text:
the super talented ann wood was sweet enough to share a special diy project with us, but now she's back with an incredible sneak peek into her brooklyn home/studio near prospect park. ann typically works with vintage or salvaged materials for her work, describing the certain tenderness in the re-use and re-purposing of things that were once personal and perhaps treasured possessions. funny how the same can definitely be said for her home as well. i don't know how you all feel, but to me, this peek into her home feels like a look into a mythical dream world (complete with castle!), so don't miss additional images here. [thanks so much, ann!] -anne
[above: I started pinning lace and dissected antique garments to the linen drapes about a year ago, to keep track of tiny pieces and be aware of and inspired by what I have. It has grown sort of accidentally into something I love.]
I live and work in a small place in Park Slope Brooklyn that I like very much. It is an ideal place for making birds and owls and bats and ships, cardboard castles and other things.
A shipwreck on a roiling, boiling, frothy sea of antique wedding gowns! And a very old table, I found it last year at the Park Slope flea market ( 7th Ave and between 1st and 2nd ) I love the curly legs and it was almost free.
My God, what a mess!
Awesome sneak peak! Lovely, lovely! Links to the additional photos doesn't work…set to private.
Oh, wow, I love this sneak peek! It's by far one of my favorite ever; it really helps me understand the working context of your aesthetic vision [and, I love your work; I wrote about it a few months ago!]. Thank you so much for sharing!
Absolute, unadulterated magic.
The sneak peaks this week are blowing. me. away. This apartment is a giant ball of creativity!
what a completely dreamy space! i love the use of the old wedding gowns and the floating ships. like a grown-up fairly tale!
I love that curtain so much!
i love ann's work , and her living working creating space is just as i had imagined it! that cardboard castle is such a thing of beauty.
oh and i'd love to go flea market shopping with her!
LOVE it! OMG! Yeah…I keep scrolling over and over the pics! Just so much fun, personal, quirky…awesomeness. And the ships are just makin' me swoon!
Absolutely enchanting.
What a beautiful and inspiring space!
wow! I wanted to ask about every single little piece in there…like the teacup hanging over the bed? and the lamp on top of the old table (with the twisty legs). Oh, to live with all these beautiful treasures must be such a special treat.
Great Sneak Peak!
I really love ann wood's home. Also as a sneak peak I see someone living here. And I want to meet her. It's not just a show home it's beautiful, unique and lived in. Thank you for sharing.
Her home reminds me of that Michel Gondry movie "The Science of Sleep." Interesting and surreal.
:( the link to view additional images tells me the flickr page is private.
This is Wonderful Anne! The boats floating in the air make me happy. And i love seeing you your collections scattered through your space. I too need a bulletin board to hang everything i find, need, write down, if i see it, i remember and am inspired. That chest of drawers from your father is incredible.
Ahhh I love your home! It's all so vintage and so very personal and creative. I love all the little things you have on your walls. I love pinning random little things up to inspire me. You are so lucky to have such beautifully high ceilings.
Did you make the cake stand? Could you possibly tell us how??
Polly R
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful work. I followed Ann's link to her site and her creations are unique, quirky, and very lovely. Simply amazing!
I love the dreamy delicacy and the creativity that thrives here. And the apartment's original shutters (painted or dark, dark wood?) and plaster garland are tooo sweet. They find their match in your quirky mix of things. Your place is a fairy tale and yet so real-life! A definite switch from the Danish Modern look that often prevails here (which I love too!)
This space is like a creative floaty day dream. I love that is so unique and undefinable. The ships make me smiley.
Holy Mackerel! This is the most charming and delightful Sneak Peek ever! I love it… and have also very much enjoyed exploring Ann's blog and etsy shop. So cool!!!
The aesthetic reminds me a bit of The Science of Sleep (especially the ship on waves of fabric and the cardboard castle). There is so much great stuff going on in there!
one of my absolute favorites. i'm completely inspired.
what a lovely and refreshingly unique apartment to feature on this blog. i love especially the hanging bats and the unmade bed. beautiiful.
i love this space! just looking at all these lovely photos makes me feel like creating something.
so pretty and magical! and interesting.
this is absolutely my idea of heaven.
Nice apartment, Mrs. Wood!! XO
the link to the additional images on flickr says, they are private? anything I missed, or is that a mistake?..
Does she style Anthropologie catalogs? Some of the spaces remind me of they way they style their curtains/home accessories/furniture/linens. That curtain is so beautiful and full of history and thus meaning! It's so cool that you can imagine the history of it just by looking at it, and that all of the different stories behind it are woven together.
i love the whimsy. tv looks great in the non-working (i assume) fireplace lit up by a yellow bulb lamp.
I'm speechless. Nicest sneak peak in months, perhaps ever.
Ann Wood is my hero. I have a little bird from her at home, Rebecca, that sits next to me as I work.
Thank you for posting this, I love that it's messy and wonderful. I look at the homes on this site daily and wonder how long it took them to clean and put things away before getting out the camera – or if anyone even lives there! That's not how artists live, THIS is how artists live – with supplies and wonderful little messy work areas out where you can see them!
Love it!
This feels like what I would imagine Wendy's apartment would look like after coming back from Never Neverland.
I want to know more about the castle on top of the dresser!!!!!
did you make that? your room looks like a dream. wow!
Wow. I've got to say, I'm with Kirsten on this one, it's a cluttered mess. It's stuff piled upon stuff piled upon even more stuff. Yikes.
In love…. I totally thought of The Science of Sleep also, how magical. It's a little like Where The Wild Things Are as well, just a little daintier and more ladylike. I'm so inspired.
And yes, please make the Flickr set woork, I want more!
wow, such a beautyful creative space…
this is my most favorite sneak peak! it's cluttered and beautiful at the same time. looks real.
Does anyone know where the bed is from? LOVE IT!
Love the TV in the fireplace. We just put ours in our fireplace too and we love it!
so quirky. it's refreshing to see someone's home that is so very original. I appreciate that she marches to the beat of her own drum and unlike so many other homes we see, decorates just how she likes instead of perhaps how she think she is supposed to. Although I love Eames chairs, white painted furniture, and mod-screen prints, they too get old and expected. It's really nice to see something so different. Bravo.
Oh my my my – what can I say? It's more ME than my own home is.
That's all :-(
i am drooling over that chest of drawers!
Thanks so much everyone for checking out my little place and the generous and kind comments. And thanks to Grace and Anne for inviting me.
polly the cake stand is paper mache over part a bleach bottle and cardboard -tip- fill the base with pennies for stability
silentfragrance – you can read about the castle here:
Sarah – I got the antique iron bed at a flea market
Thanks again -ann wood
How great! Kinda messy, but in an organized way. Looks super-cozy and liveable…=)
just gorgeous! I live just like this !
Okay this really nice to see. An unpretentious, creative, lived in, dreamy space that is a direct result of her spirit. That's a home to me. I'm really inspired.
oh god, its such a beautiful place… i love love love it!
I'm also totally into decorating with vintage and found objects–it's so much more environmentally friendly and there are so many great old pieces out there! I absolutely loved the pirate ships just floating through the air!!!
I am in LOVE with the ships. Where oh where are they from? Homemade? An artist? I must know!
I love those set of drawers from her Dad. This is such a treat! I love all of the dreamy things she has created around her. Her home is as lovely and interesting as dear Ann herself.
the first thing I thought of was this must be a magician's shop. where is the pot for her potions?? love it!
Your creative womb remoinds me of Wendy Addison's "Theater of Dreams".
Thanks for sharing!
GAAAARGH…you're killing me with all these old card catalogues!
Killing me in a nice way.
It speaks to me with a sweet memory…at age 4 or so, I was hanging around my mom's kitchen chair while she played canasta…bored, gazing out the window, I vividly imagined a beautiful clipper ship sailing across the night sky…I have never forgotten that childhood "hallucination". An observation:
Can it be that the reason I've never really made much use of the tiny pine cones, scraps of paper, pebbles, seeds, etc. that I've been collecting all my life is bc I don't organize them? And to think that there is organization in this lovely, inspiring fairytale environment is very odd indeed.
This space has the look and feel of something so personal, I almost feel like a peeping tom! Everything in Ann's home has meaning and memory attached. I love the old set of drawers especially.
although i applaud the fact that this sneak peek is unique, i can't say that i'm a big fan.
LOVE the chest of drawers, just love. I join erica in the drooling. it's fantastic to see a space that is obviously lived in, loved and absolutely a reflection of Ann.
Ann's place is just as I imagined. Just as with what she creates, I could wander and explore her place for hours and still keep finding new beauty. Thanks for sharing.
Lovely original home. I am happy to see someone with a truly unique style like this.
reminds me of my grandmas house. she teaches dance all around the world and always comes home with weird and wonderful souveniers, her house is full of them.
is this the best house ever? maybe..!
I would love to go to her house for a rummage sale. I'd snag up her father's work chest, the gorgeous white frame, the bat sculptures that look like pencil drawings on my screen, and the curtain and bedding are just fabulous!
It reminds me of Charlotte Gainbourg's flat in The Science of Sleep!
it's not a house, it's a dream!!!
I second the similarity to the room in the Science of Sleep!
cluttered home, cluttered mind.
then again, organized chaos is
inspiring for some, but not for me.
still, I can appreciate the space.
totally science of sleep! and i love the unmade bed. i wish i could work in spaces that are overflowing–i need organization and neatness before i can think clearly! but this is enchanting.
What a magical dream. It's practically the apartment version of Sarah Ryhanen(Weeder's Digest)'s bouquets. So personal, wilty, decadent, musty, inspiring and bloody gorgeous!
Thanks for sharing occasional sneek peeks that don't feature that dang Eames rocker!
FINALLY a space that looks like somebody LIVES and creates there. So often the photos of featured houses are SO immaculate and though beautiful a bit sterile. I love this sneak peek. Ann Wood you rock.
You have such whimsy and talent… the most inspiring work/live space I have seen in months! You are a gem.
The ceiling height, ribbon plaster detail, old floor – LOVE it. All the stuff is fabulous stuff – not "mess" as some call it – it has to be there ready to be inspired by or transformed into beautiful birds, ships and other wonderful whatevers! Thanks so much, Ann, for letting us see it.
gorgeous, reminds me of a home in Europe
moving in!
love the horsies! where ever did you find those?
do it yourself horsies! i see now!
i LOVE that curtain. what a lovely idea ann! you really made your place a creative wonderland!
wonderful…I just love your house
Absolutely magical!
I`d die for a drawer chest like that! :) and that card box storage arrangement..adorable!
This is maybe my favorite sneak peek ever!
Each to his own but I find this style to be pure chaos. Where is the serenity. Looks like a giant case of "one of everything". I guess I'm just one for edited and pure design.
I think this home/studio is perfectly fit for purpose. We are afterall looking at the home/studio of an artist who works in found objects NOT a designer who sits in front of a computer all day. Im not sure Brad Dufton was being at all kind when he made his "cluttered home, cluttered mind" comment, but then Im sure Brad has probably never produced a great work of art, a good website maybe, but not a great work of art.
This isn't meant to sound as gloomy as it did when I first thought it…lol!
BUT I love all of this. It screams youth, independence, freedom…print all these pics out and do not lose them or youth (at least in spirit), the indepence, the freedom.
Don't succumb to 'growing up' no matter how young or old you are.
(print this comment too…keep it with your pics!)
Ditto others–this is exactly how I imagined Ann's house. I was lucky enough to have a pair of Ann's bird cake toppers for my wedding cake, and I have loved her work since. Thanks for featuring the Sneak Peek of Ann's wonderful home!
Thanks again everyone for taking the time to comment on my place, thank you for the encouragement, also, I can certainly appreciate that it's not for everyone, it's not meant to be – it's for me. This isn't a style of decorating – it is my life and my process of working, it's where I think and work and it is work I truly love so I am happy and grateful.
I appreciate the whimsy and texture, but I have to agree with Kirsten: whoa, too messy for me.
Oh wonderful! I've loved Ann W's blog forever, now I love her home, too! One part Terry Gilliam, one part faerie, one part Brooklyn. Perfection!
Everything is just divine- perfectly divine. I've been a big fan of Ann's for quite some time now, we have a similar aesthetic I think. I really enjoyed seeing the glimpses of your home/studio. Like you I live in the same room I work in, so I totally understand the need to screen off the sleeping area- I've done it with a bookcase. Otherwise I'd just stare at my desk and think while I should be sleeping!
Thank you Design*sponge- this is a very heartfelt post. <3
What a fantastical, creative space. I love it.
My absolutel favourite. It's just gorgeous. Crafty and unexpected.
can you give us the directions to make the paper mache cake stand? w bleach bottle and cardboard.. thanks!
Gorgeous, looks a bit like a Gondry set to me…
I love this. I've been feeling that other sneek-peaks lately have been a bit repepitive, lovely but repetative. This is like a breath of fresh air. I finally know what my homes been lacking, floating tall ships!!!! And it's not messy, it's layered.
This posting is killing me softly! What a magical place! Ann, do you need a roommate?!
OHHH so lovely!
wow..love it! inspiring to see how someone so creative lives and works – great feature!
Ann, your beautiful space really shows your beautiful spirit. I'm in awe :)
I have loved Ann's work and process since I saw her featured in Home companion years ago! So fun to see a mini update and to see her offering her whimsical ponies for all to play with!
How generous you are Ann to let us into your work space to get a little feel of your process! As an artist myself I am totally feeling the method to your madness and completely seeing the love that goes into your work because of the treasures you have found ,created and the sentiments that are attatched in your work! xoxo Sheri DeBow
A documented account of your creative genious!!
Ann, Pure, pure magic. You are such an inspiration. Now I'm going to make one of your horses. Thanks so much for your generosity.
im in love .. ! dreamy, takes me back to my childhood. Enchanting to say the least.
oh my! Those ship chandeliers remind me of the antique crystal ships on a budget. Well done.
Dunno what people find so magical…and I'm not even a neat freak.
I love your place! Your definately my kind of people….Thank you for sharing your horsies, love them too. The ships and the birds are sooo cool.
this is totally freaky but i wanted to comment b/c i was going to say that something about ann's place reminds me of the movie "the science of sleep" and upon peeking at the comments discovered a few others said the same thing!!
anyway, this apartment is the home of my dreams!! i love places that really show someone's creativity, personality and love. so inspiring!
So many wonderful things! The curtain is absolutely amazing! Thanks for sharing this look!
It feels like one of those places I always wanted to be in. so many nitches to explore, so many places for my eyes to roam.
this aches with goodness.
this is absolutely lovely. it is so nice to see a space that oozes with creativity, projects, and inspiration all in one. i much prefer this sneak peak over the oh-so-neat, composed spaces that could never look that way from day to do. thank you for sharing!
Those ships are amazing and so fantastical!
Oh my gosh, your place is amazing, beautiful, magical. Who needs to buy a home decor magazine when there are photographs such as these online?!
Wow! Ghostly enchanting, loved it all, it's like walking through a concrete awesome dream!
I stumbled upon your site and fell in love with your work. I was wondering if you sell your paper creations such as the ships. Please contact me. Thank you so,
Absolutely amazing!
This is like stepping into a magical world, dreamy, ethereal, yet solid. absolutely beautiful.
I love this! I am at the moment renovating my appartment in an old house – and I have so much stuff myself.
Happy to see a contrast to the minimalism – Got a lot of inspiration now!
Very organized!
Oh Ann,
How I love this sneak peek into your world. It makes me more comfortable with my own place. Like you, I also have huge bulletin boards for notes and reminders and as I work with paper, I have sheets and sheets of paper hung up on trouser hangers so that I can be inspired by seeing them! Thank you for allows us a peek into your world!
i keep coming back to this wonder
I think Ann has said it best. This is not a "style" of decorating ..it is her home, her place of work and creation…her soul. We ( as a public) are consistently marketed at..by the TV , magazines, the computer and the phone!! We are fed notions of what others believe will bring us happiness: Buy this ; wear that; if you want your neighbors to like you …put this kinda blue pillow on the couch and they'll think you're hip!! There's so little honesty left in most of us as to who we really and we've become empty glasses waiting to be filled from someone else's glass left on the table. How sad. I bet Ann couldn't care less what we think of her home and she'd feel sorry for the person who'd try to copy it thinking they could then magically become Ann. Anyway, I guess what I'm trying to say is ..in looking through not only Ann's home and work space, but also all the others on this site too…remember the homes hear are not yours, they never can be..they are extensions of their owners….spaces not to be copied or marketed as a look. By all means if you love Ann's ships buy one or two or three..love it/them 'till you can no longer; but better yet make your own something or other. If you're not so inclined I bet you're a good baker, or gardener…reader or helper. Go do something real ..live your own life.It seems we have lost this ability in our society and we certainly will never find our lifes' purpose trying to have someone elses life , home or talents.
uh!!!!!!!!!! completely amazing… those drawers are insane…
I love both the building/room and the wonderful contents. They all work so well together. I'm considering using the linen curtain technique for some of my fabric scraps that I don't want to lose track of.
…..I only see creativity and inspiration here…thank
love, love most all of these creative, timeless treasures… thank you~
They are absolutely the most beautiful rooms I have seen since a while.
Of course the apartment on his own has a bone structure, which helps to create, but Ann for me has absolutely sensibility for composition.
It's not a disorder, as some people say, there is order and structure in a free composition,
Suzanne, from Italy.
I'm so jealous of your talent that my teeth hurt. Put your boat tutorial link on my blog.
What a happy, beautiful place. What a space for her fertile mind to work with. Energy!
You are a kindred spirit —my twin sister of the crafty and artsy universe! Love it!
I have to laugh at the people who commented that it was a mess, they must be very well organized or non artists as this house is very tidy for such a talented artist, a work of art in itself. Go Ann, love your work and your ability to change direction any ole time you like, lol please keep it up, very refreshing.
I would give anything for that chest of drawers …..
I would give anything for a chest of drawers like this one….
Everyone needs a piece of furniture from their dads shop. Great space. Love the old finger block parquet floors and the intricate inlay work.
Hello there! This is kind of off topic but I need some help from
an established blog. Is it very hard to set up your own blog?
I'm not very techincal but I can figure things out pretty quick.
I'm thinking about making my own but I'm not sure where to start.
Do you have any tips or suggestions? Many thanks


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Difficult to summarize myself. Hmm, I'll have to think about that.
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Write a little about yourself. Just a paragraph will do.
What I'm doing with my life
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Living it.
I'm really good at
Go on, brag a little (or a lot). We won't judge.
Meeting and getting to know people (I'm very social and outgoing). Connecting people. Getting by on a teeny budget/ saving money. Seeing other perspectives. Advocating for others. Staying healthy. Growing plants/ Gardening.
The first things people usually notice about me
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My smile, my fitness, my friendly/outgoing nature, I guess. :)
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Help your potential matches find common interests.
I like many different books -don't know if I have favorites. I like books on health/wellness, gardening, politics/sociology, etc. Movies: I gravitate toward indy/arty/foreign films, quirky stuff, documentaries, and I also like comedies and many others. Music: all kinds. There's something in probably every genre that I can appreciate. I especially like 80's music and highly danceable music, world music, etc. Food: all kinds, should be vegetarian and healthy, ideally.
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Think outside the box. Sometimes the little things can say a lot.
Besides, oxygen, water, food, sleep/rest, shelter, health?
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so many things... usually while I'm gardening.
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Netflix and takeout, or getting your party on — how do you let loose?
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Please note that as of October 24, 2014, the Nokia Developer Wiki will no longer be accepting user contributions, including new entries, edits and comments, as we begin transitioning to our new home, in the Windows Phone Development Wiki. We plan to move over the majority of the existing entries. Thanks for all your past and future contributions.
TextField with ANY option can't accept the some of the characters if DateField added to the form in X2-01 (Known Issue)
Series 40
Series 40 6th Edition (initial release)
TextField with ANY option can't accept the some of the characters (characters outside the ITU-T layout) if DateField added to the form
Add TextField with ANY option to the form and type any character on Querty device and it works fine, but when DateField is added to the form, TextField behaves differently. Some of the characters outside the ITU-T layout area (Q,W,E,A,S,D,Z,X,C,K,L,I,O etc.) are not accepted, but characters on ITU-T layout area accepts. It happens only on Querty devices (X2-01 etc.) based on Series 40 6th Edition (initial release).
How to reproduce
Launch the midlet which contains following code and type the characters on Querty keyboard specially out side the ITU-T area. You can see that all characters are accepted.
Select "AddDF" command, adds DateField to the form. Again type characters out side the ITU-T area and see that only some of the characters are allowed.
public class HelloWorldMIDlet extends MIDlet implements CommandListener {
private Command addCommand;
Form f;
public HelloWorldMIDlet() {
public void startApp() {
Display current = Display.getDisplay(this);
f = new Form("test");
TextField tf = new TextField("text Field", "", 50, TextField.ANY);
addCommand = new Command("AddDF", Command.OK, 1);
public void commandAction(Command command, Displayable displayable) {
if (command == addCommand) {
DateField df = new DateField("Date Field4", DateField.DATE);
public void pauseApp() {
public void destroyApp(boolean unconditional) {
It is fixed in next Querty devices(Asha 302 etc.) based on Series 40 Developer Platform 1.1.


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Installing Windows 7 over Ubuntu
A few months back, my laptop (Lenovo SL410) hard drive died. I replaced it with a SanDisk solid state hard drive. I have the recovery discs and tried to reinstall Windows 7 HP 64 bit, but something went wrong and the installation hung during the second dis, where the drivers are.
I needed to be able to use it right away, so I loaded a Linux OS, Ubuntu 12.04. Works fine and very fast and I like it, but I'd rather install Windows on the HD and run Ubuntu from a flash drive.
So I tried reinstalling Windows, both with the disks I have and with an official ISO from the Microsoft site. It's not working, and I'm not sure why. Do I need to format the HD? (I thought the Windows installation CD did that?) do I need to download a driver for the hard drive? (It's a SATA drive, same as the old one.)
Any ideas for me?
Probably need to make your Ubuntu bootable flash drive then do the Custom Install of win7 which will give you the clean the disk/format 1 large partion. After the install you can use the win7 disk manager to make any other partitions you might want.
Win7 wants to be the first installed partitions. Usually it will automatically make a small hidden unlettered boot partition then C drive. If by chance it gives an option for sizes on the hidden boot partition, 100mb is default but kind of small if you have problems down the road.. 200 or 300mb is the size lenovo seems to like to make them.
Its pretty easy to download Lenovo drivers.. just make sure for win7.. support.lenovo.com . Be nice to have those on hand incase your Lenovo has a special something that the win7 dvd doesn't have a generic for. It might ask you to insert driver disc !!
This post was edited by mikie on Wed, Dec 5, 12 at 10:37
I was told when I needed the HD replaced the recovery disks would not work with the new HD. I don't know if that was true or not I replaced my PC instead.
Not true, as Bob notes the whole point of making recovery disks is to be able to re-install after any catastrophic failure like a hard drive failing.
In fact if you do not have those disks you can use any other Windows disks of the same version as long as you enter the 25 digit code stuck to the outside of the case. The only problem then becomes getting the relevant drivers, not impossible but at times not an easy task.


text:
Judge sentences Washington man to prison for aggravated assault
Washington County deputy sheriff faces DUI, hit-and-run charges in crash
Councilman: Marianna blight is overwhelming
Zebrasky suspended as Canon-McMillan baseball coach
Trinity's Galentine outpitches freshman phenom
Rebellion cramming for NPF College Draft
Pirates rout Phillies; benches empty
State police appointment marked by childish behavior
Board to vote on WACTC academics
Published: April 28, 2013
PTHS Honor Society
Eighty-five students recently were inducted into the National Honor Society at Peters Township High School. Inductees Rachel Noonan, right, helps Erin Pakela light her candle during the induction ceremony. Other inductees were Meghan Bastyr, Brock Burns, Rachel Campion, Gwen Caven, Evan Chernicky, Carys Corry-Roberts, Julia Corton, John Courter, Cierra Coury, Jeffrey Coury, Abby Cummings, Kristen Czajkowski, Julianne Dachille, Natalie Dainesi, Krupa Desai, Nathan Doughty, Carter Ekberg, Christian Fink, Hannah Foster, Emily Franty, Marissa Glovier, Andrew Grosso, Elizabeth Hall, Holly Ann Hanna, Autumn Harriger, Sean Harrison, Christopher Heldman, Olivia Hilborn, Julia Hilden, Brandon Hillen, Rachel Hobbs, Kevin Hutchins, Sebastian Hymson, Derek Kasper, Tyler Keane, Annie Koch, Mitchell Kreider, Raashmi Krishnasamy, Julia Kuehn, Kenna Kuehn, Nicholas Larimer, Abbygale Lavelle, Brooke Lininger, Steven Lo, Michele MacKay, Elizabeth Mamros, Kyle Marshall, Lauren McCaig, Jessica McElroy, Kristina McKittrick, Salvatore Merante, Alessia Mihok, Lauren Milley, Rebekah Moshier, Luke Nissly, Emily Nobers, Maria Oldenburg, Jonathan Paul, Kassianna Politis, Mary Kate Pritz, Claire Relich, Meredith Rohn, Meredith Rovito, Alyssa Salley, Tyler Schmidt, Dane Sehnert, Jacob Simmons, Amy Spangenberg, Nicole Spindler, Hanna Stark, Isabelle Stasenko, Paige Stopperich, Erin Sullivan, Caroline Taylor, Shane Taylor, Kylie Thompson, Roy Wang, George Watson, Gregory Watts, Delaney When, Abigail Whalen, Rachel Windmueller and Zenas Zhuang.
What do you think?
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Town Square
Thieves break into four cars on Sand Hill Road
Original post made on Aug 21, 2012
Read the full story here Web Link posted Monday, August 20, 2012, 4:57 PM
Comments (4)
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Aug 21, 2012 at 3:16 pm
Maybe it's time for the local police departments to start running "stings" to catch some of these guys by loading up some "bait" vehicles with "goodies" and wait for something to happen.
a resident of Palo Verde
on Aug 21, 2012 at 3:47 pm
It could take a year for something to happen in a Country Club parking lot. And "bait" is often recognized as such by thieves with any experience.
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Aug 21, 2012 at 3:49 pm
> And "bait" is often recognized as such by thieves
> with any experience.
Maybe, so let's start with a "very dirty BMW 525i, and see what happens.
a resident of Palo Verde
on Aug 21, 2012 at 4:53 pm
Park it overnight near the corner of Emerson and Homer.
Another fun experiment for the adventurous is to dress in dark clothing and try to use any ATM near California and El Camino on a week-night between the hours of midnight and 3 am.
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Freebirds Palo Alto shutters, Pieology to move in
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A Glimpse into local HS Suicide
By Chandrama Anderson | 16 comments | 3,161 views
I blame soccer (teamwork)
By Douglas Moran | 19 comments | 3,071 views
Deny the 429 Univ Ave Project Appeal
By Steve Levy | 11 comments | 2,010 views
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By Max Greenberg | 2 comments | 1,014 views


text: David Noles Cristela Alonzo, Making Funny Her Own Way August 8, 2012 The comedian got a prized spot on the popular late-night TV show Conan because her no-holds-barred stand-up act makes audiences laugh and think. She steps up to the mic for a talk with Tell Me More host Michel Martin. Listen Loading… 12:45 Download Playlist


text:
|By Marketwired .
Article Rating:
|January 17, 2013 08:00 AM EST
REDWOOD SHORES, CA -- (Marketwire) -- 01/17/13 -- Oracle (NASDAQ: ORCL)
News Facts
- Turkcell, the leading mobile communications and technology company in Turkey, managing more than 1.2 petabytes of data, successfully implemented a new data warehouse system that included Oracle Exadata Database Machines to achieve high performance and scalability.
- Each day, Turkcell's communications network generates about 1.5 billion call detail records (CDRs), the computer records containing details of every phone call that passes through the network. The CDRs, along with other business information, adds up to more than a petabyte of data.
- Using Exadata at the core of its Data Warehouse system helped Turkcell drive significant increases in reporting speed -- a critical improvement for hundreds of business users who run more than 50,000 reports each month to help track market trends, analyze finances, and refine business strategies. In the previous environment, it took about 30 minutes to generate a typical report and as much as four hours or more for more complex analyses. Today, reports are running almost 10x faster and about 90 percent of all reports take less than five minutes to run.
- By consolidating on Oracle Exadata, Turkcell shrank its floor space needs by 90 percent and reduced its energy consumption by 80 percent.
- At Oracle OpenWorld San Francisco 2012, Ferhat Sengonul, Data Warehouse Manager, Turkcell was recognized as Data Warehouse Leader of the Year for this innovative data warehouse implementation that took just 10 weeks to deploy.
- Ferhat Sengonul and his team at Turkcell are responsible for architecting and implementing Turkcell's Data Warehouse.
- The award, one of several categories covered by the Oracle Excellence Awards, honors individuals who demonstrate excellent technical knowledge and innovative use of Oracle data warehouse technologies to the benefit of their business.
- Oracle recognizes data warehouse leaders across Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Latin America / Caribbean, and North America.
Supporting Resources
- About Oracle Excellence Awards
- Oracle Exadata Database Machine
- Oracle Database 11g
- Follow Oracle Database via Blog, Facebook and Twitter
About Oracle
Oracle engineers hardware and software to work together in the cloud and in your data center. For more information about Oracle (NASDAQ: ORCL), visit www.oracle.com.
Oracle and Java are registered trademarks of Oracle and/or its affiliates. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.
Contact Info
Marcie Bradley
Email Contact
Joan Levy
Blanc & Otus for Oracle
Email Contact
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After making a doctor's appointment via your mobile device, you receive a calendar invite. The day of your appointment, you get a reminder with the doctor's location and contact information. As you enter the doctor's exam room, the medical team is equipped with the latest tablet containing your medical history – he or she makes real time updates to your medical file. At the end of your visit, you receive an electronic prescription to your preferred pharmacy and can schedule your next appointment.
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text:
Things to see and do - Netherlands
Leaving for the Netherlands
Nearby hotels
Bilderberg Résidence Groot Heideborgh from74 €Book
Parkhotel Hugo de Vries from39 €Book
Hotel De Roode Schuur from59 €Book
Things to do nearby
Highlights of Amsterdam Sightseeing Cruise
- 16 €
- Book
Amsterdam Super Saver 3: City Tour, Zaanse Schans Windmills, Volendam and Marken Day Trip
- 58 €
- Book
- 38 €
- Book
Hotel Restaurant It posthus :
Nearby tourist sites
Nearby Restaurants
Cotation :
Type de cuisine : modern
Landgoed De Klinze
Cotation :
Type de cuisine : classic
Brasserie Lourens
Cotation :
Type de cuisine : modern
Hotel Restaurant It posthus
Hotel Restaurant It posthus
Address : DS RH Kuipersstraat 1 NL - 9111 HA Birdaard
from : 69 EURBook
Hotel Restaurant It Posthûs is located in Burdaard. The hotel is situated along the Elf Stedentocht ice skating route and has a waterside terrace. Bicycle rental is available for guests to explore the surroundings of Friesland. The rooms have a private bathroom and internet access. Seasonal dishes are served for lunch and dinner in the restaurant. When weather is nice, you can sit out on the terrace and relax with a refreshing drink from the bar. From Hotel Restaurant It posthûs, it takes a 20-minute drive to the ferry that takes you to Ameland and Dokkum is a 10-minute car drive. Around the area of Waddenzee there are many possibilities for hiking. Leeuwarden, the cultural capital city of Europe 2018, is at a 20-minute car journey.
Useful Information
- Address : DS RH Kuipersstraat 1 NL - 9111 HA Birdaard9111 HABirdaard
Main services
- Non-smoking rooms
- Internet


text:
The Columbia
Sustaining A Modern Resource
In The Columbia, author and photographer Tim Palmer celebrates the beauty and natural resources of this grand region and shows why this watershed is so important to everyone who lives in or cares about the Northwest and the Northern Rockies. Focusing on the basin not as a collection of isolated parts but as an interconnected natural system, the text provides a detailed picture of what is wrong and what needs to be changed if this remarkable place is to survive. Until recently powerful industries and other commercial interests have been the predominant forces guiding the region's destiny, often to self-serving ends and with disastrous results for the environment. In an area so large and complex, problems can seem overwhelming and the search for resolutions futile. Palmer offers hope, focusing on three critical areas of concern - land development, salmon, and forests - he defines the issues and demonstrates that responsible politics can redirect our society's course toward a sustainable future.
Publisher: Seattle, WA : The Mountaineers, 1997
Branch Call Number: 333.9162 P176c
Characteristics: 142 p. :,col. ill., maps ;,26 x 26 cm
From the critics
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Located just outside Mystic, CT, Octagon prides itself on offering the finest steaks and freshest seafood everyday. Our menu changes seasonally and celebrates local ingredients harvested right here in our beautiful state of Connecticut. To our pleasure, our guests are travelers from around the globe and neighborhood locals. From our open grill and wine cellar to our one of a kind artwork and glass sculptures, we truly believe dining should be an experience, not just a meal.
Join us on Sunday, April 5th
Meet Ken on April 7th!
No Corn Beef and Cabbage here!
February at Octagon
Special Four Course Menu
Storage, Cooking, Cleaning, Pairing, and picking!
Octagon • 625 North Road • Groton, CT 06340 • 860.326.0360 |  Check Giftcard Balance


text:
About Jody
My Writing Journey
My Family
My Life
My Personal Blog
My Group Blog
Young Adult
Historical Romance
For Readers
For Writers
For Bookclubs
When You Feel Like Giving Up
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
By Jody Hedlund, @JodyHedlund
Have you ever felt like giving up?
I have. Lots of times.
In fact recently I had an excruciatingly busy week that made me wonder if the insanity was worth it. I'd just received some intense line edits with a short turn around deadline. At the same time, I had essays to read and tests to grade for a composition class that I teach. Plus I had real life demands–kids to taxi to activities, a doctor's appointment, a committee meeting, etc., etc., etc.
At one point during my week as I was running myself ragged with my line editing, I couldn't keep from burying my face into my hands, groaning, and saying, "
Is all of this really worth it? Am I trying to do too much? Can I really handle all the pressure?
Of course, I whined and complained only a few minutes before I picked myself up, shook off the gloom, and promptly got right back to work. I was honestly just too busy to have a pity-party. But the experience did force me to take stock in what I'm doing and why.
Sometimes when we feel like giving up, it helps to remind ourselves of the following 4 things:
1. Remind ourselves of the truth.
There will be plenty of times when our emotions will try to rise up and take control. We may feel like giving up for any number of reasons. Because we're discouraged that the process is taking so long or is much harder than we thought it would be. Because we're overwhelmed with juggling writing and life (like I was!). Because we get too much negative feedback and never enough positive. Because we aren't making the kind of money that we'd hoped for.
Whatever our situation, it's all too easy to allow our feelings of discouragement to take over. We wallow in the despair and let it weigh us down until we're immobile, sometimes to the point of not being able to write.
When we hit those low points, we have to remind ourselves of the truth of why we write, the truth that we're story-tellers, that we're in love with the written word, that writing, like breathing, is part of us that we can't do without lest we shrivel and die.
2. Resist making decisions when discouraged.
I always tell my kids we should try not to make big decisions or resolve a huge problem right before we go to bed. Why? Well, because usually by that point in our day we're too tired and emotional to see things objectively. It's best to get a good night's sleep, give ourselves some perspective, and then come at the decision again when we're fresh.
And the same is true with our writing decisions. When we're faced with burnout, discouragement, or even overwhelmed by all of the juggling, we shouldn't make a decision to throw in the towel at our low point. Instead we should wait until we've had the chance to take a short break, take a deep breath, and gain some fresh insights.
3. Re-evaluate our goals.
There are times when we may need to do more than just get a good night's sleep. There are times when the pressure, weariness, and responsibilities may require us to re-evaluate our goals and perhaps make some changes to what we're doing.
Maybe that won't mean that we give up writing altogether. But perhaps we'll have to seriously consider whether we're in a season of life where we're ready for the demands of being a published author. Perhaps for a time, we'll have to consider the possibility that we need to take the pressure of publication off ourselves and simply write for the joy of it. In fact, there may even be times when we need an extended break from writing.
After the birth of my twin daughters, I took a seven year hiatus from writing. I didn't write a single word in all that time. Now in hindsight, I have no regrets about giving myself that time off. I can see that it rejuvenated and matured me, so that when I finally picked up the pen again, I was much more dauntless and prepared for the job.
4. Rejuvenate.
One of the things that keeps me going through the especially discouraging times, is that I continue to nurture my story-telling nature. I feed it in countless ways, but mostly by reading. Somehow in the process of reading the stories of others, I keep my own love of story-telling alive and thriving.
I listen to a lot of audio books, try new authors, read a wide spectrum of genres, and through it all, allow myself to revel in stories. As a historical writer, I take special pleasure in reading biographies and other historical books which spark my imagination. When I read something fascinating or come across a character that grabs me, I can't keep from wondering what "really happened."
The rejuvenation helps me then to go back to my own writing with fresh energy and enthusiasm.
What about YOU? Do you ever feel like giving up? How do you keep yourself going?
Posted by
Jody Hedlund
9 comments
8 Ways Writers Can Be More Reader-Friendly
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
By Jody Hedlund, @JodyHedlund
During the early social media explosion about six years ago authors were
on social media.
I think the frenzy led to a lot of burnout.
As a result, I've noticed that many authors who were once really active on social media have grown silent with perhaps an occasional tweet or FB comment.
But overall, many authors have been content to return to their writing caves.
In addition to burnout, I've also seen a very strong philosophical shift in author's attitudes regarding social media.
The popular consensus is that writers should focus on increasing their output of salable works
. Many believe that, "Books sell more books." In other words, instead of "wasting" time on social media trying to market books, writers can better spend their energy by writing more books, pricing the books strategically, and then using those books as a marketing tool.
This "increased output" strategy may have worked well at first, but now the market is extremely flooded with free or cheap books by everyone and their brother hoping to hook in new readers.
While I agree that our main focus needs to be on creating content, I also think social media remains an important tool.
Yes, it can help with marketing
to a degree
. For example with my latest release,
An Uncertain Choice
, my fabulous Launch Team spread SO much buzz around release day that my book hit several Amazon best seller lists.
However, I think writers all too-often fall into the trap of thinking that social media is primarily for marketing and thus if it doesn't "work" to sell books, why bother?
Perhaps writers who are participating in social media mainly to promote their books have it backwards. I'd like to propose that
social media isn't so much about marketing as it is about relating with readers
In fact, I have to be honest. I'd much rather interact with readers on social media just for the fun of it, than to try to sell my books to everyone I meet. It's much more rewarding to relate to people than to jam a product down someone's throat. Don't misunderstand me.
Social media
can help
spread book buzz (as I did for me recently). But that
be our primary focus.
Instead, we need a paradigm shift.
We need to think of social media as the place where readers can interact with us and our books on a deeper level
Thus as I plan my website pages and book releases, I'm constantly thinking of ways that I can relate better with my readers. What kinds of things can I institute that would be fun for them?
Here are 8 ways writers can be more reader-friendly:
1. Have a "
My Wonderful Readers
" slide show for reader photos.
I adore when readers take a picture of themselves with my book (or with their pets)! I let readers know that I'd love to display their picture and that they can send me the picture or tag me on Facebook. (I post the pictures on a special "
My Fabulous Readers
" board on Pinterest too.)
2. Display special artwork on "
My Reader's Creations
" on your website.
Sometimes readers create graphics with quotes, draw pictures, or come up with something else creative. I make sure to give those creations special treatment on my website because I know how much time readers took to make them.
3. Make discussion questions readily available on your website.
An Uncertain Choice
, I have a special 27 page
Discussion Guide
that I've made available for as a free download. I even have a large graphic that makes it easy to locate.
4. Have a
"Readers' Board
" on Pinterest.
I've created a special public board for my latest book,
An Uncertain Choice
where readers can pin their favorite medieval pictures or post their ideas for what the characters look like. So far readers have had a lot of fun sharing pictures there.
5. Have a "
Story Board
" on Pinterest.
I've designed story boards that give a summary of my story in a picture format so that readers can browse the boards either before or after reading for a little more information about the book.
6. Put an
widget on your website.
Each of my books' pages has a spot that readers can click if they'd like me to "sign" their e-copy of the book.
7. Have a downloadable "
Books List.
I keep a running list of all my books that readers can print out. I've found that readers really like having a printable list to take with them to the bookstore or library.
8. Do book giveaways.
This year I'm giving away books on my
Giveaway Page
. And no it's not to promote my own books. Rather I'm giving away new releases of author friends as a way to help promote them and also as a way to say thank you to readers for supporting me.
What are some other ways that authors can be more reader-friendly? I'd love to hear YOUR ideas!
Posted by
Jody Hedlund
4 comments
Interacting With Readers
3 Surefire Ways to Generate Book Ideas
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
By Jody Hedlund, @JodyHedlund
A friend came up to me at my son's basketball game last weekend and said she'd read my latest YA,
An Uncertain Choice
She said she'd been curious how it compared to my adult books and seemed a bit surprised that she liked it just as much as my other books.
As we chatted, she asked, "
How do you keep coming up with book ideas? I just don't understand how you can find so many different stories to write.
Since I'm smack-dab-in-the-middle of researching and plotting a future book, my friend's question really resonated. Later, I asked myself, "
How can I continue to generate original ideas?
I don't ever want to get to a point where my well is dry, where I've sucked up every last drop and am left with a drought
As I analyzed some of the ways I find ideas for my stories, I realized that three techniques work especially well for me:
1. Brainstorm with abandon.
While I'm researching and plotting, I spend hours upon hours brainstorming and coming up with ideas. I have a spiral notebook handy wherever I go, and I keep a running list of any and every idea that I could possibly include in my new book.
I don't throw out anything at this point. I allow myself to list everything—even if it's already been used, even if it sounds dumb. I scour books and biographies, and I jot down all the things that sound even the least bit interesting. I don't hold anything back.
I unfetter my imagination and let it have free reign. I give myself permission to dream big, to see possibilities in everything, to ask "what if" with childlike abandon. Writing down one idea usually leads to another thought, and another, and another.
2. Focus on a few ideas and make them even better
Once I have pages of ideas, I start going through my list and picking out the things I like best and narrowing down the ideas that I think might work. I try to hone in on the ideas that are more original, unique, interesting, out-of-the-ordinary, freakish, or fascinating.
I figure if some of the ideas really fascinate me (like rat torture–read about it my new YA!), then it will probably be something fun (and gross) for my readers.
After I have a narrower list, I start to say things like,
• This is wild. But what could make it wilder?
• I like this situation, but what could make it tenser?"
• What's worse than that?
• How can I make this even larger than life?
• What's more dangerous?
• What other conflict can I add?
3. Finally, just write.
At some point, we have to take what we've got and just start writing. Even if we think our ideas are boring, cliché, and predictable, we have to write.
I've found that the process of writing is one of the biggest keys for stirring my creativity even more. No matter what ideas I come up with before the first draft, invariably once I start writing, my ideas grow and change into something so much more than I could have planned.
When we fill the page with words, when we work our writing muscles hard, when we push ourselves to get something on the paper, then we're able to open our imagination even further. New ideas come to life that aren't possible during the planning phase.
"You need to come up with hundreds of ideas, toss out the ones that don't grab you, and then nurture and develop what's left." ~Bell (Plot & Structure)
What about YOU? How do you keep your idea well from running dry? How do you generate original ideas?
Posted by
Jody Hedlund
3 comments
Craft of Writing
Finding Ideas
Reading is the Training Ground for Becoming a Better Writer
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
By Jody Hedlund, @JodyHedlund
I'm constantly learning new writing lessons from the books that I read. In fact, one of the main reasons I read is to learn. Over the past two months, I've read approximately 14 books. As I read (or listen to the book through my Audible app on my phone), my mind doesn't stop analyzing.
For example, I read
Queen Hereafter
by Susan Fraser King (a story about Margaret Queen of Scotland) and soaked in the history. The medieval historical details were exquisite giving me inspiration for my own medievals. I was also impressed by the characterization; each character was distinct with traits unique to the middle ages.
And finally I took away a lesson on the subtly of developing and showing character emotions. Yes there are times when we need to name the emotions our characters are feeling. But when we have our characters behave in a certain way that subtly brings the emotion to life, it has greater power to tug the readers' hearts.
Since today is the official release of
An Uncertain Choice
, I asked writers who've pre-read the book to share some of the writing lessons they learned while reading it.
Tricia Mingerink
said: "I learned
how to handle a YA love story with multiple interests without turning it into a love triangle
. You develop all three of the guys very well. Even though I had a favorite for Rosemarie, it wasn't because the other guys were undeveloped or mean. All three were nice, and I don't see that in YA books very often."
Kim Moss
, author of
Leaving Nelson
, said: "I've learned that
a love story doesn't have to just be a love story. It can include action and mystery as well.
Not only that, but the character that's most right for your main character may not be the one that's necessarily perfect--but the one that's perfect for her. One that challenges her and pushes her out of her comfort zone. Along with that, I absolutely love the way you
close out your chapters with some type of angs
or with a word picture that makes the reader NEED to turn the page
Jennifer Smith
said: "One thing that stood out to me--other than the engaging plot and fun characters--was Rosemarie's likeability. I entered a contest once where one of the judges said she wasn't sure if she liked my main character or not. Ever since, I've been paying special attention to how other authors make their characters likeable."
Caitlyn Santi,
author of
Surrender Falls
, said: "The biggest writing lesson I learned was how to better
illustrate my characters' faith by showing rather than telling
. I've always believed that actions speak louder than words and
An Uncertain Choice
taught me how to show the reader what matters most to my characters by their actions and how they treat others rather than just telling."
Joleen Graumann
said: "You opened my eyes to
a new perspective about writing in 1st person
. A lot of times it can be difficult to express the thoughts/emotions/growth of other characters in the book solely from the heroine's POV. I loved having those few chapters with the hero's POV too--especially the 1st one when we're not sure which knight is speaking. LOVED it! Such a creative technique!"
Rachel Rittenhouse
, author of
Discovering Hope
, said: "One writing lesson was Jody's ability to
create convicting characters that can be learned from and make you want to delve into their thought
s. Rosemarie and all three of the knights had a way of drawing you in and I was almost sad when only one knight could be chosen because I formed a connection with them all!!"
My encouragement for all writers is this: Read, read, read
And while you're reading, never stop learning. Reading is the training ground for becoming a better writer.
In fact, I'd go as far as to say that reading (and analyzing as you read) is one of THE most important things writers can do to grow.
Of course, voracious reading doesn't automatically turn us into brilliant writers. But there's something about exposing ourselves over and over to a wide variety of writing styles and techniques that helps us learn the components of good story-telling (and also perhaps what doesn't work).
In the life of an author, every book release is always a big day. But this book birthday is extra special because it's my first-ever YA. To celebrate the release today, I'm giving away a copy of
An Uncertain Choice
here on my blog! So make sure to fill out the Rafflecopter form for a chance to win!
Also, I'd love for you to join in the
Noble Knights Blog Tour
over the next month for even
chances to win the book and learn about the characters and setting of
An Uncertain Choice. The FIRST STOP is here!
For a schedule of the rest of the blog tour, stop by my
Events Page
a Rafflecopter giveaway
What about YOU? What writing lesson (or otherwise) have you learned from a recent book you've read?
Posted by
Jody Hedlund
59 comments
Book Release
The In's and Out's of Creating a Launch Team for a Book Release
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
By Jody Hedlund, @JodyHedlund
As I count down the days to the release to my first-ever YA book,
An Uncertain Choice
(published by Harper Collins), I've been really busy getting ready for the launch!
One of the major ways I prepare for every book's release is by forming a Launch Team (aka Influencers). In the publishing world,
is often used to refer to
a reader who signs up to help in the promotion of a book in exchange for a free copy of that book.
An Influencer doesn't
agree to write a review of the book.
Although reviews are a big part of influencing, Influencers do SO much more
than review. They share their enthusiasm about the book in countless ways (by recommending the book to their libraries, pinning the cover on Pinterest, taking pictures of themselves with the book, passing out bookmarks, etc., etc., etc.)
We all know how powerful word-of-mouth can be in marketing a book.
Influencers are strategic in getting the "talk" going and can help the marketing efforts at the time of a book's release.
In gathering Influencers for past books, I've always had an open policy--as long as I have room on my list and as long as the Influencer agrees to promote the book (in a few specific ways that I ask), then I add them to my list.
For my new YA book, however, I knew I needed to narrow down my list a bit more to those who were either teens or had a circle of influence with teens. So this time, I developed an online application that potential Influencers could fill out by a specified deadline.
After going through the applications and narrowing down those who had the largest reach to teens, I emailed them a letter explaining my expectations for Influencers. If they were in agreement, then I signed them up.
Once they were signed up, I invited them to a special Facebook Group I created specifically for Influencers of
An Uncertain Choice.
In this "secret" group, I can communicate with everyone easily and effortlessly about promotional ideas, etc.
I have to say that this particular group has been very fun and enthusiastic! They've jumped right into the group and shared personal information, pictures, pins, reviews, and lots more. They have truly become an encouragement and blessing to me in ways I never imagined!
However, inevitably there are always those who join my group of Influencers who end up not liking my book.
Obviously, readers can't predict whether they'll like a book when they sign up and agree to be an Influencer.
So for those who end up not liking my book, I ask that they do two things:
1. Give their copy of the book to someone they think might enjoy it.
2. Share at least one of the other positive reviews or blog posts regarding the book.
They don't have to lie or say good things about a book they don't like. Usually they just opt not to say anything at all rather than hurt the author's marketing efforts. I ask them to follow the old adage taught to them by their mother: "
If you can't say anything nice, then don't say anything at all.
That saying is THE key difference between
Book Reviewers
Book Reviewers
also get a free copy of the book (either through Net Galley or the publisher's book review program). Unlike my Influencer list which I control, I have no sway in who gets a review copy of my book.
A Book Reviewer may or may not be a fan of the author.
Most often their intention is to provide a helpful review for other readers
. They aren't agreeing to promote the book or author, although indirectly that can happen, particularly if they really liked the book and get excited about it. They may write a stellar review and recommend the book to others.
But a Book Reviewer can also rip the book to shreds if they don't like it. Their job is to provide a helpful and honest review. They're often asked to share that review in a number of different places (online bookstores, a blog, Goodreads, etc.).
In other words, a
Book Reviewer's goal is to help the
make wise reading choices. An
Influencer's goal is to help the
with promotion.
A BIG thank you to my current launch team for being such an awesome group!
What about YOU? As writers, have you ever formed a launch team? What are some things that have worked well? What hasn't worked so well?
Posted by
Jody Hedlund
11 comments
Launch Team
5 Point Checklist To Help Writers Get to Know Their Characters Thoroughly
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
By Jody Hedlund, @JodyHedlund
Reviews are starting to roll in for my new YA novella,
, published by Harper Collins.
Considering the length constraints of a novella, developing real, likeable, and deep characters can be a challenge. So I was pleasantly surprised to see that the characters have resonated with readers so far:
"I loved how Jody Hedlund
developed her characters so quickly
(Velva B.)
characters are real
and fresh."
(Emilee D)
"The Vow's crisp prose and
pitch-perfect characterization
quickly immersed me in the romance, pageantry, and courtliness of Hedlund's medieval world."
characters are fleshed out
with their own unique personalities."
Let's face it making our characters REAL is difficult in a full length novel much less one a quarter of the size (as is the case of a novella). So how can we accomplish such a feat?
As I analyzed how I was able to bring the characters in my novella to life so quickly and realistically, I realized one very important thing:
I wrote the full length novel (which is the heroine's main story) BEFORE I penned the novella.
No, I'm not proposing that
novellas be written
the tie-in novel. Rather, my point is that as I sat down to write the novella,
I ALREADY thoroughly knew my heroine inside and out.
She was alive and fresh and vibrant in my mind because I'd spent weeks developing her character during my pre-writing plotting phase, and then I also got to know her even better while I wrote the full length novel.
The whole experience reminded me of just how imperative it is for writers to know their characters. In fact,
if we want to have characters that come alive in our readers' minds, the characters must intimately come alive in our minds first.
Whether we're a plotter or pantser (seat-of-the-pants writer), all of us can benefit from fleshing out our characters BEFORE we start writing our first drafts.
Here are some areas I explore with my main characters:
1. Appearance:
(I describe exactly how they look; I even go as far as finding a picture of them online from among actors and actresses, models, or famous people.)
• Body type (including weight and height)
• Their unique scent
• Texture of hands, skin
• Eye color (along with synonyms and metaphors)
• Hair color and style (along with synonyms and metaphors)
• Unique physical traits/tags specific to only that characters
• Clothing (style, frequently worn clothes, etc.)
• Race/ethnicity
• Physical imperfections or something they would most like to change
2. Personality:
• Admirable personality traits
• Negative personality traits
• Quirks or eccentricities
• Off-beat manners of behavior, dress, or speech that distinguishes them from others
• Things that make them angry (along with method of handling anger)
• Things that embarrass them (along with method of handling embarrassment)
• Things that make them afraid (along with method handling fear)
• Prejudices
• Pet peeves or gripes
• Sense of humor
• Philosophy of life
3. Interests:
• Favorites (foods, books, colors, places, etc.)
• Hobbies
• Item(s) special to them
• Person/friend close to them
• Years of schooling
• Occupations (past and present)
• Skills, abilities, talents
4. Backstory:
• Brief family history
• Description of home, home life, economic status
• Most painful experiences in their past
• Happiest memories from their past
• Relationships with father or mother (or another family member)
• Other important relationships that affected them
• Any other significant events from the past
5. Goals:
• What is their biggest dream or main goal in life?
• Why do they have that dream/goal (what happened in their past to give them that dream)?
• What is keeping them from reaching their dream/goal?
Yes, I know the above lists can look a little overwhelming! But I don't tackle the list all at once. In
fact, some of it I don't even fill in until I start writing the story. I usually get to know my characters on a much deeper level AS the story unfolds.
Even so,
I always start with a basic framework.
I bring my characters to life BEFORE I start writing. It's because the characters are ALREADY alive and fleshed out that I'm THEN able to go much deeper as I write the story.
Writers, if we want to develop deep, realistic characters that readers will love and care about, then follow this writerly commandment:
"Know Thy Characters."
What about YOU? What are some other areas you explore with your characters to bring them to life?
Posted by
Jody Hedlund
3 comments
Character Development
Craft of Writing
One Important Thing Many Writers Neglect To Do While Waiting
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
By Jody Hedlund, @JodyHedlund
Most writers who've been writing for any length of time learn the mantra, "Persevere, persevere, persevere."
In fact, you've probably heard
like these about famous writers who persevered long and hard before getting published:
Agatha Christie went through FIVE years of continual rejection before landing a publishing deal; her book sales are now over $2 billion
Louis L'Amour garnered 200 rejections before a publisher decided to take a chance on him; his book sales are now over $330 million
Janet Evanovich wrote for TEN years before getting published; she now makes millions every yea
Yes, we all know we need to persevere. That's a given in the publishing industry.
Sometimes we have to persevere because
aren't ready
. Our writing techniques lag, our story-telling skills aren't honed, and we simply need to improve.
Other times the
isn't quite ready for us
. Agents and editors have varying tastes, needs, and constraints. And sometimes it just takes time for our book to land in the hands of someone who loves it and wants to champion it.
There are even times when the
READING PUBLIC isn't ready for us
. Perhaps our genre or niche isn't commercially appealing, yet. The public doesn't see the value in what we're writing since they're still in love with the current trends.
Whatever the reason,
many published authors can attest to the years of waiting before getting their big breaks
. I wrote for about seven or eight years before I broke in to traditional publication. I had written at least seven books by the time I landed my first publishing deal.
In addition to persevering, most of us also know that we need to continue to write while we're waiting. It does us no good to pour our lives into one book and then sit back and wait for something to happen to our darling. We must keep on writing.
Continuing to write takes our mind off the waiting (mostly!). And it gives us more practice along with more books to potentially sell when we finally garner attention.
Yes. Persevere. And write, write, write. As I said, most writers get that.
However, I think there's one thing many writers neglect to do while waiting and writing . . . and it could be a factor for why some writers end up waiting for so long.
They forget to MAXIMIZE practice time.
You see, it's not enough
to write. Anyone can continually write and have an enormous quantity.
But quantity doesn't equate improved quality.
I liken the writing process to running (which I attempt to do with some regularity). I try to run every day at the same pace and the same number of miles. Over the past couple of years, I've accumulated quite a lot of miles on my Nike Running App. Such a regime means that I'm not getting worse, but it also means I'm never getting any better. I'm certainly not ready for any competitive races. If I really want to improve, I'd need to challenge myself to run a little faster or consciously push myself in small increments to go a longer distance.
The same is true of our writing. Yes, we need to keep steadily writing. But
if we want to improve, we have to consciously challenge ourselves to take small steps forward by being intentional, incremental, and inspirational.
Be Intentional:
Analyze our words and sentences. Examine our weaknesses. Let others point them out to us (through critiques, contests, or writing partners). Then look for "coaches" either via writing books, blogs, or mentors who can help us improve our techniques.
Be Incremental:
Make a plan to implement new techniques in our writing. Take those small incremental steps to try something different. Practice with conscious effort (whether that's improving dialog or eliminating over-telling or any number of weaknesses).
At first we may have to go slower as we catch our mistakes and retrain ourselves to write differently. The process may feel cumbersome. But eventually, we'll find ourselves utilizing that new technique smoothly and even effortlessly.
Be Inspirational:
Find ways to draw new inspiration, to invigorate our writing with freshness, vivacity, and uniqueness. (See my recent post on
15 Ways to Find Inspiration in 2015
How about YOU? Have you had to wait? What steps are you taking to make sure you're improving and not just staying in the same spot?
Posted by
Jody Hedlund
8 comments
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text:
Head of the Pack
Just as graduation season is in full swing, a newly released study from the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program reveals 100 U.S. cities with the highest percentage of residents with at least a bachelor's degree in 2010, versus in 1970. "The article notes that places in which lots of college graduates cluster exhibit patterns that, not surprisingly, are common to college graduates themselves: longer life expectancies, higher incomes, fewer single-parent families," writes Alan Berube, senior fellow and research director of the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program. Keep reading to see if your hometown falls in the top 20.—Britt Middleton
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text:
have: free roses to pick-up in central il
I have some roses to give away to anyone who can come pick them up in the Champaign-Urbana/Bloomington-Normal, IL area. The roses are:
--The Prince
--Yves Piaget
--Hot Cocoa
--also possibly The Fairy
The first three are potted and were ordered from Keith's Krazy Garden Shed (so OK, but not the best quality, maybe). I also don't spray, so they don't look all that great right now, but would probably spring back with someone who will give them more care. "The Fairy" is in pretty good shape, but will have to be dug up. It's a few years old but not very large since it's not getting enough sun where it's planted.
I simply don't have enough full sun in my backyard for roses; I thought the solution would be to have them in pots on my deck, but I'm running out of room to overwinter them in the garage--so I'd be grateful for someone to adopt them before winter sets in!


text:
Have to sell aunt's derelict house
I am the administrator of my aunt's estate. Her modular home is a mess. It's been vacant for almost 2 years, she had pets that made a mess of the carpeting, water got in the basement and now there's a mold problem and the furnace fuel is kerosene. There are no assets in the estate except this home and whatever is in it, which is just the usual household items along with the paintings she did and the art supplies and books on art and artists. I don't feel I should have to pay out-of-pocket to fix up the home, but no realtor will take it to sell with these "issues". There are so many debts that the value of the home doesn't even come close to paying them off, if I can even sell it. Any ideas what to do?
I think, for starters, you'd better sit down with your lawyer, since you say the debts are higher than the value of her stuff. His advice would be the best to follow in this situation, I'd think. Wouldn't hurt to run the situation past your accountant, as well--mine's been very helpful when I was settling my mom's and aunt's estates.
You really need professional advice on this one, so you don't put yourself in a bad position.
You should not pay out of pocket. You are the administrator. The estate should pay its own expenses.
Perhaps you could call an auctioneer who does real estate and household goods.
Unless your aunt is an undiscovered master, her work is probably not worth much.
There are used book sellers who may be interested in the art books depending on how specialized they are (the more specialized the better). If they are water/pet damaged, the value will be reduced.
I'm sorry this is a hard and frustrating thing for you to go through.
You should take on absolutely no personal responsibility for this, however.


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