tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16291023772768866892024-03-15T21:10:07.062-04:00Mama DiariesSherry Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07844837212122243321noreply@blogger.comBlogger1790125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629102377276886689.post-39351343038409681852024-03-06T12:06:00.001-05:002024-03-06T12:06:42.970-05:00Using AI to Write a Synopsis<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhis_y8GWdY27OILW5EMnXPAxRUcRMikJBPpSU93vxa256doTvaBOWdOy7bQPGavFLgB4lv-kcdJPFdLa_Rxinw6LPZBjIzIDmn423ZE4fcYThu43sVD56Jpuv-dSe5OEAVN88RECbeKwtMLfQUKxnkh8Cj_64AiEY6MtOq8v6Jjx_9A9LyGL-MUAEDNs/s320/ISWG%20badge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="320" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhis_y8GWdY27OILW5EMnXPAxRUcRMikJBPpSU93vxa256doTvaBOWdOy7bQPGavFLgB4lv-kcdJPFdLa_Rxinw6LPZBjIzIDmn423ZE4fcYThu43sVD56Jpuv-dSe5OEAVN88RECbeKwtMLfQUKxnkh8Cj_64AiEY6MtOq8v6Jjx_9A9LyGL-MUAEDNs/s1600/ISWG%20badge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>There has been a lot of debate on whether or not AI should be used to create books and illustrations. But what about writing book blurbs? Today's question for the IWSG group asks if you've ever used it to write a blurb or synopsis. After hearing about all the controversy, I decided to give it a shot when writing the blurb for my last book. (What do they say? Curiosity killed the cat?) I was curious. So I put in the information about my book and waited for it to spew out the blurb. It wasn't bad, but I wasn't enamored. I played around with the words, trying to see if I could create something spectacular. No dice. So I scrapped the whole thing and came up with my own blurb which is way better. (I think). My conclusion? I think the human brain is better than AI when it comes to creating, and an author knows his/her book way better than any AI does. Have you ever used AI? Were you happy with the results? </p>Sherry Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07844837212122243321noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629102377276886689.post-6509547874426804712024-02-07T15:22:00.000-05:002024-02-07T15:22:17.043-05:00Author Websites<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb4TZyGWE4MqSz70DmYatYa6B2A-D_7gCsOGOSO7GT8DEc23nG2r2MsFktXhU8owQIV-2IIJGGJgsDhxezKAfs9NLx0i4O9GnqZodF7b0wlUjAqQQWdgmM1ipdOe4OrAF5-UCzSLQthL6c4EiTLa6m420QfkSPr2ZZOTa9hXOmyDyD2bnMu31LzI1Qp3Y/s320/ISWG%20badge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="320" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb4TZyGWE4MqSz70DmYatYa6B2A-D_7gCsOGOSO7GT8DEc23nG2r2MsFktXhU8owQIV-2IIJGGJgsDhxezKAfs9NLx0i4O9GnqZodF7b0wlUjAqQQWdgmM1ipdOe4OrAF5-UCzSLQthL6c4EiTLa6m420QfkSPr2ZZOTa9hXOmyDyD2bnMu31LzI1Qp3Y/s1600/ISWG%20badge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Have you ever been frustrated while visiting an author's website? Today's IWSG question asks what bothers you when visiting an author's website. Honestly, I've never been bothered by anyone's website, but I'd say a big factor is the ease of getting around and the ease of finding the book(s) and making the purchase. I'd say the home page should give a sense of who the author is, and what kind of books the author writes. </p><p>What do you think? Is there anything that's a personal pet peeve when visiting an author's website?</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>On a different note, thanks to all who have purchased or reviewed my new book, or visited the tour stops for <i>Bubba and Squirt's City of Bones</i>. If you'd like to win an autographed copy of the book and a $50 Amazon gift card, there's still time. Visit this site to see the remaining tour stops and enter: https://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/bubba-and-squirts-city-of-bones-awareness-tour/</p><p>I will mail the books anywhere in the world (as long as they can be mailed to the destination).</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ptIMINOwXpdr06E3Vb60zNh04FOyMDSNYm_Bpx1nyIYR1WVtorcSflgwjKlqYFZ_GkTr_J6ohvrMPIv7Dz5izoGgGwLHkYwT1OIsayVA0OByUmQd70bdEY1OlLPs7pSvvDMTVjc-SDdK-PXPhM5sx-r2iccvbfOER0y-Wt4mAuCS4XU2g7BTIlJ5o7s/s1350/Bubba%20and%20Squirts%20City%20of%20Bones%20by%20Sherry%20Ellis%20Cover%20with%20Litpick%20award.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ptIMINOwXpdr06E3Vb60zNh04FOyMDSNYm_Bpx1nyIYR1WVtorcSflgwjKlqYFZ_GkTr_J6ohvrMPIv7Dz5izoGgGwLHkYwT1OIsayVA0OByUmQd70bdEY1OlLPs7pSvvDMTVjc-SDdK-PXPhM5sx-r2iccvbfOER0y-Wt4mAuCS4XU2g7BTIlJ5o7s/s320/Bubba%20and%20Squirts%20City%20of%20Bones%20by%20Sherry%20Ellis%20Cover%20with%20Litpick%20award.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Sherry Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07844837212122243321noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629102377276886689.post-48425383247295386862024-01-04T13:35:00.000-05:002024-01-04T13:35:26.697-05:00Book Bub and book release announcement<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWSD1QIQf5iiRfpBitbrCygKSk3PKT-ywc55_7NZ5dF50oE2Q6__mRHKeUrWMKZnm27qzjF3qULXRoJt3tHkJaItbbIqeMXf8jYgLBMUdK_aaZbZs2sXC1zrtsXrPwlJW9g705w_LpDLm0NlxA6bjVUqTRMLhGQsw_taEYIPQMm562UsuPKPFARliZui4/s320/ISWG%20badge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="320" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWSD1QIQf5iiRfpBitbrCygKSk3PKT-ywc55_7NZ5dF50oE2Q6__mRHKeUrWMKZnm27qzjF3qULXRoJt3tHkJaItbbIqeMXf8jYgLBMUdK_aaZbZs2sXC1zrtsXrPwlJW9g705w_LpDLm0NlxA6bjVUqTRMLhGQsw_taEYIPQMm562UsuPKPFARliZui4/s1600/ISWG%20badge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p>Happy New Year, everyone! Hope you all have a happy, healthy, and productive 2024! We'll start off with the IWSG question of the month: Do I follow readers who follow me or just other authors on BookBub?</p><p>Honestly, I don't spend much time on BookBub. I visit when I have a new release, and I'll visit when I want to post a review, but that's about it. I do more following of people on AllAuthor. It's easy. As soon as I log in, there's a list of authors to follow, so I check just about everyone.</p><p>What about you? Are you on BookBub? </p><p>And here's my big announcement: My book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Bubba-Squirts-Bones-Sherry-Ellis-ebook/dp/B0C2QDR1WZ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=35B6QHYVSY1O&keywords=bubba+and+squirt%27s+city+of+bones&qid=1704393232&sprefix=bubba+and+squirt%27s+city+of+bones%2Caps%2C92&sr=8-1">Bubba and Squirt's City of Bones</a> will be released on January 16th! I'm super excited about it. It's the 3rd in the Bubba and Squirt series. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKiC0M-N33kv8jyBxQ3wXkJP00VKeFxDzyWGBQrVl_2i8aA0uit0Gzneo9R5dZzzlCnAmkGnL8DtrWFG9lTtPOXeT3KIdsyxRdgKdAc4Z9iRyMrkjmJClxJx-_4YIBp7MwTU1bHwEKBVfAo60-W6UjiwGJjEe5gwh-JWAxCQFPFvpv9yr9YlrCWRsOs5k/s900/Bubba%20and%20Squirts%20City%20of%20Bones%20cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKiC0M-N33kv8jyBxQ3wXkJP00VKeFxDzyWGBQrVl_2i8aA0uit0Gzneo9R5dZzzlCnAmkGnL8DtrWFG9lTtPOXeT3KIdsyxRdgKdAc4Z9iRyMrkjmJClxJx-_4YIBp7MwTU1bHwEKBVfAo60-W6UjiwGJjEe5gwh-JWAxCQFPFvpv9yr9YlrCWRsOs5k/s320/Bubba%20and%20Squirts%20City%20of%20Bones%20cover.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><p>If you'd like to follow along on my book tour and have a chance to win an autographed copy of the book and/or a $50 Amazon gift card, here's the schedule:</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-align: right;">January 16 <a href="The Children's Book Review">The Children's Book Review</a></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-align: right;">January 17 <a href=" http://icefairystreasurechest.blogspot.com/">Icefairy's Treasure Chest</a></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-align: right;">January 18 T<a href=" https://themommaspot.home.blog">he Momma Spot</a></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-align: right;">January 19 <a href=" http://lifeiswhatitscalled.blogspot.com/">Life is What it's called</a></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-align: right;">January 22 <a href="https://www.craftymomsshare.com/">Crafty Moms Share</a></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-align: right;">January 23 <a href="https://insatiablereaders.blogspot.com">Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers</a></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-align: right;">January 24 <a href="https://bamauthor.me">Barbara Ann Mojica's Blog</a></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-align: right;">January 25 A<a href=" https://www.instagram.com/ablueboxfullofbooks/"> Blue Box Full of Books</a></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-align: right;">January 26 O<a href="https://onemoreexclamation.com/book-review-bl">ne More Exclamation</a></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-align: right;">February 5 <a href="https://fveslibrary.blogspot.com/">The Fairview Review</a></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-align: right;">February 6 <a href="https://countrymamaswithkids.com">Country Mamas With Kids</a></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-align: right;">February 7 <a href="https://twirlingbookprincess.com/">Twirling Book Princess</a></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-align: right;">February 8 <a href="https://myreadinggetaway.blogspot.com/">My Reading Getaway</a></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-align: right;">February 9 <a href=" https://coverloverbookreview.blogspot.com">Cover Lover Book Review</a></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.3333px; text-align: right;"><br /></span></p><br />Sherry Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07844837212122243321noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629102377276886689.post-37394726086263269382023-12-11T20:20:00.003-05:002023-12-11T20:20:57.197-05:00Book Reviews and a Shout out for Conduction<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR8hPhvZz3Dja_-zKMYCi4PfVM8Z-JAw_gqdk6giaqkGyy4sP8nCK6STr8CZY86BjIgV4DpMkHATPi2yvqNVWNaxJIbhowp-G3-pi93CZqX4YbDWkd49jqkgXvatStnGBrn0tvpxLy1Q7pnz9wRC3ItsZrepbWB8_1ILYdwRiZYIfWw7qQ3dhPN-ay8oA/s320/ISWG%20badge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="320" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR8hPhvZz3Dja_-zKMYCi4PfVM8Z-JAw_gqdk6giaqkGyy4sP8nCK6STr8CZY86BjIgV4DpMkHATPi2yvqNVWNaxJIbhowp-G3-pi93CZqX4YbDWkd49jqkgXvatStnGBrn0tvpxLy1Q7pnz9wRC3ItsZrepbWB8_1ILYdwRiZYIfWw7qQ3dhPN-ay8oA/s1600/ISWG%20badge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I know—I'm several days late for the IWSG post. Sorry about that! It's the season for lots of music playing. I finally got an evening of no rehearsals or performances, so I'm getting this done. The question of the month is, do I review for authors or readers? I review books for authors because I know how much reviews are appreciated and I like to help fellow authors. But I also write them with the consumer in mind. What about the book is appealing? Who would like the book? Is there anything offensive? If there are major problems, I may note them in the review, not because I want to bash the author, but rather because I am alerting the reader and hoping that the author will learn something for writing future books. What about you? Do you review for the author or the reader? Have you ever left a negative review?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And now, a big shout out to blogger friend (who I've met in real life on several occasions), Tara Tyler! She has a new book out. The 4th of her Pop Travel series, which is very cool! Check it out.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb-gKASURamss03nd-NPskuP-LNin1m0GWZJV01HSVuGV8rgZiyPM6TQO_vWwUZjze6Jw5-bKZyJu2hB63-7hOTzB8qMchpN4wKCS6qdYQEOu1VpDRUOZ99FPyxdWIjGqfszQr390jMT_0nxHarFQdjzN7OWlTplf8x6zxjlAM8J5in9MopkRxKTpQKtM/s2560/Conduction%20cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb-gKASURamss03nd-NPskuP-LNin1m0GWZJV01HSVuGV8rgZiyPM6TQO_vWwUZjze6Jw5-bKZyJu2hB63-7hOTzB8qMchpN4wKCS6qdYQEOu1VpDRUOZ99FPyxdWIjGqfszQr390jMT_0nxHarFQdjzN7OWlTplf8x6zxjlAM8J5in9MopkRxKTpQKtM/s320/Conduction%20cover.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><p> </p><p>CONDUCTION by Tara Tyler</p><p>Sci Fi Detective Thriller or Techno Thriller</p><p>Book 4 in Pop Travel series</p><p>Blurb:</p><p><i>In 2085, cutting-edge technology is the most valuable currency, and the black tech market offers high pay-offs for </i><i>diamond-level code. Jared Nertz is an easy-going ex-juicer gone legit working for Pop Travel Technologies, and just </i><i>when he finishes his long-awaited Conduction project--the process of storing data in the brain--someone immediately </i><i>steals it and kills his mentor, framing him for the murder. Now it's up to his lawyer/wife Miki and their resourceful </i><i>friends, Geri and Cooper to prove Jared's innocence by recovering the stolen tech before the criminal killer sells it. But </i><i>that's only the beginning, as they discover a darker threat when they dig deeper into the case.</i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjo8uZs-1gWiOile-Su_H_iNgANxhvzrXtFtWMuCPckznCdgDVCVh2l4-OqDUqZPKleAzz3Md4QTXLskfjog8ogG5ZqaHvj5HEOGq8nl487lMgoYH-CHZbkd1HIOgW-UEKGZj10J_PcrWWmLPuUIdPb61na4eIKwx8-Q4kIARcw6UXAogO_Jvu4AH9X-o/s2053/profile%20pic.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1710" data-original-width="2053" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjo8uZs-1gWiOile-Su_H_iNgANxhvzrXtFtWMuCPckznCdgDVCVh2l4-OqDUqZPKleAzz3Md4QTXLskfjog8ogG5ZqaHvj5HEOGq8nl487lMgoYH-CHZbkd1HIOgW-UEKGZj10J_PcrWWmLPuUIdPb61na4eIKwx8-Q4kIARcw6UXAogO_Jvu4AH9X-o/s320/profile%20pic.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Bio:</p><p>Tara Tyler has had a hand in everything from waitressing to rocket engineering. After moving all over the US, she now writes and teaches math, yes math, in Ohio. She has two novel series, Pop Travel (sci-fi detective thrillers) and Beast World (fantasy adventures), plus her UnPrincess novella series where the maidens save themselves. She's a commended blogger, contributed to several anthologies, and to fit everything into her busy schedule, she economizes her time, aka the Lazy Housewife—someday she might finish that book... In addition to writing and teaching, she does school presentations encouraging young minds to reach for their goals. Make every day an adventure!</p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Conduction-Travel-novel-Tara-Tyler/dp/B0CNXLVR5C/ref=sr_1_1?crid=M3Z84PVQMK97&keywords=conduction+by+tara+taylor&qid=1702343356&sprefix=conduction+by+tara+taylor%2Caps%2C99&sr=8-1">Buy on Amazon</a></p><p><br /></p><p>How to find:</p><p>website: <a href="https://taratylertalks.blogspot.com/">Tara Tyler Talks</a> twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/taratylertalks">@taratylertalks</a></p><p><br /></p><p>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TaraTylerAuthor/">Tara Tyler</a> - Author Instagram: taratylertalks</p>Sherry Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07844837212122243321noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629102377276886689.post-76242082142646940592023-11-08T15:43:00.001-05:002023-11-08T15:43:53.030-05:00Nano?<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJnUmu4JZWroHkkZPH6DLXgXmi2cqLaAdTQ0y7nBNhWvyqIlrupfMTQcVrVFkVB5GE40buxz40LgjYxQDYzwpBtuJOzZ_JzLdbF96aJomI1wexBtNixkvqLL70Rat4fCck75o0RUGyjdMWledRGl4sHa_56u6a6R6-2lHKjqGJXu06pOdXsTxU2lcLMe8/s320/ISWG%20badge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="320" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJnUmu4JZWroHkkZPH6DLXgXmi2cqLaAdTQ0y7nBNhWvyqIlrupfMTQcVrVFkVB5GE40buxz40LgjYxQDYzwpBtuJOzZ_JzLdbF96aJomI1wexBtNixkvqLL70Rat4fCck75o0RUGyjdMWledRGl4sHa_56u6a6R6-2lHKjqGJXu06pOdXsTxU2lcLMe8/s1600/ISWG%20badge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>This month's question is, "Have you ever participated in National Novel Writer's Month? Why or why not?</p><p>No, I'm afraid I haven't participated in the Nano challenge. It's a good thing and can result in a very productive month of writing. I just don't have time. Maybe if I ever retire...</p><p>Have you participated? Were you successful at completing the required number of words? </p><p><br /></p><p>This month I took a mega vacation. It was a celebration of our first anniversary. We visited Seattle, Vancouver, Victoria, San Francisco, Tucson, and Salt Lake City. I think I need a vacation from my vacation!</p><p>Other cool news: The Bubba and Squirt books are going to be available as audiobooks! The narrator is an awesome 12-year-old British actor. So excited about this!</p><p><br /></p><p>Here are a few photos from the trip:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLmEhvcSPzBk9eZ_bFhW_F6qPVB2db9g9iqZpRaLMahoQurx1OPBHnSh2H_BOG28QKCZG46UYGYV9i0wl-ZSCgvMM3n3nfSq3gdUl6m6oBM8pm1vaLiRtf9mBFluVVYrlv1sziJD9HRVFkIMmdVwy7MBOJQFx7ToQnV8Mx4r33or4ujytMvlT5ZkgtgfY/s4032/Sherry%20at%20Japanese%20garden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLmEhvcSPzBk9eZ_bFhW_F6qPVB2db9g9iqZpRaLMahoQurx1OPBHnSh2H_BOG28QKCZG46UYGYV9i0wl-ZSCgvMM3n3nfSq3gdUl6m6oBM8pm1vaLiRtf9mBFluVVYrlv1sziJD9HRVFkIMmdVwy7MBOJQFx7ToQnV8Mx4r33or4ujytMvlT5ZkgtgfY/s320/Sherry%20at%20Japanese%20garden.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrCUWXO9IC3xGvJ8QtbOW1M5a5-_2yGQqVRIY4VJ3HLg8oSx-Qa7gPz7Yh9XqkdsHQz0elQox3IKrH-RdVazNZyN9H9fCz9MKT7AEfVlfZpng7muAhhnLyOlwZXeFRp7glF0oUjYsa4qG5OBce3NoLuoMdKfgnFqXV2wlikIlG0Ogzjwhv_fAL9YJzqmg/s4032/Butchart%20Gardens%20pretty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><br /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigOESc6f_yzzEpuN0rFCC0kmiSb1yydemAV0QQCC43ODqy71iB_KIKDADfE6Z6zt5CsohIg-xuWcPvmS5ijLWpO1BssdefT69cx023oc6-ufQFzp5kVVQzKx8uXMNt0qAKX0tPhp93fgHgbvTRLWk0tdFq0YncyNdD6V1Zi_jKCu_Huo766o12PPOAaZQ/s4032/Totem%20Poles%20stanley%20park.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigOESc6f_yzzEpuN0rFCC0kmiSb1yydemAV0QQCC43ODqy71iB_KIKDADfE6Z6zt5CsohIg-xuWcPvmS5ijLWpO1BssdefT69cx023oc6-ufQFzp5kVVQzKx8uXMNt0qAKX0tPhp93fgHgbvTRLWk0tdFq0YncyNdD6V1Zi_jKCu_Huo766o12PPOAaZQ/s320/Totem%20Poles%20stanley%20park.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih0b0G4GMDx14Xy7N_kfhId7WTDUCHIGe61gJ0lh4MxyLVNVu6nGK_6fwRMF5R1X3oMhfr-vxn-eQpqFyD6Jinp_JxVN9P6DbxOI4UChbP0V0b25ndkV9vtzGlgKblGH-3UvxgXUsETlWka_OvXN_ARn4Lb5BcNpKhTdK2HiBm-xoscF8B2TfZNcfZUCo/s4032/Girl%20in%20the%20Wetsuit%20Stanely%20Park.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih0b0G4GMDx14Xy7N_kfhId7WTDUCHIGe61gJ0lh4MxyLVNVu6nGK_6fwRMF5R1X3oMhfr-vxn-eQpqFyD6Jinp_JxVN9P6DbxOI4UChbP0V0b25ndkV9vtzGlgKblGH-3UvxgXUsETlWka_OvXN_ARn4Lb5BcNpKhTdK2HiBm-xoscF8B2TfZNcfZUCo/s320/Girl%20in%20the%20Wetsuit%20Stanely%20Park.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg77eulLC6cRa6RDnF3ySeiSTES3qk5tzoNEp421t1SMlIuxMJmKVOA769w9ASbSVNpZSSisSmyt8FOinfRD1xbuS9QWYIFXKrGXelYu_HDA8M9aP6EXO48ZEPIM8YjhD2CB6Sz-XjYjlxlMNTs9NmrqI_Pzp5aBhym2UcqX4Vs_pwCymDV_hImdh_dtLU/s4032/Butchart%20Gardens%20pretty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg77eulLC6cRa6RDnF3ySeiSTES3qk5tzoNEp421t1SMlIuxMJmKVOA769w9ASbSVNpZSSisSmyt8FOinfRD1xbuS9QWYIFXKrGXelYu_HDA8M9aP6EXO48ZEPIM8YjhD2CB6Sz-XjYjlxlMNTs9NmrqI_Pzp5aBhym2UcqX4Vs_pwCymDV_hImdh_dtLU/s320/Butchart%20Gardens%20pretty.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Sherry Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07844837212122243321noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629102377276886689.post-57837870203870069562023-10-04T13:25:00.004-04:002023-10-04T13:25:58.757-04:00My Thoughts on AI Writing<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKClqfozMjPF1VTTee4ZkZzUzsals0a1J9CraUDori_ExFcLtwJ7PQBKhUfxt9o4rxnEa1qOUSQ1Zuk-4bXMJ-frOAWqcoElE7xFhfodc1TDnC5-ouwpnSGZjNb90_aCeYdhhqyLdxdO-Uu870n_xI-kdgQPYw0R5d-tipyjrz-9yC7aZwVO2n-Je8mqQ/s320/ISWG%20badge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="320" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKClqfozMjPF1VTTee4ZkZzUzsals0a1J9CraUDori_ExFcLtwJ7PQBKhUfxt9o4rxnEa1qOUSQ1Zuk-4bXMJ-frOAWqcoElE7xFhfodc1TDnC5-ouwpnSGZjNb90_aCeYdhhqyLdxdO-Uu870n_xI-kdgQPYw0R5d-tipyjrz-9yC7aZwVO2n-Je8mqQ/s1600/ISWG%20badge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>This month's IWSG question is What do you think of Artificial intelligence (AI) being used to write things (like books).</p><p>I think AI can be helpful for giving ideas. For example, when I built my new <a href="https://www.sherryellis.org/">website</a>, there were options for AI to create some of the verbiage in the text boxes. I let the AI do its thing and decided I didn't really like it. But it gave me some ideas for what I could write. In that respect, I think it's helpful.</p><p>But to let AI write a whole story, I'd say no way! Writing is a process of human creativity. A big reason I write is to create. It's a source of enjoyment. So why would I want to give that up to an AI? </p><p>What are your thoughts on this? </p><p><br /></p><p>This past weekend I went to a rock orchestra concert and saw violinist, Mark Woods perform. Ever heard of him? The 65-year-old dude has a serious amount of energy! (An aside...this week I've been practicing with and will perform with a high-school rock orchestra. I look like a high-school kid, right? 😂😂 It's been so much fun!)</p><p>(I wanted to upload the video, but it's too big. So here are some photos.) </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwaIbLbP8MD5wOqcSD__xh4oR91P7nxf3IedZ1WNl2zW6JrNwPGA5HAcMk7mSbcqtfMkr_WXhLHXdfDskdN8XyCNH6GiVUluCCQ2uCTcb8Mz2f3RY0YzaeQjOBdErz9XnzI0Cc2Ioz4k63XpeKDW1BQNV4vA4qpEPVL54I6ijdJQwsnnmQrhlTbIGNL34/s4032/IMG_2425.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwaIbLbP8MD5wOqcSD__xh4oR91P7nxf3IedZ1WNl2zW6JrNwPGA5HAcMk7mSbcqtfMkr_WXhLHXdfDskdN8XyCNH6GiVUluCCQ2uCTcb8Mz2f3RY0YzaeQjOBdErz9XnzI0Cc2Ioz4k63XpeKDW1BQNV4vA4qpEPVL54I6ijdJQwsnnmQrhlTbIGNL34/s320/IMG_2425.jpg" width="240" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSfXy1V25-S-m5PLcjIdW5DHls3cTEbEDZkU77O83UggpSFYlJhz2Xxz8tAqBfvfmbKPKI1qlsR1HNSXHIxeL0q4lcSShZxmNcjItVrDdOLm-QYjGIW8WoscE6C9xCW9JvcJgQ8F62ZHqKJMnmbt5LR49IgHnv7yqVedNEJd8kURxzwU6Z_N6PRig48kI/s4032/IMG_2427.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSfXy1V25-S-m5PLcjIdW5DHls3cTEbEDZkU77O83UggpSFYlJhz2Xxz8tAqBfvfmbKPKI1qlsR1HNSXHIxeL0q4lcSShZxmNcjItVrDdOLm-QYjGIW8WoscE6C9xCW9JvcJgQ8F62ZHqKJMnmbt5LR49IgHnv7yqVedNEJd8kURxzwU6Z_N6PRig48kI/s320/IMG_2427.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoekAOEfIYj3qEI8ighIJkPnoEyReY-6acgiJqPvCoWRqdQEHCm5iffexwqiIvNsvWDEJQ0BO6gVVcpnlNtDARBJJLgu5M1RVoDo4WCTD2aM4xSBCPbhz9zSLLpF5EK6ipeyutHIANydNBdym3x_0VnY6Ska5YVoc4JAEBzvTAtt715Yiicagr0MXzBhQ/s4032/Mark%20Wood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoekAOEfIYj3qEI8ighIJkPnoEyReY-6acgiJqPvCoWRqdQEHCm5iffexwqiIvNsvWDEJQ0BO6gVVcpnlNtDARBJJLgu5M1RVoDo4WCTD2aM4xSBCPbhz9zSLLpF5EK6ipeyutHIANydNBdym3x_0VnY6Ska5YVoc4JAEBzvTAtt715Yiicagr0MXzBhQ/s320/Mark%20Wood.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /></div> I caught him in a moment preparing to go onstage. <br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Sherry Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07844837212122243321noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629102377276886689.post-86110891744172077442023-09-06T09:21:00.000-04:002023-09-06T09:21:45.524-04:00Happy Birthday to IWSG!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij23dQeANYkIztKQRHvQysOMdqtpxIGkjJKt64gu3HV11Ix7RhE-Y9sSilvUWuSMdOyQrR-Ca3g1W6v5CrIxkVd83Kz1KuT0EhNkeJ9M7yzubs1z7MB5AqFpoAMn1f7_Qb18QNPxJqBroKlgsgiOMDrRcCr8Qu04S7Tdlb2Vl5wi_6mcfRCnJQawDGyhE/s320/ISWG%20badge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="320" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij23dQeANYkIztKQRHvQysOMdqtpxIGkjJKt64gu3HV11Ix7RhE-Y9sSilvUWuSMdOyQrR-Ca3g1W6v5CrIxkVd83Kz1KuT0EhNkeJ9M7yzubs1z7MB5AqFpoAMn1f7_Qb18QNPxJqBroKlgsgiOMDrRcCr8Qu04S7Tdlb2Vl5wi_6mcfRCnJQawDGyhE/s1600/ISWG%20badge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Happy Birthday to the Insecure Writer's Support Group! If my memory serves me correctly, I believe it's 12 years old! Which means I've been blogging for at least that long. Wow! </p><p>How did I get involved? I think I saw information about it on Alex's blog. Eventually, I joined. I'm glad I did! It's a very supportive community, with helpful information in every monthly newsletter. I'm sure if it were not for this group, I would have stopped blogging long ago. The questions of the month are great prompts to keep us writing and connected. </p><p>Thanks to Alex and the whole crew for keeping it going!</p><p><br /></p><p>Here's the latest and greatest: Have you ever heard of Dragon Con? It's a huge sci-fi convention held in Atlanta every Labor Day weekend. Georgia Philharmonic, the orchestra I play with performs for it. We had 3000 plus people in the audience. Crazy fun!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMHEZkhZz91_82Fklsy2GJzuvIvydBUeod1hS9u5Nq3pESXi1xqBVFkWNu37GjtEORTHlEU80zYnOHjg1hHPlyWSf6poKsSAMdOj8a6xIfBsTEyIl1n-xtQ8MZPcRBjpVhOyIkdlYSGp7AiNSi-4lXZdi2vtKz4SHuUepCdFRt-fuS4KjxQRroJQi6Zvg/s6048/MRZ_0653_e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4024" data-original-width="6048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMHEZkhZz91_82Fklsy2GJzuvIvydBUeod1hS9u5Nq3pESXi1xqBVFkWNu37GjtEORTHlEU80zYnOHjg1hHPlyWSf6poKsSAMdOj8a6xIfBsTEyIl1n-xtQ8MZPcRBjpVhOyIkdlYSGp7AiNSi-4lXZdi2vtKz4SHuUepCdFRt-fuS4KjxQRroJQi6Zvg/s320/MRZ_0653_e.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQBmT6lxucbIxhhHBLNO4gPWBFHijzd4iENIySElvrAKRPgS1ux_M8gUOJy03-pAfPnerToZCfRU0AQzFPMdZ8kJql81C-rcs7M1slF7sdKZI4XM4ZKRocWgDgb2ULBWCM1kbPWgsd8eC3oImzPQReio-ka4b5OfvAC9Jtc6OYOSVCFWgWwX4zo9Y3fjk/s6048/MRZ_0645_e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4024" data-original-width="6048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQBmT6lxucbIxhhHBLNO4gPWBFHijzd4iENIySElvrAKRPgS1ux_M8gUOJy03-pAfPnerToZCfRU0AQzFPMdZ8kJql81C-rcs7M1slF7sdKZI4XM4ZKRocWgDgb2ULBWCM1kbPWgsd8eC3oImzPQReio-ka4b5OfvAC9Jtc6OYOSVCFWgWwX4zo9Y3fjk/s320/MRZ_0645_e.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXHbcbgUFidXxvk9SUeiiIcNR1BBo9_TO6JmgqyQcIiWT45pIF5kZGMOcorJr5xBXMn5xVB1lO6J-9D-NLeX5Svpw3SSd9xY1GXLhlEymmX3o3AtlNFF9m-WogSt_u2sDH3Xeje-TalRQxHZ8LLlQUEBw3eykmhhFH5DGvYZfEWa3zvvpgkERPonYOdFk/s6048/MRZ_1144_e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4024" data-original-width="6048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXHbcbgUFidXxvk9SUeiiIcNR1BBo9_TO6JmgqyQcIiWT45pIF5kZGMOcorJr5xBXMn5xVB1lO6J-9D-NLeX5Svpw3SSd9xY1GXLhlEymmX3o3AtlNFF9m-WogSt_u2sDH3Xeje-TalRQxHZ8LLlQUEBw3eykmhhFH5DGvYZfEWa3zvvpgkERPonYOdFk/s320/MRZ_1144_e.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Photo credits: Mark RaineySherry Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07844837212122243321noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629102377276886689.post-26321022114635043092023-08-02T19:52:00.001-04:002023-08-02T19:52:14.020-04:00Writing Regrets<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgENPSHA5cagARqu431PXges1pvT0lZfPB4UEaLtheNCYUu-FEzwLVjYdeAz8jOAevpuvORirjWTutR1SJ8QMn_x4qPI122SDYJBlW37_WCrE9V-_F4X3xxGV2khaN8vua-OFb077wVf52wN7Va6br4k6FOIdX9fjJiewJn278YvThdLT8oSWFOdOnyEEA/s320/ISWG%20badge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="320" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgENPSHA5cagARqu431PXges1pvT0lZfPB4UEaLtheNCYUu-FEzwLVjYdeAz8jOAevpuvORirjWTutR1SJ8QMn_x4qPI122SDYJBlW37_WCrE9V-_F4X3xxGV2khaN8vua-OFb077wVf52wN7Va6br4k6FOIdX9fjJiewJn278YvThdLT8oSWFOdOnyEEA/s1600/ISWG%20badge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>This month's IWSG question is an interesting one: Have you ever written something that afterward made you feel conflicted about it? If so, did you let it stay as it was or change it? </p><p>In the first book of my Bubba and Squirt series, Bubba and Squirt's Big Dig to China, I have young Bubba use some bathroom humor. I figured the kids would like it. Kind of like Captain Underpants. When it was reviewed by a reader slightly older than the intended audience, I received feedback that the humor was disrespectful to the culture. I was appalled that somebody would feel that way, and it was certainly not my intention to offend anyone! Since the book has already been published, I did not change it, but had I known this beforehand, I would have eliminated this kind of humor. </p><p><br /></p><p>What about you? Have you ever written anything you weren't sure you should write?</p><p><br /></p><p>This month's grand adventure is a trip to the zoo to feed a giraffe! </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLtgQHi8c6FEZXjRhgX0Jlk5o76BCwRu00uETQi2LsolvBZZRYiHsRr5tWhXfeq62iZLU1eCcZb0DD55D_O636BADOPS35Aqb8WZH3t6fUxp5J7sYgKU2_yvk0DLf4bJyDPWFTLReDcu4nET_-MVr8EtiZjaltI8nPxC-BSv25gVXxarBnIeynauz1flI/s4032/IMG_0527.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLtgQHi8c6FEZXjRhgX0Jlk5o76BCwRu00uETQi2LsolvBZZRYiHsRr5tWhXfeq62iZLU1eCcZb0DD55D_O636BADOPS35Aqb8WZH3t6fUxp5J7sYgKU2_yvk0DLf4bJyDPWFTLReDcu4nET_-MVr8EtiZjaltI8nPxC-BSv25gVXxarBnIeynauz1flI/s320/IMG_0527.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p> </p>Sherry Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07844837212122243321noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629102377276886689.post-60493616343370714502023-07-05T12:52:00.000-04:002023-07-05T12:52:33.091-04:00Where Do My Stories Come From?<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1jF9yF0HO5Mmkzo_WMO1Q1-GV3kcS3p9PlzvPE_T0cSr70wSVrcjkxUUTCVyr6OtMpQJOFxjG_17NEh_9xdOx5I9hCgrTggcF0o9CEPsXj7Q-HnHO0nvd8Jq9obnOA2Y8IyoDrPnr6IvHHQTBG2M3OLHTlrQ9wpr50sab9YeBFpBjztjKRSJvt0kXAv0/s320/ISWG%20badge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="320" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1jF9yF0HO5Mmkzo_WMO1Q1-GV3kcS3p9PlzvPE_T0cSr70wSVrcjkxUUTCVyr6OtMpQJOFxjG_17NEh_9xdOx5I9hCgrTggcF0o9CEPsXj7Q-HnHO0nvd8Jq9obnOA2Y8IyoDrPnr6IvHHQTBG2M3OLHTlrQ9wpr50sab9YeBFpBjztjKRSJvt0kXAv0/s1600/ISWG%20badge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>It's that time again—time to answer the question of the month from the Insecure Writer's Support Group. What is the source of inspiration for my stories?</p><p><br /></p><p>Life. It triggers some kind of creative mechanism in my body that causes words to fly out of my brain onto paper.</p><p>Here are the specifics:</p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1419606166/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i4">That Baby Woke Me Up, AGAIN</a>: Inspired by years of sleep deprivation due to my needy babies.</p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/That-Mama-Grouch-Sherry-Ellis/dp/1450535658/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1541607657&sr=8-1&keywords=that+mama+is+a+grouch">That Mama is a Grouch</a>: Inspired by tripping over my kids' toys and breaking my toe.</p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Ten-Zany-Birds-Sherry-Ellis/dp/1497404584/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1541607481&sr=8-1&keywords=ten+zany+birds">Ten Zany Birds</a>: Inspired by a birthday invitation my daughter received. </p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Feed-Elephant-Sherry-Ellis/dp/1974426645/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1541607279&sr=8-1&keywords=Don%27t+feed+the+elephant">Don't Feed the Elephant</a>: Inspired by a trip to the zoo and an ice cream cone.</p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Bubba-Squirts-Big-Dig-China/dp/1939844509/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1541606661&sr=8-1&keywords=bubba+and+squirt%27s+big+dig+to+china">Bubba and Squirt's Big Dig to China</a>: Inspired by my attempt to dig a hole to China when I was a kid.</p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Bubba-Squirts-Mayan-Adventure-Sherry/dp/1939844703/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1587662595&sr=8-1">Bubba and Squirt's Mayan Adventure</a>: Inspired by my trip to Belize.</p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C2QDR1WZ">Bubba and Squirt's City of Bones</a>: Inspired by my trip to Paris.</p><p><br /></p><p>And here I am with Bubba, the source of inspiration for the Bubba character of my books. (Wonder what story I'll write from being inspired in a 50's diner and a decadent milkshake!) </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdb_SKybU_CwyYCE6XDsJW5FlDPRHKbejAx-cqoEJ60G503gsmBQ1mV6Lb6Cpjm_-nHw2L6B7obBTvRRBN50rK8Boqseb-m03lM032gPbrnx3oHpkFOwHnwbkCyrSTu_vlNS7SemCaQxt2ApFXCaLOzhubUsKJWPriH4fj82ZT0cqTwsaYFiKUakLXA8E/s4032/IMG_2299.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdb_SKybU_CwyYCE6XDsJW5FlDPRHKbejAx-cqoEJ60G503gsmBQ1mV6Lb6Cpjm_-nHw2L6B7obBTvRRBN50rK8Boqseb-m03lM032gPbrnx3oHpkFOwHnwbkCyrSTu_vlNS7SemCaQxt2ApFXCaLOzhubUsKJWPriH4fj82ZT0cqTwsaYFiKUakLXA8E/s320/IMG_2299.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p> </p><p> </p>Sherry Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07844837212122243321noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629102377276886689.post-80577796889734113232023-06-08T11:00:00.004-04:002023-06-08T11:25:09.259-04:00If I Ever Stopped Writing... <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw4W3cTqLZnyy2E7OCxwpIX1LPz83BxB85eFG84ob62w7zgKMFQF5jehLOkEv7wfuecmsGOx8oYtqWa-ZU2Ze8PRwA8OwtFoq0vo0TwajTqG9_TwV4V_7OZVRlWcAVpdggW7z-bfG9k4bZtQltAowPDa9GRTZNZi0jHXwAcujkPWYma1w-We_RlqCl/s320/ISWG%20badge.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="320" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw4W3cTqLZnyy2E7OCxwpIX1LPz83BxB85eFG84ob62w7zgKMFQF5jehLOkEv7wfuecmsGOx8oYtqWa-ZU2Ze8PRwA8OwtFoq0vo0TwajTqG9_TwV4V_7OZVRlWcAVpdggW7z-bfG9k4bZtQltAowPDa9GRTZNZi0jHXwAcujkPWYma1w-We_RlqCl/s1600/ISWG%20badge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>This month's ISWG question made me laugh. Here it is: If I ever stopped writing, what would I replace it with? Friends, I am so ridiculously busy, I wouldn't need to replace it with anything! I work 3 jobs, one of which is being the Executive Director of an orchestra. My to-do lists are a mile long! </p><p>But seriously, if I didn't write at all, I'd probably practice more for all the gigs I do. Music is my main creative outlet. I've thought about composing music. At the moment, there's zero time for that. So, I guess if I felt the need to create something new, I'd compose. </p><p>What about you? </p><p><br /></p><p>And here's what's been happening in my world: Any guesses where this was taken?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzWLAD93AaFrHS_1pBHyrjcAng41xUyNJW_aP7pIT8HnDZv-06Hnd5Hk8dGMFMltMjJ--myozGMoZ-yw70szQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div> <p></p>Sherry Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07844837212122243321noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629102377276886689.post-70626631954467917922023-05-03T14:23:00.000-04:002023-05-03T14:23:34.798-04:00Writing Inspirations<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2EMAkE94eZTm5McKJDY_CzWZ1jPhD6VyP3qZ_fl95OyPle2liM1CkbeCcbU3tQoDo8AqMRKujdxtc3zSJlS1eNsV0xd3gOoveSQbca0bRkQuto3xOVUPpkXoNQ2raULmdl4VrJbNQZ3yyp5U0dkCgYXKEzfi7Nk4-mdt_MXsy-f7YV6OIcbOp2Wef/s320/ISWG%20badge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="320" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2EMAkE94eZTm5McKJDY_CzWZ1jPhD6VyP3qZ_fl95OyPle2liM1CkbeCcbU3tQoDo8AqMRKujdxtc3zSJlS1eNsV0xd3gOoveSQbca0bRkQuto3xOVUPpkXoNQ2raULmdl4VrJbNQZ3yyp5U0dkCgYXKEzfi7Nk4-mdt_MXsy-f7YV6OIcbOp2Wef/s1600/ISWG%20badge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> This month's IWSG question is, what inspires you when you write a story? I view this as a two-part question. First, the stories themselves are inspired by something. Each of my books was inspired by a life event. <i>That Baby Woke Me Up, AGAIN</i> was inspired by my experiences as a young mom spending many sleepless nights with my babies. <i>That Mama is a Grouch</i> was born after I tripped over my kids' toys and broke my toe. Even <i>Bubba and Squirt's Big Dig to China</i> was inspired by my desire to dig a hole from Florida to China was I was a kid. (Didn't get very far, because my hole quickly filled up with water.)<p></p><p>The second part of the question is, what inspires me to keep going and finish the story? If you're an author, you know writing a book is hard work. It's one thing to write the first draft. Don't get me wrong—writing the words, THE END is a huge accomplishment! But then you have to revise—to get it as perfect as you can. That's tough! What inspires me to do that? I guess it's the sense of accomplishment I get when I know my work is ready for publication. And the second thing is knowing readers are enjoying what I've written. It makes all the work worthwhile.</p><p>What about you? What inspires you to write and keep writing?</p><p><br /></p><p>Other news:</p><p>I'm very excited about the cover for my next book, <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Bubba-Squirts-Bones-Sherry-Ellis-ebook/dp/B0C2QDR1WZ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1YUBATFO9HMII&keywords=bubba+and+squirt%27s+city+of+bones&qid=1683137987&sprefix=bubba+and+squirt%27s+city+of+bones%2Caps%2C92&sr=8-1">Bubba and Squirt's City of Bones</a></i>, set in the catacombs of Paris, France! It looks fabulous!</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5N0g4BNCb8c0kUFI6jswBnQnqndkX4oVgqehWubVZ0AcuPQOJmANH_w31cBr9OBI0UQM3ZnffYTm6kluuf6twheKTvdIavnpAmgy46Bi4G4BqGSoyXcwhkyIr8NdHcpdLeAdSUnsAuxDV3UMYO5HbsvkPJRHhSGFKi9yJLoumMKPLTSAuh-t36syz/s900/Bubba%20and%20Squirts%20City%20of%20Bones%20cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5N0g4BNCb8c0kUFI6jswBnQnqndkX4oVgqehWubVZ0AcuPQOJmANH_w31cBr9OBI0UQM3ZnffYTm6kluuf6twheKTvdIavnpAmgy46Bi4G4BqGSoyXcwhkyIr8NdHcpdLeAdSUnsAuxDV3UMYO5HbsvkPJRHhSGFKi9yJLoumMKPLTSAuh-t36syz/s320/Bubba%20and%20Squirts%20City%20of%20Bones%20cover.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>And finally, my little girl is graduating from college this weekend! I can't believe it! Where does the time go?</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Sherry Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07844837212122243321noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629102377276886689.post-39271080940933604832023-04-05T10:07:00.000-04:002023-04-05T10:07:16.830-04:00Recollections on Writing My First Book<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVfGSWk1Ht1O0E_1XLkR-ckBa52eJ1880OC5UAocQ8ro5VxBy36VzBW7VAWVELznnENzJVNP-ahGSRm1jwfLGuZE7kIe7qrwSRHx86U6pL-TJlvSzOwMRwzMP5HFZ2SqibsHUkNSPg33eVJ3d9kVjUWDARxTSLIGpzroEgFr3LLLEPF7BFnASDH6A8/s320/ISWG%20badge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="320" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVfGSWk1Ht1O0E_1XLkR-ckBa52eJ1880OC5UAocQ8ro5VxBy36VzBW7VAWVELznnENzJVNP-ahGSRm1jwfLGuZE7kIe7qrwSRHx86U6pL-TJlvSzOwMRwzMP5HFZ2SqibsHUkNSPg33eVJ3d9kVjUWDARxTSLIGpzroEgFr3LLLEPF7BFnASDH6A8/s1600/ISWG%20badge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>This month's IWSG question is, "Do you remember writing your first book? What were your first thoughts about the career path? Where are you now, and how is it working out for you?"</p><p>It appears we have multiple questions, so I will tackle each. </p><p>Why, yes, I remember writing my first book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/That-Baby-Woke-Me-AGAIN-ebook/dp/B00B4GP6OY/ref=sr_1_1?crid=84D2XF39XIY2&keywords=that+baby+woke+me+up+again+by+sherry+ellis&qid=1680702478&sprefix=that+baby+woke+me+up+again+by+sherry+ellis%2Caps%2C243&sr=8-1">That Baby Woke Me Up, AGAIN! </a> My career was born in a rocking chair, late one night in Lakewood, Ohio. The year was 2005. My infant son, Bubba was the inspiration. He was a not-so-excellent sleeper. One night, when I was up for the umpteenth time, holding him in the rocking chair, a poem started going through my head. It was the beginning of <i>That Baby Woke Me Up, AGAIN! </i> Over the course of a week, every time I was up with him, I'd add more to it. By the end of the week, the entire thing was in my head. That's probably where it would have stayed had I not shared it with my three-year-old daughter. She liked it and said it should be a book. Being in the sleep-deprived state I was in, I thought it was a brilliant idea. The rest is history.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKO-ZncT8syQdEeH0LBcKOxAESTDHxd8eys5Vf0huOl49mqArRPaILFNA-Hi37zy0nPUpaIkVQ4nRfuxE8yQs-iqYgNSjTPMYi_rGnm9nYMnJHhNp8e1cTfyXp0lJMiwtvhJsPJgetnpq535onwnEn4PmKIkKDngkalIgRZOS34d42EB2Gf9l--N6-/s1962/That%20Baby%20Cover.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1962" data-original-width="1373" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKO-ZncT8syQdEeH0LBcKOxAESTDHxd8eys5Vf0huOl49mqArRPaILFNA-Hi37zy0nPUpaIkVQ4nRfuxE8yQs-iqYgNSjTPMYi_rGnm9nYMnJHhNp8e1cTfyXp0lJMiwtvhJsPJgetnpq535onwnEn4PmKIkKDngkalIgRZOS34d42EB2Gf9l--N6-/s320/That%20Baby%20Cover.JPG" width="224" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p> My first thoughts as I went down this career path? I don't remember, because I was sleep-deprived, but they probably were something like, <i>I don't know what the heck I'm doing. But who cares? I'm doing it anyway. </i></p><p>Eighteen years later, here I am. Six published books with three on the way, plus a couple of anthology stories. It's been a wild ride. Ups and downs. Lots of rejections, but also awards and high points along the way. And the unexpected thing is that I've met so many awesome people like yourselves who have been wonderful friends and helped me on my journey. And for that, I'm very grateful!</p><p><br /></p><p>What about you? If you're an author, what has your journey been like? <i> </i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p>Now for what I've been doing, besides revisions on the next three Bubba and Squirt books:</p><p>A visit to Chattanooga Tennessee where we saw Ruby Falls, an underground waterfall. <i> </i>Ever been there? It's spectacular!</p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgARJJYF21PE6JLqHZROOAQHMBKET51Vh2dUyrGnGBM3j4Nu8ZjGDFChTZi74CyfH4BOkQ8Ft8ICTCqMSbWAc7AU16QUafyMQtIsO3c0DiogP1UZGjnknvjgpnWFYn75c4X6WPRDsokJ4zVS0pPzyGSATLD8EGYZvoAE1qgfg0LuJxB0Uc6xUOHoKYC/s4032/Ruby%20falls%20blue%20and%20purple%20april%202023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgARJJYF21PE6JLqHZROOAQHMBKET51Vh2dUyrGnGBM3j4Nu8ZjGDFChTZi74CyfH4BOkQ8Ft8ICTCqMSbWAc7AU16QUafyMQtIsO3c0DiogP1UZGjnknvjgpnWFYn75c4X6WPRDsokJ4zVS0pPzyGSATLD8EGYZvoAE1qgfg0LuJxB0Uc6xUOHoKYC/s320/Ruby%20falls%20blue%20and%20purple%20april%202023.jpg" width="240" /></a></i></div><i><br /> </i><p></p><p><br /></p>Sherry Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07844837212122243321noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629102377276886689.post-14202027924390744902023-03-01T12:00:00.000-05:002023-03-01T12:00:40.722-05:00Author Envy<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJugAVo_y8UG4avU76QDQ96baIPvZaEV3-GhbaQOisA3CrsyjyBRyL4iwjpeFS9UoXilRWHjWdIQ538ez4oKPwg9FeRCnMFI_FG3rpKkpLWUka3cmqQGGH6wWtaKEDhWNbioCDj9-_J9IEZysodYd-rri2Zv7pe_H8EybWZdIeX_S43FunB23VRFSU/s320/ISWG%20badge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="320" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJugAVo_y8UG4avU76QDQ96baIPvZaEV3-GhbaQOisA3CrsyjyBRyL4iwjpeFS9UoXilRWHjWdIQ538ez4oKPwg9FeRCnMFI_FG3rpKkpLWUka3cmqQGGH6wWtaKEDhWNbioCDj9-_J9IEZysodYd-rri2Zv7pe_H8EybWZdIeX_S43FunB23VRFSU/s1600/ISWG%20badge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>It's time for another IWSG question of the month. "Have you ever read a line in a novel or a clever plot twist that caused you to have author envy?" I had to think about this one. I don't recall a specific line or plot twist, but I can say that after reading, <i>Face Like Glass</i> by Frances Hardinge, I was extremely impressed with her world-building and lush language. I had never read anything quite like it. So, I'd say I had a little author envy of her tremendous skill in those two areas. I hope when I grow up, I can write like her. </p><p>What about you? Have you ever experienced author envy?</p><p>Not a whole lot of other news to report. My oldest daughter is getting ready to graduate from college. Can you believe it? And my son is still in the Navy. My, how time flies! I guess the cutest thing is that my dad got a Goldendoodle dog. Her name is Daisy. Isn't she adorable?</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX1b52uQQu9OaHUA9bnycH_QFLC3B-fd_V2DVo7Un2Ps5gp2l2Ujm7NzmeIAeKQHXS1x0mv6Su195Xzfd9kT-ZC6d_nuJ1si5tN6s00v_zp71adCpDaYNAzbH-1kDFFz_8sL9Ci6xQ60zdvf7HyR0EmlU5CeG7KRAHwjo4Uxyr_OwvEeKjBlDbTebW/s4032/Dad%20and%20Daisy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX1b52uQQu9OaHUA9bnycH_QFLC3B-fd_V2DVo7Un2Ps5gp2l2Ujm7NzmeIAeKQHXS1x0mv6Su195Xzfd9kT-ZC6d_nuJ1si5tN6s00v_zp71adCpDaYNAzbH-1kDFFz_8sL9Ci6xQ60zdvf7HyR0EmlU5CeG7KRAHwjo4Uxyr_OwvEeKjBlDbTebW/s320/Dad%20and%20Daisy.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> </p><p> </p>Sherry Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07844837212122243321noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629102377276886689.post-20173135078888751952023-02-02T11:11:00.008-05:002023-02-02T11:16:03.650-05:00About Book Covers<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJl5U7frsv7z449hMm3syJEZ7iyprjs6kMkvwmaAxGNDnmScF_ZHcktEh6T-R1jM8yn_2p18PEPxsseV0Nfy1y2ALUS4mdJIe32jPCxTfKz7_tvgLhIHKGpWy5c30CFAsGbtlN-lgr-6Cj3kgKzHktPPEZw8267AMHUNPd24ysg33im-8rFtRy_T9G/s320/ISWG%20badge.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="320" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJl5U7frsv7z449hMm3syJEZ7iyprjs6kMkvwmaAxGNDnmScF_ZHcktEh6T-R1jM8yn_2p18PEPxsseV0Nfy1y2ALUS4mdJIe32jPCxTfKz7_tvgLhIHKGpWy5c30CFAsGbtlN-lgr-6Cj3kgKzHktPPEZw8267AMHUNPd24ysg33im-8rFtRy_T9G/s1600/ISWG%20badge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p>This month's IWSG question is about book covers. "Do you create your own covers or purchase them? Or if you are traditionally published, do you have a say in what your cover looks like?"</p><p>I've had experience with self-publishing and traditional publishing. With self-publishing, I designed the covers myself, gave my ideas to professionals, and they made the covers look good. I don't think I have the skills to create a professional-looking cover myself. Same with the interior illustrations. For the most part, the illustrations for my self-published picture books are my own ideas. Admittedly, I was hoping the illustrators would come up with their own creative ideas so I could be more surprised by their interpretations, but I was still pleased with the results.</p><p>Regarding my traditionally published books, the publisher's illustrator came up with the covers himself. I liked being surprised by his ideas. Yes, I had to approve the covers, but I really didn't have any changes. I'm sure if for some reason, I didn't like them, changes would have been made.</p><p>Here are some pictures of my book covers. The first three are self-published. The others are traditionally published. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmRtjkyztZc_dyHE3YfVzqafNb_E7fK-1ocSCr3HJOMxO4v9JDNcn_ivNgz_edPqM7ISXTvugxCPZ82UZAJ5ZJJeZ5qHG02sFY5JFfQKFZOUTLdYWbmGTR2V2WYk50uxlSQuodOovSAez067jrCndH1xmFtDnFG3gEnfTcaFV-nYNK2uex3gEuEDmF/s2020/Don't%20Feed%20the%20Elephant%20cover%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2020" data-original-width="1391" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmRtjkyztZc_dyHE3YfVzqafNb_E7fK-1ocSCr3HJOMxO4v9JDNcn_ivNgz_edPqM7ISXTvugxCPZ82UZAJ5ZJJeZ5qHG02sFY5JFfQKFZOUTLdYWbmGTR2V2WYk50uxlSQuodOovSAez067jrCndH1xmFtDnFG3gEnfTcaFV-nYNK2uex3gEuEDmF/s320/Don't%20Feed%20the%20Elephant%20cover%20(1).jpg" width="220" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhALslst4XSyGT9aMwyIIRMXYaYH5kDxdhdvMr1af0MQLYr1RO4r-I_Ac_5QedHh355mWYw-9EHFA_TBSMLuEHUJdE4shWHLqE9sIKCS4b0iAjH8ECfaVPc75T1luQwN7UYfFnRzvOEkRzxW7XBUmuc29Tim6NbolFdpMidGszQnH0sINK0dZsbKF0c/s500/Ten%20Zany%20Birds%20Cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="350" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhALslst4XSyGT9aMwyIIRMXYaYH5kDxdhdvMr1af0MQLYr1RO4r-I_Ac_5QedHh355mWYw-9EHFA_TBSMLuEHUJdE4shWHLqE9sIKCS4b0iAjH8ECfaVPc75T1luQwN7UYfFnRzvOEkRzxW7XBUmuc29Tim6NbolFdpMidGszQnH0sINK0dZsbKF0c/s320/Ten%20Zany%20Birds%20Cover.jpg" width="224" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLtKJVGuh3gSbk5wQWfPixsdwko_MItQmO9XAZ-LiaQdpHhuAmchmWjvS23jVv6uTT5MhTfYcP06NyY8kVTFWkLBOGlmpmbtuLBbODI1LlSGOqn4ucxECp7kyTcTYA-e57mXd1qi5AV50AtpKjsOLGYcfeWoV8np9wSyL_9EpMAeTr_45E1i7JYiOO/s1084/That%20Mama%20is%20a%20Grouch%20cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1084" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLtKJVGuh3gSbk5wQWfPixsdwko_MItQmO9XAZ-LiaQdpHhuAmchmWjvS23jVv6uTT5MhTfYcP06NyY8kVTFWkLBOGlmpmbtuLBbODI1LlSGOqn4ucxECp7kyTcTYA-e57mXd1qi5AV50AtpKjsOLGYcfeWoV8np9wSyL_9EpMAeTr_45E1i7JYiOO/s320/That%20Mama%20is%20a%20Grouch%20cover.jpg" width="236" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdqNeo2_Wx7lfSNRoDvwKZaJTNWPIgTcrne1KJ8evWkqyNK5JaOUPD4xp52dblvwvVzmqsxyQZpFFyN1Q8ZxVIDAVZJ2WQCtISo6gECTdgK62hcJSuXPI_7iJbn2WkkUoFUNqJJk8VmW6kwhkvcXGrzLKVytOxbzF7ypmPDEhIeGSTcUW-5sjJXXoP/s656/Big%20Dig%20to%20China%20working%20cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="656" data-original-width="432" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdqNeo2_Wx7lfSNRoDvwKZaJTNWPIgTcrne1KJ8evWkqyNK5JaOUPD4xp52dblvwvVzmqsxyQZpFFyN1Q8ZxVIDAVZJ2WQCtISo6gECTdgK62hcJSuXPI_7iJbn2WkkUoFUNqJJk8VmW6kwhkvcXGrzLKVytOxbzF7ypmPDEhIeGSTcUW-5sjJXXoP/s320/Big%20Dig%20to%20China%20working%20cover.jpg" width="211" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNohgtgRaBlfU3hYFWitz3Y_fLkkj7Rmn84L4OHjSN3z9mRQFmrjmjUIXinmIfEakzBV_Qa5qrGcNElOBxw-D0mpegB6odaqG039QkAhg1L3dzwJYDOLdXJ_nQ4OgTS6yqlK_bRA__xaleDWbf2QLLVNeii9mDERP-vV_BKtu7Sje3fc3q0JW2nR_o/s683/Bubba%20and%20Squirts%20Mayan%20Adventure%20by%20Sherry%20Ellis%20cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNohgtgRaBlfU3hYFWitz3Y_fLkkj7Rmn84L4OHjSN3z9mRQFmrjmjUIXinmIfEakzBV_Qa5qrGcNElOBxw-D0mpegB6odaqG039QkAhg1L3dzwJYDOLdXJ_nQ4OgTS6yqlK_bRA__xaleDWbf2QLLVNeii9mDERP-vV_BKtu7Sje3fc3q0JW2nR_o/s320/Bubba%20and%20Squirts%20Mayan%20Adventure%20by%20Sherry%20Ellis%20cover.jpg" width="211" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p><p>If you're an author, what kind of role did you have in designing your covers?</p><p>(And some good news: The next Bubba and Squirt book, <i>City of Bones</i> is on its way. The contract has been signed!)</p>Sherry Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07844837212122243321noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629102377276886689.post-25258753046515268872023-01-03T15:26:00.000-05:002023-01-03T15:26:30.222-05:00Word of the Year<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgHA21OlX0kefC7FvY2HvAf6HAPjnNX5M7AbZJ2n1JhrRfgcz79rp_3b8xjyGMiWbK7XUkAHQu_zp3-8HZ-vzicgZkrDe4OPENNxGeP2-YNf08JiSauywSlWDmneITFEh9AbWobSyNeMd3d6u7_sK_TgY4LNmmdmzz8WdEDnLgbItuByL3cdgpV-bo/s320/ISWG%20badge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="320" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgHA21OlX0kefC7FvY2HvAf6HAPjnNX5M7AbZJ2n1JhrRfgcz79rp_3b8xjyGMiWbK7XUkAHQu_zp3-8HZ-vzicgZkrDe4OPENNxGeP2-YNf08JiSauywSlWDmneITFEh9AbWobSyNeMd3d6u7_sK_TgY4LNmmdmzz8WdEDnLgbItuByL3cdgpV-bo/s1600/ISWG%20badge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Happy New Year! Welcome to the first IWSG post of the year. The question is, appropriately, "What word sums up what you need to work on or change this year?" Easy peasy. SUBMIT! I have finally finished writing the rest of the Bubba and Squirt manuscripts and am just about ready to submit the next one of the series. I even wrote a blurb for it on New Year's Day! Good start, right? Of course, I thought of something else I could do to make it better, so I'm not quite ready. Ugh! I should just follow the Nike slogan and Just Do It! </p><p><br /></p><p>That's my word. What's yours?</p><p><br /></p><p>I'll leave you with a picture from my recent trip to New Orleans. Sitting in the seance room at Muriel's restaurant. Supposedly it's haunted, but I didn't see any ghosts. Has anybody ever been there or seen a ghost?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXyh7l8pGBp14JgMgUQ1CkWtpTAo5bBQG8en_TZGbOA__DuCs6x-6uADIxn3w7VUnGkecuut9DdHo_2DL8JyZi49haqeSM8lliaCHXAYCRCkR2vCSVW4y5_i3r-BONGTs7-pNCpBel1KP8Cmv2bdKXv7VIKm3JB-o0Bf0cwV0130f4tEex9tUqN2KH/s4032/IMG_2051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXyh7l8pGBp14JgMgUQ1CkWtpTAo5bBQG8en_TZGbOA__DuCs6x-6uADIxn3w7VUnGkecuut9DdHo_2DL8JyZi49haqeSM8lliaCHXAYCRCkR2vCSVW4y5_i3r-BONGTs7-pNCpBel1KP8Cmv2bdKXv7VIKm3JB-o0Bf0cwV0130f4tEex9tUqN2KH/s320/IMG_2051.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> </p>Sherry Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07844837212122243321noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629102377276886689.post-66911617018763911632022-12-07T12:36:00.001-05:002022-12-07T12:36:22.366-05:00IWSG and Happy Holidays!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOGvZssxXz4r6CSAPg2DY6l9rMeFXrdonVCD8OtlqoOWIYrFMR5GKzIovMvR6ovjYg9HNrzv6pjVmOmT8b3mx_wZK0dzQcorPjaPrDZW4lSz7fh0gJ-li6fLfIZejAccE4fQz8c8l4I7fN9UHu-AwrCmUwA7YLb6soRsqP7Q4bAgCyptXVLdfHGbhx/s320/ISWG%20badge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="320" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOGvZssxXz4r6CSAPg2DY6l9rMeFXrdonVCD8OtlqoOWIYrFMR5GKzIovMvR6ovjYg9HNrzv6pjVmOmT8b3mx_wZK0dzQcorPjaPrDZW4lSz7fh0gJ-li6fLfIZejAccE4fQz8c8l4I7fN9UHu-AwrCmUwA7YLb6soRsqP7Q4bAgCyptXVLdfHGbhx/s1600/ISWG%20badge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>It's that time again—the monthly Insecure Writer's Support Group post. I'm really glad we have these things. Thanks to Alex and the crew for keeping this going. Otherwise, I'd probably fall out of touch with the blog world because life is just so darn busy! Speaking of busy—the question of the month is, "Does the holiday season make it easier or harder to find time to write?" For me, the answer is resoundingly harder. I'm a musician. 'Tis the season to perform Christmas concerts. Just this week alone, I have 3 performances and 4 rehearsals. That's on top of my job as an Executive Director for an orchestra and the more than 30 students I give private lessons to each week. Talk about busy! Oh yeah—and I have to buy and wrap Christmas presents, make Christmas cookies, and send out Christmas cards. That said, I've been trying to revise my Bubba and Squirt manuscripts so that I can submit them to the publisher early next year. I was on a roll with 2 chapters a day last week. (This week, not so much. I need to practice all the music I have. Plus I have to learn how to play the organ. I've had a two-week crash course with an organist for a performance I have to do this Sunday. Wish me luck!) </p><p>Are you tired just from reading all of what I have to do? 😊</p><p>How about you? Do you have more or less time to write this time of year?</p><p><br /></p><p>I wish all of you a joyous holiday season! See you next year!</p><p><br /></p><p> </p><p><br /></p>Sherry Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07844837212122243321noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629102377276886689.post-30004347182501082482022-11-04T14:38:00.000-04:002022-11-04T14:38:08.206-04:00IWSG and a Wedding<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidHuUH6WtFNpxqDJYq6w6ehk84SqF7rUhhC1ArZ2oaGVkxV_OrDYYR1Hg6-AbOzur8h0_BxTBC5vP5HPXQG_HVIuURgIUjd6be0oGV_LwzeDkN4lupDU24yTXsfi98KOEIeDtwK1or0cn8T-7L-Kw2gdrtBCMOjcc_ogPGYSg2BUKTtOjZD5xT75Rp/s320/ISWG%20badge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="320" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidHuUH6WtFNpxqDJYq6w6ehk84SqF7rUhhC1ArZ2oaGVkxV_OrDYYR1Hg6-AbOzur8h0_BxTBC5vP5HPXQG_HVIuURgIUjd6be0oGV_LwzeDkN4lupDU24yTXsfi98KOEIeDtwK1or0cn8T-7L-Kw2gdrtBCMOjcc_ogPGYSg2BUKTtOjZD5xT75Rp/s1600/ISWG%20badge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p>As usual, I am late again for the IWSG post of the month. Maybe one of these days I'll be on time. The question is, have I ever participated in the National Novel Writing challenge? Short answer: Nope. Reason: Too busy! I admire everyone who participates and completes the challenge. It's a great way to force yourself to write and hopefully complete a project!</p><p><br /></p><p>Here's what I've been up to:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmOcrzLsa66ZIgY6jfFLukhskmo072CMQXK3UH4MSHJ9m72iR7fDY_OGbwtgLwoDjwNPUw0dv6xupBzbD0N6ZXp2xOTf9XaBsDQ4cqYkGLx4MIGwyNV4-iMVW_yfYY4qnuvTfJoFKcS7xS6wM_EuYZvPA0g9k_WxH82qZzTK8-N4j8NiLwJR32VbY9/s4032/IMG_0641.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmOcrzLsa66ZIgY6jfFLukhskmo072CMQXK3UH4MSHJ9m72iR7fDY_OGbwtgLwoDjwNPUw0dv6xupBzbD0N6ZXp2xOTf9XaBsDQ4cqYkGLx4MIGwyNV4-iMVW_yfYY4qnuvTfJoFKcS7xS6wM_EuYZvPA0g9k_WxH82qZzTK8-N4j8NiLwJR32VbY9/s320/IMG_0641.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2mv8_jE0ANcGmUsRTPomdCaex6bbUo_g7soAGy4WbrvO7q5cXY3vwEgk7ex-JxwgRR370ccI1Kq-ob1xrC0k9b0YAcrezGMYZkr3FGMRwbTM6AIp-hE9Z-TxUvmtoefYmVfMIzvlwW2GK9RdffhXiru7K_O_jXGqYnz1jADNWqtf-IRY0pvBKm4M6/s4032/IMG_1875.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2mv8_jE0ANcGmUsRTPomdCaex6bbUo_g7soAGy4WbrvO7q5cXY3vwEgk7ex-JxwgRR370ccI1Kq-ob1xrC0k9b0YAcrezGMYZkr3FGMRwbTM6AIp-hE9Z-TxUvmtoefYmVfMIzvlwW2GK9RdffhXiru7K_O_jXGqYnz1jADNWqtf-IRY0pvBKm4M6/s320/IMG_1875.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpnK-WOgXOQFm0DTrPD5eIqbU_COCm9otBJU8DKg5IP24jqtsnmm6JdTHwsg6p-IMZeGe0YOrXXrk0SRtjcWOZxdKsbyiHERwFbqhMoBu-1cQUNILMmSW7GtbknzhsQCKyZeRpo66NjMC7jpHG9QTnaEHiNbCcFo9CHO5h0aPVikyH7RsRr1ShTEqx/s4032/IMG_1935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpnK-WOgXOQFm0DTrPD5eIqbU_COCm9otBJU8DKg5IP24jqtsnmm6JdTHwsg6p-IMZeGe0YOrXXrk0SRtjcWOZxdKsbyiHERwFbqhMoBu-1cQUNILMmSW7GtbknzhsQCKyZeRpo66NjMC7jpHG9QTnaEHiNbCcFo9CHO5h0aPVikyH7RsRr1ShTEqx/s320/IMG_1935.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p>Any guesses about where I was?</p><p> </p>Sherry Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07844837212122243321noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629102377276886689.post-3115905959388004152022-10-04T13:05:00.001-04:002022-10-04T13:05:58.210-04:00Best Thing About my Favorite Genre and Updates<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia9-ODkAhkJVHUZLwQiwVzWgpqCQ5TjQZjtXmdizwEANJKSnTnGBrp5PDe58uxV6pTbzBCE8sbpQrBDc6LXGl2rU4DS7VLXymTL2tx3cKNezH9MyOijV9XLb3OCnAnZubbxYg19ttY2uYV1GDrZUono23rE4EHL-2FHLh6p7cJw8syM8WILaIcx_yg/s320/ISWG%20badge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="320" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia9-ODkAhkJVHUZLwQiwVzWgpqCQ5TjQZjtXmdizwEANJKSnTnGBrp5PDe58uxV6pTbzBCE8sbpQrBDc6LXGl2rU4DS7VLXymTL2tx3cKNezH9MyOijV9XLb3OCnAnZubbxYg19ttY2uYV1GDrZUono23rE4EHL-2FHLh6p7cJw8syM8WILaIcx_yg/s1600/ISWG%20badge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Today's question is, "What's the best characteristic of your favorite genre?" My favorite genre is historical fiction. I like that research is involved to get the facts straight and recreate the time period. It's like going back in time. I also like that historical fiction helps me learn things or reinforces things I already knew. </p><p>What's your favorite genre, and what are the things you like about it?</p><p><br /></p><p>Now, for updates. Many of you who have followed this blog for a long time remember my son, Bubba, and daughter, Squirt. (Not their real names.) They used to entertain you with their funny antics and humor. Well, they are all grown up now. Five-year-old Bubba is eighteen. He just enlisted in the Navy and started boot camp. He'll be in the military for the next six years. working on cyber security. Squirt is a senior, graduating from college with a degree in music technology and production. It'll be interesting to see what career she ends up with! And me...I actually completed the last manuscript of the last book of the Bubba and Squirt series. I'm working on revising now. A big accomplishment considering how much is on my plate! And finally, the next time I post, I'll be married! So hard to believe! It's funny to see how the path of life winds around and takes you to unexpected places!</p><p>Hope you all enjoy the lovely autumn season!</p>Sherry Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07844837212122243321noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629102377276886689.post-10482214601582818932022-09-08T11:30:00.000-04:002022-09-08T11:30:52.608-04:00Most Difficult Genre to Write<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgleCDz8J4b7kHp3_VsTMDVp7e5PCRVGcvrOWeuyrXh34Opmt7R2PFh0XozMK7VW6m_-ZynRsIs1gE5Rq4Dnl75swD1H6FnYTNsEzqPCs3RygaH-REJgnM1rlqUdnUrb7QMpMqnWvzhACkrXfuHgkDvozX9JfbrXUBqZKZDb8xMJWnYJJYSk8hsrq5X/s320/ISWG%20badge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="320" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgleCDz8J4b7kHp3_VsTMDVp7e5PCRVGcvrOWeuyrXh34Opmt7R2PFh0XozMK7VW6m_-ZynRsIs1gE5Rq4Dnl75swD1H6FnYTNsEzqPCs3RygaH-REJgnM1rlqUdnUrb7QMpMqnWvzhACkrXfuHgkDvozX9JfbrXUBqZKZDb8xMJWnYJJYSk8hsrq5X/s1600/ISWG%20badge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Can you believe I'm actually on time with this post? LOL! Got through DragonCon and the wedding plans are going well. I'll share a picture from DragonCon at the end of this post.</p><p><br /></p><p>So, the IWSG question of the month is, which genre is/would be the hardest for you to write? The first thought that popped into my head was Romance. I know there are many of you out there who are great romance writers. I don't think I'd be one of them. Then the question would be, why not? It's not that I'm not romantic. I most certainly am. But I think I'd just have a hard time writing love scenes. Steamy ones would definitely be a challenge. I guess I'd always had a sense that some things should be private. So, writing something so intimate for the whole world to read would feel weird to me. I'd probably struggle a bit coming up with a good storyline, too. But who knows? I've never actually tried writing a Romance. So, maybe it wouldn't be as tough as I've built it up to be.</p><p>What about you? Which would be the most challenging for you to write?</p><p><br /></p><p>DragonCon: Big event that the orchestra I'm the Executive Director for performs at. We played for a crowd of about 3000 people. It's always a blast! And our conductor was none other than the Joker!</p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXBnYIr0_aQ8794izdWiYwzwvz0by7Mr4efvczZO36h64J5mmz9Gx1d7Jb96OPkkYzyfdEjU32kto0PXCVnMTZWpcEiV_zRPL4JvZO6m-sc8F5qyJozpyCwtgFL-mL0Lmvsx-VlcO47mceZuhtpua9nsbs8uU9vCNErSghUkwgkGl-NAlyZ1YSr289/s1080/DragonCon%202022%20Joker%20conducting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1080" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXBnYIr0_aQ8794izdWiYwzwvz0by7Mr4efvczZO36h64J5mmz9Gx1d7Jb96OPkkYzyfdEjU32kto0PXCVnMTZWpcEiV_zRPL4JvZO6m-sc8F5qyJozpyCwtgFL-mL0Lmvsx-VlcO47mceZuhtpua9nsbs8uU9vCNErSghUkwgkGl-NAlyZ1YSr289/s320/DragonCon%202022%20Joker%20conducting.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p> </p>Sherry Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07844837212122243321noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629102377276886689.post-52457168519137631332022-08-16T11:01:00.002-04:002022-08-16T11:01:56.364-04:00IWSG August Post<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwcHBnT_1a9DhKE1JkJZgJsLd39WMt_YRGD51BCGZnxjYJk5_AyoKjbEzIQJsY96oGxqizYCr2FClBXAHd7eJCrKQgwQWw5v1pR7coOIwB_GOaQwVji4Cy58EtT7xjcfpoze6FSRmkxhM15X1nFO1SVc9B4amRUaH7Fn2y9_d8VL5ezui7mWZNQ_hU/s320/ISWG%20badge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="320" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwcHBnT_1a9DhKE1JkJZgJsLd39WMt_YRGD51BCGZnxjYJk5_AyoKjbEzIQJsY96oGxqizYCr2FClBXAHd7eJCrKQgwQWw5v1pR7coOIwB_GOaQwVji4Cy58EtT7xjcfpoze6FSRmkxhM15X1nFO1SVc9B4amRUaH7Fn2y9_d8VL5ezui7mWZNQ_hU/s1600/ISWG%20badge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>I know. I'm seriously late with this. But I have a good excuse. I'm preparing to get married. That's on top of my already busy schedule. So, it's been kind of a whirlwind around here. Anyway, better late than never.</p><p>So, the question is, do I write to please other people, or do I write whatever I feel like writing? The answer is the latter. There are people who write whatever is trending at the time. Not me. I write whatever inspires me. The way I see it, if you're always jumping on the bandwagon, you get lost in the crowd. Maybe you'll be the next big thing. Maybe not. If I'm writing what I want to write, then chances are I'm enjoying it. And that's what it's all about. That's why we put all those hours in. To tell our stories.</p><p><br /></p><p>Speaking of writing, I'm almost done with the last manuscript of the Bubba and Squirt series. I had to go on vacation to do it—at the beach. My muse works best there. Most people park themselves on a chaise and read a book. I write books. So much fun! </p><p><br /></p><p>Where do you write best? Do you write what people want or do your own thing?</p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc58rwjIa2peirIjwquhLteb3-vQXRb2Mjfcn7jjT41_WZcnnXvvMYq3vxTNYYEXt-0-QEU3tBt3yIRokE3Om2HIAAr-TVl6YGOq-bLJF3et42y72KtyiAw7mgTyqgwBC5vMdx_6Lp_NSS1dhuAITlnYoeuP0kK986Hj-ePYDSS67fjOJ_UlduZ2rD/s4032/Clearwater%20pool.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc58rwjIa2peirIjwquhLteb3-vQXRb2Mjfcn7jjT41_WZcnnXvvMYq3vxTNYYEXt-0-QEU3tBt3yIRokE3Om2HIAAr-TVl6YGOq-bLJF3et42y72KtyiAw7mgTyqgwBC5vMdx_6Lp_NSS1dhuAITlnYoeuP0kK986Hj-ePYDSS67fjOJ_UlduZ2rD/s320/Clearwater%20pool.jpg" width="240" /></a>😁</div><br /> <p></p><p> View from my hotel balcony. </p>Sherry Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07844837212122243321noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629102377276886689.post-60346824652901876712022-07-06T17:14:00.003-04:002022-07-06T17:14:48.763-04:00Where in the Book World Would I Live?<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ltQIu9ZgFzq4supfFmVPFoD_EZ5hB84YnjDOfCg12NG4xz1v2Sdm9f2I8thsI9maNsiE8yUZCgqOo2hTWgBF3d7RdTtekQ9AQYWFxs6MOVgFZW0fsywWP7AwrJjqBWaum5daS6INn2-3ykfUJmn32L8gRf_VD5qHHFJroe-2a6P8Mw7vrzix0-qq/s320/ISWG%20badge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="320" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ltQIu9ZgFzq4supfFmVPFoD_EZ5hB84YnjDOfCg12NG4xz1v2Sdm9f2I8thsI9maNsiE8yUZCgqOo2hTWgBF3d7RdTtekQ9AQYWFxs6MOVgFZW0fsywWP7AwrJjqBWaum5daS6INn2-3ykfUJmn32L8gRf_VD5qHHFJroe-2a6P8Mw7vrzix0-qq/s1600/ISWG%20badge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Today's question from the Insecure Writer's Support Group is, "Where in the book world would I live?"</p><p><br /></p><p>Well, that's a mighty fine question. I had to think long and hard about this. I'm going with Corfu, Greece, the setting for My Family and Other Animals by Gerard Durrell (written in 1956). The book is Durrell's memoir of his upbringing there. For those who don't know, Durrell was a British conservationist. He had lots of interesting experiences with the flora and fauna there. I don't think that I'd be particularly fond of the insects he came across, but it sure is pretty! Here's a photo I found:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsmhXu-dRAAC1aR1aBXl0AWxsLJB8NghjGBSVdPtrhNASIZ9vBPIqdWnkUwPzDiJWMFufVtG6jJQqsb2m9YBZH82ZwNM51ZDdLjWwrEFODpgvN_pX1dPyDIZaUMYGGqRKFfZdmnClB8Oincab987CRwAsgreHXd5G0FetZrxuEhwjwb-jhBSJRw3So/s612/Corfu,%20Greece.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="376" data-original-width="612" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsmhXu-dRAAC1aR1aBXl0AWxsLJB8NghjGBSVdPtrhNASIZ9vBPIqdWnkUwPzDiJWMFufVtG6jJQqsb2m9YBZH82ZwNM51ZDdLjWwrEFODpgvN_pX1dPyDIZaUMYGGqRKFfZdmnClB8Oincab987CRwAsgreHXd5G0FetZrxuEhwjwb-jhBSJRw3So/s320/Corfu,%20Greece.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>Where would you like to live?</p>Sherry Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07844837212122243321noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629102377276886689.post-83261419073271807892022-06-01T12:37:00.008-04:002022-06-01T13:09:59.614-04:00How to Keep Writing<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg2Xzl-XbDRdfJpYboSsuj4aWyGUX-WOTErNx4BMUnRSbhf_6VMSxkwHhtX73UK57J3aGdsLni4sJN4wfACYGVJOxp8G4BDGozBF8tPOwhuk0iZbvxUmbIYAJzdEItrpL_f8NabchgaRbOwoXB57rmUQYiqnLX4jCqQ3SXWc_OAOqlPPDbclAMaDs5/s320/ISWG%20badge.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="320" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg2Xzl-XbDRdfJpYboSsuj4aWyGUX-WOTErNx4BMUnRSbhf_6VMSxkwHhtX73UK57J3aGdsLni4sJN4wfACYGVJOxp8G4BDGozBF8tPOwhuk0iZbvxUmbIYAJzdEItrpL_f8NabchgaRbOwoXB57rmUQYiqnLX4jCqQ3SXWc_OAOqlPPDbclAMaDs5/s1600/ISWG%20badge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Today's question is: <strong style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">When the going gets tough writing the story, how do you keep yourself writing to the end? If you have not started the writing yet, why do you think that is and what do you think could help you find your groove and start?</strong></p><p><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">I think this question is</span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"> rather appropriate for writers and one I sometimes struggle with. Having just gone through a long bout of not doing much writing, I have discovered that the best thing for me is to plot out the story chapter by chapter. I am the world's worst pantser. Can't do it. I admire those who can. I had been trying to get through the last few chapters of the last book of the current series I'm working on. It should've been done in a month. But here we are, already halfway through the year, and I got maybe 5 pages written. So I thought about it. What's my problem here? And the problem was (besides not having much time), I didn't know what the end was or how to get there. I had been pantsing my way through it (which is not my normal procedure). So I took a few days to figure it out and write the outline for the end of the book. Low and behold, I just finished two chapters in 2 weeks. Holy mackerel kingfish! </span></p><p><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><br /></span></p><p><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">The other thing I have found helpful is to start a fresh project. Brainstorm, writing ideas down. Or maybe pull out an ancient manuscript and breath new life into it. I'm actually doing that for a picture book manuscript as well. </span></p><p><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><br /></span></p><p><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">How would you answer this question?</span></p><p><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><br /></span></p><p><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">Here's your Klaus picture of the month. He was very hot on his walk. He attempted to cool off under that bush. Not sure he was successful. (You can see he has 2 black spots on his tongue. Birthmarks. But we use them as gauges to tell how tired or hot he is. When you see both spots, he's super tired or super-hot. This is one hot dog!)</span></p><p><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><br /></span></p><p><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhnuoL3JRZ1WiZGDp9JLkg3stfC95uK7P10_4AFV3ao6ztnG7qoOKj0J2MkDwCgLroNmbsZZb46Ksjyd-GB3MWa1SqkB9Ko0pU2xnALyaSFcv82U24Am2tMt7I02pkfkFvnOXVjV4SV4kYNpj9ru6GAfMWterMbb-CbHlV6dz9tbe60TaPT8OPGFij/s2957/Klaus%20in%20the%20green%20bushes.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2957" data-original-width="2217" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhnuoL3JRZ1WiZGDp9JLkg3stfC95uK7P10_4AFV3ao6ztnG7qoOKj0J2MkDwCgLroNmbsZZb46Ksjyd-GB3MWa1SqkB9Ko0pU2xnALyaSFcv82U24Am2tMt7I02pkfkFvnOXVjV4SV4kYNpj9ru6GAfMWterMbb-CbHlV6dz9tbe60TaPT8OPGFij/s320/Klaus%20in%20the%20green%20bushes.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /> One more thing: I am having a lot of trouble with Blogger. I can't comment on most of your blogs, and even on my own, I can't respond to your comments. I don't know what the problem is, but it was like this last month, too. Want you to know I am reading your blogs and comments. Hopefully, it will get fixed soon!<p></p>Sherry Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07844837212122243321noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629102377276886689.post-7487676425561848952022-04-28T16:41:00.000-04:002022-04-28T16:41:44.455-04:00IWSG and Back in the Swing of Things<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrBTMmITnP0Ibo7KhaYbfprwd_7HlbLyxD56Scwm7iiCxcaQMAkML9iW2eTeIs-DdlKI_wlYqAYIdhFW8YC1GFAXiZXskHc3kcDrwDaIAuI16FhKJpz3jTXEpAt1PlkGn_MGK4284j_dQYAvrsO4Av3nT8dolhudd3PtF7pEuz7FFzVHUyRACu1d__/s320/ISWG%20badge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="320" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrBTMmITnP0Ibo7KhaYbfprwd_7HlbLyxD56Scwm7iiCxcaQMAkML9iW2eTeIs-DdlKI_wlYqAYIdhFW8YC1GFAXiZXskHc3kcDrwDaIAuI16FhKJpz3jTXEpAt1PlkGn_MGK4284j_dQYAvrsO4Av3nT8dolhudd3PtF7pEuz7FFzVHUyRACu1d__/s1600/ISWG%20badge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Okay. I know. I'm super-late with the April IWSG post. Fifty lashes with a wet noodle. But the good news is, I'm early for the May one. My three great excuses are spring break. work, and social life. I have so little time for hopping on to blog. </p><p>So, the April question was, "Have any of your books been made into audiobooks?" No. I think it would be really cool if the Bubba and Squirt ones would be, but they haven't hit enough sales yet to become audiobooks.</p><p>May question: What have been the highs and lows of writing? Highs: Getting accepted by a publisher, seeing book sales, doing school visits, and getting good reviews. Lows: Not selling as many copies as I'd hoped in spite of investing a lot of money into marketing. Currently, I'm struggling to find time to write and am losing some momentum. (The crazy thing is I'm so close to finishing. I probably have about 5 more chapters to write in the series. I wrote a grand total of 1 paragraph in the last two weeks.) I guess those are the only real lows. I've been fortunate not to have any scathing reviews of my books. Most people seem to like them. </p><p><br /></p><p>What are your highs and lows?</p><p><br /></p><p>In other news, I'm happy that things are starting to pick up in the author world. Recently, I did a book signing at a local fair. It was great to meet so many people! And I'll be doing a school author visit in a few weeks. It's been several years since I've done one. So it's exciting and a little scary at the same time. Hoping I remember how to do them (and how to play the Chinese erhu!).</p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1XA2HDCo1goSgpw5ip5YbtnXwwAxUF5weFU-S1O6kfsQMfaJWRS9amtSyYfjuoftFeyOiBL67Q9u52rRQCzXeG9VPcfnPskgVlri4CKB3HyU43uBUvkFjKpj65EMmIXLHZDWSsbaQXw-6ew26cENxDvSnqGN-Fd0etUda7hewB89eKiDo_alV7gCJ/s2016/Lemonade%20Days%20Sherry%20Ellis%202022.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1134" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1XA2HDCo1goSgpw5ip5YbtnXwwAxUF5weFU-S1O6kfsQMfaJWRS9amtSyYfjuoftFeyOiBL67Q9u52rRQCzXeG9VPcfnPskgVlri4CKB3HyU43uBUvkFjKpj65EMmIXLHZDWSsbaQXw-6ew26cENxDvSnqGN-Fd0etUda7hewB89eKiDo_alV7gCJ/s320/Lemonade%20Days%20Sherry%20Ellis%202022.jpeg" width="180" /></a></div><br /> And then there's Klaus. <p></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Cv79n35GWiSqq5NdlHTL4_9VELiMVuNlXCIOL-ntb939PjKsScyvNkCJi9BqHHpSgS9caV0tomo0DFp3K7pytIm5cZWJKhsWHt2v4jVv-jmR1UMawlfGDZJflkcz51ddOPW0fyGyIbZp05SWKwgbplwjW0EfcbEz5a6WKQbDsgTzD58etGHsTMae/s1892/Klaus%20on%20couch%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1892" data-original-width="1419" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Cv79n35GWiSqq5NdlHTL4_9VELiMVuNlXCIOL-ntb939PjKsScyvNkCJi9BqHHpSgS9caV0tomo0DFp3K7pytIm5cZWJKhsWHt2v4jVv-jmR1UMawlfGDZJflkcz51ddOPW0fyGyIbZp05SWKwgbplwjW0EfcbEz5a6WKQbDsgTzD58etGHsTMae/s320/Klaus%20on%20couch%202.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p>Always a bundle of trouble. But I think he's finally starting to settle down a bit. It's been a while since he's chewed a hole in the wall or eaten a piece of furniture. </p>Sherry Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07844837212122243321noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629102377276886689.post-80341267583847640182022-03-02T12:20:00.000-05:002022-03-02T12:20:34.774-05:00IWSG and New Book Trailer<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi06a5Qi04VWhgXgDWLlvO_22R3R2L46oox466O1ChzlGdyG0KhAI7vV30CVxsJSjkIgLNLZHxtVsJ3eZUaK_qO1Pu2xU0zR0edNiipuLppZh7ao-CFOXn3NuXF2saXKc47mT_cY-s3xKID4zgrozs09AP1m1a5awjqTKBelzdw79VvB6HJqhXx9-Zy=s320" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="320" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi06a5Qi04VWhgXgDWLlvO_22R3R2L46oox466O1ChzlGdyG0KhAI7vV30CVxsJSjkIgLNLZHxtVsJ3eZUaK_qO1Pu2xU0zR0edNiipuLppZh7ao-CFOXn3NuXF2saXKc47mT_cY-s3xKID4zgrozs09AP1m1a5awjqTKBelzdw79VvB6HJqhXx9-Zy" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Boy, that month sure went fast! Seems like I just did this! So, the question of the month is, "Have you ever been conflicted about writing a scene in your story? And how did you make the decision to write it or not?"</p><p>I had to think about this one. Usually what happens is, I write a scene, and then when I am doing revisions I decide if I keep it or not. The way I decide is I ask myself if it moves the story forward. If it does, great, it stays. If it doesn't, then it gets cut. I don't think I've ever sat down and asked myself if I should write it or not. What about you? Do you write and then cut, or decide first not to write it?</p><p><br /></p><p>Wanted to share this with you—a new book trailer for my book, Bubba and Squirt's Big Dig to China. I thought the animator, Arjun Singh, did an amazing job with it! And the audio, done by John Israel, is quite impressive! What do you think? </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OYch8DZR7Y0" width="320" youtube-src-id="OYch8DZR7Y0"></iframe></div><br /> <p></p><p> And of course, I have to give you another picture of Klaus. He's being a very good boy here.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjTJimK4khSL7WyAi1Fr40O5V0HMpazQJT1Q6ibD0IifUUzLgnUVhG7Lda2FYnq5YI6MZ73IlkoyCZoht8LN21RBv7ptUovR3zMyBZC161bVuZ4MYPCsgfd3omLSgXb7BDGke24WvNtVCSMnfxjAfKyCe3zlTB_9EoUGpA7WO0BCIpn3E9Gq4WBu9ex=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjTJimK4khSL7WyAi1Fr40O5V0HMpazQJT1Q6ibD0IifUUzLgnUVhG7Lda2FYnq5YI6MZ73IlkoyCZoht8LN21RBv7ptUovR3zMyBZC161bVuZ4MYPCsgfd3omLSgXb7BDGke24WvNtVCSMnfxjAfKyCe3zlTB_9EoUGpA7WO0BCIpn3E9Gq4WBu9ex=s320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Sherry Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07844837212122243321noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1629102377276886689.post-57437864935132648552022-02-02T21:28:00.000-05:002022-02-02T21:28:24.433-05:00IWSG and Sleepy Puppy<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjWK-UWlbm7FB3ROTytMpdHW_-vTE1yek2b-BMVFz7zR09N5aojhRVBMovUUb8Wr3QYpeqhOkxQp0ey85InDRd9ArxX-Oo43YjdMU0ZDdcKkmyt14sU9AXSnh8VN2LoTMbpTGdjSGJ5q_Q_6e6uuwmVrQx-RzsOrqeDxtnhBnJBFxgw1WviBBbYpT1a=s320" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="320" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjWK-UWlbm7FB3ROTytMpdHW_-vTE1yek2b-BMVFz7zR09N5aojhRVBMovUUb8Wr3QYpeqhOkxQp0ey85InDRd9ArxX-Oo43YjdMU0ZDdcKkmyt14sU9AXSnh8VN2LoTMbpTGdjSGJ5q_Q_6e6uuwmVrQx-RzsOrqeDxtnhBnJBFxgw1WviBBbYpT1a" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Today's IWSG question is, is there someone who has supported you in your writing journey who is no longer around? Yes. Not that this person is no longer on the planet, but she is no longer in the blogosphere. That person is Crystal Collier. She was always so supportive and upbeat no matter what was going on in her personal life. It impressed me and meant so much that she stuck around to help promote my book <i>Bubba and Squirt's Big Dig to China</i>. It was her last post. I truly felt honored that she did that.</p><p>So many people are like that here in the blogger community. Do you have anyone you miss who's no longer here?</p><p><br /></p><p>And now for a Klaus story. Klaus doesn't like to be confined. When he gets crated, he restlessly paws at the bottom, trying to dig his way out. Well, he didn't get out, because there was a solid floor under his crate. But he did manage to dig a hole right through the plastic liner. Unbelievable! All I have to say is those are some seriously sharp teeth and claws! </p><p>Here's the little trouble maker, exhausted from his attempt at escaping:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjuZmiKHk41D-QWwAGb1Ajvew0UfeXX83vLZVXTkeRdN5WOox1sk7JJ4GiihVDNo7sBp6MP2yrjRmRKIIUaUFbWnW-kPXNXVleVfOZsUEA1WPj_RpgvMJ6EQxcn19RCiIr7Mxw_0a6xUyyV9PHPOT84gjsIAnIT5oL7Loov06QQpdhUtrNNq0YOqLVQ=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjuZmiKHk41D-QWwAGb1Ajvew0UfeXX83vLZVXTkeRdN5WOox1sk7JJ4GiihVDNo7sBp6MP2yrjRmRKIIUaUFbWnW-kPXNXVleVfOZsUEA1WPj_RpgvMJ6EQxcn19RCiIr7Mxw_0a6xUyyV9PHPOT84gjsIAnIT5oL7Loov06QQpdhUtrNNq0YOqLVQ=s320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p> </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> </p>Sherry Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07844837212122243321noreply@blogger.com38