Put your left hand in, put your right hand in, put them both right in and type them all about

The next book give-a-way "contest" begins today. I thought I'd try to make it writing-related. If you don't call yourself a writer, it doesn't matter - we all have something inside of us that allows beauty to reveal itself in words, or if not beauty then truths, or perceptions, the human condition - et cetera!

From the posted image in the column to the right (and pasted below), write whatever you wish from however the image prompts you to, but keep it to 200 words or fewer. Place your writing in the comments section. Then, we're going to vote a winner. The book again is: Paul Coelho's BRIDA - unsigned, but a brand new copy. I'll keep the image up for two weeks this time, instead of a week, to give y'all time to join in, if you so wish. Just let yourself relax into this. Have fun with it. At the end of the two weeks, I'll post all the "entries" and will enable a way you all can vote on the one that is your favorite.

I talked about trailers yesterday -Bellebooks made the trailer (it's at the bottom of this blog, the only place I could fit it without it being too big and in your face) - BB has worked like a house afire for TG and I am humbled and appreciative and quite happy with BB. Last night I lay under my feather comforter, and the winds came roaring over the ridge and through the cove (and a soft snow fell - but this I could not know, because snow doesn't announce itself like it's louder sister rain)...and I thought how glad I am I made the decision to go with a small press. "Small" is a funny word - for Bellebooks has heart - big wonderful heart (and am I saying big publishers do not have heart and do not care about their writers? Nope. But...there is a difference all the same, and I like this difference). Here's the link for the trailer to TG. It's weird to see interpretations of your words. And, I know when readers read the book, they'll have their own images and thoughts and interpretations - and that is how it should be!

Okay, here's the image for the contest. Write in 200 words or fewer your interpretation of the image. Again, relax into it - have fun with it - maybe you will see something right outside the photo, something that didn't make it into the frame, someone or something that isn't apparent, someone or something that has nothing to do with this woman, or everything to do with this woman. Or, maybe this woman is the everything.

(google image from www.chinadaily.com.cn)

Trailers for sale or rent.....

I have a trailer. We're tweaking it here and there as we look at it or get feedback, but it's fun (while waiting for mine - here's one to watch ...teeheehee... 500 impressions in 2 minutes )

I am feeling a little wild - a little whoopee - a little gigglypoo and as if I should dance. Not because of anything in particular - except that I feel happy right now. It's not just my VK coming alive - it's the way the chimes are singing in the wind, the bones of the trees tipping over and back, the way my hair is stuck up on end and I don't care, the coffee taste on my tongue, the cold north carolina mountain air-but I'm tucked in my little log house nice and warm, the way my robe feels soft and cozy, the way I can feel the buzz of all of you even though I can't see your eyes--blues and browns and greens and hazels--the way the birds flock to the feeder with their feathers puffed out against the chill, the red squirrels grown plump on our sunflower seeds, the way the currents of the air hold promise for things I've wished for in the dark, my eyes open to the black night, but a good black night, a mountain cove night, a night that turns into a brightly lit morning with the mists hovering over the Great Smoky Mountains - those grandfathers and grandmothers that cradle me here, ancient and wild and bold. Yes, I'm feeling a little wild and as if I will dance.

It's weird when you begin to see interpretations of your words into images - covers, trailers, and even titles. How curious I'd be to sit down with people who will read the book, or those who have, and ask them questions. Or to show them a series of images and ask them to pull out those that say "tender graces, that's it right there, that's the book/the character/the setting/the tone/the feeling of it." Maybe I'll do that one day.

I thought of a new "contest" for the BRIDA book. It's probably lame as poo-bah-doo but for a writer, I am sometimes sadly lacking in imagination *laugh* This was my midnight thought: to have a couple of smiles put here, the mouth only, and the one who guesses who the smiles belong to wins the BRIDA book -huh? huh? yeah? *laugh* Of course, it'd be "famous" people smile; I mean, not like the guy down in the valley who owns the little grocery, or my Aunt Mabel--especially since I don't have an Aunt Mabel. Anyway, unless I just finish all my Deep Creek Blend coffee and realize this is a really bad idea, that's what I'll post tomorrow...mouths. Huhn. Yeah.

Okay, I'm placing an image here of when I was a baby - about six months I guess. On my left hand, "wedding ring finger" is a ring! Since this is the first time I've ever seen a photo of me as a baby this young (long story), I never knew about this ring. And why would they put it on the "wedding ring" finger? Anyone else ever wore a baby ring when you were a babe? Anyone know if there's some significance to it being on that finger - or maybe they just stuck it there because that's were rings went back then and people didn't really wear rings on other fingers? Huhn. Anyway - first time I've seen a baby photo of any baby with a ring on their finger, but I've been told this was a big thing "way back in the dark ages of the fifties and early sixties." Now I know my incredible cuteness and that little curl on my head will distract you - but, there's that ring, on my little teeny finger. You can click on the image to see it larger if you can't see that ring.

(stock image from google:

www.asifa-hollywood.org[ More from www.animationarchive.org )