A Reading and Writing Roundup...with Walkers

Here's another eclectic post for you all....

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Is anyone planning on doing NaNo this November? I still haven't decided yet myself. But I am enjoying all the NaNo Prep Posts over at The Office of Letters and Light blog. I particularly liked No Plot? No Problem!: 3 Things to Keep in Mind While Brainstorming and No Plot? No Problem!: In Which a Planning Limit is Proposed (Gasp!)

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I am already a huge Joshilyn Jackson fan so the chance to get an autographed copy of her new novel, Someone Else's Love Story, would be great...and entirely possible! She's doing a Virtual Book Tour for all her fans who can't make it to her actual book tour. She'll sign and/or personalize copies of SELS through the local indie bookstore where she got her start. Oh, and did I mention there will be prizes? The more orders the store gets, the more prizes Ms. Jackson will add!

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This podcast on Author Entrepreneurs - Hugh Howey is one of the panelists - was very interesting and gave me some new things to think about regarding self-publishing. 

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Since I am both a writer and a huge fan of beachcombing, I loved this post - Writing and "Found Objects" and Beachcombing - by author Laini Taylor. Oh, and check out the amazing elephant at the end.

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Is it October yet? More specifically, is it Sunday, October 13th yet? Hey, give me a break - I haven't mentioned The Walking Dead for awhile now! I can't wait! I feel like a kid at Christmas - okay, a weird, Walker-filled Christmas but you know what I mean. 

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Planning on doing NaNo this year? Thinking about self-publishing, if you haven't already? Excited about the return of The Walking Dead or any other favorite TV shows? What are you looking forward to over the next few months?

From Blog Blitzing to The Walking Dead Comes Alive: An Eclectic Post

Here are some things you all might find interesting.... 

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Have you signed up for DL Hammond's Blog Blitz yet? 

I joined early on and it's been so much fun surprising totally unsuspecting fellow bloggers with a day of focused support and encouragement. I've met some great bloggers through the Blitz, like Dana at The Daily Dose, whose Friday posts ALWAYS make me laugh.

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Some book and writing related posts for you:

Over at Writer Unboxed, Robin LaFevers does it again - she talks about how fear affects creativity in "The Uninvited Guest" and then how we have to watch out for ruts in our writing life in "When Nothing Goes Right, Go Left."

I am a big fan of Hugh Howey's The Silo Series - WOOL introduces the silo. SHIFT is the story of their beginnings, and DUST - out this month! - will chronicle their undoing. This post, "Two Years...," shows how much a great story, good writing and a lot of hard work can make dreams a reality.

Literary agent Janet Reid's post, "The Shoe Test," is a great reminder to take out all those unnecessary words in our writing. Check out the comments, too - they're a hoot!

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And this...well, I don't know whether to cry with delight or to scream in total fear.

(The video is short and shows a bit of what went on during the last TWD - Halloween Horror Nights. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go hide under the bed....)

From the AMC website:

"Fans of AMC’s The Walking Dead will have a chance to walk in the footsteps of human survivors when Universal Studios Hollywood andUniversal Orlando Resort debut all-new terrifying mazes inspired by Season 3 of the critically-acclaimed, award-winning television series at this year’s “Halloween Horror Nights” events beginning Fri., Sep. 20...

Universal Orlando is also dedicating its entire “Halloween Horror Nights” street experience to The Walking Dead – making this the first time ever that all of the scare zones throughout the park will be themed after a hit television series. Guests brave enough to walk the streets of Universal Studios Florida will encounter iconic scenes from all three seasons of the hit show — including the perilous city of Atlanta and Hershel’s dismal barn — and fleets of blood-thirsty walkers who are hungry for their next victim."

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Are you a member of The Blitz team or do you plan on joining? Are fear or ruts stalling your creativity?  Are unnecessary words bogging down your writing? Are you a fan of The Silo Series? And does the idea of The Walking Dead coming "alive" freak you out as much as it does me?