text:
tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52091766391624978762018-05-28T22:17:12.339-07:00The Royal Ascot ContestDelle Jacobshttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5209176639162497876.post-41529590407785262772012-08-05T21:06:00.000-07:002012-08-05T21:06:38.214-07:00And the Winner Is....The Beau Monde is pleased to announce the winner of the 2012 Royal Ascot Contest. First Place goes to:

 Terri Gibson for Violet Camberwell*

The Royal Ascot was a highly competitive contest this year. In the end, our finalists received 12 requests for more material made, 8 fulls and 4 partials. All of our final round judges noted the quality of this year's entries.

Warm congratulations and best wishes to Terri and to the rest of this year's finalists:

Eileen Emerson, Embracing an Unloved Earl*
Anna Genest, The Duchess and Mr. Smith
Sandra Owens, The Letter*
Joanna Shupe, Drawn to the Earl*
and Amy Villalba, To Pluck a Rose*

The Royal Ascot chairs, Sarah Tormey and Wendy La Capra, would like to thank you to our entrants, our first round judges, and our final round judges:

Stephany Evans, Fine Print Literary
Louise Fury, L Perkins Agency
Pam Hopkins, Hopkins Literary Associates
Lauren Plude, Hachette Book Group
Angela Polidoro, Random House
Deb Werksman, Sourcebooks
*indicates multiple requests Wendy La Caprahttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5209176639162497876.post-71788512160813663682012-05-25T13:57:00.001-07:002012-05-25T14:20:46.662-07:002012 Royal Ascot Contest Finalists
Thank you all for being so patient while we tallied the scores for The 2012 Royal Ascot Contest. It was a highly competitive contest this year. Please join me in sending warm congratulations to this year's finalists:

Eileen Emerson, Embracing an Unloved Earl
Anna Genest, The Duchess and Mr. Smith
Terri Gibson, Violet Camberwell
Sandra Owens, The Letter
Joanna Shupe, Drawn to the Earl
Amy Villalba, To Pluck a Rose

We will be returning the judged entries this weekend & the finaling manuscripts will be on their way to our final round judges tomorrow.

Stephany Evans, Fine Print Literary
Louise Fury, L Perkins Agency
Pam Hopkins, Hopkins Literary Associates
Editors Lauren Plude, Hachette Book Group
Angela Polidoro, Random House
Deb Werksman, Sourcebooks

Thank you our talented entrants and to our hard-working judges.

Sincerely,
The 2012 Royal Ascot Co-Chairs,
Wendy La Capra & Sarah Tormey
Wendy La Caprahttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5209176639162497876.post-9769130156334354202012-02-01T13:54:00.000-08:002012-02-01T13:54:13.774-08:00Experiencing Technical DifficultiesThe Royal Ascot Contest is experiencing technical difficulties accepting payments. We are attempting to resolve the problem and hope to have the entry forms and payment instructions posted as soon as the issue is resolved.

Thank you for your patience!Royal Ascot email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5209176639162497876.post-4076250591756793232012-01-24T11:25:00.000-08:002012-01-24T11:46:24.588-08:00One more week until the Royal Ascot Contest opensThe Royal Ascot contest opens in just one more week! Your coordinators are working behind the scenes to make this year's contest as successful as it has been in prior years. Did you know that one year, an editor promised contracts to all three finalists in a particular category? Last year, our re-vamped contest resulted in requests for 12 manuscripts.

So, what else is there to love about the Royal Ascot?
1. Judges who love Historicals
2. Broad Exposure: All six finalists are read by all six editors and agents, giving each of our six finalists six chances at requests
3. No chance of being in 6th Place: There will be one winner and five finalists
4. Cash Prizes!

...and so much more.

Still on the fence? Check out these links to the 2012 Contest Rules and the 2012 Contest Score Sheet.

Not able to enter? How about helping us judge? We have a judge's loop for support and instruction.

Judges can choose their categories, and will receive their entries the week of 4/9. Each judge will receive 4 entries. Deadline for returns is May 18th. The entries are a maximum of 7000 words (no synopsis this year).

Sign up here, via Google docs: Judge Sign Up Form Wendy La Caprahttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5209176639162497876.post-76991176053534536402012-01-17T15:46:00.000-08:002012-01-17T15:46:04.311-08:00Announcing the 2012 Royal Ascot!Announcing the 2012 Royal Ascot!

Unpublished writers: Polish the first 7000 words of those manuscripts! The 2012 Royal Ascot will open for Entries on February 1st, 2012. In the next few weeks, details will be available on our webpage and through MyRWA, but, for now, here are highlights:

This year's contest will be open to unpublished authors and authors who have not been contracted in book length fiction by RWA PAN definition in the last 5 years. All entries must have at least partial Regency (Late Georgian) setting, broadly defined: within the United Kingdom between 1780 and 1840. No synopsis is necessary!

Our categories will be used to assign first round judges to the manuscript types they prefer: Regency Historical (longer Regency or Mainstream Regency-set) Hot Regency (Very sensual to Erotic Regency, at author's discretion) Wild Regency (Paranormal, Time Travel, other similar Regency) Sweet & Mild Regency (Traditional, Inspirational, Young Adult or other without explicit sex). Each entry will be judged by three judges, including at least one published in Regency Romance. The lowest score will be dropped, and the top six entries will move to the final round.

Our Final Round Judges are:

Agents
Stephany Evans, Fine Print Literary
 Louise Fury, L Perkins Agency
Pam Hopkins, Hopkins Literary Associates

Editors
Lauren Plude, Hachette Book Group
Angela Polidoro, Random House
Deb Werksman, Sourcebooks

Besides the February 1st opening, some additional important dates are:
• Friday April 6th, 2012, midnight PDT: Deadline for all parts of entry
• Finalists Announced May 25th, 2012
• Winner(s) will be announced at The Beau Monde Conference

Further details will be announced on the blog and website soon! If you have any questions, feel free to contact this year's co-coordinators, Sarah Tormey and Wendy La Capra, at firstname.lastname@example.com. Thank you!Wendy La Caprahttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5209176639162497876.post-14280128693736000072010-07-28T19:30:00.000-07:002010-07-28T19:30:00.181-07:00Winners of the 2010 Royal AscotThe winners of the 2010 Royal Ascot were announced by The Beau Monde Regency Writers' Chapter of RWA, at the annual soiree on Wednesday night, July 28, 2010.

Congratulations to all!
Regency Historical:
First Place: A Most Improper Gentleman*** by Elisa Beatty
Second Place: Listen to Your Heart*** by Miranda Liasson
Third Place: Embracing Scandal by Sue Webb
Judged by Leis Pederson, Assistant Editor, Berkley

Hot and Wild Regency:
First Place: The Devil May Care by Elisa Beatty
Second Place: Stealing Time by Bill Haggart
Third Place: Cursed by Alyssa Fernandez
Judged by Tessa Woodward, Editor, Avon/HarperCollins

Sweet and Mild Regency:
First Place: A Deceitful Widow by Constance Hussey
Second Place: The Unexpected Beneficiaries by Michelle Wood
Third Place: Long Lost Husband by Kristl Spalding
Judged by Nicole D'Arienzo, Senior Historical Editor, The Wild Rose Press

*** Denoted full manuscript requested by final round judge

Delle Jacobshttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5209176639162497876.post-54785107943157054002010-06-02T12:35:00.000-07:002010-07-18T20:22:05.834-07:00Anouncing the 2010 Finalists!Regency Historical Finalists:
A Most Improper Gentleman by Elisa Beatty
Listen to Your Heart by Miranda Liasson
Embracing Scandal by Sue Webb
To Be Judged by Leis Pederson, Assistant Editor, Berkley

Hot & Wild Regency Finalists:
The Devil May Care by Elisa Beatty
Stealing Time by Bill Haggart
Cursed by Alyssa Fernandez
To Be Judged by Tessa Woodward, Editor, Avon/HarperCollins

Sweet & Mild Regency Regency Finalists:
A Deceitful Widow by Constance Hussey
Long Lost Husband by Kristl Spalding
The Unexpected Beneficiaries by Michelle Wood
To Be Judged by Nicole D'Arienzo, Senior Historical Editor, The Wild Rose PressDelle Jacobshttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5209176639162497876.post-36245028313028398022010-05-12T14:21:00.000-07:002010-05-12T14:32:38.666-07:00The Royal Ascot 2010 Contest is ClosedAs of April 30, 2010, midnight PDT, the deadline has passed and the contest is closed to further entries. All entries that met the contest standards are now in the hands of the first round judges. Each entry has at least two published judges, and a few have three.

Finalists will be announced the first week of June, barring unforeseen circumstances, and winners will be announced on July 28,2010.

With the big flood in Nashville and the inundation of the Opryland Hotel, RWA and the Beau Monde have been sadly forced to re-locate our conferences. It is our great fortune that the RWA staff succeeded in re-locating the RWA conference to Orlando, Florida, and the Disney World Swan & Dolphin Hotels. The beau Monde is likewise working to obtain space in the same hotel complex for our short, one-day conference on Wednesday, July 28. So we hope for the best and continue to plan to announce our Royal Ascot winners at our annual Soiree that evening.

Good luck to the contestants, and may you either achieve a publishing contract or learn what you need to know to to make your journey toward publication a success!Delle Jacobshttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5209176639162497876.post-36436383953954052062010-04-15T10:12:00.000-07:002010-04-15T10:46:54.462-07:00The 8500 Word Limit: What Does It Mean?One of the hardest things to work out in running a contest is the size of the entries. If it's a page count, then some contestants will always have the problem of being a page or two over the limit for the portion they want to submit. But there has to be a limit somewhere. So why did we set the limit this year as a computer word count?

Years ago, the Royal Ascot started out being a "First Chapter and Synopsis" contest. Sure, yes, Prologues could be included. Had to be 30 pages or less, synopsis no longer than 10 pages. So contestants were often forced to do what I call "cramming" in order to get the material they wanted into their entry. I know. I was entering in all those years.

Well, we decided that yes, sometimes an opener really needed to be two chapters long, and that would be okay if it stayed in the page limits. So contestants were soon trying to figure out how to turn three chapters into two. And cram it all in. One year I saw an entry with six chapters and I knew we had to make some changes.

It's really not fair if some people double space and others space at 1.435 or whatever. Should we limit the number of lines? It doesn't work if you don't specify a font. And some people dislike it if we tell them what font they have to use. I once saw a contest entry in 8 pt. Arial, with line spacing that was barely over single, and every sentence in not more than one paragraph per page.

The only thing that keeps the contest entries evenly matched in the beginning is to specify a computer word count. We set it at 8500 words. This, frankly, is more than equal to what a 30 page manuscript that an author would submit to an editor would hold. It's more than equal to "the first one or two chapters and up to ten page synopsis". That's a shade over 283 words per page for a 30-page document, and that's a lot of words on a page.

Computer word count. Not page word count. Not a "250-word-per-page" estimate (which would actually work if you're using Courier 12 pt, and probably would make it for Times New Roman too, if you're not cramming). I'll accept a count in Word or Word Perfect. Or even Open Office. And I do verify. So now that's settled, you don't have to worry about squeezing words onto pages. You can just double-space normally and use a nice Times New Roman 12 pt font. Go back to no more than two chapters. Don't try to make it three. Shorten your 15-page synopsis because you really shouldn't send one that long to an editor anyway.

I've written a few other blogs, mostly last year, on how to shorten entries, writing a better synopsis, etc. You'll find them in the archives of this blog.Delle Jacobshttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5209176639162497876.post-10651627744732698022010-02-01T22:30:00.000-08:002010-02-01T22:38:03.634-08:00Announcing the 2010 Royal AscotThe Beau Monde Regency Writers' Specialty Chapter of Romance Writers of America is proud to announce its 2010 Royal Ascot. You can read the basic rules in the column to the right. Future announcements will specify the exact rules and final round judges, along with several blogs by experienced contest enterers and judges and published authors who have sold as a result of winning a contest.

The contest will be open for entries beginning March 15, 2010, and close to all entries at midnight PDT, April 20, 2010. If you have any questions or special needs regarding the contest, feel free to ask questions at any time. Just leave a comment on the blog, or contact the coordinator personally at firstname.lastname@example.com.

Delle Jacobs
2010 Royal Ascot CoordinatorDelle Jacobshttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5209176639162497876.post-41130044250425431242009-07-20T07:58:00.000-07:002010-02-01T22:27:21.209-08:002009 ROYAL ASCOT WINNERS!CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2009 ROYAL ASCOT WINNERS!

*Regency Historical:*
FIRST PLACE: Alleyne Dickens, MisMatched ***
SECOND PLACE: Carol Jo Kachmar, Seduced By Passion
THIIRD PLACE: Karen Dobbins, Never Too Late
Final Round Judge: Linda Fildew, Senior Editor, Harlequin Mills & Boon
***MisMatched Revised full manuscript submission requested

*Sweet & Mild Regency:*
FIRST PLACE: Constance Hussey, The Angel and St. Clair (Traditional Regency)
SECOND PLACE: Donna Maloy, Legend of the Fox (Young Adult Regency)***
THIRD PLACE: Marjorie Gilbert, The Return of Hope (Traditional Regency)
Final Round Judge: Deb Werksman, Acquiring Editor, Sourcebooks
*** Legend of the Fox Submission of partial manuscript requested to Children's Editor

*Hot & Wild Regency:*
FIRST PLACE: Pamela Bolton-Holyfield, The Deceit of Desire (Very Sensual Regency Historical)
SECOND PLACE: Leah Ball, Secret Possessions (Very Sensual Regency Historical)
THIRD PLACE: Shereen Vedam, The Coven at Callington, (Fantasy Regency)
Final Round Judge: Tessa Woodward, Associate Editor, HarperCollinsDelle Jacobshttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5209176639162497876.post-79131853984931671652009-05-28T09:37:00.000-07:002009-07-20T07:57:56.111-07:00ROYAL ASCOT FINALISTS!CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2009 ROYAL ASCOT FINALISTS!

*Regency Historical:*
Karen Dobbins, Never Too Late
Aleyne Dickens, Mismatched
Carol Jo Kachmar, Seduced By Passion
 Final Round Judge: Linda Fildew, Senior Editor, Harlequin Mills & Boon

*Sweet & Mild Regency:*
Constance Hussey, The Angel and St. Clair (Traditional Regency)
Donna Maloy, Legend of the Fox (Young Adult Regency)
Marjorie Gilbert, The Return of Hope (Traditional Regency)
 Final Round Judge: Deb Werksman, Editorial Manager, Sourcebooks

*Hot & Wild Regency:*
Pamela Bolton-Holyfield, The Deceit of Desire (Very Sensual Regency Historical)
Shereen Vedam, The Coven at Callington, (Fantasy Regency)
Leah Ball, Secret Possessions (Very Sensual Regency Historical)
Final Round Judge: Tessa Woodward, Assistant Editor, HarperCollins

Entries and score sheets will be returned to contestants by June 18, 2009. Thanks for entering!
Winners will be announced at the Beau Monde soiree in Washington, DC, July 15, 2009.Delle Jacobshttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5209176639162497876.post-59646515309501966342009-04-08T19:38:00.000-07:002009-05-30T21:25:04.111-07:00EVEN MORE FAQ's: Why not .docx?I've had several people ask me what .docx is and why they shouldn't use it.

If you don't know what it is, then you probably don't need to worry about it. This is the file extension for the new format of Word 2007, so if you have Word 2007, you might want to check to see if your document extension is .docx and not .doc

Why can't we use it? Well the older versions of Word can't read it, and a lot of people have chosen not to update a program they see as working perfectly well for them. I actually bought a version of it, but it's been sitting in its original box since last summer, untouched, uninstalled. I don't want to go through the problems it creates. I'm sure it's a perfectly fine version, but if nobody can read it, why don't I just stick with my favorite, WordPerfect, which I already have to convert to send to people? Why go through two conversions?

There is a conversion package you can get. But I will be much better off as the coordinator if I don't have to solve this problem in addition to others that are bound to come up. So that's why I'm asking all contestants to save their entries in .rtf format. Then we all can read it. If you happen to make a mistake and send it to me in WordPerfect or Word as a .doc file, I'll just convert it for you and send it on to the judges. But if you send it as .docx, sorry, I'll send it back and ask you to fix it.

If you don't know how to save as .rtf, I'll be happy to help you do it. It's easy. But I can't do it for you because I can't open your .docx file. No, I have no clue why Microsoft did this and I probably won't ever know.

Maybe next year.Delle Jacobshttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5209176639162497876.post-12248874734349126582009-04-08T11:55:00.000-07:002009-04-08T12:42:02.285-07:00MORE FAQ'sI've had a few more questions I'd like to share with you. Most of them seem to relate to format, but there are others.

1. You don't say I have to double space my entry. But if I single space, I have far too many words. Why didn't you just say to double space?

We're trying not to get into the old format wars that have dogged so many notable contests in the past. And we know sometimes double-spacing isn't really double, for various reasons. But at the same time, we want to give all contestants an equal chance.

So rather than concentrate on formatting issues, we've set a word and page limit. We hope you'll be kind to us and use a standard font and font size, reasonable margins and a nice healthy space between lines.

2. Okay, fine. Why don't you tell us what you would use?

Okay, you asked. But keep in mind you don't have to do it my way.

I'd set my margins at 1 inch, use Courier 12 pt, and 25 lines per page. To do this, I actually have to set line spacing at 1.85, not double. Sometimes I use Times New Roman but it's really difficult for me to spot typos, so I set it at 13 pt. Most people would go to 14 pt, which means it uses up more space than Courier. Times New Roman 12 pt. should NOT be set to get 25-26 lines per page. This gives far too much word density, since TNR's normal double spacing is 21-22 lines per page.

3. But if I do that, I can only get one chapter into the contest. I want to send three chapters.

The Royal Ascot was originally a "First Chapter" contest. We've always limited it to 30 pages including synopsis. We want to keep it that way but also realize for some writers the "beginning"
can include more than just the first chapter.

Regardless, try to find where your first major "hook" is, and stop at that point. If it falls outside the 30 pages, especially with the synopsis included, you probably will do better in contests if you condense your first chapter. I think you'll find that contests expecting three chapters will tend to run about Golden Heart-size length, 55 pages.

4. I want to get the judges to the point where the action starts to sizzle, but it doesn't fit within the 30 pages. What do I do?

Edit. Like crazy. Throw away those first few chapters that don't sizzle. Personally, I want my action jumping right out of that frying pan sizzling from the first page, but I know other people prefer it a little slower. Whatever your style, the point where the action "sizzles" is where your story starts.

Everything before that is backstory, not story. Move it or delete it, but don't put it up front because your readers have come for your story, not your words- no matter how beautiful your words are. Do your best to keep your lead-in to a page or two.

Please go read my post on February 26, FINDING THE RIGHT PLACE TO BEGIN:
http://theroyalascot.blogspot.com/2009/02/finding-right-place-to-begin.html

It explains this concept more thoroughly.Delle Jacobshttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5209176639162497876.post-62969672713749532102009-03-30T21:44:00.000-07:002009-03-30T21:47:54.074-07:00FAQsSome of the frequently asked questions about the Royal Ascot:
1. Why do you care about the format of my entry?
If all entrants use similar formatting, no one is getting any special breaks from that, and the quality of the story itself is showcased instead of unimportant things like font. It's also easier for the judges to read if they are not side-tracked by unusual fonts or densely crammed paragraphs.

Sometimes contestants feel if they can just get the judges to read more of their words, they will have a better chance. Actually, the reverse is true. I've seen some really extreme examples of attempts to cram more and more words into an entry, things like not indenting paragraphs, running paragraphs together, and cramming extra lines on a page. In reality the entry becomes less and less readable. White space is good. It makes the words stand out.

2. Why do you have both a page limit and a limit on the number of words?
The maximum word count of 8500 words allows for 283 words average per page. If you have more words than this in 30 pages, you have a densely crowded manuscript, and it will be difficult for judges to read. That has a negative impact on a judge's opinion of your work.

3. Am I supposed to provide a set-up for my story in addition to my synopsis and manuscript beginning?
Only if you are entering a time travel that doesn't begin in the Regency period. In that case, give us a short summary of what happens between your story's opening and the time when it enters the Regency period. Begin your manuscript portion of the entry with the point where it enters the Regency time period.

4. Why can't I send you a printed entry?
We've tried having both printed and electronic entries at the same time, and we have received poor response for the paper entries. They add a lot of work and expense in relationship to their value to participants, and we believe we're giving better value to everyone, including those judges and coordinators who donate their time, if we just keep it all electronic.

5. Does an entry in the Hot & Wild category have to be both Paranormal AND Erotic?
No. Our categories are designed flexibly, to provide the most opportunities for the contestants and help find suitable judge for such a wide variety of sub-categories. Hot & Wild entries could be paranormal, or very spicy, or erotic. Or they could be both paranormal and very sexy. They might also include other elements that might make them fit into other categories, but generally if the paranormal or very hot elements are dominant in the story, the Hot & Wild category would be the best choice for them.

6. But what if my entry has no sex in it, and has some romance but is really more of a mainstream historical about the Peninsular War, but also involves angels on the battlefield? What category should I choose for it?
We'd like to find room for everybody who is endeavoring to write Regency-set romance, but sometimes that does create puzzles for us. You could probably choose any of the three categories. If the story is not all about angels, though, I'd suggest avoiding the Hot & Wild category. If it's an Inspirational Romance, you might want to put it in Sweet & Mild, where most Inspirationals will be. And if it's most strongly historical, perhaps the Regency Historical category would be best.

7. Will you disqualify me if I pick the wrong category? What if I end too many pages? What if the formatting messes up my page count?
No. We'll discuss it with you if we think another category would be a better choice for you, or if your story doesn't fit in that category at all. For example, an Inspirational romance probably needs to remain in the Sweet & Mild category because that's where its strongest judges will be. And a sexy story really should not go in the Sweet & Mild category.

If you have too many pages, again, we'll talk about it. I might be able to suggest something that will help you edit a bit more. The problem might be caused by different formats, or there might be too few lines on a page. If you send me 50 pages, though, I'll send it back and ask you to cut it down before submitting. All of this must be finished before the deadline, though.

8. Are your deadlines firm? What if I send it out on time but it gets there late?
Now that we're all electronic, this isn't much of a problem anymore. But we have to adhere to a tight time schedule if we're going to be done in time to announce our winners at the soiree in July.

Delle Jacobshttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5209176639162497876.post-44399565618822566932009-03-17T09:46:00.000-07:002009-05-04T22:12:06.320-07:00Crafting the Winning SynopsisThe question has come up of whether the synopsis for the Royal Ascot entries is judged. Yes. I'm still surprised when I hear this question because it's only been recently that the notion of submitting something that's not judged has developed any popularity. But I'm an old contest maven, remember. I entered my first contest back when notifications of contests were done entirely by circulating flyers to other RWA chapters. They weren't even listed in the RWR back then (which by itself was a pretty primitive magazine at the time). Okay, that was 1993, if you really need to know.

Another thing about back then: You could read books on how to write a novel, but nobody wrote one about how to write a synopsis. Nobody taught any courses about it, and you couldn't find any information online. Heck, you couldn't find anything online. Chances were, you hadn't even heard the word modem then.

So I spent a lot of time trying to igure out how to do a decent synopsis. I still have one of my earlier ones, and I'll guarantee, it is awful. It's a 12 page list of events in chronological order, in sentences that all have the same structure, short and clipped, and bare. No wonder no one was interested in buying my stories then.

But no matter who I asked, no one could, would maybe, tell me what I needed to know. There was "You've got to get the emotion into it." Yeah, I did ask over and over how to do that and got what amounted to blank stares in return.

And mine were long. The first one I wrote was 42 pages. I did have the sense to not submit it, and realized it was really a story outline, the kind I'd use for myself. With great effort, I got it down to something almost useful. The above-mentioned 12 pages.

So what have I learned over the years? Well, most of that is covered in these three links to some great information for synopsis writers. I swiped this list from another author, Jenna Bayley-Burke, right out from under her nose, because I thought you could use them:

Synopsis Creation-Plot Revision by Alicia Rasley - example of how to fix a bad synopsis
http://www.sff.<wbr>net/people/<wbr>alicia/artsynrev<wbr>ision.htm

Honing your Synopsis Skills by Joanne Rock - emotional landmarks make the synopsis, not just a string of events
http://home.<wbr>att.net/~<wbr>jrock008/<wbr>synopsis_<wbr>article.html

Synopsis by Linda Needham - synopsis worksheet
http://www.lindanee<wbr>dham.com/<wbr>synopsistwn.<wbr>htm

What did I personally do to make my synopses work? Well, I started with my first tool, whiich was my first excited notes/outline of the story. Sometimes, if I'd finished the story, I'd go back and briefly edit to make the synopsis fit however the story had changed. Then I'd get out my YELLOW highlighter and mark all my major points- plot turning points, emotional turning points, motivations-- everything I thought needed to be in the synopsis. I'd then copy and paste them into a long list, which I would whittle down further by using the PINK highlighter in the same way as I'd done the yellow one. That makes orange, by the way. Delete the stuff that's still only yellow. I'd re-phrase next, trying to consolidate sentences. This usually got me down to the 12-15 page stage. Still too long, and it didn't exactly make exciting reading.

Next, I'd look for ways to generalize the plot. Instead of the detailed interaction of the hero and heroine going fishing, I'd just say they went fishing, where he rescued the trapped otter-- whatever, and she saw a softer side of him.

I discovered that by making a separate emotional plot line, which sometimes I run in a separate column side by side with the physical plot, I can see how it's the emotional line, the romantic growth, that makes the story strong. Then it's much easier for me to write sentences that combine the two, while minimizing plot and maximizing emotion.

A number of times my first plot sketch has been good enough to work into a synopsis. This has usually happened when I set out to keep my story-teller voice in the sketch. I just act like I'm explaining-telling- my exciting new story to my best friend. Somehow it ha better voice and shorter, too.

Another approach when I'm stumped, and need a much shorter synopsis but it wont trim down: I go to the extreme in shortening it. All the way to a blurb that would fit on the back of a business card. Sometimes not any more than a sentence. The question I ask: What's the essence of my story? Think Elevator Pitch. How would you describe your story to an editor if she asked you in an elevator, and you know she's getting off on the eighth floor?

An example: Sunrise on the Cornish Coast: Two ladies. One spyglass. Two naked men dashing into the surf. One of them is the man Lady Juliette hoped would never find her.

Sure, there's lots more story after that. But this captures the theme, suspense, setting-- go from there.

This one better encapsulates the entire story: What was intended to be a restorative tonic for women turns out to have an entirely different effect on men. And the bachelors of the Ton re running scared.

The object is to keep your tiny blurb in mind as you expand it. Build your synopsis from that point, maybe occasionally checking with your long one where you think you had it just right before. But build like you're putting up house framework, then adding on the remainder. Stop with the framing for a very short synopsis- just the emotional guts with clear but very general plot line. Add more detail for one that's 3-4 pages long, more emotion and motivation, more plot. Then your 7-10 page synopsis can be your mainstay that fleshes thing out. But again, keep your concentration on motivation and emotion.

Hope this helps! Now go get busy and polish up your synopsis!Delle Jacobshttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5209176639162497876.post-73772311945071471222009-03-03T13:10:00.000-08:002009-03-16T13:14:12.730-07:00NIT-PICKY STUFF: All about EnteringI've given you the basic rules for the Royal Ascot in the Side Bar. But here is some more specific information on submitting, formatting, eligibility, etc:

CATEGORY GUIDELINES:
Regency Definition: set between 1785 and 1830
Setting must be at least partially in the British Empire during the Regency period, or any setting which includes British citizens in any other part of the world during the Regency period.
Entries with strong paranormal or erotic elements are best placed in the Hot and Wild Category. Entries without explicit sex in the story lines would be best placed in the Sweet and Mild category.

ELIGIBILITY:
Open to all authors who have not been published in romance fiction by RWA PAN standards in the last five years.
Published authors may enter for feedback, but will not be eligible to participate in the final round of judging.
Entry must not be published or contracted in any form at the time of entry.
A previous entry may be entered again if it was not a previous winner of the contest.
An entry may be entered in only one category
Participants may enter more than one manuscript but must submit a separate entry form and fee for each entry.

ENTRY:
SIZE: Maximum 30 pages and 8500 words (computer count), to include the story opening and a synopsis not longer than 10 pages. Time Travels should begin where Regency setting begins, with a one-page summary to that point.
FORMAT: Use standard fonts and standard sizes, preferably Times New Roman or a Courier font, at least 12 pt, and standard margins and indentations, please.
HEADER: include title and category, and sub-category if applicable.
NO AUTHOR'S NAME anywhere on manuscript or synopsis.
ATTACH SYNOPSIS to the end of your manuscript pages.
USE Word or RTF. Please don't use Word .docx because many judges can't read it. Coordinator will help if you need help.
No cover sheet needed. Your email serves this purpose.

HOW TO SUBMIT:
ENTRY FORM is found at http://dellejacobs.com/royalascot
If you can't access this, contact the coordinator for help. Fill out entry form and submit it.
PAYMENT: Check or PayPal. Use one of the links on the entry form. Follow instructions on the link. Any checks must arrive by the contest deadline.
EMAIL: to contest coordinator at firstname.lastname@example.com
INCLUDE:
Entry Form, attached to email
Complete entry, attached to email
Subject Line of the email: RA- plus the title of your entry (may be abbreviated).
You may put a message to coordinator in the message box.
Please keep an un-altered copy of your submission in case of problems

JUDGING:
Each entry will receive three judges in the first round, at least one published in romance fiction, and another published or a major contest finalist. Royal Ascot Score Sheet is used and judges are encouraged to write on the entry, and the entries and score sheets will be returned to the entrants after the first round of judging.
Discrepancy judging will only take place if there is at least a 30 point spread between the two lowest scores, and the entry would have a possibility of finaling with a higher total score.
Only three entries in each category will become finalists. If necessary, any ties will be resolved before the final round , using a fourth judge.
Note: If the sub-genre of any finaling entry is not one acquired by the final round judge, an attempt will be made to obtain a read from an editor who acquires that sub-genre. This editor will not participate in judging. All final round judges place priority on story quality, not acquirability.

ANY QUESTIONS? NEED ANY HELP? JUST ASK: firstname.lastname@example.com

Thanks for your interest! We look forward to having you in our contest.

Delle Jacobs,
Royal Ascot 2009 CoordinatorDelle Jacobshttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5209176639162497876.post-61156049838018114342009-02-26T20:18:00.000-08:002009-02-28T21:08:31.914-08:00DEB WERKSMAN, Casablanca Acquiring Editor, Says:
Several of you have asked what the Royal Ascot final round judges want for submissions, since that's often a criteria contestants use in determining which category will best suit their needs. So it occurred to me, why not ask the editors themselves to talk about what they want to buy, and what grabs ther interest.

I've invited Deb Werksman, Casablanca Acquiring Editor for SourceBooks, to be our guest, to tell us how she sees the current market trends and what she is seeking. Deb first posted the below information on Casablanca Authors, following a pitch contest, and at the end, her basic submission criteria. I think both the information on the pitch and the market wil be useful.

DEB SAYS:

Hello, everyone. The pitch contest was FANTASTIC, I loved it! Thank you to all who participated and all who didn't.

An extended list of winners was posted, so if you didn't see your name on the short list, please go back and check again (I believe the extended list was posted on 2/17).

Of course, I have an open submissions policy, so if you're not on any winner's list, you can still ubmit to me (and some of you already have!)

However, the value of the contest is to see:
*which pitches caught my eye
*which ones didn't

For the most part, the ones that did had something unusual that grabbed me (think "HOOK!!!!!!!<wbr>) and the ones that didn't either weren't clear, sharp and fresh in the writing, or seemed like something I've read before.

Here's a quick update on the state of the category, subgenre by subgenre, very subjective in some ways, but hopefully informative.

PARANORMAL: still the hottest subgenre in the category, but it's harder and harder to debut in this subgenre, especially with vampires. They've been done so many ways that unless you've got something new/fresh/different<wbr>/hot, it's probably been done before. I'm still digging werewolves, got a mermaid trilogy that's incredibly hot (and unusual--look for fantastic world-building) and a light para series that's funny and growing (think vicious bunny slippers). Psychics, ghosts, etc. are tough to sell, but give me something new and different, and I'll be all over it!

HISTORICAL: strong, strong, strong. Best periods are English Georgian, Regency, Victorian or Scottish any time. Other periods really tough to sell, alas, but don't hesitate to try me--something truly new/fresh could be a break out winner. We've got two trilogies coming (one with a suspense element, one magnificent Regencies with the most appealing nobleman rogues for heroes...) also a Scottish that's got one of the most flawed, amazing heroes I've ever read..we sigh his name around the office from time to time when we need a pick-me-up.

CONTEMPORARY: straight contemporary tough in the marketplace right now; without a great hook, there's simply too much competition. Cowboys work (yeehaw!), Navy SEALs work (yes sir!), other military types can work, and we have an author who does love triangles like nobody's business, which I think is going to work as her readership builds. I say romantic comedy is going to rise soon and rise fast (I may be the lonely voice in the wilderness, but our series with the nurturing heroes is getting great kudos and as this recession deepens/widens, I think people are
going to want to laugh). See also below, for the contemporary Jane Austen sequels, which are really working as well.

ROMANTIC SUSPENSE: I wish I had more of this on my list (I've got some Irish suspense with paranormal elements that's unbelievable!<wbr>), but it's tough to find. Two big issues that come up over and over are:
*world-building-<wbr>-I'm not getting the world of the story--I'm seeing lots of FBI agent/cop eroes/heroines, but without a sense that the author really knows what that life is like--it's kind of second-hand experience
*plausibility-<wbr>-there's a lot of murder/mayhem, but it's plot devices that aren't at all fresh (the murdered/kidnapped twin sister she didn't know she had, the murdered parents, etc.). These things just don't happen that often in real life, so it's hard to relate. The characters need motivations that the reader can relate to.

Romantic Suspense was the #2 subgenre before the economic crash, but since then all escape fiction is up EXCEPT mystery/thriller, so I don't know what's going to happen to this subgenre. People are hurting, they may not want to be scared for fun.

EROTIC ROMANCE: I haven't gotten into this subgenre yet, and I expect to, but I'm not seeing stories that are (once again) fresh and interesting. I'm seeing a lot that I feel like I've read already.

YA ROMANCE: Bring it on! We're bringing out our first YA fiction this fall, and this is a subgenre we're eager to build into, so this is my first official call for submissions.

WOMEN'S FICTION: Must have a really unusual premise to work on my list--not seeing much that's new/fresh here.

HISTORICAL FICTION: PW recently named Sourcebooks the leader in Jane Austen sequels--keep 'em coming (including YA)--readers can't get enough! We just launched a new series that's the sweetest, most romantic sequels ever done and they're flying out of Target-- other series include hilarious takes, American cousins, minor characters developing in amazing directions, unexpected variations, and altogether something fresh and new in the genre. We've also got contemporary JA sequels that re-tell the Pride and Prejudice story with modern
characters--<wbr>these are really hot and fun. It's a formula created over 200 years ago, and you know what! It works!

Check out my specific romance fiction guidelines at www.sourcebooks.<wbr>com

Remember my criteria:
*Single title only (90K words) also series and trilogies in this length
*Heroine the reader can relate to
*Hero she can fall in love with
*A world gets created
*I can sell it in 2 sentences (or 50 words!)
Things you can do from here:
- Subscribe to Casablanca Authors using Google Reader
- Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your
favorite sites

http://casablancaauthors.blogspot.com/2008/05/deb-werksman-casablanca-acquiring.html

Delle Jacobshttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5209176639162497876.post-77255376224211796792009-02-26T12:08:00.000-08:002009-02-26T14:47:55.558-08:00FINDING THE RIGHT PLACE TO BEGINYou've got a great story idea. You've figured out the plot and the hero and heroine are growing magically in your mind. You know all about who they are and how they got to be the way they are. The story is just begging to be written. It assaults you eager mind every minute of the day.
But where does it start?

Or maybe you've already written the story. You know it inside and out now, even to the parts you didn't put in it. But there's one thing wrong, and you've gone over that again and again.
The opening.

You're not alone. Most authors, published or unpublished, have trouble with the beginning, sometimes on every one of their books. As authors, we know our story, but we also know all that led up to it, all that surrounds it and all that follows, so it's confusing to separate out exactly where the book should open. It's not uncommon at all for an author to try four, five, even a dozen different ways to open, and still not grasp why it isn't working.

The most common problem all authors face with openings is STARTING TOO EARLY. I see this so often in contests, I think it must be the most common problem unpublished authors face. Now and then I've seen an author open TOO LATE, but that's rare. We seem to want to get in and explain the past, so the reader will feel grounded when the story opens.

But how much explanation does the reader need? The answer is, not much. That's what the story is for, to show her this new world where she has not walked before. Your opening is there to open her eyes, make her ears hear. Let her discover for herself.

One of my early books, The Mudlark, had one of the most marvelous descriptions I've ever written, all about the heroine and her life an how she had taken over managing her family home in the long absences of her irresponsible father, and...

Get it? Heard it before? So had my contest judges. "Cut to the chase!" one of them said.

I loved my wonderful prose! It told the reader all about who Izzy was! How else could I get that across? Well, the answer was clearly to show who she was by what she did. And one contest judge even helpfully pointed to a paragraph and said, "Your story starts here."

It didn't sound like an opening to me, and I diligently tried to re-work it so it would. But that took me right back to where it was, with twelve pages of explanation. Finally I gave up and just whacked. This is what I found:

When the sun came out from beneath dense clouds, Izzy Daventry threw her
shawl over her shoulders and set off from the manor across meadows that were
still slick from the last downpour. Within moments, the collection of children
commonly known as Izzy's Urchins gathered around her, warbling like the first
larks of spring, eager to see what adventure she had prepared for the day.

What does it do? It sets the scene. It introduces Izzy by showing her doing something she loves. And within the next page it takes what she loves and gives it all a bizarre twist that forces the story into action. I'm even tighter at getting to the point now, but this is the place I learned how to do it.

My favorite opening is probably from His Majesty, the Prince of Toads:

Tucked in amongst the odors of wax and smoking wicks, lavender and musk, lurked the aura of anticipation. Faint, yet distinct, it hung like a scent itself in the heavy air of the Carstairs drawing room.
It became more than a smell. Sophie heard it in the sudden hushing of voices, saw it in the slight raising of eyebrows. Previously attentive gentlemen stiffened, and with polite nods faded away as if they had not been fluttering about her just moments before. Her nape prickled, and Sophie felt like she was a goat staked out in a tiger trap.
This one is better because it makes heavy use of sensual details to present the setting, and to characterize the heroine, not by telling who she is, but by showing her poised at the point of action. And because she is poised, tension builds in the reader immediately. And action does begin immediately, with the confrontation with her husband she has been dreading for years. The reader only needs to know at this point that something is going to happen. And she knows she wants to find out what it is.

Here's an example from J. D. Robb from Rapture in Death:

Three weeks hadn't changed Cop Central. The coffee was still poisonous, the noise abominable, and the view out her stingy window was still miserable.
She was thrilled to be back.
Nora at her best. She entices the reader with a concise lure that is almost impossible to resist. A lesser author might have started the story where "she" is getting exiled from "her" beloved/hated environment. Not Nora. In one densely, tensely packed paragraph, she has set the scene, established a vital character, painted the mood, and let you know trouble is already as thick as the bad coffee. What trouble? Can't wait to find out, can you?

I've heard so many new writers say, "But I like to ease in to my story." Yes, and it's a great way to get the writer launched into writing it. But it's not a great a way to sell a book. If you tell everything the reader knows in the first chapter, why should she bother to read the rest? She has nothing left niggling at her brain to make her turn the page.

If you think you've done that, go back with a highlighter and mark every place that has an important piece of information the reader needs. With each one of those in mind, imagine the rest of your story and ask WHY the reader needs to know. This will point you to the place in the story where that item becomes relevant. All you have to do next is to figure out a place to stick it in- a place that is not in your opening pages.

The idea is to sprinkle these little clues throughout your manuscript, using just a word or two, showing each one instead of telling about it. Get sneaky. Very sneaky. If you're in a hurry to spruce up your beginning, just make yourself a list containing each clue and where you'd like to hide it. Get to it later.

Then go back and whack out everything before the point where the action begins. Ah, another difficult task. How do you know where that is? You may know more than you think.

Go back and look at my first example. Why was this point chosen? Because everything before it was description. It had motion but no action. Izzy fooled around in her garden. She checked the furniture for proper polish. She stared out the window and watched the rain, thinking about her recalcitrant parent. What she was going to do in the future, what she had done in the past. The point chosen was the point where the action began, leading straight to the adventure that left her looking like the Mudlark as the hero imagines her moments later when they meet.

It's likely, if you're having this kind of problem, that you have a lot of narrative full of beautiful, descriptive prose, possibly with a character musing over the past or planing the future, and doing a lot of gardening. Motion, not action. Where does the action begin?

Action requires conflict. The old way of defining plot structures says it well. All plots follow certain basic patterns: Man vs. man. Man vs. God. Man vs. the elements, or nature. Man vs. himself. Where does the conflict in your story begin? That's where your story begins. Everything before it is just backstory. Get rid of it. Hide it. Start with the story.
Delle Jacobshttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5209176639162497876.post-8477314879696199902009-02-24T11:08:00.000-08:002009-02-24T12:53:29.213-08:00Those Strange Royal Ascot CategoriesYes, we know- our categories are not like other contests. It's kind of confusing.

But then, the Royal Ascot is not like other contests. To begin with, the Beau Monde, being a specialty interest group with concentration on the Regency Era, limits its contest to Regency entries. But we want to encourage all authors who write about the Regency Era, regardless of their unique slant on it.

At the same time, having more than one or two categories gives authors who are approaching the Regency from unusual directions a better chance to compete. And it gives the coordinators, who would otherwise have one very large and unruly category, a better perspective.

We decided to divide our categories largely by the levels of sensuality. Judges tend to have sensuality preferences, and contestants might feel they have a better chance when being judged by authors who like the kind of story they are entering. To even this out even more, judges are asked to express their specific preferences, so that a judge who doesn't want to read certain kinds of stories won't be getting those entries. Hopefully this pleases everyone.

But how do you know where your story belongs? What if it's a really hot historical? Should you enter in Hot & Wild or Regency Historical? Historicals are for the most part pretty hot right now.

What if you've got a story that doesn't have a lot of sex, or none, but doesn't have a traditional Regency tone? Is it sweet, but you threw in a love potion? Potentially it might fit in any of the categories. And what if it's a very strong paranormal, but without love scenes? Would you get disqualified if the judges disagree with your choice?

First, no, we're not going to disqualify anyone for "Wrong Category". You are the one who gets to decide where to enter your manuscript. Judges will not judge on "Wrong Category", or even take off points for it. If we really think you're wrong, we'll contact you and talk about putting it in a more appropriate category.

Second, keep in mind that the Hot & Wild and Sweet & Mild categories are almost always much smaller than the Regency Historical. Fewer entries in a category increases the chances of finalling for each entry in the category.

But back to choosing. Some entries are going to be pretty easy decisions. Some aren't. Here's my suggestion:

Hot & Wild:
All Erotic Regencies should go in this category.
Very Sensual Regencies.
Paranormals where the paranormal elements are strong and dominant, particularly if the story couldn't exist without the paranormal elements.
Time Travels.

Sweet & Mild:
Stories without explicitly written sex scenes, although sexual tension can be high.
Young Adult Regencies.
Inspirational Regencies.

Regency Historical:
These are the general market stories.
They can have a sensual level varying from light through very sensual.
Paranormal elements would probably not be dominant in these stories.

But what about more mainstream stories, where the romance is a major element but not really the story's focus? I'd say, go for matching it up with the sensuality level. But violence? That's another question. We'd have to talk about it.

I'd also suggest looking at the final round judges and the types of stories they are likely to buy. That will often tell you where your story will best fit. If none of the judges is acquiring your type of story, and you reach the final round, we'll do everything we can to find an additional editor who acquires in your sub-genre to read but not judge your manuscript. All final round judges are instructed to make their placement decisions on the quality of the stories and not on whether or not the stories are the kinds they can acquire.

If you still can't decide, then send me an email at email@example.com and we'll talk about your specific story to help you decide where your story has the best chance.Delle Jacobshttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-5209176639162497876.post-36644201800035521232009-02-23T17:58:00.000-08:002009-02-23T19:47:41.409-08:00Observations of a Contest JudgeFollowing are some observations I have made over the number of contests I have judge, consistent errors that detract from otherwise excellent entries. These are also factors I take into consideration when editing my own work and critiquing the work of others.

 1: Dangling participles. (Walking to the store, the car nearly ran me down. Walking is the Participle. With this structure, the car is the subject, so we have a walking car.)

2: A shocking misuse of commas.

3: Too much telling.

4: Not enough use of the five senses.

5: No sense of time or place through dialogue, description, or tone.

6: No sense of the main characters' goals or conflicts.

7: Forced conflicts—anger and distrust with no logical reason for either.

8: Heroine being physically attracted to the hero regardless of how nasty he is to her. (This may be realistic, unfortunately, and it's not emotionally healthy.)

9: Huge chunks of detailed descriptions without any purpose.

10: Too many point of view shifts in a single scene. (Even if you put in the space or ***, going back and forth every other paragraph is still head-hopping.)

11: Reaction occurring before action. (He jumped when she covered his eyes with her hands.)

12: A lack of hooks at the end of the scene.

13: This is especially important in The Royal Ascot: easily verifiable historical errors--British titles used incorrectly, hero or heroine the brother or sister of the other's dead spouse, anachronistic behavior.

firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
JacketsDivine Dark creations for the Cybergoth, Avant garde and Dark Children including Jackets, Bolero's and shrugs
Quick View
Vanta Black Monster Jacket - Faux Fur Orange UV Jacket
Super UV, Super Furry, Super Awesome! - EXTREMELY LIMITED!!!!!
Made from quality UV Monster Faux Fur, lined with quality satin and features a nylon cyber clasp on front.
This feels super cool to wear!
Vanta Black Office Crop$190.00$250.00
Vanta Black Office Crop
$190.00 $250.00
Take your style wherever you are, Dare to dominate the workplace!
Super versatile - this sexy 'Office Crop' jacket looks great with tights!
Made from quality 250GSM Spandex and a nickel chrome chunky zip, it's super comfortable cut will polish off any look.
Bone Doctor Bolero$120.00
Bone Doctor Bolero
Made from Thick long Plush black faux fur with 2 x Cameo clasp detail features which are attached by Velcro for ease of dressing, and 2 black chains that hang between both. It is fully lined with black satin which has been delicately hand sewn in.
This little number will keep you cozy through winter and will compliment your wardrobe whilst still showing off that under bust corset.
Morphia Viking Sleeves$199.00
Morphia Viking Sleeves
Morphia Viking sleeves are made from Quality Long pile plush Faux Fur and lined with double striped black taffeta lining to keep you cozy.
They feature 2 shoulder caps made from quality Vinyl and lined with cotton drill and a front clasp closure of the Black Jupiter Glass fascited bead and Swarovski Crystal Brooch.
Model Wears size M
Asylum Bolero Jacket / White$290.00
Asylum Bolero Jacket / White
37 'D' rings, 16 strap details, side front heavy duty Nickel open ended zip!
Made from White Cotton Drill, this is a perfect statement piece either for work or play.
It looks great complimented over the Asylum corset and is also available in Black Cotton or Black PVC.
Model Wears size 8
For variation see - Asylum Bolero Jacket / Black PVC
Asylum Bolero Jacket / Black PVC$300.00
Asylum Bolero Jacket / Black PVC
37 'D' rings, 16 strap details, side front heavy duty Nickel open ended zip!
Made from Quality Black Heavy PVC, this is a perfect statement piece either for work or play.
It looks great complimented over the Asylum corset and is also available in White or Black Cotton.
Model Wears size 8
For detail see - Asylum Bolero Jacket / White Cotton
Quick View
Asylum Bolero Jacket / Black Cotton
37 'D' rings, 16 strap details, side front heavy duty Nickel open ended zip!
Made from Black Cotton Drill, this is a perfect statement piece either for work or play.
It looks great complimented over the Asylum corset and is also available in White Cotton or Black PVC.
Model Wears size 8
For Variations see - Asylum Bolero Jacket / White Cotton
Le Resistance Military Tunic$260.00
Le Resistance Military Tunic
$260.00Styled from European Military dress, This gorgeous ensemble is irresistible!Made with cotton spandex sateen and trimmed with velvet ribbon its comfortable figure hugging style will compliment any figure.It includes 2 hand embellished epaulets with thick bouillon fringing and 3 heavy duty chrome spikes on each side.The front features 1 nickel heavy duty open ended zipper, 2 mock pockets and chest war medal decoration.Model wears size 8Please send through your measurements once at checkout to ensure correct sizing.
Rockstar Jacket$350.00
Rockstar Jacket
Whether its for your Glam Rock, Burlesque or Cyber Punk wardrobe this ladies Rockstar Jacket will make you feel like a star.
Made from Black Cotton velvet with hand sewn Black braid and military style period buttons and contrasting Silver and white striped lining, it oozes stardom!
It features 2 removable shoulder military style epaulets with Silver Chains on each shoulder (style depends on availability) which can be removed for washing.
It is also available in Red Velvet with Gold trim upon special request only.
This piece is all hand made including the epaulets with locally sourced fabrics and trims.
Model wears size 8
Quick View
Bone Doctor Bolero Faux Fur Jacket
Snuggle up to your very own Bone Doctor Faux Fur Jacket this winter.
Featuring Plush white Faux Fur and gorgeous satin lining, you will feel like a star!
It features 4 x contrasting Ribcage cameo settings with Black double shoulder chains.
It is currently available in white and Black Faux Fur please advise at checkout.
Model wears size 10
Elixir Jacket$200.00
Elixir Jacket
Elixir Jacket, Sexy, Shiny and seductive!
Made from Wetlook Lycra, it features a heavy metal zip on front, with puff sleeves into tight arms, it flatters all the right parts and compliments a variety of looks from Cyber, Lolita, and Gothic. Pick your thing!
You wont be disappointed with this baby!
Available in sizes 8-14
Model wears size 10
Burlesque Queen Bolero$220.00
Burlesque Queen Bolero
Imagine a world of beauty and divine Luxury and adorn yourself in one of these Gorgeous Plush fur Bolero's.
This Burlesque Queen Bolero will make you feel a million Dollars.
Made from Red Short Plush Fur, lined with Black satin, It features 2 x Swarovski crystal Brooches with 3 Glass strands hanging between as the front clasp. The Brooches can be adjusted to sit at any height you desire or remove to use on another ensemble.
This versatile little number will compliment anything you can imagine, from your Burlesque wardrobe to your evening wear ensemble.It is available in Sizes S M L (S - 8-10)(M - 12 - 14)(L - 16 - 18) Model Wears Size Medium.
Quick View
Aerona Zohar Cybergoth PVC Bolero
This Striking PVC Bolero is perfect for every outfit. It looks fantastic with an under-bust corset or singlet.
It features 2 x Flared shoulder panels which are quilted, along with a quilted collar.; 2 x Chinese frog clasps on the front which can be used, but looks great either open or closed.
Its available in sizes 10-22 so can fit both women and men, please email us if unsure on sizing
Mad Rabbit Hoodie$250.00
Mad Rabbit Hoodie
Made from thick Black and Red Jersey Fleece, the Mad Rabbit Hoodie is sure to keep you warm this winter.
It Features Back and front slash detail with Punk Rabbit ears on a large hood and D Ring and strap detail on Flared sleeves.
Available in Sizes 8- 14 Custom Orders available also; Model Wears size 8
Admiral Bolero Jacket$350.00
Admiral Bolero Jacket
This Stunning Military Inspired Bolero is made from 100% Cotton Velveteen and fully lined with Black Satin.
It has 6 Antique look Buttons and Black Gimp braid details on front. The Collar and cuffs feature Black lace detail.
It is a must have for your Burlesque, Steam punk, Gothic or Circus Wardrobe. Available in sizes 8-14; Model wears size 8

subset: commoncrawl


text:
My children call me a Drill Sergeant, although a swimming recruiting trip to West Point as a senior in high school is as close as I have ever come to being in the military. Since I cannot fathom that my 5'3" and 110 pound frame is physically imposing, I suppose it is my confident and no nonsense manner that inspires the nickname.
I tell my children that "you have to stand for something or you will fall for anything".
I had an experience last week at the feed yard that brought this saying (as well as my nick name) to the forefront of my mind…
When my cattle are ready for harvest, I sell them to a packing plant. While the vast majority of my cattle are marketed through U.S. Premium Beef on a value added and carcass merit (value) basis, I do have a small number of animals that are unable to be Age and Source Verified that I sell as commodity cattle to a different packing plant. Commodity cattle are animals that do not have anything that makes them unique—they are not value added, and will be marketed as generic cattle/beef. I sold a pen of commodity cattle last week, and I sold them on a Live Basis. Those of you that followed my long series of posts tracing Calf #718 from birth to harvest are aware of the way that I market my value added and Age and Source Verified cattle (https://feedyardfoodie.wordpress.com/2011/09/14/calf-718-becomes-beef/).
When I sell a pen of commodity cattle on a live basis, I get paid simply on the pounds of live animal weight at the time of shipment. In other words, the cattle are weighed when they are loaded onto the semi-trucks and that weight is multiplied by a negotiated price and that is the payment that I receive for the cattle. When you sell a pen of cattle on a live basis, the packing plant both sets the shipment schedule and arranges the semi-trucks to carry the cattle to harvest. Although these animals are not sold on a carcass value basis, they still produce safe and healthy beef and their care is of the up-most importance to me.
I began my day last Thursday morning by reading bunks and establishing a feeding schedule for the cattle in the feed yard. I then exercised a pen of newly arrived cattle just as the sun came up. After this, my cowboy and I prepared to ship the pen of commodity cattle to harvest. Unfortunately, what should have been an easy transition of animals onto the semi-truck became a challenging experience for this Boss Lady turned Drill Sergeant.
One of the three truck drivers hired by the packing plant to carry my cattle to harvest did not share my philosophy that animal handlers should be calm and level headed. He was upset about the circumstances and timing of the shipment and lost his temper… So what did a 5'3" and 110 pound female drill sergeant do with a 6'1" and 250+ pound angry male truck driver when it became obvious that he was not in control of himself?
I told him to leave my property and did not load my animals on his truck.
Something in my steady and steal-like gaze must have penetrated his anger because he left without further argument.
He returned to my feed yard an hour later in a much calmer frame of mind. His boss arrived shortly there after to ensure that professional behavior would prevail, and we loaded the truck.
I believe that calm and rational people make good cattle handlers. I believe that it is my job as Boss Lady and Humane Caregiver to ensure that my crew and I work with people that share a rational frame of mind. This was a very challenging situation to deal with, and I was glad for both my drill sergeant nature and my commitment to "stand for what I believe in". My safety, the safety of my cowboy, and the safety of my animals relied on my ability to effectively handle the situation.
So, what is the moral of the story? Be true to your core values, and stand firmly for what you believe in. Good leadership is marked by confident, rational, and steadfast commitment…No matter what your physical stature is!


text:
I take 1 mg klonopin, 20 mg celexa & my hair is shedding every day. Also, my hair stopped growing. Is it from the depression, anxiexty, klonopin, or celexa?? My thryroid is OK. What should I do? I am 60 yrs old. The hair loss started 3 months after taking klonopin.
Klonopin - Is any female having hair loss?
- Asked
- 4 Aug 2015 by wannabbetter
- Updated
- 6 Aug 2015
- Topics
- celexa, klonopin, depression, anxiety and stress, female, hair
Responses (1)
Hair loss is cited as less common or rare (gender not separated): https://www.drugs.com/sfx/klonopin-side-effects.html
Obviously you have to see your doctor.
Good luck.
Thanks. Cannot find a good shrink & my GP seems only worried about people who are dying.
I also have no energy so I was going to ask to be switched from celexa to Wellbutrin, but hair loss may be a moderate side effect. The Klonopin does nothing for my depression, but it does allow me to sleep.
Further Information
Search for questions
Still looking for answers? Try searching for what you seek or ask your own question.
Similar Questions
Im a 20 year old female just been prescribed celexa?
Posted 10 Nov 2009 • 1 answer
What could help depression other than celexa?
Posted 11 Aug 2015 • 2 answers
Depression and hair and weight loss?
Posted 10 Nov 2015 • 3 answers
Anyone taking Celexa (Citalopram) and Klonopin (Clonezepam), feeling depressed/sleepy?
Posted 18 Mar 2016 • 3 answers
When to take Celexa and Klonopin?
Posted 28 Jun 2016 • 0 answers


text:
A new body to tackle some of the UK's most serious crimes has been launched.
Labelled the "British FBI", the National Crime Agency will "relentlessly pursue" organised criminals, the home secretary said.
Theresa May told the BBC it would focus on organised, economic and cyber crime, border policing and child protection.
It will replace a number of existing bodies but will have significantly less funding. Labour has called the move a "rebranding exercise".
It is the third time since 1998 that an organised crime body has been set up.
The National Crime Squad was set up 15 years ago, only to be replaced eight years later by Soca - which is now being scrapped.'Crime is falling'
The NCA will work with each of the regional police forces in the UK and similar organisations abroad.
The agency will have 4,500 officers and aims to adopt a more visible, joined-up approach than was previously the case.
The Serious Organised Crime Agency was much-maligned and is often said to have failed in its early days to make its mark. The National Crime Agency has to build its reputation as a formidable crime-fighter from day one.
But this is the third attempt to create a British FBI in 15 years. There is no new money. Some of its officers in their new black NCA jackets told me they'll be doing the same job they've always done.
So what's different this time?
The top cops at the NCA stress it will lead the national fight against crime, not simply sit alongside existing policing operations. They talk about the way intelligence from lots of sources will be combined for the first time and new powers will be used to task police forces to act. NCA specials, non-police officers with specialist skills, will be recruited from the private sector.
But one aspiration stands out. The NCA promises to be much more transparent than Soca - an organisation that didn't even put its name on its buildings.
The new agency will trumpet its successes, and fight for its reputation. Which might mean it has a better one.
Its head, Keith Bristow, warned criminals to expect "continuous disruption", including the confiscation of their assets.
"We are going to make a difference the public will see," he told the BBC, adding the "British FBI" label was "reasonable shorthand" for the new body.
The NCA has significant powers to compel police forces in England and Wales to provide assistance and carry out policing operations.
Mrs May told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show on Sunday that the new agency was "designed to be a relentless crime-fighting body which will relentlessly pursue organised criminals".
The home secretary said: "Crime is falling in this country, but we can't be complacent. And particularly on organised crime, I don't think the last government put enough emphasis on this."'Not strong enough'
But shadow policing minister David Hanson said the NCA "doesn't match the government's hype".
"Most of the NCA is just the rebranding of existing organisations such as the Serious Organised Crime Agency, but with a substantial 20% cut imposed by the Home Office on their overall budget," he said.
Mr Hanson added: "The new organisation is not strong enough to deal with the exponential growth of economic and online crime. It will simply absorb the existing National Cyber Crime but with fewer resources.
"It is right to have stronger national action on organised crime with the NCA, on child exploitation and on intelligence - but the government has to support this effort and not simply use this as a rebranding exercise to hide substantial policing cuts."
However, Mrs May told the BBC she was satisfied that the NCA was "going to be well-resourced".
She said the government had already shown it was "possible to keep up that relentless fight against crime" with less money.
Keith Vaz, the chairman of the influential Home Affairs Select Committee said: "The organisations going into the NCA have a combined budget of £812m, yet the new agency will only have £473.9m next year.
"The Home Office needs to account for where this money has gone."
Each police force in the UK has territorial responsibility for its particular area. Crimes that are carried out across more than one county or area usually involve officers from both areas.
The new body will have a strategic role in which it will attempt to look at the bigger picture of organised crime in the UK, how it operates and how it can be disrupted.
The NCA will answer directly to the home secretary and will have the same powers in Scotland as it does in England and Wales.
The situation will be different in Northern Ireland, where the agency will carry out its border and customs functions, but not other crime-fighting roles.


text:
Twas the day after Christmas and all through the house... everyone was doing their usual thing.
But as I look back over the last month (which flew by at record speed) I'm glad we did things a little differently this year. I hope it'll be even more different next year.
All those gifts under the tree that crowded out the nativity scene aren't there now. They produce sounds of glee and smiles and excitement for about an hour and then came the complaining. One boy came out of the bedroom tattling on the other, "Mom ___________ says this is the worst Christmas ever." It's no fun seeing and hearing the evidence of the fallen creatures we are come out of your children. The self-centered twist from the Christ-centered way is in all of us. Even our children.
This could evoke punishment, anger, rash-consequences... all of those rose up in me like embers from a flame and then fell like ash. Then grace and truth like a faithful friend rose up and I called the erring boy to my side. He confessed with tears, knowing the very words that were coming out of his mouth were evidence of the poisonous wound deep inside. He spewed out all the reasons why. He didn't like this. There weren't as many as last year. And the tears flowed and shame filled the air thick. There was the option of using shame against him, rubbing his nose in it, taking presents away, etc., but that Paraclete moved me forward and I lifted his quivering chin and looked into his guilty eyes and said, "This is in all of us son. This is selfishness and its in us all and its not the way God made you to be." His tears flowed more, truth and grace are like keys unlocking the guilt and letting the flow of sadness over sin come. "Why are you crying son?"
"Because I know what I did wrong."
"You know, God gave a gift and we did the same thing to his gift too. He gave us His Son but many people refuse the gift of God. They don't like it. It's not what they wanted. It's not something they can unwrap and hold and play with so they don't want it."
Tears start to clear. Head begins to lift. Thoughts are turned towards the truth. And quietly it sinks in.
"You know what to do to stand against that selfishness in you?"
He shakes his head.
"Be a giver. And give thanks. Some things people give you, you may not like, you may not want, but be a giver. Give thanks. Think about how they wanted to give to you. Give thanks for them wanting to give. And remember those people who got chickens and rabbits and a water filter from us? I bet they are sure glad someone gave to them. The more you are a giver the more giving will be a gift to you."
I'm sure much of that conversation was not understood. But it was a seed planted.
This year Ann encouraged me to take these words of His and receive them as His preferred birthday present. So I did. And I took that seed of truth to the hearts of my boys and planted it there. And they seemed to get it, after all, they have birthdays, and on their birthdays they get gifts. So what He wants for his birthday was something they could understand. They wanted to give Him a gift.
This year the Jesse Tree grew and the tradition took on more permanence even amidst opposition.
This year giving to each other took on a from-the-heart quality. The boys made a Lego game for their dad out of Lego's they already had, and they did chores to earn a 7 and 9 year old's wage so they could pick out a gift they wanted to give to each other.
And after it was all over, and all the trash from the torn paper and boxes were thrown out, I looked and there was the scene and I heard the words:
The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever. - Isaiah 40:8
God's word, the Word made into flesh... lastly God spoke to us in His Son, and if we've seen the Son, we've seen the Father. Immanuel. God with us. The incarnation of the Savior of the World. He endures forever. Past the gifts. Past the complaints. Past the lessons. Past the day after Christmas. Oh what a steadying, secure, confident and calming anchor we have in heaven while we endure the sin and fleeting feelings and thoughts in the world!
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations. [The LORD is faithful in all his words and kind in all his works.] - Psalm 145:14


text:
Sunday, December 23, 2012
25 Videos For Christmas #23
We had Gordon Douglas quite a few years ago. He has a lot of great true and funny stories. . . but, this true story is my favorite.
Posted by Joel Snyder at 4:30 AM
No comments:
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Schön Engineered- 3/8" x 3-5/8" Golden Topaz Acacia Engineered Flooring- 30 Year Warranty
Wood floors and water don't mix. But, Schön Engineered Floors are a perfect match for all areas of the home including those with a higher moisture content like: basements, bathrooms, kitchens, concrete sub-floors, and below grade installation.
Made from several layers of wood bonded together, Schön Engineered Floors overcome typical moisture related reactions remaining flat and intact, in addition to looking exactly like solid wood floors once it is installed!
Schön Floors come in beautiful exotic and domestic species and a 30 year warranty.
Golden Teak is an outstanding flooring choice for any homeowner! The coloring of this strong wood adds inviting warmth to any space. The understated elegance of Golden Teak's creamy golden sapwood and unique dark-streaked heartwood is breathtaking. Over time this flooring will deepen in color usually settling into a warm golden tan that maintains its inviting and cozy appearance.
Quick Highlights:
- Solid Hardwood Wear Layer
- Superior strength and Stability
- Covered by a 30 Year Warranty
- Nail, Glue Down, or Float... even on concrete floors!
About Engineered Flooring:
Hardwood veneer layers are stacked on one another, with the grain of the adjacent layers oriented perpendicular to each other.
Because wood expands and contracts in the direction of the grain, one layer stabilizes the next, resulting in a product that is less susceptible to the effects of moisture & temperature change.
Order Samples Today! 3 for
$10 FREE! Learn more
(Free after 1st flooring purchase credit)


text:
Three pictures, with the same hats, same bracelet(?) :-D same face, same smile, same hair, same eyes, same body… and same girl. *u*
Meet Hannah Lousanne Gallo Mostacho. She's my bhie. My supporter. My fan, and my FRIEND! :) We never had the chance to meet in person. But even tho we didn't know each other personally, I really, really like her.
I met her through Wattpad. She commented on one of my stories there and from that day on, I started to talk to her more often. Every time she put comments on comment box, my heart really is jumping in excitement and happiness.. She open up to me her love story. She is so comfortable to talk to and she really speaks her feelings. She's honest too and that's the reason why I like her very much. :)
And bhie! I just wanna greet you a HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Here's a video I made for you! :*
I LOVE YOU BHIE! Napamahal ka na sa akin, you know that :) I miss you already! I HOPE TO SEE YOU SOON! <3 Happy Birthday again! Mwuahugs.
I love your cute smile *u*
Your mhie, Rizza Maruja :)


text: What is the best thermostat to use for my cooling system?Lycoming Heating Company has a number of great thermostat options for your HVAC systems. The best thermostat for you will depend on a variety of variables, such as whether you want one that's programmable or not. No matter what kind of thermostat you'd like – or if you're in the market for something that can fit with a home automation system – call Lycoming Heating Company to hear about which thermostats you can choose from. Our team will help you find one that's best for your system, your family's needs and your budget.


text:
Our first stop today was The Hucklebery Patch in Hungry Horse. We used to stop here quite often when we spent the summer in the area 9 years ago They have the best huckleberry pies. We had a late breakfast/lunch.
Then we headed for the Apgar Village Transit Center in Glacier National Park to take the bus to Logan's Pass. Due to major crowds, we turned around at Lake MacDonald Lodge and returned to Apgar. That ended up to be a good plan because a screw fell out of my glasses and my lens fell out. So we drove down to LensCrafters in Kalispell to get my glasses fixed.
With glasses repaired, we returned to West Glacier where we ate lunch.
After lunch, we headed toward St. Mary's on the east side of the park. We stopped at the Goat Lick but there were no goats so we didn't stay long (or take pictures). We took lots of pictures of the scenery along the way.
Near Maria's Pass
Lower Two Medicine Lake
We got to St. Mary later than we'd expected so had an ice cream at the Curly Bear Cafe before heading home.


text:
Part of InternewsNext, a series highlighting 30 youth-led media initiatives.
"I used to watch TV [and] radio, but never realized that I can do film or be an announcer," said Mohamed Ahmed, one of 50 Egyptian students who recently took part in two social media camps designed to expand youth participation in Egyptian media.
Hosted by Internews in collaboration with the Egyptian Association for Media Creation and Development and the Hawaa Al-Mostakbel Society, the three-day camps served as a platform for students to learn practical media skills such as objectivity, accuracy, ethics and the negative consequences of hate speech, as well as work collaboratively and share knowledge with their peers.


text:
Your LinkedIn profile might be low on your radar with the busyness of a job search. While it seems great as a quick place to put your work experience or for connecting with people, you may shrug it off as not much more. The truth is, your LinkedIn profile should be in tip-top shape before you even begin your search.
Our recruiters have created a list of the top 5 LinkedIn tips, from how to create an amazing summary to how to showcase your accomplishments and skills.
While you might love a recent selfie or a quick photo a friend snapped, it may not be the best choice for a professional network. The best photos are head-shots that are clear and well lit. There are even photographers who specialize in head-shots.
Your summary should be between 3-4 paragraphs long. You can even add a bulleted area showcasing the things that make you standout. Your summary is your story. Walk the reader through your education, what qualifies you, specific skills and show numbers to show your achievements.
While many people add the name of the company, position, and dates of employment, you should take it a step further. Add your job description, projects you've worked on and links to the website if it shows something you have worked on.
While this might seem unimportant, it's great for recruiters and companies to see what others say about you. Ask current and past coworkers to write something about you but be specific. If you worked on a project together, ask them to talk about that and what the experience was like. Ask for recommendations once a month or a few times a year. You will also notice a section for endorsements. These are great as well, but recommendations hold much more weight.
Now on LinkedIn, you can publish your own articles. Write about things going on in your field. Add your opinions, explain what you may see as a solution or suggest industry related ideas. This will help show your passion for your industry!
Copyright © 2018 Egret Consulting
Website design and online marketing from The Loop Marketing Inc Chicago IL in partnership with JJR Marketing.


text:
If anyone reading this post has not read this book go buy it and finish it. Even if you don't agree with the views proposed in the book it's still a great novel. If you have read Atlas Shrugged and agree or disagree that it is a great book please leave a comment below. Let's not be afraid of discussion.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Atlas Shrugged Movie.
To say that I'm excited for this movie wouldn't be quite correct, I'm really more nervous than anything. It takes some balls to make one of the greatest books into a movie, let alone a 1000 page great book. From the short bits that I've read around the interwebs it seems like they've done a good job in making this movie at least how the financial investors or I should say investor wanted it. With a release date of April 15, 2011 I'm guessing they have everything filmed and mostly produced so hopefully there will be some kind of trailer soon. Although trailers never can be trusted for how good a movie will be or what the story is like ie. Spider-Man 3, 300, etc.
Posted by Sam Garrett at 1:35 AM
Labels: Atlas Shrugged, Classics, Objectivism
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Alaska Proof Season 1TV Series Season
Alaska boasts some of the most rugged landscapes and untamed creatures on Earth; which is why the 'Last Frontier State' quenches a thirst for adventure unlike anywhere else. With the premiere of Alaska Proof, Animal Planet pours the spirit of Alaska into an eight-part series that spotlights a different kind of spirit - the kind we drink!
We will only notify you about the most important info & release updates
Notify me when Alaska Proof Season 1 is available.Already a member ? Login Here
Release DatesReport Date / Submit Product
Report Date / Submit Product
Alaska Proof Season 1 was released on Animal Planet 892d ago in the US.
Animal Planet
January 14, 2016Confirmed
Animal Planet


text:
Hancock Capital Expands Leveraged Senior Credit Team
Hancock Capital Management has expanded its leveraged senior loan platform with the addition of six investment professionals to its team in Chicago.
The new staff, whose appointments are effective immediately, include:
- Eric Barton, director, Originations. Barton, who has nearly 20 years of leveraged lending and asset management experience, joined HCM from Crescent Capital.
- Jeff Bottcher, director, Underwriting. Bottcher, who has more than 16 years in accounting and leveraged lending experience, joined HCM from Antares Capital.
- Ryan Reko, director, Underwriting. Reko, who has nearly 10 years of leveraged lending experience, joined HCM from CIT Group.
- Patrick Kilrea, associate, Underwriting. Kilrea, who has more than five years of syndications and leveraged lending experience, joined HCM from Barings.
- Brian Cihlar, associate, Underwriting. Cihlar, who has more than five years of accounting and finance experience, joined HCM from Guggenheim Partners.
- Conner Moriarty, associate, Underwriting. Moriarty, who has three years of leveraged lending experience, joined HCM from NewStar Financial.
"We are pleased to have attracted such a talented and experienced group of originators and underwriters to our team," said Devon Russell, senior managing director, Hancock Capital Management. "The expansion of the Leveraged Senior Credit Team will advance the early success of the platform, which includes transactions supporting three private equity firms."
Hancock Capital Management, which has offices in Boston, New York, and Chicago, was formed in 2000 to provide private market solutions.


text:
I am a big fan of Facing The Giants. and so is Roy. We have watched the movie several times and it always really touches our hearts. A great, heartwarming story!
Well, the makers of FTG have a new movie coming out at the end of September. It's called FIREPROOF. Kirk Cameron is in the starring role. YAY! He was a heartthrob when I was a teenager, so there is some nostalgia where he is concerned. lol. And then he starred in Left Behind, which is another great movie.
The trailer made me cry when I watched it! The website has a lot of great behind the scenes info, free downloads, etc. I've already emailed the website to two pastors in my area, and hopefully we will get a movie viewing locally! Either way, it looks to be a QUALITY FAMILY movie!!!


text:
I have written before how much I love that my kids get to spend time with their first cousins. We are lucky because there isn't many weekends that go by they don't see some cousins.
Last weekend my cousins came to town to hang out. Not only did I get time with my cousins, but my children got to have special time with their second cousins! I think we are up to 17 right now! They all get along great and these girls LOVED coming to the "country".
They collected wood for a bon fire with their dump truck.
Then took a long ride around the yard.
Before the adults went out to eat, we let them roast marshmallows. It's a messy process, but it's fun to be outside by the fire.
I left my camera out and Meme got a picture of them all eating dinner. She even got them all pj'd and put to bed!
It was GREAT to have time with these two! They are two of many we love spending time with.
Now if we could just get the rest of the cousins to come visit...until then we will see most of them for our family Christmas party.


text:
Portions of this entry appear on this submission to the Republican subreddit.
Much has been made this past week over a couple things. One is the current president's change to publicly supporting/endorsing what supporters call marriage equality and critics call gay marriage. Another is an alleged incident in which former governor Romney, either assisted or encouraged by a group of fellow classmates, held down a long-haired man and forcibly cut off some portion of his hair.
Firstly, almost all of the outrage directed toward Romney for this incident has been focused through the lens of this man, John Lauber, being potentially gay and that was the motivating factor in this action. For his part, the presumptive Republican nominee states that while he doesn't remember this particular he did do many things which were stupid when younger. He also says that the sexual orientation of Lauber was not a motivating factor and in fact was not something even that was considered at that point in time. To play devil's advocate even if such language was used in reference to Lauber it doesn't mean those calling him that were anti-homosexual. At least in my own personal experience epithets such as 'fag' or even the use of the word gay has taken on a derisive, negative connotation in common parlance. Uses of the word, if they were in this case, may have been simply to harass Lauber simply because he was outside their comfort zone, outside their mainstream. Why it doesn't matter to me personally whether the supposed attack was motivated by Lauber's assumed or actual sexual orientation is because bullying is wrong and should be pointed out and stopped no matter what the rationalization is, and I hope if any message may be taken from this entry it be that. As far as the political side goes, if this story is true I think it extremely important for Romney to articulate how he has grown from that point in time and how he has come to be a more mature and accepting man either as a result of it, of his faith, or whatever catalyst in his own personal life which made that happen. To change one's opinion on this matter is an excellent example of a change in heart or opinion on a matter which is due to a maturation of an individual, and not one born or craven or cynical political posturing.
This leads me to the next point, which is President Obama's recent change in support for marriage equality, and some who characterize it alternatively as flip flopping akin to a position on regulations or an evolution or change in honest opinion by him.
To some, and unfortunately it pretty much goes 'both' ways on the ideological spectrum, any change in positions or opinions is deserved of the term. Conservatives and/or Republicans will say Obama's flip-flopping on things such as marriage equality or on matters of national security(and there are those especially among the OWS group that will actually say the same thing), and liberals and/or Democrats will say Romney's flip-flopped on things(and many of the more values-based and libertarian portions of his own constituency will say the same thing).
I don't think either of them are necessarily flip flopping. They may be changing their opinions cravenly for political expediency, or perhaps they had the newer position all along and the previous one was the cop out. Maybe he did it only because Biden and other administration officials had already let the horse out of the barn and it's a political face-saving gesture. Because it's so damn difficult to know what is actually in the mind and soul of someone, though, unless there's some sort of evidence which cements that a change was other than what is publicly stated to be the case, it's unproductive to muse about the 'true' motivations behind that change.
Evolving is sort of a sterile term for what many, if not all of us, do throughout our lives as we are raised, come into our own, and mature(at least in our own minds) in our perspective on issues that confront our heads and hearts. There's absolutely nothing wrong with a change of heart on a subject; even people sharing identical values and principles can have different interpretations on what those things mean in their application to the real world. What I'm disappointed with is that because there's the hostility to this and therefore our elected officials are very averse to changing their minds when confronted with different facts or something which challenges their position, or when they do they don't like to elaborate on the whys or hows or considerations they went through. This includes the recent change in publicly stated position by the current president on gay marriage/marriage equality. He went into it a little bit, but for as long as it's been discussed on the radio television and print, in campaign ads, and gatherings of friends family and coworkers, having too much put out there by a man who identifies as someone who has changed their mind on the issue is simply not possible.
As always, thank you for your time and your consideration of my thoughts and if you think we may benefit from a discourse, please leave a comment and we can engage to better understand the situation together.
The way we talk about things is as important as what we choose to talk about.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Cutting Our Hair, Flip Flopping and Evolving
Posted by Tyler Moore at 22:59
Labels: Bullying, Campaign, Change, Flip-Flopping, Gay Marriage, Marriage Equality, Media, Obama, Politics, Problems, Public Discourse, Purpose, Romney, Sex and Gender
I like talking to people and getting to know them. I follow 'tech' type news and current events, especially national United States political discourse. I have a blog that's more a sort of journal or aggregation of posts, comments and emails I make on the topics covered therein. Over time I aim to construct a consistent and coherent worldview that I'll also try to convey in as clear a manner as possible. I hope some of you enjoy reading it and provide your criticisms, praise, counterpoints or supporting arguments either in the comments or elsewhere I might see it.
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
As my mother always says: "Know your limits." Actually, in this case, it's more like knowing PassPack's limits. As you know, you can, and should, teach PassPack how to login to new websites with your PassPack It! button. This should work pretty often, but there are some times when it's better to ask for help. Here are some examples.
Tips to make it work
Before you read on to the solutions to common problems, make sure have read this article on how to teach PassPack a website. And remember… go slowly.
When you need more fields
Some websites use a captcha, require you to check boxes, or request that you fill out more fields than just the username and password.
In these cases, the solution is very simple: fill out the extra fields, check boxes and captchas, BEFORE pressing your PassPack It! button. … Easy as that.
When it used to work
Sometimes, you'll just swear that you've already used auto-login on a website, but when you come back to it, it asks you to "teach" it. No worries, chance are, you're not going crazy. If a website has more than one login form (for example: one on a login page and one on the home page) or even a login form on every page, then you may come across this behavior.
It's easy to avoid this by always using the homepage login form, or at least the most obvious one.
If that's not an option, then we can manually set up the entire website for you. Just send us an email, with "Multiple Login Forms" in the subject line, and a link to the website.
When a website changes
A website's structure can change from time to time – that's part of the nature of internet. Should these changes effect the login form, the PassPack It! button may not be able to automatically log you in.
If you think this has happened, just send us an email, with "Website Changed" in the subject line, and a link to the website.
When it just refuses to work
This can be frustrating for you (I know), but there are some very tricky things that may cause the PassPack It! button to get confused. Here are some:
- the login is on a different domain (ex. Flickr login on Yahoo)
- the site uses multiple step login (ex. egg.com)
- the login is in a Flash movie or Java Applet
- the site itself has errors
In case #1, we can help. Just send us an email, with "Multiple Domains" in the subject line, and a link to both the website AND the login page.
For all the others, sorry but your auto-login will not work. PassPack might (big maybe) support #2 in the future, but it will never support #3 or #4.
Technorati Tags: PassPack, password manager, online privacy, privacy, security, lifehack, web2.0, tech, autologin