Scribblings from a twenty-year homeschool veteran about homeschooling, life after homeschooling, occasional peeks into the world of writing for children, and the ups and downs of life in general.
The Old Schoolhouse Magazine is putting on a story-writing contest! Two winners: one in the 16+ age-range (2,500 word story), and another in the 15 years old and under range (1,500 word story). Prizes worth almost $1000 are the rewards! All my writing students should think about entering this short-story contest!
I could tell you all about it here, but it's best to send you to the official page on line. If you scroll down to the bottom of the page (on the official contest page), you can see graphics of all the neat prizes!
OK, this is something new for me, but why not? I've agreed to host an up-and-coming author on a short tour through bloggy land. I'll post a review of her new book next Friday for Canada Girl's Show and Tell (Jan. 23). For now, here's the schedule if you'd like to see what others have to say.
The author is traveling around the states to promote State of Wilderness and State of Quarries (hopefully with a release date in January). Follow her and see where the adventure takes you next.
You can enter to when a prize. I'll post all the details on the 23rd.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 22 - Visiting Texas http://hollyjahangiri.blogspot.com Holly will also issue a challenge for commenters to leave an interesting, fun, or wacky fact about the state in which they live
There will be prizes offered for each stop. I'll be giving away USA map puzzles and a few state related items. The following are the rules to giveaway:
Rules for drawing:
1. Each person who leaves a comment and a valid email address in the comment will go into the drawing.
2. Only one entry per stop. If you leave several comments on the same stop, your name will only go in once.
A valid email must be left within the comment or the person is ineligible. I need a way to contact the winners so I can get mailing address to send their prizes. Winners will be announced in the comments section the next morning first thing.
Excellent! An opportunity to have some blog fodder today and participate in a poll and maybe even win something! So, here are the questions and answers. If you would like to participate in this really fun poll, click on Tia's blog: SAGERAT The more the merrier!
1. Why did you start a blog? It's complicated. I kept going to all these writers conference, and all the workshop leaders said, "Hey, authors, start a blog." A what? Where? Why? But I'm a person who's willing to try something at least once. So . . . I started a blog on Blogger after the conference (2006), and it was the dumbest thing I ever did. Like . . . what was I supposed to write about? (I wrote one entry and abaandoned it). Who would read it? Then, by God's grace, I found a blogging community . . . HSB! MY kind of folks---fellow homeschoolers. This made sense. I could talk to like-minded people, meet new folks, and actually have something in common to share, as well as let folks know about good books for kids. A perfect match. It's been so fun chatting with new homeschooling friends.
2. What did/do you hope to accomplish with your blogging? Get to know some on-line folks, share some community spirit, and have fun. And the exposure to my fledging business was a bonus.
3. Have you found that you don't post as much as you did when you started? Right now, unfortunately, this is true. I blogged nearly every day when I first joined HSB (May 2007).
4. If yes, why not? I think life has gotten busier and I've run out of things to post that are helpful to others. (I'm not much of a journal just to be journaling blogger. I like to write things that others might find useful).
5. How important are comments to you? Oh, I like comments, of course! Important, I guess.
6. Do you ever find yourself wishing people would not always leave comments that agree with you? No. Any comment is fine with me.
7. Do you comment on other people's blogs a lot, sometimes, or very little? I TRY to comment on everyone who visits, but lately I've been a slacker.
8. What determines why you don't post a comment on someone else's blog? If someones's post goes on and on, I tend to skim and maybe skip it. I think short and hard-hitting posts are the most effective, and I LOVE pictures! I always comment on pictures!
9. What determines why you do post a comment on someone else's blog? Returning a commenting favor, and especially heart-wrenching or encouraging post, pictures, or something that really makes me think!
11. Do you read random blogs either off of random blogger or friends lists? Sometimes I get in the mood and do both--random blogger & from other comments on friends' posts.
I'm off to a writers conference (as long as Kristel holds off on baby #6) Monday through Thursday this week. However, I put up TWO Bloggy giveaways. If you want to enter, click on the links that look interesting to you. Until then, I'll be--once again--off the grid and writing away at Oregon Christian Writers in Canby, OR.
If you're interested in winning a copy of Andrea Carter and the San Francisco Smugglers when it releases the end of August, along with a "Taffy" beanie baby horse, go here: CIRCLE C BLOG
If you'd like to win either the print version (or the new, full-color e-book) of my Reach for the Stars writing workbook for kids, go here: SUZY'S WRITING CORNER
By Your Love is having a contest to win a $39.00 Schoolhouse Planner from The Old Schoolhouse magazine. Now that's a pricey contest and well worth entering! Click the graphic to head over to By Your Love's blog to check it out. As a "sneak peek" here is part of her review:
"The first word out of my mouth as I opened my planner was WOW! I heard how great this was but I don't think I realized how great it could have been until I saw it. It is AWESOME! This planner is by far the greatest one I have ever seen!
This planner is an ebook. The great thing about that is you can print off what you want and leave what you don't, the cover would be great to print off and put in a 3 ring notebook and you could put the rest of the book inside and have a great planner for school time. It has 247 pages in it, it's also interactive so you can work on the pages in your computer and print them off, wow-thats great."
Happy Monday to everyone! As far as my Exercise Challenge (see right sidebar) I've been a good girl. I am now packing around 8# of weights in my vest and going 2 miles. I also hop on my bike and ride 5 miles (on sunny days), so I'm feeling pretty good about my progress.
I'm happily joining the Ultimate Blog Party this week! Just click the banner and you can sign up to win all sorts of wonderful prizes--all week long! The rules are right there. Now, a short word welcoming you to my blog:
I am a 20-year homeschool veteran. My daughter is carrying on the tradition by homeschooling her children (5, going on 6). My youngest is 16 and on his way out of this stage of our lives. During this "new" season of "life after homeschooling" I pursued a writing opportunity and ended up writing stories for kids that somebody actually wanted to publish (surprise!). So...what do I do on this blog? Exactly what a writer does whenever he/she is given an opportunity: I write. I do book reviews (sometimes), write about great field trips, give a few lofty thoughts about life and eternity, write a LOT about my kids and grandkids (don't we all?), give away copies of my books, and in general have a good time meeting new friends.
Here are my 4 "originals," which have grown to include spouses (not pictured)....and 7 lovely grandchildren
Now, here are the prizes I would LOVE to win for either myself or my daughter, Kristel:
In addition, I could really go for these other prizes, listed by number:
*1, 5, 9, 19, 22, 30, 34, 70*
However, I'm really happy with anything I win!
I'm also giving away a prize (actually 3 winners): the winner's choice of any of my current books (prize #73): You must sign the Mr. Linky at the Ultimate Blog Party to be included in any drawings! Go to my Circle C Ranch blog to learn more about my prize, since Andi is actually hosting it over there.
Hurry on over to A Pondering Heart and join in the Family Photo Contest. (You can read all of the rules over there, since her right-click feature is disabled so I can't copy and paste).
The prize is a subscription to The Old Schoolhouse magazine. Here, for consideration, is my exhibit--a family portrait from Christmas of my DD and her family:
The contest ends the end of this week, so hurry over and sign up with Mr. Linky to share your family photos!
I'm sorry this is getting up so late. I was gone all weekend, writing on Book 4 of my Circle C Adventures. I'm trying to finish it by December. I wrote 3,000 words up at our cabin in the Okanogan, and wow! That place really inspires me.
But enough of that. I know you all want to know who guessed correctly on my popular "How Many Horses" contest. There are....28 horses in the jar. That's right, folks. 28. I carefully went over the comments and I found 6 folks who guessed the exact number (Their blogs are below). Originally I was going to toss their names in a hat and pull out one winner, but I have decided to give a book to EACH of the six winners. However, to get your book, you must do these 3 things:
1) Choose the book you would like to receive. Here are your choices (with a short blurb about each). You may go to my WEBSITE if you want to read more about each one to help you decide. Note: if you choose book 3, Family Secret, I won't be able to send it to you until it is released in February 2008. ANDREA CARTER AND THE LONG RIDE HOME Andi’s poor choices plunge her into danger when she takes her horse Taffy and leaves her home on the Circle C ranch. ANDREA CARTER AND THE DANGEROUS DECISION Andi's frightening experiences with an outlaw captor result in new understanding of what the Golden Rule really means. ANDREA CARTER AND THE FAMILY SECRETAndi’s carefree life on the Circle C ranch is shattered by the arrival of strangers who hold the key to a shocking family secret from the past.
2) E-mail me your name and address (my "e-mail me" is on the sidebar) and tell me the name of the book you chose, along with the name of the person you want the book autographed to.
3) Announce on your blog that you won and send folks on over to see the contest you entered.
Congratulations! If you enjoy the book, tell all your friends so they'll buy them! And if you enjoy the "freebie" maybe you'll buy the others in the series!
Thanks for playing, everyone. If I think of another contest after the holidays to go along with the release of book 4, I'll post it. I think contests are fun!
I've discovered that everybody likes to win fun, free stuff. So I'm having another contest. Last June, I put on a contest to "Pick the Cover" of my new kids' historical adventure, Andrea Carter and the Family Secret, and it really was fun to see which cover you liked best. Whirlwind won a hot-off-the-press copy, when it's released next February.
Well, for the next couple of weeks, I'm going to give the kids (and anybody else who wants to try their guessing skills) an opportunity to guess the number of plastic horses in this quart canning jar. I set a little horse next to jar so you can see its size. The person closest to the correct number will win a copy of Family Secret. (Or, if you prefer not to wait until February, you may choose Long Ride Home or Dangerous Decision as your free book). If you want to read chapter 1 of any of the books, you can click here: Books. If you want to read more, I made this amazing discovery on my publisher's website. They put Chapter Two of Family Secret up. If you like the story, it is actually available for pre-order even now. (Ah! Technology!)
OK. Here are the rules:
1) Post the icon below on your blog, with a link back to the contest, so others can join the fun.
2) Make your guess--how many horses?--and post your answer in a comment. Don't forget your contact info, if you are not a logged-in HSB blogger!
3) If dozens of people guess the same number--and it is the closest (or the exact number), I will hold a drawing of those folks to determine the winner.
Here are my 4 "originals," which have grown to include spouses (not pictured)....and
7 lovely grandchildren
You must sign the Mr. Linky at the Ultimate Blog Party to be included in any drawings! Go to my 
I'm sorry this is getting up so late. I was gone all weekend, writing on Book 4 of my Circle C Adventures. I'm trying to finish it by December. I wrote 3,000 words up at our cabin in the Okanogan, and wow! That place really inspires me. 
