The Chilling Corner

Book

Around a Different Corner by Jay Nabonne

I received a copy from storycartel.com in exchange for a review.

Based on cover picture, I thought the stories would be ordinary. I decided to give this book a chance since the title was interesting. I'm glad I decided to read it. The short stories inside were quite engaging. I like the stories because they were diverse and touching. Some were weird. Some were sad. Some were uplifting. The stories had the right amount of details for the length and flowed well. With some stories, I had to read back to get details I've missed since the endings had twists. I love these stories because the endings were unexpected. They opened my mind.

Love is in the Air

MY RHYMING POEM

I noticed you when I was doing research
You looked good from the front and behind
But someone else got to you first
So much for you being mine

By Sherry Hill

MY HAIKU

I love you, Journal

Always there for me to write

Sharing my ideas  
 

 By Sherry Hill

APPRECIATIONS

I believe it's important to not be so full of ourselves. People help you along the way. So let's not be lazy about giving thanks.

I appreciate my local library's idea of "Blind Date with a Book". The participants had to select a book that was covered in brown paper wrapping with a brief description. The rules were to unwrap the book at home (like a date), read the book by the end of the month, and write comments about the book for a chance to win something at a drawing. 

I was filled with anticipation. I couldn't wait to get home. It was  like looking forward to a date. I was hoping the book was great and did not have any deal breakers. I selected young adult book titled Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King. I've been reading it, and it's good so far.

I love this idea. It made me select a book I wouldn't normally choose. It's nice to see what other books are out there.

Z-JOURNAL

I sort of did the blind date thing with DVDs at the library. Every once in awhile, I go to the DVD section, close my eyes, and put my finger on a movie. The ones I tend to pick are the movies I don't want to see, so I changed my rule. Now I select a movie left or right of what my finger selected. You should try this. I picked out some interesting movies this way.

THE LEARNING CORNER

Vocabulary

pulchritudinous adjective physically beautiful; comely.

"pulchritudinous." Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition. HarperCollins Publishers. 09 Feb. 2014. <Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/pulchritudinous>.

Sentence

The zombie cried after comparing his appearance to the pulchritudinous crowd.


Learning Moment

I learned the structure and writing styles of movies, graphic novels, television, short stories, and novels at a writer's conference. I also learned techniques on how to build a platform. 

In addition, I learned communication skills since the presenters were smooth, articulate, and effective.

I also learned about resources to build a website from my one of my friends. I am now motivated to build my website so I can build my platform.

THE CHILLING CORNER

Because sometimes you need to chill

Books


The Unbelievable Story of How I Met Your Mother by Preston Randall

5 out of 5 stars

I received a copy from the author in exchange for a review.

This is a great short story. The cause and effect relationships made this story a page-turner. The relationships and the actions of the characters intertwined. The story was told in a humorous yet serious tone. In the process, I learned some things about food poisoning and its effects. I also learned about the power of reaching out and getting involved.

Through the interactions, the greater purpose of Daniel was still in my mind. The story flowed nicely, and the plot was well-thought out.

The ending made me smile. When I was reading, I was wondering why the story was named so. It made perfect sense. 

The Hookup List by Dakota Madison

5 out of 5 stars

I received a copy from storycartel.com in exchange for a review.

I love the inspiration for the book as explained in the beginning. The book had a nice flow and excellent pacing. The Shakespearean quotes added a nice touch to the story.

I think "sexy grin" was used too much, but the book was still well-written. The ending was a little convenient, but the conflicts allowed the characters to shine. The author did a great job with conflicts and made the characters realistic.

The Bullies' Predatory Footprint by Terri Ryan

5 out of 5 stars

I received a copy from storycartel.com in exchange for a review.

This is an informative and thorough book about bullying. I learned different terms for different kinds of bullying, explanations of bullying behavior, and the level of legal support. The book covers all sorts of bullying such as school, workplace, and elder abuse. It also learned about different measures different countries are taking to minimize bullying.

The role of technology and the effects of bullying were helpful in understanding this problem. It was an eye opener to see what was happening worldwide. This book effectively increased my awareness of bullying.

Movie

Little Deaths (2011)

This movie is an excellent anthology of dark horror. I particularly like the last story. The revenge was excellent. This movie is not for kids, though. There's a lot of sexual situations. The stories were weird and thought-provoking.

One of the director/writers in the interview section stated that there's really not a need to explain everything and give a lot of background information. He said it just ends up being BS. He has a point. It make the plot more exciting and weird. I will think about this when I write my stories.

 

Song 

"Riding Solo" by Jason Derulo

This song is dedicated to the people who are riding solo this Valentine's month.  It has such a catchy beat that brings smiles even if you're alone.


TOO MUCH Z-NESS?Do you find yourself getting lazy? Maybe someone called you lazy and that you need to get off your butt. Perhaps you're not accomplishing your goals like you should. Are you blaming the government for everything? Well, it's time for you to tackle your excessive Z-ness. I hope this tip helps you.

I have a lot of junk in my trunk. But I'm not only talking about my butt. I'm also talking about the stuff in my  car trunk. I've gotten way too lazy. My trunk has gotten to the ridiculous level of disorganization. If I need to find something in there, it will take a long moment to find it . . . if it's even in there.

Tips

Are you like this? Do you find that the stuff in your car trunk is like an additional storage unit to your home? Well, here's some tips for you that works for me.

• Start taking out stuff in the middle to have better access to your spare tire. Get this done immediately! You never know when you need access to your spare. One day I had to change my tire. Clearing all that mess was so frustrating. 

• Have several garbage bags handy to put the junk in. Bring it to your home to organize. Each time you go home, make a habit of also bringing in some junk. 

• Use bags to organize. I use the grocery reusable bags.  

• Keep in mind the necessities that should belong in your trunk such as: flashlight, tools, change of clothes and underwear, toiletries, sanitary products, and of course safety pins. You just never know.

Birthday Grub

MY RHYMING POEM

Birthday Food

Had a great birthday, had some good grub
Love the sweets and food from friends and birthday clubs
It's all so delicious - the chocolate I am bound
Just need to work harder to lose these excess pounds

By Sherry Hill

MY HAIKU
 

Chocolate Birthday Treat 

Love the chocolate

So creamy and delicious

A great birthday treat

- By Sherry Hill

APPRECIATIONS

I believe it's important to not be so full of ourselves. People help you along the way. So let's not be lazy about giving thanks.

I like to thank my family and friends for a wonderful birthday. On my birthday, I had a chance to belly dance and cheer at the Houston marathon. It's always so exciting! This year, the belly dancers was moved to a different mile marker, and it was a wonderful spot. The participants and the volunteers were magnificent. I also appreciated the construction workers across the street who enjoyed the dancing.

I would also like to thank the businesses who offered treats from their birthday clubs. Here are the list of businesses where I received yummy food and sweets:

Scholotzsky's - free sandwich
Baskin Robbins - free scoop of ice cream
Firehouse Subs - free sandwich Fuddruckers - free 1/3 burger (after purchasing entree equal or less in price)
Dairy Queen - buy 1 blizzard, get one free

I appreciated these treats even though I gained a couple of pounds. I was smart enough not to eat everything at once. Most of the birthday coupons expired one week after birthday, so that was helpful. I especially loved the Fuddruckers's staff because they gave me a cheery, birthday wish.

If you're interested for treats for your birthday, go to the websites and sign-up for the birthday clubs.

THE LEARNING CORNER

Vocabulary

ebullient
— adj
1.	overflowing with enthusiasm or excitement; exuberant
2.	boiling

"ebullient." Online Etymology Dictionary. Douglas Harper, Historian. 02 Feb. 2014. <Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ebullient>.

Sentence

When Mark received the grant for zombie productivity research, no one could spoil his ebullient attitude.


THE CHILLING CORNER

Because sometimes you need to chill

Books

Four Seasons of Creative Writing by Bryan Cohen 

4 out of 5 stars

I received a free digital copy from www.storycartel.com in exchange for a review.

I like the way the book organized into the different seasons. Most of the prompts I feel are for young children and teenagers (based on the content and the way prompts were phrased), but they can work for adults as well. The prompts helped me with setting and point of view which are valuable for writing. Some of the prompts had some facts and history that were educational. The best prompts for me was in the Mixed Bag sections.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. It helped me to think about setting and mood. I loved the way it was organized into different seasons. This book will be great for young children/teenagers.

False Security by Angie Martin

5 out of 5 stars

I received a copy from the author in exchange for a review.

I enjoyed this book. The author did a great job of building suspense especially in the beginning. I was wondering what was Rachel's secret. This was one the reasons why this book was a page-turner. The main characters and the plot were also well-developed.

I was a little thrown off with Part 2 since it was back in the past, but I understood the style after I finished reading it. The details all fit together nicely with just the right amount of background information. Since the book was well-written, I was still turning pages to the end.

Overall, this book have great suspense and wonderful characters. 



How to Write for Kindle:  A Non-Fiction Book in 72-Hours or Less by Nancy Hendrickson

3 out of 5 stars

I received a free digital copy from storycartel.com in exchange for a review.

This book is geared for nonfiction writers. Even though I am mainly a fiction writer, I got some value from this book. The resources about research, distraction-free tools, and formatting were useful, but the strategy on fast-quality writing was too basic.

The book did not focus on grammar, but I appreciated the grammar rule about participle phrases. That information was nice to know.

I loved the suggestions on how to obtain book reviews. These are tips that I could use. The author also gave helpful information about the upsides and downsides of Amazon opitons.

Overall, this book was helpful with the resources, but I felt the fast-quality writing strategy was too basic to be a book topic.


TOO MUCH Z-NESS?Do you find yourself getting lazy? Maybe someone called you lazy and that you need to get off your butt. Perhaps you're not accomplishing your goals like you should. Are you blaming the government for everything? Well, it's time for you to tackle your excessive Z-ness. I hope this tip helps you.

I have so many things to do. I have to read, write, dance, practice, blog, research, exercise, chill, and work. I also need to get on the ball with practicing Italian and Spanish, sewing, making freezer meals, and working on my website. There is so little time as most people would say. Are you in this position?

Well, I find that organization is extremely helpful. A couple of weeks ago, I cleared an area in my home for writing space. I cleared the junk from a nearby bookcase and stocked it with writing resources and journals. My writing is becoming more of a habit because I have this space just for writing. This area helped me make set a schedule since I now have somewhere to go. 

I also cleared an area for exercise with gadgets nearby (step, ball, weights, mat, stretch bands). This helped me to set an exercise schedule since I have somewhere to go.

Now I need to work on the the other things. I feel good since I'm on the right track.