Monday, September 3, 2012

GUTGAA, Fact or Fiction, a Few Contests and a Giveaway!

Today, I'm participating in two blog hops: Deana Barnhart's Meet and Greet for GUTGAA and Melodie Wright and Emily King's What I Did Last Summer Fact or Fiction Blog Hop. After that, I have a few contests worth mentioning and my own giveaway for Liz Norris's Unraveling.

The only thing that could make this post any more fun is if sometime today I can hook three more followers to get 200 followers. That would be kind of cool. ;)



GUTGAA Meet and Greet:
For this, Deana asked a series of questions for us to answer on our blogs this morning. (If you don't have an agent, I highly recommend checking out this six week mania of workshops and contests that she's worked so hard to put together.)

Where do you write?
The best spot in my house for me to zone out is my bedroom. I typically sit cross legged on my bed and write there. 

Quick. Go to your writing space, sit down, and look to your left. What is the first thing you see?
Feel free to stop reading this response right now, because I'm about to be totally honest. A huge jug of water, a bottle of IBProfin, and a breast pump. Sorry - I just had my second son three weeks ago. Those three items about some up my day to day life right now.

Favorite time to write?
Nap time. And any other time I can squeeze in during the day.

Drink of choice while writing?
Water. Lots and lots and lots of water. Of course lately I've been on a huge Sprite Zero kick.

When writing, do you listen to music or do you write in complete silence?
Complete silence. I need it to concentrate. However, when I'm brainstorming, usually in the car on the way to and from work, I have a writing mix I must listen to. 

What was your inspiration for your latest manuscript and where did you find it?
My inspiration for my manuscript is wrapped up in its theme: that everyone has both a good side and a bad side to them. Wonderful people have horrible, ugly sides to them and detestable people have beautiful sides to them. This is something I experience teaching 7th grade English on a daily basis. 

What I Did Last Summer: Fact or Fiction? 
The point of this hop is to write two stories one of which is true and one of which is made up. The story should be about something that happened one summer. It doesn't have to be this past summer. Then, participants will hop around and vote "fact" or "fiction" in the comments section for coveted prizes.


First, my disclaimer: I have always sucked at this game. Part of that is due to the fact that I’m not the crazy, cool adventurous type. I have nothing in my bag of tricks that is so mind blowing I could fool you all into thinking that it’s made up. Because of it, I’ve toiled over what I could possibly write for this. What I realized is that while I’m not outrageously unpredictable, I am a statistical anomaly.

Statistical Anomaly Post #1: Fact or Fiction?

Back in my twenties, weddings were the greatest way to spend a weekend night out. Free food, free drinks, and plenty of beautiful single people dressed up and on the prowl – kind of like college all over again. During that time of my life when there seemed to be a wedding every month, I met a handful of lovely looking men. Sadly, though I’m sure many of them were true gems, nothing ever came of those “relationships.” The drunken haze would clear and Prince Charming would turn into a total douchebag. Or, Man of the Evening would live in one state; I would live twenty states away. While I actually did try to make a couple of them work, those promising happily-ever-afters never lasted. (Let me assure you these encounters were totally innocent. Remember when I said I’m not the crazy, cool, adventurous type? That part is complete fact.)

When my best friend got married, however, I met my exception. On the night of her rehearsal, the bridesmaids and groomsmen met for the first time. I couldn’t stop looking at one groomsman with dark hair and dark eyes. Luckily, he didn’t stop looking at me. (And that group was full of beautiful single people. Seriously. One of the bridesmaids was a pageant queen – talk about hard to compete with.) But, for whatever reason, be it fate, gut instinct, or love at first sight, we sought each other out. Despite the fact we lived several states apart, we left the weekend festivities with emails exchanged and the promise of “if you’re ever in town.” Eight months, a couple dozens visits and several hundred emails and phone calls later, I quit my job, sold my condo, and moved to Chicago to be near family, friends, and the hot groomsman I’d met at my best friend’s wedding. Two years after that, I married the hot groomsman. And six years, two kids and one dog after that, I find myself more madly in love with the hot groomsman than ever.

What makes this a statistical anomaly? Not the love at first sight part, or defeating the long-distance relationship part, but the fact that we met at a wedding. Less than 3% of all married couples result from people who meet at weddings making me one reason I am a statistical anomaly.





Last, but not least, a few CONTESTS worth mentioning! I promise my lists will be extensive again once I start getting just a bit more sleep at night. Baby Boy #2 and I are working on that. ;)

Brenda Drake is hosting Pitch Madness. The last submission window opens Sept 4. Brenda Drake will also be hosting The Teenage Nitpick - 10 first page critiques. Sign ups start Sept 17. 

Writer's Digest is sponsoring a YA fiction contest for manuscripts of 4,000 words or less. $500 cash prize and promotion in an upcoming Writer's Digest issue among other prizes. Deadline is Sept 14.

Chuck Sambuchino is hosting another "Dear Lucky Agent" contest for mysteries - adult or YA. Deadline is Sept 15. 

Cupid's Literary Connection is hosting "Come and Get It," a contest with several judges and agents. Two submission windows on Sept 4 and Sept 7.

Finally, go HERE for my interview with the fabulous Liz Norris and a chance to win UNRAVELING! Giveaway ends Sept 20. 

42 comments:

  1. Great links and a great fact or fiction story (I am rubbish at guessing those!).

    Loved the GUTGAA answers!

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  2. Congrats on your new baby! The theme for your MS sounds awesome!

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  3. Aww man! You're so close to getting your followers! I bet you reach 200 by the end of the day!

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  4. Love your hot groomsman story...I see a contemporary romance in the making :-)

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  5. Water! Good for you.
    That story sounds real enough to me.

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  6. Hmm, I wonder if your story is true. I hope it is!

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  7. Hmm, sounds like your story is true - it's sweet!

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  8. Love this. Don't know if your story is true, BUT, I would believe it totally. I'm a wedding and portrait photographer and spend about 20 Saturday's a year watching these kinds of relationships unfold over a wedding day! It's always fun to watch the bridal party get to know each other, flirt and be getting hot and heavy on the dance floor by the end of the night!! LOL (Truly, shooting weddings gives me lots of material for writing!)Often we are the only sober people hanging out with people who have been drinking ALL DAY so it's an interesting lesson in sociology! lol

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  9. Great to meet you. And that is such a sweet story, I hope it's true. I'll guess after Wednesday!

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  10. Ooooo! I love knowing more about you! Both your writing habits and your personal story.

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  11. Like everyone else, I’m going to have to guess on Wen. But hey, it’s cool wondering until then! Great story, by the way. It’s neat seeing how many people are linked up for both bloghops. It’s not common for me to post twice in one day, but bloghops are too much fun to pass up on. =)

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  12. Haha...breast pump! Didn't see that one comin' ;)

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  13. What a great story! I'm hoping it's true....
    Also, I remember those breast pump days. I used to have to sneak away from my desk to go pump in the ladies bathroom. Urgh.

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  14. Ha! The comment about seeing that daily teaching seventh grade made me laugh! That is a tough age. They can certainly be a little bit evil, even the nice ones. ;)

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  15. I signed up for GUTGAA thanks to you! Your blog is always a great source of links and tips, I'm proud to be a follower. Congrats on hitting 200 followers (I'm sure you've done it by now)!

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  16. Very nice to meet you--I'm your newest follower! I must say I am way impressed you are keeping up blogging after giving birth 3 weeks ago. That is some dedication!

    AA
    http://anallegedauthor.blogspot.com/

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  17. Your inspiration reminds me of the song by Kelly Clarkson 'Dark Side'. Love that one :)

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  18. I really think I should like writing cross legged but I just can't do it. My legs fall asleep too quickly.

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  19. Nice to meet you! You are making think about trying Sprite Zero. Hmmm. Good luck with GUTGAA!

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  20. Such a sweet story, but I'm going to guess fiction.

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  21. Hi, I am making my meet and greet rounds. I am a new follower and it is nice to meet you. I enjoyed reading your Fact or fiction Statistical Anomaly Post #1. I am also doing both of these blogfest/bloghops and I need to post my What I did last summer story. I did not include it in my meet and greet because I worried my post was getting far too long and I know how readers hate to land on one of those never-ending blog post. You have written a sweet story. I will have to tune in on Wednesday to see if it is truth or fiction.

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  22. Hello there! Great to meet you. The concept for you story sounds awesome! Can't wait to hear more about it through GUTGAA. See you around the blog hop!

    http://thinkingtoinking.blogspot.com

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  23. Hmm - Sprite Zero! I'll have to give it a try. Also, God Bless you for teaching 7th Graders! Have a great GUTGAA!

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  24. I am super impressed you can string together coherent sentences with a three-week old at home! Good luck with GUTGAA!

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  25. What a lovely story! I remember the days of the pump O_O

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  26. Hi! I love your inspiration answer. I couldn't agree more. I think Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone really spoke to that theme. :)

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  27. Oh, I hope your story is true, Kimberly!! And good luck with GUTGAA... I'm so torn over whether to do it, but coming from the heels of WriteOnCon (which distracted me from my current WIP) I think I'd better hunker down and get some writing done instead. I'm rooting for you though!

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  28. yeah sprite zero!
    silence for me too, music is too motivational to meander!
    and
    love your meant to be story! hope its true!

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  29. I either don't drink anything or I have a shot of absinthe if I'm too tense.

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  30. I'm guessing this one is true, though at first I read it as "six kids...later" and did a double take. Schwoo, anyway, it's an adorable story. Good luck with GUTGAA, too! You surpassed 200 followers.

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  31. Very nice to meet you. I'm hoping that this story about meeting your husband is true because it's a great story.

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  32. Hello from GUTGAA! Kimberly, congratulations on your new baby! I had a baby back in May. I think it's amazing that you're up and blogging with a newborn. Hope you're getting enough rest.

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  33. Awww . . .I love the hot groomsman story. How incredible! Good luck with GUTGAA!

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  34. In all the seemingly hundreds of GUTGAA meet and greets I've read, I don't remember anyone having a breast pump next to their writing spot. Made me laugh.

    My guess: fiction

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  35. I give you tons of credit--managing to find time to write when you have little-littles to care for.

    http://otherworlddiner.blogspot.com/2012/09/deana-barnharts-gearing-up-to-get-agent.html

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  36. Nice blog and great stories! I joined through GUTGAA

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  37. Wow, you have quite a blog here! Congrats on the new baby! I'm visiting through GUTGAA - nice to meet you!

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  38. Wow. Great post! I'm another one from GUTGAA. I'm also on some of the other contests you mentioned. Great story with how you met your husband. I bet I can beat your statistical anomaly though. I met my husband in juvie when I was fifteen. haha. I wonder how many people can say that? I'm guessing not many. Twenty-five years and five kids later, we're more in love than ever, so it all worked out. Thank God I was a troubled teenager. hahah

    Congrats on the new baby!! It's such an amazing time. And boys are the best.

    I was so inspired by all the blogs on GUTGAA that I finally started one of my own. I'd love it if you'd stop by! :) It's www.onemagicbeanbuyer.blogspot.com
    Hope you come visit. Nice to "meet" you...

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  39. Love meeting new folks!
    Nice to meet you!

    Trish
    GUTGAA

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  40. I'm running a bit behind on my guessing, so I'll just run along to the second story and then post my guess. (I do hope this one is true though) :)

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