Oh, How I Miss You Blogfest

Today Alex and company are hosting the Oh How I Miss You Blogfest

Amanda and Jonathan Welling (husband and wife team) and Emily Bedwell are the wonderful team behind the blog Hippies, Beauty and Books, Oh My!. I loved visiting this blog which was so well put together, had people who loved books and delightful giveaways to thank those who stopped by. The creators kept expanding the blog until by Summer 2012 there was also book forums included. Then came the fateful day of August 24, 2012. You can read the post here but in short Amanda and John told us they were shutting down the site. They didn't take down the blog but it was made clear there'd be no future posting. Why? Below are some excerpts:

For the past several weeks we have been bombarded with rude, vile and offensive comments being left on our blog in the comments section of our posts and in our emails. We've done our best to ignore and delete as much as possible, but we can (or rather I can) only handle so much negativity.

Something occured this week that was an eye-opener. A young girl we knew decided that she would rather die then go to school and be bullied. She was also tormented relentlessly on the internet. A few days ago, her mother found her passed out unresponsive. She tried to hang herself using a belt around her neck. They had hopes she would pull through when she was rushed to the hospital, but she died yesterday morning.

She was only 11 years old.

Jon and I have decided we are shutting down our blog for good. This will be our last post. 

And that was that. I must confess that for a while I did look back hoping they'd return but alas they didn't. I respect their decision but I miss this blog team's wonderful blog so much. It is sad that bullying caused them to stop blogging. So HBB, Oh My and it's blogging team are who I miss. God bless you all in your future endeavors.

Now for a blogger I would miss he or she were to go. That would be Cassie Mae. I met blog to blog with this twenty-something funster early 2012 and haven't been bored by her personal posts and fun jottings since. She's married, has kids and still finds time to blog, write books and now even has an agent. We readers got a real scare when we found out earlier this year there was some cyber vagrant trying to put down our sweet Cassie. But many readers including myself assured her that both she and her blog was super awesome and she got out of her funk and kept right on blogging. I love you Cassie and your fellow readers and bloggy friends love you too. Don't ever go away. We'd miss you something terrible. And laugh less. A lot less.

Now hop around to all those taking part and enjoy your blogger friends. You never know what might happen in the future. But I know one thing. NO ONE WILL BULLY ME OFF MY BLOG. *Growls*

Love Ya!

IWSG: Sheena-kay the Poet

Yes I write poetry. It got me my first cheque in writing. But for some reason I don't talk about it much. It's less of an insecurity and more of an automatic closing off. I talk about writing fiction just fine. On this blog I'm writing about my WIPs all the time. Poetry however takes a permanent back seat. I love writing poetry, really do. Yet I don't do much open dialogue about it. Maybe it's my quiet side or maybe despite all the years of writing poetry (wrote poetry regularly before I became truly interested in writing fiction), I'm just not the talkative type when it comes to that aspect of my life.

My poetry dreams are different from my dreams of writing fiction. With poetry I want to travel to England and other countries where my favourite poets called home. Most of my favourite poets aren't from Jamaica. My fave poet from here is Louise Bennett. She died years ago but her influence on Jamaican culture still resonates. My favourite poets include Emily Dickinson and William Wordsworth. My poetry isn't very lyrical and I'm not a big fan of rhyming. One day I'd love to go to a writing retreat and spend a few weeks if not months just writing poetry.

Before I go here a few poems written by yours truly.

Garrison Lament

How great was the don who fed us!

Bring curses to those who took him from us!

He gave us bread and sent our kids to school.

How great was the don who fed us!

Now he’s gone and we’re just left to starve.

In this community no one can find a job.

How great was the don who fed us!

Bring curses to those who took him from us!

The Widow

I walk with an authoritive air.

My dainty steps but harsh voice

makes the maids aware I’m there.

Yes, there watching their every move.

They are my servants, this is my castle.

And I don’t care if I sound crude.

I never had whips lash my milky white back.

But words can be sharper than any whip.

And unlike physical ashes that can be

healed by medicine and tender care.

Words can leave their emotional lash

inside you forever.

As a widow, I know of this.

Jealousy fills other women’s eyes when they

see that I’m no longer tied to a husband.

My life now much freer than theirs.

And as a former wife, I understand their suffering.

My only husband is dead.

Bless his soul, but his harsh words

did worse than his blows.

Now widowed I’ve promised myself never to remarry.

But that doesn’t mean I don’t have a little fun.

I have no worries because no one here would dare tell.  

I am The Widow.

This is my mansion, my castle.

I do as I please.

If anyone has a problem with that.

They can rise and take their leave.

The Foe (formerly titled Friends)

Friends become enemies

when we lose their trust.

Betrayal will turn any

relationship to dust.

 

Did I Notice Your Book Blogfest

I'm participating in the Did I Notice Your Book Blogfest hosted by Ciara Kight and Ninja Captain Alex.

Blurb: Seventeen year old Lisa Brown’s life is falling apart. First, her mother and father divorce, then their house forecloses and now, her mother has decided to commit herself to a psychiatric hospital.

If that weren’t enough, she must leave sunny south Florida to attend a boarding school full of geniuses in cold, Lynn, Massachusetts. The city where the locals chant “Lynn, Lynn, city of sin; you never come out the way you went in.”

And, they aren’t kidding. Lisa must live in a tiny shack with two strange teenagers, a dog named Pig who growls when you look at him and a cat named Rat. “Mind the cat,” everyone says. What the heck is wrong with this place?

Lisa thinks she’s landed in her own house of horrors with the anti-social Alex and his facetious sister Ally. But, the real drama begins the day she is struck by lightning.


How I Noticed This Book?

Completely by accident. I was looking up on books named Cin (full title: C I N: "Lynn, Lynn, the city of sin. You never come out the way you went in) on Amazon for a special project and came across this book. I ignored it at first but a nagging feeling made me look back on it. I'm glad I did. Especially when I read how the author came up with the book's title and story line. After reading the summary I was both intrigued and confused. I also felt sorry for the main character's 'madhouse' situation. I at first borrowed it from booklending.com and loved it. But by a happy coincidence Christina made the kindle version free in September and I got a copy. Now I own the book and couldn't be happier. I recommend everyone to try and read a copy if they can. The twist and turns in Lisa's life will have you on the edge of your seat and the other characters in the story keep you reading. Even the animals. You will find out why you ought to "Mind the cat" named Rat.

Now here's how you can help spread the word. Below are just two examples. You can use the Facebook example for any other social network site or create your own post. Hopefully Christina will notice and stop by.

Tweet: I saw #Cin1 from the #CINSeries by Christina Leigh Pritchard on http://queendsheena.blogspot.com/2012/10/did-i-notice-your-book-blogfest.html … during the Did I Notice Your Book Blogfest. #NoticeBook

Facebook: I read about C I N: "Lynn, Lynn, the city of sin. You never come out the way you went in" by Christina Leigh Pritchard at http://queendsheena.blogspot.com/2012/10/did-i-notice-your-book-blogfest.html. It was during the Did I Notice Your Book Blogfest and everyone including the author should take a look.

P.S. - Remember to sign up for the Blogoversary: Sacrifice Book 4 Bloghop. Where the winner with the best idea gets a special prize. Click the link for details.

IWSG: About Writing, Blogoversary Contest, and Express Yourself Meme

Click here for Wating on Wednesday Post.

So another IWSG day is upon us. Today I'll be discussing my upcoming blogoversary and news on my writing. When I created my blog Queendsheena, I was determined to get my writing off the ground, get published and make friends and contacts with other aspiring and successful writers. While I've not yet published a novel, I have achieved the other two. But while I'm not yet published, I don't regret my decision. While I plan to go both the self-published and traditional route. Neither will be done with half-polished or okay work. Until I'm satisfied that my novels are ready, none will be published. I've had various issues. A chapter doesn't work, the voice of a character sounds too old (happened in Sacrifice Her with Kale, I'm correcting that) and etc. I nearly decided to change one to New Adult but decided against it because it's part of a YA series of single books. Instead I worked getting everyone down to the appropriate age. My self-published books have been pushed to 2013 publishing dates and I'll start agenting for my manuscripts for traditional publishing when I feel they're ready.

Now unto my Blogoversay. Nearly a year ago on October 25, 2011 I created this blog. During this time I have accomplished a lot as an aspiring writer and met blogger friends that connect with me just as well (if not better) than those who I see day to day. Now I have decided that as a way to thank those who have been visiting my blog to give them a chance to do something few people get to do. Decide on a novel an author writes. Everywhere they're offers of gift cards, books and so on. I love those giveaways and contests, don't get me wrong. But I like a challenge. So instead of just giving something away, how about giving an opportunity. I thought really hard about something that would set my blogoversary apart. Get the blogoshere chatting, typing, whatever. Then it came to me. I had decided about the first three books in The Sacrifice Series for a while and planned on deciding on others later since I had other self-published titles to think about for the future. Why not make a decision on book 4. In fact, why not allow fellow bloggers to decide. That's how my unique Blogoversary idea was born. Having a Blogoversary Bloghop Contest where the prize is getting a chance to title and create the story for book 4 in the sacrifice series.

For more on The Sacrifice Series please visit The Sacrifice Series Page. The entry page will be posted October 5, 2012. So be ready to enter your links this friday. October 25, 2012 will be the big Blogoversary celebration and the winner will be decided between November 8-15. Depending on the volume of entries. Full details will be revealed on Friday when entry page is unveiled.

The basic requirements for the contest are:

1. A title no more than three words. e.g. Sacrifice Her, For My Country

2. The main character has to be a teenager, no younger than thirteen, no older than seventeen. You can have up to two protagonist. Gender is your choice. He or she has to be in a situation where they're up for sacrifice. You can choose how and why.

3. A quick sumary of what your idea for book 4 is about.

4. 500-1000 words of your idea in story form.

5. Being signed up on the entry page by October 25 at noon. Posting entry on your blog between Oct 24 - 26. No late submissions will be accepted. If you have an issue with posting dates let me know by email or in comments. I'll contact you and see what can be arranged. Anyone who can post on the 25 would be greatly appreciated but if not you have between the 24-26 to post.

Optional:

1. Naming other characters you'd like in the novel.

2. Detailed setting.

3. Anything else you'd like to say in your entry that's G-PG-13 and doesn't go against the requirements for entry.

Genres Allowed: (Please remember this is book is part of a YA series) Contemporary, Dystopia, Fantasy, Paranormal, Supernatureal, Light Sci-Fi, Romance. And no, you don't have to pick a genre but your idea is likely to fall under one of these when I make it into a novel.

Absolute No No's: Western, Steampunk, Horror, extreme gore, Heavy Sci-Fi (can't write Brave New World type fiction, sorry).

Winner has their entry turned into a novella for June 2013 or September 2013 release. Sorry but July and August are for promoting and releasing my self-published novel Snow that I plan to have in both paperback and ebook format. So if not June, it has to wait for September. You will be credited and have a pre-released pdf version to read and free copy of ebook when it's released.

Express Yourself Meme

Dani and Jacki are co-hosting the Express Yourself Weekly Meme.

Here's the schedule:

Oct. 1-5- pick a name in your current wip; what was your process of acquiring it?
Oct. 8-12 List five movies/books that cause the hair to stand on the back of your neck.
Oct. 15-19- What language would you like to speak and why?
Oct. 22-15- List five favorite monsters throughout history?

Name in my WIP: I'll discuss the names for The Lost Boys from my WIP Nevermore.

For my contemporary dystopian zombie ya novella Nevermore I had to name Peter Pan's crew of Lost Boys. I recalled them in the original Peter Pan and decided I wanted something completely different. So I thought about what I wanted and decided I wanted a variety of young people brought together by the unfathomable circumstance of a zombie apocalypse. I knew they needed to be resourceful, smart, fast and unique. So I ended up with four members and their names are as follows. Three are nicknames, one isn't. Loud is the only girl in the group, I gave her that name because she is loud and outrageous. But she's also strong and independent. Blur is the only non-teenager in the group. He's an asian Peter Pan had picked out because he was small enough to crawl into tiny spaces. He earned his nickname by being unusually fast. Razor is a white teenager who earned his nickname because of his very blunt outlook on life. He and Blur are the only non-African Amercians in the group. Spike is the last member and Peter Pan's best friend before the apocalypse. Spike's his real name. I couldn't think of a nickname for him and decided Spike could work.

Thank you for reading my latest IWSG post and hope to see you on my Blogoversary whether you enter the contest or not.

Genre Favorites Blogfest

Today is Ninja Captain Alex's blogfest and I'm taking part. The Genre Favorites Blogfest  has each participant picking their favourite genre for movies, music and books.

Movie: Drama and Science Fiction. My father loves Action movies and Drama and my mother is a big Science Fiction fan. But unlike my other who also likes my other fave genre. My dad HATES science fiction with a passion. I try to get him into one now and then but it's always a big fail. Oh well, we can still watch Seinfield together. Anywho, back to my favourite movie genre. Drama just pulls me in and the fact that  it takes on real life situations is a big plus. A good drama movie has you talking about it long after the end. My favourite movie of all times is the crime-drama The Untouchables. It's just amazing. When it comes to science fiction I enjoy being taken places I've never been and can never discover outside my imagination. The Terminator is one of the best Science Fiction Movies Ever. I will not have a debate. I also enjoy watching Species over and over, which is not exactly considered the best of the alien movies but still one of my faves.

Music: This is a toughie for me. I don't have any one favourite music genre. But I will focus on the ones I listen to most. That would be Alternative, Pop and Punk Rock (Green Day all the WAY). I also enjoy local reggae but I haven't listen to a lot over the years and the over abundance of dancehall has been a turn off because over 80% of what gets most promoted is just plain slackness. In my teens rap, hip hop, reggae and pop were my favourites. But in my late teens and adulthood I had started turning away because they lost what I loved most, a powerful message. With the exception of reggae, in that category I just felt that the music played was for an older generation, not being updated fast enough for the younger ones. I still loved the classics but the ones coming out now just do the same old thing but less powerful and frankly boring. There were exceptions but exceptions don't overthrow popularity and interest. Of course Bob Marley is one of the best musicians of all time. Best Jamaican one by a landslide.

 Like I'd ever leave out Bob.

Books: My fave genre is young adult. No doubt there. And the sub genres for that would be fantasy, paranormal, and in the last two years or so, dystopia. I was first introduced to fantasy through Harry Potter. Back then I was in my early teens and a contemporary girl. The furthest I went from traditional contemporary were V.C. Andrews novels (which I still love). But as I got older fantasy took hold and then another genre popped up. Paranormal. I was seduced by the writings of vampires and ghosts. Werewolves came into the picture with Twilight and otherwise are pretty much in the movies for me. But this genre is ever evolving and with The Hunger Games and Divergent series, isn't going to lose my interest anytime soon.

Guilty Pleasure: Animated Movies. Animation is an obsession for me and I'm always looking for the next animated movie, show or series to get obsessed over. When it comes to movies I love those that  takes me into the world that it's set in. Makes me feel for the characters whether it's for their success or downfall. That's why I'm so in love with Pixar Movies. From The Incredibles to all three Toy Story Movies (was I the only one who cried during the last one). Also Japanese anime like Akira and Metropolis, two of the best anime movies ever made.

Thank you for stopping by. Also shout out to Alex for such a great blogfest idea.