Tag: bloggers

Friday Bouquet #15

Published on by J. Kelland Perry

Mark Bialczak is a prolific blogger, writer, veteran journalist, and columnist in the Syracuse, New York area. He shares his thoughts on a variety of topics such as community, music, movies, sports, life, and he even offers himself as an advisor. Being an avid movie lover myself, I have enjoyed reading his reviews on a number of current films.

Today, however, I share a link below from his periodic feature, Free Advice.

In Mark’s own words:

My qualifications: 57 years of open eyes and ears but no stalking charges…Four decades of writing in public about people, places and things. Send questions to markbialczak@gmail.com. Anonymity is assured.”

 “When’s A Flirt Not A Flirt?” — Confused

Comments are disabled here in hopes you will comment on Mark’s blog.

Heck, why not send him that question you’ve been struggling with and need advice on? 🙂

Friday Bouquet #14

Published on by J. Kelland Perry

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I’ve followed Sue on Travel Tales of Life for some time now and love her beautiful blog. From her About Page:

“Living in Calgary, Alberta, married to my best friend Dave for over thirty years and Mom to adult children; my decades as a nurse have shown that in a moment life can change completely. Passionate about social justice, volunteerism and not letting the phrase “What would people think?” or my own fear get in the way of trying something new; the possibilities are endless.

Travel Tales of Life has been featured in-depth by More Time To Travel in speaking to cycling tourism for those over 50. My posts have been featured in The Caribbean Daily, What’s Up Tasmania and About Basque Country online magazines and the HIS Vancouver travel website.

Enjoy the tales and I hope you will be inspired to try something you have been thinking about doing.”

Check out her latest post below for some captivating photos from around the world:

Where Would You Like To Travel?

traveltalesoflife.com

Comments are closed here in the hope you will visit Sue’s blog.
If you do, please tell her Jennifer sent you. 🙂

Overdue, but here’s my Review

Published on by J. Kelland Perry16 Comments

Thanks to a reminder from The Daily Post today, Drawing Insight From Your Annual Report, and with January nearly over, I’ve finally gotten around to sharing my 2014 review. My bad.

A special shout-out to the bloggers below who always take the time to visit and leave encouraging comments. What ever would I do without you? ❤

Here’s an excerpt:

The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 13,000 times in 2014. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 5 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

Friday Bouquet #12

Published on by J. Kelland Perry

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Wendy L. Macdonald, the GreenLightLady, is a fellow Canadian blogger. We have been following each other for nearly two years, and during the entire month of November we were also each other’s writing buddies for National Novel Writing Month.

In her own words:

“I’m a writer, poet, and nature lover.
I also enjoy expressing myself through photography.
Creation has a lot to say.
My prose and poems are a small sampling of nature’s words.
I’m a Christian that loves reading the Bible
so you’ll find a few Scripture verses woven into this blog.”

In keeping with the festive season, last week she shared a Christmas post that is decidedly “blogger style”. Click on the link below and don’t forget to tell her Jennifer sent you.

The Twelve Days of Blogging

Comments are disabled in hopes you will comment on her blog.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, everyone!

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Jennifer’s Journal is Turning Three

Published on by J. Kelland Perry43 Comments

Happy Birthday to my little blog!

Actually, my blog will turn three years old on New Year’s Eve, but I thought I’d get a jump on marking the occasion with  questions and answers about my experience as a blogger.

1. Did you think you’d still be blogging after three years?

I didn’t think about it in the beginning. I only knew I was willing to see where it would take me.

2. Can you describe your blogging experience in one word?

Rewarding! This post tells why.

3. How has your blog changed from the time you started until now?

At first its purpose was to practise more writing of poetry and short prose to better prepare myself for the discipline of novel-writing. But my posts broadened quickly to include photography, still in keeping with my blog’s central theme of sharing what I love.

4. Are you a better writer three years later?

I believe I am. I think my ability has been honed, while my curiosity about everything has expanded tenfold. Writing a couple of novels definitely helped too. I hope my research and editing skills have improved as well.

5. What do you dislike most about blogging?

I keep wishing I could meet some of the wonderful people I’ve found here on WordPress. Or at least hear their voices. Come on, everyone, let’s vlog! (video-blog) 🙂

6. What do you love most about blogging?

It’s hard to choose only one thing, but I love to create something that readers can identify with and moves them to share their comments. Posting photos that others like as much as I do is gratifying too.

7. What advice would you give to someone starting a blog today?

Commit to a schedule and blog regularly. Be consistent and be yourself; in other words don’t try to be everything to all people. Don’t choose a theme with a white text on a dark background, or too many bells and whistles. Most people find it hard to read those kinds, including me.

8. What has surprised you the most?

Connecting with people who are like-minded, as well as those who have different interests and opinions. Besides it being an education, it is a great way to cultivate an open mind and form new friendships – even if they are the virtual kind.

9. What have you learned about blogging?

Most people are visual creatures. An image catches my eye and invites me to read in a way a block of text alone can’t. The writing still has to be engaging, of course.

10. Who was your first follower?

Carla from Seasons Change and So Do I. We started our blogs on the same day and we still follow each other. We’ve both been through a lot in our lives, and just as her blog name suggests, we have gone through significant changes since we began blogging. I’m grateful for her support. She feels like an old friend.

11. What are the most popular posts of the past three years?

I will qualify this answer with the reminder that I had fewer followers in the first couple of years, so the lists reflecting the most popular posts are also the most recent.

By reader views:

Greenspond – Part II
Friday Bouquet #11
Hello, December – Goodbye, Nano!
Christmas Renewed
Imagine (and a Birthday)
Wildlife of Newfoundland & Labrador
A Walking Trail, Bergy-Bits, and Other Pretty Things
About Me
To Sea by Virtue
Relics of Rome

By reader likes:

 About Me
Unexpected
Photo Challenge: Threes
Battered
Summer Lovin’
Cat Dreams
Vivian’s Room
Photo Challenge: Up
Remembering Rhonda
Is There Room* in Your Book for Me?

12. What are your ten personal favorites?

Thinking Out Loud
My “Backyard” – Part 1 & My “Backyard” – Part 2: The Beach
A Spanish Purr Sounds Just As Sweet
The Day We Met
If Only
She Writes
“That’s my father”…
Hey, Little Girl
Vivian’s View From Here
Autumn Walk on the East Coast

13. Anything you’d do differently?

I should have started blogging sooner. I have a vague memory of wondering why anyone would want to have a blog. Now I know.

14. Anyone you want to thank?

I’d like to thank everyone who has taken the time to read Jennifer’s Journal. I especially want to thank those who have liked, commented, followed, signed up for emails, reblogged on WordPress, retweeted on Twitter, or shared my posts on Facebook. You all know who you are. 🙂

I also thank the lovely bloggers who shared their stories, advice and talent with me, supported me in my writing, and those who nominated me for blogging awards.

15. What will the next year look like for the blog?

I have three chief areas I hope to work on:

a. more opinion pieces, poetry, and short fiction to develop my skills for writing articles and short stories
b. better photography, thanks to a new DSLR camera for Christmas – providing I learn how to use it 😉
c. articles about writing, while periodically sharing what is going on with my pursuit of the craft.

~ J.K.P.

Is there anything you’d like to see more of in future?
Jennifer’s Journal would love to hear your suggestions.

Friday Bouquet #11

Published on by J. Kelland Perry

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I’ve been following Elizabeth from Almost Spring nearly as long as I’ve been blogging. She writes eloquently as a woman blindsided when her husband leaves their marriage, and tells how her life is transforming from “We to Me.”

In her own words:

I am a 59-year-old woman surviving the pain of the collapse of my 37 year marriage that occurred suddenly through no choice of my own. I survived the first six months by living in today and enjoying the moments of a glorious summer.

…When that first summer ended, when the days became shorter, the mornings colder and I could see the winter approaching, I began to wonder how I would survive the darkness, the cold, the grey skies and the impending gloom of winter. Then I thought to myself – ‘why?’ It is almost spring… So too with my current life situation.”

I chose one of her posts from last month because it illustrates how far Elizabeth has come on her emotional journey. You might like to follow her too, if you’re in a similar situation. Click on the link below to read about her, and don’t forget to mention Jennifer sent you.

From Trauma to Transformation

Comments are disabled here in hopes you will visit and comment on her blog.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone.
❤

*Image:Courtesy[StuartMiles]FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Writing, writing, and more writing? Write on!

Published on by J. Kelland Perry55 Comments

 

Hi, everyone. I thought I’d pass along a quick update today about my novel and what has happened lately in my life as an author.

I am encouraged by the reception Calmer Girls has gotten in the publishing world. In particular, I am now patiently waiting on those who have expressed interest in my query, synopsis and sample chapters, and who subsequently requested the full manuscript for review. (Yay!)

Of course, my optimism is tempered with caution and awareness of the reality that these are only first steps. The road to getting traditionally published is a long, slow and arduous one for many new authors, and I am no exception. I read yesterday of a successful novelist who endured TWENTY-NINE rejections before his first book was picked up. And it ultimately made it to the New York Times best-seller list!

So now while my manuscript is out of my hands, I continue on with the sequel. In that area I have made progress, but not as much as I would like due to life getting in the way (Funny how that always seems to happen!).

designed by Elizabeth Doyle
designed by Elizabeth Doyle

For this reason, I am considering taking part in National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo as it is called. This is a yearly internet event that takes place in November, not only nationally but all over the world. The object is to write 50,000 words of a first draft in 30 days, which means participants write an average of 1667 words a day.

Awesome? Terrifying? Doable? Impossible? You tell me.

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Will this be you?
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…or this?

If I do indeed sign up, some of my activities will no doubt have to be curtailed or relegated to the back burner. My Friday Bouquet will be suspended for the time being, and my other blog posts will be brief. I won’t be able to read others’ blogs as much as I am used to. But I shall return, my lovelies!

What do you think of such a project? Are you taking part in NaNoWriMo this year? If you are, tell me all about it below. We can give each other moral support. 🙂

Explore Further:
One Wild Word: Get ready for NaNoWriMo by choosing your novel’s story question

Kristen Lamb’s Blog: 8 Elements to NAILING Your Plot and Owning NaNo

 

Friday Bouquet #10

Published on by J. Kelland Perry

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worddreams…

Jacqui Murray is an author, a journalist, a teacher, and a wealth of helpful advice for all things wordy.

I have learned a lot from her posts she fills with hints, lists,  how-tos, and reviews.

As Jacqui says on her About page:

I love writing–always have–so this blog will cover writing topics, with brief forays into other things. If you know writers, we’re intrigued by everything around us. Life is full of characters, plot lines, unique settings, and we want to experience it all.

Here’s a recent post that I found valuable and you might too:

Writers Tips #78:  8 Writing Tricks You Won’t Read Anywhere Else    

Go and check out WordDreams for help with your writing and blogging questions, and say hi to Jacqui for me.  🙂

*Comments are closed here but open on the blogger’s page.

Friday Bouquet #9

Published on by J. Kelland Perry

Michael Lai from RetireeDiary is a travel photographer in Hong Kong, whose blog I’ve been following for years.

His skill with the camera and his captures of people and places is always a treat.

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Now he shares with us The Dog Who Lives On A Fishing Raft*, a collection of engaging shots featuring Dor Dor, a gorgeous Labrador Retriever who belongs to a friend.

Click on the link below to see how photogenic Dor Dor is. If you scroll down on his page to the Related Posts under the Likes you will find more from the series of my new “favourite internet dog”. 🙂

(Yes, I’m a cat person, but who can resist that smile?)

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The Dog That Lives On A Fishing Raft – Reflection

*images copyright protected by Michael Lai, retireediary

Comments are closed here in the hope you will visit Michael’s blog. If you do, please tell him Jennifer sent you.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone ❤

Friday Bouquet #8

Published on by J. Kelland Perry

I have been a loyal follower of The Mad Hooligan Chronicles for nearly as long as I’ve been blogging. It went through a metamorphosis last year, and changed its name from the original, The Howling Mad Cat.

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HMC

When HMC (Howling Mad Cat) departed for Kitty Cat Heaven at the ripe old age of 21, shortly after Ellie adopted two new cats by the names of Kobi and Bobo, and the Mad Hooligans blog was born.

Along with the adorably candid photos, Ellie treats us with three quotes to ponder, which relate to the topic of each of her posts.

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Bo & Kobi

From their profile:

“Verily I say unto you: Ye shall have two cats, and they will cause havoc amongst the household.”
At http://howlingmadcat.wordpress.com/.

A light-hearted read to brighten your day, I suggest you take a look at yesterday’s entry. You just may hit the follow button too:

The Life of Riley

Comments are closed here in hopes you will comment on their site.

Have a good weekend, everyone. ❤