prize!

• a hardcover copy of JANITORS by Tyler Whitesides (MG thriller - I'm always looking for a good book for my boys and they liked this one!)

I will leave the contest open for a couple of weeks - then I take down my Spaced Out header and annouce the winners. ps - state your book preference too, if you want.

Thanks again - so glad to know you! And lest we forget!
It's Sensational Haiku Wednesday, just one this week for fortitude...

Feeling fancy with
Fortitude of followers
Fortunate am I!