Guest Post: From Cassia's Camera

From Cassia's Camera

by Cassia Schaar

Hey there! I'm Cassia, I'm a high school student from Canada and I've been doing photography for about three years now.

To be perfectly honest, getting into photography was a fluke. I signed up for a class that was supposed to be for film but I was mistaken. I hated it at first but pushed through it, not wanting to be a quitter. At the end of the class, I won an award for 'best female photographer' and thought that maybe I was ignoring a gift God had given me.

So I took it up. The below photos are a result.

This one is from my first paid job. Candid shots with kids are nothing like the studio set ups with fake smiles. Photos like these capture the essence of the child, and that's why I love them!

Sometimes to get good pictures, I actually have to go looking for them. I'm not one of those people who can just see something and imagine it in a frame, all edited and pretty. This one, I got because I knew I wanted something with a lot of texture in it. The minute I saw the pile of wood, I knew I found the perfect subject. If I hadn't gone into my shoot with this mentality, I wouldn't have gotten the shot I did.

Creepy old buildings have never ceased to fascinate me. I drove past this one everyday on the way to school for three years. One day, I got fed up with dealing with curiosity and just went to explore it, taking my trusty camera with me.

Sometimes though, pictures do just come to me at the weirdest moments. Sometimes the best ones aren't planned. I was actually doing a different shoot when I took this one and my necklace kept getting in the way. I took it off and set it down beside me. Laying on my stomach, I looked over at it and was like, "This is an amazing shot!"

Author Interview: Oliver Dahl

What do you do when you’re not writing?
I spend a lot (definitely too much) of time on the internet. YouTube, Facebook, Tumblr, Reddit... you name it. I also love to play piano and read. Homework from school also takes up some time.

I think the internet thing comes with the job. ;)

What inspired your book? How did it all start?
Well, I talk enough about what inspired my first book, The Dreamers, so maybe I’ll talk about my upcoming book, Lies. In my American History class last year, we were reading in our textbooks about pre-colonial America, the 1600’s or so. While reading, I was appalled to see that the Salem Witch Trials were mentioned once. The textbook summarized the events and moved on in one paragraph. I had always been kinda fascinated and horrified by the Salem Witch Trials, and to see them almost blown off in a class textbook was... shocking. We’re talking about an event that hugely inspired our modern judicial system--an event that speaks boldly about human nature, and the affect of extremist religion on people’s lives. So I decided to write a book. It’s a fictional novella, a firsthand account by Ann Putnam Jr., one of the leading accusers of the Salem Witch Trials. I would like to think it will shed much more light to people on that fascinating time than the brief paragraph in my history textbook.


Wow. That's something different. While I've found certain statements in textbooks to strike my interest, I don't think I've ever heard of a whole book inspired by something like that.

What is your goal in writing and publishing this book?
Having published two books before, I want this one to be different. It’s not only about different things -- but in an entirely different genre as well! (My two previous books are modern YA/MG scifi/fantasy). But at the
same time, there are similarities, like the possible existence of fantasy elements in real life, which I absolutely love. This book will be the best quality book that I have ever written, let alone released. The quality and professionalism will be like the best of traditionally published books, and will hopefully compete as well in the marketplace.

Can you tell us about the publishing process? Was there anything that was easier/harder than you expected?
Self-publishing is so incredibly easy. It’s almost scary. Unfortunately, people abuse the ease with which you can use this amazing opportunity, and give it a bad name. But in the end, I was very surprised to see that after a few steps, it all ends with the click of a mouse over the “publish button.”

I'm learning about that firsthand this month!

What are a few interesting things you’ve researched for your latest novel?
I learned so much about the Salem Witch Trials, and think they’re so much more interesting now than I did before. For one, did you know two dogs were shot after they were accused of being witches? Or another, a four year old girl was accused as well! A blacksmith had to fashion new cuffs because the ones meant for adults just slid off her tiny hands.

Man... that's awful.

What’s your outlook on fanfiction?
I don’t really read fanfiction. I don’t know that I ever have. (Aside from my given exposure on Tumblr). But I would totally read any fanfiction people wrote based on my books! There’s a challenge/writing prompt for y’all. Send it on in!

If you couldn’t be an author, what would your ideal career be?
I really love the publishing industry. If I couldn’t be an author or writer, I would still want to have a role in the industry. (Whether that’s cover designing, editing, reviewing, formatting...) Maybe I’m thinking too small here. Who am I kidding? I would love to be someone who can be paid to be on the internet all day. Maybe a YouTuber. (I’ve got a head start on this, too! -- www.youtube.com/user/MrSuperliver). Maybe a book blogger, or TV show reviewer. Can I just be a professional fangirl? Do people get paid to do that?

Various links:
Website: www.oliverdahl.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/thedreamersbook
Twitter: www.twitter.com/oliverwdahl
Tumblr: www.oliverwdahl.tumblr.com
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/MrSuperliver
Amazon: www.amazon.com/author/OliverDahl

One Word 365: 2014

It's that time again, my lovely readers. Time to pack up the tree and toss out the wrapping paper. Time to find homes for all those Christmas presents. Time to get ready for New Year's Eve!

Along with a new year comes new year resolutions. After a whole year of honing in on just one little word, dream, I've decided to keep up OneWord365 as a tradition. So for this year, my one word will be...

What to Do With Your One Word

Originally posted December 30, 2012

Claim your word - with free blog buttons made by Melanie, personalized with your word to match your blog design (the images above? those are buttons she made for me!).  You  can also share your word on www.myoneword.org, and link up a post about it on Melanie's blog here.

Wear your word - on personalized jewelry from Etsy!  You might know of an Etsy shop that makes personalized, hand-stamped jewelry.  If not, here are a few I've found: Tiny Tokens Designs; Bee Baubles Jewelry; WSayle Silver and Stone.  I think this particular necklace would be perfect: personalized mini tag necklace.

Write your word - with ink, pencil, crayons, paint, markers, tape, in dust, in sand, in dirt, in the steam on your mirror, on your computer, on a typewriter, on a wipe board, with magazine letters, with newspaper cutouts, in a letter to your future self, in letters to friends and family, and any other way you come up with.

Find your word - on billboards, in television ads, in a magazine, in a newspaper, in books, in movies, in daily conversations, at work, at home, at school, in brand names.  Just keep your eyes and ears open; you'll find it.

Journal your word - why did you choose this word?  What do you want to get from this year?  How do you want to change, to grow, to learn?  Activities, overheard conversations, realizations and lessons, magazine and newspaper clip outs, Pinterest images - it can all go in the journal.  A blog or other online journal works just as well.  If you're not a blogger but you want to share your word with others, email me at newyorksnowflake @ gmail.com.  I'll be considering OneWord365 guest posts throughout the year, although I don't promise anything.

Share your word - let those around you know about your word.  Have them join you in the journey.  They can each choose their own words, and you can all stay on the lookout for the words in daily life.  When they hear your word in a song, they will share that song with you.  When you find their word in a magazine article, you can clip the article and mail it to them.  And on it goes!  Even if they don't join you, they can still help you with your journey this year.

Post your word - around your house.  Use post-its, bulletin boards, dry erase boards, computer backgrounds, refrigerator magnets, and anything else you can find to display your word and keep it in the forefront of your mind.

Quote your word - maybe you sit down one day and find a few random quotes on the internet, or maybe you keep a one word quotes journal through the whole year.  Regardless, seek out the inspiration that others have found through this word and take hold of it yourself.

Study your word - find book(s) and/or blog(s) that talk about or focus on your word.  Set out to learn as much as you can about your word.  Look into its origin, etymology, uses, synonyms, and antonyms.  Find out how this word has changed, grown, or taught others.  Learn what it means to other cultures.  Memorize it in as many languages as possible.

Create your word - write, paint, draw, photograph, collage, compose.  Take advantage of the freedom in art, whether or not you're a creative person, to capture your word and what it means to you.  You know that wall art where photographers write a name with images of things that resemble letters?  Make one - or several! - that spell out your word.  Have fun with it!  Another idea can be to write your word - on an index card, in the dust and dirt on your car, on a handmade banner or shirt, etc. - and then take a picture of you with your word.  Do this with friends or family and their words.  Just be creative!

Sources:

http://oneword365.com/what-to-do-with-your-word/

http://alwayswellwithin.com/2011/12/12/one-powerful-word-2012-a-simple-approach-to-new-years-resolutions/

http://aliedwards.com/2010/02/one-little-word-february-2010.html

http://melbreeland.wordpress.com/

Blog Tour: Bold by Hannah Stewart {+ Giveaways!}

Tell us a little about yourself first.

Well, let's see. I am a Christian, and was a pastor's daughter for the first 15 years of my life. I'm now a student at the University of Akron, working toward an English major and Political Science minor with an end goal of teaching high school English. I've lived all over the country, including a five year stint in New York City where my family planted a church. I'm currently working as a cook at my parents' ice cream and BBQ shop and as an English tutor. British literature is my passion, especially Charles Dickens and Shakespeare - definitely Shakespeare. In my "spare time," I'm also an equestrian in the process of retraining my exracehorse, Moose, and have recently taken up acting as well. In other words, I'm a very busy person, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Who or what has had the most influence on you as a writer?

I would have to say my faith in our Savior has had the greatest influence on me as a writer, as well as every other part of my life. He's at the base of all of my stories, short and long. My writing is first and foremost to remind myself of His promises, and His truths are what I hope to convey. Without my faith, I would have nothing to say.

How much research do you usually put into your books?

It really depends on how much each book needs. If I'm writing about something I'm unfamiliar with, I'll do as much research as it takes to familiarize myself with it, often to great excess. Bold didn't require too much research outside of some revolving around injuries, most of which ended up being first hand in an unfortunate turn of events. As a side note, watch yourself around butchers' knives. They aren't very nice.


Do you base events or people in your books off of your life, or your friends' and family's lives?

Not off of their lives, per say, but you can definitely see evidence of them woven between the lines. I watch people a lot, and one of my favorite ways of making a character unique is by giving them a hash of the different mannerisms, speech patterns, and so on of the people around me. A character isn't really a character until they have their own style, their own way of doing things, and they almost always draw from
family and friends to get to that point.

What is your writing process? Do you write regularly at certain times or just when inspiration hits?

My writing process is all over the place. I typically have 2-3 works I'm rotating between at once to help ward off the heinous writers' block, and I try to do at least a little every day to keep myself from getting stuck in a rut, but what a "little" looks like varies broadly. Some days, it might be staring at a blank page for a few hours before penning a sentence or two and calling it a night, other days it could be plotting and filling out character webs, and on days when I'm really moving, a "little" could consist of a couple thousand words. It all depends on how tired I am, how much time I can set aside, and how inspired I am. I typically aim for about 7,000-10,000 words a week, unless I'm editing. Editing goes much faster, but I only do it a few times a year.

What keeps you motivated?

A couple of things, really. The biggest motivator is always my BETA readers - I typically have 20-50 for each of my projects, and they will throw a fit if I take too long to get an update sent out. It's always awesome reading their feedback, too, so that keeps me going. Almost equal to the pressure of my BETAs is my own drive to see where my characters take me next. I get extremely close to my characters, and it kills me to be away from them for too long. When a big scene is coming up, especially new character reveals, my typing speed will go up by a couple dozen words a minute.

What inspired your book?  How did it all start?

There are a couple of answers to this one. In many ways, it was inspired by my need for hope. My family and I were going though one of the hardest seasons of our lives, and I was desperate to remember God's promises, to see the light in the darkness even when it seemed like it wasn't there. But that would have been the base of any inspiration I had at the time. In a more direct way, Bold was inspired by the musical Les Miserables - it was the spark that lit the flame. But the way it all started is really quite... strange. I used to do some butchering work for my parents at our BBQ and ice cream shop, which was fine, but there was one thing I truly detested - cleaning ribs. One day, after I'd been suffering from a 6 month long bout of writers' block, while it was raining outside (perfect writing weather for me), I was stuck with a table of 40 racks of ribs to clean and prep. I had Les Miserables playing to help keep my mind off my work, when "A Little Fall of Rain" came on just as I was looking up through the rain-streaked windows. And just like that, I had a picture in my head. Inspiration. I hardly had time to rip my bloody gloves off before I was scribbling the thought down in my notebook for later. That night, I sat down to write what I thought would be a single scene short story... and it just kept going. Five years later, Bold is complete, and I'm still not entirely sure where it came from.

 Who is your favorite character in your book? Why?

Well, I hate picking favorites. Really, I do. I get so attached to all of them. But if I have to pick one, I'd have to say it's Ben. I've always loved him dearly, and I dare say I always will. He can be distant sometimes, but he really cares about everyone, especially Jesse. Their relationship is really something special. And I found out things about him over the course of Bold, things you readers will learn soon enough, that really broke my heart. Seeing him take the pain of his past and let it drive him forward was huge for my own recovery, and he'll always hold a special place in my heart.

Is there any part of writing that you don't like?

I loathe writing the painful scenes. Most of my readers don't believe me when I say this, but it's true. Writing the scenes with "feels," where characters are hurt and damaged often leads me to such a point of distress that I consider giving writing up all together. My closest friends have helped me through the roughest scenes, and at times they've been so worried at how hard I've taken these scenes that they've tried to talk me out of writing any more. The scenes are always very important, and I won't be giving writing up any time soon, but it takes a lot for me to get past them.

Where can I find you online?

 You can find me at the Breaking Shadows blog, at my personal writing blog, on Facebook, and on Twitter.

Thank you so much for being my guest today!

Thank you for having me!

Holy Apple Crisps! Giveaway

Prizes: Two winners will receive a copy of Breaking Shadows: Bold for 70% off.
To Enter: All you have to do is post about the Bold release on Twitter or Facebook using the hashtag #HolyAppleCrisps. There is no limit to the number of entries per person, so share away! All entries must be in by midnight, December 29th to be counted.
Winners: The winners will be drawn at random on December 30th and announced on The Breaking Shadows Project.

You And Your BOLD Self Contest

Prize: One winner will receive a signed copy of Breaking Shadows: Bold free of charge.
To Enter: Read this popular scene from Chapter 2 of Breaking Shadows: Bold, and create your own artistic interpretation. Drawings, videos, audio recordings, written responses – whatever your form of art is, let’s see it! Entries must be sent to breakingshadowsproject@gmail.com by midnight, December 29th to be counted. Once again, there is no limit to the number of entries per person, so get creative!
Winners: My top ten entries will be posted on The Breaking Shadows Project on the final day of the release party tour, December 30th, for voting. The entry with the most votes the following week, January 6th, will be announced winner.

Author Interview: Brian McBride

Tell us a little about yourself first.
First and foremost, I am a Christian. There, now that we have that settled, we can move on. ;) I am seventeen years old (almost eighteen!) and I write mostly fantasy, but a little bit of dystopian and sci-fi. I published my debut young-adult novel in June of 2013 and am working on many more ideas. I am a musician; I play the piano (10 years), the drums (5 years), and the bass guitar (2 years). I LOVE – as in, I’m obsessed with – iced tea. Like, seriously, I have to have it EVERYDAY. I am currently unemployed and searching for a job. Right now, my only source of income is from my book, Paradox, and the drum lessons I provide to a member of my church.

How long have you been writing? 
Since I was about 11, I believe. I started with short stories and poems. Then it grew into my first novel, which I realized had little potential. Now, it is permanently shelved, but I can’t say I’ll ever forget it.


Who or what has had the most influence on you as a writer?
I think my biggest influence as a writer would have to be C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. I always strive to make my writing as good as theirs.

What was the biggest obstacle to getting published for the first time, and how did you overcome it?
The biggest obstacle, for me, was time and money. I was so busy with school and work, and the package I chose with Outskirts Press was quite spendy. But I got there! And now my novel is available on online retailers such as Amazon and B&N! I’m working on getting it in stores too.

What keeps you motivated?
Music and reading. Plus, the prodding of fellow writers and readers keeps me motivated most of the time.

Are there any books you wish you'd written?
Oh, definitely! I wish I’d had the idea for The Hunger Games trilogy. I also would have loved to have written the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

What inspired your book?
How did it all start? Honestly, I’m not really sure. I think it was a flicker, a spark, and a whim. Then through much thought it grew into my own personal “Narnia”, an escape from reality.

What was your favorite book or author as a teen? What's your favorite now?
As a teen, my favorite book was The Dragonkeeper Chronicles by Donita K. Paul. Now, it’s Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes.

What is your book about? Target age range?
Paradox is about destiny and hope. Four teens stumble through a portal and into a strange new world known as Paragon. They discover that they are the descendants of an extraordinary race, Starcrafters, and that Paragon’s only hope of salvation from the Dark Prince rests squarely on the shoulders of the young, rebellious Starcrafters. My target age range is probably 13 – 20. You can purchase Paradox here.

Are you planning any other books?
Most definitely!

If you could only share one piece of advice with aspiring authors, what would it be?
Stick with it. Don’t give up. There will be times when you feel like you’re writing nothing but dirt, but always remember that among your story’s rough points, there will be gold. Just hold on to the gold and keep pushing through the grime. Oh, and save the editing for after you’ve finished the first draft.

And finally, some extras: where can we find you online?
You can find me on Facebook, Goodreads, and my blog.

Thank you so much for being my guest today!
Thank you! It’s been an honor!

A Change of Plans

I was supposed to have a guest post in for you today, but a few of my guest bloggers this year have been behind schedule. Therefore, my lovely readers, today you get lucky. I felt it wouldn't be right to just leave you with nothing today, so piggybacking off yesterday's cover reveal for Sixteen, today I have for you...

the back cover copy!

Yes, here it is! The official summary/blurb for my debut Christian novella, Sixteen:

Nicole "Nikki" Johnson has never gotten along with her mother, so when she meets a great new guy, it's no surprise that Matt's age is all her mom sees. Just because he's twenty-four and she's sixteen doesn't mean he's a creeper! Thankfully, Nikki's dad allows Nikki and Matt to be together and see how things work out. Their relationship is fantastic and Nikki is on cloud nine... 

Until the Fourth of July picnic, when things go too far. Now a very changed Nikki has to make choices that will affect her every relationship - with Matt, her parents, her best friend, and most importantly, God.

Merry Christmas! Plus My Surprise for You

Today we're taking a break from the party to celebrate Christmas. However, before you go back to opening presents and sipping hot chocolate, I have a gift for you, my lovely readers....

SURPRISE!

It's cover reveal day!

This, friends, is the beauty that is my first book cover. All credit for the lovelies goes to Melody Simmons at http://ebookindiecovers.com/. I can't wait for you all to see the book when it releases in January!

Merry Christmas!