Updates and my word for 2017

It’s been a busy start to 2017. Besides the ‘normal’ – and extra concerns of – daily/weekly family things that go on, and trying to keep up with my writing, I’m attempting to figure out a level of activity that I can handle and in which I’ll make progress. It’s time to push past my comfort zone a little more — and not panic!

It’s also time to get back into writing book reviews here on my blog, however brief they may be. I’ve been reading a lot more books, as you can see if you scroll down on my bar to the right, and I want to share some of them with you. For almost all of them I write a short blurb on Goodreads and also on Amazon. I also will be setting up a new page – books I read in 2017 – to keep a recorded count and maybe introduce you to books you haven’t read. Have you checked out my 2016 reading accomplishment? I read 219 books! Only 38 of them aren’t picture books, but 219 total! I’m happy about that.

This month I’m working on Storystorm ideas and have twelve so far. A couple I have are more than just a phrase or title; they’re more-rounded story ideas – and I think they might be worth developing.

I’ve joined 12×12 in 2017 and feel very upbeat about it this year. I know I have to work harder to get anywhere with my drafts and manuscripts, so that is going to be where “pushing past my comfort zone” comes into play.

Now that the busyness of the holiday season is past, this week I will happily reconnect with my writing coach. Starting tomorrow I’ll also be meeting with my new writing/accountability partner once a week for brainstorming, sharing, and encouragement – apart from the local writers group that usually gets together each week.

Hopefully, I haven’t set myself up for failure as I aim for progression this year. That is my word for myself in 2017. PROGRESS. It can be used as either a verb or a noun. I heard it for myself as a noun, PROgress, but in order to make PROgress I have to proGRESS. 😉 For me it feels like a push and coaxing along.

What is YOUR personal word for 2017? What are your writing and reading goals?

Don’t forget to enter my January 18 draw HERE for a copy of The Man Who Was Thursday. (I plan to read my copy of it this week, by the way, as it was recommended to me by a friend more than once — which is likely why I bought it more than once! lol 🙂 )

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings! 🙂 ♥

Today is my 7th WordPress anniversary! And a gift for you!

It’s amazing to me the length of time that passes over a seemingly short span. In other words: time flies! This morning WordPress announced to me the following:

Happy Anniversary with WordPress.com!

You registered on WordPress.com 7 years ago.

Thanks for flying with us. Keep up the good blogging.

Here is my first WordPress blog post, written January 9, 2010.

In reading it again, although I’d been writing over many years, I see I was still the hopeful beginner I often feel that I continue to be. (Whew! Please don’t base all my writing on that last sentence!) Now I have added experience and I’ve written more – including blogging and stories, plus I’ve been learning and expanding my projects over the years by taking on writing challenges and further instruction. What I’ve learned is … there’s always more to learn. In those early days I did a lot of soul-searching and asked loads of questions of anyone who would listen. I still ask questions as I make progress.

Author Laura Best was the very first person to leave a comment on my blog – on my first post – and she still drops by when she can. I appreciate that. (Thanks, Laura!) If you haven’t yet visited her blog, please do. WordPress is not the first place I blogged, but when Laura told me about it I knew I had to give it a shot. I love it here! WordPress is far better for me.

I forgot to mention when I reached my 500th post; this is my 656th. An added exciting note for me is that I have, at the moment of this posting, 50,000 hits on my Polilla Writes blog! Thanks to you! ♥ ♥

My perception is improving as I gain confidence a wee little at a time. Being shy is a bit of a hindrance; however, in 2016 I gained a huge writing community online, a writing coach, a local writers group through which I now have a writer friend. (We’re in the planning stages, as of today, to meet once a week when possible.) When I considered quitting all this a few weeks ago because of discouragement, my writing community encouraged me and lifted me up so that I’m feeling better than before. Besides, what else would I do if not writing? I’ve tried other creative avenues, but I always come back to writing.

As I begin the approach to my eighth WordPress anniversary, my big goals are pretty much the same – to find acceptance with an editor who loves my stories and a publisher who wants them, and my newest goal … to team up with an agent who can help make it happen. Yeah, I’m not asking for much, am I? 🙂 I wonder if any of those will be in place by this time in 2018, which, the way time is flying, is tomorrow. Guess I’d better get busy!

I appreciate your support, therefore, in celebration of my seventh WordPress anniversary I am offering – to one person who leaves a comment – a book. In looking through my bookcases I discovered I have two new copies of G. K. Chesterton’s The Man Who Was Thursday. One can be yours. Simply tell me in your comment why you love to blog. OR if you don’t have a blog, why you love visiting other people’s blogs.

Draw date for this giveaway is at 10 PM AST, that’s 9 PM Eastern, on Wednesday, January 18. This gives you time to enter and to pass the word on to others, too. I will post the winner’s name on January 19.

Remember, you have until January 18 to get your name into the draw, but don’t put it off! Enter now!

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings! 🙂

We have a winner of my 12th monthly giveaway!

Huge thanks to everyone who visited my blog this month and a special thanks to those who entered the draw for my last giveaway of 2016.

The prize this time is a $12.00 gift card from Amazon.com.

Wow, I must be tired. As I write this it is Tuesday evening; I’ve been baking and wrapping gifts today and when I looked over the little I’d typed above I had two silly mistakes – totally wrong words, not simply misspells. I was almost giving someone a “give card”. 🙂

Okay, back to the fun stuff.

We have a winner!

I used random.org name picker and found the winner …

with this comment …

I prefer online shopping when I need a quick gift but love the feeling of shopping in a brick and mortar store. Feels more personal buying gifts as well as supporting small businesses.

Is …

MICHELLE!

Congratulations, Michelle! I will get this sent to you after I receive your reply to my email.

So, that’s it, folks! It’s been a year already. The giveaways have been fun for me, and I hope you enjoyed them, too. Did you have a favourite?

Now I must go do some kitchen cleanup, then get some sleep so I can be ready to continue my Christmas baking.

Do you do much baking for the holidays?

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings! 🙂

My 12th & last giveaway of 2016; your chance to win a gift card!

Can you believe it’s the last month of 2016? It seems this year has passed so quickly – too quickly. Now we’re down to the final month for a giveaway.

All year I tried to select items that readers and writers would appreciate. What I would have loved to do this time is prepare a surprise package, or a collection of items similar to what I’ve given away during this year. Because I have been busy getting Christmas shopping and decorating done for both Dad and my own household I am later than is convenient for mailing anything out after giving enough time to run this month’s giveaway.

What I came up with this time is to offer you an electronic gift card. This way it will get to you immediately with no delays due to Christmas mail. It’s an unusual amount I decided to give but let me explain. I am offering someone an Amazon gift card of $12.00 – in US dollars – one dollar for each month of the year since this is the twelfth month. It’s not a big amount but you can spend it on anything sold through Amazon.com whenever you want. Sooner is probably better though, and maybe you can take advantage of sale prices during this season of celebration or as the new year begins.

So that’s it, an Amazon gift card in the amount of twelve dollars. If YOU would like to win this gc here’s what to do:

To enter the draw, please leave a comment on this post telling me what is your preference – shopping online or in “brick and mortar” stores. I will use Random.org name picker to find out which of you is the winner. Watch here the morning after the draw for the announcement, and don’t forget to check your email. This could be yours!

Draw date for this giveaway is at 10 PM AST, that’s 9 PM Eastern, on Tuesday, December 20. This gives you only a week to enter and to pass the word on to others, too. I will post the winner’s name on December 21.

Remember, you have until December 20 to get your name into the draw, but don’t put it off! Enter now!

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!

We have a winner of my 11th monthly giveaway! Keep watching for my December gift

Many thanks to all who visit my blog, and to those of you who entered the draw for a unique, fun bookmark:

We have a winner!

I used Random.org name picker and found out that the winner …

with this comment:

My bookmark is usually whatever is handy at the time–grocery store bill, used envelope, movie or concert ticket–clearly I need to up my game. And I never turn down the corner of a page.

is…

HEATHER!

Congratulations, Heather! I will get this into the mail to you as soon as I can this week. We have some stormy weather coming tonight and tomorrow.

To everyone interested in my giveaways, I’ve been watching for and setting aside fun things that, in some way, have to do with reading and/or writing. The DECEMBER giveaway will be posted as soon as I settle on what special thing to give away during Christmas month. Stay tuned!

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!

I decided that after I mail Heather’s bookmark to her, because only four people entered the draw and I have enough of these bookmarks, each of you will be receiving one.

My 11th giveaway of 2016; your chance to win a novelty item for readers!

November is half done, the 16th is my birthday, and I realized I still haven’t offered anything to you for my November giveaway. So, here it is, a unique and different item for readers of “real” books.

Have you ever seen a book butterfly? Well, this one is a wind-up book butterfly!

How cool is that!

You twist the front wings 30-40 times and set it inside your book. When you open your book … out flutters the butterfly! I got Dad to have the fun of testing one out tonight (it’s my week with him) and it really works! So fun. He enjoyed the surprise of it more than once.

This would make a wonderful gift for someone – if you decide not to keep it for yourself. Whatever you decide, you have to enter to win! If you won one of my giveaways don’t let that stop you from entering again.

I am offering this giveaway to my readers anywhere in the world.

To enter the draw, please leave a comment on this post telling me if you have a special bookmark you prefer to use. I will use Random.org name picker to find out which of you is the winner. Watch here the morning after the draw for the announcement, and don’t forget to check your email. This could be yours!

Draw date for this giveaway is at 10 PM AST, that’s 9 PM Eastern, on Tuesday, November 29. This gives you less than two weeks to enter and to pass the word on to others, too. I will post the winner’s name on November 30.

Remember, you have until November 29 to get your name into the draw, but don’t put it off! Enter now!

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!

We have a winner of my 10th giveaway! Keep checking for my November gift!

Thank you for visiting and to my readers who entered to win this journal in the 10th of my monthly giveaways of 2016:

We have a winner!

I used Random.org name picker and found out that the winner …

with this comment:

What a perfect giveaway. I use journals all the time and record the days’ events, learnings, feelings etc. A habit I acquired from my mother.

Is ….

Darlene!

Congratulations, Darlene. I will get this into the mail next week.

To everyone who is interested in my giveaways, I’ve been watching for and setting aside fun things that, in some way, have to do with reading and/or writing. The NOVEMBER giveaway will be posted in a few weeks. Stay tuned!

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!