The Sunday Salon (10/18/09) #meme

Reading time: 5 – 8 minutes

The Sunday Salon is a weekly #meme where you .. basically just chat about anything that may be on your literary mind (at least that’s the way I understand it).  This week there has been a lot on everyone’s minds.

• Dewey’s 24-Hour Read-a-thon Challenege
• NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month)
• FTC’s new blogger “rules”
• Random Magic Tour & Giveaway (Starting Oct. 20th 2009)
• NoNoWriMo “Eat, Shoots & Leaves” Celebration giveaway (Starting Nov. 1st)

That’s just a quick outline of a few things I am going to discuss in today’s Sunday Salon. Why the outline? Well – I’ve been doing a lot of prepwork for NaNoWriMo and that seems to be the only format I can write in at the moment. (So forgive me).

Dewey’s 24-hour Read-a-thon Challenge

I will not be doing this, this year – although it definitely sounds like something I would enjoy. Having a 16 month year old and a husband that works as hard as he does, so I can stay home with our child.. there is just no way I can dedicate 24 hours of my life (at this point in life) with Carli being so young.  Maybe in a few years, or something? I sure will be cheering on those who are doing it, though! I will be amazed at anyone who can read for 24 hours.. Reading tends to make me pretty sleepy, as it’s so relaxing.. so I can hardly imagine doing it for 24 hours straight!

While reading up on the 24-hour challenge, I have read a lot of nice things about Dewey, who passed away some time ago. It seems that she has a lot of fans out there in the blogger world, and it has me in awe of the kind of impact she made on others. I think the whole idea of the challenge still going on (and in her name) rather beautiful.

NaNoWriMo

I have wanted to do the National Novel Writing Month challenge for about 3 or 4 years now? For some reason, come November, I always forget. This time, because of my blogging – I have caught the discussion ahead of time and am happy that this year I will finally be able to participate!

The hard part now is getting beyond my writer’s block. I have always loved writing – and the pieces I have written have been well-liked. But now in the wake of all these wonderful authors I have come to discover, it has made me self conscious of my own abilities and therefore the unwanted block has set in. Fear. I must rid myself of it. Even if no one else will ever read what I write.. I think it’s something I need to do for myself.  I have a lot of great ideas, I just need to get them out on paper.

So from now until Nov. 1st, I will be brainstorming which concept I want to bring to life. Then – possibly a rough outline of the stories. I can not help but plan. I always plan. I guess I am a little neurotic about that. On top of planning which idea to run with – I am also deciding on a pen name. Hubby said I should definitely have one. I guess my name isn’t very “author-like” and truth be told – but names are very important. Do I want an ambiguous name of my gender? (Wasn’t it J.K. Rowling who went by initials because she didn’t want to NOT be taken seriously because she was in fact – a female?) I guess it depends on the genre in which you plan on writing.

But anyway – a pen name? It’s almost as difficult to decide on what to be called as it is as on deciding what to write. I guess I have until Nov. 1st to decide.

FTC Blogger Rules

I am not quite sure how I feel about this. On one part, I don’t think it’s anyone’s business to know the details of a transaction. I think it should be a matter of trust. Do you believe that this person who is telling you about this product is being truthful? If so, that should be all that matters. Then to threaten bloggers of such a hefty fine of 11,000$ for not disclosing of a relationship seems a bit absurd. There are very few bloggers who can afford a $11,000 fine. (How much money do you think we’re making, by the way?) That’s what I would like to know.

I think it takes away from the over all “personal” feeling of any blog when you have to continually disclose information. I think I’d much rather have to register with the FTC and sign a document expressing that I will be honest with my opinions, regardless of personal compensation.. rather than have to broadcast it every single time I receive something for free. Ad-fraud? I mean, really? Aren’t there better, more important things to watch out for on the internet? I could name quite a few.

But let it be known, I will always be honest with my opinions – as unpopular as they may be with others.

Random Magic Tour & Giveaway!

The Random Magic Tour started yesterday, but my official day to host the Author, Sasha Soren, will be on October 20th! She has graciously agreed to allow me to host a giveaway of Random Magic (autographed, by the way). This contest/giveaway will continue until the end of the tour, where a winner will be selected at random (as if it would be done any other way!). There will be many different ways that you can enter to win. (1 entry for a comment, 2 per tweet, 5 per blog post), etc. Sasha is such an interesting person to speak with, and you’ll enjoy her, and Random Magic tremendously so make sure to check out the other stops on the way and come back here on the 20th to enter the Random Magic giveaway!

NaNoWriMo Celebration “Eat, Shoots & Leaves” Review & Giveaway

In celebration of starting NaNoWriMo, I am hosting an Eat, Shoots & Leaves giveaway starting Nov. 1st to Nov. 8th. My NaNoWriMo giveaway is in no way associated with NaNoWriMo directly, but just something I wanted to do to help those get in the spirit of writing. I thought this book would be a cute little giveaway, in the spirit of it all. So make sure to come back on Nov. 1st to enter and win the book!

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I know my Sunday Salon has been pretty long, so I am going to end it here. For those who DID read the whole thing, thank you.

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