Monday, April 15, 2013

Scrivener Gushing: Import your Research and GO!

Scrivener is almost as good as these chocolate-filled beignets...Almost.

If you have not read my post, Scrivener Is My New Obsession,  go on and do it. I'll wait right here for you and drool over the above desserts I had at Sweet in Worcester, MA.

Oh good, you're back. Now you understand why I'm blogging about it again. I'm OBSESSED!

Get ready to have your socks blown right off your body... Ready?

Did you know you can put all your research notes into your Scrivener work document?
That's right.
You can.
You can put all your photos, webpages, notes, videos, etc. into one neat place.


This allows you to do your research in advance, import it all, and then write without being distracted by unnecessary web safaris that sap your writing time. 




Here's a good example. The above photo shows how I imported four photos into the file, "Mausoleum Images" (you can see that folder in the lower left corner of the screen shot in the section known as, "The Binder.") You can pop these photos out like I did by selecting an image in the folder and then hitting the "QuickRef" icon button on the top menu bar (you can see it above the image of the naked lady riding a sea creature, it's to the left of the yellow "Comment" icon button.)

As you can see in my body copy, I left a note to myself to write a description of a nautical mausoleum.

So I would not slow down my writing flow, I left this note for myself during my first draft. If I had stopped writing to go looking for photos, I would have ended up buying new flip-flops, checking my email for an hour, or doing something else equally stupid. 


On another day, I went and imported the photos from the web. Now, when I am working on my second draft, in a self-imposed/no-internet-available location, I can spread these photos out and make my writing super shiny, lush, and detailed. Oh yeah!

You can also import web pages for future use.

Again, this is a smart thing to do so that you can spend countless one afternoon doing research and then have all your information together, at your finger tips, when you are once again at that self-imposed/no-internet-available location.

Here's a quick tutorial on how you can import a web page:

1. Open your browser, do your research. Select and then copy the url address.

2. Open Scrivener. Make a blank document and/or folder in your Binder under the icon "Research" (Note: You can rename this folder anything you want.) With the blank research document selected in your Binder > Go to "File" > "Import" > "Web Page"


3. When you see the new menu appear (like in the screen shot below) it should have the web address already there from when you hit File > Copy in your browser (neat, huh?) You can give it a title:


4. If you don't want all those web graphics and just want the text on the page, you can convert the web page to plain text.
Here's how: Documents > Convert > Web Page to Text (really, a six year-old could do this for you...)


5. Now your web research should look like this:

I'm always looking for ways to trick myself into writing and not messing around...Got any good tips? I would love to hear them. 

In the meantime, I hope this excessive Scrivener gushing was helpful!




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Wednesday, April 10, 2013

The Highlight Reel


That's not wallpaper--that's 8 hours of my life (spent masking and painting) I will never get back.

I’m starting to understand how this whole Internet personality thing works. 
In short, it’s a highlight reel. 

Are we really only putting the best of ourselves out there for the world to see?  For the most part, no one shows the crap they’re not proud of... or do they?

I can’t take credit for initializing this discussion. It came from my brilliant, stylish sister-in-law, the Because of Jackie blogger, Meagan. We were examining another fashion blogger, let’s call her Blogger X, and trying to discover the secrets of Blogger X’s success. This person’s writing was deplorable yet her photos were spot on, their styling was enviable and Blogger X made it all appear effortless.

Hell, their child was styled better than I have ever appeared in public!

Yet, Blogger X had an admirable amount of devoted followers despite the fact that they used “ha ha ha” as sentence ending punctuation. Not only that, Blogger X clearly had a wardrobe donated for the explicit purpose of getting the attention of followers such as Meagan and me. We were green with envy and flummoxed.

Then Meagan said the words that have stayed with me and have forever changed my thinking, 

“People only blog the highlight reel of their lives.”

It’s so true. I give you, Exhibit A: The day before Easter:

Is it real life? Or a highlight reel? Damn you, Pinterest.
 Looks effortless, doesn’t it? Looks quick and easy, no?

The photo does not show the fact that it took me four hours to do this. It does not show the ramifications for this stupid compulsion such as: not having dinner ready until almost 7:30, forgetting to bring my own dinner and breakfast contributions to Easter the following day (or my daughter’s Easter basket for the egg hunt), scrambling to make the Easter Bunny happen, being too exhausted to even relax Easter Eve. No, the photo leaves that frazzled storyline to the wayside. Instead, you see what I want you to see: perfection, creativity, and ingenuity.

That’s not healthy.

We as women, drive ourselves insane and for what? Praise, glory, internet fame? What is the point?

From now on I am tempering every inane idea I find on Pinterest with the Highlight Reel Injunction.

I must ask myself, “Is this endeavor worth losing all sense of time and responsibility for very little return? Do I really want to see the look of manic, creativity-gone-wrong reflected in my husband’s disappointed gaze? Is it worth it?"

No. It’s not.

Beyond the obvious maternal gig (I do adore being a mother!), I enjoy writing and I enjoy painting. Those are the two things in this world that I feel competent in. They are my happy places. I need to keep things in check and stay where I belong.

Life should not be a competition.

Yet, as young girls, our DNA dictates that we should climb over one another to reach some unachievable pinnacle.

Did the cave women try to outdo one another to see who could make the best saber-tooth: stew, jewelry, and or fashionable fur cloak?

God, I hope not.

Remember the Highlight Reel Injunction, dear reader—you’re only seeing the best, so don’t sweat it.

You’re awesome just the way you are.


Monday, April 8, 2013

BOOK REVIEW: THE NIGHT CIRCUS by Erin Morgenstern




My one sentence review: Breathtaking visual manifestation that invites you to become a spectator in a world filled with magic, intrigue, sorrow, and delicious elegance.

If it were a tea it would be Earl Gray with subtle Victorian steam punk notes infused with metaphysical magic (and magic seems like such a demeaning word—it’s so much more than magic), suspense, and a hint of Shakespeare.

In the elegant, majestic world that Ms. Morgenstern has created, we are swept up in the epic, mysterious game between the brash, unlikeable illusionist Prospero and the stick-to-the-shadows elusive Mr. A. H….you’re not supposed to know his name because he can put a whammy on you, he’s that good.

The story unfolds as these two characters pit protégés against one another in a competition that has indefinite guidelines and a setting that is clear only from the title, “The Night Circus” or “Les Cirque de Réves” or "Circus of Dreams" for the non-French speakers.

The novel takes place circa late 1800s- early 1900s in a time where clocks and steam locomotives were the technological advancements of the day. It’s not hard to slip into a world where color is sparse. When I think of Victorian England, the dominant color that comes to mind is gray, dark gray, and yet, more gray. This setting is wonderfully chosen because it allows the magnificence of the circus, who’s color-scheme is rigidly neutral—black, white, and gray, elegantly contrast against the rich intensity of the magical illusions created by the two protégés, Celia and Marco.

You could spend hours reading solely about the Les Cirque de Réves, and Morgenstern delivers as she indulges you with small chapters that explicitly explore the sights, sounds, smells, and lures of the intricately constructed circus.

When you read these it’s as if you are there, wandering through the black and white striped tents in your buttoned leather shoes, a strange delicious treat in your hand, while the night sky sparkles above your encounter.

The whole experience is luscious!

Celia is Prospero’s daughter. He treats her with so much what-not-to-do-while parenting nuances that you wonder how she is not a more violent, destructive individual. Instead she is lovely—bright, conservative of spirit, controlled and yet both powerful and very warm and likeable in a subtle way. She too, is an illusionist, her extraordinary abilities beautifully explained in a lush believable way by Ms. Morgenstern. We follow her journey back and forth through time as she struggles to identity and fulfill her destiny as game champion all the while employed as the illusionist in the Les Cirque de Réves.

Marco is Mr. A. H….'s protégé found in an orphanage. Throughout the boy’s journey to manhood, Marco is given countless books on conjuring, magic, illusion, mysticism etc. As Marco grows more and more powerful in a vacuum, he, too is given no love. Again, it’s amazing that his character is as likeable as he is given his cold up-bringing. We follow his story, as he becomes the assistant to Mr. Chandresh Christophe Lefévre, the wealthy, flamboyant gentleman who serves as the front man, financial backer, and initial planner for the circus. Marco spends his time in the novel behind the scenes of the circus, weaving his magic workings from afar in an attempt to become champion in his own right. And, oh, these workings are visionary delights!

To say more would spoil the enchantment that is The Night Circus. Yes, there is romance, but it’s so much more than that. Yes, there are other characters that weave their own tales, building to the intense, climactic ending. But you can discover this on your own.

Go on, step right up, buy your ticket, and begin your own journey. I promise you won’t be disappointed…


Friday, April 5, 2013

BOOK REVIEW: MERMINIA by Emm Cole



I made a point in my post, I am a Word Farmer, to support my fellow authors. I’m staying true to that.

But with a disclaimer: I will not review another indie author unless I enjoy their book. To take the time to slam a fellow writer is just plain ugly. So, if the book is indie, and I review it here, it means my socks were successfully knocked off my body when I read it.

Let it be known, that despite appearances, I do not seek out mermaid fiction. I dig mermaids, but not to the extent of a super-mer-fan. That’s not me. I was skeptical before I read MERMINIA. Would I like it? Would I want to return to my GAME OF THRONES reading marathon to escape it? The answer was a distinct, NO. I stuck with it because I was entertained by the world building, committed to the characters, and intrigued by the flow of the story.

Ms. Cole crafts a world in which several species of mermaids coexist beneath the sea.

The book begins with an overview of the story within her story—a myth that explains the creation and subsequent division of land-dwellers/sea-dwellers through the creation of a ring. At first, I thought: a little too Tolkein—ONE RING TO RULE THEM ALL! But no, it leaves the notion of Middle Earth behind in a hurry.

Operating on a territorial clan-system, the mers in her story are physically different in their appearance, behavior, abilities, and beliefs. As in most stories that have a rudimentary feudal system at its core, there is always one bastard who wants to wield power and dominate those around him/her.

Enter Merconius, a Litiant (think merman species on steroids) mer and the ultimate crappy father who seeks world domination. 

Guess what he’s searching for? Yes! One ring to… BUT before the story is over in fifteen pages, his young son, Gabriel has a soul and a conscious and throws a sea-monkey (I couldn’t resist!) wrench into Merconius’ plans. I'm not spoiling a thing...you'll see the mechanics of the "how" yourself.

Meanwhile, years later, the quest for pan-oceanic domination continues. Merconious is still hell-bent on using his army to find the ring. This is bad news for the peaceful, but not sissy, Merminians who’s turf needs to be scoured for said ring.

This is where we find our main character, Selinne. 

She’s a Merminian (another species, smaller than Litiants. Females have healing hands) and she has an independent spirit similar to Brave’s Merida. In other words, she’s of important birth, but she’s female and therefore expected to behave a certain feminine way--which she rebukes. This causes all sorts of problems including her subsequent capture by Litiant soldiers. The novel takes off from there. 

Expect underwater dragons, psychic bitchy mermaids, a love triangle, awesome battle scenes, another creepy mer-species, and a cliff-hanger ending that has me waiting to read more.

Emm has a wonderful way of describing her world, allowing the reader to slip beneath the waves effortlessly and enjoy the nautical scenery. The creatures are unique, frightening, and interesting. The book did indeed pique this reader’s interest and successfully prevented me from renewing my Dysfuntional relationship with George R.R. Martin.

That’s hard to do…I love that big man.

You can get your own copy of Emm Cole’s MERMINIA on Amazon.com and be sure to stop by her author blog, EmmCole.com . You can also find her on Twitter, @byEmmCole


Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Check out my brand new blog!


It’s been up for some time but I’ve been too lazy busy to announce it…

I have a brand new blog courtesy of the lovely Chelsea Lennox!

You can find her work on her site, Olive & Ivy Design and she also has a lifestyle, fashion, and design blog, too, Olive & Ivy Blog

Not only do I have a shiny new blog look, I have a shiny new author Face Book Page too!

Be sure to “like” me. It makes me look important. 

If you want some “like” love back, I would be happy to click on your behalf. Be sure to leave a link in the comments section below.

I really wanted a carnival theme, a mermaid mention, vintage clip art, a nod to my love of pink and orange, and I may have mentioned that my house has a large red light-up arrow in it.



I think she knocked it out of the park. What do you think?

It’s kind of like "Heather the Southern Rocker Hipster" meets "Heather the writer of dark (but always humorous and quirky) words."

Thank you, Chelsea! You made me look way cooler than I am… and isn’t that the point of the Internet?


Tuesday, April 2, 2013

I am a Word Farmer

Original photo by H. Rigney
September 2012, Intercourse, PA

I am an indie author. I say that with pride. It makes me feel like a word farmer, bringing my homegrown fiction to the world’s literary farmer’s market via Amazon.com and other Interweb avenues.

If you are not an indie author, maybe you do not realize the amount of work it takes to be a one-person fiction operation. You are a writer, an editor, a critic, an agent, a PR machine, a publicist, but most importantly, you are a supporter of your fellow indies.

We pave the way, all by ourselves, in our pajamas (with coffee) to bring you decent fiction made fresh daily.

Therefore, I will strive to support my fellow, pajama-wearing, coffee-slugging, word farmers by featuring their work on my blog.

I found a tweet by a certain well-known author who writes for a well-known magazine that stated, “I’m so tired of tweets that say, Author ______ recommends this book by Author ____.”

That tweet has haunted me. How the hell else is our kind supposed to get the word out? I suppose if I knew that, then perhaps I would no longer be an indie writer. And besides, it saddens me to think that well-known authors work in a vacuum, never supporting one another, never acknowledging the triumphs and accomplishments of those in their field.

I taught for twelve years. In that time, I found that some colleagues were threatened by the success of others, going to such lengths as to mock them for their efforts to better themselves as teachers. It appalled me to my core. “Aren’t we in this together?” I thought. 
Apparently no, not always.

As an author, I will do my best to support and encourage my fellow writers. It makes us all stronger, more successful, more confident.
And it brings a better product to the literary world.
Isn’t that the point?


Thursday, March 21, 2013

New Mermaid Coloring Page - Frida Kahlo!

You may or may not know about my love for the Mexican artist, Frida Kahlo. 
I adore her. 
To celebrate her life, and to ensure that the flame of Frida's brilliance continues to inspire a new generation, I have created a my very own Frida coloring page which you can download here:




How could you not respect a woman who wore a man's suit for a family portrait in 1924:


Frida Kahlo suffered unbelievable difficulties in her life and found solace and a means of personal expression in painting. I admire this amazing woman, because although her life was filled with excruitiating circumstances, she found a way to move forward with dignity and grace (and style too!)

She suffered polio as a young child. 
It left one of her legs shriveled, but she continued to play sports with the neighborhood boys.

She was on track to become a doctor, (yes--she was that bright!) when a freak vehicle accident left her impaled by a metal rod and debilitated by severe back injuries that would haunt the rest of her life. Soon after, Frida's father made her a special easel that allowed her to paint while she lay in bed recovering.

When her husband, a true player-player, cheated on her relentlessly, she continued to paint and had her own affairs with both men and women.

Her poor, broken body prevented her from carrying a child to full-term. This might explain why Frida had so many pets including monkeys, parrots, dogs, and even a deer!

But her spirit could not be crushed.

None of these things stopped Frida from living life and finding joy wherever she could. If you look at her paintings, you will see her pain, her hurt, and the horror she experienced, but you will also find great beauty, harmony, and a zest for life that is undeniable.

I found this beautiful children's book, FRIDA written by Jonah Winter & illustrated by Ana Juan, that encompasses her life reflecting both Mexican folk art and ex-voto paintings:

The pictures are hands-down gorgeous and the little creatures Ana Juan has so lovingly created in the background reflect traditional Mexican folk art characters. Meanwhile, the story of Frida's life has been condensed in such a way that a child will understand her pain and hardship and yet, be awed by both her creative spirit and determination to thrive.

I highly recommend this book. 

If you want to learn more about Frida, check out this site, The Frida Kahlo Foundation website.

Viva Frida!!!
xoxoxo,

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Leaving Writer's Block for the Road to Recovery


It was a gruesome place to be. Floundering, drifting, aimless, loafing. Pick your lame, idle word and insert it after this phrase: 

"Instead of writing productively, Heather was ___________"

It was a gruesome place to be.

But I made it through! Perhaps I needed a break. Perhaps I needed the time to redirect my writing path. Perhaps I needed to stop and look around Writer's Block, notice the scenery, the people I live with, check my mail, etc. Maybe Writer's Block is not a state of mind, but a location to gather one's creative juices before embarking, once more, along the road to a finish product.

I'm trying to tell myself it was a positive thing and not a complete waste of time that weighed on me like an anchor. 

Gertrude Stein said:


“It takes a heap of loafing to write a book.”

I wonder if she told herself that so she wouldn't see her time spent NOT writing as a bad thing. 

In any case, I got through it with the help of a friend, a nutella,/banana crepe, and coffee. Sometimes when you're stuck, you need someone to drag you back on to the road, away from Writer's Block (aka Loaferville.) You need to air out your brain, and let all the thoughts pertaining to where to take your writing spill forth. And maybe once you do, nothing comes out. That's where a trusted friend comes in. Someone you trust, someone who thinks about the same weird stuff you do and can surf your brain waves when your own mental surfboard has failed you.

Maybe, it takes a good listener to help you write a book. 

Maybe you need a friend to push your car back onto the road. Someone who will wave to you from Writer's Block as you wink at its retreat in your rearview mirror.

Maybe.

At least, that's what this Mermaid is telling herself...
;)

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

FREE Mermaid Coloring Page - #3

Are you liking the coloring pages?

Missed one or two? Click here or here to catch up!
Here's the newest! You can download this one here.


Thursday, February 14, 2013

Love this: Another Mermaid Coloring Page!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Consider this my Valentine to you, dear reader! Please print, color, hang on your fridge, take a picture, then share it with me and the world!



Please go to the link of the first ever, mermaid coloring page! It's all about iPhone covers... Let me know how you did! Instagram me! Email me (my address is on the sidebar!) Tweet me! Comment below! Just send me some mer-color-love!

xoxox
Your Favorite Mermaid

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

BOOK REVIEW - MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN by Ransom Riggs



Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (Miss Peregrine, #1)Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I enjoyed the first half of this book. The plot was intriguing and the flow of the story lead me along, building my curiosity. The ideas were fresh and new to this reader, and I found myself enjoying the experience. Overall, the writing was clever, humorous, and, at times, both lovely and poetic. These aspects of the book were very enjoyable and perhaps this would change my mind about reading a second book.

However, somewhere in the middle of the book I discovered that I was not connecting with any of the characters with the exception of the grandfather. I found myself, much like his former headmistress and lost love, pining for Abe long after he had left.

The use of  vintage, photographic images was, at first, fun and interesting. But after a time, I found the photo references to be forced. It was akin to jamming a square peg into a round hole. Having a peg does not justify filling holes for the sake of filling holes. This forced use of photos made me aware of the writer, something I prefer not to be aware of when I read fantasy.

The main character, (I finished the book yesterday and find myself stretching to remember his name...not a good sign. Ah, Jacob!) I felt that Jacob was mostly unlikable and not all that deep of a human being. His final decision left me questioning his moral character. I also took issue with his lack of questions upon his initial meeting with the islander friends of his grandfather's youth.

The main female lead, Emma (?) was at first, coarse and aggressive which segued into flirtatious and sexually aggressive. I did not find myself enjoying nor relating to either set of qualities and, given her age (both outward and inward), I found these qualities to be even more confusing.

The book ends abruptly with many loose ends, leading the reader into a second, and possibly third, book. This reader isn't all that interested in continuing on the new journey. Especially not a journey that sets out to find a lost character that only arrives towards the end of this first book. Sadly, I just don't care enough to find out what happens to the lost character or anyone else.


View all my reviews


Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Scrivener is my new obsession



I have discovered the Scrivener App.

SQUEEEEEE!

If you are reading this and your discovery has already happened, then you know this elation and are probably over it. I encourage you to go look at another post of mine (maybe this one?) 

If you, dear writer, have never heard of Scrivener and you are writing a novel, screenplay, short story, graphic novel, something creative with words in it, or even (gasp!) a non-fiction piece…this program is amazing. 

It allows you to think in a non-linear fashion. It allows you to organize everything! It allows you to set session writing goals (as in--I plan on writing 3,000 words this morning.) It allows you to include websites, photos, character dossiers, setting worksheets, as well as keywords (such as-- characters, time of day, time of year, setting, etc.) And…

Did I mention the cork board with the index cards?!

I’m not going to lie—the tutorial was exhausting and I’m not really sure just how much I absorbed (I took several Instagram/Twitter/Coffee breaks.)

BUT it has the promise to revolutionize the way I write.

Prior to Scrivener, I used MSWord and my files looked like:



Yeah, a big mess. I had a document for every chapter. Very confusing and hard to look at the final word count. I did a lot of cutting and pasting towards the end...it was a newbie nightmare.

I give you this as well:



That corkboard is heavy, dear reader. HEAVY. We live in a small space. I no longer have room for that cork board. 

I no longer need it!

Here’s a screenshot from Scrivener:


Do you see how neat those cards are compared to my scrap-paper autopsy above? Do you notice the keywords in the lower right so that I might, at a glance, check a scene and know: who's in it, where it takes place, and the time of year?

I'm gushing, I know.

If you are craving a place to put all your notes and such together AND color code them AND have the ability to write your synopsis without having to go back and take notes (why? Look at the cork board!) AND have the ability to scoot things around at will AND create character sketches then you have come to the right app.

It's only $40 after a 30 day trial.

I sound like an ad, but really I just like sharing cool stuff.
Consider yourself gushed upon by…

Your Favorite Mermaid

BTW - The Beastie Boy reference in the tutorial was not lost on this mermaid
who's always
cold kickin' it live.

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Mermaid Coloring Page - please print, color, enjoy!


I loved to color in coloring books when I was young.
I still do.
I'm still young.
No, really.
I am.

Anyway, this past summer, I was quite inspired (and impressed!) by Nina Chakrabati's coloring book, MY WONDERFUL WORLD OF FASHION

It's amazing! Where else can you design your own fingernails, gloves, and shoes while learning the history of fashion across different cultures and eras?

I was camping and I saw a few of the cool, older girls in our group busting out this book and some fancy coloring implements.
I was soooo jealous! 
They sat for hours coloring, side by side, remarking on each other's progress. *sigh* It was warm then, too, NOT the balmy 26 degrees it is now... Insert sad face.

Well, I made my own fancy coloring sheets, and I plan on releasing them over the next few weeks (maybe even longer if I get some good feedback!)

Please go to the link of the first ever, mermaid coloring page! It's all about lipstick... Then print, download, color, enjoy, then SHARE! Let me know how you did! Instagram me! Email me (my address is on the sidebar!) Tweet me! Comment below! Just send me some mer-color-love!

xoxox
Your Favorite Mermaid



Tuesday, January 29, 2013

My Dysfunctional Relationship with George R. R. Martin



I’m having a dysfunctional relationship with George R. R. Martin.

That’s right. He’s so possessive, so demanding, so needy that I have no life outside the one I have with him—and oh, how I love spending time with him. I love his world, his words, his magic. I can’t get enough! But the world outside is moving on and I am still his, and his alone.

It’s not healthy.

It has to stop. I need to put an end to it. But I just can’t. 
I can’t.

GAME OF THRONES has had me in its clutches for ten months now. I have read little else since I entered this relationship. Instead, I spend countless hours lounging on the couch as my mind adventures through the world above and below The Wall. The Lannisters, the Starks, the Targaryns have become my friends, my family. I spy on them from afar--watching their triumphs, feeling the crush of their defeats, agonizing over their losses as if they were my own. Winter is Coming is the motto of House Stark. Let me tell you something, Winter is already here. I never leave MY house! I will read for hours and the little percentage gauge on my Kindle moves a measly two percent! Oh, the endlessness of it all!

It’s not healthy.

In the meantime, I have had other suitors. They have come to my door holding flowers of their tales. Their modest gaze cast downward, their feet tracing circles in the sand as I longingly brush my fingers along their beautifully designed covers. I wonder longingly about the adventures I am missing-- possible tales that will thrill me and take me away from my beloved dragons and direwolves, swords and crossbows, knights and ladies.

Here are a few of the suitors I have missed out on:

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern






Unwind by Neal Shusterman



The Twelve by Justin Cronin



The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey


I know, I know. You are probably shaking your head at me. Sucking your teeth and tisking at my folly, “Girl, you are missing out on some good books! What is wrong with you? End that damn relationship with Martin. End it now!”

I know. 
It’s not healthy.

I’m on book five,  A DANCE WITH DRAGONS and I hope to god George takes his sweet time with book six (its expected to be released in 2015--thank the gods.) However, once he sends the call out regarding its release, like a war horn warning the Night’s Watch, I will come running. Like some wanton trollop, some filthy camp follower, I will leave behind whatever it is I am reading and run, arms outstretched, Kindle at the ready, to be reunited with my dysfunctional love...

Friday, January 25, 2013

DIY eBook Case Tutorial- Make a home for your Kindle, Nook, or iPad


If you own a kindle that predates the new Kindle Paperwhite, then you know how difficult it is to read at night. If you own any eBook device, you know that the cases (the nicer ones) can be ridiculously expensive and not accommodating for a book light.

I have a solution for you...










In my new, video tutorial I can guide you through the creation of your own eBook holder. It doesn't cost much and I have received many compliments on my FAMILY OF MAN version (which is looking quite beat up! I do not recommend using a black page for where your thumb will rest on the device's page turner. As you can see from mine, it wears away from use!)

Wasn't Steinbeck dreamy?!

Too lazy to make your own but love the idea?
Keep your hands clean, save time, and support another artist: go here or here on etsy to purchase a pre-made one.

On to the video!



DIY eBook Case Tutorial- Make a home for your Kindle, Nook, or iPad from Heather Rigney on Vimeo.