PLAYFUL/PERFECTIONIST - A to Z Challenge

It’s the third A to Z Challenge! Blog the letters of the alphabet in order every day except Sundays The participation list is HERE – start with the blog after yours and visit at least five blogs a day. Mostly, make new friends and have fun!

My theme – I have selected a word for each day and will present to you blogger buddies who fit that description, along with movies, music, etc. My theme is to give back, highlight some awesome bloggers, and have fun in the process.

PLAYFUL/PERFECTIONIST

The Happy Whisk
Don’t go to Whisk’s site expecting anything but fun. Her followers are affectionately called “boogerbutts.” However, there is a serious side to Whisk - don't mess with her cooking or coupons. She’s also just the sweetest person I’ve ever met. Follow her fun and animated journey and be prepared to “Boogie Boogie.”

Jessica Bell at The Alliterative Allomorph
There is a playful streak to Jessica that she lets out now and then. However, what I see most in this Greek Aussie is perfectionism. She’s an author and an accomplished musician, and you don’t arrive at that point without a high level of perfectionism. And it shows in her books and album. Jessica, as a fellow perfectionist, I know the lonely road you travel. And while no one is perfect, you are DAMN good at what you do!

I admit it. I’m a perfectionist. If practice makes perfect and nobody’s perfect, then I wonder why I keep trying. But my hunt for the ever-elusive perfection continues. I’ll fall short with every word and strum of my guitar.
Thankfully God doesn’t expect perfectionism.

Flushed Away
With Aardman’s The Pirates coming next week, I felt compelled to pull out this movie last weekend. With the voices of Hugh Jackman and Kate Winslet (another sexy Kate!), is about as playful and funny as they come. And the singing slugs crack me up every time.

NINJA NEWS!

Don’t forget the First Loves Blogfest on May 14 – First loves of movies, music, books, and person. Click the blogfest title to sign up.

Still doing the best I can to get to as many posts a day as possible. Please don’t be offended if I skip you one day or it takes me a while to get to during the Challenge. I clear out my Google Reader every night and Monday morning, I awoke to almost seven hundred new posts. (Yeah, what would you do? Cry?)

Following Whisk and Jessica? Suffer from perfection? Ever watched Flushed Away? Overwhelmed by posts and comments? Still having fun??? And who’s the playful person or perfectionist in your life?

ORDERLY/OPTIMISTIC - A to Z Challenge

It’s the third A to Z Challenge! Blog the letters of the alphabet in order every day except Sundays The participation list is HERE – start with the blog after yours and visit at least five blogs a day. Mostly, make new friends and have fun!

My theme – I have selected a word for each day and will present to you blogger buddies who fit that description, along with movies, music, etc. My theme is to give back, highlight some awesome bloggers, and have fun in the process.

ORDERLY/OPTIMISTIC

Elizabeth Spann Craig at Mystery Writing is Murder
This mystery writer is one of my very first followers. Her blog is so orderly and professional, I have to admit I was very intimidated at first. She founded the Writer’s Knowledge Database, the largest collection of writing information I have ever seen. I’m not sure how she finds and organizes it all, but I am impressed beyond words. She’s also a full time writer, something that is difficult to achieve. If you’re not following her Writer’s Digest 101 Best Websites for Writers, then you need to get with it!

Ciara Knight
What strikes me first with Ciara is her optimistic attitude. It’s genuine and solid. Her feature “Did I Notice Your Book?” speaks volumes of her feelings towards her fellow authors. I imagine that after time in her presence, one would walk away feeling confident and ready to conquer the world. Ciara, sometimes we wonder if we are making any difference. Well, rest assured – you are making an amazing impact!!

Andie MacDowell as Rita in Groundhog Day
Here was a character of such unfettered optimism that it even prompted Bill Murray to utter the line “Gosh, you’re upbeat.” Anytime I hear someone spout overly optimistic jargon it calls to mind the classic words of Bill Murray and the hilarious movie “Groundhog Day.”

NINJA NEWS!

Laura Pauling signed a contract for How to Survive Ancient Spells and Crazy Kings. Congratulations, Laura!!

Just to highlight another great A to Z theme – Jamie at Mithril Wisdom is highlighting metal and progressive rock bands with a fantasy/horror/science fiction edge. He's Welsh, so Jamie has only stumped me on a few of them.

And just to clarify yesterday’s post – my wife is far hotter than Kate Beckinsale! Yes, I am damned proud of that fact.

Finally, this is for those who never saw Chris Phillips’ post over a year ago. (Which I imagine is most of you.) He’d asked what songs influenced the writing of the author’s book. Most selected three songs, but I went with only one. “Street Spirit” by Stream of Passion was the emotional drive behind a key scene in CassaStar. I wrote revisions to that scene, the most difficult I’ve ever written, while listening to this song. If you don’t have time to listen, I understand. But for those who’ve read CassaStar, you’ll know what scene I mean:



Are you following Elizabeth and Ciara? Watched Groundhog Day? Digging Jamie’s metal A to Z posts? Know what scene “Street Spirit” embodies? Do you have a scene in your book/manuscript that will forever eat at your heart? And who do you know that is orderly or optimistic?

NETWORKER/NAKED - A to Z Challenge

It’s the third A to Z Challenge! Blog the letters of the alphabet in order every day except Sundays The participation list is HERE – start with the blog after yours and visit at least five blogs a day. Mostly, make new friends and have fun!

My theme – I have selected a word for each day and will present to you blogger buddies who fit that description, along with movies, music, etc. My theme is to give back, highlight some awesome bloggers, and have fun in the process.

NETWORKER/NAKED

Golden at The Eagle’s Aerial Perspective
No one knows how to network like Golden. She is everywhere, learning and soaking in what the blogging world has to offer. Golden is also one of the sharpest young ladies I have ever met, and it’s easy to forget she is a teenager. With her sharp mind and excellent skills with people, Golden will go very far in life!

Hart at Confessions of a Watery Tart
The Watery Tart is very sharp, but those of us who know her realize it’s all about one thing – Naked World Domination! Hart wants to do away with clothes because they are so restricting. She even writes while in the bathtub. (And I can only assume naked – she hasn’t confirmed this though.) While I’m not about to wander my own house naked, I admit certain pieces of clothing need to be banned. Now, if all this naked stuff has you nervous, let me assure you – Hart is one of the most awesome bloggers I have ever met. And in two months, her first book will be unleashed onto the world!

Kate Beckinsale
Okay, I admit when I hear the word naked I think of my wife and then Kate Beckinsale. (Yes, in that order.) She has appeared nude in many movies but has since sworn off nudity in deference to her child (I applaud that decision, and yet, it makes me sad.)

NINJA NEWS!

We’ve been working hard to clear all ad sites and non-participating blogs on the Challenge list. Hopefully you are encountering fewer of these sites.

Don’t forget May 7 is the Challenge Reflections post. On that day, we want to hear from you – what you liked, what you didn’t like, did you enjoy it, etc. A sign-up list will be available that day at the A to Z Blog and host sites. Once you’ve posted your reflections, add your post link to the sign up list.

If anyone would like to host a blogfest but you don’t have a Linky Tools subscription, let me know and I’d be glad to create a Linky List for you.

Following Golden and Hart? Part of the Naked World Domination movement? Anyone see The Cabin in the Woods this weekend? (Freaky movie, wasn’t it?) Who do you know who is a networker? (Or into being naked?) And I’m almost to 1500 followers – what should I do to celebrate?

MOTIVATED - A to Z Challenge

It’s the third A to Z Challenge! Blog the letters of the alphabet in order every day except Sundays The participation list is HERE – start with the blog after yours and visit at least five blogs a day. Mostly, make new friends and have fun!

My theme – I have selected a word for each day and will present to you blogger buddies who fit that description, along with movies, music, etc. My theme is to give back, highlight some awesome bloggers, and have fun in the process.

MOTIVATED

Milo at In Media Res
If you’ve ever wondered if there was a market for short stories, then wonder no longer. Milo is THE short story master. He doesn’t just write and submit a couple a year – this dude submits weekly, and his rate of acceptance and publication reflects that. Last year during the Challenge, he posted links to sites that accept short stories, which was very generous. Milo is motivated times a thousand!

Jeffrey at World of the Scribe
Two years ago – maybe longer? – Jeffrey’s manuscript The Flettleglag Force was accepted for publication. He’s been waiting… and waiting… and waiting for its release. Jeffrey didn’t remain in limbo though – he continued writing and finally decided to self-publish his fantasy epic, Spell of Entrapment. I admire his bravery and determination to expose his work to the world. Jeffrey is also one of my awesome critique partners and one of the first real friends I made here in the blogging world. Dude, you rock – keep pushing forward!

Rush
This is a band that is motivated by the sheer joy of making music. Formed in 1968, the band’s first record dropped in 1974 but didn’t quite gel until drummer and lyricist Neil Peart joined later the same year. Nineteen studio records (with a twentieth coming this year) and the band is still going strong and sound just as good as ever.

NINJA NEWS! (And movie reviews)

The Cabin in the Woods
Wow! The trailer does NOT give away the twist. It’s not a parody, but rather a scathing satire of the horror genre. With tongue planted firmly in cheek, it’s clear the makers are in on the joke. With Whedon’s impeccable writing, some scenes are laugh out loud funny. I wouldn’t dare put any spoilers in this review, but sufficed to say, the third act is bat-shit crazy.

The Thing (2011)
This movie is well done, the acting decent, and the special effects really good. It was cool seeing the alien’s spaceship. As a prequel to 1982’s The Thing, you know where it’s going and it leads you right there. That said, it didn’t break any new ground or bring anything new to the table. And with CGI, they could do more, but gone was Carpenter’s skill of proper lighting to bring out the best in the special effects. Worth a watch if you’re curious. Or bored.

We are almost halfway through the Challenge!!! Good to hear so many are having fun with it. And some of you have worked SO hard on your themes – I am impressed. Don’t forget that May 7 will be the Challenge Reflections post, so mark your calendars. Details soon.

Following Jeffrey? If you write short stories, you definitely need to follow Milo. Fan of Rush? (And if you’re not, please don’t make the Ninja sad.) Did you see The Cabin in the Woods? Or The Thing? Any other movies? Having Challenge meltdown? And who do you know who is motivated?