Let's get Creative!!

Thanks to everyone who voted in the Five Sentence Fiction poll. I was really suprised that orange took the win, but super excited to see all of the directions that you creative souls will take!!

You may or may not have noticed our FSF badge is somewhat...lacking. It was a shot in the dark one late evening and I haven't taken the time to amp it up. FSF would truly be nothing without each of you and your participation by writing and/or reading all of the amazing pieces each week. Because of that, I want YOU to create our badge! I'll come up with one of my own too.

In case you don't have a program of choice for such things check out Photobucket. That's my favorite place.

Here's how it will work:

1) Create the badge you would like represent FSF.
2) Post it on your blog and link up below so we can check out your brilliance.
3) Check out all of the other badges.
4) Vote for your favorite by number in the comments section after the linky closes. I'll post the winner badge on 06/20 to give you guys time to vote.

I will leave the linky open from 05/31 - 06/10.

FSF Badge

1.	Sif Dal	4.	Michelle
2.	BekahCat	5.	Lillie McFerrin
3.	Donna B. McNicol

(Cannot add links: Registration/trial expired)

Okay! Now go get creative :)

Amazing things to Come

I've teamed up with two lovely write brained bloggers, Ruth Long and Janelle Wilson, for a blog hop extraordinaire. So, set your calendars for June 1, 2012! All of the details of our flash fiction contest will be released then on each of our blogs.

Kreativ Blogger Award

I’ve been tagged for the 'Kreativ Blogger Award. Yay!! Big thanks to Matt Sloan and Lisa Shambrook for the honor.

The Rules:
1. Thank & link back to the person who nominated you.
2. Answer the ten questions.
3. Share ten random facts/thoughts about yourself.
4. Nominate seven worthy blogs for the Kreative Blogger Award.

The Questions:
1. What's your favorite song?
Without question, my favorite song is this one:

2. What's your favorite dessert?
Chocolate anything and everything.

3. What ticks you off?
Bullies!!! Anyone who needs to cut someone down to empower themselves drives me crazy.

4. What do you do when you're upset?
I like to run or sit at the beach.

5. Which is your favorite pet?
Until five years ago I’d never had a pet, aside from a goldfish or two. When I met Duke I fell in love immediately J Dogs rule!!!

6. Which do you prefer: black or white?
I have way too many black clothes, but decorating wise, I love white.

7. What is your biggest fear?
Losing my independence to Multiple Sclerosis. My poor family would have to put up with me and I can be demanding, lol.

8. What is your attitude mostly?
Optimistic. At least that’s the goal. I believe everything happens for a reason and things always work out!

9. What is perfection?
The first word that came to mind when I read the question was happiness.

10. What is your guilty pleasure?
Notebooks. It’s so much fun to find a new, fancy notebook. I have to buy it even though I have twenty other empty ones at home.

The Random Facts:
1. My favorite color is blue…I think everything should be blue.
2. I didn’t like a single vegetable until two years ago. Now I’m up to broccoli, carrots, green beans, and asparagus. Cannot wait to add more!!!
3. My brother, Jacob, was born on my 7^th birthday. Best present ever J
4. One of my favorite sounds is my dog’s snoring.
5. Being a sister is one of the best parts of my life. Little brothers are smelly and loud, but I’d be lost without them.
6. I always feel just a little bit different than everyone else and I’m finally starting to think that’s okay.
7.The pictures of rock star libraries and writing oasis’s that Lady Bullish posts always make my day.
8. Less than two months after getting my first car I totaled it.
9. I simply cannot pass up watching Pretty in Pink or Teenage Witch each and every time they’re on TV.
10. Getting mail, aside from bills, is one of my favorite things.

The Nominations:
Just a few of the very best!

Stephanie at Madness of the Heart.
Aurora Lee at Aurora's Creative Corner.
Kathryn at WaterPhoenix Poetry.
Steven Watson at Stuck in my Own Mind.
Fiesty Cat at Fiesty Cat.
Honoré Dupuis at Of Glass and Paper.
Sarah at Re-Ravelling.

Five Sentence Fiction - Foggy

What it’s all about: Five Sentence Fiction is about packing a powerful punch in a tiny fist. Each week I will post a one word inspiration, then anyone wishing to participate will write a five sentence story based on the prompt word. The word does not have to appear in your five sentences, just use it for direction.

This week: FOGGY

I look forward to reading everyone's five sentences. Post your sentences on your blog, and link up your post below.

Check out past Five Sentence Fiction posts here.

Also, be sure to visit everyone's FSF post

Lillie

FSF - Foggy

1.	Stephanie
2.	AuroraLee
3.	Phillip R. Hall
4.	Jayne Martin
5.	jeanelaine
6.	AuroraLee (posted the wrong link before sorry!)
7.	Cara Michaels
8.	Robert
9.	Len Williams Carver
10.	Michelle
11.	Sheila Good
12.	Melanie Cole
13.	Sif Dal
14.	Sandra Crook
15.	Bullish
16.	Honoré
17.	Sarah
18.	Matt Sloan
19.	Last Krystallos
20.	Brian Benoit
21.	BekahCat
22.	Andy Black
23.	Angela (@ang_writes)
24.	Elisabeth Koch
25.	Camilla Kyndesen
26.	Rowanwolf
27.	Jo-Anne (jtvancouver)
28.	Jeffrey Hollar

(Cannot add links: Registration/trial expired)

What if you couldn't write?

Writing is what I do. Unless I’m going through a dry phase, like now. But, that will pass.
A writer is who I am. It’s part of my identity. Few days pass, if any, where I don’t think about writing in some form or another.

So, if I couldn’t write anymore what would I do? Like writing, Multiple Sclerosis is part of my every day. Lately the fingers on my right hand have begun going numb. It’s just part of the disease, and something that comes and goes, but could one day decide to stick around. Typing isn’t an issue right now, no problems there, but I am right handed and it’s begun to make writing slightly difficult. Yay for my handy computer. :)

But, back to the question! If I couldn’t write anymore, just what would I do? The short answer is I would be devastated. I’m not sure I know the full explanation of the long answer yet, but I am working on that. For starters I would spend more quality time with my music. There are very few genres of music where I can’t find at least one song I like. Nothing like a beautiful melody to sooth the soul.

Writing is a gift and a joy that I cherish. I hope to hold onto it for years to come, but I also plan to delve into new passions.

What about you? What are you other passions? What would you do if you couldn’t write?

Five Sentence Fiction - Sombrero

What it’s all about: Five Sentence Fiction is about packing a powerful punch in a tiny fist. Each week I will post a one word inspiration, then anyone wishing to participate will write a five sentence story based on the prompt word. The word does not have to appear in your five sentences, just use it for direction.

This week: SOMBRERO



I look forward to reading everyone's five sentences. Post your sentences on your blog, and link up your post below.

Check out past Five Sentence Fiction posts here.

Also, be sure to visit everyone's FSF post

Lillie

FSF - Sombrero

1.	Sandra Crook
2.	Robert
3.	Megi
4.	Blake Bettis
5.	Bullish
6.	Michelle
7.	Jo-Anne (jtvancouver)
8.	Rachel Creager Ireland
9.	Sean Fallon (Theequiaticbind)
10.	injaynesworld it's "The Win"
11.	Last Krystallos
12.	Melanie Cole
13.	Donna B. McNicol [@DonnaBMcNicol]
14.	Stephanie
15.	Andy Black
16.	Elisabeth Koch
17.	Phillip R. Hall
18.	Brian Benoit

(Cannot add links: Registration/trial expired)

Spotlight on Spectacular: Angie Richmond

Today I am so excited to share with you an engaging and entertaing interview with Angie Richmond. 



1. What hockey team are you a fanatic about? Who’s your favorite player and why?

I love the Vancouver Canucks! I can't exactly pinpoint the moment I started liking them, but I know it was in the 90s and the goalie Kirk McLean had something to do with it. My current favorite player is Kevin Bieksa.

Funny story...my husband Brandon and I were in Vancouver to see a game and we decided to do some pre-game shopping at the Canucks store the day before. I headed straight for the Bieksa t-shirts then made my way down to pay. As I descended the stairs I came face to face (well face to side) with Kevin Bieksa himself. I was so stunned that I somehow stumbled up to the till to pay and left without even asking for a picture or autograph. Oh how I regret THAT day!

2. Where, or from whom, do you find inspiration for your creativity?

I can't say there's one specific thing that inspires me. It's a combination of various things. Sometimes it's a word, a picture, a person or a dream I've had. I try to let anything and everything inspire me. BUT, if we are talking people, I'd have to say the person I most look up to is Viggo Mortensen. He's a true example of a well rounded creative.

3. How did you come up with the idea for 22 Things? What do you hope everyone achieves by making their list?

22 Things was born from a moment of unhappiness. I found myself on my lunch break sitting at the library feeling overwhelmed by unhappiness. I felt stuck. I felt hopeless. I had this idea of what I wanted to do with my life, but it felt so darn daunting that I couldn't even imagine making any changes. Then an idea struck me. What if I could change a few small things, nothing too huge, but just enough so I wasn't stressed out. I started listing items I wanted to keep in mind or try. At the end I had a nice list of 22. I emailed a friend to share my list and she encouraged me to blog about it. Call it 22 Things, she encouraged. And I did. It kind of took off from there.

My hope is that people will sit down, listen to their heart and take steps to find their own happiness - one small step at a time.

4. What author would you give your left pinky to spend the day with? Why?

Oh...now there's a hard question to answer! I'm sitting here looking at all the fabulous novels on my bookshelves trying to pick out one, yikes! Okay well if I had to narrow it down to three, because I think anyone of them is worth a digit or two, I'd say J.K. Rowling, Diana Gabaldon and Jane Austen
.
J.K. Rowling because she wrote Harry Potter, which - let's face it - is amazing!

Diana Gabaldon because I'm convinced that her Outlander series MUST be based on fact because no one can write such an amazing, all encompassing series that spans an entire life off the top of their head. And if she did..WOW!

Jane Austen because I'm dying to know if she ever kissed a man. There's just so much that's unknown about that woman!

5. You have to write the best you’ve ever written. What music do you reach for?

To be honest I usually write in silence, unless I'm at Starbucks, then whatever they play. IF I did happen to have music playing, it's classical; anything without lyrics. Lyrics mess me up when I write. I'll be halfway through a sentence before I realize I've just written the words to a song.

6. What is your favorite genre to read and which genre do you write in mostly?

Another good question! I tend to read a diverse mix of genres depending on how I feel. Though I do tend to stay away from chick lit. I prefer danger, disaster and suffering. Anything with a psychological twist also makes me happy. My writing tends to follow along the same lines.

7. If you could have one thing British what would it be?

An old country cottage, preferably one that has a lot of history! Wait does Henry Cavill count? No, I'll stick with the cottage :)

8. What do you think the recipe is for creating a memorable novel?

Really believable characters. When I'm reading a novel and I can imagine myself in their shoes or want to be them, then it's perfect!

9. You get to become one literary character for a day. Who’s it going to be?
Oh wow, another hard question! Probably Claire from Diana Gabaldon's novels. She gets to time travel and marry a highlander...need I say more?

10. How old were you when you began painting/drawing? Do you have a favorite?

I can't remember exactly. I've always enjoyed making things and crafting. I used to draw a lot when I was a teen. It's only very recently that I began experimenting with art again. I'm quite proud of a farmhouse I sketched more recently. It was from a learn-to-draw book and it turned out pretty nice. It was my first attempt to draw something that detailed.

11. What does living a creative life mean to you?

It means everything! I've spent so many years dreaming of "being" creative without realizing I already WAS creative. Now I try to approach my life with creativity in mind. My hopes are that I will eventually support myself with my creativity, while helping others find theirs.



BIO:
A self proclaimed creative, Angie Richmond divides her spare time between writing, blogging, reading, and creating art. Her formal training in Psychology, combined with her desire to help others find their creative passions, has led her to explore a career in Coaching. She is currently enrolled in a certification program and intends on starting her own coaching practice She loves hockey, all things British, and is working on her first historical fiction novel. Angie lives with her husband in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

You can connect with Angiel on Twitter and her Blog.

Thank you so much for sharing some of your awesome with us Angie!!!

Five Sentence Fiction - Candy

What it’s all about: Five Sentence Fiction is about packing a powerful punch in a tiny fist. Each week I will post a one word inspiration, then anyone wishing to participate will write a five sentence story based on the prompt word. The word does not have to appear in your five sentences, just use it for direction.

This week: CANDY




I look forward to reading everyone's five sentences. Post your sentences on your blog, and link up your post below.

Check out past Five Sentence Fiction posts here.

Also, be sure to visit everyone's FSF post

Lillie

FSF - Candy

1.	Jo-Anne (jtvancouver)
2.	jeanelaine
3.	AuroraLee
4.	Warren Danbar
5.	Sandra Crook
6.	Melanie Cole
7.	Michael Coorlim
8.	Bullish
9.	McKenzie
10.	Donna B. McNicol
11.	Steven - @ashviper
12.	Wilson Hill
13.	Erin Ashby @spoonflipper
14.	Last Krystallos
15.	Mim
16.	Andy Black

(Cannot add links: Registration/trial expired)