Who Started Your Dream? The winners

So about 15 days ago a bunch of bloggers got together and divulged all about WHO STARTED THEIR DREAM. As well as sharing with you the writers and books that encouraged us to first put pen to paper, we also offered a range of prizes. In total 161 of you commented and below you will find out the who the lucky winners were.

Zoe Rose commented on nine of the eleven posts. Unfortunately we couldn't find any contact info for her, but if she contacts Cat at katharina at katharinagerlach dot com (replace at with @ and dot with .) she will get an special prize.

Next up is Blueeyedadri who gets a signed copy of "Across the Universe" by Beth Revis.

J.A. Bennet gets a  signed copy of "Supernaturally"by Kiersten White.

Mina Burrows gets a  copy of "Crash Into Me" by Albert Borris.

Joanne Fritz wins a coupon for William L. Hahn’s heroic fantasy "Fencing Reputation".

Small Town Shelly Brown wins the eBook "The Witches of Greenwitch".

Michael Di Gesu gets an eBook-excerpt "Chasing the Grimm Reaper".

Rusty Webb gets a 30 page critique.

Kim gets a  25 pg critique.

Tina Moss gets a 20 page critique.

Alex J. Cavanaugh gets the first 500 words intensive critique.

It was really interesting to see who got us all started and especially to read your comments and find out who you guys discovered, or where you agreed with us.

The campaign continues until the end of August and there are lots of things going on. Check out Rach Harrie's friday post for a round up of Campaign events. Currently Rach is running the 2nd Challenge, a 200 word post that includes five specific words.

Lastly, if you would like to get to know some more campaigners, join me tomorrow to get to know Michelle Flick from Oh! For the the love of books.

Right, I'm going to have a crack at the challenge now. 

A Memory: Hole in the wall

This is just a quick reminder that today is the last day to comment on the Who Started your Dream post. After today, names will be stuck in a hat and pulled out at random and there are a whole bunch of prizes to win. Cat Gerlach will contact you next week if you are one of the lucky winners. Also the more comments you leave around the bloghop, the more chances you get to win a PRIZE!

A Book Review: The Prince of Mist

Title: The Prince of Mist
Author: Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Published: Phoenix, 2011
Synopsis: 1943. As war sweeps across Europe, Max Carver's father moves his family away from the city, to an old wooden house on the coast. But as soon as they arrive, strange things begin to happen: Max discovers a garden filled with eerie statues; his sisters are plagued by unsettling dreams and voices; a box of old films opens a window to the past. Most unsettling of all are rumours about the previous owners and the mysterious disappearance of their son. As Max delves into the past, he encounters the terrifying story of the Prince of Mist, a sinister shadow who emerges from the night to settle old scores, then disappears with the first mists of dawn . . . Originally published in Spain as a young adult novel, THE PRINCE OF MIST is a mesmerising tale of mystery, romance and adventure.
from Amazon.co.uk
 
Star parts:  This book scared the bejasus out of me. I went through a phase as a teenager where I read a lot of Stephen King and Clive Barker. The two of them made me decide that I preferred the real world with all its real horrors than what their imaginations could whip up, so basically I don't do horror anymore. And evidently I didn't realise this was scary when my LOVELY crit partner leant it to me. I put this as a star part because although I am a complete wimp now, Zafon gets it just right. He creeps you right out so that you have to snuggle closer to your cat/loved one/pillow and then he moves us right out to something that we can deal with like a brother and sister relationship, when they both realise that they're moving into adulthood and can stand each other again. That is explored brilliantly. There's a bit of 'lurve' action (I always went through a bit of a Mills & Boon phase and that has possibly left more scars than King and Barker) and it didn't make me go 'yeurghK'. It's not totally scary though. There's obviously the element of a good old mystery tale, where we need to find out who did what and how it will all end. 

 Black clouds: It's been a while since I read it, but I'm left with this feeling of certain things left unanswered, not big things, but little niggly things. We also never quite know where the story takes places, which for some reason bothered me. When you're reading in translation I always wonder about stuff, and maybe that's why it so bothered me.


 Do I recommend it: Bien sur! OK it's scary and all, and I don't do scary, but Zafon can tell a story and create such an atmosphere that you can almost feel smoke curling around your feet and your stomach tense up as Max opens the gate...

Getting to know you: Stephanie Pace

In week four of 'Getting to know You' we meet Stephanie Pace. Just to remind you, the idea of the Third Writer's Platform-Building Campaign is to build our writer's platform whether we are published or not and to pay it forward. Stephanie and I have some things in common apart from both being campaigners and in the MG/YA group; we are both teachers too and have you noticed that there's been a couple of us already. So without further ado I'll get on. 

 Stephanie what do you think it is with teachers and writing or writing and teachers?  

I'm not sure but the link is certainly there.  Many of my classmates from college were writers and we were far from all English teachers.  The math, science and history people loved writing as well, perhaps because it's the best way to get out all those crazy things that happen in the classroom. 

Like me you write YA fantasy and Urban fantasy. What makes the two genres different? (This isn't a trick question BTW, I genuinely want to know.)  

Well, I'll admit the official definition might be different, but my working definition is as follows.  YA fantasy is what I call anything I write that isn't set on Earth and contains magic or magical elements.  Urban fantasy is my name for my fantasy works set on Earth, usually modern day.  

Thanks, that clears things up nicely for me. 

Now on your blog, I see that you seem to have two WIPs. How does that work? Are you revising both? Is one a first draft? In short tell me a bit about how you work.  How does that work? 

Not every well, to be honest :-)  I usually end up focusing on one WIP for a few weeks then switch to the other when the spirit moves me.  Shadow of the Wolf is in final revision, and hopefully done soon.  2101 Untitled is in first draft, and crawling along. My mind likes to have two stories going at once because I get bored easily, and since working on a revision is very different from writing a first draft, that's how I try to arrange my simultaneous projects.  Once Shadow is done I'll have a brand new piece in the revision slot.   

I've asked every one else so I'm going to ask you, are you a plotter or pantster?

A bit of both.  I jump into a novel feet first with only a vague idea of what's going on, get about 10K words in and realize I have no idea what to do next.  Then I go back and determine where I want the plot and characters to go, and what sort of conflicts will get them there.   2101 has stalled because of that very reason, so I'm now in the process of creating a loose outline for about 46 scenes.  

As we're all writers here, what's your top writing tip?  

Keep writing.  Often said, but very true.  Keep yourself fresh by writing at least a couple hundred words every day, and if you hit a wall, plow through it.  Maybe what you write will be terrible, but the important thing it to get the story done.  You can always go back and fix it.   

I'm always on the look out for stuff to help me write, so what's your most valuable writing resource?  

Critique groups.  Critters.org and Scribophile have been life savers for me.  You can never be sure how well a piece is working until someone else reads it and tells you what they think.  I recommend finding a few people to get close to within a larger group, people you trust to give an honest opinion about your writing.  You'll find plenty who do nothing but gush over everything you submit, but while that's a great ego boost, it's not terribly helpful.  

We're getting to the end of the interview here, so finally why did you join the challenge? 

  

Because I love a challenge :-) So when I read there would be contests and challenges I was all for it.  I also wanted to get to know other bloggers and find a place for myself in the community.  I've already met a lot of amazing people while blogging and I'm looking forward to getting know many more.  

Well thanks Stephanie, I hope that you do get to meet some new people. You can find Stephanie over at Word by Word, go take a look.

Three, seven and fifteen

This morning I woke up feeling a little blue, because as you know in this writerly world, things are not always pink. Anyway, things swiftly picked up. First England were playing Georgia in the Rugby World Cup, this meant I got to stay in bed while the Frog and the Bubba watched it. So, I checked my e mail and saw that Sheri over at Finding Joy in the Journey had left me not ONE but TWO blog awards. Can you imagine the little smile starting to form on my face? I hopped out of bed with a spring in my step (this may be a little fictional) and went to deal with breakfast (before the France/Canada match). I had a little read of some blogs and this time came across Beth Kemp at Thoughts from the Hearthfire and found TWO more awards waiting for me. FOUR!!!! Wow! Alright one of them is the same as the other, but who's quibbling? 

Now feeling very cheered up I got cracking with passing these awards straight on. I know that some of you already have these, but there are three to choose from so hopefully ONE of them will be new. 

Number 1: The Versatile Blogger

The rules:

• Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them in your post. SEE ABOVE and thank you BETH and SHERI. 
• Share 7 things about yourself. SEE BELOW

1. I used to blog under the pseudonym Verilion, meaning Very Lion, as I'm a Leo, but not in a typically Leo way, just that I'm a bit like a cat, I like cats and I sleep a lot.  
2. Since starting this blog I have acquired: two cats (one died of FIP), a French man, a baby (now a very boisterous toddler), a flat, two WIP's and what will be next? (This happened in five years, so we have a long time frame here).
3. I like cooking, and stuff tastes nice, but I ALWAYS follow recipes!
4. After Primary school, my relationship with the education system went downhill. Yep, I'm a teacher and I really like my job. 
5. I like sticking my hands into a big pile of wood chip or soil and feeling the warmth.
6. And adore walking on damp grass barefoot. 
7. I don't get golf. When people start talking about it (and you'd be surprised by how many people do) my eyes glaze over and I go to a special place with wet grass, wood chip and bubbles. Sorry, pardon… what was that?

• Pass this Award along to 15 recently discovered blogs and let them know about it. SEE A LITTLE BIT FURTHER BELOW

Number 2: Leibster Blog 

The Liebster Award, is intended to show bloggy love to blogs with fewer than 200 followers. Count me in then. 

The rules: 

1. Show your appreciation to the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them. THAT'LL BE BETH. 
2. Reveal your five picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog. UGH THAT'LL BE THE 15 A BIT FUTHER BELOW
3. Post the award on your blog. DONE
4. Bask in the camaraderie of the most supportive people on the internet. THAT'LL BE ALL OF YOU. YEP, YOU TOO.

5. And best of all have bloggity fun and spread the love. DONE

Number 3: Our lovely blog award

1. Thank and link to the person who nominates you: MERCI SHERI.

2. Pass this Award along to 15 recently discovered blogs and let them know about it! So right below is a list of recently discovered blogs. All 15 of them have been discovered thanks to Rach Harrie's 3rd Writer's Platform-Building Campaign

1. Stephanie @ Word by Word who will be interviewed right here on this blog TOMORROW. 
2. Brittany @ Hills and Corkscrews who will also be interviewed here on this blog in October
3. Kelley @ Writtled Kelley is also going to be interviewed here on a very SPECIAL day in October.
4. Cat Gerlach @ Always try a little harder The demigoddess who organised the 'Who started your dream?' Blog hop
5. grillyfish @Grillyfish  who pops by from time to time
6. Lady Gwen @Run Gwen, Run! Write Gwen, Write  another lady who pops by.
7. Shannon @ The Warrior Muse  who was also part of the bloghop
8. Melissa @ MG Higgins  another bloghopper.
9. Kate @ The Scribbling SeaSerpent a fellow Litopian and campaigner
10. Elizabeth Varadan @ Elizabeth Varadan's Fourth Wish a fellow scribblerati and campaigner
11. Robyn Campbell @ Putting Pen to Paper the lovely lady whose interview you may have read, or maybe you'd like to read it. 
12. Michael @ In Time… another fellow bloghopper
13. Laila @ The Untroubled Kingdom of Laila Knight a regular visitor and campaigner.
14. Rosalind @ Rosalind Adam is writing in the rain Check out her interview at the beginning of October.
15. Andrew @ Strange Pegs and check out his interview towards the end of October. 

A Memory: Red light

And this week my favourite.