A-Z Challenge – A

Tags

Atoz, AtoZChallenge, Blog Interaction, bloggers, Challenge, people, Promotion, Twitter

Running slightly late but better than never for the A-Z blog Challenge  , and I thought that I would embrace the whole underlying theme of the challenge: interacting with others, by making my posts about others rather than my own blog.

So get ready for some unshameless promotion for some lovely bloggers & Twitter folk.

To begin with I thought that I should be posting up people in alphabetical order but for this one it only seems fitting that I should make the exception and start at my actual blog beginning. When I started up on Twitter it was intially to complain and view Warcraft stuff but then I found that the community on there was actually much nicer and more sensible than the warcraft forums had become; from there I found people with blogs to read. The very first person that followed me that was unknown and not an egg was Alternative Chat: who was also responsible for me starting up a blog so it’s only fair I name her as my first A-Z person to follow.

Alternative Chat  – Sarah is a passionate writer with interests in Warcraft and James Bond among many other interests. She has seperate blogs to cover her different subjects which is great for people who like to just follow a certain topic but I like the fact that her Twitter is so varied and recommend you follow all three blogs and twitter to keep track of this witty writer.
Links –
https://laughing-geek.com/
https://alternativechat.net/
https://alternative-chat.com/

(ok back to sensible alphabetical)

Abigail Rayner – Abigail is a creative individual who specialises in felting / wall art. Highland cows and sheep are big influences and her website and Twitter are both filled with beautiful felted creations. She also accepts commisions so if you have a beloved dog you want to see felted then this is the place to go. – http://www.abigailrayner.co.uk

Alterna Comics – Keeping the love of comics alive is Alterna Comics who publish extremely affordable and awesome comics such as The Chair, Lilith Dark (my favourite), FUBAR, Mother Russia and many more. Their comics are available in both US and UK or digital if you prefer instant gratification. To check out more follow the link. – https://www.alternacomics.com/

Allison McMoogle – An artist who goes by the name of Ammo’s Art. I originally found her artwork on Twitter while looking at Warcraft artwork and fell in love with the linework on one of her paladin WIP. Allison creates a whole range of beautiful artwork/ commissions / fan art, in her own distinctive style and her artwork definitely deserves promoting. Go check it out here – http://www.ammosart.com/

 Angela Knapp – A textile artist who has a great love and talent for capturing the beauty of birds. Her twitter is filled with artwork, crafts, birds and inspiration. I love to see the work in progress photos and see how her drawings transform into material artwork.
Follow links to her website & blog
https://www.carymade.co.uk/
https://carymade.me/

Arcane Ratsel – A mage gnome who hates warlocks! Oh, ok then maybe some know her as Hannah Straw, the awesome graphic designer from Orange county. Her Twitter is a must for Warcraft fans or people who love puns and there always seems to be a new cheeky dig at a warlock to bring a smile to the day, perfect gnomish behaviour. Hannah is also lovely enough to allow followers to use her cool Overwatch banners which are shared on Behance and often creates artwork around the Warcraft seasonal events. All aboard the gnome train –
http://www.arcaneratsel.com/
https://www.behance.net/HannahStraw

Avaltor – Lovely artist/gamer who has a strong love of rats, dragons, Warcraft and Pokemon among others. Avaltor aka Starnob aka Carrie carries out commissions for character designs and Blizzcon badges and her gallery on deviant art shows a great array of wonderful art concepts. You can also check out some awesome creations in the making over at Twitch and enjoy a friendly text chat.

http://starnob.deviantart.com/
https://www.twitch.tv/avaltor5

Artists Resource  – AKA Leona Matuszak, is an artist/educator/coach based in London but hosts a you tube channel so you can see some of her craft tutorials. Artists Resource twitter page is filled with motivational tweets and inspiration for art projects for both adults and children. Perfect if you want to find something artistic  to do as a family. Follow her links for more inspiration – 

You tube – Artists Resource
http://artistsresource.co.uk/

Avi Snow – Guitarist for City of the Sun, Avi’s Twitter. Producing chilled out acoustics that are a great to relax and write to (in my opinion). Avi’s twitter is filled with video clips and snippets of music that you will want to check out more of.
https://wearecityofthesun.com/
You Tube – City of the Sun

2017: The catch up year

Tags

Blogging, books, Challenge, goodread, Inspiration, january, Reading

 

After finally feeling the urge to actually get moving and do something, I realised that what I need are a few nudges here and there to start the momentum and if left to my own devices I can happily just eat cheese and binge watch Netflix. So in order for this not to happen  (erm continue happening) I felt it was about time to find myself some new challenges or goals .. easy ones to begin of course.

One of the oddest things about last year is that I didn’t really seem to find the want to read, which is a strange place for me since I love reading and always have done, even as a child I would rather sit and read a book than play kerby (yes that exciting game of hitting a ball off a kerb and waiting for cars to pass) or tag with the other kids. Yet for some reason 2016 just was not a reading year..at all. In fact I can’t think of one single book I read over those 365 days which is not only sad it seems alien to me. Now I think it is time to put something in writing so this doesn’t happen to me again. How can anyone expect to write if they don’t also read? .. ridiculous!

So today I took a look around at some blog challenges and decided to register with Goodreads in order to nudge me to get at least 12 books read this year, also I found The Herd Presents blogspot that encouraged me to actually read outside my usual material. So this year I shall be trying a different genre or three.

 

Now I just have to find something to read … runs off to window shop

P.S Any recommendations are welcomed.

Seeing Green

Tags

Challenge, coloryourworld, Community, Photo

Today’s #coloryourworld is the lovely sea green

Which is perhaps not so lovely, if you happen to be a duck

I cannot remember exactly where this was

But I do remember going there to visit a waterfall

It soon became clear that the brochure photographer had used a more ‘artistic’ license

 

CampNaNoWriMo- April 2016

Tags

April, CampNanowrimo, Challenge, Motivation, Writing

I wasn’t sure if I would be taking up the CampNaNoWriMo challenge this time around as I already have some commitments, however I figured that I could combine the two. So I have signed myself up for April in the hope that it might encourage me to write the back story for a some characters that I need to develop. We were giving our mystery cabin assignments today so I popped in earlier to see if anyone was about early, but it was quiet so I left a hello post-it note on the fridge.

Now I’m just sitting here awaiting the inspiration or inclination to start writing, but you know when you have to get something done that it always seems harder to do.

 

NaNoWriMo – readers & opinions welcomed

Tags

Challenge, Creative Writing, critique, dragon, fantasy, feedback, fiction, NaNoWriMo, Novel, Writing

**Please note due tio the nature of NaNoWriMo this is an unedited draft so may contain spelling mistakes but please let me know if you liked or disliked characters etc

——————

The beast loomed above them.

Nostrils flared and creating small puffs of smoke with every exhalation. It’s thick claws grappling with the cobblestones, as it steadied itself in the unfamiliar surroundings. The stone dragon had received a rude awakening that afternoon and now all that stood between it and them was a flimsy metal shield and a broken mace.

“Stay behind me, if we move together then we can make it to door over there”

“The storage door? Are you mad?… I knew this was a bad idea, if only we had just done as we had been asked then..

“SHUT UP! .. RUN!”

The half mace flew through the air and landed with a thud on the stone dragon’s right claw. The impact was just enough to unsettle it for a few seconds as Tiffin and Estella made their way towards the small wooden door. The beast followed seconds after and was upon the door before it swung shut.
Once inside the beast froze, it stood in the darkness listening, tilting its head in the direction of the soft murmurings. It took a step forward towards a low muffled squeak, and inhaled deeply, filling it’s lungs with the damp air. Then it sat up on hind legs, lifting it’s nostrils high in the air, again it inhaled deeply, in preparation of securing its target.

*THWACK*

A large metal skillet flying through the air hit the stone dragon right on the bridge of his snout, and two small shadowy figures crept towards the hessian sacks in the corner of the room. The beast let out an almighty howl as it whipped around, eyes trying to focus on the moving blurs.
It’s hesitance now replaced with rage as it bared his jagged teeth for all to see. Clambering over the large sacks, the beast’s claws tore through the hessian with ease. Vegetables spilled out onto the floor as the beast made its way to the top of a large mound of potatoes. There it stood hissing and spitting whilst Tiffin and Estella crouched nearby, arms clenched around one another.
The smell of earth from the vegetables crept into their nostrils, tickling their noses and causing Tiffin to sneeze. Estella tried to muffle the sound but it was too late, the beast charged towards them, Tiffin let out a yelp, Estella held her breath…

And suddenly light flooded the room.
The net landed upon the dragon swiftly and without warning, as did the cold water which appeared to shock the beast into complacency.

“Estella! …..Where are you? are you hurt?”

The gruff voice echoed through the storeroom followed by a large figure brandishing a sword in his left hand. Behind him trailed four men who set about the captured and now silent beast. As they began to tie the ends of the net around a long wooden pole, Estella stood up and shook the dust from her tunic.

“I’m fine father”

Her tone a little more indignant than one would have expected after being saved from such an ordeal.

“Fine you may be, but what if we had not been here to save you? What if Cook had not enquired how we had got rid of this beast so fast, and what if I had not been there to realise that only you would be so foolish as to approach the creature rather than pass the message on to one of the lizard catchers!”

Estella scowled a little at that remark then revealed a jagged wooden stick she still had clenched behind her back.

“I would have been fine, I still had this”

She shook what was left of the mace in the air whilst her father let out a sigh, his eyes looking past her and fixing on Tiffin.

“And what of him?”

Estella turned to see Tiffin still crouching behind a sack of potatoes, head in his hands and eyes locked on the netted stone dragon.

“You need to consider your actions Estella” His tone had calmed as he laid a gloved hand upon her shoulder “you cannot keep dragging poor Tiffin into your wild schemes, these dangerous excursions need to stop, I will not always be here to save you’

Estella thought about this a moment and nodded silently, then she turned to help Tiffin get up and led him past the placated beast. Her father watched them pass then turned to follow, his foot catching on something as he moved. Reaching down to pick up the dented skillet he smiled to himself as he noticed the leather straps crudely riveted to the inner side, and the outer side of the pan displayed a lightly etched oak tree. Without thinking he drew his hand to his chest, emblazoned with his own oak tree crest and even with all his frustration Lord Oakenhart could not help but be mildly impressed with his daughters ingenuity. In that moment his annoyance subsided and he tenderly called after Estella.

“Don’t forget your shield, little one”

Day 3 – Quotes challenge

Tags

Challenge, Community, Motivation, Quotes

Last day of the quotes challenge – With a shout out to Smile Circulation for the nomination

My quotes today are:

“When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us.”
― Helen Keller

“I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living.”
― Dr. Seuss

*Reminder* Rules for the challenge are…
1. Post 3 of your favourite quotes each per day for 3 recurrent days. The quotes can be of any other people or it may come straight from your own heart.
2. Nominate 3 or more bloggers with each post to challenge them.
3. Don’t forget to utter a thankful word to the person who nominated you.

I thought it was best to leave my no 3 unanswered as I wasn’t sure who would want to do this however, if you fancy giving it a whirl then – I nominate you! 😀

I love to see a new batch of quotes popping up 🙂

Day 2 – Quotes challenge

Tags

Challenge, Motivation, Quotes

“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”
― Winston S. Churchill

“Living well is an art that can be developed: a love of life and ability to take great pleasure from small offerings and assurance that the world owes you nothing and that every gift is exactly that, a gift. ”
― Maya Angelou, Wouldn’t Take Nothing for My Journey Now

“Only in the darkness can you see the stars.”
― Martin Luther King Jr.

Day 1 – Quotes challenge

Tags

Challenge, Community, Motivation, Quotes

Some of you might have noticed the quotes challenge being passed around and I thought I would pin up mine too.

Thanks to Smile Circulation for the nomination

My chosen quotes are –

“It is not the most intellectual of the species that survives; it is not the strongest that survives; but the species that survives is the one that is able to adapt”
Megginson, L. C. (1963) – (Discussing Darwin’s writing)

 “Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves.”
Albert Einstein

 “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass…It’s about learning to dance in the rain.”
Vivian Greene

I wasn’t sure about picking people for nominations due to peoples’s workloads or not fitting in with blogs so if you want to tag on your quotes – Then I choose you! 😀