Thursday, June 30, 2011

An Anthology for a Great Cause, Two Awards, and Summer Sluggishness

As you can tell from the title, this post is a bit of a hodgepodge. Maybe more than a bit.

First off, I visited Cherie Reich's Surrounded by Books today, and learned of a great anthology that is now available for purchase. It's called Stories for Sendai, and all proceeds will be donated to Global Giving for the continuing earthquake and tsunami relief efforts in Japan. The book is available on Amazon here.

Twenty authors, including Cherie, contributed their inspirational stories to the book. This seems like a great opportunity to discover some wonderful writers and read great stories, while also helping a very worthwhile cause.

Second, I want to thank Brenda Sills and Lisa at Diary of a Square Toothed Girl for awarding me with the Irresistibly Sweet Blog Award!


I've been fortunate enough to receive this award two weeks in a row thanks to Brenda, who was kind enough to pass it on to me last week, and Lisa, who gave me the award just yesterday. I just met Lisa last weekend through the Media Mayhem hop, and it was so thoughtful of her to give me this award. I am so grateful to both of these ladies, and I really appreciate the awards!

Finally, I've been struggling with terrible laziness so far this summer, and I can't seem to get focused to write or even to visit blogs. I've been working on catching up with my blog visits and I'm almost there, but the writing is not coming back as easily.

For most of June I was totally focused on writing my article for publication in Cat Fancy, as it had to be submitted by July 1, and this was the first time I was working with a writing deadline. I finished the article with time to spare, but my other writing has definitely suffered.

I was at Bards and Prophets today and LG wrote a post about summer doldrums, and that seems to be what I am experiencing. Maybe it's just the time of year, those "lazy days of summer," but I do hope to get more focused and disciplined for the next few months. Lately I seem to just be in a fog when I sit down with the laptop to write.

Another part of my problem might be that I have become obsessed with the show Game of Thrones. Did anyone else watch this? I did not watch as the season aired, but just watched a marathon On Demand. Wow is all I can say. I loved the show and can't wait for next season. But watching the whole season in little more than a week may have contributed to my overall laziness! Now that I'm finished I may have more inspiration to turn off the tv and get back to the laptop.

I think it's time to wrap this hodgepodge up before I end up going off on too many ramblings. I hope everyone  is having a fun and happy summer so far! (And to my southern hemisphere friends, happy winter!) I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a productive July and August for me. I really want to get out of these summer doldrums.

23 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for mentioning Stories for Sendai! Also, congratulations for the blog award!

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  2. Congrats on the awards!
    Stories for Sendai is such an incredible idea. One more way in which words can enrich our world.

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  3. Yes, productive--that's what I want to. Fun and happy are good, but they don't always pay the bills.


    Lee
    Tossing It Out

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  4. Hi Julie!
    I've given you a BLOG AWARD. Another one to add to your growing pile!Feel free to drop by anytime to pick it up. Just a little something to brighten up your day. :)

    warm regards,
    nutschell
    www.thewritingnut.com

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  5. I keep hearing about GAME OF THRONES. I must check that out.

    I'm so with you on summer doldrums and writing. I'm usually pretty useless during August.

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  6. Congrats on the well deserved awards. we all get a bit behind in the summer, especially if the weather is good.
    Have a good day.
    Yvonne.

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  7. LOL, Julie. Yes, the summer doldrums have taken over. The heat, the allergies, the laziness, it has all built to a head and little work is getting done by anyone. We shall have to carry on through the long weekend in our drama queen poses. :P

    I have not been able to watch GOT yet, but I did just finish reading the first novel in the series and felt just as overwhelmed. I tried picking up another novel to read afterward and it fell flat in comparison, so I think I need to detox off of George R.R. Martin for a bit before reading anything new.

    Wow, I think this is the most i've written all day. :)

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  8. Love Game of Thrones! I actually just started reading it as well and the book is equally awesome (if a little more disturbing ... damn, I'm glad they decided to age-up those kids.)

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  9. I am so in the doldrums I didn't even notify you that I gave you an award!!! How's that for lame! In spite of my lameness, you found it anyway, and you deserve another award just for that!!! :)
    P.S. Just for the record, it's summer and my brain is in hibernation mode...

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  10. Congrats on your award! And oh my goodness, The Hubby and I are soooo addicted to Game of Thrones, too. How about that season finale?!!

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  11. You are Irresistibly Sweet! We all fall behind in the summer. You will catch up soon. I'll have to check out Game of Thrones. Btw, you never ramble! Julie

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  12. Congrats on your award!
    I've been experience a bad case of summer doldrums myself. If you find a cure please share, I really need to get back to my writing!

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  13. A lot of people are experiencing these summer blues. For some reason, I get a bit blue in August. I think because my birthday is that month and I get all reflective and contemplative.

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  14. @Cherie, you're welcome! I ordered my copy and I'm really looking forward to reading the stories.

    @Bryce, I totally agree, I thought this was such a fabulous idea. And thanks about the awards!

    @Lee, exactly!

    @nutschell, oh, thanks, how sweet of you! I will be there to check it out. :)

    @Liz, I kept hearing about it too and finally decided to watch. I'm so glad I did!

    @Yvonne, thanks! I'm glad too that I'm not the only one getting behind, you're right, it is common.

    @LG, I'm posing right now. :D I want to read the Martin books, but I'm torn as I don't want to be spoiled for the series. I loved being surprised while I watched, and I think the series follows the books very closely, so I can't decide whether or not to start reading them. Such a great story though, wow!

    @Ru, it's so fantastic, isn't it? I seriously couldn't stop watching.

    @Lisa, LOL, it was a great surprise to visit your blog and see the award, thanks again! :)

    @Alyssia, thanks! Oh my gosh, the season finale was excellent. I can't believe we have to wait until next year for more!

    @Julie, thank you, you're so sweet yourself!

    @Amy, thanks! I will definitely share, it sounds like a lot of us need a cure this summer!

    @Jennifer, I know what you mean about birthdays, mine is in December and I tend to get that way then.

    @Better is Possible, that's so nice of you to say, thank you!

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  15. Congrats on everything you have done so far and that is A LOT!! I am very happy for your Cat Fancy news and am just sitting here in Phoenix trying to stay cool!

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  16. I haven't heard of the Thrones thing, but let me tell you, I think summer tends to be lazy for lots of us - see, I didn't even want to fix 'lots' into 'a lot'.

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  17. I was/am a big fan of the books, but have not seen the GAME OF THRONES TV show. Probably will wait a while till I do.

    Congrats on the award!! I maintain that it looks more like a pepperoni pizza than a cake ;)

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  18. Watching Game of Thrones does not count as being unproductive :D

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  19. I have noticed that my writing schedule has flipped itself. I'm usually not a morning person but lately my best work is happening before 9am. And I'm working throughout the day is spurts.
    Summer...gotta love it.

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  20. Congrats on the award! I can't wait to have a little break -- right now, I've been working on edits non-stop. Argh...

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  21. @Adrian, thank you! I was really thrilled about the Cat Fancy article, I can't wait until the issue is published.

    @Michelle, ha ha, I wouldn't even have noticed. :D

    @Trisha, I've heard the books are great, I may read them yet. You have a good point about the pepperoni pizza LOL.

    @Samantha, ha, good point. It really was an excellent use of my time. :D

    @Ellie, thanks!

    @Gigglesandguns, I've always been more of a morning person, but now I find myself spaced out before 8:00!

    @Talli, thanks, and best of luck on the editing!

    !

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  22. hi http://lovespanishpassionworld.tumblr.com/

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