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Showing posts from 2010

The 80s Strike Again!

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Lloyd Dobler - Say Anything John Bender - The Breakfast Club Recognize these iconic moments from classic 8os films?  Each and every one of them get a mention in the 2010 film Easy A , which itself is a funny, angsty teen film reminiscent of the John Hughes era. It shows that a film---even one centered on sex---doesn't need to resort to inane, raunchy humor to be hilarious.   Jake Ryan - Sixteen Candles Ronald Miller - Can't Buy Me Love "Whatever happened to chivalry? Does it only exist in 80's movies? I want John Cusack holding a boombox outside my window. I wanna ride off on a lawnmower with Patrick Dempsey. I want Jake from Sixteen Candles waiting outside the church for me. I want Judd Nelson thrusting his fist into the air because he knows he got me. Just once I want my life to be like an 80's movie ... but no, no, John Hughes did not direct my life." - Olive Penderghast in Easy A  So what's your favorite iconic 80s movie moment?   Was i

Have you SERIOUSLY Not Made Cookies Yet?

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Yeah, me neither. So I've got a recipe that requires only three ingredients!  And the best thing is---these shortbread cookies are killer with eggnog. Santa will not be disappointed:  Brown Sugar Shortbread Ingredients : 1 cup butter 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour Directions : In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar.  Gradually stir in the flour.  Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 3 minutes.  Pat into a 1/3 inch-thick rectangle measuring 11" x 8".   Cut into 2" x 1" strips.  Place 1" apart on ungreased baking sheets.  Prick with a fork.  Bake at 300 degrees (Fahrenheit) for  25 minutes or until bottom begins to brown.  Cool for 5 minutes.  Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.  Yield: 3 1/2 dozen. Enjoy!  And merry, merry Christmas to all of you and yours. ;)

I Got Some Junk in a Box!

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I can't believe it, but I've received the first submission to my Junk in a Box competition!  The rules are to design an 80s-themed diorama and e-mail a photo of it to elson.nicki@gmail.com by January 31, 2011 . (Now that I've seen people might actually do this, I've extended the deadline to the end of January.) It's that simple. The prizes for the winning diorama are: One Hit Wonders of the 80s CD Signed Copy of Three Daves Your blog & your book (or whatever you want) featured in a post  Plus, all entries will be invited to be a guest blogger here at Not-So-Deep Thoughts and will get a link to wherever they want on my side bar!   Want to see the new entry? It's a recreation of Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back ,  released in 1980.   I'm told this is the entrant's first diorama attempt ever.  Nice job! :)  He doesn't have a blog, so I'm linking his diorama image on the sidebar to his excellent Star Wars fanfiction: Such a Q

It's Beginning to Sound a Lot Like Christmas

Hey, I feel like giving y'all something, and so I'm sharing what is quite possibly the most awesome Christmas playlist ever .  This Lyonaland must be one cool chicka.  The first video is a Christmas card from the characters of The Light Series by Jennifer DeLucy .  And yeah, there just might be some 80s Christmas tunes in the mix too. ;) Enjoy!

Fifteenth Time's a Charm

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Something extremely way cool happened---the alumni magazine from my Alma mater, Eastern Illinois University, did a truly fabulous feature article about my book ! I've had a very good response---the biggest since launch---and I've gotten confirmation of something I suspected all along... My book was published in February of this year, and pretty much from the get-go I've been out there marketing-wise.  I've done signings and website interviews, gotten articles in local papers, finagled my book onto shelves of local businesses, delved into an e-life, etc. etc. Some efforts have been modestly successful, some not so much, and I've wondered many, many times whether any of it's even worth it.  But during my recent bubble in book sales, people have commented something to the effect of: "I've been hearing about this book and keep meaning to check it out, but then I saw this article and I have to read it." So that's it---it might

Harry Potter Blogfest - Bite-Sized Harry Potter Holiday Fictions

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Welcome to the Harry Potter Blogfest   hosted by Michael at the In Time... blog. My entry is a re-worked scene from my novel-length fanfiction Professor Burbage and the Potions Master .  For me, this blogfest ended up being more an experiment in editing rather than writing---the original scene is 900+ words, but Michael's a very strict professor, and his requirement was 500 words, so I've chopped this baby down to nearly half its original size (525 words). It wasn't nearly as impossible a task as I at first thought it would be---merely a matter of removing unneccessary dialogue tags, paring back on overly detailed physical descriptions, cutting redundant phrasing, and searching out ways to say things more efficiently.  That's all.  What's amazing is that the scene lost absolutely nothing, but is now a smoother, sleeker version of its original self.  Editing rocks.  Thanks for making me challenge myself, Michael. Professor Elson and the Potions Master "Wh

It's a Harry Potter Winter Wonderland

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Michael at the In Time... blog is hosting a Harry Potter blogfest on December 11.  To join, write a 500 word scene with any of the HP characters from any of the seven books. It could be anything you want. Funny, magical, serious, etc. And for an added twist, it should be set during Christmas or Thanksgiving   Sign up here: Harry Potter Blogfest  And for more wintertime fun, Night Owl Reviews is hosting a Winter Wonderland Web Hunt until January 15.  Search author websites for clues and win tons of prizes, including signed books and gift certificates.  

Meet an Author Monday

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On November 18, I was lucky to be able to attend a signing even for Susan Kaye Quinn, author of YA novel, Life, Liberty, and Pursuit .   Susan had obviously done her promotions right---even managing to land a well-timed feature article in a local paper---because the coffee shop was packed! This was an informal meet-and-greet at a small coffee shop, and Susan did a fantastic job generating interest in her book.  Within only a few conversational sentences, she let patrons know the premise of the book (falling in love and the hard choices we have to make), the audience that would most enjoy it (all lovers of romance, in particular teenage girls, but there's something in it for the boys too), and also let them in on some of her current projects (middle grade science/adventure geared toward boys---sounds fun!). People were excited not only to get a book for themselves, but also for the young adult readers in their lives. Susan obviously has a passion for the story and her writing,

Meet Jess Bowen, Author of Breaking Point

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 I am ecstatic to announce the release of the first book in  The Order of the Elements series: Breaking Point by Jess Bowen  I adore this story and am already anxiously awaiting the sequel.  This is one of those Young Adult novels that both teens and adults will enjoy.  At first I became swept away in the magical world that Jess Bowen created, and then I got completely carried away in the romantic relationships as they developed. But the story never forgets its purpose---the fight against the darkness. And I now realize  that I forgot to ask Jess about her amazing action scenes!  Urg.  Ah well, I'll just have to bring her back, won't I?  Here's the back cover blurb, followed by my delightful interview with Jess Bowen . Phoebe Johnson and Ethan Smith had everything they needed: loving parents, great friends, and admission letters to Ivy League schools they’d be heading to in the fall. If only they knew that they were never going to reach the end of that summer--at lea

First Gifts Blog Fest

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Hey, Liz Fichera and The Mojito Literary Society have started a really fun hop called First Gifts Blog Fest , in which bloggers tell their stories about first gifts received from a boyfriend, girlfriend, spouse, life partner, or whoever.  (I went heavy on the whoever...as a matter of fact, I may have added that category all by myself.)  If you've got a first gift story to tell, please hop on!  This fest goes through Sunday, November 21.    This post was supposed to go in a whole 'nother direction, but yesterday's mail changed all that.  It starts with a gift I bought for my son...that turned into a gift for me. Baby boy turned thirteen this past Sunday, so I went to Best Buy last week and bought him the M-rated new release, Call of Duty: Black Ops.  But my parenting skills are not the point. The point is that the check-out girl offered me a free six-month subscription to People magazine.  I figured what the heck and took it. Yesterday my first issue arrived. It&

Have you seen "Scott Pilgrim Versus the World"?

It just came out on DVD today, and it is fa-bu-lous.  So original and funny and violent and sweet with fantastic special effects and superb acting. I've gotta say, the premis didn't appeal to me at all; I only watched it for my son, but premis, schmemis, it was great!  And the movie doesn't have a chauvinistic bone in its, urm, celluloid---the girls get their faces punched in every bit as much as the guys.  (It even kind of, sort of ties in with this blog as it features Anna Kendrick , my pick to play Jen in the Three Daves movie.)   This is one case where the trailer doesn't do the film justice, but here it is anyhow. I'm sure it does a better job than my gushing:  Do yourself a favor and rent "Scott Pilgrim Versus the World, ney, buy it. It's bound to be a cult classic.

Meet an Author Monday!

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It's Monday, time to see what's up with new-to-you authors as well as those you've already gotten to know through this wonderful weekly hop by Lisa Sanchez, Cali Cheer Mom . If you're a published author or have a contract for a book, please join the hop!  We'd love to have you.   This Monday just so happens to be the birthday of up-and-coming author, Killian McRae , whose debut novel, 12.21.12 will be released next month. Happy Birthday, Killian!!! Please be sure to check out my 100 Follower Contest below.

Junk in a Box Competition

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Well, it happened. Thanks to all of you... I hit a triple-digit follower Trifecta! 1 0 0 ! ! ! And so, I introduce my 100 follower Junk in a Box Competition Not this kind of junk in a box. Minds out of the gutter now,  I'm talking about dioramas! There is only one qualification to enter, and that is that you follow me on either Blogger , Twitter , or Facebook . Didn't see that one coming, did you?  The idea hatched as I watched my daughter build this stellar *award winning* Peter and the Starcatchers diorama for the local library. I had the same thought that got me into this writing thing to begin with: Why not? Do you remember these from grade school?  If not, here's a definition: diorama (ˌdaɪəˈrɑːmə)   a miniature three-dimensional scene in which models of figures are seen against a background  THE THEME The Awesome 80s THE RULES Create an 80s-themed diorama and e-mail a photo of it to elson.nicki@gmail.com by January 31, 2011.  Entries will be judg

Blogger Vacation

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Yo.  I'm immersed in an editing project this week and so must step away from the blog for a bit.  But I'll be back hopping around next week to see what's up with y'all, and I plan to return with a   big fat contest ! In the meantime, the authors below are available to play---if you are an author with a book out or one under contract, please join!  And if you're looking for a writing challenge, you may want to check out Tessa's Out of my Box Blogontest , which will be open until December 5. Have a great week!

Icky Part Three

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A continuation of my contribution to the Outside My Box Blog Hop at Tessa's Blurb (You have until Dec 5 to join!) Link to Part One Link to Part Two An Icky Valentine's Day Part Three Danny was hauled off to the principal's office, and ten minutes later they came for Icky.  She stepped into the principal’s office just as he finished saying, “…one more infraction of the rules and there will be serious consequences, Mr. Eldridge.”  He looked up and saw Icky walking in.  “Good afternoon, Miss Karp.  Mr. Eldridge has something he’d like to say to you.”             Danny looked up from his hands, his face was flushed, and mumbled, “I’m sorry that I flattened you on the equipment and invaded your personal space.”             “Ahem,” the principal prodded.             “It won’t happen again,” Danny added.              Icky nodded her indifferent acceptance of the apology.          “Very nice,” the principal commented.  “Now, Miss Karp, Mr. Eldridge tells me a

Retro Recap - EIU Book Signing

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It had been over a decade since I'd set foot on the campus of Eastern Illinois University . I'd been excited about the trip, but I hadn't realized how good it would feel to be back there.  I spent less than ten percent of my earthly existence there, but somehow EIU still feels like home.   We re-visited several "scenes" from Three Daves , and I wonder---how is it that when I'm so forgetful in my everyday life (seriously, where are my car keys?), I'd somehow recalled all of those places in such vivid detail when recreating them in the story?  They were exactly as I'd remembered, right down to the loud and truly horrible punk band in the warehouse-like setting. It was awesome. :)   Get the <a href="http://www.widgetbox.com/i/43582e88-0a4b-4a76-9a5a-d7de68c5b5aa"&am

Whisper of Light - Sneak Peek!

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Just in time for Halloween, tomorrow is the release of paranormal romance, Whisper of Light , second in The Light Series by Jennifer DeLucy.  One of the best perks of being a Developmental Editor is that I get to read great stories like this before they are released. Here's a peek at the back cover blurb (it's all true): Jennifer DeLucy again plunges us into the world of lingering spirits, dark apparitions, and malicious vampires. But this time she takes us to the California coast where we get to know a new ensemble of gifted souls that are just as vibrant and endearing as the Sentients we came to love in Seers of Light .  In Whisper of Light , DeLucy delivers exciting supernatural encounters as well as very human interactions that will both break your heart and make it soar.    Jennifer graciously indulged me by answering questions about some of my favorite aspects of the book: 1. While staying consistent with the themes set forth in Seers of Light , you did a

Do You Have a Signing Event Coming Up?

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I've added a new feature on my sidebar where I list upcoming book signings for any of my 100 gorgeous Blogger followers.  So please tell me if you have a signing event scheduled and I'll add the date to my list with a link to your blog or website!  Lisa Sanchez has one tomorrow in Tracy, CA.  Have fun, Lisa!       That's right, you heard me---I have 100 Blogger followers AND 100 Facebook followers! (Thanks Mia and George for getting me there.) Only two more to go on Twitter before I unleash my Trifecta Contest. I had a signing event of my own over the weekend; I'll get pictures loaded and ready to share with you on Wednesday.  And...Meet an Author Monday is here once again.  Please stop by and visit any of the lovely authors below to see what wisdom they can impart upon your day.  And don't miss my upcoming interview with Jennifer DeLucy about her brand spanking new novel, Whisper of Light to be released tomorrow! If you are a published author and join

Icky Part Two

A continuation of my contribution to Outside My Box Blogontest at Tessa's Blurb. Read Part One An Icky Valentine's Day Part Two The bus pulled up and soon all the students were sitting in the classroom, listening to their teachers.              “There are actually three Saint Valentines, all of whom are said to have been martyred on February 14,” Icky’s teacher informed the class.              Icky’s hand shot in the air.  Her teacher pressed her lips together and seemed to take a calming inhale before forcing out a stiff, “Yes, Isadora?”             “Did any of them die from poisoning?” Icky asked flatly.      The teacher raised her eyebrows in slight surprise.  The question was certainly odd, but not nearly as odd as some of the things Icky came up with.  “Hm, that’s actually an interesting question,” the teacher responded. “You see, not much is known of any of the three Valentines, so we don’t know exactly how or why it is that they died.  As a matter of fact,

Dang! I Wish I Would've Known That!!!

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As I'm sure has become painfully obvious, I'm learning as I go on this whole promotion business, and it seems I'm always saying, "Dang, I wish I would've known that!" Then it occurred to me...maybe I'm not the only one who didn't know that...perhaps I should share my newfound wisdom.  So  here I am with my most recently acquired tidbit.  It's quite possible that I'm the very last person on Earth to learn this, but have you heard of the " Book Rate " at the U.S. Post Office (maybe in other countries too)?  It's this amazing thing where you say to your postal clerk "Send this at the book rate," and the postage is magically MUCH less!  For the last seven months I've been paying $5+ a pop to send out copies of Three Daves to contest winners, friends, and book reviewers, but today I walked in, said the magic words, and *poof* $2.38!  Two dollars and thirty-eight cents!!!  Less than half the cost!  *Inhale* *Exhale* N