Sparkfest

Blogfests are a great way to find new bloggers and for other bloggers to find your blog. It's all about the interaction and I love social media for the opportunities it gives you for interacting with people who have similar interests.

With that in mind, I recently found a writing related blogfest that I want to take part in. You may also be interested. The blogfest is hosted by Christine at The Writer Coaster

Click the below image to go to the hosting blog. The blurb below it is copied over from Christines blog. I love the prompts. Will you be posting?

What book made you realize you were doomed to be a writer? 

What author set off that spark of inspiration for your current Work in Progress?

Or, Is there a book or author that changed your world view?

As writers, we're always striving to get out a message of inspiration to others. This blogfest is a celebration for those who have done this for us. Join the Spark Blogfest, aka Sparkfest, by posting your answer to any of the three prompts above (or make one up as long as it fits the theme).

I'll make it worth your while!

• There will be three Amazon Gift Cards ($15, $10, $5) awarded to random participants!
• The blogger who writes my favorite entry will get an interview on my blog so they can tell us more about their awesome source of writerly inspiration!
• By networking with other writers, you gain followers and comments for your own blog.

Only one Sparkfest post August 22-26 is required to participate.

Blog Challenge Commences!

*trumpet roll* or whatever that trumpeting noise is called...

Today is Friday 1st April, which is day one of the A-Z blog challenge, with today's post being A related.

A - attribution. I happily attribute this blog challenge to Arlene at Tossing it Out.

It's not too late to join in. Pop over, sign up and meet new bloggers. You don't even need to be concerned about lengthy world changing posts. Just look at the length of this one. I do however, intend to make some interesting and interactive blog posts so be sure to pop back. Happy blog challenge month!!

Crazy for Books Blog Hop

 The Crazy for Books blog hosts a weekly Friday blog hop where a question is set, you add your link and away you go, blog hopping and meeting new bloggers. 


Todays question is -  "Do you ever wish you would have named your blog something different?"


Strangely enough this is a question I have been asking myself over the past couple of weeks. When I first set up the blog I didn't have a real focus, I just wanted to blog about my life and see where it took me. It wasn't until October last year that I started seriously considering my writing and doing something about it. That has led me into reading an awful lot more and social networking with others that have shared interests. Now my blog is starting to settle and get comfortable I do wonder if I should consider changing it's name and have even thought about buying my own domain name. 


The answer I have currently come up with, is that I will wait another few months, see how things go and then consider it again. I feel that the blog will take about a year to settle into it's place, at which point I will then give this question further consideration and possibly act on that. I am wanting to change my header though and will look at that over the next couple of weeks. Until then, we are looking at life in clarity. Or trying to anyway.


What are your thoughts on naming your blog?

Bernard Pivot Blogfest

Today I'm taking part in Nicole Ducleroir's Bernard Pivot Blogfest. Here are my answers to ten questions.


What is your favorite word?  Serendipity. I love the way it sounds when you say it and the dictionary definition matches it lovely sound;  an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident.


What is your least favorite word? I can't even type it on here. It's a nasty nasty word. 


What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally. Open spaces. Beautiful sights of the planet and quietness. 


What turns you off?  Hate. It's a negative emotion that benefits no-one, and hurts the person carrying it. 


What is your favorite curse word?  Crap. Having children, I have to think about what I'm saying and if I am going to accidentally swear in front of them (for instance at the point of injury) I want it to be pretty low key. 


What sound or noise do you love?  My children laughing. It can cure all. 


What sound or noise do you hate?  The sound of fairgrounds - people screaming and jangling bells. 


What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?  Volcanologist. I would love to go and work in an active volcano. I think the planet is an amazing place. 


What profession would you not like to do?  Accountant. I'm not a numbers person and sitting shuffling numbers all day would bore me to tears and give me a headache!


If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?  Your loved ones that are already here are in that direction. 


Visit Nicole's blog to see fellow bloggers responses.

New Connections

This blog post is part of a blog fest created by Patti Larson over at her blog here Details are also posted on the Facebook group "Fellow Writers". I thought I would take part and see what happens. Its my first blog fest so I'm not sure if I'm doing it right, but I'm sure someone will let me know pretty promptly if I'm screwing it up.

The theme for the fest is connections. It can be connections of any description including but not restricted to real life connections, virtual connections and connections between fictual characters you have been writing about. I thought about this and decided to write a post on the very real connections I have been making on the social networking sites, twitter, here the blogging network, and more recently on facebook.

Surprisingly to some, who just don't get "twitter", that is actually the place I've made the most connections and we're not talking random meaningless follows. I'm talking about connecting with people you have things in common with, whatever that may be and actually having conversations about those things with real people with real and valid opinions on things.

On twitter I have connected with people and exchanged email addresses. We've talked serious issues such as health relative to my children and I and also those I talk to. Ive connected with fellow slimming worlders, people who struggle to maintain an ideal weight as I do and the support around this group of people is amazing. I've virtually met people who have an interest in learning as I do, having registered with the Open University and ive also come across and connected with those who have a passion for writing. A craft you sit at your desk, in a coffee shop, on your bed, but invariably on your own and you write. For me connecting with people is important and important for every single reason I've identified.

People need people and in such a technologically advanced age as ours, making those important connections online is a simple and obvious step and one not to be sniffed at by those who haven't yet quite embraced the world out there through the technology available.

I love my connections and I hope to nurture them so they grow.

What are your new connections?

I'm looking forward to reading other blogs in the blog fest to see others take on the theme of connections.