A-Reading We Shall Go

So, I had a stack of books I thought I might read during my mini-break. Reading's easier than writing, I figured, when holiday havoc reigns.

But then I forgot all about the books that I invariably receive as gifts. Ooooh! A book about Charles Dickens! Ahhhh! A cookbook with a bonus CD! Yikes! A book of short stories I gave to one of the junior Halls with this one story I must read (and maybe one other short story...and look! I've always wanted to read that short story!).

Bottom line, I did read. Just not the books I thought I'd read. Oh, and I finally finished my sorta free copy of Boomtown, another book by Thomas Nelson Publishing. Which means my obligatory review follows.

(Wait! I just remembered that last night, I cracked opened Murder for Hire, The Peruvian Pigeon, which I won a few months back. I'm only on page 19, but so far, Dana Fredsti and her cast of characters have piqued my interest. Oh, and I made use of travel time yesterday, too, checking out Writer Mama and Getting Known Before the Book Deal (I won those books, too!). You know, Christina Katz has some good stuff. So, if I finish my holiday haul of books, plus these three books, I should be brilliant! (Or technically, brilliant-er!)

Five (Writing) Gifts Money Can't Buy

I can't wait to start clicking away with my new digital camera! I'm not sure my photo-taking skills will improve, but those high-quality pictures are bound to help when I submit all those queries. That's the writing gift I asked for this Christmas.

Then I started thinking about all those writing gifts that don't cost a thing. Well, maybe a little teeth-gritting and imagination, or some of that splendiferous butt glue, but all in all, I think I can afford these gifts.

1. GOALS: The trick to good goals is making them challenging enough to give you a good push, but also realistic enough so that frustration/failure don't become constant companions. So, I think I'll pare down that $200,000 yearly income goal. But sending out two queries a week may be just what I need to meet a more er, reasonable financial goal.

2. PATIENCE: Yeah, I know. War and Peace wasn't written in a day. (But then again, I'm no Tolstoy. Okay, Okay. I'll grit my teeth and try.)

3. EQUANIMITY: You win some, you lose some. Which in writing terms translates to um, you win some, you lose some. And then you carry on.

4. PERSEVERANCE: That's the "carrying on" part, the "picking up the bruised ego and trying again" part, the "just do it" part. I didn't realize that gift came in so many choices.

5. LAUGHTER: What would "What Not To Do Wednesday" be without my writing goofs? (Probably "What To Do Wednesday"...but c'mon. What's funny about that?)

Now that I'm looking at my list, it occurs to me that these no-cost gifts might be good for holiday stressed-out moms, or college graduates looking for a job, or even the most beneficent Mr. Hall. Who, speaking of holidays, actually pitched in today and ran a Christmas errand for yours truly. It was such a momentous occasion, I took a picture. (Wheee! Another gift money can't buy!)

Guest Blogging over at The Muffin

Sounds delicious, right? Check out WOW! Women on Writing's blog, The Muffin, for a little holiday song I wrote.

Well, I didn't write the original version of "Santa Baby." But I did write "Santa Baby for Writers." And I do a great Eartha Kitt, too. So imagine me, doing Eartha, and singing "Santa Baby for Writers" as you're reading my guest post at The Muffin.

Oh, and Merry Christmas, Baby.

Finding Something Friday Is Not Always a Good Thing

In point of fact, on this particular Friday, I found something bad. Bad in the way that only a computer bad thing can be.

Here's what happened (the short story, that is. The long story contains objectionable language and spit flying, which frankly, I'd rather not clean up again) :

There I was, minding my own business. Well, actually, I was minding the beneficent Mr. Hall's business, and searching artificial sweeteners and "side effects" (to put the whole stomach thing politely). Then, suddenly, whoosh! I found a message on my computer screen saying, "Shut down immediately or die!" Or something like that.

So, I shut down immediately and saved myself. I did not, however, save the computer. It reeks now of some kind of putrid virus whenever I attempt to use a search engine.

Bottom line, I can't find any good stuff on this bad Friday.

It's the (Second) Most Wonderful (Wednesday) of the Year

It may be the most wonderful time of the year, but it's also the most "catch up while you still can" time of the year for writers (and pretty much for everybody else, besides the beneficent Mr. Hall. Christmas just happens for the beneficent Mr. Hall. But that's an entirely different yuletide tale.)



Now, I don't know about you, but Cathy C. Hall is all about being organized. That way, the most wonderful time of the year doesn't run me down like a hopped-up-on-sugarplums reindeer. And to get organized, I use my wonderful calendar/date book. Which brings me to the (second) most wonderful (Wednesday) of the year!



I'm getting a new calendar/date book! And not just any calendar/date book. The 2009 Bylines Calendar for Writers! It's called the Twain edition because it's full of all sorts of Twain trivia, including Twain's desk on the cover.



Oh, I just love Mark Twain. Mr. Twain and I go waaaaay back. It just doesn't get any more wonderful-er than that.



Oh, wait! It does get more wonderful after all. I'm in the calendar (along with 50 or so other wonderful writers)! We share our feel-good writing stories, the stories you want to read when you're feeling not so wonderfully writerly. Plus, you get a submission tracker, handy writing websites, space for monthly goals, weekly goals, and yearly goals. You even get a special place for jotting down all those business expenses (like buying a writer's desk calendar). So, check it out here and order a Bylines calendar for yourself. And catch up on the new year while you still can!

Finding Something Friday = Laughs For You

Just a quick find in my inbox today from New Christian Voices...

You remember NCV, right? It's a Christian humor site where I contribute when I'm feeling funny-ish. Lots of funny, regular columnists, lots of freelance contributors like me, lots of good, clean laughs. You can't beat that. Unless you add a good, clean, funny contest.

It's called the Twelve Laughs of Christmas, and it's going on right now. All you have to do is click here, read the rules, and then come up with a great caption for that funny picture. I think the winner is chosen randomly, but you know, it'd be great if you came up with something funny.

I'd come up with something funny myself, but I'm not allowed to enter. Neither are all those other columnists and contributors. But wouldn't you like the chance to show NCV you're just as funny as all of us? And win great prizes, too?

I thought so. Well, c'mon then. It'll be the Eleven Days of Christmas Laughs before you know it.

What Not to Do Wednesday Makes a Wish

I wish I may, I wish I might, have this wish I wish tonight. Remember that children's poem? It just popped into my head as I type this post about What Not To Do Wednesday.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation has teamed up with the E!Networks and a slew of children's authors/illustrators to raise money, just in time for Christmas! And all you have to do is send a (free!) e-card.

Let's see, Eric Carle (The Very Hungry Caterpillar) designed a card, and Ian Falconer (Olivia-Oh, I love that cute little pig!) designed one, too. And Janell Cannon (Stellaluna) and Debra Frasier (On the Day You Were Born) and, and....hmmm. I know there are a few more. You'll have to go to the E!Network site here to see the cards. And to send your free holiday greeting. Everytime you send a card, the E!Network sends a chunk 'o change to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

It's simple, really, to make a child's wish come true. What a wonderful gift those children's writers/illustrators gave! And now, you're probably wondering where's the What Not To Do here.

That's simple, too. Don't wait another minute, grasshopper. Seize the moment. Send a card and make-a-wish for a child before the next star pops up!

Tooting My Horn Tuesday for Future Centerville Writers

Look at those smiles! That's what writing will do for you. Well, writing and winning.

Those young writers surrounding yours truly are the prize winners in the Centerville Writers Student Poetry Competition. We met on this fine Tuesday at the Centerville Community Center for the awards ceremony and reception. I'm the coordinator of the Centerville Writers, so I had the honor of giving the prizes and certificates and such. Oh, and we heard some great poems, too.


Justice Davis, standing on my right (or is it my left? I can never figure that out. It's the girl standing next to me, okay?) read her first place middle school poem, "I Am From Basketball." If she's as handy with a basketball as she is with words, she'll go far.

Davon Peeks, the 8th grader standing on the other side of me, won Honorable Mention for "I AM." Davon impressed me with his quiet, yet powerful poem.

Next to Davon is Safia Siddiqui, a tenth grade student, who won first place for "My Cup of Love." Safia's poem was a mature, moving poem about relationships.

And last, and as it happens, also the least (She's just a kindergartner!) is Samantha Smith, who won first place for her acrostic poem, "Family." You know, it's not easy for a kindergartner to write a whole poem, but Samantha did a fine job.

The winning writers will be published soon in the OneStop newspaper (a publication distributed by Gwinnett County). It'll be their first clip. I hope they're proud. I know I was proud when I saw them standing up there, reading those poems. Even if they're not my kids. They're writers.

And they're on their way.

Finding Something Friday Gets in the Holiday Mood

I'm late, I know. Oh, not with this Finding Something Friday post. I still have a few hours before Friday ends. But Advent started Sunday and I meant to share this article with you at the start of Advent. But today will have to do.

I wrote "Five Ways to Add Christmas Spirit to Your Advent" for Girlfriend 2 Girlfriend Magazine's December issue. I wanted to write about Advent, and they wanted an article about Advent. Isn't it swell how that worked out? So, if you're looking for ways to add a little Christmas to your Advent, you can take a peek here (Click on the magazine. It's further down the page, scroll a little bit more...There's the magazine! Now, click on page 48). See that lovely wreath?


This is the Cathy C. Hall Advent wreath. Not exactly lovely, but we love it, all the same. That old Advent wreath never fails to bring the Christmas Spirit.

And speaking of the Christmas Spirit, I found a call out for the Cup of Comfort Book of Christmas Prayer. The editor, Susan Townsend, is looking for true, uplifting stories and devotionals with a Christian Christmas theme. Devotionals should be 350 to 400 words, stories should be 1200 to 1500 words. She plans to cover the 25 days leading up to Christmas (see how I worked Advent in again? It's a sign that you should read my article!) and the days after, leading up to January 6. So, get creative. In a true kind of way, of course. Send those subs with standard contact info and a short bio pasted in the email to CoCChristmasPrayer at gmail.com. Now, you know I don't mean for you to use the word "at" in that email address, right? And you should also know that time is of the essence. Those stories are due by January 6th.

It's not too late after all! You can use a little Christmas Spirit from my Advent article to get you started. (C'mon. You had to see that coming.)

Tooting My Horn Tuesday for the Write Gifts For the Writer You Know

I know what you're thinking. You're all like, "Girl, haven't you won enough write gifts!" And I'm all like, "Yes, I do have a ton of writing books." And maybe I haven't like, read them yet. But today, I'm tooting my horn for all those hard-working Santa's helpers over at WOW!

They've been busy. They kept a list and checked it twice to find the best write gifts for the writer in you. A team of elves over at WOW! Women on Writing 'Zine have put together a holly-jolly Holiday Gift Guide! And it's brimming with more than books. You'll find cute writer gifts like pens, and shirts, and pencils, and notebooks, and techno-crazy stuff, too. Just click on the Holiday Gift Guide (all you have to do is look for the big, red package. Just like the one here) at the WOW! site and let your fingers do the buying.

Or better yet, do what I'm doing. Send the link to your special someone and make his holiday shopping easy. I know the beneficent Mr. Hall will be thrilled to finish his shopping from the comfort of his big, cozy chair. Because despite all the books I've won, from the look of things, I could use, like, some help.